452. Letter Dccccxlvii.
LETTER DCCCCXLVII.
T o Governor B――.
London, Dec. 20, 1752.
Honoured Sir, WITH great pleasure and satisfaction, I received and read your kind letter, and took the first opportunity of transmitting the inclosed to good Lady
H――n, who is now near Bristol. If the ship which brings this, doth not sail soon, I believe your Excellency will have an answer by the same conveyance. She is an elect lady indeed; one who hath fairly renounced the world, and scorns to divide her affections between it and her God. Her
Ladyship corresponds with the Dutchess of ――, but I fear that the latter doth not glory in the cross of Christ, so much as might be wish'd. You know, honoured Sir, that we must have true self-denial, and a disinterested spirit, before we can be sincerely willing to be accounted fools for Christ's sake. And yet there is no going to heaven without it. Blessed be God, your fight, honoured Sir, is almost over; the days are now coming wherein you must necessarily say, "I have no pleasure in them." The 71st psalm,
translated by Dr. Watts, seems to be sweetly adapted to your circumstances.
Part of it was lately sung for your Excellency, by many true followers of the Lamb.
Still hath his life new wonders seen, Repeated every year; Behold his days which yet remain, We trust them to thy care.
II.
Cast him not off, should health decline, Or hoary hairs arise; And round him let thy glories shine, Whene'er thy servant dies.
I doubt not but the Lord Jesus will say, Amen. Whether I shall have the pleasure of seeing you on this side eternity, is uncertain. It was no small self-denial for me to leave America without going to the Northward; but the cloud moved towards England. Here (O amazing condescension!) the glorious Emmanuel vouchsafes still to own and bless my feeble labours. In Scotland, Wales, and the parts in and near Yorkshire, we have seen blessed days of the Son of Man. I am now in my Winter quarters, longing for Spring, to take the field again. Had I a thousand tongues and lives, Jesus should have them all. I am sorry, quite sorry that not one of his ministers could venture over the Atlantick for New-Jersey College. Two general collections have lately been made upon other occasions in Scotland. What a pity, when all circumstances concurred, that such a favourable opportunity should have been lost? I can only lament that, which I did all I could to prevent. And now, honoured Sir, I must bid you farewel. Ere long I hope to
see you in a better world: perhaps we may meet again in this. Dear America is much upon my heart. Thanks be to God, Bethesda is now put on a good and flourishing foundation, and I hear hath escaped the late hurricane in South-Carolina. Great are thy judgments, O God;—and great are thy mercies also! both past finding out. To the infinitely great and gracious I AM, do I most earnestly commend both you and yours, and with ten thousands thanks for all your unmerited favours, I beg leave to subscribe myself, honoured Sir, Your Excellency's most obliged, dutiful, and ready servant for Christ's sake, G. W.