Madam,
AS I know your Ladyship had a great esteem for the late honourable Miss H——, I cannot but think a short account of her behaviour, under her last sickness, must not only alleviate the concern your Ladyship must necessarily have for so intimate a friend, but also excite you to pray, that your latter end may be like hers. I think it is now near three weeks since good Lady G—— desired me to visit her sick daughter. She had been prayed for very earnestly the preceding day after the sacrament, and likewise previous to my visit in Lady H——’s room. When I came to her bedside, she seemed glad to see me, but desired I would speak and pray as softly as I could. I conversed with her a little, and she dropped some strong things about the vanity of the world, and the littleness of every thing out of Christ. I prayed as low as I could, but in prayer (your Ladyship has been too well acquainted with such things to call it enthusiasm) I felt a very uncommon energy and power to wrestle with God in her behalf. She soon broke out into such words as these, “what a wretch am I?” She seemed to speak out of the abundance of her heart, from a feeling sense of her own vileness. Her honoured Parent and attending servants were affected. After prayer, she seemed as though she felt things unutterable, bemoaned her ingratitude to God and Christ; and I believe would gladly have given a detail of all her faults she could reckon. Her having had a form of godliness, but never having felt the power, was what she most bewailed. I left her; she continued in the same frame; and when Mrs. S—— asked her whether she felt her heart to be as bad as she expressed herself, she answered, “yes, and worse.” At her request, some time after this, I gave her the holy communion; a communion indeed it was. Never did I see a person receive it with seemingly greater contrition, more earnest desire for pardon and reconciliation with God through Christ, or stronger purposes of devoting her future life to his service. Being weak, she was desired to keep lying on her bed. She replied, “I can rise to take my physic; shall I not rise to pray?” When I was repeating the Communion Office, she applied all to herself, and broke out frequently aloud in her applying. When I said, the burden of them is intolerable, she burst out—“yea very intolerable,” with abundance of such like expressions. When she took the bread and wine, her concern gave her utterance, and she spake like one that was ripening for heaven. Those around her wept for joy.—My cold heart also was touched, and I left her with a full persuasion, that she was either to be taken off soon, or to be a blessing here below. I think she lived about a week afterwards: she continued in the same frame as far as I hear, and I trust is now gone, where she will sing the song of Moses and of the Lamb for ever. The thoughts of this, comforts good Lady G——, and the same consideration, I am persuaded, will have the same effect upon your Ladyship. Only methinks I hear your Ladyship add, “No, I will not stop here. By divine grace I will devote myself to Jesus Christ now, and give him no rest, till I see the world in that light as dear Miss H—— did, and as I myself shall, when I come to die. I will follow my honoured mother as she follows Jesus Christ, and count the Redeemer’s reproach of more value than all the honours, riches and pleasures of the world. I will fly to Christ by faith, and through the help of my God, keep up not only the form, but also the power of godliness in heart and life.” That the glorious Emanuel may enable your Ladyship to put all this into practice, is the earnest prayer of, Madam,
Your Ladyship’s most ready servant for Christ’s sake,
G. W.
LETTER DCCCLXIII.
Eversham, Sept. 28, 1750.
Dear Miss B——,
I Thank you for your kind letter, and thank our heavenly Father for blessing the seed sown to any of my hearers. Not unto me O Lord, not unto me, but unto thy free unmerited mercy, be all the glory!
If thou excuse, then work thy will,