Page:The Works of the Reverend George Whitefield, M.A., late of Pembroke-College, Oxford, and Chaplain to the Rt. Hon. the Countess of Huntingdon (1771 Volume 2).djvu/471

 things, especially our design of building a new tabernacle, which I hope will succeed, detain me in town this Winter. only knows what course I am to steer in the Spring. I would be a blank;—let my heavenly Father fill it up as seemeth him good. I am glad you are with our elect Lady; she will shine indeed in heaven as a common friend. O how amiable is a truly catholic spirit! , make us all partakers of it more and more! I beg the continuance of your prayers: I need them much. willing, you shall have mine in return. That you and yours may increase with all the increase of, is the earnest request of, my dear friend,

Yours, &c. G. W.    Letter DCCCCL. To Lady Hn.

Ever-honoured Madam,     London, Dec. 22, 1752.

WITH great pleasure I received your Ladyship's letter, which hath drawn me to the Father of Spirits, that the meek, lowly, loving, zealous, and heavenly-minded temper which was in, may be stamped more and more upon your Ladyship's heart. A growth in these blessed graces and fruits of the divine Spirit, I am persuaded is what your Ladyship desires above all things under heaven, and I doubt not but all the trials and afflictions you meet with, both from friends and foes, will be sanctified to the promoting this glorious end. Many of these I meet with; but if I come purified out of the furnace, and am at length any way conformed to my dear and blessed Exemplar, I rejoice, yea and will rejoice. Experience, if attended with this effect, cannot be bought too dear. But alas, how unwilling is the old man to be crucified and slain! How hard is even the mind that is renewed in part, how hard to be brought off low and selfish and party views. With how much reluctance doth it give up the uppermost place, and submit to be accounted in the church, as well as in the world, less than the least of all. Yet this is a lesson the witnesses of must learn. O that I had learnt only my A B C in it! I beg the continuance of your Ladyship's prayers, for which I thank your Ladyship a thousand times.