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/88

 think it an honour, but believed, as I generally preached three times a day in various places to large congregations I could do my King my country, and my, more service, by stirring up the people to pray, and thereby strengthen his and his soldiers hands." Through divine grace, I was enabled to persist in this practice for some weeks; but at last news arrived that the case was desperate. Letter upon letter came from one officer and another to those who planned this expedition, and did not know the strength of the fortress. I smiled, and told my friends, that I believed now we should have Louisburgh;—that all having confessed their helplessness, would now reveal his arm, and make our extremity his opportunity. I was not disappointed of my hope; for one day having taken a weeping leave of dear Boston, and being about to preach a few miles out of the town, news was brought that Louisburgh was taken. Numbers flocked with great joy from all quarters, and I immediately preached to them a thanksgiving sermon from these words: "By this I know that thou favourest me, since thou hast not permitted mine enemies to triumph over me." Here ends, dear Madam, my beating to arms. It is left to you, to judge as you please of, dear Madam, Yours, &c. G. W. Postscript. I forgot to tell you, to the honour of worthy Madam P, that during the time of the expedition, at her desire, I preached in the General's house, and took the liberty before sermon, to ask her, how she came to give up the General? She answered, "That it was who enabled her to do it for his glory, and her country's good, and that now the General was gone, she had the pleasing reflection, that thro' divine mercy, home had never been made so disagreeable to him by her conduct, as to make him wish to be gone." LETTER DLXXIII. To Mrs. L.

Philadelphia, August 26, 1746.

Honoured Mother,

WHETHER your affections are abated to me or not, (which one would imagine by your not writing in