George-Whitefield-Field-Preacher

THE COUNTESS OF HUNTINGDON 249
remark to the Countess which produced a deep impression ;
it was this :
' That since she had known and believed in the
Lord Jesus Christ for life and salvation, she had been as happy
as an angel.' The Countess knew that she herself could pre-
tend to no such joy. The thought haunted her, and made
her resolve to live a more religious life, which, according to her
notions, was to multiply her good works and increase her
austerities. This brought her no relief. A dangerous illness
then fell upon her ; she was brought nigh to death ; the pros-
pect was terrible ; her conscience was restless ; and no
remembrance of her almsgivings and fastings could calm it.
Then Lady Margaret's words came back into her mind with
fresh meaning and force, and she learned that Jesus Christ
is our life and our salvation. Her illness left her, and she
arose to enter upon a career as remarkable as that of any
peeress in England.
The change was soon manifest; nor were Court beauties, such
as the Duchess of Buckingham, well pleased to see it. They
thought that the Earl might very properly exert his authority
to unconvert her; for it was not to be borne that the Methodists
should gain a Countess. The Earl did not care to undertake
the task, but thought that a conversation with his former tutor,
Bishop Benson, might do her good, and accordingly recom-
mended her to see his lordship. The bishop came, but to a
much harder task than he had anticipated. Turning to the
Scriptures, to the articles and the homilies, the neophyte
preached to him his duties in a style not familiar to bishops'
ears : she would not relax her devotion ; he must increase his.
The kind man was ruffled, and was departing in haste and in
anger at having ever laid hands on Whitefield, whom he
blamed for the conversion of the Countess, when the lady said
in her own firm way, ' My lord !
mark
my words :
when
you
are on your dying bed, that will be one of the few ordinations
you will reflect upon with complacence.'