_To the Right Honourable Lord R――――._
_Gallashiels, Sept. 28, 1741._ _My Lord_,
YOUR letter I fear has been too long unanswered, but gratitude will not permit me to defer answering it any longer. I have also received your Lordship’s liberal benefaction for the orphans, for which and all other favours, your Lordship hath my hearty thanks.――The innumerable instances of GOD’s goodness quite melt me down. The word of GOD prevails more and more. Every where JESUS CHRIST is getting himself the victory in poor sinners hearts. Young and old from many quarters fly to the gospel, as doves to the windows. I trust, your Lordship’s daughters will feel the power of CHRIST’s blood. Happy they, who do feel it. They rest in GOD. They are sons and daughters of the LORD Almighty. What a rich person is the poorest christian? He is joint heir with JESUS CHRIST. Supported with this thought, and feeling the power of it in my soul, I can despise all sublunary enjoyments, and long to be wholly swallowed up in GOD. Happy day, when we shall converse with the world no more! I pray GOD to give me patience to wait ’till JESUS comes. I would leap my seventy years, and fly upon the wings of faith and love, into the blessed Redeemer’s presence. I hope your Lordship is thus minded. May the glorious _Emmanuel_ keep you so, ’till your soul is carried into _Abraham_’s bosom. This is the hearty prayer of, my Lord,
Your Lordship’s most obedient and obliged humble servant,