Anne Dutton's
Letters on Spiritual Subjects
My very Dear Sister in the Lord,
We are almost home! A few more trials, and then
farewell, trials, forever! The bosom of Christ, the glory of the heavenly
state is ready for us. In a little while, we shall be fully made fit to be
partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light. Do not grieve that you
are left alone, and have few friends that you can open your heart to, for
your dear Lord Jesus will never leave nor forsake you; and He is a friend
that sticks closer than a brother. You have had sweet experience of Christ's
friendship ever since you were first acquainted with Him; and His love
towards you, His care for you, and His power to save you are still as great
as ever.
Time has not altered Christ's heart; no, nor all the
weaknesses and provocations He has seen in you, but having loved you
anciently, freely, and fully, He will love you eternally. Your Jesus, your
best Friend, who has cared for you all along, will never cast you off. He
has engraved you upon the palms of His hands, and your walls are continually
before Him. Creatures may forget—the tenderest mother may forget her nursing
child—but your Jesus, in His boundless compassions, will not, cannot forget
you. He will know your soul in adversity, when all other refuges fail you,
and no man cares for your soul.
As birds flying to support and defend their young, so
will the Lord make haste to help you, for His care for you is infinite,
and He will keep you as the apple of His eye. You are one of Christ's
jewels, and His heart is the cabinet in which He will keep you; and from His
heart-care of you, His providential care for you shall be shown. And as to
the power of Christ, He is the Lord Almighty, and His everlasting
arms will never grow weary of bearing you and all your burdens. The Lord
well knew that His people would need to be dandled by Him and carried by Him
for a long while—that they would at times be subject to fears, from their
own weakness and unworthiness, and from the occurrence of new difficulties;
and from hence that they would be anxious how they would get the rest of
their way through the wilderness. And therefore he says, ""Listen to me, all
you who are left in Israel. I created you and have cared for you since
before you were born. I will be your God throughout your lifetime—until your
hair is white with age. I made you, and I will care for you. I will carry
you along and save you." (Isaiah 46:3, 4).
Oh, my dear sister, there is grace enough in this promise
to carry you safely and comfortably through all your remaining trials, even
down to death and up to glory. Therefore, trust in the Lord forever, for in
the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength. He is your ever-living and
ever-loving Friend. Live upon Him for all in all, and as your all, and in
all things labor to live to Him; so shall the name of our Lord Jesus be
glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the Will of God and our
Father.
Our dear Lord is exceedingly kind to unworthy me. He
heaps favors upon me, and surrounds me with mercies, because He will be
gracious—even to me, a poor, vile, hell-deserving sinner. Oh, it is well for
us that grace reigns through the righteousness of Jesus, and that we,
receiving abundance of grace, shall reign with Him. Oh, bless the Lord with
me, and let us exalt His name together for all His great goodness, and His
wonderful works for poor, sinful me. And pray for me, that I may be made
holiness unto the Lord, very fruitful to the glory of His name, and very
useful to His dear and tender lambs. All glory to my dear Lord! Oh, how
great and many have been the precious thoughts of God's kindness towards me
of old, which daily open in new wonders to my view!
I wish you a rich increase of all grace and peace,
through the once slain, now reigning Lamb!