Anne Dutton's
Letters on Spiritual Subjects
Dear Sir,
I am glad you can say, concerning the work of the ministry, "My God would
have me go, and go I must." And though you think yourself to be the weakest
and vilest of all the Lord's people, and the least and most unworthy of all
His ministers, and that you are not fit to preach the gospel, yet, since the
Lord spoke by His blessed word to your heart, and persuaded you that it was
His mind you should engage in this great work, fear not, for out of weakness
you shall be made strong. Your iniquity your great High Priest has caused to
pass from you, and He has clothed you with change of clothing—with the
glorious robe of His righteousness—having taken off your own filthy
garments; and a fair mitre will be set upon your head, or put a fresh beauty
and glory upon you in your work, as you are therein made a priest unto God
by the Lamb's blood.
And, remember, that the Lord is a Sovereign, and that He
may take the least and last, the most unfit and unworthy of all, to
send about this great work, the more to exalt the infinite freedom of His
boundless grace, to display its exceeding riches, to His endless praise, by
men and angels, and to exclude all creature-boasting—that no flesh should
glory in His presence. Say, therefore, with your once-rejoicing Lord, "I
thank You, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these
things from the wise and prudent, and have revealed them unto babes; even
so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight."
And when God sends the most weak
and unfit instruments to do great work, He does not leave them to
their own weakness and unfitness, but abundantly supplies all their needs,
according to His riches in glory by Jesus Christ—Himself the great,
all-wise, and almighty agent, takes them into His own hand, and effectually
works by them to answer His great designs. The servants of Christ in the
ministry do not "go to war at their own expense;" they do not, should not,
go to that great work in 'their own little strength', but abide in Christ by
faith for the continual supplies of His Holy Spirit, to fit them for, and
carry them through, all their appointed service, to the glory of God, the
good of souls, and their own present and eternal bliss. Fear not, therefore,
for the Lord who sent you will certainly be with you, and you shall save
Israel and smite her enemies, clad with Jehovah's might.
All supplies of sin-pardoning, sin-subduing,
all-assisting, and all-persevering grace are from Him, and unto His glory.
That you may be thus endued with power from on high, is
my hearty desire.