Anne Dutton, Great Gransden, to Howell Harris, [London?], 13 July 1743.

Great Gransden, July 13, 1743.

Much Honour’d, and dearly Beloved Brother,

         Your very kind Letter of June ye 8, I receiv’d, Thank you for it, and have taken the first Opportunity to answer the main Request of it, in writing somewhat to excite Christians, to walk like Christ: That true Christianity might again flourish among the Professors of our holy Religion: Which herewith I send you. I fear it it too long to have a place in the papers; but leave it to you and others of our dear Friends, to do with it as the Lord shall incline your Hearts. Glad shall I be, if our Dear LORD will get Himself any Glory, and give his People any Advantage by this poor weak Attempt of his unworthy Worm, to excite the Zeal of Christians against Sin, that Bane of Christianity. Oh Help me by your Prayers for a Blessing upon it! – Perhaps, my Dear Brother, you may think I have not wrote Sharp enough against the Professors of this Age. But I consider, That it is Night-Time with the Churches; and the Virgins, wise as well as foolish, slumber and sleep. And I think there needs a great Deal of Spiritual Wisdom, to Cry aloud against Sin without wounding the Faith of God’s dear Children, as to their Interest in Christ and his Salvation. I humbly think, That we should beware of Judging all to be Hypocrites that at this Day are sadly under the Prevalency of Sin, [lest] we wound some of ^God’s^ Hidden Ones, that He would have Comforted and Helped. And on the other hand, I think there is very great Need, to shew to God’s People their Transgression, and the House of Jacob their Sin: And to Insist much upon it, as the great Duty of Christians, to shew forth all Christian Tempers, becoming the Profession which they make of Christ. And where either of these are neglected, i.e. of comforting the Saints, and strengthening their Faith; and of warning them against Sin, and exciting them to Holiness: There is certainly a Neglect of part of yt Duty of Love which we owe to them. And I humbly think, If the first be omitted, the last will not thereby be promoted. – When God’s People have Sinned, Satan Tempts them to Unbelief, to question their Interest in Christ; and thereby drives them into more Ungodliness. When the Lord Reproves his People for Sin, He first Commends what is Good in them, and then shews them what is Evil. As in the Epistles sent to the Asiatick Churches. And when He calls upon his sinful People to Return to him, He put them in mind of their Relation, to move them. “Turn, O backsliding Children, saith the LORD, for I am married unto you.” And we know by experience, that Gospel-Repentance, flows from Faith and Love. And to this End, the Faith and Love of poor Backsliders must be Strengthened, or they will not Return unto the Lord. Their Wounds must be bound up, and their Bones Sett; or they will not be fit for Activity in Divine Service [paper torn] in Calling God’s People to return from Sin, as the Lord [Helps me to] do all I can, in the Bowels of Christ, to Strengthen their Faith and [Love]; and from thence to win them to Obedience. This, my Dear Brother, is the Reason why, in writing what I now send you, I have not us’d that Sharpness, which might be expected. I own my Brother, that this poor Performance is weak. But I could have done nothing in it, if the strong GOD had not Helped me. And HE can ordain strength out of the Mouth of a Babe. – Indeed when I read your Letter, my Heart trembled. The Majesty of GOD’s Holiness, and my own Vileness, in my unanswerable Carriage to Him for all his Grace, Struck me to the Ground as it were, and made me cry out, “Wo is me, for I am undone, because of my Uncleanness – for mine Eyes have seen the King, the LORD of Hosts.” So that I found no Strength for the Work, nor could I have engag’d in it, at least, with any freedom, if the Lord, by some sweet Words of his Grace, had not strengthned and encourag’d me. And I thank the Lord, and You, that you put me upon it. I hope it will be for good.

         I rejoyce to see such a Spirit upon you for GOD, such Faith and Love, and such zeal for the Glory of Christ, and the Service of Souls. You know that you have no good  Thing in, or upon you, but what you receiv’d out of Christ’s Fulness. May HE continually Supply, and Fill you more and more: To his own Glory, and the Good of Thousands, in and by You! I love you much in JESUS, my Heart is with you in your Work for Him, and you have the Help of my poor Prayers. So remember, my Dear Brother,

                     Yours for ever in the LORD,

                                             Anne Dutton

Address: To | Mr Howell Harris

Endorsed: July 1743 | Mrs Dutton

Text: C. M. Archives, Trevecka MSS, Letter 921, National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth.