Anne Dutton's
Letters on Spiritual Subjects
Very Dear Sir,
I am glad that you still rejoice in your sweet Jesus, though you have no
other that you can call a friend. It is enough, beloved of the Lord, that
Christ is your Friend, though all others should fail you, and no man care
for your soul. There is such an infinite fullness, such an unsearchable
depth of love and grace, of wisdom and knowledge, of tender care and loving
faithfulness in your own Lord Jesus, that you need not go to the creature
for compassion in misery, for ease in trouble, or for solace in sorrow. The
Lord, your Friend, knows all your griefs, and by love-sympathy makes them
His own. Lay your weary head in Christ's bosom, and pour out your troubled
heart before Him. His kind hand will wipe away all your tears, and His
precious lips will drop sweet-smelling myrrh for your soul's refreshment.
And as Jesus your Friend will be with
you in trouble, so, well will He bring you out of it. The wisdom and
kindness, the power and faithfulness of the Lord your Friend, will overrule
the lack of friendship in creatures, and all unkindnesses and
disappointments you meet with from them.
For myself, I must say, the Lord is still infinitely
kind, merciful, and gracious to vile, sinful, unworthy me. It has been His
dear pleasure to try me greatly by permitting the ship in which my dear
husband sailed for England to founder at sea, to the loss of his life.
But most surely the Son of God has been with me in this burning fiery
furnace, and His sweet presence, at times, loosed my bands, and caused me to
walk at liberty. Heavy was the stroke to my weak nature, but glorious has
been the display of divine power in supporting me under it. I long to love,
honor, and adore my chiding, smiting, loving God. I believe He does all
things well, and what I know not now, I shall know hereafter. I wait for the
light of glory to open the mysteries of this dark providence, and rejoice in
hope of it. Oh, how fast does our dear Lord gather His lilies! We had need
work while it is day—the night comes, in which we can do no more for Christ
in this world.
Into the arms of Jesus—our love, our life, our all, I
commit you. His grace be with your spirit.