Anne Dutton's
Letters on Spiritual Subjects
Dear Sir,
Oh, what a mercy, what a privilege is it that the Word of God is not
altogether unto us a sealed book! So it is as to its internal mystery and
glory, unto every unregenerate man in the world. Natural men read and read
not; they read the words and understand not the sense; even men of letters,
famous for human learning, are quite ignorant and unlearned if not taught of
God; the veil is upon their hearts, the veil is upon the Scriptures; what
our Lord says to them therein is in parables. Nothing can dissipate natural
darkness but supernatural light; this is dispensed in a sovereign way to
whom the Lord of light pleases; and thus, to the weakest babes the mysteries
of the Kingdom are revealed, while they are hidden from the wise and
prudent.
Oh, why was not I left among the ignorant and
unlearned who perish for lack of knowledge! It was nothing but sovereign
grace that made the difference between us and others; and since grace has
taken us into its own hand to teach us, it will do it freely, efficaciously,
and perfectly.