30 December 1742

Anne Dutton, Great Gransden, to George Whitefield, London, 30 December 1742.

Dec. 30, 1742.

Rev. and very Dear Brother,

Grace unto you, and Peace be multiplied.

         Your last very kind Letter I received the 7th Instant, and gladly embrace the first Opportunity to answer it. I have not forgot you. I have been prevented Writing till now. Your abundant Love expressed in your last, your Heart-Union with me, and especially your Prayers for a Blessing on my weak Endeavours to lisp out the Praises of the Strong JAH, refreshed and delighted me much. The Lord reward all your Kindness to worthless me an hundred fold. I have just now been reading the Letter with Pleasure; but when I came to that Clause, “I think our dear Lord will employ you more and more,” being pressed with a Sense of my own Vileness, I had some Fears that he would not, but [13] sweetly he spoke to my Heart in that Word, I know the Thoughts which I think towards thee, Thoughts of Peace, and not of Evil, to give you an expected End, which revived, humbled, and melted me. O my Brother, I wonder at the infinite Grace and Long-suffering of my God, that he should not cast me off! that he should have Thoughts of Peace towards me still! Indeed, my Brother, I have multiplied my Transgressions against him. As Figures in Arithmetick increase the Number, so have I multiplied to Sin; added Sin to Sin! Oh lamentable! – But behold, my gracious God! the God of Peace, thro’ the Blood of JESUS, multiplies to Pardon, abundantly pardons! Grace and Peace is multiplied towards me daily, extended to me like a river, a full, free, flowing River, that prevails over all my Sins! I rejoice before God for his astonishing Kindness toward you continually, for the Light of his Countenance, and the Joy of his Salvation wherewith your Soul is blessed; and for the Wonders of his [14] Love in your abundant Usefulness. Oh how great, free, and distinguishing has God’s Loving-kindness been unto You my dear Brother! The Lord continue and increase it! And make you more humble, that you may give him the Glory of all his Grace! Sin, Satan, and the World will shoot at you, that you may fall – The Lord hold you up continually by his Almighty Hand, and make you as an iron Pillar, and as a brazen Wall, that those who fight against you may never prevail! The Enemies are very potent, and your Strength mere Weakness, biu the Grace of Christ is sufficient for you, His Power shall rest upon you, and the Arms of your Hands be made strong by the Mighty GOD of Jacob. Go on, dear Sir, in your great Master’s Work, in His Strength, fearless of all your Adversaries, tho’ ten thousand should set themselves against you round about; for stronger is he that is in you than he is in them. The Lord you God will not fail you, nor forsake you: Wherefore [15] be strong, of a good Courage. I bear you on my Heart before the Lord. He enables me to pray for you. And I believe, as you say, the Lord will hear, and bless me herein. The Lord is with them that help you, and will bless those who bless you; and curse the Wicked that curse you: And severely rebuke his own Children who oppose or slight you. Your Name is exceeding precious to your Dear Master – None can touch you therefore but they touch the Apple of his Eye. He takes all the Affronts you meet with as given to himself. And from his infinite Love to your Person, and Zeal for your Honour as a dear Servant of his, called to eminent Service, He will plead your Cause and execute Judgment for you. I know your loving Soul, like your Lord, says, Father forgive them, for they know not what they do; and so go on to shew the Meekness and Gentleness of Christ towards all Men, committing yourself and Cause to him who judgeth righteously, and the End will be glorious – [16] And now, Sir, as your glorious Master is calling you from us, to proclaim his Gospel, and serve his Cause and People in other Parts of the World: I must for myself, and I think may for thousands more, say, we are grieved to part with you, and yet we chearfully resign you up to the Lord and his Work; praying that his Presence may be with, and his Blessing upon you, that he will make you a begetting and a nursing Father to thousands while absent from us, and in his good Time return you to his People here, as a greater Blessing than ever. O dear Man of God, what great Things ahs the Lord done for you, since you visited us last! How richly has he crown’d you with Loving-kindness in these Lands! What a Reaping-time, what a glorious Harvest of Souls have you had in England and Scotland, which shall be your Joy and Crown in the Day of the Lord Jesus. Blessed be God, who always causes you to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest by you the Saviour of his Knowledge in every Place! [17] Go on, thrice happy Soul, with the Lord, and for Him; visit America, visit Georgia, and see how your Brethren do. Go over the Places again where you have been preaching the Word, give the Brethren much Exhortation, and confirm the Souls of the Disciples by telling them that through much Tribulation we must enter the Kingdom. Yea, go in your great Master’s Name, seek up the lost Sheep, and bring them to his fold. And though you should go forth weeping in Labours, Sorrows and Trials of all kinds yet bearing precious Seed, the immortal Seed of Christ’s Gospel; you shall doubtless come again rejoicing, bringing your Sheaves with you. We shall wait and pray, Dear Sir, for your happy Return to England, and hope to rejoice with you in the glorious Fruits of your distant Labours. – But with Joy will you return to your great Master when the whole Course of yur Ministerial Service and Sufferings are finished: And what a glorious Number of Sheaves will you have to rejoice in at our [18] Lord’s appearing! What a Multitude of precious Souls will you have the Honour in that Day to present as a chast [sic] Virgin to Christ; and how great, how exceeding great will be your Joy, while you with them, and they with you, together with the whole Number of God’s Elect, in one complete Body, one glorious Church, a meet Bride for the Lord the Lamb, shall, by him, as such, be presented faultless before the Presence of his Father’s Glory! This glorious Day hastens – The intervening time is short; and therefore we will weep as though we wept not. We meet and part now. Then we shall meet to part no more! At present, Dear Sir, committing you into the Hands of CHRIST, I must heartily bid you Farewel in the Lord! Pray for, Rev. Sir,

                     Yours most Affectionately

                                 In our Sweet JESUS,

                                                         ---- -------- [Anne Dutton]

Text: “The Copy of a Letter from a Friend in the Country, to the Reverend Mr. Whitefield,” in The Weekly History: or, An Account of the Most Remarkable Particulars relating to the Present Progress of the Gospel, ed. John Lewis (London: Printed and Sold by John Lewis, in Bartholomew-Close, near West-Smithfield, 1742), Vol. II, no. 3, pp. 12-18.