23 July 1747

Anne Dutton, Great Gransden, to Howell Harris, Trevecka, South Wales, 23 July 1747.

Great Gransden, July 23d, 1747.

My very Dear & Hon’d Brother,

         I was glad to hear of your Welfare by Br Ingram, and that ye Lord’s Work went on in Wales. I am sorry Sister Wood neglected to send my last Books so long. I have now sent you 20 of my Reply to Mr Cudworth’s Answer to my Postscript, & 20 of a 5th Vol. of Letters; which I beg yr acceptance of, for yourself & Friends, where you please to bestow them. You need not hint it to any Person, yt they were given you. I sincerely aim’d at ye Glory of God & ye Good of Souls in ther Publication; and beg yr Prayers for a Blessing on them. Mr Cudworth’s Answer to my Postscript, was very sophistical, & adapted to deceive unwary Souls. And tho’ I don’t natively delight in Controversy, yet my Lord inclin’d me for his Honour, & ye Relief of some of the least of his Brethren to make a Reply, and I trust my Labour will not be in vain in ye Lord. I shall rejoyce to have a Line from you at first Leisure, & to hear what our Dear Lord is now doing for you, & in your Parts. – Glory be to his blessed Name! He is exceeding good & gracious to vile, unworthy me still. My good God, hath not left off his Kindness; He continues, he draws out his Loving-kindness towards me, notwithstanding all my Unworthiness, repeated Backslidings & daily Provocations. And unto Ages to come I believe He will shew ye exceeding Riches of his Grace, in his Kindness towards vile me, whom he hath loved freely, thro’ Christ Jesus. I mourn yt I love Him no more, & serve Him no better. I am surely ye least & last, ye worst & basest of all his Children. And yet my heavenly Father, will own as his Child; and says, “Thou shalt call me My Father, & shalt not turn away from me.” O, Who is a God like unto our God; that pardoneth Iniquity, yt passeth by the Transgression of ye Remnant of his Heritage! He retaineth not his Anger forever; because He delighteth in Mercy.” – Praise ye Lord for his rich Grace towards me, & pray him to give me more of his Holy Spirit. – With dear Love to You, & ye dear Saints with you, wishing all grace may bound towards you all: I am, Dear Sir,

         Yours forever in our Precious Lord,

                                                         Anne Dutton.

PS. My kind Love & Service to yr dear Wife.

Address: To | Mr Howell Harris | at Trevecka, near ye Hay, | South-Wales

Postmark: none

Text: C. M. Archives, Trevecka MSS, Letters, 1666-1852, no. 1681, National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth.