Anne Dutton: Letter to Mrs. -- from Thoughts on Lord's Supper (1748)
Below is a transcription of the “Short Letter” that is prefixed to Dutton's Thoughts on the Lord's Supper. It is not paginated, although from the quire notations (A 2) we can make some notations in that regard. This letter is one of many examples of Dutton’s ability to employ and transition an informal private letter into formal public discourse.
[A 2]
To Ms. -----
Madam,
I herewith send you my poor weak thought on the Lord’s-Supper, relating to, The Nature[,] Subjects, and right Partaking of that solemn Ordinance: Which I writ at your Request, and present to you in that Form, in which I was most inclin’d humbly to offer them to the Lord’s People. Please, dear Madam, to excuse my seeming delay, as the great Trial with which I am exercis’d, did necessarily for some Time, call me off from this Work, after I had begun to write. But as my Heart was in it, I return’d at the very first Leisure the Lord gave me, and as He hath enabled, have finish’d it. – And the Exercise of my Mind, upon receiving your Letter of Request, with what engag’d me to comply therewith, which I wrote for myself, before I began to write my Thoughts for You; please to take as follows.
Dec. 16. 1747. Some Days ago, I receiv’d a Letter from a Friend, who desir’d me to write my Thoughts on the Lord’s Supper. But from a deep Sense of my own Weakness, and Insufficiency for the Work, the Language of my Heart was, “Alas, I am a Child, and cannot speak; and shall Babes teach Knowledge?” Whence I thought I must decline the Answer of my Friend’s Request. Some [A 2 (1)] times I thought, I might write a little on the Subject desir’d, in a private Way. But depress’d with my own Weakness and Unworthiness, my Heart again drew back, and inclin’d not to write at all. Amidst these Thoughts, that Word dropt into my Mind, Fear thou not, for I am with thee: be not dismayed, for I am thy God, Isa. 41. 10. By which a Check was given to my Fears, and Disinclination to write. I stood still, as it were, not knowing but it might be the Mind of the Lord, that I should engage therein, and had some Hope given me, that if the Lord call’d me to the Work, he would be with me in it, as my God. Soon after, that Word came in, I will make of Thee a great Nation, Gen. 12. 2. Whence I had a sweet Intimation, which begat Hope that the Lord would make what I might write on this Subject, of publick Use to some or other of the great Nation of his People. But yet I was not fully satisfy’d that it was the Lord’s Mind, I should engage in the Work, and therefore waited upon him for further Teachings. And while I was seeking the Lord, He said unto me, Feed my Lambs, Joh. 21. 15. To which I reply’d, ‘Lord, I would gladly feed thy Lambs, as thou enablest me; but the Work to which I am requested, for the End specify’d, don’t particularly respect thy Lambs.’ For my Friend had desir’d my Thoughts on the Lord’s Supper, that they might be shewn to some Persons my Friend was concerned for and conversant with, who were ignorantly zealous about the Observance thereof; and therefore I thought this Word not applicable, with respect to them. But soon after, my Bowels were drawn out to the tender Lambs of Christ, with Desire to write something on the Subject requested, that might be for their Advantage. [A 2 (2)] And then, Feed my Lambs, encourag’d me to this Work. And towards other poor Souls, that were ignorant of a Work of special Grace on their Hearts, and yet desirous of partaking of the Lord’s Supper, my Compassions mov’d with Desire to write somewhat that might be for their Benefit, if the Lord would please so to favour me. But Oh my Insufficiency and Unworthiness hung upon me, and oft my Heart drew back from attempting the Work. But this Word put me forward, All seek their Own,not the Things that are Jesus Christ’s, Phil. 2. 21. By which it was hinted to me, that in Love to Christ’s Honour and the Good of Souls, I should engage in the Work requested, to bear Witness for the Truth. That Word also encourag’d me, Behold, I, and the Children which God hath given me, Heb. 2. 13, q. d. Christ the Prime Witness, and each of His, in their proper Sphere, bearing Witness to the Truth. That Word also put me forward, From him that wou’d borrow (or asketh) of thee, turn not thou away, Matt. 5.42. And tho’ discourag’d from attempting the Work, as I knew, or cou’d say so little, on so great a Subject, this Word also put me on, Go tell what ye have seen, Luke 7.22. Or, as ’twas brought to me, Go tell what thou hast seen. These Words also encourag’d me, Out of the Mouth of Babes, thou hast ordained Strength, and perfected Praise, Ps. 8. 2 Matt. 21. 16. I thank thee, O Father, that Thou hast hid these Things from the Wise and Prudent, and hast revealed them unto Babes, Mat. 11. 25. Occupy till I come, Luke 19. 13. That no Man take thy Crown, Rev. 3. 11. Be stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the Work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your Labour is not in vain in the Lord, I Cor. 15. 58. And, My Grace is sufficient for Thee, 2 Cor. [A 2 (3)] 12. 9. ‘For Thee, as ’twas apply’d to me, however weak, unworthy, and vile thou art: To forgive all thy Sins, to pass by all thy Unworthiness, to supply all thy Wants, to assist thee in, and succeed thy Labours.’ O the Sufficiency of my Lord’s Grace, for me his weak and unworthy Worm, encourag’d and inclin’d my Heart to the Work. And that Word also I had concerning it, In my Name shall they cast out Devils, Mar. 16. 17. “Oppose, and prevail against the enemy of Souls.” – But still, I wanted, and intreated the Lord to tell me, ‘If He had chosen me for this Service.’ And He brought that Word with Power to my Mind, Rather rejoyce, because your Names are written in Heaven, Luke 10. 20. By which He gave me a sweet, Soul-satisfying Persuasion, that my Name was written in Heaven, for this Service. Which much affected my Heart, humbled me under my deep Unworthiness, and rais’d me to admire and adore that infinite Grace, which from the Beginning had chosen me unto eternal Life, and in my Time-State, unto this Work. Upon which, returning Thanks to my dear Lord Jesus, that He had made plain my Duty, and assur’d me of Privilege, I cast my unworthy, needy Self, with all my Wants, upon Him, and his Fulness. – O my Lord, Let thy grace (for this Service) be sufficient for me: And secure to thyself all the Glory!
Thus, dear Madam, I began, and have been carried through this little Piece of Work. But, O! my own Weakness and Shortness, the little I have hinted on so great a Subject, covers me with humble Shame. Surely as the Prophet said, when he had given an Emblem of the Power of God, And there was the Hiding of his Power, Hab. 3. 4. [A 2 (4)] So may I say of this weak Attempt to lisp out my Lord’s Truth to his Honour, And there was the Hiding of his Glory! But this comforts me, That as the Iniquity of Israel’s holy Things, was borne away, and they accepted before the Lord continually, by their High-Priest’s appearing before him with his holy Crown, thus engrav’d, Holiness to the Lord: So, that this my poor imperfect Service, which I humbly offer to the Lord, for his Glory and the Good of Souls, is and shall be accepted with God my gracious Father, thro’ the Perfections and Glories of his Holy Child Jesus; who as my Great High Priest above, doth now appear in the Presence of GOD for me. I bless my Lord, that thro’ his gracious Assistance, I have begun, and finisht this weak Labour of Love. And if any Thing therein, may be of Use to You, dear Madam, or to any other to whom you may shew my poor Thoughts: It will be my Joy, and to the Lord alone let us jointly give the whole Glory. And blessed be his glorious Name for ever. Amen and Amen. – Permit me to subscribe,
MADAM,
Your most willing and obliged
Humble Servant in the Lord,
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Text: [Dutton, Anne]. Thoughts on the Lord’s Supper, relating to the Nature, Subjects, and Right Partaking of this Solemn Ordinance. Written at the Request of a Friend, And address’d by Letter to the tender Lambs of Christ. With a Short Letter relating to it prefixed. By One who is less than the least of all Saints. London: printed by J. Hart, in Popping’s Court, Fleet Street: And Sold by J. Lewis, in Bartholomew-Close, near West-Smithfield, 1748. [Price stitch’d Seven-Pence.]