MRS. ANN DUTTON. MRS. ANN DUTTON was born at Northampton, sometime about the end of the seventeenth century; but the particulars of her age and family are not known. She appears from her writings to have been a woman of considerable abilities, and great religious attainments. The account she gives of herself, was published in London, 1743; but where or when she died, we have not been able to ascertain. The following is extracted from that copy, and nearly in her own words. "I had the advantage of a religious education, my parents being both pious, by whose care and diligence I was trained up in the ways of God; being early instructed into the doctrines and worship of the gospel, so far as my tender years were capable of. I attended with my parents upon the ministry of the late Mr. Hunt, at Northampton, which was the place of my first, and also of my second birth. I kept up private prayer frequently, but not constantly. From a child I was acquainted with the holy Scriptures, and took pleasure in reading them, with other good books, especially hymnbooks, which I greatly delighted to learn and commit to memory. My natural affections at times were much raised in reading some parts of the Bible, and other books; so that I have preferred religious exercises to the childish vanity of play with my fellows, which some judged to be the buddings of grace in my soul. However, from a child I was under convictions at times; and my conscience was kept so tender, that I was easily touched with the guilt of sin, when I thought I had done any thing amiss. And when I was under guilt, it would hinder me from prayer, till it was a little worn off. But then I thought to be better; and to prayer I went again. And if I could pray with any enlargement, my conscience was eased, and I was quite whole, and went on with religious exercises as before. "But notwithstanding my attendance upon public and private worship, my notions of divine mysteries, my memory to retain the best things, and my raised affections in religious exercises; I was, though I had little reason for it, a proud, self-righteous creature. For though I had notions of these things, yet, alas! the inbred enmity of my heart appeared, in my attempting to join something of my own with Christ, seeking life as it were by the works of the law; which is the way that seemeth right to a man, but the end thereof is death. Proud worm that I was, I valued myself upon my supposed attainments, and thought my eternal happiness secured thereby. I have been ready at times to bless myself thus, when I have seen other children at play: 'Well, others are employed about vanity; but I know better things; I have been at prayer while others are at play doubtless I am safe for heaven.' But if any one had asked a reason of my confidence, it must have been, if I had spoken my heart, Because I am better than others.' So wicked and vain was I, notwithstanding all my religious seriousness, that Í went about to establish my own filthy righteousness, and was far from submitting to the righteousness of God. And thus in unbelief, rejecting the Saviour, I might have been left to go on, depending upon my own righteousness, and to perish with thousands in this splendid way to hell. : "And here I would further observe, that though I mostly had a false peace from my supposed goodness, yet, at times it was broken by my badness. My conscience would accuse me for my vanities and evils, as not being all of a piece, as not acting consistently with that show which I made in reli gion. And oft have I strove to stifle convictions, and against the force of them, when my honoured father talked closely to me for the good of my soul. And lo, a little time before the Lord wrought savingly on my heart, I began to be more airy and proud, and to please myself with creature-vanities. And thus, being estranged from God, and an enemy to him, with my back upon God, and my face towards destruction, I went on in sin, towards eternal death; and was so far from having any fitness in me for conversion to God, or any goodness to move his favour, that I had a fulness of rebellion, a fulness of sin in me to provoke his wrath, and was fit fuel for everlasting burnings. And justly might I have been made an example of God's vengeance, of his fiery indignation, in the torments of hell for ever. But, behold! to commend the love of God towards me, he took me at my worst! For God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved me, even when I was dead in sins, did quicken me together with Christ. It pleased the Lord to work savingly upon my heart, when I was about thirteen years of age; though I cannot fix the precise time of its beginning: which I judge was the less discernible to me, by reason of my being so frequently under concern of soul before. But, however, this I can say, that my concern at this time was much greater and more lasting, than ever before. Nor could I find peace where I was wont to find it. There was a mighty impression made upon my heart, of the reality and consequence of a future state, either of misery or glory, of unspeakable happiness, or inconceivable torment; together with the nearness of its approach. Oh, eternity! eternity! was ever before mine eyes! And the worth of my own soul, as an immortal spirit, capable of the highest glory in the eternal enjoyment of God, or of the utmost misery in an everlasting separation from him, was strongly impressed upon my mind. |