“Let us then, dear madam, be thankful and cheerful; and while we take shame to ourselves, let us glorify God, by giving Jesus the honour due to His name.
Though we are poor, He is rich: though we are weak, He is strong; though we have nothing, He possesses all things. He suffered for us: He calls us to be conformed to Him in sufferings. He conquered in His own person, and He will make each of His members more than conquerors in due season.
It is good to have one eye upon ourselves; but the other should ever be fixed on Him who stands in the relation of Saviour, Husband, Head, and Shepherd. In Him we have righteousness, peace, and power.
He can control all that we fear; so that if our path should be through the fire or through the water, neither the flood shall drown us, nor the flame kindle upon us, and ere long He will cut short our conflicts, and say, ‘Come up hither.’
Then shall our grateful songs abound, and every fear be wiped away. Having such promises and assurances, let us lift up our banner in His name, and press on through every discouragement.”
–John Newton, Letters of John Newton (Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth Trust, 1869/2007), 72.
