Tag Archives: Providence

“We are a spectacle to the universe, to angels as well as to men.

Cheer up: the Lord has put you in your present trying situation, that you may have the fairer opportunity of adorning your profession of the Gospel; and though you suffer much, He is able to make you abundant amends.

Nor need I remind you that He has suffered unspeakably more for you: He drank for your sake a cup of unmixed wrath, and only puts into your hand a cup of affliction mixed with many mercies.

How ought the groans of Jesus to be as it were continually sounding in our ears? What are all other sufferings compared to His?

And yet He endured them freely. He needed not to have borne them, if He would have left us to perish; but such was His love, He died that we might live, and endured the fiercest agonies that He might open to us the gate of everlasting peace and happiness.

How amazingly perverse is my heart, that I can be more affected with a melancholy story in a newspaper concerning persons I never saw, than with all that I read of His bitter passion in the garden and on the cross, though I profess to believe He endured it all for me!

Oh, if we could always behold Him by faith as evidently crucified before our eyes, how would it compose our spirits as to all the sweets and bitters of this poor life!

What a banner would it prove against all the snares and temptations whereby Satan would draw us into evil; and what a firm ground of confidence would it afford us amidst the conflicts we sustain from the working of unbelief and indwelling sin!

I long for more of that faith which is the substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen, that I may be preserved humble, thankful, watchful, and dependent.

To behold the glory and the love of Jesus is the only effectual way to participate of His image.

We are to set out tonight from the Interpreter’s house towards the hill Difficulty, and hope to be favoured with a sight of the cross by the way.

To stand at the foot of it with a softened heart and melting eyes; to forget our sins, sorrows, and burdens, while we are wholly swallowed up in the contemplation of Him who bore our sins in His own body upon the tree, is certainly the most desirable situation on this side the grave.

To speak of it, and to see it by the light of the Spirit, are widely different things: and though we cannot always enjoy this view, yet the remembrance of what we have seen is an excellent means of encouragement to mount the hill, and to face the lions.

It is now Saturday evening, and growing late. I am just returned from a serious walk, which is my usual manner of closing the week when the weather is fine.

I endeavour to join in heart with the Lord’s ministers and people, who are seeking a blessing on tomorrow’s ordinances. At such times I especially remember those friends with whom I have gone to the house of the Lord in company, consequently you are not forgot.

I can venture to assure you, that if you have a value for our prayers, you have a frequent share in them, yea, are loved and remembered by many here; but as we are forgetful creatures, I hope you will always refresh our memory, and quicken our prayers, by a yearly visit.

In the morning I shall think of you again. What a multitude of eyes’ and hearts will be directed to our Redeemer tomorrow!

He has a numerous and necessitous family; but He is rich enough to supply them all, and His tender compassions extend to the meanest and most unworthy.

Like the sun, He can cheer and enlighten thousands and millions at once, and give to each as bountifully as if there were no more to partake of His favour.

His best blessings are not diminished by being shared among many.

The greatest earthly monarch would soon be poor if he was to give a little (though but a little) to all his subjects; but Jesus has unsearchable, inexhaustible riches of grace to bestow.

The innumerable assembly before the Throne have been all supplied from His fulness; and yet there is enough and to spare for us also, and for all that shall come after us.

May He give us an eager appetite, a hunger and thirst that will not be put off with anything short of the bread of life.

And then we may confidently open our mouths wide, for He has promised to fill them.”

–John Newton, The Works of John Newton, Volume 2 (Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth, 1988), 2: 191-195.

“My soul, wait thou only, only upon the Lord, who is (according to the expressive phrase, Heb. 4:13) He with whom we have to do for soul and body, for time and eternity.

What thanks do we owe, that though we have not yet attained perfectly this great lesson, yet we are admitted into that school where alone it can be learnt?

And though we are poor, slow scholars, the great and effectual Teacher to whom we have been encouraged and enabled to apply, can and will bring us forward?

He communicates not only instructions, but capacities and powers. There is none like Him.

He can make the blind to see, the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak: and how great is His condescension and patience! How does He accommodate Himself to our weakness, and teach us as we are able to bear!

Though all are very dunces when He first receives them, not one was ever turned out as incapable: for He makes them what He would have them to be.

O that we may set Him always before us, and consider every dispensation, person, thing, we meet in the course of every day, as messengers from Him, each bringing us some line of instruction for us to copy into that day’s experience!

Whatever passes within us or around us may be improved (when He teaches us how) as a perpetual commentary upon His good Word.

If we converse and observe with this view, we may learn something every moment, wherever the path of duty leads us, in the streets as well as in the closet, and from the conversation of those who know not God (when we cannot avoid being present at it), as well as from those who do.

Separation of dear friends is, as you observed, hard to flesh and blood; but grace can make it tolerable. I have an abiding persuasion that the Lord can easily give more than ever He will take away.

Which part of the alternative must be my lot, or when, He only knows; but in general I can rely on Him to appoint the time, the manner; and I trust His promise of strength suited to the day shall be made good.

Therefore I can for the most part rejoice, that all things are in the hand and under the direction of Him who knows our frame, and has Himself borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows, in His own body.

A time of weeping must come, but the morning of joy will make amends for all. Who can expound the meaning of that one expression, ‘An exceeding, and eternal weight of glory?’ (2 Cor. 4:17)

The case of unconverted friends is still more burdensome to think of; but we have encouragement and warrant to pray and to hope.

He who called us can easily call others: and He seldom lays a desire of this sort very closely and warmly upon the hearts of His people, but when it is His gracious design, sooner or later, to give an answer of peace.”

–John Newton, The Works of John Newton, Volume 2 (Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth, 1988), 2: 188-189.

“The Word does not flourish here as I ought to wish it; but, through mercy, it is not wholly without effect. We are in good harmony, ordinances are prized, and a gospel conversation maintained, by those who profess.

Should you ask, how it is with myself, I know not what answer to give. My experience is made up of enigmas, but the sum and solution of all is that ‘I am a vile creature, but I have a good Lord.’

He has chosen me; and I, through His rich grace, have chosen Him. I trust there is an engagement between Him and my soul, which shall never be broken, because He has undertaken for both parts, that He never will forsake me, and that I never shall forsake Him.

Oh, I like those royal, sovereign words, “I will,” and “You shall.” How sweetly are they suited to the sense and long experience He has given me of my own weakness, and the power and subtlety of Satan.

If my conflicts terminate in victory, it must be owing to his own arm, and for His own name’s sake; for I in myself have neither strength nor plea.

If I were not so poor, so sick, so foolish, the power, skill, riches, wisdom, and mercy of my Physician, Shepherd, and Saviour, would not be so signally illustrated in my own case.

Upon this account, instead of complaining, we may glory in our infirmities. Oh, it is pleasant to be deeply indebted to Him, to find Him, and own Him, all in all:—

Our Husband, Shepherd, Brother, Friend,
Our Guide, and Guard, our Way, and End!

I beg a frequent interest in your prayers, and remain, dear Sir, your affectionate and obliged servant,

John Newton”

–John Newton, The Works of John Newton, Volume 6 (Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth, 1988), 6: 275-276.

“Your prayers and kind wishes for me and mine, I heartily thank you for, and hope we shall repay you (as we are enabled) in kind.

Many here have, indeed, reason to speak well of the Lord. He has been very gracious to us. But, alas! most of us may complain of ourselves.

But, unworthy as we are, He bears with us; He multiplies pardons, and He keeps us upon the whole in a persuasion that His loving kindness is better than life.

The workings of a corrupt nature, and the subtlety of our spiritual enemies, cause us much exercise; but we find One with us who is greater than our hearts, and greater than he that is in the world.

When I look at some of my people, I am filled both with joy and shame; joy to see that the Lord has not suffered my labour among them to be in vain; shame to think that I have preached so much more effectually to them than to my own heart.

It is my mercy that I am not under the law, but under grace. Were it not for this thought, I should sink.

But it is given me to know that Jesus is all to them who are nothing.

The promise whereon I trust, and the power of trusting in it, are both from Him, and therefore I am encouraged to plead, ‘Remember Thy word unto Thy servant, wherein Thou hast caused me to hope.’ (Psalm 119:49)

A sure promise, a complete atonement, a perfect righteousness, an Almighty Saviour, who is able to save to the uttermost, and has said, ‘I will in no wise cast out.’ (John 6:37)

These are the weapons with which I (alas, how feebly!) oppose the discouragements which arise from self and unbelief.”

–John Newton, The Works of John Newton, Volume 6 (Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth, 1988), 6: 265-266.