1783 April 15 My dear Madam,   Your present situation will not allow me to plead the excuse of business for delaying my answer, a day longer than I can possibly avoid it. We were glad to hear from you again. I trust the Lord whom you serve will appear for you again in the hour of need, and again revive your spirits, and silence the temptations with which the enemy endeavours to harass you. The things which were so true, so sweet, so powerful to you when you were in London, have lost nothing of their reality; you will therefore see and feel and taste their evidence again, with the same satisfaction as before. Such changes as you experience, we are all liable to in this state of warfare. New victories prepare the way for new conflicts, and these again shall lead to new triumphs. When your spirits are weak, your apprehensions may vary, yet you should endeavour to hold fast that which you have received, and though you cannot avoid the impressions of unbelief and temptation in a dark hour, you have sufficient warrant, and have had sufficient encouragement not to give way to them. You must reason with yourself as David did, Psalm 42:5. [1] He was cast down, and could not help it; yet he knew there was no sufficient ground for it, and therefore he expostulated with his soul, Why art thou cast down? And charged it still to hope in God – he felt he could not cheerfully praise God just at that season, but he remembered he had formally, and therefore believed and expected that he should again in due time. For still he added – He is my God, and the health of my countenance. [2] You may meet with dispensations to suspend your comfort, but even these may signally strengthen and manifest your faith – For the triumph of faith is to rely simply upon the promise of God, when we have nothing else to support us. A young or weak believer will think his faith strong when his frame is comfortable, but this is rather feeling than faith. But strong faith can adopt the language of Job, in the depth of distress, and say, Though he slay me yet will I trust in him. [3] May he raise your faith and mine to this standard, so that we may always desire and long for the comforts of his love, but place our whole dependence upon the word of his salvation.   The disappointments we meet with in professors, may be useful to us, if they lead us to admire the grace of God to ourselves. They are made warnings to us; whereas we, if the Lord had not kept us, might have been made warnings to them. For we do not suppose that our hearts are any better than theirs; all the real and apparent difference in our favour, is owing to his wisdom and goodness and not to our own. The misconduct of some, gives us no just reason to suspect that the whole of religion is a pretence. If these things did not happen we should have much greater cause of discouragement. For what could become of our hope if that Scripture be not true? And how could Scripture be true, if we did not find things as they are foretold and represented? Is there no mention made of professors whose conduct would occasion the ways of truth to be evil spoken of? We are assured that offences shall come, and the present state of profession is hardly worse than we are taught to expect from such passages as 2 Timothy 3:1-5; chapter 4:3,4; 2 Peter 2:18,19. [4] Perhaps it is hardly worse than in the Apostle’s days, who gives a character of some that were called Christians: 2 Corinthians 12:20,21, Philippians 3:18,19 and chapter 2:21. [5] I think it becomes us to lament the miscarriages we see, but let us rejoice that the foundation of God standeth sure, the Lord is good to them that seek him with their whole hearts and they who walk humbly shall walk safely. There are now as I believe there have been in every age, persons who really walk with God, and experience the truth and power of his promises, who feel wants which only the Saviour can supply, and enjoy blessings which only he can bestow. Should these be asked, Will ye also go away? Their answer is ready, To whom should we go? [6] We know who has the words of eternal life; and we believe and are sure that he is able, willing and faithful to accomplish all that he has taught us to desire. Fear not Madam, though many should fall at your side and at your right hand, he is able to keep you – and as he has made you sensible of your own weakness, and enabled you to entrust yourself to his care, he will not disappoint you.   Not only are there many false professors, but often strange and shameful inconsistencies in some, who have really tasted that the Lord is gracious, and who shall stand accepted before him in the end. But what the Scripture teaches of the deceitfulness of the heart, and the subtlety of Satan will sufficiently account for it. The grace that eventually triumphs over all their follies and backslidings, will be thereby exceedingly magnified. It is upon the account of such the Prophet cries out with rapture, Who is a God like unto thee? Micah 7. [7] There are a favoured few (may the Lord write you and me and yours and mine in the number) who by an even walk, and a patient continuance in well-doing, in some measure evidence the proper design of the Gospel. They have nothing to boast of, they are conscious of a thousand evils and defilements, for which they lie low before the Lord in secret, and are sensible of the need and value of the blood of atonement, without an eye to which, they could not preserve their peace for a single hour – yet with respect to what comes under the notice of their fellow creatures, they can to the praise of their keeper hold up their heads and say, Our rejoicing is this: that in simplicity and godly sincerity – we have our conversation in this world. But I hope a great many, who are too far from adorning the Gospel as they ought, will in the issue prove the riches of his pardoning mercy, and that where sin has abounded, grace has super-abounded. I observe where the outward state of the Church has been at the lowest, the Lord has had some witnesses, whose zeal and fidelity have appeared to as great advantage, as they could have done in the most flourishing times. The [Spirit?] was on Elijah and on Elisha, men of great faith, power and holiness, and honoured with near communion with God, in a dark day, when they thought themselves almost left to serve him alone. And I have the happiness of being acquainted with several persons myself, whose present characters I doubt not would have been deemed exemplary had they lived in the Apostle’s day, whose spirit, tempers and behaviour (allowing for unavoidable human infirmities) answer the full idea of all I can expect in a Christian, and seem to possess almost the whole both of peace and holiness, which I can suppose compatible with this mortal state.   I see them live above the world, united to the will of God, humble, patient, thankful, faithful and yet while they are admired by others, esteeming themselves weak and poor and unworthy. A few such as these furnish a sufficient answer to all objections arising from the conduct of those who say they are Christians but are not. Every instance of this sort is a proof of the truth and power of the Gospel. For the natural man in the highest exertion of his abilities, can neither attain to such a life, nor even desire it, nor even form a just conception of it. As to the rest, it is no wonder that assuming a new name, joining a new party, or espousing a new set of notions and phrases, may leave the heart just as it was; and if the heart be not changed, any other supposed change, can be but external, partial and transient.   I think Mr Pugh’s vindication of Mr Morse was kind, generous and seasonable, and I hope it will have a good effect. I shall be sorry if it draws him into inconveniencies. But something must be risked for truth, for friendship, and for the distressed, especially if injured. I hope there will be no paper war. If Mr Pugh pleases there shall not. For there must be two to make a controversy. The best and easiest way to deal with the person who takes the wrong side of the question, is to pass him by in silence, then he will soon be refuted without a word, for his performance will sink and be forgotten. If the publication has not truth to support it, it must be supported by opposition or it must fall. Opposition is as necessary to keep it in remembrance, as wind is to keep up the schoolboy’s kite.   We are much as when I wrote last. When the letter we received last night from Scotland was written, my sister was still living – She is happy – rejoicing in the prospect of the glory prepared for her. We join in respects to you and Mr Gardiner. I hope my frank will in due time return with the happy news of your delivery, welfare and restoration to your family.   I am Your affectionate and obliged servant John Newton   Hoxton 15 April 83   [written below: Published in “L'Observateur Chrétien” Isle of Jersey [ ] November 83.]   Endnotes:    [1] Psalm 42:5 Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance. [2] Psalm 42:11 Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God. [3] Job 13:15 Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him. [4] 2 Timothy 3:1-5 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. 2 Timothy 4:3,4 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. 2 Peter 2:18,19 For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error. While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage. [5] 2 Corinthians 12:20,21 For I fear, lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I would, and that I shall be found unto you such as ye would not: lest there be debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults: And lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and that I shall bewail many which have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they have committed. Philippians 3:18,19 (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.) Philippians 2:21 For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ's. [6] John 6:67,68 Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. [7] Micah 7:18 Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy. Acknowledgements: Morgan Museum and Library MA 733.19

26/05/2026