1786 April 5
My dear Madam,
We thank you for your kind present, but more especially for the kind letter which accompanied it. To hear from you always gives us pleasure.
The Messiah is all printed off. But they are at work upon an Index which is not yet finished. And I believe the books will not appear in the newspapers, till some little time after Easter. [1]
You judge right, Madam, the Lord appoints the bounds of your habitation, and your part is only to follow as his providence leads, and to pray and expect, that he will be with [you] when you return to Sleaford, as he was before you left it. In every place his eye is upon his people, and his ears open to their prayers. Take it for granted upon the warrant of his Word, that the place he allots you, however apparently destitute of advantages, and notwithstanding all attendant inconveniencies, is, upon the whole, the best for you. Believe it now, in due time you shall clearly see it. He could easily give you a smooth path, make every crooked thing straight, for you under gospel ordinances, and in the midst of the most pleasing, connections – but then perhaps you would not have such clear proofs of his All-sufficiency, as where you are. Submission to his will, and a calm dependence upon him to supply every want, is the main thing, without this we could be happy nowhere, with this we may be comfortable anywhere. I think you will do well, not to contend, for going to the Meeting at Sleaford, when Mr Gardiner chooses to go to church, nor to divide yourself from your family, while your motives for compliance are such as your conscience approves – especially as you can go, and mean to go at other times, if they conduct themselves tolerably. Wait the Lord’s leisure – he can give you the very desires of your heart, and incline Mr Gardiner to go with you, if there be any Gospel preaching in churches within your reach. You will ask advice of the Great Counsellor, and act according to the best dictates of your judgement, and then if others censure you, regard them not. It is a small thing to be censured of men, when our own hearts do not condemn us. It is indeed a trial, if the preacher you must attend, be an immoral man, but wait patiently, the Lord can change him or remove him. You will pity him and pray for him, and then you need not burden yourself, for what you cannot prevent.
We likewise are upon the point of removing from Charles Square. I have taken a house in the City. My next letter will probably be from No. 6 Coleman St buildings where we think to go in Easter week. Mrs Newton’s head will not well bear the bleak winds in winter, nor the heat in summer, when walking over Moorfields. I shall be a mile nearer to my church, and to most of my connections, which will be some convenience to me, for though my health and strength are still afforded me, I cannot walk quite so well as formally. The place we are going is very open and lightsome, for the City, but not equal to Charles Square. We shall have a better house, but no garden. There is a But in every situation. But if the Lord is pleased to dwell with us and bless us, we shall do well. Could we remove to the ends of the earth we should not avoid a cross of some kind or other – it belongs to our profession. And if when we get rid of some crosses, others were not appointed to succeed them, we should forget where we are, and be tempted to think of setting up a rest, in a world where everything is polluted. We are journeying towards a land, where there are no buts, crosses and burdens – and we shall regret having sown in tears here, when we are called to reap with joy, and where we are assured we shall weep no more.
Thus much I write, in answer to your request, and to keep you, so far as writing is concerned, in my debt. My letter is something shorter than usual, so is yours. But let us continue to write longer or shorter when we can and as we can. Through the Lord’s mercy we are at present all pretty well. We join in sincerest love to you, and in respects to Mr Gardiner.
I am
Your affectionate and obliged servant
John Newton
5 April 86
Mrs Gardiner
Sleaford
Lincolnshire
Endnotes:
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[1] |
John Newton, Messiah: Fifty Expository Discourses (London: 1786) was advertised in the Morning Herald on Friday 2 June 1786. |
Acknowledgements:
Morgan Museum and Library MA 733.30 |
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