by John Newton
in ePub, .mobi & .pdf formats
Over 150 letters. John Newton converted slave-trader, preacher, and hymn-writer, was one of the most colourful figures in the Evangelical Awakening of the eighteenth century. 'Once an infidel and libertine, a servant of slaves in Africa,' he wrote for this epitaph, 'by rich mercy of Jesus Christ, preserved, restored, pardoned, and appointed to preach the faith he had long laboured to destroy.' It was through his prolific correspondence that Newton fulfilled his distinctive word as 'the letter-writer parexcellence of the Evangelical Revival'. His grasp of Scripture and deep personal experience of the 'amazing grace' of God, his many friends (among them, Whitefield, Cowper and Wilberforce), his manifold trials, his country pastorate, his strong, clear, idiomatic style- all these factors combined to prepare the author of 'How sweet the Name of Jesus sounds', for the exercise of his special gift. These letters, selected by his biographer, Josiah Bull, bear the practical imprint of all of Newton's writings; they cover a wide variety of subjects and aim 'to conform the believer to Christ'. Among them are several that were not previously published in earlier collections of his correspondence. Of particular value and interest are the biographical sketches and historical notes supplied by the editor.
ENDORSEMENTS
"Newton's ... letters, in which he dealt with a wide variety of pastoral issues, are pure gold. Newton was able to take the great theological doctrines of the faith and apply them to the needs of friends, parishioners, even strangers who wrote for advice. In his letters he is often blunt, yet always tender. He is remarkably humble and open about his own flaws, but never in a cloying or self-absorbed manner. He is therefore able to point others to the grace of Christ on which he himself clearly depends.Reading one of Newton’s letters is like taking a hike along some path between high walls of rock or foliage that suddenly affords breathtaking views. In the midst of addressing some commonplace condition, usually with realistic detail, Newton will suddenly, almost as an aside, toss in several lines that blaze with glory.Newton’s letters have influenced both my pastoral work and my preaching. Newton did not simply call people to holy living, but he also did close analysis of their motives and showed them the specific reasons they were failing to obey God. Decades of constantly reading and re-reading the letters have taught me how to do better analysis of underlying motives, so that when the high doctrines of grace are preached and applied, they do not merely press on the will but change the heart." - Dr. Timothy Keller
“Ex-slave-trader John Newton was the friendliest, wisest, humblest and least pushy of all the eighteenth-century evangelical leaders, and was perhaps the greatest pastoral letter-writer of all time.” - J. I. Packer
"These letters are, according to the various circumstances of his correspondents — designed to guide and direct, to comfort, or, if need be, with all tenderness to reprove, while they often become the ardent effusions of Christian love towards those who formed the inner circle of his friends. They are full of wisdom and piety, rich in kindly feeling, written in easy flowing language, with many happy turns of expression, and often made striking by their simple yet ingenious illustrations." - Josiah Bull
Table of Contents
The Benefits of Affliction
Indwelling Sin and the Believer
Christian Liberty
A Guide to Godly Disputation
The Imminent Danger and the Only Sure Resource of this Nation
The Present and Future Rest of True Believers
Reading the Bible
Decline in the Spiritual Life
COVETOUSNESS
Conformity to the World
Letter to Church in Olney
Letter to Church in London
Blemishes in Christian Character
God Rules All!
The Government of the Tongue
Assurance of Salvation
Man in His Fallen Estate
The Christian and the World
True Patriotism
The Practical Influence of Faith
The Inefficacy of Mere Knowledge
The Advantages of a State of Poverty
Divine Guidance
Desires Unrealized
Causes, Nature, and Marks of a Decline in Grace
Difference Between Acquired and Experimental Knowledge
How to Walk with God
By the Grace of God I Am what I Am!
Separated from the Ungodly World
The History of Mankind
All Things Work Together for Good
The Heavenly Gardener
The Heavenly Builder
Our Life is a Warfare
Combating Worldliness
Theological Systems
The Comforts and Snares of Social Affections
The Call to the Ministry
An Essay on the Character of the Apostle Paul, Considered as an Example and Pattern of a Minister of Jesus Christ
Four Letters on 'Denominations', and Forms of 'Church Government'
On Eating and Drinking
On Female Dress
Two Letters to a Friend
Twenty-One Letters to a Friend
Four Letters to a Young Lady
Letters to William Bull
Eight letters to a Christian friend
Seven Letters to a Pastor
Five Letters to a Christian friend
Three Letters to a Tempted Believer
Three Letters to a Christian Friend
Seven Letters to a Christian Friend
Four Letters to a Christian Friend
Four Letters to a Widow
Four Letters to a Christian Friend
Seven Letters to a Christian Friend
Five Letters to a Young Man Going into the Christian Ministry
The Deceitfulness of the Heart
On All Things Being Given Us with Christ
Preaching the Gospel with the Power and the Spirit
Twenty-one Letters to his Adopted Daughter
Six Letters to Friends
Fourteen Letters to a Pastor
Five Letters to a Young Lady
Eighteen Letters to Several Friends
Eleven Letters to a Friend
Eight Letters to a Friend
Our Imperfect Knowledge of Christ's Love
Eight Letters to a Pastor
Six Letters to a Pastor
Nine Letters to a Pastor
Six Letters to a Pastor
Three Letters to a friend
Three Letters to an Aged Friend
Eighteen Letters to a Pastor
Three Letters to a Friend
The Great Shepherd
The Lord Reigns!
Little Trials
The Lord Only Afflicts for our Good
The Furnace of Affliction
A Christian's Attainments in the Present Life
Seriously Engaged about Trifles
The Plan of Salvation
Questions on Salvation
That Bitter Root, Indwelling Sin!
The Work of Grace
Difficulties and Ssnares
Addressing the Unconverted
Soldiers of Christ
What a Christian Ought to Be
Our Common Mercies
A Visitor from Heaven!
O for a Warmer Heart
Without Me You Can do Nothing
Thoughts From the Sick Room
When We See the World in Flames!
Thought on the Ice-palace
Emptiness of the Creature
All our Concerns are in His Hands
The Impatient Patient
Trust in the Providence of God, and Benevolence to His Poor
Pliny's Letter to the Emperor Trajan
Extract of a Letter to a Student in Divinity
Enjoyment of the Pleasures of the Present Life
A Believer's Frames
A Sketch of the Christian's Temper
I was Once Blind, but now I See
Blinded by Satan
Our Divine Shepherd
Will the Sins of Believers be Publicly Declared at the Great Day?
Family Worship
The Snares and Difficulties Attending the Ministry of the Gospel
The Propriety of a Ministerial Address to the Unconverted
The Inward Witness to the Ground and Reality of Faith
The Doctrines of Election and Final Perseverance
Simplicity and Godly Sincerity
Love to the Brethren
Candor
Christian Experience
The Believer's Growth in Grace
On Hearing Sermons
Temptations
A Christian Library
The Exercise of Social Prayer
On the Gradual Increase of Gospel Illumination
To a Friend, on his Recovery from Illness
Communion with God
A Word in Season
The City was Pure Gold
A Word to Professors in trade
On Faith, and the Communion of Saints
The Duke of Sully
Lead us Not into Temptation
Views of Divine Truth
The Christian's Creed
Divine Revelation
Saving Knowledge
A Christian's Present Blessedness
The Heart of Man
A Letter to a Young Woman
Union with Christ
MEMOIRS
A Plan of Pastoral Training
Letters to His Wife
The constraining Influence of the Love of Christ
Brief biography