Excerpt from the Kindle " John Newton's Letters - A Question on Salvation"
He finds mysteries where I
can perceive none. Surely, though I use the words Gospel, faith, and grace,
with him-my ideas of them must be different from his. This led him to a close
examination of all His Epistles, and, by the blessing of God, brought on a
total change in his views and preaching. He no longer set his people to keep a
law of faith; to trust in their sincerity and endeavors, upon some general hope
that Christ would help them out where they came short; but he preached Christ
himself, as the end of the Law for righteousness to everyone who believes.
He felt himself, and
labored to convince others, that there is no hope for a sinner but merely in
the blood of Jesus; and no possibility of his doing any works acceptable to
God, until he himself is first made accepted in the Beloved. Nor did he labor
in vain. Now his preaching effected, not only an outward reformation-but a real
change of heart, in very many of his hearers. The word was received, as Paul
expresses it, not with a rational assent only-but with demonstration and power,
in the Holy Spirit, and in much assurance. And their endeavors to observe the
Gospel precepts were abundantly more extensive, uniform, and successful, when
they were brought to say, with the Apostle, "I am crucified with Christ!
Nevertheless I live-yet not I-but Christ lives in me; and the life which I live
in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God."
Such a change of views and
sentiments, I pray God-that you may experience. These things may appear uncouth
to you at present, as they have done to many who now bless God for showing them
what their reason could never have taught them. My divinity is unfashionable
enough at present-but it was not so always; you will find few books, written from
the area of the Reformation, until a little before Laud's, that set forth any
other. There were few pulpits until after the Restoration from which any other
was heard. A lamentable change has indeed since taken place; but God has not
left himself without witnesses.
You think, though I disclaim infallibility, I
arrogate too much in speaking with so much certainty. I am fallible indeed; but
I am sure of the main points of doctrine I hold. I am not in the least doubt,
whether salvation is by faith or by works; whether faith is of our own power or
of God's operation; whether Christ's obedience, or our own, is the just ground
of our hope; whether a man can truly call Jesus Lord-but by the teaching of the
Holy Spirit. I have no more hesitation about these points, than I should have
were I asked whether it was God or man who created the heavens and the earth!
Besides, as I have more
than once observed, your sentiments were once my own; so that I, who have
traveled both roads, may have perhaps some stronger reasons to determine which
is the right, than you can have, who have only traveled one.
I now come to the two
queries you propose, the solution of which you think will clearly mark the
difference of our sentiments. The substance of them is,
1st, Whether I think any
sinner ever perished in his sins (to whom the Gospel has been preached) because
God refused to supply him with such a proportion of his assistance as was
absolutely necessary to his believing and repenting; or without his having
previously rejected the incitements of his Holy Spirit? A full answer to this
would require a sheet. But, briefly, I believe, that, all mankind being corrupt
and guilty before God, he might, without impeachment to his justice, have left
them all to perish, as we are assured he did the fallen angels. But he has been
pleased to show mercy-and mercy must be free. If the sinner has any claim to
it-so far it is justice, not mercy. He, who is to be our Judge, assures us,
that few find the gate which leads to life, while many throng the road to
destruction.
Your question seems to
imply, that you think God either did make salvation equally open to all, or
that it would have been more becoming his goodness to have done so. But he is
the potter-and we are the clay. His ways and thoughts are above ours, as the
heavens are higher than the earth. The Judge of all the earth will do right. He
has appointed a day, when he will manifest, to the conviction of all-that He
has done right. Until then, I hold it best to take things upon his Word, and
not too harshly determine what it befits Jehovah to do. Instead of saying what
I think, let it suffice to remind you of what Paul thought, Romans 9:15-21.
But, farther, I say, that
unless mercy were afforded to those who are saved, in a way special to
themselves, and which is not afforded to those who perish-no one soul could be
saved. For fallen man, universally, considered as such, is as incapable of
doing the least thing towards his salvation, until saved by the grace of God-as
a dead body is of restoring itself to life. Whatever difference takes place
between men in this respect, is of grace, that is-of God, undeserved. Yes, his
first approaches to our hearts are undesired too; for, until he seeks us, we
cannot, we will not seek him, Psa. 110:3. It is in the day of his power, and
not before-that his people are made willing.
Where the Gospel is preached,
those who perish, do willfully resist the Gospel light, and choose and cleave
to darkness, and stifle the convictions which the truths of God, when his true
Gospel is indeed preached, will, in one degree or other, force upon their
minds. The cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, the love of other
things, the violence of sinful appetites, their prejudices, pride, and
self-righteousness either prevent the reception, or choke the growth of the
good seed. Thus their own sin and obstinacy is the proper cause of their
destruction. They will not come to Christ-that they may have eternal life.
At the same time, it is
true that they cannot, unless they are supernaturally drawn by God; John 5:40 ; John 6:44 . They will not and
they cannot come. Both are equally true, and they are consistent. For a man's
cannot, is not a natural inability-but a moral inability. It is not an
impossibility in the nature of things, as it is for me to walk upon the water,
or to fly in the air-but such an inability as, instead of extenuating, does
exceedingly enhance and aggravate his guilt. He is so blinded by Satan, so
alienated from God by nature and wicked works, so given up to sin, so averse
from that way of salvation which is contrary to his pride and natural
wisdom-that he will not embrace it or seek after it! And therefore he cannot
receive it, until the grace of God powerfully enlightens his mind, and
overcomes his obstacles.
But this brings me to your
second query,
II. Do I think that God, in
the ordinary course of his providence, grants his assistance in an irresistible
manner, or effects faith and conversion without the sinner's own hearty consent
and concurrence? I rather choose to term grace invincible, than irresistible.
For it is too often resisted, even by those who believe; but, because it is
invincible, it triumphs over all resistance, when God is pleased to bestow it.
For the rest, I believe no sinner is converted without his own hearty will and
concurrence. But he is not willing-until he is made so. Why does he at all
refuse? Because he is insensible of his lost and dreadful condition. He does
not know the evil of sin, the strictness of God's law, the majesty of God whom
he has offended, nor the total apostasy of his heart! He is blind to eternity,
and ignorant of the excellency of Christ! He thinks that he is whole, and sees
not his need of this great Physician! For salvation, he relies upon his own
wisdom, power, and supposed righteousness.
Now, in this state of
things, when God comes with a purpose of saving mercy, he begins by convincing
the person of sin, judgment, and righteousness; causes him to feel and know
that he is a lost, condemned, helpless creature; and then reveals to him the
necessity, sufficiency, and willingness of Christ to save those who are ready
to perish, without money or price, without doings or deserving. Then he sees
faith to be very different from a rational assent; finds that nothing but the
power of God can produce a well-grounded hope in the heart of a convinced
sinner; therefore looks to Jesus, who is the author and finisher of faith, to
enable him to believe. For this he waits in what we call the means of grace; he
prays, he reads the Word, he thirsts for God as the deer pants for the
water-brooks. And, though perhaps for a while he is distressed with many doubts
and fears, he is encouraged to wait on, because Jesus has said, "Him who
comes unto me, I will never cast out."
The obstinacy of the will
remains while the understanding is dark-and ceases when that is enlightened.
Suppose a man walking in the dark, where there are pits and precipices of which
he is not aware. You are sensible of his danger, and call after him; but he
thinks he knows better than you, refuses your advice, and is perhaps angry with
you for your importunity. He sees no danger, therefore will not be persuaded
there is any. But if you go with a light, get before him, and show him plainly,
that if he takes another step, that he will fall to his death-then he will stop
of his own accord, blame himself for not minding you before, and be ready to
comply with your farther directions. In either case, man's will acts with equal
freedom-the difference of his conduct arises from conviction.
Something like this is the
case in our spiritual concerns. Sinners are called and warned by the Word; but
they are wise in their own eyes, and take but little notice-until the Lord
gives them light, which he is not bound to give to any, and therefore cannot be
bound to give to all. Those who have it, have reason to be thankful, and subscribe
to the Apostle's words, "By grace are you saved, through faith; and that
not of yourselves, it is the gift of God."
I have not yet half done
with the first sheet! I shall consider the rest at leisure; but send this as a
specimen of my willingness to clear my sentiments to you as far as I can.
Unless it should please God to make what I offer satisfactory, I well know
before-hand what objections and answers will occur to you; for these points
have been often debated; and, after a course of twenty-seven years, in which
true religion has been the chief object of my thoughts and inquiries, I am not
entirely a stranger to what can be offered on either side.
What I write, I write
simply and in love; beseeching Him, who alone can set a seal to his own truth,
to guide you and bless you. This letter has been more than a week in hand; I
have been called from it I suppose ten times, frequently in the middle of a
period or a line. My leisure, which before was small, is now reduced almost to
nothing. But I am desirous to keep up my correspondence with you, because I
feel an affectionate interest in you, and because it pleased God to put it into
your heart to apply to me. You cannot think how your first letter struck me-it
was so unexpected, and seemed so improbable, that you should open your mind to
me, I immediately conceived a hope that it would prove for good. Nor am I yet
discouraged.
When you have leisure and
inclination-write. I shall be always glad to hear from you, and I will proceed
in answering what I have already by me, as fast as I can. But I have many
letters now waiting for answers, which must be attended to.
I recommend you to the
blessing and care of the great Shepherd; and remain, etc.
