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Not often do I quote so extensively from someone’s writings, perhaps that is my own vanity and pride; I hope it is not. Rather, I hope that because I love words and because I am one who believes in their power, therefore, often prefer to create out of my own raw material. Recently, Scott Lowe reminded me of a letter by John Newton and it was medicine to my own soul. I have contemplated it much and because it has healed my heart a bit, I pass it on with a prayer that it will with God’s help do the same for you. With some slight editing, so that the language doesn’t sound archaic to the modern ear, what follows is the letter from John Newton to one of his parishioners.
Afflictions quicken us to prayer. It is a pity it should be so; experience testifies that a long course of ease and prosperity, without painful changes, has an unhappy tendency to make us cold and formal in our secret worship; but troubles rouse our spirits, and constrain us to call upon the Lord in good earnest, when we feel a need of that help which we only can have from him. They are useful, and in a degree necessary, to keep alive in us a conviction of the vanity and unsatisfying nature of the present world, and all its enjoyments; to remind us that this is not our rest, and to call our thoughts upwards, where our true treasure is, and where our conversation ought to be. When things go on much to our wish, our hearts are too prone to say, "It is good to be here." It is probable, that had Moses, when he came to invite Israel to Canaan, found them in prosperity, as in the days of Joseph, they would have been very unwilling to remove; but the afflictions they were previously brought into made his message welcome. Thus the Lord, by pain, sickness, and disappointments, by breaking our cisterns and withering our gourds, weakens our attachment to this world, and makes the thought of quitting it more familiar and more desirable. A child of God cannot but greatly desire a more enlarged and experiential acquaintance with his holy word; and this attainment is greatly promoted by our trials. The far greater part of the promises in Scripture are made and suited to a state of affliction; and, though we may believe they are true, we cannot so well know their sweetness, power, and suitableness, unless we ourselves are in a state to which they refer. The Lord says, "Call upon me in the day of trouble, and I will deliver." - Now till the day of trouble comes, such promise is like a city of refuge to an Israelite, who not having slain a man, was in no danger of the avenger of blood. He had a privilege near him, of which he knew not the use and value, because he was not in the case for which it was provided. But some can say, "I not only believe this promise upon the authority of the speaker, but I can set my seal to it: I have been in trouble: I took this course for relief, and I was not disappointed. The Lord heard and delivered me.” Thus afflictions likewise give occasion of our knowing and noticing more of the Lord’s wisdom, power, and goodness, in supporting and relieving, than we should otherwise have known. I
have not time to take another sheet, and must therefore contract
my homily. Afflictions
evidence to ourselves,
and manifest to others,
the
reality
of grace. And when we suffer as Christians, exercise some measure
of that patience and
submission, and receive some measure of these supports and supplies,
which the Gospel requires and promises to believers, we are more
confirmed that
we have
not taken up with mere notions; and others may be convinced that
we do not follow cunningly devised fables. They likewise strengthen
by
exercise
of our graces:
as our limbs and natural powers would be feeble if not called to
daily exertion; so the graces of the Spirit would languish, without
something
provided to draw
them out to use. And, to say no more, they are honorable, as they
advance our conformity to Jesus our Lord, who was a man of sorrows
for our
sake. I think,
if we might go to heaven without suffering, we should be unwilling
to desire it. Why should we ever wish to go by any other path than
that
which he
has consecrated and endeared by his own example? Especially as
his people’s sufferings are
not penal; there is no wrath in them; the cup he puts in their
hands is very different from that which he drank for their sakes,
and is
only medicinal to
promote their chief good. Here I must stop; but the subject is
fruitful, and might be pursued at greater length and with more
time.
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