The letters of John Newton give counsel to young Christians
John Newton is best known for his hymn Amazing Grace. But in his day, a collection of his letters left a greater impact. These letters were first published under the titles Cardiphonia, but have also been published with the English title, Voice of the Heart. I have updated the language of the first of these letters, which Newton wrote to “a nobleman” in 1765. In the letter he continues a conversation the two men had had about the initial zeal that is often seen in new Christians and why it tends to fade over time. Newton offers insights into a common source of discouragement for Christians.
March 1765
My Lord,
I remember a time when I had the pleasure of visiting you. During that visit you brought up an interesting topic, and I regretted that it was interrupted before we had the chance to speak about it for very long. Our conversation concerned the causes, characteristics, and indications of decline in spiritual fervency. We talked about why it is that we lose the warm feelings that we have for the things of God. At better times, when these feelings are strong, we can't imagine ever losing them. We discussed to what degree these weakened feelings are compatible with spiritual growth, and how we can develop the ability to assess our true condition before God. And further, we spoke about steps we could take to regain these losses, which come from being connected to a sinful nature and a sinful world. If you will allow me, I would like to revisit our conversation. I do not plan to write an extensive essay, but will simply write down the thoughts that come to mind while the pen is in my hand.
The person who has just been saved (especially when salvation has come after a long time of distress and fear) feels like he is in a new world. There is nothing that can change in a person's external environment that is felt so strongly or that can produce such emotions. So it shouldn't suprise us that someone who has just been saved can hardly think of anything else. The change from darkness to light and from a sense of wrath to a hope of glory, is the greatest change that can be imagined, and the change is often as sudden as it is wonderful. This is why the usual characteristics of new converts are zeal and love. Like Israel at the Red Sea, they have just seen the wonderful works of the Lord, and they can't stop themselves from singing his praises. They are deeply aware of the danger they have just escaped, and are fully conscious of the danger that still remains for the many people who surround them. Even though their family and friends are also under God's condemnation, they have a false comfort and are unconcerned. The new Christian has such a sense of the mercy he has found and has such a compassion for the souls around him that he can hardly help preaching to everyone he meets.
When we consider the reason for these emotions, we understand that they are fitting and proper. The fact that we do not always maintain them is a proof of the imperfection and depravity of our nature. But this new emotion is not completely genuine. At first, this emotional zeal looks like a reproof to more seasoned but less excited Christians. Yet if we look at the situation more carefully, we will find that their zeal and emotion is usually defective in several respects.
1. New Christians are very weak in faith. Their confidence comes more from feelings of internal joy than from a full understanding of the work of God in Christ. They have been given spiritual comforts to strengthen them against the opposition of an unbelieving world. But they mistake these comforts for the evidences of their hope. So when the Lord changes the way he relates to them and hides his face for a time, they are quickly disturbed and at their wit's end.
2. Those who are in this state of their first love are seldom free from having some measure of a judgmental spirit. They haven't yet felt all the deceitfulness of their own hearts; they are not well acquainted with the tricks or temptations of Satan; and so they do not know how to sympathize or make allowances for others. And they can hardly stand to be around anyone who doesn't have the same zeal that they do.
3. They are also more or less under the influence of self-righteousness and self-will. They mean well. But they are not yet well-acquainted with the spiritual meaning and proper use of the law; nor are they established in the life of faith. A portion (sometimes a considerable portion) of their zeal is spent in external activities and non-essentials. It prompts them to practice what is not commanded and to refrain from what is permitted.
However, with all their faults, I think there is something very beautiful and attractive in the honest eagerness of a young convert. Some, who are cold and strict, are ready to reject these promising appearances because of minor blemishes. But would a gardener throw away a fine nectarine because it is green and has not yet achieved all the beauty and flavor that a few more showers and suns will give to it? Although there are some exceptions, perhaps what is true of nature is also true of grace. If there is not some fire in youth, we can hardly expect a proper warmth in old age.
But the great and good Gardener watches over what his own hand has planted and carries on his work by a variety of methods that sometimes seem to contradict each other. While the young convert's mountain stands strong, he thinks he will never be moved; but in time he finds that things change. Sometimes it comes on by undetectable degrees. The part of his emotion that was purely natural will fade when the newness of the new birth ceases. In some instances he will begin to see some of the extremes of his behavior. He will then attempt to correct the excesses of immature zeal, but in doing so will be drawn toward the opposite extreme of neglect. The evils of his heart were overpowered but not eradicated. These evils will return in time and the enemy will watch for opportunities to meet the Christian's remaining sin with his own temptations. And since the Lord intends for his people to learn and to feel their own weakness, he will sometimes allow them to fail. When these failures bring guilt, the heart grows hard, the hands grow feeble, and the knees grow weak. Confidence is shaken, the spirit of prayer is interrupted, the armor is gone, and so things grow worse and worse until the Lord is pleased to intervene. For although we can fall by ourselves, we cannot rise without his help.
Indeed, every sin in its own nature could bring us to apostasy. But the Lord has made provision in the covenant of grace and in his own time he will return to convince, humble, pardon, comfort, and renew the soul. He touches the rock, and the waters flow. This wisdom is seldom acquired with one or even a few lessons, so after we have had many experiences like this we begin to learn that we are nothing, have nothing, can do nothing, except sin. And so we are gradually prepared to live more outside of ourselves and to derive all our sufficiency from Jesus, the fountain of grace. We learn to walk more carefully, to trust less to our own strength—to have lower thoughts of ourselves and higher thoughts of Him.
I believe that is what Scripture means when it speaks of growth in grace—coming to have lower thoughts of ourselves and higher thoughts of him. Both of these perspectives are increasing in a healthy Christian; every day shows him more of his own heart and more of the power, sufficiency, compassion, and grace of the Redeemer that he loves. But neither will be complete until we get to heaven.
I have come to realize then, that although we find a decrease in the warm affections that we had when we were first saved, it is not always a sign of spiritual decay. If our view of life is more centered on the gospel, if our judgment is more seasoned, if our hearts are more often humbled under a sense of our sin; if our spirits are more softened into sympathy and tenderness, if our prevailing desires are spiritual, and we value the precepts, ordinances, and people of God, then we may reasonably conclude that his good work of grace is in us, and on the whole it is increasing.
But we should still lament that increases of knowledge and experience so often come with a decline of fervency. If it was not for what I have seen in my own heart, I would be ready to say it was impossible. But the fact that this does happen in my heart gives me a greater conviction of my own vileness and depravity. My lack of humility humbles me, and my indifference stirs me up to earnestness. But there are times of refreshment, there are times when I get glimpses of light and power that I cannot describe. These come from God's grace, and even though they are not as revolutionary as my first joys were, they are more penetrating and transforming. Even a brief glance of these, when we compare them to how sluggishly stupid we are when they are missing, weans our hearts from this world of sin and temptation and makes us desire death and eternity. It is after death and in eternity that this conflict will end. I will sin and wander no more. I will see him like he is and be like him forever.
If you ask, “How can we prolong, renew, or recover these bright moments?" then I point you to faith and diligence. If we carefully use the means of grace, if we take care to avoid the occasions and appearances of evil, and are diligent in prayer, then we will experience as many of these spiritual delights as the Lord sees good for us. He knows best why we should not be trusted with them continually. We are to walk by faith while we are here, and we will be stretched and tested. Eventually we will receive the crown, and the desires He has given to us will be abundantly satisfied.
