John Newton Quotes

John Newton offers heartfelt, soothing reflections on faith and redemption, ideal for readers seeking gentle spiritual encouragement.

41 quotes

1. By one hour's intimate access to the throne of grace, where the Lord causes his glory to pass before the soul that seeks him, you may acquire more true spiritual knowledge and comfort, than by a day or a week's converse with the best of men, or the most studious perusal of many folios.

2. I am not what I ought to be - ah, how imperfect and deficient! I am not what I wish to be - I abhor what is evil, and I would cleave to what is good! I am not what I hope to be - soon, soon shall I put off mortality, and with mortality all sin and imperfection. Yet, though I am not what I ought to be, nor what I wish to be, nor what I hope to be, I can truly say, I am not what I once was; a slave to sin and Satan; and I can heartily join with the apostle, and acknowledge, 'By the grace of God I am what I am.'

3. Zeal is that pure and heavenly flame, The fire of love supplies ; While that which often bears the name, Is self in a disguise. True zeal is merciful and mild, Can pity and forbear ; The false is headstrong, fierce and wild, And breathes revenge and war.

4. Amazing grace! (how sweet the sound) That sav'd a wretch like me! I once was lost, but now am found, Was blind, but now I see.

5. 'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear, And grace my fears reliev'd; How precious did that grace appear, The hour I first believ'd!

6. Thro' many dangers, toils and snares, I have already come; 'Tis grace has brought me safe thus far, And grace will lead me home.

7. The earth shall soon dissolve like snow, The sun forbear to shine; But God, who call'd me here below, Will be forever mine.

8. When we've been there ten thousand years, Bright shining as the sun, We've no less days to sing God's praise Than when we'd first begun.

9. God often takes a course for accomplishing His purposes directly contrary to what our narrow views would prescribe. He brings a death upon our feelings, wishes, and prospects when He is about to give us the desire of our hearts.

10. I compare the troubles which we have to undergo in the course of the year to a great bundle of fagots, far too large for us to lift. But God does not require us to carry the whole at once. He mercifully unties the bundle, and gives us first one stick, which we are to carry today, and then another, which we are to carry tomorrow, and so on. This we might easily manage, if we would only take the burden appointed for each day; but we choose to increase our troubles by carrying yesterday's stick over again today, and adding tomorrow's burden to the load, before we are required to bear it.

11. Many have puzzled themselves about the origin of evil. I am content to observe that there is evil, and that there is a way to escape from it, and with this I begin and end.

12. Our righteousness is in Him, and our hope depends, not upon the exercise of grace in us, but upon the fullness of grace and love in Him, and upon His obedience unto death.

13. So dress and conduct yourself so that people who have been in your company will not recall what you had on.

14. The Christian ministry is the worst of all trades, but the best of all professions.

15. The love I bear Christ is but a faint and feeble spark, but it is an emanation from himself: He kindled it and he keeps it alive; and because it is his work, I trust many waters shall not quench it.

16. This is faith: a renouncing of everything we are apt to call our own and relying wholly upon the blood, righteousness and intercession of Jesus.

17. Though troubles assail And dangers affright, Though friends should all fail And foes all unite; Yet one thing secures us, Whatever betide, The scripture assures us, The Lord will provide.

18. 'What? Shall the old African blasphemer stop while he can still speak?'.

19. We serve a gracious Master who knows how to overrule even our mistakes to His glory and our own advantage.

20. When I was young, I was sure of many things; now there are only two things of which I am sure: one is, that I am a miserable sinner; and the other, that Christ is an all-sufficient Saviour. He is well-taught who learns these two lessons.

21. 'But Now I See' an autobiography and a narrative of John Newton

22. The Story of John Newton

23. John Newton at the Cowper and Newton Museum - Amazing Grace

24. Our work is great; our time is short; the consequences of our labors are infinite.

25. Every drop of rain hits its appointed target.

26. We have no clear ideas of the agency of [demonic] spirits, nor is it necessary. The Scripture says little to satisfy our curiosity; but tells us plainly that he is always watching us, and desiring to sift us as wheat. I believe we give him no more than his due, when we charge him with having a hand in all our sins. I believe he cuts us all out abundance of work.

27. God works powerfully, but for the most part gently and gradually.

28. Whether men are pleased or not, we will, we must, worship the Lamb that was slain.

29. If two angels were sent down from heaven,--one to conduct an empire, and the other to sweep a street,--they would feel no inclination to change employments.

30. A soul disengaged from the world is a heavenly one; and then are we ready for heaven when our heart is there before us.

31. By one hour's intimate access to the throne of grace, where the Lord causes His glory to pass before the soul that seeks Him you may acquire more true spiritual knowledge and comfort than a day's or a week's converse with the best of men, or the most.

32. If two angels were to receive at the same moment a commission from God, one to go down and rule earth’s grandest empire, the other to go and sweep the streets of its meanest village, it would be a matter of entire indifference to each which service fell to his lot, the post of ruler or the post of scavenger; for the joy of the angels lies only in obedience to God’s will, and with equal joy they would lift a Lazarus in his rags to Abraham’s bosom, or be a chariot of fire to carry an Elijah home.

33. If it were possible for me to alter any part of his plan, I could only spoil it.

34. May we sit at the foot of the cross; and there learn what sin has done, what justice has done, what love has done.

35. We can easily manage if we will only take, each day, the burden appointed to it. But the load will be too heavy for us if we carry yesterday's burden over again today, and then add the burden of the morrow before we are required to bear it.

36. When people are right with God, they are apt to be hard on themselves and easy on other people. But when they are not right with God, they are easy on themselves and hard on others.

37. I once was lost, but now am found.

38. A real friendship should not fade as time passes, and should not weaken because of space separation.

39. If we seem to get no good by attempting to draw near to Him, we may be sure we will get none by keeping away from Him.

40. I am in the land of the dying, and I am soon going to the land of the living.

41. The best advice I can give you: Look unto Jesus, beholding his beauty in the written word.