Top quotes by John Newton

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. Votes: 15

A bowler can make or break a chap. Votes: 13

Glorious things of thee are spoken, Zion, city of our God! Votes: 9

The midsummer sun shines but dim, The fields strive in vain to look gay; But when I am happy in Him December's as pleasant as May. Votes: 8

I am still in the land of the dying; I shall be in the land of the living soon. (his last words) Votes: 7

God works powerfully, but for the most part gently and gradually. Votes: 6

Although my memory's fading, I remember two things very clearly: I am a great sinner and Christ is a great Savior. Votes: 5

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. Votes: 5

A real friendship should not fade as time passes, and should not weaken because of space separation. Votes: 5

How Sweet the name of Jesus... the rock on which I build, my shield and hiding place, my never failing treasury, filled with boundless stores of grace. Votes: 4

Amazing grace! how sweet the sound That saved a wretch like me! I once was lost but now am found, Was blind but now i see. Votes: 3

Many are convinced, who are not truly enlightened; are afraid of the consequences of sin, though they never saw its evil; have a seeming desire of salvation, which is not founded upon a truly spiritual discovery of their own wretchedness, and the excellency of Jesus. Votes: 3

God sometimes does His work with gentle drizzle, not storms. Votes: 3

There is many a thing which the world calls disappointment; but there is no such thing in the dictionary of faith. What to others are disappointments are to believers intimations of the will of God. Votes: 3

Our work is great; our time is short; the consequences of our labors are infinite. Votes: 3

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. Votes: 3

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. Votes: 2

I am not what I ought to be, I am not what I want to be, I am not what I hope to be in another world; but still I am not what I once used to be, and by the grace of God I am what I am Votes: 2

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. Votes: 2

Thou art coming to a King, large petitions with thee bring, for His grace and power are such none can ever ask too much. Votes: 2

I endeavored to renounce society, that I might avoid temptation. But it was a poor religion; so far as it prevailed, only tended to make me gloomy, stupid, unsociable, and useless. Votes: 1

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. Votes: 0

The Law was given by Moses; the moral law, to discover the extent and abounding sin; the ceremonial law, to point out, by typical sacrifices and ablutions, the way in which forgiveness was to be sought and obtained. But grace, to relieve us from the condemnation of the one, and truth answerable to the types and shadows of the other, came by Jesus Christ. Votes: 0

Assurance grows by repeated conflict, by our repeated experimental proof of the Lord's power and goodness to save; when we have been brought very low and helped, sorely wounded and healed, cast down and raised again, have given up all hope, and been suddenly snatched from danger, and placed in safety; and when these things have been repeated to us and in us a thousand times over, we begin to learn to trust simply to the word and power of God, beyond and against appearances: and this trust, when habitual and strong, bears the name of assurance; for even assurance has degrees. Votes: 0

Whoever is truly humbled "” will not be easily angry, nor harsh or critical of others. He will be compassionate and tender to the infirmities of his fellow-sinners, knowing that if there is a difference "” it is grace alone which has made it! He knows that he has the seeds of every evil in his own heart. And under all trials and afflictions "” he will look to the hand of the Lord, and lay his mouth in the dust, acknowledging that he suffers much less than his iniquities have deserved. Votes: 0

I compare the troubles which we have to undergo in the course of the year to a great bundle of sticks, 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 us each day; but we choose to increase our troubles by carrying yesterday's stick over again today, and adding tomorrow's burden to our load, before we are required to bear it. Votes: 0

All shall work together for good; everything is needful that He sends; nothing can be needful that He withholds. Votes: 0

Every drop of rain hits its appointed target. Votes: 0

May we sit at the foot of the cross; and there learn what sin has done, what justice has done, what love has done. Votes: 0

The Christian must know that the season, measure, and continuance of his sufferings are appointed by Infinite Wisdom, and designed to work for his everlasting good; and that grace and strength shall be afforded him according to his need. Votes: 0

So dress and conduct yourself so that people who have been in your company will not recall what you had on. Votes: 0

Experience is the Lord's school, and they who are taught by Him usually learn by the mistakes they make that in themselves they have no wisdom; and by their slips and falls, that they have no strength. Votes: 0

What will it profit a man if he gains his cause and silences his adversary if at the same time he loses that humble, tender frame of spirit in which the Lord delights, and to which the promise of his presence is made? Votes: 0

I make it a rule of Christian duty never to go to a place where there is not room for my Master as well as myself. Votes: 0

If it were possible for me to alter any part of his plan, I could only spoil it. Votes: 0

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. Votes: 0

The art of spreading rumors may be compared to the art of pin-making. There is usually some truth, which I call the wire; as this passes from hand to hand, one gives it a polish, another a point, others make and put on the head, and at last the pin is completed. Votes: 0

The best advice I can give you: Look unto Jesus, beholding his beauty in the written word. Votes: 0

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. Votes: 0

We serve a gracious Master who knows how to overrule even our mistakes to his glory and our own advantage. Votes: 0

If the Lord be with us, we have no cause of fear. His eye is upon us, His arm over us, His ear open to our prayer - His grace sufficient, His promise unchangeable. Votes: 0

A minister full of comforts & free from failings as an angel, though he would be happy, wouldn't be a good or useful preacher Votes: 0

I am persuaded that love and humility are the highest attainments in the school of Christ and the brightest evidences that He is indeed our Master. Votes: 0

So long as men are compassionate to such a degree that they cannot hear a fly struggling in a spider's web without emotion it can never be reasonably maintained that it is their natural impulse to wound and kill the dumb animals, or to butcher one another in what is called the field of honour. Votes: 0

As to myself, if I were not a Calvinist, I think I should have no more hope of success in preaching to men, than to horses or cows. Votes: 0

How sweet the name of Jesus sounds In a believer's ear! It soothes his sorrows, heals his wounds, And drives away his fear. Votes: 0

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. Votes: 0

Let me endeavor to lead you out of yourself: let me invite you to look unto Jesus. Votes: 0

If we venture beyond the pale of Scripture, we are...exposed to all the illusions of imagination and enthusiasm. Votes: 0

How many times has He delivered me! Yet, alas! How distrustful and ungrateful is my heart even until the present! Votes: 0

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. Votes: 0

Time, by moments, steals away, First the hour, and then the day; Small the daily loss appears, Yet it soon amounts to years Votes: 0

To embrace what are called the Calvinistic doctrines was an infallible token of a humble mind. Votes: 0

I am a great Sinner and God is a great Savior Votes: 0

Through many dangers, toils and snares, I have already come; 'Tis grace has brought me safe thus far, And grace will lead me home. Votes: 0

"What Thou wilt, when Thou wilt, how Thou wilt." I had rather speak these three sentences from my heart in my mother tongue than be master of all the languages in Europe. Votes: 0

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. Votes: 0

My grand point in preaching is to break the hard heart, and to heal the broken one. Votes: 0

But by the grace of God I am what I am Votes: 0

I once was lost, but now am found, Votes: 0

If our zeal is embittered by expressions of anger, invective, or scorn"”we may think we are doing service of the cause of truth, when in reality we shall only bring it into discredit! Votes: 0

Of all people who engage in controversy, we, who are called Calvinists, are most expressly bound by our own principles to the exercise of gentleness and moderation. Votes: 0

A soul disengaged from the world is a heavenly one; and then are we ready for heaven when our heart is there before us. Votes: 0

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, I shall 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.' Votes: 0

If you once love Him, you will study to please Him. Votes: 0

I know not a better rule of reading the Scripture, than to read it through from beginning to end and when we have finished it once, to begin it again. We shall meet with many passages which we can make little improvement of, but not so many in the second reading as in the first, and fewer in the third than in the second: provided we pray to him who has the keys to open our understandings, and to anoint our eyes with His spiritual ointment. Votes: 0

Not only the guilt, but the love of sin, and its dominion, are taken away, subdued by grace, and cordially renounced by the believing pardoned sinner. Votes: 0

Whether men are pleased or not, we will, we must, worship the Lamb that was slain. Votes: 0

I look upon prayer-meetings as the most profitable exercises (excepting the public preaching) in which Christians can engage. They have a direct tendency to kill a worldly, trifling spirit, and to draw down a Divine blessing upon all our concerns, compose differences, and enkindle (at least maintain) the flames of Divine love amongst brethren. Votes: 0

By affliction prayer is quickened, for our prayers are very apt to grow languid and formal in a time of ease. Votes: 0

Faith upholds a Christian under all trials, by assuring him that every painful dispensation is under the direction of his Lord. Votes: 0

Christ has taken our nature into Heaven to represent us; and has left us on earth, with His nature, to represent Him. Votes: 0

There are many who stumble in the noon-day, not for want of light, but for want of eyes. Votes: 0

Zeal without knowledge is like expedition to a man in the dark. Votes: 0

Though the island of Great Britain exhibits but a small spot upon the map of the globe, it makes a splendid appearance in the history of mankind, and for a long space has been signally under the protection of God and a seat of peace, liberty and truth. Votes: 0

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. Votes: 0

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. Votes: 0