“There is forgiveness with Christ” by John Newton

“The more sensible we are of the disease, the more we shall admire the great Physician.

The more we are convinced that the creature is vanity, the more we shall be stirred up to seek our rest in God.

And this will endear the gospel to us; as in Christ, and in Him only, we can hope to find that righteousness and strength, of which we are utterly destitute ourselves.

I observe in many newspapers, the attestations of persons who have been relieved in diseases by the medicines which they have tried, and therefore recommend to others from their experience.

Innumerable cases might be published to the honour of the great Physician. None more memorable perhaps than my own.

I was labouring under a complication of disorders: fired with raging madness, possessed with many devils, (I doubt it not,) bent upon my own destruction.

But He interposed, unsought, undesired.

He opened my eyes, and He pardoned my sins.

He broke my fetters, and He taught my once blasphemous lips to praise His name.

Oh, I can, I do, I must commend it as a faithful saying, ‘That Christ Jesus is come into the world to save sinners.’ (1 Timothy 1:15)

There is forgiveness with Him.

He does all things well.

He makes both the dumb to speak, and the deaf to hear.

I remain, with due respect,

Dear Sir, your most obedient servant,

John Newton”

–John Newton, The Works of John Newton, Volume 6 (Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth, 1988), 6: 203-204.