John Henry Newton was an English Anglican clergyman and former slave-ship captain. He was the author of many hymns, including "Amazing Grace".
Sailing back to England in 1748 aboard the merchant ship, he experienced a spiritual conversion in the Greyhound, which was hauling a load of beeswax and dyer's wood. The ship encountered a severe storm off the coast of Donegal and almost sank. Newton awoke in the middle of the night and finally called out to God as the ship filled with water. It was this experience which he later marked as the beginnings of his conversion to evangelical Christianity. As the ship sailed home, Newton began to read the Bible and other religious literature. By the time he reached Britain, he had accepted the doctrines of Evangelical Christianity.
He became well-known as an evangelical lay minister, and applied for the Anglican priesthood in 1757, although it was more than seven years before he was eventually accepted and ordained into the Church of England.
Newton joined English abolitionist William Wilberforce, leader of the Parliamentary campaign to abolish the slave trade, and lived to see the passage of the Slave Trade Act 1807.
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Biography
John Newton: Hymn Writer and Preacher
John Newton who was born in London, [England], July 24, 1725, and died there Dec. 21, 1807, occupied an unique position among the founders of the Evangelical School, due as much to the romance of his young life and the striking history of his conversion, as to his force of character. His mother a pious Dissenter, stored his childish mind with Scrip ...read
Article
More than a Calvinist
To be enabled to form a clear, consistent, and comprehensive judgment of the truths revealed in the Scripture, is a great privilege; but they who possess it are exposed to the temptation of thinking too highly of themselves, and too meanly of others, especially of those who not only refuse to adopt their sentiments, but venture to oppose them. We s ...read
Letter
Of the Practical Influence of Faith
Sir,
The use and importance of faith, as it respects a sinner's justification before God, has been largely insisted on; but it is, likewise, of great use and importance in the daily concerns of life. It gives evidence and subsistence to things not seen, and realizes the great truths of the gospel, so as that they become abiding and living princi ...read
Sermon
Sermon Introduction: Sermons by John Newton
Fifty Expository Discourses
Preached in the years 1784 and 1785
by John Newton
PREFACE
The following Sermons, as to the substance (for most of them are considerably abridged) were preached at a public and numerous assembly. And, therefore, an accurate and logical discussion of the several subjects was not aimed at. They are rather ...read
Sermon
Sermon 1: The Consolation
Isaiah 40:1,2 Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received at the LORD 's hand double for all her sins.
The particulars of the great "mystery of godliness," as enumerated by the Apostle Paul, constitu ...read
Sermon
Sermon 2: The Harbinger
Isaiah 40:3-5 The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a high-way for our God. Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain. And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all fles ...read
Sermon
Sermon 3: The Shaking of the Heavens and the Earth
Haggai 2:6,7 Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Yet this once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land: and I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come, and I will fill this house with glory, saith the LORD of hosts.
God shook the earth when He proclaimed His law to Isr ...read
Sermon
Sermon 4: The LORD Coming to His Temple
Malachi 3:1-3 The LORD , whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to His temple; even the messenger of the covenant in whom ye delight: Behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts. But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? For he is like a refiner's fire, and like a fuller's soap, -- and he shall purify the sons o ...read
Sermon
Sermon 5: Immanuel
Isaiah 7:14 Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name IMMANUEL , God with us.
There is a signature of wisdom and power impressed upon the works of God, which evidently distinguishes them from the feeble imitations of men. Not only the splendour of the sun, but the glimmering light of the glow-worm proclaims His g ...read
Sermon
Sermon 6: Salvation Published from the Mountains
Isaiah 40:9 O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid: say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God!
It would be improper to propose an alteration, though a slight one, in the reading of a text, without bearing my ...read
Sermon
Sermon 7: The Morning Light
Isaiah 60:1-3 Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee. For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.
One stro ...read
Sermon
Sermon 8: The Sun Rising upon a Dark World
Isaiah 9:2 The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon then hath the light shined.
Contrasts are suited to illustrate and strengthen the impression of each other. The happiness of those, who by faith in MESSIAH, are brought into a state of peace, liberty, and comfort, is ...read
Sermon
Sermon 9: Characters and Names of Messiah
Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
Such was the triumphant exultation of the Old Testament Church! Their noblest hopes were founded upon the promise of MESS ...read
Sermon
Sermon 10: The Angel's Message and Song
Luke 2:8-14 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the LORD came upon them, and the glory of the LORD shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall b ...read
Sermon
Sermon 11: Messiah's Entrance into Jerusalem
Zechariah 9:9,10 Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: He is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass. -- And He shall speak peace unto the heathen.
The narrowness and littleness of the mind of fallen man are sufficiently cons ...read
Sermon
Sermon 12: Effects of Messiah's Appearance
Isaiah 35:5,6: The eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped: Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing.
How beautiful and magnificent is the imagery, by which the Prophet, in this chapter, represents the effects of MESSIAH'S appearance! The scene, proposed to our view, is a b ...read
Sermon
Sermon 13: The Great Shepherd
Isaiah 50:11 He shall feed his flock like a shepherd; He shall gather the lambs with His arm, and carry them in His bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.
It is not easy for those, whose habits of life are insensibly formed by the customs of modern times, to conceive any adequate idea of the pastoral life, as obtained in the e ...read
Sermon
Sermon 14: Rest for the Weary
Matthew 11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Which shall we admire most -- the majesty, or the grace, conspicuous in this invitation? How soon would the greatest earthly monarch be impoverished, and his treasures utterly exhausted, if all, that are poor and miserable, had encouragement to apply ...read
Sermon
Sermon 15: Messiah's Easy Yoke
Matthew 11: 29,30: Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
Though the influence of education and example, may dispose us to acknowledge the Gospel to be a revelation from God; it can only be rightly understood, or duly prized, ...read
Sermon
Sermon 16: The Lamb of God, the Great Atonement
John 1:29 Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world!
Great and marvellous are the works of the LORD God almighty! We live in the midst of them, and the little impression they make upon us, sufficiently proves our depravity. He is great in the very smallest; and there is not a plant, flower, or insect, but bears the signatu ...read
