“Weaker than water but wonderfully kept”
"With respect to my own experience, I have little now to add to what I have formerly offered. For, in one sense, every new day is filled up with new things:
--new mercies on the Lord’s part, new ingratitude on mine;
--new instances of the vileness of my nature, and new proofs of the power of sovereign pardoning grace;
--new hills of difficulty, new valleys of humiliation;
--and now and then (though, alas! very short and seldom) new glimpses of what I would be, and where I would be.
The everlasting love of God, the unspeakable merits of Christ’s righteousness, and the absolute freeness of the Gospel promises—these form the threefold cord by which my soul maintains a hold of that which is within the vail.
Sin, Satan, and unbelief, often attempt to make me let go and cast away my confidence, but as yet they have not prevailed. No thanks to me, who am weaker than water. But I am wonderfully kept by the mighty power of God, who is pleased to take my part, and therefore I trust in Him that they never shall prevail against me.
A vile sinner, indeed, I am. But, since God, who alone has a right to judge, is pleased to justify the believer in Jesus, who is there that shall dare to condemn? I bless the Lord for that comfortable portion of the Scripture, Zechariah, 3:1–5. When the Lord is pleased to pluck a brand out of the fire to save it from perishing, what power in heaven or earth shall presume or prevail to put it in again?
No. He has done it, and who can reverse it? He has said it, and His word shall stand. And I humbly believe, (Lord, help my unbelief,) that not one good thing shall fail of all that the Lord my God has, in His word, spoken to me of."
--John Newton, Letters of John Newton (Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth Trust, 1869/2007), 55.
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