Required reading
The Works (Vol 4) of John Newton (Available from Amazon or free here) - Read Sermon XLVIII (The song of the redeemed).
My summary
This week Newton preaches on: 'Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation' (Rev 5:9).
Newton unpacks the verse by considering three principal points:
(i) the benefit (redemption to God);
(ii) the redemption price (by blood);
(iii) the extent of the benefit (a people out of every kindred, tongue and nation).
What grabbed me
I think Newton was overstepping the mark with his comments about those who have never heard of Christ: 'I will go one step further. The inferences that have been made by some persons from the apostle Peter's words, "That God is no respecter of persons, but in every nation, he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him," are undoubtedly rash and unscriptural. They would conclude from thence, that it is of little importance what people believe, provided they are sincere in their way ; that the idolatrous Heathens, even the most savage of them, whose devotion is cruelty, who pollute their worship with human blood, and live in the practice of vices dis- graceful to humanity, are in a very safe state, because they act, as it is supposed, according to their light. 'But if the light which is in them be darkness, how great is that darkness !' Such a lax candour as this, tends to make the Gospel unnecessary ; if they who have it not are therefore excusable, though they neither love nor fear God, and live in open violation of the law of their nature. The declaration, that ' without holiness no man shall see the Lord,' holds universally, and without a single exception. But if we suppose a Heathen, destitute of the means of grace by which conversion is usually wrought, to be brought to a sense of his misery, of the emptiness and vanity of worldly things, to a conviction that he cannot be happy without the favour of the great Lord of the world, to a feeling of guilt, and a desire of mercy ; and that, though he has no explicit knowledge of a Saviour, he directs the cry of his heart to the unknown Supreme, to this purport. Ens entium, miserere mei — Father and source of beings, have mercy upon me! who will prove that such views and desires can arise in the heart of a sinner, without the energy of that Spirit which Jesus is exalted to bestow ? Who will take upon him to say, that his blood has not sufficient efficacy to redeem to God a sinner who is thus disposed, though he has never heard of his name ? Or who has a warrant to affirm, that the supposition I have made is, in the nature of things, impossible to be realized ? But I stop — I do not often amuse you with conjecture. And though, for want of express warrant from Scripture, I dare not give the sentiments I have now offered a stronger name than probable or conjectural, I hope I do not propose them for your amusement. They will prove to your advantage and my own, if they are helpful to guard us against a narrow, harsh, and dogmatical spirit ; and if, without abating our reverent submission to the revealed will of God, they have a tendency to confirm our views of his goodness, and the power and compassions of the great Redeemer. '
Newton himself knows he's treading on thin ice with this one.
Next week's reading
Read Sermon XLIX (The chorus of angels).
Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.
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