John Newton on politics

Wise counsel indeed.

(I have a “What I’ve Read” post languishing in my Notes app, and will hopefully be published next week after my church’s final Bible study on Acts for this semester. Until then, I hope you’ll read these quotes about politics from one of my favorite books).

Photo by Marilyn Tran on Unsplash

As I make plans to vote with my three children in tow tomorrow (say a prayer for me? ha!) and pray for the election outcome, I pulled off my bookshelf a favorite book: “Wise Counsel: John Newton’s Letters to John Ryland Jr.” This book has indeed offered me counsel over the past several years.

Newton wrote in politically tenuous times (not unlike ours from what I understand… click the date links below for more). I leafed through the book and all of my marginalia looking for two specific quotes to orient me in my particular political and religious landscape.

And I offer these two quotes to you for encouragement, edification, and joy as we vote and anticipate the results.

I believe as you say that the intermingling of politics with religion has done much harm. But I thank God this is not my easy besetting sin. My whole concern with politics is to tell the people that the Lord reigns, that all hearts are in his hands, that creatures are all instruments of his will, and can do neither more nor less than he, for wise reasons, appoints or permits; that sin is the procuring cause of all misery; that they who sigh and mourn for our abominations and stand in the breach pleading for mercy, are better patriots than they who talk loudly about men and measures, of either side. I likewise endeavour to persuade obedience and submission to the powers that be. If this is a mistake, I have been led into it, upon the authority of Peter and Paul, and by our Lord's answer to the question of paying tribute to Caesar.

—John Newton, January 1796¹

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I pray for peace, but I know the Lord alone can give it. I know not how I can serve my country, but by prayer, and by using my little influence so far as it will go, to soothe angry spirits on both sides, and try to lead their thoughts to the cross and to eternity… The Lord is on his way, and great things are on the wheel. I cannot make crooked things straight, but he can. I wish to keep my eye upon his hand, to hide myself under the shadow of His wings, and to wait with awe, humiliation and patience, for what he is about to do. May we be found watching with our loins girded up and our lamps burning. Then the liberty, with which he has made me free, cannot be taken from me.

—John Newton, January 1794²

1. Wise Counsel, pg. 325

2. Wise Counsel, pg. 305-306