Letters of John Newton

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   Marc Daniel Rivera (KristiyaKnow) – February 17, 2026

   There are Christian books you read for information. And there are books you read for counsel. Letters of John Newton belongs firmly in the second category.

   John Newton is widely known as the former slave-trader turned pastor who wrote the hymn “Amazing Grace.” But this volume reminds us that his greatest and most sustained ministry was not only in the pulpit or in hymnody—it was in personal letters. Through his correspondence, Newton became a careful guide of souls during the Evangelical Revival in eighteenth-century England.

   This edition gathers 128 substantial letters, selected and arranged by his biographer, Josiah Bull. Unlike a smaller paperback collection published by Banner of Truth decades ago with only thirty-nine letters, this is a much fuller treasury. It includes many additional letters—some not previously published—along with biographical sketches and helpful historical notes. It is also a facsimile of the 1869 edition, cloth-bound and beautifully presented. What I love most about this is that it feels weighty, not just physically, but spiritually. These are not fragments, but long, thoughtful letters, and Newton’s words linger over the heart.

   Newton lived at a time when England was morally and spiritually declining. The national church had grown cold. Preaching often focused on polite morality rather than the transforming grace of Christ. Then came the great revival, led in its early days by men like George Whitefield and John Wesley. Newton belonged to the second generation of that awakening. His path to ministry was anything but straight. Orphaned young, hardened at sea, pressed into naval service, involved in the slave trade, and nearly destroyed physically and spiritually—his life was marked by extremes. Yet through what he later called “rich mercy,” he was converted, eventually ordained, and settled in Olney in 1764.

   It was there, and later in London, that his gift became clear. Newton had a rare ability to understand the workings of the human heart. He once described his favorite branch of theology as “anatomy”—the careful study of the soul in its struggles, temptations, fears, and joys. These letters show that gift on every page.

   The table of contents alone is fascinating. The letters are addressed to pastors, young believers, military officers, Members of Parliament, grieving widows, and close friends—among them William Cowper, Hannah More, and connections to the Wilberforce family, including William Wilberforce. Each recipient is named, and the contents page provides short summaries so you know the subject of each letter before you begin. That simple feature is surprisingly helpful. You can turn directly to letters on assurance, suffering, ministry discouragement, spiritual depression, or guidance in difficult decisions. Newton’s aim is consistent: to conform the believer to Christ.

   Newton’s letters breathe a deeply personal and experiential Christianity. He does not treat doctrine as abstract theory, but as truth that must be felt, tested, and lived in the soul. Writing to people burdened by sin, doubt, fear, and spiritual weariness, he consistently brings them back to Scripture as living comfort and steady light. Having himself been rescued from a life of profound moral darkness, he writes with unusual tenderness toward the tempted and fallen.

   Newton’s counsel reflects a mature understanding that genuine faith involves inward conflict—sorrow over sin mingled with joy in grace—and he holds these together without imbalance. At the same time, his guidance is thoroughly practical: he opens up biblical truth not to display learning, but to shape character and conduct, answering complex personal struggles with clarity, humility, and sanctified common sense.

   Josiah Bull’s biographical sketches and notes, though very brief, provide a clear and helpful doorway into Newton’s life and times, especially for readers unfamiliar with him. They give just enough context to illuminate the letters without overshadowing them. The letters themselves are deeply enriching. This is not a light devotional to rush through in a single sitting. Many of them are substantial and deserve slow, thoughtful reading.

   Final Thoughts:

   Letters of John Newton is living pastoral theology at its best. These pages show us what vital evangelical religion looks like—deeply personal, humbly expressed, marked by inward spiritual exercise, and worked out in everyday life. If you love the art of letter writing, or if you long for wise and gracious spiritual counsel, this collection is both inspiring and deeply edifying.