From Cardiphonia, or The Utterance of the Heart · John Newton (1725–1807)
The Chief Pleasures of This Life
How difficult do we find it to observe a proper medium between overvaluing and undervaluing our creature-comforts; especially those of social and relative life. The mutual affection which does, or should exist, between husband and wife, parents and children, and proportionally between other family connections or our intimate and tried friends, constitute our chief temporal pleasures. These are almost the only pleasures this earth can afford which are very interesting to an intelligent and serious mind.
I write for those who possess and value the comforts of domestic life, acknowledge the goodness of the Lord in bestowing and preserving them, who wish to make them additional motives for gratitude and praise — but are often apprehensive that their attachment to God's gifts should withdraw their thoughts from the great Giver, and encroach upon that supreme regard which is only due to Himself.
The Danger of Loving the Creature More Than the Creator
A disposition to love the creature more than the Creator is undoubtedly part of a proof of our natural depravity. This evil principle — described by the apostle under the names of the Flesh, the Old Man, and Indwelling Sin — however weakened and mortified in a true believer, is not extirpated. The opposition between nature and grace, flesh and spirit, renders the Christian life a state of constant warfare. They are opposite, contrary, contradictory one to the other; no peace or truce can exist between them.
Thus our comforts often become our snares; and that which should be for our health proves an occasion of falling. We cannot be too watchful against this propensity; it should prompt us to daily humiliation, and much prayer.
But the Lord is not a hard master. He gives us all things richly to enjoy — not to raise, and then disappoint our expectations — but, within the limits His wisdom prescribes, to gratify them. Ignorance and superstition misrepresent Him; multitudes think to please Him by self-invented austerities and mortifications. But, on the contrary, we are assured that He delights in our prosperity so far as it is consistent with our safety, and that He does not willingly afflict His own children who love and serve Him.
God's Goodness in Social Life
As we are creatures formed for society, and cannot live either with safety or comfort in a solitary state, it has pleased God in His goodness to make us susceptible to social affections, which sweeten our fellowship with each other, and combine duty with pleasure. Parents are certainly bound by the law of nature to take care of their own children. This would often be an irksome task, if they did not feel an instinctive tenderness for their infant offspring at first sight, which makes that delightful which might otherwise be troublesome.
It is likewise the appointment of God that the successive generations of mankind should be perpetuated by marriage. As this is the nearest of all natural relations, so when the union is properly formed and conducted, it is the most interesting and endeared. The marriage state, when entered into without a regard to God, to the rules of His Word, and a dependence upon His blessing, is seldom productive of an abiding union of hearts.
Even the marriages of those who come together and live together in the fear of the Lord are subject to heavy troubles — yet they are comparatively happy. They love the Lord, they seek His presence and blessing, and they do not seek in vain. They love each other; they have one faith, one aim, one hope. Their mutual affection, intimacy, and perfect confidence greatly enhance the value and relish of the comforts in which they participate, and alleviate the weight of their burdens and trials. Love sweetens labour, and blunts the sting of sorrow.
The Believer's Chief Danger
But still they are jealous of themselves, lest those affectionate feelings — which greatly assist them in discharging their social and relative duties with attention and cheerfulness — should become excessive and idolatrous. They have reason to be always on their guard, lest that which is lawful and right in itself should, by being indulged in an immoderate degree, become ensnaring and hurtful.
A true believer is, for the most part, rather shocked than seduced by temptations to gross evils; his heart recoils at the proposal. He thinks with Joseph, “How can I do this wickedness, and sin against God?” The believer's chief danger lies in the abuse of lawful things.
The Lord, who knows our frame, and of what we are made, is unspeakably merciful to our infirmities — but He will not admit a rival. The believer knows and acknowledges that whatever he possesses which is not held and improved in subordination and subservience to the will and glory of Him from whom he received it — is so far an idol.
The Gospel Allows Room for Social Love
Yet perhaps some people may be overburdened with this apprehension. The gospel is not designed to make us stoics — it allows full room for those social feelings which are so necessary and beneficial in our present state, though it teaches and enjoins their due regulation. It is the duty, no less than the privilege, of husbands to love their wives, even as their own selves; yes, even as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for it.
God formed us originally for Himself, and endued the human mind with a capacity which He alone can fill. But, when He dwells in the heart, there is still room for innumerable objects of happiness in their proper subordinate order. We may love, and we ought to love, our husbands, wives, children, parents, and friends; and if we consider them as the Lord's gifts — if we seek His blessing in them and upon them — if we hold them at His disposal — if we employ all our influence with them to engage them to seek and love Him supremely — if, when they are removed from us, we are disposed to yield a cheerful submission to His holy will — with these restrictions we cannot easily love them too much.
But who can come up to this standard? I suppose no person can completely. But we may aim at it; we may lament our deficiency; we may pray for more grace; and by grace we may approximate more and more to it.
Casting All Care Upon Him
It is not necessary to distress ourselves with what may happen. We are to live today — and to leave tomorrow with Him. This we may say: The Lord is all-sufficient, and He is faithful. He has promised strength according to the day. He permits me to call upon Him in the time of trouble, and I trust, when the time of trouble shall come, He will enable me to pray for that help from Him without which I know I must sink; for in myself I am weaker than a bruised reed. In the meantime I endeavour to cast all my care upon Him who cares for me.
For the rest, we are in the Lord's school — the school of the cross. His daily providential dispensations are suited to wean our attachment from everything here on earth, and to convince us that this world cannot be our rest, for it is polluted. Our roses grow on thorns, our honey bears a sting. Frequently our sharpest trials spring from our choicest comforts. Perhaps, while we are admiring our gourd, a worm is secretly preying upon its root. This is wisely and mercifully ordered by our heavenly Father. It is necessary. With such hearts as we have, and in such a world as we live in, much discipline is needful to keep us from sleeping upon the enchanted ground.
The Eternal Hope
But the time is short. It will not be thus always. We hope soon to be out of the reach of sin and temptation. Happy hour, when sorrow and mourning, hitherto our inseparable companions, shall flee away, to return no more! When joy and gladness shall come forth to meet us, and conduct us to our eternal home! Then those who have loved each other in the Lord upon earth shall rejoice together before Him, shall drink of the rivers of pleasure that are at His right hand, and their happiness shall be unspeakable, uninterrupted, without abatement, and without end!