From one of John Newton’s letters –
The best advice I can send, or the best wish I can form for you, is, that you may have an abiding and experimental sense of those words of the apostle which are just now upon my mind, “Looking unto Jesus!” The duty, the privilege, the safety, the unspeakable happiness, of a believer–are all comprised in that one sentence! Let us first pray that the eyes of our faith and understanding may be opened and strengthened; and then let us fix our whole gaze upon Him!
But HOW are we to behold Him? I answer, in the looking-glass of His written Word! There He is represented to us in a variety of views. The wicked world can see no form nor loveliness in the portraiture He has given of Himself. Yet blessed be God, there are those who can “behold His glory as the glory of the only begotten Son of God, full of grace and truth!” And while they behold it, they find themselves “changed into His image, from glory to glory,” by the transforming influence of the Spirit. In vain we use our reasonings and arguments, and resolutions–to beat down our corruptions, and to silence our fears; but a believing view of Jesus does the business!
The entire letter can be found online at this site. It is the first letter after the preface. To Miss Medhurst. September 10, 1760.
http://gracegems.org/Newton/additional_letters_of_newton.htm