This is a sad confession of the great man of God. It even surprises us that he has to make it. It is true however. His attitude and behaviour in the trying providences of God manifested it to be so. We are all the same. Grace we trust has tamed us but sometimes we don’t always behave as such.

In the summer of 1778 a lion tamer brought his lion to Olney. The Rev. John Newton went to see him and was quite amazed at how tame the beast was. When he watched him with his keeper he seemed as docile and as obedient as a pet dog. When Newton spoke to the owner he told him there were times when he had ugly fits when he dare not go near him. Newton came away and walked on his way home reflecting as we all should do when the Lord shows us strange things.

“No looking-glass could show my face more justly — than this lion shows my heart! I could trace every feature — as wild and fierce by nature; yes, much more so — but grace has in some measure tamed me. I know and love my Keeper, and sometimes watch His looks that I may learn His will. But, oh! I have my surly fits too! Seasons when I relapse into the savage again, as though I had forgotten all.”