SECTION XII.
The Judgment of the most eminent English Martyrs, who suffered for the Gospel, prior to the Settlement of the Reformation.
Having seen "how the stream goes at Constantinople," let us weigh anchor, and return to our own more enlightened clime.
When it pleased God to visit this kingdom with a revival of gospel truth, the persons, whose interest it was to keep mankind involved in religious darkness, strained every sinew of secular and ecclesiastical power, to obstruct the progress of a doctrine, which, if not seasonably smothered, would inevitably prove fatal to that golden idol which the churchmen of those times worshipped. They well knew, that the scheme of free salvation, as it stands simply revealed in Scripture, lays the axe, not only to the tree, but to the very root, of Popery: which, like Dagon before the ark, cannot but full, in proportion as the doctrines of gratuitous election and unconditional justification prevail and extend. Hence, the sword of persecution was unsheathed: and they, whose eyes God had opened, could sing, with those of old, For thy sake, we are killed all the day long; we are counted as sheep appointed to be slain.
While the sword was brandished, and while the fires were flaming, Protestants went cheerfully to death for the doctrines of Christ. But, now the sword is laid asleep, and the fires are extinguished, the doctrines of Christ are too generally forgot: nay, what is still more shocking, the very mention of those doctrines seems to frighten some nominal Protestants out of their wits. If we have lost the persecutions, we have also ( in a manner ) lost the spirit and faith of our Christian predecessors. This will too plainly appear, so far as the articles now in question are concerned, even from the few following examples.
I. William Sawtree, an early and eminent disciple of Wickliff, was rector or vicar of St. Scithe's parish in London, and the first who had the honour of being burnt for Protestantism in England. That this worthy proto-martyr held the doctrine of election, appears, from part of a paper which he wrote and delivered to Arundel, archbishop of Canterbury. In the fullness of his zeal against angel-worshiping, he gave the prelate to understand, that, was he bound to worship one or the other, he would, of the two, "rather worship a man, whom he knew to be predestinated, than worship an angel:" assigning for reason, because "the one is a man of the same nature with the humanity of Christ, which an angel is not."1 He suffered death, A.D. 1400.
II. Mr. John Claydon, a devout tradesman of London, was burned in Smithfield, A.D. 1415. An English book had been found in his custody, from whence fifteen articles of heresy were extracted, which served as the groundwork of his prosecution and condemnation. Among these articles, was one, concerning election and perseverance, which ran thus: "5. That no reprobate is a member of the Church, but only such as be elected and predestinate to salvation: seeing the Church is no other thing but the congregation of faithful souls, who do, and will keep their faith constantly, as well in deed, as in word."2 This book, it seems, was entitled, "The Lanthorn cf Light":3 and Mr. Claydon confessed, that he "had got that copy of it transcribed and bound at his own expense." On which, he was consigned to the flames, as incorrigible.
III. Mr. Thomas Bilney, who had been the instrument of bishop Latimer's conversion, was burned in 1531. Among the articles of his examination before Tonstal, bishop of London, were the following: "Whether he believed the Catholic Church may err in the faith, or no? And whether he thought the Catholic Church is only a spiritual Church, intelligible and known only to God?" To this double interrogatory, Bilney answered in these words "The Catholic Church" [i.e. the universal Church of God's predestinated people,] "can by no means err in faith: for it is the whole congregation of the elect; and so known only unto God, who knoweth who are his."4 Two other ensnaring questions were put to this holy man: "Whether he believed all things, pertaining to salvation and damnation, to come of necessity, and nothing to be in our own wills? And, whether he believed God to be the author of all evil?"5 He discreetly answered, "God is the author of the punishment Only, but not of the. offence."6 He would never have been put to the test of such queries as these, if he had not been considered as a known predestinarian.
IV. James Bainham, a gentleman of birth and learning, by profession a lawyer, of the Middle Temple, suffered at the stake in 1532. His judgment concerning the evangelical doctrines, sufficiently appears from one of his answers, on his first trial before Stokesley, bishop of London. "All godliness," said the martyr, "is given of God by his abundant grace: the which no man of himself can keep, but it" [i.e. the retaining, as well as the reception, of grace] "must be given him of God."7 So highly was this chosen vessel favoured in his last moments, that, when his legs and arms were half consumed by the flames, he addressed the spectators in these memorable words: "O ye Papists, ye looked for miracles. Here you may see a miracle; for, in this fire, I feel no more pain, than if I were on a bed of down. It is to me a bed of roses."
V. William Tyndal, though put to death in Flanders, must yet, as a native of this kingdom, be numbered among the English martyrs. He was a person of seraphic piety, indefatigable study, and extraordinary learning. His modesty, zeal, and disinterestedness, were so great, that he declared, he should be content to live in any county of England, on an allowance of ten pounds per annum, and bind himself to receive no more, if he might only have authority to instruct children and preach the gospel.
Heylin himself confesses, that Tyndal has a "flying-out against free-will."8 It will presently be seen, that that early and eminent Protestant "flew out," not only against free-will, but also against other corrupt branches of the Popish and Pelagian system.
His translation of the New Testament into English (for he did not live to finish the Old) made the cloud of persecution, which had been long hovering over him, burst into a storm. He was apprehended at Antwerp (through the treachery of an ungrateful Englishman, whom he had liberally relieved and hospitably entertained), and carried prisoner to Filford, eighteen miles from that city; where he was strangled and burned, in 1536.
During his residence at Antwerp, he sent over a letter to Mr. Frith, (then a prisoner in the Tower, and afterwards a martyr) exhorting him to fortitude under his sufferings for the name of Christ. "The will of God," says Tyndal, in his letter, "be fulfilled! and what he hath ordained to be, ere the world was made, that come, and his glory reign over all!"9 He adds: "There falleth not an hair, till God's hour be come: and when his hour is come, necessity carrieth us hence, though we be not willing. - Be cheerful; and remember, that, among the hard-hearted in England, there is a number reserved by grace; for whose sakes, if need be, you must be ready to suffer." Nothing, on this side Heaven is so sublime and animating as the Christian philosophy. And what is the Christian philosophy, but another name for Calvinism?
From several treatises, written by Mr. Tyndal, a great number of propositions were extracted by the Papists, and branded for "heretical and erroneous." Of these propositions, the following are some:10
"Faith only justifieth.
"The spirit of God turneth us and our nature, that we do good as naturally " [i.e. as necessarily] "as a tree brings forth fruit.
"Faith rooteth herself in the hearts of the elect.
"Works do only declare to thee that thou art justified.
"If thou wouldest obtain Heaven by the merits and deservings of thine own works, thou wrongest and shamest the blood of Christ.
"The true believer is heir of God, by Christ's deservings: yea, and in Christ was predestinate, and ordained unto eternal life, before the world began.
"In believing, we receive the spirit of God, which is the earnest of eternal life; and we are in eternal life already, and already feel in our hearts the sweetness thereof, and are overcome with the kindness of God and Christ: and therefore we love the will of God; and, of love, are ready to work freely, and not to obtain that which is given us freely, and whereof we are heirs already.
"The longing and consent of the heart to the law of God, is the working of the Spirit; which God hath poured into thy heart, in earnest that thou mightest be sure that God will fulfil all the promises he hath made to thee. It is also the seal and mark, which God putteth on all men whom he chooseth to everlasting life.
"Yea, and by thy good deeds shalt thou be saved: not which thou hast done, but which Christ hath done for thee. For Christ is thine, and all his deeds are thy deeds. Christ is in thee and thou in him; knit together inseparably; neither canst thou be damned, except Christ be damned with thee; neither can Christ be saved, except thou be saved with him." The two last clauses of this paragraph are, certainly, very strongly expressed. Yet they contain a truth, which our Lord himself affirmed, though in terms less harsh: Where I am, there shall also my servant come. - Because I live, ye shall live also. Christ mystical can no more perish than Christ personal. Tyndal goes on.
"Hark what St. Paul saith: If I preach, I have nought to rejoice in, for necessity is put unto me. - If I do it willingly," saith he, "then have I my reward; that is, then am I sure that God's spirit is in me, and that I am elect to eternal life.
"We deserve not everlasting life, by our good works; for God hath promised it unto us, before we began to do good."11 Yet Mr. Tyndal zealously asserted the necessity of good works, as fruits and proofs of faith; though, with Scripture, he utterly denied their being meritorious in the sight of God: witness the following excellent passage: "If thy faith induce thee not to do good works, thou hast not the right faith: thou only thinkest that thou hast it. For St. James saith, that faith, without works, is dead in itself. He saith not, that it is little, or feeble: but that it is dead: and that which is dead, is not. Therefore, when thou art not moved by faith to the love of God, and, by the love of God, to good works, thou hast no faith."12 So true is it, on one hand, that real grace cannot but produce good works; and, on the other, that (as Tyndal observes) "if God had promised Heaven to us because of our works, we could then never be sure of our salvation: for we should never know how much, nor how long, we should labour, to be saved; and should always be in fear that we had done too little, and so we could never die joyfully."13
Dr. Heylin shall contribute his mite towards demonstrating the Calvinism of Tyndal: premising, first, that, in the judgment of the said doctor, "There were so many heterodoxies in the most of Tyndal's writings, as render them no fit rule for a reformation, any more than those of Wickliff before remembered." Some of these " many heterodoxies," Peter Heylin thus enumerates: "Grace," saith Tyndal, "is properly God's favour, benevolence, or kind mind; which, of his own self, without our deservings, he reached to us: whereby [i.e. by which undeserved favour and benevolence] he was moved and inclined to give Christ unto us, with all other gifts of grace. Which having told us, in his Preface to St. Paul's Epistle to the Romans; he telleth us, not long after, that, in the 9th, 10th, and 11th chapters of the Epistle, the apostle teacheth us of God's predestination: from whence [i.e. from and out of God's predestination] it springeth althogether; whether we shall believe, or not believe; be loosed from sin, or not be loosed. By which predestination, our justifying and salvation are clear taken out of our hands, and put into the hands of God only: which thing is most necessary of all. For we are so weak, and so uncertain, that, if it stood in us, there would of truth no man be saved: the devil, no doubt, would deceive him. But now God is sure of his predestination; neither can any man withstand or lett him."
Discoursing, in another place, of the act the will hath on the understanding, [a blunder of Heylin's; who meant to say, of the act which the understanding hath on the will,] "He [Tyndal] telleth us, that the will of man followeth the wit [i.e. followeth the understanding:] that, as the wit erreth, so doth the will: and as the wit [the understanding] is in captivity, so is the will: neither is it possible that the will should be free, when the wit is in bondage [through original sin].
"Finally, in the heats of his disputation with Sir Thomas More, who had said, that 'Men were to endeavour themselves, and captivate their understandings, if they would believe,' Tyndal first cries out, how beetle-blind is fleshly reason! and then subjoins, that the will hath no operation at all in the working of within my soul, no more than the child hath in begetting his father: for, saith Paul, It [i.e. faith] is the gift of God, and not of us."14 Oh rare William Tyndal! "heterodox" with a witness! - The reader need not be told, that the Sir Thomas More, whose tenet of free-will was thus combated by Tyndal, was the same Sir Thomas who was afterwards beheaded by Henry VIII. for exalting the pope's supremacy above the king's.
Arminianism will, beyond all question, join hands with Popery, in condemning the above extracts: though nothing can be more certain than this great truth, that the principles, which they assert, are the very essence of the gospel; and, if the Scriptures are true, must be reckoned in the number of its brightest and most valuable doctrines. I agree with the learned and pious Mr. Fox, that, "If these articles be made heresies, which refer the benefit of our inheritance of life and salvation to God's gift, and not to our labours; to grace, and not to merits; to faith, and not to the law of works; then let us clean shut up the New Testament, and away with God's word." We have nothing to do, but to "leave Christ and his heretical gospel; and, in his stead, set up the bishop of Rome with his Talmud, and become the disciples of his decretals."15
VI. Mr. John Lambert received the academical part of his education in the University of Cambridge: where it pleased God to convert him by means of Mr. Bilney. His true name was Nicholson: but his subsequent dangers on a religious account induced him to assume that of Lambert, for his greater security against the storm that threatened.16 He was, however, burned in Smithfield, A.D. 1535; but with a fire so ill made (purposely to increase his pains), that his legs were consumed, and he still remained alive. Whereupon, two, who stood on each side of him, lifted him, on the points of their halberts, as high as the chain (which fastened him to the stake) would reach: and he, lifting up such hands as he had, his fingers' ends flaming with fire, cried to the people, with an audible voice, "None but Christ, none but Christ!" And so, being set down again from their halberts, he fell again into the fire, and breathed out his faithful soul into the arms of his Redeemer."17
He had been chaplain to the English merchants at Antwerp. On an accusation of heresy, he was seized and conveyed to London. In the course of his examination before Warham, archbishop of Canterbury, he was asked, "Dost thou believe that whatsoever is done of man, whether it be good or ill, cometh of necessity?"18 Mr. Lambert easily perceived, that his being so closely questioned on the article of predestination, was no other than a trap laid for his life. His reply did equal honour to his prudence and faithfulness: "Unto the first part of your riddle, I neither can nor will give any definitive answer. Concerning the second part, whether man hath free-will or no, to deserve joy or pain? as for our deserving of joy, in particular, I think it very little or none; even when we do the very commandments and law of God. When you have done all things that are commanded you, saith our Saviour, say that ye be unprofitable servants. When we have done his bidding, we ought not so to magnify neither our self, nor our own free-will: but laud him with a meek heart, through whose benefit we have done (if at any time we do it) his liking and pleasure. Hence Austin prayeth Domine, da quod jubes, et jube quod vis: Lord, give what thou commandest, and command what thou wilt. Concerning free-will, I mean altogether as doth St. Austin: that, of ourselves, we have no liberty nor ability to do the will of God; but are shut up and sold under sin, as both Isaiah and Paul bear witness: but by the grace of God we are rid and set at liberty, according to the portion which every man" [i.e. every regenerate man] "hath received of the same; some more, some less."19
Lambert was also asked, "Whether faith alone, without good works, may suffice to the salvation and justification of a man who has fallen into sin after baptism?"20 The martyr answered in the words of St. Austin, "Opera bona non faciunt justum sed justificatus facit bona opera: The performance of good works does not justify a man, but the man who is justified performs good works."21
Lambert was22 not sentenced on his first examination. But, in a short time, he was apprehended again, and appealed from the judgment of the bishops, to the king. Henry VIII. gave him the hearing in person. The stern overbearing roughness with which that sour unfeeling tyrant treated the evangelical prisoner; and the decent firmness with which the latter acquitted himself, amidst such insults as would either have quite intimidated, or violently exasperated the generality of men; may be read in almost any of our historians. The result was, that Mr. Lambert received sentence of death, and was executed in the manner above related.23
VII. Mrs. Anne Ascough, (commonly called Askew,) a most pious and accomplished young lady, of whom the world was not worthy, adorns the Protestant calendar. Her understanding only was masculine, not her manners. The diamond was set in gold. The virtues of her heart added value to a genius originally bright, and solidly improved. Both were sanctified and ennobled by the grace of God. Hence, her piety was angelic; her meekness, invincible; her fortitude, supernatural. "She might have lived," says Mr. Fox, "in great wealth and prosperity, if she would have followed the world rather than Christ."24 Her family and connections were of considerable rank:25 and, unless I am much mistaken, she herself seemed to have possessed at one time, some post of honour in the court of queen Catharine Parr. For the wit, delicacy, and good sense, with which she embarrassed the lord mayor of London, bishop Bonner, bishop Gardiner, and others, in the course of her examinations, the reader may consult Strype, Fox, and Burnet. She had been so inhumanly racked, during her imprisonment, that she lost the use of her limbs, and was forced to be conveyed to Smithfield in a chair. Three persons of the other sex suffered martyrdom at the same time; and were not a little strengthened in the last stage of their warfare, by the example, prayers, and exhortations of this excellent woman: who, notwithstanding, was so weakened and disabled by the brutal hardships of her confinement, that two serjeants were obliged to support her at the stake, till the fagots were kindled. Amidst all these outward infirmities, her heaven-born soul continued triumphant and alert. She was filled with joy unspeakable and full of glory. Her faculties were so entire, and her presence of mind so extraordinary, that, as she stood at the stake, she frequently corrected Shaxton, while he was preaching the execution-sermon, when he advanced any thing contrary to the doctrines of Scripture. Sermon being ended, (which was preached in the open air,) the lord. chancellor Wriothesley offered the King's pardon to the four martyrs, as they stood at their respective stakes, on condition of recantation. They all nobly refused. Not one of them would so much as look at the papers when held out to them. Mrs. Ascough, in particular, answered "I did not come hither to deny my Lord and Master." The lord mayor then gave the word of command, fiat justitia: and the flames were immediately kindled. Thus these blessed martyrs ascended in chariots of fire to Heaven. The spot whereon they were executed was that open part of Smithfield, which lies over against the gate that leads to St. Bartholomew's church, Mrs. Ascough was not 25 years of age.26
That she believed the doctrines of grace, and experienced their power in her own heart, is evident, from the drift, both of the few writings she left behind her, and of her religious behaviour in general. I shall, particularly, instance this, in the article of final perseverance. In an account of her sufferings, written by herself, after observing that the lord chancellor Wriotlresley assisted in torturing her on the rack, with his own hands, till she was almost dead; and that, after she was taken off from the rack, she sat for near two hours on the bare floor, disputing with the lord chancellor, who vehemently importuned her to renounce the faith: she adds, "But my Lord God, I thank his everlasting goodness, gave me grace to perservere, and will do, I hope, to the very end.27 What, under the pressure of those languishing circumstances, she only expressed an hope of, she shortly after expressed her full assurance of: "I doubt not," said she, "but God will perform his work in me, like a she hath begun."28 I desire no stronger proof of her Calvinism. Whosoever "doubts not," that the work of grace is of God's beginning, and shall be of God's completing, must either adopt such incoherencies, as would disgrace the meanest understanding, or be clear in those other articles of the gospel with which these are so intimately and necessarily connected.
VIII. I must not forget the eminently learned Doctor Robert Barnes; of whose conversion, pious Mr. Bilney had been the instrument. Lord Cromwell's fall (who was beheaded July 28, 1540.) seems to have involved in it the doom of this illustrious Protestant, who was barned for the gospel on the 30th of the same month.
Heylin's Arminian pen shall, for the present, suffice to prove the Calvinism of Dr. Barnes.
"It is no marvel," says that virulent Polemist, "if we find somewhat in his [i.e. in Barnes's] writings, agreeable to the palate of the Calvinists and rigid Lutherans. From whence it is, that, laying down the doctrine, of predestination, he [i.e. Dr. Barnes] discourseth thus: But yet, sayest thou, that he [God] giveth to the one mercy; and, to the other, none. I answer, what is that to thee? Is not his mercy his own? Is it not lawful for him to give it to whom he will? Is thine eye evil, because his is good? Take that which is thine, and go thy way. For, if he will shew his wrath, and make his power known, over the vessels of wrath ordained to damnation; and to declare the riches of his glory, unto the vessels of mercy, which he hath prepared and elected unto glory; what hast thou therewith to do? - But here will subtle blindness say, 'God saw before, that Jacob should do good: he saw also that Esau should do evil; therefore did he condemn him.' Alas, for blindness! what? will you judge of that which God foresaw? These children being yet unborn, they had done neither good nor bad: and yet one of them is chosen, and the other of them is refused. St. Paul knoweth no other cause, but the will of God; and will you needs discuss another? He saith not, I will have mercy on him who I see shall do good; but, I will shew mercy to whom I will.
"God, of his infinite power, lets nothing be exempted from him, but all things to be subject unto his action: and nothing can be done by them, but by his principal motion. So that he worketh in all manner of things, that be either good or bad: not changing their nature," [i.e. God is not the author of sin, as though he changed any thing to had from good,] "but only moving them to work after their natures, so that good worketh good, and evil worketh evil: and God useth them both as instruments. And yet doth he nothing evil, but evil is done alone through the will of man; God working by him, but not evil, as by an instrument."29 Old father Heylin, who cites these judicious passages, is not very well pleased with them. He is particularly disgusted with, what he calls, the subtlety in the close thereof: and, because he cannot distil the least drop of Arminianism from these flowers of paradise, he sagely concludes, that Barnes draws nearer to "the Zuinglians, touching God's working on the will, than possible may he capable of a good [i.e. of an Arminian] construction."
Will the reader permit me to subjoin the testimony of two worthy persons, who suffered for the gospel in Scotland, prior to the Reformation? I am sensible, that their suffrage does not strictly pertain to the argument of the present Section. It is not, however, entirely foreign to it; as martyrs, of all nations, are brethren; and as it will conduce to demonstrate, that the first Protestants of that country, no less than of our own, were companions in faith as well as in patience.
I. Mr. Patrick Hamelton was a person of very illustrious descent; nearly related, both by father's and mother's side, to James V. the then reigning king of Scotland.30 Early in life, he was made Abbot of Ferme; and his subsequent preferments would have been very great, had not God opened his eyes, to see the Antichristianism of Popery. Making the tour of Germany, he became acquainted with Luther and other learned Protestants; whose conversation was blessed to the conversion of this excellent man. On his return to his own country, he was very assiduous in communicating to others the spiritual light he had received. His sermons were animated with great zeal against the doctrinal corruptions which then prevailed; and his labours were crowned with such success, as alarmed the ruling ecclesiastics; who, from that time forward, marked him for the shambles. Being cited to answer before James Beton, archbishop of St. Andrew's; such was the martyr's courageous zeal, that he made his appearance early in the morning, some hours before the time appointed. The prelate, and his consistory of bishops and abbots, being totally unable to resist the wisdom and spirit with which he asserted the doctrines of Christ, realized the old Popish argument, "you have the word, but we have the sword." by condemning him on the spot: and, in such haste were they to dispatch him, that he was burned the same afternoon, which was either the last day of February, or the first of March, 1527. "Learned men," says Mr. Fox, "who communed and reasoned with him, do testify, that the following are the very articles for which he suffered :
"1. Man hath no free-will.
"2. A man is only justified by faith in Christ.
"3. A man, so long as he liveth, is not without sin.
"4. He is not worthy to be called a Christian, who doth not believe that he is in grace.
"5. A good man doth good works: good works do not make a good man.
"6. An evil man bringeth forth evil works: evil works, being faithfully repented, do not make an evil man.
"7. Faith, hope, and charity, be so linked together, that one of them cannot be without another, in one man, in this life."31
In exact conformity with the above articles, part of the sentence of condemnation, pronounced on him immediately after his trial; ran thus: "We, James, by the mercy of God, archbishop of St. Andrew's, primate of Scotland; - have found Master Patrick Hamelton many ways infamed with heresy; disputing, holding, and maintaining divers heresies of Martin Luther and his followers, repugnant to our faith: - that man hath no free-will: that man is in sin so long as he liveth; that children, incontinent after baptism, are sinners; that all Christians, who be worthy to be called Christians, do know that they are in grace; that no man is justified by works, but by faith only; that good works make not a good man, but a good man doth make good works; that faith, hope, and charity, are so knit, that he, who hath one, hath the rest. - With divers other heresies and detestable opinions; and hath persisted so obstinate in the same, that, by no counsel nor persuasion, he may he drawn therefrom to the way of our right faith. - All these premises being considered, We - do pronounce, &c."32
This great and holy martyr, who was executed in the 23d year of his age, drew up a short sketch of Evangelical Divinity, which was afterwards published, with a recommendatory preface, by an eminent martyr of our own country, the learned and pious Mr. John Frith,33 who suffered death, at London, in 1533. The whole of this concise treatise is inserted into Mr. Fox's inestimable Martyrology. An extract from it will, I hope, both please and profit the reader.
Mr. Hamelton well knew, that half of our religious mistakes arise from not clearly ascertaining the difference between the law and the gospel, and from not exactly distinguishing the true nature of each. This he does, with great judgment and accuracy in the following remarks.
"The law saith, Pay thy debt. (viz. the debt of perfect obedience to God). The gospel saith, Christ hath paid it.
"The law saith, thou art a sinner; despair, and thou shalt be damned. The gospel saith, thy sins are forgiven thee, be of comfort, For thou shalt he saved.
"The law saith, make amends for thy sins. The gospel saith, Christ hath made it for thee.
"The law saith, the Father of Heaven is angry with thee. The gospel saith, Christ hath pacified him with his blood.
"The law saith, where is thy righteousness, goodness, satisfaction? The gospel saith, Christ is thy righteousness, goodness, and satisfaction.
"The law saith, thou art bound [over] to me, to the Devil, and to Hell. The gospel saith, Christ hath delivered thee from them all."
On the subject of faith, he observes, that this important term signifies, "To believe in Christ, and to believe his word, and to believe that he will help thee in all thy need, and deliver thee from all evil." He affirms, that "Faith is the gift of God," which he thus proves:
"Every good thing is the gift of God.
"Faith is rood.
"Ergo, faith is the gift of God."
Nor does he stop here; but immediately adds this consecutory proposition: "Faith is not in our power." Which he likewise argues syllogistically:
"The gift of God is not in our power.
"Faith is the gift of God.
"Therefore, faith is not in our power."
On the doctrine of works, he expresses himself with great perspicuity and strength of reason. "No man," says he, "is justified by the deeds of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ. Moreover, since Christ, the Maker of Heaven and Earth and all that is therein, behoved to die for us; we are compelled to grant, that we were so far drowned and sunk in sin, that neither our deeds, nor all the treasures that ever God made or might make, could have holpen us out of it. Therefore, no deeds or works [of our own performing] may make us righteous." He then obviates an objection which, he foresaw, either the ignorance or the perverseness of some might possibly alledge: "If works make us neither righteous nor unrighteous, then (thou wilt say) it is no matter What we do. I answer: If thou do evil, it is a sure argument that thou art evil, and wantest faith, If thou do good, it is an argument that thou art good, and hast faith; for a good tree beareth good fruit, and an evil tree evil fruit. Yet good fruit makes not the tree good, nor evil fruit the tree evil. A man is good, ere he do good deeds; and evil, ere he do evil deeds.
"Whosoever believeth or thinketh to be saved by his works, denieth that Christ is his Saviour. For how is he thy Saviour, if thou mightest save thyself by thy works? or whereto should he die for thee, if any works [of thine) might have saved thee? - What is this, to say Christ died for thee? Verily, that thou shouldest [else] have died perpetually; and that Christ, to deliver thee from death, died for thee, and changed thy perpetual death into his own death. For thou madest the fault, and he suffered the pain: and that for the love he had to thee before thou wast born, when thou hadst done neither good nor evil. Now, seeing he hath paid thy debt, thou needest not, neither canst thou pay it; but shouldest be damned, if his blood were not [shed]. But, since he was punished for thee, thou shalt not be punished.
"I do not say, that we ought to do no good deeds: but I say, we should do no good works to the intent to yet the inheritance of Heaven, or remission of sin. For if we believe to get the inheritance of Heaven through good works, then we believe not to get it through the promise of God. Or if we think to get remission of our sins by our deeds, then we believe not that they are forgiven us; and so we count God a liar. For God saith, Thou shalt have the inheritance of Heaven, for my Son's sake; thy sins are forgiven thee, for my Son's sake: and you say, it is not so, but I will win it through my works.
"Thus, you see, I condemn not good deeds, but I condemn the false trust in any works: for, all the works, wherein a man putteth any confidence, are therewith poisoned, and become evil.
"Wherefore, thou must do good works; but beware that thou do them not [with a view] to deserve any good through them; for, if thou do, thou receivest the good, not as gifts of God, but as debt to thee, and makest thyself fellow with God, because thou wilt take nothing of him for naught. And so shalt thou fall, as Lucifer fell for his pride."
Is it not astonishing, that so young a man, a native and inhabitant of Scotland, should write with such precision, and in so masterly a style, almost two hundred and fifty years ago?
II. No person, who knows any thing of the Scottish history, can be entirely unacquainted with the character and sufferings of the famous and venerable Mr. George Wishart, who was burned at St. Andrew's, A.D. 1545. His remarkable history, and the spirit of prophecy with which he more than once proved himself to be endued, are so well known, that I shall enter34 directly an the evidence of his Calvinism.
On his examination, before the cardinal archbishop of St. Andrew's, he was accused of representing God as the author of sin. "Thou, false heretic, saidest, that man hath no free-will, but is like to the Stoics, who say, that it is not in man's will to do any thing; but that all concupiscence and desire cometh by God, whatsoever kind it be of."35 Mr. Wishart in his answer, utterly denied that the doctrine of salvation by grace is pregnant with so blasphemous a consequence: "My lords, I said not so. I say, that as many as believe in Christ firmly, unto them is given liberty; conformably to the saying in St. John, If the Son make you free, then shall ye verily be free. On the contrary, as many as believe not in Christ Jesus, they are bond-servants of sin. He that sinneth is bound to sin."36 What is this, but to say? 1. That man's will is not free to good, until after he is converted to the faith of Christ. 2. That, prior to conversion, and in a state of nature, man cannot but offend God. 3. That man can only be made free indeed, by the grace of Christ breathing faith into his heart. - If this be not Calvinism, I am at a loss to know what is.
A clause, occurring; in one of Mr. Wishart's last supplications to God, shall conclude this section:
"We desire thee heartily, that thou conserve, defend, and help thy congregation which thou hast chosen before the beginning of the world; and give them thy grace, to hear thy word, and to be thy true' servants in this present life."37
Endnotes: