440 REGISTER OF EVENTS. HOME. We have still reason to be thankful for continued internal quiet; and for increasing prosperity. The quarterly accounts of the Revenue, made up to the 10th of October, exhibit an advance, under the head of Customs, of more than 500,000l. Accounts have lately been received from Demerara, of an insurrection among the slaves, which has not been quelled without an appeal to arms. It is one of the miserable consequences of the continuance of the present system, that free Englishmen are thus frequently called to use those weapons which should never be unsheathed but in their country's defence against men, whose chief crime consists in their impatience of the galling yoke and brutalizing lash of slavery. FOREIGN. The counter Revolution of Spain is consummated, and the Constitution is at an end. What Buonaparte, with all his Marshals, and 200,000 'veterans, failed to effect in the two years, which elapsed before England sent her General into the field, the Duc d' Angouleme has finished in little more than five months. Cadiz, which then withstood for years, now opened its gates in three months. We see here the wide difference between a national contest, and a struggle in which the great mass of the people take no interest. The men, who undertook to remodel the institutions of Spain, most absurdly set at nought all the prejudices of their countrymen, and persisted in attempting an impracticable theory. The consequence is now seen, in a reaction, which threatens to sink the nation into a condition even lower than it has ever yet experienced. The King, on his release, instantly appointed his confessor Prime Minister, and issued Decrees of the most intolerant and proscriptive character. To what lengths these measures will be carried, remains yet to be seen. We fear Spain has yet much to undergo. Notices and Acknowledgments. Agnostos;--J. T.;-A Young Christian;-C. P. N. W.;-D. R.;-will most probably be inserted. In answer to the Correspondent who inquires, Why Mr. Scott's Commentary is so generally preferred to Mr. Henry's?' it may be sufficient to reply, that it is obviously superior on the following grounds: 1. As containing, in much smaller compass, every idea of importance comprised in Matthew Henry's Commentary. 2. As rejecting many observations which are of a trifling nature, or which are marked with somewhat of that pedantic turn so prevalent in the age when Henry lived. 3. As containing much additional matter, the result of a careful improvement of the labours of eminent critics, theologians, and commentators, who have appeared subsequent to Mr. Henry's time. 4. As possessing a numerous and valuable selection of marginal references; an addition of the utmost importance to every scriptural student, and especially to every minister. 5. As being more conveniently arranged and divided, so as to be more appropriate for family use. E. E.-T. S.-H. and C. J. A. are under consideration. We do not exactly understand the remark of Archippus :-"That it MUST of course recommend," &c. If it merely means, that consistency with the principles avowed in this publication from its very commencement, requires our adoption of a particular line of conduct, we are not disposed to cavil at the assertion; only reserving to ourselves, in all cases, the right of judging what consistency with those principles really requires. But if the remark implies, that we are under any other obligation, we hesitate not to affirm, that it is altogether erroneous. The accidental circumstance, for instance, of the publishers of the Christian Guardian being the publishers, or proprietors, of any other work, has nothing whatever to do with any opinion or recommendation which may appear in our pages: and the same observation will apply in various other cases, to which the remark of Archippus might be supposed to allude. THE CHRISTIAN GUARDIAN, AND Church of England Magazine. DECEMBER 1, 1823. MEMOIRS OF THE REFORMERS. PATRICK HAMILTON. THE doctrines of the Reformation, imported from the Continent, found an early welcome in the northern parts of Britain. The errors and corruptions of Popery had been detected by many before the sixteenth century; and the minds of the next generation had been predisposed to receive the tenets of Protestantism. The sentiments of Wickliffe were embraced by some respectable families in the southwest parts of Scotland. Murdoch Nisbet, driven from his native land, procured a manuscript copy of the New Testament, which on his return he concealed in a vault, and read to his friends under cover of the night. Gordon, of Earlston, lectured from the sacred volume to a select congregation, in a wood near his house. Robert Campbell, of Kinyeauclugh, suffered for his adherence to the simplicity of the Gospel, in the reign of James the Fourth. So early as 1416, it was enacted, in the University of St. Andrew's, that all who proceeded Masters of Arts should swear to resist Lollardism*. While this fact bears evidence to the secret entertainment given, in many quarters, to the doctrines promulgated by Wickliffe, there are not want M'Crie's Life of Melville, vol. i. note D. DEC. 1823. ing testimonies to the superior information on religious subjects, which obtained in the next age among the Melvilles, Erskines, and Duncans of Fife. How much more honourable to the respective families to reckon such worthies among their ancestors, than heroes, whose desperate valour, in a domestic feud or border foray, was too often stained with savage ferocity or unrelenting revenge! Of Patrick Hamilton, the memorial is peculiarly dear, not only for the intrinsic excellence of his character, but on account of his sufferings for the truth. Historians represent him as of royal descent; nephew, by his father, to James Hamilton, Earl of Arran; and by his mother, to John Stewart, Duke of Albany. He was born in 1503, and noted in youth for his amiable disposition, quick genius, and diligent application. His appointment to the Abbey of Fearn was an earnest of the higher dignities in the Scottish church which awaited him from his great family interest; and an instance of the custom of investing persons of immature age with ecclesiastical authority, which was among the more palpable disorders of the Romish system +. On the completion of the usual course of study at the University of St. Andrew's, he was led, from a desire of investigating scriptural divinity, to seek an acquaintance with the German Reformers; and at the age of twenty-three, set out with three companions for Wittenberg, where he held frequent conferences with Luther and Melancthon. From thence he went to Marpurg, where an university had been newly erected by Philip, Landgrave of Hesse. This prince, an early patron of the Reformers, convinced of the intimate union of ignorance and superstition, promoted the interests of learning as subservient to the cause of Reformation; and invited Lambert, of Avignon*, to aid the efforts of Protestantism in his dominions. The learned Frenchman became, in 1527, the first theological Professor in the new institution, and publicly disputed against the Romish errors. Hamilton attained considerable distinction; and, at the instigation of Lambert, defended some propositions on faith and works, which were afterwards translated by the excellent Frith, and published in England under the denomination of Patrick's Common Places. The opinion entertained of Hamilton, by Lambert, is left on record in the Preface to his Commentary on the Revelations, edited in 1528, and dedicated to the Landgrave. "I can say of him, that I have scarcely met with any man who can speak with more spirituality and purity on divine subjects; about which we have held frequent conferences. He was the first, too, who openly defended, at my entreaty, certain Christian axioms, in the college established by your Highness." Gerdesius observes, from this passage, that *This person has been erroneously confounded with John Lambert, the English martyr. Luke, ii. The Law is the word of disquietude.— Rom. vii. The Gospel is the word of peace.— Eph. vi. Dispute between Law and Gospel; in which is shown the difference of one to the other. The Law saith, Pay the debt. 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 good comfort, for thou shalt be saved. The Law saith, Make amends forthy sins. The Gospel saith, Christ hath made it for me. 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, and satisfaction! The Gospel saith, Christ is thy righteousness, goodness, and satisfaction. The Law saith, Thou art bound and obliged to me, the devil, and hell. The Gospel saith, Christ hath delivered thee from them all. Comparison between Faith and Faith is the root of all good. All that Faith doth pleaseth God. Unbelief maketh him unjust and evil. Faith maketh a man a member of Christ. Unbelief maketh him a member of the 'devil. to have been remarkably prudent, and to have avoided the irritation of their prejudices, as far as was consistent with the sacred cause of truth. Conscious of the ignorance, carelessness, and sensuality, so evidently opposed to his learning, zeal, and integrity, they waited an opportunity of wreaking their vengeance, and hoped, by removing the attractive preacher, to stop the progress of the reformed doctrine. He expressed himself with so much caution, that they found it Faith maketh him an inheritor of heaven. difficult to commence persecution Unbelief maketh him the heir of hell. Faith maketh him the servant of God. devil. Unbelief maketh him the servant of the Faith showeth us God to be a tender father. Unbelief showeth him to be a terrible judge. Faith holdeth fast by the word of God. on any plausible grounds. They and, pretending that James Beaton, at length resorted to stratagem; archbishop of St. Andrew's, and other dignitaries, wished to converse with him on theological subjects, persuaded him to consent to an interview. A crafty Dominican, named Campbell, was em Unbelief looketh upon him to be false ployed to circumvent him, and, by and a liar. Faith knoweth God. Unbelief knoweth him not. Faith loveth both God and his neighbour. Unbelief loveth neither. Faith only saveth us. But, however agreeable the society he met with on the continent, he was too ardent and patriotic to delay his return to his beloved country, to which he desired to make known the purer truths which he had learnt abroad. He soon revisited Scotland, accompanied by one of his fellow-travellers, where he declaimed against the corruptions of popery, and boldly reproved the superstitious practices which had been sanctioned by the church. His graceful eloquence, superior information, courteous manner, and blameless conduct, united with his high connexion, and a countenance expressive of gravity and benignity, as appears from his portrait preserved at Glasgow, rendered the youthful abbot exceedingly popular. The clergy took the alarm; though he appears affecting to feel conviction from his arguments, to induce him to such a complete declaration of his sentiments as should furnish matter for distinct accusation. The prelate himself also allowing the justice of some of his statements, he stayed some time at St. Andrew's, unsuspicious of danger. His enemies were still afraid to proceed to extremities, on account of his royal alliance and excellent character. At length they planned to advise their Sovereign to undertake a distant pilgrimage; on which he was no sooner set out, than they seized their intended victim in his bed, and conveyed him to the castle. The next day, which was the first of March 1527, he was summoned to appear before the archbishops of St. Andrew's and Glasgow, with the bishops of Brechin, Dunkeld, and Dumblaine. Before this tribunal he was accused of maintaining the following obnoxious and heretical tenets:"That the corruption of sin remains in children after their baptism-that no man, by the power of his free-will, can do any good that no man is without sin so long as he liveth-that every true Christian may know himself to be in a state of grace-that a man is not justified by works, but by faith only-that good works make not a good man, but that a good man doeth good works, and an ill man ill works, although these ill works, if truly repented of, do not make an ill man that faith, hope, and charity, are so linked together, that he who hath one of them hath all, and he that lacketh one lacketh allthat God is the cause of sin in this sense, that he withdraweth his grace from man, and grace withdrawn he cannot but sin-that it is devilish doctrine to teach, that by any actual penance remission of sin is purchased-that auricular confession is not necessary to salvation-that there is no purgatory that the holy patriarchs were in heaven before Christ's passionthat the Pope is Antichrist-and that every priest hath as much power as the Pope*. The accused admitted the allegation as far as the seven first articles. As to the remainder, he considered them as disputable points, but such as he could not conscientiously condemn, unless he heard stronger reasons brought against them than had hitherto been offered. This prudent answer, however, availed him nothing. They proceeded to pronounce the following sentence: "Christi nomine invocato: We James, by the mercy of God, Archbishop of St. Andrew's, Primate of Scotland, with the council, decree, and authority of the most reverend Fathers in God, and lords, abbots, doctors of theology, professors of the holy Scripture, and masters of the University, assisting us for the time, sitting in judgment within our metropolitan church of St. Andrew's, in the cause of *Spottiswoode's Hist. of Ch. of Scotland, b. ii. p. 63. heretical pravity, against Mr. Patrick Hamilton, abbot or pensionary of Ferme, being summoned to appear before us, to answer to certain articles affirmed, taught, and preached by him, and so appearing before us, and accused, the merits of the cause being ripely weighed, discussed, and understood by faithful inquisition made in Lent last past: We have found the same Patrick Hamilton many ways inflamed with heresy, disputing, holding, and maintaining divers heresies of Martin Luther, and his followers, repugnant to our faith, and which are already condemned by general councils, and most famous universities. And he being under the same infamy, we decerning before him to be summoned and accused upon the premises, he of evil mind (as may be presumed) passed to other parts forth of the realm, suspected and noted of heresy. And being lately returned, not being admitted, but of his own head, without licence or privilege, hath presumed to preach wicked heresy. "We have found also, that he hath affirmed, published, and taught divers opinions of Luther, and wicked heresies, after that he was summoned to appear before us, and our council: That man hath no free-will-that man is in sin so long as he liveth-&c. &c. with divers other heresies and detestable opinions: and hath persisted so obstinate in the same, that by no counsel or persuasion he may be drawn therefrom to the way of our right faith. "All these premises being considered, we, having God and the integrity of our faith before our eyes, and following the council and advice of the professors of the holy Scriptures, men of law, and other assisting us for the time, do pronounce, determine, and declare the said Mr. Patrick Hamilton, for his affirming, confessing, and maintaining of the aforesaid heresies, |