The Way of Life, Christian Belief and Experience, by Charles Hodge, published by the Banner of Truth Trust, hardback, 288 pages, £12.50.
The title of this book is well chosen since its aim is to unite doctrine and practice. It handles key truths in a straightforward way, quoting abundantly from Scripture. Since “holiness is the fruit of truth”, there is a constant emphasis on how these truths must impact the heart and life. Since “the Scriptures themselves not only teach us what the truth is, but also how it operates upon an enlightened conscience and believing heart, our safest appeal is to them. It is there that we can best learn how we ought to feel and act in view of what the Bible teaches us of sin, of justification, faith, and repentance; since genuine religious experience is simply the accordance of our views and feelings with the truth of God.”
Although Charles Hodge (1797-1878) was an eminent American Presbyterian theologian, he writes plainly and engagingly in this. It deals with the core matters that are defined so memorably and accurately by The Shorter Catechism. It likewise answers fundamental questions: “Are the Scriptures really a revelation from God? If they are, what doctrines do they teach? And what influence should those doctrines exert on our heart and life?”
Why did Hodge write it? He answers this himself. It “was written with the view of impressing on its readers those great truths of revelation which are immediately connected with practical religion. We have designed to convince them that all scepticism as to the divine authority of the Scriptures is inexcusable, inasmuch as the Bible brings with it its own credentials. It makes such a revelation of the character of God, of the rule of duty and of the plan of salvation as challenges immediate assent and submission to their truth and goodness. It sets forth the Redeemer as the Son of God and the Saviour of sinners.”
Hodge has a helpful turn of phrase. His discussion of holy living and genuine profession of religion is especially useful. “True religion as we find it described in the Bible is then neither an external show, nor a fitful ebullition [outburst] of feeling. It is a permanent, spontaneous and progressive prin-
1Both books may be obtained from the Free Presbyterian Bookroom.
ciple of spiritual life, influencing the whole man and producing all the fruits of righteousness.”
First written in 1841, the language remains accessible. Its original audience was young people. While it will be valued by those who give their diligent attention to it, it might have been more accessible to younger people today if chapters had been broken into sections with subheadings. This would not remove any of the rich content but rather make it easier to read for today’s young people. The Banner of Truth have produced a high-quality volume, however, in terms of its presentation. They have helpfully updated the font and layout otherwise and incorporated footnoted Bible references within the body of the text.
We trust it may be helpful in continuing to guide many into the way of life in their understanding, experience and practice. Matthew Vogan
Conflicts Between Doubt and Assurance, by William Livingstone, published by Reformation Press, in their Scottish Heritage series, paperback, 63 pages, £5.70.
Livingstone was ordained to the ministry in 1596 and was successively minister in the parishes of Kilsyth and Lanark, in the first of which he was his father’s successor. But William Livingstone’s son John has been much better remembered than either of them; he was the John Livingstone whose preaching was so much blessed on the communion Monday at the Kirk of Shotts in 1630, but William Livingstone’s ministry also was used in the conversion of sinners.
The author of this book was a faithful Presbyterian who suffered for his adherence to Scripture principles. When James VI was imposing Episcopacy on the Scottish Church, William Livingstone spoke out strongly against the changes. As a result he was confined to his parish from 1607 to 1612 and deposed from the ministry by order of the King. Livingstone was later allowed to return to his pulpit, but some years later he was again deposed, and was imprisoned in 1620. Yet he was able to resume his ministry from 1623. In 1641, “it pleased the Lord to call him home to Himself. He was worn with sore pains of the gravel [kidney stones], but he had great peace in mind.”
This is an unusual book. It was first published in 1632, under the title, The Conflict in Conscience of a dear Christian named Bessie Clarkson in the Parish of Lanark which she lay under three years and an half. With the conference that passed betwixt her Pastor and her at diverse times. It was often reprinted. A relatively-long – but not overly-long – Introduction to this edition outlines the author’s life story (the details in the previous paragraph have been taken from it). The Introduction also gives some profitable lessons to be
learned from Bessie Clarkson’s experience, and from Livingstone’s pastoral care, as exemplified particularly in the way he dealt with her.
During the three and a half years referred to in the original title of the book, Bessie was severely depressed, and the depression affected her spiritually. The book records conversations that took place between Bessie and her minister as he tried to encourage her to accept that she did in fact have genuine evidences of being a child of God. Yet she continued to believe that she had lost the faith she once had and that God was now throwing her prayers back at her.
She told Livingstone that she found “the wrath of an angry God . . . come on me”. In response, he explained that “God will, for good ends, let His own dear children taste of His anger, and wrestle with His wrath in this world, that they be not casten up in a dead sleep of fleshly security and to perish with the wicked of the world in that great wrath that is to be revealed. And He will bring them to an hatred of sin and sorrow for it, and teach them how far they are obliged to the Son of God, who hath for them undergone the full weight of that wrath (for your trouble is but a spark of that fire wherein Christ was burnt up in a sacrifice to the Father).”
Livingstone sought to encourage Bessie by telling her that “it is a degree of faith to find the want of faith: it is a step to a greater growth”; and by pointing out: “It is yet the acceptable time where the Lord may be found; He is yet on the throne of grace. Give no place to such suggestions of Satan and distrustful cogitations, arising of your corruption.” Because he saw evidence of faith in Bessie’s desire for spiritual things; her minister encouraged her: “The Lord who will not break the bruised reed, nor quench the smoking flax, will bring your desire and those weak beginnings to a greater growth and perfection, for faith groweth by degrees”.
When Bessie insisted that she did not belong to God, Livingstone spoke frankly: “Who told you that? The devil would have you think so. And will you take his testimony against you, who is a liar from the beginning, and not the witness of the verity and Word of God with you? Believe not Satan, nor your own false heart. I know God in His own time will give you comfort.” And the faithful pastor warned, “We are aye seeking something in ourselves that should commend us to God, as if we could not be saved except we were perfect, as if our own innocence, and not God’s mercy in Christ’s merit, were the warrant of our salvation”.
Livingstone was away from home when Bessie died. Before then, she had lost the power of speech, yet he believed, as some witnesses told him, that she indicated that she was looking to the Lord. But it is more significant that, in the months and years before her passing, even in the face of such severe
mental and spiritual depression, she was giving evidence that the Holy Spirit had put life in her soul. Livingstone concludes his book with – referring to the parable of the ten virgins in Matthew 25 – the “warning to be wise in time and to get oil into our lamps, and not to please ourselves with toom lamps, and with a bare show of an outward profession, but labour to have a lively and effectual faith, in the deep of our souls.” (The quotations show how the publishers have updated words which, more or less, have passed out of use, or are now used in a different sense.)
There is much good counsel in this little volume for those, in particular, who suffer from spiritual depression and for those who have the responsibility of seeking to help such people. Others should be able to profit also.
Protestant View
Severe Criticism of English Cardinal
The head of the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales, Cardinal Vincent Nichols, has been singled out for excoriating criticism in a report by the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse. The report states that Nichols “has, at times, shown he cares more about the impact of abuse on the Church’s reputation than on the victims”. The report adds that, as well as lacking compassion, Nichols has given “no acknowledgement of any responsibility to lead or influence change”. This is in spite of Nichols’ having been appointed to the position of chairman of the management board of the Catholic Office for the Protection of Children and Vulnerable Adults in 2001.
A lawyer who represents some of the victims said that the report highlights “the shocking scale of abuse, the disgraceful slowness of the Church’s response, the abject failures of leadership by Cardinal Nichols, and the Vatican’s appalling refusal to co-operate properly with the inquiry”. He added, “Cardinal Nichols needs to go, right away – in any other walk of life he would be gone immediately”. Nichols did offer his resignation to the Pope, but it should be noted that it is customary for senior Romanist clergy to retire at the age of 75 and Nichols reached that age on 8 November 2020. The resignation offer was refused and he made it clear that he is going to stay in his post. Referring to the Pope’s desire for him to continue, he said, “That is where my orders come from; that is where my mandate comes from”.
The Vatican itself is also condemned in the report. Its actions have been characterised as being “in direct contrast with Pope Francis’s public statement on child sexual abuse”.
According to the Inquiry, the extent of this vile abuse in the Roman
Catholic Church in England will likely never be known, but over 3000 complaints against more than 900 individuals connected to the Church had been made between 1970 and 2015, and in excess of 100 new allegations have been raised in each year since 2016. One of those who had been abused said that being abused was bad enough but “to have it dismissed and covered up just takes even more of a toll on you”.
The Judge of all the earth has a set time when he will bring Popery to complete ruin, and it may be that the exposure of Rome’s spiritual and moral filthiness will be one major reason why the rulers of the earth will turn and “hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh and burn her with fire. For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil His will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast until the words of God shall be fulfilled. And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth” (Rev 17:16-18).
These cases highlight the dreadful extent to which perversity, deceit and manipulation can exist under a cover of religion. The temptation to regard the reputation of the institution as more important than dealing faithfully with both the abused and the abusers is a theme that has been frequently heard over the years. Sadly, it is not only Rome that has been guilty of this, as Protestant churches have also displayed this tendency. “If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and violent perverting of judgement and justice in a province, marvel not at the matter: for He that is higher than the highest regardeth, and there be higher than they” (Ecc 5:8). AWM