A Biographical Introduction to
Thomas Halyburton
by Rev. Prof. Hugh M. Cartwright
T
HOMAS HALYBURTON was born on 25th December 1674, the son of George
Halyburton, minister of Aberdalgie and Dupplin in Perthshire until he
was ejected from his charge in 1662 for his adherence to the Covenanted
religion of Scotland. In 1676 George Halyburton was denounced by the
Privy Council for keeping conventicles and was effectively silenced. In
1682 he died. Mrs Halyburton and her two surviving children — her
married daughter Janet and her son Thomas — fled to Rotterdam, to
escape the persecution of the Covenanters. In the changed circumstances
brought about by the Revolution, Thomas Halyburton was ordained and
inducted to the ministry of the gospel at Ceres in Fife on the 1st of
May 1700. In April 1710 he became Professor of Divinity in the New
College (St Mary’s), St Andrews. A struggle with ill health
characterised most of his ministry and on 23rd September 1712 he died,
leaving his wife with six surviving children. He was buried at St
Andrews beside Samuel Rutherford.
Although Halyburton
lived three hundred years ago and his public ministry occupied only
twelve years in total, mostly in comparative obscurity, he has been
regarded as one of the most distinguished Scottish theologians. Hugh
Martin described Halyburton and Cunningham as “the two greatest
theologians that Scotland has ever produced”. John Duncan regarded him
as “a minor John Owen”, in the same category as Hermann Witsius, and
classed his Memoirs with Augustine’s
Confessions and Bunyan’s
Grace Abounding. Among those outwith Scotland who benefited from and highly recommended the
Memoirs
and other published works of Halyburton are such varied and significant
figures as George Whitefield and John Wesley, John Newton and Isaac
Watts, and Archibald Alexander of Princeton.
The impact of
Halyburton’s sermons and theological writings is largely explained by
the description given of him in the Preface to one edition of his The Great Concern of Salvation : “one that
had the contents of the book written upon his own heart before he
preached them to his people and was a living and lively witness and
example of the great and grave truths now exhibited to public view”.
Even his most technical and controversial work, Natural Religion Insufficient and Revealed Necessary to Man’s Happiness in his Present State,
a refutation of Deism [which taught that all that needs to be known of
God can be discovered by human reason in the light of nature without
special revelation], found much of its impetus in his own spiritual
struggle with the atheism of his carnal mind strengthened by Deistic
reasonings and in his pastoral concern for others who might be subject
to similar conflicts.
The works and sermons
contained in this volume illustrate the theological insight, varied
Christian experience and pastoral heart of the author. Obviously much
indebted to the English Puritan, John Owen (1616-1683), Halyburton is
more plain and popular in style. Modern readers may initially have
difficulty with the numerous sub-divisions and some expressions (the
“Scottish idiom” as Newton put it), but those who with Newton “prefer
truth to ornament” will find that careful reading brings much
enlightenment to the mind and benefit to the soul. Even the
subdivisions may become aids to clarification and reflection.
An Essay concerning the Nature of Faith; or, The Ground upon which Faith assents to the Scriptures
is an explanation of the apostle’s determination to preach in
such a way “that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but
in the power of God” (1 Cor. 2: 5). The English philosopher John Locke
(1632-1704) only accepted aspects of the Christian faith which were
“above reason” on the basis of authority verified by reason. For him
“reason must be our last judge and guide in everything”. Against him
Halyburton contends that a God-given faith “looks only at the Lord’s
authority…it leans only on the testimony of God, approving itself such
to the souls of believers by its own glorious power, whereby, without
borrowing help from any other signs, it evidences itself to be the
Lord’s word, with a light so strong as carries the soul into an
assent”. A recognition of the nature and ground of faith as explained
here will deeply affect one’s view of the Word of God, the content and
method of preaching and the tests to be applied to professed faith.
A Modest Inquiry whether Regeneration or Justification has the precedency in Order of Nature
is not a dry exercise in abstract or merely theoretical thinking
but provides a perceptive and edifying account of how all the blessings
of salvation, including faith to receive them, are connected with
Christ and with the various aspects of the union with Christ provided
for in the Covenant of Grace.
An Inquiry into the Nature of God’s Act of Justification
gives good accounts of saving faith and of justification viewed from
various angles but specifically deals with the way in which God makes
known their justification to His people, or “how God gives out sentence
in the sinner’s favour”.
The
Sermons
reveal the Biblical source and experiential and practical applications
of Halyburton’s theology. Readers will find that he is concerned to
expound the doctrine of his text and to confirm it from other
Scriptures. His preaching is Scriptural, takes account of the context,
is doctrinal and methodical and packed with matter. It is his concern
to exalt the free grace of God and humble the sinner before His mercy
seat. He applies truth to character, experience and practice and shows
its relevance to the various conditions of his hearers. Primarily, his
preaching is Christ-centred and evidently the Christ whom he proclaimed
to others was One whom he himself knew and loved.
The combination of
sanctified intellect and gracious experience found in Halyburton
provides us with material which illustrates the comment of Rev Dr
Robert Burns, editor of the 1833 Edition of Halyburton’s Works, that
“experimental religion…..is neither more nor less than the practical
application of the great truths of religion to the particular cases of
individuals…..the practical efficacy of Christian doctrine exemplified
in the heart and on the life…..Christianity brought home to ‘men’s
business and bosom’”.
The publishers of this
selection of Halyburton’s works are to be commended for their venture
of faith and it is to be hoped that its reception will be such as to
encourage them in their intention to reproduce the remainder of
Halyburton’s extant works in uniform volumes. It would indeed be a good
sign should there prove to be an appetite for Reformed doctrine which
is manifestly intended to influence the experience and the conduct as
well as satisfy the mind. It is an honour to be associated even in this
minor way with this endeavour to let the twenty-first century hear the
voice of one so signally used throughout the past three centuries to
direct the attention of sinners to the Lamb of God and to the nature of
true religion.
