T B Hoover on Adams and Perseverance

Although Adams' doctrine of salvation, from man's point of view, puts an emphasis upon faith and claims faith alone to be the means whereby man lays hold of the merits of Christ for his justification, it does not exclude man's works as irrelevant to redemption. He sees faith and works as inseparable in their relationship to each other. "Works are dead without faith, and faith is not alive without works." (I, 181.) In "Faith's Encouragement," lie speaks of saving faith as having the two properties of repentance and works. Concerning the latter, he says: "If It work not, it is dead; and a dead faith no more saves than a painted fire warms." (II, 203.) The relevancy of faith and works in Adams' thought is that of cause and effect.

He holds that faith is the root of all good works. Good works as such would not be considered by him as essential to salvation, but possible only where there is faith that saves. He answers the plea that God, in the last judgment, accepts men to life for their deeds of charity, feeding, clothing, et cetera by saying, "... the Scripture fully testifies, that God neither accepts these, nor ourselves for these, further than they are the effects of true faith, our persons being first justified by faith in Christ, then God will crown our works." (II, 230) In "The Christian's Walk," he speaks of some who "think that by building up a ladder of good works their souls shall, on meritorious rounds, climb up to heaven," and goes on to say, "These men, so confident in their good works, do but set their shoulders to heaven-gates, alas without comfort; for it is the key of faith that only opens them." (II, 410.) In his discourse upon the "Happiness of the Church" is found a clear conception of his thought on the relationship of faith and works in regard to salvation. Here he states that the gospel requires probation of faith by a good life - that as we believe, we must live, and affirms the failure of faith without works: "Thou shalt be saved for thy faith, not for thy works; but for such a faith as without works thou shalt never be saved." (II, 559) In this discourse, he shows that Paul's doctrine of faith must be expounded in light of James' doctrine of works, and that Christians are both those who believe and obey. He asserts that justice is ascribed to a Christian in two ways; First, a passive justice attained by faith. It is justice based on Christ's righteousness imputed to man, causing him to stand perfectly just before God, Second is active righteousness which is an effect of active justice and a testimony that the Christian is justified by Christ. He concludes this discussion of a dual nature of righteousness by saying, "He that will wear a crown in heaven must be all his life on earth preparing the gold to make it. Not that thy own virtues crown thee, but that God without thy virtues will never crown thee. The robe of glory that is worn there must be spun and woven here, - spun out of the side of Christ by faith, and embroidered with our good works," (II, 572)

This statement and others of a similar nature show Adams' theology in agreement with the Calvinistic principle of the perseverance of the saints mentioned earlier. In "Heaven-Gate," he speaks of blessedness resulting from perseverance, and says: "Our labours must not cease till we can see these gates open, and our Saviour offering to take us by the hand, and welcome our entrance. We know who hath taught us, that only 'continuers to the end shall be saved,' (III, 74). In the same sermon, he mentions Bernard and Augustine as teaching the need of perseverance - the first as saying that the good life is to suffer evil, to do good, and so continue to the end, and that perseverance is the perfection of virtues, the store-house of good works, a virtue without which no man shall see God. The second is shown to affirm perseverance to "be the main content of the Lord's Prayer in the petition "Hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done". Adams himself says that this grace perfects all graces. He writes;

We believe in vain, if our faith hold not out to the end; we love in vain, if our charity grow cold at last; we pray in vain, if our seal grows faint; we strive in vain at the strait gate, if not till we enter (III, 75)

Related to Adams' idea of perseverance as a necessary Christian virtue is his doctrine of sanctification

In "Heaven-Gate" he calls sanctification the second gate by which heaven is entered. The first gate lie calls adoption. For him, both adoption and sanctification are requisite for salvation. He thinks of adoption as preceding sanctification in order and being exclusively an instantaneous act of God whereby the sinner is made an heir of Christ upon his conversion; whereas on the other hand, he thinks of sanctification as an act in which there is divine and human participation, and in which there is development by degrees.

He conceives of sanctification as a way of living characterised by holiness and a sign of one's election as repentance is a sign of regeneration. He does not think of sanctification as being a state of perfection, and interprets Paul's prayer that the "God of peace to sanctify us wholly" (1 Thess 5:23) to refer to the necessity of sanctification being "communicated to the whole man, and universally propagated to every part, though it have in no place of man a total perfection." (Ill, 78). He thought of perfection as an attribute of man' s justification, but not of his sanctification on earth.

On earth there is a kind of perfection: all the faithful are perfectly justified, but not perfectly sanctified. ... Justification admits no latitude ... but the perfection of sanctity is brought by degrees ... Christ's blood doth never wholly take from us the guiltiness of sin, nob wholly the pollution of sin: that blessedness is reserved only for heaven. (II, 521) Though he thought of justification and sanctification as differing in degree, Adams thought of them as inseparable conditions for salvation. This is observed in the statement that "God will never accept Man for just that will not be holy; nor acquit that soul of her sins that will not amend her life." (II, 85) It is further evident from this statement and others in Adams' writings that he considered sanctification a partial responsibility of man. In "Man's Seed-Time and Harvest," this matter of holy living as a condition of salvation is defended by Adams against the claim that the doctrine of predestination eliminates the necessity of sanctification. Here lie says, God ordains not men to jump to heaven, but to climb thither by prescribed degrees. He that decreed the end, decreed also the means that conduce to it. If thou take liberty to sin, this is none of the way. ... Look thou to the way, let God alone with the end. Believe, repent, amend, and thou hast God's promise to be saved. To support his argument, he quotes Augustine as saying God's predestination helps many to stand and pushes none down. (II, 36). The same necessity for sanctification to salvation is found in a sentence from "Heaven-Gate:" "This corrupted man must be regenerate that he may be saved; must be sanctified that he may be glorified," (III, 8l)

T B Hoover on Adams and (Irresistible) Grace

In Hoover's thesis, following a section on the nature of sin he has one on The Grace of God

As Adams believed every man to be born into an estate of sin, and the natural effects of sin to be a corruption of the whole man causing him to stand guilty before God as a transgressor of the law, so did he hold eternal death to be the ultimate effect of sin as a penalty to satisfy the divine justice of God against whom all sins are committed. It is not within the scope of this paper to discuss death as the wages of sin, but rather to see how, in the thought of Adams, there is an escape for some from it. This leads to a consideration of the grace of God seen in the effecting of his decree of election. The unconditional nature of election in the doctrine of Adams has been examined in another place in this thesis. In this connection, it is to be examined as the positive aspect of the doctrine of predestination which relates to the purpose of God respecting his moral creatures in pre-determining their final end. Under the heading of limited atonement, it has been pointed out that Adams denied salvation to be universal and thought of it as the final end for only those whom God chose out of the human race. All others, he considered as falling under God's act of reprobation as being passed by in his special grace and punished by eternal death for their sins as a manifestation of justice. Adams did not deny the non-elect to be benefactors of common grace or that they were recipients of some of the blessings God imparts indiscriminately to mankind. He affirms that both the godly and the ungodly "taste the sweets of his [God's] bounty." (II, 72.) What he does deny is the sufficiency of common grace for salvation. He would grant that by it sin is restrained, order maintained, and civil righteousness promoted. In this view, he denies the position of Arminianism which holds common grace sufficient for salvation if not restrained thus eliminating a necessity of special grace for salvation. God's special grace, as an attribute from which proceeds the whole program for the redemption of the elect among sinful men is the key-stone of Adams' soteriology which rejects the possibility of man's attaining salvation on the basis of merit or by keeping the law of God.

In emphasizing the necessity of faith alone in Christ for salvation, he says: "The law finds no works righteous." (I, 129.) In "The Creed" where he treats the remedy for sin, lie asks: "Shall we run to the law?" Then, he proceeds to show its inadequacy. "There, is, indeed, a promise of life, but, withal, a condition which we were never able to perform, 'Do this, and live; this we have not done; therefore the law condemns us." (III, 202.) Following this statement, there is a personification of Grace which is concluded with the words: Grace, do promise both to live with you during this world, and that you shall live with me in the world to come" (III, 203)

In his sermon "Heaven Gate" or "The Passage to Paradise," Adams speaks of grace as the only gate to eternal life: "no passage to glory but by grace," (II, 8l.) In "The Creed," he discusses the covenant of grace as "a promise of reconciliation made with those to whom the free mercy of God hath given faith." (III, 205). In his treatment of this subject, he interprets the Scripture "The grace of God brings salvation to all men," Titus 2:11, to mean "all sorts of men," thereby defending his contention that God's saving grace is made efficacious only to some - the cause of which he attributes to "the free mercy and good pleasure of God." "Election," he says, "hath no cause by dilection" and "the cause of all causes is the love of God."

Before proceeding to what Adams considered the instrument and foundation of God's grace as a manifestation of his love, it should be pointed out that he held, with Calvin, that this special grace of God is irresistible on the part of its objects - those chosen by God unto salvation. He affirms that "it is of God that a sinner opens his heart to God" (II, 38) and "We as good [well] have no Saviour as not to have him our Saviour and ours he cannot be unless God." (III, 208, 209.) Another statement of this nature is that where he says, "Let none be so sottish as to think the faith whereby they shall be saved was bred and born in them, for it is the fair gift of God," (III, 86,)

T B Hoover on Adams and Unconditional Election

Another point marking the thought of Adams as Calvinistic is his adherence to the doctrine of election as a decree of God, and commonly referred to as predestination. The doctrine of election as found in Adams' thought is the eternal decree whereby God purposes to save some to eternal life. Adams conceived of election as consisting of God's decree to save out of the world a definite number of people from eternal damnation as a consequence of sin. Said he, in his commentary on Second Peter: "God hath a purpose to redeem us; there is election. As this purpose was fore-ordained of God before the creation, and as God's decrees are unchangeable in accord with his own nature election to salvation is unconditioned by man's will or works according to Adams' interpretation of it. He believes it to be an act of God resulting from God's own wisdom and mercy, and for the purpose of His glory.

A study of Adams doctrine of the church shows that he identifies the elect of God with the true members of the church, "The church itself is a number of men, which God hath set apart by an eternal decree, and in time sanctified to become real members of it. They are 'written in heaven' there is their eternal election." (II, 532) His use of the word "eternal" with his references to election implies

that he thought of it as a condition absolutely independent of man's choice. This view is substantiated in those places where he speaks of election and salvation decreed before either the world began or objects of God's election were born. In one place, lie points to Paul's words to Timothy "He hath saved us according to his own purpose and grace, which was given in Christ Jesus before the world began." II Tim. 1:9. In another place where the church as the body of Christ is being treated, he says: "How some predestinated members of this body are yet unborn. ..." (II, 402) A further look at Adams' treatment of the Scripture phrase, "the first-born which are written In heaven," gives in 

summary form his belief in the Calvinistic concept of unconditional election. He differed with Calvin on the meaning of "the first-born" - believing that it was an inclusive term for all the elect whereas Calvin limited the term to the ancient saints, the noble and primitive parts of the church." (II, 533) As Adams contended that "the firstborn" consist of all the elect, just as certain is he that "those whose names were written in heaven" consist of none but the elect. In describing the elect, he frequently

speaks of their names being written on a book, and states that "this writing in heaven is the book of election, wherein all that shall be saved are registered." (II, 539) From this limited inscription on God's book of the names of only those who are called to salvation, he shows by logic the reasonableness of accepting the doctrine of election. "For if there were universal inscription, there should follow universal election; if universal election, then universal salvation. If the former were true, then were not election any such name. If the latter, to what purpose did God make hell? 'God so loved the world, that lie gave his only begotten Son.' What, that all should be saved? Ho, but that 'whosoever believes might have everlasting life. Not all; for he that takes all cannot be said to choose." (II, Further in speaking of the saved, he says: "Before all time they were his by election." (II, 215).

To assume that Adams1 doctrine of election would leave no place for man to exorcise himself as a free agent would be an error In judgment. This is made clear in a statement of Adams In "The Creed:" "Though he [God] be almighty, he forseeth no man to heaven against his will. If they will deny his power, he that is mighty to save them that believe, Is as mighty to condemn those that will not obey." (III, 144). This matter of man's faith as related to salvation as well as reprobation as the opposite of election will be included In the discussion of the next chapter# However, it should be stated in concluding this section that Adams' thought on predestination is in no way to be confused with fatalism, lie objects to man's complacency based on the grounds that all comes to pass by God's unchangeable decree, by pointing out that means as well as the ends are decreed, and man must use the former to achieve the latter? (III, 115) Adams' belief in unconditional election is summed-up in his statement; "Gods elections be as free as himself," (III, 242).

T B Hoover on Adams and Total Depravity

The foregoing reference to evil leads to a consideration of Adams' thought relating to the condition of man before the operation of God's spirit upon his being. Along with Calvin, he holds that this condition is one of total depravity and total inability due to the pollution of  original sin. That is, the effects of sin extend to every part of man's personality rendering him totally unable in spiritual matters though capable of natural, civil and external religious good. This view of the effect of sin is

quite different from the view that fallen man possesses a plenary ability, and that be is not in a sinful state having the capability of doing all that he ought to do. Also Adams' view differs from that which claims that because original sin is involuntary it is not actual or true sin; and that the influence of the first man's sin extends enly to the sensuous nature, and not to the rational and moral nature of man. Adams' theology would not admit the claim that man is capable of keeping the law perfectly as law is

adjusted according to man's ability; and the possibility of man's being free from conscious sin - a view that allows fallen man a gracious ability enabling him to turn to God and believe.

Adams' Calvinism with respect to the nature of man's depraved condition is expressed in clear and certain terms. When discussing original sin he says; "There is a depravation and corruption of the whole nature of man, whereby he stands guilty and polluted before God, indisposed to all good, and prone to all evil." (III.19). In. the same discussion, he further indicates the extent of this corruption by calling it "a pravity and deformity of all the powers of man." Here he traces its efficient cause to the

perverseness of the first man's will, and accounts for its imputation to the human race by means of carnal propagation. This view of natural propagation as an instrument is opposed to what Adams calls the Pelagian error holding "that the guilt of the first sin was derived to other men, not by propagation, but by imitation." (I, 233) This extension of corruption to the whole of man is treated by Adams in a sermon entitled "The Bad Leaven" in which he says; "a little sin makes the whole man, in body and soul, unsavoury to the Lord." (II, 33) His position regarding man's spiritual condition by nature is one which allows no goodness in man at all, and sees him as corrupted in mind, will, and affections making him spiritually incapable without divine grace. In other words, it is a position that holds that men all have a natural corruption depriving them of all habitual goodness. His thought on this subject will be given more attention in a later discussion of God's grace as he understood it. There it will especially be treated as opposed to the Arminian viewpoint.

T B Hoover on Adams and Limited Atonement

In his thesis T B Hoover writes 

Calvin's principle of limited atonement is found in the religious thought of Adams as might be expected in view of his doctrine of election. As he holds that not all are saved by eternal decree, so does he hold that Christ's atonement was limited in effect to the elect rather than extending to all men. This is not to say that Adams denies the fact that salvation is universally offered in the gospel. He readily admits this to be true and states that "the offer of salvation is general ..." (II, 43) But this admission in no way alters his belief that universal salvation is impossible. He speaks of the blood of the crucified Jesus as being effectual for the pardon of "none but those that bleed in soul for ... sins" (I, 164) and all "that will apprehend it faithfully." (II, 430). In "A Cruelfix" or a "Sermon upon the Passion," Adams' use of personal pronouns to signify the objects of Christ's atoning sacrifice might leave the impression that Christ's atonement was made for all people. Such an erroneous impression is corrected when the context of this usage is understood. Like the writer of the Scripture text of this sermon, it is Adams' intention to teach that those for whom Christ died consist only of those who either have or will appropriate Christ's death by faith. He thought of Paul's words to the Ephesians: "He hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour" as being relevant only to God's elect. It is with this limitation that he makes redemption apply to the pronoun "us." He further shows that atonement is limited by Christ's words "I give my life" being qualified by the other words "for my sheep" and draws the conclusion that for some there is no more mercy than if there were no Saviour. (II, 366.)  This Calvinist doctrine is most explicitly seen to be Adams' in his discussion of the Covenant of Grace in his discourse upon "The Creed." Here he states that God's promise of reconciliation to raise up forlorn man from his misery is found in a covenant not with all men "but only with those to whom the free mercy of God hath given faith." (III, 205.) Here he says further: "That doctrine is repugnant to the Scripture, and unsound, which teacheth the redemption by the Second Adam to be as universal as the sin of the first; it is so, indeed, for value and sufficiency, it is not so for communication of the benefit." (III, 206.) This same thought is expressed in his treatment of a preceding portion of "The Creed" - "As the first Adam did not sin only for himself, but for all that should come after him; so the second Adam did not die at all for himself, but for all [not everybody] that should come unto him?" (III, 88) Adams finds in Christ' s words "I pray not for the world" (John 17:9) conclusive evidence for limited atonement on the grounds that redemption and intercession are related parts of Christ's mediatorship, and deduces that Christ's exclusion from his redemption follows his exclusion from his intercession. "... for whom he does not pray, he did not die: he did not open his side, if he will not open his mouth for them." (III, 208)

In summing up Adams' thought with reference to a doctrine of limited atonement, it can be said that he accepted atonement as extending in its effects generally to all men as an act of providence, and at the same time being limited in effects whereby it could be enjoyed by some and not by others as an instrument of salvation.

An overlooked thesis

I have tried to gather information on academic theses concerning Thomas Adams but had so far missed this interesting 1951 thesis by T B Hoover. The interesting thing here is the more theological angle. See this page for access.