Before the first millennia Scotland was a nation committed to the proclamation and evangelism of the gospel of Jesus Christ. These men of zeal would travel in small boats held together with the skins of animals, and braved the treacherous seas so that the lost could hear the gospel of Christ. In the midst of this formation of measures, the world was showing its need of a reformation as the reign of Roman Catholicism began to plague Europe. As all diseases spread, the doctrine crept across the North Sea and infiltrated Scotland’s borders. By the twelfth Century, under the reign of King David I, the demolition of the true church was completed, and in its stead sat Catholicism. Dr. Alexander Skene wrote:
The old Celtic Church came to an end, leaving no vestiges behind it, save here and there the roofless walls of what had been a church, and the numerous burying grounds to the use of which the people still cling with tenacity, and where occasionally an ancient Celtic cross tells of its former state.
By the 1500’s the nation which was once deep seated in truth, was adulterated by false teaching. However, this did not deter a remnant from the desire to know, and live for the truth of Christ.
In 1526, a twenty-three year old Scottish man named Patrick Hamilton began hearing rumblings of men who were teaching the riches God’s Word in Europe. His royal lineage, along with his education at the University of Paris, primed him to be a formidable noble in Scotland, however Hamilton knew what was occurring in Europe was not common. With a passion for truth he left his homeland to find and meet with his modern day heroes of the faith. He went from country to country and eventually traveled to Germany where he met with William Tyndale and John Frith. Tyndale was a third of the way through his time of translating the Bible into English. Hamilton would have been amazed at the medium of print, as Tyndale was the first to use this to greatly affect distribution of the Holy Scriptures. To sit at the feet of Tyndale and hear the zeal this man had for his countrymen would have been infectious. His journey was out of necessity, for if in England he would have been killed for the labor that fed his soul.
Hamilton came to Wittenberg at the best time in history to visit. Here he met the herald that shook the planet with his pen, Martin Luther. This was just six years after the Diet of Worms, where Luther was called to renounce the truth of salvation and affirm the heretical teaching of the Catholic Church. Where others died from such words, the Lord spared Luther. Hamilton would have heard of this great event from mouth of the man who uttered the words to the rulers of the world, “Unless I am convicted by Scripture and plain reason, I do not accept the authority of popes and councils, for they have contradicted each other, my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and will not recant anything, for to go against conscience is neither right nor safe. Here I stand. I can do no other. God help me. Amen."[1]
Being just five years from the first published Bible in German, Hamilton would hold in his hands that which men had died for. Luther welcomed Hamilton into his home and he sat and dined with Martin Luther and his bride of two years Katharina von Bora, or Katie as Luther called her. To hear the story first hand of how she, as a nun, heard of salvation by grace through faith, embraced the truth, escaped the clutches of the Catholic Church and found her way into Luther’s life would have moved his soul. But to be able to sit at the base of Luther’s pulpit, sing in thunderous accord the hymns he penned, and hear the glories of Christ preached from the Word of God, for the genuine glory of God, would have been the highlight of all.
Hamilton heard how Christ’s death on the cross was the perfect sacrifice for God, that Christ was the only worthy sacrifice, and salvation comes by grace alone through faith. But upon this hour Hamilton’s heart was fixated on the hearts of countrymen. He had been dining at a banquet of the Word while his brethren were starving. He longed for them to hear this truth and embrace that which transformed him. Thus he departed from this spiritual journey which gripped his soul and headed back to bring the light of Christ to Scotland. Hamilton did not return as an educated noble, but the first reformed preacher armed with the impenetrable truth of God’s word that unveiled the deception ingrained in his homeland.
Hamilton returned to his home of Kingscavel and began to proclaim the foundation of the Reformation, “By grace ye are saved.” William Blaikie writes, “Never did the silver trumpet sound more sweetly or richly; and as it fell on the ears of men who had never heard it before, it was at once recognized as the trumpet of heaven.”[2]A few months after his arrival, he married and continued to spread this message throughout Scotland. The young preacher was embraced in public and in secret for his courteous and respectable behavior to all people. However, it was his zeal for the truth and clarity of speech that began to spread of light in darkness. Many who heard were in a spiritual famine and eagerly devoured this truth.
Hamilton had all things a young man could desire. A country he loved, the wife of his youth, nobility, influence, and the truth about the cross of Christ. His popularity began to spread and eventually made way to the archbishop of St. Andrews. Hamilton was summoned by the Archbishop, and a decree was issued to nationally expel him and his “heretical” teaching. The arrogance of the church was displayed as they sought to make Hamilton a national example despite his popularity and nobility.
The trial was just as shameful as it was unjust, and the verdict that was determined before the trial ended was pronounced. Death. Hamilton was taken before St. Andrews, tied to a stake and the timber was lit. They burned him slowly for six hours, a desperate trial he endured with grace. A man of twenty-four embraced the flames of earthly fire to enter into the gates of eternal heaven where he would be welcomed by the one whom died more tragically than he.
The news of his death echoed through Scotland and was met with curiosity as to the message he proclaimed. Patrick Hamilton’s ministry lasted but one year, yet catapulted the true gospel of grace to his countrymen. The Archbishop, thinking he was putting out a small flicker of light, lit a fuse leading to a paramount Reformation. He was the first of the Scottish Reformers, and his life, ministry, and death ignited a passion in many others. Twenty years later the spiritual successor of Hamilton, John Knox took the helm of the Reformation of which the impact has not been extinguished to this day.
Why the zeal for the truth? Why the willingness to die? Why grace in the face of adversity? Because, he was radically sensitive to the Cross of Jesus Christ and the eternal grace of which it endued.
Hamilton did not leave the world empty handed as to his thoughts on Christ and the cross; he had written a short treatise entitled Patrick’s Places. Upon hearing of his death, before his own martyrdom, John Frith translated and published the document in English. He writes:
The Law saith,
Pay thy debt.
Thou art a sinner desperate.
And thou shalt die.
The Gospel saith,
Christ hath paid it.
Thy sins are forgiven thee.
Be of good comfort, thou shalt be saved.
The Law saith,
Make amends for thy sin.
The Father of Heaven is wrath with thee.
Where is thy righteousness, goodness, and satisfaction?
Thou art bound and obliged unto me, to the devil, and to hell.
The Gospel saith,
Christ hath made it for thee.
Christ hath pacified him with his blood.
Christ is thy righteousness, thy goodness, and satisfaction.
Christ hath delivered thee from them all
