Alexander Comrie and The ABC of Faith (1)

On the seventeenth of December, 1706, a boy who received the name of Alexander Comrie was born in the Scottish city of Perth. His great-grandfather on his mother's side was the godly Rev. Andrew Gray, who died from scarlet fever at the early age of 22 years. Gray's widow married another God-fearing minister, Rev. George Hutcheson, renowned for his commentaries on the minor prophets and the gospel according to John. Without a doubt, the Reformed principles were dear to these and others of Alexander's forefathers.

His youth

As the boy grew up, he received sound instruction and made good progress in his studies. His father wished that he would become a servant of God, and to that end, he made sure his son became well acquainted with Latin, Greek, and Hebrew, along with other subjects, to prepare him for the university. In his youth Alexander received catechism instruction from both the Erskine brothers, Ralph and Ebenezer, who also were lights in the Scottish church of their days. Comrie later referred to Ralph Erskine as “my faithful old friend, whom God used as the guide of my youth.” In addition to these godly men, Comrie also heard Rev. Thomas Boston upon occasion. In what manner we do not know, but already when he was a youth, the Word of God was blessed to Alexander's heart, so that he was born again unto a lively hope. He testified later that “he had tasted and savored the free grace of God as one of the greatest sinners.” It was therefore his “sigh and prayer” “that God would be pleased to keep him closely bound to the doctrine of the Reformation.”

However, the ways of the Lord were incomprehensible for Comrie. His father's financial condition fell on hard times, so Alexander had to end his studies and start working to provide for his own livelihood. As a result he ended up in Edinburgh; not, however, to attend the university, but to work for a merchant. What a trial this must have been; what sighs he must have sent up to heaven!

Next we find him in Rotterdam, then already a chief commercial city in the Low Countries, working for Mr. Adriaan van der Willigen. In all likelihood this merchant had connections with Comrie's former employer, and somehow it was agreed that the young man should go to Holland. It is quite possible that Mr. Van der Willigen, aware of Comrie's background and desires, conceived the plan to help him by sending him to the university in the Netherlands. At any rate, around 1727 the young Scot was working as merchant clerk in Rotterdam. From time to time he had to travel for Mr. Van der Willigen, and in the spring of 1728 he visited Woubrugge, where he met with the family van Schellingerhout, several of whom occupied high official positions in the region. These two families undertook to support Comrie so he could proceed with his studies.

In 1729 he entered the university in Groningen. After diligently studying theology and philosophy for four years, he transferred to Leiden in 1733. After a year he concluded his academic training and received a master's degree as well as a doctorate in philosophy. He was nearly 28 years old.

Minister of the gospel

Now he sought entrance into the ministry; hence on November 2, 1734, he attended the Classis of Leiden and the Lower Rhineland for his preparatory examination and trial sermon. His text was 2 Timothy 2:20- 21, “But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour. If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work.” Herein lay opportunity to declare the Lord's work in his soul. He passed his examination and received permission to preach; meanwhile he had to wait for a call. By the end of January 1735 the consistory of Woubrugge called him to fill the vacant pulpit after Rev. Carolus Blom had passed away. Comrie accepted and successfully sustained the peremptory examination in the same Classis on April 12. This time he preached a trial sermon on Romans 5:16, “And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification.”

In the morning of the Lord's day, May 1, 1735, Rev. Nicolaas Holtius preached a serious sermon for the installation of Comrie to be pastor and teacher of Woubrugge. His suitable text was John 3:14-15, “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.” Not the learning of the new minister but only Christ crucified should be magnified, and that receives value for those who experimentally know they are bitten by that serpent, who lie in sin and death. Such are quickened and receive faith and the exercises of faith.

The text used by the new Rev. Comrie for the inaugural sermon in the afternoon was no less fitting. It was Zechariah 6:15, “And they that are far off shall come and build in the temple of the LORD , and ye shall know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me unto you. And this shall come to pass, if ye will diligently obey the voice of the LORD your God.” Who could have fathomed that the Lord would use this young Scot to build His church in the Netherlands?

Preaching about faith

“Without faith it is impossible to please God,” wrote the apostle, and by God's grace Comrie was deeply convinced of this truth. Only soul-saving faith, by the operation of the Spirit, unites the sinner to Christ, and this is indispensable unto salvation. Comrie writes that Paul's words “give cause for much careful examination of the soul concerning its state and its activity in secret before God; whether a man possess indeed that true and unfeigned faith, and act from it, in a tender dependence upon divine influences, and in the power of Christ; this is well pleasing to God, and without it none can please God.”

With such thoughts in mind, Comrie began to preach in Woubrugge about faith; in the remainder of the year 1735, thus in the first year of his ministry, he instructed his congregation about what faith really is, as well as the marks, exercises, and fruits. He took the various names which the Bible uses to describe faith. He began with “aandoen”—“putting on” from Galatians 3:27; next he took “aanhangen”—“being joined unto” from 1 Corinthians 6:17; he continued with “aanhouden”—“continuance” in connection with Matthew 15:22-29; and so forth. In this fashion he continued through the entire alphabet. As a person learns to read and write by ABCs, so here was an ABC of faith.

Comrie found there was a great advantage in speaking about faith under its various designations. Not only did God's manifold wisdom become evident in this way, but it also helped to avoid harsh treatment of little ones in grace. He wrote, “For we would then see how one and the same faith is found under different descriptions; and we should not deny or thrust aside seeking souls and such as desire salvation, though not having experienced this or that degree included under a certain description, when they have indeed known the soul experiences comprehended under another.” As a wise shepherd Comrie knew that the living souls in his congregation were not all in the same condition or standing, nor had everyone been led in the same way. “One believer will have much faith under the description of trusting, but another will be more active in fleeing unto Jesus; both are operations of the same faith; and therefore the one should not suspect the other nor deal harshly with him.” Then Comrie explained how he settled upon the alphabetical arrangement. “While we have been seeking to consider these various terms to describe faith, we were trying to consider following a certain order. We thought first of one, then another, but found in every arrangement that, in order not to grieve the little ones, nor to keep those more advanced too long upon the employment of babes, an alphabetical order was best to achieve this end.” In all, Comrie preached about twenty-eight different designations of faith.

How did Woubrugge receive this preaching about faith? Comrie witnessed to their “exemplary diligence in coming up to hear these sermons, compared to other places.” Many in his beloved congregation continually urged him strongly, along with others outside his congregation, to put this into print. Why did they desire this? The sermons, when heard, “much refreshed and strengthened” the people. Now those same people wished to read them over in secret, so they might obtain the same blessing.

Comrie, however, had low thoughts of himself: “The consciousness of my insignificance and insufficiency, which increases daily, as you, noble [relatives], know (I hope not that it will turn into discouragement), caused me to reject time and again all the continual requests.” Nevertheless, early in the year 1739, the first edition of The ABC of Faith rolled off the press. What was the reason for this?

We hope to consider the answer next time, but meanwhile there is reason to examine ourselves. Is there still such experimental, searching, and separating preaching with the unction of the Holy One in our congregations? Are there still such desirous and discerning hearers among us? Does the same Holy Spirit still work and strengthen faith as powerfully as in Comrie's days? Just like in centuries ago, there is much nowadays, too, which passes for faith, but it is historical, or miraculous, or temporary faith, which all fall short for eternity. We need true and saving faith.

Do you have such faith? Do you know what it is? How does Comrie say it? “But understand with me that precious, saving faith which is God's priceless gift; whereby the convinced, burdened, and heavy-laden sinner goes out of himself and all his own righteousness, unto Jesus, embracing Him and clinging to Him; this is the faith by which the just do live, and receive a share in all the good things of the covenant, whereby we can be saved. Our apostle says of this saving faith, that without it men cannot please God; this being the doctrine of God's precious Word, that all which is not of faith is sin; and hence, being displeasing to God, it speaks little comfort to those who rest upon their moral and respectable walk, or upon their profession and knowledge, without ever experiencing the heart - renewing grace of God. What do I say? It points out to them that all they do, since it issues not of faith, displeases God, yes, angers Him.”

Young and old, let us consider our state for eternity and listen to Comrie once more, “Faith is that one thing, which alone is absolutely needful to us, if we are to live comfortably and to die blessedly, and upon good grounds expect a glorious entrance into that city not made with hands, whose Builder and Maker is God, where faith shall be exchanged for glorious sight. Yes, beloved, you will doubtless conclude with me that for us all there is much which concerns us in a knowledge of this faith—its nature, disposition, and operations—so that we may be able to examine and to try ourselves in the fear of the Lord.”

This Invention

The day in which we live is remarkable and notable for the very many inventions that are continually put forth. Some of them are very useful and admirable, and when such produce profit and advantage to mankind, how are the authors of them admired and their names recorded. But all the inventions of the most refined minds in the world are dull pieces when compared with this invention, the redemption by Christ. This bears the stamp of infinite, unchangeable wisdom upon it; the gains and profits of it to mankind are infinite and inestimable, and yet the Inventor, and His work, is disregarded among men. “He is despised and rejected of men; a Man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from Him; He was despised, and we esteemed Him not” (Isaiah 53:3). The benefit of this is that God gives it freely. What a glorious mercy is this; it is the exceeding riches of mercy, and is to be had without money and without price.

— J. Warburton, Jr.

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