What we can point out, however, is
that whatever private proclivities James might or might not have had (and they
are far from proved), he had a very public Protestantism and there is no reason
whatever to doubt that it was personally sincere. The stamp he sought to put
upon his commonwealth, which was quickly becoming the most important in the
world, was a moderate Protestant irenicism, in which the greatest theologians
and scholars, the English clergy who earned the title stupor mundi, were endorsed and supported by the crown. James also sought to unify the Reformed
churches of England, Scotland, Ireland, and those on the Continent with various
Lutheran churches. James was confident
enough to attempt this because of family connections he possessed with
Scandinavian royalty. And though he was
ultimately unsuccessful in this reconciliation, the attempt was highminded and
heroic....
… Now, as to Faith, which is the nourisher and quickner of Religion, as
I have already said, It is a sure perswasion and apprehension of the promises
of God, applying them to your soule: and therefore may it justly be called the
golden chaine that linketh the faithfulle soule to Christ: And because it
groweth not in our garden, but is the free gift of God, as the same Apostle
saith, it must be nourished by prayer, Which is nothing else, but a friendly
talking with God. (214)
Such a confession is wholly
consistent with the magisterial Reformers.
James is clearly evangelical. For
those familiar with a Richard Hooker-brand of Protestant Anglicanism, James’
ideas are a rather neat fit.
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