Peter Martyr Vermigli 1499-1562 and the Outward Instruments of Divine Grace (Reformed Historical Theology, 4)

was especially thankful to have special permission to audit a doctoral student seminar on the thought of John Calvin with Prof. Muller while only a master's student. Further, I am thankful to my professors and peers at McGill University. Even though emeritus professor at McGill, Dr. Joseph McLelland was still very willing to answer a few knotty questions and share his resources. A great added benefit was my proximity to the Presbyterian College and library. Not only did it house an important collection of Vermigliana, the Presbyterian College library also proved most stimulating because of its librarian Daniel Shute. Dr. Shute was always willing and very able to help. Several organizations and libraries supported my work on this project. In the summer of 2003 I received a scholarship to participate in a sixteenthcentury Genevan palaeography course at the H. Henry Meeter Center for Calvin Studies, Calvin College, Grand Rapids. The staff was helpful during those two weeks, and have since helped me track down a few hard to find resources. Thanks in particular to Mr. Paul Fields. From January to August 2005 I received a bursary to study at the Johannes à Lasco Bibliothek in Emden, Germany. Dr. Herman Selderhuis, Dr. Walter Schulz, and all the other librarians were most helpful and obliging. This stimulating environment was made all the more interesting by their wonderful accommodations and by the presence of scholars from across the world. It was, indeed, because of a request from Dr. Selderhuis that I submitted my dissertation for publication with Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht. Dr. Selderhuis graciously allowed (and even solicited!) earlier versions of parts of this present work to be published. Portions of chapters one and three will be published as "Le rôle de la christologie dans la pensée de Pierre Martyr Vermigli (1499-1562)" in Etudes Théologiques et Religieuses. Parts of chapter four have been published in a volume edited by Herman Selderhuis and Markus Wreidt as "The Primacy of Scripture in Ver-6 The Reformed Exegete And Theologian Peter Martyr Vermigli (1499-1562) Was An Unoriginal, But Consistent Thinker. Theological Insights Were Not Packaged Separately From Each Other, But Consistently Linked Together. In All His Thought He Sought To Steer The Middle Course Between Theological Extremes In Taking What Was Good And Rejecting What Was Bad From Each. Typical Of This Tendency To Steer The Middle Course Are His Insights Into The Outward Instruments Of Divine Grace. According To Vermigli Such Instruments -- The Human Nature Of Christ, The Audible Words Of Scripture And The Visible Words Of The Sacraments -- Should Not Be Over-carnalized, Nor Over-spiritualized. Although God Could Work Immediately (i.e. Without Instruments), He Has Chosen To Work Through These Instruments For Salvation. Hence, The Inward Spiritual Power And The Outward Instrument Must Not Be Divorced From Each Other. The Spirit Of God Does Not Normally Work Without The Outward Instrument, Nor Can The Outward Instrument Effect Grace Without The Spirit's Power. Modern Scholarship Has Done Much To Define The Sources Of Vermigli's Thought, But More Needs To Be Said. The More Vermigli Is Studied, The More It Is Necessary To Qualify Characterizations Of Him. He Is Not A Thinker Who Is Easily Pigeon-holed Into A Certain Theological School Or Movement. As A Well-educated Biblical And Humanistic Scholar, Vermigli Took Independent And Well-reasoned Positions On The Whole Variety Of Theological Questions Current In His Day. As Such, This Study Attempts To View The Inter-connected Nature Of Vermigli's Thought So As To Gain A Better View Of The Whole Of His Thought. - Publisher. Peter Martyr Vermigli (1499-1562) : A Man In The Middle -- Historical Introduction : Over-carnalized And Over-spiritualized Religion -- Sailing In The Midst Of Extremes : The Incarnate Word Of God -- Holy Scripture : The Audible Words Of God -- The Bending Of The Knee And The Visible Words Of God -- The Mean Mystery : Vermigli And Union With Christ -- Conclusion -- Vermigli Studies Bibliography -- General Bibliography. By Jason Zuidema. Originally Presented As The Author's Thesis (ph.d - Mcgill University). Includes Bibliographical References (p. [169]-191) And Index.