Thomas Scott

Thomas Scott, an English preacher of the 18th century, is probably best known for his mammoth commentary on the whole Bible. The commentary is evangelical, Calvinistic, judicious, and well written. It has had a great impact on the church ever since it was written. What is of great interest, however, is how Thomas Scott came to see and grip the doctrines of grace.

In the 1770's, Scott was the curate in charge of the parishes of Ravenstone and Weston Underwood (Church of England). He, however, was obviously an unbeliever: he denied the Trinity, he ridiculed the belief that the event at Calvary was a substitution and covering for sin, did not believe in hell, original sin, or judgment. He did not believe that one needed to be born again, that is, regenerated by the Holy Spirit. Scott also was an uncaring pastor; he had very little to do with the people of his congregation. In fact, he had become a minister in order to have an easy way of making a living!

Scott began to hear rumblings in his parish that there was a Dissenter in the town of Olney preaching strange things. So Scott slipped into the man's church to hear him preach. He couldn't believe the things that he heard! And, then, he found out that the Dissenter had, in fact, visited two of Scott's parishioners who were on their death beds in order to encourage them in their trials. What audacity! Who is this man that he is visiting my parishioners?

Scott did not like this man, but he began a written correspondence with him in order to test his own theology. The Dissenter, John Newton, refused to argue with Scott. He simply laid out the gospel to him, prayed for him, and assured him that one day he would come to agree with Newton's theology. Slowly Scott's mind and heart were changing. Brian Edwards comments, " . . . but not only his mind, his preaching also. To his great confusion, some of his congregation came to him 'in great distress about their souls', but he could only encourage them 'in a general way to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.' Clearly some were converted before there own minister was!"

In 1777, through a time of great trial and distress, Thomas Scott knew of only one man to turn to. John Newton helped him through the personal adversity. Scott, by the end of the year, had converted, become evangelical, and soon became Calvinistic. Ironically, when Newton left Olney to pastor in London, it was Thomas Scott who "took his place in the vicarage and wrote and preached as a champion for the truth" (Edwards). One of the men who used to come and hear him preach frequently was a young Baptist cobbler named William Carey. Carey commented in 1821, "If there be anything of the word of God in my soul, I owe much of it to Scott's preaching."

Oh the mysterious providence of God in the salvation of sinners!