4 - The theology of a reasonable man 1667–83

Summary

Locke had read the broadly Arminian works of Hammond, Hales and Allestree around 1660. He was apparently interested in the case for a broadly Arminian view of the necessity of a working faith rather than Calvinist justification by faith alone by 1667. Among his manuscripts is an eight-page part of a draft for a sermon, most probably of January 1666/7. That this draft is among Locke's papers suggests that he had preserved it throughout his life and thus throughout the many moves of his papers. The manuscript of this draft is in a hand that is very similar in many respects to Locke's own hand, but a number of letters are formed in ways that Locke employed occasionally but not usually. It may just possibly be by Locke himself, although this seems unlikely. At the least, it suggests that Locke was aware by 1667 of arguments setting out a ‘moral theology’ similar to much Latitudinarian and Arminian thought; at the most it would indicate that these themes had already become important in Locke's own thought.

The text for the sermon was Gal. 5:6, on faith ‘which worketh by love’. Against the Calvinist contention that Christ's righteousness was imputed to man (infused in man), having been apprehended by faith, this sermon declared that ‘faith shall be imputed’ (counted) to the individual ‘for righteousnesse’.