The Life, Walk and Triumph of Faith
William Romaine's trilogy represents one of the most systematic treatments of evangelical spirituality to emerge from eighteenth-century Anglican evangelicalism. Written across several years and published together in 1771, these three interconnected treatises arose from Romaine's pastoral concern that many Christians, while possessing genuine faith, remained stunted in their spiritual development through misunderstanding the nature and operations of faith itself. As a prominent evangelical preacher in London and a contemporary of George Whitefield and John Wesley, Romaine observed that believers often struggled with assurance, works-righteousness, and the practical business of Christian living.
The work unfolds faith as a three-stage journey, though not in rigid chronological sequence. "The Life of Faith" establishes faith as the animating principle of Christian existence, demonstrating how genuine faith operates through union with Christ rather than human effort or feeling. "The Walk of Faith" addresses the daily practice of faith, showing how believers navigate trials, temptations, and ordinary circumstances through dependence on divine grace rather than personal strength. "The Triumph of Faith" culminates in faith's victory over sin, death, and spiritual opposition, emphasizing the believer's share in Christ's conquest. Throughout, Romaine maintains that faith is both gift and exercise, received freely yet requiring constant cultivation through Scripture, prayer, and reliance on the Holy Spirit.
Romaine's treatment became a standard text among evangelical Anglicans and influenced later writers including Charles Simeon and the Clapham Sect. His integration of Reformed theology with practical spirituality provided a model for evangelical devotional writing that avoided both antinomianism and legalism. The work's enduring appeal lies in its psychological realism about spiritual struggle combined with unwavering confidence in divine grace.
Who should read this: Christians seeking a thorough, biblically grounded approach to spiritual growth will find Romaine's systematic treatment invaluable, particularly those struggling with assurance or works-righteousness. Readers uncomfortable with Reformed theology or preferring contemporary devotional styles may find the theological framework and eighteenth-century prose challenging.