all things never faileth albeit other Gifts have 1 Cor. 13. from the first Verse As by this the Excellency of Love is shewn so the Necessity of pressing after it and living in it will be readily acknowledged by all but seeing the Sum of this Love as well as the Perfection thereof consists in Loving God above all so whatever diverteth in any thing there from is not to be accounted Love though the same Word be used to Express it and that in the Scripture it self Self-Love such as the Love of Self the Love of the World the Love of any Creature Hence for the Attaining of the true and excellent Love the Love of all these other things is not only to be laid aside and the Love of God preferred to them but they are to be hated as Christ himself Phraseth it He that hateth his Life Jo. 12.25 Yea he useth it so as to speaking of hating Father and Mother Luk. 14.26 Though when the Love to such is truly Subordinate to the other it is both Commended and Commanded The Testimony of the Love of God is to keep his Commandments The Testimony which is required of our Really being in the Love of God Christ himself signifieth to us If you Love me keep my Commandments And as the Beloved Disciple John said in the Case of Knowledge shewing us the Falshood of such as pretend to know God and yet do not so saying He that says he knows God and keeps not his Commandments is a Lyar and the Truth is not in him 1 Jo. 2.4 So may be also said He that saith he loves God and keeps not his Commandments is a Liar and the Truth is not in him according as the same Apostle saith 1 Jo. 5.3 For this is the Love of God that we keep his Commandments Hence it is apparent that Love without Purity is but a False Pretence and that whatsoever hinders from the Practice of this Love of God or withdraws from the Obedience of the least of his Commands is to be denied and no ways to be Entertained as being either the Love of the Devil the Love of the World or the Love of Self and not the Love of the Father And as from the True Love of God having taken Place both upon the Vnderstanding and Will there ariseth a great Fervency and Desire of Mind that it may be wholly Vnited with the Lord and made Conformable unto his Will in all things So from hence ariseth also a certain Aversion from Indignation of and even Hatred to whatsoever is Contrary thereunto or has a Tendency to lead from it which is commonly called Zeal Which Zeal having a right Bottom and Foundation The True Zeal proceeds from the love of God and proceeding purely from the Love of God is a great Virtue greatly to be commended and pressed after and the Defect thereof is justly reproveable in a Christian. That Zeal then thus considered is a thing Excellent Pure and Holy of it self appears in that it is ascribed to God himself 2 Kings 19.13 Where the Performance of the Blessed Evangelical Promises is to be performed by the Zeal of the Lord Isa. 19.17 He is said to be Cloathed with Zeal as with a Cloak and 63.15 His Zeal is numbred with his Bowels and Mercies Next David Recommends himself to God for that the Zeal of his house had eaten him up Psal. 69.9 and 119.139 And Paul commends the Corinthians for their Zeal 2 Cor. 7.11 1 Cor. 14.12 And for this End has the Grace of God appeared unto all that there might be a People gathered Zealous of good Works Tit. 2.14 And as this is commended and recommended on the one hand so is the contrary thereof to wit Indifferency and Luke-warmness reproved and rebuked as a thing displeasing to the Lord. Of many Instances whereof that might be given that unto the Church of Laodicea may serve at present Rev. 13.15 16. Because for a Remedy against this Evil she is Exhorted vers 19. To be Zealous and Repent But as there is a True Zeal so is there a False one The False Zeal its Kinds and Degrees and it is not more needful to have the one than it is to avoid the other Now as the True Zeal proceedeth only from the pure Love of God and single Regard to his Honour and Glory so the False Zeal proceedeth from the Love of something else and the Regard to other things And of this False Zeal there are several Kinds as well as Degrees all of which though they ought to be shunned yet some are far more hurtful and pernicious than others The Worst and Highest of these is when as Men through the height of Pride Lust Ambition or Envy shew themselves Furious and Zealous to satisfy and fulfil their Desires and Affections 1. A Furious Cain 's Zeal This is the highest Zeal for Self From this Zeal did Cain slay Abel Ishmael mocked Isaac and Esau hated Jacob Pharaoh Persecuted the Children of Israel Saul David and Jezabel the True Prophets of the Lord. A Second Kind is when as Men that are not True and Faithful even to those Principles of Religion they profess themselves to acknowledge as True as being Conscious to themselves 2. A Wicked Persecutors Zeal and also publickly known to be such as are Vitious and Profligate yet do violently Persecute and Oppress others that differ from them though they be not only Equal to them but even by their own Acknowledgment exceed them in Temperance and Virtue having nothing to charge them with but that they Agree not with them in Judgment and Practice in Matters of Religion This apparently is a False Zeal and not of God for if it proceeded from the true Love of God it would first Operate in themselves to the removing of all those Things which they acknowledge to be Contrary to this Love of God before it exerted it self towards others seeing as the Proverb is Charity begins at home And like unto this was the Zeal of the Scribes and Pharisees Scribes and Pharisees Instanced who Persecuted Christ for a Breaker of the Law which themselves did not fulfil As is also the Zeal both of the Papists and Protestants in their Persecutions at this Day A Third Sort is of such 3. A Blind Religious Zeal who do indeed walk strictly and closely to their own Principles making Conscience of their Way but yet being Blinded in their Understanding do Persecute Truth supposing it to be Error Of this Number was Paul before his Conversion Being as to the Law Blameless and Persecuting the Saints out of Zeal Act. 22.3 Gal. 1.14 And therefore in this Class he numbers his Countrymen saying They have a Zeal for God but not according to knowledge Rom. 10.2 And perhaps among these such may be numbred of whom Christ speaketh saying to his Disciples And when they kill you they shall think to do God good Service 4. A Rash Self-willed Zeal A
so now for sometimes they said Christ had a Devil sometimes the Apostles are drunk and other times mad Since these things have thus occurred there hath been no little Industry used to suppress this People by Threatnings and Persecution on which account divers of our Friends have been cast into Prison and some detained long in of the said Town and also by Preaching and Writing of which for thy Information receive this Account There were Thirty Queries sent by the Bishop of Aberdeen so called to Alexander Jaffray Also about the same time a Paper of three or four sheets subscribed by G. M. Intituled The State of the Controversie betwixt the Protestants and the Quakers The Thirty Queries were not long after answered by G. K. in respect of A. J. his sickness at that time and returned to him from A. J. And some time afterwards George Meldrum his Paper called The State of the Controversie c. was answered by G. K. to which Papers of G. K. somewhat was premised by A. J. which Papers being several times called for but particularly in a Letter from G. M. his own hand to A. J. wherein he intreats for an Answer that he might know as he said in what things we did differ or in what things we only seemed to differ were sent to him within nine Months after the receipt of G. M. his Papers Before all which a Sermon on purpose was preached by G. M. against the Quakers in the ninth Month 1666. wherein the sum of both his Papers was asserted only that it was digested in a Pulpit-way and introduced with an insinuating Discourse of his pretended kindness for the persons of some Quakers and his unwillingness to meddle with them were it not his Office and Zeal for the Truth did ingage him to it but if it had been so indeed he would have said no more of them then the truth whereas it is stuffed with Lies which are positively asserted to be the Quakers Principles by this pretended Preacher of the Gospel from his Chair of Verity so called or rather of Falshood whereas yet G. M. his Papers afore-mentioned were not so much as sent far less answered by which according to the words of his own Letter above-mentioned he was to receive an Understanding of the Differences and yet before he received this Vnderstanding whilst he was ignorant of the Differences according to his own Confession he is not ashamed to forge numbers of Lies upon the Lord's People and as if they had been Truths consisting in his Knowledge to vent them before a Publick Auditory which Sermon is largely answered by G. K. together with some Animadversions upon it from A. J. Also several Papers past betwixt W. M. and G. K. which had their rise from some Queries sent by P. L. to W. M. answered by W. M. to which was returned a Reply by P. L. the same was Replied to by G. K. which having received a Reply from W. M. was again Replied to at length by G. K. It is now Two years and upwards since the last Papers from our Friends hands were returned to the respective Priests unto which as yet there is no Answer nor any of them published but instead of all at last comes out a Dialogue of which the Proverb is verified Parturiunt Montes nascitur Mus subscribed by no Hand but generally understood to be W. M. and by him not denied which whether it be to deal fairly or ingenuously the Ingenuous may judge Ingenuous Dealing would have stated things as related from our own Friends Hands and given an Account of the many Scripture-Proofs and Arguments made use of in our Friends Papers which this Author in his Dialogue hath done nothing less but deceitfully hath represented us considering what had past before to which he himself whoever he is could not but be privy and disingenuously hath dissembled and waved almost all the Scripture-Proofs and Arguments used by our Friends in their aforesaid Papers as any may see who are willing to look into the said Papers Copies of which are in several Hands and any who desire to read them may have them readily from our Friends Therefore however this Work of his may satisfy and deceive a benighted Multitude whose Faith is pinned upon other Mens sleeves nevertheless I hope it shall be an occasion to discover these Men to any who are ingenuous and love not to be hood-winked but are willing to know the Truth So Reader having given thee this Account I leave thee to the perusing of the following Papers omitting these needless Apologies and flattering Insinuations usual in Epistles of this Kind my end being To answer the Good in all and to starve and not to feed the Evil in any And I refer my self to that innocent and pure Principle the Light of Christ Jesus in thee which bears Testimony against all Evil that thereby thou mayst try and examine what is here written and who are the Owners of Scripture and who are the Wresters of it which thou canst only truly discover and discern by the Spirit from which the Scriptures came even that inward Light and Word of Grace that is able to build thee up and establish thee in the Truth unto which I Recommend thee Vry the 19th of the 2d Month 1670. R. B. TRUTH CLEAR'D OF CALUMNIES To the AVTHOR HAVING taken a serious view of the Dialogue lately published by thee and having weighed and considered it in the fear of the Lord I found it incumbent upon me to Reply unto it both upon the account of Truth at which it strikes and for thy Soul's sake as also for others that any simple hearts who have received hurt by it may be undeceived and thy unfair dealing may be manifested In order whereunto before I enter upon the Examination thereof particularly I have some things to lay before thee And first as to the manner and method of thy Book by way of Dialogue it is no ways allowable from thee being but a meer shift to shuffle by those other Papers aforesaid from being noticed or regarded where all these Controversies are spoken to at large Secondly The nature of this kind of writing ought to have engaged thee to set down as largely what could be said on the one hand as on the other and to have brought-in all the Proofs and Arguments alledged by the Quakers or at least the most considerable but in that thou hast done nothing so much as becomes a Man far less a Christian as any who have conversed with that people cannot but be sensible of Thou hast made a bare Representation of the Quaker's Principles and that so scantly and mincingly that thou frequently givest thy self occasion to fight against a Man of straw But that wherein thou hast manifested the badness of thy Cause and thy weakness in pleading for it is that the substance of what thou hast said is nothing else but that which was writ in the Papers before mentioned and so largely answered
Strumpet a Whore the Mother of Fornications Babilon c. and all her devout Clergy no better than Baal's Priests filthy Dogs blind Guides Liars Dissemblers c. and all these other Denominations W. M. mentions the Quakers give his Brethren Dare he deny but there are some of his Fraternity guilty of all these Terms And what knoweth he but the Quakers have applied them aright It is manifest enough some of these Terms are too Applicable to them all Blind Guides Persecutors Hirelings Time-servers W. M's supposed pious Ministers such as blind Guides Persecutors It is here Observeable That among all these Denominations he alledges the Quakers give him and his Brethren he hath omitted the two both most frequently used against them by the Quakers and most universally deserved by his Fellow-Priests viz. Hirelings and Time-servers It seems he feared every Reader would have found them Applicable Herein do we find our selves Justified both before God and Good-men that we have named them no otherways than as their Guilt deserved and that we have no enmity nor hatred at any Man's Person nor have desired to harm it Whereas while they plead Forbearance for themselves that we should not speak the Truth plainly to them and of them terming our so doing Railing and Reviling yet they are not ashamed to speak all manner of evil falsly against us Railing at us without a cause And not only so but stirring up so far as they can the Magistrate to cause us to be Beat Imprisoned and Persecuted both in our Bodies Estates and Liberties by offering to banish us out of our Native Countries Yea and Cut us off if they could from the face of the Earth Let the Vnprejudiced Judge who shews forth here most Meekness or most Wrath Postscript WHereas W. M. in his fifth Head concerning the Scriptures and in his twelfth Head page 96. concerning the Ministry alledgeth That these words of the Apostle Paul mentioned by me 1 Cor. 14 30. Ye may all Prophesy one by one are restricted to Prophets c. not for the Common Order of the Church Adding That except we could prove all our Teachers to be Prophets we ought not to lay claim to that Scripture Pastors are called Prophets I would desire him to answer his Brother Samuel Rutherford's Professor of Divinity at St. Andrews so called who in his Book intituled The due Right of Presbytery page 466 467. Eight Arguments wherein he hath proved it to be of Pastors c. not of Extraordinary Prophets and thereby hath saved me that labour This coming to my hands after the other was committed to the Press was the Cause of its not being inserted in the due place A Seasonable Warning and Serious Exhortation to and Expostulation with the Inhabitants of Aberdeen concerning this present Dispensation and Day of God's living Visitation towards them GReat Unutterably great O ye Inhabitants is the Love of God which flows in my heart towards you and in bowels of unspeakable Compassion am I opened am I enlarged unto you in the sight and sense of your Conditions which the Lord hath Discovered and Revealed unto me O that your Eyes were opened that ye might see and behold this Day of the Lord and that your Ears were unstopped to hear his voice that crieth aloud and calleth One and All of you to REPENTANCE and that your hearts were softened and inclined to discern and perceive this blessed hour of his present Visitation which is come unto you He hath lifted up a Standard in the midst of you and among your Brethren He hath called already a Remnant and inrolled them under his Banner and he is calling ALL to come he hath not left one without a Witness Blessed are they that Receive him and Hear him in this Day of his Appearance He hath sent forth and is daily sending forth his Servants and Messengers to invite you to Come and Partake with him of the Supper of the Feast which he hath prepared And among many others whom at sundry times he hath caused to sound forth his Testimony I also have in the Name and Power and Authority of God proclaimed his Everlasting Gospel among you and preached and held forth the glad Tidings of this glorious Dispensation which is Christ manifesting and revealing himself in and by his Light and Spirit in the hearts of all men To lead them out of all Vnrighteousness and Filthiness both of Flesh and Spirit unto all Righteousness Truth Holiness Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost But because many of you have despised this Day and as ye have made merry over God's Witness in your hearts not liking there to entertain him in his meek lowly yet lovely Appearance so have ye despised mocked and rejected that which testifieth to this Witness without you Therefore was I commanded of the Lord God to pass through your Streets covered with Sack-cloth and Ashes calling you to REPENTANCE that ye might yet more be awakened and Alarum'd to take notice of the Lord's Voice unto you and not to despise these things which belong to your peace while your Day lasteth least hereafter they be hid from your eyes And the Command of the Lord concerning this thing came unto me that very Morning as I awakened and the Burden thereof was very Great yea seemed almost insupportable unto me for such a thing until that very moment had never entered me before not in the most remote Consideration And some whom I called to declare to them this thing can bear witness how great was the Agony of my Spirit how I besought the Lord with tears that this Cup might pass away from me Yea how the Pillars of my Tabernacle were shaken and how exceedingly my bones trembled until I freely gave up unto the Lord 's Will. And this was the end and tendency of my Testimony to call you to Repentance by this signal and singular Step which I as to my own Will and Inclination was as unwilling to be found in as the worst and the wickedest of you can be averse from receiving or laying it to heart Let all and every one of you in whom there is yet alive the least regard to God or his fear Consider and Weigh this matter in the presence of God and by the Spirit of Jesus Christ in your hearts which makes all things manifest Search and Examine every one his own Soul how far this Warning and Voice of the Lord is applicable unto them and how great need they have to be truly humbled in their Spirits Returning to the Lord in their inward parts with such true and unfeigned Repentance as answers to the outward Cloathing of Sack-cloth and being Covered with Ashes And in the Fear and Name of the Lord I charge all upon this occasion to beware of a slight frothy jearing mocking Spirit for though such may be permitted to Insult for a season yet God will turn their laughter into howling and will laugh when their calamity cometh and such
are seen to be in one Spirit with those who spat in the face of the LORD JESVS and buffeting him bid him prophesie who smote him Therefore consider O ye Inhabitants and be serious standing in fear Where are ye who are called Christians Among whom it is become a Wonder A Stone of Stumbling or Matter of Mockery or a Ground of Reproach for one in the Name of the LORD to invite you to Repentance in Sack-cloth and Ashes Would not the Heathen condemn you in this thing And will not Ninive stand up in judgment against you How is it that ye that are called Christians can willingly give room to every idle Mountebank and can suffer your minds to be drawn out to behold these sinful Divertisments which indeed divert the Mind from the serious sense of God's fear The People can be gathered there and neither the Magistrates complain of Tumult nor yet Preachers nor Professors cry out against it as Delusion or Madness O my Friends consider Can there be any more strongly Deluded than for People daily to Acknowledge and Confess they are Sinners and sinning in words and to startle at that which did so lively Represent unto them what they own to be their Condition Were it in good Earnest or were it from a true sense of your Sins that ye so frequently seem to acknowledge them ye would not despise nor overlook that which calleth you to Repentance for it How is it that you can so confidently Array your selves in all manner of gaudy and superfluous Apparel and exceed in lustful pouderings and perfumes and yet are ashamed and amazed at Sack-cloth and Ashes which according to your own acknowledgment is so sutable to your states Is not this to glory in your shame and to be ashamed of that which ought to be and would be your greatest glory to wit true and unfeigned Repentance I shall add that which upon this occasion I declared unto you I was for a Sign from the Lord unto you I desire ye may not be among those that wonder and perish but rather Repent and be Saved And this is my Testimony unto you whether you will hear or forbear I have peace with my God in what I have done and am satisfied that his Requirings I have answered in this thing I have not sought yours but you I have not coveted your gold or silver or any thing else nor do I retain or entertain the least Hatred Grudge or Evil Will towards any within or without your Gates but continue in pure and unfeigned Love towards all and every one of you even those who do most despise or reject me and my Testimony being ready to bless those that curse and to do good to those that despitefully use me and to be spent in the will of the Lord for your sakes that your Souls may be saved and God over all may be glorified For which I travel and cry before the Throne of Grace as becometh This came before me to signifie unto you by Writing at Urie the 12 th of the first Month 1672. A Servant of the Lord Jesus Christ ROBERT BARCLAY After this Paper was committed to the Press some Queries concerning this Matter were sent to a Friend in Aberdeen by One who in the Inscription styles himself a Sober Inquirer which Mask he quickly pulled off either for want of Wit or from too much Malice against the Truth by spreading these Queries at the same time among several Hands which no truly Sober Inquirer would have done until he had first received or been refused Satisfaction from him to whom he particularly directed them In order therefore to dispel such Cloudy Mists as the Enemy seeks to raise for darkning the Day of God's Appearance through his Children These Answers are judged fit to be here anexed The Premisses and Queries following upon them being all one on the matter the first being Positions in general and the other the particular Application of them hereto they need not different Answers both of them are herein comprehended and implied as any that will be at the pains to look after the Queries and Compare them may Observe To the first is therefore Answered 1. R. B. denies his Message to have proceeded from any Light or Illumination in him as a man but from the Immediate Testimony of the Spirit of God in his heart A Manifestation of which Spirit is given to every man to profit withal according to the plain Testimony of the Scriptures 1 Cor. 12.7 1 John 2.20 27. Hebr. 8.10 11 12. The which Spirit and Anointing teaches all the Saints under the New Covenant whereunto an Audible voice is not required For this is said to be within them and not without them Nor can it be proved that God spake always to the Prophets by an Audible Voice or that such a thing is requisite to every true Revelation received from the Spirit else none could be truly certain that the Scriptures came from the Spirit of God until they received an Audible Voice by the outward Ear confirming them of it nor could any have the Assurance of Salvation without the same both which the generality of Protestants hold needful to Believers and Calv. Inst. lib. 1. cap. 7. sect 4. cap. 8 sect 1. lib. 3. cap. 1. sect 4. cap. 3. sect 39. That by the inward secret Testimony of the Spirit without an Audible Voice Nor was John Huss his Prophecy of Luther or George Wishart's of the Cardinal's Death alledged to have proceeded from an outward audible voice and yet proved both True As likewise several others of latter years which might be mentioned 2. A Message thus delivered from the Testimony of the Spirit of God in the heart reaches to the Manifestation of the same Spirit in the hearts of those to whom it is delivered if they wilfully do not resist and shut it out Thus the Ninivites were reached at the Call of Jonah and those who heard Peter were pricked in their hearts yet neither the one or the other had such an immediate particular Call as Jonah and Peter had but the Testimony of the Spirit through these two touched reached and raised that of God in their hearts and made it applicable unto them Yet those that despise this Light and Manifestation of God in themselves may come to jeer and mock at a Message proceeding from it through another even as the Scribes and Pharisees did at Christ and therefore were worthy of Condemnation and judged by the Heathen such as Tyre and Sidon and Ninive Even as it is with those of the same Spirit at this day who while they cry up the Writings of the Prophets and other Scriptures as did the Pharisees are despising Prophesying or the teaching or leadings of the Spirit which the Apostle declared to be the nature of the New Covenant-Dispensation and therefore no wonder if according to the Scripture Prov. 28.18 Where there is no Vision the People perish 3. The Assisters to this Action having
be turned away from because in so far as I observed before as Sanctification to wit those that are sanctified in Christ Jesus make the Church and give the right Definition to it where that is wholly wanting the Church of Christ ceaseth to be and there remains nothing but a Shadow without Substance Such Assemblies then are like the dead Body when the Soul is departed which is no more fit to be Conversed with because it corrupts and proves noisom to the living But by the Church of Christ I understand all those that truly and really have received and hold the Truth as it is in Jesus and are in measure sanctified or sanctifying in and by the Power and Virtue thereof working in their inward Parts The true Church and this may be made up of divers distinct Gatherings or Churches in several Countries or Nations I say so long as these or any of them do retain that which justly entitles them the Church or Churches of Christ which they may be truly called though there may fall out some Differences Divisions or Schisms among them as we may see there was no small Dissension in the Church of Antioch and yet it ceased not to be a Church Acts 15.2 and 1 Cor. 1.11 For it hath been declared unto me of you my Brethren that there are Contentious among you and yet Vers. 2. he entitles them the Church of God them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus So long I say as they truly retain this Title of the Church of Christ as being really such there will never be wanting the certain Judgment of Truth For which The certain Judgment of Truth is never wanting in the Church of Christ. besides the positive Promise of Christ before-mentioned which is not without Blasphemy to be called in question or doubted of I shall add these Reasons That seeing the Church of Christ is his Body of which he is the Head it were to make Christ negligent of his Body who stiles himself the good Shepheard and hath said He will never leave nor forsake his own or else which is worse it would infer a possibility of Error or Mistake in Christ in whom as the Head are the Eyes of the Body by which it is to be Ruled in all things Next we never find in all the Scripture since the Gospel that ever this was wanting but that God still gave Infallible Judgment by his Spirit in some of the Respects above-mentioned If the Transactions and Controversies of the after-Centuries be alledged I will boldly affirm and prove that there was never a true Judgment wanting so long as the Nature and Essence of the true Church was retained If any will needs affirm otherwise let them shew me where and I shall answer it Though I deny not that after the Mystery of Iniquity did begin to work or had so wrought first by intermixing and afterward by altogether forsaking the Nature of Truth retaining only the bare Name of the Church but that there might be some scattered ones here and there one in a Nation and now and then one in an Age who by the Power and Virtue of the Spirit of Life working in them might be truly sanctified yet these were but as Witnesses in Sack-cloth Witnesses in Sack-cloth no ways sufficient to give these Assemblies in which they were engrossed the Appellation of the Church of Christ coming no more under Observation by the Generality nor having as to them any more Influence than some Tittle or scarcely discernable Sparks of Fire in many great Heaps and Mountains of Ashes And thus much to prove that where there is any Gathering or Assembly which truly and properly may be called the Church of Christ the Infallible Judgment will never be wanting in Matters of Controversy Secondly That ordinarily God hath in the Communicating of his Will Assert 2 under his Gospel imployed such Proved whom he had made use of in Gathering of his Church and in feeding and watching over them though not excluding others For as in a Natural Body to which the Church of Christ is compared the more-substantial and powerful Members do work most effectually and their Help is most necessary to supply any Defect or Trouble in the Body so also if there be Diversities of Gifts in the Church as is above proved and some have a greater Measure and some a lesser those that have the greater are more capable to do good and to help the Body in its need than others that are weaker and less powerful since there are strong and weak Babes and Young Men who have overcome the Evil One and in whom the Word of God abideth such are more able when the Enemy besets to Resist having already Overcome than others who are but yet Wrestling and not Conquerors Now From the Besetments of the Enemy Dissensions arise every Controversy and Dissension in the Church comes from the Besetments of the Enemy yet if any of these Strong or Young Men or Powerful Members go from their Station it is not denied but that they are as Weak as any and it is presupposing their Faithfulness in their Place that I thus Affirm and no otherwise Nor yet do I limit the Lord to this Method for in him are all the Treasures both of our Wisdom and Strength and the weakest in his Hand are as strong as the strongest who may now as well as heretofore kill a Goliah by the Hand of little David yet we see the Lord doth ordinarily make use of the Strong to support the Weak and indeed when such as may be termed Weak are so made use of it alters the Nature of their Place and constitutes them in a higher and more eminent Degree For though it was little David it was also he that was to be King of Israel Though the Apostles were mean Men among the Jews yet they were such as were to be the Apostles of the Lord of Glory Instruments to gather the lost Sheep of the House of Israel and to proclaim the Acceptable Day of the Lord. And though Paul was once accounted the Least of all the Saints a Child born out of due Time yet was he him who was to be the greatest Apostle of the Gentiles Now then let us Consider whom the Lord makes use of in the Affairs of the Primitive Church and through whom he gave forth his Infallible Judgment Did he not begin first by Peter he wes the first that spake in the first Meeting they had Acts 1. and who first stood up after the pouring forth of the Spirit and who first appeared before the Council of the Jews and spake in behalf of the Gospel of Christ Though I am far from calling him as some do the Prince of the Apostles yet I may safely say he was one of the most Ancient and Eminent and to whom Christ in a Manner somewhat more than ordinary had recommended the Feeding of his Flock We see also he was first made use of in
as is hoped solidly Refuted THESES THEOLOGICAE year 1675 To the CLERGY of what Sort soever unto whose hands these may come but more particularly to the Doctors Professors and Students of Divinity in the Vniversities and Schools of Great Britain whether Prelatical Presbyterian or any other Robert Barclay a Servant of the Lord God and one of those who in Derision are called Quakers Wisheth Vnfeigned Repentance unto the Acknowledgment of the Truth FRIENDS UNto You these following PROPOSITIONS are Offered in which they being Read and Considered in the Fear of the Lord you may perceive that Simple Naked Truth which Man by his Wisdom hath rendred so Obscure and Mysterious that the World is even Burthened with the great and Voluminous Tractates which are made about it and by their Vain Jangling and Commentaries by which it is rendred a hundred fold more Dark and Intricate than of it self it is which Great Learning so accounted of to wit your School Divinity which taketh up almost a Man's whole Life-time to learn brings not a-whit nearer to God neither makes any Man less Wicked or more Righteous than he was Therefore hath God laid aside the Wise and Learned and the Disputers of this World and hath chosen a few despicable and Unlearned Instruments as to Letter-learning as he did Fisher-men of old to publish his pure and naked Truth and to free it of these Mists and Fogs wherewith the Clergy hath Clouded it that the People might Admire and Maintain them And among several others whom God hath Chosen to make known these things seeing also have Received in Measure Grace to be a Dispenser of the same Gospel it seemed good unto me according to my Duty to Offer unto You these Propositions which though short yet are Weighty Comprehending much and declaring what the true Ground of Knowledge is even of that Knowledge which leads to Life Eternal which is here witnessed of and the Testimony thereof left unto the Light of Christ in all your Consciences Farewel R. B. The First Proposition Concerning the true Foundation of Knowledge SEeing the Height of all Happiness is placed in the true Knowledge of God This is Life Eternal to know the true God and Jesus Christ John 17.3 whom thou hast sent the true and right Understanding of this Foundation and Ground of Knowledge is that which is most necessary to be known and believed in the first place The Second Proposition Concerning Immediate Revelation Seeing no Man knoweth the Father but the Son and he to whom the Son Revealeth him Matth. 11.27 and seeing the Revelation of the Son is in and by the Spirit therefore the Testimony of the Spirit is that alone by which the true Knowledge of God hath been is and can be only Revealed Who as by the moving of his own Spirit Converted the Chaos of this World into that Wonderful Order wherein it was in the beginning and Created Man a living Soul to Rule and Govern it so by the Revelation of the same Spirit he hath Manifested himself all along unto the Sons of Men both Patriarchs Prophets and Apostles Which Revelations of God by the Spirit whether by outward Voices and Appearances Dreams or inward Objective Manifestations in the Heart were of old the formal Object of their Faith and remaineth yet so to be since the Object of the Saints Faith is the same in all Ages though set forth under divers Administrations Moreover these Divine Inward Revelations which we make absolutely Necessary for the building up of true Faith neither do nor can ever Contradict the outward Testimony of the Scriptures or right and sound Reason Yet from hence it will not follow that these Divine Revelations are to be subjected to the Examination either of the outward Testimony of the Scriptures or of the Natural Reason of Man as to a more noble or certain Rule and Touch-stone For this Divine Revelation and inward Illumination is that which is evident and clear of it self forcing by its own Evidence and Clearness the well-disposed Understanding to Assent irresistibly moving the same thereunto even as the Common Principles of Natural Truths move and incline the mind to a Natural Assent such as are these That the Whole is greater than the Part That two Contradictory Sayings cannot be both true or false Which is also manifest according to our Adversaries Principle who supposing the possibility of inward Divine Revelations will nevertheless Confess with us that neither Scripture nor sound Reason will Contradict it and yet it will not follow according to them that the Scripture or sound Reason should be subjected to the Examination of the Divine Revelations in the heart The Third Proposition Concerning the Scriptures From these Revelations of the Spirit of God to the Saints have proceeded the Scriptures of Truth which contain 1. A faithful Historical Account of the Actings of God's People in divers Ages with many singular and remarkable Providences attending them 2. A Prophetical Account of several things whereof some are already past and some yet to come 3. A full and ample Account of all the chief Principles of the Doctrine of Christ held forth in divers pretious Declarations Exhortations and Sentences which by the moving of God's Spirit were at several times and upon sundry occasions spoken and written unto some Churches and their Pastors Nevertheless because they are only a Declaration of the Fountain and not the Fountain it self therefore they are not to be esteemed the principal Ground of all Truth and Knowledge nor yet the Adequate Primary Rule of Faith and Manners Nevertheless as that which giveth a true and faithful Testimony of the first Foundation they are and may be esteemed a secondary Rule subordinate to the Spirit from which they have all their Excellency and Certainty For as by the Inward Testimony of the Spirit we do alone truly know them so they testify that the Spirit is that Guide John 16.13 Rom. 8.14 by which the Saints are led into all Truth Therefore according to the Scriptures the Spirit is the first and principal Leader And seeing we do therefore receive and believe the Scriptures because they proceeded from the Spirit therefore also the Spirit is more originally and principally the Rule according to that received Maxim in the Schools Propter quod unumquodque est tale illud ipsum est magis tale Englished thus That for which a thing is such that thing it self is more such The Fourth Proposition Concerning the Condition of Man in the Fall All Adam's Posterity or Mankind both Jews and Gentiles Rom. 5.12 15. as to the first Adam or Earthly Man is fallen degenerated and dead deprived of the sensation or feeling of this inward Testimony or Seed of God and is subject unto the Power Nature and Seed of the Serpent which he sows in mens hearts while they abide in this Natural and Corrupted State from whence it comes that not their words and deeds only but all their
he that is to be a Minister Merchandizing with the Scriptures What it is must learn this Art or Trade of Merchandizing with the Scriptures and be that which the Apostle would not be to wit a Trader with them 2 Cor. 2.17 * See also 2 Pet. 2.3 That he may acquire a Trick from a Verse of Scripture by adding his own barren Notions and Conceptions to it and his uncertain Conjectures and what he hath stoll'n out of Books for which end he must have of necessity a good many by him and may each Sabbath-day as they call it or oftner make a Discourse for an Hour long And this is called the Preaching of the Word whereas the Gift Grace and Spirit of God to teach And this they call the Preaching of the Word open and instruct and to preach a word in season is neglected and so man's Arts and Parts and Knowledge and Wisdom which is from below set up * Thus Anti-Christ is Established above the Seed of the Kingdom and established in the Temple of God yea and above the little Seed which in effect is Anti-Christ working in the Mystery And so the Devil †How the Devil may be a Minister of the Priest's Gospel may be as good and able a Minister as the best of them for he has better skill of Languages and more Logick Philosophy and School-Divinity than any of them and knows the Truth in the Notion better than they all and can talk more Eloquently than all those Preachers But what availeth all this Is it not all but as Death as a Painted Sepulchre and dead Carcase without the Power Life and Spirit of Christianity which is the marrow and substance of a Christian Ministry And he that hath this and can speak from it though he be a poor Shepherd or a Fisher-man and Ignorant of all that Learning and of all those Questions and Notions yet speaking from the Spirit his Ministry will have more Influence towards the Converting of a Sinner unto God than all of them Learned after the flesh as in that Example of the Old Man at the Council of Nice did appear The Power of God by weak Instruments restoring the Simplicity of Truth § XXIII And if in any Age since the Apostles days God hath purposed to shew his Power by Weak Instruments for the battering down of that Carnal and Heathenish Wisdom and restoring again the Ancient Simplicity of Truth this is it For in our Day God hath raised up Witnesses for himself as he did Fisher-men of Old many yea most of whom are Labouring and Mechanick men who altogether without that Learning have by the Power and Spirit of God struck at the very Root and Ground of Babylon and in the Strength and Might of this Power have gathered Thousands by reaching their Consciences into the same Power and Life who as to the outward part have been far more knowing than they yet not able to Resist the Vertue that proceeded from them Of which I my self am a true Witness and can declare from a certain Experience because my heart hath been often greatly broken and tendered by that vertuous Life that hath proceeded from the powerful Ministry of those Illiterate men The Powerful Ministry of Illiterate Men. so that by their very Countenance as well as Words I have felt the Evil in me often Chained down and the good Reached to and Raised What shall I then say to you who are Lovers of Learning and Admirers of Knowledge Was not I also a Lover and Admirer of it who also sought after it according to my Age and Capacity But it pleased God in his unutterable Love early to withstand my vain Endeavours while I was yet but Eighteen years of Age The Time of the Author's first Convincement and made me seriously to consider which I wish also may befall others That without Holiness * Job 28.28 and Regeneration no man can see God and that the Fear of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom and to depart from Iniquity a good Vnderstanding and how much Knowledge puffeth up and leadeth away from that Inward Quietness Stilness and Humility of Mind where the Lord appears and his heavenly Wisdom is Revealed If ye consider these things then will ye say with me that all this Learning Wisdom and Knowledge gathered in this fall'n Nature is but as Dross and Dung in comparison of the Cross of Christ especially being destitute of that Power Life and Vertue which I perceived these Excellent though despised because Illiterate Witnesses of God to be filled with and therefore seeing that in and among them I with many others have found the heavenly Food that gives Contentment let my Soul seek after this Learning and Wait for it for ever § XXIV Having thus spoken of the Call and Qualifications of a Gospel Minister that which comes next to be considered is What his proper Work is How and by what Rule he is to be Ordered Our Adversaries Quest. III do all along go upon Outwards The Work of a Minister and therefore have Certain prescribed Rules and Methods contrived according to their humane and earthly Wisdom We on the contrary walk still upon the same Foundation and lean always upon the Immediate Assistance and Influence of that * The Holy Spirit a Spirit of Order and not of Confusion Holy Spirit which God hath given his Children to teach them all things and lead them in all things which Spirit being the Spirit of Order and not of Confusion leads us and as many as follow it into such a Comely and Decent Order as becometh the Church of God But our Adversaries having shut themselves out from this Immediate Counsel and Influence of the Spirit have run themselves into many Confusions and Disorders seeking to establish an Order in this matter For some will have first a Chief Bishop or Pope to Rule and be Prince over all and under him by degrees Cardinals Patriarchs Arch-Bishops Priests Deacons Sub-deacons Popish Orders and Offices c. and besides these Acoluthi Tonsorati Ostiarii c. And in their Theology as they call it Professors Batchelors Doctors c. And others are to have every Nation Independent of another having its own Metropolitan or Patriarch and the rest in order Subject to him as before Others again are against all Precedency among Pastors and constitute their Subordination not of persons but of powers as first the Consistory or Session then the Class or Presbytery then the Provincial and then the National Synod or Assembly Thus do they Tear one another and Contend among themselves concerning the Ordering Distinguishing and making their several Orders and Offices concerning which there hath been no less Contest not only by way of Verbal Dispute but even by Fighting Tumults Wars Wars and Bloodshed about Church Government Vastations and Blood-shed than about the Conquering Overturning and Establishing of Kingdoms And the Histories of late
First that as often imports a Command the contrary whereof is shewen neither will they ever be able to prove it Secondly Christ's Outward and Inward Coming That this Coming is understood of Christ's last outward Coming and not of his Inward and Spiritual that remains to be proved whereas the Apostle might well understand it of his Inward Coming and Appearance which perhaps some of those Carnal Corinthians that used to come drunken together had not yet known and others being Weak among them and inclinable to dote upon Outwards this might have been Indulged to them for a season and even used by those who knew Christ's Appearance in Spirit as other things were of which we shall speak hereafter especially by the Apostle who became Weak to the Weak and All to All that he might save some Now those Weak and Carnal Corinthians might be permitted the Vse of this To Remember Christ's Death till he Come To Arise in the Heart to Shew forth or Remember Christ's Death till he come to Arise in them for thô such need those outward things to put them in mind of Christ's Death yet such as are dead with Christ and not only dead with Christ but buried and also arisen with him need not such Signs to Remember him And to such therefore the Apostle saith Col. 3.1 If ye then be risen with Christ seek those things which are above where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God but Bread and Wine are not these things that are above but are things of the Earth But that this whole matter was a meer Act of Indulgence and Condescendence of the Apostle Paul to the Weak and Carnal Corinthians appears yet more by the Syriack * And likewise the other Oriental Versions as the Araebick and Aethiopick have it the same way Copy which ver 17. in his entring upon this matter hath it thus In that concerning which I am about to command you or instruct you I commend you not because ye have not gone forward but are descended unto that which is less or of less Consequence Clearly importing that the Apostle was grieved that such was their Condition that he was forc'd to give them Instructions concerning those Outward things and doting upon which they shew they were not gone forward in the Life of Christianity but rather sticking in beggarly Elements And therefore ver 20. the same Version hath it thus When then ye meet together ye do not do it as it is just ye should do in the day of the Lord ye eat and drink Thereby shewing to them that To Meet together to eat and drink Outward Bread and Wine was not the Labour and Work of that Day of the Lord. But since our Adversaries are so zealous for this Ceremony because used by the Church of Corinth though with how little ground is already shewen how come they to pass over far more positive Commands of the Apostles To abstain from things strangled as matters of no moment As First Acts 15.26 where the Apostles peremptorily Command even the Gentiles as that which was the Mind of the Holy Ghost To abstain from things strangled and from Blood And Ja. 5.14 where it is expresly Commanded The Anointing with Oil. That the Sick be Anointed with Oil in the Name of the Lord. If they say These were only Temporary things but not to Continue Object What have they more to shew for this there being no express Repeal of them Answ. If they say The Repeal is implied because the Apostle saith Object We ought not to be jugded in Meats and Drinks I admit the Answer Answ. but how can it be evited to militate the same way against the other Practice Surely not at all nor can there be any thing urged for the one more than for the other but Custom and Tradition And for that of James they say There followed a Miracle upon it Object to wit the Recovery of the Sick But this being Ceased so should the Ceremony Though this might many ways be answered to wit Answ. That Prayer then might as well be forborn A Ceremony ought to Cease its Vertue failing to which also the saving of the Sick is there ascribed yet I shall accept of it because I judge indeed that Ceremony is Ceased only methinks since our Adversaries and that rightly think a Ceremony ought to Cease where the Vertue fails they ought by the same Rule to forbear the laying on of Hands in imitation of the Apostles since the Gift of the Holy Ghost doth not follow upon it Thus Laying on of Hands § IX But since we find that several Testimonies of Scripture do sufficiently shew that Such External Rites are no necessary part of the New Covenant-Dispensation therefore not needful now to Continue however they were for a season practised of old I shall instance some few of them whereby from the Nature of the thing as well as those Testimonies it may appear that the Ceremony of Bread and Wine is Ceased as well as those other things confessed by our Adversaries to be so The Ceremony of Bread and Wine is Ceas'd The first is Rom. 14.17 For the Kingdom of God is not Meat and Drink but Righteousness and Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost Here the Apostle evidently shews that the Kingdom of God or Gospel of Christ stands not in Meats and Drinks and such like things but in Righteousness as by the Context doth appear where he is speaking of the Guilt and Hazzard of judging one another about Meats and Drinks So then if the Kingdom of God stand not in them nor the Gospel nor Work of Christ then the Eating of Outward Bread and Wine can be no necessary part of the Gospel-Worship nor any perpetual Ordinance of it Another is yet more plain of the same Apostle Col. 2. Col. 2.16 the Apostle throughout this whole Second Chapter doth clearly plead for us and against the Formality and Superstition of our Opposers for in the beginning he holds forth the great Priviledges Christians have by Christ who are come indeed to the Life of Christianity and therefore he desires them ver 6. As they have received Christ so to walk in him and to beware lest they be spoiled through Philosophy and vain Deceit after the Rudiments or Elements of the World because that in Christ whom they have received is all Fullness And that they are Circumcised with the Circumcision made without Hands which he calls the Circumcision of Christ and being buried with him by Baptism are also arisen with him through the Faith of the Operation of God Here also they did partake of the True Baptism of Christ and being such as are Arisen with him let us see whether he thinks it needful they should make use of such Meat and Drink as Bread and Wine to put them in Remembrance of Christ's Death or whether they ought to be judged that they did it not ver 16. Let
and Profane being not come to this Place are in whatsoever they do cursed and their Ploughing as well as Praying is sin Now if any will plead that for Relaxation of Mind there may be a Liberty allowed beyond these things which are of absolute need to the Sustenance of the outward Man I shall not much contend against it provided these things be not such as are wholly superfluous or in their proper Nature and Tendency lead the Mind into Lust Vanity and Wantonness as being chiefly contrived and framed for that End or generally experienced to produce these Effects or being the common Engines of such as are so minded to feed one another therein and to propagate their Wickedness to the impoysoning of others seeing there are other Innocent Divertisements which may sufficiently serve for Relaxation to the Mind Such as for Friends to visit one another Lawful Divertisements to hear or read History to speak soberly of the present or past Transactions to follow after Gardnering to use Geometrical and Mathematical Experiments and such other things of this Nature In all which things we are not so to forget God in whom we both live and are moved Acts 10.26 as not to have always some secret Reserve to him and Sense of his Fear and Presence which also frequently exerts it self in the midst of these things by some short Aspiration and Breathings And that this may neither seem strange nor Troublesome I shall clear it by one manifest Instance answerable to the Experience of all Men. It will not be denied but that Men ought to be more in the Love of God than of any other thing for we ought to love God above all things Now it is plain That Men that are taken with Love whether it be of a Woman or any other thing if it hath taken deep Place in the Heart and possest the Mind it will be hard for the Man so in Love to drive out of his Mind the Person or thing so loved yea in his Eating Drinking and Sleeping his Mind will always have a Tendency that way and in Business or Recreation however intent he be in it there will but a very short Time be permitted to pass but the Mind will let some Ejaculation forth towards its beloved The Love towards its belov'd shuns its Offence And albeit such a one must be conversant in those things that the Care of this Body and such like things call for yet will he avoid as death it self to do those things that may offend the Party so beloved or cross his Design in obtaining the thing so earnestly desired Though there may be some small use in them the great Design which is chiefly in his Eye will so ballance him that he will easily look over and dispense with such petty Necessities rather than endanger the Loss of the Greater by them Now that Men ought to be thus in Love with God and the Life to come none will deny and the thing is apparent from these Scriptures Matth. 6.20 But lay up for your selves treasures in Heaven Col. 3.2 Set your affection on things above c. And that this hath been the Experience and Attainment of some the Scripture also declares Psal. 63.1.84 2 Cor. 5.14 Sports Plays draw Men from the Fear of God And again That these Games Sports Plays Dancing Comedies c. do naturally tend to draw Men from God's Fear to make them forget Heaven Death and Judgment to foster Lust Vanity and Wantonness and therefore are most loved as well as used by such kind of Persons Experience abundantly shews and the most-Serious and Conscientious among all will scarcely deny Which if it be so the Application is easie § X. Fifthly The use of Swearing is to be considered which is so frequently practised almost among all Christians not only profane Oaths among the profane in their common discourses whereby the mostâ—HOLY NAME of GOD is in a horrible manner daily blasphemed but also solemn Oaths with those that have some shew of piety whereof the most part do defend Swearing before the Magistrate with so great zeal that not only they are ready themselves to do it upon every occasion but also stir up the Magistrates to persecute those who out of obedience to Christ their Lord and Master judge it unlawful to Swear Upon which account not a few have suffered Imprisonment and the spoiling of their Goods But considering these clear words of our Saviour All Swearing is forbidden Matth. 5.33 34. Again ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time Thou shalt not forswear thy self but shalt perform unto the Lord thine Oaths But I say unto you SWEAR NOT AT ALL neither by Heaven c. But let your Communication be Yea Yea Nay Nay For whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil As also the words of the Apostle James 5.12 But above all things my Brethren Swear not neither by Heaven neither by the Earth neither by any other Oath But let your Yea be Yea and your Nay Nay lest you fall into Condemnation I say considering these clear words it is admirable how any one that professeth the Name of Christ can pronounce any Oath with a quiet Conscience far less to persecute other Christians that dare not swear because of their Master Christ's Authority For did any one purpose seriously and in the most rigid manner to forbid any thing comprehended under any General can they use a more full and general prohibition and that without any Exception I think not For Christ First proposeth it to us negatively Swear not at all neither by Heaven nor by the Earth nor by Jerusalem nor by thy Head c. And again Swear not by Heaven nor by Earth nor by any other Oath Secondly he presseth it affirmatively But let your Communication be Yea Yea and Nay Nay For whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil And saith James lest ye fall into Condemnation Which words both all and every one of them do make such a full prohibition and so free of all Exception that it is strange Without Exception how men that boast the Scripture is the Rule of their Faith and Life can counterfeit any Exception Certainly Reason ought to teach every one that it is not lawful to make void a general prohibition coming from God by such opposition unless the Exception be as clearly and evidently expressed as the prohibition neither is it enough to endeavour to confirm it by Consequences and Probabilities which are obscure and uncertain and not sufficient to bring quiet to the Conscience For if they say that there is therefore an Exception and limitation in the words because there are found Exceptions in the other general prohibition of this fifth Chapter as in the forbidding of Divorcement where Christ saith It hath been said Whosoever shall put away his Wife let him give her a Writing of Divorcement But I say unto you That whosoever shall put away his
World which for several Generations they have only had the Shadow of but have not enjoyed in the Substance And because many are the Calumnies that such are Reproached withal as holding forth Strange and Pernicious Doctrines therefore I have herewith sent you a large Apology for the true Christian Divinity held forth and preached by them That therein you may see how the truly Christian Principles which have been lost in the Apostacy while the Life of Christianity was not to be found is Restored by their Testimony Desiring you seriously to Read and Consider the same as well as Transmit it to the several Princes you are Employed by that both you and they may see That the Day of the Lord is dawned and may Learn to walk in the Light of it which would bring Peace and Quietness and felicity to all both outward and inward And thereby all may be stirred up to receive with Gladness such as the Lord will move to Preach and Declare this Day as it is dawned and made manifest in them following the Apostle's Rules In receiving Strangers willingly Heb. 13.2 for that some in so doing have entertained Angels unawares And that none of you may be like the Pharisees who Cried Crucify him Nor like those who intreated him to depart out of their Coasts and like those who would have none of him to Rule over them lest with them ye receive the like Condemnation However I shall be clear of all your Blood in so far as I have faithfully Answered what God Required of me towards you and Discharged my Conscience in Love to your Immortal Souls as well as to the Common Peace and Good of Christendom Whereof and of all those that profess the Name of Christ I am A True Friend and Hearty Well-wisher Robert Barclay This Came upon me from the Lord to Write unto You at Ury in my Native Country of Scotland the Second of the Month called November 1677. COpies of the foresaid Epistle in Latine were upon the 23 d and 24 th Days of the Month called February 1678. delivered at Nemeguen to the Ambassadors of the Emperor of the Kings of Great Britain Spain and France Sweden and Denmark of the Prince Elector Palatine as also of the States General and of the Duke of Lorain Holstain Lunenburg Osnabrug Hannover and the Pope's Nuncio to wit one to each Ambassador and one to each of their Principals together with so many Copies of the Book whereof the Author makes mention in the Letter the Title whereof is Roberti Barclaii Theologiae verae Christianae Apologia Carolo secundo Magnae Britanniae c. Regi oblata Robert Barclay his Apology for True Christian Divinity offered to Charles the Second King of Great Britain Typis Excusa 1676. pro Jacob Claus Bibliopola habitante Amstelodami Printed 1676. for Jacob Claus Bookseller at Amsterdam R. B.'s APOLOGY FOR THE True Christian Divinity VINDICATED FROM JOHN BROWN's Examination and pretended Confutation thereof in his Book called Quakerism the Path-Way to Paganism In which VINDICATION JOHN BROWN his many Gross Perversions and Abuses are Discovered and his Furious and Violent Railings and Revilings soberly Rebuked By ROBERT BARCLAY Whereunto is Added A Christian and Friendly Expostulation with ROBERT MACQVARE touching his Postscript to the said Book of J. B. written to him by LILLIAS SKEIN Wife of ALEXANDER SKEIN and delivered some Months since at his House in Roterdam Isaiah 51.7 Hearken unto me ye that know Righteousness the People in whose heart is my Law fear ye not the Reproach of Men neither be ye Affraid of their Revilings Matth. 5.11 Blessed are ye when men shall Revile you and persecute you and speak all manner of Evil falsly against you for my Name 's sake London Printed for Tho. Northcott 1691. THE Preface to the Reader Serious READER I Shall not need to trouble thee here with a Long Preface most of what is commonly Inserted in such Epistles being proposed to thee in the First Section only I will take occasion here Ingenuously and Solemnly to profess That no Delight in Controversy hath Induced me to undertake this Treatise but pure Necessity to Vindicate the Truth professed by me from the many gross Perversions wherewith this Author hath Abused it For as for his Personal Reflections at me which are very frequent and whereby he labours to Represent me to his Reader as the Veriest Fool Ignorant Sensless Non sensical and yet Proud Presumptuous and Blasphemous Miscreant for such are his Expressions that can be imagined I should not have troubled my self nor the World with a Vindication being perswaded none who truly knows me will believe him and that none of Solidity and Judgment who knows me not will so easily Agree to this Censure As for such Credulous Creatures if his Book find any such for I have heard of several of the same Faith with him who much Condemn his Railing Style who will judge of me upon so small and suspicious Evidence I must be Contented as many better Men have been before me to abide the Rash Judgment of those Inconsiderate Souls As for the Book from which he Assumes and Pronounces this Character of me thou wilt find it here Vindicated and see that hideous Mask wherewith he laboured to Vail it that he might Rail the more securely Taken off I could easily shew the Lightness of his Judgment by filling the other Scale with a pressed-down Measure of the Testimonies both by Word and Writ of several Persons at Home and Abroad who are not Quakers and yet such to whom without Disparagement he must give the Precedency both for Parts Piety and Learning but I desire not to Raise my Reputation that way it is his Work that needs a Postscript of that Nature And truly he hath saved me this Pains while at other times he manifestly Implies a Contradiction to this Character while he perswades the Reader of the Necessity he was under to write so great a Volumn as if the whole Christian Commonwealth had been in Danger to be Overturned and many Souls in Hazzard to be hurt by the Quakers among whom both he and his Brother R. M. C. give me and my Writings a Chief Place as their Goliah Patron Sharpest and Neatest Pen if not seasonably supplied by this his Antidote For sure had it been so Inconsistent and Contradictory a piece of Work as he sometimes Represents it to be as being written by so silly and pitiful an Ignoramus as he is sometimes pleased to term me there could not have been so great Cause of Fear nor such need of a great Volumn especially to such as could not understand mine being not yet Extant in a Language they skilled to whom he principally directs his and though they had could have no great Hurt if he speak true when he represents me frequently to write things Vnintelligible And yet he is so Wise as to Apprehend he has Refuted what he Confesses he doth not Vnderstand But the Reason
John's Pag. 479. he saith The Words of Baptizing into the Name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 J. B's false Gloss upon the Words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is only to be understood of a dedicating to God and not a being Baptized into the Power and Vertue But this is his own Assertion Neither doth Paul's saying 1 Cor. 1.13 Were ye Baptized in the Name of Paul make it clear at all For making it unto Paul will render the Apostle's Argument more forcible to shew the Corinthians their Folly in saying they were of Paul or other Men into whose Power or Vertue it was absurd to say they were Baptized as must be said of all true Christians being baptized into the Name of Christ. That I Condemn their manner of Baptizing is true but that I do it because of their doing it in the Name of the Father is his false and foolish Conjecture And therefore his troubling himself to prove that is to no purpose For his saying That if Matth. 28.19 be not understood of Water-Baptism it would make a Tautology I answered that n. 8. in my Apology of Baptism and here he only repeats the Objection without taking notice of my Answer Which sheweth how defective his Examen is He goes on pag. 480. upon the Supposition That the Apostle's Baptizing with Water was not by meer permission The Apostles baptizing with Water proves it not Evangelical and yet the Apostle's Commanding the Gentiles to Abstain for a time from things strangled and from Blood which was a Jewish Rite shews their Vsing Baptism with Water doth not prove it Evangelical He confesseth here They did not fully at first comply with their Commission and he must also say they did not understand it though he would here wave it And because he knows not well what to say he falls to Rail saying He seeth what Quakers cannot do with Reason they must do with Confident and bold Lies But the Reason he gives of all this Accusation so strange Confidence is my saying That the Chief of Christ's Disciples had been John's adding Will he tell us who these Chief were Yes I will seeing he is so ignorant Joh. 1.35 37. where he may see Two of John's Disciples followed Christ one of which is expresly mentioned to be Andrew the Apostle Some of Christ's Disciples had been John's and it is there clearly enough imported that Peter was another And such may without Absurdity be accounted among the Chief of Christ's Disciples Pag. 481. He most falsly saith That I Condemn Peter and all the Apostles for resting satisfied with what he had done His saying here That they do not urge their Baptism from Peter 's Baptizing Cornelius shews he sees a Necessity of not laying great Stress upon that But for his adding That Jesus Christ hath commanded he doth but say and not prove it He saith That Gal. 2.12 will not prove that Peter constrained the Gentiles to be Circumcised But verse 14. to which my words alluded saith expresly Why Compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews and sure that was to be Circumcised For his malitious false Asseveration That we with the Jews design to destroy Christianity it needs no Reply That there were Baptisms among the Jews is clear from Heb. 6.2 albeit Paulus Riccius were not alledged to prove it nor any Debate used about the Antiquity of the Jews Writings but that some of them wrote before the year 200 Josephus's History is an Example He confesseth The Etymology of the Word inferreth Dipping and albeit we deny not that yet this sheweth with how little Reason he urgeth that Etymology upon us If the Reader will but seriously read what I have written in my Apology of Baptism he will easily find how slender his Answer is albeit I had not written this Reply SECT XIV Wherein his Twenty Seventh Chapter Intituled Of the Lord's Supper is Considered ¶ 1. THE Reader before this time hath had so much Opportunity to Discern the Temper of this Man's Spirit that he need not wonder to find him begin this Chapter of the Lord's Supper with an Heap of Railing accounting us such as Overturn Christianity and Introduce Paganism yea as are posting towards it And then having given a large accout pag. 48 484. of their Confession of Faith and larger Catechism J. B's good Experiences of this Suffer prove not its Continuance pag. 485. he comes to tell the Good Experiences many have had by their Vse of this Supper which to make strong in his Conceit he useth a Continued Style of Railing against us as Men only led by our own Imaginations and given up to the working of the Prince of Darkness And thus he goes on But such Experience albeit granted will not prove the Necessity of its Continuance for the Assembly of Divines so called in their Preface to the Directory do speak of the good which was Experienced by the Liturgy of the Church of England and of the Religious Intentions of the Compilers of it while yet they are rejecting and abolishing it as that which proved an Offence to the godly and occasioned much Mischief Therefore that is no Argument Pag. 586. N. 5. He comes to Examin what I say in the Matter and then after a Reference to his Tenth Chapter he has his Old Calumny That the Celestial Seed J. B's Railing against the Light and Spiritual Substance is nothing but the dim Light of Nature he falleth into a new Fit of Railing which holds him to the end of this Paragraph terming us such as are Judicially blinded and deluded acted and driven by the Devil into a Profane and Paganish Contradiction to the Ways of Grace And with the like Shame and upon the same old Supposition of our Exalting the Light of Nature which is most False he filleth his N. 6. and also his 7. p. 488. For what he saith there of the Absurdity of God's Revealing himself to Heathens or such as were Idolaters I have spoken before writing upon that Subject And here he Concludes That my Asserting of a Spiritual Body and Flesh of Christ at one Blow is a denying the Christ of God and overturning Christianity But instead of proving it he proposeth some Questions Had Christ two Bodies Yes and let him deny it if he dare without contradicting the Scripture Christ's Flesh which came down from Heaven was not the Flesh he took from the Virgin Mary Joh. 6.58 Christ speaks of his Flesh which came down from Heaven but this was not the Flesh he took from the Virgin Mary for that came not down from Heaven but he had a Spiritual Body in which his Soul Existed long before he took Flesh of the Virgin and we will see how John Brown proves this to be an Error in the Refutation that is promised in his Name of G. K's Book And for the rest of his Conjectures such as We have two such Bodies too is but a Fiction of his own Brain We call