any Divine and Supernaturall Idea which is clearly perceived in the Soul it is a manifest token that it is not a Divine Revelation but either a false Imagination or the wicked sugestion of some evill spirit But to proceed if we will hear the Scripture as all Christians ought It testifies to us That GOD hath declared his Mind and Will even concerning Contingent Truths to come in the Prophets As that of the first to the Heb 〈…〉 doth evidently declare GOD who at sundry times and in diverse manners spoke to our Fathers in the Prophets Yea let us hear the Prophets themselves Hosea Chap 1. saith plainly That the Word of the LORD was made in him As it is in the Heb. Habakuk also sayes As he was standing on his Watch to see what Jehovah would speak in him And it is so manifest that the most Heavenly Revelations are by Inward Illustrations and Inspirations in the very minds of the Prophets That it is strange how any that believes the Scripture should doubt of it And if it happened at any time such Revelations were made in the naturall Imaginations of the Prophets or any of their Inward â—aturall Senses Then it may be confessed they could not be infallibly certain they came from GOD unless they also felt GOD in the Divine and Supernaturall Senses by which they did most neerly approach to him from these Superior and most Inward Senses working upon the lower and less noble Faculties of the Mind But which ever way the Prophets were certain that they were Inspired of GOD even when they foretold Contingent Truths to come It is without doubt they were most certainly perswaded that they were Divinly Inspired and that frequently without any Outward Miracle For John the Baptist did no Miracle and many Prophesied where there appeared no Miracle as in the Scripture may be often observed And we also by the Inspiration of the same Divine Spirit by which the Prophets prophesied do believe their Words and Writtings to be Divine concerning Contingent Truths as well past as to come else that Faith by which we believe the Scripture would not be Divine but meerly Humane And thence we need no outward Miracles to move us to Believe the Scriptures And therefore much less were they necessary to the Prophets who Write them For we see in many places of the Prophets where they declare Prophesies as revealed to them of GOD there is not a word mentioned of any outward Miracle as that by which alone they were certain of it Moreover the falseness of this Argument doth appear in that the Scripture doth declare many Contingent Truths to have been revealed to the Prophets in Dreams Now as naturall and wicked men do not see what they dream by a reall perception of the Outward Senses but by Inward Ideas which are presented to the Mind and perceived by it so it is also in Divine Revelations of this nature Of which we have a clear Example in Joseph the Husband of the Blessed Virgin who when he observed his Wife with Child was told in a Dream That She had Conceived by the Holy Ghost Now I would Know to which of Joseph's Outward Senses was this revealed or what miracle had he to Induce him to Believe Which could neither be proved so as to make an Infallible application to Mary by the Testimony of the Scripture And which being against the Order of nature did choak his reason The Scripture mentions no miracle in this matter and yet no doubt Joseph had highly sinned had he not Believed this Revelation and not withstanding rejected his Wife as an Adulteress But if thou say That according to thy Hypothesis there must have been a miracle That is only to beg the Question And how false this Hypothesis is The Apostle shews clearly Corinth 2.14 The Naturall or Animall Man knoweth not receiveth not the things of GOD Now Divine Revelations are of this Nature and if either chiefly or only those things were to be Judged by the Outward Senses it would contradict the Apostle For natural Men yea the most wicked have the use of the outward senses as true and exact as the most Godly And whereas the Apostle adds For they are Spiritually Discerned It puts the Matter out of all Question For thence it abundantly appears that this discerning is not by the Outward Senses according to the following verse for the Apostle saith The Spirituall Man Judgeth all things This then must be done by some senses or Properties Peculiar to the Spirituall man and in which he excells the naturall man which is not in the outward senses as all do know Therefore the perception of spirituall things cannot be by the outward senses either as the chief or only means as is falsly contended for Now as to these words of the Apostle Rom. 10. That Faith comes by Hearing Zuinglius observed well That the Apostle intended not to affirm Faith to come by the hearing of the Outward Word Neither doth the following words prove it How shall they Believe unless they hear And how shall they hear without a Preacher And how shall they Preach unless they be sent For the Apostle uses these words not as his Arguments but as Objections which might be formed As the same Apostle uses in other places To which Objections he answers in the same Chapter as appears verse 18. But I say have they not all heard Yes truly their Voice went into all the Earth That is of the Father and Son Or the Father in the Word which Word is not only neer us But according to the same Apostle in the same Chapter in our Mouths and in our Hearts But further thou can conclude nothing from this But that Faith is begotten by Outward Hearing only and no otherwise For this is the strength of thy Argument That since Faith cannot be without Outward Hearing Therefore nothing can be certainly believed but where somewhat is proposed to the Outward Hearing For if thou acknowledge Faith can be begotten any otherwise then by Hearing thou looses the strength of thy Argument And if that Argument hold That Faith comes only by Outward Hearing thou destroyes the whole Hypothesis For having before affirmed that outward miracles are sufficient to render one certain of the Truth of any Revelation those miracles whether it be the healing of the Sick or the raising of the Dead would avail nothing because those as for most part all miracles are obvious to the sight not to the Hearing And if it be not by Outward Hearing only thou can conclude nothing from this place But I the more wonder thy using of this Argument considering the Discourse we had together before we entred upon this debate For when we were speaking of the Opinions of a certain Person who denyed the certainty of every thing but what was discerned by the outward Senses thou condemned as most absurd But why I cannot conceive since there is no great difference betwixt those two Opinions the one saith There can be no certainty concerning any Truth whether they be necessary or Contingent but by the perception of the Senses The other affirms the same of Contingent Truths though not of Necessary Truths But among the number of Contingent Truths thou Esteems what belongs to Christian Religion For thou reckon the necessary Truths only to belong to naturall Religion This then is all the difference that that other Person sayes There is no certainty of any Religion neither Naturall nor Christian but by the perception of the Outward Senses But thou sayes though thou Esteems the Certainty of Naturall Reâ—iâ—ion to be without them yet not of the Christian Religion But again since thou Esteems that not Naturall Religion but the Christian Religion is necessary to Salvation Thou must necessarly conclude That thâ—se Truths which are necessary to Salvation are only known and beleived by the benefit of the Outward Senses In which Conclusion which is the Summ of all thou yields the Matter to that other Person But lastly If all the certainty of our Faith Hope and Salvation did depend upon the Infallibility of outward Senses we should be most misâ—rable since these Senses can be easily deceived and by many outward Casualities and Naturall infirmities whereunto the Godly are no less subject then the wicked are often vitiated and there are as the Scripture affirms false miracles which as to the outward cannot be distinguished from the True of which we cannot infallibly Judge by the outward Senses which only discern what is outward There is a necessity then to have recourse to some other Means From all which it does appear how fallacious and weak this Argument is but thanks be unto GOD who would not that our Faith should be built upon so uncertain and doubtfull a Foundation And whoever hath known True Faith or hath felt the Divine Testimony of GOD'S Spirit in his Soul will judge otherwise neither will be moved by such Reasonings I pray GOD therefore remove these Clouds which darken thy Understanding that thou may perceive the Glorious Gospell of CHRIST This is that Saving Word of Grace which I commend thee unto And that GOD may give thee a Heart inclinable to believe and obey the Truth is the desire of Thy Faithfull Freind R. BARCLAY The 24th of the Month called November 1676. This Letter a Year ago at the desire of my Freind R. B. I delivered into the hands of the aforenamed Ambassadour desiring his answer in writting which he then promised but not having as yet done It was seen meet to be published B. F. Rotterdam the 28 of March 1678.
which contingent truth is matter of fact whence thou reasons That matter of Fact cannot be known but by the relation of another or by the perception of the outward Senses Because there are naturally in our Souls no Ideas of contingent truths such as are concerning necessary Truths to wit That GOD is and thaâ— the whole is greater than the part And since iâ— may without absurdity be said that GOD cannot make a contingent Truth to become a necessary Truth neither can GOD reveal contingent Truths or matters of Fact but as contingent Truths are revealed But matters of Fact are not revealed but by the outward Senses From whence thou concludes That Men are not even oblieged to believe GOD producing any Revelation â—n the Soul concerning matter of Fact whether of a â—hing done or to be done unless there be added some Miracles obvious to the outward senses by which the Soul may be ascertained that that Revelation cometh from GOD And this thou endeavours also to prove from the Scripture Rom 10. where the Apostle saith Faith cometh by hearing And because the Apostle speaketh afterwards of those who were â—ent in the plural number Thence thou concludes That to be spoken of outward Preaching by â—he Ministry of Men And since the Apostle uses Question saying How shall they believe unless â—hey hear Thou gathers from the Induction and â—onnexion of the Text that the Apostle treats â—nly of outward hearing thence concluding that â—ithout outward hearing Faith cannot be produced â—nd therefore that there can be no Immediat Revelation by the simple operation of the Spirit in the Mind â—nless there be somewhat proposed to the Outâ—ard senses Before I proceed to a direct answer to this Arâ—ument some things are necessary to be premised First then That is falsly supposed that the â—ence of the Christian Religion consists in the â—istoricall Faith and Knowledge of the Birth â—eath Life Resurrection and Ascension of Christ That Faith and Historicall Knowledge is indeed a part of the Christian Religion But not such an Essentiall part as that without which the Christian Religion cannot consist But an Integrall part which goes to the compleating of the Christian Religion as the Hands or Feet of a Man are Integrall parts of a Man without which nevertheless a Man may exist but not an intire and compleat Man Secondly If by Immediate Revelation be understood such a Revelation of GOD as begets in our Souls an historicall Faith and Knowledge of the Birth of Christ in the flesh without the means oâ— the holy Scripture we do not for such a Revelalation as commonly given or to be expected by uâ— or any other Christians For albeit many other Evangelical Truths be manifested to us by the immediate manifestation of God not using the Scripture as the means yet the Historical Knowledge oâ— Christ is not commonly manifested to us nor tâ— any others but by the holy Scripture as thâ— means and that by way of a Material Object eveâ— as when we see the Person of Peter or Paul by thâ— help of the Suns light that light of the Sun reâ—veals the Person of Peter or Paul to our visivâ— Faculty immediately yet not without the mâ—dium of that person concurring as a matterial Oâ—ject to produce that sight while the light of thâ— Sun concurrs as the formal Object of that vision 〈◊〉 sight So that when we Livingly and Spirituaâ—ly know the History of the Birth of Christ 〈◊〉 the flesh the Inward Revelation or Illumination 〈◊〉 GOD which is like the Suns light proceeding from the Divine Sun doth shine into the eye of the Mind and by Its influence moves the mind to assent unto the Historical Truth of CHRISTS Birth Life c. in the Reading or Hearing the Scripture or meditating therein Thirdly Nevertheless we do firmly assert that GOD can most easily clearly and certainly manifest to our minds the Historical Truths of CHRISTS Birth c. when it so pleaseth Him even without the Scripture or any other outward mean And because this Argument seems to be formed against the possibility of such a Revelation therefore I shall proceed to discuse it But first thou may mind that the Prophets who foretold CHRISTS coming in the Flesh and being to be born of a Virgin and afterwards to suffer Death did know these Truths of Fact by the Inward Inspiration of GOD without Outward Means for which see 1 Peter 1.10 11. Now that which hath been may be Fourthly This Argument doth at most conclude that we cannot know Naturally any truth of Fact but by the relation of another without us or by the perception of the outward senses Because there are naturally in our minds no Ideas concerning contingent Truths and every Truth of Fact is a contingent Truth as there are of necessary Truths This then proveth that we cannot naturally know any contingent Truth but by the relation of another or perception of the outward senses But that hindreth not but we may know a contingent Truth by a supernaturall Knowledge GOD supplying the place of an outward Relator who is so true that he may and ought to be believed Sith GOD is the fountain of Truth Fifthly When GOD doth make known unto Men any matter of Fact by Divine immediat Revelation or Inspiration GOD speaking as to the Ear of the Heart of the inward Man or as by his Finger writting it therein Two things are to be considered in such an Immediat Revelation 1. Tòmateriale The matter of fact or thing revealed which is contingent 2. Toformale The forme or mode how the Revelation is made which forme is an Inward Divine and supernaturall Revelation which is the voice or speech of GOD inwardly speaking to the Ear of the inward Man or Mind of Man or a Divine writting supernaturally imprinted therein Now as to the matteriall part or the thing and matter revealed This is indeed a contingent Truth and of it self is not manifest to the Mind but because of the form that is because of the Divine mode and supernaturall inward operation the matter is known to be true For that Divine and Supernatural Inward Operation which the Mind doth feel and perceive in it self is the Voice of GOD speaking unto Man which by its Nature and specifick Property is as clearly distinguished and understood to be the Voice of GOD as the voice of Peter of James is known to be the voice of such Men for every Beeing as a Beeing is knowable and that by its own speciâ—â—â—k Nature or Property proceeding from its Nature and hath its proper Idea by which it's distinguishable from every other thing if so be it's Idea be stirred up in us and clearly proposed to us Sixthly Now as some Beeings are Natural some Supernatural so some Ideas are Natural some Supernatural And as when any natural Idea is excited in us we clearly know it So also when a supernatural Idea is raised we clearly know that whereof it is the Idea but the Voice of
GOD speaking to the mind of Man is a supernatural Beeing and stirreth up in us a supernatural Idea by which we clearly know that inward Voice to be the Voice of GOD and not the voice or operation of another or of any evil Spirit or Angel because none of these has a supernatural Idea as the Voice of GOD and his Divine Operation hath for it is full of Vigour Virtue and Divine Glory as saith the Psalmist who had often experience of it and we also in our measures are witnesses thereof for the Voice of GOD is known to be his by its Divine Virtue Seventhly The senses are either Outward or Inward and the Inward senses are either Natural or Supernatural We have an example of the Inward Natural Sense in being Angied or Pacified in Love and Hatred or when we perceive and discern any Natural Truth such as the Natural Maxims to wit That the whole is greater then the part or when we deduce any Conclusion by the strength of Natural Reason that Perception also in a larger sense may be called an inward Sense But an Example of an Inward supernatural Sense is when the Heart or Soul of a pious Man feels in it self Divine Motions Influences and Operations which sometimes are as the voice or speech of GOD sometimes as a most pleasant and glorious Illustration or visible Object to the inward Eye Sometimes as a most sweet Savour or Taste sometimes as a Heavenly and Divine Warmness or so to speak Melting of the Soul in the Love of GOD. Moreover this Divine and supernatural Operation in the Mind of a Man is a true and most glorious Miracle which when it is perceived by the Inward and supernatural Sense divinely raised up in the Mind of Man doth so evidently and clearly perswade the Understanding to assent to the thing revealed that there is no need of an outward Miracle for this Assent is not because of the thing it self but because of the Revelation proposing it which is the Voice of GOD For when the Voice of GOD is heard in the Soul the Soul doth as certainly conclude the truth of that Voice as the truth of GOD'S Beeing from whom it proceeds These things being thus premised I now proceed to a direct Answer For what is said that GOD cannot make a contingent Truth to become a necessarie Truth I agree But when any Contingent Truth is manifest to us by the Immediat Revelation of GOD There is in it two things to be considered to wit the thing revealed which is Contingent And the Revelation it self which upon the Supposition that it is a Divine Revelation is no contingent Truth but a most Necessarie Truth And this all mankind will say that this Proposition Every divine Revelation is necessarly true is as clear and evident as that Proposition That every Whole is greater then its Part. But thou wilt say how knows thou that a Divine Revelation is a Divine Revelation I answer how knows thou that a Whole is a Whole and a Part is a Part Thou wilt say by the natural Idea excited in me of a Whole and of a Part. I answer again even so a Divine Revelation is known to be such by a Supernatural Idea of Divine Revelation stirred up in us and that by a Divine Motion or Supernatural Operation But it is no wonder that Men who have no Experience of Supernatural Ideas or at lest do not heed them doe deny them which is as if a man naturally blind denyed Light or Colours or a deaf man Sounds because they experience them not Therefore we cannot dissemble that we feel a fervent Zeal even Divinely kindled in us against such an absurd opinion as affirms That God cannot ascertain us of his will in any contingent Truth but by proposing it to the outward Senses This Opinion does in a manner turn Men into brutes as if Man were not to believe his GOD unless he propose what is to be believed to the outward Senses which the beasts have common with us yea it derogats from GOD's Power and imputes weakness to him as if he could not do that which not only both good and evil Angels can doe but which the meanest Creatures can doe and the most unsensible As for instance the heat of the fire the coldness of the Air Water worketh upon us yea if a Pinn prick us we feel it that by the outward Sense because the Objects are outward and carnal But since GOD is a most Pure and Glorious Spirit when he operateth in the Innermost parts of our Minds by his will Shall not he and his will be clearly felt according to his Nature That is by a spiritual and supernatural Sense For as the Nature of GOD is so is the Nature of his will to wit purely spiritual And therefore requireth a Spiritual Sense to discern it which Spiritual Sense when it is raised up in us by a divine Operation doth as clearly and certainly know the voice or revelation of the will of GOD concerning any thing which GOD is pleased to reveal however Contingent as the outward Sense knows and perceives the Outward Object And it is no less absurd to require of GOD who is a most pure Spirit to manifest his will to Men by the outward Senses else not to be credited As to require us to see sounds and hear Light and Colours For as the Objects of the outward Senses are not to be confounded but every Object is to have its proper Sense So must we judge of inward and spiritual Objects which have their proper Sense whereby they are to be perceived And tell me how God doth manifest his will concerning matters of Fact when he sends his Angels to men since Angels as is commonly received have not outward Senses or at least not so gross ones as ours are Yea when Men dye and apear before the Tribunal of GOD whether unto eternal Life or Death how can they know this having laid down their bodies and therewith their outward Senses And nevertheless this Truth of GOD is a Truth of Fact as is the historicall Truth of Christs Birth in the Flesh. And which is yet more near how do good and holy Men even in this Life most certainly know that they are in Favour and Grace with GOD No Outward Revelation doth make this known unto them but the Spirit as saith the Apostle beareth witness with our Spirits that we are the Children of GOD. For the meer Testimonie of a human Conscience without the inward Testimonie of the holy Spirit cannot beget in us a firm and immoveable Testimony of our Sonship because the Heart of Man is deceitfull and if the Testimony thereof were true at most it is but a Human Testimonie which begetteth in us only an human Faith But that Faith by which holy Men believe they are the Sons of GOD is a Divine Faith which leans upon a Divine Testimony of the holy Spirit witnessing in them that they are the Sons