An Apology for the True Christian Divinity / Being an explanation and vindication of the principles and doctrines of the people called Quakers

by Robert Barclay

§. VIII.

Object.But whereas they urge the last Words, Ye shew forth the Lord’s Death till he come; insinuating, That this imports a necessary Continuance of that Ceremony, until Christ come at the End of the World to Judgment;

Answ.I answer, They take two of the chief Parts of the Controversy here for granted, without Proof. First, That [as often] imports a Command; the contrary whereof is shewn; neither will they ever be able to prove it. Christ’s outward and inward Coming.Secondly, That this Coming is to be 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 Externals, this might have been indulged to them for a Season, and even used by them 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. To remember Christ’s Death till he come to arise in the Heart.Now those weak and carnal Corinthians might be permitted the Use of this, to shew forth, or remember Christ’s Death, till he came to arise in them; for though such need those outward Things to put them in Mind of Christ’s Death, yet those who 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. iii. 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 those Things that are above, but are Things of the Earth. But that this whole Matter was a mere Act of Indulgence and Condescension of the Apostle Paul to the weak and carnal Corinthians, appears yet more by the Syriack[133] Copy, which Ver. 17. in his entering 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 forced to give them Instructions concerning those outward Things; and doting upon which, they shewed 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 it: Therefore 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 shewn) how come they to pass over far more positive Commands of the Apostles, as Matters of no Moment? As First, Acts xv. 29. where the Apostles peremptorily command the Gentiles, To abstain from Things strangled.as that which was the Mind of the Holy Ghost, To abstain from Things strangled, and from Blood: And James v. 14. The Anointing with Oil.where it is expresly commanded, That the Sick be anointed with Oil in the Name of the Lord.

[133] And likewise the other Oriental Versions, as the Arabick and Æthiopick, have it the same Way.

Object.If they say, Those were only temporary Things, but not to continue;

Answ.What have they more to shew for this; there being no express Repeal of them?

Object.If they say, The Repeal is implied, because the Apostle saith, We ought not to be judged in Meats and Drinks;

Answ.I admit the Answer: But how can it be prevented from militating 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.

Object.As for that of James, they say, There followed a Miracle upon it, to wit, The Recovery of the Sick; but this being ceased, so should the Ceremony.

Answ.Though this might many Ways be answered, to wit, That Prayer then might as well be forborn, 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; A Ceremony ought to cease, its Virtue failing.only methinks, since our Adversaries, and that rightly, think a Ceremony ought to cease where the Virtue fails, they ought by the same Rule to forbear the laying on of Hands, Thus laying on of Hands.in Imitation of the Apostles, since the Gift of the Holy Ghost doth not follow upon it.