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

§. XXI.

§. XXII.

Now, though the grossest of these Abuses be swept away by Protestants; yet the evil Root still remains, and is nourished and upheld; and the Science kept up, as being deemed necessary for a Minister: For, while the pure Learning of the Spirit of Truth is despised and neglected, and made ineffectual, Man’s fallen earthly Wisdom is upheld; and so in that he labours and works with the Scriptures, being out of the Life and Spirit which those that wrote them were in, by which only they are rightly understood, and made Use of. Merchandizing with the Scriptures: What it is. See also 2 Pet. 2. 3.And so he that is to be a Minister, 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. ii. 17. That he may acquire a Knack from a Verse of Scripture, by adding his own barren Notions and Conceptions to it, and his uncertain Conjectures, and what he hath stolen 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 oftener, make a Discourse for an Hour long; And this they call the Preaching of the Word.and this is called the Preaching of the Word: Whereas the Gift, Grace, and Spirit of God, to teach, 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, are set up and established in the Temple of God, yea, and above the little Seed; which in Effect is Antichrist, working in the Mystery. Thus Antichrist is established above the Seed of the Kingdom.And so the Devil may be as good and able a Minister as the best of them; How the Devil may be a Minister of the Priests Gospel.for he has better Skill in 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 Fisherman, 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 a Sinner unto God, than all of them who are learned after the Flesh; as in that Example of the old Man at the Council of Nice did appear.

§. XXIII.

[93] Job. 28. 28.

§. XXIV.

§. XXV.

Answ. 1. Diversity of Names makes no distinct Offices; but which may coincide, or be together in one Person.As to the last Part of this Objection, to which I shall first answer; it is apparent, that this Diversity of Names is not to distinguish separate Offices, but to denote the different and various Operations of the Spirit; a Manner of Speech frequent with the Apostle Paul, wherein he sometimes expatiates to the Illustrating of the Glory and Praise of God’s Grace: As in Particular, Rom. xii. 6. Having then Gifts differing according to the Grace that is given us, whether Prophecy, let us prophesy according to the Proportion of Faith; or Ministry, let us wait on our Ministring; or he that teacheth, on Teaching; or he that exhorteth, on Exhortation. Now none will say from all this, that these are distinct Offices, or do not, or may not coincide in one Person, as may all those other Things mentioned by him in the subsequent Verses, viz. Of Loving, being kindly Affectionated, Fervency of Spirit, Hospitality, Diligence, Blessing, Rejoicing, &c. which he yet numbers forth as different Gifts of the Spirit, and according to this Objection might be placed as distinct and separate Offices, which were most absurd.

Secondly, In these very Places mentioned it is clear that it is no real Distinction of separate Offices; because all acknowledge, that Pastors and Teachers, (which the Apostle there no less separateth and distinguisheth, than Pastors and Prophets, or Apostles) are one and the same, and coincide in the same Office and Person; and therefore may be said so of the rest. Prophecy and Prophesying, its twofold Signification.For [Prophecy] as it signifies the Foretelling of Things to come, is indeed a distinct Gift, but no distinct Office; and therefore our Adversaries do not place it among their several Orders: Neither will they deny, but that it both may be and hath been given of God to some, that not only have been Pastors and Teachers, and that there it hath coincided in one Person with these other Offices, but also to some of the Laicks: And so it hath been found, according to their own Confession, without the Limits of their Clergy. To prophesy, a Privilege of Teachers, and of all the Saints.Prophecy in the other Sense, to wit, as it signifies a Speaking from the Spirit of Truth, is not only peculiar to Pastors and Teachers, who ought so to prophesy; but even a common Privilege to the Saints. For though to instruct, teach and exhort, be proper to such as are more particularly called to the Work of the Ministry; yet it is not so proper to them, as not to be (when the Saints are met together, as any of them are moved by the Spirit) common to others: For some Acts belong to all in such a Relation; but not only to those within that Relation: Competunt omni, sed non soli. Thus to see and hear are proper Acts of a Man; seeing it may be properly predicated of him, that he heareth and seeth: Yet are they common to other Creatures also. So to prophesy in this Sense, is indeed proper to Ministers and Teachers; yet not so, but that it is common and lawful to other Saints, when moved thereunto, though it be not proper to them by Way of Relation: Because, notwithstanding that Motion, they are not particularly called to the Work of the Ministry, as appears by 1 Cor. xiv. where the Apostle at large declaring the Order and ordinary Method of the Church, saith, Ver. 30, 31. But if any Thing be revealed to another that sitteth by, let the first hold his Peace; for ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all be comforted: Which sheweth that none is here excluded. But yet that there is a Subordination, according to the various Measures of the Gift received, the next Verse sheweth: And the Spirits of the Prophets are subject to the Prophets: For God is not the Author of Confusion, but of Peace. Now that Prophesying, in this Sense, may be common to all Saints, appears by Ver. 39. of the same Chapter, where speaking to [all] in general, he saith, Wherefore, Brethren, covet to prophesy; and Ver. 1. he exhorts them, saying, Desire spiritual Gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy.