‘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 doubtful 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 to remove these clouds, which darken thy understanding, that thou mayest perceive the glorious gospel 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 faithful friend,
R. BARCLAY.’
From the prison of Aberdeen, in Scotland, where I am confined for the sake of the testimony of Jesus. November 24, 1676.
This letter, a year ago, at the desire of my friend R. B. I delivered into the hands of the afore-named ambassador, desiring his answer in writing, which he then promised; but not having as yet done, it was seen meet to be published.
B. F.
Rotterdam, the 28th of March, 1678.
A brief and distinct Solution of the Argument which the Ambassador aforesaid useth against Robert Barclay’s Thesis, whereby he attempts to evince, that not the inward revelation of the Holy Spirit, but the outward by the Scripture, is the principal rule, and foundation of our faith: at least to us Europeans, who have the Scriptures.
As to his argument, as it was transmitted to us, if he considers the strength and substance of it, thus it stands: ‘The history of the outward coming, nativity, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ, is either necessary to their salvation, to whom the Scriptures came, or it is not necessary, viz. to be known and believed. If we say the second, namely, that the history is not necessary to be known and believed in order to the salvation of us Europeans who have the Scriptures, then it will follow that we are not Christians, because we deny that true, essential, and constitutive character of the Christian religion, which consists in believing that Christ was sent into the world, born of the Virgin Mary, dead and buried, rose again the third day, ascended into heaven, where he sitteth at the right hand of the Father, &c. But if they say the first, viz. That the knowledge and faith of the history are necessary to our salvation, then it will follow, that the Scripture, and not the inward revelation of the holy Spirit, is the principal rule and foundation of that historical faith and knowledge.
Now this he endeavours to prove, both from some other principles of the Quakers, so called, and from R. B.’s sixth Thesis, after this manner: