Secondly, That the Scriptures themselves are plain and easie to be understood; and that every private Christian and Member of the Church ought to read and peruse them, that they may know their Faith and Belief founded upon them, and receive them for that Cause alone, and not because any Church or Assembly has compounded and recommended them; the choicest and most pure of which they are obliged to look upon as Fallible.
Now, contrary to this their known and acknowledged Principle, they do most vigorously prosecute and persecute others with the like Severity the Papists did their Fathers, for believing things that are plainly set down in the Scriptures, and for not believing divers Principles for which themselves are forc'd to recur to Tradition, and can by no means prove from Scripture: To shew which I shall not here insist, having allotted a Chapter for it in the Book it self, because to put it here, would swell beyond the bounds of a Preface.
Oh! how like do they show themselves (I mention it with regret) to the Scribes and Pharisees of old, who of all men most cryed up and exalted Moses and the Prophets, boasting greatly of being Abraham's Children? And yet those were they that were the greatest Opposers and Vilifiers of Christ, to whom Moses and all the Prophets gave witness; yea, their chief Accusations and Exceptions against Christ, was, as being a Breaker of the Law, and a Blasphemer.
Can there any Comparison run more parallel, seeing there is now found a people, who are greatly Persecuted, and bitterly reviled, and Accused as Hereticks by a Generation that cry up and exalt the Scriptures; And yet this People's Principles are found in Scripture, Word by Word, though the most grievous, and indeed the greatest Calumny cast upon them is, that they vilifie and deny the Scriptures, and set up their own Imaginations instead of them.
To disprove which, this Catechism and Confession of Faith is compiled, and presented to thy Serious and Impartial view: If thou lovest the Scripture indeed, and desirest to hold the plain Doctrines there delivered, and not these Strained and Far-fetched Consequences, which Men have invented, thou shalt easily observe the whole Principles of the People called QUAKERS, plainly couched in Scripture-Words, without Addition or Commentary; especially in those things their Adversaries oppose them in, where the Scripture plainly decideth the Controversie for them, without Nicities and School-Distinctions, which have been the Wisdom by which the World hath not known God; and the Words which have been multiplied without knowledge, by which Counsel hath been darkned.
In the Answers to the Questions, there is not one Word that I know of, placed, but the express Words of Scripture: And if in some of the Questions there be somewhat subsumed of what in my Judgment is the plain and naked Import of the Words, it is not to impose my Sense upon the Reader, but to make way for the next Question, for the dependence of the Matter's sake; I shall leave it to the reason of any Understanding and Judicious Man, who is not byassed by Self-Interest, that great Enemy to true Equity, and who in the least measure is willing to give way to the Light of Christ in his Conscience, if the Scriptures do not pertinently and aptly answer to the Questions.
As I have upon serious grounds separated from most of the Confessions and Catechisms heretofore published; so, not without Cause, I have now taken another method: They usually place their Confession of Faith before the Catechism: I judge it ought to be otherwise, in regard that which is easiest, and is Composed for Children, or such as are weak, ought in my Judgment to be placed first; it being most regular to begin with things that are easie and familiar, and lead on to things that are more hard and Intricate: Besides, that things be more largely opened in the Catechism, and divers objections answered, which are proposed in the Questions, the Reader having past through that first, will more perfectly understand the Confession, which consisteth mainly in positive Assertions.
Not long after I had received and believed the Testimony I now bear, I had in my view both the possibility and facility of such a work; and now after a more large and perfect acquaintance with the Holy Scriptures, I found access to allow some time to set about it; and have also been helped to accomplish the same.
I doubt not but it might be enlarged by divers Citations, which are here omitted, as not being at present brought to my Remembrance: Yet I find Cause to be contented, in that God hath so far assisted me in this Work by his Spirit, that good Remembrancer; the Manifestation of which, as it is minded, will help such as Seriously and Conscientiously read this, to find out and cleave to the Truth, and also Establish and Confirm those who have already believed: Which of all things is most earnestly desired, and daily prayed for, By
ROBERT BARCLAY,A Servant of the Church of CHRIST.From Urie, the Place of my Being in my Native Country of Scotland, the 11th. of the 6th Month, 1673.
CHAP. I.
Of GOD, and the true and Saving Knowledge of Him.
Question, Seeing it is a thing unquestioned by all sorts of Christians, that the height of Happiness consisteth in coming to know and enjoy Eternal Life, what is it in the Sense and Judgment of Christ?
A. This is Life Eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent [John 17:3].
Q. How doth God reveal this knowledge?
A. For God, who commanded the Light to shine out of Darkness, hath shined in our Hearts, to give the Light of the Knowledge of the Glory of God in the Face of Jesus Christ [2 Cor. 4:6].
Q. How many Gods are there?
A. One God [Eph. 4:6].
We know, that an Idol is nothing in the World, and that there is none other God but one. But to us there is but one God [1 Cor. 8:4,6].
Q. What is God?
A. God is a Spirit [John 4:24].
Q. Among all the Blessed, Glorious and Divine Excellencies of God, which are ascribed and given to him in the Scriptures; what is that which is most needful for us to take notice of, as being the Message which the Apostles recorded in special manner to declare of him now under the Gospel?
A. This then is the Message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is Light, and in him is no Darkness at all [1 John 1:5].
Q. What are they that bear Record in Heaven?
A. There are Three that bear Record in Heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost; and these Three are One [1 John 5:7].
Q. How cometh any man to know God the Father according to Christ's words?
A. All things are delivered to me of my Father; and no man knows who the Son is, but the Father; and who the Father is but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him [Luke 10:22; Matt. 11:27].
Jesus saith unto him, I am the Way, the Truth and the Life, no man cometh unto the Father but by me [John 14:6].
Q. By whom, and after what manner doth the Son reveal this knowledge?
A. But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor Ear heard, neither have entered into the Heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him; But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit; For the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the Spirit of a man, which is in him? Even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. Now, we have received not the Spirit of the World, but the Spirit which is of God, that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God [1 Cor. 2:9–12].
But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my Name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your Remembrance, &c. [John 14:26].
CHAP. II