Truth triumphant through the spiritual warfare, Christian labours, and writings of that able and faithful servant of Jesus Christ, Robert Barclay, who deceased at his own house at Urie in the kingdom of Scotland, the 3 day of the 8 month 1690.

THE PREFACE TO THE READER.

READER,

HAving seriously perused W. M. his late Animad∣versions upon my Book, I find, my Judgment of it, though a Party concerned, to jump with that which is the sense of several Judicious Persons, who neither own nor walk in that Profession I am in; and therefore can the less be suspected of Partiality; viz. That they contain nothing of a solid or satisfactory Reply. For though he seems to take notice of all the Particulars mentioned, yet he omits in many more than the half, of what is said by me concerning them; and against that which he doth mention in my name, his most frequent Arguments are without any Proof; having no other bottom, but his own Judgment, Thoughts and Conjectures, whereby it seems (forgetting, or mistaking his Work) he plays the Catechist rather, than the Disputant. This put me to some stand, Whether it was fit to give him any Reply? though truly, such as will be at the pains to compare his with my last, will need little further. Yet knowing, how many are apt to take things upon Trust, and to receive Mis∣representations concerning us, who are a People so generally Reproached; I found it expedient to write this succinct Reply, which may lead the Reader to a narrow Observation of the Invalidity of W. M. his Work against us; and may pre∣sent in short his most Obvious Omissions, his most manifest Contradictions, unvail his Dis-ingenuity, lay open his Weak∣ness, and shew his Unstability (especially so far as he has deserved) in most of these Arguments he used in his Dialogue, as not being able further to maintain them; and discover, how

faintly such new ones, as he doth now bring forth, militate against us. Let it not startle thee, that so small a bulk as this is, should Answer his; for thou may'st perceive, several Pages of his taken up in the Capital Letters of the Contents of his many Heads and subdivided Sections; which makes it not unlike the City Mindus (whereof the Antients spoke) whose Gates were so disproportionable in greatness to the quantity of the Town, that a certain Philosopher is said to have advised the Citizens To shut them, least the City should flee out of them. We may very well so far extend the paral∣lel, as to aver, That the Contained in no ways answers to the Contents; there is a deal of more Heads, than either Heart or Horns: several Sections, but small Substance, and a great shew of Method, but very little Matter. I confess, I might have far more enlarged this Duply, had I taken no∣tice of all the Impertinencies, which herein come under my Observation; but that the more Judicious and Intelligent would ascribe these things not so much to the Cause, as his Weakness, who managed it. I desire to contend for Truth, and not for Victory; knowing, though I were so minded, the Triumph should be but Small, that I could gain from so Incon∣siderable an Antagonist. Therefore Reader, I shall wish thee for the Truth's sake, (that thou may be found truly owning it, and not something else in stead of it) seriously to Read and peruse these Papers, with such as relate unto them; and may that Spirit of Truth, which teacheth all things, so di∣rect thy Understanding, as thou may'st discern, what Doctrine is truly and really most according to the Holy Scriptures! Which thou art heartily invited in this matter to search and peruse,

Urie, the 24th of the 10th Month, commonly called December, 1671.

By a Well-wisher of thy Soul and of all Men, R. B.