Universal love considered and established upon its right foundation being a serious enquiry how far charity may and ought to be extended towards persons of different judgments in matters of religion and whose principles among the several sects of Christians do most naturally lead to that due moderation required ... / Robert Barclay.

SECT. V.

Some Principles of Christianity proposed, as they are held by a great body of People, and whole gathered Churches in Brittain and Ireland, which do very well agree with true Universal Love.

SUch as most commonly complain for the want of Universal Love, do alledg this defect to proceed from the nature of a Sect, unto which they think this want of Charity so peculiar, that from thence they conclude that it is impossi∣ble either for any Sect universally to have this Universal Love, or for any Member of a Sect, so long as he stands to his Principles, or is strictly bound up and tyed to a Sect to have this Universal Love; and indeed this in a great measure is too true, if the nature of a Sect be rightly under∣stood, and therefore to avoid mistakes, it will be fit to en∣quire somewhat in this matter.

A Sect is commonly and universally taken in the worst part, and alwayes so understood; where it is mentioned in the Scripture, as being either really understood of such as are justly so termed, Act. 5. 17. Ch. 5. 5. Ch. 26. 5. or reproachfully cast upon such as ought not to have been so denominated, Act. 24. 5. Ch. 28. 22. For a Sect is a company of People following the Opinions and Inventions of a particular Man or Men, to which they adhere more, and for which they are more Zealous than for the simple, plain, and necessary Doctrine of Christ. But such as are not a Sect, nor of a Sect, are those that follow the Faith and Doctrines of Christ, and receive and believe the same, as purely Preached and held forth by him unto them, and not as by the recommendation of Man, as clouded and en∣cumbred with their interpretations and additions, and so are meer Christians, and yet true and faithful Ones too; yea, the most True and Faithful.

Now, which of the several sorts of Christians, are to

be accounted Sects, and which not, is a great Question, and would take a larger Discourse, than is proper to be incerted in this Place, truly to enquire into it; and there∣fore, it shall suffice me at this time, to have Asserted this in General, which, I judge, will be generally accorded to by All, and leave the Application to each understan∣ding Reader; for the clearing which, there may several weighty Observations fall in hereafter: Probably, this will be almost granted by All; and I am sure, may be truly affirmed, that whatsoever people hold forth, and preach Doctrines, which in the Nature of them contradict, and are inconsistent with true Universal Love; Such may truly be termed a Sect, which may be easily applyed to those heretofore-mentioned; and so, consequently, who ever hold forth Principles and Doctrines consistent and agree∣able thereunto, are, and may truly be esteemed meer Christians, and no Sect. Next, the Nature of a Peo∣ple's Society, and the Causes drawing them together, with the Method of their being gathered, does much contribute to evidence, whether they are to be esteemed a Sect or not; first, whose Fellowship stands meerly in Judg∣ment, and in that which reacheth the Understanding, and so are joyned together in and for one Opinion; are only to be esteemed a Sect, however true their Notions may be supposed to be, for the true Principles and Doctrines of Christ. Albeit, they do truly reach the Understanding, and require its Assent, yet they are of an opperative Nature; however, they may be held by one or two Members of the Church, without working upon their Hearts; yet cannot be held, nor never was by any entire Society, without pu∣rifying their Souls, and reaching to, and working upon their Hearts, to a true and real Conversion: I mean, up∣on the greatest, and most considerable part, (but false Doc∣trines may be firmly believed by a whole Society, with∣out having any Operation): for the gathering of the Apo∣stles and Primitive Christians, was an uniting of Hearts,

and not of Heads only: Those three Thousand Converts were pricked in their Hearts, and not in their Heads only; yea, where there may be a Dissent in some things in point of Judgment, if there be this Unity of Heart through the prevailing of the same Life of Righteousness; yet the true Fellowship is not broken, as appeared in the Example of the Apostles themselves. Now, these People who hold forth the Principles and Doctrines, here-after to be mentioned, were not gathered together by an Unity of Opinion, or by a tedious and particular Disquisition of Notions and O∣pinions, requiring an Assent to them, and binding them∣selves by Leagues and Covenants thereto; but the manner of their gathering was by a secret Want, which many truly tender, and serious Souls, in divers and sundry Sects, found in themselves; which put each Sect upon the search of something beyond all Opinion, which might satisfie their weary Souls, even the Revelation of God's righteous Judg∣ment in their Heart, to burn up the unrighteous Root, and Fruits thereof; that the same being destroyed, and done away, the inward Peace and Joy of the Holy Spirit in the Soul, might be felt to abound, and thence Power and Life to follow him in all his Commandments; and so, many came to be joyned and united together, in Heart and Spi∣rit, in this one Life of Righteousness, who had long been wandring in the several Sects, and by the inward Unity, came to be gathered in one Body; from whence, by de∣grees they came to find themselves agreed in the plain and simple Doc∣trines of Christ; and as this in∣ward Power they longed for, and felt to give them victory over Sin; and bring the Peace that follows

thereon, was that whereby they were brought unto that Unity and Community together; so they came first thence to accord in the Universal Preaching of this power to all, and directing all unto it, which is their first and chiefest principle, and most agreeable to this Universal Love, as I shall hereafter shew. And it is very observable, that as those whose gathering and fellowship arises from this meer unity of Notions and Opinions, do usually derive their name and designation from the first Authors, Inventers, and Fomenters of those Opinions, as of old, the Arians, Nestorians, Manicheans, &c. And of late the Lutherans, Calvinists, Arminians, Socinians, Monites, &c. So those people, whose unity and fellowship did arise from their mu∣tual sense of this Power working in and upon their souls, so that Society derives not their name from any particular Man, and therefore are providentially delivered from that great mark of a Sect; but as the Ungodly will be always throwing some name of Reproach upon the Children and Servants of God; it being observed, that through the deep and inward operation of this power in them, a dread took hold on them, not only to the begetting of God's fear in their hearts, but even to the reaching and instructing of their outward Man: hence the name of Quakers or Trem∣blers hath been cast upon them, which serveth to distinguish them from others, though not assumed by them; yet as the Christians of old, albeit the name of Christian was cast upon them by way of Reproach, gloryed in it, as desiring above all things, to be accounted the Followers of Christ; so they also are glad that the World reproacheth them as such who tremble before the Lord, and who work out their Salvation in fear and trembling. And truly the Lord seems by his Prophets of old, to have fore-told that his Chil∣dren should be so reproached; as Isa. 66. 5. Hear the Word of the Lord, ye that Tremble at his Word; your Brethren that hated you, that cast you out for my Name sake, said, Let the Lord be glorified, and He shall appear to your joy,

and they shall be ashamed. Where a joyful appearance of God is promised to these Hated and Reproached Tremblers or Quakars, and Jer. 33. 9. does more clearly Prophesie how this Reproachful Name, when cast upon his Chil∣dren, shall be owned and countenanced by the Lord in these very plain and comfortable words: And it shall become a Name of joy and praise, and an honour before all the Natt∣ons of the Earth, which shall hear all the good that I do unto them, and they shall fear and Tremble, or Duake, for all the goodness, and all the prosperity that I procure unto it.

As the nature of a Sect ariseth from the love of Self, and its production, so in the last place there can be no more signal or certain mark of a Sect, then when a People seek to advance and propagate their way in the strength of their own Spirits reckoning the Preaching and publishing thereof by their own natural or acquired parts, without the necessity of the inward motion of the Holy Spirit, both lawful and commendable; and not only so, but the ad∣vancing and establishing of the same by outward force and violence: For, here is Man working without God, or the guidance of his Spirit, in his own meer strength and will, to set up his own Images and Inventions under a pretence of Truths and pure Christianity; but those that dare not seek to advance even that, which they are perswaded is Truth, in their own will and spirit, far less by outward force and violence, but in and by God's Spirit, as he leads and moves to it by his Life and Power; shew that such are not a Sect nor Followers of Man's inventions, but of Christ alone, waiting to follow Him as He acts and moves them by his own Spirit and Power, and therefore are no Secta∣rians, but meer Christians.

The chief and first Principle then held by those Chri∣stians, which as I observed before, naturally ariseth, and was assented to by them from their inward sense that tyed them together, is, that there is somewhat of God, some Light, some Grace, some Power, some measure of the Spi∣rit,

some Divine, Spiritual, Heavenly, substantial Life and Vertue in all Men, which is a faithful Witness against all Unrighteousness and Ungodliness in the heart of Man, and leads, draws, moves, and inclines the mind of Man to Righteousness, and seeks to leaven him as he gives way thereunto, into the nature of it self, whereby an inward, thorow, and real Redemption may be wrought in the hearts of all Men, of whatsoever Nation, Country, or Kindred they be, notwithstanding whatsoever outward knowledge or benefit they be by the Providence of God necessarily de∣prived of. Because whatsoever they want of that, yet such a measure of this Light, Seed, Life, and Word is com∣municated to all, as is sufficient truly to convert them from the evil of their ways, purifie, and cleanse them, and consequently bring them to Salvation. And in the affirm∣ing of this, they do not at all exalt Self or Nature, as do the Socinians in that they freely acknowledge, that Man's Nature is defiled and corrupted, and unable to help him or further him one step in order to Salvation; judging nothing more needful then the full and perfect denying and mor∣tification of Self in order thereunto. Now do they believe this Seed, Light, and Grace, to be any part of Man's Na∣ture, or any thing that properly and essentially is of Man, but that it is a free Grace and gift of God, freely given to all Men, in order to bring them out of the fall, and lead them to Life Eternal. Neither do they suppose this Seed, Word, and Grace, which is sufficient to lead to Salvation, to be given to Men without Christ, for they believe it to be the purchase and benefit of Christ's death, who tasted Death for every Man: So that they confess all to be derived to them, in and by Christ the Mediator, to whom they ascribe all; yea, they believe this Light, Grace, and Seed, to be no other but a measure of that Life and Spirit that was in Christ Jesus; which being in Him, who is the Head, in the fulness of it, is from Him in whom it

recideth, as He is ascended up unto, and glorified in the Heavens, extended to all Men, in order to redeem them from sin, and convert them to God.

Thus according to this Principle, without attributing a∣ny thing to Self, or to the Nature of Man, or claiming any thing without Christ, the Universal Love of God to all Men is exhibited, whereby the means of Salvation by Christ, and reconciliation unto God is so asserted, that no Man is altoge∣ther excluded from it, but each so reached, as puts him in a ca∣pacity to be saved. Such then as believe and Preach this Doctrine, must of necessity be esteemed great advancers and asserters of Universal Love, as those that truly esta∣blish it, not through any uncertainty or doubtfulness in them∣selves, but upon their own firm and acknowledged prin∣ciple, since that doth necessarily extend their Charity to the not only supposing, but even concluding Salvation possi∣ble, not only to the several sorts of Christians, but even to such, who by the disadvantage of Education, and the remoteness of their Habitation, are ignorant of the Name of Christ; providing that this Seed, Grace, Word and Light, which is in them all, and the free gift of God to them all, receive place in their hearts, so as to work out the fruits and nature of Unrighteous∣ness, and to beget them unto Righteousness, Puri∣ty, and Holiness, which according to this Principle is believed to be very possible where the external knowledge is thus unavoidably wanting; for albeit, those who hold this Principle, do believe that the outward knowledge of Christ, and these other ad∣vantages which from the use of the Scriptures are enjoyed among Christians, are very comfortable, and conducing to facilitate Salvation; yet they reckon them not absolutely needful, holding them only to be in∣tegral and no essential parts of Christianity, for they place the essence or being of Christianity only in the

in the true and real Conversion of the heart by vertue of the operation of this Light, Seed, and Grace there, even as the essence and being of a Man consists in the unity of soul and body, which is e∣nough to denominate one a Man; albeit, he should want a Leg, or an Arm, an Eye, or an Ear, or have some o∣ther defect; or even should be destitute of some of the faculties of the mind, as of the memory, &c. that other Men have; yet such a one would still, and that truly, be call∣ed a Man; albeit, not a compleat and entire Man; yea, those that live in the most Barbarous and Unciviliz'd pla∣ces of the World, where they are destitute and ignorant of all the liberal Arts and Sciences used among us, and of all these conveniences which so much conduce to the faci∣litating of Humane society, and accomodating of Man-kind in their living together; I say, those are still truly account∣ed Men, as having that which is truly essential or constitu∣tive of a Man as such. In like manner this Principle sup∣poseth the possibility of Salvation, both to those commonly called Heathens, and to many among the dark and errone∣ous Sects of Christianity, in that this essential part of Christianity is extended to them; albeit, they want those other Integrals and comfortable parts which may, in and with respect to the Spiritual Man, be fitly compared to these defects that those Barbarous Nations want, which we enjoy as to the Natural Man; as none can deny but this Principle is most agreeing to Universal Love: So the practice of all, even of those that deny it, doth evidence and shew how agreeable it is, as well to the Love of God as to right

reason; where, when ever any of the Sects come to deal with a Heathen, or any such, against whom they cannot urge any thing from Scripture or Tradition, as being Principles not acknowledged by them, then they are always forced to recur to an inward innate light in the soul, to which they labour to make manifest their Principles, (albeit, they differ about the nature and sufficiency of it) yet they are forced to concede that this is God's Love to Man-kind, and that in this the Universal Love of God is extended to all; so that to every one, to whom they come to Preach, they may find something by which they may urge or com∣mend their Doctrine, of which I shall give one singular example out of the words of Franciscus Xaverius, a Jesuit, whom that Tribe, for the high esteem they have of him, term the Apostle of the Indies, as it is Recorded in Bern∣hardus Varenus, his Descriptio Regni, Japoniae, p. 195. cap. 8. where he puts down the words of Francis Xaviers Letter, thus, p. 247. The Amargurians, before they re∣ceived Baptisme, were straitned with an odious and trouble∣some scruple; to wit, That God seemed not unto them mer∣ciful and benigne; who had condemned all the Japonians be∣fore our coming, to Eternal Punishment, especially who ever did not Worship God according as we Preached; and there∣fore they said that He (to wit, God) had wholly neglected the Salvation of all their Predecessors, in permitting that these miserable souls should altogether be destitute, to their utter ruin, of the knowledge of saving Truth: This, most odious thought, did much draw them back from the Worship of the true God; but by the help of God, this error and scruple was taken from them; for we first did demonstrate unto them, that the Di∣vine Law was the oldest of all; yea, before any Law was made by the Antients, the Japans knew by the teaching of Nature, that it was unlawful to Kill, Steal, Forswear, and other things contained in the ten Divine Laws, as was evi∣dent in that, when any of them committed these Crimes, they were tormented by the Pricks of their Consciences, that hence

Reason it self doth teach to flee the Evil, and follow the Good, and therefore was implanted in the minds of all Men by Na∣ture, so that all have the knowledge of the Divine Law from Nature, and of God the Author of Nature, before Discipline be added, of which, were it doubted, tryal might be made in some body altogether void of Discipline, who has been edu∣cated in some Mountain or Wilderness, without any know∣ledge of the Laws of his Country: For if such an one, thus altogether ignorant and unacquainted with Humane Discipline, were asked, Whether to Kill a Man, to Steal, and these o∣ther things which the Law of God forbids, were sinful or not; or if they were not right, to forbear these things: Truly, I say, such an one utterly ignorant of Humane Discipline, would so answer, that it would easily appear that he were not void of the Law of God. From whence then shall we judge he has drawn his Notion? unless from God himself, the Author of Nature: If then this be manifest in Barbarous Men, how much more in Men civiliz'd and well Educated? which being so, it necessarily follows that the Divine Law was implanted in Mans heart, before all Laws made by Man: This Reason was so manifest to them, that they were fully satisfied, and so being delivered form these snares, did easily subject them∣selves to the sweet Yoak of Christ. Thus far Xaverius.

Thus it may seem, that to satisfie these Japonians, that their Fore-fathers were not all necessarily Damned; and to shew that the Universal Love of God reached unto them, to put them in a capacity of Salvation: This cunning Je∣suite could not find another way, then by asserting this Prin∣ciple; albeit, it be no ways Congruous to the Doctrine of the Church of Rome; for these Antient Japonians could not be esteemed Members of the Church of Rome; and as not being such, according to the Romish Principle (who say there is no Salvation without the Church, that is, without the Church of Rome) must needs have been Damned.

Secondly: That Notion and definition of a Church which naturally arises from this Principle, and is accordingly be∣lieved

by the Assertors of it, doth also both very well a∣gree to, and establish this Doctrine of Universal Love; for where, by vertue of this Seed and Light, purchased and extended by Christ unto the hearts of all (it being sup∣posed that Men may be truly Converted, and consequen∣tially united to Christ) it naturally follows that such be∣come Members of the Church, else none of Old, but the Families of the Patriarchs, and of the Jews could have been judged to be saved; nor yet any, during all the time of the Apostacy, which as it is false in it self, will be hardly affirmed by any; and therefore since such might be saved, they must be esteemed Members of the Church, without which, in this large sence, there can be no Sal∣vation, as including the whole Body of Christ, of which Body, who are not, are certainly excluded; and therefore it is that the Church Catholick or Universal is not so con∣fined to any Sect, Form, or external Profession, as that those that are not initiated in those forms, are ex∣cluded absolutely from being Members of the Church, un∣less it be upon refusal or resistance of the will of God re∣ally manifest to them, as drawing them to the practice of particular things; for it hath pleased God at several times, to require several things, both of particular Churches and Persons, which he has not of others: As to the Jewish Converts, to abstain from things Strangled and Blood; and to the Churches of the Gentiles not to Circumcise, which was permitted to the Christian-Jews for a time; and from particular Persons many particular things have been required, which albeit, they were not general Obligations upon all Christians, yet in so far as manifested to, and required of them, were sufficiently obligatory; and their disobedience to them should have been in them a breach of their general obligation of Obedience which we owe to God, in all things He requires, and consequently per∣nicious, how-ever others, to whom they have never been revealed, nor required, might have been saved without them.

Thirdly: As the asserting of Principles, which commend the Love of God, and shew the great extent of it to Man∣kind, do most agree with Universal Love, so this People in another chief Principle of theirs do greatly shew it; for as by the Preaching of this Universal Principle of the Light, they shew the extension of God's Love to all; so by Preaching that God both doth, and is willing to reveal his Will immediately by his own Spirit in the hearts of all those that receive his Light, that so they may be guided, acted, and lead thereby, and know the Mind of God thus inwardly immediately in themselves; they hold forth the intension of God's Love to all those that follow and obey him; so that they neither bind up this being lead by the Spirit of God only to themselves, nor stint it to singular and extraordinary occasions, but hold it forth as a common and Universal priviledge to all true Christians and Members of the Church. Now this Doctrine greatly commends the Love of God, and establisheth the Principle of Universal Love in that it shew how Universally God hath offered this blessed Priviledge to all, in that He hath given his Light unto all; upon the receiving of which, this immediate gui∣dance of the Spirit followeth as a necessary Concomitant; for such as deny this immediate Revelation of God's Will by his Spirit in the hearts of his Children, to be a com∣mon and Universal Priviledge to all true Christians and Members of the Church, must needs suppose the know∣ledge of his Will necessary for them, to be communi∣cated to them by some other external means, as by out∣ward Writings and Precepts; in so much that all such as are robbed of this Benefit, are necessarily excluded from par∣taking of the Universal Love of God, in order to the Salva∣tion of their Souls.

Fourthly: As the confining of the Gifts and Graces of God to certain external formes and Ceremonies, are di∣rectly opposite and contrary to Universal Love, such as the limiting of the work of the Ministry to outward Ordina∣tion,

and to a particular Tribe of Persons, the making hu∣mane Parts and Arts more necessary thereto than the Grace of God; so that the Grace of God is not judged suffici∣ent to make a Man a Minister, or to priviledge him to Preach without those other Artificial and Ceremonial things: So I say on the other hand, those People to the commending of the Universal Love of God to all, but especially in the visible Church, do affirm, that as this Light and Grace of God is given to all, in order to save them; so whoever find himself truly called in his heart thereby, and fitted to Mi∣nister to others, may lawfully Preach and Declare to O∣thers the good things that God has done for his soul, and direct and instruct them, as by the same Grace he is en∣abled, how they may come to the experience and attain∣ment of the same things, albeit, he have no outward Or∣dination or Call from Men, be not initiated in their Ceremonies and Orders, nor yet furnished with their Learn∣ing and School-education. This greatly commends and holds forth the Love of God, because it does not confine the Ministry unto such a narrow compass, as by the seve∣ral Sects it is done; but supposeth, that among those that had not the Scriptures, and outward knowledge, there might have been Ministers or Preachers of Righteousness, as it was said of Noah, that he was one who was ere the Scrip∣tures were writ; and Job was another; besides Socrates amongst the Greeks, Pythagoras amongst the Latines, and several o∣thers that might be named among the Arabians, Indians, and Ethiopians; and this Doctrine doth very much hold forth the Universal Love of God in the visible Church, in that it excludeth none from Ministring his Gift, as he hath it; albeit, a poor Trades-man, or Mechanick Men, as is done among the far greater parts of the Sects of Christen∣dom, by the presumptuous Usurpation of them.

Fifthly: This People do greatly commend and hold forth the Universal Love of God to all, in denying the use of outward carnal things which perish in the using; such as

Washing or Sprinkling with Water, or eating of Bread and Wine, to be the Seals of Gods Covenant with Man, or to be the means or Channels, by which Grace and Spiritual refreshment is Ministred to the soul; for thereby they con∣fine not Gods Love in the communicating of his Gifts and Graces to the application, or not using of Elementary things, which may be as truly as to the matter of them, performed by the most wicked and greatest Hypocrite of the World, as by the most Godly and sincere, as do the greatest part of the Sects among Christians, who make such a noise of the Sacraments and Ordinances, and do so quarrel and jangle about their matter and manner of perfor∣mance, but do affirm and believe that increase of Grace, and refreshment in and by the Life of Christ, is conveyed un∣to the souls of all those that are Faithful, as this Seed re∣ceives a place, and grows up in their hearts: Without these outward Ceremonies, this cannot be performed but by such as are sincere and Godly indeed; for such can only be truly Faithful, and wait in that place where Grace and Refreshment, Strength and Power, Wisdom and Courage, Patience and all other good gifts are received.

Sixthly: These People do much establish Universal Love in that they affirm Persecution of Men, for the matter of their Consciences to be Unchristian and Unlawful; be∣lieving that as God can only inform and enlighten the Conscience, so it is contrary to the Universal Love of God, for Men to seek to force and restrain it, as hath hitherto been sufficiently shewn.

Lastly: They do very truly and observably establish U∣niversal Love, in that they Preach Love to Enemies, and the necessity of bearing and suffering Injuries without Re∣venge, holding it Unlawful for Christians to fight or use carnal Weapons, even to resist such as oppose them, and wrongfully prejudice them: As this is most agreeable to the Doctrine and Practice of Christ, so is it to the Uni∣versal

Love of God▪ whose long-suffering-Patience, even towards the Wicked, Stiff-necked, and Rebellious, after many provocations, doth above all declare his Love, in which they cannot pretend to be Followers of him, who believe it Lawful for them to Revenge every Injury, to give Blow for Blow, and Knock for Knock, and so know not what it is patiently to receive and suffer an Injury, if they have any opportunity of revenging themselves, and so consequently cannot have Universal Love, which neces∣sarily supposeth and includes Love to Enemies; and he that will Beat, Kill, and every way he can, destroy his Enemy, does but foolishly contradict himself, if he pretend to Love him; and those that do not Preach and Practice Love to Enemies, but that which is quite contrary, can∣not justly pretend either to the Doctrine or Practice of U∣niversal Love. Wherefore I desire the Reader may make Application hereof, as to the several Sects of Christians, and examine whose Principles and Practices do most agree herewith, and seriously consider whether there be any in∣tire united Body of Christians, except these here mentioned, who do unanimously hold forth so many Doctrines, so di∣rectly establishing and agreeing to true Universal Love.

Writ in Aberdeen Prison the first Month, 1677.

THE END.

Notes

• Which external Agreement, as well in Doctrines, as in the Practices necessarily follow∣ing thereupon, became as one External bond & tye of their outward and visible Fellow∣ship obvious to the VVorld, whereby they are distinguished even to the observation of Man from the several Sects professing the Name of Christ, as the true Christians of old were by their Adherence to the Orthodox Principles from other Hereticks, that laid claim likewise to be Christians.
• Let not the Reader think strange that I assert this Princi∣ple, and enter not upon the pro∣bation of it (having done that largely else-where, as in my A∣pology) it not being my business here so to do, but only to shew how such and su••h Principles do not agree with Universal Love, as on the other hand, when I make mention of other Principles, I do not offer to refute them, it being enough here to demonstrate that▪ they are contrary to Univer∣sal Love.