An apology for the true Christian divinity, as the same is held forth, and preached by the people, called, in scorn, Quakers being a full explanation and vindication of their principles and doctrines, by many arguments, deduced from Scripture and right reason, and the testimony of famous authors, both ancient and modern, with a full answer to the strongest objections usually made against them, presented to the King / written and published in Latine, for the information of strangers, by Robert Barclay ; and now put into our own language, for the benefit of his country-men.

The Fourth Proposition, Concerning the Condition of Man in the fall.

All Adam's posterity (or mankind) both Jews and Gentiles, as to the first Adam (or earthly man) is faln, degenerated, and dead, deprived of the sensation (or feeling) of this inward Testimony, or Seed of God; and is subject unto the Power, Nature, and Seed of the Serpent, which he soweth in mens hearts, while they abide in this natural and corrupt∣ed estate: from whence it comes, that not only their words and deeds, but all their imaginations, are evil perpetually in the sight of God, as proceeding from this depraved and wicked Seed. Man therefore, as he is in this state, can know nothing aright, yea his Thoughts and Con∣eptions concerning God, and things Spiritual (until he be disjoyned from this evil Seed, and united to the Divine Light) are unprofitable both to himself and others. Hence are rejected the Socinian, and Pe∣lagian errors in exalting a Natural Light; as also the Papists and most of Protestants, who affirm, that man without the true Grace of God, may be a true Minister of the Gospel. Nevertheless, this Seed is not imputed to Infants, until by Transgression they actually joyn themselves therewith, for they are by Nature the Children of Wrath. Who walk according to the Power of the Prince of the Air, and the Spirit that now worketh, in the Children of disobedience, having

their conversation in the lusts of the flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh, and of the mind, Eph. 2.

§. I. HItherto we have discoursed how the True knowledg of God is attained, and preserved, also of what use and service the Holy Scripture is to the Saints.

We come now to examine the state and condition of Man, as he stands in the fall; what his capacity and power is, and how far he is able, as of himself, to advance, in relation to the things of God. Of this we touch'd a little in the beginning of the second Proposition; but the full, right, and through understanding of it, is of great use and service: because from the ignorance and altercations, that have been about it, there have arisen great and dangerous errors, both on the one hand and the o∣ther. While some do so far exalt the light of Nature, or the faculty of the natural man, as capable of himself by virtue of the inward will, faculty, light and power, that pertains to his Nature, to follow that which is good, and make real progress towards Heaven. And of these are the Pelagians, and Semi-Pelagians of old, and of late the Socini∣ans, and divers others among the Papists. Others again will needs run into another extream, to whom Augustin, among the Antients first made way in his declining age, through the heat of his Zeal a∣gainst Pelagius) not only confessing men uncapable of themselves to do good, and prone to evil; but that in his very Mothers-womb, and before he commits any actual Transgression, he is contaminate with a real guilt, whereby he deserves eternal Death: in which respect they are not afraid to affirm, that many poor Infants are eternally dam∣ned, and for ever endure the Torments of Hell. Therefore the God of Truth, having now again revealed his Truth, that good and even Way, by his own Spirit, hath taught us to avoid both these ex∣treams.

That then, which our proposition leads us to treat of, is,

First, What the condition of man is in the Fall, and how far uncapable to meddle in the things of God.

And Secondly, that God doth not impute this evil to Infants, until they actually joyn with it, that so by establishing the Truth, we may over∣turn the errors on both parts.

And as for that Third thing included in the proposition it self, con∣cerning these Teachers, which want the Grace of God, we shall refer that to the Tenth Proposition, where that matter is more particularly handled.

§ II. As to the First, not to dive into the many curious Notions which many have, concerning the Condition of Adam before the fall; all agree in this, that thereby he came to a very great loss, not only in the things which related to the outward man, but in regard of that true Fellowship and Communion he had with God. This loss was signified to him in the Command, For in the day thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely dye, Gen. 2.17. This death could not be an out∣ward death, or the dissolution of the outward man, for as to that, he did not dye yet many Hundred Years after; so that it must needs respect his Spiritual Life and Communion with God. The conse∣quence of this fall, besides that which relates to the fruits of the Earth, is also expressed, Gen. 3.24. So he drove out the man, and he placed at the East of the Garden of Eden, Cherubims, and a Flaming Sword, which turned every way, to keep the way of the Tree of Life. Now what∣soever literal signification this may have, we may safely ascribe to this Paradise, a mystical signification, and truly account it that Spiri∣tual Communion and Fellowship, which the Saints obtain with God, by Jesus Christ, to whom only these Cherubims give way, and unto as many as enter by him, who calls himself the door. So that, though we do not ascribe any whit of Adam's guilt to men, until they make it theirs by the like acts of Disobedience, yet we cannot suppose that men, who are come of Adam naturally, can have any good thing in their Nature, as belonging to it, which he from whom they derive their Nature, had not himself to communicate unto them.

If then we may affirm, that Adam did not retain in his Nature, as belonging thereunto, any will or light capable to give him knowledg in Spiritual things, then neither can his posterity. For whatsoever real good any man doth, it proceedeth not from his nature as he is a man, or the Son of Adam: but from the Seed of God in him, as a new visitation of Life, in order to bring him out of this natural condition. So that, though it be in him, yet it is not of him, and this the Lord himself witnessed, Gen. 6.5. where it is said, he saw, that every ima∣gination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually: which words as they are very positive, so are they very comprehensive. Ob∣serve the emphasis of them, First, there is every imagination of the thoughts of his heart, so that this admits of no exception of any Imagination of the thoughts of his heart. Secondly, is only evil continually: it is neither in some part evil continually, nor yet only evil at sometimes; but both only evil, and always and continally evil: which certainly excludes any good, as a proper effect of mans heart, naturally. For that, which is only evil, and that always, cannot of its own Nature, pro∣duce

any good thing. The Lord expresseth this again a little after, chap. 8. v. 21. The Imagination of man's heart, is evil from his youth. Thus inferring how natural and proper it is unto him; From which I thus argue.

If the thoughts of mans heart be not only evil, but always evil, then are they, as they simply proceed from his heart, neither good in part, nor at any time:

But the first is true:

Therefore also the last.

Again,

If mans thoughts be always and only evil, then are they altogether useless and ineffectual to him, in the things of God.

But the First is true:

Therefore also the Last.

Secondly, this appears clearly from that saying of the Prophet Je∣remiah, 17.9. The Heart is deceitful above all things, and desperate∣ly wicked. For who can with any colour of reason, imagine that that which is so, hath any power of it self, or is any wise fit to lead a man to righteousness, whereunto it is of its own Nature directly opposite? This is as contrary to reason, as it is impossible in Nature, that a stone of its own nature and proper motion, should flee upwards. For, as a stone of its own nature, inclineth and is prone to move down-wards towards the Center; so the Heart of man is naturally prone and in∣clined to evil, some to one, and some to another. From this then I al∣so thus argue:

That which is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked, is not fit, neither can it lead a man aright, in things that are good and honest.

But the heart of man is such:

Therefore, &c.

But the Apostle Paul, describeth the condition of men in the Fall, at large, taking it out of the Psalmist. There is none righteous, no not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are altogether become unpro∣fitable, there is none that doth good, no not one. Their throat is an open Sepulchre, with their Tongues they have used deceit, the poison of Asps is under their Lips: whose mouths are full of cursing and bitterness. Their feet are swift to shed blood. Destruction and Misery are in their ways: and the way of peace have they not known: There is no fear of God before their Eyes. What more positive can be spoken? He seemeth to be particularly careful to avoid, that any good should be ascribed to the

natural man, he shews how he is polluted in all his ways, he shews how he is void of Righteousness, of Understanding, of the Know∣ledg of God, how he is out of the way, and in short, unprofitable: than which nothing can be more fully said, to confirm our judgment. For if this be the condition of the natural man, or of man as he stands in the fall, he is unfit to make one right step to Heaven.

If it be said, That is not spoken of the condition of man in general, but only of some particulars, or at the least that it comprehends not all.

The Text sheweth the clean contrary, in the foregoing verses, where the Apostle takes in himself, as he stood in his natural condition, What then are we better than they? No, in no wise, for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under Sin, as it is written. And so he goes on, by which it is manifest, that he speaks of Mankind in general.

If they object that, which the same Apostle saith, in the foregoing chapter, verse 14. to wit, that the Gentiles do by nature the things contain∣ed in the Law, and so consequently do by Nature, that which is good and acceptable in the sight of God.

I answer, This nature must not, neither can be understood of mans own nature, which is corrupt and fall'n, but of the Spiritual Nature, which proceedeth from the Seed of God in man, as it receiveth a new visitation of God's love, and is quickened by it, which clearly appears by the following words, where he saith, These not having a Law (id est) outwardly, are a Law unto themselves, which shews the work of the Law, written in their Hearts. These acts of theirs then, are an effect of the Law written in their hearts, but the Scripture declareth that the writing of the Law in the heart is a part, yea and a great part too of the New Covenant dispensation, and so no consequence nor part of mans nature.

Secondly, if this nature here spoken of, could be understood of mans own nature, which he hath as he is a man, then would the Apostle unavoidably contradict himself, since he elsewhere positively declares, That the Natural man discerneth not the things of God, nor can. Now I hope the Law of God is among the things of God, especially as its written in the heart. The Apostle, in the 7 chap. of the same Epistle, saith, verse 12. that the Law is Holy, just, and good; and verse 14. that the Law is Spiritual, but he is carnal. Now in what respect is he car∣nal, but as he stands in the Fall, unregenerate? Now what incon∣sistency would here be to say, that he is carnal, and yet not so, of his own Nature? seeing it is from his Nature, that he is so denominated. We see the Apostle contra-distinguisheth the Law, as Spiritual, from

mans Nature, as carnal and sinful. Wherefore, as Christ saith, there can no Grapes be expected from Thistles, nor Figgs of Thorns, so neither can the fulfilling of the Law, which is Spiritual, Holy and Just, be expected from that Nature which is Corrupt, Fall'n and Unregene∣rate. Whence we conclude with good reason, that the Nature here spoken of, by which the Gentiles are said to have done the things con∣tained in the Law, is not the common Nature of men, but the Spiritual Nature, that ariseth from the works of the Righteous and Spiritual Law that's written in the heart. I confess they of the other extream when they are pressed with this Testimony by the Socinians and Pela∣gians, as well as by us, when we use this Scripture to shew them, how some of the Heathens, by the Light of Christ in their heart, come to be saved, are very far to seek, giving this answer, that there were some reliques of the Heavenly Image left in Adam, by which the Hea∣thens could do some good things. Which, as it is in it self without proof, so it contradicts their own assertions elsewhere, and gives away their cause. For if these reliques were of force to enable them to fulfil the Righteous Law of God, it takes away the necessity of Christs coming, or at least leaves them away to be saved without him: unless they will say, which is worst of all; that though they really fulfilled the righteous Law of God, yet God damned them, because of the want of that particular knowledg, while he himself withheld all means of their com∣ing to him, from them; but of this hereafter.

§ III. I might also here use another argument, from these words of the Apostle, 1 Cor. 2. where he so positively excludes the Natural man from an understanding in the things of God; but because I have spoken of that Scripture in the beginning of the Second Proposition, I will here avoid to repeat what is there mentioned, referring there∣unto. Yet because the Socinians and others, who exalt the Light of the Natural man, or a natural Light in man, do object against this Scripture, I shall remove it ere I make an end.

They say, The Greek word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ought to be translated animal, and not natural, else, say they, it would have been 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 from which they seek to infer, that it is only the animal Man, and not the rational, that is excluded here, from the discerning the things of God. Which shift, without disputing the word, is easily refuted, neither is it any wife consistent with the scope of the place, for

Frist, The animal life is no other, than that, which Man hath com∣mon with other living Creatures, for as he is a meer Man, he differs no otherwise from Beasts, than by the rational Property. Now the Apostle deduceth his argument in the foregoing Verses, from this si∣mile,

that as the things of a Man cannot be known but by the Spirit of a Man, so the things of God no Man knoweth but by the Spirit of God. But I hope, these Men will confess unto me, that the things of a Man are not known by the animal Spirit only, i. e. by that, which he hath common with the Beasts; but by the rational: So that it must be the rational, that is here understood. Again, the subsumption shews clearly, that the Apostle had no such intent, as these Mens gloss would make him to have; viz. So the things of God knoweth no Man, but the Spirit of God, according to their Judgment he should have said, the things of God knoweth no Man by his animal Spirit, but by his rational Spirit: for to say, the Spirit of God here spoken of, is no other than the rational Spirit of Man, would border upon Blasphemy, since they are so often contra-distinguished. Again, going on, he saith not that they are rationally, but spiritually discerned.

Secondly, The Apostle throughout this Chapter shews how the wisdom of Man is unfit to Judg the things of God; and ignorant of them. Now ask these Men, whether a Man be called a wise Man from his animal Property, or from his rational? If from his rational, then it is not only the animal, but even the rational, as he is yet in the natural State, which the Apostle excludes here; and whom he con∣tradistinguisheth from the Spiritual, v. 15. But the Spiritual man judg∣eth all things▪ this cannot be said of any Man meerly because rational, or as he is a Man; seeing the Men of greatest reason, if we may so esteem Men, whom the Scripture calls wise, as were the Greeks of Old, not only may be, but often are Enemies to the Kingdom of God, while both the preaching of Christ is said to be foolishness with the wise Men of this World, and the wisdom of this World, is said to be foolish∣ness with God. Now whether it be any ways propable, that either these wise Men, that are said to account the Gospel foolishness, are only so called with respect to their animal Property, and not their ration∣al; or that that wisdom, that is foolishness with God, is not meant of the rational, but only the animal property, any rational Man, laying aside interests, may easily Judg.

§. IV. I come now to the other part, to wit, that this evil and corrupt seed is not imputed to Infants, until they actually joyn with it. For this there is a reason given in the end of the Proposition it self, drawn from Eph. 2. for these are by nature Children of Wrath, who walk accord∣ing to the prince of the power of the Air, the Spirit, that now worketh in the children of disobedience. Here the Apostle gives their evil walk∣ing, and not any thing, that is not reduced to act, as a reason of their being Children of wrath: and this is sutable to the whole strain of

the Gospel, where no man is ever threatned or judged for what ini∣quity he hath not actually wrought. Such indeed as continue in ini∣quity, and so do Homologat the sins of their Fathers, God will visit the iniquity of the Fathers upon the Children.

Is it not strange then, that men should entertain an opinion so ab∣surd in it self, and so cruel and contrary to the nature, as well of God's mercy, as justice, concerning the which the Scripture is altoge∣ther silent? But it is manifest, that Man hath invented this opinion out of self-love and from that bitter Root, from which all errors springs; for the most of Protestants that hold this, having as they fancy, the absolute decree of Elections to secure them and their Chil∣dren; so as they cannot miss of Salvation, they make no great diffi∣culty to send all others, both Old and Young, to hell. For whereas self-love (which always is apt to believe that, which it desires) pos∣sesseth them with a hope that their part is secure, they are not solici∣tous how they leave their Neighbours, which are the far greater part of Mankind, in these inextricable difficultys. The Papists again use this Opinion, as an art to augment the esteem of their Church, and reverence of its Sacraments, seeing they pretend it is washed away by Baptism, only in this they appear to be a little more Merciful, in that they send not these unbaptized infant to Hell, but to a certain Limbus; concerning which the Scriptures are as silent as of the other. This then is not only not authorised in the Scriptures, but contrary to the express tenor of it. The Apostle saith plainly, Rom. 4.15. Where no Law is, there is no transgression. And again, 5.13. But sin is not imputed, where there is no Law. Than which Testimonies there is no∣thing more positive, since to infants there is no Law, seeing as such they are utterly uncapable of it, the Law cannot reach but such as have in some measure, less or more, the exercise of their understand∣ing, which infants have not. So that from thence I thus agree,

Sin is imputed to none, where there is no Law.

But to infants there is no Law:

Therefore sin is not imputed to them.

The Proposition is the Apostle's own Words, the Assumption is thus proved.

Those, who are under a physical impossibility of either hearing, knowing, or understanding any Law, where the impossibility is not brought upon them by any act of their own, but is according to the very order of nature appointed by God, to such there is no Law:

But infants are under this physical impossibility.

Therefore, &c.

Secondly, What can be more positive than that of Ezek. 18.20. The Soul that sinneth, it shall die: the Son shall not bear the Fathers Ini∣quity? For the Prophet here first sheweth what is the cause of mans E∣ternal Death, which he saith, is in his sinning; and then, as if he pur∣posed expresly to shut out such an opinion, he assures us the Son shall not bear the Fathers Iniquity. From which I thus argue,

If the Son bear not the Iniquity of his Father, or of his immediate Parents, far less shall he bear the iniquity of Adam:

But the Son shall not bear the Iniquity of his Father:

Therefore, &c.

§. V. Having thus far shewn how absurd this Opinion is, I shall briefly examine the reasons its Authors bring for it.

First, They say Adam was a publick Person, and therefore all men sinned in him, as being in his loins. And for this they alledg that of Rom. 5.12. Wherefore as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so Death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned, &c. These last words, say they, may be translated, in whom all have sinned.

To this I answer, That Adam is a publick person is not denyed, and that through him there is a seed of sin propagated to all men, which in its own nature is sinsiul, and inclines men to iniquity; yet will it not follow from thence, that Infants, who joyn not with this Seed, are guilty. As for these words in the Romans, the reason of the guilt there alledged is, for that all have sinned. Now no man is said to sin▪ unless he actually sin in his own person, for the Greek words 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 may very well relate to 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, which is the nearest antecedent; so that they hold forth how that Adam by his sin, gave an entrance to sin in the world, and so death entred by sin, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 i. e. upon which [viz. occasion] or, in which [viz. death] all others have sinned, that is, actually in their own person, to wit, all that were capable of sinning, of which num∣ber that infants could not be, the Apostle clearly shews by the following verse, Sin is not imputed, where there is no Law: and since, as is above proved, there is no Law to Infants, they cannot be here included.

Their second Objection is from Psal. 51.5. Behold I was shapen in Iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. Hence, they say it appears, that Infants from their Conception are guilty.

How they infer this consequence, for my part, I see not. The ini∣quity and sin here, appears to be far more ascribable to the Parents than to the Child. It is said indeed, In sin did my mother conceive me, not my mother did conceive me a sinner. Besides, that so interpreted, contra∣dicts expresly the Scripture before mentioned, in making Children guilty of the sins of their immediate Parents (for of Adam there is

not here any mention) contrary to the plain words, the Son shall not bear the Fathers iniquity.

Thirdly, They object that the wages of sin is death, and that seeing Children are subject to Diseases and Death, therefore they must be guilty of sin.

I answer, That these things are a consequence of the fall, and of A∣dams sin, is confessed, but that infers necessarily a guilt in all others that are subject to them, is denyed. For though the whole outward Creation suffered a decay by Adam's fall, which groans under vanity according to which it is said in Job, that the Heavens are not clean in the sight of God; yet will it not from thence follow, that the Herbs, Earth, and Trees are sinners.

Next, Death, though a consequent of the fall, incident to mans earthly Nature, is not the wages of sin, in the Saints, but rather sleep, by which they pass from death to life, which is so far from being trou∣blesome and painful to them, as all real punishments for sin are, that the Apostle counts it gain: To me, saith he, to die is gain, Psal. 1.21.

Some are so foolish, as to make an objection farther, saying, That if Adam's sin be not imputed to those, who actually have not sinned, then it would follow, that all Infants are saved.

But we are willing, that this supposed absurdity should be the conse∣quence of our Doctrine, rather than that, which it seems, our adver∣saries reckon not absurd, though the undoubted and unavoidable con∣sequence of theirs, viz. that Many Infants eternally perish, not for any sin of their own, but only for Adams iniquity; where we are willing to let the controversie sist, commending both to the illuminated under∣standing of the Christian Reader.

This error of our adversaries is both denied and refuted by Zwinglius, that eminent Founder of the Protestant Churches of Zwitzerland, in his Book De Baptismo, for which he is anathematized by the Council of Trent, in the fifth Session. We shall only add this information, that we confess then, that a seed of sin is transmitted to all men from Adam (although imputed to none, until by sinning they actually joyn with it) in which seed he gave occasion to all to sin▪ and it is the orignal of all evil actions and thoughts in mens hearts, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 to wit, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, as it is in the 5. of the Romans, i. e. in which death all have sinned. For this seed of sin is frequently called Death in the Scripture, and the body of death, seeing indeed it is a death to the Life of Righteousness and Holiness. There∣fore its seed and its product is called the old man, the old Adam, in which all sin is; for which cause we use this name to express this sin, and not that of original sin, of which phrase the Scripture makes no mention,

and under which invented and unscriptural Barbarism, this notion of imputed sin to Infants, took place among Christians.

Notes

• Rom. 3.10. Ps. 14.3. & 53.2.
• Obj.
• Answ.
• Obj.
• Answ.
• Mat. 7.16.
• Obj.
• Obj.
• Answ.
• Obj.
• Answ.
• Obj.
• Answ.
• Obj.