(a)

SECTION VI

logy at large on the Head of Worship.

(b)

See Barclay's pology on the Light. within.

QUERY VI. Since they deny the Soul of Man to be the immediate Principle of any Religious Actions, and affert this diftinct Subftance within us to be the Principle of 'em, R. Barclay's Apo- (a) (which they call the Light within) bow evidently do they kereby fubvert the fcriptural Notion of Regeneration and Spiritual Worship? They fubvert the fcriptural Notion of Regeneration: For, according to G. (I fuppofe he means) R. Barclay, Regeneration is the growing up of this new Subítance in us, that is as diftinct from our Souls as our Souls are from our Bodies (b). But the fcriptural Regeneration implies a renewing Change wrought by the Holy Spirit in our own Souls themselves, whereby our own Understandings are favingly enlightned, our own Wills are renewed, and our own Affections raifed and elevated to the Things above; and, in a word, our own Souls renewed to the Image and Likeness of God. So the Spiritual Worship, which the Scriptures require, confifts in thofe honourable adoring Thoughts of GOD, and thofe devout Inclinations and Affections towards him, which, by the Affiftance of the Holy Spirit, are excited in our own Minds and Hearts, by our Contemplation of his Works, and written Word. But the fpiritual Worship of the Quakers requires a Ceflation of all the Acts of our own Souls, (which they condemn as Will-Worship) and is performed by the Light within, as the immediate Principle, (c) i. e. by a SubSee Barclay's Apo- ftance entirely diftinct from our own Souls, and which our Souls are but the paffive Inftruments of Now,

(c)

logy: Prop. 11.

Now, if this diftinct Subftance be GOD; then, according to them, GOD in us worships himfelf. And to affert this is both Blafphemy and Nonfenfe. If this Subftance be a Creature, then the Notion of fpiritual Worship is, that another Being in us, (and that as diftinct from our Souls as our Souls from our Bodies worships GOD for us. And how can the Acts of another Creature render us, who are but Paffive in the whole Matter, either acceptable to GOD, or rewardable by him? Or how can we, dccording to this Notion be properly faid to worship GOD at all? And, Query, Whether all this be not borrowed from the fenflefs Mystical Divinity of Popish Writers?

REPLY

Shall premife, that in the former Section, our Querift first enquires how comes R. Barclay to affert the Divine Light to be the immediate Principle by which WE PRAY to GOD: Mark, 'tis WE PRAY; then, to render us guilty of both Blafphemy and Nonfenfe, by a malicious and manifeft Perversion, the next Line changes We into God's own uncreated Effence, as if both were Synonomous, fhuffling this Query on the Back of the former, Can GOD's own uncreated Effence be the Principle in ys that prays to and praifes Himself? If fo, then 'tis not WE that pray; and if it be WE that pray, as R. Barclay afferts, then 'tis not GOD's uncreated Ef fence Surely, becaufe R. Barclay afferts, No Man can perform true and Spiritual Worship, without the fecret Inspiration of the Spirit of GOD in our Hearts; none will be fo abfurd as to infer, that fuch pray to GOD by Proxy, and blafphemously make GOD's

E 3

own uncreated Effence that Proxy. Such perverfe Abfurdities, without further Cenfure, I leave to the Animadverfion of the Unprejudiced and Judicious, and proceed.

Seeing I find in this Section, R. Barclay principally ftruck at, who needs no other Apology than his own to defend himself, I fhall reply in his own Words, and out of the fame Book.

Concerning Regeneration and Juftification, ke fays,

Sect. 8.

“

"I do boldly affirm, and that not only from a "Notional Knowledge, but from Apology, Prop.7. a real inward experimental Feel"ing of the Thing, that the imme"diate, nearest, or formal Caufe (if "we muft, in Condefcendence to fome, ufe this "Word) of a Man's Juftification in the Sight of "GOD, is the Revelation of JESUS CHRIST "in the Soul, changing, altering, and renewing the "Mind; by whom, even the Author of this in"ward Work thus form'd and reveal'd, we are truly juftified and accepted in the Sight of GOD: For tis, as we are thus covered and clothed with Him, in whom the Father is always well pleafed, that "WE may draw near to GOD, and stand with "Confidence before his Throne.

And fpeaking concerning Titus, Chap. 3. 5. he fays, "The Washing of Regeneration being that inward Power and Virtue, whereby the Soul is clean"fed and clothed with the Righteoufnefs of Chrift, fo as to be made fit to appear before GOD.

Sect. 17.

"We fay the Grace of GOD works in and upon "Man's Nature, which, though of "it felf wholly corrupted and defi- Ibid. Prop. 6. "led, and prone to Evil, yet is ca"pable to be wrought upon by the "Grace of GOD; even as Iron, though a hard and "folid Metal of it felf, may be warm'd and foftned "by the Heat of the Fire, and Wax melted by the -"Sun And as Iron and Wax, when removed from "the Fire and Sun, returneth to its former Condi❝tion of Coldnefs and Hardnefs, fo Man's Heart, "as it refifts or retires from the Grace of GOD, re"turns to its former Condition again.

"We understand by Grace, as a Qualification to a Minifter, not the mere Measure of

"Light, as it is given to reprove and Page 305. Pr. 10. "call him to Righteoufnefs; but we

"understand Grace, as it hath converted the Soul, "and operateth powerfully in it, as hereafter, con"cerning the Work of Ministers, will further ap66 pear: So we understand not. Men fimply, as ha❝ving Grace in them as a Seed (which we indeed "affirm All have in a Measure) but we understand "Men that are Gracious, leaven'd by it into the Na"ture thereof, fo as thereby to bring forth thofe "good Fruits of a blamelefs Converfation, and of "Juftice, Holiness, Patience, and Temperance.

Hence 'tis plain, that Regeneration, in the Opinion of R. Barclay, and of every Orthodox Chriftian, is a Change of Soul or Mind, wrought by the Grace and good Spirit of GOD, and no Change of the Spirit of GOD, or of the Divine Light, as our Querift would perverfly infinuate. And thus the Balis of his Queries in this Section being removed, they fall to the Ground as falfe and groundlefs.

Concerning Worfhip.

Prop. 11. Sect. 1. "I come to speak of Worship, or ❝of thofe Acts, whether private or publick, ge"neral or particular, whereby Man renders to "GOD that part of his Duty which relates im"mediately to Him (Mark, he fays, Man ren"ders to GOD, not GOD to himself.)

Sect. 6. "Every one puts that forth, which the "LORD puts into their Hearts. (Here the "LORD is Director, not Deputy, or Proxy.) Sect. 9. "GOD is not wanting to move in his Chil"dren to bring forth Words of Exhortation or "Prayer, when it is needful,

Sect. 10. "Though the Scholar were never fo ear"neft to learn the Science, yet would the Master "have reafon to reprove him as untoward and "indocile, if he would always be medling of "himself, and still speaking, and not wait in Si"lence patiently to hear his Mafter inftructing "and teaching him, who ought not to open his "Mouth, until, by his Mafter, he were comman"ded, and allowed fo to do, (in all these the "LORD is Teacher, Director, Mafter, and In"ftructor; but the Soul prays and worships accord"ingly) and as, by the Grace of GOD, there are

any Objects prefented to his Mind concerning "GOD, or Things relating to Religion, his Soul CC may be exercised in them without Hurt, and to "the great Profit, both of himself and others, be"caufe thofe Things have their Rife not from his "own Will, but from GOD's Spirit; and therefore, "as in the Arifings and Movings of this, his Mind " is still to be exercised in Thinking and Meditating, fo alfo in the more obvious Acts of Preaching

and