Robert

Works,

p. 895.

For tho' Chrift the Word, is by his divine Effence every where, in all things, and in all Men, and fufficient or able in an extraordinary way, inwardly to teach Men all the Effentials of Chriftianity, without any outward teaching; yet that in his ordinary way with Men he does it, is contrary both to Scripture and Reafon, and the general Experience of Mankind, who have not (as the Quakers themfelves own,) the outward Knowledge of Chrift, or of Chrift's outward Manhood, and ourward Birth, and Death, and Sufferings in the Flesh; but from the Scripture, and outward Teaching. And yet these are Barclay's fuch effential Truths of Chriftianity, that the Col. of bis whole Christian Faith and Religion, as it is diftinguished from natural Religion, depends thereupon. And therefore, when Jefus asked his Difciples, Whom do ye fay that I the Son of Man am? and Simon Peter anfwer'd, Thou art Chrift the Son of the living God; he faid unto him, Upon this Rock I will build my Church, that is, upon this Doctrine he confeffed, of Jefus the Son of Man his being the Son of the living God; which is therefore a moft effential Chriftian Doctrine; and the Knowledge and Faith thereof, and of his outward Birth and Death, and Refurrection, the very Foundation of Chriftianity: Which yet the Light within, as is confeffed, does not enlighten any Man with, without the Scripture or outward Teaching; and therefore cannot be fufficient, without the Scripture or outward Teaching, to enlighten every Man with all the Effentials of Christianity, Matth. xvi. 16.

Queft. What is the Meaning then of Chrift the Word being call'd the true Light, that

lighteth

lighteth every Man that cometh into the World, if he does not inwardly enlighten every Man with a Light within him, fufficient to teach him all the neceffary and effential Truths of Chriftianity, without any outward Teaching?

Anf. The Meaning is only, that he is the true Author and Cause of all the Light and Knowledge in Religion, that ever any Man in the World had or fhall have, as he is called the Refurrection and the Life, as he is the Cause and Author of them, John xi. 25. But it by no means follows from hence, that he either enlightens every Man in the World with the fame kind of Light, or every Chriftian in the fame manner; no more than when it is faid, The Lord giveth Food to all Flesh, that he giveth them all the fame kind of Food, or feedeth them all in the fame Manner. Pfal. cxxxvi. 25.

Queft. What are the different kinds of Light wherewith Chrift enlightens Men?

Anf. Chrift, as he is the Word God, by whom all things were made, enlightens every individual Man in the World, whether Heathen or Christian, with the Light of natural Reason, or (as may be alfo allowed) with fome common Illumination, to strengthen and affift their natural Faculty of Reason and Understanding, whereby they may be able to difcover the Being of a God, from his Works, and in fome measure to difcern between moral Good and Evil, or Virtue and Vice; fo that they are without excufe, if they walk not according to that Light. Rom. i. 20. And this is all the Light that is in every Man, and common to all Men; whatever glorious Names of God or Christ, or divine,

4

fpiritual,

fpiritual fupernatural Light of Christ, fome most presumptuously give to it.

But Chrift, as he is the Word made Flesh, both God and Man, our Redeemer, enlightens us Chriftians, not only with the Light of Natural Reafon, or fome common Illumination, but with the Light of the Gospel, or of the peculiar Precepts and Doctrines of the Chriftian Religion; which could not be known, but by fupernatural divine Revelation.

And it was in this Refpect chiefly, that Chrift was by the Evangelift faid to be the true Light; for it was, as thus confider'd, that John the Baptift was fent to bear Witnefs of him, that all Men, to wit, that heard John, through him, or his Teftimony, might believe in Chrift; not as he was the Word, or God only, or as the common Light within all Men, which all Men had had from the Beginning; but as the Word made Flesh, both God and Man, without them, and all other Men, the great Prophet and Teacher fent from Heaven, of whom the Prophets foretold, and whom he vifibly pointed out to them, bidding them, Behold him, the Lamb of God, that taketh away the Sin of the World; that is, who as a Lamb without Spot and Blemish, was to offer up himself as a Sacrifice for the Sins of the World, John i. 29.

Queft. What are the different Manners of Chrift's enlightning Chriftians with the Light of the Gospel?

Anf. Chrift enlightned his Apostles, and others, with whom he converfed when he was upon the Earth, with the Light of the Gofpel, by his own outward perfonal Teaching. And he enlightned his Apostles also,

and

and other firft Publishers of the Gospel, after his Afcenfion, by Timmediate Infpiration. And he enlightens us Chriftians now with the fame divine Light, by his written Word, or Scripture, and other outward Means of Inftruction, and by the inward Illuminations of his Spirit accompanying these outward Means, and not without them: For Faith cometh by bearing, and bearing by the Word of God; to wit, that is outwardly read or preached, Rom. x. 17. And though these are different ways of his enlightning Chriftians, yet they are no wife contrary or oppofite to one another: But as he is called the true Light, as he is the principal Cause and Author thereof; fo is the Gofpel, or Word, outwardly preached, called Light, and his Apoftles and Minifters, and true Difciples, the Light of the World, as they are fubordinate Causes and Means under him, whereby he enlightens us, 2 Pet. i. 19. 2 Cor. iv. 4. John v. 35. Acts xiii. 47. Matth. v. 14.

Quest. Is not every Man that cometh into the World, every individual Man in the World? And if Chrift is by the Evangelift called the true Light, chiefly as he enlightens Men with the Light of the Gofpel, does he not then enlighten every individual Man with the Light of the Gospel?

Anf. No: It does not follow, that because Christ is by the Evangelift called the true Light, chiefly as he enlightens Men with the Light of the Gospel, that therefore he enlightens every individual Man with the Light of the Gofpel; (fuppofing, that by every Man coming into the World there, were meant every individual Man in the World;) feeing he does not enlighten every individual

Man in the World with the fame kind of Light. And he is not called the true Light only, though chiefly, as he enlightens us with the Light of the Gofpel; for the Evangelift holds forth alfo the general Benefits that all Mankind have by him, as Creator, as well as the special Benefits, that Chriftians have by him, as Redeemer. And he may be truly alfo faid in fome refpect to enlighten every individual Man in the World with the Light of the Gofpel, as all that are fo enlightned, are enlightned by him: As when it is faid, The Lord raifeth up all that are bowed down, it is meant, that all that are fo raifed up, are raifed up by him, Pfal. cxlv. 14.

Queft. Does not the Apoftle to the Coloffians fay, that the Gospel was preached then to every Creature under Heaven? or, as fome fay R. B's. Ap. the Word may be rendered, in every Creature? And how could this be, if every individual Man had it not inwardly preached to him by the Light within him? Col. i. 23.

p. 132.

Anf. As the Phrafe every Creature, must be limited to reafonable Creatures, and to Men only; fo it must needs admit of fome further Limitation, and can no more be meant of every individual Man under Heaven, than what the fame Apoftle in the fame Place fays, of his warning every Man, and teaching every Man, is to be fo understood. And as preaching to every Creature, in St. Mark xvi. 15. is the fame with teaching all Nations, in St. Matth. xxviii. 19. So by the Gospel here being preached to every Creature, must be meant only, as the like Phrafe is in other Places, of its being preached to Men of all Sorts or Nations; that where-ever it was preached, it was preached to every Man indifferently, and without Ex

ception,