Principles, in fome fhort Theological Propofitions; which, according to the Will of God, proving fuccessful, beyond my Expectation, to the Satisfaction of feveral, and to the moving in many a Defire of being farther informed concerning us, as being every where evil spoken of; and likewife meeting with publick Oppofition by fome, as fuch will always do, fo long as the Devil rules in the Children of Disobedience; I was thereby farther ingaged, in the Liberty of the Lord, to prefent to the World this Apology of the Truth held by thofe People: Which, because of thy Interest in them, and theirs in Thee, as having first appeared, and mostly increased, in these Nations under Thy Rule, I make bold to Prefent unto Thee.

Thou knoweft, and haft experienced their Faithfulness towards their God, their Patience in Suffering, their Peaceableness towards the King, their Honesty, Plainnefs and Integrity in their faithful Warnings and Teftimonies to Thee; and if Thou wilt allow Thy felf fo much Time as to read this, Thou may'ft find bow confonant their Principles are both to Scripture, Truth, and Right Reafon, The Simplicity of their Behaviour, the Generality of their Condition, as being Poor Men and Illiterate; the Manner of their Procedure, being without the Wisdom and Policy of this World, hath made many conclude them Fools and Mad-men; and neglect them, as not being capable of Reafon. But though it be to them as their Crown, thus to be efteemed of the Wife, and Great, and Learned of this World, and though they rejoice to be accounted Fools for Chrift's fake; yet of late fome, even fuch, who in the World's account are efteemed both Wife and Learned, begin to judge otherwise of them, and find, that they hold forth Things very agreeable both to Scripture, Reafon, and true Learning, (b2)

As

As it is inconfiftent with the Truth I bear, fo it is far from me to use this Epiftle as an Engine to flatter Thee, the ufual Defign of fuch Works; and therefore I can neither Dedicate it to Thee, nor crave Thy Patronage, as if thereby I might have more Confidence to prefent it to the World, or be more hopeful of its Succefs. To God alone I owe what I have, and that more immediately in Matters Spiritual; and therefore to Him alone, and to the Service of his Truth, I dedicate whatever Work He brings forth in me: To Whom only the Praise and Honour appertain, Whofe Truth needs not the Patronage of Worldly Princes: His Arm and Power being that alone, by which it is Propagated, Eftablished and Confirmed. But I found it upon my Spirit, to take Occafion to prefent this Book unto Thee; that as Thou haft been often warned by feveral of that People, who are Inhabitants of England; fo Thou may'ft not want a feafonable Advertisement from a Member of Thy ancient Kingdom of Scotland; and that Thou may't know (which I hope Thou shalt have no Reason to be troubled at) that God is railing up and increafing that People in that. Nation. And the Nations fhall alfo hereby know, that the Truth we profefs, is not a Work of Darknefs, nor propagated by Stealth; and that we are not ashamed of the Gospel of Chrift, because we know it to be the Power of God unto Salvation; and that we are no ways fo inconfiftent with Government, nor fuch Disturbers of the Peace, as our Enemies, by traducing us, have fought to make the World believe we are: For which to Thee I dare appeal, as a Witness of our Peaceableness and Chriftian Patience.

Generations to come fhall not more admire that fingular Step of Diyine Providence, in Reftoring

Thee

Thee to Thy Throne, without outward Blood-fhed, than they shall admire the Increase and Progrefs of this Truth, without all outward Help, and against fo great Oppofition; which fhall be none of the leaft Things rendring Thy Memory remarkable. God hath done great Things for Thee, He hath fufficiently fhewn Thee, that it is by Him Princes rule, and that He can pull down and fet up at his Pleafure. He hath often faithfully warned Thee by his Servants, fince He Reftored Thee to Thy Royal Dignity, that Thy Heart might not wax wanton against Him, to forget His Mercies and Providences towards Thee; whereby He might permit Thee to be foothed up, and lulled asleep in Thy Sins, by the flattering of Court-Parafites, who, by their Fawning, are the Ruin of many Princes.

There is no King in the World, who can fo experimentally teftifie of God's Providence and Goodnefs; neither is there any, who rules fo many free People, fo many true Chriftians: Which Thing renders Thy Government more Honourable, and Thy felf more Confiderable, than the Acceffion of many Nations, filled with flavish and superftitious Souls.

Thou haft tafted of Profperity and Adverfity; Thou know'ft what it is to be banished Thy Native Country, to be Over-ruled, as well as to Rule, and fit upon the Throne; and being oppreffed, Thou haft Reason to know how hateful the Oppreffor is both to God and Man: If after all these Warnings and Advertisements, Thou doft not turn unto the Lord with all Thy Heart; but forget Him, who remembred Thee in Thy Distress, and give up Thy felf to follow Luft and Vanity; furely great will be Thy Condemnation,

Against

Against which Snare, as well as the Temptation of those, that may or do feed Thee, and prompt Thee to Evil, the moft Excellent and Prevalent Remedy will be, to apply Thy felf to that Light of Chrift, which fbineth in Thy Confcience, which neither can, nor will flatter Thee, nor fuffer Thee to be at Eafe in Thy Sins; but doth and will deal plainly and faithfully with Thee, as those, that are Followers thereof, have alfo done.

GOD Almighty, who bath so signally hitherto Vifited Thee with his Love, fo touch and reach Thy Heart, ere the Day of Thy Vifitation be expired, that Thou may'ft effectually turn to Him, fo as to improve Thy Place and Station for His Name. So wifheth, fo prayeth,

Thy Faithful Friend and Subject,

ROBERT BARCLAX,

From Ury, the Place of my Pilgrimage, in my Native Country of Scotland, the 25th of the Month called November, in the Tear M,DC,LXXV.

R. B.

wifheth Salvation.

F

OR ASMUCH as that, which above all Things. I propose to my felf, is to declare and Defend the Truth; for the Service whereof, I have given up and devoted my felf, and all that is mine: Therefore there, is nothing which for its fake (by the Help and Affiftance of God) I may not attempt. And in this Confidence, I did fome Time ago publish certain Propofitions of Divinity, comprehending briefly the chief Principles and Doctrines of Truth; which, appearing not unprofitable to fome, and being, beyond my Expectation, well received both by Foreigners, tho' diffenting from us (albeit also oppofed by fome Envious Ones) did fo far prevail, as in fome part to remove that falfe and monftrous Opinion, which lying Fame, and the Malice of our Adverfaries, had implanted in the Minds of fome, concerning us and our Doctrines. In this refpect it feemed to me not fit to Spare my Pains and Labour.

Therefore being acted by the fame measure of the Divine Spirit, and the like Defign of propagating the Truth, by which I published the Propofitions, I judged it meet to explain them fomewhat more largely at this Time, and defend them by certain Arguments.

Perhaps my Method of Writing may seem not only different, but even contrary, to that which is commonly ufed by the Men called Divines, with which I am not concerned: For that I confefs my felf to be not only no Imitator and Admirer of the School-Men, but an Oppofer and Defpifer of them, as fuck, by whofe Labour I judge the Chriftian Religion to be fo far from being bettered, that it is rather deftroyed. Neither have I fought to accommodate this my Work to itching Ears, who defire rather to comprehend in their Heads the fublime Notions of Truth, than to embrace it in their Hearts: For what I have written, comes more from my Heart than from my Head; what I have heard with the Ears of my Soul, and feen with my inward Eyes, and my Hands have

kandled