Sermons & Devotionals by Robert Barclay

Whatever way we understand the popish principles in this matter, whether of those that are most devoted to the see of Rome, as the king of Spain's dominions, and the princes of Italy; the Jesuits and generality of all those called religious orders, who hold, that Papa in cathedra non potest errare, ... Read More

I shall begin with that which gave the first rise for this order among the apostles; and I do verily believe, might have been among the first occasions, that gave the like among us, and that is, the care of the poor, of widows and orphans. Love and compa ssion are the great, yea, and the chiefest ma... Read More

It will be needful then, before I proceed to describe the order and government of the church, to consider, what is or may be properly understood by the church; for some (as I touched before) seem to be offended, or at least afraid of the very word, because the "power of the church, the order of the ... Read More

After that the Lord God in his own appointed time had seen meet to put an end to the dispensation of the law, which was delivered to the children of Israel by the ministry of Moses; through and by whom he did communicate unto them in the wilderness from Mount Sinai divers commandments, ordinances, a... Read More

Seeing then, it may fall out in the Church of Christ, that both some may assume another place in the body than they ought, and others may lay claim to a liberty, and pretend conscience in thing's they ought not, and that without question the wrong is not to be tolerated, but to be testified against,... Read More

Thus far I have considered the order and governmcut of the church, as it respects outward things; and its authority in condemning or removing such things, which in themselves are evil, as being those, which none will readily justify the necessity of which things is such, that few but will acknowledg... Read More

In answer to this proposition, I meddle not at this time with those, that deny any such thing as a Church of Christ; I have reserved their plea to another place. Neither need I be at much pains to prove the affirmative, to wit "that there ought to be go vernment and order in the Church of Christ," u... Read More

When as the Lord God by his mighty power began to visit the nations with the dawning of his heavenly day, (for thus I write unto those that have received and believed the truth,) and that he sent forth his instruments, whom he had fitted and prepared fo r his work, having fashioned them not accordin... Read More

The substance, then, of what is asserted and proved in this Treatise, resolves in these following particulars: First, That in the church of Christ, when it consists of a visible people (for I speak not here of the church in the dark night of apostasy, that consisted not of any society visibly united... Read More