THE SECOND PROPOSITION

Concerning Immediate Revelation:

Seeing "no man knoweth the Father but the Son, and he to whom the Son revealeth him" b; and seeing the revelation of the Son is in and by the Spirit; therefore the testimony of the Spirit is that alone by which the true knowledge of God hath been, is, and can be only revealed; who, as by the moving of his own Spirit, he converted the chaos of this world into that wonderful order wherein it was in the beginning and created man a living soul to rule and govern it; so by the revelation of the same Spirit he hath manifested himself all along unto the sons of men, both patriarchs, prophets, and apostles; which revelations of God, by the Spirit, whether by outward voices and appearances, dreams, or inward objective manifestations in the heart, were of old the formal object of their faith, and remain yet so to be; since the object of the saints' faith is the same in all ages, though set forth under divers administrations. Moreover, these divine inward revelations, which we make absolutely necessary for the building up of true faith, neither do nor can ever contradict the outward testimony of the Scriptures, or right and sound reason. Yet from hence it will not follow, that these divine revelations are to be subjected to the examination, either of the outward testimony of the Scriptures, or of the natural reason of man, as to a more noble or certain rule or touchstone: for this divine revelation, and inward illumination, is that which is evident and clear of itself, forcing, by its own evidence and clearness, the well-disposed understanding to assent, irresistibly moving the same thereunto; even as the common principles of natural truths move and incline the mind to a natural assent: as, that the whole is greater than its part; that two contradictory sayings cannot be both true, or false: which is also manifest, according to our adversaries' principle who (supposing the possibility of inward divine revelations) will nevertheless confess with us, that neither Scripture nor sound reason will contradict it: and yet it will not follow, according to them that the Scripture, or sound reason, should be subjected to the examination of the divine revelations in the heart.

 

Let’s dive into the Second Proposition from Barclay’s Apology, which focuses on "Immediate Revelation." This is a key Quaker idea, and Barclay builds on the First Proposition by explaining how we come to know God. Here’s a clear breakdown and commentary:

 

Text Breakdown:

"Seeing 'no man knoweth the Father but the Son, and he to whom the Son revealeth him'": Barclay quotes Matthew 11:27, emphasizing that only Jesus (the Son) truly knows God (the Father), and only those to whom Jesus reveals God can know Him. This sets up the idea that knowledge of God isn’t something humans can achieve on their own—it’s a gift from Christ.

"The revelation of the Son is in and by the Spirit": Jesus reveals God through the Holy Spirit, not through external means alone. This points to an inward, spiritual process rather than something purely intellectual or physical.

"Therefore the testimony of the Spirit is that alone by which the true knowledge of God hath been, is, and can be only revealed": Here’s the core claim: the Spirit’s direct testimony (or revelation) is the only way humans have ever truly known God—past, present, and future. Barclay ties this to all of history, from creation to the patriarchs, prophets, and apostles.

"Who, as by the moving of his own Spirit, he converted the chaos of this world into that wonderful order…": Barclay connects this to God’s act of creation, suggesting the same Spirit that ordered the universe and gave life to humanity continues to reveal God to people throughout time.

"Which revelations of God, by the Spirit… were of old the formal object of their faith, and remain yet so to be": Whether through outward signs (voices, dreams) or inward experiences, these revelations have always been the basis of faith, and they still are, even if the ways God reveals Himself have varied across history ("divers administrations").

"These divine inward revelations… neither do, nor can, ever contradict the outward testimony of the Scriptures, or right and sound reason": Barclay assures readers that true revelations from the Spirit align with the Bible and human reason. This is a nod to his critics, showing he’s not dismissing scripture or logic.

"Yet from hence it will not follow, that these divine revelations are to be subjected to the examination… of the Scriptures, or of the natural reason of man, as to a more noble or certain rule": Here’s the twist: while revelations don’t contradict scripture or reason, they don’t need to be judged by them either. The Spirit’s revelation is self-evident and authoritative on its own.

"For this divine revelation, and inward illumination, is that which is evident and clear of itself…": Like basic truths (e.g., "the whole is greater than its part"), the Spirit’s revelation carries its own clarity and power, compelling belief without needing external validation.

Commentary:

Barclay is defending the Quaker emphasis on immediate revelation—God speaking directly to individuals through the Holy Spirit, without intermediaries like priests or even the Bible as the ultimate authority. This was radical in his time, when most Christians saw scripture or church tradition as the final word. For Quakers, the "Inner Light" or Spirit within each person is the primary way God communicates, and it’s been that way since creation.

He’s careful to say this doesn’t mean scripture or reason are useless—they’re consistent with the Spirit’s voice—but they’re secondary. The Spirit’s revelation is like a light that shines so brightly it doesn’t need a lamp (scripture) or a mirror (reason) to prove it’s there. This reflects the Quaker practice of silent worship, where they wait for God to speak directly to their hearts.

Barclay also anticipates pushback. Critics might say, “If the Spirit is so clear, why do we need the Bible?” He counters that scripture supports the Spirit’s work but isn’t above it. Similarly, reason aligns with revelation but doesn’t rule it. This balance shows his effort to stay grounded in Christian tradition while elevating personal experience.

Key Takeaway:

The Second Proposition argues that true knowledge of God comes from the Spirit’s direct, immediate revelation—not from books, logic, or human teachers alone. It’s a bold claim about how faith works, rooted in the Quaker trust in God’s ongoing, personal presence in every soul.