The reviler rebuked: or, A re-inforcement of the charge against the Quakers, (so called) for their contradictions to the Scriptures of God, and to their own scriblings,: which Richard Farnworth attempted to answer in his pretended Vindication of the Scriptures; but is farther discovered, with his fellow-contradictors and revilers, and their doctrine, to be anti-Scriptural, anti-Christian, and anti-spiritual. By John Stalham, a servant of the great bishop and shepherd of souls, appointed to watch his little flock at Terling in Essex.

Section 10.

TO call▪ the light within them, and which every man hath, the word of God, as they frequently express their natural impressions; To you all, this is the word of the Lord, while as they will not have the holy Scriptures so cal∣led: This, as I noted, is still to hold up Contradiction (as to the whole Scripture, so) to that particular place in Isaiah 8. 20. whence I inferred, That Light without Scri∣pture* 1.1 is no light. This passage R. F. stumbleth at in his Epistle, and saith, It comes, as the rest of my sayings, from the deceitful Spirit that guides me.

Rep. What doth he less then fasten deceit upon the Spirit of God, (as far as he can) the Spirit of truth, who speaks in that, as in all the Scripture, and guided me to write as I did? If they speak not according to this word (saith the Spirit there, speaking of the Law and the Testimony written in books and tables) it is because there is no light in them.* 1.2 What clearer and truer inference, from the words of the Spirit by the Prophet, could I raise then this? viz. Light, though said to be saving Light, without Scripture, i. e. be∣sides, or not according to Scripture, is no Light. Men may* 1.3 call it light, and light of life; but the holy Ghost saith it is not so, if it be not agreeable to Law and Testimony, which is Scripture-light. R. F. would fain disprove my inference thus:

[unspec 1] 1. If light without Scripture be no light, then I know not the light that was before the Scripture or Letter, and so am ignorant of Christ the true light.

Rep. 1. It follows not, for there was no light before the Scripture, but what is now revealed in, and by the Scri∣pture.

2. It is a learned ignorance to know no more in order to salvation, then that which is in Scripture revealed: The Lord give me, and all his, more of this learning.

3. As the Spirit shews me, by the Scripture, that God did teach the knowledge of Christ to the Fathers before the Flood, and after, till Moses, without a written Word; so I

know, that all that light which the Patriarchs had concern∣ing salvation, and right worshipping of God through a Me∣diator, was according to the Law and Testimony, committed to writing in Moses time and since.

2. R. F. objecteth, By such a saying, [Light without Scri∣pture, &c.] I would not have God to be God, and Christ to be Christ, without the Letter of the Scripture.

Rep. 1. What an absurd (that I say not, malicious) in∣consequence is here? 'Tis as if one should have cavilled against Isaiah, when he said, To the Law and to the Testi∣mony, &c. Why Isaiah, if there be no light in them that bring not Scripture, and that soundly interpreted accord∣ing to the Spirits word, thou wouldest not have God to be God, nor Christ to be Christ, without the Scripture? The charge of R. F. is not against me, but contradictious to that Prophet, and to the Spirit: For when God gives a written Law, Doctrine, or Rule and Touchstone, to try even Pro∣phets and Apostles Doctrine by; he that shall speak things discrepant from this Canonical Word, speaks (as we say) without book; without ground or warrant, without, or besides, and consequently against the Light of a Rule, and against the Spirit that gave the Rule.

2. God, who was God from everlasting, and much more before he appointed his minde to be delivered in writing,* 1.4 hath thus given out his minde in that written Text by Isa. 8. 20. consult but the verse before. When they shall say unto you, seek unto them, that have familiar spirits, &c. should not a people (Gods people) seek unto their God? where should they seek him? should they go to the dead? to damned spirits in men? and to wizards that peep and mut∣ter? (as some now-adays) to seek for the living God? Or, should they go to the dead, to seek help and advice from them, for, and in behalf of the living? No certainly: whi∣ther then? the answer is clear v. 20. To the Law, and to the Testimony, which is Gods written word, and that which is spoken according to it: And if they [any that undertake to be speakers, or writers] shall not speak according to this Law and Testimony; it is because they have no morning∣light in them, it is an evidence they follow the moon-shine

of their watry-fancies, dark reasonings, and diabolical sug∣gestions; and if there be no light of saving truth in them, there will be no light of comfort or relief which shall shine forth unto them: so that, if any shall come and teach a God whom the Scripture teacheth not, and a Christ, that the Scripture doth not teach, he speaks lies and darkness, and nothing else: yea, if any set up a light against the light of Scripture, and will not be contented with that, for the subject matter of it, and reduce all his light unto it, and compare his light with it, to finde out and maintain a har∣mony therewith; he sets up Lyes against the Truth, and in the room of it.

[unspec 3] 3. R. F. reasoneth, If the Scriptures should be lost, he would have no God nor Christ, that would have none without them.

Rep. 1. This needless supposition might be spared; God who hath hitherto preserved them, will still maintain them while the world stands. John 10. 35. The Scripture cannot be broken, and therefore not lost.

2. In the volume of the Book of Gods Decrees it was determined, there should be a Scripture; and all should be written therein, which concerned Christ, and salvation by him, Heb. 10. 7. And,

3. As all that have sinned, and shall sin against the Scripture-light, (since it was given them) shall be judged by it at the last day, Rom. 2. 12, 16. So,

4. All that is contained in the Scripture (which is more then is written in the heart of every fallen son of Adam, and more then was written in Adams heart before the fall) shall eternally witness in mens consciences, both for the joy and comfort of those that believe and obey it; and against those that slight and contradict it, to their everlasting ter∣ror and increase of torment.

[unspec 4] 4. To say (saith R. F.) that without Scripture the word of the Lord could not be spoken, is to limit the Spirit of God.

Rep. 1. But who said it? He would make his Reader be∣lieve, I said it, or to that effect: But let him that reads us both, observe what liberty he takes to note the effect of words, and to pass by the very words themselves, and yet

condemns it in others; although, as near as I could, I have every where alledged their very words.

2. That which I said, the Reader shall finde at the end of this Section, Pag. 8. of my Book, viz. Christ teacheth us not to know any thing to Salvation, but what is in the Scri∣pture-Law and Testimony: For it is there either in express words, or in a true consequential sense; and to keep our selves within the bounds and limits which God hath set us, is not at all to limit Gods Spirit, but our own spirit, which hath need of such a bit and bridle.

[unspec 5] 5. R. F. addes, If Samuel, Christ, his Apostles, and John, might have spoken nothing but what was written, they might not have spoken much of what they did speak.

Rep. 1. God might have revealed more then is in the Scripture, but he pleased not so to do.

2. All that Samuel, and the Prophets, Christ and the Apostles, and John the Revelation have spoken, is written, both according to what was written before, and for sub∣stance the same. As Moses wrote what was delivered to the Patriarchs, and Samuel with the Prophets spake, and have left written what Moses wrote; so, Christ and the Apostles spake, and have left written what was spoken by Moses and the Prophets, Luke 24. 26, 27. Acts 3. 22, 23, 24. Let him that readeth understand. Rev. 22. 6. These sayings are faithful and true. And the Lord God of the holy Prophets, sent his Angel to shew unto his servants the things which must shortly be done. Nothing is signified in the whole Book of the Revelation, but, for substance, was foretold by Isaiah, Daniel, Zechariah, and other of Gods holy Prophets, whose writings were extant long before John had his Visions and Revelations. But R. F. will not yet give over.

[unspec 6] 6. God revealeth the deep things by his Spirit, and teach∣eth by his Spirit, and sends forth messengers by his Spirit, and guideth by his Spirit into all truth, &c.

Rep. 1. They do well to run to the Spirit, who have lost the sense of Scripture, and love to it; but let R. F. and others of his way take heed they mistake not Gods Spirit, nor substitute their own spirit in the room of the Lord, the Spirit.

2. The Spirit of the Lord revealeth no deeper things, nor will do to all eternity, then are already wrapt up in the volume of the Scriptures. The Spirits-light and Scripture∣light are very harmonious, albeit, the Spirit gives eyes by his own power to see that light, which the Scripture doth but instrumentally help unto.

3. Such messengers as speak more then is in the Scri∣pture, are not sent by Gods Spirit, nor guided by him to what they say.

Thus I have taken up what R. F. hath in his Epistle, up∣on occasion of my lifting up the Light of Scripture into its due place, above that which is every mans Light; let us review what he hath further in his Book * 1.5, not according to the Title, in vindication of the Scriptures; but in defence of George Fox, who calls the light (of every man) the word of God: but, as I said before, will not have the Scriptures so called. All the vindication which R. F. can give, is re∣crimination, in this as in other cases; Thou accusest G. F. for saying the light is the word, but it is but to manifest thy further contradictions to the Scripture. As how? For the Scripture saith, God is the Light.

Rep. I no where finde it so exprest in Scripture-text. The place he quoteth is printed John 1. 5. but let the Printer bear the blame, it is likely he intended, 1 John 1. 5. there* 1.6 indeed 'tis said expresly, [That God is light▪] not [the light] in every mans conscience. The light in every man is given of God, but that light is not God, nor is God that light. God is light, pure absolute essential light, knowledge, wis∣dom,* 1.7 holiness, and perfectly so of himself: but the best light that G. F. or R. F. or any man hath, or is qualified with, is but created, diffused, derived-light. Again, God is the word, for which R. F. quotes John 1. 1. but it is not so exprest by John; onely thus, The word was God: it's granted he was and is so, what then? Must I needs be ignorant of the Scri∣ptures, because I confound not Father and Son together, as R. F. doth in that expession of his, and what follows? [As God is the light and the word, so also is Christ, John 8. 12. Rev. 19. 13. and the Father and the Son are one.]

Rep. How are they one? not in person, but in nature

and essence. The Father is not the Son, the Father is not the Word, nor ever so called. Let R. F. learn to distinguish their persons as clearly, as he would be far from dividing their essence. But, what if God be light, and Christ be the true light, and very God with the Father in essence? and Christ be also the word of God, and so called in that, as the word is the image of the minde, so Christ in his person is the express image of the Fathers person, Heb. 1. 3. Must the light in every man, which G. F. or R. F. speak from, be the word of God, and so called in that sense, as Christ is the word of God, and so called? not to mention how such a conceit borders upon blasphemy, this kinde of reasoning is as good and true, as that of R. F. Because I preach publiquely, therefore I am a Priest; or because I preacht at Edenburgh in Scotland for a while, therefore I am a Scotch Priest; as he every where calls me at his pleasure, and from his blinde mistakes. But to undeceive the simple, let me close this Se∣ction* 1.8 with a few brief Corollaries.

[unspec 1] 1. The beams of Christs God-head shine upon every man, though not one man in the world knows him to be God, till he findes him in the Scripture.

[unspec 2] 2. The beams of his Mediatorship shine upon such as have the Scripture, though few there be that finde that nar∣row gate, and straight way to life and salvation.

[unspec 3] 3. The light given to every man, is not Christ in person, or as Mediator; let people learn to distinguish between him and his gifts, and between the gifts which he bestoweth as God, and those which he confers as Mediator.

[unspec 4] 4. The light given to every man, is the law written in the hearts of all, and may in some sense be called the word* 1.9 of God, (not Christ-Mediator, nor Christ-God) because it is a piece of the declaration of Gods will, made perfectly known to Adam before the fall.

[unspec 5] 5. The Scriptures are a perfect declaration of the will of God, both in the Legal and in the Gospel-part; and are both truly and more eminently (then the Law first written in the heart) called, as they are, the word of God; God giving out his minde to the full, by what is written in the sacred Text.

[unspec 6] 6. The Lord Christ, the Eternal Son and Essential Word of the Father, is more in the Scriptures then in every man, or any man. As he is God, all men live, and move, and have their being in him: As he is Mediator, he is in his Church mystical; yet is he more in the Scriptures then in his Saints.

[unspec 7] 7. They have not Christ Mediator in them, nor abide in his Doctrine, who abide not in the Doctrine of the Scriptures.

[unspec 8] 8. They that speak from the Scriptures, rightly under∣stood, speak more from Christ, then such who speak from the light within them, and have no fellowship with the Scriptures, and with them that abide by Scripture-light and Doctrine.

Let R. F. and the men of his fellowship ponder what I say, and the Lord give all his understanding in all things.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Isaiah 8. 20. further vindi∣cated.
• * 1.2

  How Light without Scri∣pture is no Light.
• * 1.3

  R. F. His rea∣sons to the contrary, in his Epistle, dissolved.
• * 1.4

  Isaiah 8 20. farther cleared.
• * 1.5

  Page 9.
• * 1.6

  1 John 1. 5.
• * 1.7

  How God is light.
• * 1.8

  Superadded Conclusions.
• * 1.9

  Rom. 2. 15.