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 16.

I Had noted here what J. Nayler saith, If thou know, own, and obey it, (speaking of the common light of every man) it would lead thee out of the fall: which, because I brought it in as another instance of their Scripture-contra∣diction, R. F. * 1.1 tells me, I go on with my Lyes: And how proves he it? Why, [The words in it (J. Nayler's book) are not as thou says.]

Rep. Let the honest Reader be judge between us, if he please to view the Pamphlet, Entituled, A few words occasion∣ed by a Paper, &c. Page 10. The words of James Nayler are these more at large: Thou goest about to make people believe, that the light of Christ, which is given to every one that comes into the world, is a natural or fallen light; but if thou didst know, own, and obey it, it would lead thee out of the fall. The very words I cited, and in the very sense of the writer; for J. N. speaks of the light given to every man, which though he calls not common, nor will not have it called natural, yet we must call things as they are; for* 1.2 that which every one hath, is no more; and although to own, and obey that dim light of nature is every ones duty, yet to set it up as the light which shall lead out of the fall, is beyond Gods intention of giving it, and beyond the sphere of its activity to effect. From the Scripture, Rom. 7. 7. (which I briefly pointed at, as contradicted by J. N. and others of this opinion) I had not known lust, except the

law had said, Thou shalt not covet, I hinted an Argument, which I shall now give forth in form;

• That which will not so much as discover the fall, will not (though own'd and obeyed) lead out of the fall:
• But the light given to every man, will not so much as discover the fall:
• Therefore, it will not (though own'd and obeyed) lead out of the fall.

The first proposition I thus confirm, There is no delivery without a discovery. The other thus, Pauls light did not discover the fall; nor other mens light, which they have from their coming into the world, did never, will never so much as discover the fall. In the fall, will be found Adams sin, all mens sinning in him, their being born in the guilt of that sin, in the want of Gods image, and in the roots of all actual sin. What a stranger was Paul, in his Pharisaism, to all these Discoveries? who knew not the least lusting of the heart to be sin, till he was enlightned by the Spirit into the commandment of the written Law, which saith, Thou shalt not lust: the same ignorance is in every man (notwithstand∣ing their in-bred light) concerning in-bred lust, and origi∣nal corruption, till by the light of the same commandment, the Spirit of conviction brings it home to his heart.

With what an impudent evasion doth R. F. entertain his Reader? by telling him that J. Nayler witnesseth with Christ who is the true light, and such as obey the light and follow Christ, they are led thereby out of the fall.

Rep. 1. James Nayler saith not, such as obey Christ, but such as obey it; he speaks of the Light-given, and its power.

2. R. F. confounds the Light-given and the Light-giver (as often elswhere) together, and yet attributes the lead∣ing out of the fall to it, [the Light-given] rather then to Christ the Light-giver.

3. Should he express himself more plainly, and say, Christ thereby, that is, by the Light given to every man, as it is obeyed, and himself is followed, doth lead out of the fall; yet would he speak short of the truth, and contrary to Scripture; For,

1. The Scripture speaks not of such a way whereby Christ led any man out of the Fall, before the Scriptures were given, but onely of the way of offering Typical Sacri∣fices, and by the promise of Christ-mediator.

2. The same way he hath chalked out in and by the Scri∣ptures, since they were given, all along the Old Testament; and when Christs sacrifice, typed out and promised, was once exhibited by his own blood, He that was the way yesterday, is the same to day, and for ever, while the world standeth, to lead men out of the fall, and to raise them up to communion with the Father.

3. Although R. F. addes [they were saved by him, and that is not contrary to Scripture] it will not save his judge∣ment from error, nor his writing from contradiction, if he saith or thinketh that Christ ever saved any man by the meer light, which (as God) he giveth to every man. No man ever was, or will be saved by his best obedience yielded to the light which every man comes with into the world. Every man, and onely such, as through grace have obeyed, and shall follow Christ according as he is revealed in the Scripture, is and shall be saved.

What a loud calumny is that which R. F. hath cast upon me at the foot of his tenth Page? [Thou contradicts, and so sins against Scripture, and against Christ that calls him a na∣tural light.]

Rep. I have no such words, had no such meaning, nor can it be pickt out of what I have any where spoken. Al∣though Christ as he is God (as every where I express or intend it) giveth to every man that which is but natural light, yet is not he therefore a natural light: For,

1. He and his works are not the same. He who is the divine, spiritual, supernatural Being, giveth to every crea∣ture its proper nature and being, and is incomprehensibly above them: He is indeed his own nature, and his own most simple essence and being, present with all beings in created nature, and yet not confounded or mixed with created na∣tural beings or lights, irrational or rational.

2. Albeit, as the God of created-nature, he giveth that nature, life, and light of Reason to all men; yet as Media∣tor,

he giveth a distinct, spiritual, excelling light, to lead men out of the fall; partly from the whole written Law,* 1.3 and the discovery of its spiritualness, reaching the motions of the heart to shew men the fall, which prepares for a deli∣very; partly from the Gospel, which shews himself the onely effectual way whereby men may come out of their lapsed condition, as they are taught and drawn of the Father to believe in him, who hath satisfied and merited for a cer∣tain number of sinners their deliverance; and who applies that merited deliverance by remission of sins, and by rege∣neration; and by both, a translation out of the power of darkness (which all men with their best natural light are un∣der) into his own kingdom of saving light and life.

But to proceed: In this Section I had hinted another Ar∣gument against the power of natural light, given to every man to lead him out of the fall, by way of question; R. F. takes it up, and me up, after this maner: [To manifest thy blindeness and ignorance of the Scriptures, thou says, Where is there any promise in Scripture of spiritual and saving Light, to lead man out of the fall, and out of his natural estate?

Rep. Here like Satan the father of lyes (I will not say he is his son) he leaveth out part of the question: My words Pag. 10. are these, Let a man use his common natural light and moral gifts to the utmost, where is any promise in Scri∣pture of spiritual saving light and grace, annexed to lead him out of the fall, or out of his natural state? The word [an∣nexed] he leaves out in the reciting of my words, which re∣fers to the good use of natural light and moral gifts; and in a shifting way he answereth, [If there were no promise of spiritual saving light to lead out of the fall, man might con∣tinue in it, and under the curse.]

Rep. 1. Take this passage by it self, 'tis very good, and one of the best that hath dropt from R. F. his pen. But,

2. It is produced as an answer to my question, and will* 1.4 prove rather a knife to cut the throat of these mens opini∣on, and an Argument for what we assert;

That, It is the light of a promise (by R. F. his concession) which shall lead men out of the fall;

• But in the light which every man hath (say I, and thou∣sands more) there is not the light of a promise, nor any promise of spiritual saving light annexed to the good use of that universal light:
• And therefore, that universal light (though never so well improved) will not, shall not lead men out of the fall.

Promised light is onely found in the Scripture, and ac∣cording to what is there revealed; but where is the answer to my question? R. F. tells his Reader of promises of sa∣ving light in Scripture, and such as follow and obey the same are saved by it.

Rep. [By it] (let the simple-hearted and ingenuous Rea∣der observe) refers to light; which light he makes one with grace, as he addes: For by grace are we saved through faith, and not of our selves, it is the gift of God, Ephes. 2. 8, 9. How fairly doth R. F. his conscience here bid for the truth? but this is no faithful answer to that particular que∣stion, to beg the main question, viz. Whether every man hath sufficient saving light to lead him out of the fall? Such as follow and obey saving light indeed, through faith, freely given of God, are saved by it out of the fall; but every man hath not that saving light to follow, nor the gift of faith to obey it. But my particular question was,* 1.5 Whether to the good use of universal light, there is in Scri∣pture any promise of special, spiritual, saving light, annexed not to saving light, and saving grace, as R. F. puts it, but to the good use of common, or natural light, as I exprest it? Who knows not, being conversant with Scripture, that in Isaiah 42. 6, 7. speaking of Christ his person, God pro∣miseth, I will give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles? which is one place R. F. quoteth, but with this additional gloss; This light hath grace annexed, that is a covenanting light. Why? what is this to the que∣stion still? It is but a low expression to say this light (name∣ly Christ himself) hath grace annexed: For Christ, the pro∣mised Mediator and Foundation of the Covenant, and the Fountain of all saving light to the Gentiles, (as Jews) hath all the fulness of God-head grace, love, holiness, power,

&c. in him. But hath God promised to give Christ for a Mediator to every one that well useth the reliques of created light? Or hath he promised to admit all or any into a covenant of Grace, who do their best to get life by a co∣venant of Works? Nay, rather he hath threatned the contrary, as I hinted in my former piece, Gal. 3. 10. As many as are of the works of the law, that is, will be doing for life, and depending upon their obedience to the law (written in the book of Scripture, which is more, or in eve∣ry mans heart, which is less) are under the curse; and if under the curse, they are (as I said) sure enough under the fall. R. F. quoteth other Scriptures, as Isaiah 49. 6. Isaiah 60. 19, 20. Luke 2. 22, 23. I suppose he intended, Ver. 32. but let him or any man make the best, or the most rather, he can of them, he shall never be able to extract such a pro∣mise, as I called for, of that tendency as he would have it, out of them all. That which I called for, was a promise of spiritual saving light and grace, annexed, or adjoyned to the use of natural light and common gifts; spiritual, and saving light and grace, is light of a higher sphere, and a gift of another kinde, i. e. which differeth not in degree onely, but in kinde, from every mans natural light, as much as the work of Redemption, from the work of Creation. Nor doth it follow, because Christ is promised for a saving light to the Gentiles, that therefore he is promised to them upon such an account, if they use inferior light as they ought; or, that because Christs grace is promised to the use of his grace, therefore his grace is promised to the use or actings of nature: Or that because this light (as R. F) hath grace, or a promise of grace, annexed, therefore every light hath grace, or a promise of grace attending it. I know there are those, who are Lights of a greater magnitude then R. F. that have prompted such a promise, as I call for; yea, many, but the Doctrine which they would shore up there∣by, savors so strongly of the Popish merit of Congruity, and the Jesuites, Facienti quod in se est, &c. fleshing up every natural man in a good opinion of himself and his endeavors, that I abhor their prevaricatings upon the Scripture, which, as to a way of salvation, is one, and God is one,

Gal. 3. 20. i. e. Ever (since he revealed the covenant of Grace) like himself, and of one minde. But these men we* 1.6 have to do with, are inconsistent with the Scriptures, and with themselves, in this as in other cases: God having founded all his promises of saving Light, Grace and Glory, in the death and satisfaction of his Son; he never laid an∣other bottom, or founded any such promises in the Light within every man, or upon their good improvement of that Light. But sometimes they say, Stand still in the Light, and it shall lead thee out of the fall; sometimes there are promises of saving Light, or else a man might continue in the fall and under the curse: either that alone must save, or that and Christ together, by their Doctrine; whereas Christ alone (above the help of that light which every man hath) leads out of the fall, unto the Father, and unto hea∣ven, those that the Father hath given to him, to be a Leader, Commander, and Savior unto.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Page 10.
• * 1.2

  The natural light of every man leads no man out of the Fall.
• * 1.3

  How Christ leads men out of the fall.
• * 1.4

  The light of a promise leads out of the fall.
• * 1.5

  No promise in Scripture of spiritual light and grace, annexed to the good use of natural light.
• * 1.6

  Gal. 3 20. opened.