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CHAP. V. Of Mans Natural State.
1. WE come now to Examine the doctrine held, forth in the 4 Thesis, which though I finde a little more clearly expressed, as to the latine, in the se∣cond edition, than it was in the first; yet I finde it not helped, as to the matter: so that still I finde several mysteries, wrapped up in his words, which will not without some difficulty be unridled; for after the usual manner of that Seck of the Quakers, who speak ordinarily in a dialect, peculiar to themselves, the beginning of this Thesis is very enigmatical; and in all his discourse upon this The∣sis, in his Apology, he speaketh nothing that can contribute any thing to the cle∣aring of his Meaning to us, who are not much acquanted with his Mysteries; only he enlargeth himself on two maine Heads, of which we shall speak here∣after: And though he could not be offended, if we should only examine his doctrine, as to these two Heads, leaving the rest, which he shortly touched in his Thesis; yet, ••or the Readers satisfaction, we must take some notice of what he saith.
2. Passing that insufficient division of Mankinde, or the Posterity of Adam, which he maketh, when he saith, both Iewes and Gentiles, whereby he excludeth from this race of Adam, all that lived, before this distinction began to take place; that is, all that lived before Abraham, Isaac & Iacob, the posterity of whom (complexly considered) only did beare the name of Iewes; and that not so early; for the first mention we have of the word in Scripture, is Esther 2:5. & 2 King. 16:6. And all those, who lived before this issue appeared, or were known as such, can not be called Heathens, seing some of them, at least, worshiped the true God: I take notice, that he acknowledgeth and asserteth, that all Mankinde is Fallen, Degenerated, and Dead; but how, or upon what occasion, he expresseth not, in his Thesis, and giveth but a short hinte there∣of, in his Apology; of which afterward. That Man at first was living, and in a good state, he insinuateth, when he saith, that he is now fallen and degenerate; but wherein that good and happy condition consisted, he explaineth not: i•• may be, he forbeareth to do this, lest thereby, he should discover some secrets of their mystical Theology, which either is not fit, as yet, to be made known▪ or we are not in case to understand & improve aright. Some may possibly think▪ that he forbeareth to give an Explication of this, or to adde his Testimo••y to the orthodoxe Truth, in this point, because the Natural Light, that is in every man, cannot discover, or comprehend it? Natures Light, I grant, will ne∣ver discover, without the Revelation of the word, the Time when, the Man∣ner how, nor the Cause and Occasion, upon which this inundation took its original. I finde, that Mr Hicks in his 3 Dial. Pag. 40, 41. getteth no satisfac∣tion, as to this, from Will. Pen speaking thus in his book. Pag 29. Herein the•• contradicts thy self, abusest the Philosophers: and blasphemest the light. Thou grants the heathens knew, there was sin: If so, how could they be ignorant of sins coming into the