The chasing the young QUAKING HARLOT Out of the CITY: Or a turning the Quakers dark side into the light, wherein is plainly discovered a twofold design against the publick peace, the one by their Doctrine, the other by their Sword: with an Answer to E.B. Salutation to his Brethren. The Quaker sounded out of his lying Trumpet. With seven special marks to know the Quaking Harlot from the other Harlots. Also certain Queries sent to I. Lilburn, in order to prove his Resurrection to be but a meer Imagination, and quaking delusion. Together, with a certain Rule to know whether the Quakers Doctrine be a new dispensation of Gods, or a fiction out of a Quakers Brain. By Thomas Winterton.
For before these dayes rose up Theudas, boasting himself to be some body, to whom a number of men, about four hundred joyned themselves, who was slain, and all, as many as obeyed him, were scattered and brought to nought.
After this man rose up Judas of Galilee, in the dayes of the taxing, and drew away much people after him: he also perished, and all, even as many as obeyed him, were dispersed.
London, Printed by W.G. and are to be sold by Richard Moon, at the seven Stars in Pauls Church-yard, near the North door, 1656.
The Chasing the young Quaking-Harlot out of the City, &c.
FOr as much as I having put forth a Book, wherein I proved Edward Burrough, and all his fellow quaking Prophets false upon their own grounds the which the said Burrough, nor his Brother James Naylor have given any answer unto, notwithstanding the said Naylor did attempt a pretended answer, in which he took no other course to confute me, then charging me to deny the Father, the Son, the Spirit, and all above nature, and that without ground, or colour of ground, as my Book doth clearly manifest; but for the proofs I bring to prove them false, deceiving, jugling Prophets, upon their own grounds, he saith, hee I leave to the wise to judge, himself not being wise enough, he either being convinced, that it was a truth, or no wayes able to take away those Arguments I brought to prove it.
And now notwithstanding the said Burrough, and his fellow quaking Prophets stand thus condemned by the name of quaking Prophets, to be false, deceiving jugling Prophets, upon their own grounds: yet the said Burrough being so perfect, as shaming [Page 4]nothing, notwithstanding this heinous charge against him, proudly assumeth that he hath received order and Authority from the spirit of the living God, to write a controversie to all the Inhabitants of the Earth; among which he accuseth, condemneth, and sentenceth Oliver Cromwell Lord Protector, his Counsel, the Judges, and divers others, with near ten several sorts of Opinions, and Sects of Religions, to be all under the wrath, and high displeasure of God.
But for his fellow Quakers, he salutes them, and saith, they are the Lords choyce ones, his holy Seed, with whom he hath placed his Covenant that they shall raign over Hell & death, and the Crave It is said of a People in Germany, that they held forth such purity and zeal, and heavenly mindedness, that they seemed to hate the World, and worldly things, till they had got a considerable party; and then they argued, that the Earth was the Lords, and that they being his peculiar People, the worthy right owners thereof, none had nothing to do with it but they. and having proclamed open War against God & Magog, he incourageth his Brethren to prosicute it, (saying) that so they may inlarge their Dominions, and make the Sons of Esau their slaves and bondmen.
Wherefore for as much as these young upstart-Quakers do thus proudly exalt themselves above others, I shall endeavour to unmask them, by turning their dark side outward, wherein lyeth the strength of their delusion, and discover to the World that the Quakers drive on two dangerous designes; the one by their Doctrine, the which leadeth to the destruction of the well-being of the whole Creation. The second, by the Sword, in which they have manifested abundance of dissimulation.
To make the first appear, I shall take notice of four particulars, the which I have gathered out of their exercise, out of their Books, and by discoursing with them.
First, That the peoples senses, understanding, and reason, were carnall, fleshly, and unto condemnation.
Secondly, That Christ lighteneth every one that commeth into the World.
Thirdly, That who so believes in this light, it is as a fire and a Hammer, to break and consume all carnal lust, and fleshly and selfish desires whatsoever, that now they cannot sin.
Fourthly That now the Scripture is no more a guid for them to walk by, nor nothing without them, but the light within them, and he that seeketh after any other Guid, but that within him is in the flesh still.
For the first of these, this young Harlot hath learned of her Mother, the old Whore of Rome, how to lay the first stone in this Tragedy the which is in the peoples ignorance; for as the Mother forbiddeth the people to trust to their own understanding, but to believe as the Church believes, so the Daughter denyeth, as it were her followers the use of their senses, their understanding and Reason, (notwithstanding God hath given these faculties to the Sons of men, out of which ariseth their chiefest light, by which they are to try all things, and hold that which is good;) but telleth them that they are carnall, and unto condemnation, that so they may wholly relie upon their infallibilities; even as a cunning Fouler, who with the sound of a Bell astonisheth and benummeth the senses of the Birds, that they have no power to fly away, but yield themselves up as a prey; so do these jugling quaking Prophets, astonish and benum the ignorant unstayd-minded people with their lies, that they are as brutish as those in the 44. of Isay. (that with one part of a Tree roasted their meat, and warmed themselves, and with the residue they made them a God, and called upon it for deliverance,) otherwise they might require these deceivers to cast away their own senses, and their reason, and their own understanding first, and then there would be no danger of their deceiving others.
For the second, that Christ lightneth every one that commeth into the World it is a truth clear from Scripture, and that this light is seated in the understanding, and discovereth to every one that will both good and evill.
But for the third, that this light doth consume and destroy all carnal lust, is most false, and contrary both to Scripture and reason, for the nature of light is but to discover, and is not active at all: but in discovering, take it in the body, light, or eves, they are but to discover and inform the understanding of what they [Page 6]see; as the eares do of what they hear, so the light in the understanding acts nor neither, but only determinates of what is presented unto it, and so delivereth up its sense to the will, who as an executioner, putteth the body in action, even as an artificial light: take a Candle into a dark Room, its nature is to discover what is in that Room; but if you light a hundred Candles, they will not remove any thing in that Room.
And therefore if the Quakers will have their Disciples purged, they must seek something else, for light will not do it, an to they are all still in their abominations, and that the reasons why Naylor is not ashamed to put to print such notorious abominable lyes, and Burrough outstrips the Heathen in revengeful expressions, against all but his own fraternity, quite contrary to what he had taught, and therefore the lesse is the wonder though they do outstrip all false Prophets and deceivers, seeing they are setting up the greatest abomination that ever was before them.
Howsoever, I cannot but take notice of the subtilty of this young Harlot, who puts one pure truth among three erors as a bait to insnare the poor ignorant people withall, and therefore for as much as I intend to chase their Harlot through all their muses, I will lend her so much favour, as to presuppose that light doth cleanse and purifie.
Yet do I deny that light, or any thing within man, or without him, doth or ever did, so cleanse, purifie and make perfect the Sons of men, as that it were safe & convenient to allow them no other guid or director but the dictate of their own light and spirit within them, and that ever any of the dear Servants of God were justly capable of such a condition, their own compliance witnesse the contrary, yea, Adam in his chiefest purity, was short of this capacity.
And therefore to strip this young Harlot out of her pretences, I shall open this word Perfection, and shew what it is, and where it lieth, what imperfection is, and from whence it ariseth, for herein lieth the strength of their delusion.
First, Perfection is a fulness in the mind and appetite of the Creature, whereby it can comfortably subsist without supply to either.
Secondly, imperfection is an emptiness in the mind and appetite [Page 7]of the Creature, so that it cannot comfortably subsist without supply to either.
If Adam had been created in the first, he had not sinned, because mans sin ariseth from his enordinatings acting and desiring to satisfie the emptiness of his mind and appetite so he could not have fulfilled the end for which God made him for, the which was to dresse the Garden; for labor in it self being burdensome, and emptiness is the only provocation thereunto; for the sweetness of the morsel sets an edge upon industry, when the full loatheth the Hony-combe.
But the Lord created Adam to dresse the Garden, and in order thereunto he was made subsistent by supply the which he at once thought to satisfie and therefore was easily perswaded seeing the apple good to satisfie his appetite, and to be as good to satisfie the ambition of his mind, he by his acting and desiring enordinately (that is, quite contrary to what the Lord commanded) purchased defilement to him and his posterity for ever.
But if Adam had been a Quaker, and God had left him to their claim, that it is to walk by that light within him; If Adam had set fire of all the Trees in the Garden, as well as eat the fruit of one, he had not sinned he doing it from the dictate of that light the which was allowed him for his guid: wherefore seeing the Quakers cannot prove that that light within man, or any thing else, either within him, or without him, doth reconstitute man into a more pure and perfect estate and condition, then God ever intended to create man in (the which is unpossible) then is it easie to prove that the Quakers Doctrine doth unavoidably lead to the utter desolation of the whole Creation.
Their Doctrine being that all they believe in that light wherewith Christ lighteneth every man that commeth into the World, the Scripture is now no guid for him to walk by, nor nothing else without him, but only that light within him.
1. Now suppose a City, a Kingdom, or the whole World should embrace this Doctrine; suppose the whole World were as pure as Adam was in Paradise.
1. Whether every one would not be as ready as Adam was, to lay hold of what he apprehended would best satisfie his empty hand and appetite, yea much more readier, when they have allowance [Page 8]so to do; and that they may do it without sin, being free from Law, and power of penalty.
2. And whether it might not be expected, that the generality of the Sons and Daughters of men (if not all) would not improve and put in exercise their chiefest strength to procure their best contentment.
And now seeing this is our Quakers Paradise to turn sin our of the World, by making all Laws useless, let all wise and prudent people consider, whether he that had a coat to day, might not want one to morrow; and he that had bread to day, might not be uncertain when he should have any bread again; for who would give his mind, or be industrious, when all he laboured for might be justly taken from him; yea, whether man would not be quickly made more miserable then the beast of the field; for as he would soon be brought to eat grass as an Oxe: yet in Winter if he would eat hay he might starve before he could have it; for who will provide it since none knows who shall enjoy it.
The second design is gathered from the revengfull spirit that appeareth to be in these Quaking Prophets, manifested in Edr. Burroughs Salutation to his Brethren the Quakers; wherein be doth sufficiently discover his imperfection, in changing from one thing to another: For about two years ago in his Exercist in Whitecros street he declared to the people that those that believed in that light with which Christ lighteneth every one that cometh into the World, that Light doth break and consume all Carnall I ust, and selfish desires whatsoever, and purifieth the heart so that they cannot sinne; and that all strife and contention and revenge was of the flesh, and of the Divel, and were to condemnation.
But now in his book entituled, (A feigned) Trumpet of the Lord sounded out of Sion after he had judged, condemned sentenced all Degrees and Religions that he knew of, to be all under the high displeasure of God:
But to his Confederates the Quakers he salures them, relling them That they are the Lords chosen ones out of the Earth, to place his Name among them. And having with these high conceits filled up four pages, he plainly discovers a German spirit, that as he had cryed down the World, and Worldly things, together with all [Page 9]strife and contention, and revenge to be carnal, and of the Devil, and unto condemnation, he hath in this small moment of time, by his infallible spirit turned all these vices into vertues, so that now the whole World is become little enough for their Dominions; his words are these in the 37. page.
Make Warre in righteousness, and prepare your selves to do his service, let not your hands be slack, neither be you sloathful in our Lords design, but wound the head of your enemies, and manage Warre against God and Magog, throughout all Generations; ride on and prosper, and tread down the fenced Cities, and enlarge your Dominion, and let the Children of strangers, of the Seed of Esau, be your slaves and bond-men, and fill the Earth with your presence.
And in the 39. page, O Sion, thou art prepared of thy God to beat the Mountains to dust; thou art fitted for his service to thresh the Hills. Make no tarrying, but come away, spread thy self into every corner of the Earth; for the upright thirst for thee.
And in the 40. page; for thy God hath given thee an Instrument with teeth, to beat the Rocks to powder; he is not wanting to thee in power and wisdom: thou Son of his love, give up, give up to obey his voice, and love not thy life unto death, till the Seed of thy Inheritance, and the blood of thy chosen be revenged upon the head of Jezabel, who hath slain thy Elect in all Generations, and nourished her self with the blood of the Innocent; call upon thy God, and awake him to revenge, to smite, and to slay thy adversaries, and to consume their Habitation from off the Earth, who have been too strong for thee: why shouldest thou not come forth in the power of thy judgements, to judge the Earth in righteousness, and exalt thy name in glory?
Now for as much as I have not an infallible spirit, infallibly to interpret what may be intended in these revengefull expressions, notwithstanding my Imaginary faculty might find ground enough of bad consequence in them, yet I shall leave them to better judgements, and take the boldness to inquire;
1. Whether Edward Burrough doth mean Gog and Magog, mentioned in Scripture so far remote, and unknown, and the Sons of Esau so long agoe dead: or whether he means those to whom [Page 10]he directs his Controversie, specified in the said book, the which is all those that opposeth Quaking?
2. Whether Gog or Magog, or the Turk, or any Heathen, could go much further in revengful expression, then E. B. doth against those he intendeth in the said Book, notwithstanding he hath formerly taught it was of the Devil, and to condemnation?
3. Whether Mahomet, when he was of the Quakers age, (the which is under seven years) was not as unlikely to be numerous as the Quakers are?
4. Whether the Turk's people do not ignorantly believe that Mahomet was a true Prophet sent from God, and what he spake was infallibly true; and whether he did not promise all that would believe and obey him that they should have a glorious being after this life with many fair women; and those that would hazard their lives for the inlargment of his Dominions, should enjoy all his promises; and whether this conceit did not so animate them, that they feared no enterprise; and whether this was not a great means of their prevailance?
5. Whether if the Quakers should grow considerable, in the so deluding the people, that they should not trust their own understanding, but wholly rely upon the infallibilities of these Teachers; whether these people thus believing, will not be more readie to obey them, then to experiment the lawfulness of their command?
6. Whether the Turks had not a better ground for their Faith, that Mahomet was a true Prophet, in that he did such things as none did, as the Quakers, in believing Naylor and Burrough, that can do no more then every one can do except out-facing?
7. Whether it be subsistent to the well-being of a Commonwealth to harbour such Opinions, without security, as shall directly lead to the disturbance thereof?
An Answer, to Edward Burroughs Salutation to his Fellow-Quakers, sounding out of his lying Trumpet.
O How hath Satan filled thy heart, and with what power of imagination hath he possest thee, that thou should'st thus exalt thy self like an Eagle, as if thy nest were in the Stars? Knowest thou not, that the try umphing of the Wicked is short, and the joy of the Hypocrite but for a moment? And that the Lord hath a controversie with the proud look, and the lying tongue? of both thou art extreamly guilty as doth plainly appear, in that thou condemneth all the people in the world, to be all under the condemnation of the wrath of God; and then proudly presumeth, that thou and thy fraturnity the Quakers are the onely people the Lord delights in: And thus thou makest the poor ignorant people glad with thy lyes, the which thou tellest both against God and Man. O thou proud presumptuous ambitious Quaker! where is thy original, or from whence was thou hewen but out of a haughty proud imagination; thou art not yet seven years old, and are thou the onely people of the whole Creation in the favour of the Almighty? Had he no people before thou appearedst? Or did he cast them all away to take the high presumptuous Quaker? Sure the youngness of thy years maketh thy Impudence a miracle: therefore, woe be to them that live to see thee prosperous to a manly age. Again, from what Original dost thou draw thy Opinions? for from the Scripture thou dost not: for thou deniest the worship of the Scripture, and the Faith of the Scriptures and the obedience.
First, Thou deniest all matter and form of woship; and where there is neither of these, there neither is nor can be any manner of Worship.
Secondly, You deny the Faith of all the Saints and people of God in the Scripture; for James Naylor in the 62. pag of his [Love to the Lost] denies that to be the Faith of Christ that doth not set men free from sin while they liveth. Now in the same page, upon another occasion, he citeth the 1 Cor. 15. and he saith [the Apostle speaks plain words to that purpose] now the same Apostle in the 7. of the Rom. from the 14. to the end of the Chapter-speaks as plain words to this purpose, [Page 12]namely, that when he writ that Epistle, he had sin in him; and yet at this time he was possessed of the Faith of Jesus Christ to salvation, in as great a measure, as any ever had is clearly proved in Scripture. And 1 Joh. 1.8. as plainly saith, If we say we have no sin, we deceive our selves, and there is no truth in us.
Thirdly, Thou deniest the obedience of the Scripture, in that thou deniest actual obedience, yea and the authority of the Scripture too: for whereas the authority of the Scripture, both in the New and Old Testament, is full of Laws, Statutes, and Command, if there is no actuall obedience then they are but as common History: therefore thou being opposite to the Scriptures Worship, Faith, and Obedience, let us examine how they own thy Opinions.
1. Where it can be proved, that that Light whereby Christ lighteneth every one that comes into the world is as a hammer and fire to break and consume all carnal Lust whatsoever, or doth at all mortifie and consume Carnal Lust?
2. Let us examine what Worship it is thou holdest hard forth. In the 10. page of Naylors [Love to the Lost] he fills up three pages about Worship, when less then one line would contain the substance of the matter, and that was no other [but as every Creature is moved by the Spirit of the Living God] and here is all the substance of this large Story, the which he doth upon purpose to bemuse and confound the people, that so they might be kept off from the serious Examination of the premises; but I resolve not to be deceived by him; and therefore shall take notice, that if Moses had taught no other Worship to the Jewes, nor Christ and the Apostles to the Gentiles, they had made way for as great abominations as the Quakers do; for as all Worships would have been one as another, so every Worship would have been as good as another; yea, the Turk the Pope and all the Heathen-Worshippers in the world, might approve themselves upon this Doctrine as true Worshippers, as James Naylor, the Lyers, Murderers, and to Whoremongers, and all whatsoever, every one will say its from the Spirit of the Living God; and therefore in that James Naylor doth acknowledge in his writings, that there is a Carnal Spirit, and a Spirit of the Devil he should have given some infallible Character to know the Spirit of God from other Spirits (as Christ doth to know a true Prophet from a false) had not his wisdome been as small as his honesty.
3. Now seeing the Scripture can say nothing for thee in the good sense, let us try whether it knoweth thee in the evill; seeing it cannot [Page 13]prove thee a true Prophit, let us see whether it can prove thee a false.
Christ in the 7. of Matth. 15. biddeth, Beware of false Prophets; and in the 10. ver. he telleth us, that we may know them by their fruits the which fruits was the distinguishing Character to know a true Prophet from a false. Now this Character was not [...] pretences of Holiness, for that had the false Prophets: for the Text saith, that they come in sheeps cloathing; neither was it manifestation of the Tongues; for that the false Prophets could do likewise: But this distinguishing Character was works onely, whereby a true Prophet or Apostle was known from a false; yea, and thus did Christ distinguish himself from all false Christs also: and therefore he saith, the works that I do, bear witnes of me; and further he saith, That if he had not done work amongst them that never none did their rejecting of him had been no sin.
And therefore when he commanded his Disciples to go preach unto the world, the which was sufficient on their parts to put their Commission in execution: yet for as much as this was no distinguishing Character, he commanded them to stay at Jerusalem, till he had provided on the peoples part something whereby to ground their Faith upon, that they might be sure they were of his sending; and in order thereunto, he indued them with such Heavenly Demonstrations, that all the world could not furnish a false Apostle or Prophet withall. And therefore, forasmuch as Jame: Naylor did engage [in Beech-lane] to prove himself a true Prophet, and yet could give no other manifestation then every man in the World may do [that hath but that impudency and art of our-facing] and being told, that what he said would not prove he was a true Prophet, he bid them prove that he was not a true Prophet; the which had been needless, because that very request was a sufficient demonstration of a false.
4. The next thing considerable, is, thy subtilty how to make thy self numerous, not having the Magistrate sword, as the old Whore thy Mother had, without which she had been no greater then the ignorant sort would have made her: for she by harping upon the narrow way to life the Scripture speaks of, in order thereunto, she afflicts her followers with many chastisements and purgatories: But forasmuch as thou holdst forth the broad way, that all that believe in that light, with which Christ lighteneth every one that cometh into the world, they then are to walk by that light within them; and for as much as thou holdst forth [Page 14]no rule to try whether they believe or no, but only sayst they do; thou must take in all that will but say they believe, and they are the member, of thy body; and being so they are freed from sin: And now it is all one as if thou shouldest proclaim, Come all Drunkards, come all Whore-masters, come all Murderers and Liers; come all whatsoever; all your abominations shall here be turned to vertues, and you shall walk according to your own Lust without controll; And thus by thy subtilty thou thinkest to increase and multiply; for as there is in the whole Creation three degrees, that is, the Ignorant, the Learned, and the Prudent: Now the middle sort have ever been counted for the multitude the which thou thinks thou art sure to have, to make thee considerable, that so thou mayst put into execution thy revengful Spirit, the which is to make Slaves and Bond-men of all thy Opposers.
ANd now that this Harlot may not be lost in her Chase, I shall discover what marks she hath about her, that so all wellwillers to the publick, may cry this is she, this is she:
- 1. Her Language.
- 2. Her Weapons.
- 3. Her Presumption.
- 4. Her Religion.
- 5. Her attendance.
- 6. Her Kindred.
- 7. Her favour.
1. For as much as this young Harlot denies matter and form of worship, notwithstanding the Scripture commands it, and holds, as of necessay matter and form of word no where commanded, nor in their own nature of any weight, but only to distinguish one thing from another; and so any thing that will but distinguish, is as good one thing as another: and therefore no necessity to change the received civility of a Country, from (you) to (thou) and (thee) but only to beget a novelty, to insnare the ignorant: therefore (thou) and (thee) are the true Languages of this Harlot, so that thou mayst truly cry, this is she.
2. Her Weapons whereby she defend her self against those that oppose her Doctrine; and there are such as will defend any false Doctrine in the World, yea and any abomination too for every Adulterer, Fornicator, Thief and Murder, Lyer and Blasphemer, yea the Devill himself, if he hath but that impudence may make the same plea of defence, against all that shall question his Doctrine, that is, that they are carnal, and in the flesh, and to condemnation, and that they knew not the light of Christ, but stumble at the stumbling-stone, and are in the cursed ground, and that they cannot believe, though the truth be demonstrated to them, they having not that spirit, but are in their sin. Therfore when you hear a Harlot, defend her self in that way, a all the wicke dest men in the world, yea and the Devill too may do, you may safely cry, this is she, this is shee.
3. Her Presumption in that she attempts to share with the Almighty, who doth all things according to the good pleasure of his will: she claims the same Prerogative, denying all other Rules to be guided by God, therefore she that thus presumes; this is shee.
4. Notwithstanding she pretendeth to own the Scripture, and speaketh much of Religion, and yet holdeth nothing that is demonstrated, either by matter, form, or effects, without which all is but a notion, and one of dece [...]t being but a noyse, or as sounding Brasse or a thinkling Cymball: therefore when you see a Harlot that prates much of Religion, and holds nothing at all, you may truly cry, this is s [...]e.
5. Her attendance, the ignorant, and the lewd; the one she insnares by her pretended fear and novelties, the other are her volenteers, the which come willingly in the day of their redemption; for the vices will now be turned into vertues, that it will be scandall now to blame them, if they will but say they believe; for she hath no rule to try whether they believe or no: therefore when you see a Harlot attended with fools and knaves, you may cry, this is she, this is she.
6. Her kindred, and that is the Ranters are her elder Sister, whose Doctrines, though they are in severall terms, yet are they both of one nature, and lead both to one and the same end, the which is to turn the World into a Chaos: the one by denying propriety, the other by allowing every on to walk according to their own light, and dictate of their own spirit.
7. She is the youngest of all Harlots; surely she is little a bove five year old, yet pretend her self to be exceedingly acquainted with the Almighty, and highest in his favour, and contemneth all others, as not worthy to take notice of his glory; and notwithstanding the tenderness of her years, she hath fulfilled more of the Scripture, in relation to pride and haughty presumptuou high mindedness, then any ever was before her: therefore when you see a Harlot so far beyond comparison, in youth and impudence, you may cry, this is she, this is she.
John Lilburn,
I Conceive you have left your Titles behind you in your Grave, as loathsom; I shall not therefore raise them to annoy you, but acquaint you, that by taking some view of your Resurrection, was filled with more wonder then I could procure patience to withhold me from this attempt; namely, to crave your answer to 13. Queries: to the which, if you please to give a plain and direct answer, I am perswaded that it will produce a discovery of your errors, or my ignorance. And for as much as I am of belief, that God never requireth any thing of man, but what he giveth out demonstrable, either by matter, form, or effect to their outward sences, because whatsoever is not so demonstrable is not capable of discourse but is as a noise or a sounding Brasse, and tinckling Cymball, wherein is no distinction of parts, a mane essentiall difference between Man and Beast; wherefore that our discourse may not be vain, if you answer my Queries, keep this center, or shew the unsufficiency of it, or be silent.
1. Whether if it be not lawful to presuppose things that are not, to find out the truth of things that are, and if so, then
2. Whether there had been any need of Christs comming in the flesh, if Adam had stood in his created estate?
3. Whether Christ restored to Believers, any more then Adam lost?
4. Whether there be any ground to believe, that any in this life have more communion with God, or are more pure or perfect, then Adam was in Paradise?
5. Whether Adam in Paradise, did not partake of that light with which Christ lighteneth every one that comes into the World?
6. Whether this light of Christ, and all other light (within man) (if any there be) are not seated in the understanding? and whether all mans surest light is not conveyed through the senses to the understanding. And whether this will not more clearly appear: if considered, that the stopping of the Current of the senses, the understanding becommeth totally dark, as unto certainties, it having nothing there to nourish it but Imagination?
7. Whether it argueth not darkness in the understanding to determinate any thing reall, or certain, the which was not conveyed by the senses to the understanding?
8. Whether for want of this consideration, many have not been possessed with as strong a confidence of a certainty, as all their Powers both of soul and body could procure yea to the laying down of their lives, and yet a meer Imagination?
9. Whether John Lilburn was not as confident, that God owned [...] in his Religion, opposing the Powers of this Nation, as Saul was in his [...] sign to Damascus? and whether Sauls Conversion to a Christian and John Lilburn resolving to a Quaker be upon one and the same ground.
10. Whether God did not convey this new light or dispensation to Sauls understanding through his senses (in that it is said he heard and saw) as a sure ground to build his faith upon? and also whether he did not give him power and authority, by signes and wonders to convey to the understanding (of those to whom he was sent to convert) a sure ground of faith also?
11. Whether if John Lilburn have received the same ground of faith so conceived to his understanding immediately from God, as Saul had, or by some other whom God hath indued with Power and Authority to convey a ground of faith as Paul did? then far be it from me for blaming of John Lilburn for being a Quaker; otherwise
Whether if he have not received the ground of faith, aforesaid, whether it be not easie to discern, that John Lilburns Resurrection is but a meer Imagination, or quaking delusion?
Now forasmuch as the Doctrine of the Quakers, differeth more from the Doctrine of the Gospel, (namely faith and obedience) then the Doctrine of the Gospel differeth from the Doctrine of the Law, and so is as strange a dispensation to the world, as either in its time.
Whether it be not easie to find out, whether the Quakers Doctrine be a dispensation of God, or a dispensation of mans will?
Whether if it be of God, he will not take the same care for the divulging of it, as he did of his former dispensations, that is, by such evidences as no false Minister could procure. As when he commanded his Apostles to preach to the World, and to baptize them that believed, and to teach them to observe all things, &c?
Whither, if they had gone barely with this Commission, they could have laid a sure ground of faith, or could have done any thing to have distinguished their Doctrine and Ministry from false Teachers, teaching another Christ; and therefore whether he did not command them to stay at Jerusalem, till he had indued them with power, to convey a sure ground of faith into the peoples understanding by signs and wonders, which they did within the reach of the peoples senses, the which no false Teacher could attain unto; and therefore, their God have so owned this new quaking dispensation, as he did the former, namely, the Law and Gospel; whether then of necessity it must not be of God? But if this new [...]ing Doctrine be turned naked out into the World, with nothing to [...] cover it, but the outfa [...]ing Tongue of men, whose best abilities [...] [...]ch to no higher evidence, whether then it be not clear, that the Quakers Doctrine is none of Gods, but by the will of men?