1 Cor. 3.11 Zach 11.8 and affirms that some have not the Spirit of God in them Rom. 8.9 John 14.17 1 Cor. 2.14 therefore if they have no humane soul in them as Hubberthorn teaches in saying the Scriptures speak not of an humane soul they must have no soul at all for they have not the Spirit of God in them but enough for the confutation of this wretched doctrine It hath been objected to me by these people pleading for this abominable Tenet that Gen. 2.7 God is said to breath into man the breath of life and so man become a living soul whence they would infer the soul to be a part of the being of God infused into man Answ The Scripture holds forth no more but this that the soul was not created with the body of the earth as the souls of beasts were and so to perish with the body but that it was created by God a spiritual substance and so infused into the body it was of a more excellent and spiritual extract then the body was and therefore the original of mans spirit is set forth otherwise then the original of the souls of beasts it came indeed from God but was not of the being of God which is spiritual and indivisible this were to make men to be gods This was the heresie of the wicked Manichees whom Augustine sometimes confuted and vindicated this place which they had perverted Object But they argue much from these Scriptures that speak of the onenesse of beleevers with Christ and Gods dwelling in them and they in him for this thing Answ I shall therefore for the benefit of the weak open the manner of Christs in-being or in-dwelling in beleevers lest they not understanding it should stumble at these Scriptures This in-dwelling or in-being of Christ and onenesse with him is held forth in many Scriptures John 6 56. Gal. 2.20 Col. 1.29 2 Cor. 13.5 c. John 17.21 now how should we understand this what God to dwell in his Saints Christ to be and inhabit in beleevers how can this be the heaven of heavens cannot containe him how much lesse the strait heart of man Know First Negatively you must not understand this in-being or in-dwelling of Christ to be either 1. A corporeal inhabitation as if the body of Christ or his humane nature dwelt in us which was the grosse conceit of the Capernaites John 6. and is to this day the opinion of Papists and Vbiquitaries who imagine Christs body to have the properties of the divine nature communicated to it to be immense and to be in many places at once and this must be the conceit of the Quakers if they hold any man Christ at all for they deny any Man Christ but in us men This is a grosse mistake it overthrows the truth of Christs Man-hood and the Scriptures expresly say The heavens must containe him and this man Christ comes not till he descends to judge the world besides the Scriptures teach that Christs being in us is spiritual not bodily Rom. 8.9 10. 2. Nor is it an essential in-dwelling of the divine nature in Gods people as if the very being of God were communicated to us and dwelt in us though the Apostle Peter speaks of the divine nature being communicated to the Saints yet he expresses other where what he understands thereby namely the divine graces and vertues of the Spirit Indeed how can the being of God which is infinite and boundlesse be in one place or person more then in another though his graces may 3. Nor is it a Personal in-being as the soul lives in the body and is one subsistence with it thus the fulnesse of the God-head dwelt in Christ by personal or hypostatical union but thus God is not in his Saints then they should be gods as Christ was God this is the blasphemy of Familists who say they are godded and christed Secondly Affirmatively Christ dwelleth and is in his Saints according to the Scriptures two ways 1. By his special spiritual presence he is more especially present with and in the hearts of his Saints then with others by his gracious manifestations by his sweet influences and by his wonderful operatitions upon their hearts so God dwelt in the Temple formerly and so he dwells in heaven now in the Temple God said This is my rest here I will dwell he manifested himself to his people there he heard their prayers gave forth his oracles there they had communion with God in his Ordinances they saw his face in the Sanctuary c. and so now in heaven God is said to dwell there because he manifests his glorious presence there especially in that place the Saints shall have the vision and fruition of God eternally Thus in the same manner God dwells in his people now by special spiritual presence he makes such manifestations of himself to them as none besides have they see his face know more of his minde have more of his love-visits then others have John 14.21 Rev. 3.20 he refreshes them with his flaggons of wine and his hidden Mannah fills them with the comfort peace and joy of his Spirit He vouchsafes to them such divine influences of grace as others have not such quicknings and breathings of his Spirit as fills their hearts with spiritual vigour and life because he lives they live also And he doth such mighty works in them as in none else puts forth the same power that was put forth in raising Christ from the dead to mortifie corruptions in them to strengthen them to beleeve and to do the works of God to frame them according to the image of God c. Esay 26.12 Eph. 1.21 2. By mystical union and this is more then the former one may have a dwelling in an house but no union with it God dwelt in the Temple but was not one with it he dwells in the heavens but hath no union with them but he so dwells in beleevers as he is one with them 1 Cor. 6.16 1 Cor. 12.12 John 17.21 This onenesse is so near that it excels all the unions upon earth the Scripture uses the comparisons of husband and wife Eph. 5. of head and members 1 Cor. 12. of soul and body Gal. 2 20. of root and branches John 15. to set it forth by and yet all these be too short he addes the union betwixt the Father and Son John 17. to commend it further yet must not be so presumptuously wrested as to plead for an essential or personal union to make us gods All these comparisons are used in Scripture not because they suit in al things but that we may by these see what a comfortable relation we stand in to God and what blessings we may expect to be communicated to us by vertue thereof If any expect I should give some name to that union to expresse what it is further I shall presume to say no more but this it is a great mystery and cannot be fully comprehended by the Saints
with their souls after the resurrection and last judgment shall eternally possesse and inherit And hell is a place of endlesse and exquisite torments to which wicked men shall be adjudged into which they are not now actually thrust whilest they are upon earth though they feel flashes of wrath upon their consciences sometimes which are the earnests thereof but after their departure out of the flesh their soules shall be tormented therein and after the resurrection of the just and of the unjust their bodies shall be sentenced with their souls to be eternally punished therein Let the Reader see from hence what wicked enemies of the truths of Christ this generation of men are that dare thus subvert the most fundamental truths of the Gospel whereon the comfort and hope of Christians depends and which being overthrown a gap is opened to all wickednesse and abominations for what impieties will not men venture upon when they believe no resurrection judgment heaven or hell but what men have now in their consciences and what discouragement will this be to the Saints whose only comfort and hope arises from that invisible glory in the world to come Thus for this sixth general charge SECT VII The Quakers are enemies to all the Ordinances of Jesus Christ THe holy Ordinances of God being instituted by our Lord Jesus Christ the King of his Church to the end we might therein visibly tender up to God that homage and worship that is due unto his Name and that we might in them enjoy communion with himselfe as also that through them he might communicate the influences of his grace and blessing unto our soul it cannot but be horrid impiety in any to attempt the violation of the same How can it be otherwise reputed by any gracious heart but high treason against the crown and dignity of our Lord Jesus thus to trample upon his institutions and appointments and a sacrilegious robbing of God of that manifested glory due to him which was the great end of his creating the world and redeeming mankind As also extreamly prejudicial to the comfort and salvation of mens souls Such therefore as shall attempt the undermining of the same notwithstanding what faire pretenses they may make cannot be otherwise adjudged then the open enemies of God and the manifest confederates of Satan the Prince of darknesse for wherein can they gratifie that evil spirit more then in casting down the holy Ordinances of Gods worship and service This is evident in that the devil doth enjoyne such as are his sworn servants and slaves that is witches so soon as they be admitted into that cursed society to renounce the Ordinances of God to deny their baptisme to turn their backs off the Ministry of the Word to cast off prayer to God c. as hath been made to appeare by the publike confessions of many of these miserable creatures when they have been condemned to die for their wickednesse If then the Quakers shall be found guilty of this crime to be enemies to all the Ordinances of Jesus Christ the weakest Christian may see ground enough to reject them and abhor their ways This charge I shall therefore now make good against them by instancing in these several Ordinances of Christ which they renounce and cast off First for the ministerial teaching and preaching of the word this is an appointment of Jesus Christ Mark 16.15 16. and to continue to the end of the world Matth. 28.19 20. therefore was care taken that after the Apostles there might be a constant succession of Ministers in the Churches or Christ in after ages 1 Tim. 3. Tit. 1. But now this Ordinance is denied by the Quakers they hold forth the light in them to be a sufficient teacher that there needs no other to teach but that neither the teaching of the Scriptures nor the Ministry of men See Nailer Glory soon the North p. 2 3. All people saith he cease from their outside lights and return to the light of Christ in you And this light is not a chapter without you in a book this is the more sure word of prophecie c. G. F. in a paper to the Baptists p. 8. You that look out at Teachers without you consider you are strangers to that Covenant by which all come to know the Lord and need not that one teach another Parnel trial of faith p. 7. Hearken to that in your conscience thou that art willing to follow this and be guided by this shalt need no man to teach thee But it will be said they have teachers and teaching among themselves how can they be judged enemies to this Ordinance then I answer it 's true their principles and practises do herein contradict each other and this no unusual thing amongst them to do thus But I shall tell you what one of their great friends replyed to this contradiction when I charged them with it saith he Their teaching is but to take people off from other Teachers that they may be brought to minde the light in them alone and then they will cease teaching Good Reader see what the designe of these men is to bring thee and thy posterity into the condition poor Indians are in to have no other teaching and so to leave thee I hope thou seest by this what enemies they are to thy soul As for Prayer this is also an Ordinance of God 1 Thes 5.17 publick prayer in Church Assemblies 1 Tim. 2.1 15. secret in our closets Mat. 6.6 private prayer in families Zach. 12.10 12. Jer. 10.25 so for prayer and thanksgiving when we receive Gods creatures 1 Tim. 4.45 Mat. 15.36 Now this Ordinance the Quakers are enemies to as appeares by their practises the chiefest of their followers have for a long time disused prayer in their families when they arise or go to bed though formerly some of them have been seemingly conscientious therein they neglect giving thanks when they receive the creatures and pray not for a blessing on them falling to as swine without looking up to heaven And for their speakers though of late they have used it more then in former times as they have in policy more then in honesty reformed many other things that they saw were an offence to people and kept them from following them yet they are not true friends to prayer Nailer p. 3. of his Glory from the North mocks such as pray for a sight of sin and repentance saying the light in them would discover it c. and in many other books of theirs this may be seen and what then should Christians pray for if they may not pray for grace besides when their teachers pray here it 's testified by many which have heard them They never pray to God in the Name of Jesus Christ and what prayer can they make then but as if they were in the very person of Christ as indeed they hold God to dwell as essentially in them as in the Man Christ Jesus they use such expressions
for it and therefore to use it not only for the promoting of the civil good and benefit of men but especially for the advantage of the spiritual Kingdom of Jesus Christ and the interest of his Churches for it was in this respect that Christ had this power given to him by the Father he gave him to be head over all things to the Church and sure Christ expects that those to whom he commits this power as his Vice-gerents upon earth should use it for the same ends the Father did first betrust it into his hands for And how clear is it in Scripture that all those godly Princes and Magistrates spoken of therein did make it their first and chiefest care to promote Religion and to see that the Worship of God was maintained in purity and that the Church flourished in their Dominions not that they were Officers in the Church and might themselves administer in the holy things this was rebuked in some of them but that they had an external care about the same as sometimes that Christian Emperour Constantine of famous memory said he was Episcopus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euseb lib. 4. an overseer of things without as those nurse-fathers Hezekiah Josia Asa Jehoshaphat were but not an overseer of things within as Uzziah would have been There is an opinion entertained amongst many in these dayes and some of them good men too that the Magistrate ought to meddle only with matters of the second Table not taking inspection of things appertaining to the first that he is only to maintaine civil peace amongst men and outward righteousnesse not heeding Religion or the Worship of God at all as he is a Magistrate If this once be received by Magistrates Jesus Christ will be little beholden to them they must as well protect the worshippers of Mahomet as of Christ so long as they keep the peace and live in civil honesty amongst men these men beleeve not the Magistrate to be Christs Officer as he is Mediatour and head of his Church if they did they would be of another mind But enough is said against this woful assertion by Mr. Cotton bloody tenet washed by the Elders of N. Eng. in the Synod Anno 1646. and by Mr. Cobbet in his book dedicated to your Highnesse some few yeares since And the blessing of the Lord upon the care of the godly Magistrates in N. E. hath been as a Seal to attest the Lords acceptance of what they have done there about this particular The premises considered I should humbly offer to your Highnesse may my presumption herein be indulged especially two particulars wherein you may imploy that great power wich our Lord Jesus hath betrusted you with as his Delegate for the promoting that great end for which all power was first given to him by the Father to wit the spiritual good and welfare of his Church 1. That you would please to put forth your endeavours towards the uniting of the people of God in these Nations who dissenting in lesser matters do yet maintaine the fundamentals of Religion in whose spirits the vitals of Christianity are still preserved and in whose lives the power and practise of godlinesse doth yet appear And in order hereunto that you would by your authority call together a few of the most judicious godly and peaceable of such Dissenters and lay your most solemn charge upon them that they would after their fervent invocation on the Name of the Lord for direction and assistance in so great a work study an holy and peaceable accommodation and agreement so farre as may be in their principles but especially in such necessary Church practises as the Churches of Christ amongst us may walk together with more Christian love and unity I should hope notwithstanding former disappointments the Lord would at last give them hearts to know what concerns their and the Churches peace after they have had such sad experience of the evil fruits of our divisions And that then you would commend such a pacificatory agreement to the Christian people of these Nations and give some more special encouragement to those who shall be so tender of the Churches peace and union as to practise according to the same This were a work worthy of a Christian Magistrate who by his office is to be an healer Isa 3.6 7 and would give you the honour even to many generations to be called the repairer of the breach and the restorer of paths to dwell in II. That you would please to put some restrictions unto that almost boundlesse Tolleration now amongst us whereby Seducers take liberty to broach such cursed doctrines as are a dishonour to the Name of Christ and reproach and infamy to the Christian Religion such as directly tend to the undermining of the profession and power of godlinesse and to the destruction of souls Nothing can be more evidently contrary to the spiritual welfare of the Church the promoting whereof is the principal end of the Christian Magistrates power and not only the procuring of a civil good which thing I cannot but often hint then the free Tolleration of such pernitious and heretical doctrines It is not a thing unknown That seducers have been more dangerous enemies to the Church then bloody persecutors where persecution hath slain its thousands the deadly poison of false doctrine hath slain its ten thousands and when the one hath killed mens bodies the other hath murdered mens souls the Church hath ever thriven under persecution the blood of the Martyrs being the seed of the Church but it hath been brought very low under Heresies If Magistrates be the Churches Nurs-fathers as the Scripture speaks sure their Office not only obliges them to take care that her children have the milk of the Word dispensed to them but that as much as in them lieth it be dispensed purely and sincerely without the mixture of poyson to destroy them Magistrates are called Shepherds Isa 44 28. and that with respect to the Church and therfore should protect her from ravenous Wolves they are called Gods but they should be poor gods if they took no care of Religion What ample testimonies hath the Lord given to David Solomon Asa Jehoshaphat Hezekiah Iosiah for their care of Religion nor will the names of Constantine Theodotius Iustinian cease to be precious in and for their care of the Church of Christ Even the Heathens Aristotle and Plato acknowledge from the light within them that the chiefe care in a Common-wealth should be about Religion But I presume not to add more words for this there being so much already said in those three Treatises before mentioned for the same and in particular against tolleration of seducers all contrary arguments that have been made being therein fully answered Only I crave leave to adde this further that I am not pleading now against those lesser errours amongst us which will be so long as we are imperfect and know but in part
often in their mouths and in their writings and they will tell you in words they own Jesus Christ come in the flesh so that if this will prove them good Christians they shall passe free from this censure and not be charged with it But withal I shall not conceale the subtilty of Satan in deceiving in this as well as in the former particular as he will let these his instruments own the Scriptures in words whilest they deny them in deed and truth and are enemies to them as before was proved so whilest they professe in words to own Jesus Christ come in the flesh and speak of his Death Resurrection and Ascension c. they do in deed and in truth deny all these things Nor let any wonder at this they could not be deceivers else they are simple deceivers that will in plain and evident words say they deny Jesus Christ they disclaime his Incarnation Death Resurrection c. who would then be taken in their snares the simplest would espy what they are I finde not amongst all the ancient hereticks in the Church since the time of Christ to this day any that have in expresse words said Christ is not come in the flesh though open enemies such as the Jews deny it plainly yet none that have professed to be Christians Some deceivers have said Christ took on him an imaginary no real body some an aërial some a coelestial some a body but no humane soul some that his humane nature was swallowed up of his divine nature and several other heresies about it and these all do in effect deny Christ come in the flesh because they hold forth such a Christ as is no real and true man but none of them have denied it in expresse words and why should we think seducers should be more foolish in deceiving in these last dayes of the world then in former times Besides the Apostle John he calls such an one as shall not confesse Jesus Christ come in the flesh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a crafty cheater or juggler that will cozen you while you look on so some expound the word and therefore you must not think they wil in down-right words deny Christ but while they look you in the face and give you good words and say we own Christ come in the flesh and we are slandered by them that say ootherwise of us yet they do but cozen and cheat you for they nothing at all intend it And indeed if you examine the Quakers throughly and ask them what Christ it is they own now in the flesh they will confesse no other Christ but the Christ of the familists Christ in their flesh that in the conscience they own to be Christ but as for the man Christ now in the heavens him they own not as for a Christ who is a particular man personally distinct from other men that Christ that was of the seed of David the Sonne of Mary Jesus of Nazareth they own not him some have said he was the idol of the world they will grant that God took that flesh for a time but no humane soul with it and when that man died on the crosse he never rose againe in this same individual body that same particular man did not ascend into heaven is not at the right hand of God making intercession shall not come to judge the world c. but all this by an allegory is applied to themselves Christ in the flesh is Christ in their flesh dying and rising again in them and now Christ is come to judge the world while they take upon them with authority to judge and revile the servants and wayes of Christ This is the very doctrine of the Quakers concerning Christs Incarnation Death Resurrection Ascension coming to Judgement as may appear by these few testimonies I shall hear set down one of them in a printed paper called The sword of the Lord drawn c. p. 5. hath these words Your imagined God beyond the stars and your carnal Christ for so they reproachfully call the man Christ Jesus now in the heavens is utterly denied and testified against by the light c. In their book called Sauls errand to Damascus p. 8 9. 14. they say That Christ in the flesh with all he did and suffered therein was but a figure and nothing but an example some of them in these parts have publickly before many witnesses denied the Resurrection of the dead body and if so then Christ is not risen and there 's no such man as the man Christ Jesus now in heaven B. L. in conference with my self denied Jesus Christ to take to himselfe an humane soul so Hubberthorn in a letter to me though he took flesh upon him The same person being asked by W. S. what became of the body of Jesus when it was not to be found in the grave answered it perished Another of them said Thou hopest to be saved by the Christ that died at Jerusalem but I trust to a Christ within me pointing to his breast when that testimony of Christ which he gave concerning his Resurrection was urged to some of them in Luke 24.39 The disciples supposing they saw a spirit and that it was not Christ himself he said unto them behold my hands and my feet that it is I my self a spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see me have they have scoffingly answered where was his blood that was spilt upon the crosse they have often urged Christs appearing to his Disciples the doors being shut to argue that Christ rose not with a corporal body of flesh and bones though at the same time he bid unbeleeving Thomas behold his hands and reach his finger and thrust it into his side They frequently speak of a Christ in their conscience as the only Christ for no other man Christ they will acknowledge There needs no further proof of this charge let but any one that desires further satisfaction concerning it ask them as I my self have often proved it by experience in conference with them whether they acknowledge a man Christ personally distinct from other men now residing in the highest heavens who is to come to judge the world at the last day they will tell you they own the same Christ that ever was for they deny not his divinity but for his humanity they will shufle you off and not speak to that and thereby prove themselves Anti-christs because they confesse not Christ in the flesh c. I need not spend many words in the confutation of these things there is no sober Christian that hath received any thing of the knowledge of Christ but his heart wil abhor these doctrines at the very mentioning of them I shall only refer the Reader to some Scriptures that may establish his faith in the truth about these particulars Concerning Christs being really and truly a man See John 1.14 Gal. 4.4 1 Tim. 2.5 That he was a particular individual man personally distinct from all
there is the vegetative sensitive and rational faculties and yet there are not three souls in man but one why should it seem then a contradiction to believe three persons to subsist in one only God Now let the Reader from hence see what impudence it is in these Quakers to call this doctrine a lie and how dangerously they erre in denying the Trinity what is this but to deny the true God who hath manifested himself thus to be one in three as before they denied the Man Christ and were proved enemies to the Scriptures this errour tends to ouerthrow all faith and Religion and is pernicious to mens salvation for we must believe in God as he reveals himself in his Word and no otherwise and worship and serve him accordingly if we will be saved It was hatched by the enemies of truth it hath been defended on purpose to overthrow the personal Deity of Christ whereby the infinite value of his merits is taken away and to undermine the personality of the Spirit which is so fully evidenced by the divine attributes appropriated to him in Scripture and therefore have the purest Churches of Christ ever disclaimed communion with such as deny the doctrine of the Trinity accounting them subverters of the fundamentals of Religion And thus for this third particular SECT IV. The Quakers hold they are equal with God and that the soul is one being with God THere is nothing may more plainly evidence to the weakest and most ignorant that this wicked Sect is of the Devil the Prince of darknesse what ever they boast of the light of Christ then this wicked Tenet that they dare maintain equality with God and the soul to be one being with God or a part of God as the Manichees of old and Familists have done This doctrine the Devil sought to instil into our first parents at the beginning ye shall be as Gods knowing good and evil Gen 3.5 What Christian spirit that apprehends the infinite Majesty and holinesse of God and its own basenesse and vilesse but will abhor the very mention of this opinion yet is this maintained and defended by this generation of men In their book called Sauls errand to Damascus is mention made that it was attested at a quarter Sessions at Lancaster that some of them affirmed themselves to be equal with God and that afterwards the same thing was acknowledged before many witnesse nor do they deny this publick evidence was given against them though they would shuffle about it while they covertly plead for the same thing p. 2 5 6. 10. Hubberthorn in his book against Sherlock p. 30. doth most ignorantly and blasphemously alledge that place for this Phil. 2.5 6. Let this minde be in you which also was in Christ who being in the forme of God thought it no robery to be equal with God where the Reader may see how he imitates Satan in corrupting the Scriptures both by leaving out the following words which must necessarily be known before the minde of the Apostle be understood viz. but made himself of no reputation took on him the forme of a servant humbled himself c. the sentence is not compleat without taking in these words and also perverting the scope and drift of the Apostle in that place who is pressing humility ver 3. and urging it from Christs example who though equal with God yet humbled himself it is far of from the Apostles mind there to perswade us to beleeve we are equal with God he is pressing humility they that desire to see fuller evidence for their holding equality with God may see Sword drawn p. 3 and also the many testimonies which the Ministers of New-castle bring for it in their first book p. 3 4. That they hold the soule to be one being with God or a part of God See also testimony for it in the book last cited p. 6. and Sword drawn p. 3 4. Hubberthorne in the book before named p. 29. saith there 's no Scripture which speaks of an humane soul then it seems the soul or spirit in man which the Scripture speaks so much of must either be God himself or the Devil One of them living in these parts did in discourse with my self argue as strongly as he could for the soul to be one being with God and though he did afterward give me the lie in the publick Assembly for reporting it of him yet I have now eight several witnesses of credit to prove the same thing and manifest him to be the liar besides what arguments passed betwixt us which clearly evidenc he pleaded for it Another of them argued with me that the soul after its departure out of the body which say they rots in the grave and never rises again is taken up into God and is one being with him urging that Scripture for it God shall be all in all For confutation of these things I need not say much they are so grosse and horrible Concerning the first Equality with God let but the Reader peruse these Scriptures Isa 40. v. 12 almost to the end of the chapter where the Lord makes a challenge twice repeated v. 18 25. To whom will ye liken me or shall I be equal saith the holy one and in the other verses sets forth his Greatnesse and Majesty he measured the waters in the hollow of his hand and meateth out heaven with a span and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure and weighed the mountains in a ballance c. The Nations are as the drop of a bucket to him c. All Nations are before him as nothing yea lesse then nothing and vanity He sitteth upon the circle of the earth and the inhabitants thereof are as grasse-hoppers He bringeth Princes to nothing c. See much more to the same purpose there Read also Job 38.39.40 all the three chapters and this opinion will be sufficiently confuted Oh what arrogance is this for poor wormes to make comparison with the Infinite Eternal Almighty Glorious God But perhaps they will say they equal not self nor the flesh unto God that is to perish but the spirit or soul which is one being with or a part of the divine essence like some in these times which have made reason to be God I shall speak something therefore for the confutation of this 1. The Scriptures speak of the soul or spirit of man to be a created thing made in time Isa 57.16 Zach. 12.1 Psal 33.15 and can this be one being with the eternal uncreated God 2. Many Scriptures speak of the sinfulnesse of the soul Micah 6.9 Lev. 4.2 Ezek. 18.20 James 4.5 2 Cor. 7.1 and can a sinful polluted creature be one being with the holy God 3. Many Scriptures speak of the destruction and death of the soul its perishing in hell Mar. 10.28 Mat. 16.26 Prov. 4 32. and can that soule that perishes in hell be a part of the being of God 4. The Scripture distinguishes betwixt Gods Spirit and ours Rom. 8.16
here till God wipe away this dust of mortality from their eyes It s safest to professe here we know but in part if any will professe to know more in these Mysteries let them first tell the nature of the union of their own souls and bodies and how a spiritual and corporal substance should be so knit together to become one man what is the bond of this union and how effected when they can explicate these inferiour things it s more likely we should listen to them in explaining these higher Mysteries about the union of Christ and beleevers By this time the Reader may see what pride and arrogance it is in these people to hold equality with God and to make the soule a part of God or one being with God is not this greater pride then was in Adam when he fell and perhaps in the devils themselves for he aspired to be but as God not to be God himselfe or one being with as these men do But enough of this abominable doctrine And thus for the fourth generall Charge SECT V. The Quakers corrupt the Doctrine of Justification THe Doctrine of the Justification of a beleeving sinner before God is one of the most precious and comfortable doctrines of the Gospel tending exceedingly to set forth the riches of Gods free grace and magnifie his justice to support and comfort wounded consciences to take away boasting from man that all may glory in the Lord and to fill the heart with joy and peace in beleeving And therefore the devil hath by his instruments in all ages laboured to corrupt the same He stirr'd up false apostles in the first plantation of the Christian faith to pervert it against whom the Apostle Paul in the Epistles to the Romans and Galatians disputes earnestly teaching we are justified by faith and not by works by faith receiving the righteousnesse of another not by works wrought in or by our selves In after ages the Papists were the great subverters of this doctrine who had so corrupted it that no part thereof was left pure and undepraved by them till the Lord of his mercy raised up Luther and some other Worthies to vindicate it and indeed the corruptions of this doctrine were the great and especial cause of their first separation from Rome and there was nothing that the Spirit of that precious man was more drawn out to clear then that very doctrine as may appear by his writings In the steps of those enemies of the truth the Papists do these generation of Quakers now so exactly walk as to the perverting of this doctrine of Justification that they scarce differ an hairs breadth from them holding forth the old Popish doctrine in the very same terms as will appear in the following particulars 1. The Papists deny Justification to be a judicial act of God whereby he accounts us righteous though ungodly in our selves Rom. 4.5 through the righteousnesse of Christ performed in his own person for us imputed to us and received by faith alone but make it to consist in the infusing or putting in righteousnesse into man and so confound Justification and Sanctification making them one and the same thing So Bellarm. the Jesuite l. 1. de Justif cap. 1. And so the Quakers J. Nailer love to the lost See Sauls errond to Dam. p. 12. p. 3. pleads for our being made righteous by Gods putting in righteousness into us and by righteousness wrought in the creature in the same page line 4. he explaines Gods imputing righteousnesse to be his putting it into the creature his words are these righteousness is freely imputed or put into the creature where let the Reader see the grosse ignorance of a man that pretends to be infallible making impute and put in the same whereas any School-boy that hath but learnt his Grammar may see a vast difference between them the word impute not being compounded of put in or in put but coming from imputo to reckon account judge c. and so the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 translated in the Scriptures impute do signifie can any beleeve this man is infallible in his doctrine when he is so grossely mistaken in a word so commonly used in the Scriptures See also Nailer in the same book p. 50. where he directly according to the manner of the Papists confounds Justification Sanctification and Mortification together and argues for it as they do though in a more simple manner 2. The Papists as a consequent of the former opinion hold that they are able to keep the Law perfectly and to be perfectly righteous Counc Trent Sess 6. can 18. Nay If any man say that the precepts and Commandments of God unto a man justified and in the state of grace be impossible to be kept let him be accursed So the Quakers Nailer p. 21 22. of the book before named and in his book called the glory of the Lord out of the North p. 25 26. he argues as hotly for it as if some Jesuite were at his back to prompt him 3. The papists say by the liberty of the Gospel they are altogether freed from sinne so that it is throughly dead and not only not imputed but not alive or having any being in the righteous they are the words of Bellarmine the Jesuite lib. 5. de Justif cap. 6. The same thing argues Nailer for Glory from the North p. 21. Love to the lost p. 21 c. 4. The Papists they exclaime against the Protestants who teach they have yet sinne in them and are not so perfectly righteous as to stand before the judgement seat of God without the righteousnesse of their Surety and call them painted Sepulchers faire without and foule within leprous persons in fine cloaths with many other such expressions See Becanus the Jesuite Tom. 2. tract 4. cap. 2. qu. 1 and 3. So the Quakers J. Nailer love to the lost p. 4. you make saith he Christs righteousnesse a cover to your abominations c. Though we doubt not but God will vindicate our uprightnesse that we are as consciencious of walking holily as any Papists or Quaker of them all though we dare not seek Justification thereby this the very Papists have been forced to confesse sometimes saying though we had an heretical faith yet we had Orthodox manners Thus we see the Popish doctrine of Justification brought in by a generation of men that cry out against all others as Popish and Antichristian when in the mean time they are most deeply guilty of it themselves Now that the ignorant may not be deceived about this point which is one of the fundamental doctrines of Religion I shall cleare up the truth concerning it according to the Scriptures in these following particulars 1. He that will be justified before the judgement seat of Christ and be acquitted and pronounced righteous by the Judge of heaven and earth at the great day of the Lord must be perfectly righteous he must
more righteous then if they had kept the Law in their own persons shall more abundantly please God He that beleeveth in Jesus shall be justified from all those things the Law of Moses could not justifie him from Acts 13.38 39. He that beleeveth shall be saved Mark 16.16 This Law of grace was enacted by the councel of heaven and is published in the Gospel this righteousnesse is revealed therein and freely tendred to all that will receive it and in thankfulnesse give up themselves to honour and serve their Surety and Redeemer from the sense and apprehension of this his love upon their hearts 2. On mans part there must be through the mighty operation of the Spirit of Jesus Christ accompanying the preaching of the Gospel the obedience of faith to this Law published The sinner being convinced of his own sin and unrighteousnesse and of the sufficiency and excellency of this righteousnesse of his Surety and the free tenders thereof in the Gospel must come in as with a rope about his neck with Benhadads servants humbly confessing his sinne and unrighteousnesse accepting of Jesus Christ heartily as his Surety and Redeemer taking the gift of his righteousnesse thankfully pleading for pardon justification and life through the same and giving up himself in thankfulnesse to love and serve his Redeemer Now these things being done it 's most easie to understand how this righteousnesse of Jesus Christ may so be ours though not inherent in us that we may be justified by the same how common is it amongst men for the debtor to be discharged of his debt and the bond to be cancelled upon some friends paying the debt for him yea may not thus a Malefactour be acquitted of some bodily punishment to be inflicted if a friend with the consent of the Magistrate shall suffer in his stead In the way of justification sinful man is much debased and hath nothing to glory in himself the grace of God is highly magnified which is Gods great designe in the work of mans redemption by finding out such a way to justifie and save man and we have more full assurance and consolation having now a perfect * It is in respect of Christs perfect righteousness imputed that beleevers are said in Scripture somtimes to be perfect and in respect of uprightness of heart c. but never in respect of any absolute compleat perfection inherent in them compleat righteousnesse to present before God which the best of men could never have found as before was shewed inherent in them even after regeneration and conversion And thus for the clearing up of this great doctrine of Justification From all this that hath been said it is most evident that the Quakers as they have another Man-Christ then him the Scriptures preach and another God then the true God who is one God in three persons so they have another Gospel then that which was preached by the Apostles and hath been received by the Saints and therefore are to be accounted accursed though they should in outward shew and appearance seem Angels from heaven Gal. 1.8 That this doctrine of justification is no enemy to Sanctification and holinesse of life as the Papists have formerly and the Quakers do now charge it shall be shewed fully in the tenth Section where we shall speak of the doctrine of Sanctification and prove the Quakers to be subverters of the same And thus much for the fifth general charge SECT VI. The Quakers deny the Resurrection of the body the last judgement Heaven and Hell IT must be here remembred which was before hinted that it is not the practise of Seducers ever to deny in down-right words the great and fundamental truths revealed in the Scriptures but often whilest they pretend to own the Scripture expressions they pervert and deny the truths themselves this is the most likely way to deceive people Now as this was manifest in many other weighty points before named so is it apparent in these fundamental doctrines of our faith the resurrection of the body the last judgement heaven and hell The Quakers have these in their mouths frequently and will speak of them but they look upon them as transacted in themselves now in a mystery sure it must be a mystery of iniquity and hold no other resurrection judgement heaven and hell but what is now in men As for the resurrection of the dead body they will not deny in words but the body shall rise but if it be asked what body they will reply the body is Christ thus have I been divers times answered by them but not our bodies of flesh bones c. these they say shall never rise again and they ignorantly wrest that Scripture for it 1 Cor. 15.50 Flesh and blood shall not inherit the Kingdome of God It is known to most in this Town that they have argued publickly against the resurrection of the dead bodie when they have been present at burials and therefore I need not adde further evidence to shew this is their opinion And as for the last judgement Nailer to F. B. p. 10. they have often affirmed Christ is now come in his Saints to judge the world and therefore they take upon them so freely to judge and censure all even such whose faces they have never seen before and they scoff at others that make the day of judgement a thing yet to come and to be at the last day James Nailer love to the lost p. 20. cites that Scripture See Nailer love to the lost p. 44. and 46. Heb. 6.2 where the Apostle speaks of the resurrection of the dead and of eternal judgement to defend their judging of men now this is all the judgement they speak of they own not a judgement after the dead bodies of men are raised up again And for heaven and hell they grant no other then what is now in men and indeed this will necessarily follow upon the former opinions for if the body shall never be raised and if the soul be no distinct being from God and is after its departure out of the body to be swallowed up into God and so God to be all in all it 's a vain thing to speak of judgement heaven and hell thus do these wretches pervert these great and fundamental doctrines of the Scriptures and whilest they pretend so much light within them they deny that which the blindest Nations in the world have acknowledged for there is no Nation so barbarous but hath beleeved an heaven and hell a future state of happinesse or misery after this life is done as will appeare more fully by and by For the confirmation of the weak in these weighty points of Christianity let me adde a few things First for the Resurrection of our bodies this being a fundamental doctrine of Religion whereon our hope and comfort doth depend Acts 24.15 1 Cor. 15.16 17 18 19. Heb. 11.36 and which hath much influence into an holy life and conversation Acts 24
but feigned friends to holinesse whatever they pretend Alexander the Great is said to have smitten one of his souldiers on the face for railing against his enemy saying to him I hired thee to fight and not to raile against him as little thanks may these men expect to receive from the Lord Jesus another day what ever friendship they pretend to him now and what ever enmity against sinne they professe seeing they do but build the things they would seem to destroy And thus for the tenth general charge against the Quakers SECT XI The Quakers shewed to be the common sink of all the Heresies of our times and a parallel betwixt them and former Hereticks IT hath been observed that after the Christian world had been infested for a long time together with multitudes of cursed errours and heresies at length Popery prevailing in the West and North and Mahumetanisme in the East and South they were all swallowed up in these two as in two great gulfes or common sewers of all that filthy puddle of false doctrine See Danaeus de heres cap. 95 96. In like manner we find amongst our selves that those filthy and abominable errours that have sprung up in these late years of tolleration so plentifully do most of them center in Quakerism and this is become the common sink of them all And indeed there are very few if any at all besides some grosly ignorant persons that have not made any profession of godlinesse who are now lead away by the Quakers but such as have formerly apostatized from the truth and been infected with the leaven of Anabaptisme or Antinomianisme Arminianisme or Socinianisme Familisme or Libertinisme c. So that this Serpent of Quakerisme hath threatned to devour up all these other Serpents and so to become the Dragon that persecutes the Churches in these Nations Now how justly may this render the way of Quakerisme suspected to the weakest and most simple of all in that those that follow it have long since left the way of truth and been unstable running after every new way of errour and scarse any one that hath been accounted a knowing and stable Christian doth follow after them It will not be unprofitable if I here annex a short parallel betwixt the Quakers and some wicked Hereticks in former times for hereby it may appeare that their doctrines are not such new and glorious truths as they would pretend them to be but old and accursed heresies newly raked out of hell and the very smoake of the bottomelesse pit If the reader shall see so much agreement betwixt them and the vilest enemies of the truth that have been in former times he will be convinced thereby ther 's little reason any should be taken with Quakerisme I shall begin with some of those Hereticks spoken of in Scripture and shew what agreement is betwixt the Quakers and them One would think the Quakers should not be guilty of any great complyance with the Pharisees seeing they so much reproach others with the nick-name of Pharisees but alack this is but such a trick as he playd that called his honest neighbour theife first that his neighbours accusation against him might not be credited there are many things wherein the Pharisees and Quakers notably agree The Pharisees were bitter enemies of Jesus Christ and conspired to destroy him and no lesse enemies to him are the Quakers they quite annihilate and destroy as much as in them lyeth his manhood For they deny that he hath an humane created soul so Richard Hubberthorne expresly in a letter sent to my self and can he be a man that hath not an humane soul and no better do they deal with his body for that they make never to have risen from the dead as was before shewed indeed sometimes they will say he arose from the grave as Hubberthorne in the letter aforesaid saith but in the next words he shewes it was in the same person in which he was when the world was made it seems this is all the Man-Christ they now own Further the Pharisees were zealous for the righteousnesse of the Law but enemies to the Doctrine of Justification by faith So the Quakers as was shewed before in the Section of Justification The Pharisees placed all their Religion in outward observances So the Quakers as was before shewed The Pharisees pretended much seeming sanctity gravity austerity when inwardly full of wickednesse So the Quakers would seem holy austere but are full of railing and bitternesse The Pharisees stood much on trivial things mint commine and annice So the Quakers upon cloaths hats thou yea nay c. The Pharisees trusted on their owne righteousnesse and despised others So the Quakers would be accounted the only holy persons and call others Dogges Swine Devils The Pharisees used much severity over their bodies abstinence fasting which God commanded not So the Quakers The Pharisees would be esteemed extraordinary for holinesse and have their sayings received for Oracles So the Quakers say they are perfect and what they speak or write all is infallible and must not be questioned The Pharisees were horrible corrupters of the Scriptures Matth. 5. So the Quakers as hath been shewed The Pharisees were rash censurers of others John 7.19 10.20 Mat. 11.19 So the Quakers The Pharisees would compasse sea and land to make a Proselite whereby he became twofold a child of hell more then before So the Quakers what an exact harmony is here twixt these two sects We read in Scripture of another Sect called Sadduces and with them also the Quakers have some agreement These pretend to righteousness taking their name from Sedek as Josephus shews which signifies just So the Quakers pretend hereunto The Sadduces deny the Resurrection of the body Mat. 22.23 Act. 23.8 So the Quakers Herein also they agree with Hymeneus and Philetus who made it past already acted spiritually in men here 2 Tim. 2.18 The Sadduces denied Heaven and Hell rewards and punishments in the world to come as Josephus reports So the Quakers as was before proved The Sadduces denied Angels and Spirits The Quakers deny the spirit or soul of man distinct from God for Hubberthorne against Sherl saith the Scriptures speak not of an humane soul Were it necessary I could shew their agreement with many ancient Hereticks in the ages succeeded the Apostles they agree with the Arians and Eunomians in denying Christ to have an humane soul with the Manichees in making the soul in a man a part of the being of God With Adamites in going naked With Antitrinitarians Jews and Turks in denying the Trinity yet the Turks though they deny the Trinity do own the Man Jesus Christ more then they for in their Alkoran they say he is a great Prophet and shall come to judge the world at the last day and therefore are better Christians then the Quakers They agree with Pelagians in their conceit of the sufficiency of the common grace given to all men With Socinians in
his last part in the world it 's likely he will use his utmost subtilty in deceiving Our great care therefore should be to preserve our selves from the errours of the wicked and to take heed of the leaven of such seducers how many cautions hath the Scripture given to us herein when Christ had foretold of those seducers Mat. 24. he bids Take heed that no man deceive you and believe them not this being the end of his forewarning us that we might be forearmed against them Heresies are reckoned amongst the fruits of the flesh Gal. 5.20 and are therefore sooner drunk in by people then the precious truths of the Gospel for we cannot receive these without the special help of Gods Spirit to let them in to our hearts how soon did the Arian heresie over-spread the world only one Athanasius visibly withstood it All the world wondered after the Beast and worshipped the same Rev. 13.3 4. Popery soon over-ran the West and North parts of the world and Mahumetanisme the East and South even there where those famous Asian Churches sometimes were seated are now the impure Temples of Mahomet no gangrene sooner over-spreads the natural body then errours and heresies do the Ecclesiastick body 2 Tim. 2.17 What care then should Christians have lest they be infected with the same Adde hereunto these are no lesse deadly to the souls of people then gangrenes or plagues are to their bodies such doctrines eat as doth a canker or gangrene saith the Apostle heresies may prove as damnable to men as moral wickednesse 2 Pet. 2.1 lesser errours indeed men may hold and yet be saved whilest they build upon the right foundation Though they build hay or stubble thereupon they may be saved yet so as by fire 1 Cor. 3 13. their spirits may be scorched their peace and comfort lost but to miscarry in the foundation is damnable who can reckon up the evil consequences of false doctrines they blind the mind and extinguish the true knowledge of God they harden the heart they undermine the comfort of Christians and destroy the Churches peace they mortally infect the inward vitals of Christianity and outwardly deprave the conversation corrupt principles wil at length produce corrupt practises they provoke the Lord to have a controversie with a people where they are tolerated Rev. 2.14 15 20. and will exclude men the Kingdome of heaven Gal. 5.20 21. Let not any Christian therefore look upon the errours and heresies of the times as things of small concernment but make it his great care to be preserved from the infection of them as men do in the time of pestilence to be preserved from the same I shall for the benefit of such humble and sincere Christians as fear the infection of the errours amongst us and are willing to use such preservations against them as the Scriptures afford collect from thence a few antidotes of special use for that end the blessing of the Lord accompanying them Directions showing how Christians may be preserved from the errours and hreresies of the times I. Labour to be rooted and grounded more in the truth if you would not be shaken with every wind of doctrine Col. 1.23 2 Pet. 2.14 it 's ungrounded and unstable Christians who commonly are seduced who never saw on what grounds they took up their Religion but take it on trust from others and then when they meet with such arguments against the truth as they cannot answer they yeild to errour whereas that may be neverthelesse a truth Mat. 22.29 though they cannot defend it therefore search the Scriptures more and labour to see how the principles of the Christian faith are established upon them and be not ashamed to learn your Catechismes wherein you have the fundamentals of Christianity extracted out of the Scriptures and plainly set down even in the Primitive times they had such first principles of the oracles of God Heb. 5.12 and forms of wholsom words 2 Tim. 1.13 for the better grounding of weak Christians and the greatest proficieoâ—â— did first begin there and therein are contained such truths as may exercise us in searching further into all our life time Luther that eminent servant of Christ professed himself a Scholar in the Catechisme Had the Quakers ever been well grounded in the first principles or rudiments of Religion how is it possible they should so soon have been turned from the truth and denyed the doctrine of Christs humanity of the holy Trinity of Justification of Sanctification of the resurrection of the dead c for my part I know but few of them if any that I can judge ever had any clear distinct knowledge of these things and could tell how they were confirmed by the Scriptures Let therefore weak Christians if they would not be seduced use this direction conscionably give diligence to be setled more in the truth and to get a clear knowledge of the great doctrines of the Gospel such things as be fundamental and necessary to be known unto Salvation are clearly set down in Scripture that weak Christians if they study them with humility prayer and diligence may attain the understanding of them as for more difficult points that they cannot yet comprehend let them not too much be troubled about them but waite till God reveale the same unto them and in the meantime it s far safer for them to adhere in such things to what is commonly received by the people of God and embraced by the Saints in all ages Cant. 1.8 to follow the footsteps of the flock of Christ then to be led away by pretenders to new-light the Scriptures having given so many Cautions to beware of seducers in the last times This first direction is given by the Apostle 2 Pet. 3.17 18. Beware lest ye also being led away with the errour of the wicked fall from your stedfastnesse but grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ II. Rest not in a notional embracing of the truth but receive it with love and obedience and labour to finde your hearts bettered therby and then you shall not so soon be induced to desert the truth and embrace errours when men receive not the truth with love they are soon brought to beleeve lies 2 Thes 2.10 but when men taste the sweetnesse of the wayes of God and are in love with Gospel truths for that goodnesse they find in them they will hold them fast such as have experimented the efficacy of the doctrines of faith changing and renuing their hearts quickning their spirits pacifying and comforting their consciences and quelling their corruptions will not be easily induced to exchange them for errours but it 's those that never found those benefits by the same that so soon part therewithal Let therefore the truths of Christ dwell in your hearts and season them as leaven labour to finde your hearts molded by the same and changed into the image of truth the more you grow in grace the more
Christ and ours not the same ib. E To hold Equality with God a blasphemous errour pag. 19 It comes from the Devil pag. 20 What care Christians should have to be preserved from errours pag. 72 73 Directions how to be kept from errours pag. 74 75 76 77 78 79 H Local Heaven and Hell proved pag. 35 36 37 Hereticks oft pretend to much holines and mortification pag. 54 Parallel betwixt former Hereticks and Quakers pag. 62 63 64 Civil honour and respect due to men proved and Objections answered pag. 66 67. I In dwelling of Christ in beleevers opened pag. 27 The doctrine of Justification cleared and vindicated pag. 27 28 29 30 How corrupted by Papists and Quakers pag. 24 25 26 Last Judgment proved pag. 35 Dreadful Judgments of God against Hereticks to be duly considered pag. 78 K An outward Political Kingdom of Christ upon earth besides the spiritual Kingdom in his Church Epist Ded. Necessity of being grounded in the knowledge of the things of God pag. 74 L Light in all men what it is and whether sufficient to conversion and salvation pag. 57 58 Lust harboured in the heart will expose men to errours pag. 77 M Magistrates Officers of Christ as Mediatour in his outward Political Kingdom Epis Ded. Magistrates â—re chiefly to use their power for the spiritual benefit of the Church and not only for a civil good Ep. Ded. Magistrates ought to restrain Seducers Ep. Ded. They are to be keepers of both Tables Ep. Ded. Miracles wrought by false prophets in the last days pag. 44 45 Directions that people be not deceived by such pretended miracles pag. 46 47 48 Mortification and holinesse consists not in out-side shews pag. 52 53 Ministry of the Word men must cleave to it if they would not desert truth pag. 77 O Gospel Ordinances instituted by Christ. pag. 38 39 40 Their continuance proved pag. 42 43 P Papists and Quakers agree in twenty particulars pag. 64 Pharisees and Quakers agree in many particulars pag. 65 Necessity of prayer to be kept from errours pag. 76 R Resurrection of the body proved and the manner of it opened pag. 32 33 c. Righteousnesse of Christ how made ours and we justified thereby pag. 24 S Scriptures proved to be the Word of God pag. 1 2 Scriptures the rule of faith and life pag. 3 4 5 Scriptures concern us as much as the Saints in former times pag. 6 Scriptures no dead letter pag. 6 Necessity of the Scriptures to us pag. 7 8 9 Sanctification its cause nature arguments end and helps opened pag. 44 45 Soul not a part of the being of God pag. 18 Meeting-places of Seducers to be shunned pag. 76 T Tolleration of all Religions more destructive to the Church then persecution Ep. Ded. Doctrine of the Trinity cleered and confirmed pag. 16 17 What an evil to deny it shewed pag. 18 Truth must be entertained with love and affection or else men will soon desert it pag. 75 V Union of Christ and beleevers opened pag. 24 W Scriptures perversely wrested pag. 10 FINIS BOOKS Printed and are to be sold by Adoniram Byfield at the Bible in Popes-head Alley neer Lumbardstreet A Commentary upon the three first chapters of Genesis by that Reverend Divine Mr John White late of Dorchester in fol. An Exposition upon the sixth seventh eighth ninth tenth eleventh twelfth thirteenth chapters of Ezekiel by Mr. William Greenhill being the second Vol. in 4. An Exposition upon the fifteenth sixteenth seventeenth eighteenth ninteenth chapters of Ezekiel by Mr. William Greenhill being the the third Vol. 4. The humbled sinner resolved what he should do to be saved or faith in the Lord Jesus Christ the only way of salvation by Mr. Obadiah Sedgwick in 4. A short Catechisme by Mr. Obadiah Sedgwick The Riches of grace displayed in the offer and tender of salvation to poor sinners upon Rev. 3.20 by Mr Obadiah Sedgwick in 12. The Reasons of the Assembly of Divines concerning Presbyterial Government 4. The Assemblies larger and lesser Catechisme in 4. The tenth Muse several Poems by Mrs. Anne Bradstreet in 8. Hidden Manna or the Mystery of saving grace by Mr. William Fenner in 12. Safe conduct or the Saints guidance to glory at the Funeral of Mrs. Thomasin Barnardiston by Mr. Ralph Robinson 4. The Saints longing after their heavenly country a Sermon by Mr. Ralph Robinson A Sermon at a Fast by Mr. Na. Ward FINIS
be raised up again Answ Why should it seem a thing incredible to you that God should raise the dead Act. 26.8 Ye erre because ye know not the Scriptures nor the power of God Matth. 22. Do not you see as great things wrought before your eyes daily Doth not the corne that is sowne in the ground dye and rot and then spring up afterwards and yet Oh fooles will ye not believe 1 Cor. 15. have not many dead bodies been raised up formerly that we have mention of in Scripture to convince men what God can do Nay do not we know that men are able by their wisdome and power when several mettals are mixed together in one lump to sever them so as each shall be pure and unmixed by it self and nothing lose but the drosse And will you then say that the infinitely wise and powerful God cannot do that in our bodies that such poor worms can do in things below here Let such vain thoughts be laid aside and let faith believe though reason cannot comprehend it Then for the Doctrines of the last Judgment Heaven and Hell I need not insist so much upon the proof of them they will follow upon what is already said for granting the resurrection of the body it will more easily be yielded there shall be rewards and punishments to which men shall be adjudged in the world to come That every man shall receive according to what he hath done in his body whether it be good or evil 2 Cor. 15.10 This may appeare one great end why God shall raise them up again But something I shall say to strengthen the weak in these things also 1. Let the light in all men be but judge which these men so much speak of and it will witnesse against them that there is a future state of happinesse or misery an heaven or an hell to which men shall be adjudged after this life is ended according as their works have been here and that judgement heaven and hell are not only in this life There is no Nation in the world however barbarous but have believed it this the light in them hath taught them The Heathen Poets have spoken of their Elisian fields and of the infernal rivers of hell Cicero the Heathen Orator and Lucretius have made mention of the conflagration of the world and the future judgment the Turks speak of Paradise c these they have some dark and groping knowledge of from the light in them though no clear distinct knowledg The poor Indians that go naked as these Quakers sometimes have done in their delusions they have the notion of these things nor are there only meer notions in these Heathens of these things but they have many terrours and feares of conscience about them especially when they have been near unto death this hath been so firmly rooted in them that nothing could weare it out men that have lived like Atheists have been overtaken with these feares sometimes Besides they have an obscure knowledge of a God and that this God is a righteous God and will judge the world in righteousnesse and observing it is not well alway here with them that do well nor doth evill befall the wicked more then others they hence collect there will be a more equal dispensation of rewards and punishments in the world to come Adde further they have knowledge of the souls immortality for they see it doth not depend upon the body now for its acts and operations but can comprehend things that never came within the outward sences can know and understand the nature and causes of things can attaine some knowledge of God and spirits can enter heaven with contemplation while the body lies groveling here upon earth c. and therefore they conclude it doth not depend on the body for its being but is immortall and being immortal there is an estate of eternal happinesse or misery for it How little then do these men look to the light within them while they deny these manifest truths how false are they to their own principles if the light that is in them be darkness how great is that darkness II. But let us appeal to the light of the Scriptures and there we have more clear and distinct discovery of these things then this generall light in all hath yet ever made For the last judgement read Mat. 25. where we have the processe thereof set down at large by Christ the time when it must be is shewed ver 31. When the Sonne of man shall come in his glory and all the Holy Angels with him not when Christ comes in Spirit to his people but when he comes as the Son of man in a glorious condition his Angels attending him and the persons then to be judged are all Nations ver 32. and not only a few persons shall be judged as these poor wretches affirming this judgement to be now present take on them to judge here and there a person for the living and dead both must be judged then 2 Tim. 4.1 and Angels as well as men Jude 6. The manner of the judgment is described in the following part of the Chapter Acts 17.31 God hath appointed a day wherein he will judge the world by that Man whom he hath appointed whereof be hath given assurance by raising him up from the dead that Man-Christ that particular Man that was raised up from the dead is to be Judge not these men that pretend to judge now See also for this Act. 10.42 2 Tim. 4.1 And if you would know when this appointed day is to be the Apostle expresses it Heb. 9.27 It is appointed for men once to dy but after this the judgement after death followes the resurrection and judgment it is to be at the second appearance of Christ the Son of man in the cloudes of Heaven 2 Tim. 4.1 1 Thess 4.16 2 Thess 1.7 8. for this last and great judgement see further Jude 14 15. Rev. 20.12 with many other places And for Heaven and Hell after this life is ended that necessarily followes upon the proof of the last judgment these being the places of reward and punishment to which men shall be adjudged at that great day of the Lord So that it s not requisite to multiply places for these Only let the Reader for to confirme his faith peruse at his leasure these Scriptures Mat. 25.34 56. Luke 16.22 2 Cor. 5.1 5 8. 2 Thess 1.7 Heb. 10.34 1 Pet. 1.3 4. Isa 30.33 Psal 9.17 Matth. 10.28 Mat. 25.41 Luke 16.26 Rev. 20.15 From which places its evident that Heaven is a place of perfect blisse and happinesse not upon earth but above the visible Heavens not to be enjoyed whil'st we be in the flesh here though we have some foretasts or earnests of it in which respect it may be said the Kingdome of Heaven is now within us but into which the souls of the righteous shall be translated presently after their departure out of the body and which their bodies