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
16. 1 Cor. 15.32 The devil did long since stir up his instruments to undermine the same the Sadduces Acts 23.8 denyed the resurrection Angels and Spirits and some amongst the Corinthians 1 Cor. 15.12 said There is no resurrection of the dead Hymeneus and Philetus 2 Tim. 2.18 said the resurrection was past already and overthrew the faith of some even as this generation of men now pretend it s already accomplished and past in them the body or Christ is now risen in them and hereupon deny the future resurrection of our dead bodies But it pleased the Lord out of his goodnesse hereupon to cleare up this doctrine more fully so that there 's no doctrine in all the Scriptures hath a clearer and fuller evidence for it self then this hath It was sufficiently laid down before in the Old Testament in many places See these instead of many Job 19.25 Isa 26.19 Dan. 12.2 Ezek. 37.12 but in the New Testament it 's not only positively laid down and asserted but proved by many Arguments against them that denied it Mat. 22.32 Christ proves it against the Sadduces and silences them by an Argument taken from Gods Covenant with his people he is their God in Covenant with them and not only with their souls but with their bodies also therefore they shall rise again he proves that same resurrection which was denyed by the Sadduces for he silenced them now it 's clear they denied the resurrection of the body of flesh c. See v. 23 24. other places might have been brought to have proved this truth more directly whereas this Scripture proves it but by consequence though clearly enough but the Sadduces only owning the five books of Moses Christ brings a proof from thence for it Exod. 3.6 But more especially the Apostle 1 Cor. 15. doth so largely prove this doctrine that if other Scriptures had been altogether silent about it this one Chapter had been sufficient confirmation thereof Let the Reader observe there three things that the Apostle principally treats of in that chapter 1. He proves the resurrection of the dead 2. He shews with what bodies they shall arise 3. What shall become of them which shall be alive at the day of the Lord. I. He proves the resurrection of the dead and he evidences that by six arguments 1 From the resurrection of Jesus Christ from v. 3. to 19. for if there be no resurrection of the dead then is Christ not risen but saith he Christ is risen therefore must the dead rise by vertue of their union with him Now that Christ is risen he confirms from the Testimony of the Scriptures ver 4. the Apostle names not what Scriptures but it 's cleare he intends Psal 16.8 and such like places then from those many witnesses that saw him verse 5 6 7 8. then from the evil consequences that would follow if Christ rise not the Apostles should be false witnesses and their preaching in vaine and the Corinthians faith should be in vain they should be yet in their sinnes and they that were fallen asleep should be perished 2 He proves the resurrection of the dead body because if it were not so Christians should be of all men most miserable verse 19. 3 He argues that all enemies must be overcome therefore death and if so we must rise again 4 He argues it from a practise amongst those persons that denied the resurrection probably the Corinthians those ancient hereticks who were baptized for the dead verse 20. and therefore their own practise might confute them 5 He argues it from the dangers and sufferings of the Saints verse 30 c. which they would not endure if there were no resurrection and reward after death Heb. 11.36 6 The denying the resurrection he shews would lead to all epicurisme and licentiousness then may we say let us eat and drink for to morrow we shall die thus he confirms the doctrine of the resurrection of our dead bodies The 2d. thing in this Chapter is to shew with what bodies the dead arise II. verse 35. He answers in the following verses not with such vile weak corruptible bodies as now we have but with incorruptible powerful glorious and spiritual bodies so Phil. 3.21 Our vile bodies shall be fashioned like to the glorious body of Christ himself and it follows as a reason of this change ver 50. Flesh and blood shall not inherit the Kingdome of God nor can corruption inherit incorruption Where observe the Apostle doth not overthrow what he before had built that is he doth not deny the resurrection of the dead body that it shall not rise at all as these deceivers would infer but it shall not rise in such a vile corruptible abject condition it were not capable of the glory of heaven then That this is the minde of the Apostle in these words appeares in that the Apostle doth not contradict himself and destroy what he had before built now having before proved the body shall arise again he doth not here deny it only he shews it shall not arise in such an abject and base condition as now it is in but in a more glorious condition and so he fitly answers the question propounded v. 35. with what body the dead shall arise It being also considerable that the word flesh is not in Scripture always put for the substance of mans body for the substance consisting of flesh blood and bones but frequently for the infirme weak state and condition of man as Esay 31 3. 1 Pet. 1.24 and thus the latter part of the verse shews it is to be taken here corruption shall not inherit incorruption corrupt frail flesh cannot inherit heaven it must be made a glorious spiritual body for its qualities and conditions when it is raised up again that so it may be capable of the happinesse of heaven III. The third thing the Apostle doth in this Chapter is he sheweth what shal become of them that shal be alive at the day of the Lord. v. 51. they shall not fall asleep but be changed or translated into a state of incorruption and immortality as it befell Enoch and Eliah in former times this also confirms the doctrine of the resurrection because those bodies that shall survive at the last day shall not be annihilated but only changed What clearer Testimony can be given to this truth then we have in this one chapter Many other places might be added as Acts 23.6 24.15 1 Thes 4.13 c. Phil. 3.20.21 Rev. 12. with other more but these may suffice But some object this is a thing impossible How can the dead body when consumed to ashes or dust and this driven away by the winde and scattered be raised up again the self-same body for substance Or when a body shall be eaten by wilde beast or fishes and they again eaten by men or by other creatures and their substances mingled and confounded how can these ever be distinguished and the selfe-same body that died
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
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