‘That there shall be hereafter a great harvest, which is the end of the world, a great day of judgment, and the judgment of that great day, the holy Scripture is clear, Mat. xiii. 39, 40, 41, ch. x. 15, and xi. 24. Jude 6. “When the Son of Man cometh in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory, and before him shall be gathered all nations, &c.” Matt. xxv. 31, 32, to the end, compared with ch. xxii. 31. Mark viii. 38. Luke ix. 26, and 1 Cor. xv. 52. 2 Thes. i. 7, 8, to the end, and 1 Thes. iv. 16. Rev. xx. 12, 13, 14, 15.
‘That this blessed heavenly man, this Son of Man, who hath so deeply suffered and endured so many great indignities and persecutions from his adversaries, both to himself and his members and brethren, should at last, even in the last and great day, signally and manifestly appear in glory and triumph, attended with all his glorious heavenly host and retinue before all nations, before all his enemies, and those that have denied him; this will be to their great terror and amazement, that this most glorious heavenly man, and his brethren, that have been so much contemned and set at naught, should be thus exalted over their enemies and persecutors, in glory and triumph, is a righteous thing with God; and that they that suffer with him, should appear with him in glory and dignity when he thus appears at last. Christ was judge of the world, and the prince thereof, when on earth, John ix. 39. and xii. 31. He is still judge of the world, the wickedness, and prince thereof, by his light, spirit, and gospel in men’s hearts and consciences, John xvi. 8. 11. Matt. xii. 20. Isa. xlii. 1. Rom. ii. 16. 1 Pet. iv. 6. And he will be the judge and final determiner thereof in that great day appointed; God having appointed a day wherein he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained. Christ foretold it shall be more tolerable for them of the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment, than for that city or people that would not receive his messengers or ministers, &c. Matt. x. 15. and see chap. xi. 24. and Mark vi. 11. Luke x. 12. 14. It is certain that God knows how to deliver the godly out of all their trials and afflictions, and at last to bring them forth, and raise them up into glory with Christ; so he knoweth also how to reserve the unjust and finally impenitent unto the day of judgment to be punished, 2 Pet. ii. 9. He will bring them forth unto the day of destruction, Job xxi. 30. The Lord can and will reserve such impenitent, presumptuous and rebellious criminals, as bound under chains of darkness, as were the fallen angels, unto the judgment of the great day, Jude 6. Matt. xxv. 30. It is not for us to determine or dispute the manner how they shall be so reserved; but leave it to God; he knows how.’
A Postscript relating to the doctrine of the Resurrection and eternal Judgment.
‘At the last trump of God, and the voice of the archangel, the dead shall be raised incorruptible, the dead in Christ shall rise first, 1 Cor. xv. 52. 1 Thes. iv. 16. compared with Matt. xxiv. 31.
‘Many are often alarmed in conscience here by the word and voice of God, who stop their ears and slight those warnings, but the great and final alarm of the last trumpet, they cannot stop their ears against, nor escape, it will unavoidably seize upon, and further awaken them finally to judgment. They that will not be alarmed in their consciences, unto repentance, nor out of their sins here, must certainly be alarmed to judgment hereafter.
‘Whosoever do now wilfully shut their eyes, hate, contemn, or shun the light of Christ, or his appearance within, shall at last be made to see, and not be able to shun or hide themselves from his glorious and dreadful appearance from heaven with his mighty angels, as with lightning and flaming fire, to render vengeance on all them that know not God, and obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, 1 Thes. iv. 16. Matt. xxiv. 27. Luke xvii. 24. Dan. x. 6. Job xxxvii. 3.
‘And though many now evade and reject the inward convictions and judgment of the light, and shut up the records or books thereof in their own consciences, they shall be at last opened, and every one judged of these things recorded therein, according to their works, Rev. xx. 12, 13, 14, 15.
‘Signed in behalf of our Christian profession and people aforesaid,
George Whitehead,
Ambrose Rigge,
William Fallowfield,
James Parke,
Charles Marshall,
John Bowater,
John Vaughton,
William Bingley.’
This paper generally gave satisfaction, and was well received also in Holland, where having translated it into Dutch, I got it published in print. Now since Francis Bugg, an envious apostate, charged the Quakers with some Socinian notions; and being set on by some churchmen, endeavoured also to render them odious with the government, the following confession of faith, signed by one and thirty persons, of which G. Whitehead was one, was in December presented to the parliament: