even in things appertaining to God wherefore things ordained by them as necessary to salvation have neither strength nor Authority unless it may be declared that they be taken out of the holy Scriptures Therefore this invention of sprinkling Infants with Godfathers and Godmothers being not taken out of the Scripture neither can be proved thereby hath no strength nor Authority neither is to be beleived as requisite to salvation but is judged deemed and taken to be an error first of Pope Iginus and since of the general counsels according to the abovesaid Articles Furthermore our plea is that forasmuch as the contrivers and setters forth of the book of Common Prayer hath collected many good and true sayings out of the Scripture and hath put them into divers Prayers in which they desire to come into the same condition which the holy men of God witnessed in former ages of which things the Lord hath made us witnesses at this day in life and practise and in measure have obtained of the Lord according to our desire haveing asked the same in faith without wavering which are set down in divers places of the Common-Prayer book which the Priests and professors of this generation affirmeth can never be obtained while men live and therefore these prayers set down in the Common-Prayer-book and the things prayed for therein is quite contrary to their faith as hereafter shall be made appear In the Collect upon the Circumcision of Christ They pray to God to grant them the true Circumcision of the spirit that their hearts and all their members may be mortified from all worldly and carnal lusts and that they may in all things obey Gods blessed will c. Now let the wise in heart judge of this thing whether they do beleive that their hearts and all their members can be mortified from all worldly and carnal lusts and whether they can in all things obey Gods blessed will while they are upon the earth for after it is impossible they should and if they beleive they can why are the Quakers persecuted for being of the same faith and praying for the same things but if they beleive these things cannot be attained then what is their prayers worth For whatsoever is not of faith is sin Rom. 14. 23. So these good desires are turned into sin by this faithless generation of teachers who instead of propagating these prayers they are found depravers of them but the Collossians witnessed the body of sin put off by the circumcision of Christ Coll. 2. 11. So whether the Apostles testimony or the Priests testimony is according to the Scripture let the honest heart judge In the Collect for the first Sunday in Lent They pray to God to give them grace to use such abstinance that their flesh being subdued to the spirit they may ever obey his godly motions Herein they seem to own the spirits motion in words which they do and have so long cried against scoffing and scorning them who witness this spirit to lead them calling it error and Heresy in the Quakers thus to affirme though they read these things dayly in their assemblies yet they do not mean that ever they shall come to pass for if people were subdued to the spirit and came to obey the Godly motions thereof they know people would soon leave them as the Quakers have done so whether the Quakers or them are enemies to those good things in the Common-Prayer let sober minded people judge In the Collect for the third Sunday after Easter They affirme that God sheweth to all that be in error the light of his truth to the intent they may return into the way of righteousnesse This is most true and that which the Quakers from the beginning have testified of for which they are and have been all along oppressed and persecuted for if men that be in error be lighted with the light of Gods truth which is Christ and that to the intent they may return into the way of righteousness then they who turnes people to this light turns them into the way of righteousness but they who instead of turning people to this light cries against it and keeps people from following of it such doth not bring people into the way of righteousness as we see by dayly experience and so are not promoters of the truth in the Common-Prayer book though for their own gain they may read it outwardly yet it is manifestly seen that these blind guides are more for the promoting of Superstitious Ceremonies in the said book which hath no ground nor proof in the Scripture and so by the 20. and 21 Article of the book of Canons is declared to be of no force nor strength yea far more then the testifying and vindicating the sound fundamental truths therein which is collected out of the Scripture of truth which the Quakers both own and practise in life doctrine and conversation which light being followed and regarded would lead people to life and salvation if it were not eclipsed and veiled through these faithless generation of men who seeks to take away the Key of Knowledge which is the true light of Christ the truth wherewith he hath lighted every man that cometh into the world John 1. 9. and so will neither enter themselves nor suffer them that would so let any judge whether the Quakers or the Priests ought to be protected by the Lawes of King Edw. the sixt Queen Eliza. King Iames and King Charles and whether of them lives more in obedience to the sound fundamental truths in the Common-Prayer book In the Collect for Whitsunday They say God hath taught the hearts of his faithful people by the sending to them the light of his holy spirit and they desire by the same spirit to have a right judgement in all things If this affitmation be true as certain it is then what need hath people of their teachings unless it be to keep them in blindness of heart from the dictates of this spirit whereby the hearts of his faithful people is taught according to this Collect which is agreeable to the Scripture which saith All thy children shall be taught of the Lord Isa 54. 13. Joh. 6. 54. And again the Apostle saith to confirme this The grace of God which bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men teaching us c. Titus 2. 11. 12. all which the Quakers own and witness and therefore they deny them who denies these things and would have people ever learning of them that they may ever feed them with money and if people have a right judgement in all things by the holy spirit of God according to this collect then they who are against this spirit in its teachings and leadings must of necessity have no right judgement in any thing and this the Priests hath manifestly appeared against both in word and righting and therefore let their own Common-Prayer book be a witness between them and us whether we or they walks more according thereunto in
hearing of them Our plea is to such that forasmuch as the teachers of this age who reads the Common Prayer doth deny those solemne covenants which they cause many to take at the first receiving of a child into their Congregation causing them to promise and vow three things in the childs name First that he shall forsake the Devil and all his works and all the sinful lusts of the flesh which covenant they say when the child comes of age he is bound to perform And we find by dayly experience that when the child comes of age the Priest tells him that he cannot forsake all the Devils works but must have a body of sin while he is upon the earth as they commonly do which is absolutely contrary to their promise and vow in Baptisme and therefore we deny them as Covenant-breakers and turn away from them according to the Apostles command 2 Tim. 3. Our second plea is that notwithstanding they injoine the Godfathers and Godmothers as they call them to promise and vow that the child shall keep Gods will and Commandements and walk in the same all the daies of his life and afterward in their preaching saith it is impossible to keep Gods holy will and Commandements as many can witness but break them every day in thought word and deed as they commonly say And therefore we turn away from such confusion in wich they as Babylons Merchants are dayly found answering the word of the Lord which saith Come out of her my people be not pertaker of her sins least you pertake of her plagues and we finding them so grosly overthrowing the foundation principles of the Church of England by their preaching and practise that we are neither bound by the law of God nor right reason to uphold or follow them Yet nevertheless though we deny them for abusing their own principles and duties which in words they prosess and vow to persue yet we retain that pure principle in life and practise which brings young and old to forsake the Divel and all his works with all the sinful lusts of the flesh which can never be performed or kept by the carnal man in his will though he may promise and vow to do it neither have we attained to the performance of this while we followed them but as we received that which discovered their confusion unto us and we standing in this principle at this day which the Lawes of King Edward Queen Eliza. Charles the 1st and Charles the 2d doth protect we ought not by right reason to be persecuted but rather the Priests who dayly confound this principle which gives every Infant admittance into the Church of England to be a member thereof 2. We retain that which brings us to keep Gods holy will and Commandements which is Gods love shed abroad in our hearts and by this doth many know that we love him because we keep his Commandements and his Commandements are not grievous but joyous Joh. 14. 15. Therefore it is contrary to right reason that we should suffer for keeping these principles pure and inviolable which the Church of England imposes upon every Infant while their own teachers in doctrine and practise are opposers of these principles in affirming that no man on this side the Grave can keep Gods will and Commandements but must have a body of sin while they live through which the Commandements of God is broken every day witness their dayly outcry against perfection in this life which the aforesaid principles holds forth for he who forsakes the Divel and all his works and all the pomps and pleasures of the world and all the sinful lusts of the same and keeps Gods holy mark that will and Commandements and walks in the same all the Mark that also dayes of his life is not such a perfect man all the dayes of his life and if so is not this contrary to the Priests Doctrine who dayly affirme the contrary therefore let any rational man judge whether we or they ought to suffer by the Kings lawes Furthermore our plea is against them in this thing in causing men and women to promise and vow such things as aforesaid which cannot be performed and so layes heavy burthens upon them which they themselves are so far from touching that they cry out it is impossible to be born and so makes them truce-breakers and teaches the children to call such Godfathers and Godmothers which is not so for they are neither the childrens God nor their father nor mother neither hath their God a father or a mother So this thing we cannot but deny them in because we beleive it is not of God neither do we read that any of the sons or daughters of God in the Scripture of truth did use such sayings nor the Ministers of the Gospel impose such things upon any in their infancy but if any aske how this was instituted first and how these Ministers came by such things who now use them my answer is according to the antient writers In the year of the world 4102. and of Christ 142. being the first year of the reigne of Anthonius the Emperor was Iginus consecrated Pope he reigned four years three moneths and six daies he ordayned that every child in Baptisme should have a Godfather and a Godmother standing at the Font and so likewise at the time of confirmation Therefore we not finding such a practise warranted by the Scripture but invented by the Pope as aforesaid we cannot own it nor them in it or think it to be requisite to salvation nor beleive it is of God at all but a blind ceremony set up in the invention of man and practised by them who cannot keep the commands of God and therefore is not to be required of any man according to the 6th Article of the book of Canons in these words Holy Scripture containeth all things necessary to Salvation so that whatsoever is not contained in the Scriptures nor may be proved thereby is not to be required of any man that it should be beleived as an Article of the faith or to be thought requisite or necessary to salvation Likewise in the 20th Article The Church hath power to decree Rites and Ceremonies of faith and yet it is not lawful for the Church to ordain any thing that is contrary to Gods word written neither may it so expound one place of Scripture that it be repugnant to another wherefore although the Church be a witness and a keeper of holy writ yet it ought not to decree any thing against the same so besides the same ought not to inforce any thing to be beleived for necessity of salvation Likewise in the 21. Article of the Canons General counsels may not be gathered together without the Commandement and Writ of Princes and when they be gathered together forasmuch as they be an assembly of men whereof all be not governed by the spirit and word of God they may erre and sometimes have erred
and then they will suddenly see whether of these ought by law and right reason to be upheld and countenanced In the Collect for the 6th Sunday after Epaphany Wherein they desire God to make them his sons and heirs of eternal life and that they having this hope may purifie themselves even as he is pure c. This is a good desire indeed and that which the Lord hath granted to many at this day who are now the sons of God and heirs of life but who are made more objects of the worlds wrath then such even by them who are praying for the same condition in words though their works shews them to be more like the sons of Belial in whose steps they tread who are far from being pure as God is pure neither I do think they ever believe they shall though they pray for the same but are not these the principles which the Quakers have been condemned for owning and counted Hereticks for professing which is now the publick Praiers of this Nation established by law all which as they are taken out of the Scripture we both have practised since we were a people and do at this day if they had never been written in the Common praier book Object But if it be objected that these are not principles but good desires and godly Prayers Answ That cannot be a good desire nor a godly praier wherein the thing desired cannot be beleived to be obtained for whatsoever is not of faith is sin Rom. 14. 23. and therefore the Quakers cannot own them who turns the truth of God in these foregoing lines into a lye and sin and worships they know not what as it is too too manifest and therefore the Quakers pleads the general issue of all these things which I hope there is not a rational man who reads the aforegoing passages with understanding but will bring in their verdict for them and against the faithless prayers of these times yet nevertheless these men cannot handsomly denie but all the aforesaid Collects either is or ought to be the substance of things hoped for and if they will not own them to be principles they must own them conditions attainable to the children of God or else why do they pray for them and if so then they must either own the Quakers Doctrine or deny that part of the Common-Praier which may be proved by the Scripture and is taken out of the Scripture and so vindicate none but that part which is neither taken out of the Scripture nor can be proved by the Scripture which they are most ready to do and alwaies have done though it is of no strength nor authority nor ought to be forced upon any as necessarie to salvation as may appear by the 6th Article of their own Canons and also by the 20. and 21. Articles of the same So whether the Quakers are to be condemned for vindicating that part of the Common-Prayer which is taken out of the Scripture which hath strength and authoritie in it or the Priests for vindicating that part of the Common-Praier which is not taken out of the Scripture nor can be proved thereby is left to the verdict of every judicious man Here followeth several perticulars of the Priests practise which is not taken out of the Scripture nor can be proved thereby which the Quakers judges of no strength nor authority neither ought to be forced upon any as necessary to salvation as may appear by the 21. Article of the book of Cannons 1. First their sprinkling Infants with water and signing them with the signe of the Cross in their foreheads is not taken out of the Scripture nor cannot be proved thereby therefore it is of no strength nor authority 2. Having Godfathers and Godmothers standing at the Font is not taken out of the Scripture nor cannot be proved thereby therefore of no force 3. Their saying that people must have a body of sin as long as they live cannot be proved by the Scripture nor is not taken out of the Scripture therefore is an error in all the beleivers thereof 4. Their saying that none can keep the commands of God is not taken out of the scripture nor can be proved by the scripture herein they shew they are led by the spirit of error 5. Their abstaining from slesh in the time called Lent is not taken out of the scripture nor can be proved thereby 6. To read and Preach in a Tippet-hood or surplice is not taken out of the scripture nor can be proved thereby 7. To keep so many daies in a year from working calling them Holy daies and therein tollerating drunkenness wantonness and plaies and vice is not taken out of the Scripture nor can be proved thereby 8. To take a Text of scripture and raise so many arguments and doctrines reasons and uses from it is not taken out of the scripture nor can be proved thereby 9. To erect an Altar in their Church and to bow so many times thereunto is not taken out of the scripture nor can be proved thereby 10. To give bread and wine to people kneeling twice a year is not taken out of the Scripture nor can be proved thereby 11. To have ten shillings more or less as they can get for a Funeral sermon as they call it is not taken out of the Scripture nor cannot be proved thereby 12. To cause women to come into the Steeple-house in a white cloath and to have money for speaking words over them after child birth is not taken out of the scripture nor can be proved thereby 13. To have a Sexton to ring the bells three times before their service is not taken out of the scripture nor can be proved thereby 14. To take so much a year of every Parish for preaching or reading is not taken out of the scripture nor can be proved thereby 15. To take Tythes and offerings of people for the aforesaid work yea of those for which they do no work cannot be proved by the Scripture So all the particulars and many more which now are and have been used practised by the teachers of this generation which they have no ground in the scripture for which hath been set up in the night of Apostacy from the life and spirit of God by the false Prophets and Antechrists which entred into the world above 1600. years ago being prophesied of by Christ Matt. 7. 15. 16. 17. by their fruits he then said they should be known comparing them to thorns and thistles of which men cannot gather grapes nor figs as appears at this day for neither of these can be gathered of these false Prophets of our age and are they not inwardly ravening wolves according to Christs words for if any come to receive and follow the light of Gods spirit within to guide them such they seeks to devour with all their strength though outwardly they will cover themselves with the same words as appears by the aforesaid Treatise that they may
A true Prospect For the BISHOPS Priests and Deasons And all other within the jurisdiction of the Church of England who are Professors of the Common Prayer through which they may see how far they are short in Faith Principle and practise of divers sound truths therein specified Also the proper right of the Quakers to divers good things therein vindicated and pleaded for which no other people upon the earth can justly challenge And instead of being persecuted the Quakers ought to be protected by the Laws of King Edward the sixt Queen Eliz. Charles the 1st and Charles the Second which established the book of Common-Prayer in Equity and Right Reason which is the life of all just Lawes VVhereunto is annexed divers of the Priests practises for which they have no proof in the Scripture Published by a lover of truth and Righteousness where ever it appears known by the name of Ambrose Rigg And this is the confidence that we have in God that if we aske any thing according to his will he heareth 〈◊〉 John 5. 14. But let him aske in Faith nothing wavering for he that wavereth is like a Wave of the Sea driven with the winds and to sâ—ed Jam. 1. 6. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing from God Verse 7. Printed for M. W. To the moderate and Courteous READER MY principle end and aime in this small Treatise is to set forth and vindicate the sound and antient Truth in the Common-Prayer Book as it is now established and to bring the same forth as the Sun from under the Clouds that they may shine in brightness to the ends of the earth which thou wilt find true if thou reade over this small book with a single eye and not stumble at my plain down-right dealing with the men who so much cries up that book at this day and yet cannot away with those who answers the same in life and practise even every particular thereof which is gathered out of the Scriptures and onely denies those things and them for practising those things which are not taken out of the Scripture wherein doth lye the great difference between them at this day wherein the Lord is bringing to light many things which long hath laid hid and vaild in secret and is revealing the Mysteries of his Kingdome unto his sons and daughters servants and handmaids And all Superstition and superstitious Ceremonies he will utterly deface and demolish though never so strongly fortified outwardly and will set up his own righteousness and way of worship which is in spirit and truth according to the testimony of his Son in former Ages Iohn 4. 24. In which alone he will manifest his love power presence and vertue unto mankind again in the way of their recovery from the snares of death and darkness under which their souls have long mourned that they may set forth his noble Acts and declare his wondrous works unto generations to come And for this cause he hath raised up many at this day to testifie unto his Name and power and is leading them from one Nation to another people 〈◊〉 testimony unto his Son who is come into the world to save sinners and to finish transgression in the earth that his praise may be perfected among the Sons of men and he will suffer one Potshard of the earth to dash in pieces another until this be accomplished and no weapon formed against this decree shall prosper for this is that cause for which he ever appeared in any age and time whatsoever and for which he hath manifestly appeared in divers manners in this our age and hath overturned many high Mountains of the earth that he might fully vindicate his own truth where ever it appeareth without respect to rich or poor bond or free male or female high or low but in every Nation they who fear him and work righteousness he will accept that no flesh may glory before him who is rich in mercy and tender in compassion to all who early seek his face inrighteousness Therefore be not rash nor inconsiderate in these things which are of great moment but weigh every sentence in the ballance of equity so wilt thou come to a right understanding of the truth herein declared And my end is not in this treatise that the Priests who so grosly abuses their own principles and Prayers should be destroyed with a carnal weapon for my weapon to them is not carnal but that they may come to repentance and find mercy with the Lord and that the people may be truly founded upon the Rock of Ages never more to slide nor fall and for this doth my soul travail in suffering and heavinesse even to this day waiting for the promotion of that truth spoken of in the book of Common Prayer which the Scriptures of the Prophets Christ and the Apostles bears witness unto in patience induring all things till the words of God be fulfilled written the 22. day of the 4th month 1663. Who am a lover of Righteousnesse and truth and a sufferer for the same Called Ambrose Rigge A true prospect for the Bishops Priests and Deacons and all other within the Jurisdiction of the Church of England c. GOd who in the beginning made man upright in his own image and likeness and gave him life and dominion over death and darkness and the power thereof making him an instrument to shew forth his praise and glory in the earth far above any other living creature which his hand made In which dominion and life while man stood he had the blessing and presence of Almighty God upon him and with him and had perfect dominion over all the Beasts of the field and the Fowls of the Aire and knew no sin neither curse death nor darkness but stood in perfect freedome as the son and heir of God in whom God had more delight then any other creature which he made insomuch that he set him in that place in which his chiefest delight was that he might dress it and keep it for his Creator to walk in where also was the tree of life which yielded food to man so that he was altogether unsencible of any misery sorrow or tribulation of body or soul neither was he in bondage to any creature but Lord and Ruler over all the whole creation according to the word of the Lord Gen. 1. 28. in which free covenant of life he perfectly stood till the Serpent grudged his glory and in the envy sowed a cursed seed which took root in his heart since which time hath brought forth many wicked branches which hath long cumbred the ground And for receiving this and disobeying the word of the Lord he was disthroned from all his glory and was exposed to all misery and cursedness of body and soul with all his seed end race after him and was driven into the earth from the presence of the Lord and then was altogether unsencible of life and immortallity with God
it being wholly departed from him by reason of transgression so that he was only a slave in Satans kingdome wholly led captive at his will where death and darkness only was which got dominion over him and then he became a degenerate plant of a strange Vine unto God and brought forth fruit in which God had no delight therefore he hid his face from him so that man could not find him nor his power and glory Then the Lord in love and tender compassion to his stock and race did raise up Moses his faithful servant to testifie unto his righteousness though one not elloquent but of a slow speech as he himself testifieth Exod. 4. 10. yet him he chose to go unto Pharaoh King of Egypt to declare his power and glory to man again from which he was seperated by transgression by whom he gave forth his righteous Law John 1. 17. as a flaming sword which turned every way upon man in his fallen state under the power of which he was to remain till the promised seed was come to break the head and power of the Serpent which had thus captivated man unto his will as is abovesaid For the recovery of which the Lord raised up many faithful witnesses to testify unto his power as Isaiah Ier. Ezeck Dan. and the rest yet in their dayes did the false Prophet appear who violated the Law which Moses had given forth and sought for their gain from their quarter as many do now and could never have enough Isa 56. 11. and Ieremiah cryed woe unto the Pastors that did destroy and scatter the sheep of the Lords pasture who cryed peace unto them who despised the Lord as such doth now Ier. 23. 1. 17. and Ezek. said they fed of the fat and cloathed of the wooll but they killed them that were fed unto such he cryed woe Ezek. 34. 1. 2. 3. and Hosea said they were like troops of robbers Hosea 6. 9. and Micha said they built up Zion with blood and Ierusalem with iniquity Micha 3. 11. 12. and said the best of them was as a bryer and the most purest of them sharper then a thorn hedge Mic. 6. 4. and Christ said in Matt. 7. Do men gather grapes of Thornes for so he described the false Prophets who did rent and tear the wooll from his Lambs which he had chosen even as they do at this day bearing the same mark as the same doth at this day and for this purpose was the Son of man manifested to convince man of all his ungodly deeds words and thoughts and to make him an instrument of his glory again and to restore him into that freedome which he lost by transgression out of the curse death and darkness into which he was cast and for the full perfecting of this great work did the Son of God lay down his life which life after it was offered up was manifested in mortal flesh and raised up many from the Graves in which they had long laid dead by reason of sin and by the vertue thereof many was brought into unity with God and the full enjoyment of his presence again as man had before he fell and was more then conquerors over death darkness and him that had the power thereof though into this state they came through many and great tribulations which they sustained from them in whom the seed of enmity did rule who alwaies hated and persecuted them wherever they appeared as a cloud of witnesses in the Scripture of truth doth testify hereunto In that estate did the serpent appear as a beast having great power and made war with the Lamb and the Saints of the most high and overcame them and power was given unto him over all kindreds tongues and nations Rev. 13. 7. to impose what kind of worship as he would then he set up the whore spoken of in Rev. 17. who made all Nations drunk with the wine of her fornication yea the Kings of the earth also was made drunk with her cup verse 2. Since which time all nations hath gone a whoring from the Lord and hath worshipped the beast and received his image through imposition being forced by violence into that which the Lord was not found in so then a dark and gloomy night overspread the whole earth which endured many generations in which many stumbled and fell and went astray like lost sheep and were made a prey upon by the Owles of the desert who then croppe out and ravened for their bellies and sought to the Kings of the earth who was made drunk as aforesaid to exercise Lordship over the consciences of thousands which was granted them then they invented divers kinds of punishments for them who would not worship the beast and receive his image Rev. 13. 15 16. till the earth was wholly voyd both of the knowledge of God and his power and then the night came over the earth wherein no man could work then the Devil wrought in darkness and filled the earth with his power and violence till Popery was fully rooted and sprung up into many great branches and brought forth much cursed fruit as fire faggot inquisition racking and renting of the persons of men and women to set up and maintain the beast in his throne who had got power over all the kindreds of the earth in which dominion he long stood and magnified himself in the greatness of his strength saying who is like unto the beast and who is able to make war with him In this power he stood compleat in this Nation untill the dayes of King Edward the 6th whom the Lord raised to do mighty and notable acts against this monster insomuch that he utterly abolished his power and worship in that way and form as it then stood and erected another more near unto the truth and way of God as he then judged and called it the Common Prayer which he established by Law enjoyning all his Subjects to a conformity thereunto into which the Priests readily crept though such as formerly had read the Mass because it was like to bring them in some gain yet notwithstanding there was a thirst in thousands after righteousness and the way thereof yea even in the contrivers of the aforesaid book though now the Merchants of Babylon doth make a trade thereof for dishonest gain who neither desireth righteousness nor the way thereof So here I shall pass by all the vain Superstitions in he said book which hath no ground in the scriptures for my principle aim is in this discourse to instance only those things which are of weight and concernment which is the sound truths laid down and inserted in this book which is collected out of the scriptures and many things prayed for in that book which the Priests say now cannot be received nor attained to as hereafter I shall make appear So that if any should question us who are called Quakers why we come not to hear them read the Common Prayer or persecute us for not