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
the Hypocrites in former ages did and have no more answer from God then they had for we know that God heareth not sinners but if any man do his will him he heareth John 9. 31. Now if this Scripture be true what is all these mens Prayers worth who both are sinners and can never beleive they shall be otherwise in this life this is a degree of unbeleif beyond what ever I read of among the Jews therefore such we can never receive as Ministers of Christ who hath no more faith in him but we do renounce them as a faithless Generation who cannot please God in these their Prayers being not in faith for without faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11. 6 So it is far contrary to justice and right reason to persecute us for coming out from such whose works declares to all men that their faith is not according to their words and this is the only cause for which we have undergone such afflictions this many years and not only that we have or do deny any thing that is sound truth either in the Common Prayer book as it is now established or in any other way of worship for it is not unknown to many thousands what our lives practises and principles are both in things appeartaining to God and also in civil things amongst men So it is and will be very ridiculous to persecute us under the notion of Heriticks when it is so manifestly contrary In another of their Prayers They desire God to shine into their hearts that the night and darknes of sin and the mists of errors on every side driven away he brightly shining within their hearts they may all their life space go without stumbling or offence and may decently and seemingly walk as in the daytime being pure and clean from the works of darkness Let all who reads over these lines with a single eye judge how far these men are from beleiving what they here desire for if men by the light of God shining within their hearts can go all their life space without stumbling or offence why is the Quakers persecuted for holding forth this light for all people to be guided by do we think that the Common-Prayer Readers of these times will own this if so why do they so much condemne it in Pulpit and Press if not why do they profess it with their mouths when their hearts are so far from the beleif thereof this is but feigned humility and will-worship which is double Hypocrisie so either they must deny their own words in all these foregoing Prayers or else they must acknowledge the Quakers holds more of the sound truths in the Book of Common-Prayer then they themselves do in principle and practise and therefore for shame give over persecuting of them and reprove the Priests for their confusion and hypocrisie and unbeleif that they may repent thereof if the day of long-suffering be not over for many hath been turned aside through their inchantments from the way of truth and life which the Lord hath set before them Therefore by the Law of God and the King they are not to be upheld nor protected in their hypocrisie and wil-worship being utterly repugnant to the sound truthes in the Common-Prayer book which by law is established In the Collect for the 19th Sunday after Trinity Wherein they desire the Lord mercifully to grant that his holy spirit may in all things direct and rule their hearts c. This hath been counted absurd also in the Quakers to beleive any such thing as the spirit of God to direct and rule their hearts in all things oh how they have been abused by the Priests and their followers for owing what is prayed for in this Collect and if it be the mercy of God to grant his holy spirit to direct and rule the hearts of his people in all things then why are such made a prey upon unto whom God hath shewed this mercy in giving them his holy spirit to direct and rule them in all things who are not under the Law of God neither hath it power over them Gal. â— 18. much less ought the penalties of the Law of man to be inflicted upon them yet such now are and in all ages have been oppressed by the Lawes decrees and constitutions of men who erred from this spirit though they professed it in words because such who were guided by this spirit in all things could never walk answerable to their wills witness the Apostles who were guided by this spirit Acts 5. 28. 29. witness the three children who was directed with the spirit of God Dan. 3. witness Mordecai Esther 5. 9. and a cloud of witnesses more in the Scriptures So here again the Quakers life and doctrine are answerable to the truth here inserted and the Priests manifestly contrary In the Collect for the 21. Sunday after Trinity Wherein they desire God to grant unto his faithful people pardon and peace that they may be cleansed from all their sins and serve God with a quiet minde Again this is as far from the Priests faith as the east is from the West for if it be possible for men to be cleansed from all their sins and serve God with a quiet mind according to this Prayer how will this sute with the Priests doctrine who saith men cannot be cleansed from all their sins nor never come to peace here but must be in a continual warfare as long as they live and consequently not serve God with a quiet mind according to this Collect I suppose their faith is much repugnant to this if they were throughly examined yet notwithstanding they make use of these Prayers and sentences now for their gain and for fear of punishment yet I verily beleive there is not one among 500 of them that beselves ever to receive these things praied for while they live for what is counted more absurd at this day then for any to beleive that they can be cleansed from all their sins and serve God with a quiet mind yet these very men that cries out blasphemy against such and tell them they need no Saviour as the Priests hath often said of the Quakers will pray for the attainment of these things aforementioned therefore let all Gods faithful people judge how feigned formal Hypocritical and faithless their praiers are which can never enter into the ears of the Lord of Sabboths who only hath respect unto the righteous and his ear is open to their cry Psal 34. 15. but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth ver 16. If this be true as certain it is then the Prayers of these sinful men are an abominable sacrifice which is neither heard nor regarded by the Lord nor his people but here also let the Quakers and the Priests be laid in the ballance together and see whether is more equivolent to Scriptural truth in the Book of Common-Prayer
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
doctrine and conversation In the Communion upon the Feast of Trinity They pray that their sinful bodies may be made clean by the body of Christ and their souls washed through his pretious blood and that they may evermore dwell in him and he in them c. Here again is that confessed in words and prayed for which the Quakers hath long travelled and laboured to see accomplished who hath been long cried against as absurd and Heretical for affirming that they dwelt in Christ and he he dwelt in them which is no more then this Collect plainly holds forth and for saying they were washed by his pretious blood by the chief Priests and Rulers of this generation as many can witness yet they themselves can confess such things in words though in works they wholly deny them and not onely so but stirs up the Rulers to persecute all those who practise the same in life and conversation if they will not bow to every ceremony which they have woven in amongst the sound truths which will remain for ever as living witnesses against them and their Idols And therefore the Quakers do own what is truth in the Common-Prayer and what is collected out of the Scripture of truth which they practised and lived in and suffered for when they who now so highly magnifies the Common-Prayer durst not shew themselves but now for their own bellies extols that which they will as much cry against if another thing arise In their Prayer before sprinkling of Infants They pray That all carnal affections may dye in them and that all things belonging to the spirit may live and grow in them and that the new man may be raised up in them In this Prayer is several good things if rightly applyed and understood but whether they now who are Minsters and hearers of the Common-Prayer either knowes what they ask or beleives that ever they shall receive what they pray for is greatly questionable their principles being so much for a body of sin to be in young and old while they live on the earth which is not death but life to all carnal affections and death to all things belonging to the spirit and to the raising up of the new man which cannot be raised up in any nor put on but as the old man is put off with his deeds which is the body of sin In their Prayer for Sunday They desire the Lord to grant them his holy spirit to bear witnesse with their spirits that they being his children and heirs of his kingdome and that by the operation of the same spirit they may kill all carnal lusts and unlawful pleasures concupicences and evil affections contrary to his will What man or people can be more perfect before the Lord then they who come to attain all those things here desired which is the highest degree of perfection for if all carnal lusts and unlawful pleasures concupissences and evil affections be killed the ground and root of all â—â—n is killed and there can be no more living in sin nor branches of the same for where the root of sin is killed the branches cannot remain but if many in this age who now reads over these prayers would but recollect their memories they would perceive that those prayers is not sutable to their faith and so cannot be an acceptable sacrifice to God out of their mouthes Prov. 15. 8. and 27. neither can they ever receive those things they pray for unless they had more faith in the asking of them so whether the Quakers or they have more right to those Prayers let them who best knowes their lives and doctrines only judge In their prayer for the morning They desire Christ to take them into his tuition ruling and governing them with his holy spirit that all manner of darkness and all carnal affections may be utterly chased and driven out of their hearts and that they may be justified and saved both in body and soul If any should ask one of these Metamorphosed men called Ministers if they do beleive that all these things desired can be received while they are in the body they would say no I verily beleive it is so common with them to plead for Satans kingdome to stand while people live upon the earth and so hath kept thousands from being justified or saved either in body or spirit as by sad experience we have seen overthrowing the faith of many through cunning devised Fables which hath been more pleaded for then the sound truths therein prescribed for if it be asked any of them for what the Quakers are persecuted their answer is presently because they will not come to Church nor be conformable to the ceremonies thereof or some such like frivolous thing which hath no strength nor authority in it nor is of substance to convince any that they err in this so long as they retain the antient truths declared and testified unto in the Scripture of truth which their persecutors have erred from in principle and practise and therefore the Quakers denies them and all their inventions and are come out from among them according to the word of the Lord Isa 52. 11. 2 Cor. 6. 17. In another of their Prayers for the morning They desire Christ to shine into their minds that they may not any where stumble nor fall into any sin Here is the light within prayed for to guide them out of stumbling and falling into any sin which is a principle that they have cried against this several years counting it heresy to acknowledge a light to shine in peoples minds to guide them out of stumbling nay they have been so far from beleiving that this light would keep them from falling into any sin that they have leavened all people with the contrary mind that will beleive them so here again their faith and their Prayers are as much opposite one to another as light is to darkness and therefore the Quakers hath good grounds to deny them they certainly knowing that such sacrifices did alwayes stinck in the nostrils of the Lord and though they make many Prayers he will not hear because their hands is full of blood Isa 1. 14. 15. Pro. 1. 28. Jer. 14. 12. and their fingers is polluted with iniquity and they can never beleive any other thing but that people must continue in sin during life and so manifests themselves to be such as Iames spoke unto Ia. 4. 3. In their Prayer for Wednesday They pray that they may overcome the chief enemies of their Souls viz. the desires of the world and the pleasures of the flesh and the Suggestions of the wicked spirit according to their promise in Baptisme In this prayer is many good weighty things desired if the desirers had but faith as a grain of Mustard seed these mountains before mentioned would be removed and cast into the Sea never more to arise Mat. 17. 20. but while they remain in unbeleif they may pray and use many vain repetitions as