Exceptions Against some Passages Relating to Infant Baptism, Section 5
Sect. 5.
THat what words you have read here in our Papers, or may read hereafter spoken slightingly, as to your Disciples and Saints, they are pointed to those onelyonly, who slight the word of Gods Grace, are enemies to the Cross of Christ, trample upon the Pearles like Swine, and turn back like Dogs to rent the Dispensers of the same: Do you be-Saint these, if you can see your warrant; ours is, we think, from God, to be beast them.
But Sir, to speak once more to this, and so an end of it; we may and must do, what you must not do, while you sense and practise with M. Hs. you must not bi… beast those you be-Saint at the Font and Lords Table: else why do you admit them thither? for there is the …b… and randezvouz of all the very worst in all the Parish, unless the Magistrate will be pleased to keep them back; if not to drive them out, which we think, and think we have proved elsewhere, is to be too curious in anothers Common wealth, as the saying is: Now we are far from sensing it with Mr. Hs. or with you, while you sense with him: for we are more then jealou…, that he who hath declared himselfe an enemy to the purity of Christ, his discipline in his house, is no friend to the purity of his Doctrines. And therefore we must be beast those that …ample upon the Pearle, the Lord Christ and all with him, tendered to them in the Gospel; And being so full-of themselves, swept and empty Mat. 12. 44.of all good (the Devils house still though some great and gross lust may be cast out, and the house garnished with moral vertues and E…angelical gifts, which may be together with noysome lusts) we were saying: These so empty and swept of all goodness, as is the Devils house, can deale no better with the Lord Christ at his Table, then they did at the hearing place, but trample under foot the honey combe there, as Prov. 27.we would do, that we loath, and have indignation against, and that is Swine-lik…, is it not? why then, whom you must call precious, we must call vile: look we both unto our warrant, that ye and we may so speak, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the Law of liberty, …am. 2. 12.
Yet we conceive the greatest …ffence we have given you, at least you have taken against us, is, B…cause you read us some times rebuking your fore-man and L…de Mr. Hs. sharply, for as you may read cuttingly: …aply also you …ay think your selfe so rebuked. Also you think not amiss in so thinking: nor is it in proper that ye, two, acting the sam… part as Brethren in the same way, and walking together as friends therein, sh…uld partake toge…her of the same Rebuk…s, which the spirit of Christ in his word dot… cast upon your way.
And truel… could we separate betw…xt you and your way, ye should have found the rebukes cast wholly upon your way. But we could not distinguish here, no more then he could (whom there is cause enough to remember) distinguish between the very good man, and very bad Common wealth… man, both one and the same man, I cannot distinguish here, said he (as able as he was, as any King you have likely read of) and so we are bold to remember you of the Story, being old and may be worn out of mind with age) For if the Divel take him as he a is very bad Common-wealths man (as like enough) for he is stark nought, who is naught in his relation) then what will become of him a… he p…sseth for a good man? But to give you a short account of this, and to remove the offence what we can, and then proceed,
We have had through grace, some discerning all along these troublous times (…imes of Re…ormation always) what the Lord God hath done for his own Nation, fearing God, and seeking Reformation: An… what he hath d…ne against that other N…ion, Mini…ers and people there, Captains with their fi…ti…s, Blaspheming God and opposing Reformation; which tells us what he will do in after time, giving us to behold as with spen face, what he hath done, and what he is doing at this present time.
Now Mr. H. (we account it no honour to mention him so often, a blot rather to our papers, were it not we do it upon the account of Truth, which he hath slandered, and we would vindic…te, and give our helping hand w…th others to confound him: if not, which is more desirable to convince him. Mr. Hs. we were saying) as a man that hath neither eye nor eare to observe what the Lord hath done, and is doing, hath to our seeming, appeared (which appears by his writings) as another Goliah at the head of this Army of Phil…st…ms, we mean not onelyonly that sink of scandalous and sup…rstitious, but the carnal Ministers all over the Nation, who endeavour with all their might to undoe all that our good Lord hath done, in bringing us out of our Egypt, over our Red Sea, through our Wilderness, even to the borders of our promised Land, that blessed Reformation hoped for, to bring us back again into our Egypt, to return us into our Cha…s or Babel of confusions we were in, as we were, I and much worse. And are not these Carnal walking as men, admitting, yea inviting all to the Lords Supper how sensual soever, though apparently without the spirit of God, visibly profane, openly debauched persons, scorners of holy things, loathing …he honey combe, trampling upon the P…arl, …enting the dispensers thereof, treading u…der foot the blood of the Covenant, in whom the spirit of the world rules mightily, being children of disobedienc…; all these invited and admitted to eat and drink at the Lords Table, if the Ruler steps not in, and forbids these guests.
We demand again, are not these Ministers carnal? walk they not according to men, that are sensual not having the spirit? are they not enemies to that onelyonly holy One, and that Reformation, which m…st be, for he will have it so, accord…ng to holiness, Magnifical and Glorious, and so full up, we think, if not above the prayers and tears, the desires and endeavours of all his holy Ones. Now this man so often named, who marcheth in head of this Army of Philistims (we have not a fitter word) in a contradiction and meer opposition to all that the Lord hath done, is now doing, and assureth his people he will do, and will no… be in rest unt…l he hath finished Ruth. 3. 38.this very thing, making the righteousness of his Church go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth, This very man, as we were saying, you Sir, little less then boasted of to one amongst us, as you may remember, charging us to give you an account of our way and walk therein, and our Reasons why we walk not with him, and your selfe in your way, more abhorring to us, upon Scripture account, then is the grave, the light therein, which is as darkness it selfe or shadow of death.
And now if we must speak, as the charge of the Lord unto us is to do, being so pressed thereunto by your selfe, what else can we speak but rebuk…s t… this man as oft as we finde him crossing our way and walk therein? And the same rebukes to you, words like drawn swords to stop you in your way, to amuse you, yea to amaz you therein, being the road way of the world, from which ye separate not, no not at the Lords Table. A most unholy way yours is, as sure as the other contrary to it, is the way of holiness, having no conformity at all to the Nature of God, nor to the will of God, or to that which God wills. Every action of man is holy or unholy according to its conformity with, or variation from this will. The…e is no more holiness in any work then there is of the will of God in any work. To do holily, and to do the will of God, is the very same. Now find you out by searching, if you can, whether it be the will of God you should admit unreasonable (or men out of place, when they are, by your allowance, at the Lords Table, as Swine are in your Parlour) unreasonable and wicked men to eat at His Table of His Supper 2 Tim. 3. 2.spread there, and prepared (as we have he…rd all Ministers say, good and bad, though the bad do contrary to what they say) for the Lords dearest friends and lovers? enquire into this matter we pray you: and also whether upon your admission of such sw…nish persons, the godly can find their warrant to communicate with you, who have admitted such a raseal company (so you read it in the Geneva Tra…slation, made by your occasion two-fold m…re the children of t…e Divel then when they we…e b…rn) to communicate wi…h them there, that the room may be full; These must not, the Go…ly we mean, upon choice, acc…mpany with the wicked in any place, much less at the Lords Table. For though th…y c…n embrace the company of the worst upon this account to make them good, yet then not as companions with them, but as Physitians to t…em. But to Physick …hem at the Lords Table (if we may express it so) was never heard of, spoken, affirmed or pretended by any besides the man you wot of, and the men o… his way and judgement. Indeed we purposely cast all the Rebukes we find in Gods word upon this way, that you may not march on Jehu like therein as you seem to do, holding pace with Mr. Hs. who drives furiously in his way, wholly cross unto the Shepherd and Overse…r of our Souls, who hath left us, as well by his walk, as by his sufferings, an example that we should go forth by the foot-steps of his fl…ck, following his steps as dear Children. It became us, we thought, and as we were saying, to speak as we have done to him and your selfe, as we met you in your way so cryed up by you, though so cross to holiness.
And have we so done because we love you not: God knows, for truely we would give you to know, That if we have not spoken to you and him weeping, yet we could wish we could let f…ll as many tears from our eyes, as words from our pen, however it may be conceited to be bent against you and him. We appeal to God in that matter, considering in our measure, what will be the end of that way, which lieth so cross to holiness; and what the end of those things will be which the people love to have so, being in love with death, and must prove destructive, yea damnation to them at the last end.
Sir, you shall do well to consider this, seeing you have the honour (and no good man doth envy it, it commands his pity rather) to be the leading man to the people on this side the flood, we suppose, and to those on the other side, where your God hath set the bounds of your habitation. It is a point of the highest wisdom, and choicest discretion for him that leade…h others, to consider who leadeth him, and whom he taketh for an example, following his steps, specially at such a time, when he is going himselfe, and leading on his people unto that place, where he expects to meet his God, to communicate with him, yea, and in a visible way, to feed upon him. They have causam facilem in their hand, who would hold forth this, though yet to convince you thereof is the work of Him, who is the spirit of God and of Glory, the Lord Christ His great Agent here below: And when he shall have so done, convinced you, we mean though by means base and de…p…cable in your eyes: what though? what the means were in the spirits hand will be nothing unto you now; for rejoycing in the Truth, you cannot but rejoyce to be overcome of …t. It is Gods promise, that in the times of the Gospel the spirits of men shall be so brought down, …hat they shall not stand upon the greatness of their parts knowledge and learning, where any of this is, but a child shall lead them; such shall be the humble temper, and carriage of those, the pride of whose spirits is subdued by the Gospel; we say it again, These shall rejoyce in the Truth, and to be overcome by it. Yea, and their mouth shall be filled with blessings, as Davids was, when he met Abigail in his way, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, and blessed be thy advice, and blessed be thou who hast kept me this day, 1 Sam. 25. 33. The Watch-man of Israel is our great keeper: but then he keeps most graciously when he keeps us from sin; Then he keeps us as his own people; He keeps from sickness or poverty by way of a general providence, saith that Learned Man, but from sin by way of peculiar preservation; Mr. Will. Jen. upon Jud. p. 63. Read Mr. Phil. Goodw. Commu. pag. 227. 228 229 230. 231.Whatever preservation he bestows without this, it is but a reservation to eternal ruine.
We are conclud…d now, That God keeps a Minister from sin, a great and a black sin, somewhat nere to that of the highest magnitude, or we may say from sinning against his own soul, and soules of his people, when he perswades with him to keep off his people from eating and drinking at the Lords Table, who cannot but eat and drink their damnation to themselves, not discerning the Lords Body. And then we cannot but conclude also our duty, the rather, sith you have called us forth to it, to do our utmost to keep you from this sin, and so to withdraw your foot out of M…. Hs. his way. But if this we effect not, and herein we prevail not with you, yet our duty is to wa…n each other of all, or any such persons as shall either in their practise or Doctrine walk contrary to God, and footsteps of his people.
And thus much be spoken to assure you, that whatsoever we have said against you and your people, as you for want of due consideration and charity may inte…pret it, was spoken as in Gods sight, in the integrity of our hearts. 1. For the good here, and everlasting welfare hereafter of your and their everlasting souls, And 2. in discharge of our own souls also; for this being a cleared truth, that we must separate from the world at the Lords Table, we durst not for our lives withhold it in unrighteousness; Because nothing in the world will burthen the conscience so much as concealed truth.
And so much to the fi…st particular, to set your judgement strait towards us and these matters. And to assure you of our truest affections to you and your friend, and all your people all over your Church, whom you call Saints, and deal with them as such, because baptized therein, and eo nomine, admit to all acts of Church-Communion. We cannot wish you good speed in your way, because we dare not wish impossibilities: but the Lord give you, and all that act th… same part with you walki…g together in that way, give you a sight of it, how abhorring it is to the Lord and his people.
We proceed now to the s…cond.
That we being in some measure, through grace, acquainted with the hearts decei…fulness, our own above many, what selfe-lovers, selfe-seekers, selfe-pleasers, and flatterers we are, na…urally best pleased, and delighted in our own way, the broad way of sin, and death; we as w… were saying, have been earnest with the Lord, That he would set our hearts to ponder, or weigh that we read, Prov. 21. 2. every way of man is right in his own eye…; who would think this were possible? yet if you single out man by man, and Mr. Humphereys himself out of the crowd, every one would judge (he and all his way that sense with him) his own way right, though tending directly to Hell, going down to the Chambers of death, as we fear Mr. Humphereys way doth: But the Lord pondereth or weigheth the heart; He weigheth exactly how much there is of his own way, and how much there is of our own in it. Suffer us not Lord to tread in the way pleasing in our own eys, because it streightneth not the flesh, putting it to cost; but point us to, and lead us in the way of life, which is a way of pleasantness, and all the paths therein are pe…ce.
We have considered your additional Note, the last words in your Paper, whom God calls ho…y, we must not call profane, ye are a Church all holy, every one, Parents and Children, such the Lord himselfe calls them, and as such all are to be accounted of, and dealt with.
This was said of old, the old put off, as aforesaid, we are Abrahams Children, he was holy, and so are we; Yet think not to say so, saith John the Baptist, Matth. 3. 9, Why might not they say so, sith they were so, and acknowledged so to be? I know that ye are Abrahams seed, saith the Lord Christ. Johns meaning was, be not proud of, nor lifted up wi…h that thought, it is a vain thought, that Abraham is your Father, when you walk not in the step… of Abraham, you do not his works; yet in this empty title, this thing of n…ught, Ezek. 22. 14.they gloried in to the last, as ye in your Church; But could their heart endure (to allude to those words) or could their hands be strong in the dayes that the Lord dealt with them? Did they say before him that slew them, we are a Church, we are an holy Nation? No, they were dealt withal a… a poluted people, and no Church, when they were in the hand of him that slow them, they died the death of the uncircumcised, Ezek. 28. 9. …0.(to allude to those words also)
Truely we thought, that of all Arguments you would not have taken this out of the mouth of the Jews, whom the Lord hath judged as women that break wedlock and shed blood are judged, and hath given them blood in fury and jealousie, Ezek. 16. 38.
They did not look like the Garden of God watered every moment, they look now like a Wilderness, so as they may be called H…mah, utter destruction, as at this day; so the Lord hath said of this your Argument, we think, as he said of this peoples Adultery with stocks and stones; Thou shalt not commit this lewdness above all thy Abominations; Thou shalt not use this Argument, we are a Church, as that Nation was, all holy, as the Jewes were; Of all Arguments this Argument is an Abomination to Me, with whom I have dealt, as aforesaid, may ye, we think, hear the Lord say; hath the Lo…d dealt so with that Church, as never hitherto with any Nation, and shall we argue our holiness, as they did, whom the Lord rooted out of their Land in anger, and in wrath, and in great indignation? Let us hear and fear, that we may not speak presumptiously, nor op…n …ur mouths any more, saying, We are an holy people, and the Lord accounts us so: surely, ye may hear the Lord God saying unto us, with a voice, as loud as thunder, You shall not use this Argument any more, lest that befal us, which hath befallen them, …nd shall befal all the enemies of the Lord at the last; for they shall all be made an abhorring to all flesh: And surely …he Lord hath more then begun to execute this wrath, which is written, which may put us in minde, and we think seasonably and pertinently enough, what was said of Germany, that part or Canton thereof, which looked best like a Church; Germany looks not like a Church, it shall look like a Church-yard, a Golgotha of Omnis civitas bustum.bones (as Salvyan speaks of another City wasted with war) when we hear and fear, we shall neither speak nor do presumptuously. We wish heartily you could behold your Church, how it stands now, like a bowing wall, and as a tottering fense, as a reed shaken in a tempest; and anon after must be driven as the chaff is driven with the wind, or as a rolling thing before the whirle-wind. Enquire we should what hath the Lord done to that Mother Church? what to other Churches in ancient days, and of late years, when they come to glory in a thing of naught, a bare empty name onelyonly; What hath the Lord done? and will he spare us, who glory in the very same thing, that we have a Name to live when we are dead? Hear worthy Mr. Burg…s, Our Congregations may be called Acheldamaes, our Church-yards and our Churches being both alike; these are full of the corporally dead, the other of spiritually dead.
What though say you, for you will say, as Mr. Hs. saith, the more dead they are, the more ingenious guests for the Lords Table they are; there is that will quicken them, though as dead as bodies in the grave—But of this you may read more heareafter; this is for our learning now, hold we our eye fixed upon that Mother Church, and the burden is laid upon her; and say not we, we are now as she was, least we be be made as she was, Magor-missabib, terrour on every side; and as she now is, delivered up to commotion, to astonishment, and to hissing, as ye see with your eyes. If we hear and fear we shall neither speak nor do presumptuously. To proceed a little farther, so to give, or take information. Jerusalem was the holy City, so was the Temple there, you can tell us 1 King. 8. 48.wherefore at that time it was called so, and why they prayed towards it; so was that Mount Sion, and the other neer to Dan. 6. 10.it, an holy Mount; the whole land an holy land, when most of the Inhabitants there had no more holiness in account with Dan. 9. 20. 2 Pet. 1. 16. Isa. 8. 8.God, nor looked after it any more then the Land did; yet glorious priviledges it had, being Imma…u…ls Land, of whom he took special and peculiar care for the sake of a chosen, and a peculiar people there, he c…lls the Vine-yard of his Isa. 8. 8.red Wine.
Give us Lord, to seek after that holiness, neither titular onelyonly, nor nominal, nor national, but special, peculiar, and real, without which none can see thy face, nor live with thee, blessed for ever, Amen
Hereunto we would adde the words we have from a learned man, because possible you and we may make some use of them; If our hearts were clean enough, our heads would be clear enough; The use we should make of it, as you very well know, is this; Let us give up our Hearts to the Lord, for the cleansing of them; our Heads for the clearing of them; our Hands and Feet or our whole Man for his leading of them. And cease we from our own way, right in our own eyes, and therefore a way abhorred of the Lord, and of all those, that are the Lords. And say we still, as David did, what a blind man would say be wildered in his path, Lead me Lord in a plain path, the way everlasting, thy spirit is good, lead me, let me not put confidence in a guide, whom thou hast not appointed a Leader and Commander to his people, and none other to be followed but such Isa. 55.none, that leadeth to him, nor ob…yed but such an one, as commands for him, the only Leader and Commander to the people.
But in these matters, let us cease from sense also, carnal reason, and our own understanding, and cry we for His eye salve; that anointing which teacheth all thing….
For these things lie off from sense, quite beyond the line, reach and borders of reason. Your titular Saints, and nominal Believers, that hold their Saint-ship by tenure onelyonly of their In…ant Ba…tism, understand none of these things, no… probably will they give their minds to understand them, till you shall drive them from their strong hold, which is their beleefe, That they are true Saints, and have a true right to all Church-Communions, because they were born in a Church and Baptized there; Till ye drive them off from this strong hold, they will not give their mind to understand these things, which are as much and more above the reach of their reason, then are the things of reason, above the sense of their beast.
In the last place,
Let us consider this, which we have so often h…ard from others, God is angry with us, w…ile we are ang…y one with another; Therefore we should hear the good counsel …nd take it, put we on, as the Elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels …f mercy, Col. 3. 12. (a)Put ye on significat has virtutes esse seu vestes quibus animae nostrae im… toti nos ornamur coram Deo, Angelis, & hominibus. Zanchi on the Text.Cloth we or clad our selves with bowel, that w… may be sure to have them, as the cloaths upon our back, and p…t them on as our Garment, all over fr…m …op to the …oe…, from head to foot, bowels of m…cy over, so may we expect Bowels, tender mercies from our G…d. And then as ye …n preaching, so ye and we in praying may agree in one thing, Matth. 18. 19. foreign. The import of the word is an ha…monial agreement to sing the same tune prayers are musick in Gods ears) saith that excellent Man, and so called Melody to God, Eph. 5. 9. It is not simply agreeing in the thing prayed for, but in the afflictions, which make the Consort and the Melody.
And so in end to what ye or we have, or can say more. To the way is right, or seems to be right in our own eyes. You bring Scripture, we b…ng Scripture. To what end? That the Truth might app…ar on whose side Rom. 4. 3. Gal. 3. 8. 1 Tim. 5. 18.it is. It is true, The Scripture saith, in as much as G…d, as Christ, as the Spirit saith by the Scripture, being the mouth or voice of God; the Standard, the Ballance, the Touch Stone, the Judge of T…uth, of th… way, walk and walkers therein. But is the Spirit in the word, that leadeth to it, unf…ldeth it, cleareth i… up before us. How can we else understand what we read; If the Spirit …f him, who was worthy, and prevailed to open the Book Rev. 5.and loose the seals thereof, be not our Interpreter; Till he opens the Book the Learned can read no more of it, then can the unlearned: It is as a clasped, or sealed Book to both. Aske we then for the spirit, that Eye-salve, Isa. 29. 11. 12or an Anointing, that teacheth all things necessary for us to know; t…ll he come and ims…ale our eyes (our seales are as ch…ck and hard as Pauls were, which tells us what Acts 9. 18.darknese is within us, as it told him, till the light come and remove them together with the vail spr…ad over the heart, we see nothing into these matters, …ur way, or our walk, n…r know we any think as we ou…ht to know, but walk as blind men, or men in th… dark, b…nighted or bewild…red in the night, or thickest …og, and will adventure (for who so hold as they, that say they see, but the word saith it not) To captivate Gods word to their understanding, which should be captivated to the word of Rev. 13. 11. foreign. Vid. Bez.God. So then we are concluded, that whatever disagreement there is betwixt us, as to our way and walk therein yet no …isag…eement there is or repugnancy at all in the Scripture; were we sweetly accorded with it, we should be accorded with the Truth and with our selves. And indeed it is high time, and the high…st reason we should be so accorded, for ther… being a sweet agreem…nt in Scripture, and no repugna…cy at all, why should there be any disagreement at all betwixt them, that produce or h…ndle the same; Agree with the Scriptures, and we are ag…eed, And this may move mightily with us to perswad… h…reu…to; because, as when children fall out in I…te…preting th…ir fathers will, the Orph…ns Patrimony becomes the Lawyers booty, as one saith; So wh…n they that should be fol…owers of God, as dear children fal… ou… in the way, o… about their way, it is more then doubted, …hey fall out with the Scripture, at least fall not in wi…h …t; And then who are the gainers but Her…ticks? for they are gainers by the divisio…s of them, that should explain the word of Christ. We will repe… it ag…in, and so we have done. Agree we with the Scriptures, and we are agreed; And that this may be, …ke (a)Parum prodest tectio, quam non illuminat oratio.we for the Spirit, Christs Vicar, or great Agent in the world, and never cease we asking …ll he come; or seeking till we finde; or knocking till he open the door of the understanding, and come in; A delicate Delicat… Spiritus Sanctus. He is a dainty Guest.person he is, grieved at the least offence is offered to him in his own House, or Temple, having expresly told in his Scripture, and directed how matters should be ordered therein whole, and in part, after the due manner; And as he is angry with the wicked every day, who anger him in these matters; So is he grieved with his dearest Children that grieve him therein: and being grieved, or fretted to the heart by them, he will grieve them, and make them know what it is to grieve him; but where once he hath taken up his habitation, there he will abide for ever.
We would in the close of this give you this assurance, That we would not give you or any other, any the least offence. What offence may be taken, we know not, or if we did, we know not how to help. This we know, it is our duty, and what we can, we will remove offences what possible: but it is not possible, we conceive, to remove them out of his, or their way, who walk with Mr. Hs. in his, which is rendered we thought, and we will help it for wa… what we can, the abhorring of all flesh, in whom is any of the least work of the spirit of God, and of Glory. Notwithstanding Sir, we shall (through grace) be careful with all care as becometh, that no word pass from us, not examined first, & weighed by us, what agreement it hath with the word of Christ, mind and manner of his people: And so as we trust we shall write nothing in anger, and what we answer shall be done in love. And may the good spirit guide our tongue and our hand, when we see cause to put forth, either of both, that what we have said we may do: and our God may have glory from us by all we say or do, and we peace from Him, and acceptance with Him, through Him in whom we labour to be accepted, or so should 2 Cor. 5. 9. foreign.do, as the ambitious man striveth to ascend the pinacle of honour, Amen.
FINIS.
End of the text · Hezekiah Woodward, Exceptions Against some Passages Relating to Infant Baptism (1656)