Law-Power, Postscript – Publishers advertisement
A Poſtſcript.
THe Author humbly craves leave [after he hath mentioned onelyonly (1) Auguſtines ſhort Apologie for his long work, which will fit the Author very well ſpeaking that in ſeaven Treatiſes, which might have been ſpoken, as one ſpake, in ſo many pages, if not in ſo many lines; That he much diſliked, if not deteſted, as his friend Nebridius did, a ſhort anſwer to a great queſtion, and would not that any ſhould expect the like from him, for then he would manifeſt his indignation againſt it. And (2) what Juſtin Martyr ſpake of old to the old Heathen; Theſe things we offer to your Conſideration; If they ſeeme agreeable, to true Reaſon, and Scripture Truth, accept, and put an account upon them: If they ſeeme toyes, as ſuch contemne them; but doe not hoſtilely perſecute them. And (3) he would humbly offer to Conſideration what Learned Mr William Jenkin hath for the clearing the two cheife Heads of Controverſie here debated-on; Admiſſion of all Infants to Baptiſm: And grown perſons to the Lords Table In his expoſition upon Jude, ſecond part, pag. 274, 275, 276, 277, 278.] After theſe three things, as the Author was ſaying▪ he humbly craves leave, he may cloſe his booke, with the very words, as Auguſtine cloſeth his of the City of God. Videor mihi &c. I thinke with my ſelfe, I have, by the ſupply of His Spirit, done my Dutie, and diſcharged the Debt, I ſaw my ſelfe bound to pay to my Lord; to His houſe and His people. Now they that thinke I have ſaid too little, they alſo that thinke I have ſaid too much, Let both th' one and the other pardon me▪ And they that thinke I have ſaid enough, Let them give the praiſe not to me (I wholy diſclaime it) but to their's and my Lord God with me. Amen.
And Obſerving Lod▪ Vives in his Commentary, ſpeaking as properly; take his words too▪ If I have ſpoken that which pleaſeth, let the Reader thanke God in my behalfe; if any thing that diſpleaſeth, let him pardon it for the Lord God's ſake. And for that which is well ſpoken, let him pardon that which may be ill ſpoken, though never ſo well meant. The following words doe not fit this work, nor this place, for the Author cannot expect that from the Readers, though never ſo Curteous, which, having neither time nor oportunity, he could not poſſibly doe himſelfe; he meanes the Correcting the miſtakes here, which muſt be many, when th' Author could at no time be adviſed with. And to point to one or two miſtaks where the ſenſe may be miſtaken by it, were there leyſure for it, would little advantage the Reader, for quid exempta juvat—de pluribus vua; The Reader readily grants that favour, he himſelfe may crave.
An Advertiſement of certaine Bookes ſold by Henry Cripps in Popes-head-Alley. With a ſhort Apologie of the Author premiſed, why he is willing ſuch publick notice ſhould be given thereof.
TRUTH, hath ſaid it; How can ye beleeve, which receive honour one of another, and ſeeke not the honour that cometh from God onelyonly. Theſe words gave ſome check or diſcouragement at the firſt; but after due conſideration, encouragement rather; for if this be the Aime and End of publiſhing to the world theſe Books, the ſeeking honour of men; or, loving the praiſe of men, more than the praiſe of God (If by theſe meanes it might be gained) Then let the Lord God blaſt the work and the work-man; Make him and it▪ as the untimely fruit, which withereth before the Sunne. But if the work-man in all this, hath, through Grace, Holy Aimes and pure ends; The Glory of God, and the good of his Neighbour, in rendring the doctrine hereafter mentioned (and the bare-mentioning thereof is enough to render it an) abomination throughout the land, which cauſeth deſolation there; Then let him and his work be bleſſed▪ And let his God remember him concerning this alſo, and ſpare him according to the greatneſſe of His mercy. Amen.
THE LORDS TABLE ought not to be ſpread like that in an Inne for all commers, publiſhed that it might prove an Antidote againſt the ſpreading infection of that poyſonfull doctrine, That all are to be admitted to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, It being one of the moſt effectuall principall meanes for reall Converſion (ſaith one next mentioned, the other ſay the ſame thing, though not in the ſame words) held-out in three pernicious Pamphlets, which eat as doth a Canker; The one publiſhed by M▪ William Prynne ſome yeares ſince called A vindication of foure ſerious Queſtions; Th' other by Mr Humpheryes, notorious all over the Nation The third by John Timſon this laſt yeare, after learned M Joh: Collings would have forbad th' errour of the man, which ſome may call his folly, or madnes, ſpeaking in moſt pages of his ſaid Pamphlet, as a man that had depoſed reaſon, and ſo could ſpeake croſs to ſacred Scripture, right reaſon, and the judgement of all the orthodox Miniſters and people, that ever were, or now are in the world.
FOƲR GRAND ENQƲIRIES, wherein the foundation, whereon that bloody and damnable Doctrine aforeſaid, beareth, is looſened, viz. That all perſons baptized into a Church, are all holy, and eo nomine, have a right to all Church-Communions, they and their children, how abominable ſoever they are, ſo be they are not ſuſpended from, not excommunicated out of the Church, nor are children in yeares, fooles, or mad men.
LAW-POWER, wherein we may ſee, The Way of Holineſſe paved forth before us, and troden-in by all thoſe Miniſters and people, who have felt the law of their Relation written in their hearts.
A TREATISE OF PRAYEY, wherein two Queſtions are reſolved touching formes of prayer, both in the Negative, That they are not good for the evill, nor of any uſe for the good to teach them to pray. And ſix touching the Lords prayer, all in the Negative, two onelyonly are ſpecified here (1) That the intendment of our Bleſſed Saviour was not that His Diſciples then or now ſhould pray in thoſe very words. (2) Nor is the repeating that prayer in the pulpit, the Teſſera of a Godly Miniſter, becauſe the hudling that prayer after the manner, may ſhew the man not ſo ſerious as ridiculous in praying.
INFANT BAPTISM is not the priviledge of all Infants upon the bare account onelyonly of their parents Baptiſm, publiſhed together with the FOƲR ENQƲIRIES to prevent the evill may be taken-in from ſome unſcripturall paſſages not becomming ſound doctrine, which the Reader may find in a Dialogue concerning the practicall uſe of Infant Baptiſm towards the end of the ſame, compoſed by a learned Divine, and as is meet to think, orthodox, pious, and Godly in other points, though in his zeal at this point, it is conceived, he hath erred with his pen, not taking the Word of God for the Rule and Reaſon thereof.
CHRISMAS DAY no Holy Day, publiſhed to prevent thoſe heathen and raunting practiſes; ſuperſtitious cuſtomes, Abominable prophaneſſes in faſhion at that time.
A MINISTERS DƲTY, to Declare againſt all precepts and practiſes contrary to ſound Doctrine, and practiſe of Chriſt Himſelf, and all thoſe He accounts faithfull putting them into the Miniſtery. Wherein it is proved alſo, That if a Miniſter will live peaceable and quiet among ſinners, he muſt ſuffer them to be at peace and quiet with their ſinnes, peaceableneſſe of ſinners being nothing elſe, but impiety not oppoſed, in themſelves, or by others; for, who ever is not oppoſed by the ſtreame, goeth with it; and altogether, who will to the Lords-Table.
A CHƲRCH-COVENANT, lawfull and needfull to be entred into by all, that intend to walk in Church▪ fellowſhip according to Goſpel order.
The Authors Name is annexed to th' Epiſtle before theſe Treatiſes; and the Reaſons of making them ſo publick are given on the back-ſide of the generall Title page.
Direction to the Binder.
GEnerall Title; Appeal; Conference; Infant Baptiſm; Lords Table; Chriſtmas; Formes of prayer; Miniſters duty; four Grand Enquiries; Law-power; Covenant; the Account and Exceptions may be ſtitched alone. If altogether then Account before the Appeal, and Exceptions after Infant Baptiſm.
FINIS.
End of the text · Hezekiah Woodward, Law-Power (1656)