Account of Truth and Peace, Section 7
SECT. VII.
BUt theſe two things we are Commanded to tell you, and ſo an end of this matter.
Firſt, That had an elder and wiſer man than your Son charged Ab ineunt aetate ſuâ luſil in art? dialecticâ nunc in ſacris ſcriptum inſanit.our book in that manner, it would have reminded our Paſtour of one he hath read of ſome where, who, when he was young made himſelfe merry with his Sophiſtrie, and afterwards when he waxed old ſhewed himſelfe mad in Divinity, and ſo ſported with the ſacred Scripture alſo.
Secondly, That you never ſtirred the Coales till now; yet doe we not now, much leſſe have we ſo done, ſhew the leaſt heat, which you call fire againſt you, or your Son, whether our bowells are not ſtirred with compaſſion over you both, the Lord knowes. Though yet againſt thoſe blacke and horrid doings in God's houſe, we have declaimed with zeale not enough, yet, we hope, that which was, was according to knowledge: So alſo againſt the Obſervation of the Day commonly called Chriſtmas-day: Againſt this and th' other, ſince you have raiſed us like an huge Bell, we will make the Sound thereof, our cry againſt it, and free admiſſion of all, goe forth through the whole Land, as the Sound of Mr Hs: Bookes have done; wee will doe our Endeavour, and the Lord God doe what is good in His owne eyes; for if this may prove a damnable opinion in the iſſue; That all are to be admitted to the Lords Table, how notorious ſoever for their deboyſery. And this alſo, That the Day ſhould be kept holy, which hath not the Lords Sanction upon it, Then we ſee not but that there may be a damnable ſilence (which is the thing in queſtion betwixt your ſelfe and us, and will fall into conſideration in its reſpective place) in thoſe who ſhould oppoſe them. Every one muſt give account of his idle words; and a Miniſter for his idle ſilence, ſaith that worthy man Mr W: Jinken.
We have given our perſwaſion alſo touching formes of prayer, and in ſpeciall reſolved ſome Queries about the Lords Prayer, not ſo much as blameing, much leſſe Cenſuring or judgeing them, that uſe formes, or that forme of prayer at the end of their's. Wee have given the reaſons of our perſwaſion, why we thinke it not ſo comely; When wee have your Reaſons for your doeings in that and other matters, which we will not be ſo bold, as you might be with our Paſtour, ſo much as to entreate of you, poſſibly we may be of your minde in theſe things, but we thinke it no eaſie worke for you to give us any thing that hath the ſhape of Reaſon, thereby to make ſuch proofe of your doeings in Reference to thoſe matters under-hand, that they are ordered according to the mind and will of your God.
We will conclude with a few words to thoſe Miniſters that ſenſe with Mr H… and walke together with him in his way in point of Church-Adminiſtrations; (1) That ſome witts will adventure to make a faire cover, even of the very ſacred Scriptures, for the moſt deformed and groſſeſt errours among which we doe reckon this, relating to free admiſſion of all to all Church-Communions. (2) And that a ſad account will be given of that time, and of thoſe parts, which have been laid-out in the patronage of ſuch matters, that lie cleane Croſſe to the graine of Truth. For it is as ſinfull (to uſe that learned mans words upon Job) to ſew Job. 11. 530.fig-leaves, or make faire pretexts to cover the nakednes of our opinion, as of our practiſes, Therefore he that can receive it, let him receive it. Prov: 30. 32. If thou haſt done evill in liſting-up thy ſelfe, or if thou haſt thought evill (or maintained evill) lay thy hand upon thy mouth: Speake no more, never be an Advocate in a bad cauſe, though it be thine owne. When our errours are ſhewne us (as theſe have been in Reference to free Admiſſion by foure, as was ſaid one after another, we ſhould not open our mouths, unleſſe it be to renounce and diſclaime them—But we have done.
And that we may be ſtill doing, and be ſure to doe our duty, let us pray each for other; "The Lord deliver us from Evill: The guidance of our owne Spirits, as bad and worſe to us, than is that of the world: And give us a ſound minde, whether the body be ſound, or unſound, no great matter, The ſound mind is all, the Mind that was in Chriſt, and is in all ſound Chriſtians. And this labour of Love and worke of Faith is but full-up to that lovely rule, "Whom we Reprove openly, we ſhould pray for ſecretly.
AMEN.
FINIS.
End of the text · Hezekiah Woodward, Account of Truth and Peace (1656)