he means it thus n. 15. They made no Laws for the observing of Festivals but refers the original of them to custome but the Doctor speaks onely of Apostolical practice so he sayes But first Socrates says nothing of the Apostolical practice but refers it wholly to the custome of several places and people It seemes to me sayes he as many other things were introduced by a custome in divers places so the Feast of Easter by custome in several people had a peculiar different observation Why because none of the Apostles had made any Law concerning it But sure if the Apostles did change it from a Jewish to a Christian Festival and did themselves observe it as exemplary to the Churches they did thereby at first give as good as a Law and make an institution for them to observe And I am perswaded that upon this ground of Apostolical tradition and observation came in all the Superstition in after ages in making them Holy times and parts of Divine Worship c. and they established them as a Law as Socrates said believing them to be Apostolical 2. The truth seemes to me to lie here The Apostles did often frequent the Assemblies of the Jews in the Temple upon their solemnest Festivals as a greater opportunity of fishing in a wide Sea a multitude of people as at Pentecost Acts 2. and again Acts 20 16 Paul hasted to be at Jerusalem at the day of Pentecost for the same reason which custome of the Festivals continuing till the destruction of Jerusalem the Apostles did condiscend to be at them while they lived amongst them Whereupon the following Church seeing this example of their practice took it as a Rule to observe the Feasts especially the Jewish Christians in Asia being tenacious of their old customes and so kep◠the very same day the Jews did which other Churches after the Jews were grown obstinate finding such a custome of the Feast in hatred of the Jews changed into the Lords day as Augustine observes Epist 119 Can. Nicen. de Fest Pasch by Constantines perswasion But see the tenaciousness of men for Traditions of their Fathers The Doctor cares not what he can to weaken or question the Authority of the Lords day to strengthen and stablish his Easter Feast p. 245. n. 17 It will be hard for the Diatribist to produce any other evidence for the weekly Christian Sabbath or Lords day then the custome and practice Apostolical the New Testament hath no where any giving of Law conerning it But sure it will be easie for the Diatribist to manifest a palpable difference between the Lords day and his Easter out of Scriture the best Record beside what is said out of prime Antiquity For 1. We finde the Name there as a day of Christian Assemblies but not a word of Easter 2. We finde the Apostles practice and observation of it but never of Easter 3. We finde grounds in Scripture for the institution or designation of the day but nothing for Easter but rather the contrary prohibition The grounds of the weekly Christian Sabbath it 's well he will allow the Lords-day so honourable a Title he cannot say so much for his Easter Feast and some of his way would have scornfully called it Your Saint Sabbath The grounds I say are these 1. For a solemn day of rest which is a Sabbath we have the fourth Commandment morall in the judgement of its greatest enemies 2. We have it granted that the day must not be less then one in seven yea one day in seven is granted moral in the fourth Commandment by the Doctor * p. 262. n. 6. It is equitably inferred that a Christian should at least set apart one day in seven for our great Christian purposes the first day of the week c. himself 3. Christ in Matt. 5. came to stablish and not destroy this Law amongst the rest 4. We have Christian exercises performed on the day beside prayer and preaching and Lords Supper collections for the poor are ordered to be on this Day which presupposes the day * That which was done by the Apostles if it were not a rule for ever yet was an effect of such a rule formerly given by Christ and interpretable by this practice to be so in his 4. Quaer s 94. before designed by Christ or his Apostles All this together amounts to a Divine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or institution And lastly the uniform observation of this day in all ages in all Churches must needs presuppose it to be a Divine Ordination Not one of all these can he truly prove applyable to his Easter Feast Away then with such unworthy comparisons But we shall meet it again ere long And yet Isaid p. 245. n. 19. and say again The observation of Easter hath better Antiquity then this of Christmas though not Apostolical He answers The Apostolical practice being so evident there can be no doubt then the Analogy holding the argument proceeding in full force from one Christian Festival to another will certainly justifie the observation c. The question is not now of the observation of either but the Antiquity so that this was a meer evasion There are histories and traditions and ancients that speak of Easter in the second Centurie but not one word of Christmas and the Doctor hath produced none of that Antiquity for it which to me is a good evidence there is none And as for Analogy from one Festival to another it holds as well thus If there can be produced neither Apostolical institution nor observation of Easter as a Christian Festival as is probably evinced above then much less is there any ground for the institution or observation of Christmas as an Holy-day But this is but a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the main business When I granted the Antiquity of some Festivals in the third or fourth Century might argue they had nothing of the corruption of the Roman Antichristain See adhering to them The Doctor is overjoy'd n. 1. p. 247. and congratulates the unexpected success of his paper But without any cause for it wrought nothing with me being of that opinion before that Rome was not at that time Antichristian But to discover my meaning and to cool his boasting I believe the first Institutors of Festivals had a good Intention to commemorate the mercies of God bestowed on us in Christ making them onely circumstances of Worship though some Superstitions did soon after creep into the observation of them But after ages declining more and more till Antichrist got into the throne those Festivals I meant comparatively had at first nothing of that corruption which after adhered to and overwhelmed them both in their Institution and also in their observation Neither did I mean that the Festivals as they were lately observed by some in England had nothing of the Roman See as now it is corrupted having charged the observation of them by the Dr. and
the matter of any VVorship is then onely lawful and acceptable when it falls under a command that gives it the form and makes it true VVorship He equivocates with us in uncommanded oblations which may be either not at all commanded by God in their kindes and for such he will not plead for that is to introduce new worship or if commanded in the kinde yet not in the particular degree or circumstances and that will do him no good for that is not will-worship devised by men such as that will-worship he pleads for must be but as it is worship for kinde commanded so it may pro hic nunc as they speak be necessary which his will-worship cannot be Two things I shall adde to this number 1. That he calls his will-worship Oblations which were in the old Law parts of VVorship or proper VVorship which he will anon deny of his 2. That if spontaneousness of oblations alone will make them lawful and acceptable to God the Papists are as spontaneous and voluntary in their vowed Caelibate Poverty such and such Habits Fastings c. as the Doctor can be in his will-worship and so he must either justifie them upon that point or condemn himself with them And now I shall come to consider his arguments the first whereof is he sayes p. 176. n. 10 ad hominem Reminding me of my three Texts out of the old Testament the second Commandment Deut. 4.2 and the fourth Commandment 1. They were thus of force against all uncommanded services in the old Testament 2. by Analogie they still hold under the New which if they do then is this the direct contradictory to both the Diatribists pretensions c. His argument is thus summ'd up Whatsoever was lawful under the Old Testament p. 177. n. 12 is lawful under the New But Free-will or uncommanded offerings were lawful under the Old Testament ergo First his Major is none of mine and clearly false none of mine for I argued with learned Divines clean contrary The worship of God then was far different from the worship of the Gospel And as he sets it it is clearly false and he can never prove it That whatsoever worship for of that we speak was lawful then is lawful now Give me leave to make an assumption to it from himself n. 7. The kinde of that worship was Levitical and long since abolished by Christ yet was lawful then Secondly the former distinction of uncommanded worship will avoid his whole argument uncommanded for kinde or uncommanded for degree or circumstances In the first sense as I meant it the Texts by me alledged do directly militate in the Old and New Testament But then the Minor is false uncommanded offerings for kinde were not lawful under the old Testament if uncommanded be taken in the second sense uncommanded for degrees or frequency c. which are but circumstances of Worship commanded they were lawful then But this will not serve his turn who pleads for uncommanded will-devised Worship both for kindes and circumstances such are his Will-worships of Virginity c. not at all commanded by God but left indifferent as he confesses Now the argument may in my sense be retorted What ever worship was unlawful in the Old Testament is unlawful in the New But uncommanded offerings for kinde were unlawful then ergo so now Let him try his strength to answer this But there is one foul mistake n. 10. whether willingly or no I will not say In touching upon my argument from the fourth Commandment in the particular of Festivals he charges me to say It is an offence in the excess to observe any other Holy-day but that one of the weekly Sabbath My words are otherwise To make and observe other days as Holy as the weekly Sabbath as parts of Worship is an offence and excess against the fourth Commandment The same distinction as afore will cut the sinews of his next argument n. 13. taken from the liberty and advantages which result to Christians from the abolition of the Mosaical Law which consists in taking off not in imposing weights and interdicts whereas by this Diatribist affirmation a multitude of burthens come in when I shall do any thing in the service of God not particularly commanded I am presently ensnared c. First For the burthen it is still the same in matter of new kindes of uncommanded worship not when I shall do any thing in commanded Worship as he too generally speaks but when I shall adde any Worship not commanded then I am ensnared Secondly let it be observed what the Doctor says here That the liberty brought in by Christ must consist in taking off not in imposing weights and interdicts But hereafter we shall finde him asserting that Christ by perfecting the Moral Law and adding to it hath rather increased the burthen to Christians as we shall see in due place p. 218. n. 49. To the third argument little need be said more Free-will offerings were then lawful p. 177. n. 14 but not Will-worship or Worship not commanded And if Free-will-offerings then were not Will-worship neither is his Will-worship a Free-will-offering now they then are not parallel as was said and so no arguing from one to another As for the fourth argument n. 15. I did but say that it seemed to me as to others that the formality of a Free-will-offering consisted in the freedome to offer or not to offer c. which is true in this sense that the particular quantity and frequency of offering was left free and not commanded but not that the kinde of offering was left free But he talking of uncommanded Worship would have his Reader think that there was a liberty then to offer or not to offer uncommanded Worship which was a new kinde of Worship so to build the lawfulness of his Will worship uncommanded Worship upon that foundation The fifth argument is answered as the former 〈…〉 those Free-will offerings that were in all those periods lawful were no for kindes uncommanded worship which that the Doctor doth intend appears first by paralleling his Will-worship with those Free-will offerings which were parts of Worship and secondly by his instance of Abels oblation which certainly was real Worship and yet the Doctor would believe with some and but some Fathers not to have been by way of precept from God but left to Free-will c. to offer or not to offer this certainly was not a circumstance but a new kinde of Worship never heard of before and so unparallel either to the Free-will-offerings of old or his Will-worship now Bellarm. himself grants the Altars and so the Sacrifices of Abraham c. to be by inspiration and impulsion Divine De â—…ff Sacr. l. 2. c. 31. And however the Doctor inclines rather to those few that say it was not under precept yet most of our best Divines do think and say it was under some precept to Adam or Abel without which
of most high concernment is in the Church we must grant that she hath power enough to institute what Ceremonies she shall think usefull in the service of God But he is yet more liberal 2. The fourth Commandment being given to the Jews for one day in seven as a fit and moderate proportion of time it might equitably be inferred that a Christian should at least set apart one day in seven for our great Christian purposes c. But his Colleagues say that proportion of time in the fourth Commandment was Ceremoniall and so void and one day in eight or ten might be sufficient if the Church so pleased And what is this equitableness the Doctor speaks of not just and necessary it may not be less yea must be so much at least but fit and convenient to be designed by the Church nay by every Christian for so he says For if he should yeild it necessary by this Commandment to set apart one day in seven he grants the fourth Commandment to be moral for so much time which ere long he will as others do deny There would then remain nothing to be done but to finde out that particular day of seven to be assigned for God and his service and who hath power to do it For that he is yet more liberal then some of his partners The first day of the week and accordingly he supposes it instituted by the Apostles of Christ Surely this is one of the Doctors Free-will-offerings and we if not God are much beholden to him if he would not retract this gift which he will do anon founding the Lords-day and his Festivals on the same Authority of the Church But I take what he grants kindly If the first day of the week was by Apostolical that is Divine Institution as one of seven I ask by what Rule or Commandment did they make that day necessary and moral if not by the fourth Commandment and then it 's moral not onely for some time but for one day in seven which will hardly be yeilded And again if the Lords-day be of Apostolicall divine institution according to the fourth Commandment it is Holy above not onely all other days in the week but above all his Festivals for which he hath nothing in the fourth Commandment nor can prove them of Apostolicall Institution the most he pretends to is but Apostolical practice and observation And therefore fearing he hath yeilded too much he starts back and says As among the Jews n. 7. beside the weekly Sabbath required by the fourth Commandment they had many Festivities some appointed by God himself others instituted by men Yet constantly observed without prejudice to the fourth Commandment So nothing hinders but under the Gospel the Church may ordain Christian Feasts c. As for those Feasts appointed by men they have their place below where they shall be spoken to For those of Gods appointment we do not think the fourth Commandment exclusive to hinder God for appointing what dayes he pleases onely it presupposing the power of ordaining Holy-days to belong to God it excludes men for setting up any as holy without his leave It cannot therefore be inferred reasonably God had power to appoint what Holy-days he pleased to the Jewes ergo the Church under the Gospel may appoint as many as she will Besides those Festivals of the Jewes beside the weekly Sabbath were typical and Ceremonial and a part of their yoke which being taken off by Christ it becomes not the Church to put the same and a greater upon the necks of Christians Adde to this that those Festivals were not properly reducible to the fourth Commandment requiring but one in seven whereas the Doctor will fetch them all in under his fundamental morality of some times to be assigned for Gods service by the fourth Commandment that is such as the Church shall appoint and yet pleads the fifth Commandment to justifie obedience to them not as an act of Will-worship but of honour and observance to this ordinance of the Church and so a duty of the fifth Commandment Which sure needed not if the fourth Commandment be morall for assigning some times for Gods service by the Church for that Commandment will both command and justifie their obedience That we Christians are by Christ reduced to the fourth Commandment as for one day in seven to be holy so for our allowance of six days for our own works p. 263. n. 8. he says 1. It hath not the least appearance of truth in it where did he reduce us to the fourth Commandment Did not the Dr. say even now n. 6. That it 's equitable by that Commandment that a Christian should at least set apart one day in seven for more then one in seven let him look for authority one in seven shall serve our turn And I ask by what Rule or Authority does the Doctor presume to take the allowance of the six dayes for his own occasions if not by the fourth Commandment and will he not by the same Commandment allow God one of seven But where did Christ reduce us to the fourth Commandment I answer in Matth. 5. where he professes he came not to destroy but to fulfil and stablish the Moral Law whereof the fourth for one in seven is one But then says he 'T is visible what the consequence must be even an obligation to the Jewish Sabbath for that certainly was the subject of that Commandment Hath not the Dr. As he did the second Commandment above ad p. 44. n. 8 The Dr. leaps from p. 152. of mine to p. 157. now destroyed one Commandment more out of the Decalogue which Christ came to establish or is not this the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Dr. that the subject of the fourth Commandment was that seventh day Sabbath for if so it is as fully void as the commandment for the Paschal Sabbath or else the Doctor must turn either Jew and observe that day or Anabaptist and Quaker c. and make no Sabbath but every day a Sabbath I leave it to his choice The rest that follows in this Section is impertinent to the main business Some thing he says about the mistake of the day and venial sins not fit to be passed by For venial sins n. 11 12. he hath this passage He that talks of venial sins must be presumed not to exclude the blood of Christ c. I spake of venial sins in the notion of Papists but sure they do not include the blood of Christ when they talk of venial sins but rather exclude it saying That men need not ask God forgiveness for them but themselves may satisfie for them by an Ave Maria a Pater noster or a knock on the breast c. And the Doctors language is too like theirs The excuse of blameless ignorance will wash away greater errors then this if an error As holy water washes away venial sins with them As for the mistake of the
THE ACCOUNT Audited and Discounted Or a Vindication of the three-fold DIATRIBEE Of 1. Superstition 2. Will-worship 3. Christmas Festivall Against Doctor Hammonds manifold PARADIATRIBEES By D. C. Preacher of the Word at Billing-Magn in Northamptonshire Ephes 4.15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. But speaking the truth in love may grow up into him in all things which is the Head even Christ London Printed by Ralph Wood for M. Wright at the King Heads in the Old Bailey 1658. 1. The Preface of D. H. return'd 1. THat Dr. Hamond hath taken great and needless pains to shew me the infirm parts of my three-fold Diatribe with and against himself of Superstition Will-worship and Festivals which came abroad above a twelvemoneth before I am now obliged to take notice and to design a few dayes for which he hath had months to vindicate that little David from his great Goliah his Voluminous Discourse which surely needed not had not the strength of mine been more then he will willingly acknowledge 2. His two former of those three Tracts I had never seen nor heard of till the time I was referred to them in his third of Festivals Page 425. where he sends his Reader to them and to his Practical Catechism for Arguments against the Superstition and Will worship charged upon his Festival And what ever his Design was to remove as he sayes those two charges against the Church and what ever the success thereof was I know not This I am sure of taking those words of Superstition and Will-worship in the generally received sense of most Reformed Divines and Churches he hath not freed himself and others his Associates from those charges nor at all demonstrated them to be Calumnies The Church therefore may be discharged of those Accusations though he and some other of her Sons do justly lie as guilty under them I desire the Reader as he does that he will but calmly and indifferently review the Treatises on both sides and then give sentence 3. Particular Application of general Cases or Truths its true does stir the coals and then complaints and contentions begin when the Salt is applied to the raw and sorer parts For this he might have had proof enough in his own bosom nearer hand For till the Charges came home to himself rather then to the Festival and his own opinion and practice were brought as proofs of his Superstition and Will-worship in observation of his Festival all was quiet But when it was said Superstition and Will-worship are of larger latitude then he takes them and that by his own confession he is concluded guilty of them in other senses given by him hence I fear arise this large Account if not to excuse himself yet to obscure and hide his guilt by dissembling and concealing that particular charge and all along answering nothing to it As for me that which engaged me in this contest was not onely my Tract of the Sabbath but a former Discourse of Superstition with respect to Places which was abroad I believe before the former two Treatises of the Doctors and inconsistent with his principles And indeed these three Tracts of his by me singled out from the rest have such Affinity or Consanguinity each with other that I could not well deal with the last but I must take in both the other For it 's in vain to go about to fasten Superstition and Will-worship upon his observation of his Festival till we are agreed what those two are It is not difficult for me to reconcile the Festival with my Grounds for the Christian Sabbath one in a week by the fourth Commandment For I can and do allow upon just occasions a Day or Dayes to be set apart by Superiour Powers with due Cautions as is held out both in Sab. Rediv. and in pag. 198. of my last Diatribe yet cannot but abhor the Superstition and Will-worship introduced into his Festival together with the Riot thereon attending 4. And this my sincere endeavour might have been for good had it met with a spirit willing to yield to truth discovered For the Doctor I desire he may take notice of it is by some of his own friends and admirers held to have pelidae stomachum cedere nescii must and will say they have the last word And this I observe in this Account when he is forced by better Reason to relinquish some notions as not consonant to truth of Scriptures he does it so favourably to himself as that there appears some reluctancy of spirit to acknowledge himself mistaken I may give instances hereafter For my part I did but with a spirit of Meekness with all due respects to his worth and person shew him some doubts and difficulties and as I thought Weaknesses in his Discourses with my Reasons rendred thereunto which his Alex Aphrodisaeus would have taken for a great favour and honour and he does not onely slight my person calling me commonly the Diatribist but my pains also and professes p. 4. n. 2. He is not by all my Diatribe so instructed or improved as to discern one real misadventure in those Discourses and findes it impossible for him to be edified by my Charity Of his Misadventures I shall give him an account in due time and place this is his great Miscarriage that he returns me hatred and scorn for my good will sharpness for meekness and reproaches instead of thanks as shall appear hereafter 5. As we must be careful not to be affrighted from our obedience to Superiours upon every pretence of Superstition c. so we must not be allured into Superstition c. upon every pretence of disobedience to Superiours This latter is of greatest concernment because no Authority can justifie us in the least corruption of the Worship of God God himself having severely threatned such as under pretence of Love to him 2. Commandment and his service do indeed hate him by introducing Worship to him which he never commanded As for those things of a more sublime consideration as he speaks the Free-will-offerings well becoming a Christian to bring to Christ and rewardable in an high degree such as the highest Charities Devotions and most heroical Christian practices we shall be far from degrading or defaming them when they are clearly discovered and rightly distinguished But how the Doctor insinuates secretly an opinion of his Adversaries which is utterly false and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all along his discourse That they conclude every thing to be criminous which is not necessary and all uncommanded practices unlawful which they say onely of uncommanded Worship 6. My impartiality in examining what he wrote was not with respect to his person but to the Truth it self which I thought I saw much obscured if not oppressed by him My end was the same with his The seasonable checking and reformation of some Vices viz. Superstition and Will-worship or the confirmation and increase of Vertue to the glory of God c. 7. But
did formerly on a Jew Instead of lessening Christ hath made the burthen heavier one degree of moral perfection is an harder burthen then all the ceremonial Laws Those they might with some care and diligence exactly perform being but external Rites but no care or diligence of a man without grace can rise to one the least degree of moral perfection And to natural men the Law is every whit as exact and yet impossible to observe as afore and Christ hath not eas'd their burthen at all but they lie under the curse of damnation for every the least breach of the Law But what an increase of weight will Christs new moral precepts of higher perfection lay upon them For instance if the sixth Commandment forbad onely the outward act of murther and the seventh onely actual adultery as the Pharisees at least if not the Doctor supposed and Christ have added new precepts to make rash anger and reproachful language to be murther and the very lustings of the heart to be adultery a natural man hath a much heavier burthen then a Jew for it 's not impossible for him to abstain from the acts of those sins and so to fulfil the letter of those Commandments but very difficult if not impossible without great grace to prevent anger and lustings of the heart But he says That weight is abundantly recompensed by other respects That must be one way because he gives more strength by giving more grace But 1. that is not given to unbelieving Christians who yet lie under these new weights 2. Nor is this to make the yoke lighter but heavier onely giving more strength to bear it but a lesser strength to a lesser burthen might do as well as was said above 2. He speaks indeed of another way of easing the burthen The gainfulness of the new yoke will make it light though it be a yoke Pract. Cat. p. 95. But when the burthen is increased to the proportion of the gain there will be little ease in that and if love of gain onely make it easie it seems more mercenary then ingenuous This is but one of the Doctors new Philosophical Speculations Sect. 47. Whence it is apparent c. ANd now we are come to a new debate p. 219. n. 52 Whether every man be bound to do that which is best The falseness of the affirmative the Doctor undertakes to discover 1. By the words of the Apostle he that Marries doth well but he that Marrieth not doth better I said well and better there refer to worldly good in those persecuting times So the Apostle ver 26. For the present distress This he says will be soon shaken assunder 1. By considering that well belongs to moral goodness ver 28. If thou Marry thou sinnest not doing well is not sinning and that 's a moral good But I pray Sir is not doing well more then not sinning if taken of moral good and if taken of worldly good not sinning is not doing well The truth is the Doctor here equivocates with us these texts have no respect to one another in regard of good and evil moral It 's good for the present distress I say it 's good for a man so to be to be a Virgine or unmarryed This must necessarily be understood of a worldly good in respect of the present distress to prevent trouble c. But if Good be meant of moral good here then it must needs follow that it 's morally evil to Marry it 's evil for a man so to be that is to Marry moral good and moral evil are opposed not moral good and worldly evil The 28. ver is an answer to a secret objection which the Doctor makes by his sense If it be good not to Marry morally good then it 's morally evil to Marry No says the Apostle if thou Marryest thou sinnest not but take this with it such shall have trouble in the flesh that is worldly evil at this time attends upon Marriage therefore it 's worldly good not to Marry though it be no sin to Marry Hence the 38. ver alledged by the Doctor must be understood of the same kinde of good both the well and the better He that Marries does well there 's no sin but onely trouble in it but he that Marries not does better supposing the gift of continency else he does worse not to Marry because of the present distress there 's no sinning in either but in worldly respects he does better that Marries not But the Doctor hath a second answer n. 53. p. 219 Marrying is quite contrary to worldly good such shall have trouble in the flesh This sure is a great mistake how is Marriage contrary to worldly good not in a worldly respect as Marriage is a civil thing if Marriage be good as it is and necessary for some worldly troubles are not contrary to Marriage but many times coincident Not in a moral respect is Marriage quite contrary to worldly good for moral good worldly good or evil are not contrary But if worldly good as Marriage is be opposed to worldly evil they are not yet contrary but divers things in the same subject Marriage good and troubles ill A third answer is from ver 32. The advantages of Marriage the unmarryed careth for the things of the Lord how he may please the Lord c. which are not barely worldly spiritual advantages and a greater moral or spiritual good then the caring for the things of the world to please a yoke-fellow But 1. Every thing that may be an advantage to a moral and spiritual good is not presently to be accounted it self a moral or spiritual good Riches are a great advantage to do more good but yet are not moral goods A Church is an advantage to the publick service of God and in some sense better then a field or wood yet not a moral good and many such like And it may be said he that hath riches is better then he that wants them not morally but in respect of a worldly advantage to do more good and they that may serve God in an house or field do well but they that have a Church do better that is have better accommodations to serve God which yet are neither moral nor spiritual goods say the like of Marriage and single life But this he says Paul spake of him that hath the gift That if he Marry he does well if not better that is say I neither wayes he sins but in regard of freedom from the troubles of the times and more liberty to serve God he that Marries not doth better which if he will understand of morally better he having the gift and yet Marrying 1 Cor. 12. last should do ill that is sin for he is bound to do what is best if in his power as here it is supposed to be Mark once more the Doctors words Is not the holiness of body and spirit and the caring for the things of the Lord a greater
Sinners Bath Seventhly the forming of Eve with a Treatise upon the Commandments By Lewis Thomas Preacher of the Word of God The destruction of In-bred Corruption or the Christians Warfare against his Bosome Enemy By Mr. Alexander Simpson late Minister of Gods VVord A view of all the Laws and Statutes of this Nation concerning the service of God and Religion By Will. Shepherd Esq The Mystical Marriage or Experemental Discoveries of the Heavenly Marriage between a Soul and her Saviour By F. Rous Esq Church-Reformation promoted on Matth. 18. ver the 15 16 17. Also some Animadversions upon Mr. Humphrey's second Vindication of the Sacrament And secondly some Animadversions upon Mr. Sanders his Antidiatribe By D. Cawdry Minister in Northamptonshire Independency a great Schism proved against Dr. Owen By D. Cawdry Family Reformation promoted on Joshua Chap. 24. ver 15. And by short Catechisms fitted for the three fold Relations in a Family By D. Cawdry Walsingham's Manual Or Prudential Maximes for the States-man and the Courtier VVritten by George Lord Digby A Perswasive to Peace amongst the Sons of Peace Or a Treatise of Christian Peace By Tho. Whitfield Minister of the Gospel The Righteous mans rejoycing Or a Treatise tending to shew the Nature of true Joy By Tho. Witfield Minister of the Gospel Diatribe Triplex Or a three-fold Exercitation Concerning 1 Superstition 2. Will-worship 3. Christmas Festival with the Reverend Dr. Hammond By D. Cawdry The Lightless Star Or Mr. John Goodwin discovered a Pelagio-Socinian By the Examination of his Preface to his Book entituled Redemption redeemed Together with an Answer to his Letter entituled Confidence dismounted By Richard Resbury Minister of Oundle in Northamptonshire A Garden of Spiritual Flowers planted By Ri. Ro. Will. Perk. Ri. Green M. M. and Geo. Web. Corrected and enlarged A Treatise of the Holy Trinity in Unity By Benjamin Austin Pastor at Castle-Ashby in Northamptonshire A Pensive Mans Practice very profitable for all persons Wherein are contained devout and necessary Prayers for sundry godly purposes with requisite Perswasions before every Prayer newly corrected and amended by the Authour J. Norden A Godly Garden out of the which most comfortable Hearbs may be gathered for the health of the Wounded Conscience of all penitent Sinners The Marriage-Blessing in a Crown of Children being the substance of a Wedding-Sermon First preached at Cogenhoe in Northamptonshire And since enlarged and published by H. Willes M. A. Minister of the Gospel A Thousand notable Things of rare and excellent Vertue By A Cuppton A most comfortable and Christian Dialogue betwixt the Lord and a troubled Soul By Dr. Cowper BB. of Galloway London's Gate to the Lords Table being a Tract concerning the Sacrament By E. F. Published by Mr. Ed. Calamy Mr. Balls Exposition Or a short Treatise containing all the principles of Christian Religion The Doctrine of the Bible Or the Rule of Discipline briefly gathered out of the Holy Scriptures The Pathway to Health being excellent and approved Medicines of great Virtues As also notable Potions and Drinks with the Art of distilling and making precious Waters A Light from Christ leading unto Christ Or a Rich Jewel of Christian Divinity By Jam. Bourn Minister in Derbyshire Two Treatises the first A plain Platform for preaching whereby the Word of Truth may be rightly divided and he that speaketh speak as the Oracles of God digested into 20 Propositions The second is the destruction of inbred Corruption or an Antidote against fleshly lusts By A. Simpson Minister of Gods Word The Fathers Institution of his Child directing the Conversation of his whole Life in respect of God and of other People and of himself By Michael Jermin D.D. Independency further proved to be a Schism Or a Survey of Dr. Owens review of his Tract of Schism with a Vindication of the Author from his unjust clamours and false aspersions By D. Cawdry preacher of the Word at Billing in Northamptonshire The Marrow of Modern Divinity in two parts touching both the Covenant of Works and the Covenant of Grace with their uses and end both in the time of the Old Testament and in the time of the New clearly describing the way to eternal Life by Jesus Christ And a spiritual Exposition of the ten Commandments Whereunto is added the difference betwixt the Law and the Gospel With the Commendatory Epistle of divers Divines of great esteem in the City of London The Pearl of Peace and Concord or a Treatise of pacification betwixt the dissenting Churches of Christ First written in the Germane Language by that Reverend and Learned Divine Dr. Johannes Bergius Chaplain to the most Illustrious Prince Elector of Brandenburgh And now translated into English by Mauritius Bohemus Minister of the Gospel The Land of Promise and the Covenant thereof explained by certain Questions and Propositions against the Millenaries of these times A Treatise tending to shew that the just and holy God may have a hand in the unjust actions of sinful men By Tho. Whitfield Minister of the Gospel The Charges of the Crown Revenue of England and Dominions of Wales with the several Officers Courts Customs Housholds Houses and Castles Towns of War-Forts Bulwarks Forrests Parks Chases with their several Fees and allowances according to the ancient Establishments By Captain Lazarus Haward A Divine Tragedy lately acted or A Collection of sundry memorable Examples of Gods Judgements upon Sabbath-breakers By Mr. Henry Burton FINIS