A59693:139
Theses Sabbaticæ, or, The doctrine of the Sabbath wherein the Sabbaths I. Morality, II.…
Theses Sabbaticæ, or, The doctrine of the Sabbath wherein the Sabbaths I. Morality, II. Change, III. Beginning. IV. Sanctification, are clearly discussed, which were first handled more largely in sundry sermons in Cambridge in New-England in opening of the Fourth Commandment : in unfolding whereof many scriptures are cleared, divers cases of conscience resolved, and the moral law as a rule of life to a believer, occasionally and distinctly handled / by Thomas Shepard ...Theses Sabbaticæ, or, The doctrine of the Sabbath wherein the Sabbaths I. Morality, II. Change, III. Beginning. IV. Sanctification, are clearly discussed, which were first handled more largely in sundry sermons in Cambridge in New-England in opening of the Fourth COmmandment : in unfolding whereof many scriptures are cleared, divers cases of conscience resolved, and the morall law as a rule of life to a believer, occasionally and distinctly handled / by Thomas Shepard ...
London: printed by T.R. and E.M. for John Rothwell, 1650
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Thesis 42.
The Judicial laws some of them being hedges and fences to safeguard both moral and ceremonial precepts, their binding power was therefore mixed and various, for those which did safeguard any moral law (which is perpetual) whether by just punishments or otherwise, do still morally bind all Nations:1 For as Piscator argues, a moral law is as good and as precious now in these times as then, and there is as much need of the preservation of these fences to preserve these laws, in these times, and at all times, as well as then, there being as much danger of the treading down of those laws by the wild beasts of the world, and brutish men (sometimes even in Churches) now as then; and hence God would have all Nations preserve these fences for ever, as he would have that law preserved for ever which these safeguard: but on the other side these judicials which did safeguard ceremonial laws, which we know were not perpetual, but proper to that Nation, hence those judicials which compass these about are not perpetual nor universal; the ceremonials being plucked up by their roots, to what purpose then should their fences and hedges stand? As on the contrary the morals abiding, why should not their judicials and fences remain? The learned generally doubt not to affirm, that Moses judicials bind all nations, so far forth as they contain any moral equity in them, which moral equity doth appear, not only in respect of the end of the law, when it is ordered for common and universal good, but chiefly in respect of the law which they safeguard and fence,2 which if it be moral, it's most just and equal, that either the same or like judicial fence (according to some fit proportion) should preserve it still, because 'tis but just and equal, that a moral and universal law should be universally preserved: from whence ⟨p. 35⟩by the way, the weakness of their reasonings may be observed, who that they may take away the power of the civill Magistrate in matters of the first Table (which once he had in the Jewish common-wealth) affirm that such civill power, then, did arise from the judicial, and not from any moral law: when as it's manifest that this his power in preserving Gods worship pure from Idolatrous and profane mixtures, according to the judicial laws, was no more but a fence and safeguard set about moral Commandments;