A59693:176
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 56.
This time therefore may be considered two ways, 1. Abstractly. 2. Concretely. 1. Abstractly, for the bare circumstance of time, abstracted and stripped from all other considerations, and so it is very absurd to imagine all the holy duties of the Sabbath to be for the time, as if God and all his holy worship should give homage unto, and attend upon a naked empty circumstance: Time in this respect is rather for the worships sake. 2. Concretely, as it is wholly sanctified and set apart for God, ⟨p. 45⟩or as it is a holy time; set a part for holy rest, that so man might attend upon God: and in this respect all holy duties are for this time, because in this respect they are for God who is all in all in holy time: And therefore Wallaeus need not put us upon search to see whether the holy rest of the day be required in the second or any other Command,1 for 'tis not affirmed by any, that the naked circumstance of time is here only required, without any holy rest; but that a holy time of rest is herein commanded, and therefore to be referred to this command: hence also it is most false which some affirm,2 viz. That the rest from ordinary labours on this day, as it is connected with holy duties of worship without which they cannot be performed, is as necessary now, as when the Jewish Sabbath was in being; but otherwise out of these duties there is no holy time of rest commanded. For such a restraint of time to holy duties as makes the time holy for the duties sake, so that no time is holy but in the performance of holy duties, and these duties (upon narrow examination) only public duties, doth but open a gap for licentiousness, voluptuousness, sports, May-poles and Dog-markets, and such like profaneness, out of the time of holy public worship; or what private worship each man shall think most meet. For in this sense holy duties are for the time, because the whole day being sanctified, holy duties are therefore to attend, and in this respect are for this time; and not the time for them, viz. That when the time of the exercise of some holy duties doth cease, the time of holy rest or holy time must then cease also.