A59693:264
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 92.
It is a great part of Christs love to command us to do §92any thing for him, as well as to promise to do any thing for us: When the King of glory hath given us our lives by promise, its then the next part of his special grace and favour to command us to stand before him and attend upon his greatness continually. They that see how justly they deserve to be forsaken of God and given over to their own hearts lusts, and to be for ever sinning and blaspheming God in hell, where God will never command them to think of him, speak of him, do for him, pray to him more, cannot but account it a high and special favour of Jesus Christ to command them any thing, or bid them do any thing for him; a poor humbled prodigal will account it great love to be made a hired servant; John Baptist will count it a high favour if he may but untie Christs shoe-latchet, and be commanded by him to do the meanest work for him: David wondered at Gods grace toward him, that God should command him, and in some measure enable him to offer willingly, Lord, (saith he) what are we? I do therefore marvel how any can pretend that they are acted by the love of Christ, and not by the law of commands, considering that there is so much love in this for Christ to command, and how they can profess their relish of preaching Gods free grace and love, and yet cannot away with sweet and gracious exhortations pressing to holiness and holy duties, in the revealing and urging of which there is so much free-grace and heart-love of Christ Jesus; surely if the love of Christ is to lead us, then the commands of Christ (wherein he discovers one chief part of his love) are to guide us and be a rule of life unto us, The man who in his cool and deliberate thoughts imagines that a Christian under the rule of the law, is a Christian under bondage, may be ⟨p. 78⟩justly feared that himself is still under the bondage of sin and Satan, and never yet knew what the true love of Christ Jesus is to this day.