A59693:275
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 97.
The chief end of Christs first coming was to lay down his life a ransom for many in way of satisfaction and merit, Phil. 2.8. Matth. 20.28. now by this satisfaction he did two things, 1. He brought in such a righteousness before God as might merit mercy and make us just: now this is wholly in Christ out of our selves; but because there was a righteousness of new obedience and thankfulness to be wrought in us for this love, therefore, 2. By the same satisfaction he hath merited (not that this new obedience might justify us or make us accepted) but that it might be accepted though imperfect and polluted with sin, 1 Peter 2.5, 6. as also that it might be crowned and recompensed: Now hence it follows that the Lord Jesus hath not performed our duty of thankfulness and new obedience for us (sub hoc formali) or as of thankfulness; for though Christ was thankful and holy for us, yet it was not under this notion of thankfulness for his own love to us, for this is personally required of us, and it sounds very harsh to say that Christ walked in all holy thankfulness to himself, for his love to us; but he was thus thankful for us, sub ratione meriti, or in way of merit, it being part of that satisfaction which justice exacted. All that which might satisfy justice, and merit any mercy, ⟨p. 81⟩Christ did for us in himself▪ but he did not believe and repent, and perform duties of thankfulness for us, because these and such like are not to satisfy justice, but follow as fruits of that satisfaction, and therefore are wrought within us, and so are personally required of us, and therefore when a Christian finds a want of these things in himself, he is not to comfort himself with fond thoughts of the imputation of these in Christ only unto him, but he is to look up to Christ Jesus for derivation of these out of Christ into himself; otherwise by making Christ his sanctification, only in way of imputation, he doth really destroy Christ from being his sanctification; for if Christ be our righteousness only by imputation, then if Christ be our sanctification, it must be by derivation from him, which they must needs destroy who make him their sole sanctification by mere imputation.