A59693:285
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 101.
To act therefore by virtue of a command, and by virtue §103of Christs Spirit, are subordinate one to another, not opposite one against another, as these men carry it. This caution being ever remembered, that such acting be not ⟨p. 86⟩to make our selves just, but because we are already just in Christ; not that hereby we might get life, but because we have life given us already; not to pacify Gods justice, but to please his mercy, being pacified toward us by Christ already; for as Junius well observes a great difference between placare Deum, 1and placere Deo, i. between pacifying God and pleasing God, for Christs blood only can pacify justice when it is provoked, but when revenging justice is pacified, mercy may be pleased with the sincere and humble obedience of sons, Col. 1.10. Heb. 13.21. When a Believer is once justified he cannot be made more just by all his obedience, nor less just by all his sins in point of justification, which is perfected at once: but he who is perfectly justified is but imperfectly sanctified, and in this respect may more or less please God or displease him, be more just or less just and holy before him: It is I confess a secret but a common sin in many, to seek to pacify God (when they perceive or fear his anger) by some obedience of their own, and so to seek for that in themselves chiefly which they should seek for in Christ, and for that in the Law which is only to be found in the Gospel; but corrupt practises in others should not breed (as usually they do) corrupt opinions in us, and to cast off the law from being a rule of pleasing God, because it is no rule to us of pacifying of God: For if we speak of revenging (not fatherly) anger, Christs blood can only pacify that, and when that is pacified and God is satisfied, our obedience now pleaseth him and his mercy accepts it as very pleasing, the rule of which is the precious law of God.