A59693:311
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 109.
The Apostle speaks of a law written and engraven on stones, and therefore of the moral Law, which is now abolished by Christ in the Gospel, 2 Cor. 3.6, 7, 11, 13. Is the moral law therefore abolished as a rule of life now? no verily, but the meaning of this place is (as the former, Gal. 3.25.) for the Apostle speaking of the moral Law by a Synecdoche, comprehends the ceremonial law also, both which the false Teachers, in those times urged as necessary to salvation and justification at least together with Christ, against whom the Apostle here disputes: the moral Law therefore is abolished first as thus accompanied with a yoke of Ceremonies, secondly, as it was formerly dispensed, the glorious and greater light of the Gospel now obscuring that lesser light under the Law, and therefore the Apostle, vers. 10. doth not say that there was no glory shining in the Law, but it had no comparative ⟨p. 99⟩glory in this respect, by reason of the glory which excelleth: and lastly the Apostle may speak of the moral Law considered as a Covenant of life which the false teachers urged, in which respect he calls it the Ministry of death and the letter which killeth, and the ministers of it (who were called Nazarei and Minei as Bullinger thinks) the Ministers of the letter,1 which although it was virtually abolished to the believing Jews before Gospel times (the virtue of Christs death extending to all times) yet it was not then abolished actually until Christ came in the flesh, and actually undertook to fulfil this Covenant for us to the utmost farthing of doing and suffering which is exacted, and now it is abolished both virtually and actually, that now we may with open face behold the glory of the Lord as the end of the law for righteousness to every one that doth believe.