A59693:318
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 112.
Some think that there is no sin but unbelief (which is a sin against §112the Gospel only) and therefore there being no sin against any law (Christ having by his death abolished all them) the law cannot be a rule to them. An adulterous and an evil generation made drunk with the cup of the wine of the wrath of God, and strong delusion, do thus argue: Are drunkenness, whoredom, lying, cheating, witchcraft, oppression, theft, buggery, no sins, and consequently not to be repented of, nor watched against, but ⟨p. 102⟩only unbelief? Is there no day of judgement, wherein the Lord will judge men (not only for unbelief) but the secrets of all hearts, and whatever hath been done in the body, whether good or evil, according to Pauls Gospel? Rom. 2.16. 2 Cor. 5.10. How comes the wrath of God to be revealed from heaven, not only against unbelief, but against all unrighteousness and ungodliness of man? Rom. 1.18 If there was no sin but unbelief, how can all flesh, Jews and Gentiles become guilty before God, that so they may believe in the Gospel (as 'tis, Rom. 3 21, 12, •3, 24) if they are all guiltless until unbelief comes in? There is no sin indeed which shall condemn a man in case he shall believe; but will it follow from hence that there is no sin in a man but only unbelief? A sick man shall not die in case he receive the Physic which will recover him; but doth it follow from hence that there is no sickness in him, or no such sickness which is able to kill him, but only his wilful refusing of the Physic? surely his refusing of the Physic is not the cause of his sickness which was before, not the natural (for that his sickness is) but only the moral cause of his death. Sin is before unbelief comes, a sick sinner before a healing Saviour can be rejected; sin kills the soul, as it were, naturally, unbelief morally; no sin shall kill or condemn us if we believe; but doth it follow from hence that there is no sin before or after faith, because there is no condemning sin unless we fall by unbelief?