A59693:335
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 116.
The third thing is, a denying sanctification the honour of §116a faithful and true witness, or clear evidence of our justification: for if a believer be not bound to look unto the Law as his rule, why should he then have any eye to his sanctification, which is nothing else but our habitual conformity to the Law, as inherent corruption is nothing else but habitual disagreement ⟨p. 110⟩with it: although sanctification be no part of our righteousness before God, and in this sense is no evidence of our justification,1 yet there is scarce any clearer truth in all the Scripture then this, viz. that it is an evidence that a man is in a justified estate; and yet this leaven which denies the Law to be a Christians rule of life, hath soured some mens spirit• against this way of evidencing. It is a doubtful evidence (saith D• Crisp) an argument, not an evidence, it is a carnal and an inferior evidence, the last and the least, not the first evidence; it is an evidence if justification be first evident (say Den and Saltmarsh) some men may be led to these opinions from other principles then a plain denial of the directive use of the Law, but this I fear lies undermost; however let these two things be examined.
The third thing is, a denying sanctification the honour of §116