A59693:375
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 120.
Thirdly, Not only a day, nor only a rest day, but the rest day §120or Sabbath day (which is expressed and expressly interpreted in the Commandment to be the seventh day, or a seventh day of Gods determining, and therefore called The Sabbath of the Lord our God) is here also enjoined and commanded, as generally moral. For if a day be moral, what day must it be? If it be said, that any day which humane wisdom shall determine, whether one day in a hundred or a thousand, or one day in many years; if this only be generally moral, then the rule of morality may be broken because the rule of equality may be thus broken by humane determination: For it may be very unequal and unjust to give God one day in a hundred or a thousand for his worship, and to assume so many beside to our selves for our own use. There is therefore something else more particularly, yet primarily moral in this Command, and that is The Sabbath day, or such a day wherein there appears an equal division, and a fit proportion between time for rest and time for work, a time for God and a time for man, and that is a seventh day which God determines: A fit proportion of time for God is moral because equal, man cannot determine nor set out this proportion, God therefore only can and must, A day therefore that he shall determine is moral, and if he declares his determination to a seventh, A seventh day is therefore moral. Gomarus confesseth that by the Analogy of this Commandment, not one day in a thousand, or when man pleaseth, but that one day in seven is moral, at least equal, fit, and congruous to observe the same: and if the Analogy he speaks of ariseth virtute mandati divini, or by virtue of Gods Commandment, the cause is in effect yielded; but if this Analogy be made virtute libertatis humanae, so that humane liberty may do well to give God one in seven, because the Jews did so, and why should Christians be more scant? then I see not but humane liberty may assume power to it self to impose monthly and annual holy days as well, because the Jews had their new moons and yearly festivals; and by Analogy thereof, why may not Christians who have more grace poured out upon them, and more love shown unto them under the Gospel, hold some meet proportion with them therein also, as well as in Sabbaths?