A59693:385
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.
2. Because in the explication of those words [the Sabbath] it is not called That seventh, but The seventh, for so the words run, Six days shalt thou labour, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God, the meaning of which is thus much, to wit, that man taking six days to himself for labour, that he leave the seventh to be the Lords: now unless any can show that no other day but that Seventh could be the seventh for rest, nor no other six days but those six days going before tha• seventh could be the six days for labour, they can never prove that this fourth Commandment hath only a respect to That particular Seventh, and it is no small boldness necessarily to limit where God hath left free: for we know that if God will, man may take other six days for labour, and leave another Seventh for God, then those six days and that Seventh day only.
2. Because in the explication of those words [the Sabbath] it is not called That seventh, but The seventh, for so the words runne, Six daies shalt thou labour, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God, the meaning of which is thus much, to wit, that man taking six daies to himself for labour, that he leave the seventh to be the Lords: now unlesse any can shew that no other day but that Seventh could be the seventh for rest, nor no other six daies but those six daies going before tha• seventh could be the six daies for labour, they can never prove that this fourth Commandment hath only a respect to That particular Seventh, and it is no small boldnesse necessarily to limit where God hath left free: for we know that if God will, man may take other six daies for labour, and leave another Seventh for God, then those six daies and that Seventh day only.
3. The change of the Sabbath undeniably proves thus much (if it can be proved) that the morality of this command did not lie in that particular day only: for if that only was moral, how could it be changed? and if it did not lie only in that Seventh, wherein then did it more generally lie? was it in a day more largely or in a Seventh day more narrowly? now let any indifferent conscience be herein judge, who they be that come nearest to the truth, whether they that fly so far from the name Seventh, which is expressly mentioned in the Commandment, or they that come as near it as may be? whether they that plead for a Seventh of Gods appointing, or they that plead for a day (but God knows when) of humane institution? and it's worth considering why any should be offended at the placing of the morality of the command in a Seventh, more then at their own placing of it in a day; for in urging the letter of the Commandment to that particular Seventh, to abolish thereby the morality of a Seventh day, they do withal therein utterly abandon the morality of a day; for if That Seventh only be enjoined in the letter of the Commandment and they will thence infer, that a Seventh therefore cannot be required, how can they upon this ground draw out the morality of a day?