A59693:503
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 175.
Adams soul (say some) did not need a Sabbath, because every day was a Sabbath to him; 1nor did his body need it, because it was impassible, say some, nor subject to weariness in its work, say ⟨p. 161⟩others truly:2 to what purpose then should any Sabbath be appointed unto him in that estate? But we must know, that the Hebrew word for Sabbath, signifies holy rest, and therefore as Rivet well shows, it's called [Greek or Hebrew] not [Greek or Hebrew] Menuchah, which signifies common rest from weariness; hence it follows that the Sabbath being originally sanctified for holy rest, not for common rest or rest from natural weariness in labour; Adam might therefore stand in need of a Sabbath, though his body was not subject to any weariness in or after his labour. Hence also although he was to live holily every day, yet this hinders not but that his soul might then have need of the holy rest of a Sabbath: For 1. Adam was to serve God in a particular calling then, as is manifest from, Gen▪ 2.15. for he was then to keep and dress the garden, and to act with and under God in the government of many inferior creatures, Gen. 1.26. And thus his time being filled in serving God with all holiness in his calling, he might need a Sabbath; nor was it lawful for him to turn days of work in his calling into days of rest, and so to keep a Sabbath every day, no not in that innocent and happy estate: for if it was contrary to Adams holy estate to work six days, how could it be agreeable or suitable to the holiness of God to work six days? If God did labour six days and rested a seventh without any need of a rest in respect of any weariness in his work, why might not, nay why should not man imitate and be like to his God in labour and rest, although he was not subject to any weariness in his holy work? 2. Though every day was to be spent in holiness mediately, both in seeing God in the creatures and meeting with God in his labour and calling: yet it was not unsuitable, nay it was very needful in that estate to have one day in the week for more immediate and special converse with God, and for God more immediately and specially to converse with him.