A59693:571
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 201.
When Christ is said to be Lord of the Sabbath, Mat. 12.8 §201the meaning is not as if he was such a Lord as had power to break it, but rather such a Lord as had power to appoint it, and consequently to order the work of it for his own service. M. Primrose thinks That he is said to be Lord of it, because he had power to dispense with the keeping of it, by whom & when he would: and that Christ did choose to do such works upon the Sabbath day, which were neither works of mercy or necessity, nay, which were servile, which the Law forbade: for Christ (saith he) as mediator had no power to dispense with things moral, but he might with matters ceremonial, and therefore with the Sabbath. How far Christ Jesus might and may dispense with moral laws, I dispute not now, I think Biell comes nearest the truth in this controversy; only this is considerable, suppose the Sabbath was ceremonial, yet it's doubtful whether Christ Jesus who came in the days of his flesh to fulfil all righteousness, could abolish or break the law ceremonial until his death was past, by which this handwriting of Ordinances was blotted out, Colos. 2.14. and this middle wall of partition was broken down, Ephes. 2.14, 15, 16. But let it be yielded that Christ had power to break ceremonial laws then before his death, yet in this place there is no such matter; for the words contain a clear proof for the right observance of the Sabbath against the over-rigid conceptions of the superstitious and proud Pharisees, who as they thought it unlawful for Christ to heal the sick upon the Sabbath, so to rub out, and eat a few corn ears upon it, although hunger and want (and perhaps more