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 ...

Thesis 70.

1. Consid. That the foundation of this opinion is exceed∣ing [ 70] rotten, viz. That the day must not begin, untill that work which occasions the change doth actually exist. But we know that the Passeover began before the work which did occasion it, did actually exist, viz. the Angels passing over the Israel∣ites at midnight, Exod. 12.29. with 12, 13, 14. and 6.8. indeed the Christian Sabbath day is not before the day of Christ Re∣surrection; yet the beginning of this day may be before the beginning of the Resurrection, as it was in the Passeover.

2. Consid. That if any of the Evangelists had intended a new beginning of the Sabbath at morning, that they would then have set down the exact time of the Lords Resurrection; but none of them do this; they set down the time of other things to prove that Christ was risen, but not the exact time of the Resurrection, for its wholly uncertain; certain it is, that it was before Day-light began; for Mary came and found him risen while it was yet dark, Iohn 20.1. and how long he was risen before, who can determine?

3. Consid. That if Christs Resurrection began the Sabbath, so that in that moment and point of time wherein Christ arose the Christian Sabbath began, then Christ could not lie three dayes in the grave; for either he lay three dayes according to the Jewish account, beginning the day at evening; and then the third day on which Christ arose (which also was the first day) must begin at evening as we plead for; or else he must lie three days according to the new account, which begins the third day in the morning, leaving out the night before as not appertain∣ing to any part of the week before or after; but according to this reckoning its impossible that Christ should lie three days in the grave, he may be then indeed said to arise the third day, but not to lie any part of the third day, because lying in the grave implies some time of continuance therein upon the third day; but how could this be, when they say that the moment of Christs Resurrection began the day of our Christian Sabbath?

4. Consi. If the Jewish Sabbath was the last day of the week, and began and ended at evening, then the Christian Sabbath must either begin at evening when the Jewish Sabbath ended, or the first day of the week cannot be the Christian Sabbath, but onely a part of the first day, and part of the second day; for the night which goes before the Christian Sabbath, either 1. they must make it to belong to the Jewish Sabbath, and then that Sabbath must be sanctified 36. hours, and so it must be more then a day which is sanctified, which is absurd;

or 2. they must make it belong to the Christian Sabbath, and then they cannot make it begin in the morning; or ••. they must leave it out from all weekly account, and so take in the night following (which is part of the second day) as part of the Sabbath.

5. Consid. That the seventh part of time cannot be orderly given to God, but it must be either the first or last seventh (as hath been shewn) and the morality of the fourth command∣ment cannot be observed without giving to God either of these; if therefore the Jewish Sabbath ended at Even, the Christian Sabbath must immediately succeed it, and begin it then, or else a morall rule is broken.

6. If the Jewish Sabbath began and ended at Even, and the Christian Sabbath bega•• at morning, what must become of that night which is between them both, and to what day of the week must it belong? If any say, that tis no matter whe∣ther it belong to any or no, so long as time runs on; this answer will not suffice; for though time runs on, yet what orderly time is there here which is running on? Time consists of yeers, and yeers of moneths, and moneths of weeks, and weeks of dayes; to what day or what week then must this night belong? they that maintain this opinion do roundly affirm, that its no ab∣surdity to leave that one Night out from weekly, nor as per∣taining to any week before or after, but say it was lost: alas poor forlorn Night that art thus strangely forsaken; what a strange kind of night is this which belongs to no day? what a mishapen lump of time art thou, and yet how canst thou be part of time, that art part of no day, but onely (as they say) of Time flowing and running on, without head or foot, week or day?