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 110.

The Gospell under which Beleevers now are, requires no doing [ 110] (say some) for doing is proper to the Law; the Law promiseth life, and requires conditions: but the Gospell (say they) promiseth to work the condition, but requires none, and therefore a beleever is now wholly free from all Law: but the Gospell and Law are taken two waies. 1. Largely, the Law for the whole doctrine con∣tained in the Old Testament, and the Gospell for the whole doctrine of Christ and the Apostles in the New Testament. 2. Strictly,* 1.1 the Law pro lege operum (as Chamier distinguisheth) and the Gospell pro lege fidei, i. for the Law of faith: the Law of works strictly taken is that Law which reveals the favour of God and eternall life upon condition of doing or of per∣fect obedience: the Law of faith strictly taken is that doctrine which reveals remission of sins, reconciliation with God by Christs righteousnesse onely apprehended by faith: now the Gospell in this latter sence excludes all works, and requires no doing in point of justification and remission of sins before God, but only beleeving: but take the Gospel largely for the whole doctrine of Gods love and free grace, and so the Gos∣pel requires doing; for as 'tis an act o•• Gods free grace to justi∣fie a man without calling for any works thereunto; so 'tis an act of the same free grace, to require works of a person justi∣fied, and that such poor sinners should stand before the Son of God on his throne, to minister unto him, and serve him in righteousnesse and holinesse all the daies of our lives, Tit. 2.14. and for any to think that the Gospell requires no conditi∣ons, is a sudden dream against hundreds of Scriptures, which contain conditionall yet evangelicall promises, and against the

judgement of the most judicious of our Divines, who in dis∣pute against Popish writers cannot but acknowledge them, only thus, viz. conditions and promises annexed to obedience are one thing (saith learned Perable) and conditions annexed to perfect obedience are another: the first are in the Gospel, the other not: works are necessary to salvation (saith Chamier) necessitate praesentiae not efficientiae; and hence he makes two sorts of conditions, some antecedentes which work or merit sal∣vation, and these are abandoned in the Gospel, other•• (he saith) are consequentes which follow the state of a man justified, and these are required of one already justified in the Gospell: there are indeed no conditions required of us in the Gospel, but those onely which the Lord himselfe shall or hath wrought in us, and which by requiring of us he doth worke will it therefore follow that no condition is required, in us: but because every condition is promised? no ve∣rily, for requiring the condition is the meanes to worke it (as might be plentifully demonstrated) and meanes and end should not be separated. Faith it selfe is no antecedent condition to our justification or salvation, take antecedent in the usuall sence of some Divines for affecting or meriting condition, which Iunius cals essentialis conditio: but take an∣tecedent for a means or instrument of justification, and re∣ceiving Christs righteousnesse, in this sence it is the only ante∣cedent condition which the Gospel requires therein, because it do••h only antecedere or go before our justification (at least in order of nature) not to merit it but to receive it, not to make it but to make it our own, not as the matter of our righ••eousness or any part of it, but as the only means of apprehending Christs righteousnesse, which is the only cause why God the Father justifieth, and therefore as Christs righteousnesse must go be∣fore, as the matter and moving cause of our justification, or that for which we are justified; so faith must go before this righteousnesse as an instrument or applying cause of it, by which we are justified, that is, by meanes of which we apply that righteousnesse which makes us just. 'Tis true God justifies the ungodly, but how? not immediately without faith, but mediately by faith, as is most evident from that abused text, Rom. 4.5. When works and faith are opposed by the Apostle in point of justification, affirming that we are justified by faith not by works, he doth hereby plainly affirm and give that to faith which he denies to works; look there∣fore as he denies works to be antecedent conditions of our justification, he affirms the contrary of faith, which goes be∣fore

our justification, as hath been explained: and therefore as doe and live hath been accounted good Law, or the Cove∣nant of works, so beleeve and live hath been in former times accounted good Gospel, or the Covenant of grace, untill now of late this wilde age hath found out new Gospels that Paul and the Apostles did never dream of.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Chamie•• d•• oper. Ne∣cess. cap. 3.