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 113.

[ 113] One would wonder how any Christians should fall into this pit of perdition, to deny the directive use of the law to one in Christ, if either they read Ps. 119. with any savour, or the Epi∣stles of Iohn & Iames with any faith; in which the law is highly commended, and obedience thereto urged as the happinesse and chief evidence of the happinesse of man; but that certainly the root of this accursed doctrine is either a loose heart, which is grown blind and bold and secretly glad of a liberty, not so much from the law of sin, as from the law God; or if the heart

be sincere in the main, yet it slights the holy Scriptures at pre∣sent, and makes little conscience of judging in the matters of God according unto them; for if it did, it could hardly fall into ••his dirty ditch, out of which the good Lord deliver, and out of which I am perswaded he will deliver in time all those that are his own: for I much question the salvation of that man, who lives and dies with this opinion: and as every er∣rour is fruitfull, so this is in speciall; for from this darkning the directive use of the morall law, arise (amidst many o∣thers) these ensuing evils, which are almost, if not altogether deadly to the souls men; they are principally these three.