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 145.

Every thing indeed which was published by Gods imme∣diate [ 145] voyce in promulgating of the Law, is not morall and common to all; but some things so spoken may be peculiar and proper to the Jews, because some things thus spoken were promises or motives only, annexed to the Law to perswade to the obedience thereof; but they were not Laws; for the question is whether all Laws spoken and writ thus immediately were not morall; but the argument which some produce a∣gainst this is, From the promise annexed to the fifth Command, con∣cerning long life, and from the motive of redemption out of the house of bondage, in the preface to the Commandments, both which (they say) were spoken immediatly, but yet were both of them proper unto the Iews: But suppose the promise annexed to the fifth Com∣mandement be proper to the Jews, and ceremoniall, as Master Primrose pleads (which yet many strong reasons from Eph. 6.2. may induce one to deny) what is this to the question, which is not concerning Promises, but Commandements and Laws: Suppose also that the motive in the Preface of the Com∣mandments literally understood is proper to the Jews; yet this is also evident, that such reasons and motives as are proper to some, and perhaps ceremoniall, may be annexed to morall laws which are common to all; nor wil it follow, that laws are therefore not common, because the motives thereto are pro∣per: We that dwel in America may be perswaded to love and feare God (which are morall duties) in regard of our re∣demption and deliverances from out of the vast sea storms we once had, and the tumults in Europe which now are, which motives are proper to our selves. Promises and motives an∣nexed to the Commandements, come in as means to a higher end, viz. obedience to the Laws themselves; and hence the Laws themselves may be morall,* 1.1 and these not so, though im∣mediatly spoken, because they be not chiefly nor lastly inten∣ded herein. I know Wallaeus makes the preface to the Com∣mandments a part of the first Commandment, and therefore he would hence infer, that some part (at least) of a Command∣ment is proper to the Jews; but if these words contain a motive pressing to the obedience of the whole, how is it possible that

they should be a part of the law or of any one law? For what force of a law can there be in that which only declares unto us who it is that redeemed them out of Egypts bondage? For it cannot be true (which the same Author affirms) that in these words is set forth only who that God is whom we are to have to be our God in the first Commandement; but they are of larger extent, shewing us who that God is whom we are to worship, according to the first Commandement, and that with his own worship according to the second, and that reverently according to the third, and whose day we are to sanctifie according to the fourth, and whose wil we are to doe in all duties of love toward man, according to the severall duties of the second Table; and therefore this declaration of God is no more a part of the first then of any other Com∣mandment, and every other Commandement may challenge it as a part of themselves as well as the first.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Wal. di••••. de 4. prae••. cap. 3.