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 63.

If therefore the morall worship it self, whether publick, externall or private, be not directly required in this fourth [ 63] Command, much lesse is the whole Ceremoniall worship here enjoyned,* 1.1 as Master Primrose maintaines, for the whole Ceremoniall worship, both in Sacrifices, Ceremo∣nies, Type••, &c. was significant, and were, as I may so say, Gods Images, or media cultus, meanes of worship, by car∣rying the minde and heart to God, by their speciall significations, and therefore were instituted worship, and therefore directly contained under the second, and therefore not under the fourth Command: And if there bee but nine Commandments which are morall, and this one (by his reckoning) is to bee ceremoniall, and the head of all ceremonials, and that therefore unto it all cere∣moniall worship is to appertaine, then the observation of a Sabbath is the greatest Ceremony, according as wee see in all other Commandments, the lesser sinnes are con∣demned under the grosser, as anger under murder, and lust under adultery; and inferiour duties under the chief and principall, as honouring the aged and Masters, &c. under honouring of parents; and so if all Ceremo∣nialls are referred to this, then the Sabbath is the grossest and greatest ceremony one of them; and if so, then 'tis a greater sinne to sanctifie a Sabbath at any time, than to observe new moones and other festivals, which are lesse Ceremoniall, and are therefore wholly cashiered, because ceremoniall; and if so, why then doth Master Primrose tell us, That the Sabbath is morall for substance, principall scope and end, and that its unmeet for us to observe few∣er dayes than the Iewes, in respect of weekly Sabbaths? Why is not the name and memoriall of the Sabbath aban∣doned wholly and utterly accursed from off the face of the earth, as well as new moones and other Jewish festivals, which upon his principles are lesse ceremoniall than the weekly Sabbath? It may be an audacious Fa∣milist, whose Conscience is growne Iron, and whose brow is brasse, through a conceit of his immunity from, and

Christian liberty in respect of any thing which hath the superscription of law or works upon it, may aban∣don all Sabbaths together with new Moones equally: but those I now aime at, I suppose dare not, nor I hope any pious minde else, who considers but this one thing, viz. that when the Lord commands us to Remember to keep the Sabbath holy, hee must then (according to this interpretation) command us, that above all other Com∣mandments wee observe his Ceremoniall worship (which they say is here enjoyned) rather than his morall wor∣ship which they acknowledge to be enjoyned in all the other nine Commands, at the gate of none of which Commands is written this word Remember; which un∣doubtedly implyes a speciall attendance to bee shewne unto this, above any other; for as wee shall shew, keepe this, keep all, break this, slight this, slight all; and therefore no wonder if no other Command hath this word Remember writ upon the portall of ••t, which word of fence, denotes speciall affection and action in the Hebrew Language: but I suppose it may strike the hardest brow and heart with terrour and horrour, to go about to affix and impute such a meaning to this Com∣mandment, viz. That principally above all other duties we remember to observe those things which are ceremoni∣all: for although the observation of Ceremonies bee ur∣ged and required of God, as Master Primrose truely ob∣serves from Psalme 118.27.* 1.2 Ieremiah 17.26: Ioell 19.13. Malachy 1.7, 8, 10, 13, 14. yet that God should re∣quire and urge the observation of these above any o∣ther worship, is evidently crosse to reason, and expre∣sly crosse to Scripture, Isaiah 1.11, 12, 13, 14, 15. Isaiah 66.3. Psalme 50.13. Ieremiah 6.20. Amos 3.21. Micah 6.7. To remember therefore to keepe the Sabbath, is not to remember to observe Ceremoniall du∣ties.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Prim. par. 2. cap. 6. S. 3, 4, 5.
• * 1.2

  Ibid. Sect. 6.