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 65.

Secondly, not onely a solemne time, but more particu∣larly [ 65] a solemne day, a whole day of worship is here also required by vertue of this fou••th Command; and the Lord gives us good reason for it, that if he gives us many whole dayes for our owne work, then (not some part of a day) but a day, a whole day, according to the rea∣son and expresse words of the Commandment, should bee marked out and set apart for his work and service: if that place, Isaiah 56.6, 7. will not demonstrate a seventh dayes Sabbath under the new Testament, yet ••••suffici∣ently and fully clears the point in hand, viz. that a Sab∣bath day is to be observed by the sonnes of the stranger or Gentiles who are called strangers to the Common-wealth of Irsael, Ephesians 2.12. and indeed Wallaeus freely con∣fesseth and proveth that a whole day is here required; and if a whole day, I hope none will think that the time

out of publick Assemblies is common and prophane, if a whole day be holy: and therefore Mr. Primrose tels us, that the Gentiles having no other law but the light of nature, have appointed set dayes, for the exercise of their religion, and that as the Jews had their set days, (which we know were whole dayes) so should Christians have theirs, for their publick Assemblies under the Gospel; which I hope must be therefore whole dayes also: it is also considerable that if the three first Commandments requiring Gods worship, do consequently require some time for that worship (as being a necessary adjunct to all actions whether morall or civill, and without which they cannot be performed) then the fourth Command, must require somewhat more particu∣larly than a time of worship: and therefore they that place the morality of the fourth Command in requiring onely a time of worship (because say they a time of worship is ne∣cessary,) may upon this ground wholly and perfectly abo∣lish the fourth Command as superfluous and needlesse, be∣cause such a time of worship is required in all other Com∣mandments necessarily. They may also imagine as great a morality in the command of building the Temple the place of worship, because a place of worship is necessary as well as a time: it is not therefore a time, but such a time as is preserved in a day even in a whole day for worship which is here commanded.

Notes

• Wal. diss. de 4 pr••••. cap. 5▪
• Prim. part 2. c. 6.8.15.