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 97.

[ 97] The chiefe end of Christs first comming was to lay down his life a ransome for many in way of satisfaction and me∣rit, Phil. 2.8. Matth. 20.28. now by this satisfaction hee did two things, 1. He brought in such a righteousnesse be∣fore God as might merit mercy and make us just: now this is wholly in Christ out of our selves; but because there was a righteousnesse of new obedience and thankfulnesse to be wrought in us for this love, therefore, 2. By the same satisfaction hee hath merited (not that this new obedience might justifie us or make us accepted) but that it might be accepted though imperfect and polluted with sinne, 1 Peter 2.5, 6. as also that it might bee crowned and re∣compenced: Now hence it followes that the Lord Je∣sus hath not performed our duty of thankfulnesse and new obedience for us (sub hoc formali) or as of thankfulnes; for though Christ was thankfull and holy for us, yet it was not under this notion of thankfulnesse for his owne love to us, for this is personally required of us, and it sounds very harsh to say that Christ walked in all holy thankfulnesse to himselfe, for his love to us; but hee was thus thankfull for us, sub ratione meriti, or in way of merit, it being part of that satisfaction which justice exacted. All that which might satisfie justice, and merit any mercy,

Christ did for us in himselfe▪ but he did not beleeve and re∣pent, and performe duties of thankfulnesse for us, because these and such like are not to satisfie justice, but follow as fruits of that satisfaction, and therefore are wrought within us, and so are personally required of us, and therefore when a Christian findes a want of these things in himselfe, he is not to comfort himselfe with fond thoughts of the imputation of these in Christ onely unto him, but he is to look up to Christ Jesus for derivation of these out of Christ into himselfe; otherwise by making Christ his sanctification, onely in way of imputation, he doth really destroy Christ from being his sanctification; for if Christ be our righteousnesse onely by imputation, then if Christ be our sanctification, it must be by derivation from him, which they must needs destroy who make him their sole sanctifica∣tion by meere imputation.