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The Commandments of God, and the Mark of the Beast brought to view by the Third Angel of Rev. xiv, considered in connection with the Angel of Chap. vii, having the Seal of the Living God

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Publishing Committee · Rochester, N. Y. · Sep 30, 1852

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 3, No. 11.

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The Commandments of God, and the Mark of the Beast brought to view by the Third Angel of Rev. xiv, considered in connection with the Angel of Chap. vii, having the Seal of the Living God.

By Hiram Edson

BY H. EDSON. (Concluded.)
BEFORE dismissing the subject, we wish to say a few words upon the

KNOWLEDGE AND FEAR OF THE LORD.

We have before shown that the two great commandments comprehend the ten lively oracles, which compose the great constitution. And all the teachings of the apostles and prophets, of a moral obligation, are comprehended in the ten oracles of the constitution; for they are all confined in their instruction of moral obligation to the law and the testimony: they must speak as the ten oracles of God; for in those oracles is comprehended the whole duty of man. Eccl. xii, 13.
Whoever seeks to obtain or impart wisdom independent of these, is seeking to be wise above what is written, and there can be no light in such. Isa. viii, 20.
As the ten precepts of the decalogue comprehend ALL the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, they are "a well-spring of wisdom as a flowing brook."—Prov. xviii, 4. "They are the law of the wise [which] is a fountain of life to depart from the snares of death." Prov. xiii, 14. "Happy is the man that findeth wisdom; for whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favor of the Lord."
"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." There are but ten rules given to impart wise and useful knowledge. All wise and revealed knowledge must be in accordance with these rules. Let this be borne in mind. It is a self-evident truth, as will be admitted by every person, that no one can truly fear the Lord without having an understanding knowledge of his existence. It is, also, clearly proved in the following scriptures:
"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and a good understanding have all they that do his commandments." Ps. cxi, 10. "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the holy [or of God] is understanding." Prov. ix, 10.—"Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord and find the KNOWLEDGE OF GOD." Prov. ii, 5. "The fear of the Lord is the BEGINNING OF KNOWLEDGE." [of God.] Prov. i, 7. "The fear of the Lord is the instruction of wisdom." Prov. xv, 33; Job xxviii, 28. From these scriptures it is perfectly clear that an understanding fear of the Lord is the legitimate result of a true knowledge of the true God.
The fourth commandment, which is the fourth rule of instruction in the divine constitution, alone contains and reveals the knowledge of God. This alone produces the fear of the Lord, which is the BEGINNING of wisdom.
The revealed knowledge imparted to us in the fourth rule of instruction must be the first important lesson to learn. Hence, the wise man, Solomon, has said, "Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth." Eccl. xii, 1, 13. We are first to fear God, and second to keep his commandments.
If precepts be presented to us from the civil authority, we first inquire whose signature they bear, and from whom they proceed. If they be from those in authority, we fear the higher powers and render obedience. Cause must precede effect; and each cause must produce its own legitimate effect. First, a knowledge and fear of Jehovah, and second, obedience to his precepts.
The ten lively oracles of the constitution contain or comprehend all the treasures of wise and revealed knowledge of a moral obligation. And inasmuch as all the apostles and prophets are limited and confined, in all their teachings of this character, to speak according to the oracles of the constitution, they must of necessity borrow all their light on the knowledge of the true God from the fourth precept, or rule of instruction, in the divine constitution. If they speak not according to the fourth rule in giving the knowledge of God, there would be no light in them. That the fear of the Lord is now taught by a precept of men, in lieu of the precept which God ordained for that purpose, will be seen by reading Isa. xxix, 13, 14.
Whenever the apostles and prophets had occasion to make known and declare the true God, their only resort was to the fourth rule of instruction in the divine constitution. They speak according to this oracle, which alone reveals the knowledge of the Creator. See a few examples. Acts xvii, 23, 24; Heb. xi, 3; iii, 4. Angels, also, make use of this rule in pointing out the true God. Rev. xiv, 7; x, 6.
The fourth commandment comprehends the history of Creation as recorded in Gen. i; ii; Heb. i, 2; Isa. xl, 28; xliii, 15. The light of these texts are borrowed from the fourth precept; for there is no other in the divine constitution that contains the light and knowledge of the Creator. If the fourth commandment, the great luminary that reflects the light and knowledge of the Creator, be put out, all light borrowed from it, at once ceases to shine.
If the fourth commandment, the only precept in the divine constitution which contains the knowledge of God, the Creator, were struck out of his constitution, we should be left without the means of knowing the true God. And we must necessarily and unavoidably be left without the KNOWLEDGE and FEAR of God, which is the BEGINNING of wisdom. Hence, in that case, we must unavoidably be unbelievers in the true God, and as a natural consequence, be unbelievers in any revelation from him. Hence, we should be driven beyond infidelity into atheism.By the law is the knowledge of the whole duty of man. By the law is the knowledge and requirement of all right doing, and the prohibition of all evil, or wrong doing. "By the law is the knowledge of sin." There is no sin in the universe of God, but what is revealed by the law of God to be such. Sin is the transgression of the law. Sin, by the law, is divided into ten classes. Each class of sin is made known by the several oracles by which God has prohibited the same. By the fifth rule is the knowledge of the sin of dishonor to parents; by the sixth is the knowledge of the sin of murder; by the seventh is the knowledge of the sin of adultery; by the eighth that of stealing; by the ninth that of false witness; by the tenth that of covetousness.
Each rule or commandment requires the action of faith, viz: obedience to its injunction, and this is the evident sign or token of our faith in the same. James is enforcing obedience to the commandments of the divine constitution when he says, "even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone." Chap. ii, 8—20, 26.
Those who believe and obey the commandments are called WISE. The unbelieving and disobedient are called FOOL. Ps. cxix, 97—100; xix, 7; xxxvi, 3; Deut. iv, 6; Matt. vii, 24, 26; Luke xxiv, 25; 2 Tim. iii, 15; Eph. v, 15; Matt. xxv, 2—4; Prov. i, 7, 22.
If the knowledge and fear of God is the BEGINNING of wisdom, it is the beginning of faith and confidence in the word of God and in his existence. "In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence." Prov. xiv, 26. In other words, in the fear of the Lord is strong faith in the revealed knowledge of the true God.
"Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." So then, faith in the validity and obligation of the fourth oracle of God, is the BEGINNING of faith and confidence in the word of God, and in his divine existence. And the rejection of the same precept is certainly the BEGINNING of FOLLY. The beginning, also, of unbelief and want of confidence in the word of God, and in his divine existence. "The fool," or unbeliever, denies the knowledge and fear of God as revealed in the fourth commandment, and says "in his heart, there is no God." Hence, unbelief, and want of confidence in the word of God and his divine existence, and a final denial of the Supreme Being, is the result of rejecting the fourth commandment in the divine constitution, from which precept alone, faith in his existence is derived. Hence, by the fourth precept, alone, in the divine law, is the knowledge of the sin of infidelity, unbelief and atheism. By no other precept in the divine constitution is the knowledge of this sin revealed. And sin is the transgression of the law. By the law is the knowledge of sin. Hence, if the fourth commandment be destroyed, there is no precept in the divine constitution that takes cognizance of this sin. Avoid this who can.
As the no-Sabbath theory directly denies the knowledge of the existence of the Creator, the wine of this doctrine is infidelity, its dregs are atheism.
The Editor of the Advent Harbinger, in attempting to prove the "SEVENTH-DAY SABBATH ABOLISHED," frequently arrays against those who now keep the Sabbath "according to the commandment," the words of Paul, that, "Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." But as the fourth commandment is the only precept in the great constitution that points out the true God, if it be struck out, it destroys the scriptures that are framed upon it, and there is then no portion of the word of God left, upon which faith in the existence of Jehovah can rest.
The enemies of the Advent people often asserted that when 1843 should pass, those who looked for Christ at that time would turn infidels, and deny the Bible. Who would have believed that their prediction would so far be verified, that many who profess to be leaders in the Advent cause should now be found in deadly array against that precept of the great constitution which alone points out the God of the Bible. Such a position really denies the inspiration of the Holy Scriptures, for it strikes at the existence of their Author.
A man's faith is shown by his works. James ii, 14, 17, 18. The apostle James [Chap. ii, 8—20] shows in the clearest manner that the works by which faith is made perfect, is obedience to all the precepts of the royal law. Each precept requires an action of faith as the evident token of faith in the same. The work by which our faith in each precept is made perfect, is our obedience to the requirement therein contained. The fourth precept of the divine constitution, alone, points out the true God. The only action of faith in his existence therein required, as an evident sign or token of our faith in his existence, is that we, "REMEMBER the Sabbath-day to keep it holy."
Every man's faith in the existence of the one true God, the Creator of heaven and earth, is derived from that part of the word of God which is formed from that precept of the great constitution which points out Jehovah. Hence, James, in Chap. ii, 19, 20, has direct reference to the violation of the holy Sabbath, when he says, "Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well; the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?"
But some will say, "I have long believed that there is one God, the Creator of heaven and earth, and all that in them is, and have had his fear before mine eyes, and I never kept the Sabbath of the fourth commandment." But from whence did you derive your knowledge, faith and fear of God? Come it not from his word, in that precept which alone points out himself? And have you not been robbing him all your life, in refusing, or neglecting to perform the evident sign, or token of faith in his existence? To you is addressed the language of James ii, 19, 20. "Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well; the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?"
If you believe in the one true God, the Creator of heaven and earth, you are required to show the evident sign or token of your faith in him by complying with the requirement contained in that despised precept, from which alone your faith is derived. Though you should keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point or precept you have become guilty of ALL. Especially, if you fail with respect to that precept which alone reveals the Lawgiver, and contains the royal sanction, without which, not only the divine constitution, but, also, the entire system of Revelation, which is framed upon that constitution is left a dead letter, void, and of none effect. In this case you will, in the fullest sense, be guilty of ALL; for while the great I AM shall rule the beings of his own creation, his immutable law of love must ever abide as the rule of his righteous government. And just so long must the fourth precept occupy its proper place in the divine constitution, in order to continue the divine sanction. See Isa. lxvi, 22, 23. The moment that sanction is removed, all the rules of God's moral government become a dead letter, void, and of none effect.
And David, no doubt, was looking down through the vista of time with prophetic eye, and beholding the closing struggle in the controversy of Zion, when he cried out in the fullness of his soul, "Mine eyes fail for thy salvation, and for the WORD OF THY RIGHTEOUSNESS. It is time for thee, Lord, to work, for they have made VOID THY LAW." Ps. cxix, 123, 126. "Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honor me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their FEAR toward me is taught by the PRECEPT OF MEN; therefore behold I will proceed to do a marvelous work and a wonder; for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid." Isa. xxix, 13, 14. The precept of men, by which Protestants teach the fear of the Lord, is the Pope's precept for the Sunday-sabbath.
In view of the time of trouble, David has said, [Ps. xci.] "His TRUTH shall be thy SHIELD and BUCKLER." The 144,000 have the NAME and SEAL of the living God written in their foreheads. Rev. vii, 2—4; xiv, 1. This will be their principal shield and buckler in the time of trouble. The slaughtering men will have their charge not to come near any upon whom is the mark, or the NAME and seal of the living God. Eze. ix. And God will give his angels charge over them, that no plagues shall come nigh their dwelling. Ps. xci.
In the fourth commandment is contained the name and seal of Jehovah as we have already seen. And in view of the coming storm of the day of the Lord's wrath, Solomon has said, "The NAME of the Lord is a STRONG TOWER; the righteous runneth into it and is safe." Prov. xviii, 10. This will be their hiding-place in the day of the Lord's anger, until his indignation is overpast. Isa. xxvi, 20, 21; Ex. xii, 22, 23; Zeph. ii, 2.
"Therefore, wait ye upon me, saith the Lord, until the day that I rise up to the prey; for my determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them mine indignation, even all my fierce anger; for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy." Zeph. iii, 8. "I will also leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people, and they shall trust in the name of the Lord. The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity nor speak lies; neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouths." Verses 12, 13. "Some trust in chariots and some in horses; but we will REMEMBER the name of the Lord our God." Ps. xx.
Thus we see that the name of the Lord is a hiding place from the coming storm. It is a STRONG TOWER; the righteous are running into it and will be safe. The prudent man foreseeth the evil and hideth himself; the simple pass on and are punished.
It is generally supposed that the unbelieving "fool," [Ps. xiv; liii.] which "hath said in his heart, There is no God," applies only to the professed atheist, who openly avows his disbelief in the existence of a Supreme Being. But this is a great mistake. For the "fool" here referred to, does not openly avow his disbelief in the existence of God. He says this in his heart. And David proceeds to draw their character as abominably wicked. And in view of this sad condition of fallen man, David in the same Psalm cries out, "O, that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion! When the Lord bringeth back the captivity of his people, Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad." Referring to the same event, he says, [Ps. cxix.] "Mine eyes fail for thy salvation, and for the word of thy righteousness. It is time for thee, Lord, to work; for they have made void thy law." Paul, in Rom. iii, 10—18 quotes the language of these two Psalms, and in verse 10, shows that the fearful state therein described, is the real condition of the fallen race of Adam, viewed in the light of God's holy law. Consequently the "fool" referred to by David, is he that breaks the commandments of God.
The fool does not say, "There is no God," in so many words. He may even profess that he knows God while in WORKS he denies him. Titus i, 16. A man must first say in his heart, "There is no God," before his acts of life, or WORKS deny God. He first denies him in heart, then in works. The tree itself is known by the fruit it bears. "Hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him." 1 John ii, 3, 4. "Whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all." James ii, 10.
An experimental knowledge of God, the Creator, is obtained by believing and obeying the fourth rule in the divine constitution, which alone imparts this wise and revealed knowledge. For the great object of the fourth commandment, is to reveal and perpetuate an experimental knowledge of God.
"And hallow my Sabbaths; and they shall be a sign between me and you, THAT ye may KNOW that I am the Lord your God." Eze. xx, 20; See also, verse 12; Ex. xxxi, 13—17. Whoever professes to have an experimental knowledge of God, without hallowing the Sabbath, after having its light set before him, in heart and in works denies God.—Titus i, 16. "And though they say the Lord liveth, surely they swear falsely." Jer. v, 2. Because they testify to that of which they have no experimental knowledge.
In Hosea iv, 1—6, we learn that God has a CONTROVERSY with the inhabitants of the land, and threatens the destruction, not only of the inhabitants of the land, but also of the beasts of the field, the fowls of heaven and the fishes of the sea. This is now about to be accomplished in the pouring out of his wrath in the seven last plagues, without mixture. For in Isa. xxxiv, 8 we learn that the day of the Lord's vengeance is for the CONTROVERSY of Zion. And, mark it well, this controversy is because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor KNOWLEDGE OF GOD in the land. Hosea iv, 1—6.
This lack of the knowledge of God, is because the fourth commandment is forgotten and rejected; for that alone in the divine constitution, reveals the knowledge of God, the Creator. We are to REMEMBER our Creator, by remembering the memorial of his great power and skill in the work of Creation, viz: by hallowing his Sabbath, which is a sign, or memorial between him and us, that we may KNOW that he is the Lord our God.
Hosea iv, 1 says that the controversy is because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land. Verse 6 reads, "My people are destroyed for LACK OF KNOWLEDGE; Because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the LAW of thy God, I will also forget thy children." The knowledge which they have rejected, and for lack of which they are destroyed, is the knowledge of God as brought to view in verse 1. And the controversy against them is because there is no knowledge of God in the land. See, also, Jer. iv, 22; xxv, 31—33.—There is no controversy respecting the obligation of nine precepts of the divine law. But the controversy rests upon the fourth.
When we look over the world, we see that, comparatively speaking, there is no hallowing of the Sabbath of the Lord our God. And of those who profess to observe it, but a small portion realize the great object and design for which it was instituted, viz: to reveal and perpetuate the knowledge of the Creator. The truthfulness of the charge that there is no knowledge of God in the land, [Hosea iv, 1.] cannot be denied.
The controversy of Zion is with the professed church, because that there is no knowledge of God. And that lack is the effect of forgetting and rejecting the fourth commandment, which is the only precept in the divine constitution which gives the knowledge of God. Hence, the controversy is with those who reject and transgress the fourth commandment. For in thus doing they make void the entire law, and leave the whole Book of inspiration a dead letter, void, and of none effect, as we have before clearly proved.From the above considerations it is perfectly clear that among the professed people of God, is to be found the fool of the Scripture, which hath said in his heart, "There is no God." And though they profess that they know God, yet in works they deny him, by rejecting and trampling under foot that precept which points him out. "And though they say the Lord liveth, surely they swear falsely."
As the no-Sabbath principle directly denies the Creator, we see no way by which to escape the conclusion that it comes under the head of that damnable heresy of the last days, spoken of by Peter, by which its advocates even deny the Lord that bought them.
In 2 Peter we read: "But there were false prophets among the people, even as there shall be FALSE teachers AMONG you, who PRIVILY shall bring in damnable heresies, EVEN denying the Lord that bought them." We have before seen that among the professed people of God is found the fool, which hath said in his heart, "There is no God." He does not speak it out in so many words, for the reason, perhaps, that they may the more PRIVILY bring in the damnable heresy of "even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction." 2 Pet. ii, 1.
It should be borne in mind that the second epistle of Peter is addressed to those who have to contend with these false teachers and scoffers of the last days, who say, "Where is the promise of his coming: for since the fathers fell asleep all things continue as they were from the beginning of the Creation." In Chap. i, 2—4, we learn that grace and peace is multiplied unto us through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord. According as his divine power hath given to us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these [that is by the knowledge of God and by the promises] ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust."
Verse 16. "For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when ye made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eye witnesses of his majesty." Here we are pointed to the vision of the second coming of Christ, which was seen in the mount of transfiguration.
Verse 19. "We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn and the day-star arise in your hearts."
Chap. ii, 1. "But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction." Shall we not do well to take heed to Peter's sure word of prophecy, concerning the false teachers and scoffers of these last days, which constitute a most vivid and striking sign that the day will soon dawn, and the day-star arise?
The Holy Ghost has clearly identified this class of false teachers of the last days, (which are among the people of God, and against whom they will have to contend in the last controversy of Zion,) by pointing out many of their characteristic features. We think that whoever will carefully compare the epistle of Jude with 2 Peter ii, cannot fail to see that each describe this same class of false teachers. Some may be ready to inquire, what constitutes a false teacher? We answer, that a false teacher is one that does not speak, or teach according to the law and the testimony, the ten lively oracles of the constitution, which comprehend the whole duty of man. They call the moral law a yoke of bondage, and promise LIBERTY to such as will obey their teaching and forsake the law, "while they themselves are the servants of corruption." See Jude 4; 2 Peter ii, 1, 19.
If any desire a knowledge of the freedom to be enjoyed by following their teaching, they can learn what it is by reading 1 John iii, 4; Rom. vi, 20; and the advantage and profit of such freedom by reading the first clause of Rom. vi, 23. They deny the Lord that bought them, (the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ,) by turning away from the holy COMMANDMENT delivered unto them; [from which the knowledge of God is derived.] Jude 4; 2 Peter ii, 1, 21. They beguile unstable souls, and cause many to follow their pernicious ways, by reason of whom the way of truth is evil spoken of. They speak evil of the things which they know not; but what they know naturally as brute beasts in those things they corrupt themselves, and like raging waves of the sea, they foam out their own shame. 2 Peter ii, 2, 12, 14; Jude 10, 13.
They can find no Bible argument to justify their course in turning away from the holy commandment delivered unto them, and in breaking the commandments and teaching men so. For it is written, "Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. For without are dogs and sorcerers, * and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie." Rev. xxii, 14, 15.
Those who love and make a lie, do it against those who do and teach the commandments, by getting up evil reports, and saying all manner of evil against them, falsely, because they expose their false teachings. And no marvel; for if they have called the Master of the house, Beelzebub, how much more shall they do it to those of his household. But says our Master, "Blessed are ye when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely [margin, lying] for my sake." Matt. v, 11, 12. And the parable in Luke vi, 22, 23, "Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy, for behold your reward is great in heaven." Again, 2 Cor. iv, 9, 17. "For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory."
How little those who love and make a lie, and say all manner of evil falsely [lying] against those who do and teach the commandments, realize that they are heaping up for themselves, wrath against the day of wrath, and are at the same time adding to that far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory that is being weighed out for those who do and teach the commandments.
Through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of the church of God, and speak great swelling words of vanity, having men's persons in admiration because of advantage. 2 Peter ii, 3, 18; Jude 16.
They, also, wrest the words of Paul in his epistle, wherein he has spoken of these things. 2 Peter iii, 15, 16. This text is a part of Peter's sure word of prophecy, to be fulfilled by the false teachers of the last days. It is an undeniable fact, that the no-Sabbath theory is almost universally held forth, by attempting to array the words of Paul against the commandments of Jehovah. Thus fulfilling Peter's sure word of prophecy, whereunto we shall do well to take heed, seeing we know these things before and to beware, least we also being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from our own steadfastness.—But grow in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
The reader is requested to carefully compare 2 Peter ii with the epistle of Jude, and with Eze. xxxiv. These scriptures are by inspiration of God, and have their fulfillment in this our day. They are profitable to us, for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that we may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. Let us beware of a careless neglect of these scriptures to our own hurt.
Perhaps some may say that 2 Peter ii, 1, refers only to Jesus Christ, the Son of God, as the one "that bought them;" and that the rejecting of the fourth commandment does not deny Jesus Christ. To this, we reply that God created all things by Jesus Christ. The Son of God was co-worker with the Father, and identified with him in the great work of Creation.—"The Son of God had glory with the Father before the world was, and he was loved of the Father before the foundation of the world." John xvii, 5, 24.
"In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him, and without him was not any thing made that was made." "And the word was made flesh and dwelt among us." John i, 1—3, 14."Who is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of every creature; for by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him; and he is before all things, and by him all things consist." Col. i, 15—17.
"And God said, Let US make man in OUR image, after OUR likeness." Gen. i, 26. From these texts it is clear that the Son of God was identified with the Father in the great work of Creation. "The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath; therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the Sabbath." Mark ii, 27, 28. He is the Lord of Creation. The Lord of Sabbath signifies Lord of hosts or armies. He is the Lord of the hosts of Creation, and God of armies. Gen. ii, 1; Isa. i, 9; Rom. ix, 29; James v, 4.
The Sabbath is the sign, or memorial of the great work of Creation. Hence, he that rejects and denies this memorial, rejects and denies not only the Great God, but, also, his Son, by whom and for whom all things were created. Again, the Great God and his Son Jesus Christ are co-workers, and are identified together in the great work of redemption. God has bought, or redeemed his people by his Son Jesus Christ. "God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John iii, 16; 1 John iv, 9.
Said the Son of God, "No man can come unto me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him." John vi, 44. How does the Father draw men to his Son Jesus Christ? Ans. "Now we know that what things soever the law SAITH, it saith to them who are under the law; that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God."—Rom. iii, 19. "Whosoever committeth sin, transgresseth also the law; for sin is the transgression of the law." 1 John iii, 4. "By the law is the knowledge of sin." Rom. iii, 20. "Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring [or draw] us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith." Gal. iii, 24. The law of Jehovah justly condemns, and shows that the wrath of God is abiding on the transgressor of its precepts, and demands the death of the sinner. The gospel of the Son of God steps in and offers pardon, through faith in the blood of the Son of God. Hence, we see clearly that the law and the gospel are both employed in the great work of redemption, and thus mercy and truth have met together; and righteousness and peace have kissed each other. The Father and Son are identified as co-workers in the great work of redemption.
Hence, the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus belong together, and are both employed together in the great work of redemption. Said the apostle James, "My brethren have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory with respect of persons." "If ye have respect of persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the LAW as transgressors."—Chap. ii, 1, 9. In this chapter, James shows in the clearest manner, that the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ which is the faith of the Gospel, becomes but a dead faith, and is no better than the faith of devils, unless we keep all the commandments of the royal law. Hence, the importance of keeping all the commandments of God in connection with the faith of Jesus is clearly seen.
The perpetuity of the law and man's violation of it, makes the gospel of the Son of God necessary.—Abolish the law of Jehovah, and the necessity of the gospel and of faith in Jesus for the remission of sins is at once superseded. Where there is no law there is no transgression; hence, the gospel, to offer pardon would be of none effect. No man could even see the necessity of the gospel and the importance of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, without, or aside from the moral law which condemns him, and shows him to be a guilty sinner, justly exposed to the wrath of God. Hence, the law causes him to fly to Christ for the remission of guilt.
We have before shown that to abolish and do away with the fourth commandment, removes the royal sanction, and leaves the whole law a dead letter, void, and of none effect. And from the above consideration it also makes the gospel of the Son of God of none effect. Hence, we see that the rejection of the fourth commandment, denies the law and the gospel; also, the Father and the Son.
Jude points out the same class of false teachers, of whom Peter had said, they shall privily "bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them," for he testifies of them in verse 4, as even DENYING the only Lord God, AND our Lord Jesus Christ. And the beloved disciple has said, "He is ANTICHRIST that denieth the Father and the Son." 1 John ii, 22. "Little children it is the last time; and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists, whereby we know that it is the last time. They went out from US, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us they would no doubt have continued with us; but they went out that it might be made manifest that they were not all of us". Verses 18, 19.
"Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning." Verse 7. "Let that [old commandment] therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son and in the Father." Verse 24. "And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life." Verse 25.
"And this is life eternal that they might know thee, the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent." John xvii, 3. "These things have I written to you concerning them that seduce you." 1 John ii, 26. "And now, little children, abide in him, that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and yet be ashamed before him at his coming." Verse 28.
Some may be ready to say that this is plain dealing. But shall we shun to declare the whole counsel of God? Nay, verily, it is too late in the day to daub with untempered mortar. If we see the sword coming and do not raise the loud voice of alarm, the blood of souls would be required at our hand.
The Lord commands, "Cry aloud and SPARE NOT, and lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and SHOW my people their transgressions, and the house of Jacob their sins." Isa. lviii, 1. And among their transgressions is pointed out the trampling under foot the holy Sabbath. Verses 13, 14. "Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble; for the day of the Lord cometh, for it is nigh at hand; a day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness, as the morning spread upon the mountains." Joel ii, 1, 2. Our object is, if possible, to save some with fear, pulling them out of the fire. Jude 22, 23.
Here I would repeat, that the Sabbath is a SIGN between God and his people, that they might KNOW that he is the Lord their God. The following signification of the term SIGN is from Noah Webster. "Sign: A Memorial, or monument; something to preserve the memory of a thing. Visible representation as an outward sign of an inward and spiritual grace. A MARK of distinction."
The mark of the beast is, in the forehead or in the right hand. Forehead is the seat of the mind, which receives truth and righteous principles, or error and unrighteous principles. Hence, it is written, [Heb. x, 16.] "I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their MINDS will I write them." The mind and the principles received into the mind determines the acts of a man's life. The right hand is the principle member of the body, and is used in carrying out into the acts of life, what the mind determines to perform. The term right hand is extensively used in the Bible in a figurative sense to denote the principal acts or design of God and man. Ps. xlviii, 10. "Thy right hand is full of righteousness." Ps. xcviii, 1. "His right hand and his holy arm hath gotten him the victory." Isa. lxiii, 12. "That led them by the right hand of Moses, with his glorious arm." Ps. cxliv, 8. "Their right hand is a right hand of falsehood." Ps. xxvi, 10. "Their right hand is full of bribes." Isa. xliv, 20. "He feedeth on ashes: a deceived heart hath turned him aside, that he cannot deliver his soul, nor say, is there not a lie in my right hand?"
From the above we learn that a man's heart or mind determines his course of life. If his heart, or mind is deceived he goes astray, and has a lie in his acts of life, represented by his right hand. Thus, the acts of a man's life is the mark in his right hand.
Those who voluntarily receive and choose to obey the precept and tradition of men, the sabbath of the Pope, in lieu of the Sabbath of Jehovah, receive the mark of the beast in the forehead or mind. Those who obey the sabbath of the Pope instead of the Sabbath of the Lord for fear of the penalty of the decree or law, [Rev. xiii, 15-17,] receive the mark of the beast in the acts of their life, or right hand.
It is not until the light of truth is presented, and men understand that they are rejecting the fourth commandment of God, to observe in its place the institution of the beast, that the guilt of denying the Lord that bought them, and of worshiping the beast, justly rest upon them. It is those who reject the light of truth that will worship the beast and his image and receive his mark, and that will be guilty of infidelity and atheism. If any ask why these things have not been understood before, we answer, that the church has been in the dark wilderness of Papal error and tradition. And God has set his hand to recover his people from the wilderness, and to bring them forth, fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners. We have reached the time of the end when knowledge was to increase and the wise were to understand. The path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day. The night is far spent, and the day is at hand; let us therefore cast off the works of darkness and let us put on the armor of LIGHT.
Our controversy is not with those who have been led astray, while they honestly supposed themselves in the right path; but our warfare is with the blasphemous and damnable heresies of these last days, by which unstable souls are beguiled, and led into the pernicious ways of error, by reason of whom the way of truth is evil spoken of. For we know that these heresies are but a part of Satan's working, which shall yet be with all power and signs, and lying wonders, to deceive if possible the very elect.
To those who have been led to honestly believe that the commandments of God are all abolished, we would say, "ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of." "Believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they be of God." Many false teachers have gone out into the world who privily bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them. "Let that [old commandment] therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the BEGINNING. If that which ye have heard from the BEGINNING shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son and in the Father."
But we view you while in these errors as built on sliding sand, on the very brink of an awful whirlpool. And we hear the distant muttering thunders of the gathering storm of the rains and floods and winds of the time of trouble, now about to burst upon you in all its fury, wrath and indignation; when the sliding sand will be swept away, and you will be plunged down the frightful precipice into the awful vortex of certain and unrecoverable ruin.
The great day of the Lord is near; it is near and hasteth greatly. We cannot hold our peace, but must blow the trumpet in Zion, and raise the loud voice of alarm, if by any means we may save some before the storm overtake them.
Feeling something of the worth of your souls, and the value of heaven, in the name of our Master we would exhort and entreat you by all the terror of the day of the Lord's wrath and indignation, when the violation of his holy law shall receive its righteous sentence, as you value a hiding place and a covert from the storm of wrath, think on these things.
And then by all the compassion and loveliness and glory of the Son of God; by all that is lovely, desirable and glorious in the City and Paradise of God; by the value of immortality and eternal life; by all the value of that far more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory; we exhort you, in this closing scene of the controversy of Zion, to ground the weapons of your unrighteousness and unequal warfare, and surrender yourselves as prisoners of Christ our Lord and Captain, and take your stand with us around his uplifted banner. Take refuge under his truth, which shall then be thy defense and shelter. We have found the NAME of the Lord, and it is a STRONG TOWER; the righteous runneth into it and is SAFE. In this and in this alone, may you be hid in the day of the Lord's anger, and here alone may you find a shelter from the coming storm of his indignation and wrath.
Then think on these things, and do it now without delay, for the night is far spent, the DAY is at hand. It is high time to awake out of sleep, and to cast off the works of darkness, and to put on the armor of LIGHT, for these things are nigh at hand to come.
Port Byron, N. Y., Sept. 1852.