THE TWO LAWS by Hiram Edson

Publishing Committee · Saratoga Springs, N. Y. · Oct 7, 1851

THE TWO LAWS.

By Hiram Edson

The Moral and Ceremonial; their origin, and the distinction between them; the object and design of each; the perpetuity of the moral law, and the limitation of the ceremonial law.

First, the moral law is the divine government of God which existed before the fall of man, and was the rule by which his life and acts were to be governed. Man's first voluntary act of disobedience, which involved him and his posterity in sin and death, was a violation of the first precept growing out of the first principle of the divine law, viz. "Thou shalt have no other Gods before me." The motive and object of partaking of the forbidden fruit was to become as gods. This was the very stepping-stone to all the idolatry that has corrupted and doomed this fallen and wicked world.

Every candid and reflecting mind must admit that the holy, just and righteous principles, which require created intelligent beings to love the Lord their God with all their heart, and with all their soul, and with all their mind, and their neighbor or brother as themselves, naturally and justly grow out of the relation which created intelligent beings sustain to their Creator, and one another. And a strict conformity to these principles is indispensable to the happiness and well being of all who are embraced under the moral or divine government of God. And these two principles are so intimately connected, that a violation of one of them involves the transgression of both, for he that fails in one point is guilty of all. James ii, 10. That is, he becomes an offender against the divine government of God. There is no respect of persons with God, whether they be angels or men. No one can violate these holy, just and righteous principles of God's divine government, and be innocent. Angels, which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, certainly violated these principles of the divine government; and to this agrees the word of inspiration.

It is written, [1 John iii, 8.] "He that committeth sin is of the devil, for the devil sinneth from the beginning." Inspiration has defined sin to be the transgression of the law. It may be seen from the face of the text that sin, whether committed by the devil or men, is alike a violation of the divine law; for he that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. It is written again of the devil, [John viii, 44.] that "he was a murderer from the beginning." Then he of course violated the sixth commandment, which says, "Thou shalt not kill." The text further says that he abode not in the truth. It is written, thy law is the truth. Then Satan abode not in the divine law of truth. Once more. In 2 Pet. ii, 4, we read, "For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell." From the above it is clear that the sins of angels and men are alike the transgression of the law, and also that the fall of angels was in consequence of their sin, which is defined to be the transgression of the law. Hence the law existed before angels sinned and fell. How vain then the assertion of our opponents that the divine law never existed before God delivered it from Mount Sinai. Truly, such wisdom is of this world and is foolishness with God.

The law of supreme love to God and love to our neighbor, has existed from the beginning, from the time that intelligent beings existed to be governed, and will exist while angels and redeemed saints continue to be governed. In 1 John iv, 21, we read, "And this commandment have we from him, [God the Father, see verse above,] that he who loveth God, love his brother also." 2 John i, 5, "Not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that which we have had from the beginning, that we love one another. And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, that, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it." 1 John iii, 11. "For this is the message [or commandment, margin] that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another, not as Cain," &c. Chap. ii, 7. "Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning: The old commandment is the word [or law] which ye have heard from the beginning." John, in these texts, has been talking of the law of love to God and one another, the law spoken of by Christ in Matt. xxii, 36-40. Commandment, word, and law are synonymous terms in these texts. They express one and the same meaning; for John is talking of the law of love to God and one another. It is also clear from Ex. xxiv, 12. "And the Lord said unto Moses, come up to me in the mount, and be thou there: and I will give thee tables of stone, and a LAW, and COMMANDMENTS, which I have written." Also in Matt. v, 17-19; xxii, 36, law and commandment are synonymously used. And John says, [chap. v, 2, 3,] by this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. For THIS is the love of God that we keep his commandments; and his commandments are not grievous," except to the carnal mind which cannot be subject to the law of God. It is in vain then to talk of loving God, or the children of God, understandingly, and at the same time be violating either one of the commandments. "And 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." Chap. ii, 3, 4.

The old commandment is the word [or law] which ye have heard from the beginning. John's gospel i, 1. "In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God." "God is love." 1 John iv, 8. Thus we learn that God's holy law of love is but a transcript of his own being, and the divine attributes of his own holiness and perfection. Hence it was from this consideration that Christ has said, [Luke xvi, 17.] "And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than ONE TITTLE of the law to fail."

The doctrine of these scriptures is, that it would be more consistent with the moral character and righteousness of God, to strike out of existence, and annihilate the planetary heavens, and the earth, and all his great and mighty work of creation, than to suffer one tittle of his holy law to fail. Should he do this, he would suffer one of the righteous attributes of his own holiness and moral perfection to fail. This he never can, and never will do. Hence it would be easier, and more consistent for creation to pass away, than for the Creator to suffer any portion, even one tittle, of his own holiness and moral perfection to fail. And to this agree the words of the Prophet. Isa. li, 6, 7. Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look upon the earth: for the heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a garment, and they that dwell therein shall die in like manner: But my salvation shall be for ever, and my righteousness shall NOT BE ABOLISHED. To abolish God's divine law, would be to abolish his own holiness. Ps. cxix, 142. Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and thy law is the truth. Isa. xlii, 21. "The Lord is well pleased for his righteousness sake; he will magnify the law, and make it honorable." Law and righteousness are synonymous terms in these texts. From these texts we learn that the attributes of God's holiness and moral perfection and righteousness, are revealed to us in his divine law, which he has said shall NEVER be abolished. The words of the law are the words of the covenant of which he has said, "My covenant will I not break, nor ALTER the thing that is gone out of my lips."

The worlds were framed by the word of God. Heb. xi, 3. They were made by his Son. Chap. i, 2; Col. i, 14-17. "And his name is called the word of God." Rev. xix, 13. "It is written, man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." "And the word [or law which was from the beginning] was made flesh and dwelt among us." Again, [1 John i, 1.] "That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the word of life; For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness." Said Jesus, "I am that bread of life, I am the living bread which came down from heaven." And "except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life."

Surely, none but such as are under the law of sin and death, having the carnal mind which is enmity against God, and is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be, can talk of the divine law, the transcript of God's own holiness, the word which was God and was made flesh and dwelt among us, being abolished. This is spiritualism in the highest degree. It denies both the Father and the Son. How vain then to talk of the righteousness and holiness, and moral perfection of Jehovah being relaxed, revised, improved, and amended. Surely, such wisdom is of this world, and is indeed foolishness with God, and oh, how insulting to the Majesty of heaven, whose law is the transcript of his own holiness, and is perfect, converting the soul. The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; the statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. Said Paul, do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid. Yea, we ESTABLISH THE LAW. Said David, "It is time for thee Lord to work; for they have made void thy law." "Thou hast magnified thy WORD ABOVE ALL THY NAME." God is more jealous for his moral law of truth, the attributes of his own righteousness, than he is for the name of his person.

Joseph Marsh said, a few days since, Christ fulfilled the law. He was asked if that made it void, and released us from the obligation to obey it. He replied, that Christ fulfilling

the law was like fulfilling, or filling full a certain number of pitchers. When they were filled full, they could hold no more, and no more could be done to fulfil them, or fill them full, so Christ had fulfilled the law, and he was the end of the law, and we were not under the law but under grace. To this we will let Paul reply, "Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid, yea WE ESTABLISH THE LAW." What then, shall we sin? But it is the transgression of the law, so we will read it thus: What then, shall we transgress the law because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid; know ye not that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey, whether of the transgression of the law unto death, or of obedience to the law unto righteousness. Whosoever sinneth transgresseth also the law, for sin is the transgression of the law. He that committeth sin is of the devil. John.

Because Jesus has said the Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath, and that the Son of man is Lord also of the Sabbath, some say that man is at liberty to regard, or disregard, to cherish, or put away, the Sabbath. To this we reply, that the woman was made for the man, and not man for the woman. The husband is lord also of the wife. If we disregard and put away the Sabbath on the above principle, the marriage covenant might be disregarded on the same principle. But it is strange reasoning, to take the facts of the thing existent, to prove its none existence. Heb. iv, 4-9, is also taken to prove the Sabbath of the moral law to be ceremonial, a shadow of the seventh thousand years. Mr. Marsh, in his Age to come, says, "we invite criticism on this point," "it is invulnerable." To this we reply, that every substance casts its own shadow. A shadow cannot be the primary cause of the body. The Sabbath was made for man in paradise, before the fall of man, before man needed a shadow to point him forward to the restitution. In the ceremonial law, [Lev. xxv, 2-5,] is the shadow of the seventh thousand years, and not in the moral law, neither in Heb. iv, 4-9. If the Sabbath is made a type or shadow from the sense it is used in Heb. iv, then on the same principle, the marriage covenant is made a shadow from the sense it is used in Eph. v, 22-32. And if the Sabbath be disregarded, and put away on this principle, then the marriage covenant may be on the same principle. But Paul, in these texts, speaks of these institutions in a figurative sense, and not as shadows, for a shadow ceases when it reaches its body. But the Sabbath will never cease so long as the new heavens and new earth remain. See Isa. lxvi, 22, 23. Hence the Sabbath is no shadow. Again, in order to avoid the fourth commandment it is said that Christ resolved the ten commandments into two. Matt. xxii, 36-39. But such err, not knowing the scriptures, Christ, in this text, quotes from Deut. vi, 5, and Lev. xix, 18. He left the two great principles standing on their original basis, and further said, on these hang ALL THE LAW and the prophets.

Christ and his apostles always speak of, and quote from the moral law, as standing on its original basis. See Matt. iv, 17-19; Mark xii, 29-31; Luke x, 25-33; Rom. xiii, 8, 9; Gal. 5, 14; James ii, 8-12; Rom. ii, 13, 21-28. Jesus said, think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. To fulfil is not to destroy, or do away. James has said, If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scriptures, thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself, ye do well. Mark it, James would have us do this ACCORDING to the scriptures; [Old Testament,] just as it stands on its original basis. If we do this, he says, we do well. He further teaches that WHOSOEVER [Jew or Gentile] shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in ONE POINT, he is guilty of ALL, for he [margin, that law] that said, do not commit adultery, said also do not kill. Now, if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou are become a transgressor of the law. The argument of James is, that all the commandments of the law stand on their original basis, and all remain in full force, not one point excepted, not even the fourth point, or precept, which is the Sabbath commandment.

All have transgressed the law, and the sentence of condemnation and death, and the wrath of God, has been upon them. Christ has suffered, the just for the unjust, and offered pardon, and he that obtains pardon is delivered from the sentence of the law, and is brought under pardon or grace. But the law remains in full force. If he sins again by transgressing the law, he is again brought under bondage to the law, and must obtain a second pardon, and so on for every offence, or the law will finally take vengeance upon him.

This moral law is the basis of the Abrahamic covenant, which is the gospel covenant; and is called the EVERLASTING COVENANT, and by Luke and Daniel the HOLY COVENANT. Compare Gen. xxvi, 3-5; Gal. iii, 7-9, 16, 17; 1 Chron. xvi, 13-17; Deut. vii, 9; Ps. cv, 6-10; Isa. xxiv, 5; Heb. xiii, 20; Luke i, 54, 55, 72, 73; Dan. xi, 29-33; see "Review and Herald" Vol. 1, No. 10, page 80, for a more full explanation on this point. The commandments, statutes and laws upon which the Abrahamic covenant was based, [Gen. xxvi, 4, 5,] were confirmed to Jacob for a LAW. 1 Chron. xvi, 16, 17; Ps. cv, 9, 10. It was confirmed to Jacob for a law in Horeb at Sinai. See Ex. xix, 3, 4; Deut. xxxii, 9-12; Ex. xxiv, 12; xiv, 5-9; Deut. v, 1-22; iv, 13. "And he declared unto you HIS COVENANT which he commanded you to perform, EVEN TEN COMMANDMENTS, and he wrote them upon two tables of stone." Deut. v, 22. These words the Lord spake unto all your assembly in the mount, out of the midst of the fire, of the cloud, and of the thick darkness, with a great voice; and he ADDED NO MORE, and he wrote them in two tables of stone, and delivered them unto me. This covenant, confirmed to Jacob for a law in Horeb, at Sinai, was unmixed with the ceremonial law of types and shadows. It was kept separate and distinct from it.

And let it be distinctly remembered that this covenant made with Abraham, and confirmed to Jacob for a law, the SAME is confirmed to Israel for an EVERLASTING COVENANT. The same is commanded to a thousand generations, which if multiplied by seventy years, the number of years allotted to man, [Ps. xc, 10] would make seventy thousand years. This would reach very far into the eternal state. And to this agrees the word of the Lord, [Isa. li, 6,] saying, the heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a garment, and they that dwell thereon shall die in like manner: But my salvation shall be forever, and MY RIGHTEOUSNESS [or LAW] SHALL NOT BE ABOLISHED. This law of righteousness will be written in, and remain in, the hearts and minds of his people. Then all will know him from the least to the greatest. Then his people will be all righteousness. Read Isa. lx, 19-21. John has said, [1 John iii, 7, 9,] "He that DOETH righteousness, is righteous, even as he is righteous. Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his SEED REMAINETH in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God." The seed of God is his divine law which is the attributes of his righteousness and moral perfection. This will be in, and remain in, the hearts and minds of all the redeemed family in heaven, through the eternal state, so that they cannot sin, for his seed remaineth to them. Hence his salvation shall be forever, and his righteousness SHALL NOT BE ABOLISHED. The Sabbath not excepted, "for as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the Lord, so shall your seed and your name remain. And it shall come to pass that from one new moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the Lord." Thus we have traced the moral law; from the BEGINNING of the creation, down through all dispensations, into the eternal state, where it will remain unaltered, never be abolished.

Man, by his transgression of the divine law, fell, and was brought under the dominion of "the carnal mind, which is enmity against God, for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be." God saw man in this lost condition, and, in his infinite wisdom and goodness, devised a plan of salvation, and redemption, through atonement, for the forgiveness of sins, and thus deliver man from the bondage of the carnal mind, the law of sin and death, which reigned in, and over him, that he might again become subject to the law of God, and delight in and serve the same, as did Paul and David.

THE CEREMONIAL LAW.

God saw fit to reveal the plan of atonement and restitution by Christ, through the observance of a ceremonial law of types and shadows. Had man never violated the moral law, the ceremonial law of shadows, and carnal ordinances, would never have been imposed upon them. Nehemiah ix, 13. "Thou camest down also upon mount Sinai, and speakest with them from heaven, and gavest them RIGHT JUDGMENTS, and TRUE LAWS, GOOD STATUTES, and COMMANDMENTS." Ezekiel xx, 21, 25. Because they had NOT executed my judgments, but had despised my statutes, and had POLLUTED MY SABBATHS, and their eyes were after their father's idols. WHEREFORE, I gave THEM statutes that were NOT GOOD, and judgments whereby they should not live. Peter calls these statutes last named a yoke which neither our fathers, nor we were able to bear. Acts xv, 10. From these texts we learn that the statutes and the judgments of the ceremonial law of types and shadows, was given, and imposed, because man had not executed or obeyed the statutes, and judgments, and commandments of the moral law. The pollution of the Holy Sabbath, is not the least, but the greatest offence of all, inasmuch as it is especially named as one of the prominent reasons for giving the law of types and shadows. And inasmuch as this typical law is but the shadow of the plan of

atonement and restitution by Christ, it follows that man especially needs atonement for the sin of polluting God's Sabbath, and to restore him from such a dominion of the carnal mind, the law of sin and death, which leads him to pollute God's holy sanctified time.

When God spake the ten words of his moral law from mount Sinai, unto all the congregation of Israel, they feared greatly, and said to Moses, speak thou with us, and we will hear; but let not God speak with us, lest we die. God took them at their word, and gave to Moses on the mount patterns of the Sanctuary, and vessels of the ministry, and the work and service of the priests in the Sanctuary. The slaying of beasts, and making atonement for the forgiveness, and then for the blotting out and putting away sins, the feasts, new moons, holy convocation sabbaths, and the whole typical system, were shadows of good things to come.

But this typical system was not to take full effect, or come into full force, until they came into the land of Canaan; for God, in giving these shadows, said, When ye be come into the land, which I give unto you, ye shall keep this service. Lev. xxiii, 10; Ex. xii, 25; Num. xv, 2, 18; Lev. xxv, 2. These are the statutes and judgments, concerning which the Lord commanded Moses to make a covenant with the children of Israel. The law of this covenant is called the law of Moses, the book of the covenant, and the book of the law, given by the hand of Moses. See 2 Chron. xxxiv, 14, margin, also verse 20; Deut. xxxi, 9-11, 24-26; 2 Kings, xxiii, 2, 21; Neh. viii, 1; Heb. ix, 19; x, 7; Gal. iii, 10. But the moral law, to distinguish it from the law of Moses, is called the tables of the covenant, tables of the testimony; and the ark in which these tables were put, is called the ark of the covenant of the Lord our God, and the ark of his testament. Ex. xxiv, 12; xxxi, 18; xxxii, 13, 16; xxxiv, 28, 29; Deut. iv, 13; v, 22; ix, 9-11; Rev. xi, 19.

We will still trace the law, or covenant of Moses a little further. Deut. i, 3, "And it came to pass in the fortieth year, in the eleventh month, on the first day of the month, that Moses spake unto the children of Israel, according unto all that the Lord had given him in commandment unto them." Verse 5. On this side Jordan, in the land of Moab, began Moses to declare this law, saying, &c. Chap. xxix, 1. These are the words of the covenant which the Lord commanded Moses to make with the children of Israel in the land of Moab. BESIDES the covenant which he made with them in HOREB. Mark the space of time, and the clear distinction between these two covenants. Verse 5, "And I have led you forty years in the wilderness; your clothes are not waxed old upon you, and thy shoe is not waxed old upon thy foot." Verse 10. "Ye stand this day all of you before the Lord your God; your captains of your tribes, your elders, and your officers, with all the men of Israel, your little ones, your wives, and thy stranger that is in thy camp, from the hewer of thy wood, unto the drawer of thy water: that thou shouldest enter into covenant with the Lord thy God, and into his oath, which the Lord thy God maketh with thee this day." &c. Verses 20, 21. It is said of the violator of these requirements, that he shall receive of the "curses of the covenant that are written in this book of the law." Compare with these verses, Lev. xxiii, 27-30; xx, 2-5; Deut. xxxi, 24-26. And it came to pass when Moses had made an end of writing the words of this law in a book until they were finished, that Moses commanded the Levites which bare the ark of the covenant of the Lord, saying, take this book of the law, and put it in the side of the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, that it may be there for a witness against thee. Verses 9-11. And Moses wrote this law, and delivered it unto the priests the sons of Levi, which bare the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and unto all the elders of Israel. And Moses commanded them, saying, At the end of every seven years, in the solemnity of the year of release, in the feast of tabernacles, when all Israel is come to appear before the Lord thy God in the place which he shall choose, thou shalt read this law before all Israel in their hearing. This law was required to be read, by the priests only, to the people, once in seven years. Not so with the moral law; the people were to teach the precepts of the moral law diligently. "And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates." Deut. vi, 7-9; iv, 9, 10; v, 19-20.

God has taken good care to make the distinction very clear between the moral and ceremonial laws; and especially care to keep the distinction clear between the Sabbath of the moral law, and the sabbaths of the ceremonial law. The Sabbath which was engraven in the tables of stone he claims to be "the Sabbath of the Lord thy God, and my Sabbaths, my Holy Day, the Sabbath, and the Lord's day. Read Ex. xx. 9-11; xxxi, 13-17; Eze. xx, 20; Isa. lvi, 2, 4, 6; lviii, 13; Luke xxiii, 56; Matt. xxiv, 20; Rev. i, 10.

To make the distinction clear, in Lev. xxiii, 3, the Sabbath of the Lord is brought to view, then the sabbaths of the ceremonial law, such as the first, and the seventh days of the feast of the passover, the first, and the eighth days of the feast of tabernacles, and the tenth day of the seventh month, which, in verse 32, are called your sabbaths, and in Hosea ii, 11, they are called her sabbaths, which were to cease. And Paul in Col. ii, 14-17, shows how and when they ceased, "Blotting out the hand-writing of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holy day, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days; [these are the sabbaths which are "BESIDES the Sabbaths of the Lord,"] Lev. xxiii, 24, [which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ." In Rom. xiv, Paul has direct reference to these same meats and bitter herbs, which were eaten with the unleavened bread of the passover, see Ex. xii, 8; Num. ix, 11, and feast-day sabbaths in the ceremonial law, as brought to view in Lev. xxiii, 32, 24, 39; Hosea ii, 11; Col. ii, 14-17. In 2 Cor. iii, Paul draws the contrast between the two ministrations, viz. that of Moses under the typical dispensation, and the ministration of the Spirit under the gospel dispensation. The law of Moses, while in force, inflicted temporal death as a temporal punishment for the violation of the divine law. The great object of this part of the law of Moses was to prevent, or restrain, the people from the transgression of the moral or divine law. Dan. ix, 24. Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to RESTRAIN transgression and seal up sins, &c. See margin. This ministration of death to prevent or restrain transgression of the moral law ended within the seventieth week, and gave place to the better ministration of the Spirit, that giveth life. That is, it stays the sword of justice from executing the sentence against an evil work speedily, and gives pardon and life to such as repent and become reconciled to God, and subject again to his divine law, which remains the same and unaltered. For there is only a change of the ministration, for we learn, in verse 3d of this same chapter, that that which was written and engraven in stones is now, by the new ministration of the Spirit of the living God, written in the fleshly tables* of the heart, in fulfillment of Jer. xxxi, 31-33; Heb. viii, 7-10. There is no more intimation in 2 Cor. iii, of the divine law or constitution being abolished, than there is of the constitution of these United States being abolished and done away every four years, because we have a new magistrate and a new administration every four years. The old constitution remains the same and unaltered in both cases.

By comparing Gal. v, 4, with Rom. ii, 13, the distinction between the two laws will be clearly seen. In Gal. v, 4, the ceremonial law is spoken of; but in Rom. ii, 13 the divine law is brought to view, else there would be a plain contradiction in Paul's teaching.

Our opponents say that the fourth precept is not quoted in the New Testament, as given in the decalogue, therefore it is not obligatory upon us. This principle, if carried out, would release us from all obligation to God; for not one of the first four precepts, as given in the decalogue, which contain our duty to God, are quoted in the New Testament. But the whole ten are all embraced in very many instances in the New Testament.

By looking over the last six precepts of the decalogue it will be clearly seen to be impossible to violate either one of them, and at the same time "love thy neighbor as thyself." This is also true of the first four precepts in the decalogue, which contain our duty to God. No one can violate either one of the first four precepts in the decalogue, and at the same time understandingly love God with all the heart, and with all the soul, and with all the mind. All will admit this to be true of the first three. But those who reject the Sabbath, deny it to be true of the fourth. The obligation of the first four commandments naturally grow out of the relation man sustains to his Creator; and the obligation of the last six commandments as naturally grow out of the relation man sustains to his fellow man.

Those who reject the Sabbath, entirely reject all testimony from the prophets, and Old Testament on this point; but they themselves employ the testimony of the prophets and any portion of the Old Testament to prove any favorite theory, or point of doctrine they wish to promulgate. Such a course is unfair, and inconsistent. Some such are loud in crying out against inferential testimony; but none employ it so freely as themselves.

But, although the Sabbath is abundantly proved out of the New Testament scriptures, yet the testimony of the prophets and the Old Testament scriptures, are just as valid, and as much to be received on this point, as the New. And as much to be received on this point as any other. When the prophets prophesied of things concerning the Jews in their day, they would avoid it by saying, the vision that he seeth is for many days to come, and he prophesieth of times that are afar off. They would throw it forward. And now the Gentiles, to avoid what the prophets have prophesied of them, especially concerning the Sabbath question, throw it all back on to the old Jews. Say they, the Sabbath was made for the Jews, and was obligatory upon the Jews only, and not on us Gentiles. To show the inconsistency of such a position, I will quote a few texts from the New Testament which prove the validity and sufficiency of the Old Testament scriptures. It was the manner and custom of the apostles, in preaching, and writing, to reason out of the Old Testament scriptures. Peter has said, If any man speak, let him speak as the ORACLES OF GOD. 1 Pet. iv, 11. And Stephen, in naming the very identical event of God's speaking his ten commandments with his own voice in mount Sinai unto the fathers, says of them, "Who received the lively oracles to give unto us." Compare 1 Pet. iv, 11, with Isa. viii, 20. Here we see a perfect agreement of the prophets and apostles. Paul has given us to understand [Acts xxiv, 22,] that in ALL his teachings, "witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things, than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come. He also said to Timothy [2 Tim. iii, 15-17.] "And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation, through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness; that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." Rom. xv, 4, "For whatsoever things were written aforetime, were written for our learning, that we through patience, and comfort of the scriptures might have hope." See also 1 Cor. x, 6, 11, and 1 Pet. i, 9-12. Speaking of the benefit to us, of what was revealed to the prophets, Peter says, "unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto US they did minister the things which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you, with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven." Jesus said, "If thou wilt enter into life keep the commandments," having reference to the ten precepts in the decalogue, which naturally grew out of the first two great principles, the first requires love to God, the other love to our neighbor. Here is the foundation of the constitution of God's moral government, and the foundation of the constitution of the whole Bible; for "on these two hang all the law, the ten commandments, and the prophets." All the teachings of the prophets and apostles are on these oracles of God, according to the law, or to these oracles, else there is no light in them, and they are unconstitutional. In the constitution of God's government, there are in the first place two great and sublime principles upon which the constitution is framed. The first and greatest is, to secure supreme love to God. And the second is, to secure love to one another. The constitution, framed from and based on these two grand principles, is composed of ten branches, or oracles, or statutes, which forbid ten different species or kinds of sin.

All the warnings, prohibitions, and denunciations, against every species of idolatry, in both the Old and New Testaments, grow out of, and hang upon, and have their origin, and authority from their own native branch, statute, or oracle, in the constitution which forbids idolatry. This rule is universal with respect to each branch, statute or oracle in the entire constitution. Each kind of instruction and warning, and prohibition, against each kind of sin, grows out of, and hangs upon, its own native branch or oracle in the first constitution. If any man speak, he must speak as these oracles, otherwise his teaching is unconstitutional.

But the most important point of all, and that which carries the greatest weight of influence, in causing men to become subject to a law, is to understand who the law-giver is, and his authority for claiming obedience to his law. It is the signature, or sign, of the law-giver, that must accompany the statutes, of the constitution of his government. It is the signature that brings to view the true law-giver and his authority. Without this, his laws would be powerless. It is the signature or sign of the law-giver that clothes his law with power. Without this, no law could be enforced, and no one could be compelled to yield obedience, or become subject to any such law. This brings us to examine the signature, or,

THE SIGN OF GOD.

And first let this important fact be clearly settled in the mind, that there are ten principal requirements in the constitution, and that the violation of them constitutes ten different species or kinds of sins and all kinds of requirements, in both the Old and New Testaments grow out of, and hang upon their own native branch or oracle in the constitution. This rule is universal, as above shown. And if either one of the ten oracles are blotted out, and abolished, then all of the requirements in the Bible, both by the prophets and apostles, which grew out of, and hung upon it, of necessity are become null and void; for if the foundation be gone, certainly that which was built on it, is gone with it.

Our opponents affirm that the fourth oracle was blotted out, abolished and done away at the crucifixion of Christ. Then, if it was, it is no longer, of course, a lively or living oracle of God, and no one of the apostles could any longer be authorized to speak according to this oracle after the crucifixion of Christ. Now suppose that we admit that the fourth oracle was then blotted out and abolished, and that all the teaching in the bible, which was borrowed from it, is done away with it, then certainly we have no authority to quote from the fourth oracle, nor any scripture which grew out of, and hung upon it, to prove or sustain any position or doctrine whatever.

Now, then, with this restriction upon us, we will suppose that I am called to go to some heathen nation, who are worshiping the sun, and have no knowledge of the true God, nor of his requirements of them; and I am required to teach them the true God and the obligation of his divine law upon them. And I begin by saying, thou shalt have no other gods before me. The heathen, at once, begins to inquire of me, who is this "me" God? If I quote the second and third oracles, he gets no further light from them, on this point. This question is still unanswered, and he still remains in ignorance. But I have now gone the length of my chain. I cannot touch the fourth oracle, hence I can bring no further argument on this point. But the heathen is still left in darkness on this point, and might ask again, like one of old, who is the Lord that I should obey his voice, and still claim that the sun is the true God. Now then suppose a Catholic missionary, who is sent to counteract my efforts among the heathen, should at this time interfere, and say to the heathen, that the head of the Catholic church, his holiness, rightly claims the title and majesty of "Lord God the Pope." He it is that is able to "change times and laws," and to abase and put down kings, and set up whomever he will over the kingdoms of men. He can pardon sin. He can shut up the soul in purgatory, and deliver the soul out of the same, and as an incontrovertible evidence of the fact of his exaltation above all that is called God, or that is worshiped, we are able to point you to his mark, or sign and memorial, which he has instituted as a perpetual sign and memorial of himself; viz. that Sunday, the first day of the week, shall be observed as sanctified, holy time, a day of worship throughout his dominions, and all who worship him, and are subject unto him, observe this his sign and memorial, and regard it as the most sacred of all his institutions. At this point the heathen turns, and says to me, the claims of this Catholic missionary are based on a far better foundation than your claims are; for he points me to the signature or sign and memorial of his God, which is a perpetual witness and evidence before me, which I am unable to evade. But your law bears no signature whereby I can learn who your true Law-giver is, you are unable to make that known to me. I must first understand who your Law-giver is, and his right of power and authority, before I can decide whether he has any right to subject me to his government. With the restrictions upon me, not being able to quote the fourth oracle, I am obliged to yield the point, and quit the field with shame and disgrace, and leave the Catholic missionary to triumph over me.

But, says one, you can teach them as Paul did the Athenians, who worshiped the "UNKNOWN GOD." He made known to them the true God, by declaring to them that God, that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth. But Paul here quotes from the fourth oracle, and this is his only resort, in this and all other cases, where he, or any of the apostles, have occasion to make known the true God. Here we see clearly the importance of the fourth oracle. Paul could have done nothing without it. Here we see clearly that the perpetuity and validity of the fourth oracle is clearly taught in the New Testament, and also its necessity. Deny this who can.

But, some one may say that Paul took a different course. Rom. i, 20. "For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse." The sentiment in this text is, that God's

eternal power and Godhead is clearly seen and understood by the things that are made. But how came man to know anything about the work of creation? By reading the two previous verses, it will be seen that God had revealed and made it known unto him, and verse 28 shows that they did not like to retain this knowledge of God, which had been revealed and made known unto them, and God gave them over to a reprobate mind. See also verse 21. Because when they knew God, they glorified him not as God. and their foolish heart was darkened. See Job viii, 13; Ps. i, 22, and ix, 17. Man, after seeing and understanding God's eternal power and Godhead, may forget God. The wicked shall be turned into hell and all the nations that forget God. To forget God is a sin, and is the transgression of the law, viz. of the fourth commandment. Paul, in Rom. i, 20, borrows his instruction from the fourth oracle. He must speak as the oracles of God. To the law and the testimony, if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. But some one may conclude that the testimony is something separate and aside from the law. To this I reply, that the testimony is the teachings of the prophets, and of Christ and his apostles, which are borrowed from, and grew out of, and are according to, and hung upon, the ten oracles or statutes in the law. All testimony must be according to these oracles. But to return. Paul, in Heb. xi, 3, informs us that "through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God." This also is according to the fourth oracle, and hangs upon it. Read chap. i, 2, and 2 Pet. iii, 5; John i, 3; Col. i, 16; Eph. iii, 9; Luke xxiii, 54, 56; Matt. xxiv, 20; Acts xvii, 2; Rev. i, 10. Let any unprejudiced mind read these texts, and see if these teachings of the apostles are not borrowed from, and hang upon their own native branch, the fourth statute in the law. Every candid mind will decide in the affirmative. Then let no one hereafter say that the fourth oracle or commandment is not taught in the New Testament, for it is clearly and abundantly taught therein, as the above texts and many others clearly show.