Remarks on the Sabbath
By O. R. L. Crozier
From the Remarks of O. R. L. Crozier on the Sabbath.
"But we must notice the difference between the seventh day Sabbath and the Jewish festival sabbaths. The former originated at creation; the latter at Mt. Sinai. The former existed prior to, and independent of the law; the latter were a part of, and inseparable from it. The incorporation of the Sabbath into the legal ceremonies does not destroy its primitive authority: it may survive the doing away of those ceremonies in all its original importance, leaving with them only what the 'School-master' and 'tradition' had added to it. This is the only light in which I can see a harmony upon this subject. With this view, it appears clear: and the Sabbath can be kept without being 'subject to ordinances.' Verse. 20." All who set apart one day in seven as a day of rest, confess their belief in the necessity of the Sabbath still. The keeping of the first day of the week as a Sabbath, is without the authority of divine or apostolic command or example. The disciples met on the first day of the week to 'break bread;' but there is no evidence that they kept that day as a Sabbath. The Bible records no such change. Therefore if there be a Sabbath, 'the seventh day is the Sabbath.' Our Saviour said, 'The Sabbath was made for man.' If made for him he needed it: and unless his constitution is changed, he still needs it. To this all agree. Which day of the seven then shall we thus keep? Any one that we please; that which rests only on the authority of human tradition and legislation; or that which has the sanction of the great example of God, when, after he had created the world in six days, he rested on the seventh, and hallowed it? The last most certainly is the safest; especially as it is expressly enjoined by one of the ten commandments, through neither of which will any Christian dare to drive a nail. Its continuance into the Gospel dispensation, as a law which existed from the original constitution of the world, and needed no re-enactment, is recognized by our Saviour, not only in the declaration that it 'was made for man,' but also in directing his disciples to pray that their 'flight from Jerusalem at the time of its destruction, 37 years this side of the cross, might not be on 'the Sabbath day.' He speaks of the Sabbath as though it would then exist of course, as much as 'winter.' Matt. xxiv, 20. Whatever reason they had for praying thus, does not affect the case in hand; the Sabbath then existed, and here received the sanction of our blessed Lord.—Day-Dawn, Dec. 1846.