The Law and Second Corinthians Three
By E. R. Seaman
It would seem that the Harbinger continues to consider the law of God done away, and offers to his readers for strong proof, his ingenious mechanism of 2 Cor. iii. Although this subject has been noticed before, in an able manner, yet it may not be entirely unimportant to call attention to it again.—Please notice the following, from the article as published in that paper. “But if the ministration of death, WRITTEN and ENGRAVEN on STONES was to be DONE AWAY is ABOLISHED * is DONE AWAY. What can be plainer than this?” I wish to call attention to the magic influence in the application of these nine stars which seem to be fixed by continuous repetition, and joining parts of sentences, to do away the commandments of God.—If this mode of explanation can be pursued with impunity, I know not what doctrine, however absurd, that may not be sustained with equal propriety. Usually when stars are introduced to fill a blank in a sentence, it means that the part omitted is of no importance, and the impression is left on the mind of the reader, of a fair connection of the same subject. It will be perceived in the article referred to above, that after having quoted a part of verse 7, the first three stars are made to fill the place of twenty-four words, then are joined to a part of the last sentence. Next, the second set supply the place of one-hundred three words, uniting a garbled extract in verse 13.—The last three take the place of twenty-four words more, making the sum total, one-hundred fifty-one, words written by inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and left out as of no importance. All we have for these are the nine fixed stars of the Harbinger. In summing up the verdict, this we are informed is “plain Bible testimony,” or to use the language of the Harbinger, “What can be plainer than this?” The course pursued by those who make void God’s holy law, is here plainly illustrated. St. Paul is made to utter language to no profit, and the grammatical use of the king’s English most cruelly tortured. By reading the chapter, the candid reader can see that the Apostle is contrasting the two ministrations. He shows plainly that the glory which attended Moses’ ministration was far inferior to that which now enshrouds our High Priest, and the ministration of the Spirit in the Heavenly Sanctuary before the Ark of God; and although the glory which attended Moses in his ministration has passed, the law of God, which was written by his finger, even the ten commandments remain. But no longer entrusted to man’s keeping, they are in the Temple of the Tabernacle of his Testimony, in the proper place, in the Ark of his Testament. Rev. xi, 19. Hence, we hear Paul teaching the Hebrews that we have a minister of the Sanctuary, of the True Tabernacle which the Lord pitched and not man. And while I believe that the glory that attended Moses’ ministration has passed, I believe, also, that the ministration of the Spirit of the living God, which writes this holy law in our hearts, comes from the Sanctuary above, and is attended with a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, now enshrouding our High Priest. This ministration remains. And as the children of Israel could not steadfastly behold the glory of Moses’ countenance, so we say with emphasis, none will be able to behold the glory of Jesus’ countenance unless they keep the commandments of God, and have the faith of Jesus. Such only will receive glorified bodies that can stand the brightness of that scene. They must, also, have the victory over the beast, (Catholicism,) and his image, and his mark, and the number of his name if they would be caught up on the sea of glass, and sing the song of Moses, which is the song of deliverance. But those who break God’s commandments, and teach men so, will he destroy. He will say, “bring hither those mine enemies, that would not that I should reign over them, and slay them before me.” We cannot serve God and keep the Pope’s sabbath. The glorious appearance of one angel at the sepulchre made the Roman guard fall like dead men. Much more will consternation seize the commandment-breakers, when they get a glimpse of that transcendent glory which will be witnessed at the revelation of Jesus Christ. It will cause them to call for rocks and mountains to fall on them, and hide them from the face of Him that sitteth upon the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb. Then I desire to have all my sins blotted out, that I may abide under the shadow of his pavilion before the great day of his wrath shall come. Soon the solemn notes, “the harvest is passed, the summer is ended,” “he that is filthy let him be filthy still, and he that is holy let him be holy still” will be heard. Then it will be too late to seek the Lord. “Blessed are they that do his commandments;” for they shall have right to the tree of life, and enter in through the gates into the City, and be permitted to gaze on the unveiled glory of King Jesus for ever.—My soul is striving to be there. E. R. SEAMAN.
Rochester, N. Y., Sept. 1st, 1852.