J. B. Cook's "Third Fact."
THE Advent Harbinger for Nov. 6, has six columns from the pen of J. B. Cook on the "Sabbath Question," addressed to Bro. O. Nichols. We wish now to notice only the writer's "third fact." He says: "All moral truth—nay, all the ten commandments are expressed, expanded and enforced in the gospel, save the fourth. The 1st, Mark xii, 29; 2d, Matt. iv, 10; 3d, Matt. v, 33; vi, 10; 5th, Matt. xv, 4; 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th, Matt. xix, 18; 10th, Luke xii, 15. 'Thou shalt not kill.' Beware of covetousness, is the style of Christ's command. But no mandate of Messiah was over heard touching the fourth commandment." That J. B. C.'s "third fact" may be seen in its true light, we will quote the texts which he refers to, as the nine commandments, commanded over again by Christ. 1st. "And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel, The Lord our God is one Lord." Mark xii, 29. 2d. "Then said Jesus unto him, Get the hence, Satan; for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve." Matt. iv, 10. 3d. "Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths; but I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven," &c. Matt. v, 33—37. "Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven."—Matt. vi, 10. 5th. "For God commanded, saying, Honor thy father and mother; and, he that curseth father or mother, let him die the death." Matt. xv, 4. 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th. "He saith unto him, which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness," &c. Matt. xix, 18. 10th, "And he said unto them, take heed, and beware of covetousness; for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth." Luke xii, 15. Now let us see to what extremity C. has been driven to make out his case. Look at the text he refers to [Mark xii, 29] for the first one of the Father's commandments; but so "expressed, expanded and enforced," that it is indeed "Christ's command." We have only to remark, that Mark xii, 29 speaks of the first of the two great commandments, and not the first of the ten. Here is a perfect failure in trying to show the first of the ten. See "Conversation on the Sabbath Question," on another page. Look at the text referred to for the second of the ten commandments, [Matt. iv, 10,] given by the Father, but improved by Christ. It is neither the second of the two great commandments, nor is it the second of the ten; but what Christ said to Satan! Jehovah spake the second commandment to Israel; but according to J. B. C., Christ speaks it, in its "expanded" form, to Satan!! This second failure seems much worse than the first. Look at it with care. In the text referred to for the third commandment, [Matt. v, 33,] Christ does not quote the language of the third, but what "hath been said by them (not God) of old time," relative, doubtless, to the third commandment. He then shows the true import of that commandment. We leave the reader to judge of what bearing the words, "Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven, [Matt. vi, 10,] have on the third commandment. Look at the fifth "expanded" commandment. Matt. xv, 4. Jesus here says that "God commanded, saying, Honor thy father and mother," &c. Tell us; how much is it expanded? Jesus showed the scribes and Pharisees that they made the commandment of God of none effect by their tradition. He does not give it a second time. He does not intimate a change in it. He does not call it his commandment. He refers them to the commandment of God. Ex. xx, 12. "Let no man deceive you." For the 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th expanded commandments, J. B. C. refers to Matt. xix, 18. Now look at the truth of this case. The young man came to Christ and asked, "what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?" Jesus answered, "If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments."—The young man saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, "Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness," &c. We would inquire, How much are these four commandments expanded? The truth is, that there is no intimation, or reason to suppose, that Jesus gave these four commandments on a new account. And what folly to teach that he expanded them. He says, "keep the commandments." He does not say keep the nine that I am expanding for the gospel. He refers the young man to the original law of God, the ten commandments, and spoke four of them. As to the text referred to for the tenth commandment, [Luke xii, 15,] Jesus says, "Beware of covetousness," &c. His words do not intimate the least change or expansive of the tenth commandment. Now compare the above facts relative to the texts referred to by J. B. C., for the nine commandments, also, the frequent references made to the Sabbath of the fourth commandment in the New Testament, [see conversation on the Sabbath Question,] with the statement that "all the ten commandments are expressed, expanded and enforced in the gospel, save the fourth," and J. B. C.'s "third fact" will be seen to be a gross error. An effort to make out a case; but a perfect failure. But let us look at this matter again. Admitting that the ten commandments were abolished at the cross, they were certainly binding until our Lord was crucified. Then in addition to the ten which continued to the cross, (according to J. B. C.,) Christ gave nine expanded commandments, making in all nineteen from two Law-givers. Ten contracted, Jewish commandments from Jehovah, and nine expanded, gospel commandments from Jesus!! A favored period indeed!! Again, if J. B. C. really believes that the ten commandments as given by Jehovah are Jewish, and have been abolished more than 1800 years; and that Christ has given nine expanded commandments for the gospel, why has he not warned his people in this city against circulating cards among their Sunday-School children containing the ten old contracted, Jewish commandments. Why not be consistent with their own views, and have Christ's nine, expanded, gospel commandments printed for their children?