THE LAST WORK OF THE TRUE CHURCH
By M. E. Cornell
"Bind up the testimony: Seal the law among my disciples." HAVING now ascertained what the law and testimony of our text refer to, we are prepared to inquire, WHAT IS THE SEAL OF THE LAW? The seal must be something affixed to the law to point out its author; a particular mark or sign by which the law-giver is designated. It is a token of distinction, or title of royalty. The object of a seal is to show that the person to whose name it is attached, has a right to make laws and demand obedience. It is attached to the name of the law-giver as an evidence of his right to make laws. In order that the laws of men may be valid and take effect, they must be sealed or signed: some title must be affixed to show that they were made by the proper authority. For instance: if the Emperor of Russia should send forth an edict with nothing affixed but the name, Nicholas, it would have no force, and no man would regard it, simply because, as there are many in the empire of the same name, the Emperor's subjects would not know whether the author of the edict had a right to demand obedience or not. It would then be necessary for the document to be returned, and the Emperor's title of royalty added; which would probably be the words, Emperor of Russia, with a stamp of the seal of the empire. With this view of the subject we shall expect to find something in the ten commandments which will distinguish the God who gave them from all other gods: for the apostle Paul says: [1 Cor. viii, 5, 6:] 'For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many and lords many,) but to us there is but one God,' &c. This one God must have a seal [Rev. vii, 2,] or mark of distinction, by which he may be known: else how can the world be saved from idolatry. The true God cannot be distinguished from false gods by his form; for the Apostle says, "No man hath seen God at any time." 1 John iv, 12. Then the sign must be in his law: for the Apostle says again, [1 John ii, 3, 4.] "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." As the only way to know God is by his law, a man cannot say he knows him (and say the truth) when he does not keep the law. We will now read the ten commandments [Ex. xx, 3-17] and examine them closely and see whether we do not find a sign or title which cannot be claimed by any false god. We find that each of the first five commandments, speaks of God; but in the last five, he is not mentioned. We examine critically the first, second, third and fifth, and although they speak of God, yet we cannot tell by them who of all the "gods many," is the author of this law. But we have passed by the fourth. Now if there is any particular mark of distinction in this law by which we may know its author, it must be in the fourth commandment. Let us read it: "Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy: six days shalt thou labor and do all thy work; but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy man-servant, nor thy maid-servant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: for in six days THE LORD MADE HEAVEN AND EARTH, THE SEA AND ALL THAT IN THEM IS, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it." Here is the seal. The fact that the author of this law made heaven and earth and all things in them, shows that he has a right to demand obedience of all created intelligences. Baal cannot claim this seal, because he was created. Mahomet or the popes of Rome could not claim it, because they were all created beings: and nothing created, either in heaven or earth, can claim this royal title. An appeal to the Scriptures will establish the position that the object of this seal is to point out the Creator, and thus save the world from idolatry. The Psalmist David speaking of the words of God's law, says, "Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us. We will not hide them from their children, showing to the generation to come the praises of the Lord, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done. For he established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children. That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born: who should arise and declare them to their children: that they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments." Ps. lxxviii, 3-7. The main reason here given for the appointing of a law in Israel and requiring it to be taught to their posterity, is that they may not forget the works of God; which would be the case if they should not keep the law: as David says, speaking of some who turned back from the Lord, [verses 10, 11,] "They kept not the covenant of God, and refused to walk in his law and forgat his works," &c. The Sabbath of the fourth commandment in the law, being a memorial of God's great work of creating the heavens and earth, they could not, while they kept the law, forget God or his works; for God is seen through his works; as the Psalmist says again: "The heavens declare the glory of God: and the firmament sheweth his handy work. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge. There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard. Their line (rule or direction: margin) is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world." Ps. xix, 1-4. If men would know God, the heavens, the work of his hands, declare him. If they would be continually reminded of his works, he has given a fit memorial for that purpose; viz., Six days of labor and one of rest. Thus day unto day "uttereth speech" and night unto night "sheweth knowledge;" and these are a rule or direction continually pointing towards God's great work of creating the heavens and earth in six days and his rest from all his work on the seventh day. Hear David again: "Shew forth his salvation from day to day. Declare his glory among the heathen, his wonders among all people. For the Lord is great, and greatly to be praised: he is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the nations are idols; but the Lord made the heavens." Ps. xcvi, 2-5. And in another place after declaring that God's work is honorable, great and glorious, he says, "He hath made his wonderful works to be remembered. The works of his hands are verity and judgment: all his commandments are sure: they stand fast forever and ever," &c. Ps. cxi, 4, 7, 8. If all of God's commandments are sure, and stand fast forever, then the Sabbath of the fourth commandment is yet in existence; and it is by the Sabbath institution that God has made his wonderful works to be remembered. God has spoken by the prophet Isaiah, and informed man how he is to know him: he says, "To whom then will ye liken God? or what likeness will ye compare unto him? Have ye not known? have ye not heard? hath it not been told you from the beginning? have ye not understood from the foundations of the earth? It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in. To whom then will ye liken me, saith the Holy One? Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number: he calleth them all by names, by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power; not one faileth. Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary?" Isa. xl, 18-26. When God gave directions to Israel what they should say to the heathen that were worshiping the works of their own hands, he said, "Thus shall ye say unto them: The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, even they shall perish from the earth and from under these heavens. He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom and hath stretched out the heavens by his discretion." Jer. x, 11, 12. We come down to the days of the apostles, and find them following the same rule in pointing out the true God. Said Paul and Barnabas, "We preach unto you, that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven and earth and the sea and all things that are therein." Acts xiv, 15. Once more: While the apostle Paul was viewing the idolatry at Mars' hill, he said unto the men of Athens, "As I passed by and beheld your devotions, (gods that ye worship, margin,) I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you. God that made the world and all things therein; seeing he is Lord of heaven and earth dwelleth not in temples made with hands." Acts xvii, 23, 24. Here the Apostle in declaring, (pointing out,) the true God has made use of the great seal: the very words used by the prophets for the same purpose. The object of this seal is two-fold: First, it distinguishes the true God from false gods. This is apparent from the scriptures already quoted. Second, it shows that the true God is worthy to receive all honor; and (as men cannot honor God without keeping his law, see Rom. ii, 23) it also shows his right to demand obedience of his creatures. Proof, Rev. iv, 11. "Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created." In our examination of this question thus far, we have shown, 1. The object of a Seal. 2. The necessity and importance of a Seal. 3. The nature of God's seal. 4. That the seal of God's law must be in the fourth commandment. We will now endeavor to show more definitely what is the Seal of God's law. By comparing Rev. vii, 2-4, with Rev. xiv, 1, we learn that that which is called the Seal of the living God is also called the "Father's name:" and we find the same idea expressed in many scriptures, only a few of which it will be necessary here to notice. We have the following concerning the revelation of God's name to the children of Israel. "And Moses said unto God, behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? What shall I say unto them? And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM shalt thou say unto the219children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you. And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is my name forever, and this is my memorial unto all generations." Ex. iii, 13-15. The phrase, I AM THAT I AM, (according to Barr's Bible dictionary,) signifies, self existence and independence. God was not known by this phrase alone; but with it was connected the fact that he was the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; and this was to be his name and memorial unto all generations. Now we inquire, by what name was God known to them. See Exodus vi, 3. God says, "And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac and unto Jacob by the name of God Almighty," &c. According to Barr, the term Almighty signifies, omnipotence, or ability to do all things. God created heaven and earth and all things therein? Thus we see that the work of creation is alluded to for both Seal and name. Again, the same idea is conveyed in Neh. ix, 3-6. It is declared that Israel read the law one fourth part of a day, and another fourth part they confessed their sins: (a very appropriate work, inasmuch as by the law is the knowledge of sin, see Rom. iii, 20.) Then the priests arose and impressively said to the people, "Stand up and bless the Lord your God." Then they all exclaimed, "Blessed be thy glorious name which is exalted above all blessing and praise. Thou, even thou art Lord alone. Thou hast made heaven the heaven of heavens with all their host, the earth and all things that are therein." This text clearly evinces the importance of commemorating the work of creation: because it constitutes the distinctive name of God. But the mass of religionists at the present time despise this name, inasmuch as they do not consider it honorable to keep the seventh day, the true memorial of creation; but they keep the first day to commemorate the work of redemption, which they say is more important; and the memorial of creation is set aside and stigmatized as Jewish, and not worthy to be observed. Thus in despising the memorial of God's work, they despise his work; and in despising his work they despise his name; and we find that the prophet Malachi has spoken of this very work of dishonoring God and despising his name. In Mal. i, 6, he says: "A son honoreth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father where is mine honor? and if I be a master where is my fear? saith the Lord of hosts unto you. O priests that despise my name. And ye say wherein have we despised thy name." God informs them how they have despised his name by a figure of offering polluted bread upon his altar, and saying the table of the Lord is contemptible, &c. Verse 7. The priests have offered an impure offering by observing the day ordained by the gods of this world, which never was made holy; and they have despised God's name by regarding his holy Sabbath as contemptible. (Jewish.) But God says in verses 10-11, "I have no pleasure in you, neither will I accept an offering at your hand; for from the rising of the sun, even unto the going down of the same, my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering; for my name shall be great among the heathen, saith the Lord of hosts." The only way to offer a pure offering unto God's name must be to observe the true memorial of his work; and this we find the mass will refuse to do, even when the will of God is made plain before them; and they will scoff at, and ridicule the idea of celebrating the memorial of creation. Such are spoken of in verses 12, 13. Here God, in speaking of his name, says, "But ye have profaned it in that ye say the table of the Lord is polluted, and the fruit thereof, even his meat, is contemptible. Ye said also what a weariness is it! and ye have snuffed at it, saith the Lord of hosts," &c. We have seen a literal fulfillment of this prophecy when we have heard the blasphemous railings of some of the latter day priests against God's holy, just and good law, by which they evince that they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities. Jude 8. One minister, speaking of the commandments, said: "I have taken the New Testament and tumbled that old ten commandment law into hell!" And another, speaking of the same commandments said: "They are abolished, dead and buried, and do not deserve a grave-stone. It is a miserable, rickety old thunder and lightning law, and always was a curse to man." When speaking of the true Sabbath alone, we often hear the following: "It is a yoke of bondage grievous to be borne;" ("what a weariness is it;") and they call it "Jewish." ("Snuff at it.") Many will admit that all the commandments are good except the fourth, but they say that that is a carnal ordinance; therefore they will not keep it, nor teach men so. To such the great Law-giver makes the following appeal: "And now O ye priests this commandment is for you. If ye will not lay it to heart, to give glory unto my name, saith the Lord of hosts, I will even send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings," &c. Mal. ii, 1, 2. He continues in verse 9: "Therefore have I also made you contemptible and base before all the people, according as ye have not kept my ways, but have been partial in the law." The commandments being all given at the same time, and all written together on the tables of stone, one has kept just as good company as another; and yet men say the fourth is not for us in this dispensation; how just, then, and appropriate is the charge of partiality? That a knowledge of God's name is of special importance in these last days, when the seven last plagues [Rev. xvi] are soon to be poured out, is evident from the prophetic psalm of David. Ps. xci. After speaking of the noisome pestilence, that shall waste and destroy so that a thousand shall fall at the side and ten thousand at the right hand of him that abides under the shadow of the Almighty, (and declares that no evil shall befall him, nor any plague come nigh his dwelling, &c.;) he assigns the reason why the Lord will thus signally deliver him. In verse 14 he says, "Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him; I will set him on high, because he hath KNOWN MY NAME." God will have a special regard for, and deliver those that know his name; but he will pour out his judgments even upon the priests of the last days who despise it; and the time has now come when God can no longer look upon this sin with allowance; for he has declared that when he brings again the captivity of his people he will be "jealous for his holy name." Eze. xxxix, 25. When the time of trouble such as never was comes upon the earth, it will find the inhabitants thereof divided into two classes: one class will have the Father's name, [see Rev. xiv, 1,] and the other class will have the mark of the beast's name. See verse 11. The true Sabbath we have seen is the mark of God's name, because it shows his right to make laws. But the beast (Catholic church) has changed the Sabbath from the seventh to the first day; and in this act the Man of sin has exalted himself above the true God. See 2 Thess. ii, 4. Having taken off the seal or sign of God's right and power, he placed his own seal or mark in its stead; and he claims that this very act of changing the day, proves his right to make laws. See Catholic Douay catechism, p. 58. "Question: How prove you that the church hath power to command feasts and holy days?
"Answer: By the very act of changing the Sabbath into Sunday, which Protestants allow of, and therefore they fondly contradict themselves by keeping Sunday strictly, and breaking most other feasts commanded by the same church."
Question. How prove you that?
Answer. Because by keeping Sunday they acknowledge the church's power," &c. Having now considered the importance of God's name, as mentioned in the Scriptures, by showing the relation it sustains to the subject of the seal, we return to the positive testimony concerning the design of the Sabbath institution. By comparing Gen. xvii, 11 with Rom. iv, 11, we learn that seal, sign, and token, are synonymous terms, and their signification the same. This prepares us to understand the object of the Sabbath institution as God himself has given it: he says, "Verily my Sabbaths ye shall keep; for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations: that ye may know that I am the Lord that doth sanctify you." Ex. xxxi, 13. The reason here given for keeping the Sabbath or sign is that Israel may know the true God; but we have before seen that the work of creation is the sign by which the true God is known; we ask, therefore, how the Sabbath can be the sign? Answer: because it is the day on which God rested from all his work; consequently it is a memorial or sign of the work of creation. This is evident from verse 17. Speaking of the sabbath, God says, "It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed." Again: God has very definitely pointed out the design of the Sabbath by the prophet Ezekiel. Speaking of his people, he says: "Wherefore I caused them to go forth out of the land of Egypt and brought them into the wilderness; and I gave them my statutes, and shewed them my judgments which if a man do he shall even live in them. Moreover, also I gave them my Sabbaths to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the Lord that sanctify them." Eze. xx, 10-12. We have heard it said by man that the Sabbath was Jewish, and that its design was to commemorate the departure of the children of Israel from Egypt; but this is certainly a mistake: for God is here speaking of their departure from Egypt, and he declares that he "gave them his Sabbaths to be a sign that they might know him." Let God be true though all the great and learned of earth should become liars. Once more. Verses 19, 20. "I am the Lord your God: walk in my statutes and keep my judgments and do them; 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." The Sabbath of the fourth commandment is therefore the sign or seal of God: inasmuch as it is the day on which he rested from all his works. Hence in order to keep in memory and honor the true God, we must rest on the very day upon which he rested. Therefore we come to the unavoidable conclusion that Sunday-keeping cannot be God's sign or seal as it does not commemorate "his rest from all his work;" and we may add that (as far as God and the Bible are concerned) Sunday-keeping is an unauthorized institution. And now in conclusion we say: that from the abundance and clearness of the testimony, the position is forever established that the Sabbath of the fourth commandment is the true sign or SEAL OF THE LIVING GOD; and when attached to his law, becomes the SEAL OF THE LAW.