THE HOLY SABBATH OF THE LORD.
By B. F. Snook
THE perpetuity of the Sabbath is next in order and importance. Is the precept to observe it limited, or perpetual? As there are some objections to the perpetuity of the Sabbath command, we will examine them before presenting the affirmative evidence. 1. It is said, We cannot keep it. The reasons in support of this objection are 1st, Thou shalt kindle no fire on the Sabbath. Ex. xxxv. 2nd, Let no man go out of his house, or place, on the Sabbath. 3rd, Whosoever shall do any work on the Sabbath day shall be put to death. To the first, second, &c., we reply that they were only local laws, and were in force no time after the manna ceased to fall. This objection is urged as having great weight against the command of God. Even A. Campbell with all his strength makes use of it. The cause must be very frail indeed that stands on such flimsy objections. Can he prove that these two laws were in force after the manna ceased falling? He cannot. Can he prove that the manna fell in Canaan? We think not. The manna fell only in the wilderness, where there was nothing except what was sent to them. Our fathers did eat manna in the desert, as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat. Jno. vi, 31. Again, Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, [verse 22], not in Canaan. The manna was therefore confined to the wilderness. So was it with the above laws. They did not need the manna in Canaan; it was not an unproductive wilderness, but yielded abundantly. We remark again, Could they ordinarily go out of their houses while the above law was in force? Not without its violation. But God commanded them to have a holy convocation on the Sabbath. Six days shall work be done, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of rest, an holy convocation; ye shall do no work therein. Lev. xxiii, 3. A convocation is an assembly, a meeting. Webster. Here then is one law demanding a meeting on the Sabbath, while we have another demanding the same people to remain in their houses. Truly our friends would have a strange Bible if they were left alone to be its expositors. Can elder Campbell reconcile these discrepancies according to his theory? He cannot. We come now to the third objection, which is this: Whosoever does any work on the Sabbath day shall be stoned to death. We admit that Sabbath-breakers were then stoned to death, but does the Sabbath law say any such thing? It does not. Blasphemy, murder, idolatry and adultery were all punished in like manner. Lev. xx, 10, 24; xiv, 17; Deut. xvii, 15. But does the law forbidding them say anything about the penalty? It does not. But according to the reasoning of elder C., if we now break the Sabbath we should be stoned to death!! And farther, if the penalty is not to be enforced, then the law is not to be obeyed!! We presume the elder believes that the first, third, sixth and seventh commands should be obeyed. But the transgressors of either of these were in like manner stoned to death. Is he now under such a penalty if he breaks either of those laws? If not, if his reasoning is good he is under no obligation to obey such laws. We defy him or any other man to get out of this difficulty. If they can disobey either the first, third, sixth or seventh commandments without being stoned to death, Sabbath-breakers also may escape that penalty. But how is this? Moses in the law gives the penalty; the penalty was only to last as long as the law of Moses lasted, which was till the death of Christ. Therefore when the Mosaic law came to an end, the ministration of death ceased. Since that time we have had a ministration of pardon to all who will accept it, and no stoning for any crime whatever. Still the wages of sin is death. Rom. vi, 23. Those who now sin against any precept of God's law are under condemnation and must die the second death unless they repent and obtain pardon. We are also willing to admit that many cannot keep the Sabbath, also that they cannot obey God in other respects. The reason is obvious: they do not love him. For this is the love of God that we keep his commandments, and his commandments are not grievous. 1 Jno. v, 3. If men loved God with all their hearts they could obey him delightfully. They could say with David, I will delight myself in thy commandments which I have loved. Ps. cxix, 47. Also, I am a companion of all them that fear thee, and of them that keep thy precepts. Verse 63. 2. It is objected again that the Sabbath was a type, and was abolished. Elder Campbell says: "But was it not a shadow and a type? The Sabbath then was a shadow. Paul makes it and Canaan types of that rest which remaineth for the people of God. The Sabbath was by the Lord of the Sabbath set aside."—Christ. Bap. pp. 44, 45. 1st, The Sabbath, it is claimed, is a type or shadow of the rest which remains for the people of God. The proof of this is based upon Heb. iv, 4, and Col. ii, 16, 17. In Heb. iv, 4, Paul mentions the seventh day but says not a word of its being a type, much less of its being a type of the everlasting rest. So there is no aid given to the elder by this text. We will now notice his next proof, which Macknight translates as follows: "Wherefore let no man judge you in meat or in drink or in respect of a festival or of a new moon or of sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come." Two things must be proved before this testimony can weigh against the Sabbath of the Lord: First, it must be proved that the Lord's Sabbath is a type. This cannot be done. It could not typify anything in the plan of salvation; for it was instituted in Paradise before man sinned, and therefore existed before he needed a Saviour. But if it be a type it will be lost when it meets its antitype. But it will exist in the new earth. Isa. lxvi, 22, 23. Therefore it cannot be a type. Second, it must be proved that the Sabbath of the Lord is connected with festivals and meats and drinks. This cannot be done. Therefore this testimony fails to subvert the Lord's holy day. We will now show the import of this scripture. In Lev. xxiii, we have no less than four ceremonial sabbaths which are associated with feasts, meats, drinks, &c. These are called your sabbaths, and her sabbaths. In Hosea ii, 11, we have a prophecy which speaks of their abolition, and in Col. ii, 14, we have a record of its fulfillment. These with the law of Moses were written in a book, and at the death of Christ were nailed to his cross, and consequently could never be binding on any man this side of the death of Christ. But elder C. testifies that the Sabbath was binding this side of Christ's death. He says, "I would just observe that the Lord Jesus Christ observed the last Sabbath that was obligatory on any of the human race, by lying in the grave from evening to evening. Chris. Bap. p. 45. Here then is testimony from elder Campbell that the Sabbath was binding this side of the death of Christ. If so, it survived the abolition on the cross; for had Christ abolished it, there never would have been another Sabbath binding on man unless subsequently re-enacted; therefore if Christ abolished the Lord's Sabbath he must have done it by his resurrection, for elder C. says that this Sabbath was binding upon man up to this time, and Christ observed it in the grave. But we have not only his testimony that the Sabbath existed this side the cross, but that it was kept according to the commandment. This however could not have been, had the command been abolished. And they returned and prepared spices and ointments, and rested the Sabbath day according to the commandment. Luke xxiii, 56. The apostle says this writing was blotted out, nailed to his cross, &c. Can writing upon stone be blotted out? Is it natural to speak of nailing stone to wood? We think not. But writing on paper can be blotted out, and the paper can be nailed to wood. This shows that the command of God which he wrote upon tables of stone could not be blotted out, neither could they be nailed to186the cross, and that the law of Moses which was written in a book could be both blotted out and nailed to the cross. Elder Campbell's proof is thus shown to be shadowy like the festivals of which Paul was speaking, and without any weight whatever. But now we will admit for argument's sake the position of elder C. to be true that the Sabbath is a type of the rest that remains for the people of God. We ask now, Did the elder ever see the shadow of a tree that did not extend to the trunk? If so, then the Sabbath being a shadow may have been abolished before reaching its antitype; and if so, it never reached its destination nor accomplished the end for which it was appointed. But all shadows last till they meet their substance. Every type must exist till it meets its antitype. We defy any man to show otherwise. Therefore, according to Elder Campbell's own position, the Sabbath still exists and will exist, till it meets its antitype, in the rest that remains for the people of God. We now offer affirmative evidence in proof that the Sabbath command of Ex. xx, 8, is of perpetual obligation. 1. The necessity of its continuance. The Sabbath was instituted to supply man and beast with time for rest. We have shown that the necessity of this, grows out of the nature of man, and his relation to his Creator. His nature is yet the same; his natural wants are yet the same; and his relation to his Creator is yet the same. Therefore the same necessity now demands the continuance of the Sabbath which demanded its institution. The Sabbath therefore, will last as long as man lasts, or until his present nature and relation to his God so changes that the necessity for its continuance is destroyed. 2. Its nature. It is commemorative. We have shown that the Sabbath is a commemorative institution. Its great object is to commemorate creation and God's resting on the seventh day. Ex. xx, 10, 11. It is a monument always referring back to the great work of Jehovah. God first wrought six days. Secondly, rested the seventh day. Thirdly, blessed and sanctified the seventh day. The Sabbath, therefore, rests on facts and before the Sabbath can be abolished its foundation must be removed. A. Campbell says, "But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God. The reason assigned must be changed before the day of its observance could be altered. The Lord rested on the seventh day and hallowed it." Deb. with Owen, p. 303. The first fact on which the Sabbath is built is that God created the heavens and earth in six days. Second, he rested the seventh. Third, he blessed and hallowed the seventh. Are these facts in existence yet? If so, A. Campbell says they must be changed before the day of observance can be altered. Amen. They are not yet changed and therefore the divine institution resting on them still lives. Again, before the seventh day can ever become a profane day, God must take his blessing and sanctity, from it. Has he ever done it? If not it is still attached to it. Again, the Sabbath was appointed to be kept in commemoration of God's laboring and resting. As such it was observed in near all ages of the world. Elder Campbell says, "The seventh day was observed from Abraham's time; nay, from the creation." Debate p. 302. Will the Disciples hear Bro. C. on this subject? As long therefore as these facts endure, the institution designed to commemorate them must exist and will always point back to the thing commemorated. Men may trample under foot this holy day of God's, they may profane it, and make it a day of business; but they never can bring it so low but that it will arise. Neither can they ever take God's blessing and sanctity from it. Elder Campbell says, "The Sabbath cannot be changed unless creation be gone through again." Christ. Bap. p. 44. So say we of its abolition. The creation must be destroyed before the Sabbath can be abolished; for it will commemorate these works as long as they endure. 3. The Sabbath law is moral and enforces the observance of an obligation which is right in the nature of things. This obligation has existed from creation, but the command only from the time of its promulgation. From this, it is manifest that the Sabbath's institution is not dependent upon a law for its existence, but merely for its protection. The very phrase itself proves the existence of the institution from time immemorial. Remember, keep in mind, do not forget the Sabbath. To illustrate: There are two classes of obligations recognized in the Bible: moral or natural, and positive and ceremonial. The former is right in nature, and should be complied with whether commanded or not. The latter does not derive its right from the nature of things, but is made right by special command, and therefore is binding only so long as the law is in force by which it is enjoined. The Sabbath command is of the first class, and stands associated with precepts of the same nature with itself which never can be blotted out or abolished until the natural basis upon which they rest, and the relations out of which they grow are destroyed. 4. The Scriptures teach that the Sabbath obligation is perpetual. Wherefore the children of Israel (those who prevail with God) shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations for a perpetual covenant. Ex. xxxi, 16. Rem. 1. This proves that the Sabbath will last as long as the generations of Israel whether it be literal or spiritual. 2. It is therefore perpetual, never ceasing, continuing forever in future time, destined to be eternal, a perpetual covenant, a perpetual statute. Web. This scripture is therefore conclusive proof of the perpetuity of the Sabbath. Isaiah speaks of the Sabbath in language which locates it in the present dispensation. Thus saith the Lord keep judgment and do justice; for my salvation is near to come and my righteousness to be revealed. Blessed is the man that doeth this and the son of man that layeth hold on it; that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it, and keepeth his hand from doing any evil. Also the son of the stranger (Gentiles, A. Clarke) that join themselves to the Lord to serve him, and to love the name of the Lord to be his servants, every one that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of my covenant, even them will I bring to my holy mountain and make them joyful in my house of prayer; for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all people. Isa. lvi, 1, 2, 6, 7. There are certain points in this prophecy which clearly show the time of its application. First, there is a time predicted when every man should be blessed for keeping the Sabbath. Second, this is when God's house should be a house of prayer for all people. This never was at any time during the Mosaic dispensation, and therefore must belong exclusively to the Christian age. Third, this predicts a time when not the Jew only, but also the Gentile or stranger will take hold of God's covenant. The next thing of importance, is to learn what God's covenant is, it being what they are to take hold of. By referring to Deut. iv, 13, we learn that his covenant is the ten commandments. 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. Query 1. Were these all? These words the Lord spake unto all your assembly out of the midst of the fire, of the clouds and of thick darkness with a great voice, and he added no more, and he wrote them in two tables of stone. Chap. iv, 22. Query 2. Can these words be added to or diminished from? Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it; that ye may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you. Chap. iv, 2. The above scriptures testify, 1. That God's covenant or constitution is the ten commandments. The time of which Isaiah speaks, therefore, is the time when God's covenant or ten commandments is held out to man for his obedience. Those therefore who obey the ten commandments, and those only, take hold of and have Jehovah's covenant. 2. That God's covenant consists of but ten words or commands; for he spake no more. 3. That they never can be altered nor changed. His law is perfect as it is. The law of the Lord is perfect converting or restoring the soul. Psa. xix, 7. And if then perfect, it is perfect now, for perfection never changes. But if we make an addition to it, to that very moment it becomes imperfect and is not God's law, but his who made the addition. So it is, if we diminish a precept from it, or change it, in the least respect. In so doing, we render it imperfect, and it therefore ceases to be God's law, for his is a perfect law. Having shown what his covenant is, we will next show how long he has commanded it. However, before showing this, we remark that God's covenant often commands, and is the only covenant commanded in the whole Bible. Therefore any scripture which speaks of a covenant commanded, must of necessity allude to his covenant. We are now ready for the scripture which speaks on this question. But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting, upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children's children, to such as keep his covenant, that remember his commandments to do them. Ps. ciii, 17, 18. Know therefore that the Lord thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations. Deut. vii, 9. He hath remembered his covenant forever, the word which he commanded to a thousand generations. Ps. cv, 8. The works of his hands are verity and judgment. All his commandments are sure. They stand fast forever and ever, and are done in truth and uprightness. He hath commanded his covenant forever. Ps. cxi, 7-9. The righteousness of thy testimonies is everlasting. Concerning thy testimonies I have known of old that thou hast founded them forever. Ps. cxix, 144, 152. Remarks on the above. 1. The mercy of the Lord is declared unceasing, continual. 2. The mercy of the Lord is upon them who keep his covenant and do it. This proves that the covenant will exist everlastingly. 3. God is faithful and true to his promises, and keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him, and keep his covenant. But how long? To a thousand generations. This expression is the most conclusive proof of the perpetuity of this covenant. At shortest, till the end of time. 4. His commandments are sure, every one, all. They stand fast forever and ever. Ah, says the objector who would justify himself in sin, they are all sure but one; we do not believe in that old Jewish Sabbath. 5. The righteousness of thy testimonies is everlasting, thou hast founded them forever. He has commanded his covenant forever. These expressions confirm the statements in the foregoing, that the law of God is of perpetual obligation. The Sabbath is enjoined in God's covenant or law, and is therefore of the same duration. 1. Of God's covenant or law. The Father says of his Son, This is my Son, hear him. Will Antinomians hear the Son of God on this question? Will they meet us on the words? From his discourse it appears that he anticipated an excuse which many would make, justifying themselves in violating his Father's law, that he destroyed or abolished it. Think it not, says he. I am not come to destroy the law, but to fulfill. I say unto you, till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of the least of these commandments, and shall teach men187so, he shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven. But whosoever shall do and teach them shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. Matt. v, 17-19. Remark. Wesley says "Do not imagine that I am come like your teachers to destroy the law, the moral law." Geo. Campbell says, "Think not that I am come to subvert the law, I am not come to subvert the law, but to ratify. Whosoever therefore shall violate or teach others to violate, were it the least of these commandments, shall be of no esteem in the reign of heaven." The law is to last as long as heaven and earth; therefore those who obey it and teach others to obey it will be happy in the reign of heaven. But if the law was abolished how could it be obeyed after that time, and how could those who obey it be called of great esteem in the reign of heaven? But they say he fulfilled it. We grant it, and what do they gain by that? Why, say they, if he fulfilled it he abolished it, and took it out of the way and we have nothing to do with it since! He also fulfilled all righteousness. But did he abolish all righteousness? He did if the above reasoning be found. But the early Christians fulfilled the law of Christ. Gal. vi, 2. They therefore abolished it and now we are left entirely without law. Oh vain man to what extremes will you go to evade doing your duty before your God! Jesus obeyed the law and lived a life of meekness and humility as an example for us. Can those who disobey his Father's law say with him, I have kept thy commandments? John xv, 10. From the above we conclude that Christ taught the continuance of his Father's law. 2. And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, committeth adultery; and whosoever marrieth her that is put away committeth adultery. Matt. xix, 9. Here we have a comment of our Saviour, on the seventh command of his Father's law. The law here of which he speaks will exist as long as his comment upon it is truth. And his comment is truth only while the law is binding. Therefore if he abolished the law, he also abolished his comment upon it, and unless Antinomians can prove that the same law was subsequently re-enacted, there is now no law violated by a man's putting away his wife, either for fornication or anything else. 3. Master, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life? If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. Matt. xix, 16-20. In this address our Saviour recognizes the law as a rule of life, and a condition of eternal life. How different was he from modern time-servers, who say it is not now necessary that we obey any of that law at all as a rule of life; we have enough in the gospel. Had he been influenced by modern theology, he would have said, keep the law till my death. I am going to abolish it then, and after that you need not observe it. 4. The apostle Paul has also well anticipated the vice-encouraging idea that they (the apostles) made the law of none effect by the gospel. In refutation of which he says, Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: we establish the law. Rom. iii, 31. Rem. 2. The phrase, make void, is a translation of the Greek word, katargeo which is defined as follows: "To render inactive, make useless or unproductive, to cause to cease, come to an end, pass away, to render null and void, annul, abrogate, refute." In 2 Cor. iii, the word is rendered abolished in verse 13, and done away in verse 11. Also in 2 Tim. i, 10, it is rendered abolished, "hath abolished death." This should forever put an end to the controversy on this subject; for Paul here says explicitly that he was not guilty of making the law useless through the faith or gospel, but that he established the law. What then? Shall we sin because we are not under the law (condemnation of the law) but under grace? God forbid. Chap. vi, 15. Being justified by grace, rather binds us to obey the law of God than licenses us to transgress it. James' testimony is equally pointed: If ye fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself, ye do well. Why, James? Ans. For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and offend in one point, he is guilty of all. What law do you speak of, James? Ans. That law which said, Do not commit adultery. Chap. ii, 8-11. Well, we understand you, that is the seventh of the ten commandments: therefore you acknowledge that law to be binding in your time. We will now notice some absurdities of the opposite position, that the law was abolished at the death of Christ. If this be true, the world was without law from that time up to the giving of a new law, or the re-enactment of the old. About fifty days this side the Saviour's death, two commands were proclaimed: Repent and be baptized. Therefore up to this time the world is destitute of law. The next command was given, according to the record of Luke, about twenty years after this time, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. Acts xvi, 31. This is the first record of this command in an imperative form, although it was obeyed by every one who became a Christian in every instance. Therefore up to A. D. 53, the world of mankind was under only three commands—Believe, repent, be baptized. We come down four years later to A. D. 57, and can find no other laws yet. Here we find rather a puzzling case for our antinomian friends to deal with: The incestuous young man of Corinth who was living with his father's wife, how would they have convinced him of sin? Which command of the above "tripalogue" would they have assailed him with. We want no dodging here. There is no possible chance for you to evade these glaring and shameful absurdities. You need not say Paul will help you to the seventh command in Rom. xiii, 9; for that was abolished you say; consequently it is still abolished, and must be regarded as such till its re-enactment is proved. Do you say the Apostles re-enacted all but the Sabbath command? If so where is the proof? It cannot be on account of their simply mentioning them, or quoting them. A lawyer may refer to any old statute, but his referring to it does not alter it in any respect. So with the Apostles they could refer to the law and not re-enact it. But if Paul did re-enact the above law, he did not do it in time to reach the above difficulty; for his epistle to the Romans was not written till A. D. 60, which throws it at least one year too late. We think the foregoing evidence sufficiently confirmatory of our position to satisfy any man that wants the truth. And we believe that any man who holds antinomian sentiments, if honest, must yield and give up under its force. It is much easier to keep God's law than to prove its abrogation by the Son of God. You dishonor him in so doing and make him the Little Horn of Dan. vii, 25. He shall think to change times and laws. He shall speak great words against the most High, and it cast the truth to the ground. Chap. viii, 12. Thy law is the truth. Psa. cxix, 142. Here is the abolition of the law. It is strange that disobedient man will go to the obedient Jesus to get an excuse for his crimes. Do you think Jesus Christ fulfilled the above prophecy? If he abolished the law he certainly did. But how differently Isaiah speaks of his work; and how well he describes the law abolitionists. Hear ye deaf, and look ye blind that ye may see. Who is blind but my servant (pretended) or deaf as my messenger that I sent? Who is blind as he that is perfect, and blind as the Lord's servant? Seeing many things but thou observest not; opening the ears but he heareth not (because he will not). The Lord is well pleased for his righteousness sake; he will magnify the law and make it honorable. Chap. xlii, 18-21. You therefore, are deaf and blind willfully who make our Saviour fulfill the prophecy of Dan. vii, 25, instead of the one just quoted. He will not destroy the law, but will exalt and extol it and make it honorable. This he did by obeying it. Go thou and do likewise.