p. 84 | MAGNIFYING THE LAW by R. F. Cottrell

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Aug 13, 1861

MAGNIFYING THE LAW.

By R. F. Cottrell

It has been said by some that Christ magnified the law, made it honorable and took it out of the way, nailing it to the cross. But this is a strange way to make the law honorable. It was never esteemed an honor to be nailed to a cross. But the main object of law-magnifiers at the present day, seems to be to get the law entirely out of the way, or, at least, to evade the obligation to obey the fourth precept of the law.*

It is claimed then that Christ enlarged the law in several precepts, where he shows the spirituality of the commandments, as in his sermon on the mount. Then it is inferred that the Sabbath commandment was so enlarged that every day has equal claims to be considered sanctified, holy time, hence all days are alike, and what is proper to be done on any one day, is proper to be done on every day. This lays all days on a level, and as it is a necessity to labor for a livelihood, it is proper to perform that labor on any and every day of the seven. This view admits all the ten commandments binding, but finds a way to shirk the obligation of the Sabbath of the fourth commandment and evade all its force, under the pretext that the Sabbath is magnified under the gospel.

The first part of the command says, "Six days shalt thou labor." Is this magnified so that we are not to do our work on any day? Or should we understand it as if it read, Seven days shalt thou labor and do all thy work? I confess I do not understand the science of theological optics, or comprehend the powers of those glasses that magnify one object so that we can not see another.

But did Christ make the law any larger than it was before by magnifying it? He certainly did honor and extol the law, and taught its perpetuity and immutability. He might have made it greater in the eyes of men, by enlightening their minds so that they might see that it is spiritual, reaching to the thoughts and intents of the heart. But the law is just as large now as it ever was, and no larger.

David says "Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law." Ps. cxix, 18. Again he says, "Thy commandment is exceeding broad." Verse 96. It was just as broad then as it is now, since Christ has magnified it. In the sight of God, he that hated his brother then was a murderer, as well as now, and he that looked on a woman with impure desire had already committed adultery in his heart. Christ came not to destroy the law, neither did he add to it in the least. He taught just what it required, and this was what it always had required.

Again, the psalmist says, "The law of the Lord is perfect." Ps. xix, 7. Can a perfect law be magnified so as to become more perfect? If so, we may yet get an edition most perfect of all. It was perfect in David's time, and it was simply perfect in the time of the apostle James. Says James, "But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed." Margin, doing. To read this text through modern magnifying-glasses, it would read something like this: But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty till he gets it magnified so that he need not do the work which it most evidently requires, this man shall be blessed in his disobedience.

I would call the attention of our friends of the law-magnifying school to a celebrated eye-salve advertised in Rev. iii, 18, and recommended to the use of the Laodicean church. Its use will enable them to see the subject clearer with the naked eye than they now see it with the aid of their most powerful magnifying glasses. Dear friends, will you try it?

R. F. COTTRELL.