God's Law Without Exceptions
By M. E. Cornell
Interesting Extracts. No. 17.
The following extracts are from a tract entitled, "The Taking of Human Life, Incompatible with Christianity," by T. F. Tukesbury. It is advertised every week in the "World's Crisis," as "A Tract for the Times." Opening, and reading on the first page, the first sentences were the following: "Is it not true that the ten commandments were given to man that he should obey them, without exception? Is not every one of them obligatory in every case?" Here I paused in astonishment. Has the Crisis found out that Eld. Preble's spirit law is not sufficient to enforce morality in this age? Has it "fallen from grace," that it should now endorse the "old dead school-master?" I read on, and found the author declaring God's Law Without Exceptions.
"The person who voluntarily or deliberately takes the life of another, has violated a command of Heaven, as truly as he who worships an idol, commits adultery, bears false witness, or steals. They are all without exceptions, because God has given none. If, as the objector thinks, there are exceptions to God's commands, who has produced them? Where are they found? Are they not among the unfruitful works of darkness?---among the ruins of the fall, the carnal inventions of the transgressor?" Our author is also very clear on the "We answer, that there should be a distinguishing between the civil and the moral law. The moral law was binding on all, down to the end of time; but the civil and ceremonial laws were not, because Christ was to do them away in introducing the new dispensation."85"But the objector may ask, 'Was not the moral law also given by Moses?' It was; but it was 'written on tables of stone, with the finger of God,' (Ex. xxxi, 18), emphatically because it was more important, reaching down to the end of time." * "But what gives a distinguishing feature to the ten commandments, or moral law, is, that Christ has never nullified it, but sanctioned it, by teaching that neither jot nor tittle should 'pass from the law till all be fulfilled.'" How to be Subject to Human Laws.
" 'Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers.' Let it, indeed, mean rulers and magistrates: but in what sense are we to be subject to them? Are we to violate God's law, if they tell us to do so? Let the line be drawn in strict harmony with the other precepts. Is there no way to be subject to them without obeying their wicked decrees? Most certainly there is: We can be subject to all the penalties of disobedience; and this is our duty, whenever God's truth demands it in requiring obedience to the divine law. Thus, Daniel was subject to his wicked rulers, by being cast into the den; and many others, also, have suffered penalties by their rulers, as the martyrs to truth, in various ages. And we ought to be subject to magistrates, in obeying them, whenever their decrees do not conflict with the divine law. This should be regarded, in the first place, as supreme, and all other laws bend in harmony to it." pp. 7, 8.