Review and Herald, Vol. 3, No. 10. (9/16/1852)

Review and Herald

Sep 16, 1852

Publishing Committee · Rochester, N. Y. · Sep 16, 1852

The Seal of God’s Law

By H. Edson

The Commandments of God, and the Mark of the Beast brought to view by the Third Angel of Rev. xiv, considered in connection with the Angel of Chap. vii, having the Seal of the Living God.

Continued.

WHAT is the object of a seal? The seal of an earthly monarch is set with his name and title of royalty to his decrees and laws in order to ratify, confirm and give the royal sanction to the same. Thus Haman the Agagite, sealed with the king's seal the decree of Ahasuerus against the Jews. Esther iii, 12. Jezebel, also, sealed with the king's seal, the letters which she had written to cause the death of Naboth. 1 Kings xxi, 8.

The Emperor of Russia, in giving authority and royal sanction to a code of laws, would affix his name and title of royalty thus, Nicholas, Emperor of Russia. The object of thus affixing his title, Emperor of Russia, would be to reveal his majesty, right to enact laws, and also the extent of his dominion, viz: the Empire of Russia. Thus is seen the use and importance of the royal title to designate the true lawgiver. And then his seal is set as a sentinel, or witness that the name and title is the real signature of the true monarch and rightful lawgiver.—Thus his seal stands as a witness, sign, memorial or MARK of his name.

The king's seal makes his signature sure, and settles the question with all, when they see it affixed to any decree or law, that the mandate is genuine and must be obeyed. And thus the true monarch and lawgiver is KNOWN by his title of royal majesty, with his seal affixed which is the sign, memorial or mark of his name. His subjects are thus secured against all imposition.

For his seal is the true SIGN between himself and his loyal subjects, that he is their rightful lawgiver and ruler. But should the Emperor of Russia sign his name, Nicholas, and omit his seal and his title of majesty, viz: Emperor of Russia, the mandate might be disputed and set at nought. For it might be said that there are Nicholases many, but who is this that puts forth this mandate? Hence we see clearly the necessity that the royal title and seal should accompany the name, that the Emperor's mandate should be ratified and confirmed by his royal sanction, without which it is a dead letter, void, and of none effect.

If the law of an earthly monarch is but a dead letter in the absence of his seal and his royal title, which must ever accompany his name to stamp his signature as genuine, Would it not be thus with the law of Jehovah, if it were destitute of his royal sanction? which must be something in connection with his name, to reveal his majesty, right to reign, and also the extent of his dominion.

The law of Jehovah is to be sealed among his subjects, Isa. viii, 16. To seal the law, is to give it the royal sanction, or rather to restore to it the royal sanction which Jehovah affixed to his name, when he gave it, by which his Royal Majesty, right to reign, and extent of his dominion, were clearly set forth.

We are now prepared to examine the statutes of the royal law, to see if we can find Jehovah's royal sanction thus affixed.

Suppose that those who contend that the fourth oracle of God has been destroyed, and that his present constitution consists of the nine which remain, should send a missionary to the heathen, who know not God, and give him express directions that he should present but nine of the ten commandments for

"The facts are, the Seventh-day Sabbath is a Jewish institution, established in Horeb, and continued in force on the Jews until their law ended. When that law served its time out, or filled the office for which it was given, it ceased, died, was abolished taken out of the way, and nailed to the cross, and the Sabbath being a part or parcel of that law of works, it was abolished as a matter of course. And so far as any now seek to be justified by that dead law, they are fallen from grace, according to the declaration of Paul. Beware how you treat this important matter, lest you find yourself fallen from grace, when it is too late to be recovered from the fearful fall."—Harbinger, Nov. 22, 1851.

And suppose further that they direct him to assure the heathen that the Lord Jesus Christ is about to be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that KNOW NOT GOD. 2 Thess. i, 7, 8.

Faithful to his charge, the missionary warns the heathen of the swift approach of that fearful day which shall involve in utter destruction all who know not God, by casting into hell the wicked, and all the nations that FORGET GOD.

The first inquiry of the anxious heathen would be like this, Who is GOD that I may know him, and what are his commandments that I may obey them? The missionary sets before them nine of the commandments of God, and informs them that this is their whole duty to God.

He reads to them the first precept of the constitution, "Thou shalt have no other gods before me."

The heathen acknowledge that this precept is just, but anxiously ask, Who is the one true God who utters this commandment? The second precept, which forbids the bowing down to graven images, does not answer this most important question. Nor does the third which forbids the act of taking the name of God in vain.

Faithful to his trust, the missionary passes in silence that "Jewish ordinance," the fourth commandment, and rehearses to the people the last six precepts of the decalogue, one by one. They learn, indeed, from them their duty to each other, but they still remain in darkness respecting that Great Being who utters these solemn commandments.

The heathen get no ray of light from these nine commandments by which they can tell who the God of the Bible is. They inquire again, Who is HE that puts forth these solemn and fearful precepts for our obedience? How can we render obedience to them when we know not the God that forbids the worship of another besides—himself? How can we love him if we know him not? Make known to us this fearful and potent Monarch; let us see his title and his seal with his name affixed to his law; let us understand his right to reign, and what is the extent of his dominion, and we will render obedience to him. But without this, we have no evidence that this law is genuine. Until you can comply with our request and reveal unto us the one true God who is to be adored, these precepts are but a dead letter; they possess no royal sanction, and your mission is an utter failure; we are left in the dark as much as before you came to us.

From the above considerations it is a plain fact, that as the nine commandments, allowed by the no-Sabbath teachers, do not point out him who gave them, and do not contain his royal sanction and seal, they are by themselves, but a dead letter, unable to enlighten the eyes or to convert the soul. And inasmuch as the teachings of the apostles and prophets are framed according to the oracles of God which compose his constitution, the whole Bible is left with no greater authority than is possessed by such a constitution and becomes a dead letter.

That there is a sad deficiency in this constitution of nine commandments, is a fact too plain to escape the notice of any. Such a constitution being destitute of authority, it cannot clothe with authority that which is framed upon it. Hence, it must be pronounced by all very imperfect.

When the constitution was given by Jehovah in person, it consisted of TEN commandments, and was written by his finger in the tables of stone. First, the constitution, or foundation of the whole Bible, was thus given by God, himself, and afterward Moses wrote the first five books of the Bible.

But if the fourth commandment does not contain the royal sanction, the right of power, and the extent of Jehovah's dominion, or in other words, the genuine signature and seal of the Great Law-giver, and does not thus supply the sad deficiency, and clothe the law with the authority of Him who gave it, then certainly, there never has been a time since the law was first given, that it could be called perfect.

But David testifies to the character of the law of God. "The law of the Lord is PERFECT, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the Lord are

right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever; the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous ALTOGETHER." Ps. xix, 7—9.

We come down the track of time to the days of the New Testament, and listen to the testimony of Paul: "Do we then make void the law through faith?—God forbid: yea we establish the law." Rom. iii, 31. If the law was an established law in the days of Paul, most certainly it then bore the signature and royal sanction of the Lawgiver.

And James, in Chap. i and ii, testifies that the law of God is a PERFECT, ROYAL law of liberty. Yet without the sanction and authority of its Royal Giver, it could not be thus acknowledged by James.

As the nine commandments do not, of themselves, contain the royal sanction, authority or signature of the Lawgiver, they cannot alone form the perfect law of God. But we have learned from the testimony of David, Paul and James, that the law of God is perfect, and consequently, it does contain the seal and signature of the Lawgiver. Hence, it is evident that the seal and signature of Jehovah must exist 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."

The first expression of this precept calls particular attention to what it contains, as important to be noted above the other precepts. "REMEMBER the Sabbath day to keep it holy. The SEVENTH DAY is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God."

God, by Ezekiel his prophet, [Chap. xx, 10—12,] narrates his act of bringing forth his people from Egypt, and his act of giving them the law and testifies: "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." 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." See Ex. xxxi, 13—18.

In these scriptures the object of the Sabbath commandment is clearly laid open, viz: to REVEAL and MAKE KNOWN THE TRUE GOD—the Great Creator of heaven and earth. And also to be a SIGN between him and his subjects, whereby they might know that he is the Lord their God.

Precepts from a king are always known to be genuine, from the king’s SIGN or seal, which accompanies them. And so God has given his Sabbath to be his SIGN or seal, whereby his subjects may know that he is the Lord their God, the one Lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy.

The Sabbath then is the SIGN or seal of the living God. And the territory of his dominion over which his law extends, also his power and royal majesty and right to rule are revealed in the words of the fourth commandment, "The Lord MADE heaven and earth the sea and all that in them is." And the words that follow this TITLE, describe the institution of the Sabbath for a holy use or purpose viz: to be the SIGN or seal of God.

It is worthy of notice that in the last clause of the fourth commandment is the name of our Great Lawgiver, "THE LORD." And following his name is his title, giving the extent of his dominion, and his right to reign &c., in these words, "made HEAVEN and EARTH the SEA and ALL that in them is. And next in order is the Sabbath, the SIGN or seal of the living God. And thus we have the name, title and seal of our Lawgiver in regular order.

The Sabbath is the memorial or SIGN of God’s royal majesty and power in CREATING the heavens and the earth. A king’s seal is the memorial or SIGN of his royal majesty and power, and right of authority and dominion. In the same sense is the Sabbath the SIGN or SEAL of the King Eternal, the mark of Jehovah’s royal majesty and power, and extent of dominion. The fourth commandment, therefore, contains the full and perfect signature and seal of the Majesty of Heaven. It contains the signature and seal of the Divine law. The constitution of God’s moral government and religious system receives its ratification and royal sanction through the fourth precept, which alone points out himself and contains his name, title of royal majesty, and the SIGN or seal of the same.

The 144,000, who are sealed with the seal of the living God, [Rev. vii,] have his name, also, written in their foreheads. Rev. xiv, 1. An old version of the New Testament, translated in 1582 renders Rev. vii, 2, 3, as follows: "And I saw another angel ascending from the East, having THE SIGN of the living God, and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have SIGNED the servants of our God in their foreheads."

In order for the servants of God to be SIGNED in their foreheads, his NAME and seal must be written in their foreheads, which are the facts in the case. Rev. vii, 2, 3; xiv, 1. This is not an external writing in their foreheads; for the forehead is the seat of the mind; and hence it is written, "I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their MINDS will I write them." Heb. x, 16. Thus his law is sealed among his disciples, [Isa. viii, 16,] and clothed with power by his royal sanction, and thus rendered effectual and PERFECT to convert the soul and make wise the simple.

But according to the Harbinger, the ten lively oracles of the great constitution have served their time out, filled the office for which they were given, ceased, died, been abolished &c. If this be true then the wisdom and power of God (for such we have proved the commandments of God to be) has served out its time, filled its office, ceased, died, been abolished.

That paper admits, indeed, that nine of the lively oracles were incorporated into the New Testament, but this does not mend the matter. For if the fourth commandment has served its time, filled its office, and is now dead, abolished &c., then the knowledge of God, the Creator of heaven and earth and all therein, and his royal sanction and seal have all served out their time, ceased, died, been abolished. Then, as a matter of course, and as a direct consequence, all precepts that originate with God, the Creator of heaven and earth, have become null and void, having shared the same fate as the constitution out of which they grew. Relative to the great constitution, we call attention to the following from the Harbinger of March 27th, 1852.

"To correspondents. E. D. C. We understand the ten commandments sustained a similar relation to the law of Moses, that the constitution of the United States does to the law of the same. The latter is simply a writing out in detail of the principles taught in the former. Though they may be spoken of as distinct instruments, yet they are inseparably connected, and one cannot be abolished without the other sharing the same fate: especially if the constitution, or ten commandments, was abolished, the law growing out of them must also be abolished. That written on tables of stone was abolished; [2 Cor. iii.] hence, the whole law of Moses was abolished. Do not stumble at this plain truth."

We have already seen that the whole Bible grows out of the great constitution, the ten commandments. Hence, the constitution could not be abolished without the whole Bible “sharing the same fate.” “Especially if the constitution, or ten commandments were abolished, the law [the whole Bible] growing out of them must also be abolished.

As the royal sanction, seal and signature is contained in the fourth precept, if the nine commandments and that which grows out of them be severed from it, they become null and void, and thus the whole truth is cast down to the ground. And hence, if no Sabbath, then no God, no Bible, no law.

The Man of sin, when he set himself to the work of striking out the fourth commandment, aimed his blow at the root of the tree. For his purpose being to exalt himself above all that is called God, or that is worshiped, one most important step must, be taken, viz: that precept which points out the true God must be struck from the constitution.

To separate the fourth commandment from the nine, takes away the knowledge of their author, and thus casts them (and all that grows out of them) down to the ground. This is the very process by which the little horn, in its Papal form, cast down the truth to the ground, and practised, and prospered.—Dan. viii, 12. Let us now take a brief view of the effort of the little horn to destroy the sign or seal of God, which is the mark of his name, and to establish in its place THE MARK OF THE BEAST.

Whoever abolishes, and does away the Sabbath commandment, and puts another institution in its place, puts down the authority of God, (as we have already shown) and exalts another above Jehovah.—This is the very process by which the Man of sin, Papacy, or the little horn, has opposed, and exalted himself ABOVE all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he, as God, sitteth in the temple of God, SHOWING himself that he IS GOD. 2 Thess. ii, 3, 4. And he says in his heart, "I am, and there is none else beside me." Isa. xlvii.

Thus the Man of sin, has taken the place or seat of God in authority, by casting to the ground the authority of God as revealed in the fourth commandment, and has taken the reins into his own hand, and instituted another SIGN, viz: the first-day sabbath, the SIGN of his power ABOVE God, which he enjoins in the PLACE of the SIGN of God, and thus attempts to SHOW his power ABOVE GOD; for he thinks himself able to CHANGE Jehovah’s times and LAWS. Dan. vii, 25.

The Sabbath of Jehovah is the mark of his power; for it designates him as the Creator of heaven and earth. The sabbath of the Pope is the mark of that power that should exalt himself above all that is called God, and think to change times and laws: for it designates him as ABOVE God, and ABLE TO CHANGE THE LAW OF JEHOVAH. This fact must be apparent to all.

There is no other process but the above by which the Man of sin could exalt himself ABOVE all that is called GOD or that is worshiped. While Jehovah’s law in its original form, with his own royal sanction was paramount, he must be regarded ABOVE all in authority. Before an other can be exalted above him, his law must fall into the hands of an opposing rival, and that rival must sit in legislation on the law of God, and revise, alter, and CHANGE it, by removing the royal sanction of Jehovah from it, and instituting in its place the SIGN of his own power and royalty to be observed in the place of the sign of God.

And the statutes of Jehovah thus revised, are to be administered under the royal sanction of the new administration. And thus the law of God is not only altered, but the administration of it is changed to other hands. Read carefully Dan. vii, 25. Nothing short of this can fulfill the prophecy.

The holy covenant is the constitution of God’s moral government. See Dan. xi, 28, 30, 32; Deut. iv, 13; Ex. xxiv, 12; Deut. vi, 9; Isa. xxiv, 5, 6; Rom. vii, 12. The wicked powers described in Dan. vii, 24, 25; 2 Thess. ii, 3, 4; Rev. xiii, 1—10, are identical. This power has set himself against the holy covenant, or law of God, [Dan. xi, 28—32, 36; Rev. xii, 6,] and has usurped the authority and government of God over the world, [Rev. xiii, 7,] and magnified himself above every god, and spoken marvelous things against the God of gods. And in his warfare against the holy covenant, arms have stood on his part, and he has magnified himself, and required the homage and worship of them that stood on the earth. Rev. xiii, 8. Thus he sits in the temple of God, SHOWING HIMSELF THAT HE IS GOD, saying in his heart, I AM and there is NONE else beside ME.

Let us now examine the holy covenant of Jehovah, as changed, revised and altered by the Man of sin and sent forth under his sanction, with his SEAL or the SIGN of his power accompanying it. We copy from the "General Catechism" of the "Most Reverend Doctor James Butler." "revised, enlarged, improved and recommended by the four Roman Catholic Archbishops of Ireland."

"Say the ten commandments of God.
I am the Lord thy God, thou shalt not have strange gods before me.

Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.

Remember that thou keep holy the Sabbath-day.

Honor thy father and thy mother.

Thou shalt not kill.

Thou shalt not commit adultery.

Thou shalt not steal.

Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.

Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife.

Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's goods."

We trust that the reader will not lightly pass over the above. What has become of the second commandment? It is gone. This changes the numbering of all the commandments which follow. How does the Pope make up the ten commandments?—Ans. He divides the tenth commandment, and makes two of it.

But we call special attention to the act of this blasphemous power respecting the fourth commandment, which stands as the third in his statutes. Hear him expound it:

"Say the third commandment. Ans. Remember that thou keep holy the Sabbath-day. What is commanded by the third commandment? Ans. To spend the SUNDAY in prayer and other religious duties. Which are the chief duties of religion in which we should spend the Sundays? Ans. Hearing MASS devoutly; attending vespers, or evening prayers; reading moral and pious books and going to communion. What is forbidden by the third commandment?—Ans. All unnecessary servile work; and whatever may hinder the due observance of the Lord's day, or tend to profane it."

Thus we see by the above that the Man of sin has destroyed the signature and seal of the true God, the Creator of heaven and earth, and in its place has inserted the MARK OF THE BEAST.

"The Most Reverend Doctor" proceeds to vindicate the right of the head of the church (the Man of sin) to arrange all this. Under the head of "COMMANDMENTS OF THE CHURCH," he writes thus:

"Are there any other commandments besides the ten commandments of God? Ans. There are the commandments or precepts of the church, which are chiefly six. Say the six commandments of the church. Ans. (1.) To hear Mass, and to rest from servile works on Sundays, and Holy days of obligation.—(2.) To keep fast in Lent, the Ember days, the Fridays in advent and eves of certain festivals, and to abstain from flesh on Fridays, and on other appointed days of abstinence. (3.) To confess our sins to our Pastor, or other Priest, duly authorized, at least once a year." &c., &c.

Mark the above. To keep SUNDAY is the FIRST commandment of the church of ROME. But hear the Catechism again:

"Can the church err in what she teaches? Ans. No, she cannot err in matters of faith."

Now hear them define Sunday:

"The SUNDAY, or as it is sometimes called, the Lord's day, is the day on which God commenced the Creation of the world, and on which our Lord Jesus Christ was raised from the dead. This day is kept by Christians in LIEU of the Sabbath, which the Israelites celebrated on Saturday IN THE ANCIENT LAW, because God rested on that day, after creating the world, in which he was pleased to employ six days."

Now listen to the Papists once more, and you can learn their opinion of Protestant Sunday-keeping.—In a work entitled, "An antidote or Treatise of Thirty Controversies" the author speaks thus:

"The Word of God commandeth the seventh day to be the Sabbath; you [Protestants] without any precept of scripture, change it to the first day of the week only authorized by our tradition."

Thus the adherents of the beast boast themselves of the power of changing that precept through which the knowledge and fear of God is taught, [Isa. xxix, 13, 14.] and of the making void this commandment of God through their tradition.

Many have been the conjectures respecting the mark of the beast; but the word of God is definite, and does not mean any thing and everything as some vainly imagine. The word of God defines THE mark of the beast to be THE MARK OF HIS NAME.—Rev. xiv, 11. And as he has usurped the authority and government of God, and sitting in the temple of God, has revised, altered and changed the law of God, SHOWING HIMSELF THAT HE IS GOD, by being at the head of the administration of the government of God, he must of necessity have a sign, memorial, seal, or mark of his name as a god. He exalts himself above God, and speaks marvelous things against the God of gods; hence, the mark of his name is the mark of his name as a God, and necessarily takes the place of the mark of the name of the true God, above whom he has exalted himself. And we have already seen, that not content with revising the law of God, he has obliterated the mark or seal of Jehovah from the law of God, and in its place has affixed his own seal, the mark of the beast.

In the light of these facts a child may discern between the worship of Jehovah and the worship of the beast, his opposing rival. If we keep the commandments of God as uttered by his own voice, and hallow his Sabbath it will be a SIGN between him and us that He is our rightful King, the Lord our God.—Eze. xx, 19, 20. But these, who have once had their eyes open to see these great truths, and then from fear of man refuse to obey God and choose to render homage to the Pope, virtually worship the beast, and acknowledge him to be above all that is called God, or that is worshiped, and thus receive his mark. The fearful penalty of worshiping the beast and receiving his mark, may be read in Rev. xiv, 9—11.

Every shepherd has a mark set upon his flock.—And thus we have endeavored to show the distinction between the worship and mark of Jehovah, and the worship and mark of the beast. And in view of the fearful scenes now about to open upon us, we exhort you in the language of Joshua xxiv, 14, 15. "Now therefore FEAR the Lord and serve him in sincerity and in TRUTH. And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, Choose ye this day whom ye will serve." 1 Kings xviii, 31. "How long halt ye between two opinions? If the Lord be God follow him, but if Baal then follow him." If you would be wise choose the fear of the Lord, lest he mock when your fear cometh as a desolation, and your distraction, as a whirlwind, and distress and anguish cometh upon you. "Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early but they shall not find me; for that they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the Lord." Prov. i, 27—29.

To be continued.

THE SANCTUARY.

By R. F. Cottrell

BY R. F. COTTRELL.

THERE is a house in heaven built, The temple of the living God, The tabernacle true, where guilt Is washed away by precious blood.

Long since, our High Priest entered there, Who knows the frailties of our frame; Who loves to hear his people's prayer, And offer to our God the same.

The daily ministry he bore, Till ended the prophetic days; He opened then the inner door, To justify the sacred place.

Before the Ark of Ten Commands, On which the Mercy-seat is placed, Presenting his own blood, he stands, Till Israel's sins are all erased.

This work performed, the firm decree Will pass on all the sons of men, He that is filthy, let him be, He that is holy, so remain.

To Christ let living faith ascend, Keep God's Commandments, patient wait, Till we shall see our Dearest Friend, And pass, with him, the pearly gate.

Mill Grove, N. Y.

THE FOURTH COMMANDMENT.

FALSE EXPOSITION AND ITS CONSEQUENCES.

THE Fourth Commandment has been variously expounded by its professed friends. Among these expositions, none has been more injurious than that which represents it as requiring the observance, not of the Sabbath, and the seventh day, but of a Sabbath, and a seventh day—not of a certain and well known time, but of an uncertain and varying time. Yet this is the exposition of it which is given both by commentators and writers on the subject of the Sabbath. It will be found, however, that this view is generally presented in order to prepare the way to introduce the first day of the week, under the specious name of Lord's Day, into the place of the Sabbath. Thus some are made to think, that the name Sabbath may as well be applied to the first day of the week as to the seventh. But to such an exposition there are several serious objections:—

1. It is a perversion of the original text itself. In every place where the weekly Sabbath and the seventh day are spoken of, the Hebrew article is uniformly used. This article is often used like our demonstrative this—but more commonly like our definite article the—never as our indefinite article a or an; and Gesenius, in answer to the question whether it may be used indefinitely, says, "The definite article cannot be rightly said to stand indefinitely." To this opinion agree all our translators, both ancient and modern, who have rendered the terms, both in the fourth commandment and all other places of scripture, by the Sabbath and the seventh day.

2. It makes the fourth commandment to be indefinite and absurd. If that commandment only requires the observance of a Sabbath or rest, and that on a seventh day, then one might keep the seventh day, another the third day, and another the fifth day, yet all obey the commandment. What confusion would thus result from carrying out this exposition to its legitimate results? But God's commandment is not yea and nay after this manner. It says, "the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God." That man will not be held guiltless who misinterprets and misrepresents it, for however pious a purpose he may do so.

3. It is contrary to the teachings of the very men who give this exposition; for they affirm, that the fourth commandment required the keeping of the seventh day until Christ came. Now, if the Jews before Christ, were bound to keep a certain and definite day, and that the seventh day, then the commandment required a certain and definite day, and that the seventh day.

From these considerations it is evident, that those who represent the fourth commandment as requiring the observance of only a Sabbath, and that upon some one day of the seven indefinitely, are guilty of a false exposition of the commandment, and of handling the word of God deceitfully. They make a plain passage of Scripture to signify one thing for some thousands of years, and then ever afterwards to signify another thing. Thus do they make void the commandment of God, that they may keep their own traditions.

Now let us turn to a consideration of some of the consequences of this kind of exposition. Among these we will mention only three.

1. It overturns all certainty in explaining the Scriptures. If a man, in translating from a Latin or Greek author, should pervert his author's meaning in this manner, by using words in a different sense from that in which they are intended, he would be cast out and despised. But yet when a preacher represents the term the Sabbath as meaning simply a rest, that so he may call the first day of the week a rest, and therefore the Sabbath, he deals worse with the Scriptures than the translator just mentioned does with his profane author. Instead, however, of being cast out and despised, his speculations are allowed to go for truth. Thus unbelievers are encouraged in their infidelity; and occasion is given for them to say, that the Bible is interpreted by its friends to mean just what they please to have it. It is dangerous for men to use their wits thus to blind the eyes of their fellows.

2. It abolishes the Lord's Sabbath, and makes the Fourth Commandment to be a mere cipher.—First, it abolishes the Lord's Sabbath, because it teaches that the observance of the seventh day, on which God rested, and which he introduced into the commandment as one with the Sabbath, is not at all binding, but the day may be spent in any kind of labor. Is not this to abolish the Lord's Sabbath?—Second, it makes the fourth commandment a cipher, because it takes away the time, which is the seventh day, and the event commemorated, which is God's resting from his creative work. Now read the commandment, as these expounders would have it, bereft of the time, and the event commemorated. It then commands only a rest, without any precept or example as to its length or frequency. One person, therefore, may rest one hour in each day; another, one day

in a month; and a third, one month in a year; and each may call this keeping the Sabbath. Does not this make the fourth commandment a mere cipher?

3. It abuses God's Word, and misleads his people. It abuses his word by representing that the Word teaches what it does not teach, and that it fails to teach what it attempts to teach. It misleads his people, on one side, by pressing the fourth commandment to sustain the first day of the week, which it says nothing about, thus laying a yoke upon the people, requiring them to observe a day, in regard to which they will finally be asked, Who hath required this at your hands? On the other side, it misleads the people, by encouraging them to neglect a day which God hath sanctified, and commanded them to keep holy.

Such are some of the consequences of this false exposition of the fourth commandment. They affect both the sabbatic institution itself, and those whose duty it is to remember it. It is true that the persons who countenance such expositions are called very zealous and godly men; but this, instead of bettering the case, makes it worse. If they were enemies to the commandment, such things might be expected, and would be comparatively unimportant; but that the wound should be inflicted by its friends, aggravates the evil. There is occasion to tremble for some religious teachers, who profess great interest in the Sabbath; but who yet refuse to hear the truth in regard to it. Some such there are, who, if the truth be presented to them, instead of inquiring if these things are so, imitate the Jews of old, who, when they were cut to the heart, gnashed on their reprover with their teeth; and when they could endure it no longer, "stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord." Such would do well to inquire if they are not in this thing teaching error for truth, and their own traditions for the commandments of God.—Sabbath Tract, No. 9.

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