Jesus Recognizes the Sabbath Truth.

The Sabbath taught, and enforced in the New Testament.

But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the Sabbath-day. Matt.24 : 20. Jesus thus recognizes the Sabbath, more than thirty years after the Jewish sabbaths were abolished. Those who teach the no Sabbath heresy, have labored hard to explain away the important fact, that Jesus establishes the perpetuity of the Sabbath, this side of the crucifixion, as far as the destruction of Jerusalem ; but this plain fact is so well fastened "by a nail in the right place," driven by the Lord of the Sabbath, that' with all their efforts, it will not remain explained away. It does not read, the Sabbath-day of the Jews, nor their Sabbath-day; but THE SABBATH-DAY, by way of distinction, stands out in bold relief upon the sacred page.

The Scriptures of both Testaments, give the Sabbath of the Lord our God this mark of eminence. Those who oppose the true Sabbath, tell us that " the Jews were so tenacious about the strict observance of their Sabbath, that they would have prevented the disciples fleeing on that day, had they made an attempt to do so ; hence for their own salvation, Christ taught them to pray that their flight might not be on that day." All such sophistry as this does not touch the main point. Jesus did recognize the Sabbath of the Lord our God, many years after the crucifixion. Unbelief cannot hide this important fact, from those who are honestly searching for the Sabbath truth.

" And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments ; and rested the Sabbath day, according to the commandment." Luke 23 : 56.

When Jesus was nailed to the cross, the hand-writing of ordinances was abolished. Let all remember that St. Paul has forever established this point in Col. 2 : 14. At the third hour of the day, or 9 o'clock, A. M. Jesus was nailed to his cross, and at that very hour, whatever was to be abolished at the crucifixion, then died. From the sixth to the ninth hour, or 3 o'clock, P. M. darkness was over all the earth. At this hour, Jesus gave up the ghost, which gave the holy women three hours to see his body laid in the sepulchre, return and prepare the spices, and ointments, and be ready to commence the Sabbath at 6 o'clock, P. M. The fact that they rested the Sabbath day, according to the fourth commandment, after the crucifixion, shows that no change took place in relation to it, at the crucifixion.

The modern view that Jesus relaxed the Sabbath, and taught his disciples by precept and example that it was to be relaxed, charges the followers of Jesus with ignorance and folly, in being so strict about the commandment. But we choose to follow Jesus, and the example of his holy followers, and keep the Sabbath according to the commandment ; rather than to follow men who have back-slidden from present truth, and are laboring to tear down what they once labored to build up. We think it much safer to follow the sure Word, and the example of those who personally learned of Jesus, than uninspired men of this day, who are continually sliding from one position to another.

The great Apostle to the GENTILES preached on the Sabbath, and had no other regular preaching day. We have no record of his meeting with the disciples on the first day of the week but once, (Acts 20 : 7,) and that was to break bread, in the evening. It was not the evening following the first day, that they met together to break bread ; for Paul " continued his speech until mid. night," then healed Eutychus, and then went up and broke bread, which all will agree would be on the second day of the week. They met together in the evening following the seventh day, and Paul continued his speech until break of day ; then spent the day-time of the first day of the week, which is now the Pope's Sabbath, in walking to Assos, and sailing with his brethren to Mitylene. There is not, therefore, the least shade of evidence that Paul, or any of the Apostles, had any regular preaching day, but the Sabbath of the Lord our God.

"And Paul, as his MANNER was, went in unto them, and three Sabbath-days reasoned with them out of the Scriptures." Acts 27i : 2.

He preached every Sabbath, for a year and six months at Corinth, to the Jews, and to the GREEKS. See Acts 28: 4-11. " And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the GENTILES besought That these words might be preached to THEM the next Sabbath. And the next Sabbath-day came almost -the whole city together to hear the word of God." Acts 13: 42  44.

 Those who take the ground that Paul did not keep the Sabbath, say that he preached on that day, because the Jews were assembled in their synagogues on the Sabbath ; but we find the Apostle preaching elsewhere, besides the synagogues, on the seventh day, " And on the Sabbath we went out of the city by a RIVER SIDE, where prayer was wont to be made ; and we sat down, and spake unto the women which resorted thither." Acts 16 : 13.

St. Paul preached to the Jews and the Greeks, and at the request of the Gentiles, and by a RIVER SIDE. He preached every Sabbath at Corinth, for a year and six months for this was his MANNER ; therefore the assertion is untrue that he preached on the seventh day, merely because the Jews assembled in their synagogues on that day. The no-Sabbath advocates make Paul one of the most inconsistent men, that ever undertook to preach the Gospel ; for they say he taught the abolition of the Sabbath to the Galatians, Romans, and Colossians ; and at the same time was preaching to Jews and Gentiles, not only in the synagogues, but elsewhere on every Sabbathday ! The Jews never accused Paul with departing from the letter of the Sabbath law. This is strong evidence that he strictly kept it. We all know that if the Apostle had taught its abolition, the Jews would have accused him with Sabbath-breaking; for they sought for accusations to bring against him. Thus we see the Holy Sabbath taught in the New, as well as in the Old Testament. Wherever the commandments of God are taught, and enforced in the New Testament, the Sabbath is taught and enforced, for the simple reason that the Sabbath law is one of the ten commandments. God has given but ten commandments. They are his everlasting covenant, written with his finger in stones. The commandments of God, in the New Testament, as well as in the Old, mean nothing more nor less, than Jehovah's ten immutable laws. Jesus gave but one commandment to the Church. " A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another. John 13: 34. This is MY commandment, That ye love one another, AS I HAVE LOVED YOU." John 15 : 12. This new commandment is the law of Christ. " Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the LAW OF CHRIST." Gal. 6: 2.

Some teach that nine of the commandments are " embodied in the law of Christ, and enforced ; but the Sabbath law is left out. But where is the Scripture testimony that proves any such thing ? It is not in the Bible.

This is one of the smooth fables of the last days, suited to itching ears. The commandments of God are one thing, and the one law of Christ is entirely another separate thing. Jesus kept, and taught his Father's commandments, so did his Apostles ; but they never called them the law of Christ, or any part of the new commandment given by Jesus. There was no necessity for enforcing the Sabbath law, as it was not violated in the days of the Apostles, as the other nine commandments were. The only natural reason why the Apostles did not rebuke the sin of Sabbath-breaking, is, that the sin did not exist in the early Church. The Sabbath was their regular preaching day, and Paul, John, and James taught that the keeping of the commandments of God was a test of Christian fellowship, and Eternal salvation.

When Christ and his Apostles speak of the commandments, they certainly mean all ten of them. This is plain enough for any child, that wishes to believe God's truth, but unbelief can always find a handle to take hold of when it wants one. God has not revealed himself to man in such a way that he cannot doubt : if he had there would never have been an infidel in the world. If the second advent of Jesus had been so revealed that none could doubt, then this would be a world of Adventists ; but this glorious truth is so plainly revealed, that all will be without excuse in the judgment, yet few believe. Just so with the Sabbath truth which shines out as clear as the noon-day sun, yet few will believe it. All who read the Bibles, know that all ten of the commandments of God are taught, and enforced -in the New Testament as a whole ; and this is enough to condemn them at the bar of God, if they violate the fourth. Because the fourth is not separately enforced in the New Testament, those who wish to violate it for some worldly object, pride, or the fear of man, will not be guiltless.

 God will not be trifled with. His word will not return unto him void. Jehovah said of Jesus : " This is my beloved Son : hear him." Mark 9 : 7. If all would hear Jesus, and teach as he taught, they would not make such work with the law of God as they now do. Here we will listen, and learn of the meek and lowly Jesus.

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Taken from-

THE PRESENT TRUTH, 

PUBLISHED SEMI-MONTHLY—BY JAMES WHITE.

Vol. 1.  MIDDLETOWN, CONN. AUGUST, 1849.  No.3

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We are now studying - 'The Present Truth' papers published in the middle 1800's. These are called the 'Present Truth' because it WAS Present Truth for that time. So why study them now? Because TRUTH at any time is worth studying, and we KNOW that often ORIGINAL truth presented before Satan has had an opportunity to corrupt it, can be very enlightening. At the very least we will see, by the grace of God, through the Holy Spirit, what truth then is still uncorrupted today and still very relevant for us living in these dark, dark times. Our world today compared to a hundred and seventy years ago is so much worse than it was, with so much evil being called good, and good being called evil.  May God bless us as we seek HIS truth for us in our present, bringing us only closer to Him and prayerfully the Second Coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

Jesus Repaired the Moral Law He Did Not Destroy It.

Continuing our study from the PRESENT TRUTH--

The Sabbath.

As the Sabbath was made for man ; for the whole race of mankind; and as man has needed all its blessings ever since it was first instituted in Eden ; it is reasonable to conclude that God designed that it should be observed as strictly in one dispensation, as in another. I cannot see any reasons why the Jew should keep it any more strictly, than the Christian. I design to show that there is a perfect harmony in all the Scripture testimony of both Testaments, in relation to the observance of the Holy Sabbath.

The fourth commandment in the decalogue is the great Sabbath law. It is the standard to which all other Scripture testimony relating to the Sabbath should be brought, and carefully compared. "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 maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor the stranger that is within thy gates." Ex. 20 : 8-10.

The great God appointed six days for man to labor, and do ALL HIS work necessary for a livelihood; but the seventh day he designed for man to rest from this world's toil and labor, and engage in the service of his Creator. Such acts of mercy and necessity, as alleviating the distressed, either man or beast; healing the sick, and eating when hungry on the Sabbath, are no where in the Bible forbidden by God ; and are no violation of the Sabbath law in the decalogue. I know that some say that we cannot keep the Sabbath, as it is given in the Old Testament ; but this is like most of the false assertions made by those who oppose the true Sabbath. I am not ready to admit that God has given us a law, that we cannot keep. I dare not charge him with such injustice. The commandments of our holy and just God, are not grievous, but joyous to those who keep them. Those who followed Jesus from Galilee, saw his body put in Joseph's new tomb, then returned "and rested on the Sabbath according to the COMMANDMENT." See Luke 23: 54-56. They could keep the

14  THE PRESENT TRUTH.

Sabbath according to the law of God, after the ceremonial law was abolished, and so can we. Jesus stripped off the traditions with which the blind Jew had covered the Sabbath, and left it naked, resting on its own Eternal basis, the fourth commandment. The Lord of the Sabbath-day kept his Father's commandments  therefore, he and his disciples kept the Sabbath according to the fourth commandment.

Mark this. Jesus and his disciples even kept the law of Moses until the crucifixion ; so all must see the folly of those who teach that they departed from the letter of the Sabbath law! "The Scribes and, the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat : All, therefore, whatsoever they bid you observe, that OBSERVE and DO : but do not ye after their works : for they say and do not. Matt. 23 : 2, 3.

Jesus taught his disciples to observe and do, even the law of Moses. His last meeting with them, before he nailed it to his cross, was to keep the passover. How absurd then, is the view which some are teaching, that Jesus and his disciples departed from the letter of the Sabbath law, written on stones with the finger of Jehovah !! The wicked Pharisees charged the disciples with departing from the letter of the Sabbath law, when they plucked the ears of corn, and ate to satisfy present hunger ; but Jesus proved to them on the ground, that it was a false charge. He referred them to what David did when he was hungry ; also to the Priests in the Temple who were blameless. The law of Moses required the Priests to offer sacrifices on the Sabbath. " And on the Sabbath-day two lambs of the first year without spot, and two tenth deals of flour for a meat-offering, mingled with oil, and the drink offering thereof : This is the burnt-offering of every sabbath, beside the continual burnt-offering, and his drink-offering."  Num. 28: 9, 10.

The Priests then had to labor on the Sabbath ; but it was no violation of the Sabbath law ; for it was not that kind of labor prohibited in the fourth commandment. The law that came by Moses, did not compel the Priests to violate the law written by the finger of God. " Six days shalt thou labor and do all THY work." Man was to attend to his own work during the six days; then rest from HIS work on the seventh, and labor for God, who never designed that we should become stationary, and inactive on his Sabbath. The words " labor," and " work," in the fourth commandment, must be thus explained, to clear the Priests in the Temple.

Eating on the Sabbath when hungry, is no where forbidden in the Bible. Jesus and his disciples were on their way to the synagogue, when the disciples plucked and ate the corn ; and it was as lawful to eat that, when hungry on the Sabbath, as any food. According to the law of Moses they had a right to pluck the ears of corn with their hands, and eat. " When thou comest into the standing corn of thy neighbor, then thou mayest pluck the ears with thine hand : but thou shalt not move a sickle unto thy neighbor's stand-corn." Deut. 23 : 25.

Jesus never admitted that he, or his disciples departed from the letter of the Sabbath law. No, never; but always proved to his accusers, that what they did on the Sabbath was lawful, or in strict accordance with the Sabbath law. On this ground, and no other, were they GUILTLESS. "But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have MERCY, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless." Mat. 12 : 7.

If they had known that acts of mercy and necessity, such as eating when hungry, and _healing the sick on the Sabbath, were lawful, they would never have falsely charged the holy followers of Jesus with Sabbath-breaking.

Now who are ready to take their stand with the wicked Pharisee, and charge the disciples, and their holy Master, who said he had kept his Father's commandments, with departing from the letter of the fourth commandment? The very thought of such a thing seems awful! Rather let my right hand wither, and my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth, than to write, and speak, such a sentiment to the precious, waiting flock. "And they asked him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath-days ? that they might accuse him. And he said unto them, What man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the Sabbath-day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out ? How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is LAWFUL to do well on the Sabbath days." Matt. 12 : 10-12. The word lawful, signifies agreeably to law. In this text it means agreeably to the Sabbath law. Mark this : Jesus did not give them a new Sabbath law, nor intimate that the Sabbath law was to be RELAXED, or changed ; but he exposed their hy-

THE PRESENT TRUTH.  15

pocracy, in charging him with Sabbath breaking, for healing the sick, when at the same time they would relieve a dumb beast on the Sabbath. " How much then is a man better than a sheep ?" He also taught them that such acts of mercy as to lift a sheep out of a pit, and healing the sick on the Sabbath, was doing well, and according to the Sabbath law. " Wherefore it is LAWFUL to do WELL on the sabbath days." " And Jesus answering, spake unto the lawyers and pharisees, saying, Is it LAWFUL to heal on the Sabbath-days? And they held their peace. And he took him, and healed him, and let him go : And answered them, saying, Which of you shall have an ass or an ox fallen into a pit, and will not straightway pull him out on the Sabbath-day? AND THEY COULD NOT ANSWER HIM AGAIN TO THESE THINGS." Luke xiv : 3-6.

Here again Jesus referred the lawyers and Pharisees to the Sabbath law, and with it he closed their mouths, so that they could not answer him. If he had intimated that the Sabbath law was to be relaxed, and he had a right to depart from its letter, they would have railed on him ; but instead of this, he appealed to the letter of the law, and their manner of observing it, and proved to them that what he had done was LAWFUL.

When Jesus healed the daughter of Abraham, the ruler of the synagogue was filled with indignation, and said unto the people, " There are six days in which men ought to work : in them therefore come and be healed, and not on the sabbath-day. The Lord then answered him, and said, Thou hypocrite, doth not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall, and lead him away to watering ?" Luke 13 : 11-17.

This reply from the Saviour silenced the ruler of the synagogue, and put all his adversaries to shame; " and all the people rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by him." They were all convinced that it was LAWFUL and right for Jesus to heal on the Sabbath, or they would not have REJOICED.

We are sometimes referred to the case of the impotent man who was healed, and took up his bed and walked on the Sabbath, at the command of Jesus. It is said that he carried a burden ; therefore he, and his Master, who said to him, "Rise, take up thy bed and walk," broke the Sabbath. It is true that God by Jeremiah, forbid the  Jews carrying burdens in or out of the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath. He also promised them if they would diligently hearken unto him, and bring no burden through the gates of the city on the Sabbath-day ; but hallow the Sabbath-day, to do no work therein, that their city should remain FOREVER. Jer. 17: 19-25.

Jeremiah has not shown us so definitely what kind of burdens are forbidden as Nehemiah. " In those days saw I in Judah some treading wine-presses on the Sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and loading asses; as also wine, grapes, and figs, and all manner of burdens, which they brought into Jerusalem on the sabbath-day : and I testified against them in the day wherein they sold victuals?' Neh. 13: 15.

Here Nehemiah has shown us that it is burdens of merchandise, that were brought into Jerusalem on the Sabbath, that God has forbidden to be borne on the Sabbath. Now let the reader compare carrying burdens of merchandise to market to sell for worldly gain, with the healed impotent man with his bed, praising God, and the difference will be seen. One was laborious, and for worldly gain : the other was for the glory of God. One was a violation of the fourth commandment ; but the other was an act of mercy, which manifested the mighty power of God. It was doing well on the Sabbath; therefore it was lawful.

I fear I shall weary those who understand the Sabbath question, with this lengthy article. My object in being so particular, is to spread out the whole truth before those who have not carefully investigated this glorious, harmonious subject. I will notice two more objections to the true Sabbath, and leave this subject for the present. One objection is, that the Jews were forbidden by God to kindle fires on the Sabbath : and if we keep it as strictly as they did, we cannot kindle a fire on the Sabbath. If we look at this objection in its true light, the difficulty will all vanish. This direction concerning kindling fires on the Sabbath, was given to Israel in the wilderness, when God was feeding them with manna from heaven. They were a strong, healthy people in a mild climate. Their clothes were miraculously preserved, and their food was given them from heaven. God told them to cook their manna on the sixth day ; therefore they had no use for a fire on the Sabbath. If they had kindled fires to cook their manna, or to wash their clothes on the Sabbath, it would have been a plain violation of the fourth command-

16  THE PRESENT TRUTH.

ment, as it was the work which God designed for the, six days. We are differently situated. Our constitutions and climate are such, that we need the heat of a fire a portion of the year to keep us suitably warm. We kindle a fire on the Sabbath a portion of the year, as an 'act of mercy, and necessity, the same as we would water an ox or a horse, or lift a sheep out of a pit ; therefore it is lawful and right. But it is as wrong to kindle fires now, in the mild portion of the year, to cook our food on the Sabbath, which may be cooked on the sixth day, as it was for the Jews. The sixth day is the preparation day, and if we neglect any of the work of this day, and do it on the seventh, we desecrate the Holy Sabbath. The Sabbath law forbids our doing on the seventh day, that which can be done on the sixth; but acts of mercy and necessity, which cannot be done on the sixth day are lawful on the Sabbath.

A reasonable, and Scriptural observance of the Sabbath law will not freeze us, nor starve us; for the law is " HOLY," "JUST," and " GOOD."

The other objection to the true Sabbath which I will here mention, is the case of the man that was stoned to death for gathering sticks on the Sabbath. We are not told what kind of sticks he gathered, nor to what use he intended them ; but the best inference is, that he gathered them for fuel to make a fire to bake and seethe their manna. God said to them by Moses, "To-morrow is the rest of the holy sabbath unto the Lord ; bake that which ye will bake today, and seethe that ye will seethe." As they were to do all their cooking on the sixth day, this man in gathering fuel on the Sabbath was certainly doing the work of the sixth day, on the seventh, and was violating the fourth commandment. " Abide ye every man in his place, let no man go out of his place on the seventh day." Ex.24: 29. It was a violation of the express orders of Jehovah, for them to go out into the field to gather manna, or fuel on the Sabbath. It was doing on the seventh day the work of the sixth, and was a bold transgression of the Sabbath law, written with the finger of God. It was as wrong for them to gather sticks for fuel on the Sabbath, as it would be for us to chop and draw wood on God's holy day. If we should do this, all the world would unite in saying that we had broken the fourth commandment. Some will almost stone us now, for doing such things on the first day of the week, the Pope's Sabbath. (((Remember this was written in the 1800's))))

The children of Israel while in the wilderness were not to go out of their places on the Sabbath to gather manna, or do any other work which should have been done on the sixth day ; but after this they did go out of their places on the Sabbath ; not to do servile work, but to worship God. The Jews had what they called a Sabbath day's journey, and certainly they had to go out of their places, or dwelling to walk about one mile. The wages or penalty of transgressing the law of God was, and still is, Eternal Death. " For the wages of sin is DEATH." Rom. 6 : 23. And " sin is the transgression of the law." 1 John 3: 4. During the ministration of the law of God by Moses, the wilful transgressor was immediately stoned to death : but under the ministration of God's law by Jesus Christ, it is long-suffering and tender mercy. In this better dispensation, God for Jesus' sake spares the life of the transgressor that he may turn and keep the law of God, and find pardon through Jesus Christ, and live.

During the time of the first covenant, which was faulty, stern justice cut the transgressor down ; but since Jesus has been our only sacrifice and Priest, MERCY, the excellency and glory of the better covenant, has interposed, and given the transgressor of the holy law of God a chance to repent of his sin, and find a full and free pardon of all his sins, through the precious blood of Jesus. The Gospel never required that a man should be stoned to death for stealing, or swearing. No, never; still this does not prove that there is no law for stealing and swearing. " Where no law is there is no transgression." Rom. 4 : 15. If there is no law for keeping the Sabbath, stealing, and swearing, because the Gospel does not require that the transgressor should be stoned, then men may steal, swear, and desecrate the Holy Sabbath, and be pure in the sight of God ; for " WHERE NO LAW IS, THERE IS NO TRANSGRESSION." The full, and final penalty of the law of- God is not done away—no, no.  This, and also the law, the transgressor will meet in the judgment. Those who were stoned to death under the first covenant will also meet the final penalty there. Dear reader, be not deceived by those who oppose the true Sabbath. Their poor objections will all vanish, when held up to the light of Bible truth. Be not turned away from this harmonious present truth by their fables.

To Be Continued…..

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Taken from-

THE PRESENT TRUTH, 

PUBLISHED SEMI-MONTHLY—BY JAMES WHITE.

Vol. 1.  MIDDLETOWN, CONN. AUGUST, 1849.  No.2

*******

We are now studying - 'The Present Truth' papers published in the middle 1800's. These are called the 'Present Truth' because it WAS Present Truth for that time. So why study them now? Because TRUTH at any time is worth studying, and we KNOW that often ORIGINAL truth presented before Satan has had an opportunity to corrupt it, can be very enlightening. At the very least we will see, by the grace of God, through the Holy Spirit, what truth then is still uncorrupted today and still very relevant for us living in these dark, dark times. Our world today compared to a hundred and seventy years ago is so much worse than it was, with so much evil being called good, and good being called evil.  May God bless us as we seek HIS truth for us in our present, bringing us only closer to Him and prayerfully the Second Coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

Man's Arrogance, Changing God's Law.

Continued from yesterday…

The change from the Seventh to the first day, was effected by the power of the little horn, who thought " to change times and laws." Dan. 7: 25.

Here I will give some extracts from "Sabbath tract" No. 4, published by the "New York Sabbath tract society," which gives the history of the change.

Early in the seventh century, in the time of Pope Gregory I, the subject to the Sabbath attracted considerable attention. There was one class of persons who declared, " that it was not lawful to do any manner of work upon the Saturday, or the old Sabbath ; another that no man ought to bathe himself on the Lord's day, or their new Sabbath."* Against both of these doctrines Pope Gregory wrote a letter to the Roman citizens. Baronius, in his Councils, says. " This year (603) at Rome, St. Gregory, the Pope, corrected that error which some preached, by Jewish superstition, or the Grecian custom, that it was a duty to worship on the Sabbath, as likewise upon the dominical days ; and he calls such preachers the preachers of Antichrist."

According to Lucius, Pope Urban II., in the eleventh century, dedicated the Sabbath of the Virgin Mary, with a mass. Binius says, "Pope Innocent I. constituted a fast on the Sabbath day, which seems to be the first constitution of that fast; but dedicating the Sabbath to the Virgin Mary was by Urban IX in the latter part of the eleventh eentury.1

The observance of the first day was not so early in England and in Scotland as in most other parts of the Roman Empire. According to Heylyn, there were Christian societies established in Scotland as early as A. D. 435 ; and it is supposed that the gospel was preached in England in the first century by St. Paul. For many ages after Christianity was received in these kingdoms, they paid no respect to the first day. Binius, a Catholic writer, in the second volume of his works, gives some account of the bringing into use the Donainical day [Sunday] in Scotland, as late as A. DI 1203. "This year," he says, " a council was held in Scotland concerning the introduction of the Lord's day, which council was held in 1203,- in the time-of Pope Innocent…

* Dr. Peter Heylvn's Hist. Sab. part 2, p. 135. t Eccl. Met. p. 29* # Bampfield's Enq. p. 101.

…and quotes as his authority Roger Hoveden, Matth, Paris, and Lucius Eccl. Hist. He says, "By this council it was enacted that it should be holy time from the twelfth hour on Saturday noon until Monday." Binius says that in A. D. 1201, Eustachius, Abbot of Flay, came to England, and therein preached from city to city, and from place to place. He prohibited using markets on Dominical days ; for he said that this command under- written concerning the observation of the Dominical day, came from heaven.

The history of this singular epistle, entitled, A holy command of the Dominical day, the pious Abbot stated to be this : " It came from Heaven to Jerusalem, and was found on St. Simon's tomb in Golgotha. And the Lord commanded this epistle, which for three days and three nights men looked upon, and falling to the earth, prayed for God's mercy. And after the third hour, the patriarch stood up; and Akarias the_ archbishop stretched out his mitre, and they took the holy epistle of God and found it thus written." [We will give some extracts from this epistle, partly as a matter of curiosity, and partly to show the credulity of our ancestors, and by what means they were awed into what was to them a new religious observation ]

" I, the Lord, who commanded you that ye should observe the Dominical day, and ye have not kept it, and ye have not repented of your sins, as I said by my gospel, heaven and: earth shall pass away, but my word shall not pass away; I have caused repentance unto life to be preached unto you, and ye have not believed; I sent pagans against you, who shed your blood, yet ye believe not: and because ye kept not the Dominical _day, for a few days ye had famine : but I soon gave you plenty, and afterwards ye did worse : I will again, that none from the ninth hour of the Sabbath until the rising of the sun on Monday, do work any thing unless what is good, which if any do, let him amend by repentance; and if ye be not obedient to this command, Amen, I say unto you, and I swear unto you-by my seat, and throne, and cherubim; who keep my holy seat, because I will not change any thing by another epistle ; but I will open the heavens, and for rain I will rain upon you stones, and logs of wood, and hot water by night, and none may be able to prevent, but that I may destroy all wicked men. This I say unto you, ye shall die the death, because of the Dominical holy day, and other festivals of my saints which ye have not kept. I will send unto you beasts having the heads of lions, the hair of women, and tails of camels ; and they shall be so hunger-starved that they shall devoure your flesh, and ye shall desire to flee to the sepulchres of the dead and hide you for fear of the beasts; and I will take away the light of the sun from your eyes ; and I will send upon you darkness, that without seeing, ye may kill one another ; and I will take away my face from you, and will not show you mercy ; for I will burn your bodies and hearts of all who keep not the Dominical holy day. Hear my voice, lest ye perish in the land because of the Dominical holy day. Now know ye, that ye are safe by the prayers of my most holy mother Mary, and of my holy angels who daily pray for you. Provided with this new command from heaven, "

Ettstaaius preached in various parts of England against the transgression of the Dominical day, and other festivals; and gave the people absolution upon condition that they hereafter

THE PRESENT TRUTH.  13

reverence the Dominical day, and the festivals of the saints." The time appointed as holy, was from the ninth hour on the Sabbath until Monday morning-at sunrise. And the people vowed to God, that hereafter they would neither buy nor sell any thing but food on Sunday. " Then," says Binius, " the enemy of man , envying the admonitions of this holy man, put it into the heart of the king and nobility of England, to command that all who should keep the aforesaid traditions, and chiefly all who had cast down the markets for. things vendible upon the Dominical day, should be brought to the king's court to make satisfaction about observing the Dominical day." Binius relates many miraculous things that occurred on the Sabbath to those that labored after the ninth hour—i. e. after three o'clock in the afternoon of the seventh day, or S.turday. He says, upon a certain Sabbath, after the ninth hour, a carpenter, for making a wooden pin, was struck with the palsy ; and a woman, for knitting on the Sabbath, after the ninth hour, was also struck with the palsy. A man baked bread, and when he broke it to eat, blood came out. Another grinding corn, blood came in a great stream instead of meal, while the wheel of his mill stood still against a vehement impulse of water. Heated ovens refused to bake bread, if heated after the ninth hour of the Sabbath ; and dough left unbaked, out of respect to Eustachius's new doctrine, was found on Monday morning well baked without the aid of fire. These fables were industriously propagated throughout the kingdom ; " yet the people," says Binius, "fearing kingly and human power, more than divine, returned as a dog to his own vomit, to keep, markets of saleable things upon the Dominical day:'

 Bampfield says,* "The king and princes of England, in 1203, would not agree to change the Sabbath, and keep the first day, by this authority. This was in the time of  King John, against whom the popish clergy had a great pique for not honoring their prelacy and the monks, by one of whom he was finally poisoned." The parliament of England met on Sundays until the time of Richard II., who adjourned it from that to the following day. In A. D. 1203, "A council was held in Scotland to inaugurate the king, and [concerning] the feast of the Sabbath : and there came also a legate from the Pope, with a sword and purple hat, indulgencies and privileges to the young king. It was also there decreed, that Saturday, from the twelfth hour at noon, should be holy."-t

The Magdeburgenses say, this Council was about the observation of the Dominicai day newly brought in', and that they ordained that it should be holy from the twelfth hour of Saturday even till Monday.$ The first law of England made for the keeping of Sunday, was in the time of Edward VI , about 1470. " Parliament then passed an act, by which Sunday and many holy days, the feasts of all Saints, of holy Innocents, were established as festivals by law. This provided also, that it should be lawful for husbandmen, laborers, fishermen, and all others-in harvest, or any other time of the year when necessity should require, to labor, ride, fish, or do any other kind of work, at their own free will and pleasure, upon any of the said days."11

By such means as these, the observation of the…

 * Enq. p. 111.  t Bcethua, B. 13, of Scotland, p. 788. Bamp. Enq. 114. # Ibid. it Bamp. p. 118.

…first day was gradually but forcibly urged upon the people, wherever they owned allegiance to the Pope as head of the church, and in England and Scotland, as late as the thirteenth century, and the Sabbath was as gradually brought into contempt and disuse.

The Sabbath.

As the Sabbath was made for man ; for the whole race of mankind; and as man has needed all its blessings ever since it was first instituted in Eden ; it is reasonable to conclude that God designed that it should be observed as strictly in one dispensation, as in another. I cannot see any reasons why the Jew should keep it any more strictly, than the Christian. I design to show that there is a perfect harmony in all the Scripture testimony of both Testaments, in relation to the observance of the Holy Sabbath.

The fourth commandment in the decalogue is the great Sabbath law. It is the standard to which all other Scripture testimony relating to the Sabbath should be brought, and carefully compared. "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 maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor the stranger that is within thy gates." Ex. 20 : 8-10.

TO BE CONTINUED

Taken from-

THE PRESENT TRUTH, 

PUBLISHED SEMI-MONTHLY—BY JAMES WHITE.

Vol. 1.  MIDDLETOWN, CONN. AUGUST, 1849.  No.2

*******

We are now studying - 'The Present Truth' papers published in the middle 1800's. These are called the 'Present Truth' because it WAS Present Truth for that time. So why study them now? Because TRUTH at any time is worth studying, and we KNOW that often ORIGINAL truth presented before Satan has had an opportunity to corrupt it, can be very enlightening. At the very least we will see, by the grace of God, through the Holy Spirit, what truth then is still uncorrupted today and still very relevant for us living in these dark, dark times. Our world today compared to a hundred and seventy years ago is so much worse than it was, with so much evil being called good, and good being called evil.  May God bless us as we seek HIS truth for us in our present, bringing us only closer to Him and prayerfully the Second Coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

Sabbath Objections Refuted By Scripture.(Continued)

Continued…. (Sabbath Objections Refuted By Scripture.)

*******

3d. Paul does not speak of "the Sabbath-day " which is associated with the other nine moral laws; but, the sabbath-days, which are associated with "meat," " drink," and " new-moons" in the ceremonial laws of Moses.

Some object to this because the word days connected with sabbath is supplied by the translator. Here I will give  a few lines from the pen of J. B. Cook, in his excellent " Testimony" published 1846, which read as follows— "Col. 2: 16, does not speak of the Sabbath; but sabbaths—called in our version incorrectly sabbath-days, (days being supplied by the translator." Some may still object to the word sabbaths, as J. B. Cook has changed his views on the Sabbath. Then we will take Macknight's translation. He translates it Sabbaths; and if this does not satisfy the reader; then we will take Whiting's translation of the New Testament, recently published in Boston by Joshua V. !limes. Whiting's translation reads " sabbaths;" which makes the text simple and plain.

4th. All that the Apostle has mentioned ; such as new-moons, and sabbaths, were shadows, which ceased when they reached their body, at the introduction of the new covenant. " Which are a shadow of things to come ; but the body is of Christ." Col. 2: 17. But the Sabbath of the Lord our God is not a shadow ; for it is to be perpetuated to all Eternity. See Isa. 66: 22, 23.

All flesh never have worshiped God on the Sabbath since Isaiah wrote this prophecy, neither will they till the righteous are all gathered into the New Earth; then the Sabbath will be observed as long as the immortal saints, and the New Heavens and Earth remain. Mark this. The Sabbath was instituted in Eden, before the fall, when man was holy, and the earth was holy; and will be as much in its proper place after the restitution, as it was before the fall. It is not an ordinance given to restore fallen man to God; for it was given when man could talk face to face with God and Angels, in the Holy Garden.

All shadows cease when they reach the bodies which cast them. Follow the shadow of a tree to its body, and there the shadow ends. But the weekly Sabbath will never end; therefore it is not a shadow; but a body, as well as the other nine commandments. The ten commandments are of the same nature ; and if one is a shadow, they are all shadows. How can we make

THE PRESENT TRUTH 11

swearing, stealing, and killing, shadows ? This we cannot do. Neither is there a man that can show that the Sabbath is a shadow.

I know that the old tradition is imprinted deeply in many minds that the seventh-day Sabbath is a type of the seventh thousand years. But where is the Scripture to prove it?  It is not to be found. But if any choose to hold on to this tradition, let them remember that all types, or shadows reach to their bodies; and admitting that the seventh thousand years is the body, and the seventh-day Sabbath the shadow; they are driven to the irresistible conclusion, that the seventh-day Sabbath was to continue the same until the seventh millennium. The view that the Sabbath is a type of the seventh thousand years, and that it ceased at the crucifixion, makes a blank space of more than eighteen hundred years between the body and shadow, which is not in accordance with the system of types in the Bible, or with good sense. Finally, the fact that the early Christians were troubled by those who were teaching them that they must observe the law of Moses in order to be saved, shows what Paul's subject was, and that he did not refer to the Sabbath; but to the shadows of Moses law, which began to reach their body when the new covenant was introduced by the death of Messiah.

2 Cor. 3: 7-13, is also quoted to prove the abolition of the Sabbath ; but it does not prove any such thing. I think all Bible readers will admit that the Apostle is here contrasting the ministration of the Jewish covenant with the ministration of the Gospel covenant. God's law " written and engraven in stones" was to remain unchanged, as long as heaven and earth remain ; but the MINISTRATION of it by the outward ceremonies of the law of Moses, was " done away," or " abolished " to give place to the better ministration of the same law by the Holy Ghost.

The glory of the first covenant, represented by the glory of Moses' face, was to pass away, and to be swallowed up by the exceeding glory of the ministration of the Spirit. The light of the moon is glorious, but when the sun rises in all its glory, the light of the moon is done away. We may as well say there is no light, when the light of the moon is done away by the exceeding light of the sun, as to say there is no law, because the ministration of it under the first covenant is done away by the exceeding glory of the ministration of the Spirit.

Those who are resting on their mistaken views of these texts which I have examined, for the abolition of the Sabbath, are on a sandy foundation. Unless they haste to get off from it, and have their feet planted on the commandments of God, "the over flowing scourge" that is soon to "pass through," will sweep them away in ruin.

Evidence for the first day Sabbath examined.

Those who teach that the Sabbath has been changed from the seventh to the first day, have but three or four texts to quote to sustain their first-day Sabbath position. I design to show briefly, that Rev. 1 : 10; Cor. 16:2, and Acts 20: 7, do not prove what they are said to prove.

" I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day," Rev. 1 : 10. The first day of the week is no where in Scripture called the Lord's day; but the seventh is. " But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God." Ex. 20:10.

God by Isaiah, calls the Sabbath " MY HOLY DAY." Isa.58: 13. Therefore the beloved disciple was in holy vision on the seventh day.

 " Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come." Cor. 16: 2. In order for this text to prove what it is said to prove, it should read thus. Upon the first day of the week, when ye meet together for worship, let every one take with him, as God hath prospered him, to put into the contribution box. But I do not wish to alter the text, for the sake of following the Pope. Take the text as it reads, and no such thing as meeting together for worship is mentioned in it. St. Paul preached on the Sabbath, not only in the Jews' Synagogues; but by the " river side." See Acts 16: 13. He preached at Corinth 78 Sabbaths in succession. The Apostle would not have the Sabbath desecrated by the clink of mammon's box; therefore he chose the first labouring day in the week for the Church in Corinth, and the Churches in Galatia, to "LAY BY THEM," at their homes, for the poor saints at Jerusalem.

Acts 20: 7, is the only place in Scripture in which the first day of the week is connected with public worship. But the object of that meeting was not to keep the first day as a Sabbath, for they met in the evening to break bread. Paul preached to them on the Sabbath, which closed at 6

I2  THE PRESENT TRUTH.

o'clock P. M., then in the evening, which commenced the first day, the disciples came together to celebrate the Lord's supper, and Paul preached all night. We follow this example of the disciples, and break bread in the evening of the first day just after the close of the Sabbath. Jesus did not spend the first day of the week in meeting with his disciples. On the day of his resurrection he walked to Emmaus, and did not meet with them until evening. After eight days, which would reach to, Monday night, Jesus appeared to his disciples in like manner: Our Master and Pattern has not, by precept or example taught that the first day of the week should be observed as a holy day or Sabbath, any more than the other five working days; neither have the Apostles.

TO BE CONTINUED….

THE PRESENT TRUTH, 

PUBLISHED SEMI-MONTHLY—BY JAMES WHITE.

Vol. 1.  MIDDLETOWN, CONN. AUGUST, 1849.  No.2

We are now studying - 'The Present Truth' papers published in the middle 1800's. These are called the 'Present Truth' because it WAS Present Truth for that time. So why study them now? Because TRUTH at any time is worth studying, and we KNOW that often ORIGINAL truth presented before Satan has had an opportunity to corrupt it, can be very enlightening. At the very least we will see, by the grace of God, through the Holy Spirit, what truth then is still uncorrupted today and still very relevant for us living in these dark, dark times. Our world today compared to a hundred and seventy years ago is so much worse than it was, with so much evil being called good, and good being called evil.  May God bless us as we seek HIS truth for us in our present, bringing us only closer to Him and prayerfully the Second Coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

The Perfect Law

THE PRESENT TRUTH, 

PUBLISHED SEMI-MONTHLY—BY JAMES WHITE.

Vol. 1.  MIDDLETOWN, CONN. AUGUST, 1849.  No.2

We are now studying - 'The Present Truth' papers published in the middle 1800's. These are called the 'Present Truth' because it WAS Present Truth for that time. So why study them now? Because TRUTH at any time is worth studying, and we KNOW that often ORIGINAL truth presented before Satan has had an opportunity to corrupt it, can be very enlightening. At the very least we will see, by the grace of God, through the Holy Spirit, what truth then is still uncorrupted today and still very relevant for us living in these dark, dark times. Our world today compared to a hundred and seventy years ago is so much worse than it was, with so much evil being called good, and good being called evil.  May God bless us as we seek HIS truth for us in our present, bringing us only closer to Him and prayerfully the Second Coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

*******

"The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant.''—Ps. 25. 14.

Scripture usually quoted to prove the abolition of the Sabbath, examined.

Concluded.

Col. 2: 14-17, is also quoted to prove that the seventh-day Sabbath is abolished. " Blotting out the hand-writing of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross."

The hand-writing of ordinances that was nailed to the cross at the crucifixion of the Messiah, was the typical, ceremonial law of Moses, which was written by the hand of Moses in a book. The crucifixion was the dividing line between the two dispensations. " In the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease." Dan. 9: 27.

The first covenant which had "ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary," was a shadow of the second, and better covenant. The law was the shadow, and the Gospel is the body, that cast the shadow ; and as all shadows reach to their body, and no farther, it is very clear that the sacrifices and oblations, new-moons, feast days, and Sabbaths of the Jewish law ceased, when the precious body and blood of the Lamb of God was sacrificed on the cross.

This is what Paul calls " nailing it to his cross." " Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holy-day, or of the new-moon, or of the Sabbath-days: Which are a shadow of things to come ; but the body is of Christ." If we compare this text with Rom. 14 : 3-6, we shall see that both refer to the same subject.

 Some regarded the Jewish Sabbaths, new-moons, and feast days, after they were abolished and nailed to the cross, and others did not. Paul would not have the Colossians judged by Judaizing teachers, in respect to those things that had ceased, according to the testimony of the Prophet. "I will also cause all her mirth to cease, her feast days, her new-moons, and her Sabbaths, and all her solemn feasts." Hosea 2: 11.

Now we will turn to Lev. 23 : 24-38. Here are four Jewish sabbaths. One on the first day of the seventh month, one on the tenth, one on the fifteenth, and one on the twenty-third day. " These are the feasts of the Lord, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations," "BESIDES THE SABBATHS OF THE LORD." Lev. 23: 37, 38. The Sabbaths of the Lord our God, come every seventh day; but some of the Jewish convocation sabbaths were nine days apart, others not but four days between them. Here is a clear difference made between the two kinds of sabbaths.

The Sabbath of the Lord, so called by way of distinction is not classed with the other sabbaths. The Jews were to observe their convocation sabbaths at their appointed time, " BESIDES THE SABBATHS OF THE LORD." The Sabbath of the Lord our God was instituted at the creation, before the fall, when the earth and man were holy, and Eden bloomed on earth. The convocation sabbaths of 'the Jews were given at Mount Sinai, more than twenty-five hundred years after, and were a portion of the hand-writing of ordinances of the law of Moses, which was nailed to the cross, at the death of the Messiah. The fact that some were teaching these Jewish customs to the Christian Church, and judging them in respect to them, drew the Apostle out to write as he has to the Galatians, Romans, and Colossians, upon this subject. Now where is the proof that the Apostle refers to the weekly Sabbath in Col.  14 —17 ? If there is any, let it be produced. I have no fears however in stating that there is no good evidence to be given, to prove that he refers to the Sabbath of the Lord our God; but there are many reasons (some of which I will give,) to show that he has no reference to it.

1st. That which was blotted out, and nailed to the cross, was the hand-writing of ordinances given by the HAND of Moses ; but the Sabbath commandment was-written with the FINGER of God. Moses wrote his law in a BOOK ; but God wrote his ten laws, on TABLES OF STONE.

It was the HAND-WRITING in the book of the covenant, that was blotted out at the death of Christ and not that which was written on the two tables of the covenant with the finger of God, One was a faulty covenant imposed on the Jews until the time of reformation, or first advent of Jesus; the other is God's perpetual, everlasting covenant.

In order that we might be impressed with the perpetuity of the royal law, God engraved it on tables of stone.

The idea of blotting out what Moses wrote in a book, is perfectly natural; but what idea can we have of blotting out what Jehovah has engraved, with his finger on tables of stone !

The Apostle has taught us that it was the HAND-WRITING of ordinances that was blotted out, and nailed to the cross; therefore, he had no reference to the Sabbath law; for that, God has engraven in stones with his FINGER.

2d. The Sabbath never was "against us;" but was made for the good of mankind in all ages. It was "made for man;" because he needed a day of rest from this world's labour, and care : he also needed the Sabbath-day to spend in the worship of God.

The Holy Sabbath never was in man's way, only as God put it in his way for him to keep ; therefore he has not "taken it out of our way." The law of Moses was imperfect. It could not "make the comers thereunto perfect ;" therefore the first covenant which was faulty, "that was against us, which was contrary to us," and which was in the way, was taken out of the way, and nailed to the cross ; and gave place to the new, and better, covenant, of which Jesus Christ is a Priest.

God's everlasting covenant of commandments is a perfect law, by which we are to be .judged; therefore God cannot give a better one, to take its place. See James 1: 25; 2: 8-12. " Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good." Rom. 7 : 12. A law that is " holy," " just," and "good," and "spiritual," never is against, or contrary to man, or in his way but it is just what his wants require; therefore the Apostle has no reference to the Sabbath, or any of the commandments in God's holy, royal law of liberty.

To be continued…

Is the Law sin? God forbid.

Continued from yesterday…

Scriptures usually quoted to prove the abolition of the Sabbath examined.

The principal portions of Scripture quoted to sustain the no-Sabbath doctrine, are all from the epistles of the Apostle Paul. It is my object to prove to the reader, that these Scriptures do not mean what they are said to mean ; and that they do not present the least evidence for the abolition of the weekly Sabbath.

We will first take a view of some of the trials of the early Church, and the Apostle's labours with them in their trials. A portion of the Christian Church were converts from the circumcision, or Jews, and a

Page 7

portion from the, uncircumcision, or Gentiles. The converts from the Jewish Church were still inclined to hold on to, and practice many of the ceremonies and customs of the Jewish religion, in which they had been educated; while the Gentile Christians were free from these customs, as they had not been educated in them.

Peter did not see that the Gospel was for the Gentiles, until God gave him a vision upon the house top, and sent him to preach to them at the house of Cornelius. He would not eat with the Gentiles, or keep company with them, until he was shown that God was " no respecter of persons." Acts 10. 1-45

Certain men came down from Judea, and taught the brethren that they must, be circumcised in order to be saved. " Paul and Barnabus had no small dissention and disputation with them, and went up to Jerusalem unto the Apostles and elders about this question." There they were met by certain of the sect of the Pharisees, which believed, who said "that it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses." After they had discussed this question, they came to the - following conclusion which they wrote and sent to the brethren which were of the Gentiles in Antioch, and Syria, and Cilicia."

"For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things.; that ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication : from which if ye keep yourselves; ye shall do well. Fare ye well." Acts 15 : 28, 29.

With these facts before the mind, turn to Paul's epistle to the Galatians, where it is said that the Apostle has taught the abolition of the Sabbath. The apostle says, " 0 FOOLISH Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently' set forth, crucified among you? This only would I learn of you. Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith." Gal. 3. 1, 2.

It is very evident who had bewitched them. From what the Apostles says in the first and second chapters, it is clear that the Church in Galatia had been led from the truth of the Gospel 'by Judaizing teachers, who had commanded them to be circumcised, and to keep the law of Moses. Paul speaks in his second chapter, of the conference at Jerusalem with the Apostles and elders on this question, recorded in the Acts 16.  He then states that he with- stood Peter to the face " because he was to be blamed," for eating with the Gentile Christians in the absence of those of the circumcision, and then when they were present refusing to eat with the Gentiles. "But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the Gospel, I said unto. Peter before them all. If thou being a Jew, livest after the manner of the Gentiles, and not as do the Jews,. why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews." Gal. ii : 14.

I have been thus particular that the reader may clearly see, and understand the Apostle's subject, in his epistle to the Galatians.

They had left the simplicity of faith in Jesus, and were turning back to the deeds of the law of Moses, which had been dead 25 years.

Paul speaks of circumcision, of their observing days, and months, and times, and years, and eating with the Gentiles; 11 of which related wholly to the ceremonial laws of Moses, and had no reference to the moral law of God, the ten commandments.

"Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace." Gal. 5: 4.

This text is frequently quoted by the no Sabbath teachers to show that those who are keeping the seventh day Sabbath have fallen from grace. Now if we fall from grace for keeping the fourth commandment in the decalogue, do they not fall from grace for keeping the first, third, fifth, seventh, or eighth commandment in the same law ? If we fall from grace by keeping the Sabbath commandment, we cannot be restored again to grace until we break it. And by the same rule those who are keeping the third, fifth, and eighth commandments, must dishonour their parents, swear, and steal, before they can be restored by divine grace."

I leave the reader to decide as to the justness of this startling conclusion. My desire is, to hold up to view, the no-Sabbath, no commandment system in its true, hideous, and crooked form, that the reader may not be devoured by it. If we fall from' grace by teaching the Sabbath; then St. Paul, and all the Apostles fell from grace, by teaching the commandments.

"Children, obey your parents in the Lord; for this is right. Honour thy father and mother, (which is the first commandment with promise.") Eph. 4 : 1, 2.

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This is the first commandment of the decalogue which has a promise annexed to it, and the first on the second table of stone. There is not a man, or woman in the world, who believes that the Apostle fell from grace for urging upon the Ephesians the claims of the fifth commandment in the moral law.

Neither is there a man or woman, who really believes that we have fallen from grace, (for the sin of Sabbath-keeping as some would have it,) for keeping and teaching the fourth commandment. Those who give -this impression do not really believe any such thing, but they seem willing to give this wrong impression, in order to hide the Sabbath truth.

"One man esteemeth one day above another ; another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.

He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord ; and he that regardeth not the day to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks ; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks." Rom. 14 : 5, 6.

If we would understand the Apostle's subject and argument, we must read the whole chapter.

The Christians at Rome were labouring under trials, similar to those in other Churches. Some of them were holding on to the Jewish customs of eating, and feastdays, and others were opposed to these, customs. Paul's greatest trial with them, was their judging one another, and making these things a test of Christian fellowship.

"Let not him that eateth, despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not, judge him that eateth ; for God hath received him." Rom. 14 : 3. He is here teaching them a lesson of Christian forbearance in those things which were not a test of fellowiship. He would have every man fully persuaded, and established, as to his own duty in regard to eating, and feastdays; then act conscientiously before God. Such a course was acceptable to God, therefore it was wrong to judge one another.

The Apostle was "all things to all men," that "by all means" he might "save some." He even had Timotheus circumcised, because of the Jews. See. Acts 16. This Jewish custom was not to be observed by the Christian Church, still, Paul would have his fellow labourer, (whose father was a Greek) circumcised, that they might better find access to the Jews.

" Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God IS SOMETHING." See Whiting's translation. Cor. 7 : 19.

The keeping of the commandments of God, is no where spoken of in the- New Testament as a thing 'of little importance, as circumcision, eating, and feast-days are; but it is always made a test of Christian fellowship, and Eternal Salvation.

"He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. " 1 John 2: 4. " If thou wilt enter into life 'keep the commandments." Mat. 29: 17. "For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments." 1 John 5 : 3.

There is no evidence that St. Paul has reference to any of the commandments of God in his fourteenth chapter to the Romans. His subject is eating, and feast-days which some of the Church regarded, and others did not. The word eateth is mentioned in this chapter eleven times, eat three, meat four, drink twice, but the Sabbath (which the no-Sabbath teachers understand to be the subject of this chapter,) is not once mentioned. Those who have relied on this chapter as proof of the abolition of the Sabbath, have guessed at Paul's meaning, but if they will carefully examine the whole chapter, with a desire to get the truth, they will see that they have guessed wrongly.  If we read only the fifth and sixth verses of this chapter, without an understanding of the Apostle's subject, we may infer that the Sabbath is meant. But an understanding of his subject, his trials, and his labour with his brethren at Rome, destroys all grounds for even an inference, that he refers to the seventh-day Sabbath.

Now let the reader bear this in mind, that Rom. 14 : 5, 6, is one of the four, or five texts which support the whole no-commandment, no Sabbath argument. I have shown that the no-Sabbath system has no foundation in this portion of Scripture ; and by the help of the Spirit of truth, I will show that it has no foundation in the Scriptures of truth.

It is time for us to be fully awake to the whole truth in relation to the Sabbath; and not be deceived by those who are making void the law of God. 0, that God would wake up the " little flock," and show them all, His Sabbath.

To be Continued.

*******

We are now studying - 'The Present Truth' papers published in the middle 1800's. These are called the 'Present Truth' because it WAS Present Truth for that time. So why study them now? Because TRUTH at any time is worth studying, and we KNOW that often ORIGINAL truth presented before Satan has had an opportunity to corrupt it, can be very enlightening. At the very least we will see, by the grace of God, through the Holy Spirit, what truth then is still uncorrupted today and still very relevant for us living in these dark, dark times. Our world today compared to a hundred and seventy years ago is so much worse than it was, with so much evil being called good, and good being called evil.  May God bless us as we seek HIS truth for us in our present, bringing us only closer to Him and prayerfully the Second Coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

THE PRESENT TRUTH.

PUBLISHED SEMI-MONTHLY—BY JAMES WHITE.

Vol.l.  MIDDLETOWN, CONN, JULY, 1849.  No. 1.

Two Laws

Continued from yesterday…

The two Laws in the New Testament.

This is a very important subject. By not having a correct view of this subject many have stumbled, and have been kept from the Sabbath truth. It is my object to show that the word law, in the New Testament, does not apply to one and the same law ; but sometimes it applies to the ceremonial law of Moses, and sometimes to the moral law of God, the ten commandments.

If the word , law so often used by St. Paul, refers to only one law, then certainly, the apostle has often contradicted himself. Here I will give two texts from his epistles, which speak of the law, that the reader may plainly see the contradiction, if but one law is meant.

"Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace." Gal. 5 : 4.

"For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified." Rom. 1 : 13.

Has the Apostle contradicted what he wrote to the Galatians, in his letter to the Romans two years after ? This, no believer in the Bible will admit. When we apply the word law as we should there is no contradiction. The language of the text, and its connection will determine the application.

When Paul speaks of the law in Rom. 2 : 12-22, he refers to the moral law of commandments. This fact he settles in verses 21, 22, by quoting three commandments from the decalogue.

When he speaks of the law in Gal. 5: 4, he refers to the ceremonial law of Moses. This is clear, and established by the fact that Paul is speaking of circumcision, and eating with the Gentiles, and does not refer to the moral law.

St. Paul's letter to the Romans was written A. D. 60. Read what he says to them of the law, 27 years after the law of Moses was abolished and dead.

"Wherefore the law IS HOLY, and the commandment holy, and JUST, and GOOD." Rom. 7 : 12. "For we know that the law is spiritual:" verse 14th. " For I DELIGHT in the law of God after the inward man ;" verse 22d.

" I thank God, through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God ;" verse 25th.

No one will say that Paul calls the law of Moses "spiritual," "holy, just and good," and that he delighted in it, and SERVED it 27 years after it was dead ; therefore he is speaking of another law, the ten commandments. This plain fact is made still more evident, if possible, by the 7th verse, where the Apostle quotes the last commandment in the decalogue. "Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, THOU SHALT NOT COVET."

We are often referred to Rome. 7 : 6, for proof that the law of God is dead. But it proves no such thing. Please read this verse with the marginal reading, and you will see that it is the christian that is dead to the law, and not the law that is dead.

"But now we are delivered from the law, (the sentence of the law,) being dead to that wherein we were held." The law of God is the instrument to convict the sinner of sin, and slay him, as it did Paul, that he might be justified, and made alive through faith in Jesus Christ. "For I was alive without the law once ; but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died." Rom. 7 : 9. Here, " the letter (or law) killeth, but the spirit giveth life." 2 Cor. 3 : 6.

"Do we then make void the law through faith ? God forbid : yea, we establish the law." Rom. 3 : 31. Any unprejudiced mind may see the two laws in the New Testament, by carefully searching for the truth. One is called a yoke of BONDAGE ; Gal. 5 : 1 ; the other is called a royal law of LIBERTY; James 1 : 25; 2 8,  One was a law of "carnal ceremonies;" Heb. 9:10; the other was the Apostle's delight, holy, just, good, and spiritual. Here I will add the testimony of Jesus in his sermon on the Mount. Mat. 5: 17-33.

"Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets. I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil." How many are thinking that Jesus abolished, and destroyed the law of commandments, the very thing he has told them not to think. He came to fulfil the law. The way to fulfill the law is to keep it. This Jesus did, in keeping his Father's commandments. See John 15 : 10.

" For verily 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."

Page 6

This text proves that all ten of the commandments, in the moral law are to continue in full force, not one relaxed, or taken away, while heaven and earth remain. The next verse shows that Jesus was speaking of the ten commandments.

"Whosoever, therefore, shall 'violate, or teach others to violate, were it the least of these commandments, shall be in no esteem in the reign of heaven ; but whosoever shall practise and teach them, shall be highly esteemed in the reign of heaven." (See Campbell's translation.)

The first four commandments, on the first table of stone show man his duty to his God. They are the great commandments in the law, as they are laws relating to man's duty to God.

The last six, on the second table, show man his duty to his fellow man. They are the least commandments in the law as they are laws relating to man's duty to his fellow man.

Jesus here quotes three of these least commandments from the second table of stone, which establishes, the fact, without a shadow of a doubt, that he is speaking of the ten commandments. See verses 21st, 27th and 33d.

Men may teach for a few days that the moral law is abolished, or that the fourth commandment is changed, or RELAXED, but how their false assertions, and sophistry withers before the plain testimony of the Son of God who has said, " Till heaven and earth pass, ONE JOT or ONE TITTLE shall in NO WISE pass from the law." And how they will wither and fall in the day of slaughter, and in the judgement.

Reader, be not deceived by those who are trampling under their feet the holy law of God. Do not, I beg of you, let them turn you from the plain teachings of the Saviour, and his holy Apostles, in relation to the law of God. Are you violating the fourth, the Sabbath commandment in that law ? If you are, do it no longer. It is one of the great commandments. If those who break the least, will be of no esteem in the reign of heaven, how and where will you appear, if you violate one of the greatest  commandments

Dear Brethren and Sisters—

I hope this little sheet will afford you comfort and strength. Love and duty have compelled me to send it out to you. I know you must be rooted, and built up in the present truth, or you will not be able to stand "in the battle in the day of the Lord ;" Eze. 13 : 5.

The time has come when we must be whole hearted in the truth. Every thing is to be shaken that can be; therefore those whose feet are not planted on the rock, will be shaken all to pieces. Those only will be able to stand in the day of slaughter, who shall he found keeping the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus. It is no small thing to be a Christian. We must be pure in life and conversation here in time, if we would enter the Holy City.

The keeping of the fourth commandment is all-important present truth ;  this alone, will not save any one. We must keep all ten of the commandments, and strictly follow all the directions of the New. Testament, and have living active faith in Jesus. Those who would be found ready to enter the saint's rest, at the appearing of Christ, must live wholly, WHOLLY for Jesus now.

This little sheet is free for all. Those who are interested in Present Truth, and esteem it a privilege, are invited to help pay the expense. I would publish in pamphlet form, but it would be a number of weeks before I could get out a pamphlet containing all I wish to write. I shall send out 1000 copies of this sheet ; then arrange the matter of this and the following Nos, and have 1000 more of each No. printed to stitch together in pamphlet form, to distribute as they are called for.

Will some brother or sister in each place where this sheet is received, send me in plain writing the names and Post-Office address of all who are seeking present truth. Write soon. My Post-Office address is Middletown, Conn.

In hope, JAMES WHITE

We are now studying - 'The Present Truth' papers published in the middle 1800's. These are called the 'Present Truth' because it WAS Present Truth for that time. So why study them now? Because TRUTH at any time is worth studying, and we KNOW that often ORIGINAL truth presented before Satan has had an opportunity to corrupt it, can be very enlightening. At the very least we will see, by the grace of God, through the Holy Spirit, what truth then is still uncorrupted today and still very relevant for us living in these dark, dark times. Our world today compared to a hundred and seventy years ago is so much worse than it was, with so much evil being called good, and good being called evil.  May God bless us as we seek HIS truth for us in our present, bringing us only closer to Him and prayerfully the Second Coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

THE PRESENT TRUTH.

PUBLISHED SEMI-MONTHLY—BY JAMES WHITE.

Vol.l.  MIDDLETOWN, CONN, JULY, 1849.  No. 1.