Jews, the first and eighth day of their feasts, etc., [Lev.xxiii,] and third, the
Sabbath of the land, the seventh years. [Lev.xxv.]
As the Sabbath of the Lord had a real existence before "the law of
commandments contained in ordinances" was appended, therefore, when that
law was nailed to the cross, the Sabbath remained in full force. Not so with the
Sabbaths of the Jews, and the Sabbath of the land. That law give them their only
force; and when that ceased they were abolished.
The most precious blessings are promised to those who keep God's Sabbath.
See Isa.lvi and lviii. And it is worthy of note, that this prophecy pertains to a
period when God's salvation is near to be revealed. The blessing is promised to
"the son of the stranger," (the Gentile,) as well as to Israel.
Mark the distinction between God's Sabbath, and those of the Jews, as
presented in the prophets. Of the perpetuity of the first, let us judge after reading
Isa.1xvi, where we are informed of its existence in the new earth. But God
assures us by the prophet, that the latter shall "cease." See Hosea ii,11. The
fulfillment of this prophecy may be read in Col.ii. Please compare Isa.lvi,4, Ex.xx,
10, with Hosea ii, and Lev.xxiii, and note the language, "any Sabbaths," and "her
Sabbaths."
Though the scriptures nowhere teach or authorize a change of the Sabbath,
yet they contain an accurate prophecy of the power that should do this thing. Let
the reader compare Dan.vii,25 with the history of the Papal Church, and note its
acts of changing "times and laws."
We have seen the grand law of the Sabbath embodied in the
5
Dialogue. We come now to the New Testament. That our Lord did not destroy the
law, or lessen our obligation to obey it, he clearly teaches in Matt.5,17-19. And
we may with the utmost safety affirm "that the apostles did not disturb, what their
Lord left untouched." See Rom.iii,31; James ii. We say, therefore, that the New
Testament teaches the perpetuity of God's law, and FOR THAT REASON DOES
NOT RE-ENACT IT. Brevity forbids a more lengthy notice of this important point.
Our Lord came to "magnify the law and make it honorable." He kept his
Father's commandments; but he brushed aside the traditions of men by which
they were made void. "The Sabbath," says he, "was made for man, and not man
for the Sabbath." By which he rebuked the pharisaic observance of the Sabbath
on one hand; and the views of those on the other who teach that the Lord's
Sabbath is one of the things against us, which were taken out of the way at
Christ's death. [Col.ii.]
The fact that those who had been with Jesus during his ministry "rested the
Sabbath day according to the commandment," after his crucifixion, and resumed
labor on the first day of the week, shows clearly that they knew nothing of its
change from the seventh to the first day.
The fact that God has never sanctified the first day of the week, shows plainly
that it is not sacred time - is not a divinely instituted Sabbath.
The fact that he has never required us to rest on that day, shows that its
observance in the place of the Sabbath, is a clear instance of making void the
