Those who observe the Sabbath of the Bible, may plead as their foundation, a
divine institution. "God BLESSED THE SEVENTH DAY AND SANCTIFIED IT." In
this consists the Sabbatic institution itself. As God has never taken this blessing
from the seventh day, the original institution still exists. As God has never
sanctified another day of the week, much less enjoined another day as a weekly
Sabbath, it is the only Sabbatic institution.
Jehovah was the first who rested on the seventh day. His example was
followed by the Son of God, and by the church universal, so far as the record of
inspiration extends. How absurd to believe that the Great Creator observed a
"carnal ordinance"!
As the seventh day was here sanctified by God, is observance is
henceforward a moral duty. But like the other precepts of the Decalogue, it was
not at first expressly enjoined in the written word.
When God enjoined the Sabbath on Israel, [Ex.xvi,] he pointed out the true
seventh day, by a threefold weekly miracle, which continued for the space of forty
years. Thenceforward the history of the Sabbath is given in the records of
inspiration, so that a knowledge of the true seventh day has been preserved to
the church.
When the law was given by the voice of the Almighty, we find the observance
of the Sabbath enforced by the fourth commandment. The reason for its
observance, as well as the date of its sanctification, is also clearly given.
The Lord made heaven and earth in six days and rested the seventh,
"wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it." The Sabbath then
is a standing memorial of God's
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act of creation. By its observance men would have kept in memory the
knowledge of the true God.
We have now considered three important points in the history of the Sabbath;
first, its institution, [Gen.ii,] second, the fact that the true seventh day was pointed
out to Israel, [Ex.xvi; Neh.ix,] and third, the grand law of the Sabbath; [Ex.xx.]
As we proceed in this examination, we notice three different Sabbaths. First,
the Sabbath of the Lord - the seventh day,, [See Ex.xx,] second, the Sabbath
