times still more remote. The very earliest notice of a Saviour was not directly addressed to the world, which it was intended to encourage and bless, but to the great enemy of the Saviour and of man. And other animating promises, which have cheered the people of God in all subsequent time, were made to individuals. From the remarks now made we should be led to expect, and prepared to account for, the embedding as it were of laws, susceptible of the most extensive and enduring application, in a phraseology and in allusions of a local and temporary character. And yet the actual specialties in the Decalogue are so few and so clearly consonant to the universality of its import and bearings, as to show how careful the Lawgiver was to render it inexcusable for any one to reject its right and claim to be the law of the world. There is the preface, "I am the Lord thy God, that brought thee out of the land of Egypt and out of the house of bondage." Strictly speaking, the preface or preamble does not enter into the law. In the present case, it is the Gospel rather than a part of the Law. How obvious the principle implied, which is, that the mercy of the Lawgiver, especially as exhibited in the work of Redemption, is the mighty inducement to do His will; for when we consider the faithful among Israel as constituting with Christians one Church, "the seed of Abraham," and "heirs according to the promise," and that the redemption from Egypt was a type of the great redemption, as well as a step to its accomplishment, it does not require what is called an "accommodation" to apply this preface far beyond the typical deliverance, and to regard it as pointing to the infinitely more influential motives to obedience that are supplied by a spiritual and everlasting salvation. There is also this promise to filial obedience, "That thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee." The apostle Paul does not hesitate to apply the fifth commandment, and its promise too, to the children of Christian parents, "Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honour thy father and mother, which is the first commandment with promise, that it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth." And, once more, the second commandment has annexed to it a threatening and a promise, which may be conceived by some to be applicable only to the Jews: "Visiting the iniquity of the fathers

端

upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; and showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments." But both the curse and

the blessing were attached to the law of God long before it was given at Sinai, and have extended far beyond the boundaries of Judea, as well as endured long after the Mosaic economy had ceased. Was there anything Judaical in the blessing pronounced

upon Shem and Japheth, or in the curse uttered against Ham ? Did not both the curse and the blessing begin to take effect before the time of Moses ? Have they not continued to operate in all nations? And are not their effects perceptible in the circumstances of the descendants of Noah even at this hour}

Fifth Rule.-There are matters, external to the Word of God, which serve to illustrate its import, as well as to establish particular meanings, and which cannot be innocently, or without injury, overlooked. The understanding of Scripture, as of other writings, is aided by our "intermeddling with all wisdom." It is the glory, indeed, of that Book that a person devoid of erudition may learn there all that he needs to know for his salvation, duty, and eternal happiness. But such a person, though uninitiated in the learning of the schools, has access to valuable means of illuminating to him the page of Revelation-means, in the events of Providence, in the knowledge of himself, in the experience of the truth, in the observed conduct of others, and in his own obedience to the Divine law-all of which pour a flood of illustration on the meaning, and of evidence on the authority, of the Sacred Volume. The more generally intelligent the reader is, however, the more is he prepared to profit by its study. "Ye shall know them by their fruits." "The secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him." "If any man will do the will of God, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God." "Wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times."

The testimony of the Fathers to the meaning of the expressions, "the first day of the week," and "the Lord's day" (see pp. 368-370), the "fruits" of the weekly holiday considered as a Divinely-appointed day of entire rest and worship for all ages (pp. 173-266), and the history of septenary observances in Pagan and Christian countries (pp. 359-455), satisfy the conditions of

this rule to the effect of showing that the above-defined institution has the appointment and sanction of Revelation. As to all other doctrines and practices in the matter, we ask, Where is the external evidence by which they are proved to be authorized in the Word of God-evidence in the events of Providence, in the experience of good, and the consciences of bad men, in the superior virtue and happiness of individuals and families, in the purity, progress, and active benevolence of churches, in the peace, enterprise, and prosperity of nations? The only answer that is or can be returned, is that of Echo shouting, Where?

Sixth Rule. This is contained in the words: "The light of the body is the eye therefore when thine eye is single, thy whole body also is full of light; but when thine eye is evil, thy body also is full of darkness. Take heed, therefore, that the

light which is in thee be not darkness." 1

Seventh Rule-If we would study the sacred volume to any right and good purpose, we must continually apply for help to its Author, who, as is in a limited sense true of human authors, must be best acquainted with His own work. Without His direct teaching neither its truths nor its laws can be understood and estimated. This is owing not to any imperfection in the Record, for "the law of the Lord is perfect," but to the blinding prejudices and passions of the human mind. It is only as we are purged from this influence by the Holy Spirit, that we shall clearly see the light, and truly receive the testimony, of Heaven. The best of all means for understanding the Word of God in regard to the Sabbath, as to all other matters, is thus described: "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." "Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law." "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea, driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.”

Let it not be said, The world is without the means of know

1 Luke xl. 34, 35.

ing that this or that person is favoured with "the single eye" or with the spirit of dependence upon "the Father of lights," in the study of Scripture, and, therefore, Rules 6 and 7 can afford no help in deciding between contending opinions in this controversy. Not only, however, are these rules necessary to the discovery of the truth, and thus to the practical and experimental settlement of the dispute, on the part of each individual, but they are also relevant and important as means of enabling us to adjudicate on conflicting opinions even in open court. Honest and earnest inquirers "cannot be hid." There are churches and communities in which the love of truth and the spirit of devotion have manifestly prevailed. And as the Divine promises to men of such a character cannot fail, the irresistible conclusion is that in these societies right views of the Sabbath have been on the whole attained, and attained in proportion to the simplicity of the aim and the measure of the piety. To identify these successful inquirers, we should have only to repeat the names, already given in this volume, of those classes of men, at home and abroad, who are most signalized at once by the sacred observance of the weekly rest, by their reverence and love for the other institutions and laws of Jesus Christ, and by their zeal in extending them over the earth.

CHAPTER VII.

THEORIES TRIED BY DIVINE PREDICTIONS.

THE Pentateuch is by far the oldest historical record. There we find it stated that the seventh day of time was blessed and sanctified by the Creator of the heavens and the earth. Various references in the history of the Patriarchs, and many vestiges of the institution among heathen nations, admit of but one explanation, which is, that it had been continued from the beginning of time. When the children of Israel came out of Egypt, their lawgiver and leader referred to the day of rest as an appointment with which they were acquainted. The Saviour declared without challenge, that Moses was read in the synagogue every Sabbath-day. We have also the testimony of Josephus and Philo to the existence of the institution during the Jewish ecomony. In the writings of Isaiah, besides promises to those who should observe the Sabbath, of an everlasting name, and of a place in the house of prayer for all people, which plainly point to the times of Christianity, we have this prediction and pledge: "For as the new heavens, and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the Lord, so shall your seed and your name remain. And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the Lord."1 And to mention only one other intimation regarding the perpetuity of the Sabbath, the Founder of Christianity said, eighteen hundred years ago, concerning the law, of. which the Sabbath was a part, "Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled."2 These words have been verified down to this day. We can trace the neverfailing observance of the Sabbath for eighteen centuries prior to

1 Isa. lxvi. 22, 23.

2 Matt. v. 18.