ELDER CORNELL’S SECOND SPEECH

I propose to notice my friend’s last argument first. He says the covenant in Hebrews 8:7, was the ten commandments. But if we examine the argument of Paul in Hebrews, we shall find that he is speaking of the covenant of the priesthood, which also was given at Sinai. Hebrews 9:1. “Then verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service and a worldly sanctuary.” “Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinance, imposed on them until the time of reformation,” verse 10. This shows that the first covenant had carnal ordinances, meats, drinks, etc. But there is not a word in the ten commandment covenant about a priesthood, meats or drinks, or carnal ordinances.DSQ63 10.1

He quotes Galatians 4:21-24 about the first, or Agar covenant, and applies it to the ten commandments. But verse 25 says, “For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem, which now is, and is in bondage with her children.” This covenant answereth to Jerusalem; but the ten commandment covenant could be kept in any place, not a word in it that relates to old Jerusalem.DSQ63 10.2

I will now show that there were two covenants made at Sinai, and I will present them in contrast:DSQ63 10.3

1. God’s covenant is commanded to man. Proof: “And he declared unto you his covenant which he commanded you to perform, even ten commandments; and he wrote them on two tables of stone.” Deuteronomy 4:13.DSQ63 10.4

But the Horeb covenant was an agreement between God and Israel Proof: “Now, therefore, if ye will obey my voice, indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people; for all the earth is mine; and ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel. And Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before their faces all these words which the Lord commanded him. And all the people answered together, and said, All that the Lord hath spoken we will do. And Moses returned the words of the people unto the Lord.” Exodus 19:5-8.DSQ63 10.5

2. God’s covenant was written by his own hand on the tables of stone. Proof: “And he gave unto Moses, when he had made an end of communing with him upon mount Sinai, two tables of testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God.” Exodus 31:18.DSQ63 11.1

But the Horeb covenant was written by the hand of Moses in a book. Proof: “And Moses wrote all the words of the Lord, and rose up early in the morning and builded an altar under the hill, and twelve pillars, according to the twelve tribes of Israel.” Exodus 24:4. “And it came to pass, when Moses had made an end of writing the words of this law in a book, until they were finished.” Deuteronomy 31:24.DSQ63 11.2

3. God’s covenant was put in the ark. Proof: “And I turned myself and came down from the mount, and put the tables in the ark which I had made; and there they be, as the Lord commanded me.” Deuteronomy 10:5. “There was nothing in the ark save the two tables of stone, which Moses put there at Horeb,” etc. 1 Kings 8:9.DSQ63 11.3

But the Book of the Covenant was kept in the side of the ark. Proof: “Take this book of the law, and put it in the side (‘by the side,’ Bernard’s trans.) of the ark of the covenant of the Lord, that it may be there for a witness against thee.”DSQ63 11.4

4. No blood was ever sprinkled on the tables of the ten commandments.DSQ63 11.5

But the old Book of the Covenant was dedicated with blood. “Whereupon, neither this first testament was dedicated without blood. For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the [original illegible] all the people. Saying, This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you.” Hebrews 9:18-20.DSQ63 11.6

The first covenant was atonement in figure; the new covenant is atonement in fact. But there is not a hint about an atonement or a priesthood in the ten commandments.DSQ63 12.1

In regard to the assertion that the Sabbath was not for the Gentiles, we enquire. For whom was the Sabbath made? Jesus says, “The Sabbath was made for man.” Mark 2:27. The term man, in this text, like many others, is generic, and is used in the broadest sense, meaning the entire race. “A noun without an adjective is to be taken in its broadest sense as “man is accountable,” Kirkham’s Grammar. “It is appointed unto man once to die.” Gentiles die, therefore the term “man” means Gentiles as well as Jews. “The Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground.” Gentiles are made of dust. For man made of the dust, the Sabbath was made. There was another institution made for man at the same time and place, namely, The marriage relation. 1 Corinthians 11:9. “Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man.” Now if the expression, “The Sabbath was made for man,” can be construed to mean only the Jew man, then, by the same rule, the woman created for man is confined to the Jews, and Gentile have no right to marry.DSQ63 12.2

My friend says, The reason for the Sabbath was that God brought Israel out of Egypt. “Therefore, he commanded you to keep the Sabbath day,” shows that the Sabbath is a memorial of their deliverance, and was not obligatory before. On this we remark that this was only a specific reason. The fourth commandment contains the general reason, which points bark to creation. They had been slaves in Egypt, where they, could not keep the Sabbath, but now they were brought out where they could, they must serve God in all things.DSQ63 12.3

But the argument on the word “therefore” proves too much. Deuteronomy 24:17, 18. “Thou shalt not pervert the judgment of the stranger, nor of the fatherless; nor take a widows raiment to pledge: but thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in Egypt, and the Lord thy Gad redeemed thee thence: therefore, I command thee to do this thing.DSQ63 12.4

Is this precept a memorial of their coming out of Egypt?! The same rule will apply to the whole law. Leviticus 19:36, 37. “Just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just bin, shall ye have: I am the Lord your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt. Therefore shall ye observe all my statutes, and all my judgments, and do them: I am the Lord.”DSQ63 13.1

My friend argues that the Sabbath is not now binding, because it is not commanded over again in the New Testament. This argument assumes that whatever is not given over again upon a new account, is not binding. But I deny that Christ commanded anything over again upon a new account. Christ and the apostles quote some of the commandments, and refer to others, as well established principles and laws. They quote the law to enforce their teaching. Matthew 7:12. “Therefore, all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.”DSQ63 13.2

He believes the first three commandments of the decalogue are now binding. I now call on him to show where these are commanded over again, or to give up his position in regard to the Sabbath. When he will show that the first three are given over again, I will show that the Sabbath is given over again just as plainly. Why call for a reenactment of the Sabbath when it never was done away?DSQ63 13.3

I can find where the Sabbath was definitely and plainly commanded, and the reason why; now let him show where it is as definitely abolished. What! the weekly Sabbath, made for man soon as the world began, abolished! As well talk of the abolition of marring, which was instituted at the same time and place. These two ancient, honorable institutions are as old as our world, and they both have the same divine sanction, the same origin.DSQ63 13.4