58 OBLIGATION OF THE SABBATH. 



The Decaloguc enforced by Christ. A specification unnecessary. 



therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and 

 shall teach men so, lie sliall be called tlie least in the kingdom 

 of heaven ; but whosoever shall do and t-each them, the same 

 shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.'' That by 

 '' these commandments/' oiir Lord meant the commandments 

 of the Decalogue, seems to me so perfectly plain, from the 

 specifications which follow, that I consider it bey ond all 

 dispute. When it is formally denied, it will be time enough 

 formally to prove it. Let it suffice now to say, that his first 

 examples are tåken from the sixth and seventh (perhaps also 

 from the third and ninth) commandments of the Decalogue ; 

 and that every other is of a moralj not one of a ceremonial 

 nature, throughout this whole discourse. Could anything add 

 to the evidence thus given that, as Lord and Judge of the 

 world, Christ recognizes the Decalogue as the immutabie Law 

 of Grod, and ratifies all its commandments in their genuine 

 import, and stripped of every Pharisaic construction, as funda- 

 mental laws of his own kingdom ? 



I can think of but one objection to this, so far as the 

 Sabbath is concerned. It may be said, " Christ does not 

 specify the fourth commandment as a part of this immutabie 

 law ; therefore it may be an exception.'' Is it then necessary, 

 after so decisive and comprehensive a statement as to every 

 " jot or tittle of the law,'' that he descend to a specification 

 of every commandment ? As well might you raise the same 

 objection against the first commandment, or the second, or the 

 fifth, or the eighth, as against the fourth. ^^ But He does 

 specify them elsewhere," it may be said. I answer, yes, the 

 fifth and eighth (perhaps the first and tenth also) ; but no- 

 where the second. Is the second, then, abolished by Christ ? 

 What ! when the world was full of idolatry and image 

 worship, to be conquered by His word ! Absurd and monstrous 

 supposition ! I do not impute to W. B. T. such quibbles and 

 evasions as these. But then I say, equally absurd is the 

 attempt to detach the fourth commandment from the Decalogue j 



