276 ABROGATION OF THE SABBATH. 



Synopsis of " the argument from Matthew v." 



(as carnal " Nomianism" is ever too prone to suppose) in a 

 strict observance of any written commandment, but that its 

 demands reached back (loTiere no statute can) to the moving 

 impulse and the secret thought! {JSIatt. xv. 19.) 



Your Decalogue prohibits manslaughter ; ^'but Jsaj unto 

 you/' the malicious feeling is guilt ! Your Decalogue forbids 

 adulterj; *'but I say unto you/^ the lustful thought is crimi- 

 nal ! Your Law of Moses instructs its observers how they 

 may obtain a legal divorce ; ^'but / say unto you," he who 

 follows out its provisionSj is guilty of offence ! What ! Did 

 not Moses direct us to give a writing of divorcement ? {Deut. 

 xxiv. 1.) Yes, truly^ in adaptation to the age of hardness in 

 which he li ved, but there is a morality higlier and older than 

 that of Moses ] and ^^from the heginning^' the command was 

 not so! {MaAt. xix. 7 — 9.) There isa code engraven upon 

 other tables than those of stone; and instead of trusting to the 

 written Law — ^"^why not even of yoiirselves, ]vÅgQ ye not what 

 is right ?'^ {Luke xii. 57.) Your Law requires a faithful ob- 

 servance of oaths; '^but / say unto you, swear not at all l'^ 

 neither by God's throne {Matt. xxiii. 22); nor even by his 

 footstool; {"neither hy any other oath!" — James v. 12.) Your 

 Law commands a strict retribution upon the wrong-doer ; " but 

 Jsay unto you/' retribute not the wrong! Your Law enjoins 

 a patriotic affection for your neighbor and your countryman, 

 and an utter disregard for the peace or prosperity of the 

 foreigner and the enemy; '^but / say unto you," love even 

 your enemies, and do good to those that hate you ! 



Such were His sublime "commandments !"* Such were 

 the methods by which Jesus superseded the "fulfilled'^ code 

 of Sinai;t and manifested to his "astonished'^ countrymen, 



hang all ' the Law and the ProphetsJ " {Matt. xxii. 37 — 40; Mark xii. 



29 — 34.) That precious "necklace" with its "pearl of days" appears 



to have been entirely overlookcd ! 



* "If ye love me, keep My < commandments !' " {John xiv. 15.) 

 f *' That is to say, profaneness towards God, disobedience to parents, 



