The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1881-08-17
THERE REMA1NETH 4 REST

We published in our issue of two weeks
ago letter from minister in another de-
nomination asking certain questions touch
ing the grounds for the continued observ-
ance of the Sabbath, and also the authori-
ty for the change of the day from the
seventh to the first; and we replied at
some length to these inquiries. We pro-
pose to supplement what was said in that
article on the second point by some con-
siderations which will acquire more i'm
portance in this controversy hereafter
than they have held heretofore.
We desire to bring forward view of
the matter which we have not seen fully
presented, but which to our mind throws
a great deal of light on the fact of the
substitution of the first day of the week
for the seventh.
The essential idea of the Sabbath is
Rest-Rest in God. For this man was
designed, and all the work of the six
days was merely with reference to this
Rest. The Light, the Firmament, the
Sun, Moon, and Stars, the Fishes of the
Sea. the Beasts of the Field, were moth
ing, except as they bore upon MAN, and
Man was nothing without the attainment
of this Rest. Only a responsible, free
moral being was capable of enjoying this
Rest, and if Adam had maintained his
integrity, he would have entered into
this Divine Rest-God's Eternal Sabbath
But, in the exercise of his free agency
he violated the moral law, and forfeited
this high destiny. But the Rest was not
thereby destroyed; God pitied man il
his fallen estate, and opened, as it were
the gate afresh which led into that Para
disc of Eternal Communion with Him.
There remaineth, therefore, says the
author of the Epistle to the Hebrews, as
Rest a Sabbatism in the Greek-not &
human Sabbath, but Divine Sabbath
for the people of God"
The observance of the seventh day O.
the week was instituted by God as type
of the Heavenly Rest, and special time
set apart to prepare us for that Rest
The human rest was the reminder anc
symbol of the great Eternal Rest in the
bosom of God.
When the Church comes fully to &C
cept the fact that the Seventh Day or
which God rested in Genesis is a great
Sab5atac Period, and not human day Of
twenty-four hours, we shall understand
this matter better. In six days God
made the heavens and the earth, and fo1
each, we are told, "there was evening
there was morning.; and we have ebay
one, day two" &c. to "day SIX" But
we are not told that "there was an even
ing and morning-day seven" The
formula suddenly ceases. Why? because
this day is not yet ended. Gods Rest
continues. The first six days were pre-
paratory. All looked to the Seventh Day
Goods Rest) when the new creature whom
God had made should abide with Him
and enjoy Him forever. But Just as this
new being, made in the likeness of God,
was about to enter into this Rest, the
Devil stepped on the scene, and spoiled
ALL God was left alone without man to
share His rest with Him. That Rest we
say, was not annihilated; only man did
not enter into it. The Rest continued.
This is not fancy it is Scripture. The
Epistle to the Hebrews turns upon the
thought that there remaineth (although
the works were finished from the founda-
ton Of the world. and Gods whole scheme
had apparently been defeated by man s
delinquency a Rest for the people Of God.
Although this Rest had been ordained
and at the very outset forfeited-stil
there remaineth a Rest. The Hebrews
fancied that they would recover this
Lost. Rest in the Promised Land, but
that Promised Land was not the New
Paradise-was not that Rest it was on
]y type Of that Rest. They fancied that
Joshua would lead them into that Rest
but it was Jesus, the second Joshua (Sa-
viour), who was to perform that great
work. Jesus has re-opened the gates Of
Paradise, and by his Resurrection broken