13.04.2018 Views

History of the Sabbath and First Day of the Week - John N. Andrews

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.

that <strong>the</strong> world was created by God, <strong>and</strong> that he<br />

gave us <strong>the</strong> seventh day as a rest, on account <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

trouble that <strong>the</strong>re is in life. For God is incapable <strong>of</strong><br />

weariness, <strong>and</strong> suffering, <strong>and</strong> want. But we who<br />

bear flesh need rest. The seventh day <strong>the</strong>refore, is<br />

proclaimed a rest -- abstraction from ills --<br />

preparing for <strong>the</strong> primal day, our true rest."[27]<br />

Clement recognized <strong>the</strong> authority <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> moral<br />

law; for he treats <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Ten Comm<strong>and</strong>ments one<br />

by one, <strong>and</strong> shows what each enjoins. He plainly<br />

teaches that <strong>the</strong> <strong>Sabbath</strong> was made for man, <strong>and</strong><br />

that he now needs it as a day <strong>of</strong> rest, <strong>and</strong> his<br />

language implies that it was made at <strong>the</strong> creation.<br />

But in <strong>the</strong> next paragraph, he makes some curious<br />

suggestions, which deserve notice:--<br />

"Having reached this point, we must mention<br />

<strong>the</strong>se things by <strong>the</strong> way; since <strong>the</strong> discourse has<br />

turned on <strong>the</strong> seventh <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> eighth. For <strong>the</strong> eighth<br />

may possibly turn out to be properly <strong>the</strong> seventh,<br />

<strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> seventh manifestly <strong>the</strong> sixth, <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> latter<br />

properly <strong>the</strong> <strong>Sabbath</strong>, <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> seventh a day <strong>of</strong><br />

work. For <strong>the</strong> creation <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> world was concluded<br />

542

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!