t day
of the week!

Twenty days before God re-enacted and wrote the commandments with his
finger on tables of stone, he required his people to keep the Sabbath.
Exo. xvi: 27, 30. Here he calls the Sabbath "MY COMMANDMENTS AND MY
LAWS." Now the SAVIOR has given his comments on the commandments. See
Matt. xxii: 35, 40.--"On these two (precepts) hang ALL the law and the
prophets." Then it would be impossible for the Sabbath to be left out. A
question was asked, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? Says Jesus,
"If thou wilt enter into life keep the commandments"--xix. Here he
quotes five from the tables of stone. It is still clearer in Luke x. 25,
28. "What is written in the law? how readest thou?" Here he gives the
Savior's exposition in xxii. Matt. as above. Jesus says, "Thou hast
answered right, this do and live." See also Matt. v: 17, 19, 21, 27, 33.
PAUL comments thus. "The law is holy, and the commandments holy, just
and good." "Circumcission and uncircumcission is nothing but the keeping
the commandments of God." "All the law is fulfilled in one word: thou
shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." JOHN says, "the old commandment is
the WORD from the beginning."--2, 7.--Gen. ii: 3. "He carries us from
thence into the gates of the city." Rev. xxii: 14. Here he has
particular reference to the Sabbath. JAMES calls it the PERFECT, royal
law of liberty, which we are to be doers of, and be judged by. Take out
the fourth commandment and the law is imperfect, and we shall fail in
one point.

The uncompromising advocate for present truth, which feeds and nourishes
the little flock in whatever country or place, is the restorer of all
things; one man like John the Baptist, cannot discharge this duty to
every kindred, nation, tongue and people, and still remain in one place.
The truth is what we want.

FAIRHAVEN, AUGUST, 1846.

JOSEPH BATES.

[iii]PREFACE TO SECOND EDITION.

TO THE LITTLE FLOCK.

My reasons for issuing a second edition of this book are, First, the
increasing demand for them, from different quarters. Second, it affords
me an opportunity of spreading additional light from the Word on this
important subject of present truth. Much more is said about it than any
doctrine in the bible, beginning in Genesis, and continuing down to the
closing up of the last message which God ever gave to man, proving
clearly that the doing of these commandments saves the soul; showing it
more clearly than a strict adher