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<TITLE>Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary on the Whole Bible [Deuteronomy, Chapter X].</TITLE>
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<center><h1>Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary
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on the Whole Bible</h1>
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[<A HREF="MHC00000.HTM">Table of Contents</A>]<BR>
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Matthew Henry<BR><I>Commentary on the Whole Bible</I> (1706)
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<!-- (Begin Body) -->
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<CENTER>
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<BR><FONT SIZE=+3><B>D E U T E R O N O M Y</B></FONT>
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<BR>
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<BR><FONT SIZE=+2>CHAP. X.</FONT>
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<HR SIZE=1 WIDTH=50>
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</CENTER>
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<FONT SIZE=-1>
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<P>
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Moses having, in the foregoing chapter, reminded them of their own sin,
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as a reason why they should not depend upon their own righteousness, in
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this chapter he sets before them God's great mercy to them,
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notwithstanding their provocations, as a reason why they should be more
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obedient for the future.
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I. He mentions divers tokens of God's favour and reconciliation to
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them, never to be forgotten.
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(1.) The renewing of the tables of the covenant,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+10:1-5">ver. 1-5</A>.
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(2.) Giving orders for their progress towards Canaan,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+10:6,7">ver. 6, 7</A>.
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(3.) Choosing the tribe of Levi for his own,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+10:8,9">ver. 8, 9</A>.
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(4.) And continuing the priesthood after the death of Aaron,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+10:6">ver. 6</A>.
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(5.) Owning and accepting the intercession of Moses for them,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+10:10,11">ver. 10, 11</A>.
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II. Hence he infers what obligations they lay under to fear,
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and love, and serve God, which he presses upon them with many motives,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+10:12-22">ver. 12</A>,
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&c.</P>
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</FONT>
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<A NAME="De10_1"> </A>
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<A NAME="De10_2"> </A>
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<A NAME="De10_3"> </A>
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<A NAME="De10_4"> </A>
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<A NAME="De10_5"> </A>
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<A NAME="De10_6"> </A>
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<A NAME="De10_7"> </A>
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<A NAME="De10_8"> </A>
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<A NAME="De10_9"> </A>
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<A NAME="De10_10"> </A>
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<A NAME="De10_11"> </A>
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<A NAME="Sec1"> </A>
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<TABLE WIDTH="100%" BORDER=0>
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<TR><TD><FONT SIZE=+1><I>God's Great Kindness to Israel.</I></FONT></TD>
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<TD ALIGN=RIGHT><FONT SIZE=-1>B. C.</FONT> 1451.</TD></TR>
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<TR><TD COLSPAN=2><HR SIZE=1></TD></TR>
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</TABLE>
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<P>
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<FONT SIZE=+1>1 At that time the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> said unto me, Hew thee two tables of
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stone like unto the first, and come up unto me into the mount,
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and make thee an ark of wood.
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2 And I will write on the tables the words that were in the
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first tables which thou brakest, and thou shalt put them in the
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ark.
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3 And I made an ark <I>of</I> shittim wood, and hewed two tables of
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stone like unto the first, and went up into the mount, having the
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two tables in mine hand.
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4 And he wrote on the tables, according to the first writing,
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the ten commandments, which the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> spake unto you in the mount
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out of the midst of the fire in the day of the assembly: and the
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L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> gave them unto me.
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5 And I turned myself and came down from the mount, and put the
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tables in the ark which I had made; and there they be, as the
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L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> commanded me.
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6 And the children of Israel took their journey from Beeroth of
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the children of Jaakan to Mosera: there Aaron died, and there he
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was buried; and Eleazar his son ministered in the priest's office
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in his stead.
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7 From thence they journeyed unto Gudgodah; and from Gudgodah
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to Jotbath, a land of rivers of waters.
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8 At that time the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> separated the tribe of Levi, to bear
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the ark of the covenant of the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>, to stand before the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> to
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minister unto him, and to bless in his name, unto this day.
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9 Wherefore Levi hath no part nor inheritance with his
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brethren; the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> <I>is</I> his inheritance, according as the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>
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thy God promised him.
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10 And I stayed in the mount, according to the first time,
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forty days and forty nights; and the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> hearkened unto me at
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that time also, <I>and</I> the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> would not destroy thee.
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11 And the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> said unto me, Arise, take <I>thy</I> journey before
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the people, that they may go in and possess the land, which I
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sware unto their fathers to give unto them.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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There were four things in and by which God showed himself reconciled to
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Israel and made them truly great and happy, and in which God's goodness
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took occasion from their badness to make him the more illustrious:--</P>
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<P>
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I. He gave them his law, gave it to them in writing, as a standing
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pledge of his favour. Though the tables that were first written were
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broken, because Israel had broken the commandments, and God might
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justly break the covenant, yet when his anger was turned away the
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tables were renewed,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+10:1,2"><I>v.</I> 1, 2</A>.
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Note, God's putting his law in our reconciliation to God and the best
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earnest of our happiness in him. Moses is told to hew the tables; for
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the law prepares the heart by conviction and humiliation for the grace
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of God, but it is only that grace that then writes the law in it. Moses
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made <I>an ark of shittim-wood</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+10:3"><I>v.</I> 3</A>),
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a plain chest, the same, I suppose, in which the tables were afterwards
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preserved: but Bezaleel is said to make it
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ex+37:1">Exod. xxxvii. 1</A>),
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because he afterwards finished it up and overlaid it with gold. Or
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Moses is said to make it because, when he went up the second time into
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the mount, he ordered it to be made by Bezaleel against he came down.
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And it is observable that for this reason the ark was the first thing
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that God gave orders about,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ex+25:10">Exod. xxv. 10</A>.
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And this left an earnest to the congregation that the tables should not
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miscarry this second time, as they had done the first. God will send
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his law and gospel to those whose hearts are prepared as arks to
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receive them. Christ is the ark in which now our salvation is kept
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safely, that it may not be lost as it was in the first Adam, when he
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had it in his own hand. Observe,
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1. What it was that God wrote on the two tables, the ten commandments
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+10:4"><I>v.</I> 4</A>),
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or <I>ten words,</I> intimating in how little a compass they were
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contained: they were not ten volumes, but ten words: it was the same
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with the first writing, and both the same that he spoke in the mount.
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The second edition needed no correction nor amendment, nor did what he
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wrote differ form what he spoke. The written word is as truly the word
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of God as that which he spoke to his servants the prophets.
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2. What care was taken of it. These two tables, thus engraven, were
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faithfully laid up in the ark. <I>And there they be,</I> said Moses,
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pointing it is probable towards the sanctuary,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+10:5"><I>v.</I> 5</A>.
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That good thing which was committed to him he transmitted to them, and
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left it pure and entire in their hands; now let them look to it at
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their peril. Thus we may say to the rising generation, "God has
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entrusted us with Bibles, sabbaths, sacraments, &c., as tokens of his
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presence and favour, and there they be; we lodge them with you,"
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ti+1:13,14">2 Tim. i. 13, 14</A>.</P>
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<P>
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II. He led them forward towards Canaan, though they in their hearts
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turned back towards Egypt, and he might justly have chosen their
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delusions,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+10:6,7"><I>v.</I> 6, 7</A>.
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He brought them to a land of <I>rivers of waters,</I> out of a dry and
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barren wilderness. Sometimes God supplied their wants by the ordinary
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course of nature: when that failed, then by miracles; and yet after
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this, when they were brought into a little distress, we find them
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distrusting God and murmuring,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Nu+20:3,4">Num. xx. 3, 4</A>.</P>
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<P>
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III. He appointed a standing ministry among them, to deal for them in
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holy things. At that time when Moses went up a second time to the
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mount, or soon after, he had orders to separate the tribe of Levi to
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God, and to his immediate service, they having distinguished themselves
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by their zeal against the worshippers of the golden calf,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+10:8,9"><I>v.</I> 8, 9</A>.
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The Kohathites carried the ark; they and the other Levites stood
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<I>before the Lord,</I> to minister to him in all the offices of the
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tabernacle; and the priests, who were of that tribe, were to bless the
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people. This was a standing ordinance, which had now continued almost
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forty years, even unto this day; and provision was made for the
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perpetuating of it by the settled maintenance of that tribe, which was
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such as gave them great encouragement in their work, and no diversion
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from it. <I>The Lord is his inheritance.</I> Note, A settled ministry
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is a great blessing to a people, and a special token of God's favour.
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And, since the particular priests could not continue by reason of
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death, God showed his care of the people in securing a succession,
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which Moses takes notice of here,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+10:6"><I>v.</I> 6</A>.
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When <I>Aaron died,</I> the priesthood did not die with him, but
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<I>Eleazar his son ministered in his stead,</I> and took care of the
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ark, in which the tables of stone, those precious stones, were
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deposited, that they should suffer no damage; there they be, and he has
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the custody of them. Under the law, a succession in the ministry was
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kept up, by an entail of the office on a certain tribe and family. But
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now, under the gospel, when the effusion of the Spirit is more
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plentiful and powerful, the succession is kept up by the Spirit's
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operation on men's hearts, qualifying men for, and inclining men to,
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that work, some in every age, that the name of Israel may not be
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blotted out.</P>
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<P>
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IV. He accepted Moses as an advocate or intercessor for them, and
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therefore constituted him their prince and leader
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+10:10,11"><I>v.</I> 10, 11</A>):
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<I>The Lord hearkened to me and said, Arise, go before the people.</I>
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It was a mercy to them that they had such a friend, so faithful both to
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him that appointed him and to those for whom he was appointed. It was
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fit that he who had saved them from ruin, by his intercession with
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heaven, should have the conduct and command of them. And herein he was
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a type of Christ, who, as he ever lives making intercession for us, so
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he has <I>all power both in heaven and in earth.</I></P>
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<A NAME="De10_12"> </A>
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<A NAME="De10_13"> </A>
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<A NAME="De10_14"> </A>
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<A NAME="De10_15"> </A>
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<A NAME="De10_16"> </A>
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<A NAME="De10_17"> </A>
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<A NAME="De10_18"> </A>
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<A NAME="De10_19"> </A>
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<A NAME="De10_20"> </A>
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<A NAME="De10_21"> </A>
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<A NAME="De10_22"> </A>
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<A NAME="Sec2"> </A>
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<TABLE WIDTH="100%" BORDER=0>
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<TR><TD><FONT SIZE=+1><I>Exhortation to Obedience.</I></FONT></TD>
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<TD ALIGN=RIGHT><FONT SIZE=-1>B. C.</FONT> 1451.</TD></TR>
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<TR><TD COLSPAN=2><HR SIZE=1></TD></TR>
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</TABLE>
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<P>
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<FONT SIZE=+1>12 And now, Israel, what doth the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> thy God require of thee,
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but to fear the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to
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love him, and to serve the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> thy God with all thy heart and
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with all thy soul,
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13 To keep the commandments of the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>, and his statutes,
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which I command thee this day for thy good?
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14 Behold, the heaven and the heaven of heavens <I>is</I> the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>'s
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thy God, the earth <I>also,</I> with all that therein <I>is.</I>
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15 Only the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> had a delight in thy fathers to love them, and
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he chose their seed after them, <I>even</I> you above all people, as
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<I>it is</I> this day.
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16 Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no
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more stiffnecked.
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17 For the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> your God <I>is</I> God of gods, and Lord of lords, a
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great God, a mighty, and a terrible, which regardeth not persons,
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nor taketh reward:
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18 He doth execute the judgment of the fatherless and widow,
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and loveth the stranger, in giving him food and raiment.
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19 Love ye therefore the stranger: for ye were strangers in the
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land of Egypt.
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20 Thou shalt fear the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> thy God; him shalt thou serve, and
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to him shalt thou cleave, and swear by his name.
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21 He <I>is</I> thy praise, and he <I>is</I> thy God, that hath done for
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thee these great and terrible things, which thine eyes have seen.
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22 Thy fathers went down into Egypt with threescore and ten
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persons; and now the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> thy God hath made thee as the stars of
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heaven for multitude.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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Here is a most pathetic exhortation to obedience, inferred from the
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premises, and urged with very powerful arguments and a great deal of
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persuasive rhetoric. Moses brings it in like an orator, with an appeal
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to his auditors <I>And now, Israel, what doth the Lord thy God require
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of thee?</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+10:12"><I>v.</I> 12</A>.
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Ask what he requires; as David
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+116:12">Ps. cxvi. 12</A>),
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<I>What shall I render?</I> When we have received mercy from God it
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becomes us to enquire what returns we shall make to him. Consider what
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he requires, and you will find it is nothing but what is highly just
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and reasonable in itself and of unspeakable benefit and advantage to
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you. Let us see here what he does require, and what abundant reason
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there is why we should do what he requires.</P>
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<P>
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I. We are here most plainly directed in our duty to God, to our
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neighbour, and to ourselves.</P>
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<P>
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1. We are here taught our duty to God, both in the dispositions and
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affections of our souls and in the actions of our lives, our principles
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and our practices.
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(1.) We must <I>fear the Lord our God,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+10:12"><I>v.</I> 12</A>,
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and again
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+10:20"><I>v.</I> 20</A>.
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We must adore his majesty, acknowledge his authority, stand in awe of
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his power, and dread his wrath. This is gospel duty,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Re+14:6,7">Rev. xiv. 6, 7</A>.
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(2.) We must love him, be well pleased that he is, desire that he may
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be ours, and delight in the contemplation of him and in communion with
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him. Fear him as a great God, and our Lord, love him as a good God, and
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our Father and benefactor.
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(3.) We must walk in his ways, that is, the ways which he has appointed
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us to walk in. The whole course of our conversation must be conformable
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to his holy will.
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(4.) We must <I>serve him</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+10:20"><I>v.</I> 20</A>),
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<I>serve him with all our heart and soul</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+10:12"><I>v.</I> 12</A>),
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devote ourselves to his honour, put ourselves under his government, and
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lay out ourselves to advance all the interests of his kingdom among
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men. And we must be hearty and zealous in his service, engage and
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employ our inward man in his work, and what we do for him we must do
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cheerfully and with a good will.
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(5.) We must <I>keep his commandments and his statutes,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+10:13"><I>v.</I> 13</A>.
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Having given up ourselves to his service, we must make his revealed
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|
will our rule in every thing, perform all he prescribes, forbear all
|
|
the forbids, firmly believing that all the statutes he commands us are
|
|
for our good. Besides the reward of obedience, which will be our
|
|
unspeakable gain, there are true honour and pleasure in obedience. It
|
|
is really for our present good to be meek and humble, chaste and sober,
|
|
just and charitable, patient and contented; these make us easy, and
|
|
safe, and pleasant, and truly great.
|
|
|
|
(6.) We must give honour to God, in swearing by <I>his name</I>
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|
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+10:20"><I>v.</I> 20</A>);
|
|
|
|
so give him the honour of his omniscience, his sovereignty, his
|
|
justice, as well as of his necessary existence. <I>Swear by his
|
|
name,</I> and not by the name of any creature, or false god, whenever
|
|
an oath for confirmation is called for.
|
|
|
|
(7.) To him we must cleave,
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+10:20"><I>v.</I> 20</A>.
|
|
|
|
Having chosen him for our God, we must faithfully and constantly abide
|
|
with him and never forsake him. Cleave to him as one we love and
|
|
delight in, trust and confide in, and from whom we have great
|
|
expectations.</P>
|
|
|
|
<P>
|
|
|
|
2. We are here taught our duty to our neighbour
|
|
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+10:19"><I>v.</I> 19</A>):
|
|
|
|
<I>Love the stranger;</I> and, if the stranger, much more our brethren,
|
|
as ourselves. If the Israelites that were such a peculiar people, so
|
|
particularly distinguished from all people, must be kind to strangers,
|
|
much more must we, that are not enclosed in such a pale; we must have a
|
|
tender concern for all that share with us in the human nature, and
|
|
<I>as we have opportunity;</I> (that is, according to their necessities
|
|
and our abilities) we must <I>do good to all men.</I> Two arguments are
|
|
here urged to enforce this duty:--
|
|
|
|
(1.) God's common providence, which extends itself to all nations of
|
|
men, they being all <I>made of one blood.</I> God <I>loveth the
|
|
stranger</I>
|
|
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+10:18"><I>v.</I> 18</A>),
|
|
|
|
that is, he gives to all life, and breath, and all things, even to
|
|
those that are Gentiles, and <I>strangers to the commonwealth of
|
|
Israel</I> and to Israel's God. He knows those perfectly whom we know
|
|
nothing of. He gives <I>food and raiment</I> even to those to whom he
|
|
has not shown his word and statutes. God's common gifts to mankind
|
|
oblige us to honour all men. Or the expression denotes the particular
|
|
care which Providence takes of strangers in distress, which we ought to
|
|
praise him for
|
|
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+146:9">Ps. cxlvi. 9</A>,
|
|
|
|
The <I>Lord preserveth the strangers</I>), and to imitate him, to serve
|
|
him, and concur with him therein, being forward to make ourselves
|
|
instruments in his hand of kindness to strangers.
|
|
|
|
(2.) The afflicted condition which the Israelites themselves had been
|
|
in, when they were strangers in Egypt. Those that have themselves been
|
|
in distress, and have found mercy with God, should sympathize most
|
|
feelingly with those that are in the like distress and be ready to show
|
|
kindness to them. The people of the Jews, notwithstanding these
|
|
repeated commands given them to be kind to strangers, conceived a
|
|
rooted antipathy to the Gentiles, whom they looked upon with the utmost
|
|
disdain, which made them envy the grace of God and the gospel of
|
|
Christ, and this brought a final ruin upon themselves.</P>
|
|
|
|
<P>
|
|
|
|
3. We are here taught our duty to ourselves
|
|
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+10:16"><I>v.</I> 16</A>):
|
|
|
|
<I>Circumcise the foreskin of your hearts.</I> that is, "Cast away from
|
|
you all corrupt affections and inclinations, which hinder you from
|
|
fearing and loving God. <I>Mortify the flesh</I> with the lusts of it.
|
|
Away with all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, which obstruct
|
|
the free course of the word of God to your hearts. Rest not in the
|
|
circumcision of the body, which was only the sign, but be circumcised
|
|
in heart, which is the thing signified." See
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ro+2:29">Rom. ii. 29</A>.
|
|
|
|
The command of Christ goes further than this, and obliges us not only
|
|
to cut off the foreskin of the heart, which may easily be spared, but
|
|
to cut off the right hand and to pluck out the right eye that is an
|
|
offence to us; the more spiritual the dispensation is the more
|
|
spiritual we are obliged to be, and to go the closer in mortifying sin.
|
|
And <I>be no more stiff-necked,</I> as they had been hitherto,
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+9:24"><I>ch.</I> ix. 24</A>.
|
|
|
|
"Be not any longer obstinate against divine commands and corrections,
|
|
but ready to comply with the will of God in both." The circumcision of
|
|
the heart makes it ready to yield to God, and draw in his yoke.</P>
|
|
|
|
<P>
|
|
|
|
II. We are here most pathetically persuaded to our duty. Let but reason
|
|
rule us, and religion will.</P>
|
|
|
|
<P>
|
|
|
|
1. Consider the greatness and glory of God, and therefore fear him, and
|
|
from that principle serve and obey him. What is it that is thought to
|
|
make a man great, but great honour, power, and possessions? Think then
|
|
how great the Lord our God is, and greatly to be feared.
|
|
|
|
(1.) He has great honour, a name above every name. He is <I>God of
|
|
gods,</I> and <I>Lord of lords,</I>
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+10:17"><I>v.</I> 17</A>.
|
|
|
|
Angels are called <I>gods,</I> so are magistrates, and the Gentiles had
|
|
<I>gods many, and lords many,</I> the creatures of their own fancy; but
|
|
God is infinitely above all these nominal deities. What an absurdity
|
|
would it be for them to worship other gods when the God to whom they
|
|
had sworn allegiance was the God of gods!
|
|
|
|
(2.) He has great power. He is a <I>mighty God and terrible</I>
|
|
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+10:17"><I>v.</I> 17</A>),
|
|
|
|
<I>who regardeth not persons.</I> He has the power of a conqueror, and
|
|
so he is terrible to those that resist him and rebel against him. He
|
|
has the power of a judge, and so he is just to all those that appeal to
|
|
him or appear before him. And it is as much the greatness and honour
|
|
of a judge to be impartial in his justice, without respect to persons
|
|
or bribes, as it is to a general to be terrible to the enemy. Our God
|
|
is both.
|
|
|
|
(3.) He has great possessions. Heaven and earth are his
|
|
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+10:14"><I>v.</I> 14</A>),
|
|
|
|
and all the hosts and stars of both. Therefore he is able to bear us
|
|
out in his service, and to make up the losses we sustain in discharging
|
|
our duty to him. And yet therefore he has no need of us, nor any thing
|
|
we have or can do; we are undone without him, but he is happy without
|
|
us, which makes the condescensions of his grace, in accepting us and
|
|
our services, truly admirable. Heaven and earth are his possession, and
|
|
yet <I>the Lord's portion is his people.</I></P>
|
|
|
|
<P>
|
|
|
|
2. Consider the goodness and grace of God, and therefore love him, and
|
|
from that principle serve and obey him. His goodness is his glory as
|
|
much as his greatness.
|
|
|
|
(1.) He is good to all. Whomsoever he finds miserable, to them he will
|
|
be found merciful: He <I>executes the judgment of the fatherless and
|
|
widow,</I>
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+10:18"><I>v.</I> 18</A>.
|
|
|
|
It is his honour to help the helpless, and to succour those that most
|
|
need relief and that men are apt to do injury to, or at least to put a
|
|
light upon. See
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+68:4,5,146:7,9">Ps. lxviii. 4, 5; cxlvi. 7, 9</A>.
|
|
|
|
(2.) But <I>truly God is good to Israel</I> in a special obligations to
|
|
him: "<I>He is they praise, and he is thy God,</I>
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+10:21"><I>v.</I> 21</A>.
|
|
|
|
<I>Therefore</I> love him and serve him, because of the relation
|
|
wherein he stands to thee. He is thy God, a God in covenant with thee,
|
|
and as such he is thy praise," that is
|
|
|
|
[1.] "He puts honour upon thee; he is the God in whom, all the day
|
|
long, thou mayest boast that thou knowest him, and art known of him. If
|
|
he is thy God, he is thy glory."
|
|
|
|
[2.] "He expects honour from thee. <I>He is thy praise,</I>" that is
|
|
"he is the God whom thou art bound to praise; if he has not praise from
|
|
thee, whence may he expect it?" He <I>inhabits the praises of
|
|
Israel.</I> Consider, <I>First,</I> The gracious choice he made of
|
|
Israel,
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+10:15"><I>v.</I> 15</A>.
|
|
|
|
"He had a delight in thy fathers, and therefore chose their seed." Not
|
|
that there was any thing in them to merit his favour, or to recommend
|
|
them to it, but so it seemed good in his eyes. He would be kind to
|
|
them, though he had no need of them. <I>Secondly,</I> The great things
|
|
he had done for Israel,
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+10:21,22"><I>v.</I> 21, 22</A>.
|
|
|
|
He reminds them not only of what they had heard with their ears, and
|
|
which their fathers had told them of, but of what they had seen with
|
|
their eyes, and which they must tell their children of, particularly
|
|
that within a few generations seventy souls (for they were no more when
|
|
Jacob went down into Egypt) increased to a great nation, <I>as the
|
|
stars of heaven for multitude.</I> And the more they were in number the
|
|
more praise and service God expected from them; yet it proved, as in
|
|
the old world, that when they began to multiply they corrupted
|
|
themselves.</P>
|
|
|
|
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