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<TITLE>Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary on the Whole Bible [First Chronicles, Chapter XIII].</TITLE>
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<center><h1>Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary
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Matthew Henry<BR><I>Commentary on the Whole Bible</I> (1708)
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<CENTER>
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<BR><FONT SIZE=+3><B>F I R S T C H R O N I C L E S</B></FONT>
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<BR>
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<BR><FONT SIZE=+2>CHAP. XIII.</FONT>
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<HR SIZE=1 WIDTH=50>
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<FONT SIZE=-1>
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<P>
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In the foregoing chapter we have David made king, by which the civil
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government was happily settled. In this chapter care is taken about
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religion.
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I. David consults with the representatives of the people about bringing
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up the ark out of its obscurity into a public place; and it is resolved
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on,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ch+13:1-4">ver. 1-4</A>.
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II. With a great deal of solemnity and joy, it is carried from
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Kirjath-jearim,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ch+13:5-8">ver. 5-8</A>.
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III. Uzza is struck dead for touching it, which, for the present,
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spoils the solemnity and stops the proceedings,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ch+13:9-14">ver. 9-14</A>.</P>
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</FONT>
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<A NAME="1Ch13_1"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ch13_2"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ch13_3"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ch13_4"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ch13_5"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ch13_6"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ch13_7"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ch13_8"> </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>The Removal of the Ark.</I></FONT></TD>
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<TD ALIGN=RIGHT><FONT SIZE=-1>B. C.</FONT> 1048.</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 And David consulted with the captains of thousands and
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hundreds, <I>and</I> with every leader.
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2 And David said unto all the congregation of Israel, If <I>it
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seem</I> good unto you, and <I>that it be</I> of the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> our God, let us
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send abroad unto our brethren every where, <I>that are</I> left in all
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the land of Israel, and with them <I>also</I> to the priests and
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Levites <I>which are</I> in their cities <I>and</I> suburbs, that they may
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gather themselves unto us:
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3 And let us bring again the ark of our God to us: for we
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enquired not at it in the days of Saul.
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4 And all the congregation said that they would do so: for the
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thing was right in the eyes of all the people.
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5 So David gathered all Israel together, from Shihor of Egypt
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even unto the entering of Hemath, to bring the ark of God from
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Kirjath-jearim.
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6 And David went up, and all Israel, to Baalah, <I>that is,</I> to
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Kirjath-jearim, which <I>belonged</I> to Judah, to bring up thence the
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ark of God the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>, that dwelleth <I>between</I> the cherubims, whose
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name is called <I>on it.</I>
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7 And they carried the ark of God in a new cart out of the
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house of Abinadab: and Uzza and Ahio drave the cart.
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8 And David and all Israel played before God with all <I>their</I>
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might, and with singing, and with harps, and with psalteries, and
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with timbrels, and with cymbals, and with trumpets.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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Here is,
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I. David's pious proposal to bring up the ark of God to Jerusalem, that
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the royal city might be the holy city,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ch+13:1-3"><I>v.</I> 1-3</A>.
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This part of the story we had not in Samuel. We may observe in this
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proposal,</P>
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<P>
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1. That as soon as David was well seated on his throne he had thoughts
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concerning the ark of God: <I>Let us bring the ark to us,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ch+13:3"><I>v.</I> 3</A>.
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Two things he aimed at herein:--
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(1.) To do honour to God, by showing respect to his ark, the token of
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his presence. As soon as he had power in his hand he would use it for
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the advancement and encouragement of religion. Note, It ought to be
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the first and great care of those that are enriched and preferred to
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honour God with their honours, and to serve him, and the interests of
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his kingdom among men, with their wealth and power. David said not,
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"What pompous thing shall I do now?" or, "What pleasant thing?" but,
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"What pious thing?"
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(2.) To have the comfort and benefit of that sacred oracle. "Let us
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bring it to us, not only that we may be a credit to it, but that it may
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be a blessing to us." Those that honour God profit themselves. Note, It
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is the wisdom of those who are setting out in the world to take God's
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ark with them, to make his oracles their counsellors and his laws their
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rule. Those are likely to proceed in the favour of God who thus begin
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in the fear of God.</P>
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<P>
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2. That he consulted with the leaders of the people about it,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ch+13:1"><I>v.</I> 1</A>.
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Though it was without doubt a very good work, and being king, he had
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the authority to command the doing of it, yet he chose rather to do it
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by consultation,
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(1.) That he might show respect to the great men of the kingdom and put
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honour upon them. Though they made him king, yet he would not rule with
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a high hand. He did not say, "We will and command, and it is our royal
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pleasure, that you do so and so; and we will be obeyed," but, "<I>If it
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seem good to you,</I> and you think that the motion comes from the Lord
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our God, let us send out orders for this purpose." No prince that is
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wise will covet to be absolute. The people's allegiance is best secured
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by taking their concurrence in their representatives. Happy then art
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thou, O Britain!
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(2.). That he might be advised by them in the manner of doing it,
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whether just now, whether publicly. David was a very intelligent man
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himself, and yet consulted with his captains; <I>for in the multitude
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of counsellors there is safety.</I> It is wisdom to make use of the
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wisdom of others.
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(3.) That, they joining in it, it might pass the better for a national
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act and so might procure a national blessing.</P>
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<P>
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3. That he would have all the people summoned to attend on this
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occasion, both for the honour of the ark and for the people's
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satisfaction and edification,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ch+13:2"><I>v.</I> 2</A>.
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Observe,
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(1.) He calls the common people <I>brethren,</I> which bespeaks his
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humility and condescension (notwithstanding his advancement), and the
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tender concern he had for them. Thus our Lord Jesus is not ashamed to
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call his people brethren,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Heb+2:11">Heb. ii. 11</A>.
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(2.) He speaks of the people as a remnant that had escaped: <I>Our
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brethren that are left in all the land of Israel.</I> They had been
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under scattering providences. Their wars with the Philistines, and with
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the house of Saul, had wasted the country and cut off many. We now hope
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to see an end of these troubles. Let those that are left be quickened
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by late judgments, and present mercies, to seek unto God.
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(3.) He takes care that the priests and Levites especially should be
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summoned to attend the ark; for it was their province in a particular
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manner. Thus Christian magistrates should stir up ministers to do their
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duty when they see them remiss.</P>
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<P>
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4. That all this is upon supposition that it is <I>of the Lord their
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God.</I> "Though it should <I>seem good to you</I> and me, yet if it be
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not <I>of the Lord our God,</I> we will not do it." What ever we
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undertake, this must be our enquiry, "Is it of the Lord? Is it
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agreeable to his mind? Can we approve ourselves to him in it? May we
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expect that he will own us?"</P>
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<P>
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5. That thus it was requisite they should amend what has been amiss in
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the last reign, and, as it were, atone for their neglect: "For <I>we
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enquired not at it in the days of Saul,</I> and this was the reason why
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things went so ill with us: let that original error be amended, and
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then we may hope to see our affairs in a better posture." Observe,
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David makes no peevish reflections upon Saul. He does not say, "Saul
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never cared for the ark, at least in the latter end of this reign;"
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but, in general, <I>We enquired not at it,</I> making himself with
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others guilty of this neglect. It better becomes us to judge ourselves
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than others. Humble good men lament their own share in national guilt,
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and take shame to themselves,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Da+9:5-19">Dan. ix. 5</A>,
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&c.</P>
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<P>
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II. The people's ready agreement to this proposal
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ch+13:4"><I>v.</I> 4</A>):
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<I>The thing</I> was <I>right in the eyes of all the people.</I> Nobody
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could say to the contrary, but that it was a very good work and very
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seasonable; so that it was resolved, <I>nemine
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contradicente</I>--<I>unanimously,</I> that they would do so. Those
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that prudently proposed a good work, and lead in it, will perhaps find
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a more ready concurrence in it than they expected. Great men know not
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what a great deal of good they are capable of doing by their influence
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on others.</P>
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<P>
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III. The solemnity of bringing up the ark,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ch+13:5-8"><I>v.</I> 5</A>,
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&c., which we read
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before,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Sa+6:1-3">2 Sam. vi. 1</A>,
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&c. Here therefore we shall only observe,
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1. That it is worth while to travel far to attend the ark of God. They
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came out of all parts of the country, from the <I>river of Egypt,</I>
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the utmost part south, to the entering of Hemath, which lay furthest
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north,
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ch+13:5"><I>v.</I> 5</A>),
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to grace this solemnity.
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2. That we have reason greatly to rejoice in the revival of neglected
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ordinances and the return of the tokens of God's presence. When the
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light of religion shines out of obscurity, when it is openly and freely
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professed, is brought into reputation, and countenanced by princes and
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great ones, it is such a happy omen to a people as is worthy to be
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welcomed with all possible expressions of joy.
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3. When, after long disuse, ordinances come to be revived, it is too
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common for even wise and good men to make some mistakes. Who would have
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thought that David would commit such an error as this, to carry the ark
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upon a cart?
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ch+13:7"><I>v.</I> 7</A>.
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Because the Philistines so carried it, and a special providence drove
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the cart
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Sa+6:12">1 Sam. vi. 12</A>),
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he thought they might do so too. But we must walk by rule, not by
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example when it varies from the rule, no, not even by those examples
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which Providence has owned.</P>
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<A NAME="1Ch13_9"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ch13_10"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ch13_11"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ch13_12"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ch13_13"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ch13_14"> </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>The Death of Uzza.</I></FONT></TD>
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<TD ALIGN=RIGHT><FONT SIZE=-1>B. C.</FONT> 1048.</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>9 And when they came unto the threshingfloor of Chidon, Uzza
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put forth his hand to hold the ark; for the oxen stumbled.
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10 And the anger of the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> was kindled against Uzza, and he
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smote him, because he put his hand to the ark: and there he died
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before God.
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11 And David was displeased, because the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> had made a breach
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upon Uzza: wherefore that place is called Perez-uzza to this day.
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12 And David was afraid of God that day, saying, How shall I
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bring the ark of God <I>home</I> to me?
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13 So David brought not the ark <I>home</I> to himself to the city
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of David, but carried it aside into the house of Obed-edom the
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Gittite.
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14 And the ark of God remained with the family of Obed-edom in
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his house three months. And the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> blessed the house of
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Obed-edom, and all that he had.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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This breach upon Uzza, which caused all the joy to cease, we had an
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account of,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Sa+6:6-8">2 Sam. vi. 6</A>,
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&c.
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1. Let the sin of Uzza warn us all to take heed of presumption,
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rashness, and irreverence, in dealing about holy things
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ch+13:9"><I>v.</I> 9</A>),
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and not to think that a good intention will justify a bad action. In
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our communion with God we must carefully watch over our own hearts,
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lest familiarity breed contempt, and we think God is in any way
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beholden to us.
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2. Let the punishment of Uzza convince us that the God with whom we
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have to do is a jealous God. His death, like that of Nadab and Abihu,
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proclaims aloud that God will be <I>sanctified in those that come nigh
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unto him</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Le+10:3">Lev. x. 3</A>),
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and that the nearer any are to him the more displeased he is with their
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presumptions. Let us not dare to trifle with God in our approaches to
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him; and yet let us, through Christ, <I>come boldly to the throne of
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grace;</I> for we are under the dispensation of liberty and grace, not
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of bondage and terror.
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3. Let the damp this gave to the joy of Israel be a memorandum to us
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always to rejoice with trembling, and to <I>serve the Lord with
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fear,</I> even when we <I>serve him with gladness.</I>
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4. Let David's displeasure upon this occasion caution us to take heed
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to our spirits when we are under divine rebukes, lest, instead of
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submitting to God, we quarrel with him. If God be angry with us, shall
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we dare to be angry with him?
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5. Let the stop thus put to the solemnity caution us not to be driven
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off from our duty by those providences which are only intended to drive
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us from our sins. David should have gone on with the work
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notwithstanding the breach made upon Uzza; so might the breach have
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been made up.
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6. Let the blessing which the ark brought with it to the house of
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Obed-edom encourage us to welcome God's ordinances into our houses, as
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those that believe the ark is a guest that nobody shall lose by; not
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let it be less precious to us for its being to some a stone of
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stumbling and a rock of offence. If the gospel be to some a savour of
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death unto death, as the ark was to Uzza, yet let us receive it in the
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love of it and it will be to us a saviour of life unto life.</P>
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[<A HREF="MHC00000.HTM">Table of Contents</A>]<BR>
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[<A HREF="MHC13014.HTM">Next</A>]<BR>
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