mh_parser/vol_split/2 - Exodus/Chapter 20.xml

<div2 id="Ex.xxi" n="xxi" next="Ex.xxii" prev="Ex.xx" progress="40.90%" title="Chapter XX">
<h2 id="Ex.xxi-p0.1">E X O D U S</h2>
<h3 id="Ex.xxi-p0.2">CHAP. XX.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Ex.xxi-p1">All things being prepared for the solemn
promulgation of the divine law, we have, in this chapter, I. The
ten commandments, as God himself spoke them upon Mount Sinai
(<scripRef id="Ex.xxi-p1.1" osisRef="Bible:Exod.20.1-Exod.20.17" parsed="|Exod|20|1|20|17" passage="Ex 20:1-17">ver. 1-17</scripRef>), as
remarkable a portion of scripture as any in the Old Testament. II.
The impressions made upon the people thereby, <scripRef id="Ex.xxi-p1.2" osisRef="Bible:Exod.20.18-Exod.20.21" parsed="|Exod|20|18|20|21" passage="Ex 20:18-21">ver. 18-21</scripRef>. III. Some particular
instructions which God gave privately to Moses, to be by him
communicated to the people, relating to his worship, <scripRef id="Ex.xxi-p1.3" osisRef="Bible:Exod.20.22-Exod.20.26" parsed="|Exod|20|22|20|26" passage="Ex 20:22-26">ver. 22</scripRef>, &amp;c.</p>
<scripCom id="Ex.xxi-p1.4" osisRef="Bible:Exod.20" parsed="|Exod|20|0|0|0" passage="Ex 20" type="Commentary"/>
<scripCom id="Ex.xxi-p1.5" osisRef="Bible:Exod.20.1-Exod.20.11" parsed="|Exod|20|1|20|11" passage="Ex 20:1-11" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.20.1-Exod.20.11">
<h4 id="Ex.xxi-p1.6">The Ten Commandments. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxi-p1.7">b. c.</span> 1491.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xxi-p2">1 And God spake all these words, saying,  
2 I <i>am</i> the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxi-p2.1">Lord</span> thy God,
which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house
of bondage.   3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
  4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any
likeness <i>of any thing</i> that <i>is</i> in heaven above, or
that <i>is</i> in the earth beneath, or that <i>is</i> in the water
under the earth:   5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them,
nor serve them: for I the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxi-p2.2">Lord</span> thy
God <i>am</i> a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers
upon the children unto the third and fourth <i>generation</i> of
them that hate me;   6 And showing mercy unto thousands of
them that love me, and keep my commandments.   7 Thou shalt
not take the name of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxi-p2.3">Lord</span> thy
God in vain; for the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxi-p2.4">Lord</span> will not
hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.   8 Remember
the sabbath day, to keep it holy.   9 Six days shalt thou
labour, and do all thy work:   10 But the seventh day
<i>is</i> the sabbath of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxi-p2.5">Lord</span>
thy God: <i>in it</i> thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy
son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy
cattle, nor thy stranger that <i>is</i> within thy gates:   11
For <i>in</i> six days the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxi-p2.6">Lord</span> made
heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them <i>is,</i> and
rested the seventh day: wherefore the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxi-p2.7">Lord</span> blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed
it.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxi-p3">Here is, I. The preface of the law-writer,
Moses: <i>God spoke all these words,</i> <scripRef id="Ex.xxi-p3.1" osisRef="Bible:Exod.20.1" parsed="|Exod|20|1|0|0" passage="Ex 20:1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>. The law of the ten commandments
is, 1. A law of God's making. They are enjoined by the infinite
eternal Majesty of heaven and earth. And <i>where the word of the
King</i> of kings <i>is surely there is power.</i> 2. It is a law
of his own speaking. God has many ways of speaking to the children
of men (<scripRef id="Ex.xxi-p3.2" osisRef="Bible:Job.33.14" parsed="|Job|33|14|0|0" passage="Job 33:14">Job xxxiii. 14</scripRef>);
<i>once, yea twice</i>—by his Spirit, by conscience, by
providences, by his voice, all which we ought carefully to attend
to; but he never spoke, at any time, upon any occasion, as he spoke
the ten commandments, which therefore we ought to hear with the
<i>more earnest heed.</i> They were not only spoken audibly (so he
owned the Redeemer by a voice from heaven, <scripRef id="Ex.xxi-p3.3" osisRef="Bible:Matt.3.17" parsed="|Matt|3|17|0|0" passage="Mt 3:17">Matt. iii. 17</scripRef>), but with a great deal of
dreadful pomp. This law God had given to man before (it was written
in his heart by nature); but sin had so defaced that writing that
it was necessary, in this manner, to revive the knowledge of
it.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxi-p4">II. The preface of the Law-maker: <i>I am
the Lord thy God,</i> <scripRef id="Ex.xxi-p4.1" osisRef="Bible:Exod.20.2" parsed="|Exod|20|2|0|0" passage="Ex 20:2"><i>v.</i>
2</scripRef>. Herein, 1. God asserts his own authority to enact
this law in general: "I am the Lord who command thee all that
follows." 2. He proposes himself as the sole object of that
religious worship which is enjoined in the first four of the
commandments. They are here bound to obedience by a threefold cord,
which, one would think, could not <i>easily be broken.</i> (1.)
Because God <i>is the Lord</i>—Jehovah, self-existent,
independent, eternal, and the fountain of all being and power;
therefore he has an incontestable right to command us. He that
gives being may give law; and therefore he is able to bear us out
in our obedience, to reward it, and to punish our disobedience.
(2.) He was their God, a God in covenant with them, their God by
their own consent; and, if they would not keep his commandments,
who would? He had laid himself under obligations to them by
promise, and therefore might justly lay his obligations on them by
precept. Though that covenant of peculiarity is now no more, yet
there is another, by virtue of which all that are baptized are
taken into relation to him as their God, and are therefore unjust,
unfaithful, and very ungrateful, if they obey him not. (3.) He had
<i>brought them out of the land of Egypt;</i> therefore they were
bound in gratitude to obey him, because he had done them so great a
kindness, had brought them out of a grievous slavery into a
glorious liberty. They themselves had been eye-witnesses of the
great things God had done in order to their deliverance, and could
not but have observed that every circumstance of it heightened
their obligation. They were now enjoying the blessed fruits of
their deliverance, and in expectation of a speedy settlement in
Canaan; and could they think any thing too much to do for him that
had done so much for them? Nay, by redeeming them, he acquired a
further right to rule them; they owed their service to him to whom
they owed their freedom, and whose they were by purchase. And thus
Christ, having rescued us out of the bondage of sin, is entitled to
the best service we can do him, <scripRef id="Ex.xxi-p4.2" osisRef="Bible:Luke.1.74" parsed="|Luke|1|74|0|0" passage="Lu 1:74">Luke i.
74</scripRef>. Having loosed our bonds, he has bound us to obey
him, <scripRef id="Ex.xxi-p4.3" osisRef="Bible:Ps.116.16" parsed="|Ps|116|16|0|0" passage="Ps 116:16">Ps. cxvi. 16</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxi-p5">III. The law itself. The first four of the
ten commandments, which concern our duty to God (commonly called
<i>the first table</i>), we have in these verses. It was fit that
those should be put first, because man had a Maker to love before
he had a neighbour to love; and justice and charity are acceptable
acts of obedience to God only when they flow from the principles of
piety. It cannot be expected that he should be true to his brother
who is false to his God. Now our duty to God is, in one word, to
worship him, that is, to give to him the glory due to his name, the
inward worship of our affections, the outward worship of solemn
address and attendance. This is spoken of as the sum and substance
of the everlasting gospel. <scripRef id="Ex.xxi-p5.1" osisRef="Bible:Rev.14.7" parsed="|Rev|14|7|0|0" passage="Re 14:7">Rev. xiv.
7</scripRef>, <i>Worship God.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxi-p6">1. The first commandment concerns the
object of our worship, Jehovah, and him only (<scripRef id="Ex.xxi-p6.1" osisRef="Bible:Exod.20.3" parsed="|Exod|20|3|0|0" passage="Ex 20:3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>): <i>Thou shalt have no other gods
before me.</i> The Egyptians, and other neighbouring nations, had
many gods, the creatures of their own fancy, strange gods, <i>new
gods;</i> this law was prefixed because of that transgression, and,
Jehovah being the God of Israel, they must entirely cleave to him,
and not be for any other, either of their own invention or borrowed
from their neighbours. This was the sin they were most in danger of
now that the world was so overspread with polytheism, which yet
could not be rooted out effectually but by the gospel of Christ.
The sin against this commandment which <i>we</i> are most in danger
of is giving the glory and honour to any creature which are due to
God only. Pride makes a god of self, covetousness makes a god of
money, sensuality makes a god of the belly; whatever is esteemed or
loved, feared or served, delighted in or depended on, more than
God, that (whatever it is) we do in effect make a god of. This
prohibition includes a precept which is the foundation of the whole
law, that we take the Lord for our God, acknowledge that he is God,
accept him for ours, adore him with admiration and humble
reverence, and set our affections entirely upon him. In the last
words, <i>before me,</i> it is intimated, (1.) That we cannot have
any other God but he will certainly know it. There is none besides
him but what is before him. Idolaters covet secresy; but <i>shall
not God search this out?</i> (2.) That it is very provoking to him;
it is a sin that dares him to his face, which he cannot, which he
will not, overlook, nor connive at. See <scripRef id="Ex.xxi-p6.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.44.20-Ps.44.21" parsed="|Ps|44|20|44|21" passage="Ps 44:20,21">Ps. xliv. 20, 21</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxi-p7">2. The second commandment concerns the
ordinances of worship, or the way in which God will be worshipped,
which it is fit that he himself should have the appointing of. Here
is,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxi-p8">(1.) The prohibition: we are here forbidden
to worship even the true God by images, <scripRef id="Ex.xxi-p8.1" osisRef="Bible:Exod.20.4-Exod.20.5" parsed="|Exod|20|4|20|5" passage="Ex 20:4,5"><i>v.</i> 4, 5</scripRef>. [1.] The Jews (at least
after the captivity) thought themselves forbidden by this
commandment to make any image or picture whatsoever. Hence the very
images which the Roman armies had in their ensigns are called <i>an
abomination</i> to them (<scripRef id="Ex.xxi-p8.2" osisRef="Bible:Matt.24.15" parsed="|Matt|24|15|0|0" passage="Mt 24:15">Matt. xxiv.
15</scripRef>), especially when they were set up <i>in the holy
place.</i> It is certain that it forbids making any image of God
(for <i>to whom can we liken him?</i> <scripRef id="Ex.xxi-p8.3" osisRef="Bible:Isa.40.15 Bible:Isa.40.18" parsed="|Isa|40|15|0|0;|Isa|40|18|0|0" passage="Isa 40:15,18">Isa. xl. 18, 15</scripRef>), or the image of any
creature for a religious use. It is called the changing of the
truth of God into a lie (<scripRef id="Ex.xxi-p8.4" osisRef="Bible:Rom.1.25" parsed="|Rom|1|25|0|0" passage="Ro 1:25">Rom. i.
25</scripRef>), for an image is a teacher of lies; it insinuates to
us that God has a body, whereas he is an infinite spirit, <scripRef id="Ex.xxi-p8.5" osisRef="Bible:Hab.2.18" parsed="|Hab|2|18|0|0" passage="Hab 2:18">Hab. ii. 18</scripRef>. It also forbids us to
make images of God in our fancies, as if he were a man as we are.
Our religious worship must be governed by the power of faith, not
by the power of imagination. They must not make such images or
pictures as the heathen worshipped, lest they also should be
tempted to worship them. Those who would be kept from sin must keep
themselves from the occasions of it. [2.] They must not <i>bow down
to them</i> occasionally, that is, show any sign of respect or
honour to them, much less serve them constantly, by sacrifice or
incense, or any other act of religious worship. When they paid
their devotion to the true God, they must not have any image before
them, for the directing, exciting, or assisting of their devotion.
Though the worship was designed to terminate in God, it would not
please him if it came to him through an image. The best and most
ancient lawgivers among the heathen forbade the setting up of
images in their temples. This practice was forbidden in Rome by
Numa, a pagan prince; yet commanded in Rome by the pope, a
Christian bishop, but, in this, anti-christian. The use of images
in the church of Rome, at this day, is so plainly contrary to the
letter of this command, and so impossible to be reconciled to it,
that in all their catechisms and books of devotion, which they put
into the hands of the people, they leave out this commandment,
joining the reason of it to the first; and so the third commandment
they call the second, the fourth the third, &amp;c.; only, to make
up the number ten, they divide the tenth into two. Thus have they
committed two great evils, in which they persist, and from which
they hate to be reformed; they take away from God's word, and add
to his worship.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxi-p9">(2.) The reasons to enforce this
prohibition (<scripRef id="Ex.xxi-p9.1" osisRef="Bible:Exod.20.5-Exod.20.6" parsed="|Exod|20|5|20|6" passage="Ex 20:5,6"><i>v.</i> 5,
6</scripRef>), which are, [1.] God's jealousy in the matters of his
worship: "<i>I am the Lord</i> Jehovah, and <i>thy God, am a
jealous God,</i> especially in things of this nature." This
intimates the care he has of his own institutions, his hatred of
idolatry and all false worship, his displeasure against idolaters,
and that he resents every thing in his worship that looks like, or
leads to, idolatry. Jealousy is quicksighted. Idolatry being
spiritual adultery, as it is very often represented in scripture,
the displeasure of God against it is fitly called <i>jealousy.</i>
If God is jealous herein, we should be so, afraid of offering any
worship to God otherwise than as he has appointed in his word. [2.]
The punishment of idolaters. God looks upon them as haters of him,
though they perhaps pretend love to him; he will <i>visit their
iniquity,</i> that is, he will very severely punish it, not only as
a breach of his law, but as an affront to his majesty, a violation
of the covenant, and a blow at the root of all religion. He will
<i>visit it upon the children,</i> that is, this being a sin for
which churches shall be unchurched and a bill of divorce given
them, the children shall be cast out of covenant and communion
together with the parents, as with the parents the children were at
first taken in. Or he will bring such judgments upon a people as
shall be the total ruin of families. If idolaters live to be old,
so as to see their children of the third or fourth generation, it
shall be the vexation of their eyes, and the breaking of their
hearts, to see them fall by the sword, carried captive, and
enslaved. Nor is it an unrighteous thing with God (if the parents
died in their iniquity, and the children tread in their steps, and
keep up false worships, because they received them by tradition
from their fathers), when the measure is full, and God comes by his
judgments to reckon with them, to bring into the account the
idolatries their fathers were guilty of. Though he bear long with
an idolatrous people, he will not bear always, but by the fourth
generation, at furthest, he will begin to visit. Children are dear
to their parents; therefore, to deter men from idolatry, and to
show how much God is displeased with it, not only a brand of infamy
is by it entailed upon families, but the judgments of God may for
it be executed upon the poor children when the parents are dead and
gone. [3.] The favour God would show to his faithful worshippers:
<i>Keeping mercy for thousands</i> of persons, thousands of
generations <i>of those that love me, and keep my commandments.</i>
This intimates that the second commandment, though, in the letter
of it, it is only a prohibition of false worships, yet includes a
precept of worshipping God in all those ordinances which he has
instituted. As the first commandment requires the inward worship of
love, desire, joy, hope, and admiration, so the second requires the
outward worship of prayer and praise, and solemn attendance on
God's word. Note, <i>First,</i> Those that truly love God will make
it their constant care and endeavour to keep his commandments,
particularly those that relate to his worship. Those that love God,
and keep those commandments, shall receive grace to keep his other
commandments. Gospel worship will have a good influence upon all
manner of gospel obedience. <i>Secondly,</i> God has mercy in store
for such. Even they need mercy, and cannot plead merit; and mercy
they shall find with God, merciful protection in their obedience
and a merciful recompence of it. <i>Thirdly,</i> This mercy shall
extend to thousands, much further than the wrath threatened to
those that hate him, for that reaches but to the third or fourth
generation. The streams of mercy run now as full, as free, and as
fresh, as ever.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxi-p10">3. The third commandment concerns the
manner of our worship, that it be done with all possible reverence
and seriousness, <scripRef id="Ex.xxi-p10.1" osisRef="Bible:Exod.20.7" parsed="|Exod|20|7|0|0" passage="Ex 20:7"><i>v.</i>
7</scripRef>. We have here,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxi-p11">(1.) A strict prohibition: <i>Thou shalt
not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.</i> It is supposed
that, having taken Jehovah for their God, they would make mention
of his name (for thus <i>all people will walk every one in the name
of his god</i>); this command gives a needful caution not to
mention it in vain, and it is still as needful as ever. We take
God's name in vain, [1.] By hypocrisy, making a profession of God's
name, but not living up to that profession. Those that name the
name of Christ, but do not depart from iniquity, as that name binds
them to do, name it in vain; their worship is vain (<scripRef id="Ex.xxi-p11.1" osisRef="Bible:Matt.15.7-Matt.15.9" parsed="|Matt|15|7|15|9" passage="Mt 15:7-9">Matt. xv. 7-9</scripRef>), their oblations are
vain (<scripRef id="Ex.xxi-p11.2" osisRef="Bible:Isa.1.11 Bible:Isa.1.13" parsed="|Isa|1|11|0|0;|Isa|1|13|0|0" passage="Isa 1:11,13">Isa. i. 11, 13</scripRef>),
their religion is vain, <scripRef id="Ex.xxi-p11.3" osisRef="Bible:Jas.1.26" parsed="|Jas|1|26|0|0" passage="Jam 1:26">Jam. i.
26</scripRef>. [2.] By covenant-breaking; if we make promises to
God, binding our souls with those bonds to that which is good, and
yet perform not to the Lord our vows, we take his name in vain
(<scripRef id="Ex.xxi-p11.4" osisRef="Bible:Matt.5.33" parsed="|Matt|5|33|0|0" passage="Mt 5:33">Matt. v. 33</scripRef>), it is folly,
and God <i>has no pleasure in fools</i> (<scripRef id="Ex.xxi-p11.5" osisRef="Bible:Eccl.5.4" parsed="|Eccl|5|4|0|0" passage="Ec 5:4">Eccl. v. 4</scripRef>), nor will he be <i>mocked,</i>
<scripRef id="Ex.xxi-p11.6" osisRef="Bible:Gal.6.7" parsed="|Gal|6|7|0|0" passage="Ga 6:7">Gal. vi. 7</scripRef>. [3.] By rash
swearing, mentioning the name of God, or any of his attributes, in
the form of an oath, without any just occasion for it, or due
application of mind to it, but as a by-word, to no purpose at all,
or to no good purpose. [4.] By false swearing, which, some think,
is chiefly intended in the letter of the commandment; so it was
expounded by those of old time. <i>Thou shalt not forswear
thyself,</i> <scripRef id="Ex.xxi-p11.7" osisRef="Bible:Matt.5.33" parsed="|Matt|5|33|0|0" passage="Mt 5:33">Matt. v. 33</scripRef>.
One part of the religious regard the Jews were taught to pay to
their God was to <i>swear by his name,</i> <scripRef id="Ex.xxi-p11.8" osisRef="Bible:Deut.10.20" parsed="|Deut|10|20|0|0" passage="De 10:20">Deut. x. 20</scripRef>. But they affronted him, instead
of doing him honour, if they called him to be witness to a lie.
[5.] By using the name of God lightly and carelessly, and without
any regard to its awful significancy. The profanation of the forms
of devotion is forbidden, as well as the profanation of the forms
of swearing; as also the profanation of any of those things whereby
God makes himself known, his word, or any of his institutions; when
they are either turned into charms and spells, or into jest and
sport, the name of God is taken in vain.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxi-p12">(2.) A severe penalty: <i>The Lord will not
hold him guiltless;</i> magistrates, who punish other offences, may
not think themselves concerned to take notice of this, because it
does not immediately offer injury either to private property or the
public peace; but God, who is jealous for his honour, will not thus
connive at it. The sinner may perhaps hold himself guiltless, and
think there is no harm in it, and that God will never call him to
an account for it. To obviate this suggestion, the threatening is
thus expressed, God will <i>not hold him guiltless,</i> as he hopes
he will; but more is implied, namely, that God will himself be the
avenger of those that take his name in vain, and they will find it
a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxi-p13">4. The fourth commandment concerns the time
of worship. God is to be served and honoured daily, but one day in
seven is to be particularly dedicated to his honour and spent in
his service. Here is,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxi-p14">(1.) The command itself (<scripRef id="Ex.xxi-p14.1" osisRef="Bible:Exod.20.8" parsed="|Exod|20|8|0|0" passage="Ex 20:8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>): <i>Remember the sabbath day to
keep it holy;</i> and (<scripRef id="Ex.xxi-p14.2" osisRef="Bible:Exod.20.10" parsed="|Exod|20|10|0|0" passage="Ex 20:10"><i>v.</i>
10</scripRef>), <i>In it thou shalt do no manner of work.</i> It is
taken for granted that the sabbath was instituted before; we read
of God's blessing and sanctifying a seventh day from the beginning
(<scripRef id="Ex.xxi-p14.3" osisRef="Bible:Gen.2.3" parsed="|Gen|2|3|0|0" passage="Ge 2:3">Gen. ii. 3</scripRef>), so that this
was not the enacting of a new law, but the reviving of an old law.
[1.] They are told what is the day they must religiously
observe—<i>a seventh, after six days' labour;</i> whether this was
the seventh by computation from the first seventh, or from the day
of their coming out of Egypt, or both, is not certain: now the
precise day was notified to them (<scripRef id="Ex.xxi-p14.4" osisRef="Bible:Exod.16.23" parsed="|Exod|16|23|0|0" passage="Ex 16:23"><i>ch.</i> xvi. 23</scripRef>), and from this they were
to observe the seventh. [2.] How it must be observed. <i>First,</i>
As a day of rest; they were to do no manner of work on this day in
their callings or worldly business. <i>Secondly,</i> As a holy day,
set apart to the honour of the holy God, and to be spent in holy
exercises. God, by blessing it, had made it holy; they, by solemnly
blessing him, must keep it holy, and not alienate it to any other
purpose than that for which the difference between it and other
days was instituted. [3.] Who must observe it: <i>Thou, and thy
son, and thy daughter;</i> the wife is not mentioned, because she
is supposed to be one with the husband and present with him, and,
if he sanctify the sabbath, it is taken for granted that she will
join with him; but the rest of the family are specified. Children
and servants must keep the sabbath, according to their age and
capacity: in this, as in other instances of religion, it is
expected that masters of families should take care, not only to
serve the Lord themselves, but that their houses also should serve
him, at least that it may not be through their neglect if they do
not, <scripRef id="Ex.xxi-p14.5" osisRef="Bible:Josh.24.15" parsed="|Josh|24|15|0|0" passage="Jos 24:15">Josh. xxiv. 15</scripRef>. Even
the proselyted strangers must observe a difference between this day
and other days, which, if it laid some restraint upon them then,
yet proved a happy indication of God's gracious purpose, in process
of time, to bring the Gentiles into the church, that they might
share in the benefit of sabbaths. Compare <scripRef id="Ex.xxi-p14.6" osisRef="Bible:Isa.56.6-Isa.56.7" parsed="|Isa|56|6|56|7" passage="Isa 56:6,7">Isa. lvi. 6, 7</scripRef>. God takes notice of what we
do, particularly what we do on sabbath days, though we should be
where we are strangers. [4.] A particular memorandum put upon this
duty: <i>Remember it.</i> It is intimated that the sabbath was
instituted and observed before; but in their bondage in Egypt they
had lost their computation, or were restrained by their
task-masters, or, through a great degeneracy and indifference in
religion, they had let fall the observance of it, and therefore it
was requisite they should be reminded of it. Note, Neglected duties
remain duties still, notwithstanding our neglect. It also intimates
that we are both apt to forget it and concerned to remember it.
Some think it denotes the preparation we are to make for the
sabbath; we must think of it before it comes, that, when it does
come, we may keep it holy, and do the duty of it.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxi-p15">(2.) The reasons of this command. [1.] We
have time enough for ourselves in those six days, on the seventh
day let us serve God; and time enough to tire ourselves, on the
seventh it will be a kindness to us to be obliged to rest. [2.]
This is God's day: it is the <i>sabbath of the Lord thy God,</i>
not only instituted by him, but consecrated to him. It is sacrilege
to alienate it; the sanctification of it is a debt. [3.] It is
designed for a memorial of the creation of the world, and therefore
to be observed to the glory of the Creator, as an engagement upon
ourselves to serve him and an encouragement to us to trust in him
who made heaven and earth. By the sanctification of the sabbath,
the Jews declared that they worshipped the God that made the world,
and so distinguished themselves from all other nations, who
worshipped gods which they themselves made. [4.] God has given us
an example of rest, after six days' work: he <i>rested the seventh
day,</i> took a complacency in himself, and <i>rejoiced in the work
of his hand,</i> to teach us, on that day, to take a complacency in
him, and to give him the glory of his works, <scripRef id="Ex.xxi-p15.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.92.4" parsed="|Ps|92|4|0|0" passage="Ps 92:4">Ps. xcii. 4</scripRef>. The sabbath began in the
finishing of the work of creation, so will the everlasting sabbath
in the finishing of the work of providence and redemption; and we
observe the weekly sabbath in expectation of that, as well as in
remembrance of the former, in both conforming ourselves to him we
worship. [5.] He has himself <i>blessed the sabbath day and
sanctified it.</i> He has put an honour upon it by setting it apart
for himself; it is the holy of the Lord and honourable: and he has
put blessings into it, which he has encouraged us to expect from
him in the religious observance of that day. It is <i>the day which
the Lord hath made,</i> let not us do what we can to unmake it. He
has blessed, honoured, and sanctified it, let not us profane it,
dishonour it, and level that with common time which God's blessing
has thus dignified and distinguished.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ex.xxi-p15.2" osisRef="Bible:Exod.20" parsed="|Exod|20|0|0|0" passage="Ex 20" type="Commentary"/>
<scripCom id="Ex.xxi-p15.3" osisRef="Bible:Exod.20.12-Exod.20.17" parsed="|Exod|20|12|20|17" passage="Ex 20:12-17" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.20.12-Exod.20.17">
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xxi-p16">12 Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy
days may be long upon the land which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxi-p16.1">Lord</span> thy God giveth thee.   13 Thou shalt
not kill.   14 Thou shalt not commit adultery.   15 Thou
shalt not steal.   16 Thou shalt not bear false witness
against thy neighbour.   17 Thou shalt not covet thy
neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor
his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor
any thing that <i>is</i> thy neighbour's.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxi-p17">We have here the laws of the second table,
as they are commonly called, the last six of the ten commandments,
comprehending our duty to ourselves and to one another, and
constituting a comment upon the second great commandment, <i>Thou
shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.</i> As religion towards God is
an essential branch of universal righteousness, so righteousness
towards men is an essential branch of true religion. Godliness and
honesty must go together.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxi-p18">I. The fifth commandment concerns the
duties we owe to our relations; those of children to their parents
are alone specified: <i>Honour thy father and thy mother,</i> which
includes, 1. A decent respect to their persons, an inward esteem of
them outwardly expressed upon all occasions in our conduct towards
them. <i>Fear them</i> (<scripRef id="Ex.xxi-p18.1" osisRef="Bible:Lev.19.3" parsed="|Lev|19|3|0|0" passage="Le 19:3">Lev. xix.
3</scripRef>), <i>give them reverence,</i> <scripRef id="Ex.xxi-p18.2" osisRef="Bible:Heb.12.9" parsed="|Heb|12|9|0|0" passage="Heb 12:9">Heb. xii. 9</scripRef>. The contrary to this is mocking
at them and despising them, <scripRef id="Ex.xxi-p18.3" osisRef="Bible:Prov.30.17" parsed="|Prov|30|17|0|0" passage="Pr 30:17">Prov. xxx.
17</scripRef>. 2. Obedience to their lawful commands; so it is
expounded (<scripRef id="Ex.xxi-p18.4" osisRef="Bible:Eph.6.1-Eph.6.3" parsed="|Eph|6|1|6|3" passage="Eph 6:1-3">Eph. vi. 1-3</scripRef>):
"<i>Children, obey your parents,</i> come when they call you, go
where they send you, do what they bid you, refrain from what they
forbid you; and this, as children, cheerfully, and from a principle
of love." Though you have said, "We will not," yet afterwards
repent and obey, <scripRef id="Ex.xxi-p18.5" osisRef="Bible:Matt.21.29" parsed="|Matt|21|29|0|0" passage="Mt 21:29">Matt. xxi.
29</scripRef>. 3. Submission to their rebukes, instructions, and
corrections; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the
froward, out of conscience towards God. 4. Disposing of themselves
with the advice, direction, and consent, of parents, not alienating
their property, but with their approbation. 5. Endeavouring, in
every thing, to be the comfort of their parents, and to make their
old age easy to them, maintaining them if they stand in need of
support, which our Saviour makes to be particularly intended in
this commandment, <scripRef id="Ex.xxi-p18.6" osisRef="Bible:Matt.15.4-Matt.15.6" parsed="|Matt|15|4|15|6" passage="Mt 15:4-6">Matt. xv.
4-6</scripRef>. The reason annexed to this commandment is a
promise: <i>That thy days may be long in the land which the Lord
thy God giveth thee.</i> Having mentioned, in the preface to the
commandments, has bringing them out of Egypt as a reason for their
obedience, he here, in the beginning of the second table, mentions
his bringing them into Canaan, as another reason; that good land
they must have upon their thoughts and in their eye, now that they
were in the wilderness. They must also remember, when they came to
that land, that they were upon their good behaviour, and that, if
they did not conduct themselves well, their days should be
shortened in that land, both the days of particular persons who
should be cut off from it, and the days of their nation which
should be removed out of it. But here a long life in that good land
is promised particularly to obedient children. Those that do their
duty to their parents are most likely to have the comfort of that
which their parents gather for them and leave to them; those that
support their parents shall find that God, the common Father, will
support them. This promise is expounded (<scripRef id="Ex.xxi-p18.7" osisRef="Bible:Eph.6.3" parsed="|Eph|6|3|0|0" passage="Eph 6:3">Eph. vi. 3</scripRef>), <i>That it may be well with thee,
and thou mayest live long on the earth.</i> Those who, in
conscience towards God, keep this and the rest of God's
commandments, may be sure that it shall be well with them, and that
they shall live as long on earth as Infinite Wisdom sees good for
them, and that what they may seem to be cut short of on earth shall
be abundantly made up in eternal life, the heavenly Canaan which
God will give them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxi-p19">II. The sixth commandment concerns our own
and our neighbour's life (<scripRef id="Ex.xxi-p19.1" osisRef="Bible:Exod.20.13" parsed="|Exod|20|13|0|0" passage="Ex 20:13"><i>v.</i>
13</scripRef>): "<i>Thou shalt not kill;</i> thou shalt not do any
thing hurtful or injurious to the health, ease, and life, of thy
own body, or any other person's unjustly." This is one of the laws
of nature, and was strongly enforced by the precepts given to Noah
and his sons, <scripRef id="Ex.xxi-p19.2" osisRef="Bible:Gen.9.5-Gen.9.6" parsed="|Gen|9|5|9|6" passage="Ge 9:5,6">Gen. ix. 5,
6</scripRef>. It does not forbid killing in lawful war, or in our
own necessary defence, nor the magistrate's putting offenders to
death, for those things tend to the preserving of life; but it
forbids all malice and hatred to the person of any (for <i>he that
hateth his brother is a murderer</i>), and all personal revenge
arising therefrom; also all rash anger upon sudden provocations,
and hurt said or done, or aimed to be done, in passion: of this our
Saviour expounds this commandment, <scripRef id="Ex.xxi-p19.3" osisRef="Bible:Matt.5.22" parsed="|Matt|5|22|0|0" passage="Mt 5:22">Matt. v. 22</scripRef>. And, as that which is worst of
all, it forbids persecution, laying wait for the blood of the
innocent and excellent ones of the earth.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxi-p20">III. The seventh commandment concerns our
own and our neighbour's chastity: <i>Thou shalt not commit
adultery,</i> <scripRef id="Ex.xxi-p20.1" osisRef="Bible:Exod.20.14" parsed="|Exod|20|14|0|0" passage="Ex 20:14"><i>v.</i> 14</scripRef>.
This is put before the sixth by our Saviour (<scripRef id="Ex.xxi-p20.2" osisRef="Bible:Mark.10.19" parsed="|Mark|10|19|0|0" passage="Mk 10:19">Mark. x. 19</scripRef>): <i>Do not commit adultery, do
not kill;</i> for our chastity should be as dear to us as our
lives, and we should be as much afraid of that which defiles the
body as of that which destroys it. This commandment forbids all
acts of uncleanness, with all those fleshly lusts which produce
those acts and war against the soul, and all those practices which
cherish and excite those fleshly lusts, as looking, in order to
lust, which, Christ tells us, is forbidden in this commandment,
<scripRef id="Ex.xxi-p20.3" osisRef="Bible:Matt.5.28" parsed="|Matt|5|28|0|0" passage="Mt 5:28">Matt. v. 28</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxi-p21">IV. The eighth commandment concerns our own
and our neighbour's wealth, estate, and goods: <i>Thou shalt not
steal,</i> <scripRef id="Ex.xxi-p21.1" osisRef="Bible:Exod.20.15" parsed="|Exod|20|15|0|0" passage="Ex 20:15"><i>v.</i> 15</scripRef>.
Though God had lately allowed and appointed them to spoil the
Egyptians in a way of just reprisal, yet he did not intend that it
should be drawn into a precedent and that they should be allowed
thus to spoil one another. This command forbids us to rob ourselves
of what we have by sinful spending, or of the use and comfort of it
by sinful sparing, and to rob others by removing the ancient
landmarks, invading our neighbour's rights, taking his goods from
his person, or house, or field, forcibly or clandestinely,
over-reaching in bargains, nor restoring what is borrowed or found,
withholding just debts, rents, or wages, and (which is worst of
all) to rob the public in the coin or revenue, or that which is
dedicated to the service of religion.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxi-p22">V. The ninth commandment concerns our own
and our neighbour's good name: <i>Thou shalt not bear false
witness,</i> <scripRef id="Ex.xxi-p22.1" osisRef="Bible:Exod.20.16" parsed="|Exod|20|16|0|0" passage="Ex 20:16"><i>v.</i> 16</scripRef>.
This forbids, 1. Speaking falsely in any matter, lying,
equivocating, and any way devising and designing to deceive our
neighbour. 2. Speaking unjustly against our neighbour, to the
prejudice of his reputation; and (which involves the guilty of
both), 3. Bearing false witness against him, laying to his charge
things that he knows not, either judicially, upon oath (by which
the third commandment, and the sixth of eighth, as well as this,
are broken), or extrajudicially, in common converse, slandering,
backbiting, tale-bearing, aggravating what is done amiss and making
it worse than it is, and any way endeavouring to raise our own
reputation upon the ruin of our neighbour's.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxi-p23">VI. The tenth commandment strikes at the
root: <i>Thou shalt not covet,</i> <scripRef id="Ex.xxi-p23.1" osisRef="Bible:Exod.20.17" parsed="|Exod|20|17|0|0" passage="Ex 20:17"><i>v.</i> 17</scripRef>. The foregoing commands
implicitly forbid all desire of doing that which will be an injury
to our neighbour; this forbids all inordinate desire of having that
which will be a gratification to ourselves. "O that such a man's
house were mine! Such a man's wife mine! Such a man's estate mine!"
This is certainly the language of discontent at our own lot, and
envy at our neighbour's; and these are the sins principally
forbidden here. St. Paul, when the grace of God caused the scales
to fall from his eyes, perceived that this law, <i>Thou shalt not
covet,</i> forbade all those irregular appetites and desires which
are the first-born of the corrupt nature, the first risings of the
sin that dwelleth in us, and the beginnings of all the sin that is
committed by us: this is that lust which, he says, he had not known
the evil of, if this commandment, when it came to his conscience in
the power of it, had not shown it to him, <scripRef id="Ex.xxi-p23.2" osisRef="Bible:Rom.7.7" parsed="|Rom|7|7|0|0" passage="Ro 7:7">Rom. vii. 7</scripRef>. God give us all to see our face in
the glass of this law, and to lay our hearts under the government
of it!</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ex.xxi-p23.3" osisRef="Bible:Exod.20" parsed="|Exod|20|0|0|0" passage="Ex 20" type="Commentary"/>
<scripCom id="Ex.xxi-p23.4" osisRef="Bible:Exod.20.18-Exod.20.21" parsed="|Exod|20|18|20|21" passage="Ex 20:18-21" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.20.18-Exod.20.21">
<h4 id="Ex.xxi-p23.5">Terror with Which the Law Was
Given. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxi-p23.6">b. c.</span> 1491.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xxi-p24">  18 And all the people saw the
thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and
the mountain smoking: and when the people saw <i>it,</i> they
removed, and stood afar off.   19 And they said unto Moses,
Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with
us, lest we die.   20 And Moses said unto the people, Fear
not: for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before
your faces, that ye sin not.   21 And the people stood afar
off, and Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God
<i>was.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxi-p25">I. The extraordinary terror with which the
law was given. Never was any thing delivered with such awful pomp;
every word was accented, and every sentence paused, with thunder
and lightning, much louder and brighter, no doubt, than ordinary.
And why was the law given in this dreadful manner, and with all
this tremendous ceremony? 1. It was designed (once for all) to give
a sensible discovery of the glorious majesty of God, for the
assistance of our faith concerning it, that, <i>knowing the terror
of the Lord,</i> we may be persuaded to live in his fear. 2. It was
a specimen of the terrors of the general judgment, in which sinners
will be called to an account for the breach of this law: the
archangel's trumpet will then sound an alarm, to give notice of the
Judge's coming, and a <i>fire shall devour before him.</i> 3. It
was an indication of the terror of those convictions which the law
brings into conscience, to prepare the soul for the comforts of the
gospel. Thus was the law given by Moses in such a way as might
startle, affright, and humble men, that the <i>grace and truth
which came by Jesus Christ</i> might be the more welcome. The
apostle largely describes this instance of the terror of that
dispensation, as a foil to set off our privileges, as Christians,
in the light, liberty, and joy, of the New-Testament dispensation,
<scripRef id="Ex.xxi-p25.1" osisRef="Bible:Heb.12.18" parsed="|Heb|12|18|0|0" passage="Heb 12:18">Heb. xii. 18</scripRef>, &amp;c.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxi-p26">II. The impression which this made, for the
present, upon the people; they must have had stupid hearts indeed,
if this had not affected them. 1. <i>They removed, and stood afar
off,</i> <scripRef id="Ex.xxi-p26.1" osisRef="Bible:Exod.20.18" parsed="|Exod|20|18|0|0" passage="Ex 20:18"><i>v.</i> 18</scripRef>.
Before God began to speak, they were thrusting forward to gaze
(<scripRef id="Ex.xxi-p26.2" osisRef="Bible:Exod.19.21" parsed="|Exod|19|21|0|0" passage="Ex 19:21"><i>ch.</i> xix. 21</scripRef>); but
now they were effectually cured of their presumption, and taught to
keep their distance. 2. <i>They entreated that the word should not
be so spoken to them any more</i> (<scripRef id="Ex.xxi-p26.3" osisRef="Bible:Heb.12.19" parsed="|Heb|12|19|0|0" passage="Heb 12:19">Heb. xii. 19</scripRef>), but begged that God would
speak to them by Moses, <scripRef id="Ex.xxi-p26.4" osisRef="Bible:Exod.20.19" parsed="|Exod|20|19|0|0" passage="Ex 20:19"><i>v.</i>
19</scripRef>. Hereby they obliged themselves to acquiesce in the
mediation of Moses, they themselves nominating him as a fit person
to deal between them and God, and promising to hearken to him as to
God's messenger; hereby also they teach us to acquiesce in that
method which Infinite Wisdom takes, of speaking to us by men like
ourselves, whose <i>terror shall not make us afraid, nor their hand
be heavy upon us.</i> Once God tried the expedient of speaking to
the children of men immediately, but it was found that they could
not bear it; it rather drove men from God than brought them to him,
and, as it proved in the issue, though it terrified them, it did
not deter them from idolatry, for soon after this they worshipped
the golden calf. Let us therefore rest satisfied with the
instructions given us by the scriptures and the ministry; for, if
we believe not them, neither should we be persuaded though God
should speak to us in thunder and lightning, as he did from Mount
Sinai: here that matter was determined.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxi-p27">III. The encouragement Moses gave them, by
explaining the design of God in his terror (<scripRef id="Ex.xxi-p27.1" osisRef="Bible:Exod.20.20" parsed="|Exod|20|20|0|0" passage="Ex 20:20"><i>v.</i> 20</scripRef>): <i>Fear not,</i> that is,
"Think not that the thunder and fire are designed to consume you,"
which was the thing they feared (<scripRef id="Ex.xxi-p27.2" osisRef="Bible:Exod.20.19" parsed="|Exod|20|19|0|0" passage="Ex 20:19"><i>v.</i> 19</scripRef>, <i>lest we die</i>); thunder
and lightning constituted one of the plagues of Egypt, but Moses
would not have them think they were sent to them on the same errand
on which they were sent to the Egyptians: no, they were intended,
1. To prove them, to try how they would like dealing with God
immediately, without a mediator, and so to convince them how
admirably well God had chosen for them, in putting Moses into that
office. Ever since Adam fled, upon hearing God's voice in the
garden, sinful man could not bear either to speak to God or hear
from him immediately. 2. To keep them to their duty, and prevent
their sinning against God. He encourages them, saying, <i>Fear
not,</i> and yet tells them that God thus spoke to them, <i>that
his fear might be before their face.</i> We must not fear with
amazement—with that fear which has torment, which only works upon
the fancy for the present, sets us a trembling, genders to bondage,
betrays us to Satan, and alienates us from God; but we must always
have in our minds a reverence of God's majesty, a dread of his
displeasure, and an obedient regard to his sovereign authority over
us: this fear will quicken us to our duty and make us circumspect
in our walking. Thus <i>stand in awe, and sin not,</i> <scripRef id="Ex.xxi-p27.3" osisRef="Bible:Ps.4.4" parsed="|Ps|4|4|0|0" passage="Ps 4:4">Ps. iv. 4</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxi-p28">IV. The progress of their communion with
God by the mediation of Moses, <scripRef id="Ex.xxi-p28.1" osisRef="Bible:Exod.20.21" parsed="|Exod|20|21|0|0" passage="Ex 20:21"><i>v.</i> 21</scripRef>. While the people continued to
stand afar off, conscious of guilt and afraid of God's wrath,
<i>Moses drew near unto the thick darkness;</i> he <i>was made to
draw near,</i> so the word is: Moses, of himself, durst not have
ventured into the thick darkness, if God had not called him, and
encouraged him, and, as some of the rabbies suppose, sent an angel
to take him by the hand, and lead him up. Thus it is said of the
great Mediator, <i>I will cause him to draw near</i> (<scripRef id="Ex.xxi-p28.2" osisRef="Bible:Jer.30.21" parsed="|Jer|30|21|0|0" passage="Jer 30:21">Jer. xxx. 21</scripRef>), and by him it is that
we also are introduced, <scripRef id="Ex.xxi-p28.3" osisRef="Bible:Eph.3.12" parsed="|Eph|3|12|0|0" passage="Eph 3:12">Eph. iii.
12</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ex.xxi-p28.4" osisRef="Bible:Exod.20.22-Exod.20.26" parsed="|Exod|20|22|20|26" passage="Ex 20:22-26" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.20.22-Exod.20.26">
<h4 id="Ex.xxi-p28.5">The Law Concerning Altars. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxi-p28.6">b. c.</span> 1491.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xxi-p29">22 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxi-p29.1">Lord</span>
said unto Moses, Thus thou shalt say unto the children of Israel,
Ye have seen that I have talked with you from heaven.   23 Ye
shall not make with me gods of silver, neither shall ye make unto
you gods of gold.   24 An altar of earth thou shalt make unto
me, and shalt sacrifice thereon thy burnt offerings, and thy peace
offerings, thy sheep, and thine oxen: in all places where I record
my name I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee.   25 And
if thou wilt make me an altar of stone, thou shalt not build it of
hewn stone: for if thou lift up thy tool upon it, thou hast
polluted it.   26 Neither shalt thou go up by steps unto mine
altar, that thy nakedness be not discovered thereon.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxi-p30">Moses having gone into <i>the thick
darkness, where God was,</i> God there spoke in his hearing only,
privately and without terror, all that follows hence to the end of
<scripRef id="Ex.xxi-p30.1" osisRef="Bible:Exod.23.1-Exod.23.32" parsed="|Exod|23|1|23|32" passage="Ex 23:1-32"><i>ch.</i> xxiii</scripRef>, which
is mostly an exposition of the ten commandments; and he was to
transmit it by word of mouth first, and afterwards in writing, to
the people. The laws in these verses related to God's worship.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxi-p31">I. They are here forbidden to make images
for worship (<scripRef id="Ex.xxi-p31.1" osisRef="Bible:Exod.20.22-Exod.20.23" parsed="|Exod|20|22|20|23" passage="Ex 20:22,23"><i>v.</i> 22,
23</scripRef>): <i>You have seen that I have talked with you from
heaven</i> (such was his wonderful condescension, much more than
for some mighty prince to talk familiarly with a company of poor
beggars); now <i>you shall not make gods of silver.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxi-p32">1. This repetition of the second
commandment comes in here, either (1.) As pointing to that which
God had chiefly in view in giving them this law in this manner,
that is, their peculiar addictedness to idolatry, and the peculiar
sinfulness of that crime. Ten commandments God had given them, but
Moses is ordered to inculcate upon them especially the first two.
They must not forget any of them, but they must be sure to remember
those. Or, (2.) As pointing to that which might properly be
inferred from God's speaking to them as he had done. He had given
them sufficient demonstration of his presence among them; they
needed not to make images of him, as if he were absent. Besides,
they had only seen that he talked with them; they had seen no
manner of similitude, so that they could not make any image of God;
and his manifesting himself to them only by a voice plainly showed
them that they must not make any such image, but keep up their
communion with God by his word, and not otherwise.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxi-p33">2. Two arguments are here hinted against
image-worship:—(1.) That thereby they would affront God,
intimated in that, <i>You shall not make with me gods.</i> Though
they pretended to worship them but as representations of God, yet
really they made them rivals with God, which he would not endure.
(2.) That thereby they would abuse themselves, intimated in that,
"<i>You shall not make unto you gods;</i> while you think by them
to assist your devotion, you will really corrupt it, and put a
cheat upon yourselves." At first, it should seem, they made their
images for worship of gold and silver, pretending, by the richness
of those metals, to honour God, and, by the brightness of them, to
affect themselves with his glory; but, even in these, they
<i>changed the truth of God into a lie,</i> and so, by degrees,
were justly given up to such strong delusions as to worship images
of wood or stone.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxi-p34">II. They are here directed in making altars
for worship: it is meant of occasional altars, such as they reared
now in the wilderness, before the tabernacle was erected, and
afterwards upon special emergencies, for present use, such as
Gideon built (<scripRef id="Ex.xxi-p34.1" osisRef="Bible:Judg.6.24" parsed="|Judg|6|24|0|0" passage="Jdg 6:24">Judg. vi.
24</scripRef>), Manoah (<scripRef id="Ex.xxi-p34.2" osisRef="Bible:Judg.13.19" parsed="|Judg|13|19|0|0" passage="Jdg 13:19">Judg. xiii.
19</scripRef>), Samuel (<scripRef id="Ex.xxi-p34.3" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.7.17" parsed="|1Sam|7|17|0|0" passage="1Sa 7:17">1 Sam. vii.
17</scripRef>), and many others. We may suppose, now that the
people of Israel were, with this glorious discovery which God had
made of himself to them, that many of them would incline, in this
pang of devotion, to offer sacrifice to God; and, it being
necessary to a sacrifice that there be an alter, they are here
appointed,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxi-p35">1. To make their altars very plain, either
of <i>earth</i> or of <i>unhewn stone,</i> <scripRef id="Ex.xxi-p35.1" osisRef="Bible:Exod.20.24-Exod.20.25" parsed="|Exod|20|24|20|25" passage="Ex 20:24,25"><i>v.</i> 24, 25</scripRef>. That they might not be
tempted to think of a graven image, they must not so much as hew
into shape the stones that they made their altars of, but pile them
up as they were, in the rough. This rule being prescribed before
the establishment of the ceremonial law, which appointed altars
much more costly, intimates that, after the period of that law,
plainness should be accepted as the best ornament of the external
services of religion, and that gospel-worship should not be
performed with external pomp and gaiety. The beauty of holiness
needs no paint, nor do those do any service to the spouse of Christ
that dress her in the attire of a harlot, as the church of Rome
does: an <i>altar of earth</i> does best.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxi-p36">2. To make their altars very low (<scripRef id="Ex.xxi-p36.1" osisRef="Bible:Exod.20.26" parsed="|Exod|20|26|0|0" passage="Ex 20:26"><i>v.</i> 26</scripRef>), so that they might not
go up by steps to them. That the higher the altar was, and the
nearer heaven, the more acceptable the sacrifice was, was a foolish
fancy of the heathen, who therefore chose high places; in
opposition to this, and to show that it is the elevation of the
heart, not of the sacrifice, that God looks at, they were here
ordered to make their altars low. We may suppose that the altars
they reared in the wilderness, and other occasional altars, were
designed only for the sacrifice of one beast at a time; but the
altar in Solomon's temple, which was to be made much longer and
broader, that it might contain many sacrifices at once, was made
ten cubits high, that the height might bear a decent proportion to
the length and breadth; and to that it was requisite they should go
up by steps, which yet, no doubt, were so contrived as to prevent
the inconvenience here spoken of, the <i>discovering of their
nakedness</i> thereon.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxi-p37">III. They are here assured of God's
gracious acceptance of their devotions, wherever they were paid
according to his will (<scripRef id="Ex.xxi-p37.1" osisRef="Bible:Exod.20.24" parsed="|Exod|20|24|0|0" passage="Ex 20:24"><i>v.</i>
24</scripRef>): <i>In all places where I record my name,</i> or
where my name is recorded (that is, where I am worshipped in
sincerity), <i>I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee.</i>
Afterwards, God chose one particular place wherein to record his
name: but that being taken away now under the gospel, when men are
encouraged to pray everywhere, this promise revives in its full
extent, that, wherever God's people meet in his name to worship
him, he will be <i>in the midst of them,</i> he will honour them
with his presence, and reward them with the gifts of his grace;
there he will come unto them, and will bless them, and more than
this we need not desire for the beautifying of our solemn
assemblies.</p>
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