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<TITLE>Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary on the Whole Bible [Deuteronomy, Chapter XIII].</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. XIII.</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 is still upon that necessary subject concerning the peril of
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idolatry. In the close of the foregoing chapter he had cautioned them
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against the peril that might arise from their predecessors the
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Canaanites. In this chapter he cautions them against the rise of
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idolatry from among themselves; they must take heed lest any should
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draw them to idolatry,
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1. By the pretence of prophecy,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+13:1-5">ver. 1-5</A>.
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II. By the pretence of friendship and relation,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+13:6-11">ver. 6-11</A>.
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III. By the pretence of numbers,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+13:12-18">ver. 12-18</A>.
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But in all these cases the temptation must be resolutely resisted and
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the tempters punished and cut off.</P>
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</FONT>
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<A NAME="De13_1"> </A>
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<A NAME="De13_2"> </A>
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<A NAME="De13_3"> </A>
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<A NAME="De13_4"> </A>
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<A NAME="De13_5"> </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>Cautions Against Idolatry.</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 If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams,
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and giveth thee a sign or a wonder,
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2 And the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake
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unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast
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not known, and let us serve them;
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3 Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or
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that dreamer of dreams: for the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> your God proveth you, to
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know whether ye love the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> your God with all your heart and
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with all your soul.
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4 Ye shall walk after the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> your God, and fear him, and keep
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his commandments, and obey his voice, and ye shall serve him, and
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cleave unto him.
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5 And that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams, shall be put to
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death; because he hath spoken to turn <I>you</I> away from the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>
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your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt, and
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redeemed you out of the house of bondage, to thrust thee out of
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the way which the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> thy God commanded thee to walk in. So
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shalt thou put the evil away from the midst of thee.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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Here is,
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I. A very strange supposition,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+13:1,2"><I>v.</I> 1, 2</A>.
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1. It is strange that there should arise any among themselves,
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especially any pretending to vision and prophecy, who should instigate
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them to <I>go and serve other gods.</I> Was it possible that any who
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had so much knowledge of the methods of divine revelation as to be able
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to personate a prophet should yet have so little knowledge of the
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divine nature and will as to go himself and entice his neighbours
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<I>after other gods?</I> Could an Israelite ever be guilty of such
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impiety? Could a man of sense ever be guilty of such absurdity? We see
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it in our own day, and therefore may think it the less strange;
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multitudes that profess both learning and religion yet exciting both
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themselves and others, not only to worship God by images, but to give
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divine honour to saints and angels, which is no better than <I>going
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after other gods to serve them;</I> such is the power of strong
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delusions.
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2. It is yet more strange that the sign or wonder given for the
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confirmation of this false doctrine should come to pass. Can it be
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thought that God himself should give any countenance to such a vile
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proceeding? Did ever a false prophet work a true miracle? It is only
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supposed here for two reasons:--
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(1.) To strengthen the caution here given against hearkening to such a
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one. "Though it were possible that he should work a true miracle, yet
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you must not believe him if he tell you that you must serve other gods,
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for the divine law against that is certainly perpetual and
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unalterable." The supposition is like that in
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ga+1:8">Gal. i. 8</A>,
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<I>If we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to
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you</I>--which does not prove it possible that an angel should preach
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another gospel, but strongly expresses the certainty and perpetuity of
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that which we have received. So here,
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(2.) It is to fortify them against the danger of impostures and lying
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wonders
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Th+2:9">2 Thess. ii. 9</A>):
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"Suppose the credentials he produces be so artfully counterfeited that
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you cannot discern the cheat, nor disprove them, yet, if they are
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intended to draw you to the service of other gods, that alone is
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sufficient to disprove them; no evidence can be admitted against so
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clear a truth as that of the unity of the Godhead, and so plain a law
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as that of worshipping the <I>one only living and true God.</I>" We
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cannot suppose that the God of truth should set his seal of miracles to
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a lie, to so gross a lie as is supposed in that temptation, <I>Let us
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go after other gods.</I> But if it be asked, Why is this false prophet
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permitted to counterfeit this broad seal? It is answered here
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+13:3"><I>v.</I> 3</A>):
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"<I>The Lord you God proveth you.</I> He suffers you to be set upon by
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such a temptation to try your constancy, that both those that are
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perfect and those that are false and corrupt may be made manifest. It
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is to prove you; therefore see that you acquit yourselves well in the
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trial, and stand your ground."</P>
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<P>
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II. Here is a very necessary charge given in this case,</P>
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<P>
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1. Not to yield to the temptation: "<I>Thou shalt not hearken to the
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worlds of that prophet,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+13:3"><I>v.</I> 3</A>.
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Not only thou shalt not do the thing he tempts thee to, but thou shalt
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not so much as patiently hear the temptation, but reject it with the
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utmost disdain and detestation. Such a suggestion as this is not to be
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so much as parleyed with, but the ear must be stopped against it.
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<I>Get thee behind me, Satan.</I>" Some temptations are so grossly vile
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that they will not bear a debate, nor may we so much as give them the
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hearing. What follows
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+13:4"><I>v.</I> 4</A>),
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<I>You shall walk after the Lord,</I> may be looked upon,
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(1.) As prescribing a preservative from the temptation: "Keep close to
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your duty, and you keep out of harm's way. God never leaves us till we
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leave him." Or,
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(2.) As furnishing us with an answer to the temptation; say, "It is
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written, <I>Thou shalt walk after the Lord,</I> and <I>cleave unto
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him;</I> and therefore what have I to do with idols?"</P>
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<P>
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2. Not to spare the tempter,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+13:5"><I>v.</I> 5</A>.
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That prophet shall be <I>put to death,</I> both to punish him for the
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attempt he has made (the seducer must die, though none were seduced by
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him--a design upon the crown is treason) and to prevent his doing
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further mischief. This is called <I>putting away the evil.</I> There is
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no way of removing the guilt but by removing the guilty; if such a
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criminal be not punished, those that should punish him make themselves
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responsible. And thus the <I>mischief must be put away;</I> the
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infection must be kept from spreading by cutting off the gangrened
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limb, and putting away the mischief-makers. such Dangerous diseases as
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these must be taken in time.</P>
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<A NAME="De13_6"> </A>
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<A NAME="De13_7"> </A>
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<A NAME="De13_8"> </A>
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<A NAME="De13_9"> </A>
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<A NAME="De13_10"> </A>
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<A NAME="De13_11"> </A>
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<P>
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<FONT SIZE=+1>6 If thy brother, the son of thy mother, or thy son, or thy
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daughter, or the wife of thy bosom, or thy friend, which <I>is</I> as
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thine own soul, entice thee secretly, saying, Let us go and serve
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other gods, which thou hast not known, thou, nor thy fathers;
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7 <I>Namely,</I> of the gods of the people which <I>are</I> round about
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you, nigh unto thee, or far off from thee, from the <I>one</I> end of
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the earth even unto the <I>other</I> end of the earth;
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8 Thou shalt not consent unto him, nor hearken unto him;
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neither shall thine eye pity him, neither shalt thou spare,
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neither shalt thou conceal him:
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9 But thou shalt surely kill him; thine hand shall be first
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upon him to put him to death, and afterwards the hand of all the
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people.
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10 And thou shalt stone him with stones, that he die; because
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he hath sought to thrust thee away from the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> thy God, which
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brought thee out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.
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11 And all Israel shall hear, and fear, and shall do no more
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any such wickedness as this is among you.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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Further provision is made by this branch of the statute against
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receiving the infection of idolatry from those that are near and dear
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to us.</P>
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<P>
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I. It is the policy of the tempter to send his solicitations by the
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hand of those whom we love, whom we least suspect of any ill design
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upon us, and whom we are desirous to please and apt to conform
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ourselves to. The enticement here is supposed to come from a brother or
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child that are near by nature, from a wife or friend that are near by
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choice, and are to us <I>as our own souls,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+13:6"><I>v.</I> 6</A>.
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Satan tempted Adam by Eve and Christ by Peter. We are therefore
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concerned to stand upon our guard against a bad proposal when the
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person that makes it can pretend to an interest in us, that we many
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never sin against God in compliment to the best friend we have in the
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world. The temptation is supposed to be private: he will <I>entice thee
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secretly,</I> implying that idolatry is a work of darkness, which
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dreads the light and covets to be concealed, and in which the sinner
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promises himself, and the tempter promises him, secrecy and security.
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Concerning the false gods proposed to be served,
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1. The tempter suggests that the worshipping of these gods was the
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common practice of the world; and, if they limited their adorations to
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an invisible Deity, they were singular, and like nobody, for these gods
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were the <I>gods of the people round about them,</I> and indeed of all
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the nations of the earth,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+13:7"><I>v.</I> 7</A>.
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This suggestion draws many away from religion and godliness, that it is
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an unfashionable thing; and they make their court to the world and the
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flesh because these are the <I>gods of the people that are round about
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them.</I>
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2. Moses suggests, in opposition to this, that it had not been the
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practice of their ancestors; they are gods which <I>thou hast not
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known, thou nor thy fathers.</I> Those that are born of godly parents,
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and have been educated in pious exercises, when they are enticed to a
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vain, loose, careless way of living should remember that those are ways
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which <I>they have not known, they nor their fathers.</I> And will they
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thus degenerate?</P>
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<P>
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II. It is our duty to prefer God and religion before the best friends
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we have in the world.
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1. We must not, in complaisance to our friends, break God's law
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+13:8"><I>v.</I> 8</A>):
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"<I>Thou shalt not consent to him.</I> nor go with him to his
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idolatrous worship, no, not for company, or curiosity, or to gain a
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better interest in is affections." It is a general rule, <I>If sinners
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entice thee, consent thou not,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Pr+1:10">Prov. i. 10</A>.
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2. We must not, in compassion to our friends, obstruct the course of
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God's justice. He that attempts such a thing must not only be looked
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upon as an enemy, or dangerous person, whom one should be afraid of,
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and swear the peace against, but as a criminal or traitor, whom, in
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zeal for our sovereign Lord, his crown and dignity, we are bound to
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inform against, and cannot conceal without incurring the guilt of a
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great misprision
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+13:9"><I>v.</I> 9</A>):
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<I>Thou shalt surely kill him.</I> By this law the persons enticed were
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bound to the seducer, and to give evidence against him before the
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proper judges, that he might suffer the penalty of the law, and that
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without delay, which the Jews say is here intended in that phrase, as
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it is in the Hebrew, <I>killing thou shalt kill him.</I> Neither the
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prosecution nor the execution must be deferred; and he that was first
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in the former must be first in the latter, to show that he stood to his
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testimony: "<I>Thy hand shall be first upon him,</I> to mark him out as
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an anathema, and then the hands of all the people, to put him away as
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an accursed thing." The death he must die was that which was looked
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upon among the Jews as the severest of all deaths. He must be stoned:
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and his accusation written is that he has sought to thrust thee away,
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by a kind of violence, <I>from the Lord they God,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+13:10"><I>v.</I> 10</A>.
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Those are certainly our worst enemies that would <I>thrust us from
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God,</I> our best friend; and whatever draws us to sin, separates
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between us and God, is a design upon our life, and to be resented
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accordingly, And, lastly, here is the good effect of this necessary
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execution
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+13:11"><I>v.</I> 11</A>):
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<I>All Israel shall hear and fear.</I> They <I>ought to hear and
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fear;</I> for the punishment of crimes committed is designed <I>in
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terrorem--to terrify,</I> and so to prevent their repetition. And it is
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to be hoped they will hear and fear, and by the severity of the
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punishment, especially when it is at the prosecution of a father, a
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brother, or a friend, will be made to conceive a horror of the sin, as
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exceedingly sinful, and to be afraid of incurring the like punishment
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themselves. <I>Smite the scorner</I> that sins presumptuously, <I>and
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the simple,</I> that is in danger of sinning carelessly, <I>will
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beware.</I></P>
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<A NAME="De13_12"> </A>
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<A NAME="De13_13"> </A>
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<A NAME="De13_14"> </A>
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<A NAME="De13_15"> </A>
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<A NAME="De13_16"> </A>
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<A NAME="De13_17"> </A>
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<A NAME="De13_18"> </A>
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<P>
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<FONT SIZE=+1>12 If thou shalt hear <I>say</I> in one of thy cities, which the
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L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> thy God hath given thee to dwell there, saying,
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13 <I>Certain</I> men, the children of Belial, are gone out from
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among you, and have withdrawn the inhabitants of their city,
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saying, Let us go and serve other gods, which ye have not known;
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14 Then shalt thou enquire, and make search, and ask
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diligently; and, behold, <I>if it be</I> truth, <I>and</I> the thing
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certain, <I>that</I> such abomination is wrought among you;
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15 Thou shalt surely smite the inhabitants of that city with
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the edge of the sword, destroying it utterly, and all that <I>is</I>
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therein, and the cattle thereof, with the edge of the sword.
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16 And thou shalt gather all the spoil of it into the midst of
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the street thereof, and shalt burn with fire the city, and all
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the spoil thereof every whit, for the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> thy God: and it shall
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be a heap for ever; it shall not be built again.
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17 And there shall cleave nought of the cursed thing to thine
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hand: that the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> may turn from the fierceness of his anger,
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and show thee mercy, and have compassion upon thee, and multiply
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thee, as he hath sworn unto thy fathers;
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18 When thou shalt hearken to the voice of the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> thy God, to
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keep all his commandments which I command thee this day, to do
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<I>that which is</I> right in the eyes of the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> thy God.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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Here the case is put of a city revolting from its allegiance to the God
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of Israel, <I>and serving other gods.</I></P>
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<P>
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I. The crime is supposed to be committed,
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1. By one of the cities of Israel, that lay within the jurisdiction of
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their courts. The church then <I>judged those only that were
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within,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Co+5:12,13">1 Cor. v. 12, 13</A>.
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And, even when they were ordered to preserve their religion in the
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first principles of it by fire and sword to propagate it. Those that
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are born within the allegiance of a prince, if they take up arms
|
|
against him, are dealt with as traitors, but foreign invaders are not
|
|
so. The city that is here supposed to have become idolatrous is one
|
|
that formerly worshipped the true God, but had now withdrawn to other
|
|
gods, which intimates how great the crime is, and how sore the
|
|
punishment will be, of those that, <I>after they have known the way of
|
|
righteousness, turn aside from it,</I>
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Pe+2:21">2 Pet. ii. 21</A>.
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|
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2. It is supposed to be committed by the generality of the inhabitants
|
|
of the city, for we may conclude that, if a considerable number did
|
|
retain their integrity, those only that were guilty were to be
|
|
destroyed, and the city was to be spared for the sake of the righteous
|
|
in it; for <I>will not the Judge of all the earth do right?</I> No
|
|
doubt he will.
|
|
|
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3. They are supposed to be drawn to idolatry by <I>certain men, the
|
|
children of Belial,</I> men that would endure no yoke (so it
|
|
signifies), that neither fear God nor regard man, but shake off all
|
|
restraints of law and conscience, and are perfectly lost to all manner
|
|
of virtue; these are those that say, "Let us serve other gods," that
|
|
will not only allow, but will countenance and encourage, our
|
|
immoralities. Belial is put for <I>the devil</I>
|
|
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Co+6:15">2 Cor. vi. 15</A>),
|
|
|
|
and the children of Belial are his children. These withdraw the
|
|
inhabitants of the city; for a little of this old leaven, when it is
|
|
entertained, soon leavens the whole lump.</P>
|
|
|
|
<P>
|
|
|
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II. The cause is ordered to be tried with a great deal of care
|
|
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+13:14"><I>v.</I> 14</A>):
|
|
|
|
<I>Thou shalt enquire and make search.</I> They must not proceed upon
|
|
common fame, or take the information by hearsay, but must examine the
|
|
proofs, and not give judgment against them unless the evidence was
|
|
clear and the charge fully made out. God himself, before he destroyed
|
|
Sodom, is said to have come down to see whether its crimes were
|
|
according to the clamour,
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+18:21">Gen. xviii. 21</A>.
|
|
|
|
In judicial processes it is requisite that time, and care, and pains,
|
|
be taken to find out the truth, and that search be made without any
|
|
passion, prejudice, or partiality. The Jewish writers say that, though
|
|
particular persons who were idolaters might be judged by the inferior
|
|
courts, the defection of a city was to be tried by the great Sanhedrim;
|
|
and, if it appeared that they were thrust away to idolatry, two learned
|
|
men were sent to them to admonish and reclaim them. If they repented,
|
|
all would be well; if not, then all Israel must go up to war against
|
|
them, to testify their indignation against idolatry and to stop the
|
|
spreading of the contagion.</P>
|
|
|
|
<P>
|
|
|
|
III. If the crime were proved, and the criminals were incorrigible, the
|
|
city was to be wholly destroyed. If there were a few righteous men in
|
|
it, no doubt they would remove themselves and their families out of
|
|
such a dangerous place, and then all the inhabitants, men, women, and
|
|
children, must be put to the sword
|
|
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+13:15"><I>v.</I> 15</A>),
|
|
|
|
all the spoil of the city, both shop-goods and the furniture of houses,
|
|
must be brought into the marketplace and burned, and the city itself
|
|
must be laid in ashes and never built again,
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+13:16"><I>v.</I> 16</A>.
|
|
|
|
The soldiers are forbidden, upon pain of death, to convert any of the
|
|
plunder to their own use,
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+13:17"><I>v.</I> 17</A>.
|
|
|
|
It was a devoted thing, and dangerous to meddle with, as we find in the
|
|
case of Achan. Now,
|
|
|
|
1. God enjoins this severity of show what a jealous God he is in the
|
|
matters of his worship, and how great a crime it is to serve other
|
|
gods. Let men know that God will not give his glory to another, nor his
|
|
praise to graven images.
|
|
|
|
2. He expects that magistrates, having their honour and power from him,
|
|
should be concerned for his honour, and use their power for <I>terror
|
|
to evil doers,</I> else they bear the sword in vain.
|
|
|
|
3. The faithful worshippers of the true God must take all occasions to
|
|
show their just indignation against idolatry, much more against
|
|
atheism, infidelity, and irreligion.
|
|
|
|
4. It is here intimated that the best expedient for the turning away of
|
|
God's anger from a land is to execute justice upon the <I>wicked of the
|
|
land</I>
|
|
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+13:17"><I>v.</I> 17</A>),
|
|
|
|
that the Lord may <I>turn from the fierceness of his anger,</I> which
|
|
was ready to break out against the whole nation, for the wickedness of
|
|
that one apostate city. It is promised that, if they would thus root
|
|
wickedness out of their land, God would multiply them. They might
|
|
think it impolitic, and against the interest of their nation, to ruin a
|
|
whole city for a crime relating purely to religion, and that they
|
|
should be more sparing of the blood of Israelites: "Fear not the" (says
|
|
Moses), "God will multiply you the more; the body of your nation will
|
|
lose nothing by the letting out of this corrupt blood." <I>Lastly,</I>
|
|
Though we do not find this law put in execution in all the history of
|
|
the Jewish church (Gibeah was destroyed, not for idolatry, but
|
|
immorality), yet for the neglect of the execution of it upon the
|
|
inferior cities that served idols God himself, by the army of the
|
|
Chaldeans, put it in execution upon Jerusalem, the head city, which,
|
|
for is apostasy from God, was utterly destroyed and laid waste, and lay
|
|
in ruins seventy years. Though idolaters may escape punishment from men
|
|
(nor is this law in the letter of it binding now, under the gospel),
|
|
yet the Lord our God will not suffer them to escape his righteous
|
|
judgements. The New Testament speaks of communion with idolaters as a
|
|
sin which, above any other, <I>provokes the Lord to jealousy,</I> and
|
|
dares him as if we were <I>stronger than he,</I>
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Co+10:21,22">1 Cor. x. 21, 22</A>.</P>
|
|
|
|
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