mh_parser/vol_split/5 - Deuteronomy/Chapter 6.xml

<div2 id="Deu.vii" n="vii" next="Deu.viii" prev="Deu.vi" progress="84.37%" title="Chapter VI">
<h2 id="Deu.vii-p0.1">D E U T E R O N O M Y</h2>
<h3 id="Deu.vii-p0.2">CHAP. VI.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Deu.vii-p1">Moses, in this chapter, goes on with his charge to
Israel, to be sure to keep up their religion in Canaan. It is much
the same with <scripRef id="Deu.vii-p1.1" osisRef="Bible:Deut.4.1-Deut.4.40" parsed="|Deut|4|1|4|40" passage="De 4:1-40"><i>ch.</i>
iv.</scripRef> I. His preface is a persuasive to obedience,
<scripRef id="Deu.vii-p1.2" osisRef="Bible:Deut.6.1-Deut.6.3" parsed="|Deut|6|1|6|3" passage="De 6:1-3">ver. 1-3</scripRef>. II. He lays down
the great principles of obedience. The first truth to be believed,
That God is one, <scripRef id="Deu.vii-p1.3" osisRef="Bible:Deut.6.4" parsed="|Deut|6|4|0|0" passage="De 6:4">ver. 4</scripRef>. The
first duty to be done, To love him with all our heart, <scripRef id="Deu.vii-p1.4" osisRef="Bible:Deut.6.5" parsed="|Deut|6|5|0|0" passage="De 6:5">ver. 5</scripRef>. III. He prescribes the means
for keeping up religion, <scripRef id="Deu.vii-p1.5" osisRef="Bible:Deut.6.6-Deut.6.9" parsed="|Deut|6|6|6|9" passage="De 6:6-9">ver.
6-9</scripRef>. IV. He cautions them against those things which
would be the ruin of religion—abuse of plenty (<scripRef id="Deu.vii-p1.6" osisRef="Bible:Deut.6.10-Deut.6.24" parsed="|Deut|6|10|6|24" passage="De 6:10-24">ver. 10-12</scripRef>), inclination to idolatry
(<scripRef id="Deu.vii-p1.7" osisRef="Bible:Deut.6.14-Deut.6.15" parsed="|Deut|6|14|6|15" passage="De 6:14,15">ver. 14, 15</scripRef>), and gives
them some general precepts, <scripRef id="Deu.vii-p1.8" osisRef="Bible:Deut.6.13 Bible:Deut.6.16-Deut.6.18" parsed="|Deut|6|13|0|0;|Deut|6|16|6|18" passage="De 6:13,16-18">ver.
13, 16-18</scripRef>. V. He directs them what instructions to give
their children, <scripRef id="Deu.vii-p1.9" osisRef="Bible:Deut.6.20-Deut.6.25" parsed="|Deut|6|20|6|25" passage="De 6:20-25">ver. 20</scripRef>,
&amp;c.</p>
<scripCom id="Deu.vii-p1.10" osisRef="Bible:Deut.6" parsed="|Deut|6|0|0|0" passage="De 6" type="Commentary"/>
<scripCom id="Deu.vii-p1.11" osisRef="Bible:Deut.6.1-Deut.6.3" parsed="|Deut|6|1|6|3" passage="De 6:1-3" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.6.1-Deut.6.3">
<h4 id="Deu.vii-p1.12">Summary of Religion. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.vii-p1.13">b. c.</span> 1451.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Deu.vii-p2">1 Now these <i>are</i> the commandments, the
statutes, and the judgments, which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.vii-p2.1">Lord</span> your God commanded to teach you, that ye
might do <i>them</i> in the land whither ye go to possess it:
  2 That thou mightest fear the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.vii-p2.2">Lord</span> thy God, to keep all his statutes and his
commandments, which I command thee, thou, and thy son, and thy
son's son, all the days of thy life; and that thy days may be
prolonged.   3 Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe to do
<i>it;</i> that it may be well with thee, and that ye may increase
mightily, as the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.vii-p2.3">Lord</span> God of thy
fathers hath promised thee, in the land that floweth with milk and
honey.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.vii-p3">Observe here, 1. That Moses taught the
people all that, and that only, which God commanded him to teach
them, <scripRef id="Deu.vii-p3.1" osisRef="Bible:Deut.6.1" parsed="|Deut|6|1|0|0" passage="De 6:1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>. Thus
Christ's ministers are to teach his churches <i>all that he has
commanded,</i> and neither more nor less, <scripRef id="Deu.vii-p3.2" osisRef="Bible:Matt.28.20" parsed="|Matt|28|20|0|0" passage="Mt 28:20">Matt. xxviii. 20</scripRef>. 2. That the end of their
being taught was that they might do as they were taught (<scripRef id="Deu.vii-p3.3" osisRef="Bible:Deut.6.1" parsed="|Deut|6|1|0|0" passage="De 6:1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>), might <i>keep God's
statutes</i> (<scripRef id="Deu.vii-p3.4" osisRef="Bible:Deut.6.2" parsed="|Deut|6|2|0|0" passage="De 6:2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>),
and <i>observe to do them,</i> <scripRef id="Deu.vii-p3.5" osisRef="Bible:Deut.6.3" parsed="|Deut|6|3|0|0" passage="De 6:3"><i>v.</i>
3</scripRef>. Good instructions from parents and ministers will but
aggravate our condemnation if we do not live up to them. 3. That
Moses carefully endeavoured to fix them for God and godliness, now
that they were entering upon the land of Canaan, that they might be
prepared for the comforts of that land, and fortified against the
snares of it, and now that they were setting out in the world might
set out well. 4. That the fear of God in the heart will be the most
powerful principle of obedience: <i>That thou mightest fear the
Lord thy God, to keep all his statutes,</i> <scripRef id="Deu.vii-p3.6" osisRef="Bible:Deut.6.2" parsed="|Deut|6|2|0|0" passage="De 6:2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>. 5. The entail of religion in a
family, or country, is the best entail: it is highly desirable that
not we only, but our children, and our children's children, may
fear the Lord. 6. Religion and righteousness advance and secure the
prosperity of any people. Fear God, and it shall be well with thee.
Those that are well taught, if they do what they are taught, shall
be well fed too, as Israel in the <i>land flowing with milk and
honey,</i> <scripRef id="Deu.vii-p3.7" osisRef="Bible:Deut.6.3" parsed="|Deut|6|3|0|0" passage="De 6:3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Deu.vii-p3.8" osisRef="Bible:Deut.6.4-Deut.6.16" parsed="|Deut|6|4|6|16" passage="De 6:4-16" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.6.4-Deut.6.16">
<h4 id="Deu.vii-p3.9">Cautions and Precepts. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.vii-p3.10">b. c.</span> 1451.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Deu.vii-p4">4 Hear, O Israel: The <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.vii-p4.1">Lord</span> our God <i>is</i> one <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.vii-p4.2">Lord</span>:   5 And thou shalt love the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.vii-p4.3">Lord</span> thy God with all thine heart, and
with all thy soul, and with all thy might.   6 And these
words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:
  7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children,
and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when
thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou
risest up.   8 And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine
hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.   9
And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy
gates.   10 And it shall be, when the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.vii-p4.4">Lord</span> thy God shall have brought thee into the
land which he sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to
Jacob, to give thee great and goodly cities, which thou buildedst
not,   11 And houses full of all good <i>things,</i> which
thou filledst not, and wells digged, which thou diggedst not,
vineyards and olive trees, which thou plantedst not; when thou
shalt have eaten and be full;   12 <i>Then</i> beware lest
thou forget the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.vii-p4.5">Lord</span>, which brought
thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.
  13 Thou shalt fear the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.vii-p4.6">Lord</span>
thy God, and serve him, and shalt swear by his name.   14 Ye
shall not go after other gods, of the gods of the people which
<i>are</i> round about you;   15 (For the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.vii-p4.7">Lord</span> thy God <i>is</i> a jealous God among you)
lest the anger of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.vii-p4.8">Lord</span> thy God
be kindled against thee, and destroy thee from off the face of the
earth.   16 Ye shall not tempt the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.vii-p4.9">Lord</span> your God, as ye tempted <i>him</i> in
Massah.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.vii-p5">Here is, I. A brief summary of religion,
containing the first principles of faith and obedience, <scripRef id="Deu.vii-p5.1" osisRef="Bible:Deut.6.4-Deut.6.5" parsed="|Deut|6|4|6|5" passage="De 6:4,5"><i>v.</i> 4, 5</scripRef>. These two verses the
Jews reckon one of the choicest portions of scripture: they write
it in their phylacteries, and think themselves not only obliged to
say it at least twice every day, but very happy in being so
obliged, having this saying among them, <i>Blessed are we, who
every morning and evening say, Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is
one Lord.</i> But more blessed are we if we duly consider and
improve,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.vii-p6">1. What we are here taught to believe
concerning God: that <i>Jehovah our God is one Jehovah.</i> (1.)
That the God whom we serve is Jehovah, a Being infinitely and
eternally perfect, self-existent, and self-sufficient. (2.) That he
is the one only living and true God; he only is God, and he is but
one. The firm belief of this self-evident truth would effectually
arm them against all idolatry, which was introduced by that
fundamental error, that there are gods many. It is past dispute
that there is one God, and there <i>is no other but he,</i>
<scripRef id="Deu.vii-p6.1" osisRef="Bible:Mark.12.32" parsed="|Mark|12|32|0|0" passage="Mk 12:32">Mark xii. 32</scripRef>. Let us
therefore have no other, nor desire to have any other. Some have
thought there is here a plain intimation of the trinity of persons
in the unity of the Godhead; for here is the name of God three
times, and yet all declared to be one. Happy they that have this
one Lord for their God; for they have but one master to please, but
one benefactor to seek to. It is better to have one fountain that a
thousand cisterns, one all-sufficient God than a thousand
insufficient ones.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.vii-p7">2. What we are here taught concerning the
duty which God requires of man. It is all summed up in this as its
principle, <i>Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy
heart.</i> He had undertaken (<scripRef id="Deu.vii-p7.1" osisRef="Bible:Deut.6.2" parsed="|Deut|6|2|0|0" passage="De 6:2"><i>v.</i>
2</scripRef>) to teach them to fear God; and, in pursuance of his
undertaking, he here teaches them to love him, for the warmer our
affection to him the greater will be our veneration for him; the
child that honours his parents no doubt loves them. Did ever any
prince make a law that his subjects should love him? Yet such is
the condescension of the divine grace that this is made the first
and great commandment of God's law, that we love him, and that we
perform all other parts of our duty to him from a principle of
love. <i>My son, give me thy heart.</i> We must highly esteem him,
be well pleased that there is such a Being, well pleased in all his
attributes, and relations to us: our desire must be towards him,
our delight in him, our dependence upon him, and to him we must be
entirely devoted. It must be a constant pleasure to us to think of
him, hear from him, speak to him, and serve him. We must love him,
(1.) As the Lord, the best of beings, most excellent and amiable in
himself. (2.) As our God, a God in covenant with us, our Father,
and the most kind and bountiful of friends and benefactors. We are
also commanded to love God <i>with all our heart, and soul, and
might;</i> that is, we must love him, [1.] With a sincere love; not
in word and tongue only, saying we love him when our hearts are not
with him, but inwardly, and in truth, solacing ourselves in him.
[2.] With a strong love; the heart must be carried out towards him
with great ardour and fervency of affection. Some have hence though
that we should avoid saying (as we commonly express ourselves) that
we will do this or that with all our heart, for we must not do any
thing with all our heart but love God; and that this phrase, being
here used concerning that sacred fire, should not be unhallowed. He
that is our all must have our all, and none but he. [3.] With a
superlative love; we must love God above any creature whatsoever,
and love nothing besides him but what we love for him and in
subordination to him. [4.] With an intelligent love; for so it is
explained, <scripRef id="Deu.vii-p7.2" osisRef="Bible:Mark.12.33" parsed="|Mark|12|33|0|0" passage="Mk 12:33">Mark xii. 33</scripRef>. To
love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, we
must know him, and therefore love him as those that see good cause
to love him. [5.] With an entire love; he is one, and therefore our
hearts must be united in this love, and the whole stream of our
affections must run towards him. O that this love of God may be
shed abroad in our hearts!</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.vii-p8">II. Means are here prescribed for the
maintaining and keeping up of religion in our hearts and houses,
that it might not wither and go to decay. And they are these:—1.
Meditation: <i>These words which I command thee shall be in thy
heart,</i> <scripRef id="Deu.vii-p8.1" osisRef="Bible:Deut.6.6" parsed="|Deut|6|6|0|0" passage="De 6:6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>.
Though the words alone without the things will do us no good, yet
we are in danger of losing the things if we neglect the words, by
which ordinarily divine light and power are conveyed to the heart.
God's words must be laid up on our heart, that our thoughts may be
daily conversant with them and employed about them, and thereby the
whole soul may be brought to abide and act under the influence and
impression of them. This immediately follows upon the law of loving
God with all your heart; for those that do so will lay up his word
in their hearts both as an evidence and effect of that love and as
a means to preserve and increase it. He that loves God loves his
Bible. 2. The religious education of children (<scripRef id="Deu.vii-p8.2" osisRef="Bible:Deut.6.7" parsed="|Deut|6|7|0|0" passage="De 6:7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>): "<i>Thou shalt teach them
diligently to thy children;</i> and by communicating thy knowledge
thou wilt increase it." Those that love the Lord God themselves
should do what they can to engage the affections of their children
to him, and so to preserve the entail of religion in their families
from being cut off. <i>Thou shalt whet them diligently upon thy
children,</i> so some read it; frequently repeat these things to
them, try all ways of instilling them into their minds, and making
them pierce into their hearts; as, in whetting a knife, it is
turned first on this side, then on that. "Be careful and exact in
teaching thy children; and aim, as by whetting, to sharpen them,
and put an edge upon them. Teach them to thy children, not only
those of thy own body" (say the Jews) "but all those that are
anyway under thy care and tuition." Bishop Patrick well observes
here that Moses thought his law so very plain and easy that every
father might be able to instruct his sons in it and every mother
her daughters. Thus that good thing which is committed to us we
must carefully transmit to those that come after us, that it may be
perpetuated. 3. Pious discourse. "Thou shalt talk of these things,
with due reverence and seriousness, for the benefit not only of thy
children, but of thy other domestics, thy friends and companions,
as thou sittest in thy house at work, or at meat, or at rest, or to
receive visits, and when thou walkest by the way for diversion, or
for conversation, of in journeys, when at night thou art retiring
from thy family to lie down for sleep, and when in the morning thou
hast risen up and returnest to thy family again. Take all occasions
to discourse with those about thee of divine things; not of
unrevealed mysteries, or matters of doubtful disputation, but of
the plain truths and laws of God, and the things that belong to our
peace." So far is it from being reckoned a diminution to the honour
of sacred things to make them subject of our familiar discourse
that they are recommended to us to be talked of; for the more
conversant we are with them the more we shall admire them and be
affected with them, and may thereby be instrumental to communicate
divine light and heat. 4. Frequent reading of the word: <i>They
shall be as frontlets between thy eyes, and thou shalt write them
upon the posts of thy house,</i> <scripRef id="Deu.vii-p8.3" osisRef="Bible:Deut.6.8-Deut.6.9" parsed="|Deut|6|8|6|9" passage="De 6:8,9"><i>v.</i> 8, 9</scripRef>. It is probable that at that
time there were few written copies of the whole law, only at the
feasts of tabernacles the people had it read to them; and therefore
God appointed them, at least for the present, to write some select
sentences of the law, that were most weighty and comprehensive,
upon their walls, or in scrolls of parchment to be worn about their
wrists; and some think that hence the phylacteries so much used
among the Jews took rise. Christ blames the Pharisees, not for
wearing them, but for affecting to have them broader than other
people's, <scripRef id="Deu.vii-p8.4" osisRef="Bible:Matt.23.5" parsed="|Matt|23|5|0|0" passage="Mt 23:5">Matt. xxiii. 5</scripRef>.
But when Bibles came to be common among them there was less
occasion for this expedient. It was prudently and piously provided
by the first reformers of the English church that then, when Bibles
were scarce, some select portions of scripture should be written on
the walls and pillars of the churches, which the people might make
familiar to them, in conformity to this direction, which seems to
have been binding in the letter of it to the Jews as it is to us in
the intent of it, which is that we should endeavour by all means
possible to make the word of God familiar to us, that we may have
it ready to us upon all occasions, for our restraint from sin and
our direction and excitement to our duty. It must be as that which
is <i>graven on the palms of our hands,</i> always before our eyes.
See <scripRef id="Deu.vii-p8.5" osisRef="Bible:Prov.7.1-Prov.7.3" parsed="|Prov|7|1|7|3" passage="Pr 7:1-3">Prov. vii. 1-3</scripRef>. It is
also intimated that we must never be ashamed to own our religion,
nor to own ourselves under the check and government of it. Let it
be written on our gates, and let every one that goes by our door
read it, that we believe Jehovah to be God alone, and believe
ourselves bound to <i>love him with all our hearts.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.vii-p9">III. A caution is here given not to forget
God in a day of prosperity and plenty, <scripRef id="Deu.vii-p9.1" osisRef="Bible:Deut.6.10-Deut.6.12" parsed="|Deut|6|10|6|12" passage="De 6:10-12"><i>v.</i> 10-12</scripRef>. Here, 1. He raises their
expectations of the goodness of their God, taking it for granted
that he would bring them into the good land that he had promised
(<scripRef id="Deu.vii-p9.2" osisRef="Bible:Deut.6.10" parsed="|Deut|6|10|0|0" passage="De 6:10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>), that they
should no longer dwell in tents as shepherds and poor travellers,
but should settle in great and goodly cities, should no longer
wander in a barren wilderness, but should enjoy houses well
furnished and gardens well planted (<scripRef id="Deu.vii-p9.3" osisRef="Bible:Deut.6.11" parsed="|Deut|6|11|0|0" passage="De 6:11"><i>v.</i> 11</scripRef>), and all this without any care
and expense of their own, which he here lays a great stress
upon—<i>Cities which thou buildest not, houses which thou filledst
not, &amp;c.,</i> both because it made the mercy really much more
valuable that what they had come to them so cheaply, and yet, if
they did not actually consider it, the mercy would be the less
esteemed, for we are most sensible of the value of that which has
cost us dear. When they came so easily by the gift they would be
apt to grow secure, and unmindful of the giver. 2. He engages their
watchfulness against the badness of their own hearts: <i>Then
beware,</i> when thou liest safe and soft, <i>lest thou forget the
Lord,</i> <scripRef id="Deu.vii-p9.4" osisRef="Bible:Deut.6.12" parsed="|Deut|6|12|0|0" passage="De 6:12"><i>v.</i> 12</scripRef>.
Note, (1.) In a day of prosperity we are in great danger of
forgetting God, our dependence upon him, our need of him, and our
obligations to him. When the world smiles we are apt to make our
court to it, and expect our happiness in it, and so we forget him
that his our only portion and rest. Agur prays against this
temptation (<scripRef id="Deu.vii-p9.5" osisRef="Bible:Prov.30.9" parsed="|Prov|30|9|0|0" passage="Pr 30:9">Prov. xxx. 9</scripRef>):
<i>Lest I be full and deny thee.</i> (2.) There is therefore need
of great care and caution at such a time, and a strict watch over
our own hearts. "<i>Then beware;</i> being warned of your danger,
stand upon your guard against it. <i>Bind the words of God for a
sign upon thy hand,</i> for this end to prevent thy forgetting God.
When thou art settled in Canaan forget not thy deliverance out of
Egypt; but look to the <i>rock out of which thou wast hewn.</i>
When thy latter end has greatly increased, remember the smallness
of thy beginnings."</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.vii-p10">IV. Some special precepts and prohibitions
are here given, which are of great consequence. 1. They must upon
all occasions give honour to God <scripRef id="Deu.vii-p10.1" osisRef="Bible:Deut.6.13" parsed="|Deut|6|13|0|0" passage="De 6:13">(<i>v.</i> 13</scripRef>): <i>Fear him and serve him</i>
(for, if he be a Master, we must both reverence him and do his
work); <i>and swear by his name,</i> that is, they must not upon
any occasion appeal to any other, as the discerner of truth and
avenger of wrong. Swear by him only, and not by an idol, or any
other creature. Swear by his name in all treaties and covenants
with the neighbouring nations, and do not compliment them so far as
to swear by their gods. Swearing by his name is sometimes put for
an open profession of his name. <scripRef id="Deu.vii-p10.2" osisRef="Bible:Isa.45.23" parsed="|Isa|45|23|0|0" passage="Isa 45:23">Isa.
xlv. 23</scripRef>, <i>Every tongue shall swear,</i> is expounded
(<scripRef id="Deu.vii-p10.3" osisRef="Bible:Rom.14.11" parsed="|Rom|14|11|0|0" passage="Ro 14:11">Rom. xiv. 11</scripRef>), <i>Every
tongue shall confess to God.</i> 2. They must not upon any occasion
give that honour to other gods (<scripRef id="Deu.vii-p10.4" osisRef="Bible:Deut.6.14" parsed="|Deut|6|14|0|0" passage="De 6:14"><i>v.</i> 14</scripRef>): <i>You shall not go after other
gods,</i> that is, "You shall not serve nor worship them;" for
therein they went astray, they went a whoring from the true God,
who in this, more than in any thing, is <i>jealous god</i>
(<scripRef id="Deu.vii-p10.5" osisRef="Bible:Deut.6.15" parsed="|Deut|6|15|0|0" passage="De 6:15"><i>v.</i> 15</scripRef>): and the
learned bishop Patrick observes here, out of Maimonides, that we
never find, either in the law or the prophets, <i>anger,</i> or
<i>fury,</i> or <i>jealousy,</i> or <i>indignation,</i> attributed
to God but upon occasion of idolatry. 3. They must take heed of
dishonouring God by <i>tempting him</i> (<scripRef id="Deu.vii-p10.6" osisRef="Bible:Deut.6.16" parsed="|Deut|6|16|0|0" passage="De 6:16"><i>v.</i> 16</scripRef>): <i>You shall not tempt the Lord
your God,</i> that is, "You shall not in any exigence distrust the
power, presence, and providence of God, nor quarrel with him,"
which, if they indulged an evil heart of unbelief, they would take
occasion to do in Canaan as well as in the wilderness. No change of
condition will cure a disposition of murmur and fret. Our Saviour
uses this caution as an answer to one of Satan's temptations, with
application to himself, <scripRef id="Deu.vii-p10.7" osisRef="Bible:Matt.4.7" parsed="|Matt|4|7|0|0" passage="Mt 4:7">Matt. iv.
7</scripRef>, <i>Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God,</i> either
by despairing of his power and goodness while we keep in the way of
our duty, or by presuming upon it when we turn aside out of that
way.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Deu.vii-p10.8" osisRef="Bible:Deut.6" parsed="|Deut|6|0|0|0" passage="De 6" type="Commentary"/>
<scripCom id="Deu.vii-p10.9" osisRef="Bible:Deut.6.17-Deut.6.25" parsed="|Deut|6|17|6|25" passage="De 6:17-25" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.6.17-Deut.6.25">
<h4 id="Deu.vii-p10.10">A Charge to Israel. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.vii-p10.11">b. c.</span> 1451.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Deu.vii-p11">17 Ye shall diligently keep the commandments of
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.vii-p11.1">Lord</span> your God, and his
testimonies, and his statutes, which he hath commanded thee.  
18 And thou shalt do <i>that which is</i> right and good in the
sight of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.vii-p11.2">Lord</span>: that it may be
well with thee, and that thou mayest go in and possess the good
land which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.vii-p11.3">Lord</span> sware unto thy
fathers,   19 To cast out all thine enemies from before thee,
as the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.vii-p11.4">Lord</span> hath spoken.   20
<i>And</i> when thy son asketh thee in time to come, saying, What
<i>mean</i> the testimonies, and the statutes, and the judgments,
which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.vii-p11.5">Lord</span> our God hath
commanded you?   21 Then thou shalt say unto thy son, We were
Pharaoh's bondmen in Egypt; and the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.vii-p11.6">Lord</span> brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand:
  22 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.vii-p11.7">Lord</span> showed signs
and wonders, great and sore, upon Egypt, upon Pharaoh, and upon all
his household, before our eyes:   23 And he brought us out
from thence, that he might bring us in, to give us the land which
he sware unto our fathers.   24 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.vii-p11.8">Lord</span> commanded us to do all these statutes, to
fear the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.vii-p11.9">Lord</span> our God, for our good
always, that he might preserve us alive, as <i>it is</i> at this
day.   25 And it shall be our righteousness, if we observe to
do all these commandments before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.vii-p11.10">Lord</span> our God, as he hath commanded us.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.vii-p12">Here, I. Moses charges them to keep God's
commandments themselves: <i>You shall diligently keep God's
commandments,</i> <scripRef id="Deu.vii-p12.1" osisRef="Bible:Deut.6.17-Deut.6.19" parsed="|Deut|6|17|6|19" passage="De 6:17-19"><i>v.</i>
17-19</scripRef>. Note, It requires a great deal of care and pains
to keep up religion in the power of it in our hearts and lives.
Negligence will ruin us; but we cannot be saved without diligence.
To induce them to this, he here shows them, 1. That this would be
very acceptable to God: it is <i>right and good in the sight of the
Lord;</i> and that is right and good indeed that is, so in <i>God's
sight.</i> If we have any regard to the favour of our Creator as
our felicity, and the law of our creation as our rule, we shall be
religious. 2. That it would be very advantageous and profitable to
themselves. It would secure to them the possession of the land of
Canaan, prosperity there, and constant victory over those that
stood in their way. In short, "Do well, and it shall be <i>well
with thee.</i>"</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.vii-p13">II. He charges them to instruct their
children in the commands of God, not only that they might in their
tender years intelligently and affectionately join in religious
services, but that afterwards they might in their day keep up
religion, and convey it to those that should come after them.
Now,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.vii-p14">1. Here is a proper question which it is
supposed the children would ask (<scripRef id="Deu.vii-p14.1" osisRef="Bible:Deut.6.20" parsed="|Deut|6|20|0|0" passage="De 6:20"><i>v.</i> 20</scripRef>): "<i>What mean the testimonies
and the statutes?</i> What is the meaning of the feasts we observe,
the sacrifices we offer, and the many peculiar customs we keep up?"
Observe, (1.) All divine institutions have a certain meaning, and
there is something great designed in them. (2.) It concerns us to
know and understand the meaning of them, that we may perform a
reasonable service and may not <i>offer the blind for
sacrifice.</i> (3.) It is good for children betimes to enquire into
the true intent and meaning of the religious observances they are
trained up in. If any are thus inquisitive in divine things it is a
good sign that they are concerned about them, and a good means of
their attaining to a great acquaintance with them. <i>Then shall we
know</i> if thus we <i>follow on to know.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.vii-p15">2. Here is a full answer put into the
parents' mouths to be given to this good question. Parents and
teachers must give instruction to those under their charge, though
they do not ask it, nay, though they have an aversion to it; much
more must they be ready to answer questions, and to give
instruction when it is desired; for it may be hoped that those who
ask it will be willing to receive it. Did the children ask the
meaning of God's laws? Let them be told that they were to be
observed, (1.) In a grateful remembrance of God's former favours to
them, especially their deliverance out of Egypt, <scripRef id="Deu.vii-p15.1" osisRef="Bible:Deut.6.21-Deut.6.23" parsed="|Deut|6|21|6|23" passage="De 6:21-23"><i>v.</i> 21-23</scripRef>. The children must be often
told of the deplorable state their ancestors were in when they were
bondmen in Egypt, the great salvation God wrought for them in
fetching them out thence, and that God, in giving them these
peculiar statutes, meant to perpetuate the memorial of that work of
wonder, by which they were formed into a peculiar people. (2.) As
the prescribed condition of his further favours (<scripRef id="Deu.vii-p15.2" osisRef="Bible:Deut.6.24" parsed="|Deut|6|24|0|0" passage="De 6:24"><i>v.</i> 24</scripRef>): <i>The Lord commanded us all
these statutes for our good.</i> Note, God commands us nothing but
what is really for our good. It is our interest as well as our duty
to be religious. [1.] It will be our life: <i>That he might
preserve us alive,</i> which is a great favour, and more than we
could expect, considering how often we have forfeited life itself.
Godliness has the promise of the continuance and comfort of the
life that now is as far as it is for God's glory. [2.] It will be
our righteousness. Could we perfectly fulfil but that one command
of loving God with all our heart, soul, and might, and could we
say, "We have never done otherwise," this would be so our
righteousness as to entitle us to the benefits of the covenant of
innocency; had we continued in every thing that is written in the
book of the law to do it, the law would have justified us. But this
we cannot pretend to, therefore our sincere obedience shall be
accepted through a Mediator to denominate us, as Noah was,
<i>righteous before God,</i> <scripRef id="Deu.vii-p15.3" osisRef="Bible:Gen.7.1 Bible:Luke.1.6 Bible:1John.3.7" parsed="|Gen|7|1|0|0;|Luke|1|6|0|0;|1John|3|7|0|0" passage="Ge 7:1,Lu 1:6,1Jo 3:7">Gen. vii. 1; Luke i. 6; and 1 John iii.
7</scripRef>. The Chaldee reads it, <i>There shall be a reward to
us if we observe to do these commandments;</i> for, without doubt,
in keeping God's commandments there is great reward.</p>
</div></div2>