{pake unto you in Horeb m,out of the mid of the fire.). ! By which caution he infinuats mans great. proneneſs to the worſhip of Images. m God, who in other places and times did ap- Pear in a ſimilitude, in the faſhon of a man, now in this moſt {o- lemn appearance, when he comes to give cternal Laws for the re- gulation and direCion of the Iſraclites in the worſhip of God, and in their duty to men, he purpoſely avoids all ſuch repreſentations, to ſhew tat he abhors all Worſhip of images, or of himſelf by ima- ges of what kind ſoever, as it here follows, v.16,17,18, 19. becauſe he 15 the inviſible God and cannot be repreſented by any viſible 1mage. See 1/a. 40. 18. AF. 17. 29. NILS $I
I6 Leſt ye corrupt your ſelves n, and * make you a graven image o, the ſimilitude of any figure, the likeneſs of mate or female : | j
n» (3. e.) Corrupt your minds with mean and carnal thoughts of God. Or, corrupt your ways or courſes, by worſhipping God in a corrupt manner, or by falling.into Idolatry. - o To wit, for wor- ſhip, or for the repreſentation of God, as-it is explained v. 19. for otherwiſe it was not ſimply unlawful to draw- the Pifture or make a figure of a man or a beaſt. x
17 The likeneſs of any beaſt p that is on. the earth,
*Ex;24:5-
the likeneſs of any winged fowl that flieth.in the air :_ þ Whereby the Heathen nations did repreſent and worſhip God; -
ſome by an Ox,ſome by a Goat,or an Hen,or a Serpent,or a Fiſh,e*c. ©
18 The likeneſs * of any thing that creepeth on the &
-
ground, the likeneſs of any fiſh that 7s in the waters * Rom: beneath the earth « | 7. 23
h: 19:3,
of o ; *C 19 And leſtthou*lifcup thine eyes unto heaven, and Job:31::7
when thou ſeeſft the ſun,and the moon and the ſfars,even *Gen:2:1, * all the hoſt of heaven, ſhould be driven. to worſhip | 0. them q,and ſervethem, which the LORD thy God hath d-$avr-106 divided uato all nations » under the whole heaven. © ; q (7. e. Strongly enclined,and in a manner conſtrained partly by the glory of theſe heavenly bodies, which may ſeem to be made for higher purpoſes than to enlighten this lump of earth ; partly from that natural propenſion which is in men to Idolatry. Or, ſhouldeft be ariven or thruſft,to wit,out of the way of the Lord,(as it 1s more fully ex- preſſed,Deur, 3.5.) or,be ſeduced,or led aſide,as ſilly ſheep eaſily ate, and worſhip them. Or,ſhouldeſt be caft down, or throw down thy ſelf and wor- ſhip them, i.e, Worſhip them by falling down before them: » Which are notGods,butCreatures, made notfor theworſhi p,but for the uſe of men, yea.of the meaneſt and moſt barbarous people under Heaven, and therefore cannot without great abſurdity be worſhipped, eſpe- cially by you who are ſo much advanced above. other Nations .in Wiſdom 8& Knowledge,and in this,that you are my peculiar people. 20 But the LORD hath taken you,and * brought you , ..- forth out of the iron furnace s, ever out of Egypt,to be ,_ A
unto him a people of inhericance, as ye are this day. Jer:11:4. 5 (7.e.) The furnace wherein Iron and other Metals are melted, ; to which Egypt is fitly compared, not only for the Torment and ; Miſery which they there endured, but alſo becauſe they were ; throughly tryed and purged thereby,as Metals are by the fire, ; His ' peculiar poſleſſion from generation to generation. See Exod I9. 5. Dewt 7.6. Tit. 2. 14. And therefore for you to forſake God, and worſhip Idols, will be not only wickedneſs and madneſs,but moſt abominable ingratitude.
21 Furthermore,* the LORD was angry with me for ; your fakes, and ſware that I ſhould not go over Jordan, = = : and that I ſhould not go in unto that good land,which © © -* the LORD thy God giveth thee # for an inheritance.
# God hath granted you the favour which he denied to me ; which greatly increaſeth your obligation to God.
22 But I muſt die in this land, I muſt not £0 over Jordan : burtye ſhall go over, and poflefs that good land.
23 Take heed unto your ſelves,leſt ye forget the co- venant ofthe LORD your God, which he made wich you,
and make you agraven image,or the likeneſ; of any thing, * which the LORD thy God hath forbidden thee a.
u Or,command?th thee,to wit,not to do,which is eaſi by comparing this place with Exod. 20. 4, 5. and w where this phraſe is fully expreſſed. See mo
24 For the * LORD thy God 55 even a * Jealous God y,
x A juſt and terrible God, who, notwithftand; hi 7 lation to thee, will ſurely puniſh and fetroy _ | ppb Font vokeſt him by Idolatry, or other ways. Who being eſpouſed to 9 "w_ thee, will be highly incenſed againſt thee, (if thou followeſt after 227" other lovers, or committeſt whoredom with Idols,) and will Ifa.424 no rival or partner. | |
25 When thou ſhall beget children, and childrens children, and ſhall have remained long in the land,and | ſhall corrupt your ſelves,and make a graven image, or the likeneſs of any :hi»g, and ſhall do evil in the ſight of the | LORD z. thy God, to provock him to anger.
2 Which words are here added, Either r. As a caution. Your Idolatry, though poſſibly ſecretly and cunningly managed,will not
* Exod: ly underſtood 20: 4,5: ith Gen, 3. 17. re On Lev. 4.-2.Deut.3.37. a conſuming fire x, : * Ch: 95; Ifa:33:14
bear
Chap. IV;
* Chap: 19: an 29; 3:
*Chap; 32+ 39: * Exod: 24: 16: Hed: 12:
-
Joſh: 2:
be hid from ham 3 he ſees it, and he will puniſh it. Or 2. To ag- gravate their ſpiritual Whoredom, as being commited in the ſight | and preſence of their Lord and Husband, whoſe eye is more Pecu=
larly
3
2,
*Levit: a6: 33:
| Ch:28 64:
Nen: 8: 8: +;]cb. men of numbey. * Ch: 28: 36, 64: Jer:16:133 *P(a):1153 4, 5* an 135; I5- þ2:45: 20:
| 41d 46: 7:
* Levit: 26: 40; Chap: 30: I,
Neh: 1:9:
Ci1ap. IV.
liarly upon them in all theic ways, than it is unon other people. Oc 3. By way of oppolirion unto m?ns judgment. Idolatry oft-times ſeems good and reaſonable, and religious 1n the eyes of men, bur ſaith he, it is evil in the eyes of the Lord, whoſe judgment 15 moſt conſiderable. : :
26 1 call heaven and earth » to witneſs againſt you this day, that, ye ſhall ſoon utteriy perith from offthe land whereunto ye go over Jordan to poſſeſs ir ; ye ſhall not prolong your days upon it ; but ſhall utcerly be deſtroyed.
a Either r. Figuratively, 7. e. God, and Angels, and Men. Or rather 2. Properly ; it beinguſual in Scripture to call in the ſenſeleſs Creatures as witneſſes ſuch caſes, as Devt. 32. 1. Iſs. 1.2. Jer. 2. 12.