when 'their commands are evidently contrary to Gods Law, for then, ſay even Popiſh Commentators on this place, they muſt obey God rather than Man. And this cannot be denyed by any Man of ſenſe, upon ſuppoſition 'that this place ſpeaks of, and this power ven to the Prieſt or Judge reacheth to, all controverſies or que- Rions'of Faith and Manners, as the oy would extend it: For - put the caſe theſe Prieſts or Judges ſhould give a ſentence dire&ly - contrary to the exprefs words of God's Law, Thou ſhalt worſhip a gra- wen Imaze, as Aaron did in the caſe of the calf; Thou ſhalt prophane the Sabbath, thou ſhalt difhpnour thy Father and Mother, thou ſhalt Murder, Steal, Commit Adultery, &c:* I ask, were the people in this caſe bound to ' do as the Judge determined, or not? If any ſay they were, ſuch a bold and wicked affertion muſt needs-ſtrike all ſober Chriſti- ans with horrour; And if they ſay they were not, then this muſt needs be taken foralimitation* Bur if this place ſpeak only of par- * ficular ſuits between man and man, as is apparent from the notes |
on v. 8. And in all ſuch caſes, although the Judge be hereby cons
Ione os
4 4
lap. XVII. HEDITZER ONO M T.
fined and tied to his rule in giving the ſentence, yet it ſeems bur fit and reaſonable, that people ſhould be bound fimply to ac- quieſce in the ſentence of their laſt and higheſt Judge, or elſe there would have been no end of ſtrife.
the Judge, even that man ſhall die, and thou thalt pur away the evil b from Iſrael.
a (i.e.) That will proudly and obſtinately oppoſe the ſentence given againſt him. 'This isoppoſite to ignorance and errour, E::02. 21. 13, 14. 6 Either 1. Theevil thing, that ſcandal, that pernicious example. Or, 2. That evil, refrattory, pernicious perſon, whoſe prattice herein tends to rhe diſſolution of all Government, and the ruine of the Common-wealth of 1/rael.
13 And all the people ſhall hear,and fear,and do no more preſumptuouſlly.
14 When thou art come into the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, and ſhalt poſſeſs it, and (halt Awel therein, and ſbalt fay, I will feta King over me c, like as all the nations that are about me.
c He only foreſees and foretells what they would do, but doth not ſeem to approve of it, becauſe when they did this thing for _ wg"; reaſon here alledged, he declares his utter diſlike of it, 1 Sam. 8. 7,
15 Thou ſhalt in any wiſe ſet 4 bi King over thee,
mayeſt not ſet a ſtranger over thee g, which is not thy brother. |
d (i. e.) Appoint, or inſtal. If you will chooſe a King, which I ſhall ſuffer you to do, T command you to mind this in your choice. e Approve of, or Appoint. $0 it was in Saul, and in David, God reſerved to himielf the nomination both of the Family, and of the Perion. See 1 Sam. 9g. 15. and 10. 24. and 16. 12+ 1 Chron. 28. 4, 5. f Of the ſame Nation and Religion; partly becauſe ſuch a perſon was moſt likely to maintain true Religion, and to rule with Righte- ouſneſs,Gentleneſs,and Kindneſs to his Subje&s; and partly that he might be a fir Type of Chriſt their ſupreme King, who was to be one of their Brethren. g To wit, by thy own choice and conſent; but if God by his providence and for their ſins ſhould ſet a ftran- ger over them, they might ſubmit ro him, as appears from Jer. 38. 17. Ezeck. 17. 12, Mat. 22. 17.
16 Bur he (ball not multiply horſes to himſelf g, nor
cauſe the peopleto return to Egypt h, to the end that he
!hould multiply horſes : fora»zmuch as the LORD hath * chip. ul, ſaid ; unto you, * Ye tball henceforth no more return =
thar way &.
gs To wit, exceſſively, beyond what the State and M ajeſty of his place required. Hereby God would prevent many ſins and miſ- ehiefs, As 1. Pride of heart, and contempt of his people. 2. Op- preſſion and Tyranny, and the impoſition of unnecetlary burdens upon his people. 3. Carnal confidence, which by this means would be promoted. See Pſal: 33.17. Prov: 21: 31. 4. Much commerce with Egypr, as it here follows, which was famous for horſes, as ap- pears from Exod: 14. 23. 1 Kings 10 26, 28. 2 Chron, 1. 16. and 9. 28. Iſa: 31. I, 3. Zzek: 17.5. h Either for habitation, or for trade. 'Fhis God forbad to prevent, 1: Their unthankfulneſs for their de- liverance out of Egypr. 2. Their confederacies with the Egyptians their truſting ro them for aid, which they were very prone to and their infeaion by the Idolatry and other manifold wickedneſſes for which Egypt was infamous. 3, Their multiplication of Horſes,
as it here follows. 2: When or where? Anſw: Either implicit when he ſhewed his diſlike of their return to Egypt, as Fagan 5d Numb: 14. 3, 4 or exprelly at this time, The Lord hath now fid ir ro me, and Tin his name, and by his command, declare it to You k inthe way that leads to that place. bh 17 Neither ſhall he multiply wives to himſelf }, that
his heart turn not away m : neither ſhall he great| % tiply co himſelf » ſilver and gold. 5 y mul
{ As the manner of other Kings was. m To wit, from C his Law, Either r. To Idolatry a Superſtition, to = Agence are oft-times prone, and eſpecially ſuch women as he was likely to chuſe ; even the daughters of neighbouring and idolatrous Kings and Princes, as Solomon did. Or, 2. To other manifold ſins and violations of his duty to his people, either by negle& and contem t of his buſineſs, through effeminacy and ſloath, or by oppreſſing fo people, and perverting Juſtice ro comply with the vaſt and &xor- birant deſires of his wives. m2 Leſt this ſhould lift up his heart in confidencg and pride, which God abhorrs, and beget in him a con- tempt of his people; And leſt it ſhould encline or engage, or en- able him to burden his people with immoderat exa&jons. The are not ſimply forbidden to be rich, if God made them either þy the voluntary gifts of theirſubje&s, or by the 1poils of their ene-' mies, which was the caſe of David and Solomon, and Jehoſhaphat, 8&c But they are forbidden either inordinatly to deſire, or irregular] ; to procure: great riches, by grinding the faces of their poor x2 or by other wicked arts and courſes, as the manner of their ne: he bouring Kings was. 5 18 And ic ſhall be when he ſitteth upon the throne of his kingdom, that he (ball write o him law in a book, out of that hich is befor Levites p. |