beginning of wisdom nnd the fonndR1.ion of ' Ver. 19.-To out out, etc.: rBthor, to the pi<'ty; wh0rc it is in the hC'1trt it will leRd cnsting out of, etc. Tho in fin. here cxprc~ses to serl"ing of the Lord in holy obedience; the cnnying out of the t\Otion intimntcd in nnd the~· in whom it dwells will sweRr by the words,•· tl1Bt it m"Y be well with thee" his NRme, rC'co~izing his presence and (cf. Exod. xxiii. 27, etc.: xxxiv. ll). omniscience, and not dnring to assevernte Vere. 20-25.-'J'he injunction to tench anything but whnt they know to be true. the words of the Lord to the children (vor. Thus, really belieYing in God and reve- 7) is here more largely explllined. When rently wor,,hipping him, the Israelites would asked by their sons the mel\ning llDd 1eneon be ooreful not to go after other gods, or to of the commandments and institutes which give to any object that homage which is they observed, they were to show them due unto Jeho,nh alone, l..-nowing thnt this what the Lord had done for his people in he will not endure or suffer with impunity; bringing them out of Egypt and estllblish- for he is n jealous God, and them that thus ing them in C1mallu, o.nd how he ho.d en- dislwnour him he will destroy (Exod. xx. joined on them all these statutes thllt they 5; eh. fr. 24, etc.). Thus also they should might fear Jehovah their God for their be kept from murmuring ago.inst God, and good always, and for their preservation and thereby tempting him-putting him, as it safety. • were, to the proof, and oolling in question Ver. 22.-Signs and wondera (cf. eh. iv. his presence and his power, e.s they had 34). done nt Massah (Exod. xvii. 1-7). With- Ver. 25.-And it shall be our righteous- out thi,; genuine religious principle there ness j literally, And righteousnefs shall be to will be no sincere worship, no true rever- us, i.e. we shall be held righteous by God ence, no real obedience, rende,ed unto God. if we observe to do nil that he hos enjoined But wliere this dwells in the heart it will (comp. Rom. x. 5; vi. 16; Phil. iii. 6). influence the whole life, so that the com- Before the Lord, i.e. not only in his eight, mandments of God shall be diligently kept, but according to his judgment, so os to be and that which is good and right in his Rpproved of him (cf. Ps. lvi. 13: oxvi. 9). sight shall be done.
HOMILETICS. Vers. 1-3.-0bedience to God conducive to the higl1est good. The Lord God had launched forth into the world a new nation, the basis of whose constitution was specifically religious. The worship, fear, and service of the one living and true God were the prime duties enjoined on the people, without which no bare morality as between man and man was accepted before him. In this paragraph, however, we get no indications of duty which have not previously been included in the ten command- ments. How can we 1 The whole ground of duty was covered by them. Still, the same truths are ever being thrown into forms fresh and new. The primal laws of duty are not many; they may soon be recounted. But we need "line upon line, precept upon precept," that the very precepts which perhaps we deem commonplace may be graven on our hearts, and there become living powers! ln the three verses before us the enjoined duties are summed up in the one phrase, "the commandment" (ver. I: the word is singular, and includes in its meaning both statutes and juclgmenta). Four expressions show how "the commandment" is to be kept. I. 'J'here is to be a fear of the Lord; a fear based on tr11Bt, not on distrust. 2. The Divine appointments are to be the rule of life. 3. The nurture and training of the family are to be in entire harmony therewith. 4. This family loyalty Lu God is to be continuous and unswerving-" all the days of thy life." And in wealth and variety of diction the Legislator pointd out that in this loyalty of being Israel would find its u:ell-being. Whence we get the topic for our present Homily: 'l.'!tat our highest interests are ensured by thefulfilment of the Divine commands. Observe- !. lT IS SUPPOSED THAT MEN WILL NOT BE INBENBIBLE TO THE QUESTION-" WHAT WILL BE MOST PROFITABLE TO us?" As a matter of fact, they do regard the measure of profit likely to accrue, as something which regulates their movements. Nor is there anywhere in the Word of God any censure passed on this. In fact, even our Saviour himself appeals to considerations of profit in Matt. xvi. 25, 26. So also does tha Apostle Paul in 1 Tim. iv. 8. The working of self-love is recognized without rebuke in the Law, "Thou ehalt love thy neighbour as thyself;" and it is even remotely enjoined in th11 words, "Do thyself no harm." The distinction between aelf-love and selfishnes■ Oli, VI. 1-25.j 'l'HE nook OF' DEUTERONOMY. 121