tho supreme nlTection of the heart to God, so that they may not provoke his jealousy (l'cr. Vi). 4. '!'hey nro to se_rve him b}'. constant obedience (ver. 18). By the constant rccoonitiun of these four duties, they will do much to guard themselves from yiel,Jincr to tho perils attendant on _their growing wealth and ease. (This may be compared with tho apostolic maxim," Wnlk in tho Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh.") Evil is most succcssrully counteracted by the positive and earnest pursuit of the opposite good. IV. IF THESE DUTIES WERF, LOYALLY DISCHARGED, EARTHLY PROSPERITY AND SPIRITUAL WEAL WOULD GO TOGETHER. Ver. 18, "That it may be well with thee," etc. Whether our earthly circumstances are helps or hindrances to us God ward, will depend much more on what we bring to them than on what they bring to us. And however, on the side of this life, lhings may favour us and circumstances befriend, it is only us they help us to serve God better that they arc really blessings to us: it is "well" with us only when God is well pleased with us. So much stress did Moses attach to the maintenance of unswerving loyalty. to God, that he intimates that the possession of the land is secured to them only so far as they are true to their Great Deliverer (vers. 18, 19). V. SINCE THE TIME OF MOSES, THIS PARAGRAPH HAS BECOME FAR MORE SACRED TO us, BY THE USE WHICH OUR SAVIOUR MADE OF IT IN A TIME OF SORE TEMPTATIO~. Jt is never to be forgotten, thnt our Lord repelled the tempter by the words, "It is written," etc. Of the three passages used as weapons for the discomfiture of the evil one, two are taken from this very paragraph (see Matt. iv. 7, 10). So that we are warranted in using it as our armoury from whence we may fetch the darts which shall make the tempter flee. These precepts cannot be needed by us less than they were by the Son of mau. From him let us learn a use of the Divine Word that may serve us in a thousand as~aults of the destroyer.. For not until we do this can we discover the varied uses to which we may put the Word of God in the actual struggle of life. We, like our Master, have to be made perfect through suffering. Now we may suffer from want, hunger, and privation; and at another time all the kingdoms of the world, in a moment of time, may be set before us, to dazzle by their glare. We need to take to us the whole armour of God, that we may be able to stand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Go wheresoever we may, let our surroundings be easy anrl prosperous as they may, dangers will attend us everywhere, till we cross the pearly gate across whose threshold sin never comes. At one time it may be that adversity makes us fretful and apt to tempt the Lord, and then at another prosperity may make us sloth- ful, aud a sinful indifference may lull us to sleep. Our chief dangers are from within. But here in this holy Book are promises to cheer us when drooping, and warnings to quicken us when sluggish. Here is an arsenal from whence we may fetch our weapons, and a storehouse whence we may draw our supplies. Yea, in this wondrous quiver there are arrows which will be sharp in the hearts of the King's enemies, which shall pierce them to their fall !
Vcrs. 20-25.-The vaZue of history in parentaZ teaching. The Bible is pre- eminently a family Book. Israel's national life was supposed to find its centres of strength and permanence in godly homes. It would not be easy to find words which should overrate the importance of suc'h a principle as this. That a young nation should at the outset of its existence have this laid down as a first law of its life: "The land will be as its homes are;" is an indication of the Divine guidance which was vouchsafed to him on whom, under God, the foundation of its national life depended. In the paragraph before us there are seven lines of thought suggested. I. As YOUNG LIFE COMES NEWLY INTO DEING, IT FINDS ARRANGEMENTS IN LAW AND PRECEPT READY TO HAND. Parental life holds a great trust in charge, to be committed to those who shall come after; that though one generation passeth away and another cometh, there may be no break in the continuity of holy thinking and living, from age to acre, The Hebrews bad their Law, which, as a revelation from God, \Vas in advance of a~ght possessed by the rest of the world, and in which was couched the germ of larger truth that was to follow. 'l'here might be more light thrown upon it; there was never to be a forfeiture of it. Hence there were special reasona why parents should gul\rd it intl\ct for al\ the ages that were to follow. 126 TTTE BOOK OF DEU'l'EnONOMY. [ell. \'I, 1-2/i,