Vers. 1-5.-The essence of the Decalogue is love. Moses here applies the Deoa- logue to their present circumstances. He wishes them to enter Canaan in an obedient ~pirit.. He knows that the well-being of the commonwealth depends upon it, 'l'o assist them in the understanding of the Law, he sums it up in one all-embracing p1inciple of love. God as the supreme object is to receive the homage of the entire nature of man. I. MOSES IXSISTS ON THE UNITY AND ABSOLUTE CHARACTER OF Gon. This would dis- tinguish Israel from the polytheists around them. "Jehovah our Mighty One is one Jehovah "-t.he uncau~ed, self-existent One in his absolute unity "and strength. .All perfection is thus briefly attributed to him. II. Goo CAN DE THE OBJECT OF LOVE, His unity is not an unsocial thing. Within his being there are social qualities demanding, and from all eternity receivincr, satisfac- tion. Hence we believe in what Jon. Edwards called a "social Trinity." Our social nature is the reflection of God, since we were made in his image. His unity does not imply that in the by-past eternity, before anything was made, ho was alone. It was the tellowship of "Father, Son, and Holy Spirit "-three Persons in the one Godhead. The Trinity mnkes God lovable, for it is the condition of the satisfaction from all eternity of his social qualities. III. Goo DESERVES THE LOVE OF oun WHOLE BEING. Heart, soul, and might are to he enlisted in this i:ervice. Our love to him should be intellectual and also emotional; it should be passionate and strong; an all-embracing energy of our nature. All our faculties are appealed to by the Divine nature. 1. Ou,r understanding is enlisted by God as the Infinite Mind. All our intellectuality finds its counterpart and culmination in the infinite intellectual powers which God possesses and exercises. We rest upon his superior intellectual power. 2. Our affections are enlisted by God as the Fountain of affection. God is a Heart of nnspoakable tenderness as well as a. Mind of infinite grasp. And so he elicits the love of the heart as well as or the mind. 3. Our will is swayed into passionate devotion by God as the Infinite Will. If the spectacle of will in resist.less benevolence commands the homage of our powers, then God entrances our whole will-power int-0 passionate devotion. 4. Our strength is enlisted by God as the embodiment of vital energies and powers in their highest form. So that as a matter of fact, God fits into every fold of human nature and tlicits its loving and adoring homage. IV. LoVE MAKE3 LAWXEEPING DELIGHTFUL, The Law is not a pain to any who hvc the Lawgiver. Love is the essence of true loyalty. It makes service freedom. 1t is this which we must cultivate daily, and then life becomes delightful.-R. M. E. Yers. 6-25.-Family training is to propagate the Law. The Law has as its essence love. Jn the family, love's home and circle, this Law is to be propagated. And here we are to notice- I. PARENTS AUE TO IDENTIFY THEMSELVES WITH Goo's CAUSE. The Jews were directed to wear portions of the Law upon their persons. '!'his is the sign of identifi- cation with it in a rude age. The idea is parental profession, a glad identification of themselves witb the Lord's cause. II. 'l'HE HOME IS ALSO TO BE CONSECRATED AS A GODLY ROME. God's Law was to be written on the posts of the house and on their gates. This, like the last, meant tho i<lentifico.tion of the house with Gud's cause. Now, there is as much difference between an ungodly home and a godly one as betwe(,n an unconverted person and a converted one (cf. Pressense's 'Le. Famille Chretienne,' a most admirable course of sermons). III. 'J'HE CHILDREN AR!!: MANIFEl!TLY MEANT 'l'O BE THE COMPANION!! OF THE PARENTS, The little ones are to have their parents' society at home and abroad, e.t morning and at night ( ver. 7). 'l'~,e mistak.e made by many parents is not making themselves sufficiently com• pa.n!.Onable. lt is companionship that after all determines the bent of ehildren. Oil. vu. 1-2G.J THE DOOK OF DEUTERONOMY. B5
IV. THE IlOME TRAINING IS TO BE RF.T,IOIOUS. Gocl's Law is to be brmwht. in mQm- ing, noon, and night, as tho great interest. Of course, if parents are to <l~ this'as Go,[ intends, his Lnw must be a great personal interest to themselves. They must deli"ht 0 in it and love it, and make it a matter of study continually. V. AMID THE SECULARITIES OF EDUCATION THE HOME MUST BE THF. MAINSTA y OF RELIOION. With the parent the responsibility of training and interestin°, the cl,ildren in religion eventually rests. 'fo the well-ordering of Christian homes, ChJrch and State must alike look 11B tho last refuge, 'l'he adjustment of rival interests in education is well-nigh impossible, arnl so it becomes 1111 the more needful that the home should be made to supply the relicious 0 element, whatever course educational arrangements and legislation may take. VI. PROSPERITY MOST NOT ENGENDER ATHEISM. This is the warnin" here "iven to Israel. God might be forgotten amid the success and prosperity of Canran. For it is pros~1erity, not_ adversity, which as a rule engenders atheism. The prosperity of the prodigal led 1nm away to the far-off land of forgetfulness of God, while his adversity brought him back (Luke xv. 11-32).-R. M. E.