The Pulpit Commentary — Deuteronomy — Section 303

III. Tm: KING IS NOT TO RELY UPON THE CAVALRY ARM, Palestine, being moun- tain0us, <lid not require cavalry. Infantry would he more effective. Cavalry, if raised nnd relied on, would necessitate nn alliance with a cattle-breeding country like E:::;:,pt, and would be the precursor of a "spirited foreign policy," such as proves ruinous to a pastoral people such as lsrncl was meant to be. There was thus a wise rc~Lraint lnid upon the foreign policy of the nation; as God desired their separation from surrounding nations, and their religious stability upon the mountain ridges of Pnlcstine, be warns them against this danger. Besides, the cavalry arm until recently was the most powerful in the service, and the charge of cavalry is something to be proud of or to fear. Kow, of course, artillery has put cavalry out of its vaunted po~ition. The temptation was to "trust in horses and in chariots," and not in the Lord. Hence the warning. IY. 'l'HE KING Is NOT TO HAVE A SERAGLIO. For through the wives he will surely be 11Drnanned and have his heart turned away from God. It is the spiritual disasters of polygamy which are here insisted upon. A divided heart socially lllust entail a di,·ided heart spiritually. No wonder the Psalmist prayed, "Unite my heart to fear tll\· Name." \-. Non IS THE KING TO AIM AT GREAT RICHES. For wealth is a great snare, and it competes with God for the heart. Money, like cavalry, is a most natural foundation_ of trust. A too wealthy monarch is likely to be worldly minded and unspiritual. YI. THE KING IS TO MAKE A SPECIAL STUDY OF THE DIVINE LAW. He is to get a copy for himself-he is to have it daily read to him-and he is to allow its Jrnmiliatinp; influence to be exercised over him so as to be obedient always. .And if obedient, he is promised an hereditary interest in the throne. He was thus to be kept in subjection to the unseen King. And though we may not aspire to kingships, we can profit by the warnings here prophetically addressed to the coming kings of Israel. For it is surely for us to allow 'nothing seen and temporal, to threaten our faith fo God. It may not be horses and chariots; it may not be money; it may be men in whom we are tempted to trust. What- ever it be, whether persons or things, that tempts us from our trust in God, it must be avoided. Better is it to be friendless, to be poor, to be solitary, than to be sceptical. \Y ordly success is where scepticism is born. The idols multiply as wealth and luxuries increase. There is something, we think, to hold by in the strain of life. And whatever our position in this world, let us feel always not only our trust in God, but our subordination in all things to him. If he is King of kings, he is certainly Lord over us. Let us live under the theocracy, and serve him with our whole hearts.- R. M. E. ,er. 1.-Thepreuention ofreligiousfraud. Men who pride themselves on honesty towards their fellows are often dishonest in dealing with God. 'l'hey are punctual in observing appointments with men; they are unpunctual in reaching the house of God. When the principle of piety in a man is weakened, he will stoop to many artifices to deprive God' of bis due. I. AN IMPERFECT SACRIFICE SPRINGS FROM BLTh"D PARSIMONY. When piety declines, a man becomes the slave of his senses. He is moved or terrified only by what is Yisible. He is afraid of a human frown; he is impervious to the Divine displeasure. The lamb which is unfit for barter, and which is scarce fit for food, will be deemed good enouuh for sacrifice. Yet bow mentally blind is the man! What thick scalei; he has ma~ufactured for bis eyes! Yet, " he that form eel the eye, shall he not see?" And cannot God, with a breath, blast that man's prosperity, and cal!:e his soul in Luudaue? He had thought to snatch from God a dollar, and lo! he loses everything I 11. AN IMPERFECT SACRIFICE VITIATES ITB BYJIIDOLI0 EFFICACY. These animal sacrifices had many moral uses. They developed the sentiment of gratitude for gifts bestuwcd. '!'hey expressed the penitence of the offerer, who thereby confessed that for his sius he had deserved to die. And inasmuch as a lamb or a heifer was immeasurably inferior to man, the sacrifice betokened the offering of a better Sacrifice, which should be a real atonement. Now, if men were permitted to bring a blemished victim, it would no longer prefigure him who is the "Lamb without blemish ancl without spot." fo such a case, the faith of the offerer wu dead,  Cl!, XVII. 1-20.l TIIE BOOK OF DEUTERONOMY. 2!)9