The Pulpit Commentary — Deuteronomy — Section 463

of all st.rcn.£:th l\nd goodness and joy. This love arises from near relationship. He Is 011r God ; he bas entered into loving covenant with us-joined for ever his interests with ours. (2) By the man's habit of life. He" walks in God's ways." In those ways he finds God. It is the King's highway. Ho has dnily companionship with ,Tehovab. All his tastes and wishes nre gratified. His will is sweetly acqniesccnt in God's will. Ile steadily makes advancement in the b~auteous life. He does not halt; he ,valks. (3) By his practical obedience. "Ho keeps his commandments nnd bis statutes." He keeps them in memory, and has regard to them in every stop ho takes. 'l'hey are written upon the tablet of his heart; they shine out in lustrous characters in all his actions. He guards them fron the assaults of others. As the stono tablets of tht! Decalogue were preserved in the ark of the covenant, so in tho more capacious ark or a good man's heart, the commandments of God are kept. 2. So, also, the course of disloyalty is portrayed: (1) .As a dislike of God. "If thine heart turn away." Through ignorance, or prejudice, or pride, or sensual indulgence, men grow in dislike ?f God,_ until his very Name is odious-his presence a very hell. Repugnance to God 1s the livery they wear. (2) .As wanton deafness. "So that thou wilt not hear." The ear is only an instrument; the e:ffectivo power comes from a deeper source. We gradually bring ourselves into a condition in which we hear only what we wish to hear. The hulk of men have made themselves deaf to God's voice. (3) .As weak compliance to temptation. Thou "shalt be drawn away." The.habit of most men is to float with the stream. They yield thoughtlessly to the influence of public example. They do as others do, speak as others dictate. (4) .As ignoble service of idols. "And worship other gods." Man must worship somewhat. It is a necessity of his being. He is not self-contained; nor can he be satisfied out of himself. He worships power, wealth, fashion, social fame, fate, the de,il. • ll ALTERNATIVE EXPERIENCE. 1. The course of loyality secures: (1) .All real good. The good is not always apparent-not always immediate. Yet even tho experiences of pain and calamity prove ultimately to the obedient soul a real good. 'l'he storms of winter are as needful to the best life as the warm breath of spring. All that is wise, pure, excellent, elevating, noble, useful, is to be gained in the pathway of obedience. Every stage accomplished is a new instalment of good. (2) It secures increase of numhers. Rapid multiplication was, humanly speaking, Israel's security. By this means, they could outnumber their foes. Through our children, blessing and glad- ness come. So is it in spiritual things. We taste the highest joy when we become the channels of Christ's life to men. We long to have many genial companions in the road to heaven. (3) It secures Divine blessing. "The Lord thy God shall bless thee." External possessions contain no blessing in themselves. The richest lands-the fairest scenes on earth, are stripped of charm, so Jong as they are enveloped in absolute dark- ness. It is the light of God's favour that converts possession into blessing. Hence the little of the righteous is hotter than the abundance of the wicked. If God's blessing be on our estates, that makes them secure. That blessing is the core and marrow of true prosperity. That blessing alone gives fragrance and gladness to life. This blessing is secured by the oath of God. 2. But the course of disloyalty is marked by the opposite experience. (1) It is an expe1·iena of evil. The table may groan under the pro- fusion of dainty food, but there is a scarcity of food for the soul. '.!.'he body may be pampered, but there is leanness in the spirit. Riches may increase, but they daily corrupt tl,e mind. There may be noisy laughter, but it only covers inner sadness and hidden grief. No sorrow is sanctified. The real man is starved and ruined. (2) There is distressing imecurity. We are rich to-day; we may be paupers to-morrow. "Ye shall not prolong your days in the land." .Apart from God's favour, we havo not a day's lease of life--not the certainty that any possession of ours shall continue. We dwell on the verge of a volcano. The earth quivers under our feet. (3) There is a sense of tl,e Divine curse. .A life of disloyalty is a life of constant warfare with God-a conflict with Omnipotence. Every plan which impious men make is a plan to elude and defeat God. And they know they cannot permanently succeed. 'l'here is a dark pall over• hanging every prospect-a night of gloom closing in their little day. The curse of a good man is an awful calamity: what roust God's curse include? III. ALTERNATIVE DESTINY. 1. The destiny of the good man is life. This means life in its fullest measure, in its highest form, in its perpetual developments. Gradually 0lt. :b.lr.. 1-20.] THE IlOOK OF DEUTERONOMY 475