_A.M. 2315. B.C. 1491._ All things being prepared for the solemn promulgation of the divine law, we have in this chapter, (1,) _ The Ten Commandments, as God himself spake them upon mount Sinai, Exodus 20:1._ (2,) _ The impressions made upon the people thereby, Exodus 20:18._ (3,) _ Some particu... [ Continue Reading ]
_God spake all these words_ The law of the ten commandments is a law of God's making, and a law of his own speaking. God has many ways of speaking to the children of men: he speaks by his Spirit, his providences, and our own consciences, his voice in all which we ought carefully to attend to: but he... [ Continue Reading ]
_I am the Lord thy God_ Herein God asserts his own authority to enact this law; and proposeth himself as the sole object of that religious worship which is enjoined in the four first commandments. They are here bound to obedience. 1st, Because God is _the Lord, Jehovah_, self-existent, independent,... [ Continue Reading ]
The first commandment is concerning the _object of our worship, Jehovah_, and him only: _Thou shalt have no other gods before me_ The Egyptians, and other neighbouring nations, had many gods, creatures of their own fancy. This law was prefixed _because of_ that _transgression;_ and Jehovah being the... [ Continue Reading ]
The third commandment is concerning the _manner_ of our worship: where we have, 1st, A strict prohibition. _Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain_ Supposing that, having taken Jehovah for their God, they would make mention of his name, this command gives a caution not to mention i... [ Continue Reading ]
The fourth commandment concerns the _time_ of worship; God is to be served and honoured daily; but _one day in seven_ is to be particularly dedicated to his honour, and spent in his service. _Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy; in it thou shalt do no manner of work_ It is taken for granted, t... [ Continue Reading ]
We have here the laws of the second table, as they are commonly called, the last six commandments, which concern our duty to ourselves and one another, and are a comment upon the second great commandment, _Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself._ As religion toward God is an essential branch of un... [ Continue Reading ]
_Thou shalt not kill_ Thou shalt not do any thing hurtful to the health or life of thy own body, or any other's. This doth not forbid our necessary defence, or the magistrates putting offenders to death; but it forbids all malice and hatred to any, for _he that hateth his brother is a murderer_, and... [ Continue Reading ]
_Thou shalt not commit adultery_ This commandment forbids all acts of uncleanness, with all those desires which produce those acts and war against the soul.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Thou shalt not steal_ This command forbids us to rob ourselves of what we have, by sinful _spending_, or of the use and comfort of it, by sinful _sparing;_ and to rob others by invading our neighbour's rights, taking his goods, or house, or field, forcibly or clandestinely, overreaching in bargains... [ Continue Reading ]
_Thou shalt not bear false witness_ This forbids, 1st, Speaking falsely in any matter, lying, equivocating, and any way devising and designing to deceive our neighbour. 2d, Speaking unjustly _against our neighbour_, to the prejudice of his reputation. And, 3d, (which is the highest offence of both t... [ Continue Reading ]
_Thou shalt not covet_ The foregoing commands implicitly forbid all desire of _doing_ that which will be an injury to our neighbour; this forbids all _inordinate_ desire of _having_ that which will be a gratification to ourselves. O that such a man's house were mine! such a man's wife mine! such a m... [ Continue Reading ]
_They removed, and stood afar off_ Before God began to speak, they were thrusting forward _to gaze_, but now they were effectually cured of their presumption, and taught to _keep their distance. Speak thou with us_ Hereby they obliged themselves to acquiesce in the mediation of Moses, they themselve... [ Continue Reading ]
_Fear not_ That is, Think not that this thunder and fire are designed to consume you. _God is come to prove you_ To try how they would like dealing with God immediately, without a mediator, and so to convince them how admirably well God had chosen for them in putting Moses into that office. Ever sin... [ Continue Reading ]
While the people continued to stand _afar off_ Afraid of God's wrath, Moses drew near unto _the thick darkness_ He was _made to draw near;_ so the word is: Of himself he durst not have ventured into the _thick darkness:_ if God had not called him, and encouraged him. And being gone into _the thick d... [ Continue Reading ]
_An altar of earth_ It is meant of _occasional_ altars, such as they reared in the wilderness before the tabernacle was erected, and afterward upon special emergencies, for present use. They are appointed to make these _very plain_, either of _earth_ or of _unhewn stones._ That they might not be tem... [ Continue Reading ]
_Neither shalt thou go up by steps unto mine altar_ Indeed afterward God appointed an altar ten cubits high. But it is probable they went not up to that by steps, but by a sloping ascent. The garments worn in those countries, being perfectly loose, were easily blown aside, so as to discover the lowe... [ Continue Reading ]