CONTENTS This chapter is almost filled with that beautiful song of Moses, which, from its containing so much of gospel in it, hath warned and instructed the mind of GOD'S people in all ages. Having finished his sermon, the dying pastor gives out this hymn at the close of it, before he dismisses his... [ Continue Reading ]
Apply this to the gospel, and observe how suited the figure is. The gospel is from heaven, so is the rain. The gospel is a blessing wheresoever it comes: so is the rain. The gospel acts sweetly and unperceived in the mind of him that receives the truth in the love of it; so doth the dew and the rain... [ Continue Reading ]
Precious thought! that doctrine will descend as the rain, and under divine influences will work its way, like the soft insinuating dew, which proclaims JEHOVAH in all his threefold personality of character and covenant-offices. For what is GOD'S greatness to his people, but his great salvation in JE... [ Continue Reading ]
No less than six times in this chapter, and eighteen times in other places of the Old Testament, is the LORD distinguished by the title of a Rock; as if to show the firmness, durableness, and everlasting strength of the LORD, in his covenant relations to his people. And I beg the Reader to remark wi... [ Continue Reading ]
Alas! what a striking difference, when we look into our own nature, there is between our corruptions and the LORD'S purity. Observe, the charge is, not that GOD made man corrupt, for GOD made man upright, but that he hath destroyed himself. Ecclesiastes 7:29; Hosea 13:9. Their spot is not the unavoi... [ Continue Reading ]
Reader! suppose you drop the view of Israel for a moment, and fancy this expostulation addressed to yourself, at any time when causing the LORD to serve with your sins, and wearying him with your iniquities. Is not GOD your FATHER by adoption and grace in CHRIST JESUS? Hath he not chosen you in CHRI... [ Continue Reading ]
No subject more affecting than the remembrance of past mercies. It is the sweetest of all subjects, the most improving of all plans of education, when a father can take his children by the hand and recount unto them the mercies of his GOD and their GOD, to him and to them, and to their father's befo... [ Continue Reading ]
The sweetest of all subjects, and the most interesting of all histories, is that which makes a man acquainted with himself. In looking back to the original formation of GOD'S church and people, we behold a plan reaching into eternity. Their husband was set up from everlasting. Proverbs 8:23. At the... [ Continue Reading ]
Our GOD may be said to have taken all his people from a wilderness state, when calling them by his grace; for what the Apostle saith of the church of Ephesus, is equally applicable to every individual: we were by nature, children of wrath even as others. Ephesians 2:3. With respect to Israel of old,... [ Continue Reading ]
The figure here made use of, of the eagle, is uncommonly beautiful and striking; and especially, if, as some naturalists have said, the eagle, not only protects, feeds, and nourisheth her young, but is much engaged in instructing them. The young eagles, like other young birds, are much disposed to s... [ Continue Reading ]
See! what a good house our GOD keeps! They that sit down at his table, will find both plenty, and of the best. But are not gospel mercies veiled under these figures? It is true, our fathers in the wilderness, had all these things in abundance. But yet in a gospel sense: the pure milk of the word, an... [ Continue Reading ]
Jeshurun, means the upright. But alas! how changed!... [ Continue Reading ]
What a melancholy picture of rebellion, folly, and sin, to forget GOD, to forsake him, to be unmindful of the rock of his strength. Alas! who should have conceived the possibility of the thing itself. But this is not all, Israel added provocations to neglect, and took up with dunghill deities. And o... [ Continue Reading ]
Of all sin, and sinners, nothing is so aggravated as in those instances, where a nearness of affection should have induced the reverse. An holy GOD must hate sin, as sin, wherever it be found. But in his children, it appears in the strongest colors. Psalms 55:12.... [ Continue Reading ]
The judgments here threatened, will be found in correspondence to their sin. They forsake GOD, and he withdraws the favor of his countenance from them. They provoke him to.jealousy with strange gods; and Israel shall be provoked to jealousy with the call of the Gentiles. The Apostle Paul, under the... [ Continue Reading ]
Here is a little brightening up in those verses. But Reader! pause, to remark with me, how our GOD over-rules the malice of their enemies, to work for his people's good. We have striking examples in holy writ, where GOD'S people make use of this plea to find GOD'S favor. See Exodus 32:11; Joshua 7:9... [ Continue Reading ]
Even people void of understanding, in divine truths, may consider the sure consequence of sin. The wages of sin is, and must be death. Romans 6:23.... [ Continue Reading ]
There are two ways of reading those verses. If we consider the words, How should one Israelite chase a thousand? we must then view the salvation of Israel, as effected by GOD. But if we consider the words, rather as corresponding to a deserted state by reason of Israel's sin, it will then appear; th... [ Continue Reading ]
Observe how GOD asserts his own sovereignty. It is worthy the Reader's observation, how Moses in the close of his day of grace, is reminded of what the LORD said to him, on the first opening of that day: "I am, that I am." Exodus 3:14. Reader! do not overlook the person of JESUS in this. John 8:59.... [ Continue Reading ]
When Moses had finished his song, which he delivered not only in the hearing of the people, but particularly of Joshua, his successor, as if that he might be a witness both for the LORD and for himself, he makes a short observation upon the whole: and as a dying pastor, again, and again, affectionat... [ Continue Reading ]
What can a true believer in JESUS desire more, when he hath finished his day as an hireling, and seen the LORD'S CHRIST like Simeon, than to depart in peace according to GOD'S word. What is there worth living for! nay, rather what is there not worth dying for! Oh for the spirit and desires of holy P... [ Continue Reading ]
There is great mercy in the LORD'S reminding Moses of Aaron's death. But how precious is it to the believer in JESUS, to recollect in his dying hours, that CHRIST hath gone before to the grave, and through that passage to glory. Oh! for faith, lively faith, to be conformed to the lovely image of JES... [ Continue Reading ]
REFLECTIONS PAUSE, and behold, the beautifulness of holiness, and of praise, in the conduct of a dying pastor, like Moses; and in the outlines of this hymn, behold how becoming it is to be faithful. Heaven and earth must witness at the last day for every faithful servant of JESUS, if he hath kept b... [ Continue Reading ]