Deuteronomy 4

Deuteronomy 4:1

TO doe] For this Doctrine standeth not in bare knowledge, but (withall) in practice of life, vers. 5. & Chap. 5. 1. Psal. 78. 6, 7.

Deuteronomy 4:2

shall not adde] Not as a Comment or Exposition to a Text, but man must not adde any thing to Gods word, either for words or meaning contrary to it, nor as Gods word with an intent to make that of Divine authoritie which is but humane, as the Papists doe by Apocryphall writings and unwritten Traditions. See Chap. 12. 32. & 18. vers. 20.

diminish] By denying any part of it to be of Divine authoritie, or concealing any part of it, either for words or meaning, or by partiall beliefe of it, or obedience to it; God is not to be beleeved, obeyed or served in part and by halves, but as he is to be loved, wholly. Chap. 6. vers. 5.

Deuteronomy 4:3

your eyes] Gods judgements executed on some idolaters serve for instruction and caution to others. See Numb. 25. vers. 3, 4.

Baal-Peor] Baal is a common name of all Idols, signifying a Lord: because idolaters carry themselves towards them as servants; and Peor is the proper Idol of the Moabites and Midianites. See Numbers 25:3. Josh. 22 17.

Deuteronomy 4:4

• cleave to the Lord] * Chap. 10. 20. & 13. 4.

Deuteronomy 4:6

wisedome] Because all men naturally desire wisedome, he proposeth that as a motive to obedience; and because they generally mistake it, he sheweth wherein it consisteth, and how much it excelleth all humane wisedome of what kinde or degree soever, 2 Tim. 3. 15. Job 28:28. Psalms 111:10. Proverbs 1:7. & Proverbs 9:10.

in the sight] * Malachi 3:12.

Deuteronomy 4:7

• so nigh] So ready at hand both to instruct, as vers. 36. what to doe, and to deliver us from undoing, and to manifest his power apparently on our side. 2 Samuel 17:23. * Josh. 24. 19 Psal. 6. 1 2. & 86. 5. 145 18. & 148. 14. Lamentations 3:57.

Deuteronomy 4:9

• teach them, &c.] * Genesis 18:19. Deuteronomy 6:7. & Deuteronomy 11:19. Psalms 78:6.

Deuteronomy 4:10

• specially the day] * Exodus 19:9. 16. & 20. 18. Hebrews 12:18.

make them heare] * Psalms 51:8.

Deuteronomy 4:11

burnt with fire] The Law was given with fearefull miracles, to declare both that God was the Author thereof, and also that no flesh was able to abide the rigour of the same. Chap. 5. 23. Hebrews 12:18.

Deuteronomy 4:12

• no similitude] * Vers. 15.

Deuteronomy 4:13

to perform] God joyneth this condition to his Covenant, to wit, the condition of obedience on his peoples part, as of providence, protection, and deliverance on his own part.

wrote them] * Exodus 24:12.

Deuteronomy 4:14

• Statutes and Judgements] The Ceremoniall and Judiciall Laws. * Malachi 4:4. Exodus 21:1.

Deuteronomy 4:15

Take good heed] Signifying that destruction is prepared for all them that make any Image to represent God, vers. 9.

no manner of similitude] For he is the invisible God, and hath no visible image, whereby a man may make a representation of God, Colossians 1:15. See Esa. 40. 18. & Acts 17:29.

Deuteronomy 4:16

any figure] The Image of God cannot be made nor must the Image or Figure of any other creature be made by way of resemblance of him, or religious reference unto him, vers. 15. Exod. 20. 4, 5.

Deuteronomy 4:19

driven to worship them] Or compelled by the prevailing of a glorious object over thy fraile nature and feeble spirits, which can make but weake resistance to strong temptations, Chap. 29. 26.

divided] Distributed, or so imparted, that by turne they may be of use, and doe service to all the world.

Deuteronomy 4:20

iron furnace] That is, a furnace to mollifie and melt iron in, which requireth an excessive heat. See 1 Kings 8:51. He hath delivered you out of most miserable slavery, the iron-yoke, Deuteronomy 28:48. which most wringeth the neck, and the furnace of fire which most tormenteth the body; wherein he alludes to the servile labour of the Israelites in making and burning of bricks See Exodus 5:7. Jeremiah 11:4.

a people of inheritance] Exodus 19:5. 1 Peter 2:9.

Deuteronomy 4:21

for your sake] See Annot. on Chap. 1. vers. 37. & 3. 26. & 31. 2. & 34. 4.

Deuteronomy 4:22

I must die] Moses good affection appeareth, in that he being deprived of such an excellent possession doth not envy them that must enjoy it. And indeed he that is sure of heaven, as Moses was, need not envy any one for any earthly felicitie.

Deuteronomy 4:23

which the LORD thy God hath forbidden thee] Or, as the Lord thy God hath charged thee. Exod. 20. 4, 5.

Deuteronomy 4:24

• consuming fire] He is a Sun and a shield, Psalms 84:11. to warme and defend those that love and feare him; but a fire to burne and consume such as irreverently rush upon him, or rebelliously rise up against him. * Chap. 9. 3. Hebrews 12:29.

Deuteronomy 4:25

remained long] Hebr. waxed old.

corrupt your selves] Corruption is both the mother and the daughter of Idolatry: for when the heart is corrupted, it breedeth idolatrous affections and fancies; and when Idols are made and used, they corrupt the heart and conscience more then before.

Deuteronomy 4:26

heaven and earth to witnesse] By heaven and earth may be meant the intelligent creatures in the one, and on the other; or, if the insensible creatures be meant, the meaning is, that God will bring evidence and witnesse from them to convince and condemn them of ingratitude. See Isaiah 1:2.

soone utterly perish] Chap. 7. 10. Joshua 22:18. 2 Peter 2:3.

Deuteronomy 4:27

few in number] Hebr. men of number. For the Hebrews when they use the word number absolutely, meane a small number or a few, because the greatest multitudes are of those things which cannot be numbred, as the starres of heaven, and dust of the earth, therefore is Abrahams progeny promised as a numberlesse increase. Gn. 13. 16. & 15. 5.

Deuteronomy 4:28

Gods] Not in deed, but in name and opinion of brutish idolaters, though so farre short of Divinitie, that they have neither reason nor sense, Chap. 28 36. 64. Jeremiah 16:13.

Deuteronomy 4:29

all thy heart] Not without word, shew or ceremony; but with a true confession of thy faults, and a sincere desire of his favour.

if from thence &c.] * Chap. 30. 1, 2. Nehem. 1. 9. Jeremiah 29:12-13.

Deuteronomy 4:32

• one side of heaven] * Chap. 30. 4.

Deuteronomy 4:33

and live] See Annot. on Exod. Chap. 33. vers. 20

Deuteronomy 4:34

out of another nation] That is, the Israelites out of the Egyptians.

temptations] Trials of their obedience. Chap. 7. 19. & 29. 3.

Deuteronomy 4:35

that thou mightest know] God wrought these wonders that he might be known not onely to be God, but the onely God, since none could doe such works as he had done. Isaiah 45:5. Mark 12:29. 32.

Deuteronomy 4:36

out of heaven] Exodus 19:9. & Exodus 20:18. 22. Nehem. 9. vers. 13.

upon the earth] Mount Sinai. Exodus 24:16.

Deuteronomy 4:37

brought thee out &c.] Exodus 13:3.

Deuteronomy 4:38

as it is this day] They had already wonne sixtie Cities of Og, Chap. 3. vers. 4. and conquered him, and Sihon King of the Amorites, vers. 46, 47. of this hapter, which conquests were an earnest of further victory over their enemies.

Deuteronomy 4:40

that it may * go well] God promiseth reward not for our merits, but to encourage us that our labour shall not be lost, Chap. 5. vers. 16. * Eph. 6. 3.

Deuteronomy 4:41

severed, &c.] Numbers 35:6. 14.

Deuteronomy 4:42

flee thither] Exod. 21. 12, 13. Numbers 35:15.

Deuteronomy 4:45

Testimonies] The Articles and points of Covenant, whereby Gods minde is testified unto the people in his pposall, and theirs in their acceptance of them. See 1 Kings 2:3.

Deuteronomy 4:46

• Beth-Peor] That is, the house or temple of the idoll Peor, the God of the Moabites and Midianites. See Numbers 25:3. * Chap. 3. 29.

Deuteronomy 4:48

Mount Sion] This is not that Mount Sion of Jerusalem, and the Temple, but differing from it both in the writing, and in the situation: for Sion, where was the Temple, was written with Tsadi, the other Sion with Shin: and Sion with Tsadi was in Jerusalem on the one side Jordan, the other Sion was on the other.

Deuteronomy 4:49

Sea of the plaine] That is, the salt Sea, whereof see Annot. on Numbers 34:3.