not fit for sacrifice. Such were to be redeemed with a lamb sacrificed to God in their stead.

16.-frontlets] The Hebrew word means memorial, as in verse 9.

118.the chaidren of Israel twent up harnessed ] That is, in good order, like soldiers; not confusedly, like runaways.

21. And the Lord went before them &c.] By "the Lord" we are here to understand the Divine glory, which appeared to Moses in the bush. Chap. iii. 2. and on other occasions; and now appeared in a glorious cloud to conduct the Israelites, and assure them of God's care and protection. This cloud was a sign of His gracious presence with them, and especial providence over them. We must be careful not to understand that God Himself moved from place to place; for He is always every where; but this cloud was moved by Him, from whom it came, as a token that He was present by His special favour, care and providence, wheresoever it went.

CHAP. XIV.

Verse 4.-I will be honoured upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host ;] That is, by destroying him and his people in the Red Sea, My power shall be acknowledged, and I shall be honoured accordingly.

8.- went out with an high hand.] Triumphantly, and by the miraculous power of God. 14.- ye shall hold your peace.

Ye shall have no occasion to strike a single blow.

24. in the morning watch] The Hebrews as well as the Romans, divided the night into four parts, or watches, of about three hours each; so called, because at the beginning of each part, the guard of soldiers who kept watch, was changed. The morning watch was the last of them, immediately before sun-rise.

the Lord looked unto the host of the Egyptians] Or, frowned upon them. The Lord, who had seemed all this while to wink at the enterprises of the Egyptians, began, according to our apprehenston, to take notice of this their pursuit.

25.- took off their chariot wheels,] That is, caused them to be broken; or some of them.

27.- the Egyptians fled against it;] Against the sea, as it was returning to its strength; that is, to its former place and situation. They turned back; and like men distracted, ran and met the waters, which rushed upon them with a mighty force, and overwhelmed them. Wicked men make equal haste both to sin, and from judgment. But they shall one day find, that it is not more easy to run Jato sin, thau impossible to run away from judg

nient.

CHAP. XV.

Verse 1. Then sang Moses &c] Ou this mes morable deliverance Moses composed a thanksgiv ing, which he and the Israelites sang unto the Lord. It is also a sublime prophecy, foretelling the powerful effect of this tremendous judgment on the neighbouring nations; the future settlement. of the Israelites in the promised land; and the erection of the temple on Mount Sion; and the perpetuity of the dominion and worship of God.

2.-1 will prepare him an habitation;] I wil build Him a tabernacle. Meaning, I foresee by the spirit of prophecy, that God shall have a tabernacle raised up for Him by His people.

3.-a man of war:] One who gets great victories. 6.- right hand,] This word is frequently used to express the heighth of power, exerted in the preservation of good men, or the destruction of the bad.

8.- the blast of thy nostrils] The strong wind by which God divided the sea, is here figuratively called the blast of his nostrils."

11.– umong the gods ] Among those that are called gods, in heaven and in earth.

- fearful in praises,] That is, to be praised with fear and reverence.

13.- unto thy holy habitation.] Or, settlement. Towards the country where God Himself, speaking after the manner of men, intended to have a settlement.

14. The people shall hear, and be afraid:] The people around shall hear what has been done to the Egyptians, and be afraid to withstand us. Deut. ii. 25. Josh. ii. 9.

16.-by the greatness of thine arm they shall be as still as a stone;] In consequence of Thy power exerted for us, the people shall not stir in the least to oppose us.

17.— the mountain of thine inheritance,] Mount Moriah, or Sion, where Moses foresaw that God would fix His habitation. The sanctuary being certainly to be built, when God should command, is spoken of as already completed.

20.- Miriam the prophetess,} So called from having the gift of composing hymns in praise of the Divine Majesty; or from having received some revelation from God for the direction of His people.

23.—called Marah.] Afterwards so called from the bitterness or brackishness of its waters.

25.—and the Lord shewed him a tree, &c.] It is uncertain, whether these bitter waters were sweetened by the miraculous power of God, or by the natural property of the tree, to which God directed Moses. Most probably by the former.

there he made for them a statute &c.] For their better government God new gave them a few

rules to be observed for the present, till He. should more fully declare His will at Mount Sinai; and "proved them," or began to make trial of their obedience, whether they would observe these laws or not.

CHAP. XVI.

Verse S.-when we sat by the flesh pots, &c.] When we had plenty of meat and bread. It is not probable that they had plenty of food when they were slaves in Egypt; but they untruly magnify their former condition, that they might represent the present to be more miserable than it really This food was

was.

4.-a certain rate every day,] given them day by day, to signify to them and to us our dependence upon God every day of our life. "Give us this day our daily bread." By this means God proved them, whether they would trust in Him, and walk in His law.

5.-on the sixth day they shall prepare that which they bring in ;] They shall make it ready on the sixth day against the Sabbath, on which they were to do no such thing. And therefore what they gathered on the sixth day should be a double por. tion, enough to serve them the seventh also.

7. what are we, that ye murmur against us?] We, Moses aud Aaron, are merely God's instruments and agents; and therefore your murmurings against us are in effect against Him.

14.-small as the hoar frost] Like a drop of dew frozen on the ground, very small, and white in colour.

15.—It is manna:] Many suppose this word to signify, "what is this?" to which the following words, "they wist not what it was," seem to refer the meaning. Others think it may be better expounded, "It is a gift or portion," as being sent from God.

16.-an omer] Something less than half a peck of our measure.

17.-gathered, some more, some less.] According to the size of their families.

18.when they did mete it with an omer, he that gathered much had nothing over, and he that ga thered little had no lack;] After the manna was gathered and brought in, it was measured out in the appointed proportion to every one. So that he who had collected much, kept no more than his omer, and he who had collected less, had the deficiency made up.

34.-before the Testimony,] Before the ark of the testimony: or before the Lord, as in the foregoing verse.

CHAP. XVII.

Verse 2-wherefore do ye tempt the Lord?]

Provoke Him to punish you by distrusting His goodness and power.

6.-I will stand before thee] The pillar of cloud, the sign of My presence among you, shall stand upon the rock.

Horeb ;] This famous mountain is called indiscriminately in scripture, Horeb and Sinai. The former seems to be the general name of the whole mountain, signifying " a desert:" the latter apprepriated to its highest summit.

7.-called the name of the place Massah,] "Massah" signifies tempting; "Meribah" chiding.

Is the Lord among us, or not?] They distrusted the Lord, and doubted whether He took care of them, or not.

8. Then came Amalek,] That is, the Amalekites, or descendents of Amalek.

11. when Moses held up his hand,-Israel prevailed:] Hence it appeared that victory was to be obtained by the Israelites, only by the special assistance of God.

12.-Moses' hands were heavy;] That is, weary with holding up the rod.

14.-rehearse it in the ears of Joshua:] That he, who was to be the leader of God's people after Moses, might never enter into any league with the Amalekites.

16.-Because the Lord hath sworn] In the Hebrew the words are, "the hand upon the throne of the Lord" which is commonly interpreted, "the Lord hath sworn by his throne," for laying the hand upon the throne was a form of swearing. The reason why God denounced a perpetual war against the Amalekites is to be resolved into this: that knowing the Israelites were pre-ordained of God to be put in possession of Canaan, they came against them with an armed force, in hopes of frustrating the designs of Providence.

CHAP. XVIII.

Vorse 2.—after he had sent her back,] He had probably done so at her desire, when she saw how difficult his enterprise was likely to prove in Egypt. Or perhaps from the inn mentioned Chap. iv. 24.

4.-Eliezer;] Which name signifies my God is an help. For the meaning of "Gershom," see note on Chap. ii. 22.

11.- for in the thing wherein they dealt proudly he was above them.] In all matters, in which the Egyptians ill treated the Israelites, and behaved impiously towards the God of Israel, God shewed His power and superiority over them.

12.- took a burnt offering &c.] Thus was fulfilled the prophetick "sign" which the Lord had given to Moses, when He appeared to him in the bush. See Chap. iii. 12.

L

13. to judge the people:] To hear and de termine their causes.

19. Be thou for the people to Godward,] When the people bring any matter to thee which is too bard for others to determine, do thou, if need be, carry it to God, that He may resolve thee.

CHAP. XIX.

Verse 3. went up unto God,] On Mount Sina

4. how I bare you on eagles' wings,] How I carried you, as it were, aloft, above the reach of dangers, as an eagle carries her young, supporting and helping them with her wings.

6.- a kingdom" of priests.] An honourable' or a Divine kingdom. My peculiar church and people; "a royal priesthood," as in 1. Pet. ii. 9. "kings and priests unto God." Rev. i. 6.

9.-I come unto thee in a thick cloud, In a darker cloud than that which had hitherto conducted them; with flashes of lightning gleaming from it in an awful and tremendous manner.

10.- sanctify them] Let them abstain from or-dinary employments, and otherwise lawful pleasure; and give themselves to religious exercises: and let them" wash their clothes," and also their bodies, as a token of their inward sanctification. If the people were to be thus sanctified to receive the Law, how holy must we be to receive the grace promised in the Gospel!

11. The Lord will come down] From Heaven on Mount Sinai: He will make His presence more visible there by sensible and surprising effects.

19.-Moses spake,] We read at Heb. xii. 21. "So terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake." Which words are to be referred to this place.

CHAP. XX.

Though the ten commandments which follow, were given to the Jews particularly, yet the things contained in them, are such, as all mankind from the beginning were bound to observe. And though the ceremonial part of the Law, that is, the rites and sacrifices be now abolished, yet our Saviour declares concerning these moral precepts of it, that" one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled." Accordingly we find both Him and His Apostles inculcating the Ten Commandments as matter of perpetual obligation to Christians. To comprehend the full extent of these commandments, it will be necessary to observe the following rules. Where any sin is forbidden in them, the opposite duty is implicitly injoined: and where any duty is injoined, the opposite sin is implicitly forbidden. Where

the highest degree of any thing evil, is prohibited whatever is faulty in the same kind, though in a lower degree, is by consequence prohibited. And where one instance of virtuous behaviour is commanded, every other, that hath the same nature, and the same reason for it, is understood to be commanded too. What we are expected to abstain from, we are expected to avoid, as far as we can, all temptations to it, and occasions of it: and what we are expected to practise, we are expected to use all fit means, that may better enable us to practise it. All, that we are bound to do ourselves, we are bound, on fit occasions, to exhort and assist others to do, when it be longs to them; and all, that we are bound not to do, we are to tempt nobody else to do, but keep them back from it, as much as we have oppor tunity.

Verse 3. Thou shalt have no other gods before me.] Or, "besides me," Thou shalt believe or worship no other God but Me alone. This commandment does not suppose that there is any other God besides the Lord. But it alludes to those idols and imaginary beings which by many were falsely called gods.

The first commandment forbids these sins. 1. The sin of atheists, who acknowledge no God. 2. The sin of such as serve false gods. 3. The sin of such as serve not the true God only, and aright. It also injoins these duties: 1. That we acknowledge but one God. 2. That we have the only true God for our God, which must appear by our loving, fearing, trusting in, and obeying Him above all others.

4. Thou shalt not make unto thee &c.] The second commandment forbids these sins. 1. The appointing of any kind of image for religious worship. 2. The worshipping of such an image or any other creature. 3. The neglect of the worship of the true God. 4. The worshipping of Him after a false manner. These duties are also injoined: 1. That God only be religiously worshipped. 2. That He be worshipped both in body and in spirit. To such worshippers, who love and obey God, He hath promised His special mercy. John ix. 31.

5.-a jealous God,] So affected to His people, as a loving husband to his wife, whom he cannot endure to set her affections on another.

entails evil on his children. The meaning of this part of the commandment is this: God had, in general, promised to the Jews temporal blessings, to encourage their obedience; and had denounced present evils against them, to keep them from sinning. But to set a particular mark of His iudignation on the sin of idolatry, He declares, that if they offended in this matter, He would not only severely punish them Himself, but would deliver them up to their enemies, who should oppress both them and their children after them; whereas if they continued firm to His worship, though otherwise they should be guilty of lesser crimes, yet He would not cast them off from His favour, but on the contrary would bless both them and their posterity with plenty and prosperity all their days. See note on Deut. v. 9.

them that hate me;] That do not obey me. Such God esteemns as bating Him. On the other hand the keeping of God's commandments is the best argument that we love Him.

6.- shewing mercy unto thousands] That is, to many generations.

7. Thou shalt not take the name &c.] In this third commandment are forbidden these sins. 1. Irreverent thoughts of God. 2. Blasphemy or disbonourable mention of His name. 3. False swearing ia avouching an untruth. 4. Perjury, or breaking a lawful oath. 5. Causing the name of God, and our holy profession to be blasphemed by others. Such sins God Himself hath especially threatened to punish. In the same commandment are injoined these duties. 1. To think and speak reverently of the names and attributes of God. 2. To glorify Him in His holy word and ordinances, that bear His name. 3. To use His name with reverence in taking religious oaths. 4. To observe such oaths with religious care and conscience. 5. To glorify God by a Christian conversation.

the Lord will not hold him guiltless] That is, He will consider him as guilty of a great sin; and will certainly punish him, unless prevented by sincere repentance.

8. Remember the sabbath day,] In this commandment is injoined an especial attendance upon God's services on that day, such as 1. Prayer, 2. Dispensing and receiving His word. 3. Partaking in His sacrament. 4. Relieving of His saints. and 5. Meditating on His works of creation and redemption. In the same commandment are forbidden our worldly undertakings and employments on this holy day; excepting such as concern works of piety, charity, and necessity.

the sabbath day,] The day of rest. The word "sabbath," means rest.

10.-thy stranger] Foreigners, who, by being circumcised, had embraced the Jewish religion.

12. Honour thy father and thy mother:] In

this commandment children are required to honour their parents, which implies, 1. Fear; 2. Reverence; 3. Obedience; and 4. Maintenance. And the contrary vices are forbidden.

that thy days may be long &c.] That God may give thee a long and happy life in this thy promised land upon earth; and an eternal life, figured by the other, in that true land of rest which is above.

13. Thou shalt not kill.] In this sixth commandment are forbidden; 1. Hatred; 2. Causeless and revengeful anger; 3. Grievous reproaches; 4. Occasion of bloodshed; 5. Contrivance of man's death; and 6. Actual and wilful murder. In the same commandment is injoined the preservation of man's life; 1. By a reasonable and mo derate use of God's creatures ordained for that end; 2. By a prudent avoiding of dangers; 3. By flying all sius; and particularly murder and uncleanness.

14. Thou shalt not commit adultery.] In the seventh commandment are forbidden adulterous and lascivious thoughts and words, as well as acts of adultery and fornication and also such sins, as give occasion to these.

15. Thou shalt not steal.] The eighth commandment forbids, 1. Covetous desires; 2. Bribery; 3. Witholding other men's dues; 4. Defrauding, or deceitful stealth; 5. Oppression, or violent robbery; 6. Sacrilege, or robbing of God. These duties also are injoined; 1. To give to all their dues; 2. To live in a lawful calling; 3. To be diligent in that calling; 4. To restore that which hath been stolen; 5. To give charitably to the poor; 6. To avoid the company of the breakers

of this law.

16. Thou shalt not bear false witness &c.] In this commandment are forbidden: 1. Lies; 2. Groundless jealousies; 3. The raising, taking up, or divulging of false or malicious reports; 4. The suborning or encouraging of false witnesses. In the same commandment are injoined these duties, which maintain veracity and charity, 1. To love and speak the truth; 2. To preserve our own reputation; 3. Seasonably to vindicate ourselves, and our innocent neighbours; 4. To cover the infirmities of others.

17. Thou shalt not covet &c.] In the tenth commandment, are forbidden: 1. In general, sinful lusts, and the first motion of general corruption; 2. In particular, the coveting of our neighbour's house, wife, servants, and other goods belonging to him. We are here also injoined these duties: 1. To regulate our affections; 2. To restrain sinful desires; and 3. To be content with our present estate.

These ten commandments are called the Decalogue, which is derived from two Greek words, signifying ten and word, or command.

25.- thou shalt not build it of hewn stone:] Lest they should carve any image or representation of the Deity upon it. In this and the following verse God orders the matter and form of the altar in opposition to the rules and customs of the heathens; that He might preserve his people from all tendency to idolatry.

26. Neither shalt thou go up by steps unto mine altar,] To prevent unseemliness; and that the priests might not be exposed to ridicule and contempt, by means of the light and loose garments, which were worn in those countries. God requires the greatest modesty in His worshippers; whereas the Heathen rites were attended with great immodesty.

CHAP. XXI.

Verse 3. If he came in by himself,] That is, entered into his master's service, a single man, without a wife.

6.-his master shall bore his car through] As a mark of servitude, and in token that he was now as it were fixed to the house. The meaning is, be shall not go out free at the end of the usual term of seven years, but shall continue with him till his master's death, or till the year of jubilee.

8.-unto a strange nation] Another family or tribe; for it was in no case lawful to sell a Hebrew to any heathen nation.

13.-if a man lie not in wait, but God deliver him into his hand;] That is, does not design to kill another; but by God's permission it so happens that he kills him undesignedly. In this case provision was made for his safety. Deut. xix. 3. &c.

14.-thou shall take him from mine altar,] That is, the most sacred and inviolable place of refuge; which shall not protect a wilful murderer.

16.-he that stealeth a man, &c.] As liberty is equally valuable with life, the Jewish law with the strictest equity ordained, that if any man were convicted of attempting to reduce any fellowcitizen to slavery, he should be punished with death.

21.-for he is his money.] He bought him with bis money; therefore not striking him for the purpose of killing him, be shall not be punished, since he is already punished in his loss.

24. Eye for eye, &c.] Not in kind, but by a fine, proportioned to the damage received. The offender might in these cases, though not in murder, make satisfaction in money. This mode of expression intimated that the punishment ought to be in proportion to the crime. This retaliation was never executed under the Mosaic law. Jews misunderstood the law, which was only a direction to the magistrate, as if it authorised private revenge. Our Saviour therefore sets the law in its true light.

The

CHAP. XXII.

Verse 3. If the sun be risen upon him, there shall be blood shed for him ;] If the robbery be committed in the day time, and the robber be killed in the attempt, he that kills him shall be put to death.

11. Then shall an oath of the Lord be between them] The person, to whom the beast was delivered shall be put upon his oath, that he has not done any thing to the beast to hurt, or drive it away. According to this method, he that had stolen was forced to forswear himself, if he would avoid discovery. Hence it is that theft and perjury are so often mentioned together in Scripture, one very often inferring the other. See Levit. xix. 11, 12. Prov. xxx. 9. Zech. v. 3, 4.

18. a witch] One who practises diabolical arts, and pretends to the power of inverting the established order of nature. The original word refers to the pretended discovery of things, hidden, or future, by magical means.

27.-wherein shall he sleep?] They were accus tomed to sleep in their clothes, which therefore served them for a covering by night as well as day. 28.-the gods,] That is, the judges or magis

trates.

CHAP. XXIII.

Verse 2. Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil;] If thou art a judge, thou shalt not be influenced, either by the people," the multitude;" or by the great, who are generally attended by many supporters; to pronounce a false or unjust judgment.

3. Neither shalt thou countenance a poor man in his cause.] If his cause be bad, thou shalt not support him out of charity or pity, so as to give a wrong judgment in his favour.

6. Thou shalt not wrest the judgment to thy poor] As they were not to favour a man because he was poor, verse 3. so much less might they wrong him, or forbear to do him right, because he wanted money to prosecute his cause.

8.-shalt take no gift:] That is, bribe. 9.-ye know the heart of a stranger,] Ye have felt what a distressed condition that of a stranger ist.

11.- that the poor of thy people may eat:] What came up of its own accord in the seventh year, was to be in common for the poor as well as for the owner of the land.

13.- make no mention of the name of other gods,] With any reverence or approbation, by appealing to them, or vowing by their names. It was not unlawfull merely to mention the names of other gods in ordinary conversation.

19.-Thou shalt not seethe a kid in his mother's