Exodus 19

Chap. XX. ver. 1. And God spake all these words.] Or precepts, as the Hebrew term sometimes signifies. Bp. Patrick. 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 therefore even under the Mosaick dispensation they, and the tables on which they were engraven, and the ark in which they were put, were distinguished from the rest of God’s ordinances by a peculiar regard, as containing the covenant of the Lord. And though the Mosaick dispensation be now at an end, yet concerning these moral precepts of it our Saviour declares, that “one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled,” Matt. v. 18. Accordingly we find both Him and His Apostles quoting these Ten Commandments as matter of perpetual obligation to Christians; who are now, as the Jews were formerly, “the Israel of God,” Gal. vi. 16. To comprehend the full extent of these Commandments, it will be requisite to observe the following rules. Where any sin is forbidden in them, the opposite duty is implicitly enjoined; and where any duty is enjoined, 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 fitting occasions, to exhort and assist others to do, when it belongs 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 opportunity. The Ten Commandments, excepting two that required enlargement, are delivered in few words; which brief manner of speaking hath great majesty in it. But explaining them according to these rules, which are natural and rational in themselves, favoured by ancient Jewish writers, authorized by our blessed Saviour, and certainly designed by the makers of our Church Catechism to be used in expounding it; we shall find, that there is no part of the moral law, but may be fitly ranked under them. Abp. Secker.

— no other gods] There is not, nor does this Commandment at all suppose that there is any other God besides the Lord. Abp. Wake. But before and long after the law of Moses was given, the generality of the world entertained a belief that there were many gods; a great number of beings, superiour to men, that amongst them governed the world, and were fit objects of devotion. To these, as their own fancy, or the folly and fraud of others led them, they ascribed more or less both of power and goodness; attributed to several of them the vilest actions, that could be; supposed them to preside some over one nation or city, some over another; worshipped a few or a multitude of them just as they pleased, and that with a strange variety of ceremonies, absurd and impious, immoral and barbarous. Amidst this crowd of imaginary deities, the real God was almost entirely forgot; false religion and irreligion divided the world between them; and wickedness of

Exodus 19:2

2. I am the Lord thy God, &c.] This is a general preface or introduction to the Commandments and re- # CHAP. XX. Before CHRIST 1491.

Exodus 19:3

3. Thou shalt have no other gods before me.] The same reasons, which prove that God is, prove that there is but one God. And what reason teaches in this matter, Scripture every where confirms; forbidding us to worship or believe in any other deity than the one Maker and Ruler of heaven and earth, who hath manifested Himself to all men by the works of His hands; to the Patriarchs and Jews, by the revelations recorded in Moses, and the Prophets; and finally, to Christians, by His Son, our Lord, who, in a way and manner to us inconceivable, is one with the Father, and the Holy Spirit with both. Abp. Secker. The first Commandment, which concerns the acknowledgement of God, forbids these sins. 1. The sin of atheists, who acknowledge no God, Ps. xiv. 1. 2. The sin of such as serve false gods, Gal. iv. 8. 3. The sin of such as serve not the true God only, and aright,

Exodus 19:11

11. — the Lord will come down] From heaven “upon mount Sinai.” The Scripture, suiting itself to man’s common way of speaking and thinking, assigns to God such things as are only proper to the effects. Thus it is said, that God should “come down” upon the mountain, because He made His presence more visible there by sensible and surprising effects. Stackhouse.

Exodus 19:16

16. — that there were thunders and lightnings, &c.] Such was the splendid and terrifick appearance, in which it pleased God to manifest Himself to the people. The whole was calculated to produce a proper reverence and fear, and make the people more ready to receive the law, and to obey it, when delivered. For the law was of such a nature, and contained such painful rites and ceremonies, and injunctions seemingly so unnecessary and without meaning, that no people would have conformed to it, or even permitted it to take place, if there had not been these terrours and this sanction to enforce it. A meaning certainly there was in every rite and ordinance: yet, as it was a secret to them, there was nothing which could have made them submit, but the immediate hand of Heaven. A shepherd of Midian could never have brought about so great a work, though he had been joined by Aaron his brother, and all the elders of Israel. But Aaron was so far from cooperating, that, even while the law was giving, while the cloud was still upon Sinai, he yielded to the importunities of the people, and made a golden calf, and suffered them to lapse into the idolatry

of Egypt. Moses therefore stood single: he had not a person to assist him, except the great God of all, by whose command he acted, and by whom the law was enforced. Bryant.

— the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud;] The angels, the ministers of heaven and attendants on the Divine Majesty, summoned the people by a voice resembling that of a trumpet, but loud and terrible beyond all human art or expression. Pyle.

Exodus 19:19

19. — Moses spake,] We read at Heb. xli. 21, “So terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake:” which words are judiciously referred to this place. Bp. Patrick.

Exodus 19:22

22. — the priests] Perhaps the principal and most honourable persons in the several tribes. Bp. Patrick. Or those who ministered in holy things before Aaron and his sons were consecrated. Bp. Kidder. Or possibly Aaron and his sons, who were shortly to be consecrated. Dr. Wells.

If the law were given with such majesty and terrour, how shall it be required? If such were the proclamation of God’s statutes, what shall the judgment be? I see, and tremble at the resemblance. The trumpet of the angel called unto the one; the voice of an archangel, the trumpet of God, shall summon us to the other. To the one, Moses, that climbed up the hill, and alone saw it, says, “God came with ten thousands of His saints:” in the other, “thousand thousands shall minister to Him, and ten thousand times ten thousand shall stand before Him.” In the one, mount Sinai only was on a flame; all the world shall be so, in the other. In the one there were fire, smoke, thunder, and lightning: in the other, a fiery stream shall issue from Him, wherewith the heavens shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt away

Moses descendeth from the mount. The ten commandments. Before CHRIST 1491. Sinai: for thou chargest us, saying, Set bounds about the mount, and sanctify it.