Westminster Annotations, Deuteronomy · Chapter 29 – Chapter 30
CHAP. XXIX.
Vers. 1. BEside the covenant] The same in substance, but not altogether the same, but much varied with sundry additions of explanation, admonition, with some new commands, comminations, and benedictions, which were not mentioned in the former Edition of the Covenant; in which respect it may be said to be diverse from the former: so diverse as if it were another besides it.
V. 2. Moses called] It is not like that all this was delivered at once, but that the people dismissed having heard some part before, were called together againe to heare the rest.
ye have seene] See Annot. on Exod. 19. vers. 4.
V. 3. temptations] Trials or proofes of Gods power. See Annot. on Chap. 7. v. 19.
V. 4 not given you] They had both sensuall eyes and eares, but a spirituall apprehension and use of those great workes they had not; and they had it not, because God had not given it unto them; so that wonders without the worke of grace will not availe for mans conversion, but grace without them will be sufficient for faith and salvation.
V. 5. clothes not waxed old] See Annot. on Chap. 8. v. 4.
V. 6. not eaten bread] Made by mans art, but Manna, which is the bread of Angels, Psal. 78. vers. 24, 25.
nor drinke wine] For your drinke hath beene as miraculous as your bread; water fetched out of the rock, Numb. 20. v. 11. Psal. 78. v. 15, 16.
that ye might know] By a miraculous supply of your wants of both; how great a God I am in power, how able to provide for my people without ordinary meanes.
V. 10. all of you] All of what difference soever, by sexe, by age, stature, or state must be made to know what they are bound to keepe.
before the Lord] Who seeth you, though you see not him; and in you seeth what man cannot see, (your hearts) and therefore you may not thinke to dissemble with him in making of the Covenant, nor in a guilefull observation of it.
V. 11. thy stranger] Such as came with thee out of Egypt, and left their Idolatrous Religion behind them.
from the hewer] A proverbiall speech, as from a thread to a sho… latchet. Gen. 14. v. 23.
V. 12. enter] Heb. passe. Alluding to them who when they made a sure covenant divided a beast, and past betweene the parts divided. See Annot. on Gen. 15. 10.
V. 13. a people unto himselfe] Chap. 28. v. 9.
V. 15. that is not here] Meaning your posterity.
V. 16. passed by] To come through (as is said before) and to passe by (as here) seeme repugnant; but the meaning is, that they came through some parts of the Nations, where they saw their Idols, vers. 17. and passed by others; or that though they came through them they made no stay among the people, but as wayfaring men passed away.
V. 18. Lest there should be] He proposeth the Covenant in generall termes both for those that are and those that shall be, Vers. 14, 15. lest any one should expect a priviledge from the curse, if he doe transgresse: or this word (lest) may be answered by vers. 20. lest any one should doe so, the Lord professeth he will not spare him.
root that beareth] That is, a corrupt heart whence proceed evill words and deeds, which are bitter leaves and fruit, bitter by repentance if they be pardoned, and bitter by paine if they be punished; and unto God as distastefull as the bitterest gall can be unto man. And though it be in the root, and that hidden in the ground, yet it is as well known to God, as that which is in the branches or fruit obvious to the view or taste of man.
V. 23. brimstone and salt] The heat of brimstone and salt dry up the fruitfull juyce of the earth, and make it barren; wherefore Abimelech when he had overthrown the Citie of Sichem sowed the ground with salt, Judg. 9. 45. See Psal. 107. 34. text and margine. Jer. 17. 6.
V. 28. as it is this day] These words are not to be taken as spoken by Moses himselfe, or as if the condition of the people were in his time such as is said, vers. 22. but they are spoken as of the time when the Prophecy should come to passe, as in the name and by those who should see it accomplished.
V. 29. the secret things] These words are not, as the former, the words of God, but of Moses; and they are an Epiphonema, or a Sententious conclusion of that which went before, wherein mention is made concerning curses and judgements, in which there are many secrets which men cannot search into, as the wicked thoughts of men, and their privy practises, Chap. 27. vers. 15. what manner of curse shall come upon men for their sinnes as they are particularly named, Chap. 27. vers. 15, &c. and when they shall come, and who are impenitently guiltie of such sinnes, as deserve these curses; these and such like secrets we must leave as locked up in Gods private Closet, of which the Key is in his own keeping, not in ours.
V. 29. revealed things] Are of many sorts, but those here chiefly meant, are the Rules of dutie to God and man, revealed not for contemplation, but for practise, and the Judgements in the generall before threatned to the transgressours of them; in which sentence he giveth a Caveat against curious presumption in prying into hidden matters, and carelesse neglect of known Lawes.
CHAP. XXX.
Vers. 1. BLessing and the curse] First the blessing, the ungratefull neglect, and the ungracious abuse whereof deserveth the curse: or, the blessing to those that keepe the Law, the curse to such as breake it.
hath driven thee] Upon presupposall of their great sinne, he foretelleth their punishment, whereof he speaketh by way of assurance as if it were already come upon them.
V. 3. turn thy captivitie] That is, return thee out of thy captivitie.
V. 4. utmost parts of heaven] As farre upon earth, as there is heaven beyond or above it.
fetch thee] And bring thee into thy countrey.
V. 6. circumcise thy heart] See Annot. on Chap. 10. vers. 16.
V. 11. not hidden from thee] The Law is so evident that none can pretend he is ignorant of it.
V. 13. beyond the sea] By heaven, vers. 12. and sea here, he meaneth places most distant.
V. 14. very nigh] So neere that it is within thy nature, and thou canst not pretend any ignorance of it, for it is by word of mouth revealed to thee, and that thou mayst not forget it, it shall be written for thee, Chap. 31. vers. 9.
that thou mayst doe it] By faith in Christ, for so his obedience is made ours, and without it mans obedience is very imperfect, not onelyonly because he cannot doe all he should, but because he doth not all he might in outward exercises and duties of devotion.
V. 16. love] So that to love and obey God, is the meanes to escape death and to obtaine life eternall.
to keepe his Commandements] Though God command to keepe his Commandements, it doth not follow, that it is in mans power to performe them, (no more then it was in the power of Lazarus to deliver himselfe from whence Christ bade him come forth, Joh. 11. 43. and such as was his corporall, is mans spirituall deadnesse, Eph. 2. 1.) for the Law implyeth a right of command and a dutie to obey, and not any abilitie thereto, or if an abilitie, an abilitie once had, though since lost, when entrusted to the custody of our first parents free-will, it was treacherously made away by their consent to the evill motions of Satan.
V. 19. I call heaven] See Annot. on Chap. 4. vers. 26.
V. 20. thy life and] That is, effectively the Cause, or Christ the Author of life and length of dayes, for in him we live, move, and have our being, that is, by power and vertue from him, Act. 17. 28.