A Help for the Understanding of the Holy Scriptures, Deuteronomy · Chapter 30
CHAP. XXX.
Verſ. 1. ANd it ſhall come to paſſe when all theſe things are come upon th…, the bleſſing and the curſe, &c.]
As if he had ſaid, when thou haſt had experience both of the one and the other, thou ſhalt by proof ſee how much be… ter it is to ſerve God then to rebell againſt him, this will then bring thee …o tur… …o the Lord, and the Lord will then again be favourable to thee.
Verſ. 3. Then the Lord thy Go… will turn thy captivity, and have comp…ſſi… upon thee, &c.]
That is, upon their ſerious repentance. So that it is of Gods▪ mercy and compaſſion rather then any thing elſe that thoſe that do moſt ſeriouſly r… pent find favour at his hand.
Verſ. 6. And the Lo…d thy God will circu…c…ſ… thin… he…rt.]
See chap. 10. 16.
Ver…. 9. And th… Lord thy God will m…ke th…e plenteous in …very work of thine hand, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattel, and in the fruit of thy lan…, for good.]
That is, he will not beſtow theſe outward bleſſings upon thee, but it ſhall be for thy good that thou haſt them: Many are the worſe for abundance of outward things; then onelyonly are they true bl…ſſings when they are given men for their good.
Verſ. 11. For this commandment, which I command thee this day, it is not …idden from thee, neither is it farre off.]
By the commandment given them in charge, which Moſes here ſpeaks of, is not meant the law onelyonly, but the whole doctri…e of Mo…es, wherein he had revealed unto them the will of God concerning the way and means of ſalvation, to wit▪ faith in Chriſt, the Meſſiah, and new obedience following thereupon: and this, …e ſaith, they could not now neglect unde… a pretence of ignorance, that they knew it not, becauſe God had ſo fully and effectually made it known unto them. Thus the Apoſtle teacheth us under this place, Rom. 10. where he telleth us that this commandment which Moſes here ſpeaketh of is the ſpeech of the righteouſneſſe which is of faith, verſ. 6. But the righteousneſſe which is of faith, ſpeaketh on this wiſe, Say not in thine heart, Who ſhall aſcend into heaven? and calleth it therefore the word of faith, verſ. 8. And beſides it is plain that Moſes intended this by his own words here uſed: for why elſe doth he ſay that the commandment which he commanded them was plain and ea…ie, that they might heare it and do it, verſ. 12. and that it was very nigh unto them, in their mo…ths, and in their hearts, verſ. 14. Since no perſpicuity of the Law can make it eaſie to be done, but as it is given by the hand of a Mediatour Evangelically to be kept by us; nor is the Law written in our hearts, but as we are in covenant with God in and through Chriſt. That therefore which Moſes ſaith was not hidden from them, the doctrine of …alvation by faith in Chriſt, and the law as it was the rule of new obedience that ever accompanieth true faith: for though the righteouſneſſe which is of faith was not ſo clearly then revealed as it is now, and in that regard comparatively is ſaid to have been then hid, Col. 1. 26. The myſtery …hich hath been hid from ages, and from generations, but now is made manifeſt to his ſaints; and farre off, Heb. 11. 13. Theſe all died in faith, not having re…eived the promiſes, but having ſeen them afarre off, &c. yet it was not ſo hid that it was impoſſible for them to attain, and the law was plain and eaſie to be per…ormed evangelically.
Verſ. 12. It is not in heaven▪ that thou ſhouldſt ſay, Who ſhall go up for us to …eav…n?]
That is, you cannot ſay that God hath not revealed his will …nto you, that you would do it if you knew it, or that he hath given you a dark and obſcure law, which you are not able to reach, Eſa. 45. 19. I have not ſpoken in ſecret, in a dark place of the earth; I ſaid not unto the ſeed of Jacob, Seek ye me in vain. I the Lord ſpeak righteouſneſſe, I declare things that are right. How theſe paſſages are applyed by S. Paul, ſee Rom. 10. 6. 7.
Verſ. 14. But th… word is very n…gh unto thee in thy mouth, &c.]
That is, it is ſo clearly reve…led that thou mayeſt confeſſe it with thy mouth, and believe i… with thy heart, to wit, being the…eto en…bled by the ſpirit of regeneration.
Verſ. 19. I call heaven and earth to record this day againſt you, &c.]
See Deut. 4. 26.