Matthew Poole and continuators on Deuteronomy 6

2 That thou mightest fear the LORD thy God, to keep all his statutes; and his commandments which I command thee, thou and thy son, and thy sons son, all the dayes of thy life: and that thy dayes may be prolonged.

Which he hereby implies to be the first principle of true Obedience.

4 Hear O Israel, the LORD our God is one LORD .

One in Essence, and the onely Object of our Worship.

Marginal references: Mark. 12. 29.; Heb. the LORD our God, the LORD is one. So Gr.

5 And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.

Now he shews another spring or principle of sincere Obedience to God, even hearty love to God, which will make his work and service ease▪ and that the fear he mentioned before, [illegible: 1+ letters]. 2. was such [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1 word] consist with love to God, and not that [illegible: 1+ letters]vish fear and honour which produceth hatred.

Marginal references: Chap. 10. 12. Mat. 22. 3[illegible: 1+ letters]. Mark 12. 30. Luk. 1[illegible: 1+ letters]. [illegible: 1 word].

6 And these words which I command thee this day shall be in thine heart .

i. e. In thy m[illegible: 1+ letters]nd to remember them, and meditate upon them▪ and in thy [illegible: 1 word] to love and pursue them.

Marginal references: Chap. 11. 1[illegible: 1+ letters]. Psa. 3[illegible: 1+ letters]. 31 & 4[illegible: 1+ letters]. 8. & 11[illegible: 1+ letters]. 98. Isa. 51. 7.

7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1 word] in thine house, and when thou walkest by the [illegible: 1 word], and when thou lyest down, and when [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1 word] up.

[illegible: 1 word] as they may pierce deep into [illegible: 1 word] the manner of instructing [illegible: 1 word], earnestly, frequently, [illegible: 1 word].

Marginal references: Chap. 4▪ 9.; [illegible: 1 word]. [illegible: 1 word] or [illegible: 1 word].

8 And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thy hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes .

Thou shalt give all diligence▪ and use all means to keep them in thy remembrance, as men oft times bind something upon their hands, or put it before their eyes to prevent forgetfulness of a thing which they much desire to remember. [illegible: 1+ letters]ompare Prov. 3. 3. and 6. 21. and 7. 3. See the notes on Exod. 13. 16.

Marginal references: Chap. 11. 1[illegible: 1+ letters].; Heb. [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1 word].

13 Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God, and serve him, and shalt swear by his name .

When thou hast a call and just cause to swear.

Understand onely, as Deut. 5. 2. not by Idols, or any Creatures.

Marginal references: Chap. 1[illegible: 1+ letters] ▪ [illegible: 1 word]. 2[illegible: 1+ letters]. & [illegible: 1 word]. [illegible: 1+ letters]. Mat 4. 1[illegible: 1+ letters]. Luk. 4. [illegible: 1+ letters].

15 (For the LORD thy God is a jealous God among you ) lest the anger of the LORD thy God be kindled against thee, and destroy thee from off the face of the earth.

Heb. In the midst of you, to see and observe all your wayes and your turnings aside to other Gods.

16 Ye shall not tempt the LORD your God as ye tempted him in Massah.

i. e. Not provoke him, as the following instance explains▪ Sinners▪ especially presumptuous sinners, are oft said to tempt God, i. e. to make a tryal of God whether he be what he pretends to be▪ so wise as to see their sins, so just and true and powerful as to take vengeance on them for their sins, concerning which they are very apt to doubt because of the present impunity and prosperity of many such persons. See Numb. 14. 22. Psal. 78. 18. Mat. 4. 7. Acts 5. 9.

Marginal references: Ma[illegible: 1+ letters]. 4. [illegible: 1 word] Luk. 4. 1[illegible: 1+ letters].; Exod. [illegible: 1 word] Numb. [illegible: 1 word]

18 And thou shalt do that which is right and good in the sight of the LORD that it may be well with thee, and that thou mayest go in, and possess the good land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers:

Not that which is right in thine own eyes, as many superstitious and sinful practises seem right and good to evil minded men. Let Gods will and word, and not thine own fancy or invention, be thy rule in Gods service. Good actions are oft said to be right in Gods sight, as Ier. 34. 15. Act. 4. 19. and evil actions are oft said to be right in our own eyes, as Deut. 12. 8. Iudg. 17. 6.

24 And the LORD commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear the LORD our God for our good alwayes, that he might preserve us alive as it is this day.

The benefit of Obedience is ours, not Gods. Iob 35. 7. and therefore our Obedience is highly reasonable, and absolutely necessary.

25 And it shall be our righteousness , if we observe to do all these commandments, before the LORD our God, as he hath commanded us.

Heb. [illegible: 1 word] shall be to us. We shall be owned and pronounced by God to be truly righteous and holy persons, if we sincerely obey him, otherwise we shall be declared to be unrighteous and ungodly persons, and all our profession of Religion will appear to be in Hypocrisie. Or [illegible: 1 word] shall be to us or wit[illegible: 1+ letters] us. For as the Hebrew word rendred [illegible: 1 word] is very oft put for [illegible: 1 word], as Psal. 24. 5. and 36. 10. and 51. 14. Prov. 1[illegible: 1+ letters]. 2. and 11. 4. [illegible: 1 word]. 9. 16, &c. so this sence seem, best to agree both with the Scripture use of this phrase, in which righteousness seldom or never, to my remembrance, but [illegible: 1 word] or [illegible: 1 word] frequently, is said to be to us, or with us, as 2 Sam. 15. 20. Psal. 89. 24. Prov. 14. 22. Gal. 6. 16. 2 Ioh. 3. and with the foregoing verse and argument, God, saith he, v. 24. commanded these things for our good, that he might preserve us alive▪ as it is this day. And, [illegible: 1+ letters]th he in this verse, this is not all, for as he hath done us good, so he will go on to do us more and more good▪ and Gods [illegible: 1 word] shall be to us, or with us in the remainder of our lives, and forever, if we observe, &c.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1 word] 24. 13.; [illegible: 1 word] 1[illegible: 1+ letters]. 5.