terrible threatenings and judgments. In drawing near to God, we must never forget his holiness and
greatness, nor our own meanness and pollution. We cannot stand in judgment before him according
to his righteous law. The convinced transgressor asks, What must I do to be saved? and he hears
the voice, Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved. The Holy Ghost, who made
the law to convince of sin, now takes of the things of Christ, and shows them to us. In the gospel
we read, Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us. We have
redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins. Through him we are justified from all
things, from which we could not be justified by the law of Moses. But the Divine law is binding
as a rule of life. The Son of God came down from heaven, and suffered poverty, shame, agony,
and death, not only to redeem us from its curse, but to bind us more closely to keep its commands.
Chapter 20
Chapter Outline
The preface to the ten commandments. (1, 2)
The commandments of the first table. (3–11)
Of the second table. (12–17)
The fear of the people. (18–21)
Idolatry again forbidden. (22–26)Verses 1, 2
God speaks many ways to the children of men; by conscience, by providences, by his voice, to
all which we ought carefully to attend; but he never spake at any time so as he spake the TEN
COMMANDMENTS. This law God had given to man before; it was written in his heart; but sin
so defaced it, that it was necessary to revive the knowledge of it. The law is spiritual, and takes
knowledge of the secret thoughts, desires, and dispositions of the heart. Its grand demand is love,
without which outward obedience is mere hypocrisy. It requires perfect, unfailing, constant
obedience; no law in the world admits disobedience to itself. Whosoever shall keep the whole law,
and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all, Jas 2:10. Whether in the heart or the conduct, in
thought, word, or deed, to omit or to vary any thing, is sin, and the wages of sin is death.
Verses 3–11
The first four of the ten commandments, commonly called the FIRST table, tell our duty to
God. It was fit that those should be put first, because man had a Maker to love, before he had a
neighbour to love. It cannot be expected that he should be true to his brother, who is false to his
God. The first commandment concerns the object of worship, JEHOVAH, and him only. The
worship of creatures is here forbidden. Whatever comes short of perfect love, gratitude, reverence,
or worship, breaks this commandment. Whatsoever ye do, do all the glory of God. The second