Deuteronomy 4:8 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Ver. 8. What nation is there so great, &c.— That which constitutes the principal glory of a nation, is a pure worship, sincerely offered to the true God, and a right administration of justice. Upon this principle, what nation was there so great as that of the Jews? For, though their country was but small, and they were often oppressed by enemies who desired their extirpation; yet they recovered themselves, and kept their laws in their worst condition, when, commonly, they best observed them: insomuch that, as a very learned person of the Church of England long ago observed, after so many changes and alterations as there were in their state, from better to worse, and back again; after so many victories gained by them over others, and so many captivities of their persons, and desolations of their country, as others had wrought;—they continued still one and the same people, governed by the same laws, under several great and potent monarchies; the successive rise and fall of three of which they were preserved to behold; and, in their declining state, were able to stand out a great while against a fourth, the mightiest that ever was on earth, and that, when this monarchy was in its full strength. This is a plain demonstration of the truth of these words of Moses, that no nation was so great as they. See Dr. Jackson on the Creed, Book I. chap. 21: