Commentary on Genesis and Exodus, Chapter 32 · Doctrines
4. Places of Doctrine.
1. Doct. The Iewes found to be Idolaters as well as the Gentiles.
Vers. 1. VP, make us gods. Rupertus and Ferus following him, note hereupon, that the Jewes sinned as well as the Gentiles: lest they might have insulted over them as the onelyonly Idolaters: Vt tam Iudaeis, quam Graecis os omne obstruatur; That as well the Jewes mouth as the Grecians might bee stopped: as the Apostle saith, Rom. 11.32. God hath shut up all in unbeleefe, that hee might have merci… upon all.
2. Doct. God seeth all things both good and evill.
Vers. 7. THe people have corrupted their wayes. The Lord did behold the vanity of the Israelites, how they had made them a golden Calfe, and sacrificed unto it, and danced about it: according to that saying of the Wise-man, Prov. 15.3. The eyes of the Lord in every place behold the evill and the good: and Iob 11.11. He knoweth vaine men and seeth iniquity, and him that understandeth nothing.
3. Doct. All anger not unlawfull.
Sermon. de ira.Vers. 19. SO Moses wrath waxed hot. Basil upon this example of Moses, who afterward commanded the Levites to put their brethren to the sword, which was not done without an holy anger, inferreth, that ira quando oportet, & ut oportet ex ratione dispensata, &c. anger shewed when and as it ought, and governed by reason, est actionum bonarum ministra, is the instrument of good actions: as hee sheweth further by the example of Phinches against the adulterer and adulteresse, and of Helias against Baals Priests. And hereby Calvin confuteth that paradox of the Stoikes: Omnes animi motus esse viti… sos; That all the motions of the minde are vitious: for this anger of Moses being in zeale towards Gods glorie, and so proceeding from the instinct of Gods Spirit, was a commendable vertue.
4. Doct. All monuments of idolatrie must be removed.
Vers. 20. AFter he tooke the Calfe. Moses here taketh away the occasion of idolatrie, & it a tollit, ut nihil inde relinquatur, and so he taketh it away, that nothing remaineth thereof: So likewise did Ezekiah, that brake downe the brasen Serpent, and Iosias, that demolished all the monuments of idolatrie, Ferus.
5. Doct. Peace not to be had with the wicked.
Gregor. in Pastor. p. 3. cap. 23.Vers. 27. SLay every one his brother, &c. Gregorie hereupon well observeth, that although peace be much to be desired, yet men must take heed, ne consentiendo perversis, ab authoris su… se pace disjungat, lest by consenting unto the wicked, they doe disjoyne themselves from the peace of their Creator, &c. as here the Levites would have no peace with the Idolaters, but put them to the sword. So the Prophet David saith, Psal. 139.21. Did I not hate them O Lord, that hate thee, &c. yea I hate them with a perfect hatred.
6. Doct. To punish, and doe execution upon wicked offenders, no disgrace.
Vers. 29. COnsecrate your hands unto the Lord. They had shed the bloud of their brethren, which had committed idolatry, yet therein did an acceptable service unto God: for they were armed thereunto by the lawfull authority of the Magistrate. Atque hic unus casus est, quo licet privato uti gladio; And this is the only case wherein it is lawfull for a private man to use the sword, when it is given him by the lawfull Magistrate, Ferus. Therefore, Si judex vel tortor es malorum, ne judices te proph…num; If thou art a Judge or tormentor of the wicked, doe not thinke thy selfe thereby prophaned: for it is as acceptable unto God to punish the offenders, as to extoll the righteous, Oleaster. Gedeon commanded his eldest sonne Iether to fall upon the Kings of Midian, and afterward at their request, he did execution with his owne hands, Iudg. 8. So Phinchas ran thorow with his sword the adulterer and adulteresse: Samuel with his owne hands hewed Agag the King of the Amalekites in peeces. It was not then a shamefull or opprobrious thing to be an executioner, as now adayes it is: whereof these two reasons may be given, because such commonly as are used in that service, are lewd persons themselves, and so odious: and men that are evill bent, would not have any punishment inflicted upon sinne, and therefore they hate the very minister of justice. But seeing that God useth as well good Angels as evill in the execution of his judgments; and the place and calling of a Judge is honourable, that giveth sentence upon the wicked, and seeing it is as pleasing to God to punish a wicked person, as to set free the righteous, it cannot be an odious thing in it selfe to be a minister of justice, Simler.
7. Doct. The number of the elect certaine with God.
Vers. 32. TAke me out of the booke. God then hath as it were a booke written, wherein all the names of the elect are contained: whence it may be concluded and inferred, that the number of the elect is certaine with God, and none of them can possibly perish, Piscator: as the Apostle saith, The foundation of God is sure, and hath this seale, the Lord knoweth who are hi…, 2 Tim. 2.19.