Commentary on Genesis and Exodus, Part 2 · Chapter 19 · Questions

Commentary on Genesis and Exodus · Part 2 · Chapter 19 · Questions

p. 2423. The explanation of doubtfull and difficult questions.

QUEST. I. Of what yeere this was the third monethmonth.

Vers. 1. IN the third monethmonth, &c. 1. It is not expressed here, of what yeere this was the third monethmonth. But it is easily gathered, that it was in the first yeere of the departure of the children of Israel out of Egypt: for although the Scripture usually in the computation of time, doth expresse the yeere, as well as the monethmonth: yet sometime the yeere is omitted: when either by the circumstance and under of the story, it may be gathered, as Numb. 20. vers. 1. The first monethmonth is named, but the yeere is omitted, which was the 40. yeere, because the order of the story, and course of time will leade us to that yeere: or else, when as by conference with other places, the yeere may be found out, as seeing Numb. 10.11. they departed from Sinai in the second yeere, and second monethmonth; it must needs be, that they came thither in the third monethmonth of the first yeere. Tostat. 2. For in this place were all those things done, which are described by Moses, in the rest of this booke of Exodus, and in the booke following of Leviticus. Hierom. Which things could not bee done in a short time: therefore they here encamped almost a whole yeere, before they removed.

QUEST. II. What day of the monethmonth the same day was.

THe same day. 1. Some thinke, the same day is named, wherein they came from Rephidim: because they tooke a longer journey than usuall upon that day, even from Rephidim to Sinai. Lippe…. Vatab. 2. Some, because upon that day the three moneths were expired, after their departure out of Egypt. Oleaster. But there were only two moneths expired, and the third now begun. 3. On the same day, that is, the third day, as it was the third monethmonth. Hugo de S. Victor. But upon the third day of the monethmonth was the law given, against which day the people are warned to prepare themselves, vers. 11. 4. The same day then hath relation to the words before, the third monethmonth, or rather the third new moone, when the monethmonth began: for ch…desh doth as well signifie the new moone, as the monethmonth, as 1. Sam. 20.5. to morrow is ch…desh the new moone, which is the first day of the monethmonth: The same day, when it was new moone, when the third monethmonth began. Iun. For of no other day hath the monethmonth the denomination but of the first. Tostat. And because the day is certainly expressed, as is usuall in Scripture, it must needs have reference to the third new moone, rather than monethmonth before spoken of, Piscator. 5. Moses is so diligent to describe the monethmonth and day, when they came to Sinai, because this was the place to the which the Lord called them, and wherein the Law was given, and the Tabernacle erected; and where the Lord entred into a league, and covenant with his people. Ferus.

QUEST. III. Whether this first day of the third monethmonth, were the 47. day from the passeover.

NOw how many dayes this was from the pasch, there are divers opinions: 1. Cajetane thinketh it was the 45. day, counting together 15. dayes remaining of the first monethmonth from the passeover, and 29. of the second, and so the first day of the third monethmonth maketh 45. But beside, that the Hebrewes counted 30. dayes to a monethmonth: by this account, the day of giving the Law, which followed the fourth day after at the furthest, should not be the Pentecost, that is, the 50. day. 2. The most received opinion is, that this was the 47. day from the passeover, accounted thus, 16. dayes remaining of the first monethmonth, 30. of the second, and the first of the third, which make 47. Iun. Simler. Rupertus. But by this reckoning, the day wherein the Law was given, which was the third day after, as some held, as Tostatus, should be but the 49. day: which is generally held of all to be the 50. which is called Pentecost, upon which day the holy Ghost came downe upon the Apostles, that the type and shadow may agree with the substance. To remove this doubt: 1. Some say, that the Law was given on the 49. day; but the tables of stone were delivered upon the 50. Rupertus l. 3. in Exod. c. 23. 2. Some that 49. is counted for 50. Simler. Or that the Law was given, not upon the third day, but the fourth day of the monethmonth: or that 31. dayes must bee reckoned to the second monethmonth. Simler. But the best answer of these is, that the Law was not given before the fourth day of the monethmonth, which was the third day from the time taht the Lord spake to Moses, to sanctifie the people, vers. 10. as shall be further shewed, quest. 16, following. 3. Augustines computation is, that wee must take 17. dayes of the first monethmonth,August. quest. 70. in Exod. because they eat the Passeover upon the 14. day at even, and 30. of the second monethmonth, and three of the third, and so have we full 50. dayes: So account also Gloss. ordinar. Ferus. Saving that they make this first day of the third monethmonth, but the 47. day, which is this last account must bee the 48. for 17. of the first, and 30. of the second monethmonth, make 47. dayes, and then the first day of the third should be the 48. But there remained not 17. dayes of the first monethmonth to be counted, as shall be further declared, quest. 16.

p. 243QUEST. IV. Of the place where they encamped.

Vers. 2. THey came to the desert of Sinai, and encamped, &c. 1. It is not said as before, they came by their journeyes to Rephidim, chap. 17. 1. because they had other stations before, there omitted, as Dopke and Alush: but here they came without any stay, from Rephidim to the desart of Sinai. Tostat. 2. This was the 12. station which the Israelites had after they came out of Egypt. Hiero…. This place was distant from the red sea about 90. miles, so that the Israelites might march some 8. miles a day: which considering their carriages, and their little ones, which went with them, was sufficient for a dayes journey. Simler. 3. There was both the mount Sinai, and the desert of Sinai, which was the region, which lay about Sinai, so called of the mountaine. Lippoman. 4. Whereas they are twice said to have encamped, which the Latine interpreteth by two words, castrametari, to encampe, and tentoria figere, to pitch their tents, though the same word chanah, be repeated in the originall. Some make this difference: that the first encamping was the appointing unto every one his standing places by certaine Officers: and then, according to this designement, they pitched their tents, Tostat. Lyran. But this is more curious than needeth, the reason of this repetition is, because, first the place in generall is described, where they camped, namely, in the wildernesse, secondly, the particular place is designed, they camped before the mount.

QUEST. V. Whether the Israelites encamped on the East side of the mount Sinai.

Vers. 2. THey encamped before the mount. 1. Lyranus thinketh that the Israelites pitched on the East side of the mount: so that the mount it selfe lay Westward from them, that they might bee ready to worship the Lord, descending upon the mount: for the Jewes used to worship toward the West: the Tabernacle being so placed, that the doore was Eastward, and the most holy place toward the West: and the starres in the heavens take their course from the East toward the West, as Nehemiah saith, All the host of heaven worshipped thee, Nehem. 9.6.

But this opinion of Lyranus is confuted by Burgens. and Tostatus: their reasons are these: 1. The people when they came to mount Sinai, did not know, whether the Lord would appeare in any such visible manner as he did; and therefore it is not like, they did so dispose themselves, or to such an end. Tostat. 2. The Israelites indeed did worship toward the West, when they were in the Tabernacle; but when they were out of the Tabernacle, which was pitched in the middest of the campe, then they all worshipped toward the Tabernacle, whether it were East or West, otherwise some should have turned their backes upon it. So before the Tabernacle was set up, when Moses went unto his Tabernacle, all the people worshipped at their tent doores, Exod. 33.10. but all their tent doores could not open one way toward the West. Tostat. 3. The Israelites in captivity worshipped toward Jerusalem, as Daniel opened his window that way, which was Southward from Babylon, and Babylon lay North from Jerusalem. Tostat. And wheresoever the Jewes are at this day thorow Europe, they worship toward Jerusalem. Burgens. And Salomon prayeth, that when the people went to battell, and prayed toward the house of God, that the Lord would heare them, 1. King. 8.44. But being abroad in battell, the Temple could not be alwayes Westward from them. 4. Beside, though at other times they prayed toward the West, yet wheresoever they saw any visible presence of Cod, they were notwithstanding their usuall custome, to turne themselves that way. Tostatus.

2. Tostatus opinion then is, that they pitched on the South side of mount Sinai, because they came from Egypt, which lay Southward from mount Sinai. 3. But the more probable opinion is, that they lay in circuit and compasse about the mount, as Paul. Burgens. That they might the better heare and see what was done: as the Lord saith to Moses, That the people may heare, while I talke with thee, vers. 9. And Moses is commanded to set markes for the people round about the hill, vers. 12. so that it seemeth the campe of Israel compassed the mountaine, though not round about, yet on more sides than one. But here Mathias Thoring the Replier against Burgensis, taketh this exception, that the host of Israel could not lye about mount Sinai: because on the one end toward Egypt, the hill is continued, and Iosephus maketh Horeb a part of it; and on the other side some thinke, that mount Sinai is extended even unto the Land of promise, because of the Apostles words: Sinai mons est in Arabia, & conjunctus est ei, qua nunc est Ierusalem: Sinai is a mountaine in Arabia, and is joyned unto that which is now Ierusalem: Galath. 4.25. So the Replier, Repl. in 19. cap. Exod.

Contra. 1. We grant that the hilly tract, where Sinai is situate, reacheth a long way toward Egypt, and is called Horeb: but Sinai was an high hill over all the rest, of such an height, as that they could scarce see to the top of it, as Iosephus writeth, lib. 3. cap 4. This need bee no let, but that some part of the host might incampe on that side toward Egypt, though it were somewhat hilly: and admit they did not; this maketh only against Tostatus opinion, that thinketh they incamped all on the South side toward Egypt: they might lye round about on the other sides, the South side only excepted. 2. That Sinai is not continued unto the land of Canaan, it is evident by all mappes and descriptions of that country: the word foreign ▪ which the Apostle useth, signifieth the answering or correspondencie of Sinai, unto the earthly Jerusalem, in that allegory, which the Apostle maketh, not any conjunction, in situation. And so the Replier is answered.

QUEST. VI. How Moses is said to goe up unto God.

Vers. 3. MOses went up unto God, &c. 1. Some thinke that Moses went aside to give himselfe to prayer and meditation, as he was wont. Calvin. But this phrase of going up unto God, sheweth, that this was some extraordinary calling of Moses unto that place. 2. Others thinke that Moses went up p. 244into this mount uncalled, because there the Lord sometime appeared before in the fiery bush, and had appointed that to be the place, where they should sacrifice unto him: and therefore Moses went up to the mountaine, but not to the top of the mountaine, remembring that hee was before reproved for approching so neare. Lyran. Tostat. 3. But it is more likely, that Moses for the same reason went not up into the mount, till the Lord called him, because of the reverence of the place; and so the words are to be read. For the Lord had called him. Simler. Genevens. So also Oleaster. And then, hee is said to goe up to God: not because it was the mountaine where God had appeared. Vatab. Or because there was the cloud, or some visible signe of Gods presence. Simler. But for that he heard Gods voice calling unto him from the top of the hill: Quamvis nulla species sensibilis scribatur apparens in monte, ipsa tamen vocatio, &c. Although no sensible shew is written to have appeared in the mountaine, yet the very calling of God put Moses in hope there to find God. Cajetan.

QUEST. VII. Why both these names of Iacob and Israel are joyned together.

Vers. 3. THou shalt thus say to the house of Iacob, and tell the children of Israel, &c. 1. Hee calleth them the house or family of Iacob, because as one house is to the master and father of the house, so all that people were in respect of Iacob. Tostat. They had all their beginning out of that family. 2. He calleth them the house of Iacob, rather than of Abraham, or Izak. because they had each of them but two sonnes, nay in effect but one sonne a piece, because the other were not counted their seede: which were not sufficient to make a family, but Iacob had 12. sonnes. Oleaster. 3. Both these names are joyned together, Iacob, and Israel: to shew, that as the first was Iacobs naturall and originall name, the other was given him by grace, so there were two sorts of Israelites, those, which were such only after the flesh, others that were true Israelites according to promise. Simler. And that as Iacob had that name of supplanting, and Israel for prevailing with God, so they should seeke to be answerable to both these names in supplanting of vice, and being strong with God. Ferus. And as Israel was a name given of God, so they bearing this name, should assure themselves, they were the people of God.

QUEST. VII. How the Lord is said to carry them upon Eagles wings.

Vers. 4. I Carried you upon Eagles wings, &c. 1. Some by these two wings understand Moses and Aaron, by whom the people were led: Gloss. interlinear. but Moses and Aaron themselves were carried upon these Eagles wings. 2. Some understand the two Testaments: Gloss. ordinar. but they as yet had received neither of the Testaments. 3. Therefore hereby is metaphorically described, the singular protection of this people, and their mighty defence: and in divers respects: 1. In respect of their speedy deliverance, that all of them in one day, being such a great multitude, came out of Egypt, which was an admirable thing. Cajetan. 2. In that they passed many difficulties, in going thorow the red Sea, in travelling thorow the wildernesse: they went thorow all these hazards and difficulties, as though they had beene carried upon Eagles wings: Tostat. 3. The Hebrewes here write, that the Eagle taketh her young ones, and carrieth them upon her backe, whereas other birds carry them in their talants, whereby the Lord shewed his love: Genevens. and their safe and secure defence: that they were extra omnem teli jactum, without the compasse of all danger. Tostat. Lippom. But this conjecture of the Eagles carrying her young ones upon her shoulders, frivolum videtur, seemeth to be of no great credit; Calvin: fictitium &c. it may be thought to be fained: Oleaster. The Eagle is said to beare them on her wings, because, when the young ones begin to fly, shee doth support them with her wings, lest they should fall: Oleaster. and she soareth with them aloft, using them to flie against the Sunne. Calvin. And so the meaning is, that as the Eagle supporteth and protecteth her young ones, while they flie aloft, that no danger can come neere them: so the Lord protected his people. 4. And as the Eagle stirreth her nest, and provoketh the young to fly, and defendeth them in flying, when she changeth her place and nest: so the Lord transported and removed his people, stirred them out of their uncleane nest in Egypt, to bring them to Canaan. Oleaster. As Moses setteth forth this similitude at large, Deut. 32.11. As an Eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her birds, stretcheth out her wings, taketh them and beareth them on her wings. 5. And as the Eagle taketh her young ones aloft: sic Deus eduxit eos elevatos in filios Dei: So God tooke them, advanced or lifted up to bee the sonnes of God: and as the Eagle from aloft defendeth her young ones, so God de superna nube pugnavit pro eis: did from the cloud above fight for his people. Cajetan.

QUEST. VIII. How they are said to be the Lords chiefe treasure.

Vers. 4. YE shall be my chiefe treasure, &c. 1. The word is segulah, which signifieth a speciall and peculiar treasure above the rest: as that is called peculium which the sonne and heire of the house hath of his owne, beside the right of his fathers inheritance, which he may dispose of as he thinketh good: so the meaning is this, that although the whole earth be the Lords by the right of creation, yet this people should have a speciall interest in God before all other. Tostat. 2. Beside, the Lord had given unto them his law, as to no other people in the world, which he had committed unto them as a chiefe and principall treasure. Vatab. 3. And herein as the Lord sheweth what prerogative they had over other people: so thereby is signified how deare and precious they were in the sight of God: Vos veluti populum quendam eximium mihi consecravi: I have consecrated you to my selfe as an excellent people. Theodoret.

p. 245QUEST. IX. How they are said to be a kingdome of Priests.

Vers. 5. YE shall be unto me a kingdome of Priests. 1. That as the Levites and Priests were chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, to bee peculiar unto the Lord for his service: so the Lord had chosen the seede of Abraham out of all the nations of the world. Theodoret. 2. Or as the Priests did specially attend the service of God, so the people of Israel should all be as Priests, in respect of other nations, addicted to the worship of the true God. Tostat. So that all other kingdomes were but profane in respect of them. 3. Hereby also is signified their principality above other nations, as Priests were reverenced and honoured of all; and the speciall care which God had of them, as they themselves had seene in Egypt, how the Priests were reverenced of all, and maintained out of the common Treasury. Cajetan. 4. The Chalde readeth, yee shall be Kings and Priests, that is, they should under the regiment and kingdome of God, be as Kings: Quia nullum optabilius, & felicius regnum, quam nos Deo subjicere: Because there is no more happy kingdome, than to subject our selves unto God. Calv. for God was their King, as the Lord saith to Samuel, They have not cast thee off, but cast me off, that I should not reigne over them. Cajet. 5. They are also said to be a kingdome of Priests, because Christ was to bee borne of that nation both King and Priest:5. Sam. 8.7. Ferus; which his spirituall kingdome and priesthood by faith is communicated to his members: whom he hath made Kings in subduing sinne and Satan, and Priests in offering spirituall sacrifices unto God: as S. Peter expoundeth, and applieth this place, 1. Pet. 2. Cajetan. Lippoman. 6. Oleaster bringeth foure interpretations of these words: 1. That they should be a kingdome governed by Priests: for the Lord was angry that the people had cast off the government of Samuel. But it was never the Lords meaning, that Levi should have the civill government of his people, though some of Levi were extraordinarily raised up, as Moses, Samuel, to judge his people, because the scepter was promised to Iudah, Gen. 49.10. 2. The word cohanim may be translated, Princes, as well as Priests, and then the meaning is, they should all bee as Princes, that is, subject to none but unto God▪ But it is not like that two words of like signification should be put together, as Kingdome and Princes: therefore the other sense, of Priests is here more fit. 3. They should be a kingdome of Priests, that is, all of them addicted and devoted to the service of God, as if they were all Priests. 4. Or they should be an holy people in respect of other nations: and in comparison of them as Priests. These two last senses are most fit, and agreeable to the rest before alleaged.

QUEST. X. By what reasons the Lord perswadeth the people and why.

Vers. 8. ANd the people answered. 1. Thus by these perswasions before propounded, the Lord thought good to winne the obedience and hearts of the people: for seeing the Lord was to impose upon them a law: & lex est quoddam onus, and the law is a certaine burthen: for where a law is set, the will of man is limited, which man naturally desireth to be left free: and therefore it was requisite that the people should be thus prepared to obedience: Tostat. quaest. 2. 2. The Lord perswadeth them partly with the commemoration of benefits past, their deliverance out of Egypt, and their protection in the wildernesse, which is set forth by an elegant similitude taken from the Eagle, which supporteth her young ones with her wings: partly with the promise of future blessings, that they should be a peculiar people to himselfe. Simler. 3. Then whereas men naturally partim fastu & altitudine turgent, partim securitate torpent: partly doe swell with pride and haughtinesse, partly grow slothfull by security: Calvin. These perswasions as soveraigne medicines doe meet with both these inconveniences: the remembrance of Gods benefits doth serve to abate their pride, that they should not ascribe their deliverance to themselves: the promise of further blessings would provoke them not to bee idle. 4. If the remembrance of these temporall benefits was so effectuall toward them; how much more ought wee to remember, Quod nos abundantiore gratia liberatos à peccatis nostris, portavit Deus, homo factus, &c. That God made man hath deliverd us by more abundant grace from our sinnes, and carried us unto mount Sion to the celestiall Ierusalem? &c. Rupertus.

QUEST. XI. Whether the people unfainedly here promise obedience.

Vers. 8. ALl that the Lord hath commanded, will wee doe. 1. It seemeth, that at this present, the people had a good desire and full intent to keepe all the commandements of God: for otherwise the Lord would not have commended them: thus saying, Deut. 5.28. I have heard the voice of the words of this people, which they have spoken unto thee: they have well said, all that they have spoken: O that there were such an heart in them to feare me, and keepe my commandements alway. The Lord would not both for the present have approved their saying, and wished a continuance of their disposition, if it had not proceeded from a good affection. Tostat. quaest. 3. Nec eos quicquam simulasse credibile est: It is not credible or like, that they dissembled at this time. Calvin. 2. But although this their readinesse to obey, were not without the motion of the spirit of God: in plaeris que tamen temporariam fuisse promptitudinem, &c. yet that it was but a temporary promptitude, a willingnesse for a time in the most of them, their doings, which followed, declare. Simler. So their first fault here committed is their frailty and inconstancy: Propensus est populus, sed fragilis & inconstans: The people seeme to bee ready, yet fraile and inconstant: Pellican. Caro solet multa promittere, nihil praestar…: The flesh useth to promise much, and performe nothing. Ferus. So that herein appeareth their temerity and rashnesse, that promise great things as Peter did: Sic fac…unt, qui propri…s confidunt viribus: As all they doe, which trust in their owne strength. Lippoman. 3. And seeing the people doe of themselves vow obedience to the law: they afterward are most justly punished for the transgression of the law, quasi v…ti rei, as breakers of their vow and promise made unto God. Gloss. ordinar.

p. 246QUEST. XII. How the Lord is said to come in the thicke cloud, when, and in what thicke cloud it was.

Vers. 9. LOe I come unto thee in a thicke cloud. 1. Before the Lord came and appeared in the cloud, but not to this end, to speake to Moses in the hearing of the people, and to give them a law: for before the people had promised their obedience the Lord would thrust upon them a law, against their willes. Tostat. 2. Some thinke that presently the Lord came to Moses in a thicke cloud: Intelligend… absque omni haesitatione est: It must be understood without any deferring. Cajetan. But the cloud came not presently: for the Lord thus spake to Moses upon the first or second day: the cloud came not before the third day, vers. 16. Tostat. And when the cloud appeared, the Lord talked with Moses out of the cloud: but that was not before the third day. 3. Neither is it like that this thicke cloud was the cloudy piller, which used to goe before the host: as the Septuagint reade, foreign, in the piller of the cloud: and so the Chalde also: for this cloud was major & densi…r, both greater and thicker, for it covered all the moun… and by way of distinction it is called a thicke cloud. Lippoman. 4. In that he calleth it a thicke cloud, quadrat patefactionibus veteris testamenti, &c. it agreeth to the revelations of the old Testament. Simler. Tunc cum Deus in caligine apparuit, id est, in umbrae & figuri…: For then the Lord appeared in a darke cloud, that is, in shadowes and figures. Ferus. 5. Beside hereby is shewed, quod in praesenti non habemus nisi cognitionem anigmaticam in divinis: That in this present world wee have but a darke knowledge in divine things: as the Apostle saith, Now wee see thorow a glasse darkly, 1. Cor. 13.12. Lyran. 6. But God is said in Scripture to come, metaphorically: Sicut sol dicitur intrare domum, vel exire: As the sunne is said to come into the house, or goe out, when his beames only enter: so God is said to come, per influentiam bonitatis, by the influence of his goodnesse, and by illuminating the minde: as here he commeth to Moses. Lippom. ex Thoma.

QUEST. XIII. Why the Lord talketh with Moses in the hearing of the people.

THat the people may heare while I talke with thee. 1. The Lord then spake not to the people out of the mount, but he spake to Moses in the hearing of the people, as vers. 19. it is said, Moses spake, and God answered him by voice: for God spake to Moses to this end, that hee might get him credit and authority with the people, which could not have beene, if the Lord had spoken to all the people. Tostat. 2. Beside, here is a difference made betweene the Lords speaking to Moses now, and afore time: for then hee spake unto him secretly, but now in the audience of the people. Lippo. 3. And whereas before God had confirmed Moses authority with miracles, so now hee would by a more certaine way give him authority in speaking to him by his owne voice in the hearing of others: for there may bee false miracles, as it is said, Antichrist shall come with lying signes, 2. Thes. 2. But when God himselfe speaketh there can be no errour, or doubt: Tostat. 4. The makers of lawes among the Heathen to winne credit to their lawes, have imagined the Gods to be the authors of them: as Minos ascribed the Cretensian lawes to Iupiter: Lycurgus the Lacedemonian lawes to Apollo: Zoroastres the Bactrian lawes to Cramaeses: Zamulxis the Scythian lawes to Vesta. But those were onelyonly devices. This Law-giver Moses, most certainely received his lawes from Iehovah: Borrh. 5. And in that it is said, that they may beleeve thee for ever, God would not, ad breve tempus fidem servo suo Mosi adstruere, &c. God would not for a short time only get credit unto Moses: but that they might also beleeve him being dead: Calvin.

QUEST. XIV. Why Moses is said twice to have reported the peoples words unto God.

Vers. 9. FOr Moses had told the words of the people to the Lord. Whereas it is said also before, That Moses reported the words of the people to the Lord, vers. 8. 1. Some thinke this to be a repetition of the same thing, which is usual in Scripture. Tostat. But the Scripture useth no needlesse repetitions, such as this should seeme to be, if it were a bare iteration of the same thing. 2. Some thinke the sentence is transposed, and that both these clauses should be put together: Moses told the words of the people to the Lord: And when Moses had reported the words of the people, &c. Hug. de S. Victor. But this were to teach the spirit of God to speake. 3. Cajetan will have the first not to be Moses relation, but onelyonly Moses returning or intendment to report unto God the words of the people: but that, Moses was Praeoccupatus à Deo, antequam relationem faceret: Moses was prevented of God, before he made relation. But the words of the text are against this exposition, for in the first place it is said, that Moses did report their words, as it is expressed afterward. 4. Therefore the last clause is better thus read, in the pleterpluperfect tense: for Moses had reported. Simler. Genevens. Or, after Moses had reported: so that this is the meaning: that when Moses had related their words unto God, then the Lord thus spake to Moses. 5. And Moses declareth the peoples words unto God, not as though the Lord was ignorant: Sed ut bona voluntas populi tanquam Deo placita praesentetur: But that the good mind of the people should bee presented unto God, as pleasing unto him. Lyran. And herein Moses shewed his good affection, Gaudet de profectu populi, &c. As a good Prince hee rejoyced to see the people profit. Ferus.

QUEST. XV. Why they are bidden to wash their garments.

Vers. 10. SAnctifie them, and let them wash their cloathes. 1. This washing of the garments, though in it selfe it was of no force to sanctification, yet it had a double profitable use: pertinuit ad disciplinam, &c. it belonged to the externall discipline, to shew their reverence in the presence of God. Siml. As it is noted for a contempt, to come with filthy garments before a great man. Tostat. Beside, it was Symb…lum interna sanctificationis, it was A symbole of their inward sanctification. Simler. Ex his enim intelligere p. 247poterant multo magis mentem expurgari debere, &c. For hereby they might understand, that their minde was much more to be purged. Theodoret. 2. Beside, admonendi erant suae impuritatis: They were to be admonished of their impurity. Simler. That they should remember how they had beene defiled and polluted with the idolatry, and other corruptions of Egypt: As Iacob, being to go up to build an Altar in Bethel, doth purge his family, and biddeth them cast away their strange Gods, and change their garments. Tostat. quaest. 5. 3. But why they are not bid to change their garments, as Iacob spake to his houshold, but onelyonly to wash them, these two reasons may be yeelded: because in Iacobs family there were not many, and he was rich, and his servants might have change of rayment: but the Israelites were many, and among them divers poore, that had not double rayment. Tostat. quaest. 6. Beside, the Israelites garments did not wax old all the time of their travell in the wildernesse: therefore the Lord would not have these garments changed, that therein they might have experience of the power and providence of God, that watched over them. Lyran. quaest. 8.

QUEST. XVI. Whether this were the third day of the monethmonth when the law was given.

Vers. 11. LEt them bee ready on the third day, &c. 1. The opinion of some of the Rabbines is, that this was not the 3. day of the monethmonth, but the 6. day: and the third from that time, when the Lord thus spake to Moses: for they say that upon the first day of the monethmonth, Moses went up to God, and received that message to bee delivered to the people, and came downe the same day and stayed the next and reported not the answer of the people untill the 3. day. R. Salom. Lyran. Cajetanus is of the same opinion, that the first day of the monethmonth, was but the 45. day after their departure out of Egypt, and that the Lord upon the 48. day, bid the people to bee ready against the third day after. Contra. But this is not like, for this would have shewed great negligence in Moses, if he should have stayed so long, before hee delivered the peoples minde to the Lord, seeing mount Sinai was so neere unto the host. 2. Some thinke that it was the third of the monethmonth, and that it hath relation to the first day mentioned, vers. 1. Tostat. quaest. 10. Gloss. ordin. Ferus. But this cannot stand neither: for both Ferus, and Gloss. interlin. doe make the first day of the monethmonth but the 47. day: then the third day wherein the law was given, was but the 49. day: but the day wherein the law was given, is held of all to bee the Pentecost, the 50. day. Some to take away this doubt, would borrow 17. dayes of the first monethmonth, and 30. of the next, and 3. of the third: and so the publishing of the law shall fall out upon the 50. day: So Augustine, Gloss. ordin. But there remained only 16. dayes of the first monethmonth to be counted, the Passeover being kept upon the 14. day at even: therefore they cannot make their reckoning of 17. dayes remaining in that monethmonth: and to account 31. dayes unto the next monethmonth, as some doe, it was against the custome of the Hebrewes. 3. Therefore it must thus be, that on the first day of the monethmonth, when the host was come into the wildernesse o… Sinai, Moses went up to the Lord, and came downe with the message to the people: and then the next day went up with the peoples answer unto God: for it is not like that all the host came thither, and Moses went up, and came downe, and propounded the Lords words to the Elders, and they to the people, and received their answer, and returned the same, all upon one day. And Cajetanes conceit herein is not to be refused: that, because the Lord saith, To day and to morrow sanctifie them, Insinuatur, quod haec dicta fuerint man…: It is insinuated, that this was said in the morning. This then was spoken upon the second day in the morning▪ and the third day from thence was the law given, which was not the third, but the fourth day of the monethmonth. Iun. Simler. Rupertus also agreeth, that the first day of the third monethmonth was the 47. day after the Passeover, and that the fourth day after, which was the 50. day, Moses received the tables of the law: but herein he differeth, that the thicke cloud, with the thunder and the lightning, were seene and heard the day before, which was the 49. But it is evident by the text, that upon the third day was the voice of the Lord heard talking with Moses, vers. 19.

QUEST. XVII. Whether the 15. day of the monethmonth were one of the fifty which went before the giving of the Law.

BUt here ariseth another doubt, whether in the computation of these 50. dayes after the Passeover, the next day after they had eaten the paschall lambe, be included in that number, or that there were fifty dayes beside. 1. Some doe hold that the 15. day, being the morrow after the Pasch, must bee excluded, because afterward in the law of the Pentecost, they began the account of seven weekes upon the 16. day, the morrow after the Sabbath, or first solemne day of the Passeover: as is further to be seene, Lev. 23.11. and then after seven weekes complete, the which make 49. dayes, the next day which was the 50. was the day of Pentecost. Cajetan. But it is not necessary, that this first 50. day should be accounted after that rule, excluding the morrow after the Passeover: as it may appeare partly by the text: When yee bee come into the land which I shall give you, vers. 10. that law is made to bee kept after they were come to Canaan: and the reason of this alteration was, because they were to begin the account of the seven weekes from that day, wherein they first put the sickle into the corne, whereof they should bring a sheafe to shake before the Lord, Deut. 16.9. which could not be done upon the first day of unleavened bread, it being a solemne day, and of the nature of a Sabbath, wherein they were to doe no servile worke. Levit. 23.7. Rupertus here agreeth, that the Pentecost was not yeerely kept the just fiftith day after the Passeover, as the law was given the fiftith day after the Passeover. But herein he is deceived, that upon what day soever the Passeover fell in the weeke, they did expect the morrow after the next Sabbath, when they were to bring in their sheafe, and then beginne to count their seven weekes: for herein is his errour, he taketh the Sabbath there spoken of, Levit. 23.10. for the seventh day of rest, where it is understood to be the first day of unleavened p. 248bread,Rupert. lib. 3. in Exod. cap. 24.Exod 24 which was a solemne day of rest, as the Sabbath was, Iun. Borrh. And by the way, Rupertus in the same place slippeth in another point, Prima dies azymorum Iudaeis in quintam feriam illo anno evenit: The first day of unleavened happened to the Iewes that yeere, upon the fifth day of the weeke. For true it is, that our blessed Saviour did eat the Passeover according to the law, upon the 14. day, which was as our Thursday at even: but the Jewes following a tradition of their owne, to avoid the concurrence of two Sabbath dayes,Whether our Saviour with his Disciples and the Iewes kept the Passeover together. did put off the eating of the Passeover, untill the 15. day of the monethmonth at even, which was the sixth day of the weeke, because the next day was the Sabbath: for if they had eat the Passeover, when Christ did eat it with his Disciples, then the next day should have beene kept holy, neither were they to doe any worke therein: but upon that day they put Christ to death, which could not be done without more than servile labour in carrying the crosse, and nailing Christ unto it, and such like: beside, the text saith, they would not put Christ to death upon the feast day, lest there should bee some tumult among the people,Synops. controv. 13. qu. 4. Mark. 14.2. But this point is elsewhere handled more at large, whither I referre the Reader.

2. Some againe, as Cajetane before excludeth the 15. day of the monethmonth, out of the number of the 50. dayes: so they include and take in, both the 14. and 15. dayes; borrowing 17. dayes of the first monethmonth, to make up the summe of 50. Augustine, Ferus, Gloss. ordinar. as is shewed before, quest. 16. But this account cannot bee admitted: for thus should they begin the 50. dayes both before the Passeover was eaten, which was upon the 14. day at even, whereas they must be accounted from the Passeover; and before they were delivered and went out of Egypt, whereas the Pentecost was kept in remembrance of their deliverance out of the servitude, and hard bondage of Egypt, as the reason of the institution thereof is yeelded, Deut. 16.12. Thou shalt remember, that thou wast a servant in Egypt, therefore thou shalt observe and doe these ordinances.

3. Wherefore this remaineth, as the most probable, that the 15. day of the monethmonth, the next day after they had eaten the pasch, was the first day of the fifty, howsoever in the anniversary Pentecost, afterward there were some innovation. Iun. Piscat. Simler. And that for these reasons: 1. Because this was the day of their deliverance, and going out of Egypt, from the which they count their moneths and dayes, chap. 16.1. 2. And againe, this first day of unleavened bread, was not in respect of the present necessity and occasion, of their sudden departure out of Egypt, kept a solemne festivall day, as afterward, wherein they were to doe no servile worke. This being then the first day of the fifty, there are to bee accounted 16. dayes of the first monethmonth, and 30. of the second; so the first of the third monethmonth falleth out to bee the 47. and the 50. day was the fourth of the monethmonth.

4. I cannot here omit the mysticall application of Rupertus, of these three dayes of sanctification and preparation prescribed to the people, which he wil have to signifie, that sanctification of Christ in his death and passion, and buriall, Quam consummavit die tertia: Which he finished upon the third day: of the which sanctification our Saviour speaketh,Rupert. lib. 3. in …od. cap. 28. when he saith, Fer their sakes doe I sanctifie my selfe, Ioh. 17.

QUEST. XVIII. How the Apostles Pentecost, and the Iewes Pentecost, fell out all upon one day.

HEre further it will be enquired, how the Apostles Pentecost, which was 50. dayes from Christs resurrection inclusively, and the Jewes Pentecost which was 50. dayes from the Passeover exclusively, that is, not reckoning the morrow after the Pasch, which was the first solemne day of the feast, according to the law, Levit. 23.10. would fall out together on the same day.

1. Here Rupertus hitteth upon the right answer in generall: that the same day, wherein Christ rose againe, the Jewes brought in their bundle or sheafe to be shaken before the Lord: which bundle of their first fruits, did prefigure Christ, the first fruits of the dead, who also in the Canticles is called fasciculus myrrhae, a bundle of myrrh, Cantic. 1.12. From this day of shaking the sheafe, the Jewes began to count seven weekes complete, which is 49. dayes, and then the next day was the Pentecost, which was the 50. So 50. dayes from the resurrection of Christ (including also that day) came downe the holy Ghost upon the Apostles, by the which the will of God is written in our hearts, as here the law of God was written in tables of stone. Thus far Rupertus proceedeth well.

2. But his mistaking is in this partly touched before: where the law prescribeth that they should begin to account the seven weekes from the morrow of the Sabbath, Levit. 23.10. he understandeth this of the seventh day only, that they were to expect the next Sabbath day after the Pasch, and the morrow after to begin their account of seven weekes: By which meanes a great errour would fall out, that if the Passeover fell out upon the first day of the weeke, there would be not onelyonly seven, but eight weekes betweene the Passeover, and Pentecost, which was against the meaning of the law. By the Sabbath therefore in this place, is not precisely meant the Sabbath day, but that solemne day of rest, which was the 15. day of the monethmonth, which was commanded as strictly to be kept as the Sabbath, without doing any worke therein: and therefore it is better translated, Postridie cessationis: The next day after that solemne rest, then the next day or morrow after the Sabbath. Iun. But yet at this time when our blessed Saviour rose againe, this day of shaking the sheafe, fell out the morrow of the seventh and Sabbath day, but not according to Rupertus rule, but by this occasion: This yeere wherein Christ the true Passeover was sacrificed, the first solemne day was the 15. then followed the Sabbath, which was the 16. day: wherein because they were forbidden to doe any worke, they could not that day put the fickle into the corne, as is prescribed, Deut. 16.4. And therefore in such cases, they put it off, till the next day following the Sabbath.

p. 249QUEST. XIX. How the Lord is said here to descend.

Vers. 11. THe third day the Lord will come downe. Three wayes this terme of descending is used in Scripture, when mention is made of God, or his Angels: 1. It is attributed unto God improperly: for he being an infinite essence cannot be contained in any place: as that which is of infinite quantity and magnitude cannot goe from place to place, because it occupieth all places. So neither can God, who is of an infinite and incomprehensible nature, either ascend, or descend. Therefore when God is said to descend, it must not be understood properly, sed quantum ad aliquam demonstrationem effectus in aliquae parte orbis, &c. But in respect of the demonstration of some effect in some part of the world, where God did not manifest himselfe before. Tostat. Descendere Deus dicitur, quando aliquod novum, quod antea non fuerit, in humana creatura operatur: God is said to descend, when hee worketh some new and strange thing in the humane creature, which was not before. Eucherius. As the holy Ghost is said to descend upon Christ, because of that demonstration, and representation in the likenesse of a Dove, which lighted upon Christ: and here the Lord descendeth in a thick cloud. 2. Christ also is said to descend from heaven: secundum idiomatum communionem: because of the unity of his person, and mutuall communicating of the properties of his nature: whereas his Godhead could not properly descend: but it is said so to doe, propter humanam naturam assumptam, in respect of the humane nature, which hee had assumed. Tostat. 3. These two are improper kindes of descending: but Angels may be said properly to descend, because they are finite spirits, and so, although nullum occupent, locum sibi tamen definiunt: though they occupy no place, yet they are defined and limited in a place: so that when they are present in one part of the world, at the same instant they cannot bee in another. Tostatus will have the descending here spoken of to bee of this third kinde, because hee thinketh, that the law was not given by God himselfe, but by an Angell representing Gods person, and speaking in his name: which is his errour, that now followeth in the next place to bee discussed.

QUEST. XX. Whether Iehovah Christ Iesus appeared not in the old Testament, but only, or usually the Angels.

TOstatus opinion is, that this was not the Lord himselfe that came downe in this thicke cloud in the mount, but an Angell in the person of God. And he hath beside these positions concerning the apparition of Angels in the old Testament:

1. Not only in this place but in all other, where any act is said to be done by God; we must understand that the Angels did it: Nisi sit talis actus, qui excedit potentiam creatam: Vnlesse it be such an act which exceedeth the power of a creature.

2. The reason why notwithstanding God is said to doe those things, though they were performed by the Angels: is, lest the Hebrewes hearing that the Angels wrought such great workes for them, as in bringing them out of Egypt, in giving them the law, and such like, should have worshipped the Angels as authors of these benefits. As in like manner the Heathen made them Gods, that had beene meanes to bestow some benefit: as Minervae for the invention of divers arts, Ceres in Grecia, for finding out the art of measuring: Saturne in Italy, for teaching of husbandry: Phoebus for soothsaying; Aesculapius for Physicke.

3. Yet sometime the Angels are said to doe those acts, when as either they are but small matters, and not such admirable or great workes as when the Angel appeared to send Hagar home againe to her mistresse, which was no great matter: and when the Angels were sent to destroy Sodome, which was no admirable thing to destroy a City: or when the worke, though it be a great worke, concerne but a private person, and not the whole nation, as when the Angell came to purifie the Prophet Isayes lips, Isay 6.

4. Yet sometime God is said to doe those things, which were not in themselves so great, because the persons were but weake, with whom the Lord had to deale, for the strengthning of their faith.

5. Sometime great workes are said to be done by the Angels, but then mention is made also of God in the same place: as in the vision of Iacobs ladder, the Angels are said to ascend and descend, but God stood upon the top of the ladder.

6. And though while yet the Hebrewes were weake, and as it were in their nonage, the greater workes done by Angels are ascribed unto God: yet afterward, Cum Hebraicus populus in cognitione Dei firmior factus est: When the Hebrew people were more confirmed in the knowledge of God. Angelus illa magnalia, qu… ad Deum pertinebant, se fecisse dicebat: The Angell is said to doe those things, which appertained unto God, as Iudg. 2. the Angell of the Lord, &c. said, I made you to goe up out of Egypt.

7. But concerning the law, it was given by Angels, as the Apostle sheweth, Galath. 3. they made the thunder, and caused the voices in the mount, they wrought the wonders in Egypt, and brought out the people thence, and conducted them in the wildernesse. To this effect Tostat. quaest. 6. & 7.

Contra. All these are untrue and uncertaine positions, as shall be shewed in their order.

1. S. Stephen saith, that the God of glory appeared unto Abraham in Mesopotamia, and bid him come out of his country, Act. 7.2. This was a matter, which exceeded not the power of an Angell, to bid Abraham to goe out of his country: yet was it done by the Lord himselfe, and not by an Angell: for an Angell without blasphemy cannot be said to be the God of glory. Againe, to appeare in the likenesse of a flame of fire in a bush, and the bush not consumed, is not an impossible worke to a created Angell: yet it was God himselfe even Christ the Sonne of God, that so appeared: for he is called the God of Abraham, the God of Izhak, Exod. 3.6. which could bee no Angell. And Moses pronouncing a blessing p. 250upon Ioseph, saith, The good will of him that dwelt in the bush, shall come upon the head of Ioseph, Deut. 33. 16. but God only hath the power and authority of blessing: as Iakob also saith concerning Ioseph: By the God of thy father who shall helpe thee, Tostatus his reasons answered.and by the Almighty, who shall blesse thee, Gen. 44.24. To blesse then belongeth properly, and originally (for ministerially wee deny not, but that both Angels and men may blesse) to him that is able to effect the blessing, but so doth only the Almighty, to whom nothing is impossible. But Angels are not omnipotent, or Almighty: It was God therefore, and not an Angell, that appeared in the bush. Now then by these places given in instance it is evident, that some things said to be done by God in the Scriptures, not exceeding the power of Angels, were so done by the Lord himselfe, and not by the Angels. And so the first position of Tostatus faileth.

2. Neither is that a good reason, why in the rehearsall of the great workes the name of the Angels is concealed, and they are ascribed unto God, lest the Hebrewes might have worshipped the Angels, as their patrones, and authors of those benefits: 1. Because there is no such danger, when as the Angels doe shew themselves to be but the ministers and messengers of God, and speake in the name of God: As Lot could make a difference betweene the Angels, who were but Gods ministers, as they say, Iehovah hath sent us to destroy the City, Gen. 19.13. and Iehovah himselfe, to whom Lot afterward turneth himselfe, vers. 19. Not so my Lord, &c. whereas speaking before to the Angels, he calleth them Lords in the plurall. 2. Rather by this meanes, if the Angels did the workes, and the Scripture saith God did them: they ignorantly should have worshipped the Angels in Gods stead, knowing none other, but that God himselfe appeared, when it was but his Angell. 3. And beside, where in the same place mention is made both of the Angell of Iehovah, and of Iehovah himselfe: as Exod. 3.22. it is said the Angell of the Lord appeared, who is called Iehovah, vers. 7. If it had not beene the Lord himselfe but an Angell, this would have given them occasion to thinke that the Angell was the Lord.

3. It was Iehovah the Lord Christ, and not a ministring Angell, that appeared to Hagar, Gen. 16. as it is evident, vers. 13. she called the name of Iehovah that spake unto her: and the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah was the Lords worke, wherein notwithstanding hee used the ministry of the Angels: as it is expresly said, Iehovah rained upon Sodome and Gomorrah brimstone and fire from Iehovah, &c. These places therefore are impertinently alleaged. And further wee shall finde in Scripture, that in small workes, and such as concerned particular persons, God is said to have done it, and not the Angels: as it is said, God prepared a worme to smite Ionas gourd, Ion. 4.7. Therefore this observation also of Tostatus is untrue.

4. But this evasion he hath: that if the name of God be used, and not of the Angels in such small and particular workes, it is for the confirming of those that be weake: but they which are weake, because they cannot ascend at the first, or comprehend the majesty and omnipotency of God, had so much the more need by the secondary ministration of Angels, to bee brought unto that high and deepe apprehension of God. And indeed the ministry of Angels serveth especially for the comfort and supporting of the weake, whose faith not serving them immediatly to depend upon God, are the more easily brought to have confidence in him by the subordinate deputation and ministry of Angels. So, when Daniel was in great distresse and perplexity in the lions denne, God sent his Angell to stop the mouth of the lions, and to comfort Daniel, Dan. 6.22. So when Ioseph was doubtfull what to doe concerning Mary, an Angell of the Lord appeared unto him in a dreame, to confirme him, saying, Feare not to take Mary for thy wife, Matth. 1.20.

5. That instance of Iakobs vision of the ladder directly proveth, that it was God that appeared unto Iakob, and not an Angell: 1. Because it is said that Iehovah stood upon it and said: by which name of Iehovah no Angell is called in Scripture. 2. He that speaketh to Iakob, nameth himselfe the Lord God of Abraham. 3. He that speaketh is but one, but the Angels which ascended and descended were many. 4. He saith, The land whereon thou sleepest will I give thee and thy seede: but the earth is only the Lords. 5. Iakob himselfe saith, that Iehovah was in that place, Gen. 28.16.

6. 1. The people were but yet weake, while they were in the wildernesse, yet then and there that great worke of leading and keeping the people, and bringing them to the land of Promise, is ascribed to an Angell, which was none other but Christ, the Angell of Gods presence, Exod. 23.20. 2. Yea wee shall finde, that mention is made oftner in the stories of the Patriarkes and first Fathers of Israel, as in the bookes of Genesis, and Exodus, when they were yet (as it were) in their infancy, of the apparition and ministry of Angels, then afterward: for it was fit that they should be confirmed, by such visible and sensible meanes: therefore this reason here alleaged by Tostatus holdeth not. 3. And in that place, whereof instance is given: by Angel is understood some Prophet and man of God, not any of the celestiall spirits: because the place is named from whence he came, from Gilgal: and hee is said to ascend or goe up: but Angels descend from heaven: and it is not unusuall in Scripture to call Prophets the Lords Angels, as Hagg. 1.13. and Apocal. 2. and 3. chapter thorowout.

QUEST. XXI. Whether it were Iehovah the Lord Christ, or an Angell that came downe upon mount Sinai.

7. BUt that it was Iehovah himselfe, the Lord Christ that appeared in mount Sinai, and talked with Moses, and gave them the law, it is thus proved: 1. Because he is called Iehovah, which name is never in Scripture given unto Angels. 2. Hee saith, vers. 5. Though all the earth bee mine: but the earth is the Lords, Psal. 24. not the Angels. 3. The Lord here maketh a covenant with his people, vers. 5. But God himselfe, not the Angels, make a covenant with men, to bee his people. And so the Lord saith hee p. 251was an husband unto them, Iere. 31.32. but Christ and not the Angels, is the husband of the Church behold the Church is not the spouse of the Angels, but Christs. 4. He which writ the Law in tables of stone, was the same that gave the Law to Moses: but those tables were written by the finger of God, Exod. 3….18. the same finger that writeth in the fleshy tables of mens hearts, Ierem. 31.33. 2. Cor. 3.2. 5. S. Paul saith, it was ordained by Angels, in the hand of a Mediatour, Gal. 3.14. The Angels attended as ministers, and as the Lords instruments were used in those thunders and lightnings. But the Lord himselfe the Mediatour both of the old and new Testament was there present, as the Author of the Law: as Moses saith, The Lord came from Sinai, &c. he came with ten thousand of Saints, and at his right hand a fiery Law for them, Deut. 33.2. 6. He that wrought those wonders in Egypt, and carried the people as upon Eagles wings, was the same that delivered the Law, vers. 4. But Iehovah himselfe did the first: for many of the wonders in Egypt could not be done by any but the Lord, as in converting and changing of one substance into another, as of a rod into a Serpent, of water into bloud, of the dust into lice. And so much Tostatus himselfe confesseth: Fi…ant talia portenta, quae nullus poterat facere, nisi Deus: Such wondrous things were done, which none could doe but God. So it was Iehovah himselfe that did leade the people thorow the red Sea, and destroyed the Egyptians: as chap. 14.24. Iehovah looked unto the hoast of the Egyptians, out of the fiery and cloudy piller: who is before called the Angell of God, vers. 19. which was the Lord Christ, called the Angell of the covenant, Malach. 3.1. So chap. 15.14. Iehovah brought the waters of the Sea upon them. And further, that Iehovah himselfe conducted the Israelites is evident, Exod. 33.15. My presence shall go with thee. And yet the Lord saith, Exod. 23.20. Behold I send an Angell before thee, to keepe thee in the way: but what Angell this was, is expressed afterward, my name is in him. This great Angell of the covenant, in whom was Gods name and his presence; who else could it be but the Lord Christ, the Iehovah? And that God himselfe appeared unto the Patriarkes and Prophets, and not the Angels onelyonly, it is evident. Numb. 12.8. where the Lord saith, VntoUnto Moses I will speake mouth to mouth. &c. he shall see the similitude of the Lord: and the Apostle witnesseth, that he (that is, Moses) endured at he which saw him, which is in visible. Heb. 11.27. Not that Moses did see the very glory and substance of God, who is invisible, and whom never man saw, nor can see, 1. Tim. 6.12. but he saw only his backe parts, Exod. 33.14. that is, some part of his glory, as the Lord thought good to reveale, according as Moses was able to apprehend. And that in this place it was Iehovah himselfe that came downe in Mount Sinai, beside these reasons before alleaged, it is the generall opinion of Divines both old and new. Gregor. Nyssen. Praecepit Deus populo per Mose…, ut tam corpore, quam animo mundus fierit: God commanded the people by Moses, that they should be cleane both in body and soule. Hierom. Accessuri ad audienda verba Dei sanctificari jubentur ab ux…ribus: Being to come to heare the words of God, they are bidden to be sanctified, in abstaining from their wives. Cyril. A Deo ad Mos… dicitur, vade ad populum, &c. God said to Moses, Goe unto the people. Origen. Audiat, quid praecipit Domin…, &c. He that will come to heare the word of God, let him heare what the Lord commanded, that they should wash their garments. Rabanus: Dominus Mosi pracepit, ut populum sanctificet: God commanded Moses to sanctifie the people. Rupertus: Docend… erat, quod Deus patrum ipsorum non erat talis, ut Dii Egyptiorum: They were to be taught, that their God was no such, as the Gods of the Egyptians. Theodoret: Vestim… lavare à Deo jubentur: They are bidden of God to wash their garments. Ex Lippoman. And many other to the same purpose might be produced, which is not necessary in so cleere a matter: so that this seemeth to be Tostatus private conceit: that it was not the Lord, but an Angell, that came downe in the thicke cloud upon mount Sinai.

QUEST. XXII. Why the people are forbidden to come up into the mountaine.

Vers. 12. THou shalt set markes unto the people: 1. The people are forbidden to goe up to the mountaine, or to come neere the skirts of it, first, reverentia causa, for reverence sake: For if it be not lawfull to thrust in upon Princes uncalled, how much more into the presence of the divine Majesty? Simler. Tostat. 2. To stay their curiosity: not that it is evill to see God: sed malum est ei, qui illum per c…s… tatem quaerere andet: but it is evill unto him, that seeketh him of curiosity. Rupert. 3. If they had beene admitted to see and gaze, it would have hindred their attention, in hearing of the voice of God, which proceeded out of the middest of the fire. Tostat. 4. The Lord hereby also would make a difference betweene Moses and the rest of the people, to heare him before them: Vt cognoscant pro summo honore ducendum appropinquare De…: That they should take it for a great honour to draw neere unto God: Procop. 5. And they are forbidden, not only to come up into the mountaine, but to touch the very borders and skirts of it: both because all the mountaine was covered with smoake, and all over there were signes of Gods presence: and beside, if they had beene admitted to come unto the nether parts of the hill, they would have presumed further, and therefore the Lord would cut off all occasion: as before chap. 12. that they should bee sure to eat no unleavened bread for seven dayes together, they are charged not to have it in their houses. Tostat. quaest· 8. 6. Some doe thus allegorize this prohibition of not ascending into the mountaine: Nequis ultra intelligentiam suam, ad montem sacra scripturae conscendere audeat: That no man beyond his capacity should enterprise to ascend unto the hill of the Scriptures. Gloss. interlinear.

QUEST. XXIII. Why he shall be killed that toucheth the mountaine

Vers. 12. WHosoever toucheth the mount, shall surely dye, &c. 1. Of this terrible precept, causa f…it ipse populi status, the state and condition of the people was the cause: who because they were not yet come to the love of God, oportebat ut timore stringerentur: It was meete they should bee constrained by feare. Rupert. 2. And beside, the Lord would make a difference betweene his service,Rupert. lib. 3. in Exod. cap. 28.Exod 28 and the p. 252Idolatrous sacrifices which they had seene in Egypt, wherein they used dancing and sporting, eating, drinking, which the people imitated afterward, when they set up their golden Calfe: the Lord therefore hereby would let them understand, that he required another manner of service of his people. Rupert. ibid. 3. It is set downe, that whosoever toucheth the mountaine should dye: either by the hand of God, or of the people: for if any one went neere to touch the mountaine, then the people were to strike him with darts or stones: but if either the Priests, or many of the people approched, then the Lord would destroy them, vers. 24. Tostat.

QUEST. XXIV. Why no hand was to touch him that came neere the mountaine.

Vers. 13. NO hand shall touch it, but hee shall bee stoned, &c. 1. Some expound it thus, that the hand of man shall not need to be upon him: sed intelligitur lapidum ictibus in cum devinitus … necandus: But he is understood to be killed with stones flying downe from God. Hugo de S. Victor. But because the manner is described, he shall be stoned, or striken thorow with darts: and it is uttered passively, not actively, as afterward vers. 24. lest he destroy them: it is better referred to the people, that hee shall be stoned, or striken thorow by them. 2. If hee were neere hand hee should be stoned, if further off, then they should hit him with darts, be it man or beast: Lippoman. 3. They are forbidden with their hands to touch not the mountaine, but it, whatsoever came neere the mountaine, lest they also might by this occasion of apprehending the offender, transgresse themselves in comming neere the mountaine. Tostat. as also, no hand shall touch it: tanquam pollutum & immundum, as a filthy and uncleane thing: Rupert. Ferus: Tanquam execrabile est…: It shalbe as an execrable and accursed thing: Iun. 4. No hand shall touch him, that is, to rescue or deliver him. Vatab. But it is not like, that any durst be so bold, when all the people in the campe was afraid, vers. 16.

QUEST. XXV. Why the beast, that touched the mountaine is commanded to be slaine.

Vers. 13. WHether beast, or man, hee shall not live. 1. The very beast shall be slaine that commeth neere to touch the mountaine. 1. Because, although beasts doe but their kinde, and doe not sinne, yet the thing in it selfe was evill in touching the mountaine: as likewise if a man did lye with a beast, they were both to dye, Levit. 20.15. though the beast therein could not sinne, yet the fact was enormous and odious, and to bee punished therefore in the beast. Tostat. 2. Another reason was, that by this meanes, men seeing this severity extended unto bruit beasts, should themselves thereby become more circumspect and carefull, not to transgresse their bounds. Simler. 3. Likewise, the owner of the beast, was therein also punished in the losse of his beast, because he had no greater care to keepe it in. Ferus. 4. Some doe allegorize this edict concerning the killing of the beast,Gregor. 6. moral. cap. 27. that toucheth the mountaine: as Gregory. Bestia montem tangit, cum mens irrationabilibus desideriis subdita, &c. The beast toucheth the mountaine, when the minde being subject to unreasonable desires, doth presume to high things. Rupertus. Si is qui bestialiter vivit, alta divinitatis andeat scrutari: If hee which leadeth a beastly life, presume to search the high things of God, he shall be but further blinded and darkened. Gloss. interlinar. Si quis lapsus in haresim, &c. If any being fallen into heresie or blasphemy, doe abuse the sacred Scriptures, he shall perish eternally. But there is no certainty in these devised allegories, neither will the text warrant them: therefore I will not insist upon them.

QUEST. XXVI. Whether at any time it were lawfull for the people to goe up to the mountaine.

Vers. 13. WHen the horne bloweth long, they shall come up into the mountaine. 1. Some thinke, that after the Lord was gone from the mount, then Moses commanded by the sounding of an horne, to give notice to the people thereof, that the people might then come up into the mountaine. Cajetan. Simler. But it is rather to be understood of the sound of a trumpet, which the Lord caused to bee heard by the ministry of the Angels. Osiand. Hugo de S. Victor. As vers. 16. mention is made of a sound of a trumpet, which was a signe of Gods presence. 2. The Septuagint and Chalde reade, When the trumpet shall cease, then the people may goe up: but the word is mashac, which signifieth to protract. When the sound of the trumpet shall be protracted, or blow long, they should goe up: and to what end should the people goe up, when the Lord was gone? it would but have shewed their curiosity, to gaze upon the place, where the Lord shewed himselfe: especially seeing, as Iosephus writeth, it was such an high hill, a… that it did not only, Ascensus hominum, sed aspectus defatigare: Weary not only their going up, but their very sight. And after the trumpet had sounded, the people were bid to returne into their tents, Deut. 5.3. and so to goe from the hill: therefore not to come up to the hill. Tostat. 3. Iuxius thinketh that this blowing long of the trumpet, did signifie an end of that sacred action, as in the end of songs the use is to conclude with a long and protracted sound; and this he thinketh was done, when the camps removed from before Sinai, Numb. 10. But it was needlesse to give them a signe by the sound of a trumpet then, seeing the cloud removed, and the Lord spake also to Moses to depart from that place: and this was a yeere after: but this thing, which is here spoken of, was by all likelihood presently done. 4. Some thinke that they were not simply forbidden to come up into the mountaine, but that they should not doe it of themselves, they were to expect till they were called, Humanam an daciam compescens premit, &c. So hee doth keepe under humane audacity, and stirreth them up to obedience to the voice of God. Raban. ex Lippoman. But it is cleare, that the people were absolutely bidden to keepe their bounds, and not to goe up p. 253into the mount, vers. 24. 5. Therefore the meaning is, that the people, when they heard the sound of the trumpet, should then come out of their tents, unto the bottome of the hill, so farre as their limits and marks extended, but not beyond. Rupert. Hugo de S. Victor. And this to bee the sense the words following shew, that when the sound of the trumpet was exceeding loud, vers. 16. which is the same mentioned before, vers. 13. when the horne bloweth long, then Moses brought the people forth of the tents to meet the Lord, vers. 17. that the people might heare the Lord talke with Moses, vers. 9. and that this was the ascending unto the mount, ad ejus radicem, non ad cacumen, to the bottome, not to the top, Hugo: it may be gathered, chap. 24.9. where it is said that Nadab and Abihu, and 70. of the Elders went up, with Moses and Aaron: and yet Moses onelyonly with Ioshua went up to the mountaine, vers. 13. that is, to the top of the hill: the other might ascend to some part of the hill about the bottome, which was higher than the place, where the host was encamped: but the bounds and limits, which were set, they exceeded not. Tostat. quaest. 8. 6. The morall application is this: that as the people came not up to the mount, or toward the mount, till the trumpet began to sound loud: so Ad sacram praedicationis vocem ad superna debet se erigere mens auditorum: so the minde of the auditors must be lifted up to things on high, at the voyce of preaching, Raban. The mysticall interpretation also is this: This loud sound of the trumpet signifieth the loud sound of the Gospell over all the world, whereby wee are called to more full and perfect knowledge of God: Lex non ad montem adducere potest illos, quos informavit, The law cannot bring them to the hill, whom it instructeth, but the trumpet of the Gospell. Procepius. Christ also shall call us by the sound of the trump in the last day, and we shall meet him in the aire, and ascend up unto him, and so ever remaine with him: as the Apostle teacheth, 1 Thess. 4.17.

QUEST. XXVII. Why Moses is not set downe to have reported all to the people, which was given him in charge.

Vers. 15. ANd he said unto the people. Moses received two commandements from God, that he should sanctifie them, and set them marks and bounds with a penaltie of death to them, that went beyond them: but of this latter hee saith nothing; and for the former, he maketh mention, of not comming at their wives, which was not mentioned before. But it is not to be thought, that Moses, being so commended for his faithfulnesse, did either conceale any thing of that which was given him in charge, or adde any thing. But the Scripture useth to avoid needlesse repetitions, not to make mention of the same thing twice: therefore because this is set downe before, in the Lords charge unto Moses, it is not rehearsed againe: but it is evident, vers. 23. that Moses had declared that also unto the people, what danger there was, in passing their bounds. And as here in Moses report to the people somewhat is omitted, which is spoken of in the charge: so at other times some things are reported by Moses, which were given in charge, but not expressed: as chap. 12.22. that clause of sprinkling the doore-posts with hyssop dipped in the bloud, was not mentioned in the law of the Passeover before prescribed, but onelyonly in Moses relation to the people. Tostat.

QUEST. XXVIII. With what water they washed their cloaths.

Vers. 24. HE sanctified the people, and they washed their cloaths. 1. Moses is said to sanctifie the people, because he declared unto them the will and commandement of God, that they should sanctifie themselves, and so they did accordingly. Tostat. Nihil aliud fecisse legitur, quam monnisse ad munditiem, Moses is not read to have done any thing else, but to have admonished them unto puritie and cleannesse. Cajetan. 2. By the washing of their cloaths, the puritie of their manners is signified: Cyrillus: Lotione indumentorum corporis puritatem ostendit: By the washing of the garments, he sheweth the puritie of the bodie: Indumentum enim animae corpus quodam modo est: For the bodie is as it were a garment to the soule. Raban. Vestimenta lavare est opera mundare, To wash the garments, is to cleanse the works: Vestimenta lavare, est conscientiam vera fide imbuere, to wash the garments, is to endue the conscience with faith. Lippom. By the washing of the garments is understood, Cast it as mentis & corporis, The chastitie both of bodie and minde. Gloss. interlin. See more hereof before quest. 15. 3. Some thinke, that they washed their garments with that purifying water, which was made of the ashes of the red Cow, prescribed Numb. 19. But that is not like, for that water was to bee sprinkled against the Tabernacle, which was not yet made: and Eleazar was to take of the bloud of the Cow with his finger, &c. But neither Eleazar, nor Aaron his father were yet consecrated to the Priesthood: therefore they washed their garments, with no other than common water at this time. Tostat. quaest. 9. in 19. cap.

QUEST. XXIX. Why they are commanded not to come at their wives.

Vers. 15. ANd come not at your wives, &c. 1. The Latine tanslator readeth, Come not neare your wives: but your is not in the originall, yet it well expresseth the sense: for at no time was it lawfull to come neare unto other mens wives. Lippom. Some thinke, that hereby is meant, that wee should not come neare, Alicui carnali voluptati, vel mundana, Any carnall or worldly pleasure, when we come neare unto God. Gloss. interlin. Indeed by this one particular inhibition of one carnall pleasure, by the like analogie all other were forbidden: but there is a literall inhibiting also, of companie and societie with their wives. 3. Some give this sense, Conjux hîc sensu… intelligitur, &c. The wife is here understood to bee the sense, which is joyned unto our nature, &c. Gregor. Nyssen. ex Lippom. And so we are bidden to lay aside all carnall sensualitie, when we appeare before God. But this is to goe from the letter of the text. 4. Some make it onelyonly a morall precept, that men should abstaine even from lawfull things, when they present p. 254themselves before God: as the Apostle requireth the like of the married couple, to abstaine for a time, that they may give themselves to fasting & prayer, 1 Cor. 7. Hieron. Rupert. Galas. but this being a legall injunction, contained a further reason than is enforced now, in respect of those times. 5. So that beside the morall equitie, even from lawfull pleasure, which bindeth now also, in the abstinence for a time, from the marriage bed, upon occasion of more fervent and extraordinary prayer: Marbach. there was then also a Legall kind of impuritie and pollution, even in the lawfull use of marriage, which came by the issue of seed, Lavit. 15.18. from which kind of Legall pollutions the people were to be sanctified, and cleansed at this time. Oleaster. 6. But that saying of Lyranus is somewhat harsh: Licet matrimonialis actus sit licitus, tamen annexam habet quandam turpitudinem, &c. Though the act of the matrimonie be lawfull, yet it hath annexed unto it a kind of filthinesse, which is excused by the good things in marriage. But the Apostle speaketh otherwise, That marriage is honourable, &c. and the bed undefiled, Hebr. 13.4. There is then in the undefiled marriage bed, no filthinesse or uncleannesse. But that other assertion of Lyranus is not much to be misliked: Habet annexam depressionem mentis, &c. It hath also annexed a certaine depression and abasing of the minde, because of the vehemencie of carnall delight: And therefore they were commanded these three dayes to be sequestred from their wives, that their minds might wholly be weaned from carnall delight, and bee fixed upon God.

QUEST. XXX. Why Moses maketh such an ample and full declaration and description of the Lords glorious appearing in mount Sinai.

Vers. 16. ANd the third day, &c. there was thunder and lightnings, &c. 1. Moses in many words describeth the comming of the Lord, and his appearing in mount Sinai: Cupiebat enim virpius, quam amplissimis posset verbis, &c. For this godly man desired in the best manner he could, to set forth the magnificence of the comming of the Lord. Ferus. Sometime Moses goeth up, sometime he commeth downe sometime he goeth up alone, and another time Aaron with him: and all this he doth, Vt pararet Domi… dignum & acceptabilem populum, &c. To prepare a meete and acceptable people for the Lord Lippom. 2. Beside, this large description also delivereth Moses from all suspition of deceit and counterfeiting: as though he had fained, as other lawgivers among the Heathen, that he had conference with God: for first this preparation of the people against the third day, then the talking of the Lord with Moses, in the hearing of all the people, which were divers hundred thousands, doth shew the truth of this narration. Lippom. And these prodigious and extraordinarie signes raised upon the suddaine, to cleare Moses: In seren… die subitò mons tenebris circumdatus, &c. On a suddaine in a cleare morning, the hill was beset round with darknesse, and fire burst forth of the middest thereof. Gregor. Nyssen. As it is observed in the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrha, by the rising of the Sun, and shining upon the earth, when Lot entred into Zoar, Genes. 19.23. that it was a goodly Sun-shine morning, when it rained fire and brimstone upon those Cities.

QUEST. XXXI. Why it pleased the Lord in this terrible and fearefull manner, to appeare, with thunder, and lightning.

Vers. 16. THere was thunder and lightning, &c. 1. Foure signes the Lord sheweth of his comming: two were heard, the thunder, and the sound of the trumpet; and two were seene, the lightning, and the thicke or darke cloud: and these appeared in the top of the hill, not all over: for if the cloud had covered all the hill, the people could not have discerned the smoake, which was round about upon the hill. Cajetan. 2. It pleased God in this terrible manner to shew himselfe at the giving of the law, for these reasons: 1. Because the rude world doth onelyonly esteeme of those things, which are done with great shew, and magnificence, the Lord would in this glorious manner appeare, Vt disceret populus cum magni …stimare: That the people should learne highly to esteeme of God. 2. Commovit omnia elementa, &c. He moved all the elements, that they might know, that he had power over all: 3. That the ignorant people might know a difference betweene the true God, and the false gods, whom the Heathen, and especially the Egyptians worshipped, that they could doe no such things: 4. Vt populo carnali timorem incuteret, &c. To strike feare and terror into the carnall people: that they which would not be wonne by love, should be constrained with feare: 5. Vt ostenderet se vendicem legis, &c. To shew himselfe a Iudge and revenger of those, which transgressed his law: and in what fearefull manner he would come to judgement, to take account of men, how they had kept his law. Ferus. 3. Chrysostome toucheth another reason: Negligens erat humanum genus & signe; oportet igitur ut corrigeretur istis, & redderetur attentum: Mankind was negligent, and slothfull, and therefore it was meete, that they should bee roused up by this meanes, and made attentive. 4. Another reason, why the Lord did thinke good, thus to shew himselfe in smoake and fire, was this: Quia talis apparitio in nube & igne non habet figuram: Because such an apparition in fire and a cloud, hath no representation: that by this meanes, the people should have no occasion to commit idolatrie. Lyran. As the Lord himselfe saith, Take heed to your selves, for yee saw no image in the day, that the Lord spake unto you in Horeb, Deut. 4.15. Tostat. quaest. 11. 5. The morall application is this: The Lord appeared partly in the brightnesse of fire, partly in the darknesse of a cloud: Quia humiles per claritatem sua ostensionis illuminat, Because he doth illuminate the humble by the brightnesse of his appearing: Et superbos per caliginem erroris obscurat. And he obscureth the proud by the darknesse of error. Gloss. interlin. Some further make this mysticall application: by the thunder and lightning we may understand God the Father, by the cloud the Sonne, who assumed our humane nature, which shadowed the glorie of his Deitie: by the sound of the trumpet, the holy Ghost, which worketh in the hearts of faithfull people, by the trumpet of the Gospell. Simler.

p. 255QUEST. XXXII. Whether this thunder and lightning were naturall.

THere was thunder and lightning. 1. These signes were not naturally caused, in respect both of the time and place: for now it was about the middest of Summer, in the beginning of June, the third monethmonth after the spring, when such meteors use not to be ingendred: and for the place it was in an hot region in Arabia, where the extreme heate doth drie up such exhalations, whereof thunder and lightning doe consist. And beside, the naturall place of these meteors is above in the middle region of the aire, where the aire is very cold: and so the beating of the aire, by an antiperistasis, a concurrence and resistance of contrary qualities procureth such thunder-claps, and flashings: but these signes were shewed below upon the top of the hill, in the lower region of the aire. Tostat. 2. Neither yet doe I thinke with Tostatus, that it was neither verus ignis, nor vera fulgura, true fire, or true lightning, but that they so seemed to be: because then (saith he) the fire and lightning would have burned and consumed those that came neere it. But this is no good reason: for it was no hard matter for the Creator, to abate the ordinarie force of these elements: as the fire consumed not the bush, Exod. 3. neither yet had it any power upon the three children that were put into the fierie fornace, Dan. 3. Therefore it was more than an imaginary fire, or in shew onelyonly: Nihil simplex natura per duplicitatem facit: The single and simple truth doth nothing doubly: Lyran 3. Wherefore I rather preferre the resolution of Thomas, that this was, Ignis corporalis, & ideo palpabilis & sensibilis, &c. A corporall fire, palpable and sensible. It was a true fire, yet not naturall,Thom. in Epist. ad Hebraeos cap. 12. l…. 4. neither yet without naturall meanes altogether, but the same supernaturally caused: for here was a thicke and darke cloud, such as the thunder and lightning useth to breake out of: but it was extraordinarily raised out of time and place by the power of God.

QUEST. XXXIII. Why the Lord appeared in a thicke and darke cloud.

Vers. 16. ANd a thicke cloud upon the mount, &c. 1. This appearing of a thicke and darke cloud, was convenient for those times: Congruit nubes in fanctionem legalem, quae tenebrarum est non lucis: The cloud is agreeable to the function of the law, which is of darknesse, rather than light. Borrh. For all things were folded up in the law in shadowes, as in a cloud, but the revelation of the true light came by Jesus Christ. 2. This also sheweth the infirmitie and weaknesse of man; who cannot see the brightnesse of Gods glorie, who dwelleth in light, that none can attaine unto, 1 Tim. 6. but wee see it as thorow a cloud: as here the Lord appeareth in fire, yet in the middest of smoake, and shining thorow a thicke cloud. Simler. To this purpose also Lyranus saith, that therefore God appeared in a darke cloud, Quia tales apparitiones fiunt communiter secundum eorum dispositiones, quibus fiunt: Because such apparitions commonly are made according to their disposition, to whom they are shewed. Now we have here but a darke and obscure knowledge of divine things: and as the eye of the Owle is to the Sunne light, so is the minde and understanding of man, in respect of divine things. Sic Lyran. 3. Unto this assertion of Lyranus two exceptions are taken, one by Paulus Burgens. the other by Tostatus: but both of them without any good ground.Lyranus deserded against Bu…gens. and Tostat. First Burgensis thus objecteth, that Lyranus in this note maketh no difference betweene the knowledge of Moses, and of the rest of the people: whereas he appeared unto Moses onelyonly in a cloud, Numb. 12.5. but unto the people in a thicke cloud: because Moses clariorem habuit de divinis notitiam, quàm populus: had a clearer knowledge of divine things, than the people: Burgens. addit. 3. Contra. 1. Howsoever the Lord appeared at other times to Moses, it is no… here the question: Now the Lord appeared alike to all, as well to Moses, as to the rest of the people, in a thicke and darke cloud: which sheweth, that although there is difference of gifts, and illumination among men: yet being compared to God, there is no difference: Moses himselfe here quaked and trembled, as the Apostle observeth, Heb. 12 21. as the rest of the people did. 2. And that other place is not fitly alleaged, for the Lord came downe in the piller of the cloud at that time, and spake not onelyonly to Moses, but to Aaron, and Miriam also. 4. Tostatus taketh exception, because Lyranus doth not distinguish betweene the apparitions of the old and new Testament: whereas the apparitions in the old were obscure: Apparitiones antem factae in novo sunt clariores, But the aparitions made in the new, are more cleare: As the holy Ghost came downe upon the Apostles, not in fire, with the darknesse of a cloud, but in bright fire like unto cloven tongues. Tostat. quaest. 11. Contra. This is true, which is here alleaged, that the apparitions of the new Testament are clearer, and more full of light, than the visions of the old; neither is it denied by Lyranus: yet it followeth not, but that in res…ect of the knowledge, which we shall have in the life to come, we see now but darkly, and as in a cloud: And to this purpose he alleageth that saying of the Apostle: Now we see thorow a glasse darkly, but then shall we see face to face: now I know in part, but then shall I know, even as I am knowne, 1 Cor. 13.12. Lyranus annotation therefore being so evidently grounded upon the Apostles direct words, they had small reason thus to carpe at him.

QUEST. XXXIV. Of the blowing of the trumpet at the giving of the law, what it signifieth.

ANd the sound of the trumpet exceeding loud. 1. There was not there any such materiall trumpet, as the Jewes imagine, that it was an horne made of the Rammes hornes, which was sacrificed in stead of Izbak▪ Lyran. But such a sound was made by the ministry of Angels, as if it had beene the blowing of a trumpet: Tostat. for, as S. Stephen sheweth, they received the law by ordinance of Angels, Act. 7.53. The Angels attended upon the Lord, as Ministers, when the law was given. Simler. 2. This sounding of the trumpet was a signe of the presence of God, tanquam imperatore praesente, as if a great Emperour were comming, before whom they use to blow trumpets. Chrysost. 3. Sonitus …ba significat gravitatem praeceptorum, p. 254duplicate page p. 255duplicate page p. 256&c. Chrysost. in Epist. ad Hebraos hom. 32. Thom. in Epist. ad Hebraeos cap. 12. l…. 4.The sound of the trumpet betokened the heavinesse of the commandements, quibus indicebatur bellum homini contra seipsum: by the which warre is proclaimed to man against himselfe: Thomas. 4. As the sounding of this trumpet made a terrible and fearefull noise: Sic lex tumultum excitat in conscientia peccatorum. So the law raiseth a tumult in the conscience of sinners: Lippoman. Tales terrores in conscientia peccatoris lex Dei operatur: Such terrors the law of God stirreth in the conscience of the sinner. Osiand. 5. Hereby also was prefigured the office of the Levites, that sounded afterward with silver trumpets, which also was a figure of the silver sound, which the living trumpets of the Prophets and Apostles should give, in gathering together the faithfull by the preaching of the Gospell; as Isaias was bidden to lift up his voyce like a trumpet, Isai. 58.1. Simler. Herein also is set forth the forme of Christs comming to judgement, when the trump shall blow, and summon all both the living and dead to give account how they have kept this law, which was first given with the sound of a trumpet: of the blowing of this last dolefull and dreadfull trumpet speaketh the Apostle, 1 Cor. 15.52. 1 Thess. 4.16. 6. Oleaster thinketh, that the sounding of this trumpet was a signe of the departing of the Lord from the mount, and of the libertie of the people to come up: but it shewed the contrary, that God was then come downe upon the mount, and therefore Moses bringeth the people out of their tents to meet God, in the next verse. Hereof see more before quest. 26.

QUEST. XXXV. Of the different manner of the delivering the law, and the Gospell.

Vers. 16. ANd all the people, that was in the campe, was afraid. 1. By this terrible apparition, which wrought in the people such terror and feare, the nature of the law is expressed, which as it was delivered with feare and trembling, so it worketh terror in the conscience: for divine apparitions are made agreeable to the thing, for the which they are shewed: so the Angels appeared to Abraham in humane shape, because they came to tell Abraham that he should have a sonne. When the Israelites were in the fierie fornace of affliction in Egypt, the Lord appeared in a flame of fire in a bush: When Ioshua was to warre against the Cananites, an Angell appeared with a naked sword: so because a law here is given, which should reveale sinne, and the wrath of God against the transgressors thereof, it is delivered with feare and terror. Ferus. 2. Herein then appeareth a manifest difference betweene the Law and the Gospell: 1. In the Law-giver: then the Lord appeared in fire and smoake, and terrible manner: but Christ came lowly and meeke, to preach the Gospell. 2. In the place: the Law was delivered in Sinai, a place of servitude: the Gospel began to be preached in Jerusalem, which was a figure of the new Jerusalem, which is above, which is free, Galath. 4.26. 3. In the Law it selfe, which is a killing letter, threatning curses and damnation to all the disobedient: but spirit and life is given by the faith of the Gospell of Christ. 4. In the people, which received it: they were then rude and ignorant, as children under tutors and governours; they could not see the brightnesse of Moses face, but under a vaile: we now under the Gospell, are as the heire which is come to age: and now the vaile is removed, and we see the glory of the Lord with open face. Simler. 5. Augustine therefore well saith: Brevis differentia legis & Evangelii, timor & amor: There is a short difference of the Law and Gospell, feare and love: for Christ did teach the Gospell in great tranquillitie: Incepit sedens dulciter tradere documenta legis novae: He began, being set, to deliver sweetly the precepts of the new law. Tostat. saying, Blessed are the poore in spirit, &c. blessed are the meeke. Ita lex vetus data est cum terroribus: So the old law was given with terrors. Lyranus. 6. Yet we are not so to conceive, as though the Gospell were altogether void of feare, or the Law of comfort: Hic timor Evangelio quoque fuit communis: This feare was also common to the Gospell: as the Apostle sheweth: Whose voyce then shooke the earth, and now hath declared, saying, Yet once more will I shake, not the earth onelyonly, but also heaven, Heb. 12.26. Calvin. And againe, If the word spoken by Angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward, how shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation? Heb. 2.2. Neither was the law altogether void of comfort: for in that the people are not fraied away by these fearefull signes, but are brought by Moses to meet the Lord: it sheweth, Foedus Dei tam amabile fuisse, quam metuendum: That the covenant of God was as amiable, as it was terrible and fearefull. Calvin. But here is the difference: The law of it selfe, and properly wrought feare and terror, and the Gospell peace: but accidentally also there was comfort in the law, as it was a School-master, to bring us to Christ, and terror in the Gospell, to them which contemned and refused it. 7. Some thinke that in this generall and great feare of the whole campe, yet that Moses feared not, and was therein a type and figure of such as are perfect. Pellican. But the Apostle sheweth the contrary, that even Moses also trembled and quaked, Heb. 12.21. But yet Moses was not afraid, as the people were: Timuit Moses, sed non timore servili, ut populus, &c. Moses feared, but not as the people with a servile feare, but with a filiall, which was nothing else, but a religious reverence and observance. Ferus.

QUEST. XXXVI. What it was that Moses spake, and the Lord answered.

Vers. 19. MOses spake, and God answered. 1. Some thinke, that this which God answered, was the decalogue or ten commandements which follow in the next Chapter, Osiand. But there God is said first to speake, he answered not Moses, when he gave the law. 2. Some thinke that Moses spake, and the Lord answered, Ille interrogando, & Dominus docendo: Moses in asking the Lord, and the Lord in teaching him. Gloss. interlin. But it is not like, that Moses in this great feare, and terrible sight, would first begin to speake unto God. 3. Ferus saith, Quid aliud loquitur pius cum Deo quam orando, confitendo laudando? What other thing doth the godly speake with God, than in praying, confessing, praising; and what else doth God answer, than in hearing their prayers? But it is like, that not Moses onelyonly, but Aaron and other of the faithfull so spake, as well as Moses, in praying and confessing unto God: therefore some speciall speech p. 257is here signified, that Moses uttered. 4. Some adde further, that God gave authoritie here to Moses in plaine words, that the people might understand. Genevens. But the charge and authoritie given to Moses, was after he was come up to the mount, vers. 24. but this was before. 5. Therefore, though it be not here expressed, what words Moses spake, it is most like they were those words which the Apostle maketh mention of, Heb. 12.21. I feare and quake: and that the Lord answered Moses with comfortable words, animating and encouraging him. Iun. As in like manner, The Lord spake to Elias, in a soft and still voyce, after he had sent before, a terrible wind, earth-quake, and fire, 1 King. 19. 6. This conference then betweene God and Moses, was before he was called up to the mount, contrary to the opinion of Cajetane, and Hugo de S. Victor. who thinke, that this clause is transposed, and that Moses was first called up, and then the Lord had this speech with Moses. But beside that, no transposing of the history is to be admitted in Scripture, but where necessary occasion enforceth it in the preventing of some inconvenience: it is not like that Moses would have uttered such words of feare, as is before shewed out of the Apostle, after the Lord had called him to come up into the mountaine. 7. Beside we refuse their conceit, that thinke this voyce onelyonly to have beene understood of Moses, and not of the people. Pellican. For if Moses were yet below with the people, and not gone up, it is most like, that all the people heard the Lords voyce answering Moses, and therefore it is said he answered by voyce, that is, in an audible voyce & in plaine words. Genevens. And because the Lord had told Moses before, vers. 9. that the people should heare, while the Lord talked with him. And herein the Lord would shew, how gracious Moses was in his fight, with whom he talked, as one friend with another, Exod. 33.11. Ferus.

QUEST. XXXVII. Whether God himselfe, or an Angell spake to Moses in the mount.

ANd God answered by voyce. 1. Tostatus is of opinion, that God himselfe spake not to Moses, but that this voyce was framed by the ministry of the Angels. Gregorie also before him, seemeth to have held the same: for he maketh but two wayes, whereby God speaketh: Aut per seipsum Dominus loquitur, aut per Angelicam creaturam, God speaketh either by himselfe, or by his creatures the Angels: when hee speaketh himselfe, Sine verbis cor docetur, The heart is taught without words or voyce: As the spirit spake inwardly to Philip, to goe and joyne himselfe to the Eunuches chariot, Act. 8.29. and so the Spirit said to Peter, three men seeke thee. Act. 10.29. But when God speaketh by an Angell, sometime they doe it by words, as when that voyce came from heaven, Ioh. 12.28. I have both glorified it and will glorifie it againe: sometime by things done, and signes; such was the vision of Ezechiel, chap. 1. sometime by words, and signes together: as Adam in Paradise heard both the voyce, and the noise of God walking in the garden: sometime the Angels spake by representations, shewed unto the inward sight: such was the vision of Iacobs ladder, Gen. 28. sometime by outward demonstration to the eyes, as when the Angels appeared in humane shape to Abraham, Gen. 18. sometime the Angels speake by the instrument of celestiall substances, as when that voyce came out of the cloud in the Baptisme of Christ: This is my beloved Sonne. &c. sometime by terrene creatures, as when the Angell opened the mouth of Balaams Asse to speake: sometime, Per Angelum humanis cordibus loquitur Deus, God speaketh by an Angell to the heart of man: as Zacharie saith, The Lord answered the Angell that talked in me, Zach. 1.13. To this purpose, Gregor. 28. lib. Moral. cap. 2.

2. Contra. To some things here handled by Gregorie, exception will be taken: 1. Though sometime when a voyce is heard from heaven, it is done by the ministry of Angels, as when the Angels have appeared,Gregories opinion concerning the apparition and minystrie of Angels examined. as to Hagar, Gen. 16. to Abraham, Gen. 22. yet it followeth not, that alwayes when a voyce is so framed, that it is the worke of an Angell: for have Angels power to make a sound and voyce, without Organes and Instruments, and hath not the Lord, which made the Angels? and shall we tie the Lord so short, as that he shall not speake by voyce and words unto mortall men, but the Angels must be called for, to helpe out the worke? 2. That voyce, which was uttered to Christ, Ioh. 12. was the voyce of God, and not of an Angell: the people that stood by, some said it was a thunder, some that an Angell spake, but they were deceived the one, as well as the other: for Christ prayeth to his Father, Father glorifie thy name, and his Father answereth him. 3. And it is evident, that the voyce which Adam heard in Pradise, was the voyce of God himselfe, for so God saith unto him, Hast thou eaten of the fruit of the tree, whereof I commanded thee thou shouldest not eat? Gen. 3.11. but it was God himselfe that made man, and not an Angell, that gave him that commandement. 4. Neither was it the voyce of an Angell, but of God himselfe, which came from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Sonne: for Christ is the Sonne not of Angels, but of God the Father. And S. Peter testifieth, that the voyce came from the excellent glorie, 2 Pet. 1.17. 5. And that place is mistaken in Zacharie: where though the Latine interpreter, whom Gregorie followeth, read, qui loquutus est in me, which spake in me: yet it is better translated, which spake to me: Vatab. Iun. For although in the originall the word be (bi) in me: it signifieth as well to, as in, as the preposition (in) is taken in the Latine. And the circumstance of the place sheweth it to be so: for the Angell of Iehovah which spake to Zacharie, was the man that stood among the myrrhe trees, called the Angell of Iehovah that stood among the myrrhe trees, v 10.11. If he were among the myrrhe trees, then was he not in Zacharie to speak within him: and if Angels could speake to the heart, it must needs follow that they know the heart: which is contrary to the Scriptures, for God onelyonly knoweth the hearts of all men, 1 King. 8.39. And whereas the Lord himselfe speaketh to the heart, herein the ministry of Angels should be superfluous. Further also, if the other reading be admitted, that the Angell spake in the Prophet: it was no created Angell, but the great Angell of Iehovah the Mediatour of the covenant, Christ Jesus, who maketh intercession for his people: as here in this place, this Angell saith unto the Lord: O Lord of hostes, how long wilt thou be unmercifull to Ierusalem? &c. vers. 12. and then it followeth in the next verse: The Lord answered the Angell p. 258that talked with me, with good and comfortable words. Beside, that it was the great Angell of Iehovah the Mediatour, the commander of other Angels, it appeareth vers. 12. The other Angels, which were sent abroad into the world, returne their message unto him, They answered the Angell of Iehovah, and said, &c. We have gone thorow the world, &c. This Angell of Iehovah could talke within and to the heart of the Prophet, as in the dayes of his flesh, he could descrie the very inward thoughts and reasoning in the mind, Mark. 2.8.

3. But that God himselfe, Iehovah, Christ, the Mediatour both of the old and new Testament, was the giver of the Law: and that it was he himselfe that talked with Moses, by these reasons it is made plaine: 1. Because he is called Iehovah, vers. 2. Iehovah came downe upon mount Sinai: which is proprium & essentiale nomen Dei, & nunquam ad creaturas transfertur, &c. which is the proper and essentiall name of God, and is never transferred to any creature. Calvin. in 3. ad Galat. Tostatus thinketh otherwise: that an Angell sometime in the old Testament, appearing in the person of God, is not onelyonly called God, but Dominus, Lord also, quaest. 6. in Exod. But herein he is deceived: the Angels indeed are called Elohim, God, which title is sometime given unto men and excellent persons here, as Judges are called Elohim, Gods, Exod. 22.28. And as Dominus, How Christ was the mediatour of the old Testament.Lord, is the interpretation of Adonai, so also it is given unto Angels, and unto men: as Abrahams servant calleth him Adonai, his Lord or master, Gen. 24. But as Iehovah is translated Dominus, the Lord, foreign, as both the Latine and Septuagint interpret: so it is not competible to any, but unto God. The Lord saith, it shall be his name for ever, Exod. 3.15. Neither can it be shewed thorowout the whole bodie of Scripture, that the name Iehovah was ever given unto any, but unto God onelyonly. 2. Moses himselfe saith, that Iehovah spake unto you out of the middest of the fire, Deut. 4.11. It was the voyce then of God himselfe, Deut. 4.12. Simler. 3. Another reason may be taken from the office of Christ, who was the Mediatour both of the old and new Testament: as the Law is said to bee ordained by Angels in the hand of a Mediatour, Galath. 3.19. which though Beza contend to be understood of Moses, yet the exposition of Chrysostome and Calvine upon that place is to bee preferred, which interpret it of Christ: both because of the words following: A Mediatour is not of one, that is, but both of Jewes and Gentiles: But Moses was not the Mediatour of the Gentiles: as also, the title of Mediatour betweene God and man in the new Testament is given onelyonly unto Christ, 1 Tim. 2.5. So Chrysostome: Mediatorem hic appellat Christum, declarans, quod ipse ante legem fuerit, & legem tulerit: He calleth Christ the Mediator, declaring, that he was before the law, and that he gave the law. And Origen thus expoundeth the same place: In fine seculorum homo factus est Iesus Christus, sed ante hunc manifestum …n car…e adventum, mediatour quidem erat hominum, sed nondum erat homo: In the end of the world Iesus Christ became man: but before his manifestation in the flesh, he was the mediatour of men, though yet he was not man. Wherefore that is a sound assertion of master Calvine: Nullam abus que mundi initio Dei fuisse communicationem cum hominibus &c. That there was not from the beginning of the world any entercourse betweene God & man, but by the intercession of the eternall wisdome of God, the Son of God: That as he is now the Mediatour of intercession, & reconciliation; so he was alwayes of instruction and doctrine. And so that saying of Ambrose may conclude this point: Quis tantus esset dux, qui prodesset omnibus nisi ille, qui supra omnes est? quis me supra mundum constituere…, nisi qui major est mundo? Who is so great a Captaine, to profit and do good to all, but he which is above all? who should set me above the world, but he that is greater than the world? Lib. 4. in Luc. Seeing then the morall law was given to profit all people, and not the Jewes onelyonly, and to remaine as a rule of righteousnes, as long as God hath his Church upon earth, Moses could not be that mediatour of the law, which was but the Captaine of that one people: but he which is the Prince and Captaine of the whole Church of God forever.

That place expounded, Heb. 2.2. how the word and the law, was spoken by Angels.Heb 2:24. But that place will be objected, Heb. 2.2. If the word spoken by Angels was stedfast, &c. In which words the Apostle seemeth to affirme that the law was uttered and delivered by the Angels. This place is diversly expounded:

1. Some by Angels understand the Priests, Prophets and other Ministers of the old Testament: as Chrysostome toucheth this exposition, upon the like place, Galath. 3.19. that the law was ordained by Angels. But this interpretation cannot stand: for the Apostle sheweth afterward, what Angels he speaketh of: He hath not put in subjection unto the Angels the world to come, vers. 5.

2. Some by Angell understand Christ, Simler. But the Apostle speaketh of Angels in the plurall. And the Apostle compareth together the word spoken by Angels, and the word preached by the Lord himselfe: which comparison will not hold, if the Lord Christ should be understood to be the Angell, by whom the law was spoken.

3. Some thinke that the thunder and lightning and voyce of the trumpet were caused by the ministerie of Angels, but the voyce which delivered the law was from God himselfe. Simler. But the Apostle saith more, that the word was spoken by the Angels.

4. Some applie this text to the whole ministration of the old Testament, and not to the law onelyonly: Quis dubitat per Angelos ministratam fuisse omnem veteris Testamenti dispensationem? Who doubteth but that all the dispensation of the old Testament was ministred by the Angels? Marlorat in 3. Galath. v. 19. and Iunius in his Parallels upon that place, Act. 7.53. saith to this effect, that the Angels were ministri postea sermonis ad populum, non authores legis: that the Angels were ministers of the word afterward to the people, but not authors of the law. But this place being compared with Act. 7.53. and Galath. 3.19. where it is said, that the law was ordained by Angels, it will draw also, the word here said to be spoken by the Angels, to be understood of the law.

5. Iunius hath another exposition: that the law was ordained, inter Angelos, among the Angels: Annot. Galath. 3.19. and in his Parallels he saith, the law was exhibited onelyonly by Christ, inter ordines Angelorum, p. 259among the orders of the Angels▪ but the phrase it selfe, spoken by the Angels, giveth more to be understood, than among the Angels.

6. Wherefore, I preferre Chrysostoms exposition, upon that place, Galath. 3.19. Sentit ipsos Angelos subministrasse ferenda legi: He meaneth that the Angels did minister at the giving of the Law: It is one thing for the Angels as Gods deputies, to deliver the Law, another as ministers and instruments. As sometime the Prince may send Commissioners to execute his Edicts, who doe supplie his person and authoritie: sometime he being present in Majestie, may by the mouth of another proclaime his Edict. So at other times the Angels did speake in the name and person of God, as the Angell did call to Abraham, Genes. 22. sometime they did attend as ministring spirits, upon the Majestie of God, as his Criers and Proclaimers. So the law was delivered in mount Sinai, by the authoritie of God himselfe appearing in Majestie, who endited and framed the law; but it might be proclaimed by the Angels, concurring by their ministrie, in the framing of that audible voyce and sound, which was heard.

QUEST. XXXVIII. Why Moses is commanded to charge the people againe.

Vers. 21. GOe downe, charge the people. 1. Though this charge was given before, yet the Lord commandeth it to be done againe, Imminente jam hora ad majorem certitudinem, The very houre being now instant for more certaintie. Lyran. For they would the rather take heed, Cum recentius, & in Dei prasentia mandarentur, Being charged afresh, and in the presence of God▪ Tostat. 2. Another reason of renuing this charge, was the stubborne nature of the people, who had need often to be admonished: and although Moses thought it not needfull againe to charge them, as it appeareth by his answer, and in a manner refusall, vers. 23. yet the Lord, Sciebat sibi cum prafractis esse negotium, Knew that he had to deale with such as were stubborne. Calvin. 3. And further, though they had beene straitly charged before, not to exceed their prefixed limits and bounds: yet, they would have adventured, Ipso absente, & mora tamdiu, & curi…s… appetitu victi, In Moses absence, partly not enduring longer delay, partly of a curious desire, to have gone beyond their marks. Galas. 4. As also the charge is iterated in respect of the speciall interdict of the Priests, who might have presumed, being not before specially and in particular named, the charge being given to the people in generall. Simler.

QUEST. XXXIX. What Priests are here understood.

Vers. 21. ANd let the Priests also. 1. Because the order of Priests was not yet instituted, some thinke that is spoken by anticipation, and prevention, that afterward, when the Priests should be ordained and consecrated, they should be sanctified, when they came into the presence of God. Ex Lyran. But it seemeth by the sending downe of Moses, that this charge was presently to be given by Moses, and by the other to be executed. And further it is said, Let the Priests, which come to the Lord, be sanctified: The Lord then speaketh of those Priests, which already had accesse unto God, not of those, which should be assigned afterward. Tostat. 2. Some thinke that by this word, cohanim, which signifieth, as well Princes as Priests, are understood the Tribunes, Officers, and Judges of the people, which were before appointed by the counsell and advice of Iethro. Lippom. Genevens. But their office was to judge the people, and heare their controversies: the office of those Priests, was to have accesse unto the presence of God in offering of sacrifices. 3. Some thinke that the Priests were consecrated now, but that it is set downe afterward. Oleaster. But this were without any necessitie to disturbe, and transpose the order of the storie. 4. Therefore their opinion is most probable, who thinke that these Priests were the first borne, to whom the prerogative of the Priesthood belonged, till it was by Gods appointment setled in the Tribe of Levi: But neither all the first borne in Israel, that were consectated unto God, were Priests, as Iun. Borrh. For it is not probable in so great a multitude, Singulis domibus proprios fuisse Sacerdotes, That every house had his peculiar and proper Priest. Calvin. Neither were they onelyonly Primogeniti Principum duodecim tribuum, &c. The first borne of the Princes of the twelve Tribes, which offered sacrifice, chap. 24.5. As R. Salomon, Lyran. For so small a number of Priests sufficed not for the whole multitude. They were then as well Filii primogeniti aliorum magnorum virorum, The first borne sonnes of other great men, which were the Princes of the families, as the first borne of the Princes of the Tribes. Tostat. quaest. 12. 5. And by drawing neere unto God, is not here meant, that speciall kind of accesse, to enquire of God, which Moses did onelyonly then, and the high Priest afterward, by his Vrim, and Thummim, but the comming unto God to minister, as the Chalde interpreteth. Tostat. Lippom.

QUEST. XL. Why Moses replieth, as unwilling to goe downe.

Vers. 23. ANd Moses said unto the Lord. 1. Some thinke that Moses thus replied, Quod non videbatur necessarium, ut ista contestatio fierat: As though it seemed not necessarie, that this contestation should be made. Tostat. But it is not to be thought, that Moses would so contradict the Lord, having beene of late in so great feare, that the Lord spake unto him to comfort him. 2. Some say, that Moses thus spake not, as though he tooke this charge to be superfluous, but to shew his faithfulnesse, that he had carefully before intimated to the people the will and pleasure of God therein. Simler. But the Lord was not ignorant, what Moses had done, that he needed to make repetition of his service. 3. Some thinke that Moses, Andiendo populo mandatum refricat: That Moses thus answereth, that hee might in hearing of the people, rubbe their memorie, lest they might forget any thing of the charge. Pellican. But Moses was not yet gone downe to the people, and therefore not within their hearing. 4. Rupertus saith, Moses securum Deum reddere voluit divina inharens visioni: That Moses being desirous to continue there still, to see p. 260that heavenly vision, would have put the Lord out of doubt for that matter: But this had beene to make himselfe wiser than God, to give him securitie in that, which the Lord himselfe made question of. 5. But it is most unlike, that Moses should find fault with this charge, as somewhat hard, and that in effect he should say thus, Si non licet eis ascendere, & audire te, quis ergo audiet: If it be not lawfull for them to ascend, and heare thee, who then shall heare thee? Hugo de S. Victor. 6. Moses therefore replieth, not as discontented with this charge, but, seeing that the Lords commandement was so generall, and so strict, that no not the the Priests were exempted, he is therefore desirous to be satisfied, whom it was the Lords pleasure to admit to come up into the mount, and so the Lord presently giveth Moses satisfaction herein, giving …nto him and Aaron onelyonly liberty to come up. Iun.

QUEST. XLI. Why the Lord not withstanding Moses answer, still chargeth him to go downe.

Vers. 24. ANd the Lord said unto him, go get thee downe. 1. Tostatus thinketh, that this replie of the Lord, is a correction of Moses answer; Videbat enim Deus, quod Moses non videbat: For God saw that, which Moses did not see: that is, that it was needfull for him to goe downe, and charge the people againe: but the mentioning of Aaron afterward, whom Moses spake not of before, sheweth that the Lords speech was not a correction, but rather a satisfaction given unto Moses. 2. Cajetane saith, Imperfecta responsio Aaron, & …utila meruit non admitti: The imperfect and lame answer of Moses, deserved not to be admitted: for Moses in his answer, neither maketh mention of the Priests, nor of the punishment, both which the Lord had spoken of: But Moses was not refused here of God, he received satisfaction of his doubts. 3. Therefore it appeareth by the Lords answer unto Moses, giving him and Aaron onelyonly libertie to come up, that the Lords intendment was to satisfie Moses in that behalfe, who seemed to make question upon the Lords straite charge, whether any should be admitted to come up at all: and therefore the Lord telleth him, that though the people and Priests were inhibited, yet it should bee lawfull for him and Aaron to come up. Iun. 4. So here two other reasons may be gathered, why Moses is sent downe from the hill: the one that Moses should goe downe, Vt sit unus de populo andiendo legem, To be as one of the people, to heare the law among the rest; and that he should bring up Aaron with him. Cajetan.

QUEST. XLII. Why Aaron is bid to come up with Moses, wherefore he went up, and when.

Vers. 24. COme up, thou and Aaron with thee, &c. 1. This was not that comming up, when Moses went to receive the Lawes of God: for then not onelyonly Aaron, but Nadab and Abihu, and 70. of the Elders went up also, chap. 24. 2. Neither did Moses and Aaron goe up together, when the ten commandements were delivered by voyce: for then Moses was below, and not farre off from the people; for then they could not have spoken to Moses, as they did immediately after the delivering of the Law, chap. 29.19. 3. Nor yet did Aaron goe up with Moses into the top of the mountaine, into the middest of the darknesse: for thither Moses onelyonly went up, leaving Aaron and Hur behind, to heare the peoples controversies, chap. 24.14. 4. Therefore Moses and Aaron went up to some place of the mountaine, not to the top, but as it might be to the middle, not far from the people: from which place Moses might heare the people calling unto him. Tostat. 5. The Lord thought it fit to joyne Aaron with Moses, because he was appointed to the Priesthood, that he might be better prepared by those heavenly visions and revelations unto it. Simler.