Commentary on Genesis and Exodus, Part 2 · Chapter 19 · Confutations – Moral observations
5. Places of Controversie.
1. Cont. Angels carrie not up our prayers unto God, as Mediatours.
Vers. 8. ANd Moses reported the words of the people unto the Lord. Tostatus hereupon inferreth thus, that as Moses carried up the peoples answer unto God, Sie Angeli coram Deo proponunt orationes nostras, So the Angels propound before God, our prayers: quaest. 3. in fine. Contra. 1. This followeth not, for Moses was a messenger betweene God and his people, hee was commanded to propound unto them, what the Lord had said: so when it can be shewed in Scripture, that the Angels have the like charge from God to report our prayers, the argument will follow, else not. 2. If the Angels should returne our prayers and sayings unto God, as they doe the rest of our doings: they do not as mediatours interpose themselves, but onelyonly as reporters returne, as they find in the world: and it is to this end, as Augustine saith, Vt super his Domini voluntatem consulant, That they may know Gods pleasure further therein: in Psal. 67. No doubt they doe observe, who are faithfull, and devout in prayer, and who are otherwise: The devill observed Iob, as the Lord saith, Hast thou not considered my servant Iob, how none is like him in the earth, Iob. 1.8. But he did it with envie; the good Angels were witnesses of his pietie with joy. So the Angels which were sent thorow the world, returne this answer: That all the world sitteth still, and is at rest, Zachar. 1.11. There was no devotion or exercise of godlinesse, but all given to securitie and carelesnesse. In this manner Angels may report as mens doings, so their sayings unto God: but this maketh nothing at all for the invocation of Angels, which is by the Romanists hereby intended.
2. Cont. That man hath no free will unto good.
Vers. 5. I… yee will heare my voyce indeed, and keepe my covenant, &c. From hence Lippoman would gather, that man hath free will: ad quid enim ita loqueretur, &c. For to what end should hee so speake, if it were not in the peoples power to heare, and keepe the covenant? Contra. 1. If this were in mans power to keepe Gods covenant, which is to observe his law, and obey the commandements; to what end then came our blessed Saviour to performe the law for us, which wee in respect of the weaknesse of our flesh could not doe? 2. Therefore these precepts are propounded in Scripture to these two ends, that thereby mans drowsie nature should be stirred up to labour unto perfection: and that finding himselfe to come farre short of the commandement, he might see his owne weaknesse, and flee for succour unto Christ. And therefore S. Paul saith, that the law is a Shool-master to bring us unto Christ, Gal. 3.24.
3. Cont. No absolute faith or credit to be given unto teachers, but as they agree with Scriptures.
Vers. 9. LOe I come unto thee in a thicke cloud, that the people may heare while I talke with thee. It was Moses credit with the people, that they heard the Lord speaking with him. And Moses desired no further to be beleeved, than he had his warrant from God: Non alio jure fidem in Ecclesia obtinuit, quàm quia Dei mandata pertulit: He by no other right obtained credit in the Church, but because he brought the commandements of God. Calvin. It is therefore great presumption for those which take upon them now to bee the Pastors and Doctors of the Church, to arrogate and assume more unto themselves than Moses did. As the Romanists doe hold, that we ought to receive all the decrees and constitutions of the Church, without any further discussing: We ought to take our faith, and all necessary things of our salvation, at the hands of our superiours: Rhemist. Act. 10. sect. 8. We must beleeve the Church, and trust it in all things, 1 Tim. 3. sect. 9. Whereas the Apostles themselves required not their doctrine otherwise to bee received, then as it was consonant to the Scriptures: for the Bereans are commended, for conferring those things which they taught with the Scriptures, Act. 17.11.
4. Cont. Perpetuall abstinence from marriage, not required of Ministers.
Vers. 15. COme not at your wives. Bellarmine out of this text would enforce the single life of the Clergie, because the people, being to appeare before the Lord, are commanded to abstaine from their wives, Lib. 1. de Clericis cap. 19. Contra. 1. It followeth not, the people were commanded abstinence for three dayes: Ergo, Ministers all their life should abstaine: or, they had wives and came not at them for three dayes: therefore Ministers must have no wives. 2. The practice of those times was otherwise, for the Priests and Levites were married: if this example pressed not them, it doth not enforce perpetuall single life now. 3. Neither doth the argument follow: because then there was in the use of marriage in the naturall issue a legall pollution, which made them uncleane untill the even, Levit. 15.18. and therefore such abstinence and forbearance was required: but such uncleannesse now is taken away: as in like manner, he that touched a dead corse then was uncleane, and yet therein he sinned not: there was then a kind of legall uncleannesse, which was not sinne. Simler. 4. But so much as is morall in this precept bindeth now: that to make our prayers more fervent, as by fasting, so by this kind of abstinence for a time, is fit, & agreeable to the Apostles doctrine, 1 Cor. 7.5. But as it followeth not, it is good to fast sometime, to be more earnest in prayer: therefore we should alwayes fast: so from abstinence from the marriage bed, to conclude perpetuall forbearance, is absurd. Ferus, one of their owne writers, is more equall, who writeth thus: Non est malum matrimonium, sed tamen accessuri ad Deum etiam à licitis temperare debent: Matrimonie is not evill, yet they which come unto God, ought to abstaine even from things lawfull. Which kind of abstinence is by the Apostle required not onelyonly of Ministers, but of all in generall in the foresaid place, 1 Cor. 7.5.
5. Cont. Against the distinction of counsels and precepts.
RVpertus further hath this note upon this text: Ad sanctificationem non satis est fecisse praceptum, nisi adjicias & facere consilium: To sanctification it is not enough to fulfill the precept, unlesse you adde to performe the counsels also: And in that place he sheweth what a precept is, to abstaine from things unlawfull, and what a counsell is, abstinere à licitis, to abstaine from things lawfull, Lib. 3. in Exod. cap. 26. Contra. 1. Though the use of the wife were in it selfe lawfull: yet upon this prohibition it was unlawfull: therefore it was no counsell now, but a precept. 2. That distinction of precepts and counsels is not sound, nor consonant with the Scriptures: as they call those precepts, which are commanded of God, and which to leave undone is sinne: The counsels are not enjoyned, and to leave them undone is no sinne: but in keeping of them there is greater reward. For whatsoever we doe, or can doe, it is but our dutie to doe, Luk. 17.10. and if we come short in doing those things which are commanded, it is not possible for any to doe more than is required. And seeing our Saviour biddeth us to be perfect, as his heavenly father is perfect, and we are commanded to love the Lord with all our heart, and all our soule: then the counsels, which they call of perfection, if they proceed from the love of God, are commanded also.
6. Morall observations.
1. Observ. We must be as ready to performe, as promise obedience.
Vers. 8. ALl that the Lord hath commanded, will wee doe. The people are ready to promise obedience, and that without any limitation, to all that God commanded: but they soone forgat their promise, and they were afterward as slow to performe, as here they are ready to vow obedience: whereby we learne, Nullius momenti esse subitum affectum, nisi accedat perseverandi constantia: That a sudden affection is of no moment, unlesse constancie in persevering be added. Calvin: to the same purpose Oleaster. As in the parable, the sonne that said to his father when he was bid to worke in his vineyard, and made answer hee would not, yet after repented, and went, is commended before him that gave faire words, and said he would, but went not, Matth. 21.29.
2. Observ. Due preparation must goe before the hearing of the word.
Vers. 10. LEt them wash their cloaths. Hereupon Origene thus noteth: Nemo potest audire verbum, nisi sanctificatus, id est, sanctus corpore & mente: None can heare the word of God, unlesse they bee sanctified, that is, holy in minde and bodie. If any come with unwashen garments, that is, unprepared, it will be said unto him, as in the parable, to him that had not his wedding garment: Friend, how camest thou in hither? The word of God is not to be handled with uncleane hands, neither will enter into uncleane hearts. B. Babingt.
3. Observ. Our sanctification is not perfected all at once.
Vers. 10. SAnctifie them to day and to morrow. Non enim una die perficitur sanctificatio, &c. For our sanctification cannot be perfited in one day. We must labour and study for it all the dayes of our life. Ferus. As the Apostle compareth Christians to men set in a race: So run, that ye may obtaine, 2 Cor. 9.24. It is in vaine for a man to set forward in the beginning of his race, if hee hold not out to the end: so our regeneration is not perfited all at once in the beginning: we must goe on still, untill the Lord have perfited his worke in us.
4. Observ. Against curiositie in divine things.
Vers. 12. THou shalt set marks unto the people. Docet hic locus, ne in rebus divinis simus curiosi: This place sheweth, that we ought not to be curious in the searching out of divine things. Ferus: and to shew what an odious thing curiositie is in matters forbidden, and that we should be content with that which it pleaseth God to vouchsafe to reveale unto us: B. Babington. As the holy Apostle saith, that no man presume to understand above that, which is meet to understand: but that he understand according to sobrietie, as God hath deal… to every one the measure of faith, Rom. 12.3.
5. Observ. The word of God had need often to be inculcate.
Vers. 21. GOe downe, charge the people. Such is our dulnesse, that we had need to have the word of God often inculcate and beaten upon us: Men are marvellous apt to transgresse, and therefore againe and againe they must bee admonished by Moses. B. Babingt. Therefore the Apostle saith: It grieveth me not to write the same things unto you, and for you it is a sure thing, Philip. 3.1. As here Moses is commanded to iterate and renew the same charge, that the people breake not their bounds.