Commentary on Genesis and Exodus, Theological treatise · Chapter 23 · Questions · Question 28 – Question 37
QUEST. XXVIII. Whether a Christian may sweare upon the Iewes Thora.
BUt it hath beene before shewed, that a Jew may be without sinne urged to sweare upon his Thora, which is nothing but the Pentateuch, containing the five bookes of Moses: another question is moved, whether a Christian may safely take his oath upon the Jewes Thora. And that it is not lawfull so to doe, it may be thus objected.
1. It is a sinne, Iudaizare, to Iudaize, to doe as the Jewes doe: as to be circumcised, to observe the Jewish Sabbath, and such like: But to sweare upon the Thora, is to Iudaize, that is, to doe as the Jewes doe, Ergo, &c.
Answ. 1. To Iudaize is not simply to doe that which the Jewes doe, but that which they alone doe, and none other: as to beleeve that which they only beleeve; as that the ceremonies of the Law are still in force: or to doe that which they only doe, as to be circumcised, and to abstaine from certaine kinde of meats, as Saint Paul chargeth Saint Peter that he compelled the Gentiles Iudaizare, to Iudaize concerning their meats: for he did eat with the Gentiles before the Jewes came, and afterward he withdrew himselfe from them: otherwise to beleeve as the Jewes and others also beleeve, and to doe likewise; as to hold the world to have beene created, the Israelites to have beene delivered, and all other things in the Scriptures to be true, as they are there set downe: this is not to Iudaize. 2. So, because the Thora, which is the Pentateuch, is not only received of the Jewes, but of the beleeving Gentiles: and the truth of the Law we subscribe unto as well as the Jewes: therefore simply to take an oath upon their Thora, is not to play the Jew: but a Christian may as lawfully doe it, as to sweare upon the Gospels, or any other part of the divine Scriptures.
2. Dare favorem errori Iudaeorum, &c. To give way, or shew favour unto the errour of Jewes is sinne: but a Christian swearing upon the Thora should give way unto the Jewish errour. Ergo.
Answ. To sweare upon the Thora, where any scandall or offence may grow unto the weake, or any occasion of hardning to the Jew, it is unlawfull: yet this sheweth not, but that where no such danger is, simply so to take an oath is not unlawfull.
3. To make this a lawfull act then for a Christian to take an oath upon the Jewes Thora, these things must be considered: 1. If he sweare upon it, not as upon any other booke of the same contents; that is, comprehending the five bookes of Moses: but as it is a monument of the Jewes, bound up in silke, and laid up in their Synagogue, so is it not lawfull, because to be addicted to such superstitious observations is sinne.
2. Though there be no difference betweene their Thorah which is written in Hebrew, and our Pentateuch in Latine or English, in respect of the substance; but one indifferently may lay his hand upon the one or the other, for there is no difference of languages before God: yet if a man make difference in his owne opinion, thinking the one not as lawfull as the other; herein he should offend, doing against his owne conscience.
3. Or if an Hebrew should require a Christian to swea…e upon his Thorah, rather than upon the Gospels, it were not lawfull: for hereby we should confirme him in his errour.
4. Or if one Christian should require another to swea…e rather upon the Jewish Thorah, than upon the Gospels, it were not safe so …o doe: because such an one giveth occasion of suspition that he doth not firmely and stedfastly beleeve the contents of the Gospell.
5. But if a Christian of himselfe, without any such motion made by another, doe willingly take his oath upon the Thorah, either of necessity, because there is no other booke of Scripture present: or because he maketh no difference betweene one booke of Scripture and another, he may doe it lawfully, so it be done without offence unto others, Sic Tostat. quaest. 16.
QUEST. XXIX. That it is not lawfull for a Christian to sweare upon the Turkes Alcaron, or Mahomets thigh, nor for a Turke himselfe.
BUt though a Christian may sweare upon the Jewes Thora, the former considerations being observed: yet is it altogether unlawfull for him to sweare either upon Mahomets thigh, which is kept as an holy relique among the Saracens and Turkes, or upon their Alcaron.
1. The first is evident, because this being a morall precept to sweare by the name of God only, and not by the name of any strange gods, bindeth all beleeving people for ever: now to sweare by Mahomets thigh, is to sweare by a strange god, and therefore it is unlawfull as well for the Jew as the Christian to take such an oath, seeing they are both bound to keepe the morall precepts and Commandements, Tostat. quaest. 19.
2. The other also is unlawfull, as it may thus be shewed: for an oath is made three wayes, either … God alone without any other externall signe or symboll, which is a lawfull and sufficient oath: or by the creature alone, which is an unlawfull oath; for so the glory which is onelyonly due unto God, should be given unto the creature: or by God and some creature together with reference unto God, as when in taking an oath the hand is laid upon a booke. But such a creature is used as an externall symboll in an oath: as in quo nihil est mendacii, wherein there is no lye: and it must immediat è nos ducere in cognitionem Dei, bring us immediatly to the knowledge of God: therefore we lay not our hand upon a stone, because it hath no instruction in it as a booke hath. But the Gospell hath both these properties: there is no falsehood or untruth in it: and it doth bring us immediatly and directly to the knowledge of God. The Turkes Alcaron hath neither: for both it containeth many falsehoods, fables, and untruths: and it can never bring us to the knowledge of the true God, having many errours in it. So then a Christian taking his oath upon the Alcaron, thereby should confesse all to be true which is there contained, and so blaspheme God, and beside give great offence unto Christians, and so secondly his brethren: therefore it were better for a Christian to chuse rather to dye, than to take such a blasphemous oath, Tostat. qu. 20. The like judgement is to be given of the Jewes Talmud, which containeth many fables, and blasphemies against Christ.
And for the same reasons before alleaged, even a Turke or Saracen sinneth in taking an oath upon Mahomets thigh, though he directly make it not God; because he useth such an unholy superstitious and abominable thing, in taking of a sacred oath: likewise he offendeth in swearing upon his Alcaron, which containeth abominable lies, and the same most pernicious, even concerning the end of all our happinesse in blessednesse in the next world, which their Alcaron placeth, and maketh to consist in the carnall pleasures of eating and drinking, and the use of women, Tostat. quaest. 21, 22.
QUEST. XXX. Why three feasts are only named, wherein they had more.
Vers. 14. THree times thou shalt keepe a feast unto mee in the yeere. 1. They had divers other festivall dayes beside these three which are here named, the Pasch, called the feast of unleavened bread; Pentecost, named the feast of first fruits; and the feast of Tabernacles, called here the feast of gathering fruits in the end of the yeere: which said three feasts are not named, because they were more strictly observed than the rest: for the Sabbath was more straitly kept, wherein it was not lawfull to kindle a fire, Exod. 35.3. nor consequently to doe any worke about preparing of their meat: neither in the feast of reconliation was it lawfull to doe any worke at all, Levit. 23.28. whereas in other feasts only servile workes are forbidden: and in the feast of the Passeover, such workes as were about their meat and drinke were permitted, Exod. 12.16. But therefore are these three feasts named, because in them onelyonly the people were bound to come up before the Lord. 2. And these three were speciall feasts above the rest for these causes: 1. Because in them onelyonly the people were required to appeare before the Lord. 2. Speciall oblations were offered in these feasts. In the Passeover was offered a sheafe of the first fruits, Levit. 23.10. in the feast of Pentecost they presented the first fruits of their wheat harvest, faire flower baken with leaven, Levit. 23.17. And in the feast of Tabernacles they were commanded to make them boothes of boughes, ibid, vers. 40. 3. Those feasts excelled the other in respect of the multitude of sacrifices which were to be offered therein, as is prescribed, Numb. 28.29. 4. And in regard of their continuance: for two of them, the Pasch, and feast of Tabernacles continued each of them seven dayes: the Pasch held from the 15. day of the first monethmonth unto the 21. day: and the feast of Tabernacles likewise began the 15. day of the seventh monethmonth, and ended the 21. day. Pentecost onelyonly hath one day allowed, which was the 50. day after the Passeover, Levit. 23.16. Tostat. 5. These feasts also were observed in remembrance of three great benefits: the Passeover, of their deliverance out of Egypt: the Pentecost, of delivering the Law: and the feast of Tabernacles, of their preservation in the wildernesse, Lyranus.
QUEST. XXXI. Of the feast of the Passeover.
Vers. 15. THou shalt eat unleavened bread. 1. This was the feast of the Passeover, or of unleavened bread, which were not two feasts concurring together, as Cyril seemeth to thinke, Alia est solemnitas Paschae, ilia azym…rum, licet conjuncta vidiatur, &c. There was one solemnity of the Pasch, another of unleavened bread, though they seeme to be joyned together. 2. Mention is not here made of the Paschal lambe, but only of unleavened bread, not as Cajetane thinketh, Quia non singulis annis omnes tenerentur ad immotandum agnum Paschalem, &c. Because all were not bound every yeere, to offer a paschall lambe, but to eat unleavened bread seven dayes they were bound, &c. For the contrary appeareth, Exod. 12.24. they were bound to keepe the Passeover, as an ordinance for ever; but the feast hath the denomination of the greater part: because they did eat the Passeover but one day, but unleavened bread they did eat seven dayes together. 3. In this feast, they offered a sheafe of the first ripe corne, which as Iosephus writeth, was done in this manner, Siccantes spicar… manipulum, & commandentes, &c. They dried an handfull of eares, and so rubbed or bruised them, and then offered them, lib. 3. Antiquit.
QUEST. XXXII. Why Pentecost is called the feast of the first fruits.
Vers. 16. THe feast of the harvest, of the first fruits of thy labours. This is called the feast of first fruits, and yet in the feast of the Passeover the first sheafe was offered. 1. Quod primi pa…es nunc offerebantur Deo, sicut in fine Paschae primae spi…ae, &c. Because the first bread or loaves of the new fruit was then offered, as in the end of the pasch the first eares, Cajetan. which were not then so ripe to make bread of. 2. Or because now they presented the first fruits of all their labours, that is, of all that they had sowen: but before, they brought the first fruits of some one kinde of graine onelyonly, which was first ripe, Tostat. 3. Or then they offered only the first ripe eares: as if a man went into the field, and espied … aliquas appropinquantes ad maturitatem a…e alias, some eares hastening to be ripe before the rest, them he gathered, and offered unto the Lord: but now in the feast of Pentecost, they brought the first fruits of all, Lyran. 4. This feast was celebrated, propter benefictum legis data, for the benefit of the giving of the Law, Lyran. Which was given the 50. day after their going out of Egypt, Tostat. And in remembrance ingressionis in terrum promissam, of their entrance into the Land of promise, when they did first eat of the fruit of the land, Theodoret. And it was a signe of the giving of the holy Ghost, which descended on the 50. day after the resurrection, Lyran.
QUEST. XXXIII. How the feast of Tabernacles is said to be in the end of the yeere.
Vers. 16. THe feast of gathering in the end of the yeere. 1. Oleaster and Tostatus are of opinion, that the common account of the yeere began in the seventh monethmonth, when it was thought that the world was created: but that upon occasion of the deliverance of the Israelites in the first monethmonth of the spring, that was consecrated to be the first, as touching the keeping of their feasts: but the former order remained still for the account of civill matters. But it is before shewed, that the institution of Abib to be the first monethmonth, was rather then revived, than of new ordained;cap. 12. qu. 2. and that is the more probable opinion, that the world was created in the spring; and that in remembrance thereof, that was counted the first monethmonth. 2. Cajetane saith, It is called the end of the yeere, in regard of the fruits of the earth, which were then all gathered, as both grapes and olives; not in respect of the season of the yeere, for September was the first monethmonth of the next yeere: and so it should rather have beene said in the beginning of the yeere, than in the end. But seeing the same monethmonth was both the end of one yeere, and the beginning of another, it may be said to be in the end of the yeere, though in the first monethmonth of the civill yeere, quòd medicùm distat, inesse videtur, it might be said to be in it, though it were distant a little, Tostat. So also Lyran. Immediately after the end of the yeere. 3. And wee are here to understand the gathering of all the fruits, not only come which was before inned and in the barne, seeing it was ripe foure moneths before, in the feast of Pentecost; but all other fruits, as wine and olives, which were then gathered, as Deut. 16.13. Tostat.
QUEST. XXXIV. Which were the three feasts, wherein they were to appeare before the Lord.
Vers. 17. THree times in the yeere, &c. 1. The Israelites had divers festivall times in the yeere: as beside the continuall and daily sacrifice they had seven other feast dayes; every weeke upon the Sabbath, every monethmonth upon the first day thereof: the feast of the Pasch, and Pentecost: and in the seventh monethmonth they had three more, the feast of blowing of Trumpets upon the first day, the feast of Reconciliation upon the tenth,2.1. qu. 102. art. 4. ad. 10. and of the Tabernacles upon the 15. which continued untill the 21. Thomas. Now they are not bound to come together in all these feasts, but only at three of them. 2. Though it be not expressed here, which three feasts they were to goe up in; yet it is evident in other places, the feast of the Passeover was one, Deut. 16.2. they were to offer it in the place which the Lord should chuse: and the continuall practice sheweth the same, as is evident, Luk. 2.41. the parents of our blessed Saviour went up every yeere to the Passeover. So in the feast of Pentecost, they were all to rejoyce before the Lord, they, their sonnes and daughters, servants and maids, Deut. 16.11. 3. OnelyOnly the question is, concerning the third time of their appearing before the Lord, which some thinke was at the feast of the blowing of Trumpets, in the 1. day of the seventh monethmonth: and so they continued there during the two other feasts of the Reconciliation, in the …0. day; and of Tabernacles, which began in the 15. Osiander. But here I approve rather Calvins reason, Gravin fuisset tam diuturna mora, So long abode together at Jerusalem, had beene burthensome, for the space of three weekes together: from the first day of the seventh monethmonth, to the 21. when the feast of Tabernacles ended: therefore this third time of their going up, was against the feast of the Tabernacles, as is evident, Deut. 31.10. and that these were the three times in the yeere, is directly mentioned, Deut. 16.16. These three times in the yeere shall all the males appeare, &c. Tostat. quaest. 25.
QUEST. XXXV. Who were bound to appeare before the Lord, whether their servants.
Vers. 17. SHall all thy men children appeare. 1. The women were not bound by this Law to appeare, because it was necessary that they should be left at home to attend the domesticall affaires, and have a care of the young children: yet they might come up voluntarily, as Anna the mother of Samuel did, and Marie the mother of our blessed Saviour: especially those which dwelt neere to Jerusalem. 2. Concerning the males, Tostatus thinketh that all the males, after they were come to yeeres of discretion, ascended: as Christ being but a child, according to the custome of other children, went up with his parents: But it is more like that none went up under 20. yeere old, only those males, qui ira…sibant sub censum, which passed under the account, Calvin. Some thinke also, none above 50. yeeres: but that is not like: the children might goe up with their parents also, but that was not of any necessity. And left it might have seemed a dangerous thing to the countrey, if all the males together should have beene absent, the Lord promiseth, that their enemies should not desire their land in the meane time while they appeared before the Lord, Exod. 34.24. 3. Neither were the males of their owne children only bound to goe up, but their servants also, as is expresly mentioned, Deut. 16.12. that their sonne, daughter, servant and maid should rejoyce with them before the Lord. Of their Hebrew servants there was no question, because they were of the same profession, and they were but their servants for a time. And concerning other servants bought with their money, they were to circumcise them, and then they were to eat of the Passeover, Exod. 12.44. Now if they were circumcised, they were thereby bound to keepe the whole Law, as the Apostle sheweth, Galath. 5.3. And seeing they also were to eat the Passeover, which could not be offered but before the Lord, Deut. 16.2. they were also necessarily to appeare before the Lord. 4. But if all their servants were bound to goe up with them thrice in the yeere, and that from the furthest parts of the land, this would seeme to have beene a great prejudice to their masters, and an hindrance to their businesse, to spare their servants so long. Lyranus and Tostatus here answer, that they which dwelt farre off were dispensed withall, and it was sufficient for them to come up only once in the yeere at the Passeover. But no such dispensation is extant in the Law: I rather insist upon that other answer of Tostatus, that damna animae plus vitanda sunt quàm damna corporis: the detriment of the soule is more to be shunned than the detriment of the body. Therefore seeing their appearing before the Lord concerned the health of their soules, all worldly respects ought to give place unto it: and the Commandement of God was to be preferred before all, Tostat. quaest. 26.
QUEST. XXXVI. To what end the people were commanded to meet together.
THis generall meeting of all Israel thrice in a yeere before the Lord was profitable for divers ends: 1. Ad concordiam religionis & doctrinae conservandam, &c. To keepe and preserve concord and unity in doctrine and religion, Simler. for if they might have sacrificed where they would, the people might soone have declined and fallen to strange worship. 2. Ingenti multitudinis concursu alii alios incitabant, &c. By this concurse of the multitude one helped to stirre up and provoke another to the more cheerefull setting forth of the praise of God, Gallas. 3. It was effectuall also, Ad coalitionem animorum, &c. For the knitting together of their hearts and mindes, the maintaining of love and charity among them, Marbach. 4. Solemnia festa angustiora fieri tanto conventu: The solemne feast dayes by this company of the people were thereby more adorned and set forth. 5. And this was a figure also of Christ: that as they had but one Sanctuary, one Altar, on high Priest: so Christus est unicus servator: Christ is our onelyonly Saviour and high Priest, Simler.
QUEST. XXXVII. Why the people were not to appeare empty before the Lord.
Vers. 15. NOne shall appeare before me emptie. 1. Though this precept be annexed here to the solemnity of the Passeover: yet it is to be referred not only to that feast, as Tostatus seemeth to take it, but to all the rest of the three, Cajetane, Gallas. 2. Some understand it thus, that none should appeare empty, or in vaine before the Lord, but they should receive some blessing at his hand: but it is plaine, Deut. 16.17. that it is meant of such gifts and oblations as they should bring with them, to offer before the Lord, Simler. 3. Which offerings and oblations served for the repairing of the Temple, and the maintaining of the Levites, and for other such uses belonging to the service of God, Simler. 4. This presenting of gifts unto the Lord, was to testifie their thankfull minde: Non enim satis erat verbis gratitudinem testificari: For it was not sufficient in words only to testifie their thankfulnesse, Gallas. And to this end they did it, ut personarum & rerum fiat Deo oblatio, qui dat & personas & res omnes: that they might offer unto God as well their substance as their persons, who giveth all, both the persons and all things beside, Cajetane. 5. Though we are not bound unto this Law, seeing it is abolished, veritas tamen a…uos pertinet, yet the truth thereof belongeth unto us, Gallas. that if wee have money, or any other substance, we should first releeve the poore, tunc demum Deo preces fundamus, and then offer our prayers unto God: Saltem animam non à bo…is operibus vacuam Deo offeramus, &c. At the least we should not present our soule unto God empty and void of good workes,In 2. Tim. cap. 1. …om. 1. Theodoret. To the same purpose Chrysostome, idcircò pauperes ante fores sunt, ut nemo vacuus ingrediatur, &c. intras ut misericordiam consequaris, prior ipse miserere, &c. Therefore the poore stand at the Church doore, that none should goe in empty: thou encrest to obtaine mercy, first shew mercy thy selfe, &c. Gregorie applieth it to the appearing before the Judge at the latter day:Lib. 7. Moral. cap. 17. he which spendeth his time here in heaping up of wealth, in gathering of riches, Quia cunctae haec quis que moriens deserit, ante Dominum vacuus apparet; Because everyone leaveth these things when he dieth, he appeareth empty before the Lord.