Commentary on Genesis and Exodus, Theological treatise · Chapter 28 · Confutations – Moral observations
5. Places of Controversie.
1. Controv. Against the superstitious apparell of the Romish Priests.
Vers. 4. THou shalt make a breast-plate, an Ephod, and a robe, and a broidered coat. These Priestly garments being ceremoniall and typicall, are now abolished, Christ the true high Priest being come with his ornaments. Therefore the Romanists doe plainly Iudaize, in bringing againe into the Priestly order such varietie of garments: as the Pall, the Miter, the Crozier staffe, the Albe, the Chimere, the gray amice, the Stoale, with such like. Their Priests come forth, as though Aaron addressed himselfe with his attire to sacrifice at the Altar. S. Paul hath given us a rule concerning these things, which are but a shadow of things to come, but the bodie is in Christ, Coloss. 2.17.
But it will bee here further asked, if it bee not lawfull now for the Ministers of the Gospell to bee distinguished by some distinct apparell in their ministerie? For answer and satisfaction unto this demand, I will produce two grave testimonies of two learned Writers in this age: Marbachius of late the Professor of Divinitie in Straughsborow, and Gallasius not long since a Minister of the Church of Geneva.
Marbachius thus writeth: In Ecclesia omnia decenter fieri debent, & ad aedificationem, &c. In the Church all things ought to be done decently and to edification: Ita que tali vestitu utendum, qui non sit offendiculo, &c. Therefore such a garment must be used, as is not offensive, but bringeth some commendation and authoritie to them which minister, and may discerne and distinguish them from other men.
Gallasius also thus delivereth his judgement upon this place: Ego quidem fateor hoc ad decorem pertinere, ut ordines in politia distinguantur, &c. I confesse, that this appertaineth to comelinesse, that degrees should be distinguished in the Common-wealth: neither is the Gospell against decencie and order, but rather helpeth and maintaineth them: Sed nego ad verbi aut sacramentorum administrationem vestem lineam, How far the Surplice may be used, & tolerated in divine service.&c. But I denie, that the linen garment or pall belongeth to the administration of the word or Sacraments. I would not truly have any stirres or tumult moved in the Church for the use of externall things (seeing it is indifferent;) yet the superstition, into which men are readie to fall, and the abuse I hold to be condemned. We must also take heed lest while we tolerate things indifferent, or are constrained to winke at those things which cannot be amended, wee detract from other mens libertie. Thus farre Gallasius of this matter.
2. Controv. That we offend in our best works.
Vers. 38. THat Aaron may beare the iniquitie of the offerings. The people then sinned even in their religious works: which sheweth, in ipsis benefactis nostris peccatorum labem inesse, &c. that even in our best works, there is some blemish of sin, which cannot be acceptable unto God, but for the worthinesse and mediation of the true high Priest Christ Jesus, whom Aaron prefigured, Simler. To the same purpose also Calvin: Discamus nostra obsequia, ubi in conspectum Dei veniunt, peccato permixta esse; Let us learne, that even our service when it commeth into Gods sight (to bee examined) is mixt with sin, and is onelyonly sanctified by Christ, &c. So the Prophet Isaiah saith, chap. 64.6. All our righteousnesse is as a stained clout. Hereby then appeareth the error of the Romanists, who hold, that a just man in his good works doth not sinne so much as venially, Concil. Trident. sess. 6. can. 25. See more hereof Synops. Centur. 4. err. 70.
3. Controv. Against merit in good works.
Vers. 38. TO make them acceptable before the Lord. Tostatus saith here, that the Priest was accepted of God, and the Lord was well pleased with him: because he ascribed all holinesse unto God, as it was writen in his forehead: Holinesse to Iehovah. Hoc autem protestari meritorium est, & Deum nobis placatum reddimus; And to protest this is meritorious, and by this meanes we doe pacifie and appease God toward us, qu. 19.
Contra. 1. The former doctrine, that the people sinned in their very offerings, in their best works, which are spotted and blemished with some imperfection or other, overthroweth this error: for that which meriteth at Gods hand must be perfect: our best works then being imperfect are not meritorious. Therefore Calvin much better here inferreth; This place teacheth us, Quicquid honorum operum Deo offerre studemus, adeo nihil mercedis mereri, &c. That whatsoever good works we offer unto God, they are so farre from meriting any reward, that they make us guiltie before God, unlesse the holinesse of Christ, wherewith God is pleased, doe procure pardon for them, &c. 2. The Scripture evidently testifieth this: as Dan. 9.8. We doe not present our supplications before thee, for our owne righteousnesse. So Luk. 17.10. When ye have done all, say ye, we are unprofitable servants; we have done that which was our dutie to doe. If then we are unprofitable servants in our best service, we are farre from meriting or deserving any thing: and if we doe no more than our bounden dutie, nor yet all that, we have no reason to expect any reward beyond our desert. See more hereof, Synops. Centur. 4. err. 79.
4. Controv. Against the Popes triple crowne.
Vers. 36. THou shalt make a plate of pure gold. Ribera following Iosephus, who speaking of this plate of gold, saith: Hunc aurea corona triplici circundabat, &c. He beset round the Priests miter or bonnet,Lib. 3. de sa…r. …. …. 1…. with a threefold crowne, &c. hereupon thus inferreth: Hinc factum arbitror, ut summus pontifex triplicem in capite coronam gerat, &c. Hence it is, that the chiefe Priest (meaning the Pope) doth now beare a threefold crowne upon his head, &c. And he addeth further, Quamvis hujusmodi corona, &c. Although such a crowne was received from the Apostle Peter: which is yet to bee seene in S. Peters Church, which Silvester shewed unto Constantine, &c. This he saith S. Peter used by the instinct of the Spirit, that the veritie might be answerable to the figure, that Christs high Priest might weare that, which the high Priest the figure of Christ did weare.
Contra. 1. All this is grounded upon an uncertaine text: for there is no mention made here of a triple crowne: it is but Iosephus report without any warrant out of the text: the golden plate indeed is called the holy crowne, chap. 29.30. But of a threefold crowne there is not one word. 2. They may be ashamed to abuse the world with such foppish fables: who ever will beleeve, that S. Peter ever did weare a triple crowne, or that any of the Apostles used any such worldly pompe, whose glorie was their povertie, and contempt of the world; their crowne their sufferings, their obedience to powers and subjection, their renowne. 3. And if there had beene such a glorious crowne, it had belonged rather to S. Paul, than to Saint Peter, for hee was the Apostle of the Gentiles, the other of the circumcision. 4. And if any such crowne had beene then, it is more like that Constantine gave it to Silvester, whose donation they pretend for their great soveraigntie and privileges, than that Silvester first shewed it to him. 5. And if that indeed be Peters triple crowne which yet is to be seene, why doth the Pope refuse to weare that, but rather maketh choice of a massie triple crowne of gold and precious stone? 6. I had thought that Aaron had beene a figure of Christ, not of the Pope: and temporall things doe not prefigure temporall, one triple crowne another, but that outward crowne shadowed forth the spirituall Kingdome and regall dignitie of Christ.
5. Controv. Of the single life of Priests.
Vers. 40. ANd thou shalt make them girdles. Ribera further by the girdle which compasseth the loines, understandeth the continencie and single life of Priests, out of Beda. Contra. 1. If it had any such signification, wherefore was not single life injoyned Aarons sons first, to whom this girdle was prescribed? 2. Beda indeed hath such a collection, but he addeth withall: Quod videlicet genus virtutis, nulli per legem Dei necessario imperatum, sed voluntaria est devotione Deo offerendum; Which kinde of vertue is necessarily injoyned none by the law of God, but it must with a voluntarie devotion be offered unto God, the Lord thus saying hereof: Non omnes capiunt verbum hoc; All cannot receive this saying, &c. Why then doe they impose necessarily upon their Priests solitarie and single life? which forced chastitie hath brought forth and yet doth many foule fruits among them, as adulterie, fornication, Sodomitrie, and such like uncleannesse.
6. Morall Observations.
1. Observ. Apparell commendeth not one to God.
Vers. 2. THou shalt make holie garments for Aaron, &c. glorious, and beautifull. Wee reade of divers glorious garments made in the world: As of the costly vesture of Alcisthenes the Sybarite, which Dionysius sold for 120. talents unto the Carthaginians: Demetrius King of Macedon had a robe set forth sumptuously with the representation of the heaven and starres, which no King durst put on, quòd invidiosa nimis esset impendii magnificentia, because it was too envious, because of the magnificent cost. But Aarons glorious apparell exceeded all these,Athenaeus … cap. 1… Cael. lib. 6▪ … not so much in the sumptuous cost and cunning workmanship, as in respect of the institution, which was from God, and the signification, which was to set forth the glorious Priesthood of Christ: and as this was typicall in it selfe, so morally it shewed with what varietie of vertues first the Ministers of God, then all his faithfull people and worshippers should be adorned: not with putting on of gold, or outward apparell, but with the spirituall ornaments of the inward man, as S. Peter teacheth how women should be adorned, 1 Pet. 3.4.
2. Observ. Ministers must be adorned with veritie of doctrine, and holinesse of life.
Vers. 30. VRim and Thummim. Which signifie knowledge and perfection: whereby the Minister and man of God is set forth, that he ought to be adorned with soundnesse of doctrine, and integritie of conversation, B. Babing. As Saint Paul requireth, that his Bishop for the one should be apt to teach, for the other unreproveable, 1 Tim. 3.
3. Observ. Ministers must not be dumbe or idle.
Vers. 35. ANd his sound shall be heard, &c. Gregorie well noteth upon this, that the Priest dieth,In regist. lib. 1. cap. 24. if his sound be not heard, when he goeth in and out before the Lord: Iram contra se occulti judicis excitat, si sine sonìtu praedicationis incedit; Hee stirreth up the anger of the secret Judge against him, who goeth on without the sound of preaching, &c. So the holy Apostle saith: Wee is unto me, if I preach not the Gospell, 1 Cor. 9.16. This maketh against two sort of Ministers, the ignorant and unskilfull, that cannot sound forth the voice of preaching, and the idle and slothfull, that doe not.