Commentary on Genesis and Exodus, Chapter 32 · Questions · Question 59 – Question 63
QUEST. LVIII. Wherefore the people were compelled to drinke the powder of the idoll.
NOw these reasons are given, why Moses compelled them to drinke of this bitter water: 1. Ambrose saith it was done, Vt omnia impietatis aboleret vestigia, To abolish all the reliques of impietie, &c. So also Gregorie N…ssen, Materia quae eorum peccato subministravit, deleta est; The verie matter which ministred occasion to their sin, was taken away. 2. By this meanes a kinde of judgement was shewed upon the verie instrument of their sinne; for otherwise it had beene sufficient, if hee had done as Iacob did, Genes. 35.4. to have defaced it, and hid or buried it in the ground: therefore this was done, ut in eo sceleris pateret judicium, in quo scelus patratum fuerit, that there might be shewed a signe of their sin in that, wherein it was committed, Tostat. quaest. 30. 3. This was done to shew the basenesse and vilenesse of that idoll, Vt contemnere discat, quod in secessum projici videat, Hieron. ad Fabiolam.To contemne that which they saw cast out in the draught, Hierom. So also Borrh. That they should thinke no better of such idols, than of their dung and excrements: simulque testatur idoli impotentiam, and withall it shewed the impotence and weaknesse of that idoll, which they saw consumed to dust. 4. Hereby was also signified, Quòd corpora & animos inquinaverant, That they had defiled their bodies and soules with this sinne: that by drinking of the ashes of the idoll, they might understand, non cuti tantum adharere, that this sin did not cleave only to their skin, sed defixum in visceribus, but that it was fastened to their verie bowels, Calvin. So also Procopius, to shew, Animos ipsorum infectos idololatria, that their verie soules were infected with idolatrie. 5. Voluit ut pulveribus idoli sui saetiarentur; He would have them glutted and satiate with the dust of their idoll: as when they lusted for flesh, they had such plentie, that it came out at their Nostrils, Numb. 11. So here, as with greedinesse they desired an idoll to be made, Moses will have their greedie desire satisfied and filled, even with drinking it, Oleaster. 6. And by this was signified, Maledictionem àse exha… riendam & potandam, That they should drinke and draw out their owne malediction, and sup up the verie dregs; if the Lord were not more mercifull unto them, Iun. That as this bitter water was heavie to the stomacke, so their sinne was like to sticke by them. And this shewed, calicem hibere perpetuae infoelic…atis, that they should drinke the cup of perpetuall miserie, as when they cried unto Pilate, wishing Christs bloud to bee upon them and their seed, Lippom. Pellican. And so Moses Gerundens. one of their owne Rabbines confesseth, Non accidit tibi O Israel ultio aliqua, in qua non sit vel uncia de iniquitate… vituli; There hath not happened unto thee O Israel any revenge, where there is not an ounce, or some part of the iniquitie and sinne of the Calfe.
7. Augustine maketh this mysticall signification of it: that as the Israelites did drinke and receive into their bodies the golden Calfe; so the Gentiles, qui erant corpus diaboli, credendo transirent in corpus Christi, which before were as the body of the Devill, while they were idolaters, should by beleeving bee graft into the body of Christ, &c. Like as Moses serpent devoured the Magicians serpents: sic diabolus consumitur amissis membris suis, so the Devill is devoured, his members being lost and taken from him.In Psal. 73▪ So doth Rupertus understand by this image bea…en to powder, Eos, qui ex parte diaboli per poenitentiam confracti, &c. Those which having beene as of the body of the Devill, are broken by repentance.
8. Gregorie maketh this action propheticall, to signifie the generall destruction of idols thorow the world: Cernas oculis, qui hui… vanitati erant prius dediti, templa sua diruentes, &c. You may see with your eyes, that they which trusted before in their idols, doe now pull downe their temples. And Procopius by the drinking thereof with the mouth, understandeth the true confession of the faith: quae ore fit, which is done with the mouth: whereby idolatrie is overthrowne. But the other historicall reasons are rather to be insisted upon. And this drinking of the water mixed with this powder, was rather an evill signe unto them, as the bitter water was unto the adulterous woman, Numb. 5. than a signification of any good.
QUEST. LIX. Whether by the drinking of the water, any visible signe of difference was made among the people, who had most deeply offended about the golden Calfe.
BUt some further affirme, that this drinking of the water served to another end, than that thereby some signe of difference might be made betweene the Ring-leaders unto this idolatrie, and the rest, that they might easily bee discerned of the Levites, when they went up and downe in the host, killing those whom they met. 1. Therefore R. Salomon thinketh, that this bitter water did cause their bellies to swell, that were guiltie of this great sinne: but to the rest it was pleasant and wholsome water: like as the water of jealousie, Numb. 5. did cause the adulterous womans belly to swell, and her thigh to rot: but if shee were not guiltie, it made her fruitfull. 2. Others thinke that the signe was this, everie ones beard that consented unto this idolatrie, was coloured yellow like unto gold: and by this marke the Levites knew them from others. But if there had beene any such visible marke set upon them, seeing most of the camp consented unto this sinne, there should have beene more found guiltie, and more slaine than three thousand, vers. 28. 3. Tostatus thinketh that there was some externall and visible signe caused by drinking of the water, though he will not determine what it was, because it was not like that the Levites would hand over head slay one with another. And he thinketh that Aaron drinking of the water had not that marke, because the Lord pardoned his sinne, because hee was thereunto drawne by compulsion. This instance of Aaron sheweth, that the drinking of the water did make no such signe; for then Aaron should have had it, whose sin was not yet pardoned: neither had Moses yet intreated for him, having not yet examined him. The Levites might know to make difference among the people some other way, than by any such visible signe. See more of this, quest. 70. following.
QUEST. LX. How farre Moses fact herein is to be imitated.
BUt whereas Moses did not onelyonly put downe this abominable idoll, but made it altogether unprofitable for any use, burning and beating it to powder, the question is, how farre Moses herein is to be imitated. 1. Neither is their opinion to be approved which take this example of Moses to be extraordinarie in demolishing this golden Calfe; for as Moses did take away this publike stumbling blocke, so it belongeth unto Princes, è m…dio tollere, to remove out of the way whatsoever is done against the worship of God: as Hesekiah did likewise breake downe the brazen Serpent, after it began to bee abused to idolatrie, Ferus. Who addeth further, I would we had now some Moses to take away the evils which are in the Church: Non enim unum tantùm vitulum habemus, sed multos: For we have not one (golden) calfe, but many. Thus Ferus complaineth of the Papall Church. 2. But this is extraordinarie in Moses example, that he converteth not this golden idoll unto any use, but consumeth it to powder. Herein Christian Magistrates are not bound to follow Moses example: for Moses fact herein was singular, ad majorem detestationem, &c. for the greater detestation of idolatrie. Now it is lawfull to convert things consecrate to idolatrie, to some profitable use, ut juventur membra Christi, that the members of Christ may be helped and releeved, Gallas. 3. And in that Moses doth remove this idoll, which none else attempted to doe (yet it may bee thought that many in Israel were offended with it) so, magistratus officium est, non privatorum hominum, it is the office of the magistrate, not of private men, to take away idolatrous images, Osiander.
QUEST. LXI. How Moses maketh Aaron the author and cause of this sinne.
Vers. 21. WHat did this people vntounto thee, that thou hast brought, &c.? 1. Moses layeth this sinne upon Aaron, though he were not the first author of it, because hee being left in Moses place, stayed not the people by his authoritie: therefore he is worthily reproved, tanquam author sceleris, quod passus est admitti, as the author of this sinne which he suffered to be committed, Calvin: so that permissio peccati aeque in vitio sit, atque commissio; the permitting of sinne is as well in fault, as the committing, Pelarg. 2. Here then the Hebrewes, in seeking to excuse Aaron and the people, as seduced by the Egyptians, doe labour in vaine, seeing Moses doth so straitly charge Aaron as a principall doer in it. for if he had not grievously sinned, why should Moses here make him the cause of this sinne, and the Lord be so offended with him, that he purposed to slay him, if Moses had not intreated for him, Deut. 9.20. And in these three things Aaron sinned: 1. In not staying the people, and stilling them. 2. In that besides consenting unto them, hee is an agent, in making a Calfe for them. 3. And being made hee approved it, and set up an altar before it. So that Aaron is no more here to be excused, than Peter in the Gospell, which denied his Master, Oleaster.
3. Yet Aaron sinned not, as the people did; but as there were degrees of offenders among the people: some incouraged and perswaded others, some only gave consent, and were seduced by others perswasion, to commit idolatrie: and some did neither, but onelyonly went with the multitude for company to desire a Calfe to be made. So Aarons sin differed from the rest, timore ductus fabricavit vitulum, hee made a Calfe being drawne by feare, Tostat. qu. 33. And therefore Moses dealeth otherwise with Aaron than with the people. Aaronem verbis redarguit, populum cecîdit gladio; Hee rebukes Aaron in words, the people he slayeth with the sword, Ferus.
4. But yet Aarons sinne cannot bee so much extenuated, as to free him from the sinne of idolatrie: as Tostatus confesseth that he sinned, Nec tamen sequitur ex hoc, quòd fuit idololatra, and yet it followeth not hereupon, that he was an idolater: for howsoever Aaron thought in his heart, the verie making of an idoll to be worshipped, erecting of an altar, and offering sacrifice unto it, all which Aaron did, doe proclaime him guiltie of externall idolatrie.
QUEST. LXII. Why idolatrie is called a great sinne.
THis great sinne. 1. Idolatrie is counted a great sinne, even in the highest degree, because it is a sinne committed directly against God, not as other sinnes of the second table, which are done against our neighbour: which are also against God, because they are against his Law, but not directly against Gods honor, as the sins against the first table are. 2. And among all the sins of the first table, there is none which so directly impugneth the honour of God, as idolatrie; for he which taketh Gods name in vaine, or prophaneth the Sabbath, is an enemie to Gods honour: but yet such an one denieth not the Lord to bee God, as idolaters doe, Tostat. qu. 33. 3. Like as then in a Common-wealth all offences are against the King, because they are against his Lawes: but those which are against his person, are most directly against him, and among them treason specially, which is intended against his life: of the same nature is idolatrie, which is high treason against God. 4. Thomas saith, Tantum est aliquod peccatum gravius, 2.2. qu. 10. ar. 3.quanto longius per ipsum homo à Deo separatur: A sinne is so much the more grievous, the further wee are thereby removed from God: but by infidelitie and idolatrie one is furthest separated from God. 5. Idolatrie also is a great and grievous sinne, in regard of the judgement and punishment which it bringeth with it: for here Aaron, as much as in him lay, a…er▪ fit ultimam cladem, had brought upon them utter destruction, Calvin, if Moses had not turned the Lords wrath, they had all beene at once destroyed.