Commentary on Genesis and Exodus, Chapter 32 · Confutations
5. Places of Confutation.
1. Controv. That it is not lawfull to make images to represent God by.
Vers. 5. TOmorrow shall be the holy day of Iehovah. It is evident then, that neither Aaron, nor yet Israel did thinke this Idoll to be their God; but they thought this tended to Gods honour: and they used this only as a visible representation of God: the Romanists therefore use but a slender shift when they alleage, that they are unlike the former Idolaters, Quod stat… & simulachra ne que vocent, ne que exist…ment deos; Because they doe neither call, nor thinke their images to be gods: for no more did the Gentiles thinke, that the very idols which they worshipped, were their gods: they called them all by a figurative speech, because they were made to represent their gods: likewise, those are but vaine pretences, which are commonly used by the popish Idolaters: Nolum…s à Deo recedere, ipsum quaerimus, &c. his adjumentis imbecillitas nostra sublevatur, &c. Wee purpose not to depart from Gods service, wee seeke and serve him, but by these meanes our infirmity is helped, &c. for all this here the Israelites pretended, Gallas. See more hereof, quest. 18. before, and Synops. centur. 2. error. 44.
2. Controv. The Papists proved to be Idolaters like unto the Israelites.
Vers. 6. ANd offered burnt offerings, &c. Though the idolatrou… Israelites intended here the service of God, yet in as much as they set up an Altar before the golden calfe, danced before it, and praised it, they were very formall Idolaters, and idoll Worshippers. The Romanists therefore are not here wrongfully charged to worship idols, seeing they set them up in their Church before Altars, decke them with flowers, adorne them with apparell, and jewels, burne candles before them, and incense, kneele unto them, and knocke their breasts: yea they set their similitude of beasts before their images, as a dog they dedicate to Rachus, an hog to Antonie, a Dragon to S. George, an Hart to Hubert, Gallas.
3. Controv. Against the Iewes that boast they came not of Idolaters.
THe Jewes likewise are here refuted, who make their boast, Quod ex iis, qui idololatria dediti fuerunt, non descenderunt; That they are not descended of them, which were given to idolatry:Cyril. lib. 6. super Ierem. c. 5. whom Cyril thus confuteth: Patres eorum in deserto vitulum conflatilem adoraveru… ; Their fathers in the desert worshipped the golden Calfe, and in the time of the Judges they went after strange gods, and under the Kings, Judea as well as Israel played the harlot, Ierem. 3.8. and committed spirituall fornication.
4. Controv. That the Pope may erre.
Vers. 5. WHen Aaron saw that, he made an Altar before it. By this that Aaron was seduced, and not only made a calfe for the idolatrous people, but erected an Altar, and proclaimed an holy day: we see that even holy men of excellent gifts, and high calling, erroribus & peccatis gravissimis obnoxios, are subject to errours, and grievous sinnes, Piscator. Which sheweth the shamelesse pride of them, which being neither in calling nor gifts like Aaron, yet say they cannot erre, B. Babing. The Pope is farre inferiour to Aaron, who erred; at the least he would not challenge to be superiour to Peter, who erred in denying his master, and after was received, when he was reproved openly by S. Paul, Galath. 2. See more of this, Synops Pap. Centur. 1. error. 47.
5. Controv. Against the invocation of Saints.
Vers. 13. REmember Abraham and Isaack. &c. The Romanists doe urge this place to prove the invocation of Saints: who (they say) being in heaven doe pray for us here in earth. But herein they contradict themselves, holding that the Fathers under the old Testament, were in that dungeon of darknesse, which they call Limbus Patrum, and so were ignorant of such things, as were done in the world: but it is evident in this place, that Moses doth not make these Fathers Mediators or intercessors for Israel; but only presseth and urgeth the covenant which the Lord confirmed by oath unto them.
6. Controv. Against merits.
LYranus further upon this place noteth, Allegat merita Patrum, Moses alleageth the merit of the Fathers. But Moses insisteth only upon the promise, which the Lord made to Abraham, which was fou… ded upon the Mesiah: therefore, Non propter patrum merita, sed respectus promissi Messia petit, he maketh request, not for the merits, or worthinesse of the Fathers, but in respect of the Messias who was promised, Simler. For neither was Abraham himselfe justified by his workes of merits, but by faith, as Saint Paul sheweth, Rom. 4.3.
7. Controv. Against the Lutherans that tolerate images in their Churches.
Vers. 20. ANd he tooke the calfe. Moses did not only restraine the people from worshipping this abominable idoll, but he defaceth it, and taketh it out of the way; which practice and example of Moses sheweth their errour, who although they condemne the adoration of images, yet thinke they may be tolerated in their Churches. But Moses could not indure the sight of this Idoll. So the Apostle saith. Babes keepe yourselves from Idols, Ioh. 5.21. They must not only beware of worshipping them, but take heed of the offence that may come by the sight of them, Gallas.
8. Controv. Against the Popes insolencie that indureth not to be reproved.
Vers. 21. ANd Moses said unto Aaron, &c. Though Aaron were appointed of God to be the high Priest, yea he was Moses elder brother: yet Moses doth no… forbeare him, but doth openly reprove him: therefore the insolency of the Bishop of Rome is intolerable, who holdeth scorne to bee reproved: unto whom his clawbackes ascribe so much, Vt simille … ducat ad …re…m n…m… ei dicat, cur facis sic, &c. That although he should lead a thousand soules to hell, none should say unto him, why dost thou so? Simler. Paul rebuked Peter openly, who by silence confessed his errour, and suffered himselfe to be reprehended.
9. Controv. Against satisfaction before God by temporall punishment.
Vers. 28. SO the children of Levi did as Moses commanded, &c. The Lord was well pleased with this punishment, which was inflicted by the Levites upon the idolaters: yet we must not thinke, that Gods wrath was hereby satisfied: for God was appeased before by Moses prayer, vers. 14. neither was it likely that the punishment of a few could satisfie for the sinne of the whole host; that the death of three thousand could make amends for the sinne of six hundred thousand, Simler. But, ad exemplum profuit, this punishment was profitable for the example of others: and by this meanes, castra purgata fuerunt, the campe was purged of the ringleaders of this sinne, Calvin.
10. Controv. Of the corrupt reading of the vulgar Latine text, setting downe 23. thousand, for three thousand.
ABout three thousand: The Latine Translater therefore here readeth corruptly, 23. thousand, as is before shewed at large, quest. 72.
11. Controv. All shedding of bloud maketh not one irregular, and unmeet for the Ministery.
Vers. 29. COnsecrate your hands. The Romanists observation therefore of irregularity is superstitious, that allow none to be admitted to Orders, which have beene shedders of bloud: Lippoman one of their owne Writers, giveth here a good note, Non est ergo omnis effusio sanguinis irregularitatis nota; All shedding of bloud is not then to be held a note of irregularity; seeing the Levites thereby were consecrated, &c. Indeed manslayers, and bloudy men are not easily to bee admitted to the Ecclesiasticall Ministery: but one which hath served in the warres, or had borne the office of a Judge, being otherwise meet for his gifts, is not for any such respect to bee debarred: As Ambrose in the better times of the Church, of a Judge was made a Bishop.
12. Controv. Against the Romanists that thinke no man can be certaine of his salvation, but by revelation.
Vers. 32. RAce me out of thy booke. Procopius here well collecteth, Ecce Mosi per omnia exploratum fuit, &c. Behold, Moses did certainly know, that his name was contained in the booke of life. But Tostatus thinketh, that this was extraordinary: and that now, Aut rarissimi homines aut quast nullus certus est; That few, or in a manner none are sure of their salvation. Moses he thinketh had this by revelation, and by his familiar conference with God: and so S. Paul, when he was taken up into the third heaven, Tostat. quaest. 42.
Contra. 1. Moses was assured of his election, even as other faithfull are: God answereth him, that hee which sinneth, that is, without repentance and recovery, shall be raced out: therefore he that sinneth not so,1 Iohn 3.9. but repenteth of his sinne, is sure he is there written: as the Apostle saith, Hee that is borne of God, sonneth not: sinne doth not reigne in him: and so againe it may be turned, he that sinneth not, is borne of God. And S. Peter saith, Brethren give diligence to make your election and calling sure, for if yee doe these things, ye shall never fall, 2 Pet. 2.10. By good workes then, as lively testimonies of our faith, our election may be made sure. 2. The ground also of S. Pauls confidence and assurance, was not so much any speciall revelation, as the common operation of faith in Christ: he was perswaded nothing should separate him from the love of God, which is in Christ Iesus our Lord, Rom. 8.39. Faith therefore in Christ, Pauls Lord and ours, assureth us of Gods inseparable love. See more Synops. Centur. 4. err. 25.
13. Controv. That God doth not only foresee, but upon his foresight also decree the condemnation of the reprobate.
Vers. 33. HIm that sinneth, will I put out of my booke. Tostatus further here hath this observation: that the reprobate are not predestinate of God, as the elect are, but praesciti tantum, onelyonly foreseene: Solum cognoscit Deus quod iste vel ille homo erit infoelix, non quod de eo aliquid statuerit, &c. He only knoweth, that this or that man shall be damned, and be unhappy, not that God decreeth any thing of such, quest. 41.
Contra. 1. This opinion is contrary to the Scripture: Iudas is called the child of perdition, Ioh. 17.12. Saint Paul calleth the reprobate vessels of wrath, prepared to destruction, Rom. 9.22. and Saint Inde, They were of old ordained to this condemnation, vers. 4. These places doe evidently shew, that the reprobate are ordained, prepared, and appointed unto condemnation. 2. Otherwise, if it were not so, that God decreeth the end and condemnation of the wicked, hee should be deprived of the one part of the office of the supreme Judge, which is as well to decree punishment to the wicked, as rewards to the righteous. 3. Indeed a difference there is betweene the decree and foreknowledge of the one, and of the other, but not that which Tostatus imagineth. As first, God ordained both for the elect, the end, which is salvation, and the way for them to walke in: but God foreseeth only the evill wayes of the wicked, but their end he both foreseeth, and decreeth: secondly, the decree of election is only of grace, without the foresight of the faith, or good workes of the Saints: but the decree of actuall condemnation in the wicked, is upon the foresight of their sinne, and misbeleefe, as is elsewhere shewed more at large. See more hereof, Synops. pag. 822.
14. Controv. The punishment of sinne remaineth not after forgivenesse of sinne.
Vers. 34. YEt in the day of visitation, I will visit them. Ferus hereupon observeth, that God many times, dimissa culpa p…nam sibi reservat, &c. doth reserve the punishment, the fault being pardoned. As Adam and Eve had their sinnes forgiven upon the promise of the Messiah, yet they both received punishment: so Numb. 14.20. God at Moses request forgave the sinne of the murmurers, yet all their carkasses fell in the wildernesse.
Contra. 1. That which God forgiveth, he perfectly pardoneth: Ierem. 31.34. I will forgive their sinnes, and remember their iniquities no more: Ezech. 18.22. His transgressions shall be mentioned no more unto them. But if the punishment should bee reserved still, then after remission, their sinnes should bee remembred. 2. Wherefore their chastisements which follow after the confession of sinne, as in the examples given in instance, were rather corrections for their owne emendation, or the example of others, than punishments for sinne: as Tostatus reasoneth, that if sinne be directly punished, nunquam daeretur ei temporalis poena, sed aeterna, it should never have temporall, but eternall punishment: it is therefore, non poena peccati, sed admonitio quaedam, not the punishment of sinne, but a certaine admonition, Tostat. qu. 47. See Synops. pag. 653.