Commentary on the Pentateuch, Commentary 2 · Chapter 19
CHAP. XIX. Ver. 1. Into the wilderneſs of Sinai]
A Place where were manie buſhes and briars. Here they received …he Law, which like briars and brambles pricketh and pierceth the conſciences of evil livers. And this ſell out 430. years after the Promiſe made to Abraham; not to diſanul the Promiſe. Gal. 3.17. but to advance it: and, that guilt beeing diſcovered, and everie mouth ſtopped. Rom. 3.19. wee might acknowledg the riches of free Grace and MercieMercy.
Ver. 2. For they were departed] See the Note on Chap. 18.5.
Ver. 3. And Moſes went up] See the note on Chap. 3.6.
Ver. 4. On Eagles wings] The Eagle beat's her young ones out of their ſluggiſh neſt, that they may learn to flie: there was ſomwhat to do to bring Iſraël out of Egypt. Munſter. in Schol. in Deut. 32.11. ex R. Solomon.The Eagle carrie's her young upon her wings (and not between her talons as other birds do) openly, ſafely, ſpeedily: So did God his Iſraël, beeing choice and charie of them all the waie; ſecuring them alſo from their enemies, who could do them as little hurt, as anie can do the Eagle's young, which cannot bee ſhot but through the bodie of the old one. Som by Eagles here underſtand Moſes and Aaron, who are ſo called (ſaie they) propter acumen intelligentiae & altitudinem vitae, for the ſharpneſs of their underſtanding, and the loftineſs of their lives. See the Note on Deut. 32.11.
Ver. 5. If yee will obeie my voice indeed] As I am good to you indeed, and not in pretenſ or profeſſion onelyonly. Nathanaël was an Iſraëlite indeed. John 1.47. And Caleb fulfilled after God (or fully followed him) ſo did not Solomon. 1 King. 11.6.
Ver. 6. A kingdom of Prieſts] A holie ſtate, ſuch as ſhall bee all ſatiated with fatneſs. Jer 31.14. See the Notes on 1 Pet. 2.9. & Rev. 1.6.
Ver. 7. Laid before their faces] Or plainly propoſed the minde of God: foreign.ſo did Paul. Acts 17.3. So muſt Miniſters.
Ver. 8. All that the Lord hath ſpoken] Sed, quid dignum tanto feret hic promiſſor bia…u? How eaſily over-ween wee our own abilities? Pollicitis dives quilibet eſſe poteſt. Words are good cheap.
Ver. 9. And believ thee] Without ſuſpicion of an impoſture; ſuch as was that of Mahomet.
Ver. 10. Sanctifie them to daie, and to morrow] Men muſt com before God with the beſt preparation they can get. Hee will bee ſanctified in all them that draw nigh unto him. This the blinde Heathens ſaw, and therefore ſaid, Plutarch.foreign, worſhip not God by the by, but with all poſſible preparation. Hence they had their coena pura before their ſolemn ſacrifices. Bucholcer.Numa nihil rerum ſacrarum cives voluit neglectim agere. Hinc ſolenne illud, Hoc agite. The Miniſters likewiſe in the Primitive Church prepared the people's mindes by ſaying, Surſum corda, Lift up your hearts; Cyprian. de Oratione. Chryſoſt. Baſil.and the Deacons uſed to call upon the people in theſe words, Oremus, attendamus: Let us praie, let us attend.
Ver. 11. Againſt the third daie] That is, three daies hence, on the daie of Pentecoſt.
Ver. 12. That yee go not up into the Mount] God love's at once familiaritie and fear (ſaith a learned Divine) familiaritie with him in our converſation, D. Hall.and fear of him in his commands. Hee love's to bee acquainted with men in the walks of their obedience, yet hee take's ſtate upon him in his ordinances and will bee trembled at in his Word and Judgments.
Ver. 13. They ſhall com up to the Mount] i. e. To the bottom of the Mount, to the foot thereof. Verſ 17. See the Note on Heb. 12.20.
Ver. 14. And waſhed their clothes] In token of waſhing their hearts, and cleanſing themſelvs from all filthineſs of fleſh and ſpirit. The Gentiles alſo waſhed, Plaut. in Alul. Act. 3. ſcen. 6. Tertul. cap. 11. de Orat.that they might go to ſacrifice: and the Primitive Chriſtians before Praier.
Ver. 15. Bee readie againſt the third daie] If the word of a Command exſpected ſuch readineſs, what ſhall the word of Promiſs? &c. [Com not at your wives] For the Legal uncleanneſs that was in it. Lev. 15.18. 1 Sam. 21.4. figuring the filth of original ſin.
Ver. 16. There were thunders and lightnings] The Law was delivered in this terrible manner; partly to procure reverence to the Doctrine of it, and partly to ſet forth the Nature and Office of it; which is to terrifie and thunder-ſtrike offenders.
Ver. 17. To meet with God] Who came with ten thouſands of his Saints, as Moſes (that climbed up that hill, Deut. 33.2.and alone ſaw it) ſaie's. And if hee thus gave the Law, how ſhall hee require it at the laſt daie?
Ver. 18. The Lord deſcended upon it in fire] This fire wherein the Law was given, is ſtill in it, and will never out. Deut. 33.2.
Ver. 19. Moſes ſpake] Yet not without horror. Heb. 12.21.
Ver. 20. And Moſes went up] As a Mediator between God and his people. Gal. 3.19. with Acts 7.38. A Mediator Moſes was, not of Redemption (as Chriſt that Mediator of the new Covenant and ſuretie of a better Teſtament. Heb. 7.22. and 9.15.) but of receiving the Law, and delivering it to the people, for which end here hee went up.
Ver. 21. And manie of them periſh] As the men of Bethſhemeſh did for prying into the Ark. 1 Sam. 6.19. Arcana Dei, ſunt Arca Dei: Calvin.God's ſecrets are his Ark. Eorum quae ſcire nec datur, nec fas eſt, docta eſt ignorantia; ſcientiae appetentia, inſaniae ſpecies. Not to know what is not fit to know, is a learned ignorance: to deſire to know in that caſe is a kinde of madneſs. Hee that curiouſly ſearcheth into God's Majeſtie, ſhall bee oppreſſed of his glorie.
Ver. 22. And let the Prieſts] The firſt-born of the familie, which before the Levitical Law, had the Prieſt-hood. [Sanctifie themſelvs] With a ſingular care, above that of the reſt of the people. Much is required of Miniſters.
Ver. 23. The people cannot com up] i. e. Siquid ego aut capio, aut ſapio, they cannot: that which I know not teach thou mee.
Ver. 24. Away, get thee down] Abundans cautela non nocet. It is fit that men ſhould know and keep their diſtance. [Thou and Aaron with thee] Theſe onelyonly (who were types of Chriſt's Princely and Prieſtly office) might com up unto the Lord.