Commentary on the Pentateuch, Commentary 4 · Chapter 18
CHAP. XVIII.
Verſ. 1. SHall bear the iniquity] i.e. the puniſhment of whatſoever iniquity is done in the Sanctuary: Sin and puniſhment come under one name, as being tyed together with chains of adamant: where the one dines, the other will ſup; where the one is in the ſaddle, the other will be upon the crupper. Nemo crimen gerit in pectore qui non idem Nemeſin in tergo; Sin doth as naturally draw and ſuck judgments to it, as the loadſtone doth iron, or Turpentine fire.
The iniquity of your Prieſthood] Prieſts then are not Angels, free from ſin, as that Popiſh Poſtiller dream't and drew from Exod. 30.31, 32. Cajetan confeſſeth of the Popiſh Prelates, that whereas by their places, they ſhould have been the ſalt of the earth, Comment. in Matth.they had loſt their favour, and were good for little elſe, but looking after the rites and revenues of the Church. John Hus complains of the Prieſts of his age, Bellum Huſſiticum, pag. 9.that Multa quae i…i ordinem dicunt, omntum rerum in Chriſtianiſmo confuſionem pariunt, Many things that they call order, bring all into confu…on. Non arbitror inter Sacerdotes multos eſſe qui ſalvi fiant, Hom. 3. in Act.I believe few of our Prieſts will be ſaved, ſaith Chryſoſtome, of thoſe of his time. And from the Prophets of Jeruſalem, is prophaneneſs gone forth into all the land, ſaith Jeremy, Chap 23.15.
Verſ. 3. And you alſo dye For your other-mens ſins which you have not prevented, or prohibited. Qui non, cum poteſt prohibet. jubet.
Verſ. 7. As a ſervice of gift] So our Saviour counts and calls his work a gift, Ioh. 17.4. I have finiſhed the work which thou gaveſt me to do. Any employment for, and about God, is a ſpecial favour, a high honour.
Verſ. 9. Which they ſhall render unto me] As a recompence for ſome treſpaſs againſt me, Numb. 5.8. Levit. 6.6.
Verſ. 10. In the moſt holy place] i.e. In the Prieſts Court.
Verſ. 12. All the beſt of the oyl] Heb. the fat. God can afford the Miniſters the beſt of the beſt; though the moſt nowadayes, think the worſt too good for them
Which they ſhall offer] Not appointing them how much, but leaving that to the peoples liberality. And what that was, let Philo the Jew ſpeak, who well knew the cuſtomes of his own nation, and tells us, that all things due to the Prieſts, were paid very freely, Philo lib. de ſacerdot. honor.and moſt cheerfully. At haec gens debitam pecuniam lubens gaudenſque depromit, ſaith He; This people willingly, and with rejoycing, draw out their money for the Prieſts, not as if they gave, but received rather, adding happy ominations and gratulations.
Verſ. 13. And whatſoever is firſt. ripe] See what an honourable maintenance, and liberal entertainment God himſelf aſſigneth to the Levitical Prieſthood; and ſhall the Miniſters of the Goſpel be held to hard allowance? Gal. 6.6. 1 Cor. 9.7, 9. Ad tenuitatem beneficiorum neceſſario ſequitur ignorantia Sacerdotum.Panormit.
Verſ. 14. Every thing devoted] Unleſs devoted to ſome particular uſe, Levit. 27.28, 29.
Verſ. 18. And the fleſh of them ſhall be thine] And beſides theſe here touched, they had other revenues of no ſmall value, as their cities, Suburbs, glebe, Num. 35. &c. that they might be encouraged in the law of the Lord, 2 Chr. 31.9.
Verſ. 19. It is a covenant of ſalt] So 2 Chron. 13.5. that is, inviolable, i… corruptible, non computreſcens vetuſtate, ſaith Flacius, Pierius alſo tells us, that amity and friendſhip was ſymbolized by ſalt, corpora enim ſolidiora facit, & diutiſſime conſervat, for it's conſolidating and conſerving property.
Verſ. 21. For their ſervice which they ſerve] No man did ſo much as ſhut the doors of Gods Sanctuary, or kindle a fire on his altar, for nought, Mal. 1.10.
Verſ. 22. Neither muſt the children] But only Gods Kinſmen, (the I rieſts and Levites) as they are called, Levit. 10.3. according to ſome tranſlations, or his nigh-Ones.
Verſ. 31. For it is your reward] Or, wages, which you dearly carn, and may juſtly call for. So Luk. 10.7.