Commentary on the Pentateuch, Commentary 4 · Chapter 6 – Chapter 8
CHAP. VI.
Verſ. 1. ANd the Lord ſpake] Eſt Venus in vinis: therefore after the law, for the privy harlot; here is a law given, for abſtinence from wine, and ſtrong drink; which ſome have called lac Veneris, Rev. 17.4. The whore comm…th forth with a cup, as with a fit inſtrument.
Verſ. 2. To vow a vow] A voluntary vow, a religious promiſe made in prayer: hence foreign a prayer. [To ſeparate themſelves unto the Lord] As mirrours of ſingular ſobriety and ſanctimony, Lam. 4.7. (eſpecially required in ſuch, as are ſeparated unto the Goſpell of God, Rom. 1.1.) and as types of Chriſt, that great Votary, true Nazarite, holy, harmleſs, undefiled, and ſeperate from ſins, Heb. 7.26. that holy thing, Mat. 1.20. that holy of holies, or moſt holy, Dan. 9.24.
Verſ. 3. He ſhall ſeparate himſelf from wine] Leſt he ſhould drink and forget the law, Prov, 31.5. which he was to ſtudy diligently: but loaden bellies, make leaden wits; intemperance takes away the heart, Hoſ. 4.11 overchargeth it, Luk. 21.34. [Moiſt grapes or dryed] Dryed as raiſins, currants, (or grapes of Corinth, whence they come, and are called.)
Verſ. 4. From the kernels, even to the husk] Nothing that that might occaſion, or tempt him to break his vow. All ſhadows and ſhewes of evill, muſt be ſhunned: quicquid fuerit male coloratum, as Bernard hath it; whatſoever looks but ill-favoured, 1 Theſſ. 5.22. Iude 23. He that would not eate the meat, muſt not meddle with the broth. He that would not toll the bell, muſt not tuggle with the rope. He that would ſhun the blow, muſt keep aloof from the train.
Verſ. 5. There ſhall no raſor] In oppoſition to Heathens; Ʋotaries, who nouriſhed their hayr, to offer to their gods. The popiſh Prieſts alſo, cut and ſhave their hayr, that they may ſtill look neate, and effeminate; which God allowed not in his Nazarites, Amos 2.11.
Verſ. 6. At no dead body] Chriſt was never defiled, by any perſon dead in ſin, nor by any dead work: no more muſt we.
Verſ. 7. He ſhall not make himſelf unclean] In all changes, he muſt be unchangeable: ſo was Chriſt, ſo muſt we.
Verſ. 9. And if any man dye] A figure of the involuntary and unavoidable infirmity of the Saints, which muſt be bewailed, as direct fruits of the fleſh; and for which there is, through Chriſt, a pardon of courſe.
Verſ. 12. And he ſhall conſecrate] He ſhall begin the world a new: ſo muſt we; after ſome foul fall eſpecially: repent and do thy firſt works. Revel. 2.5. as the Shulamite did, Cant. 5.2. &c.
Verſ. 14. And he ſhall offer his offering] Though he had fulfilled his vow in the beſt manner, yet he muſt come with his ſinoffering, &c. leading him to Chriſt, for pardon of failings in the manner; and with his thank-offering, for what he had been enabled to do, before he could be releaſed of his Nazarite-ſhip.
Verſ. 18. And put it in the fire] To teach us, that the Lord ſo loveth his children, that he eſteemeth the leaſt hair of their head, as a precious gift.
Verſ. 19. The ſodden ſhoulder] i.e. The left ſhoulder; for the right was due unto him raw, Lev. 7.32. This taught the Nazarite ſpeciall thankfulneſs: dignity requires duty.
Verſ. 20. The Nazarite may drink wine] The Popiſh Votaries will needs fetch colour and approbation for their ſuperſtitious vowes, from this order of Nazarites. But the aboliſhing of this ordinance is declared, Act. 21.25. and they are ſo far from the abſtinence of Nazarites, that they eate of the beſt, and drink of the ſweeteſt: the moſt generous wine in Lovain and Paris, is known by the name of vinum theologicum: the Divines (thoſe S…rboniſts) do ſo whiffe it off.
Verſ. 21. Beſides that, that his hand] i.e. Beſide his voluntary devotion, according to his ability. This he may do, but that he muſt do, be he poor, or rich.
Verſ. 23. Ye ſhall bleſs the children of Iſrael] Praying for them with hands firſt ſtretched out to Heaven, Levit. 9.22.and then laid upon the people; ſo putting the bleſſing of God upon them. So Chriſt did upon his Apoſtles, which was his laſt action upon earth, Luk. 24.50. And ſo muſt all Paſtours do, that would do good on it, pray down a bleſſing on their people.
Verſ. 24. The Lord bleſs thee] Here ſome obſerve the myſtery of the holy Trinity. See it explained, 2 Cor. 13.14.
CHAP. VII.
Veaſ. 2. The Princes of Iſrael offered] So they did at the making of the Tabernacle, and at the building of the Temple, Exod. 35.27. 1 Chron. 29.6, 7, 8. which was but to give God of his own; as David acknowledgeth with all thankfulneſs, Verſ. 14. foreign. Of thine own we offer unto thee, ſaid Juſtnian, Cedrenus.when he had offered up, in the Temple of Sophia, at Conſtantinople, a communion-table that had in it, (ſaith the Authour,) all the riches of land and ſea.
Verſ. 8. And four wagons, and eight oxen] Double the number of what the Gerſonites had, becauſe their carriage was heavier; God proportions the burden to the back: none of his ſhall be oppreſſed, though preſſed out of meaſure, above ſtrength, 2 Cor. 1.8. as Ioſeph was, whom the archers hated, and ſhot at: But his how abode in ſtrength, and the armes of his hands were made ſtrong, by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob, ever reſerved for a dead lift, Gen. 49.23, 24. Mat. 8.17. See the note there.
Verſ. 9. Bear upon their ſhoulders] Therefore, when David carted the Ark. (as the Philiſtims had done before,) God was angry, and made a breach upon Ʋzza, becauſe they ſough him not in due order 1 Cor. 15.13.
Verſ. 11. For the dedicating of the Altar] No warrant, at all, for Popiſh dedications of Altars, Churches, religious houſes built for ſuperſtitious uſes, as appears in ſtories: Act. & Mon.as pro remiſſione & redemptione peccatorum; pro remedio et liberatione animae; pro amore caeleſtis patriae; pro ſalute regnorum, in honorem glorioſae virginis, &c.
Verſ. 12. For the tribe of Judah] Ʋt ubique ſuperemineat praerogativa Chriſti a juda oriundi.
Verſ. 17. And for peace-offerings] Sacrifices of all ſorts they brought, whereby, having made their peace, they kept a feaſt with joy, before the Lord, for his mercy to them through the merits of his ſon.
Verſ. 18. On the ſecond day] Their offerings are ſeverally and largely deſcribed; to ſhew how highly accepted in Heaven.
Verſ. 19. And when Moſes was gone in, &c.] Scipio Africanus was wont, before day, to go into the Capitoll; in cellam jovis, and there to ſtay a great while, quaſi conſultans de Rep. cùm Jove, as if he had adviſed with his god about the publike buſineſſes.Gell. lib. 7. c. 1.
CHAP. VIII.
Verſ. 3. HE lighted the lamps] This Candleſtick, on the Southſide of the Tabernable, over againſt the Table, figured the Law of God ſhining in his Church, Prov. 6.23. 2 Pet. 1.19. and the lighting of one lamp from another, ſhewed the opening of one text by another. The Rabbines have a ſaying, Nulla eſt objectio in lege quae non habet ſolutionem in latere; i. e. there is not any doubt in the law, but may be reſolved in the context.
Verſ. 4. Beaten work] To ſhew, that Miniſters muſt beat their brains, foreign.to beat out the ſenſe of the Scriptures, as the fowl beats the ſhell, to get out the fiſh, with great vehemency.
Verſ. 7. ſprinkle water of purifying, &c.] This taught, that none were meet for the holy Miniſtery, but by the free favour of Chriſt, and by the ſanctification of his Spirit, 2 Cor. 2.16. Gal. 1.15. Miniſters are fullones animarum, their office is to whiten others; themſelves therefore ſhould be as thoſe Nazarites, Lam. 4. whither then ſnow. [Shave all their fleſh] As the Lepers did; Levites are by nature, no better then Lepers: Miniſters, men ſubject to like paſſions as others, and liable to more temptations.
Verſ. 9. The whole aſſembly] By their Repreſentatives the Elders, or the firſt-born; figuring the Church of Chriſt, thoſe firſtborn which are written in heaven, Heb. 12.23.
Verſ. 10. ſhall put their lands] Impoſition of hands, is an ancient rite at the Ordination of Miniſters.
Verſ. 11. And Aaron ſhall offer the Levites] Heb: wave the Levites, with might figure miniſters miſeryes, and afflictions, by Satans ſifting them, Jer. 15.10.and wicked mens turmoyling them; as Jeremy that man of contentions.
Verſ. 12. The one for a ſin-offering] The ſin-offering for actual ſin; the burnt-offering for Original.
Verſ. 19. As a gift to Aaron]—Clariſſima ſemper Munera ſunt, Eph. 4.11.Author quae pretioſa facit; Miniſters alſo are given, as an honourary to the Church.
Verſ. 24. From twenty five years] See the Note on Chap. 4.30.