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COMMENTARIES
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THE FOUR LAST BOOKS OF MOSES,
ARRANGED IX THE FORM OF
A HARMONY.
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COMMENTARIES
THE FOUR LAST BOOKS OF MOSES,
ARRANGED
THE FORM OF A HARMONY.
BY JOHN CALVIN.
TRANSLATED FROM THE ORIGINAL LATIN, AND COMPARED WITH THE FRENCH EDITION ; WITH ANNOTATIONS, ETC.
BY THE REV. CHARLES WILLIAM BINGHAM, SI. A.
RECTOR OF MELCOMCE-HORSEY, DORSET, AND FORMERLY FELLOW OF NEW COLLEGE, OXFORD.
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EDINBURGH: PRINTED FOR THE CALVIN TRANSLATION SOCIETY
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PRFO
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•USTINB, FOR SHARP INSIGHT AND CONCLUSIVE JUDGMENT IN EXPOSITION OF PLACES oTsCUl'^UKK, WHICH HE ALWAYS MAKF, SO LIQUID AND PKHY.OU, HATH SCVRCE BEEN EQUALLED THEREIN B* ANY OF ALL THE WRITERS IN THh CHURCH 0^0"; EXCEPT CALVIN MAY HAVE THAT HONOUR; FOR WHOM (WHEN IT ONCERS NOT POINTS IN CONTROVERSY) I SEE THE JESUITS THEMSELVE,, THOUGH THFY DVRE NOT NAME HIM, HAVE A HIGH DEGREE OF REVERENCE.' -!>,'. 1 kmi
[entcrr D at Stationers' ??all.J
« WITH CALVIN, THE THEOLOGICAL EXPOSITION OF THE PENTATEUCH REACHED ITS HIGHEST POINT, THAT IS, RELATIVELY. HE STANDS STILL HIGHER ABOVE TIIK WHO FOLLOWED HIM THAN ABOVE HIS PREDECESSORS. IT IS CURIOUS ENC SUCH A LEADER SHOULD HAVE SUCH FOLLOWERS. IT CAN BE EXPLAINED ONLY O: THE SUPPOSITION THAT THEY HAVE NEVER READ HIS WORKS, OF WHICH, IN
WE EVERYWHERE FIND EVIDENCE."— Dr. Jlenrjstenlcrg.
EDINBURGH t PRINTED BY T. CONSTAI.LF, PRINTER TO HER MAJESTY.
THE FOUR LAST BOOKS OF MOSES
ARRANGED IX THE FORM OF
A HARMONY, WITH COMMENTARIES.
¬fjer Supplement as to tije Shutting up of tfje ILepnws.1
DEUTERONOMY, CHAPTER XXIV.
8. Take heed in the plague of leprosy, that thou observe diligently, and do according to all that the priests the Levites shall teach you : as I commanded them, so ye shall
• observe to do.
9. Remember what the Lord thy God did unto Miriam by the way, after that ye were come forth out of Egypt.
NUMB. v. 1. And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
2. Command the children of Israel, that they put out of the camp every leper, and every one that hath an issue, and whosoever is denied by the dead:
3. Both male and female shall ye put out, without the camp shall ye put them ; that they defile not their camps, in the midst whereof I dwell.
8. Observa in plaga leprae, ad ob- servandum diligenter et faciendum secundum omnia quse docuerint vos sacerdotes Levitfe : sicuti praecepi eis. ita observabitis ad faciendum.
9. Recorclare quid fecerit Jeho- va Deus tuus Mariae in itinere, quum egressi estis ex ^Egypto.
1. Et loquutus est Jehova ad Mosen, dicendo :
2. Prsecipe filiis Israel ut ejiciant e castris omnem leprosum, omnem seminifluum, et omnem immundum super anima.
3. Tarn masculum quain foemin- am cjicietis: extra castra ejicietis eos, ne contaminent castra sua, quia ego habito in medio eorum.
LEVITICUS, CHAPTER XIII.
1. And the Lord spake unto Moses 1. Et loquutus est Jehova ad and Aaron, saying, Mosen et Aharon, dicendo :
2. When a man shall have in the 2. Homo quum fuerit in cute skin of his flesh a rising, a scab, or carnis ejus tumor, vel scabies, vel
1 Heading added from the Fr. "Autre dependence de forclorre les lepreux."
fi
CALVIN'S HARMONY OF THE FOUR LEV. xm.
bright spot, and it be in the skin of liis flesh like the plague of leprosy ; then he shall be brought unto Aaron the priest, or unto one of his sons the priests.
3. And the priest shall look on the plague in the skin of the flesh : and •when the hair in the plague is turned white, and the plague in sight be deeper than the skin of his flesh, it is a plague of leprosy : and the priest shall look on him, and pronounce him unclean.
4. If the bright spot be white in the skin of his flesh, and in sight be not deeper than the skin, and the hair thereof be not turned white; then the priest shall shut up him that hath the plague seven days.
5. And the priest shall look on him the seventh day : and, behold, if the plague in his sight be at a stay, and the plague spread not in the skin ; then the priest shall shut him up seven days more.
6. And the priest shall look on him again the seventh day : and, behold, if the plague be somewhat dark, and the plague spread not in the skin, the priest shall pronounce him clean ; it is but a scab : and he shall wash his clothes, and be clean.
7. But if the scab spread much abroad in the skin, after that he hath been seen of the priest for his cleansing, he shall be seen of the priest again.
8. And if the priest sec that, be hold, the scabsprcadeth in the skin; then the priest shall pronounce him unclean : it is a leprosy.
9. When the plague of leprosy is in a man, then he shall be brought unto the priest ;
10. And the priest shall see him : and, behold, if the rising be white in the skin, audit have turned the hair white, and there be quick raw flesh in the rising,
11. It is an old leprosy in the skin of his flesh : and the priest shall pro nounce him unclean, and shall not shut him up ; for he is unclean.
^ 12. And if a leprosy break out
alba macula, et in cute carnis ejus fuerit plaga leprse, ducetur ad Aharon sacerdotem, vel ad unum c filiis ejus sacerdotibus.
3. Tune videbit sacerdos plagam in cute carnis : quod si pilus in plaga versus fuerit in albedinem, et super ficies plagje profundior fuerit cute carnis ejus, plaga leprrc est, et post- quam viderit eum sacerdos judicabit ilium contaminatum, (fc/,contamina-
bit ilium.)
4. Quod si macula alba fuerit in cute carnis ejus, et profundior non fuerit aspectus ejus cute, nee pilus ejus versus fuerit in albedinem, in- cludet sacerdos plagam septem die- bus.
5. Postea videbit eum sacerdos die septimo : et si plaga fuerit a?qua- lis coram oculis ejus, nee crevent plaga in cute, includet eum sacerdos septem diebus secundo.
G. Tune inspiciet sacerdos ipsum die septimo iterum, et si subnigra fu erit plaga, (»W, obscurius contracta,) nee creverit plaga in cute, tune mun- dum declarabit (vel, mundabit) eum sacerdos : scabies est : et lavabit vir vestimenta sua, et mundus erit.
7. Quod si crescendo creverit sca bies in cute postquam ostensus fuerit sacerdoti in purgatione ejus, inspi- cietur secundo a sacerdote.
8. Ubi autem viderit sacerdos crescere scabiem in cute, immundum judicabit eum sacerdos, lepra est.
9. Quoties plaga leprrc fuerit in homine, adducetur ad sacerdotem :
10. Et aspiciet sacerdos, et si tu mor albus fuerit in cute, et muta- verit pilum in albedinem, et alinien- tum carnis viva; in tumore,
11. Lepra invcterata est in cute carnis ejus : ideoque contaminabit eum sacerdos, quia immundus est.
12. Sin germinando germinavcrit
] ST COMMANDMENT. LAST BOOKS QF THE PENTATEUCH.
abroad in the skin, and the leprosy cover all the skin of him that hath the plague, from his head even to his foot, wheresoever the priest looketh ;
13. Then the priest shall con sider: and, behold, if the leprosy have covered all his flesh, he shall pronounce him clean that hath the plague ; it is all turned white : he is clean.
14. But when raw flesh appeareth in him, he shall be unclean.
15. And the priest shall see the raw flesh, and pronounce him to be unclean ; for the raw flesh is un clean : it is a leprosy.
16. Or if the raw flesh turn again, and be changed unto white, he shall come unto the priest ;
17. And the priest shall see him : and, behold, //the plague be turned into white ; then the priest shall pro nounce him clean that hath the plague: he is clean.
18. The flesh also, in which, even in the skin thereof, was a bile, and is healed,
19. And in the place of the bile there be a white rising, or a bright spot, white, and somewhat reddish, and it be shewed to the priest ;
20. And if, when the priest seeth it, behold, it be in sight lower than the skin, and the hair thereof be turned white, the priest shall pro nounce him unclean : it is a plague of leprosy broken out of the bile.
21. But if the priest look on it, and, behold, there be no white hairs therein, and if it be not lower than the skin, but be somewhat dark ; then the priest shall shut him up seven days.
22. And if it spread much abroad in the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean : it is a plague.
23. But if the bright spot stay in his place, and spread not, it is a burning bile: and the priest shall pronounce him clean.
24. Or if there be any flesh, in the skin whereof there is a hot burning,
lepra in cute, et operuerit lepra to- tam cutem plaga?, a capite ejus, et totum aspectum oculorum sacerdo- tis:
13. Tune inspiciet sacerdos, et si operuerit lepra totam carnem ejus, tune mundam judicabit plagam : ubi tota versa est in albedinem, mun- da est, (vel, mundus.)
14. Quo autem die visa fuerit in eo caro viva, immundus erit.
15. Et ubi viderit sacerdos car nem vivam, immundum judicabit ipsum, caro viva immunda est, lepra est.
16. Vel si reversa fuerit caro viva, et conversa in albedinem, tune veniet ad sacerdotem :
17. Et inspiciet sacerdos: et si versa fuerit plaga in albedinem, mundam judicabit sacerdos plagam illam : munda est.
18. Et si fuerit in cute carnis ali- cujus ulcus, (vel, pustula ardens,) et illud sanatum fuerit.
19. Et extiterit in loco ulceris tumor albus, aut macula alba sub- rufa, ostendetur sacerdoti :
20. Et quum inspexerit sacerdos, si pilus profundior fuerit cute, et pilus conversus fuerit in albedinem, contaminabit eum sacerdos: quia plaga leprse est ex ulcere germin- ans.
21. Et si viderit earn sacerdos, et non fuerit in ea pilus albus. nee fuerit profundior cute, sed fuerit subobscura, tune includet eum sacer dos septem diebus.
22. Si vero crescendo creverit per cutem, immundum judicabit eum sacerdos : plaga est.
23. Si vero suo loco constiterit macula alba, nee creverit, adustio ulceris est : mundum (vel, mundam)
judicabit eum sacerdos.
24. Quum fuerit caro in cujus cute erit adustio ignis, et in viva
CALVIN'S HARMONY OF THE FOUR LEV. xin
and the quick flesh that burneth have a white bright spot, somewhat red dish, or Avhite ;
25 Then the priest shall look upon it : and, behold, if the hair in the bright spot be turned white, and it be in sight deeper than the skin, it is a leprosy broken out ot the burning : wherefore the priest shall pronounce him unclean ; it is the plague of leprosy.
26. But if the priest look on it, and, behold, there be no white hair in the bright spot, and it be no lower than the other skin, but be somewhat dark ; then the priest shall shut him up seven days.
27. And the priest shall look upon him the seventh day : and if it be spread much abroad in the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him un clean ; it is the plague of leprosy.
28. And if the bright spot stay m his place, and spread not in the skin, but it be somewhat dark; it is a rising of the burning, and the priest shall pronounce him clean : for it is an inflammation of the burning.
29. If a man or woman have a plague upon the head or the beard ;
30. Then the priest shall see the plague : and, behold, if it be in sight deeper than the skin, and there be in it a yellow thin hair ; then the priest shall pronounce him unclean : it is a dry scall, even a leprosy upon the head or beard.
31. And if the priest look on the plague of the scall, and, behold, it be not in sight deeper than the skin, and that there is no black hair in it ; then the priest shall shut up him that hath the plague of the scall seven days.
32. And in the seventh day the priest shall look on the plague : and, behold, i/the scall spread not, and there be in it no yellow hair, and the scall be not in sight deeper than the skin ;
33. He shall be shaven, but the scall shall he not shave; and the priest shall shut up him that hath the scall seven days more.
carne adustionis macula alba subru fa, vel alba.
25. Inspiciet eum sacerdos : et, si versus fuerit pilus in albedinem in macula ilia, et superficies ejus fuerit profundior cute, lepra est in adus- tione germinans: ideo immundam judicabit earn sacerdos, plaga leprce est.
26. Quod si inspexerit earn sacer dos, et non fuerit in macula pilus albus, nee profundior cute, sed fuerit subnigra, includet eum sacerdos sep- tem diebus.
2". Postea inspiciet cum sacerdos die septimo : et si crescendo creverit in cute, immundam judicabit earn sacerdos, plaga lepra; est.
28. Quod si in loco suo steterit macula, nee creverit per cutem, et eadem fuerit contracta, (vel, sub nigra,) tumor adustionis est: ideo- qife mundum judicabit eum sacerdos: quia ardor exustionis est.
29. Si viro aut mulieri exorta fuerit plaga in capite, aut in barba.
30. Tune inspiciet sacerdos plag- am : et si superficies ejus profundior erit cute, et fuerit in ea pilus flavus et tenuis, immundum judicabit sa cerdos : macula nigra est, lepra capitis aut barbtc est.
31. Si autem inspexerit sacerdos plagam maculae nigne, et superficies ejus non fuerit profundior cute, nee pilus niger in ea, includet sacerdos plagam maculjc nigra; septem die- bus.
32. Et quum inspexerit sacerdos die septima, si non creverit macula ilia nigra, nee in ea fuerit pilus, et aspectus macuUe nigra; non fuerit profundior cute :
33. Tune radetur, sed maculam nigram non radet, includetque sacer dos maculam nigram septem diebus secundo.
1ST COMMANDMENT. LAST BOOKS OF THE PENTATEUCH.
9
34. And in the seventh day the priest shall look on the scall : and, behold, if the scall be not spread in the skin, nor be in sight deeper than the skin ; then the priest shall pro nounce him clean : and he shall wash his clothes, and be clean.
35. But if the scall spread much in the skin after his cleansing ;
36. Then the priest shall look on him : and, behold, if the scall be spread in the skin, the priest shall not seek for yellow hair; he is un clean.
37. But if the scall be in his sight at a stay, and that there is black hair grown up therein ; the scall is healed, he is clean : and the priest shall pronounce him clean.
38. If a man also or a woman have in the skin of their flesh bright spots, even white bright spots ;
39. Then the priest shall look: and, behold, if the bright spots in the skin of their flesh be darkish white ; it is a freckled spot that groweth in the skin : he is clean.
40. And the man whose hair is fallen off his head, he is bald ; yet is he clean.
41. And he that hath his hair fallen off from the part of his head toward his face, he is forehead bald : yet is he clean.
42. And if there be in the bald head, or bald forehead, a white red dish sore, it is a leprosy sprung up in his bald head, or his bald forehead.
43. Then the priest shall look upon it : and, behold, ifihe rising of the sore be white reddish in his bald head, or in his bald forehead, as the leprosy appeareth in the skin of the flesh,
44. He is a leprous man, he is un clean : the priest shall pronounce hin: utterly unclean ; his plague is in his head.
45. And the leper in whom the plague is, his clothes shall be rent, and his head bare, and he shall put a covering upon his upper lip, and shall cry, Unclean, unclean.
34. Postea, inspiciet sacerdos ma- culam nigram die septima: et, si non creverit macula nigra in cute, nee superficies ejus profundior fuerit cute, mundum judicabit eum sacer dos : lavabitque vestimenta sua, et mundus erit.
35. Si autem crescendo creverit macula per cutem post purifica- tionem suam,
36. Tune inspiciet earn sacerdos : et, si creverit macula ilia in cute, non requiret ad examen sacerdos pilum flavum : immundus est.
37. Quod si in oculis ejus consti- terit macula, et pilus niger fuerit in ea, sanata est macula ilia, mundus est, et mundum judicabit eum sacer dos.
38. Quum in cute carnis viri aut mulieris fuerint macula?, maculae inquam albse.
39. Inspiciet sacerdos, et, si in cute carnis eorum fuerint maculae albae, subnigne, (vel, contractfe,) macula alba est quod floret in cute, mundus est.
40. Vir quum depilatum fuerit caput ejus, calvus est, mundus est.
41. Quod si ex parte faciei sua? caput habuerit depilatum, recalvas- ter est, mundus est.
42. Quod si in calvitio ejus aut parte depilata fuerit plaga alba, sub- rufa, lepra germinans est in calvitic, vel parte ejus depilata.
43. Aspiciet ergo eum sacerdos : et, si tumor plaga? albus, rufus in calvitio ejus aut parte depilata, sicut species lepree in cute carnis,
44. Vir leprosus est, immundus est : contaminando contaminabit ilium sacerdos : in capite ejus est plaga ejus.
45. Leprosi autem in quo fuerit plaga ilia, vestimenta erunt scissa, et caput ejus nudum, et pilum labri operiet, et Immundus, immundus sum clamabit.
10
CALVIN'S HARMONY OF THE FOUR
LKV. XIII.
46. All the days wherein the plague shall be in him he shall be de filed ; he is unclean : he shall dwell alone : without the camp shall his habitation be.
47. The garment also that the plague of leprosy is in, whether it be a woollen garment or a linen gar ment,
48. Whether it be in the warp or woof, of linen, or of woollen, whether in a skin, or in anything made of skin ;
40. And if the plague be greenish or reddish in the garment, or in the skin, either in the warp, or in the woof, or in any thing of skin ; it is a plague of leprosy, and shall be shewed unto the priest.
50. And the priest shall look upon the plague, and shut up it that hath the plague seven days.
51. And he shall look on the plague on the seventh day: if the plague be spread in the garment, either in the warp, or in the woof, or in a skin, or in any work that is made of skin, the plague ta a fretting leprosy ; it »'a unclean.
52. He shall therefore burn that garment, whether warp or woof, in woollen or in linen, or any thing of skin, wherein the plague is : for it is a fretting leprosy ; it shall be burnt in the fire.
53. And if the priest shall look, and, behold, the plague be not spread in the garment, either in the warp, or in the woof, or in any thing of skin ;
54. Then the priest shall com mand that they wash the thing wherein the plague is, and he shall shut it up seven days more.
55. And the priest shall look on the plague, after that it is washed : and, behold, if the plague have not changed his colour, and the plague be not spread, it is unclean ; thou shalt burn it in the fire : it is fret in ward, whether it be bare within or without.
56. And if the priest look, and, behold, the plague be somewhat dark
46. Cunctis diebus quibus fuerit plaga in eo, contaminabitur, immun- dus est : seorsum habitabit : extra castra mansio ejus erit.
47. Si in veste fuerit plaga lepnc, in veste lanea, aut in veste linea,
48. Aut in stamine, aut in sub- tegmine ex lino, aut ex lana, aut in pelle, aut in quovis opere pelliceo :
49. Et fuerit plaga ilia viridis aut rufa in veste, aut in stamine, vel in subtegmine, vel in quovis opere pelliceo, plaga leprse est, ostendetur sacjrdoti.
50. Et inspiciet sacerdos plagam, includetque plagam illam septem diebus.
51. Postea inspiciet plagam illam die septimo : si crevent plaga ilia per vestem, vel per subtegmen, vel pellem in omni opere pelliceo, lepra corrodentis plagre est, immunda est.
52. Comburetque vestem, vel sta men, vel subtegmen ex lana, vel ex lino, vel quod vis opus pelliceum in quo fuerit plaga ilia : quia lepra corrodens est, igni comburetur.
53. Quod si, ubi inspexerit sacer dos, ecce non creverit plaga ilia in veste, vel in stamine, vel in subteg mine, vel in quovis opere pelliceo.
54. Tune prcecipiet sacerdos, et lavabunt id in quo est plaga : et re- cludet illud septem diebus secundo.
55. Inspiciet vero sacerdos, post- quam lotum fuerit, plagam illam : et, si non mutaverit plaga ilia colo- rem suum, nee plaga creverit, im munda est, igni combures illud : cor- rosio est in calvitio ejus vel in parte ejus depilata.
56. Quod si dum inspexerit sacer dos, ecce, subobscura fuerit plaga
1ST COMMANDMENT. LAST BOOKS OF THE PENTATEUCH. i 1
after the washing of it ; then he shall postquam lota fuit, abscindet earn e
rend it out of the garment, or out of veste, vel e pelle, vel e stamine, vel
the skin, or out of the warp, or out e subtegmine. of the woof.
57. And if it appear still in the 57. Quod si conspecta fuerit ultra garment, either in the warp, or in in veste, vel in stamine, vel in sub- the woof, or in any thing of skin, it tegmine, vel in quovis opere pelliceo. is a spreading plague: thou shalt lepra germinans est, igni combures burn that wherein the plague is with illud in quo fuerit plaga ilia.
fire.
58. And the garment, either warp 58. Vestis autem, sive stamen, or woof, or whatsoever thing of skin sive subtegmen, aut quodvis opus it be, which thou shalt wash, if the pelliceum quod laveris, si recesserit plague be departed from them, then ab eis plaga, lavabitur secundo, et it shall be washed the second time, mundum erit.
and shall be clean.
59. This is the law of the plague 59. Hsec est lex leprse vestimenti of leprosy in a garment of woollen lanei, vel linei, vel staminis, vel sub- or linen, either in the warp or woof, tegminis, vel cujusvis operis pellicei, or any thing of skins, to pronounce ad judicandum illud mundum vel it clean, or to pronounce it unclean, immundum.
DEUT. xxiv. 8. Take heed in the plague of leprosy. I am aware how greatly interpreters differ from each other, and how variously they twist whatever Moses has written about LEPROSY. Some are too eagerly devoted to allegories ; some think that God, as a prudent Legislator, merely gave a com mandment of a sanitary nature, in order that a contagious disease should not spread among the people. This notion, however, is very poor, and almost unmeaning ; and is briefly refuted by Moses himself, both where he recounts the history of Miriam's leprosy, and also where he assigns the cause why lepers should be put out of the camp, viz., that they might not defile the camp in which God dwells, whilst he ranks them with those that have an issue, and that are defiled by the dead. Wherefore, I have thought it well, previous to attempting the full elucidation of the matter, to adduce two passages, by way of preface, from whence the design of God may more fully appear. When, in this passage from Deut eronomy, He commands the people to "take heed/' and " observe diligently" the plague of leprosy, there can be no question but that He thus ratifies what He had before set forth at greater length in Leviticus. And, first of all, He refers the judgment of the matter to the priests, that what they pronounce should be firm and unalterable; and, secondly, lie would have the priests, lest they should pronounce rashly,
12 CALVIN'S HARMONY OF THE FOUR NUMB. v.2.
and according to their own wishes, to follow simply what He prescribed to them, so that they may only be the ministers, or heralds ; whilst, as to the sovereign authority, lie alone should be the Judge. He confirms the law which lie im poses by a special example ; because He had cast out Miriam, the sister of Moses, for a time, lest her uncleanness during her leprosy should defile the camp. For the view which some take, that He exhorts the people lest, through sin, they should bring upon themselves the same evil as Miriam, is not to the purpose. But that which I have stated makes excellent sense, viz., that God's command, whereby lie pro hibited Miriam from entering the camp, was to have the force and weight of a perpetual law ; because He thus ordained what He would always have done.
NUMB. v. 2. Command the children of Israel This pass age clearly shews that God, in desiring the lepers to be put out of the camp, was not acting as a physician by any means, and merely consulting the health of the people: but that by this external rite and ceremony He exercised them in the pursuit of purity ; for, by joining with the lepers those who had an issue,1 and who were defiled by the dead, He instructs the people simply to keep away from all uncleanness. The reason, which follows, confirms this, — " that they defile not their camps, in the midst whereof He dwells/' It is just as if He had said, that all the habitations of His elect people were parts of His sanctuary, which it was a shame to defile with any pollution. For we know what license men give themselves in corrupting2 the service of God, by mixing, as the proverb says, sacred things with profane. Thus we sec that the very worst of men boast themselves to be anything but the least zealous of His worshippers, and spare not to lift up polluted hands, although God so sternly repudiates them. It was, then, profitable that the ancient people should be reminded by this visible proof, that all those who arc defiled cannot duly serve God, but that they rather pollute with their filthiness what is otherwise holy, and thus grossly abuse religious exercises; and again, that they ought not to be tolerated in the holy congregation, lest their infection should
1 Seminifluos. — Lat. " Brouiller et abastardir. — Ft:
1ST COMMANDMENT. LAST BOOKS OF THE PENTATEUCH. lo
spread to others. Let us now briefly examine Leviticus xiii.
LEVIT. xiri. 2. When a man shall have in the skin. Since every eruption was not the leprosy, and did not render a man unclean, when God appoints the priests to he the judges, He distinguishes by certain marks a common eruption from the leprosy ; and then subjoins the difference between the various kinds of leprosy. For the disease was not always incurable ; but only when the blood was altogether corrupted, so that the skin itself had become hardened by its corrosion, or swollen by its diseased state. This, then, must be observed in the first place, that the Greek and Latin word lepra, and the Hebrew nin^, tzaragnath, extend further than to the incurable disease, which medical men call elephantiasis^ both on ac count of the hardness of the skin, and also its mottled colour ; not, however, that there is an entire agreement between the thickness of the man's skin and that of an elephant, but because this disease produces insensibility of the skin. This the Greeks call Vvpa, and if it be not a kind of leprosy, it is nearly allied to it. Thus we see that there was a distinc tion between the scab and leprosy; just as now-a-days, if it were necessary to judge respecting the itch, (which is com monly called the disease of St. Menanus,2) the marks must be observed, which distinguish it from leprosy. But, as to the various kinds of leprosy, I confess that I am not a phy sician, so as to discuss them accurately, and I purposely abstain from close inquiry about them, because I am per suaded that the disease here treated of affected the Israelites in an extraordinary manner, which we are now unacquainted with ; for what do we now know of a leprous house ? Indeed it is probable that, since heathen writers knew that the Jewish people suffered from this disease, they laid hold of it as the ground of their falsehood, that all the descendants of
1 Ladrerie. — Fr.
2 St. Mehan.— Fr. C. probably wrote Melanus. St. Mean, or Me- lanus, was a Welshman, who founded the monastery of Gael, now called St. Meen's, of which he became abbot, and where he died. At his tomb wonderful cures were effected, chiefly of cutaneous diseases, especially "itch and scab, to which a mineral well, which bears the name of the saint, and in which the patient bathes, seems greatly to contribute," quoth honest Alban Butler.
14 CALVIN'S HARMONY OF THE FOUR LEv.xm.2.
Abraham were infected with the itch, and were driven away from Egypt, lest others should catch it from them. That ] this was an ancient calumny appears from Josephus, botli in the ninth book of his Antiquities, and in his Treatise against Apion ; and it is repeated both by C. Tacitus and Justin. Yet I make no doubt that the Egyptians, a very proud nation, in order to efface the memory of their own disgrace, and of the vengeance inflicted upon them by God, invented this lie, and thus grossly turned against this inno cent people what had happened to themselves, when they were smitten with boils and blains. But we shall see here after, amongst God's curses, that He chastised His people with the same plagues as He had inflicted on the Egyptians : " The Lord will smite thee with the botch of Egypt, and with the cmerods, and with the scab/' &c. (Deut. xxviii. 27.) Whence it may be probably inferred, that God avenged the crimes of His ancient people with special judgments, which are now unknown to us ; just as afterwards new diseases arose, from which those in old times were free. At any rate, Josephus, by clear and solid arguments, exposes the absurdity of this accusation, that Moses was driven from Egypt with a crowd of exiles, lest they should infect the country with their disease ; because, if they had been universally affected with this malady, he never would have imposed such severe laws for separating the lepers from general society.
God first commands that, whenever a suspicion of leprosy arose, the man was to present himself to the priest ; if any symptom of leprosy appeared, He commands him to be shut up for a period of seven days, until it should appear from the progress of the disease that it was incurable leprosy. That God should have appointed the priests to be judges, and those, too, only of the highest order, is a proof that His spiritual service was rather regarded than mere bodily health. If any shall inquire whether leprosy is not a contagious disease, and whether it be not therefore expedient that all
1 The reference here, I think, ought to be Josephus, Jewish Antiq., Book III. ch. xi. § 4. See also, " Against Apion," Book I. § 25, et scq. Tacitus, Hist. v. 3. Justin, xxxvi. 2.
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who were affected by it should be removed from intercourse with others, I admit, indeed, that such is the case, but I deny that this was the main object in view. For, in process of time, physicians would have been better able to decide by their art and skill : whereas God enjoined this decision upon the priests alone, and gave them the rule whereby they were to judge. Nor did He appoint the Levites indiscriminately, but only the sons of Aaron, who were the highest order, in order that the authority of the decision might be greater. It was, then, by a gross error, or rather impudence, that the Papal priests (sacrifici) assumed to themselves this jurisdic tion. It was (they say) the office of the chief priests under the Law to distinguish between the kinds of leprosy ; and, therefore, the same right is transferred to the bishops. But they carry the mockery still further : the official,1 the bishop's representative, sits as the legitimate judge ; he calls in phy sicians and surgeons, from whose answers he pronounces what he confesses he is ignorant of himself. Behold how cleverly they accommodate a legal rite to our times ! The mockery, however, is still more disgusting, when in another sense they extend to the whole tribe of priests what they have said to belong solely to the bishops ; for, since the sin under which all labour is a spiritual leprosy, they thence infer that all are excluded from the congregation of the faithful until they shall have been purged and received by absolution, which they hold to be the common office of all the priests. They afterwards add, that judgment cannot be pronounced till the cause is heard, and so conclude that con fession is necessary. But, if they choose to have recourse to subtleties, reason would rather conduct us to the opposite conclusion ; for God did not desire the priests to take cog nizance of a hidden disease, but only after the manifest symp toms had appeared : hence it will follow, that it is prepos terous to bring secret sins to judgment, and that wretched men are dragged to their confession contrary to all law and justice. But, setting aside all these absurdities, an analogy must be observed between us and God's ancient people. He of old forbade the external uncleanness of the flesh to be 1 Monsieur 1'otficial, &c. — Fr.
J6 CALVIN'S HARMONY OF THE FOUR LEV. xin. 29.
tolerated in His people. By Christ's coming, the typical figure has ceased ; but we are taught that all uncleanness, whereby the purity of His services is defiled, is not to be cherished, or borne with amongst us. And surely excom munication answers to this ceremony ; since by it the Church is purified, lest corruptions should everywhere assail it, if wicked and guilty persons occupied a place in it promis cuously with the good. The command of God that, whilst the disease was obscure and questionable, the infected per son should be shut up for seven days, recommends modera tion to us, lest any, who is still curable, should be condemned before his time. In fact, this medium is to be observed, that the judge should not be too remiss and hasty in par doning, and still that he should temper severity by justice ; and especially that he should not be too precipitate in his judgment. What we translate " shall pronounce him clean, or unclean/' is in Hebrew, " shall clean, or unclean him ;" thus the dignity of the judgment is more fully established, as though it had proceeded from God Himself; and assuredly no medical skill could declare on the seventh day A leprosy to be incurable, respecting which there was doubt so short a time before, unless God should in some special manner dis cover the uncleanness, and guide the eyes of the priests by His Spirit.
29. If a man or woman. What is here spoken of is not the baldness which so often occurs in old age ; but that loss of hair, which is the consequence of leprosy, is distinguished from any other, the cause of which may be some indisposi tion, and which yet docs not pollute a man. But, inasmuch as some kinds of baldness do not so greatly differ at first sight from leprosy, — such, for instance, as ophiasis and alo pecia1 — it is therefore necessary to distinguish them.
1 " Ophiasis, (o<p/a<r/,-, 6rr.,) a disease, in which the hair grows thin, and falls off, leaving the parts smooth and winding like the folds of a serpent."
"Alopecia, («x«w£^«of u.\<u<*nl, a fox, Gr., the fox-evil,) a disease called the scurf, when the hairs fall from the head by the roots." — Baileys Dic tionary.
" These regulations will be better understood from the fact, that the Orientals distinguish two sorts of baldness. The first is that which begins from the forehead, and the other that which begins from behind. The Hebrew has a distinct name for each of these. By the Arabian poets
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44. He is a leprous man, he is unclean. In the first part of the verse he says that the leprous man must be counted unclean ; but, in the latter part, he commands the priest to give sentence against this uncleanness, lest it should be carried into the congregation. On this ground he says, "his plague is upon his head/' which is as much as to say, that he is sentenced to just ignominy, for Moses takes it for granted that God holds up to public infamy whomsoever He smites with leprosy, and thence reminds them that they justly and deservedly bear this punishment.
The two following verses contain the form in which the sentence is executed, viz., that the man should wear a rent in his garment, which is to be the mark of his disgrace, that he should walk with his head bare, and with his mouth covered, (for this I take to be the meaning of the covering of his lip ;) and besides this, that he is to be the proclaimer of his own pollution ; finally, that he must dwell without the camp, as if banished from communication with men. Moses here1 refers to the existing state of the people, as long as they sojourned in the desert ; for after they began to inhabit the land, the lepers were driven out of the towns and villages to dwell by themselves. I know not whether the opinion of some is a sound one, that they were enjoined to cover the mouth or lip, lest by the infection of their breath they should injure others. My own view is rather, that because they were civilly dead, they also bore the symbol of death in hav ing the face covered — as their separation deprived them of the ordinary life of men. Where we translate " shall cry, Unclean, unclean/' some, taking the verb, N1\ yikra,2 in-
also, the former is distinguished as the « noble baldness,' because it gene rally proceeded from the wearing of a helmet ; whilst the latter was stig matized as 'servile baldness.' With this understanding, let us read the terms 'bald' (Hip, kareach) in verse 40, and « forehead- bald ' (H3J, gib- beach) in verse 41. (See Michaelis, iii. 285.)"— Illustrated Comment., in loco.
1 Add. Fr.t "en parlant de 1'oster du camp;" in speaking of puttino- him out of the camp.
2 *0|T He shall cry, or call out. Had it been passive it would have been »TJJ\ There is, therefore, no ambiguity as to the voice, except to such as deny the authority of the points, or read Hebrew without them.
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18 CALVIN'S HARMONY OF THE FOUR LEv.xiv.58.
definitely, construe it passively, "shall be called;" and I admit that in many passages it has the same force as if it- were in the plural number. But, because the repetition of the word "unclean" is emphatic, it is probable that the word is not to be taken simply for " to call/' (vocare ;) and, there fore, I rather incline to the opinion that, by the command of the Law, they warned all with their own mouth not to approach them, lest any one should incautiously pollute him self by touching them ; although their unclcanness was perhaps proclaimed publicly, so that all might mutually exhort each other to beware. And Jeremiah seems to allude to this passage, where, speaking1 of the defilements of the city, he says that all men cried " Unclean ; fly yc, fly ye." (Lam. iv. 15.)
58. And the garment. This kind of disease, God, in His infinite clemency, has willed to be unknown to us. He has indeed subjected woollen garments and furs to the ravages of the moth, and vessels of various kinds to rust, and other corruptions ; in fact, has surrounded the human race with rottenness, in order that everywhere our eyes should light on the punishment of sin ; but what the leprosy of garments may be, is unknown. But its expiation under the Law ad monished His ancient people that they must carefully beware of even external uncleanncss, so as to cleanse themselves "from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit/' It has appeared to me sufficient to touch upon the sum of the matter, because it would be almost superfluous labour to insist upon the words, although I should be unwilling to condemn the dili gence of those who examine these points also ; but it is not my purpose to perform the office of the grammarian.
1 Fr., " en parlant ties pollutions de la ville do Jerusalem, il dit que tous pourront bien crier, ' Souillez, retirez vous, retirez vous ;'" in speak ing of the pollutions of the city of Jerusalem, he says, that all might well cry, "Ye polluted, depart ye, depart yc." A. V., "It is unclean, (or Margin, ye polluted,) depart, depart," &c.
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tfje $urtf$tttg of tfje
LEVITICUS, CHAPTER XIV.
1. And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying-,
2. This shall be the law of the leper in the day of his cleansing : He shall be brought unto the priest.
3. And the priest shall go forth out of the camp : and the priest shall look, and, behold, iftlie plague of leprosy be healed in the leper ;
4. Then shall the priest command to take for him that is to be cleansed two birds alive and clean, and cedar- wood, and scarlet, and hyssop.
5. And the priest shall command that one of the birds be killed in an earthen vessel over running water.
6. As for the living bird, he shall take it, and the cedar-wood, and the scarlet, and the hyssop, and shall dip them and the living bird in the blood of the bird that was killed over the running Avater :
7. And he shall sprinkle upon him that is to be cleansed from the leprosy seven times, and shall pro nounce him clean, and shall let the living bird loose into the open field.
8. And he that is to be cleansed shall wash his clothes, and shave off all his hair, and wash himself in water, that he may be clean; and after that he shall come into the camp, and shall tarry abroad out of his tent seven days.
9. But it shall be on the seventh day, that he shall shave all his hair off his head, and his beard, and his eye-brows, even all his hair he shall shave off: and he shall wash his clothes, also he shall wash his flesh in water, and he shall be clean.
10. And on the eighth day he shall take two he-lambs without blemish, and one ewe-lamb of the first year
1. Et loquutus est Jehova ad Mosen, dicendo :
2. IJjoc erit lex leprosi die purga- tionis SUPC, nempc adducetur ad sa- cerdotem.
3. Et egredietur sacerdos for.is extra castra, et inspiciet sacerdos : et si sanata fuerit lepra a leproso ;
4. Tune praecipiet sacerdos ut tol- lantur ei qui mundatur duai avcs vivse, mundse, et lignum cedrinum, et coccus vermiculi, et hyssopus.
5. Et priecipiet sacerdos ut mac- tctur avis una super vas fictile super aquas vivas.
6. Avem vivam toilet, et lignum cedrinum, et coccum vermiculi, ct hyssopum : et tinget ilia, et avem vivam in sanguine avis mactatrc super aquas vivas.
7. Et sparget super eum qui mun datur a lepra septem vicibus, mun- dabitque eum : et emittet avem vivam in supcrficiem agri.
8. Et lavabit qui emundatur ves- timenta sua, et radet omnem pilum suum, lavabitque se aqua, et mundus erit : postea ingredietur castra, habi- tabitque extra tabernaculum suum septem diebus.
9. Die autem septimo radet om nem pilum suum, caput suum, et barbam suam, et supercilia oculo- rum suorum, atque omnem reliquum pilum suum radet : lavabit quoque vestimenta sua, postquam laverit carnem suam aqua, et purificabit se.
10. Die autem octavo toilet duos agnos immaculatos, et agnam unam anniculam immaculatam, et tres
Heading added from Fr., " De !a purgation dcs Icpreux."
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LEV. XIV.
without blemish, and three tenth- deals of fine flourybr a meat- offering, mingled with oil, and one log of oil ;
11. And the priest that maketh him clean shall present the man that is to be made clean, and those things, before the Lord, at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
12. And the priest shall take one he-lamb, and offer him for a tres pass-offering, and the log of oil, and wave them for a wave-offering be fore the Lord.
13. And he shall slay the lamb in the place where he shall kill the sin- offering and the burnt-offering, in the holy place : for as the sin-offer ing is the priest's, so is the trespass- offering ; it is most holy.
14. And the priest shall take some of the blood of the trespass-offering, and the priest shall put it upon the tip of the right ear of him that is to be cleansed, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot.
15. And the priest shall take some of the log of oil, and pour it into the palm of his own left hand :
10. And the priest shall dip his right finger in the oil that is in his left hand, and shall sprinkle of the oil with his finger seven times before the Lord.
17. And of the rest of the oil that is in his hand shall the priest put upon the tip of the right ear of him that is to be cleansed, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot, upon the blood of the trespass-offering.
18. And the remnant of the oil that is in the priest's hand he shall pour upon the head of him that is to be cleansed : and the priest shall make an atonement for him before the Lord.
19. And the priest shall offer the sin-offering, and make an atonement for him that is to be cleansed from his uncleanness; and afterward he shall kill the burnt- offering.
20. And the priest shall offer the burnt- offering and the meat-offering
decimas mixtune pro minha mixta oleo, et sextarium unum olei.
11. Statuetque sacerdos qui mun- dat virum mundandum, et ilia coram Jehova ad ostium tabernaculi con- ventionis.
12. Tolletque sacerdos agnum unum quern offert in sacrificium pro delicto, e't sextarium olei, et agitabit ea agitatione coram Jehova.
13. Mactabitque agnum in loco in quo mactare solet oblationem pro peccato, et holocaustum nempc in loco sanctitatis : quia sicuthostia pro peccato, ita oblatio pro delicto. est sacerdotis, sanctitas sanctitatum est.
14. Accipietquc sacerdos de san guine oblationis pro delicto, et ponet super tenerum auris mundandi dex- tne, et super pollicem manus ejus dextne, et super pollicem pedis ejus dextri.
15. Accipiet pneterea sacerdos de sextario olei, et fundet in nianum suam sinistram.
1C. Tingetque ipse digitum suum dextrum in oleum quod est in maim sua sinistra, spargetque de oleo digito suo septem vicibus coram Jehova.
17. De residue vero olei quod in manu sua ponet sacerdos super tene rum auris mundandi dextne, et super pollicem manus ejus dextne, et super pollicem pedis ejus dextri, ultra san- guinem oblationis pro delicto.
18. Quod autem superest de oleo quod est in manu ejus, ponet super caput mundandi : expiabitque cum sacerdos coram Jehova.
19. Faciet item sacerdos oblatio nem pro peccato, emundabitque mundandum ab immunditia sua, et postea mactabit holocaustum.
20. Et ascendere faciet sacerdos holocaustum et minham super al-
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upon the altar : and the priest shall make an atonement for him, and he shall be clean.
21. And if he be poor, and cannot get so much ; then he shall take one lamb for a trespass-offering to be waved, to make an atonement for him, and one tenth-deal of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat-offering, and a log of oil ;
22. And two turtle-doves, or two young pigeons, such as he is able to get; and the one shall be a sin- offering, and the other a burnt- offer ing.
23. And he shall bring them on the eighth day for his cleansing unto the priest, unto the door of the taber nacle of the congregation, before the Lord.
24. And the priest shall take the lamb of the trespass-offering, and the log of oil ; and the priest shall wave them for a wave-offering be fore the Lord.
25. And he shall kill the lamb of the trespass- offering, and the priest shall take some of the blood of the trespass-offering, and put it upon the tip of the right ear of him that is to be cleansed, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot.
26. And the priest shall pour of the oil into the palm of his own left hand.
27. And the priest shall sprinkle with his right finger some of the oil that is in his left hand seven times before the Lord.
28. And the priest shall put of the oil that is in his hand upon the tip of the right ear of him that is to be cleansed, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot, upon the place of the blood of the trespass-offer ing.
29. And the rest of the oil that is in the priest's hand he shall put upon the head of him that is to be cleansed, to make an atonement for him before the Lord.
30. And he shall offer the one of
tare : expiabitque eum sacerdos, et mundus erit.
21. Si autem pauper fuerit, et manus ejus non possit assequi, turn accipiet agnum unum in nostiam pro delicto in elevationem ad expi- andum ilium, et decimam partem similfe imam permistam oleo pro minha, sextariumque olei.
22. Duos pneterea turtures, aut duos filios columbse, quodcunque apprehendere poterit manus ejus : eritque unus in hostiam pro peccato, et alter pro holocausto.
23. Afferetque ea octavo die puri- ficationis sure ad sacerdotem, ad os- tium tabernaculi conventionis coram Jehova.
24. Suscipietque sacerdos agnum oblationis pro delicto, et sextarium olei, atque agitabit ea sacerdos ele vationem coram Jehova.
25. Mactabitque agnum obla tionis pro delicto, ac toilet sacerdos de sanguine oblationis pro delicto, ponetque super tenerum auris mun- dandi dextne, et super pollicem manus ejus dextrae, et super pollicem pedis ejus dextri.
26. De oleo quoque fundet sacer dos in manum suam sinistram.
27. Spargetque sacerdos digito suo dextro de oleo quod est in manu sua sinistra septem vicibus coram Jehova.
28. Ponet quoque sacerdos de oleo quod est in manu sua super tenerum auris emundandi dextrse, et super pollicem manus ejus dextree, et super pollicem pedis ejus dextri, in loco sanguinis oblationis pro de licto.
29. Quod aufem superest de oleo quod est in manu sacerdotis, ponet super caput emundandi ad emun- dandum ilium coram Jehova.
30. Faciet item unum de turtnri-
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LEV. XIV.
the turtle-doves, or of the young pigeons, such as he can get ;
31. Even such as lie is able to get, the one for a sin-offering, and the other for a burnt- offering, with the meat-offering : and the priest shall make an atonement for him that is to be cleansed before the Lord.
32. This is the law of him in whom is the plague of leprosy, whose hand is not able to get that which pertaincth to his cleansing.
33. And the Lord spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,
34. When ye be come into the land of Canaan, which I give to you for a possession, and I put the plague of leprosy in a house of the land of your possession ;
35. And he that owneth the house shall come and tell the priest, say ing, It seemeth to me there is as it were a plague in the house :
30. Then the priest shall com mand that they empty the house, before the priest go into it to sec the plague, that all that is in the house be not made unclean ; and after ward the priest shall go in to see the house.
37. And he shall look on the plague : and, behold, if the plague be in the walls of the house with hollow strakes, greenish or reddish, which in sight are lower than the wall ;
38. Then the priest shall go out of the house to the door of the house, and shut up the house seven days.
39. And the priest shall come again the seventh day, and shall look; and, behold, if the plague be spread in the walls of the house ;
40. Then the priest shall com mand that they take away the stones in which the plague is, and they shall cast them into an unclean place with out the city.
41. And he shall cause the house to be scraped within round about, and they shall pour out the dust that they scrape off without the city into an unclean place.
bus, vel ex pullis columbarum, ex iis qua; apprchenderit maims ejus.
31. Quod inquam apprehenderit manus ejus, faciet unum pro pcccato, ct alterum in holocaust urn cum min- ha, emundabitque sacerdos mundan- dum coram Jehova.
32. Ita est lex ejus in quo fucrat plaga lepra%, cujus manus non potcrat apprehendere mundationem sui.
33. Et loquutus est Jehova ad Mosen ct Aharon, dicendo :
34. Quum ingressi fueritis terrain Chanaan, quam ego do vobis in pos- sessionem, et posuero plagam lepric in domo terra; possessionis vestnc :
35. Vcniet illc cujus erit domus, renuntiabitque sacerdoti, dicendo, Tanquam plaga Icprce visa est mihi in domo.
36. Tune prtecipiet sacerdos, ct cxpurgabunt domum antcquam in- grediatur sacerdos, ut dispiciat pla gam, ne polluatur quicquam quod sit in ea domo : et postca ingredietur sacerdos ad contemplandam do- mum.
37. Tune considerabit plagam ipsam : ct siquidem in plaga quoe est in parietibus domus, fucrint nigre- dines, flavedines, vel rubcdines : ct aspectus corum fuerit dcpressior reliquo pariete :
38. Egredietur sacerdos c domo ad ostium domus, ct claudet domum septem diebus.
39. Postea rcvcrtctur sacerdos die septimo, ct contemplabitur: et siquidem creverit plaga in parietibus domus,
40. Tune pnecipiet sacerdos, ct cruent lapides in quibus fuerit plaga ilia, projicientque illos extra civita- tem in locum immundum :
41. Domum autem raderc jubebit intrinsecus per circuitum, et effun- dent pulvercm quern abraserint extra civitatem in locum imimmdum.
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42. And they shall take other stones, and put them in the place of those stones ; and he shall take other mortar, and shall plaster the house.
43. And if the plague come again, and break out in the house, after that he hath taken away the stones, and after he hath scraped the house, and after it is plastered;
44. Then the priest shall come and look, and, behold, if the plague be spread in the house, it is a fret ting leprosy in the house ; it is un clean.
45. And he shall break down the house, the stones of it, and the tim ber thereof, and all the mortar of the house ; and he shall carry them forth out of the city into an unclean place.
4G. Moreover, he that goeth into the house all the while that it is shut up shall be unclean until the even.
47. And he that lieth in the house shall wash his clothes ; and he that eateth in the house shall wash his clothes.
48. And if the priest shall come in, and look upon it, and, behold, the plague hath not spread in the house, after the house was plastered; then the priest shall pronounce the house clean, because the plague is healed.
49. And he shall take to cleanse the house two birds, and cedar-wood, and scarlet, and hyssop.
50. And he shall kill the one of the birds in an earthen vessel over running water.
51. And he shall take the cedar- wood, and the hyssop, and the scar let, and the living bird, and dip them in the blood of the slain bird, and in the running water, and sprinkle the house seven times.
52. And he shall cleanse the house with the blood of the bird, and with the running water, and with the liv ing bird, and with the cedar-wood, and with the hyssop, and with the scarlet.
42. Et accipient lapides alios quos reponent loco lapidum illorum, et lutum aliud capient, et complana- bunt domum.
43. Quod si reversa fuerit plaga, et effloreat in ilia domo postquam erui fecit lapides, et abradi domum, et posteaquam obducta fuit :
44. Tune ingredietur sacerdos, ct considerabit : et siquidem creverit plaga in domo, lepra corrodens est ipsa in domo, immunda est.
45. Destruetque domum, et lapi des ejus, et ligna ejus, atque univer- sum lutum domus, educetque extra civitatem in locum immimdum.
4G. Qui autem ingrcssus fuerit domum illam omnibus diebus quibus jusscrit earn claudi, immundus erit usque ad vesperam.
47. Et qui dormierit in ea domo, lavabit vestimenta sua : quique co- mederit in domo, lavabit vestimenta sua.
48. Si autem ingrediendo ingrcs sus fuerit sacerdos : contemplatus- que viderit 11011 crevisse plagam in ipsa domo, postquam ipsa obducta fuit : mundam judicabit sacerdos domum, quia sanata sit plaga ilia.
49. Toilet itaque ad purfncandam domum duos passeres, et lignum cedrinum, et coccum vermiculi, ct hyssopum.
50. Mactabitque passerem unum super vas fictile, super aquas vivas.
51. Capietque lignum cedrinum, et hyssopum, et coccum vermiculi, et passerem vivum, et tinget ilia in sanguine passeris mactati, et in aqua vivente : aspergctque domum sep- tem vicibus.
52. Purificabitque domum illam sanguine passeris, et aqua viva, et passere vivo, lignoque ccdrino, et hyssopo, et cocco vermiculi.
24 CALVIN'S HARMONY cr THE FOUR LKV.xiv.2.
53. But he shall let go the living 53. Postea dimittet passerem vi- bird out of the city into the open vum extra civitatem super faciem fields, and make an atonement for agri, purgabitque domum, et munda the house : and it shall be clean. erit.
54. This is the law for all manner 54. Ista est lex omnis plagte lepne, of plague of leprosy, and scall, et maculse nigrce,
55. And for the leprosy of a gar- 55. Et leprse vestis, et domus, ment, and of a house,
56. And for a rising, and for a 56. Et tumoris, et scabiei, et can- scab, and for a bright spot ; dentis maculse :
57. To teach when it is unclean, 57. Ad docendum quid agendum, and when it is clean : this is the law quo die immundus et quo die mun- of leprosy. dus declarandus est.
2. This shall be the law of the leper. Moses now treats of the manner in which those who were cured of leprosy were to be cleansed and restored. Thus far he had shewn whom the priest was to admit into the holy congregation, and account to be clean ; he now prescribes the rite of expiation, whereby the people might learn how greatly God abominates the uncleanness, which He commands to be purified by a solemn propitiation ; and also that he who is healed may acknow ledge that he is rescued from death by God's special bless ing, and may in future be more diligent in seeking to be pure. For there were two parts in the sacrifice here de manded — purification and thanksgiving. But we must ever keep in view the object which I have stated in the last chap ter, that the Israelites were instructed by this ceremony to serve God in chastity and purity, and to keep far away from those defilements, whereby religion would be profaned. Since, then, leprosy was a kind of pollution, God was unwill ing that those who were cured of it should be received into the holy congregation/ except after the offering of a sacri fice ; as if the priest reconciled them after excommunication. It will now be well to discuss the points which are worthy of consideration. The office of cleansing is imposed on the priest ; yet he is at the same time forbidden to cleanse any except those who were already pure and clean. In this, on the one hand, God claims for Himself the honour of the cure, lest men should assume it ; and also establishes the dis cipline which He would have to reign in His Church. To
1 "Rentrassent au rang de ses enfans;" should be restored to the rank of His children. — Fr.
1ST COMMANDMENT. LAST BOOKS OF THE PENTATEUCH. 25
make the matter clearer, it belongs to God only to forgive sins ; what, then, remains to man, except to be the witness and herald of the grace which He confers ? God's minister can, therefore, absolve none whom God has not before ab solved. In sum, absolution is not in the power or will of man : the minister only sustains an inferior part, to endorse God's judgment, or rather to proclaim God's sentence. Hence that remarkable expression of Isaiah, " I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions, 0 Israel, and none but me."1 (Is. xliii. 25.) In which sense, too, God every where promises by the prophets that the people shall be clean, when He shall have cleansed them. Meanwhile, how ever, this does not prevent those who are called to the office of teaching from purging the uncleanness of the people in a certain peculiar way. For, since faith alone purifies the heart, in so far as it receives the testimony which God prof fers by the mouth of man, the minister who testifies that we are reconciled to God, is justly reckoned to take away our pollution. This expiation is still in force, though the ceremony has long ceased to be in use. But, since the spi ritual healing, which we receive by faith, proceeds from the mere grace of God, the ministry of man does not at all de tract from His glory. Let us, then, remember that these two things are perfectly consistent with each other, that God is the sole author of our purity ; and yet that the method, which He uses for our justification, must not on that account be neglected. And this is properly referred to dis cipline, that whosoever has been once cast out of the holy congregation by public authority, must not be received again except upon professing penitence and a new life. We must observe, too, that this jurisdiction was given to the priests not only on the ground that they represented Christ, but also in respect to the ministry, which we have in common with them.
3. And the priest shall c/o forth. This is the examination,
which was more fully treated of in the last chapter, without
which it was not lawful to receive him who had been once
rejected. The priest's command, which is mentioned im-
1 The words in italics seem to be added paraphrastically l>y C.
2(i CALVIN'S HARMONY OF THE FOUR LEV.XIV. 10.
mediately afterwards, I refer to the Levitcs, some one of whom probably accompanied the priest to prepare the sacri fice, that thus the priests might only discharge the principal duty. The sum of the rite respecting the two birds tends to this, that the cleansing from leprosy was a kind of resur rection. Two birds were placed before their eyes; the liberty of one was purchased by the blood of the other ; because the former was not let go until it had been first dipped in the blood and the water ; and thus the matter of sprinkling was prepared for the man's purification. The sevenfold repetition was intended to impress more deeply on men's memories a continual meditation on God's grace ; for we know that by this number perfection is often expressed in Scripture. With the same object, he who had been cured shaved his hair, and washed in water. Yet he did not return home on the first day, but on the eighth. Meantime, on the seventh day he shaved his beard, and his eyebrows, and all the hair of his head ; he washed himself and his garments, and then proceeded to the sacrifice. So difficult is it to accustom men to a serious acknowledgment of the two points, to hold their vices in detestation, and worthily to estimate the grace of God whereby they are delivered.
10. And on the eiyht/i day. As infants on the eighth day after they were cleansed from the unclcanncss which they had brought from the womb, were grafted into the Church, and made members of it ; so now the eighth day is prescribed for the restoration of those who, in the cure that they have received, arc as it were born again ; for they are accounted dead whom the leprosy had banished from the holy congre gation. A sacrifice is therefore appointed, which may re new the circumcision that had been in some measure effaced. Now, the meaning of all the things here mentioned is not clear to myself, and I would not have my readers too curious respecting them. Some may be probably accounted for ; the right car, the thumb of the right hand, and the great toe of the right foot, were sprinkled with the blood of the offering, because the leper was restored to the ordinary habits and customs of life, so as to have freedom of walk and action, and free conversational intercourse ; for in the ear there is a
1ST COMMANDMENT. LAST BOOKS OF THE PENTATEUCH. 27
mutual correspondence between speaking and hearing. The head is anointed, or cleansed with the oil, that nothing im pure should remain in his whole body.1 God spares the poor and lowly, and does not compel them to offer the two lambs, lest they should be burdened beyond their means ; whence it appears, that sacrifices are not estimated according to their intrinsic value, but according to the pious feeling which dis poses each one liberally to offer in proportion to what is given him.
34. When ye be come into the land. Another sort of leprosy is here treated of, as to which we may not unreason ably rejoice that it is now unknown to us. But, as God had honoured that people with extraordinary privileges, so it was consistent that their ingratitude should be punished by more severe penalties, if they defiled the gifts in which they ex celled. It is not to be wondered at, therefore, that punish ments were inflicted upon them, which it fills us with surprise and horror to hear of. It was a sad sight to behold the leprosy invading the human body ; but there was something portentous to perceive it affecting their houses also, and driving out the owners and their families ; for if they wit tingly and voluntarily remained there, the contagion spread to themselves and all their furniture. But, since God marked with public ignominy those whose houses were struck with leprosy, He commands them to confess their guilt, and not only when the evil had made much advance, but when any suspicion of it had begun to exist. It appears, too, from the Law, that some were but lightly chastised : for, if after the priest's inspection, in seven days the plague did not increase on the scraped walls, the possessor returned to his house. God punished others more severely, and it was necessary that the building should be utterly destroyed, because the pollution was incurable. But, although these were tokens of God's wrath, yet, in expiating the uncleanncss, He exer cised His people in the study of purity ; for it was just as if He drove away from approaching His sanctuary those who
1 Addition in French, "mais d'esplucher tout par le menu, je nc 1'oscrois entrependre, et ne voudrois ;" but I dare not, and would not undertake to explain the whole in detail.
CALVIN S HARMONY OF THE FOUR
LEV. XV.
came from an unclean house. The sense, then, was that they should each of them diligently endeavour to keep their houses pure, and chaste, and free from every stain. But if, through God's mercy, the plague ceased, a sacrifice of thanks giving was to be offered, as for the human beings (who had been healed.) The next chapter, in which general pollu tions and their purifications are not treated of, but only one kind of pollution is glanced at, which has reference to fleshly lust, wrould perhaps be suitably introduced under the Seventh Commandment ; but it will presently appear from the con text that it must be brought under this head.
tljr }.) dilutions toijtdj arise from Issues.1
LEVITICUS XV.
1 . And the Lord spake unto Moses and to Aaron, saying,
2. Speak unto the children of Is rael, and say unto them, When any man hath a running issue out of his flesh, because of his issue he is un clean.
3. And this shall he his unclean- ness in his issue : whether his flesh run with his issue, or his flesh be stopped from his issue, it is his un- cleanness.
4. Every bed whereon he lieth that hath the issue is unclean ; and every thing whereon he sitteth shall be unclean.
5. And whosoever toucheth his bed shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean un til the even.
6. And he that sitteth on any thing whereon he sat that hath the issue shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.
7. And he that toucheth the flesh of him that hath the issue shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.
1. Loquutus est autem Jehova ad Mosen et Aharon, dicendo,
2. Loquimini ad filios Israel, et dicite eis, Unusquisque quum semen ejus defluet de carne sua, immundus est.
3. Iltec vero erit immunditia ejus in semine ipsius, si emittat caro ejus semen suuni, vel clauserit carnem suam semine suo, immunditia ejus est.
4. Omne stratum in quo jacuerit qui patitur fluxum seminis. immun- clum erit : et onme id super quo se- derit, immundum erit.
5. Quicunque item tetigerit lec- tum ejus, lavabit vestimenta sua, posteaquam laverit sese aqua : erit- que immundus usque ad vcsperam.
6. Et qui sederit super aliquid super quo sederit seminifluus, lava- bit vestimenta sua, posteaquam lav erit se aqua : eritque immundus usque ad vesperam.
7. Qui vero tetigerit carnem se- miniflui, lavabit vestimenta sua, posteaquam laverit sese aqua : erit que immundus usque ad vesperam.
Heading added from Fr.} " Des pollutions qui adviennent par flux."
1ST COMMANDMENT. LAST BOOKS OF THE PENTATEUCH.
8. And if he that hath the issue spit upon him that is clean ; then he shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.
9. And what saddle soever he rid- eth upon that hath the issue shall be unclean.
10. And whosoever toucheth any thing that was under him shall be unclean until the even : and he that beareth any of those things shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.
11. And whomsoever he toucheth that hath the issue, and hath not rinsed his hands in water, he shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.
12. And the vessel of earth that he toucheth which hath the issue shall be broken : and every vessel of wood shall be rinsed in water.
13. And when he that hath an issue is cleansed of his issue, then he shall number to himself seven days for his cleansing, and wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in run ning water, and shall be clean.
14. And on the eighth day he shall take to him two turtle doves, or two young pigeons, and come before the LORD unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and give them unto the priest.
15. And the priest shall offer them, the one for a sin-offering, and the other for a burnt-offering : and the priest shall make an atonement for him before the LORD for his issue.
16. And if any man's seed of co pulation go out from him, then he shall wash all his flesh in water, and be unclean until the even.
17. And every garment, and every skin, whereon is the seed of copula tion, shall be washed with water, and be unclean until the even.
18. The woman also with whom man shall lie with seed of copu lation, they shall both bathe them selves in water, and be unclean until the even.
8. Etsi despueritseminifluus super mundum, lavabit vestimenta sua posteaquam laverit se aqua : eritque immundus usque ad vesperam.
9. Et omne sagma super quo equitaverit seminifluus, immundum erit.
10. Atque omnis qui tetigerit omne quicquid fuerit subter eum, immundus erit usque ad vesperam et qui portaverit ea, lavabit vesti menta sua, posteaquam laverit sese aqua : eritque immundus usque ad vesperam.
11. Omnis autem quern tetigerit seminifluus, et manus suas non ab- luerit aqua, lavabit vestimenta sua : posteaquam laverit sese aqua : erit que immundus usque ad vesperam.
12. Et vas fictile quod tetigerit seminifluus, confringetur : omne au tem vas ligneum lavabitur aqua.
13. Quum autem mundatus fue rit seminittuus a fluxusuo, numerabit sibi septem dies ab emundatione sua, lavabitque vestimenta sua, posteaquam laverit quoque carnem suam aqua viva : et mundus erit.
14. Die vero octava capiet sibi duos turtures, aut duos pullos co- lumbinos, venietque coram Jehova ad ostium tabernaculi conventionis, et tradet eos sacerdoti.
15. Quos sacrificabit sacerdos, unum pro peccato, et alterum in holocaustum : et emundabit ilium sacerdos coram Jehova a fluxu ip- sius.
16. Quum autem ex aliquo egres- sa fuerit effusio seminis, lavabit aqua totam carnem suam : immun- dusque erit usque ad vesperam.
17. Et omnis vestis, omnisque pellis super quam fuerit aliquid de effusione seminis, lavabitur aqua et immunda erit usque ad vesperam.
18. Mulier quoque cum quo dor- mierit vir patiens effusionem semi nis, lavabitur aqua et immunda erit usque ad vesperam.
30
CALVIN S HARMONY OF THE FOUR
LEV. XV.
19. And if a woman have an issue, and her issue in her flesh be blood, she shall he put apart seven days, and whosoever toueheth her shall be unclean until the even.
20. And every thing that she lieth upon in her separation shall be un clean : every thing also that she sit- teth upon shall be unclean.
21. And whosoever toueheth her bed shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.
22. And whosoever toueheth any thing that she sat upon shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.
2iJ. And if it be on her bed, or on any thing whereon she sitteth, when he toueheth it, he shall be unclean until the even.
24. And if any man lie with her at all, and her flowers be upon him, lie shall be unclean seven days ; and all the bed whereon he lieth shall be unclean.
25. And if a woman have an issue of her blood many days out of the time of her separation, or if it run beyond the time of her separation ; all the days of the issue of her un- cleanness shall be as the days of her separation : she shall be unclean.
20. Every bed whereon she lieth all the days of her issue shall be unto her as the bed of her separa tion ; and whatsoever she sitteth upon shall be unclean, as the un- cleanness of her separation.
27. And whosoever toueheth those things shall be unclean, and shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.
28. But if she be cleansed of her issue, then she shall number to her self seven days, and after that she shall be clean.
29. And on the eighth day she shall take unto her two turtles, or two young pigeons, and bring them
19. Mulier autem quum fuerit flucns sanguine, et erit fluxus ejus per carnem ejus, septem diebus erit in separatione sua : et omnis qui tetigerit earn, immundus erit usque ad vesperam.
20. Et omne super quo jacuerit separatione sua, immundum erit : omne quoquc super quo sederit. im mundum erit.
21. Omnis pneterea qui tetigerit lectum ejus, lavabit vestimenta sua, et lavabit sese aqua : immundusque crit usque ad vesperam.
22. Omnis etiam qui tetigerit quamcunque sedem super quam se derit, lavabit vestimenta sua, pos- teaquam laverit sese aqua : immun dusque erit usque ad vesperam.
23. Quod si instrumentum ali- quod fuerit super stratum ipsum, vel super sellam super quam sede rit : quum tetigerit illud aliquis, im mundus erit usque ad vesperam.
24. Quod si dormicndo dormierit quis cum ea, et fuerit immunditia ejus super eum, immundus crit sep tem diebus : et omne stratum super quo dormierit, immundum erit.
25. Mulier autem, quum fluet fluxum sanguinis ultra menses suos : cunctis diebus Huxus immunditiae suai erit sicut diebus menstrui sui, immunda est.
20. Omne stratum in quo dormi erit cunctis diebus fluxus sui, sicut stratum menstrui sui erit, et omnis sedes super qua sederit, immunda erit secundum immunditiam men strui sui.
27. Quicunque tetigerit earn im mundus erit, lavabitque vestimenta sua, et lavabit se aqua, immundus que erit usque ad vesperam.
28. Quod si mundata fuerit a fluxu suo, tune numerabit sibi sep tem dies, et postea mundabitur.
29. I^ie autem octava toilet sibi duos turtures, aut duos pullos co- lumbinos : aflerctque illos ad sacer-
JST COMMANDMENT. LAST BOOKS OF THE PENTATEUCH. 31
unto the priest, to the door of the dotem ad ostium tabernaculi con- tabernacle of the congregation. ventionis.
30. And the priest shall offer the 30. Et faciet sacerdos unum in one/or a sin-offering, and the other hostiam pro peccato, et alterum in for a burnt-ottering ; and the priest holocaustuni : emundabitque illam 'shall make an atonement for her sacerdos corara Jchova a fluxu im- before the Lord for the issue of her munditiso suse.
uncleanness.
31. Thus shall ye separate the 31. Separabitque filios Israel ab children of Israel from their un- ininmnditiis suis, ne moriantur prop- cleanness ; that they die not in their ter immunditias suas, dnm pollue- uncleanness, when they defile my rint tabernaculum, quod estinmedio tabernacle that is among them. eorum.
32. This is the law of him that 32. Ista est lex patientis fluxum hath an issue, and of him whose seminis, et ejus ex quo egreditur seed goeth from him, and is defiled cifusio seminis, ut sit immundus therewith ; propter illam.
33. And of her that is sick of her 33. Et scgrotantis in fluxu suo, et flowers, and of him that hath an is- ejus qui profundit fluxum suum, sive sue, of the man, and of the woman, sit masculus, sive foemina, et viri and of him that lieth with her that qui dormicrit cum immunda.
is unclean.
2. When any man hath a running issue. He here alludes to other species of contamination, for which a solemn puri fication is required. And, first, he teaches that men are de filed by the flow of the seminal fluid, which occurs in two ways, either when it involuntarily bursts out in sleep, or when it escapes gradually in the disease, which the Greeks call yovdppoia. This Supplement might, as I have said, be appended to the Seventh Commandment, because everv1 in disposition arising from lust appears here to be condemned ; but, if we look more closely, we shall perceive that it is a general law for the cultivation of purity, and which must not2 be confined to chastity alone. For this flux, arising from disease and debility, unless it be contracted from im moderate venery, has nothing in common with venereal lust. Besides, what is immediately after added concerning the menstruation of women, is connected with other forms of un cleanness and defilement. The sum then is, that the seminal-flux is reckoned among the pollutions which pre vented the Israelites from entering the tabernacle, and from the external service of God ; and thence the rule must always be borne in mind, that whatever proceeds from an
" Toute intemperance de la chair et lubricite, qu'on appelle." Fr.
The negative is here added from the Fr.
32 CALVIN'S HARMONY OF THE FOUR LEv.xv.2.
\
unclean man is corrupt, and that no one can duly offer either himself, or what he possesses, to God, except he who is pure and perfect in soul and body. Thus Paul explains the end and object of this ceremony, when he exhorts believers that, being received as God's peculiar people, they should cleanse themselves " from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit." (2 Cor. vii. 1.)
But Moses further declares, that uncleanness is contracted, not only when the seed is emitted, but when it is retained ; and that not only is the man himself rendered unclean, but whatever he may have touched — his bed, his seat, his saddle, his clothes ; and that the contagion extends to others also, if any should have lain on the same bed, or ridden on the same saddle. Thus did God desire to impress them with horror, that they might be more accustomed to fly from all impurity. Nor would the crime have been detestable in itself, had not spiritual purity been set forth under this ex ternal exercise and symbol. Thus, too, in Psalm xxiv. 3, 4, the truth of this figure is described: "Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord ? or who shall stand in His holy place ? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart." Therefore he who was conscious of no sin in the seminal-flux, still must be reminded by this sign of the corruption of his nature ; and at the same time be an example to others, that all should diligently take heed to themselves, because corrup tion cleaves to the whole human race. In the ablution the remedy of the evil was proposed, since the mark of igno miny induced them to repentance. It is expedient that whosoever is infected with any stain should be brought to shame, so as to be displeased with himself; but the acknow ledgment of the evil would produce despair, unless the hope of pardon were associated with it. Therefore, those to whom purification was necessary, are always sent to water ; and, whenever water is mentioned, the passage in St. John should be brought to mind, that Christ came " by water and blood/' to purge and expiate all uncleanness. (1 John v. 6.) Besides the water, a sacrifice of turtle doves, or two young pigeons is added ; and this has reference to the same thing ; viz., that purification for the unclean must be sought for
] ST COMMANDMENT. LAST BOOKS OF THE PENTATEUCH. 33
elsewhere, which we have at length obtained by the sacrifice of Christ.
19. And if a woman have an issue. Women are now spoken of who suffer under a twofold issue of blood ; for with almost all it occurs every month, (whence it is called menses, or menstruation,') and some labour under a constant hemor rhage. He declares both to be unclean ; and, after menstrua tion, a certain period of separation is appointed, during which the law prohibited their cohabitation with men ; but, if the blood flowed beyond the usual time, the time of puri fication is postponed until it ceased. Whence it appears, that in every shameful thing the Jews were reminded of their uncleanness, that thus they might be accustomed to modesty and seek after purity. And this still more clearly appears at the end of the chapter, where it is said, (v. 31,) " Thus shall ye separate the children of Israel from their uncleanness ; that they die not — when they defile my taber nacle/' God, I say, briefly sets forth His intention that He would drive away all profanation far from His people ; because he desires sincerity to prevail amongst his wor shippers, and cannot bear his tabernacle to be polluted by any stain.
otf)*r liefecte tojidj mlu&e t&m from
DEUTERONOMY, CHAPTER XXIII.
1. He that is wounded in the 1. Non ingredietur qui contu- stones, or hath his privy member cut sione fractos ant abscisses habet off, shall not enter into the congre- testiculos, in congregationem Jeho- gation of the Lord. vse.
2. A bastard shall not enter into 2. Non ingredietur spurius con- the congregation of the Lord ; even gregationem Jehovse : etiam gene- to his tenth generation shall he not ratione decima non ingredietur con- enter into the congregation of the gregationem Jehovse.
Lord.
1. He that is wounded. What is here delivered respecting
1 Heading added from Fr., " D'autres vices qui excluent les hommes du Tabernacle."
VOL. II. C
34 CALVIN'S HARMONY or THE FOUR DEUT.XXIII. 1.
those who are mutilated, and who are bastards, has a similar object ; lest the Church of God should be contaminated by foul stains, and thus religion should lose its honour. Moses rejects from the congregation of the faithful two sorts of men, viz., eunuchs and bastards. But, before we treat of the subject itself, the definition of the words is to be considered. The first question is, what it is to enter into the congregation ; the second, what it is to be wounded in the stones; the third, who arc the tZD^TDD, mamzerim, which we have translated bastards, (spurios). Many understand that both are rejected from the Church, lest they should undertake any public office in it ; others, lest they should many wives of the seed of Abraham ; because it would not be fair that women should be thrown away upon bastards, (Lat., mam- zeris ;) and it would be absurd that those who were created to multiply God's people, should marry impotent persons, (effaeminatis.) But both these opinions appear to me to be tame. For what is afterwards added respecting certain foreign nations cannot be so taken, that ao government or dignity should be entrusted to them ; besides, by " the con gregation of the Lord/' the purity and holiness of religion is sufficiently expressed. I do not doubt, then, but that Moses prohibits those who are defiled by these two stains from communicating in the sacrifices. For although they were circumcised as well as the rest of the chosen people, still God would have them bear this mark of their disgrace, that they might be an example to others, and that the people might be more diligent in preserving themselves from all pollution. This, then, is to be concluded, that the privilege which was peculiar to the legitimate Israelites, was to be denied them of being participators and associates1 in the sacrifices. As to the wounded testicles, the Jews dispute more curiously, in my opinion, than the subject warrants, and after all miss the right meaning. For God intended nothing else than to exclude from the congregation of His people, wherever holy assemblies were held, those who were mutilated or defective in the genital organs; although
* " Et d'entrer an parvis pour faire service solennel a Dieu ;" and to enter into the court to perform solemn service to God. — Fr.
1ST COMMANDMENT. LAST BOOKS OF THE PENTATEUCH. 35
by synecdoche, He comprehends more than are specified. Finally, by condemning this external bodily defect, He com mends the excellency of His people, that they may remember themselves to be His chosen property, not that they should pride themselves upon it,1 but that the holiness of their life may correspond with such high nobility.
2. A bastard shall not enter. All agree that by the word *1T££, mamzer, a bastard is signified, who is born of an un certain father ; but they take it in different ways. For some extend it to all bastards who spring from fornication, whilst others imagine that it refers to those only whose origin is doubtful, and who are called vulgb geniti ; viz , whose mothers, in their base and common prostitution of themselves, have brought it about by their gross licentiousness, that their children should be born from this monstrous medley, as it were. This second opinion I approve of most. But, by this symbol God would admonish the seed of Abraham how ex alted was its dignity, as being separate from the polluted heathen. Meanwhile, He would not altogether exclude these unhappy persons from the hope of salvation, although, by no fault of their own, they were unable to give the name of their father ; but He only humbled them by a temporal pun ishment, and desired that their example should be profitable to others.
¬fjer Supplement as to tije general ^urtfteatton <rf ttje
NUMBERS, CHAPTER XIX.
1. And the Lord spake unto 1. Loquutus est insuper Jehova Moses and unto Aaron, saying, ad Mosen et Aharon, dicendo :
2. This is the ordinance of the law 2. Hoc est statutum Legis quod which the Lord hath commanded, pnecepit Jehova, dicendo, Alloquere saying, Speak unto the children of h'lios Israel, ut afterant ad te vaccam Israel, that they bring thee a red rufam perfectam, in qua non sit heifer without spot, wherein is no macula, super quam non ascenderit blemish, and upon which never came jugum.
yoke:
1 «* Mais afin de se maintenir en sa grace par sainctete de vie ;" but that they might keep themselves in His favour by holiness of life. — Fr.
2 Added from Fr., " Autre dependence de la purgation generale du peuple."
CALVIN'S HARMONY OF THE FOUR
NIMH. XIX.
3. And ye shall give her unto Eleazar the priest, that he may bring her forth without the camp, and one shall slay her before his face.
4. And Eleazar the priest shall take of her blood with his finger, and sprinkle of her blood directly before the tabernacle of the congregation seven times.
5. And one shall burn the heifer in his sight ; her skin, and her flesh, and her blood, with her dung, shall he burn.
6. And the priest shall take cedar- wood, and hyssop, and scarlet, and cast it into the midst of the burning of the heifer. ~
7. Then the priest shall wash his clothes, and he shall bathe his flesh in water, and afterward he shall come into the camp, and the priest shall be unclean until the even.
8. And he that burneth her shall wash his clothes in water, and bathe his flesh in water, and shall be un clean until the even.
9. And a man that is clean shall gather up the ashes of the heifer, and lay them up without the camp in a clean place ; and it shall be kept for the congregation of the chil dren of Israel for a water of separa tion : it is a purification for sin.
10. And he that gathereth the ashes of the heifer shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even: and it shall be unto the chil dren of Israel, and unto the stranger that sojournetli among them, for a statute for ever.
11. He that toucheth the dead body of any man shall be unclean seven days.
12. He shall purify himself with it on the third day, and on the seventh day he shall be clean : but if he purify not himself the third day, then the seventh day he shall not be clean.
13. Whosoever toucheth the dead body of any man that is dead, and purifieth not himself, defileth the tabernacle of the Lord; and that soul shall be cut off from Israel : be-
3. Et dabitis cam Eleazar sacer- doti, qui educet earn extra castra, et mactandam curabit ante se.
4. Capietque Eleazar sacerdos de sanguine ejus digito suo, et sparget e regione faciei tabernaculi conven- tionis de sanguine ejus septem vici- bus.
5. Postea comburendam curabit vaccam in oculis suis : pell em ejus, et carnem ejus, et sanguinem ejus una cum fimo ejus comburet.
«. Tune accipiet sacerdos lignum cedrinum, et hyssopum, et coccum vermiculi, projicietque in medium combustionis vaccre.
7. Et lavabit vestes suas sacerdos, lavabit quoque camera suam aqua, et postea ingredietur castra, immun- d usque erit sacerdos usque ad ves- peram.
8. Ille quoque qui combusserit earn, lavabit vestimenta sua aqua, lavabit et carnem suam aqua, im- mundusque erit usque ad vesperam.
9. Colliget autem vir niundus cinerem illius vaccre, et ponet ilium extra castra in loco mundo : eritque congregationi filiorum Israel in cus- todiam in aquam separations : nam expiatio est.
10. Et lavabit qui collegerit cine rem vaccae vestimenta sua, immun- d usque erit usque ad vesperam : et erit filiis Israel et peregrino qui pere- grinatur in medio eorum, in statu- tum perpetuum.
11. Qui tetigerit cadaver omnis animsB hominis, immundus erit sep tem diebus.
12. Ipse purificabitur eo die ter- tia, et die septima mundus erit: quod si non purificatus fuerit die tertia, die septima non erit mun dus..
13. Quicunque tetigerit mortuum, animam hominis qui mortuus fuerit, et non fuerit purificatus, tabernacu- lum Jehovre polluit : et excidetur anima ilia ex Israel : quia aqua sepa-
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37
cause the water of separation was
not sprinkled upon him, he shall be
unclean ; his uncleanness is yet upon ejus erit in ipso.
him.
14. This is the law, when a man dieth in a tent : All that come into the tent, and all that is in the tent, shall be unclean seven days.
rationis non fuit aspersa super eum, immundus erit, adhuc immunditia
15. And every open vessel, which hath no covering bound upon it, is unclean.
16. And whosoever toucheth one that is slain with a sword in the open fields, or a dead body, or a bone of a man, or a grave, shall be unclean seven days.
17. And for an unclean person they shall take of the ashes of the burnt heifer of purification for sin, and running water shall be put thereto in a vessel ;
18. And a clean person shall take hyssop, and dip it in the water, and sprinkle it upon the tent, and upon all the vessels, and upon the persons that were there, and upon him that touched a bone, or one slain, or one dead, or a grave :
19. And the clean person shall sprinkle upon the unclean on the third day, and on the seventh day ; and on the seventh day he shall purify himself, and wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and shall be clean at even.
20. But the man that shall be unclean, and shall not purify himself, that soul shall be cut off from among the congregation, because he hath defiled the sanctuary of the Lord : the water of separation hath not been sprinkled upon him ; he is unclean.
21. And it shall be a perpetual statute unto them, that he that sprinkleth the water of separation shall wash his clothes ; and he that toucheth the water of separation shall be unclean until even.
22. And whatsoever the unclean person toucheth shall be unclean ; and the soul that toucheth it shall be unclean until even.
14. Hsec est lex, Quum quis mor- tuus fuerit in tabernaculo, quicun- que ingressus fuerit tabernaculum, et quicquid fuerit tabernaculo, im- mundum erit septem diebus.
15. Omne item vas apertum super quo non fuerit operculum adjectum, immundum est.
16. Quicunque prrcterea tetigerit in superficie agri occisum gladio, aut mortuum, aut os hominis, aut sepul- chrum, immundus erit septem die- bus.
17. Tollentque pro immundo de pulvere combustionis oblationis pro peccato, et ponent super eum aquam vivam in vase.
18. Capiet item hyssopum, et intinget in aquam vir mundus, et sparget super tabernaculum, et super omnem supellectilem, et super ani- mas quae fuerint ibi, ac super eum qui tetigit os illud, vel occisum, vel mortuum, vel scpulchrum.
19. Asperget, inquam, mundus super immundum die tertia, et die septima, et mundabit eum die sep- tima : postea lavabit vestimenta sua: lavabit quoque sese aqua, et mundus erit in vespera.
20. Vir autem qui immundus fuerit, et non purificaverit se, exci- detur anima ilia e medio congre- gationis, quia sanctuarium Jehova3 polluit : aqua separations non est aspersa super eum, immundus est.
21. Et erit eis in statutum per- petuum : et qui sparserit aquam separationis, lavabit vestimenta sua : quique tetigerit aquam separationis, immundus erit usque ad vesperam.
22. Et quicquid tetigerit immun dus, immundum erit : et anima quse tetigerit ipsum, immunda erit usque ad vesperam.
2. This is the ordinance of the law. Because it could not
38 CALVIN'S HARMONY OF THE FOUR NUMB. xix. 2.
but occur that, whilst the faithful \vcrc engaged in the world, they should often contract some pollution by their contact with its many impurities, the composition of the water is here described, by the sprinkling of which they might wash away, and expiate their uncleanness : and then certain kinds of pollution are specified, whereof the purification is re quired. God commands that a red heifer should be slain, which had never been subjected to the yoke ; and that it should be burnt without the camp, together with its skin and dung ; that the ashes should be gathered by a man that was clean, and laid up without the camp for the common use of the people. But, in order that the water, which was mixed with these ashes, should have the power of reconci liation, God at the same time commands that the blood should be sprinkled seven times before the altar by the finger of the priest. The object of this ceremony was twofold : for God would awaken the attention of the people to reflect more closely upon their impurity ; and, although they might be pure within, still would have them carefully look around them, lest they should be polluted from without ; and also taught them that, as often as they were infected by any pol lution, expiation was to be sought for from elsewhere, viz. from sacrifice and sprinkling ; and thus admonish them that men inquire in vain in themselves for the remedies de manded for their purification, because purity can only pro ceed from the sanctuary. Those, who speculate subtilly on the details, advance some questionable matters. I leave them, therefore, to the enjoyment of their conceits ; let it suffice for ys to consider generally what God referred to in this ceremony, and what advantage accrued from it to the people. By the red colour, they suppose that sin is signi fied. Meanwhile, lest they should run into a manifest con tradiction, they are obliged absurdly to interpret what fol lows, that He required a heifer perfect and without blemish, as if it were said that there should be no difference of colour in her hair ; whereas God demands the same thing as in the other sacrifices, which were rejected as faulty if an\r mark of deformity existed in them. And in this sense it is added that she should never have borne a yoke. Therefore I make
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no doubt but that God enjoined that a pure heifer, neither mutilated nor lame, should be chosen ; and, that her per- fectness might be more apparent, as yet unbroken to the yoke. What, then, is the meaning of the red colour ? First of all, I prefer confessing my ignorance to advancing any thing doubtful ; but it may be conjectured that a common and ordinary colour was rather chosen, lest it should be too conspicuous, as it would have been, if either white or black. But this should be deemed sure, that a perfect heifer, and one free from every blemish, was to be offered, and one too, which had not been broken to bear the yoke by the hands of men, that the purification might have nothing of huma nity about it. But the command to offer her was given to the whole people ; because, in order that we may be partak ers of ablution, it is necessary that each of us should offer Christ to the Father. For, although He only, and that but once, has offered Himself, still a daily offering of Him, which is effected by faith and prayers, is enjoined to us, not such as1 the Papists have invented, by whom in their impiety and perverseness, the Lord's Supper has been mistakenly turned into a sacrifice, because they imagined that Christ must be daily slain, in order that His death might profit us. The offering, however, of faith and prayers, of which I speak, is very different, and by it alone we apply to ourselves the virtue and fruit of Christ's death.-
3. And ye shall give her unto Eleazar. A clear distinc tion is here made between two offerings ; for the people are not permitted to kill the heifer, but this is the peculiar office of the priest. Thus the people offered vicariously by the hand of the priest ; and in this way also at present, al though we set Christ before God's face in order to propitiate Him, still it is necessary that Christ Himself should inter pose, and exercise the office of a priest. Again, the heifer was to be taken outside the camp, as a sign that it was ac-
1 See the dogmatical statement of this notion in the Creed of Pius iv. Art. v. : — " I profess, likewise, that in the Mass there is offered to God a true, proper, and propitiatory sacrifice for the living and the dead ; and that in the most holy Sacrament of the Eucharist there are truly, really, and substantially the body and blood, together with the soul and divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ," &c.
40 CALVIN'S HARMONY OF THE FOUR NUMB.XIX.G.
cursed, since it was an atonement. On which account, too, the atoning victims, whose blood was carried into the Holy of Holies, were burnt without the camp ; the truth of which figure was accomplished in Christ, who therefore suffered outside the gates of the city, as the Apostle testifies. (Heb. xiii. 11, 12.) But, because this was a species of rejection, lest the heifer should be less accounted of, or lest the Israel ites should think her polluted by the curse, God shews that her blood was sacred and of a sweet savour, by commanding that it should be sprinkled seven times upon the altar, which might not be profaned by anything unclean. The same thing is most clearly seen in Christ ; for although He was made a curse for us, and is called " sin," because by bearing our accursed sins upon the cross, He was our atoning vic tim, yet nothing was thereby taken from His purity, so as to prevent His holiness from being the sanctification of the whole world. For He offered Himself through the Spirit, and by His own blood entered into the holy place, and His death is elsewhere called by Paul, " a sacrifice for a sweet- smelling savour." (Heb. ix. 11, 12 ; Eph. v. 2; Phil. iv. 18.)
G. And the priest shall take cedar-wood. That the sprink ling of the blood might be conjoined with that of the water, the cedar-wood, and hyssop, and scarlet thread, with which the sprinkling was wont to be made, were cast into the fire ; for, unless the Israelites had been admonished by this visible sign, they would not have so clearly known that they were not only washed with the water, but that by the offering of the sacrifice also their uncleanness was removed. But it was not enough that the blood should be poured forth, unless, as has been already seen, they were purified by its aspersion. But, forasmuch as the scent of cedar-wood is precious, and in hyssop there is a cleansing property, we gather from hence also that the victim was pure, although it bore their sins to gether with the curse and expiation. Peter teaches us how we are sprinkled with the blood of Christ, viz., through the Spirit, (1 Pet. i. 2 ;) nay, John shews us in his Canonical Epistle, that we find all the parts of this ceremony in Christ, where he writes that Christ " came by water and blood,"
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and " it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth/' (1 John v. 6.)
7. Then the priest shall wash his clothes. At first sight there seems to be a discrepancy in the facts, that the heifer was sacred to God, and pure, and still that the priest was polluted by touching it ; yet they accord very well with each other. But that both the priest as well as the minister who made the burning, were unclean until the evening, ought to have forcibly struck the people, and taught them the more to abominate sin. And, since it was not permitted to any but a man that was clean to gather the ashes, nor that they should be laid anywhere but in a clean place, it was mani fested by this sign that there was no impurity in the sacrifice itself, but that from an extraneous and adventitious pollu tion ; because it was destined to purge away uncleanness, it was accounted in a certain sense unclean. Whence too the water, into which the ashes were thrown, was called the water of separation, as well as the expiation.1 For this translation which I have given is the right one ; and others improperly render it " for waters of separation, and for ex piation/' The old interpreter has not given the sense amiss, as far as regards this word, " because the heifer is burnt for sin/' But since in Hebrew the word JlXtOn, chateah,2 means not only wickedness or sin, but also the sacrifice on which the curse is imposed ; what Moses intended to convey is better expressed by the word " expiation/' But the expres sion "separation" has reference to the men, whose personal uncleanness excluded them from the holy congregation. But the question arises, why this ordinance is pronounced to be common to the strangers who sojourned in the land of Israel, as well as to the natives ; because it was by no means reasonable that the uncircumcised should be purified. The reply is easy, that such strangers are not adverted to as were altogether aliens from the people, but those who, although
1 (i Nam expiatio est." — Lat. v. 9. "It is a purification for sin." — A.V.
" Kin ritftDn i"nj ''DP. "T^/j'avr^ya'Q/v/ir^a £«•?•/• — LXX. In aqiiam
aspersionis; quia pro peccato vacca combusta est. — V. This last is what C. means by " the old interpreter." The translation which he condemns lie had seen in S. M. — W.
42 CALVIN'S HARMONY OF TUB FOUR NUMB.XIX.IO.
born of heathen parentage, had embraced the Law. These God equalizes with the children of Abraham in the sacrifices and other religious services ; for if their condition were dif ferent, the Church, into the body of which they were in grafted, would be rent asunder.
11. He that touchetli the dead body. He now recites cer tain forms of pollution in which the washing was necessary ; all of them, however, come, to this point, that men are de filed by the touch of a corpse, or bones, or a grave. Nor is there here any distinction between the body of a person who is slain, or of one who has died in bed ; whence it follows that death is here set forth as a mirror of God's curse. And assuredly, if we consider its origin and cause, the corruption of nature, whereby the image of God is defaced, presents itself in every dead man ; for, unless we were altogether corrupt, we should not be born to perish. But God also taught His people by another mode of signifying it, that uncleanness is con tracted by our communication with the unfruitful works of darkness. For the Apostle (lleb. vi. 1) calls them "dead works," either from their consequences, or because, as faith is the life of the soul, so unbelief keeps it in death. Since, then, the corpse, the bones, the grave, designate whatever we bring from the womb, because, until we are born again, and God quickens us by His Spirit and by faith, we are dead while we live: there is no question but that the children of Israel were reminded, that in order to keep themselves pure before God, they must abstain from all corruption ; inas much as, if they were rendered unclean by their contact with a dead man, they must immediately have recourse to ablu tion. In fine, the ceremony had no other object than that they should serve God in pureness from the sins of the flesh ; and exercise themselves in constant thoughts of repentance, whilst, if they fell from their purity, they should labour to obtain reconciliation with God, by means of sacrifice and ablution.
13. Whosoever toucheth the dead body. The severity of the capital punishment shews how very pleasing to God is purity. If any one had forgotten to sprinkle himself on the third or the seventh day, he might redeem his negligence
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by a prolongation of the term, because he only postponed his purification to another day ; but it was a capital crime to enter the sanctuary in his uncleanness, since thus holy and profane things would be mixed together, nay, the altar would have been polluted as well as the whole service of God. But indeed the act of touching a dead body was of slight importance, nor was it to be deemed an atrocious crime ; but here the external defilement is not regarded in itself, as if God were wroth on account of a stain contracted by the per formance of a pious duty.1 Rather must the object of the ceremony be considered, for God designed by these rudi ments to teach the Israelites, like ch'ildren, that if any one should pollute sacred things by his impurity, he would by no means be tolerated in this audacity. In this then consisted the religious import of the transaction, that the worship of God was too precious for the Israelites to be permitted to contaminate it with impunity. Whence we gather that the punishment was denounced as against sacrilege. In sum, it comes to this, that God is not duly worshipped except with a sincere heart and pure hands ; and that if any pollution be contracted, there is need of expiation before a free access is re-opened to holy things. But it must be remarked as to the contact, that it was accounted the same thing, whether the corpse lay in a field or a house ; whilst, if any one died in a tent, men were polluted by merely entering it, and like wise vessels without covers thus became unclean.
22. And whatsoever the unclean person toucheth. Others translate it, — " Whosoever toucheth an unclean thing shall be unclean :" for, since the Hebrew is without a neuter gen der,2 the relative Ifc^X, asher, and the noun N^DIT, hattame, may be either masculine or neuter ; and either sense would not be unsuitable ; except that we gather from the second clause, that reference is rather made here to the contagion with which unclean persons infect either men or garments, or other articles. For those who had touched a dead body,
1 " Pour ensevelir son pere ;" by burying his father. — Fr.
2 S. M. had used the words cited by C. " Quicunque tetigerit immun- dum ;" but C. appears to have overlooked his note upon this clause, viz., " Hoc est, qui tetigerit hominem, qui super mortuo est immundus ;" or else he would have seen that immnndum was not meant fora neuter. — W.
•H CALVIN'S HARMONY OF THE FOUR DEUT.XXIII.
or bones, or a grave, were not only unclean until the evening, but for seven entire days. But it appears that this was added in conclusion, lest the Jews should murmur at the severity of the punishment, as if God would inflict the penalty of death for a trifling sin. In this way, then, Moses shews how great is the guilt incurred by those who, being unclean, in trude into the sanctuary ; because, as far as in them lies, they pollute the holiness of God, and not without intolerable impertinence. Hence appears to be taken the reproof of the Prophet, when he reproaches the Jews with having done nothing but defile the worship of God with their sacrifices ; for he proposes this question to the priests, — " If one bear holy flesh in the skirt of his garment, and with his skirt do touch bread, or pottage, or wine, or oil, or any meat, shall it be holy ?" After they have replied in the negative, he asks again, " If one that is unclean by a dead body touch any of these, shall it be unclean ?" and they answer, " It shall be unclean." Whence the Prophet infers : " So is this people, and so is this nation before me, saith the Lord, and so is the work of their hands ; and that which they offer there is un clean." (Hag. ii. 12-14.) 'This passage shews us the legiti mate use of the ceremony, that corrupt and perverse wor shippers1 bring disgrace rather than honour on God, whilst they mix up His holy name with their profanations.
ftnotijtr Supplement as to feecping tijcmscUjeB clean in> tije concealment of tljcir impuritiea.2
DEUTERONOMY, CHAPTER XXIII.
9. When the host goeth forth 9. Quum egressus fueris in exer- against thine enemies, then keep citu contra hostes tuos, cave ab om- thee from every wicked thing. ni re mala.
10. If there be among you any 10. Si fuerit in te quispiam non man that is not clean, by reason of mundus casu nocturno, egredietur uncleanness that chanceth him by extra castra, nee ingredietur in me- night, then shall he go abroad out dium castrorum.
of the camp ; he shall not come within the camp :
1 « Ceux qui servent a Dieu sans droite affection, and par hypocrisie ;" those who serve God without right affections, and in hypocrisy.— Fr.
a Added from Fr., " Autre dependence de se tenir nettemcnt en ca- chant ses pouretez."
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11. But it shall be, when evening 11. Quura autem aspexerit ves- cometh on, he shall wash himself \vii\\ perum, lavabit se aqua: et quum water ; and when the sun is down, occubuerit sol, ingredietur castra. he shall come into the camp again.
12. Thou shalt have a place also 12. Locus etiam erit tibi extra without the camp, whither thou castra, egredierisque illuc foras. shalt go forth abroad:
13. And thou shalt have a paddle 13. Paxillus item erit tibi inter upon thy weapon ; and it shall be, vasa tua, et quando desidebis extra, when thou wilt ease thyself abroad, fodies ipso, et conversus operies ex- thou shalt dig therewith, and shalt crementa tua.
turn back and cover that which cometh from thee :
14. For the Lord thy God walk- 14. Jehova enim Detis ambulat cth in the midst of thy camp, to de- per medium castrorum tuorum, ut liver thee, and to give up thine ene- eripiat te, et tradat inimicos tuos co- mies before thee; therefore shall ram te. Sit igitur in castris tuis thy camp be holy : that he see no sanctitas, ne videat in te turpitudi- unclean thing in thee, and turn away nem aliquam, et avertatur abs te. from thee.
9. When the host goeth forth. What he had taught with respect to the preservation of purity at home, and in time of peace, he now extends to times of war also, so that they might keep themselves clean from all defilement even in the midst of the clang of arms. We know how greatly laws are disregarded during war, when all things are under the con trol of violence rather than reason ; and we know that much license is wont to be given to soldiers, which would be by no means tolerated in peace. God would remedy this evil by requiring the Israelites to aim at the same purity in war as in peace ; for this is a special law which forbids their being dissolute and unruly in war-time, as He has before con demned all impurity in general, as if He had said, that under no pretext would they be excusable, if they neglect the duty of cultivating habits of purity. For He does not command them to be cautious in the army and in the camp, as if they might sin with impunity when at home, but admonishes them that God would by no means excuse them although they should allege the necessity of war. Much more would the crime be aggravated, if they should pollute themselves in peace and when their minds were calm. Whence we gather that it is vain to catch at empty excuses for the violation of God's commands in any respect ; for, however difficult the performance of duty may be, still God never resigns His
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rights. Now, if war, which seems to dispense with laws, does not excuse crime, much greater, as I have said, shall their guilt be accounted, who in a tranquil condition of life are licentiously carried away by sin.
10. If there be among you. He enumerates two kinds of pollution, whereby the Israelites may know what is meant by their keeping from the " wicked thing." First, He pro nounces to be unclean, and casts out of the camp those who may have had a filthy dream, until they shall have washed themselves in the evening. Secondly, He forbids them to defile the camp with what passes from the bowels ; and not only this, but, even when they have gone outside the camp, He commands them to bury their excrement beneath the earth, lest any filthiness should appear. Yet it is probable that, by synecdoche, everything is referred to which rendered men unclean and polluted. But Moses, speaking as to sol diers, considered it sufficient to tell them briefly, that al though they might be occupied with war, cleanliness must still be attended to. By " what chanceth at night/' all are agreed in understanding a flow of semen ; from whence we infer how greatly impurity defiles a man, since uncleanncss is contracted even from foul dreams. As to f he second part, some desire to appear quick and clever by attacking Moses, because he has introduced among the precepts of holiness, that none should relieve his bowels in the camp. Forsooth, they say, the smell might offend the nostrils of God ! But their silly petulance is easily rebutted ; for God would by such rudiments keep His ancient people in the way of duty, lest liberty even in the most trifling things should lead them onwards to audacity. If they had been permitted to defile every part of the camp, the people would presently have been hardened against filthiness of every sort. Thus they were held back by this rein, that they might more earnestly apply their minds to spiritual integrity. They also are mis taken who suppose that this was a sanitary precaution, lest the smell should produce diseases, and be injurious to their bodily health. For Moses plainly declares that he not only had re gard to what was wholesome, or even to what was decent in the eyes of men ; but rather that he would accustom the
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people to abhor uncleanness, and to keep themselves pure and unpolluted — for he adds, that God presided in the camp, to protect them from the power and assaults of their ene mies ; and that they should fear, lest, if they should conta minate the camp, He would be offended with their filthiness and forsake them. The sum is, that when they have need of God's assistance, and are engaged in war against their enemies, the pursuit of holiness must not be omitted or ne glected even in the midst of arms.
¬fjer
DEUTERONOMY, CHAPTER XXII.
9. Thou shalt not sow thy vine yard with divers seeds ; lest the fruit of thy seed which thou hast sown, and the fruit of thy vineyard, be denied.
10. Thou shalt not plow with an ox and an ass together.
1 1 . Thou shalt not wear a garment of divers sorts, as of woollen and linen together.
LEV. xix. 19. Ye shall keep my statutes. Thou shalt not let thy cattle gender with a diverse kind. Thou shalt not sow thy field with mingled seed: neither shall a gar ment mingled of linen and woollen come upon thee.
23. And when ye shall come into the land, and shall have planted all manner of trees for food, then ye shall count the fruit thereof as un- circumcised : three years shall it be as uncircumcised unto you ; it shall not be eaten of.
24. But in the fourth year all the fruit thereof shall be holy, to praise the Lord withal.
25. And in the fifth year shall ye eat of the fruit thereof, that it may yield unto you the increase thereof : J am the Lord your God.
9. Non seres vineam tuam diver- sis speciebus seminum, ne forte pol- luatur fructus seminis quod sevisti, et fructus vineae.
10. Non arabis cum bove et asino pariter.
11. Non indues te diversa specie, lana et lino pariter.
19. Statuta mea observabitis. Animal tuum non facies coire cum altero semine. Agrum tuum non seres diverso semine, et vestis con- texta ex lana et lino non ascendet super te.
23. Quum ingressi fueritis ter rain, et plantaveritis omnis generis arborem fructiferam, tune prseputia- tum ducetis prseputium ejus, fruc- tum ejus : tribus annis erit vobis in- circumcisa : non comedetis ejus fructus.
24. Quarto autem anno erit omnis fructus ejus sanctitas laudum Jehovse.
25. Anno vero quinto comedetis fructum ejus, ut multiplicet vobis fructum suum. Ego Jehova Deus vester.
1 Heading in French, cachant ses pouretez."
Aulre dependence de se tenir nettement en
48 CALVIN'S HARMONY OF THE FOUR DEUT.XXII.&
27. Ye shall not round the corners 27. Non attondebitis comam ca-
of your heads, neither shalt thou pitis vestri in circuitu, nee radeti:
mar the corners of thy beard. extrema barba?.
28 Ye shall not make any cut- 28. Incisionem pro mortuo mm
tin-s in your flesh for the dead, nor facietis in came vestra, neque sculp-
print any marks upon you: I am turam notse facietis m vobis: egc
the Lord. Jehova.
DEUT. xiv. 1. Ye arethe children 1. Filii estis Jehovrc Dei vestri.
of the Lord your God. Ye shall not Non vos incidetis, nee facietis calvi
cut yourselves, nor make any bald- tium super mortuo. ness between your eyes for the dead.
2. For thou art an holy people 2. Quoniam populus sanctus es
unto the Lord thy God, and the Jehova; Deo tuo, qui te elegit
Lord hath chosen thee to be a pecu- ei in populum peculiarem e cunctii
liar people unto himself, above all gentibus quse sunt in superncie
the nations that are upon the earth, terra.
DEUT. xxn. 0. Thou shalt not sow thy vineyard. These four precepts, which all condemn strange medleys, I doubt not to be supplements of the First Commandment ; and the reason, which is subjoined in Deuteronomy, directs us to this, where God declares that the produce of the seed and of the vineyard is polluted, if there be divers mixtures. Whence it appears that nothing else is demanded but that they should cultivate purity. The word indeed, which Moses uses, means to "sanctify/' BHp, kadesh ; but, by antiphrasis, it is taken for to "contaminate." To the same effect is what follows, that they should not plough with an ox and an ass together ; for this diversity is forbidden on no other ac count, but because men contract some defilement as soon as they depart from simplicity. Yet, if any one thinks other wise, I shall not strongly contend with him. It might in deed be objected, that when God forbids animals to be used promiscuously, so that those of different kinds should not be mixed together, He has regard to chastity;1 and that, by forbidding the fields to be sown with divers seeds, and gar ments to be woven of divers materials, He would prevent frauds. But the more simple explanation is, that the people were thus retained in purity, lest they should accustom themselves to corrupt habits, and lest they should bring in strange rites from various quarters, or seek, with depraved
1 " Au septieme commandement de la Loy, qui est d'observer chas te ;" to the Seventh Commandment of the Law, which is to observe
tete. chastity. — Fr.
1ST COMMANDMENT. LAST BOOKS OF THE PENTATEUCH. 49
curiosity, for mixtures which might at length invade the worship of God. For if animals of different species are joined together, the integrity of nature is corrupted, and an adulterine offspring is produced, which degenerates from the institution of God ; but, if various kinds of seed should be mixed together, or if a garment should be woven of linen and wool, there would be no danger of deception or fraud in so manifest a matter. It is probable, therefore, that the end which, as I have said, was proposed by God was, that, by cultivating natural and simple habits all their life through, they should keep themselves pure and uncorrupted from every strange vice. On this account Scripture compares strange doctrines to leaven, since by their additions or cur tailings they corrupt the pure word of God. (Matt. xvi. 11.) And this was by no means a useless discipline ; when, in trifles, and almost things of nought, the rein was applied to them, so that they should not decline from purity in the very least degree. It was a small matter to interweave a thin thread with a thicker one, and perchance such a process would have been profitable for their general advantage ; in some fields, too, a better crop is grown, if the seed is com pounded of pure wheat, and some other sort of grain (sili- gine), as also the union of the horse and ass has been ap proved of, since thus mules are produced. But God would not allow these things amongst His ancient people, lest, sink ing by degrees to greater license, they should at length ad dict themselves to the practice and customs of the heathen. He therefore uses this preface : " Ye shall keep my statutes/' (Lev. xix. 19 ;) from whence we gather that the people were surrounded with fixed barriers, lest they should defile them selves with foreign vices, and imitate the nations, from whicli they had been separated. Wherefore this is the sum, that they should abide in God's statutes.
LEV. xix. 23. And when ye shall come. There seems to me no question but that the circumcision of trees as well as of men appertains to the First Commandment, not only that the Jews might see a symbol of their own adoption in the very trees, but that they might learn that it was permitted to none but the children of God to feed on their fruit ; and
VOL. ir. r>
50 CALVIN'S HARMONY OF THE FOUR LEv.xix.27.
also that whatsoever the earth produces is in a manner pro fane, until it is purified. For surely by this ceremony was set forth what Paul teaches, that all things are " sanctified by the word of God, and prayer," (1 Tim. iv. 5 ;) not that anything is in itself impure, but because the earth has con tracted pollution from the corruption of man, it is just, as regards us, that the harmless fruits also should be accounted to be in uncircumcision. In sum, God would raise up a wall whereby He might separate His people from the Gentiles, and at the same time admonish them that a legitimate use of those things which the earth produced could not be made by the sons of Adam, except by special privilege. But the similitude of uncircumcision, until the year appointed for their being circumcised, was a very appropriate one, that they might acknowledge the fruits of their trees to be pure for them by the same right whereby they were consecrated as God's peculiar people. But, lest the three years' unpro ductiveness should press heavily upon them, he promises them compensation from the future blessing of God ; for, if they should abstain from eating the unclean fruit, a larger produce was to be expected in future.
27. Ye shall not round the corners. It clearly appears that God had no other object than by the interposition of this obstacle to sever His people from heathen nations. For there is nothing to which men are more prone than to con form themselves to the customs of others ; and hence it arises, that they mutually communicate each other's vices. Wherefore care was especially to be taken lest the people of Israel should adopt foreign habits, and by this pliableness should fall away from the true worship of God ; from whence too the ordinary phrase has arisen, that the word " common " should be used for " unclean/' God then strictly forbids them from declining to the habits of the Gentiles, and con founding the distinction which He had Himself placed be tween them. There is no doubt but that it was usual for the Gentiles, out of superstition, to cut marks1 upon their
1 " Most of the barbarous nations lately discovered have their faces, anus, breasts, &c., curiously carved or tattooed, probably for superstitious pur poses. Ancient writers abound with accounts of marks made on the faces, arms, &c., in honour of different idols ; and to this the inspired penman
1ST COMMANDMENT. LAST BOOKS OF THE PENTATEUCH. 51
faces, to trim the hair in certain steps or circles, and in their mourning to lacerate their flesh, or to disfigure it with marks. It is well known that the priests of Cybele1 made gashes in their flesh with knives and razors, and covered themselves all over with wounds, for the sake of shewing their zeal. The same thing was also commonly practised by others ; inasmuch as the world is easily deceived by external ceremonies. But though this were a thing in itself indiffer ent, yet God would not allow His people to be at liberty to practise it, that, like children, they might learn from these slight rudiments, that they would not be acceptable with God, unless they were altogether different from uncircum- cised foreigners, and as far as possible from following their
alludes, Rev. xiii. 16, 17 ; xiv. 9, 11, &c., where false Avorshippers are re presented as receiving in their hands, and in their forehead, the marks of the beast. These were called frlyftetra among the Greeks, and to these St. Paul refers when he says, I bear about in my body the marks (friy. pctTu.} of the Lord Jesus. Gal. vi. 17."
" All the castes of the Hindoos bear on their foreheads, or elsewhere, what are called sectarian marks, which not only distinguish them in a civil, but in a religious point of view, from each other."
" Herodotus observes that the Arabs shave, or cut their hair round, in honour of Bacchus ; lib. iii. ch. 8. He says, also, that the Macians, a people of Lybia, cut their hair round, so as to leave a tuft on the top of the head ; lib. iv. ch. 175."
" That the ancients were very violent in their grief, tearing the hair and face, beating the breast, &c., is well known. Virgil represents the sister of Dido:—
Unguibus ora— fcedans, et pectora pugnis. ^En. iv. 672." — Adam Clarke, in loco.
1 The authorities for this practice of the Galli, or Priests of Cybele, are too numerous to mention. The following extract from a curious descrip tion given by Apuleius, of the religious dance of her worshippers, may suf fice : " Die sequenti variis coloribus indusiati, et deformiter quisque for- mati, facie ccenoso pigmento delita, et oculis obunctis graphice, prodeunt ; mitellis, et crocotis, et carbasinis, et bombycinis injecti. Quidam tunicas albas, in modum lanciolarum quoquoversum fluente purpura depictas, cin- gulo subligati, pedes luteis induti calceis, Deamque serico contectam ami- culo mini gerendam imponunt : brachiisque suis humero tenus renudatis, attollentes immanes gladios ac secures, evantes exsiliunt, incitante tibiae cantu lymphaticum tripudium.
"^Nec paucis pererratis casulis, ad quandam villam possessoris beati per- veniunt, et ab ingressu primo statim absonis ululatibus constrepentes, fana- tice pervolant. Diuque capite demisso, cervices lubricis intorquentes mo- tibus, crinesque pendulos rotantes in circulum, et nonnunquam morsibus suos incursantes musculos, ad postremum ancipiti ferro, quod gerebant, sua quisque brachia dissecant."— Metam. lib. viii., Edit. Bipont. i. 184, 185.
52 CALVIN'S HARMONY OF THE FOUR LEv.xix.27.
examples ; and especially that they should avoid all cere monies whereby their religion was testified. For experience teaches how greatly the true worship of God is obscured by anything adscititious, and how easily foul superstitions creep in, when the comments of men are tacked on to the word of God. Doubtless that part, " Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead," &c., might be expounded as a correction of immoderate grief; because we know how in- temperately men set themselves against God when they give the reins to their sorrow ; but since the object of the Gen tiles was to pay what was due to the dead, and to celebrate their funeral obsequies1 as a kind of propitiation, it is pro bable, and more suitable, that by the whole context those preposterous gestures are condemned, which were proofs of piety among the Gentiles, but which would have been defile ments to the people of God.
The same thing appears more clearly from the passage in Deuteronomy, which next follows, wherein Moses condemns cutting themselves, and making themselves bald for the dead in connection with each other, as if they were one thing ; and confirms the law by a general argument, that they might withdraw themselves from every pollution as the children of God ; since they were chosen to be His peculiar people ; as much as to say, that God's grace would be altogether frus trated, if they did not differ at all from foreign nations. As to his saying that they were chosen out of all the nations, it does not a little illustrate the gratuitous mercy of God, wherewith He honoured them alone, by calling them to the hope of eternal salvation, and passing by the Gentiles ; for there was no nobility found in them, nor did they exceed others either in number or in any other superiority, on account of which He should prefer them to the whole world. But the design of Moses in magnifying the extraordinary goodness of God, was that they might the more abhor that impure commixture, which, by bringing them on a par with the Gentiles, degraded them from this high honour.
1 " Et user de satisfactions pour racheter leurs ames ;" and to offer satisfactions for the redemption of their souls.— Fr.
1ST COMMANDMENT. LAST BOOKS OF THE PENTATEUCH. 53
¬f)er gupglenmtt tottdn'ng tfje Clean antt Unclean
LEVITICUS XX.
25. Ye shall therefore put differ ence between clean beasts and un clean, and between unclean fowls and clean : and ye shall not make your souls abominable by beast, or by fowl, or by any manner of living thing that creepeth on the ground, which I have separated from you as unclean.
26. And ye shall be holy unto me : for I the Lord am holy, and have severed you from other people, that ye should be mine.
25. Vos quoque discrimen facite inter animal mundum et immundum, et inter avem immundam et mun- dam, et ne abominabiles reddatis animas vestras in animalibus et vo- latilibus, atque in omni quod reptat in terra : quse separavi vobis ad im- munditiam.
26. Eritis autem sancti mihi : quia sanctus sum ego Jehova, et separavi vos a populis, ut essetis mei.
LEVITICUS XL
1 . And the Lord spake unto Moses and to Aaron, saying unto them,
2. Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, These are the beasts which ye shall eat among all the beasts that are on the earth.
3. Whatsoever parteth the hoof, and is cloven-footed, and cheweth the cud, among the beasts, that shall ye eat.
4. Nevertheless, these shall ye not eat of them that chew the cud, or of them that divide the hoof: as the camel, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is un clean unto you.
5. And the coney, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you.
6. And the hare, because he chew eth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you.
7. And the swine, though he divide the hoof, and be cloven-footed, yet he cheweth not the cud ; he is un clean to you.
8. Of their flesh shall ye not eat, and their carcase shall ye not touch ; they are unclean to you.
1. Et loquutus est Jehova ad Mosen et Aharon, dicendo ad eos :
2. Loquimini ad filios Israel, di cendo, Hrec sunt animalia quse come- detis ex omnibus animahbus quse sunt super terram :
3. Omne dividens ungulam et findens fissuram ungularum, et ru- minans inter animalia, illud come- detis.
4. Veruntamen hoc non comedetis ex his qua} ruminant, et ex his quse dividunt ungulam, camelum, quia ruminat, et ungulam ipse non divi- dit : immundus erit vobis.
5. Et cuniculum : quia ruminat, et ungulam non dividit, immundus erit vobis.
6. Et leporem : quia ruminat, et ungulam non dividit, immundus erit vobis.
7. Suem quoque : quia dividit un gulam, et findit fissuram ungula?, ipse vero non ruminat, immundus erit vobis.
8. De carne eorum non comedetis, neque cadaver eorum tangetis: im- munda erunt vobis.
1 Heading added from the />., " Autre dependance, touchant les bestes pures ou impures."
5-i
CALVIN'S HARMONY OF THE FOUR
LEV. XI.
9. These shall ye eat of all that are in the waters : Whatsoever hath fins and scales in the waters, in the seas, and in the rivers, them shall ye eat.
10. And all that have not fins and scales in the seas, and in the rivers, of all that move in the waters, and of any living thing which is in the waters, they shall be an abomination unto you.
11." They shall be even an abomi- • nation unto you ; ye shall not eat of their flesh, but ye shall have their carcases in abomination.
12. Whatsoever hath no fins nor scales in the waters, that shall be an abomination unto you.
13. And these are they which vc shall have in abomination among the fowls ; they shall not be eaten, they are an abomination : The eagle, and the ossifrage, and the ospray,
14. And the vulture, and the kite after his kind ;
15. Every raven after his kind ;
16. And the owl, and the night- hawk, and the cuckoo, and the hawk after his kind,
17. And the little owl, and the cormorant, and the great owl,
18. And the swan, and the peli can, and the gier-eagle,
19. And the stork, the heron after her kind, and the lapwing, and the bat.
20. All fowls that creep, going upon all four, shall be an abomina tion unto you.
21. Yet these may ye eat, of every flying creeping thing that goeth upon all four, which have legs above their feet, to leap withal upon the earth ;
22. Even these of them ye may eat; the locust after his kind, and the bald locust after his kind, and the beetle after his kind, and the grasshopper after his kind.
23. But all other flying creeping things, which have four feet, shall be an abomination unto you.
24. And for these ye shall be
9. Hoc autem comedetis ex om nibus qua? sunt in aquis : omnia qui- bus sunt pinna? et squama? in aquis maris, et in fluminibus, ilia come detis.
10. Omnia vero quibus non sunt pinna? et squama? in mari, et in flu- minibus, tarn de omni reptili aqua- tili, quam de omni anima vivente qua? est in aquis : abominatio erunt vobis.
11. Abominatio, inquam, erunt vobis : de came eorum non come detis, et cadaver eorum abomina- bimini.
12. Quicquid non habet pinnas et squamas in aquis, abominatio erit vobis.
13. Ha?c autem abominabimini ex volatilibus, (non comedetur : quia abominatio sunt :) aquilam, et gry- phum, et halircetum,
14. Et vulturem, et milvum se- cundum speciem suam.
15. Et omnem con-urn secundum speciem suam.
16. Et filiam struthionis, et noc- tuam, et larum: et aceipitrem secun dum speciem suam.
17. Et nycticoracem, et mergu- lum, et ibin,
18. Et porphyrionem, et pellica- num, et cygnum,
19. Et ciconiam, charadrium se cundum speciem suam, et upupam, et vespertilionem.
20. Omne reptile alatum ambu- lans super quatuor pedes, abomina tio erit vobis.
21. Veruntamen hoc comedetis ex omni reptili alato quod gradietur super quatuor pedes, cui sunt crura super pedes suos, quibus saliant super terram.
22. Hrec ex illis comedetis, lo- custam juxta speciem suam, et at- tacum juxta speciem suam, et ophio- macum secundum speciem suam, et bruchum secundum speciem suam.
23. Omne autem reliquum reptile alatum cui sunt quatuor pedes, abo minatio erit vobis.
24. Et his polluetis vos : qui-
1ST COMMANDMENT. LAST BOOKS OF THE PENTATEUCH.
unclean : whosoever toucheth the carcase of them shall be unclean un til the even.
25. And whosoever beareth ought of the carcase of them shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even.
26. The carcases of every beast which divideth the hoof, and is not cloven-footed, nor cheweth the cud, are unclean unto you : every one that toucheth them shall be unclean.
27. And whatsoever goeth upon his paws, among all manner of beasts that go on all four, those are un clean unto you : whoso toucheth their carcase shall be unclean until the even.
28. And he that beareth the car case of them shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even : they are unclean unto you.
29. These also shall be unclean unto you among the creeping things that creep upon the earth ; The weasel, and the mouse, and the tor toise after his kind,
30. And the ferret, and the cha meleon, and the lizard, and the snail, and the mole.
31. These are unclean to you among all that creep : whosoever doth touch them, when they be dead, shall be unclean until the even.
32. And upon whatsoever any of them, when they are dead, doth fall, it shall be unclean : whether it be any vessel of wood, or raiment, or skin, or sack, whatsoever vessel it be wherein any work is done, it must be put into water, and it shall be unclean until the even ; so it shall be cleansed.
33. And every earthen vessel whereinto any of them falleth, what soever is in it shall be unclean ; and ye shall break it.
34. Of all meat which may be eaten, that on which such, water cometh shall be unclean; and all drink that may be drunk in every such vessel shall be unclean.
35. And every thing whereupon any part of their carcase falleth
cunque tetigerit cadaver eorum, immundus erit usque ad vesper- am.
25. Et quicunque portaverit cada- vera, lavabit vestimenta sua, et im mundus erit usque ad vesperam.
26. Omne animal quod dividit ungulam, et fissuram non findit, et non ruminat, immunda erunt vobis : quicunque tetigerit ea, immundus erit.
27. Et quicquid graditur super volas suas inter omnes feras qua? gradiuntur super quatuor pedes, im munda erunt vobis : quicunque teti gerit cadavera eorum, immundus erit usque ad vesperam.
28. Et qui portaverit cadavera eorum, lavabit vestimenta, immiin- dusque erit usque ad vesperam : im munda erunt vobis.
29. Et hfec vobis immunda erunt inter reptilia qua? reptant super ter- ram, mustella, et mus, et rubeta secundum sped em suam.
30. Et mygale, et chameleon, et stellio, et lacerta, et talpa.
31 . Ista immunda sunt vobis inter oninia reptilia: quicunque tetigerit ilia postquam mortua fuerint, im mundus erit usque ad vesperam.
32. Et omne super quod tetigerit aliquid ex eis postquam mortua fue rint, immundum erit, tarn vas lineum quam vestis, aut pellis, aut saccus : omne vas in quo ileri solet opus, in aquam mittetur, et immundum erit usque ad vesperam, et mundabitur.
33. Omne praiterea vas testaceum intra quod occiderit aliquid ex eis, quicquid erit in illo immundum erit, et ipsum confringetis.
34. Omnis cibus qui comeditur, super quern venerit aqua, immundus erit, et omnis potus qui potatur in omni vase impuro, immundus erit.
35. Et omne super quo ceciderit quicquam de cadavere eorum, im-
CALVIN S HARMONY OF THE FOUR
LEV. XL
shall be unclean ; whether it be oven, or ranges for pots, they shall be broken down : for they are unclean, and shall be unclean unto you.
36. Nevertheless a fountain or pit, wherein there is plenty of water, shall be clean : but that which toucheth their carcase shall be un clean.
37. And if any part of their car case fall upon any sowing-seed which is to be sown, it shall be clean.
38. But if any water be put upon the seed, and any part of their car case fall thereon, it shall be unclean unto you.
39. And if any beast of which ye may eat die ; he that toucheth the carcase thereof shall be unclean until the even.
40. And he that eateth of the carcase of it shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even : he also that beareth the carcase of it shall wash his clothes, and be un clean until the even.
41. And every creeping thing that creepetli upon the earth shall be an abomination ; it shall not be eaten.
42. Whatsoever goeth upon the belly, and whatsoever goeth upon all four, or whatsoever hath more feet among all creeping things that creep upon the earth, them ye shall not eat ; for they arc an abomination.
43. Ye shall not make yourselves abominable with any creeping thing that creepeth, neither shall ye make yourselves unclean with them, that ye should be denied thereby.
44. For I am the Lord your God : ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy ; for lam holy : neither shall ye defile yourselves with any manner of creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
45. For I am the Lord that bringeth you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God : ye shall therefore be holy ; for I am holy.
46. This is the law of the beasts, and of the fowl, and of every living creature that moveth in the waters,
mundum erit : clibanus et chytro- podes diruentur, immunda sunt, et immunda erunt vobis.
36. Veruntamen fons et cisterna congregationis aquanim erit munda : at quod tetigerit cadaver eorum, im- mundum erit.
37. Fraeterea si ceciderit quic- quam de cadavere eorum super ali- quod semen satum, quod seminabi- tur, mundum erit.
38. At quum fusa fuerit aqua super semen, et ceciderit qmcqtuun de cadavere eorum super illud, im- mundum erit vobis.
39. Quum autem mortuum fuerit aliquod animal quod sit vobis in ci- bum, qui tetigerit cadaver ejus, iru- mundus erit usque ad vesperam.
40. Et qui comederit de cadavere ejus, lavabit vestimenta sua, im- mundiLsque erit usque ad vesperam : is quoque qui extiderit cadaver, lava- bit vestimenta sua, atque immundus erit usque ad vesperam.
41 . Et omne reptile reptans super terram, abominatio est, non comede- tur.
42. Quicquid item graditur super pectus, et quicquid incedit super quatuor aut plures pedes inter om- m'a reptilia qua? reptant super ter ram, non comedetis : quia abomina tio sunt.
43. Ne impuras reddatis animas vestras in omni reptili quod reptat, nee polluatis vos in eis, neque coin- quinetis vos per ea.
44. Quia ego Jehova Deus vester, sanctificate ergo vos, et estote sanc- ti, quia sanctus sum : et ne polluatis animas vestras per aliqua reptilia qua) reptant super terram.
45. Ego enim sum Jehova, qui eduxi vos e terra ^Eg>-pti, ut essem vobis in Deum, et essetis sancti, quia sanctus sum.
46. Hfec est lex animalium ter- restriutn, et volatilium, atque om nium animalium viventium qiue rep-
1ST COMMANDMENT. LAST BOOKS OF THE PENTATEUCH.
and of every creature that creepeth upon the earth ;
47. To make a difference between the unclean and the clean, and be tween the beast that may be eaten and the beast that may not be eaten.
DEUT. xiv. 3. Thou shalt not eat any abominable thing.
4. These are the beasts which ye shall eat : The ox, the sheep, and the goat,
5. The hart, and the roe-buck, and the fallow-deer, and the wild goat, and the pygarg, and the wild ox, and the chamois.
6. And every beast that parteth the hoof, and cleaveth the cleft into two claws, and cheweth the cud among the beasts, that ye shall eat.
7. Nevertheless these ye shall not eat of them that chew the cud, or of them that divide the cloven hoof; as the camel, and the hare, and the coney : for they chew the cud, but divide not the hoof; therefore they are unclean unto you.
8. And the swine, because it di- videth the hoof, yet cheweth not the cud, it is unclean unto you : ye shall not eat of their flesh, nor touch their dead carcase.
9. These ye shall eat of all that are in the waters: All that have fins and scales shall ye eat :
10. And whatsoever hath not fins and scales ye may not eat ; it is un clean unto you.
11. Of all clean birds ye shall eat.
12. But these are they of which ye shall not eat : The eagle, and the ossifrage, and the ospray,
13. And the glede, and the kite, and the vidture after his kind,
14. And every raven after his kind,
15. And the owl, and the night- hawk, and the cuckoo, and the hawk after his kind,
16. The little owl, and the great owl, and the swan,
17. And the pelican, and the gier- eagle, and the cormorant,
tant, et omnium animantium rep- tantium super terram.
47. Ad distinguendum inter im-, mundum et mundum, et inter bes- tias quae comedi possunt, et bestias quse comedi non possunt.
3. Non comedes ullam abomina- tionem.
4. Hfec sunt animalia quae comede- tis : bovem, agnum ovium, et hcedum caprarum,
5. Cervum, et capream, et buba- lum, et hircum sylvestrem, et da- mam, et bovem sylvestrem, et ca- pram nipicolam.
6. Omne animal findens ungu- lam, et findens fissuram duarum ungularum, ruminans inter animalia, illud comedetis.
7. Veruntamen hoc non comede tis ex ruminantibus ct ex findenti- bus ungulam divisam, camelum, et leporem, et cuniculum : quia rumi nant, et ungulam non dividunt, im- munda sunt vobis.
8. Et porcum, quia findit ungu lam, et non ruminat, immundus est vobis : de carne eorum non comede tis, et cadavera eorum non contin- getis.
9. Hoc comedetis ex omnibus quse sunt in aqua, quicquid habet pinnulam et squamam, comedetis.
10. Quicquid vero non habet pin nulam et squamam, non comedetis : immundum est vobis.
1 1. Omnem autem mundam com edetis.
12. Hse autem sunt ex quibus non comedetis, aquila, et gryphus, et halifeettts,
13. Et ixus, et vultur, et milvus secundum speciem suam.
14. Et omnis corvus secundum speciem suam.
In. Et filia struthionis, et noctua, et larus, et accipiter secundum spe ciem suam.
16. Et herodius, et ibis, et cyg- nus,
17. Et pellicanus, et porphyrio, et mergulus,
58 CALVIN'S HARMONY OF THE FOUR LEv.xi.2.
18. And the stork, and the heron 18. Et ciconia, et charadrius se- ufter her kind, and the lapwing, and cundum specicm suam : et upupa et the bat. vespertilio.
19. And every creeping thing that 19. Et omnc reptile alatwn im- flieth is unclean unto you : they shall mundum est vobis, non comedetur. not be eaten.
20. But of all clean fowls ye may 20. Oiunem avem nmndam come- eat. tis.
LEV. xx. 25. Ye shall therefore put difference. I have no doubt but that this sentence depends on the end of the fore going verse ; for although that verse contains a reason to deter them from incest, of which he had been speaking, still it refers also to the doctrine before us, and stands in the shape of preface to it. In a word, it connects two things, for God here briefly declares His will, not only with respect to unlawful and improper intercourse, but also why He for bids His people to eat of unclean animals. Therefore He says, " I am the Lord your God, which have separated you from other people." Whence it follows, that for no other reason were they prohibited from eating those animals, except that they thence may learn to take more diligent heed, and to withdraw themselves far from all the pollutions of the Gentiles. He had before recommended purity by various symbols, and now extends it even to the very animals. And this reason must be carefully marked, that the distinction between meats is propounded to them in order that they may study purity. For there would be something unmean ing in what is here said, if we did not know that this inter diction was imposed with this object, that they should not mix themselves promiscuously with the Gentiles. Therefore it is again repeated, that they were severed, that they might be God's inheritance ; and hence it is inferred, that holiness was to be cultivated by them, that they might conform them selves to the example of their God. Now it cannot be ques tioned, that the distinction of meats which is prescribed, is a supplement to the First Commandment, wherein the rule for worshipping God duly and purely is laid down ; and thus religion is rescued from all admixtures of superstition.
LEV. xr. 2. These are the beasts which ye shall eat. The holy fathers, before the birth of Moses, knew what animals were unclean ; of which fact Noah afforded a manifest proof.
1ST COMMANDMENT. LAST BOOKS OF THE PENTATEUCH. 59
when, by God's command, he took into the ark seven pairs of the clean animals, and offered of them his sacrifice of thanksgiving to God. Certainly he could not have obeyed the command of God, unless he had either been taught by secret inspiration, or unless this tradition had descended to him from his forefathers. But there is nothing absurd in the notion that God, desiring to confirm the traditional dis tinction, appointed certain marks of difference whereby its observation might be more scrupulously attended to, and lest any transgression of it should creep in through ignorance. For God also consecrated the Sabbath to Himself from the creation of the world, and desired it to be observed by the people before the promulgation of the Law ; and yet after wards the peculiar holiness of the day was more distinctly expressed. Besides, the clean animals are here distinguished from the unclean, by name as well as by signs. The proper names, which are recited, are of little service to us now-a- days ; because many species which are common in the East, are unknown elsewhere ; and it was therefore easy for Jews,1 who were born and had lived in distant countries, to fall into error about them ; whilst, on the other hand, the more bold they are in their conjectures, the less are they to be trusted. As to many of them, I acknowledge that there is no ambiguity, especially as to the tame animals, or those that are to be found everywhere, or that have plain descriptions of them given in the Bible. A positive knowledge then is only to be sought from the signs which are here laid down ; viz., that the animals which have cloven hoofs, and which ruminate, are clean : and that those are unclean in which either of these two things is wanting ; that cither sea or river fish, which have fins and scales, are clean. No such distinction as to birds is given, but only the unclean are named, which it was sinful to eat. Lastly, mention is made of reptiles. As to details, if there be anything worthy of observation, the place to consider them will be further on ; let us now remember, in general, what I have before touched upon, viz., that whilst the Gentiles might eat every kind of food, many were forbidden to the Jews, in order that they 1 " Rabins Juifs."— Fr.
60 CALVIN'S HARMONY OF THE FOUE LEV. XI. 2.
might learn in their very food to cultivate purity ; and this was the object of their separation from ordinary customs. Hence it arose that they use the word 7/1"!, chalal,1 both for " to make common/' and to " contaminate ;" and the word TlPl, chol, signifies " polluted," because it is opposed to any thing holy or set apart. It is true, indeed, that the Gentiles, by natural instinct, have regarded with the utmost horror the eating of some of the animals which are here forbidden ; still, God would surround His people with barriers, which must separate them from their neighbours.
Those who imagine that God here had regard to their health, as if discharging the office of a Physician, pervert by their vain speculation the whole force and utility of this law. I allow, indeed, that the meats which God permits to be eaten are wholesome, and best adapted for food ; but, both from the preface, — in which God admonished them that holiness was to be cultivated by the people whom He had chosen, — as also from the (subsequent) abolition of this law, it is sufficiently plain that this distinction of meats was a part of that elementary instruction2 under which God kept His ancient people. " Let no man therefore judge you (says Paul) in meat or in drink, which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ/' (Col. ii. 16, 17.) By which expressions he means, that what was spiritual had been shadowed forth in the external rite of abstaining from meats. To the same effect he elsewhere says, (Rom. xiv. 14,) that he knows and is persuaded,3 that in the Lord Jesus Christ there is nothing unclean ; viz., because Christ by his death has redeemed His people from slavish subjection. Hence it follows, that the prohibition of meats must be
1 ^in, is rendered by A. V. unholy, Lev. x. 10; common, 1 Sam. xxi. 5 ; profane, Ezek. xxii. 26, and xlii. 20, in which last instance com mon, or public, would have been more suitable. — W.
7 " Pedagogic." — Lat. " La doctrine puerile." — Fr.
8 Vide C. in loco, (Calvin Society Translation,) and Owen's note. C. evidently does not understand the words in the sense of our translation ; " I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus,"— but rather as I have given them in the text, supposing the Apostle to speak of Christ, not as the author of his persuasion, but as the remover of the uncleanness referred to. The Fr. is " il sait, et est persuade qu'il n'y a rien impur a ceux, qui croyent en Jesus Chrst;" he knows and is persuaded that there is notlunjr \inclean to them that believe in Jesus Christ.
1ST COMMANDMENT. LAST BOOKS OF THE PENTATEUCH. 61
counted among the ceremonies, which were exercises in the worship of God. But here a question arises, how it is recon cilable that, even from the days of Noah, certain animals were unclean, and yet that all without exception were allowed to be eaten ? I cannot agree with some in thinking that the distinction originally made by God grew obsolete by degrees ; for God, in excepting the eating of blood only, makes a grant of whatsoever moves upon the earth as the food of the pos terity of Noah. I therefore restrict to the sacrifices that uncleanness, with the knowledge of which the hearts of the Patriarchs were then inspired, nor do I doubt but that it was as lawful for Abraham, as well as for them, to eat swine's flesh as the flesh of oxen. Afterwards, when God imposed the yoke of the Law to repress the licentiousness of the people, He somewhat curtailed this general permission, not because He repented of His liberality ; but because it was useful to compel in this way to obedience these almost rude and uncivilized people. But, since before the Law the condi tion of the saints was the same as our own, it must be re membered, as I said before, that, agreeably to the dictates of nature, they spontaneously avoided certain foods, just as at present no one will hunt wolves or lions for food, nor de sire to eat serpents and other venomous animals. But the object of this ordinance was different, viz., lest they who were God's sacred and peculiar people, should freely and pro miscuously communicate with the Gentiles.
3. Whatsoever parteth the hoof. Whilst I fear that but little confidence can be placed in the allegories, in which many have taken delight ; so I do not find any fault with, nor even refuse that which has been handed down from the ancients,1 viz., that by the cleaving of the hoof is signified prudence in distinguishing the mysteries of Scripture, and by the chewing of the cud serious meditation on its heavenly
1 Fr. " les Docteurs anciens." " Ungulam dividunt, qui secundum duo testamenta firmo se gradu innocentise et justicise statuunt. Judrei rumi nant verba legis : sed ungulam non findunt, quia duo testamenta non re- cipiunt ; nee in Patrem et Filium credunt : fidei gressum dividunt : here- tici ungulam findunt, in Patrem et Filium credentes ; sed doctrinam veritatis non ruminant." — Glossa ordinaria, in loco.
62 CALVIN'S HARMONY OF THE FOUR LEV. xi. 3.
doctrines ; although I cannot approve of the subtlety1 which they add, viz., that those "rightly divide the word" who have known how to elicit mystical senses from its letter ; because hence it has come to pass that they have allowed themselves in all sorts of imaginations. I therefore embrace the more simple notion, that they who only have a taste for the carnal sense, do not divide the hoof; for, as Paul says, only " he that is spiritual discerneth all things/' (1 Cor. ii. 15, margin.} The chewing of the cud ought to follow, duly to prepare and digest the spiritual food ; for many gulp down Scripture without profit, because they neither sincerely desire to profit by it, nor seek to refresh their souls by it, as their nourishment ; but satisfied with the empty delights of know ledge, make no efforts to conform their life to it. In the first clause, then, brutal stupidity is condemned ; in the other, the ambition and levity of curious men.2 God, indeed, set before Peter, in the vision, unclean animals as images and figures of the Gentiles, (Acts x. 12 ;) and therefore it is lawful, by probable analogy, to transfer to men what is said about the animals. But why God should have appointed the cloven hoof and rumination as signs, is no more clear to me than why He should have forbidden their eating swine's flesh ; unless, perchance, because the solid hoof is a sign of wildness ; whilst the animals which do not ruminate feed for the most part on filth and excrement. We know that on this point there was much contention immediately after the promulgation of the Gospel, because some of the Jews, in their excessive devotion to the Law, and considering that the distinction of meats was not to be reckoned among the ceremonial enactments, desired that the new Church should be bound by the same trammels as had been imposed upon the ancient people. At length, by the decree of the Apostles, permission was given to the Gentiles to eat all kinds of' meat, except only blood and things strangled, and that only for a time, for the sake of avoiding offence, since the Jews
1 " Toutefois ils gastent tout a la fin par une subtilite frivole, &c. ;" nevertheless they spoil all by a frivolous subtlety. — Fr.
2 Addition in Fr. "qui ne prenent nulle refection de la doctrine de salut ;" who receive no refreshment from the doctrine of salvation.
1ST COMMANDMENT. LAST BOOKS OF THE PENTATEUCH. 63
would not otherwise have been propitiated. Now, after what God Himself had ordained respecting the distinction of meats had been abrogated, it was an act of diabolical auda city to oblige men's consciences by human laws, and to pre vent them from enjoying the liberty obtained by Christ.
Another question remains, how God should pronounce anything which He has created to be unclean ; for, if an animal be rejected on account of its uncleanness, part of the reproach redounds to the Author Himself. Besides, this re jection seems also to be opposed to the first declaration of God, when, considering all things which He had made, He acknowledged them to be "very good/' The solution is, that no animal was ever unclean in itself; but that this merely refers to its use. Thus in the tree of the knowledge of good and evil there was naturally neither fault nor harm, so that it should infect man by its pollution, yet he con tracted death from it on account of God's prohibition. Wherefore, also, in this passage, God does not condemn His work in the animals, but, as to their being eaten, He would have them accounted unclean, that the people may abomi nate that which is forbidden them. In a word, it is only transgression which defiles: for the animals have never changed their nature; but it was in God's power to deter mine what He would have to be lawful or unlawful. Thus another objection is removed. Christ declares that "not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man/' (Matt. xv. 11.) If any one should thence infer that harmless animals are improperly condemned, we must reply that they are not accounted unclean in themselves, but that the prohibition had a different object. For that doctrine was always true, that " the kingdom of God is not meat and drink," (Rom. xiv. 17;) but, when God forbade the Israelites to eat this or that kind of food, they were admonished by this ceremonial precept how abominable is the inward corruption of the heart. But by such elementary teaching they were pre pared and led onwards to spiritual doctrine, that they might know that nothing defiles a man except what comes out of his mouth. Now-a-days the condition of believers is differ ent, for liberty is obtained for them, since Christ, having
C j, CALVIN'S HARMONY OF THE FOUR LEV. xi. 4.
abrogated the Law, has nailed " the handwriting of ordi nances to his cross/' (Col. ii. 1 4.)
4. Nevertheless these shall ye not eat of. He more clearly expresses what he had previously glanced at, viz., that an animal, although it may ruminate, shall not be clean unless it also cleaves the hoof; and, on the other hand, that the cloven hoof will not be sufficient unless combined with rumi nation. In these words Moses taught that partial and imperfect purity must not be obtruded upon God. If any choose to think that rumination is the symbol of internal purity, and the cloven hoof of external, his opinion will be a probable one. Since this distinction has occurred to my mind, although I have no taste for subtle speculations, I have thought it well to mention it, yet leaving it free for any one to accept it or not. Meanwhile we must hold it as certain, as I have lately said, that God demands perfect cleanliness, undefiled by any admixture. But the prohibi tion was most onerous to the Jews with respect to swine's flesh, because it is very well adapted for food, not only as being a pleasant accompaniment of other meats, but because the working-classes are fed upon it at a smaller cost. In this point, therefore, the religion of the Jewish people was especially proved. For, when the soldiers of Antiochus de sired to force the people to an entire renunciation of the Law, they only urged them to eat swine's flesh.1 And hence the 'famous witticism of Augustus, "I would rather be Herod's pig than his son ;"2 because, whilst he abstained from pork, he was the murderer of his children. But, in order that the Jews might observe this prohibition more strictly, the very touch was also forbidden them ; so that it was not only wicked to taste swine's flesh, but even to touch it with their hands after the animal was killed. The same rule did not apply to beef or mutton ; for it is necessary to handle the meat which is appointed for our food.
1 There is allusion to this in 1 Mace. i. 47, and 62, 63. " Howbeit, many in Israel were fully resolved and confirmed in themselves, not to eat an v unclean thirg; wherefore they chose rather to die, that they might not be denied with meats, and that they might not profane the holy cove nant, so then they died."
8 Macrob., Saturnalia, ii. 4.
1ST COMMANDMENT. LAST BOOKS OF THE PENTATEUCH. 65
9. These shall ye eat of all that are in the waters. Here, also, some who know little of religion, plausibly contend that God is acting the physician's part, and distinguishing whole some from unwholesome food. But although their opinion is sufficiently refuted by medical men themselves, yet, even if I should admit what they desire, they reason badly. For the purpose of God was other than to provide for the people's health ; and, because He had to do with a rude people, He chose common marks, being admonished by which they might gradually ascend to higher things. It would be useless to follow the allegories which Isychius has invented ;* and I would willingly bury in oblivion these triflings, except that many have such a leaning to subtleties, that sober views would scarcely please them, until the folly of these allegories shall have been convicted. I will say nothing of the scales and fins. If at first sight any should approve of what he says as to the names of the fish being omitted, because the Church seeks not a name upon earth, and that the Church is signified by the fish, — let them consider whether it is con sistent that the Church should only exist in the water ; and, again, that the birds, which are nearer heaven, should be excluded from this honour ; thirdly, that the clean animals should be rejected, as if they did not belong to the Church ; lastly, that those who by their contagion pollute the Church should be counted amongst the elect, whose names are writ ten in heaven ; for certainly many of the fish are unclean. Those who will not acquiesce in these perspicuous reasons, I will allow to wander in their labyrinth. This simple view will satisfy the moderate and teachable, that the fish are not
1 " Hesychius, observing that no proper names are given here or else where in Scripture, as I have said, to fishes, interprets it of the Gentiles gathered into the Church, whose names she does not desire to be written on earth, but in another generation, and in heaven ; that these are born again in the waters of baptism ; that they have fins, in the meditation of the law, which corresponds with the sublime and heavenly life ; and scales, which may be easily removed, as also they may easily lay aside their igno rance, even as scales are said to have fallen from the eyes of Paul when he was converted. He declares that the adulterer, the covetous man, the drunkard, and the calumniator, have not fins, since their life is sordid and unclean ; and says that the worshipper of idols cannot be counted among those who have scales, since he seems to be possessed of a hard and shelf- jish-like, and incurable ignorance of divine things." — Lorinus, in loco. VOL. II. E
CG CALVIN'S HARMONY OF THE FOUR LEV.XI.IO.
named, because the greater part of them were unknown to the Jews, whose country did not produce many of the river- fish, since it scarcely had any river besides the Jordan, whilst the sea-fish only visited the neighbouring shores.
13. And these are they which ye shall have in abomination. The species of birds and reptiles which are forbidden, are such as common feeling almost naturally repudiates. And assuredly God dealt with great indulgence towards His people, so as not to weigh them down with too heavy bur dens. But because man's greediness sometimes delights in monstrous food, He desired even in minor matters to put the rein upon them, lest they should rush with heathen nations into intemperance, whereby they would be polluted. For there was danger lest, by devouring filthy animals, they should harden themselves to join in various other corruptions. Another law is added, that they should not only abstain from eating these unclean animals, but, if any such should be killed, that they should not defile themselves by touching its carcase ; nay, that if any vessels should have come in con tact with them, those made of earth should be broken, and others should be washed. It seems to be a trifling matter to enjoin, that if a mouse should have been drowned in a vessel of water, the vessel itself should be unclean ; and the strictness appears excessive, that the Jews should be com manded,1 if any such animal had fallen into a vessel of wine, and had died there, not only to pour away the wine, but also to destroy the vessel ; and if it had been smothered in an oven, or had lain in the hearth, to break down both of them ; as if spiritual infection reached even to things without life. But we must always consider the intention of God, from whence we shall learn that He was not so severe and exacting in unimportant things as to tie His people to the observation of (superfluous2) matters ; but that these were acts of discipline whereby He might accustom them to study purity, which is so generally neglected and omitted among men. Now-a-days, also, we are commanded by the mouth of Paul, " whether we eat, or drink, or whatsoever we do, to
1 " De contraindre les poures gens ;" to constrain the poor people.— Fr.
2 This word is added from the Fr.
1ST COMMANDMENT. LAST BOOKS OF THE PENTATEUCH. 67
do all to the glory of God," (1 Cor. x. 31 ;) but in this re spect \ve differ from the ancient people, that, being delivered from childish rudiments, we are directed only to what is spiritual, viz., that meat and drink are supplied to us by God, that we may serve in purity the Author of our life. But it was necessary to stimulate the Jews in various ways, that they might be more attentive to this object ; whilst God commanded them to keep their houses free from all unclean- ness, and to be diligent in watching over the purity of their water, and all their vessels ; that He might constantly set before their eyes how diligently He would have them to labour after true cleanliness ; as follows in the end of the chapter.
43. Ye shall not make yourselves abominable. He does not invite them to take care of their health, nor warn them of the danger of contracting diseases, but bids them beware of defiling themselves. And a clearer explanation is subjoined, " For I am the Lord your God : ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves ; for I am holy/' Lest they should imagine that the main part of religion was contained in external cere monies, they were to consider the nature of God ; for, inas much as He is a Spirit, He would be worshipped only spiri tually. Thus holiness is only connected instrumentally with the distinction of meats ; since their abstinence had no other object than that they should consecrate themselves to God. Therefore the superstition of the Jews was inexcusable, when they satisfied themselves with trifling observances j1 as if one should learn the letters of the alphabet without applying them to their use, and reading what is written. From their example we perceive how eagerly men lay hold of everv- thing they can to sustain them in their hypocrisy, for they not only wrested to their earthly notions the things which were profitable in the pursuit of true integrity of heart ; but, not content with this, they heaped to themselves many super-
i "Quand ils se sont arrestez a 1'observation une et simple de choses frivoles ; comme si quelqu'un apprenoit 1' a, b, c, et qu'il ne luy chalust puis apres d'accoupler les lettres pour lire ;" when they stopped at the bare and simple observation of frivolous things ; as if one should learn the a, b, c, and cared not afterwards to join the letters together so as to read.— Fr.
6s CALVIN'S HARMONY OF THE FOUR DEUT. xiv.21.
erogatory rites •/ hence the water of expiation, or lustration always in use, even when they were unconscious of any pol lution : hence their anxious labour in washing cups and platters, that it might readily appear how constantly the perversity of man abuses what God has appointed for the best of reasons.
ftnotijer supplement toueijtng tTijtngB Ztnelean*2
DEUTERONOMY, CHAPTER XIV.
'>! Ye shall not cat of any thing 21. Non comedetis ullum cada-
that dieth of itself: thoii shall give ver: peregrine qui cst intra pprtas
it unto the stranger that is in thy tuas dabis illud, et comedet illud.
"sites, that he may eat it ; or thou aut vendes alienigenie : populus cnim
inayest sell it unto an alien : for thou sanctus es Jehovje Deo tuo. art an holy people unto the Lord thy Cod.
EXOD. xxii. 31. And ye shall be 31. Viri sancti critis inihi : carnem
holy men unto me: neither shall ye in aj^ro raptam non comedetis, cam
eat an it flesh that is torn of beasts in projieietis earn, the field; ye shall cast it to the dogs.
LEV. xvii. 15. And every soul 15. Omnis anima qiuc comederit
that eateth that which died of itself *, cadaver, aut raptum, tarn de indi-
or that which was torn with, beasts, genis quam de peregrinis, lavabit
whether it be one of your own coun- vestimenta sua, ubi laverit se aqua :
trv, or a stranger, he shall both wash eritque immundus usque ad vesper-
his clothes, and bathe himself in am, deinde nuindus erit. water, and be unclean until the even ; then shall he be clean.
16. But if he wash them not, nor 10. Quod si non laverit yestes, et
bathe his flesh, then he shall bear carnem non laverit, portabit iniqui-
his iniquity. tatem suam.
DEUT. xiv. 21. Ye shall not eat of any thing that dieth of itself. The eating of any carcase, or of flesh torn by wild beasts, is reckoned among the causes of defilement ; but we must understand it to be the carcase of an animal which has died of hunger or disease, for, from the nature of its death, it contracted impurity, although in itself it were otherwise
1 Addition in F/\, " Comme si la religion eust cste enclose en choses de neant •" as if religion had been comprised in things of nought.
2 Heading added from Fr., " Autre dependence dcs choses impures par accident."
] ST COMMANDMENT. LAST BOOKS OF THE PENTATEUCH. 69
pure. The end of the precept is gathered from the reason which is immediately subjoined, "for thou art a holy people unto the Lord thy God," and from the ablution which is pre scribed in the passage from Leviticus. The same thing is, secondly, enjoined respecting flesh that has been torn, as before with regard to the carcase, for the deformity of its laceration is counted as uncleanness. The holiness of the people is again referred to, that they may more diligently beware of defilements. Hence it follows that those were contaminated who should eat of torn flesh. Therefore, in the third passage, he confirms it that the Jews were to ab stain, and were prohibited from the eating of a carcase or the flesh of an animal torn by beasts, lest they should pol lute themselves. Nor is it an objection that the eating of carrion and of blood are here prohibited in conjunction with each other ; for we know that Moses does not always arrange his precepts in order, but promiscuously adduces such as appertain to different classes. Therefore, I have thought it well to separate these two prohibitions which have distinct objects, and whose dissimilarity manifestly appears from the difference of their punishment. He who shall have eaten blood shall be cut off from the people ; whereas he who shall have eaten carrion, shall wash himself and be unclean till the evening. A question might again arise respecting torn or lacerated flesh ; but it seems in my judgment to be plain enough from the context, that flesh torn by beasts is counted amongst unclean meats ; for the reason of the law is ex pressed, viz., because those who were chosen to be a holy people should keep themselves pure and incorrupt. Nor would God command that meat intended for man should be thrown to dogs, unless it were infected with a contagion, which would pollute His holy ones. As to the command, in the first passage, to give it to a stranger, or to sell it to an alien, that he might eat it, it does not appear reasonable, since that would be to supply the materials for sin, as though one should offer a sword to a madman, or transfer illicit goods to others. But the solution of this difficulty is easy : for the Gentiles were permitted to eat indifferently of all sorts of food, since no distinctions were placed between them ;
70 CALVIN'S HARMONY OF THE FOUR DEUT.XXI. 10.
but the prohibition of certain meats was a mark of separa tion between them and the elect people of God. A more difficult question arises from a kind of contradiction, because Moses in another passage binds both the stranger and the home-born by the same law, and declares them to be alike unclean if they shall have tasted of carrion. But we must bear in mind that he sometimes calls those strangers who, although born of heathen parents, had embraced the Law. Circumcision, therefore, connected them with God, just as if they had derived their origin from Abraham ; whilst there were other strangers, whom uncircumcision separated from the children of Abraham as profane and excommunicate. The sum is, that whosoever allege God's name, and boast themselves to be His people, are called to cultivate holiness, and to keep themselves pure from every stain.'
Supplement aa to ^-Carriage tottij Ztnbeltrbrrs.1 DEUTERONOMY XXL
10. When thou goest forth to war 10. Quum egrcssus fueris ad bcl- against thine enemies, and the Lord lum contra inimicos tuos, et dederit thy God hath delivered them into eos Jehova Pens tuns in mannni thine hands, and thou hast taken tuani, et ex eis captivos abduxeris : them captive,
11. And seest among the captives 11. Vidcris autem in captivitate a beautiful woman, and hast a desire mulierem pulcliram forma, et dea- unto her, that thou wouldest have her maris earn, et acceperis tibi in uxo- to thy wife; reni.
12. Then thou shalt bring her 12. Introduces earn domum tuam : home to thine house ; and she shall et radet caput suum, ac prsecidet shave her head, and pare her nails ; ungues suos :
13. And she shall put the raiment 13. Peponetque vestimentum cap- of her captivity from off her, and tivitatis sua? a se, et manebit in domo shall remain in thine house, and be- tua, ac ttebit patrem suum, et matrem wail her lather and her mother a full suam mensem integrant : et postea month : and after that thou shalt go ingredieris ad earn, erisque maritus in unto her, and be her husband, and ejus, et erit tibi uxor.
she shall be thy wife.
10. When thou goest forth to war. The same thing is now commanded respecting wives as above respecting meats. As regarded the Canaanites, who were destined and devoted to
1 Heading added from French, " Autre dependence de se marier avec les incredules."
1ST COMMANDMENT. LAST BOOKS OF THE PENTATEUCH. 71
destruction, we have seen that the Israelites were prohibited from taking their women to wife, lest this connection should be an enticement to sin ; but Moses now goes further, viz., that the Israelites, having obtained a victory over other nations, should not marry any of the captive women, unless purified by a solemn rite. This, then, is the sum, that the Israelites should not defile themselves by profane marriages, but in this point also should keep themselves pure and un- corrupt, because they were separated from other people, to be the peculiar people of God. It was better, indeed, that they should altogether abstain from such marriages ; yet it was difficult so to restrain their lust as that they should not decline from chastity in the least degree ; and hence we learn how much license conquerors allow themselves in war, so that there is no room for perfect purity in them. Where fore God so tempers His indulgence as that the Israelites, remembering the adoption wherewith He had honoured them, should not disgrace themselves, but in the very fervour of their lust should retain some religious affection. But the question here is not of unlawful ravishment, but Moses only speaks of women who have been made captives by the right of war, for we know that conquerors have abused them with impunity, because they had them under their power and dominion. But since many are led astray by the blandish ments of their wives, God applies a remedy, viz., that the abjuration of their former life should precede their marriage ; and that none should be allowed to marry a foreign wife until she shall have first renounced her own nation. To this refers the ceremony, that the woman should shave her head, and cut her nails, and change her garments, and lament her father and her family for an entire month, viz., that she may renounce her former life, and pass over to another people. Some of the rabbins twist the words to a different meaning, as if God would extinguish love in the minds of the hus bands by disfiguring the women ; for the shaving of the head greatly detracts from female beauty and elegance ; and " to make the nails/5 for so the words literally mean, they under stand as to let them grow ; and the prolongation of the nails has a disgusting appearance. But their gloss is refuted by
72 CALVIN'S HARMONY OF THE FOUR DSUT.XYiu.19.
the context, in which she is commanded to put off the rai ment of her captivity. But I have no doubt but that their month of mourning, their shaven head, and the other signs, are intended by God for their renewal, so that they may accustom themselves to different habits. And with the same object they are commanded to bewail their parents as if dead, that they may bid farewell to their own people. To this the Prophet seems to allude in Psalm xlv. 10, when he says, " Hearken, 0 daughter, and consider, and incline thine ear ; forget also thine own people, and thy father's house ;" for he intimates that otherwise the marriage of a foreign woman with Solomon would not be pure and legitimate, unless she should relinquish her superstitions, and devote herself to God's service. Nor was it needless that God should require the Israelites diligently to beware lest they should take wives as yet aliens from the study of true religion, since ex perience most abundantly shews how fatal a snare it is. But although we are not now bound to this observance, yet the rule still holds good that men should not rashly ally them selves with women still devoted to wicked superstitions.1
JTutttcial DEUTERONOMY XVIII.
19. And it shall come to pass, that 19. Erit autem ut si quis non whosoever will not hearken unto my audierit verba mea quae loquetur words, which he shall speak in my Propheta in nomine meo, ego re name, I will require it of him. quiram ab eo.
DEUT. xiii. 5. And that prophet, 5. Propheta autem falsus aut
or that dreamer of dreams, shall be somniator interficietur, eo quod
put to death ; because he hath defectionem loquutus sit contra
spoken to turn you away from the Jehovam Deum vestrum, qui eduxit
Lord your God, which brought you te e terra ./Egypti. et redemit te e
out of the land of Egypt, and re- domo servorum, ut te depelleret a via
deemed you out of the house of quam preecepit tibi Jehova Deus
bondage, to thrust thee out of the tuus, ut ambules in ea: et extermi-
way which the Lord thy God com- nabit malum e inedio tui. mantled thee to walk in : so shalt thou put the evil away from the midst of thee.
1 Addition in Fr., "Pour s'envelopper en leur impiete."
1ST COMMANDMENT. LAST BOOKS OF THE PENTATEUCH. 73
THUS far I have reviewed THE SUPPLEMENTS TO THE FIRST COMMANDMENT, which relate to the Ancient Types and Legal Worship. The Commandment itself will always remain in force, even to the end of the world ; and is given not only to the Jews, but likewise to us also. But God formerly made use of the ceremonies as temporary aids, of which, although the use has ceased, the utility still remains ; because from them it more clearly appears how God is to be duly served ; and the spirit of religion shines forth in them. Therefore the whole substance is contained in the precept, but in the external exercise, as it were, the form to which God bound none but His ancient people. Now follow The Political Supplements,1 whereby God commands the punishments to be inflicted, if His religion shall have been violated. For political laws are not only enacted with reference to earthly affairs, in order that men should maintain mutual equity with each other, and should follow and observe what is right, but that they should exercise themselves in the veneration of God. For Plato also begins from hence, when he lays down the legitimate constitution of a republic, and calls the fear of God the preface of all laws ; nor has any profane author ever existed who has not confessed that this is the principal part of a well-constituted state, that all with one consent should reverence and worship God. In this respect, indeed, the wisdom of men was at fault, that they deemed that any religion which they might prefer was to be sanctioned by laws and by punishments ; yet the principle was a just one, that the whole system of law is perverted if the cultivation of piety is ignored by it.
But, whilst God commends the care and study of religion to the judge, and commands that the contempt of it should be publicly avenged, He at the same time provides against a common error, that they should not rush into severity with rash and inconsiderate zeal. For, inasmuch as the several nations, cities, and kingdoms foolishly invent their own gods, He propounds His own Law, from the regulation of which it is sinful to decline. It has been wisely forbidden by human legislators, that men should make to themselves private 1 Les dependences, qui concernent la justice et la police. — Fr.
74 CALVIN'S HARMONY OF THE FOUR DEUT.XIII.O.
gods ; but all this is vain unless the knowledge of the true God enlightens and directs them. Justly, therefore, does God recall His people to that doctrine which lie has de livered, to the end that whosoever shall have contumaciously despised it should be punished. But, since it would be in sufficient that they should be once instructed in the proper worship of God by a written law, unless daily preaching were subjoined, God expressly furnishes His prophets with autho rity, and denounces the punishment to be inflicted if any should violate it. He had previously said that He would raise up prophets, that the condition of His chosen people should not be worse than that of other nations ; since, there fore, He had deposited with them the treasure of true reli gion, that they might be, as it were, its guardians, He now threatens with destruction whosoever shall refuse to obey their commands. It is plain, however, from the expression " in my name," that He does not speak of all who may usurp the name of prophet, for it is as much as to say that they came from Him, and advanced nothing without His com mand. For, although many may falsely present themselves in God's name, this honourable distinction does not belong to them unless God should ratify it ; but this is truly the char acteristic of faithful and approved teachers, that they speak in the name of God. Thus, when Christ promises that " where two or three are gathered in His name, there is He in the midst of them," (Matt, xviii. 20,) He does not dig nify with such great honour hypocrites, who with sacrilegi ous audacity usurp His name; but He speaks of the reality, as will also appear more clearly from the reverse law, which follows.
DEUT. xin. 5. And that prophet. Since the ministers of Satan deceive men by their plausible exterior, when they vaunt themselves to be the prophets of God, Moses had already admonished them, that all teachers were not to be listened to indifferently, but that the true were to be dis tinguished from the false, and that, after judgment had, those should obtain credit who deserved it. He now subjoins the punishment of such as should creep in under the name of a prophet to draw away the people into rebellion. For he
1ST COMMANDMENT. LAST BOOKS OF THE PENTATEUCH. 75
does not condemn to capital punishment those who may have spread false doctrine, only on account of some particular or trifling error, but those who are the authors of apostasy, and so who pluck up religion by the roots. Observe, again, that the season of this severity would not be until a positive reli gion should be established ; and, therefore, the grossness of the impiety is expressly named, " if they should have tried to turn the people away from the worship of the true God/" Moreover, that all excuse might be obviated, Moses says that it is sufficiently manifested who God is, and how He is to be worshipped, both by the wonderful blessing of their redemp tion, as well as by the doctrine of the Law. Therefore, in order that God may shew that so heavy a punishment is justly inflicted upon apostates, He declares the certainty of that religion which should exist among the Israelites ; as much as to say, that no pardon could be granted to such impious contempt, since God had abundantly proved the glory of His Godhead by the miracle of their redemption, and had mani fested His will in the Law.
It must then be remembered, that the crime of impiety would not otherwise merit punishment, unless the religion had not only been received by public consent and the suf frages of the people, but, being supported also by sure and indisputable proofs, should place its truth above the reach of doubt. Thus, whilst their severity is preposterous who defend superstitions with the sword, so also in a well consti tuted polity, profane men are by no means to be tolerated, by whom religion is subverted.1 Thus they are unable to
1 Tt is impossible not to be here reminded of Calvin's acquiescence in the punishment of Servetus. In the principle he lays down, we have, as it were, his final apology for the part he took in that matter. Any discussion of the much- vexed question would here be out of place, but it may not be altogether amiss to introduce the few following calm reflections from the
pen of a very able modern historian, M. de Felice : — " 1. Servetus was not
tary he trine of all the great Christian communions, by saying that God in three
an ordinary heretic ; he was audaciously Pantheistic, and outraged the doc-
persons was a Cerberus — a monster with three heads. 2. He had already been condemned to death by the (Roman) Catholic Doctors at Vienna in Dauphine. 3. The matter was adjudicated, not by Calvin, but by the ma gistrates of Geneva ; and, if it be objected that his opinion must have in fluenced their decision, it must be remembered that the Councils of the other Reformed Cantons of Switzerland unanimously approved of the sentence. 4. It was of supreme importance that the Reformation should clearly se-
76 CALVIN'S HARMONY OF THE FOUR DEUT.XIII.S.
endure, who desire to be at liberty to make disturbances with impunity ; and therefore they call those sanguinarv who teach that the errors by which religion is undermined and thence destroyed, should be restrained by public autho rity. But what will they gain by openly raving against God ? God commands the false prophets to be put to death, who pluck up the foundations of religion, and are the authors and leaders of rebellion. Some scoundrel or other gainsays this, and sets himself against the author of life and death. What insolence is this ! *As to their denial that the truth of God stands in need of such support, it is very true ; but what is the meaning of this madness, in imposing a law upon God, that He should not make use of the obedience of magistrates in this respect ? And what avails it to question about the necessity of this, since so it pleases God ? God might, indeed, do without the assistance of the sword in de fending religion ; but such is not His will. And what won der if God should command magistrates to be the avengers of His glory, when He neither wills nor suffers that thefts, fornications, and drunkenness should be exempt from punishment. In minor offences it shall not be lawful for the judge to hesitate ; and when the worship of God and the whole of religion is violated, shall so great a crime be fos tered by his dissimulation ? Capital punishment shall be decreed against adulterers ; but shall the despisers of God be permitted with impunity to adulterate the doctrines of salvation, and to draw away wretched souls from the faith ? Pardon shall never be extended to poisoners, by whom the body alone is injured ; and shall it be sport to deliver souls to eternal destruction ? Finally, the magistracy, if its own authority be assailed, shall take severe vengeance upon that contempt ; and shall it suffer the profanation of God's holy name to be unavenged ? What can be more monstrous ! But it is superfluous to contend by argument, when God has once
paratc its cause from that of an Intidel like Servetus. The (Roman) Catholic Church, which now-a-days accuses Calvin of having participated in his condemnation, would, in the sixteenth century, have much more harshly accused him, if he had sought for his acquittal."— Hist, des Pro testants de France. Liv. i., § 6.
i " Quant a ce qui tels babouins alleguent," &c. — Fr.
1ST COMMANDMENT. LAST BOOKS OF THE PENTATEUCH. 77
pronounced what is His will, for we must needs abide by His inviolable decree.
But it is questioned whether the law pertains to the king dom of Christ, which is spiritual and distinct from all earthly dominion ; and there are some men, not otherwise ill-dis posed, to whom it appears that our condition under the Gos pel is different from that of the ancient people under the law ; not only because the kingdom of Christ is not of this world, but because Christ was unwilling that the beginnings of His kingdom should be aided by the sword. But, when human judges consecrate their work to the promotion of Christ's kingdom, 1 deny that on that account its nature is changed. For, although it was Christ's will that His Gospel should be proclaimed by His disciples in opposition to the power of the whole world, and He exposed them armed with the Word alone like sheep amongst wolves, He did not impose on Himself an eternal law that He should never bring kings under His subjection, nor tame their violence, nor change them from being cruel persecutors into the patrons and guar dians of His Church. Magistrates at first exercised tyranny against the Church, because the time had not yet come when they should " kiss the Son" of God, and, laying aside their violence, should become the nursing fathers of the Church, which they had assailed according to Isaiah's prophecy, that undoubtedly refers to the coming of Christ. (Isaiah xlix. 6, 23.) Xor was it causelessly that Paul, when he enjoins prayers to be made for kings and other worldly rulers, added the reason that under them " we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty/' (1 Tim. ii. 2.) Christ, indeed as He is meek, would also, I confess, have us to be imitators of His gentleness, but that does not prevent pious magistrates from providing for the tranquillity and safety of the Church by their defence of godliness ; since to neglect this part of their duty, would be the greatest perfidy and cruelty. And assuredly nothing can be more base than, when we see wretched souls drawn away to eternal destruc tion by reason of the impunity conceded to impious, wicked, and perverse impostors, to count the salvation of those souls for nothing. But, if under this pretext the superstitious
78 CALVIN'S HARMONY OF THE FOUR DEUT.xvn.12.
have dared to shed innocent blood, I reply that what God has once commanded must not be brought to nought on ac count of any abuse or corruption of men. For, if the cause alone abundantly distinguishes the martyrs of Christ from malefactors, though their punishment may be identical, so the Papal executioners will not bring it to pass by their unjust cruelty that the zeal of pious magistrates in punish ing false and noxious teachers should be otherwise than pleasing to God. And this is admirably expressed in the words of Moses, when he reminds them that judgment must be passed according to the law of God. I have already said that this severity must not be extended to particular errors, but where impiety breaks forth even into rebellion. When it is added, " to thrust thee out of the way, which the Lord thy God commanded thee," we gather from it that none are to be given over to punishment, but those who shall have been convicted by the plain word of God, lest men should judge them arbitrarily. Whence it also appears that zeal will err in hastily drawing the sword, unless a lawful exami nation shall have been previously instituted.
DEUTERONOMY, CHAPTER XVIL
12. And the man that will do pre- 12. Vir autem qui egerit in super- suniptuously, and will not hearken bia ut non audiat sacerdotem qiii unto the priest that standeth to min- stat ut illic ministret Jehovse Deo ister there before the Lord thy God, tuo, aut judicem, morietur vir ille, or unto the judge, even that man et exteruiinabis malum ex Israele. shall die : and thou shalt put away
the evil from Israel.
13. And all the people shall hear, 13. Atque onmes e populo audi- and fear, and do no more presumptu- ant, ut timeant, neque in posterum ously. superbiant.
He pronounces a similar punishment on those who shall have contumaciously rejected the judgment of the priests. We have already seen that the prophetical office was united with the priesthood ; since, according to Malachi ii. 4, the cove nant of God was with Levi, that his descendants might be the guardians of His knowledge, and the interpreters of His law : yet God often punished the laxity of the priests, by setting other teachers over his people. At any rate, both were ambassadors for Him. Since, therefore, the authority
1ST COMMANDMENT. LAST BOOKS OF THE PENTATEUCH. 79
of the prophets had been sanctioned above, the same rights are now conferred upon the priests ; nor is this surprising, for it was no trifling crime to despise God, the appointer of this order. Yet we must remember what I have elsewhere stated, that the priests were not armed with tyrannical au thority, so that it was sinful to reject whatever they might have decreed according to their own fancy. For neither did God dethrone Himself when He appointed them, nor did He bind men's consciences to obey their ordinances without dis tinction, but only would put reins on the audacity of those who have no scruple in undervaluing the government of the Church. For this must be considered, that foul and horrible would be the disorder, if men were promiscuously permitted to reject whatever the rulers of the Church may have ap pointed ; and it would be ridiculous that persons should be called to govern, to whom no dignity