the gospel were not a rule of life. That we may not then so heedlessly trifle with the Lord, let us
remember what sort of judgment impends over such prattlers, (logodœdalis — word-artificers,)
who make a show of God’s word by mere garrulity.
22.Thou who abhorrest idols,etc. He fitly compares sacrilege to idolatry, as it is a thing of the
same kind; for sacrilege is simply a profanation of the Divine Majesty, a sin not unknown to heathen
poets. On this account Ovid (Metamor. 3,) calls Lycurgus sacrilegious for despising the rites of
Bacchus; and in his Fasti he calls those sacrilegious hands which violated the majesty of Venus.
But as the Gentiles ascribed the majesty of their gods to idols, they only thought it a sacrilege when
any one plundered what was dedicated to their temples, in which, as they believed, the whole of
religion centered. So at this day, where superstition reigns, and not the word of God, they
acknowledge no other kind of sacrilege than the stealing of what belongs to churches, as there is
no God but in idols, no religion but in pomp and magnificence.^83
Now we are here warned, first, not to flatter ourselves and to despise others, when we have
performed only some portions of the law, — and, secondly, not to glory in having outward idolatry
removed, while we care not to drive away and to eradicate the impiety that lieth hid in our hearts.
23.Thou who gloriest in the law,etc. Though every transgressor dishonors God, (for we are
all born for this end — to serve him in righteousness and holiness;) yet he justly imputes in this
respect a special fault to the Jews; for as they avowed God as their Lawgiver, and yet had no care
to form their life according to his rule, they clearly proved that the majesty of their God was not
so regarded by them, but that they easily despised him. In the same manner do they at this day
dishonor Christ, by transgressing the gospel, who prattle idly about its doctrine, while yet they tread
it under foot by their unbridled and licentious mode of living.
24.For the name of God, etc. I think this quotation is taken from Ezekiel 36:20, rather than
from Isaiah 52:5; for in Isaiah there are no reproofs given to the people, but that chapter in Ezekiel
is full of reproofs. But some think that it is a proof from the less to the greater, according to this
import, “Since the Prophet upbraided, not without cause, the Jews of his time, that on account of
their captivity, the glory and power of God were ridiculed among the Gentiles, as though he could
not have preserved the people, whom he had taken under his protection, much more are ye a disgrace
and dishonor to God, whose religion, being judged of by your wicked life, is blasphemed.” This
view I do not reject, but I prefer a simpler one, such as the following, — “We see that all the
reproaches cast on the people of Israel do fall on the name of God; for as they are counted, and are
said to be the people of God, his name is as it were engraven on their foreheads: it must hence be,
that God, whose name they assume, is in a manner defamed by men, through their wicked conduct.”
(^83) “Sacrilege,” mentioned here, is by some taken literally as meaning the robbing of God as to the sacrifices he required, and
the profanation of sacred rites; “many examples of which,” says Turrettin, “are recorded by the Prophets, and also by Josephus,
both before and during the last war.” But some extend its meaning to acts of hypocrisy and ungodliness, by which God’s honor
was profaned, and the glory due to him was denied. The highest sacrilege, no doubt, is to deprive God of that sincere service
and obedience which he justly requires. “They caused,” says Pareus, “the name and honor of God to be in various ways blasphemed
by their wicked hypocrisy; and hence they were justly said by the Apostle to be guilty of sacrilege.” He then adds, “we must
notice, that idolatry is not opposed to sacrilege, but mentioned as a thing closely allied to it. Indeed all idolatry is sacrilegious.
How then can the Monks, Priests, and Jesuits clear themselves from the charge of sacrilege? for they not only do not detest
idolatry, being in this respect much worse than these hypocrites, but also greedily seek, like them, sacred offerings, and under
the pretense of sanctity devour widows’ houses, pillage the coffers of kings, and, what is most heinous, sacrilegiously rob God
of his due worship and honor and transfer them to saints.” Yet the world is so blind as not to see the real character of such men!
— Ed.