On the Tabernacle and the Priestly Garments (Book III, chapter 3.14)
On the Tabernacle and the Priestly Garments
continued
Chapter 3.14
Description of the bronze laver. The appearance and rim, etc. This laver or basin, as it is called in the following passages, can principally be understood as the water of baptism; through whose washing it is necessary for all who enter the gates of the Church to be cleansed. But since it was placed between the tabernacle of testimony and the altar of holocausts, and since the same priests were commanded to wash in it twice daily, that is, morning and evening, when they entered the altar to offer incense to the Lord, and because we can only be washed once with the water of baptism; this laver commends to us the washing of contrition and tears, which we always need, especially when we approach to minister the heavenly mysteries. For the altar of holocausts, on which the flesh of the victims was burned to the Lord, signifies the extinguishing of carnal desires by the fire of the Holy Spirit; but the altar of incense signifies the purity of those who, having subdued the allurements of the flesh in every way, and pacified the struggle with vices, shed tears out of expectation and desire for the heavenly entrance. Rightly, then, is the laver placed near the altar of holocausts, in which the washed priests may enter the tabernacle and burn incense to the Lord. For the state of tears and contrition is distinguished in two ways; first, it is necessary for everyone converted to the Lord to implore pardon with tears for the sins they have committed.
If this is accomplished over a long time with the fitting fruits of repentance, it remains that, made more secure by the acceptance of pardon for sins, they must already come with longing desires to the time when they may deserve to see the face of their Creator among the most blessed choirs of angels. He who truly does this does not at all tolerate without tears either the length of this life or the delay of that one, saying of this life: Woe is me, that my sojourning is prolonged! I dwelt with the inhabitants of Cedar (Psalm 119), that is, with those who wander in the darkness of errors and crimes; which the name Cedar signifies, he already longing for the joys of perpetual light: the more I thirst for the heavenly homeland, the more I dread the proximity of the wicked, among whom I converse as a sojourner. Saying again of that life: My soul thirsted for the living God, when shall I come and appear before the face of God (Psalm 42)? This thirst, which he could not bear without tears, the following words declare: My tears have been my bread day and night. As if he were openly saying: The longer I am deferred from seeing the face of God, for whom I ardently thirst, the more sweetly I am refreshed with the bread of tears, which I shed in his memory. Therefore, the altar of holocausts suggests the tears of penitents for the sins they have committed.
The altar of incense expresses the weeping of those rejoicing in the good works they have completed with the Lord's help; and desiring the rewards which they trust they will receive from the Lord as their remunerator. This weeping indeed excels the former as much as gold excels bronze, as much as the holy of holies, where the ark of the Lord was, is known to have surpassed the first tabernacle, in which the lampstand and table of the Lord stood. After the altar of burnt offering, the basin was placed, in which those who entered the altar of incense would wash: for no one becomes the highest suddenly, but with advancing merits, each person ought first to overcome the battles of vices, and then, with compunction of tears, humbly beseech their Creator, to be able to shed sweet tears for the entrance into the kingdom, who previously shed bitter tears for fear of punishments. But what is more fitting than to take the base on which the same basin was placed as the very desire for the kingdom and heavenly life? Certainly, it is for this cause that even perfect and highest men daily wash themselves in a fountain of tears; and though they cannot yet fully see the joy of inward peace, at least through sighing they taste it. For that in this laver, placed between the tabernacle and the altar, the tears of the perfect are symbolized, the very words testify, in which it is said:
And Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and feet in it. For no one of the people was permitted to wash there; but the high priest and his sons, namely the priests of lower rank, were commanded, showing that with great men, as their life is more perfect, so also their compunction is loftier. We do not say this, as if only the ministers of the altar could or ought to have such compunction; but mindful of the words of the blessed apostle Peter, who speaking to all the faithful about the cornerstone, which is Christ, said: And you yourselves, like living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices (1 Pet. II). And what John says in Revelation: Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ (Rev. XX). We urge all the faithful to be counted under the mystical name of priests, as members of Christ, namely the eternal priest. The blessed apostle Paul also shows what sacrifices they should offer, saying: I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God (Rom. XII). Therefore, Moses set this laver not only for the ministers of the sacred altar, but also for all perfect individuals in any rank; because the law of God generally preached the grace of saving compunction to all the faithful.
If we want to take the great high priest, our Lord Savior, in the person of Aaron, it is also clear that he was washed with the water of this basin before entering the altar to offer; for before he offered the incense of His most holy body on the altar of the cross for our salvation, He also wept for our love, as was well known in the resurrection of Lazarus. It is well added: That they may offer incense to the Lord, etc. For the death of the spiritual soul is truly to be feared, and eternal, if anyone chosen for the ministry of the altar neglects to render the incense of prayers to God. Death is to be feared, if anyone presumes to enter the holy mysteries without the special cleansing of compunction, and to handle the holy things of the Lord with common hands. Therefore, let them wash their hands and feet in the water of the bronze basin, and thus approach the altar. Let them wash their deeds and steps with tears, and then extend their hands to touch the mysteries of Christ, and place the steps of their feet in the courts of the Lord. I equally consider this commandment to be for those who are to be cleansed by receiving these same sacraments, that they first examine, winnow, and purify their deeds and thoughts with more careful diligence, and thus proceed to partake of the sacraments of faith, lest they deserve to hear that saying of the Apostle: For anyone who eats and drinks unworthily eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the body of the Lord (I Cor. XI); that is, not discerning the food of the living bread from the common food with a cautious and diligent mind. These things about the basin and the approach to the altar can also be very usefully taken in this way; although principally that altar signifies the internal vows of spiritual prayers. But it must be more diligently considered what is added in the conclusion:
It will be a perpetual statute for him, etc. For even if the basin, or altar, which Moses made is taken away, if the priesthood which he established is changed to the new priesthood of the Church, nevertheless the legitimate washing and spiritual incense remains perpetual in the life of the faithful; which was typically signified by the incense of that altar, and the water of that basin; just as many other things, which the law commanded to be done or warned to be observed perpetually, have ceased to be observed literally; but according to typological understanding will never cease to be spiritually observed by the saints, as the one who did not come to abolish the law but to fulfill it testifies: Because one jot or one tittle shall in no way pass from the law until all things are accomplished (Matthew V). For our humility also pertains to that seed, about which it was said: Because it will be a perpetual statute for him and for his seed through generations; not indeed by being born from the line of Aaron, but by believing in him, in whom Aaron with his saints of that age believed; about whom it was promised to Abraham, Because in your seed all the families of the earth will be blessed (Genesis XXV). Mentioning these families, Isaiah says: All who see them will recognize them; because these are the seed which the Lord has blessed (Isaiah LXI).