Chapter 7 of 40

7:1The God of Pharao. The name of God, which essentially is proper only to the three Divine Persons of the B. Trinity, and incommunicable to any creature (Sap. 14) is nevertheless by similitude attributed in holy Scriptures to other persons. As (Exod. 22. v. 8) Judges, or Princes, are called gods, for the eminent authority and power which they have from God. So Moyses was constituted the Judge and God of Pharao, not only to punish him for his obstinacy, and finally to compel him to dismiss the Israelites out of Egypt, but also to terrify him so in the mean time, that he being otherwise a mighty king, and extremely and often afflicted by Moyses, yet durst never lay violent hands upon him, lest himself and all his nation should presently have been destroyed. As St. Hilary (l. 7. de Trinitate) and St. Gregory (hom. 8. in Ezech.) note upon this place. Likewise Priests are called gods (Exod. 22. v. 28) for their sacred function, pertaining to Religion and Service of God. Prophets also are called videntes, Seers (1. Reg. 9) because by participation of divine knowledge, they see sometimes the secrets of other men's hearts, things supernatural, and future contingent, though properly and naturally only God Almighty is Scrutator cordis, the searcher of the heart, and knoweth all things (Sap. 1). Again St. Peter saith (2. Epist. c. 1) that just men are made partakers of divine nature. Which is rather more than to participate in name. All which titles rightly pertained to Moyses, being in life Holy, in knowledge a Prophet, in function a Priest, and in power a Prince. In the same sense of participation Saints are called our Mediators, Advocates, Redeemers, Deliverers, and the like.

7:3I will indurate. According to our purpose mentioned in the Annotations upon the 9. chap. to the Romans, we shall here recite the sum of St. Augustine's doctrine (Ser. 88. de tempore) touching the hard question: How God did indurate Pharao's heart. And withal we shall briefly explicate, according to the doctrine of the same, and other most learned Fathers of the Church, the true sense of this and like places, by which Zwinglius, Calvin, Beza, and other Sectaries, would prove that God not only permitteth, but also commandeth, inclineth, enforceth, and compelleth men to do that which is sin: yea that God is the author, internal mover, and enforcer, that man transgresseth; though they deny that God sinneth, or is cause of the malice of sin. For example, Zwinglius (Ser. de providentia Dei, c. 5) saith: Numen ipsum auctor est eius, quod nobis est iniustitia, illi vero nullatenus est. The divine power it self is author of that thing, which to us is injustice, but to him in no wise is. And a little after, Cum igitur Angelum transgressorem facit, et hominem, ipse tamen transgressor non constituitur. When therefore God maketh Angel, and man transgressor, yet himself is not made a transgressor. Cha. 6. Vnum igitur atque idem facinus, puta adulterium aut homicidium, quantum Dei est auctoris, motoris, impulsoris, opus est, crimen non est: quantum hominis est, crimen ac scelus est. Therefore the self same act, as adultery or manslaughter, as it is of God the author, mover, enforcer, is a work, is not a crime: but as it is of man, is a crime, and a wicked act. Calvin (l. 8. Instit. c. 17. para. 11) affirmeth that the devil, and the whole band of the wicked can not conceive, nor endeavour, nor do any mischief, nisi quantum Deus permiserit, imo nisi quantum ille mandarit. But so far as God permitteth (which all Catholics firmly believe) nay but so far as he commandeth: which all Catholics abhor and detest. Likewise (l. 2. c. 4. para. 4) alleging God's words, saying he had aggravated, and hardened Pharao's heart, affirmeth, that which God did more, besides not mollifying his heart, was, quod obstinatione pectus eius obfirmandum Satanæ mandavit, that he committed his heart to Satan to be obdurated with obstinacy: making God the author, and Satan only the minister of hardening Pharao's heart. Beza following this race (in Respon. ad Castallionem, Aphorismo 22) saith, God so worketh by evil instruments, that he doth not only suffer them to work, nor only moderateth the event, sed etiam vt excitet, impellat, moueat, regat, atque adeo (quod omnium est maximum) etiam creet, vt per illa agat quod constituit: but also stirreth them up, driveth them forward, moveth them, ruleth them, and (which is most of all) even createth them, that by them he may work that which he appointed. All which (saith he) God doth rightly, and without any injustice. So indeed these men say, when they are pressed with the blasphemous absurdity, that they make God author and cause of sin, which necessarily and evidently followeth of their doctrine. For by the very light of nature it is clear, that the commander or enforcer is author of that evil which an other doth, by his commandement or enforcement, and by all law of nature and nations, divine and human, is condemned as culpable and guilty of the fault, which the other committeth: but these ministers say (in the places above cited) God commandeth, enforceth, and worketh all that a sinner doth. Ergo, God by this doctrine must be author, culpable, and guilty of sin. Which is so blasphemous, and horrible to Christian ears, that they dare not say it in express terms. Seeing then God is said to have indurated Pharao's heart, and all confess that induration of heart is a most grievous sin, the controversy is: Whether God commanded, enforced, and wrought the induration in Pharao's heart, or only permitted it? or what else God did to Pharao, whereby his heart was indurate; and finally by whom it was properly indurate, by God, or by Pharao himself? All which St. Augustine explicateth, laying first this ground (which every one is faithfully and firmly to believe) that God never forsaketh any man, before he be first forsaken by the same man: yea God also long expecteth, that a sinner which much and often offendeth, convert and live. But when the sinner abideth long in his wickedness, of the multitude of sins riseth desperation, of desperation is engendered obduration. For when the impious is come to the depth of sins, he contemneth. Obduration therefore cometh not of God's power compelling, but is engendered by God's remissness or indulgence, and so not divine power, but divine patience did harden Pharao's heart. How often soever therefore our Lord saith: I will indurate the heart of Pharao, he would nothing else to be understood, but I will suspend my plagues and punishments, whereby I will permit him through mine indulgence to be obdurate against me. Perhaps some will ask, why did God by sparing him let him be indurate? why did God take from him his wholesome punishment? I answer securely: this was done, because Pharao, for the huge heap of his sins, deserved not as a child to be corrected unto amendment, but as an enemy was suffered to be indurate. For of them, whom God's mercy suffereth not to be indurate, it is written: God scourgeth every child whom he receiveth. And in an other place: Whom I love I correct and chastise. Again: Whom God loveth he chastiseth. Let no man therefore with Pagans and Manichees presume to reprehend or blame God's justice, but certainly believe, that not God's violence made Pharao indurate, but his own wickedness, and his untamed pride against God's precepts. Again, what else is it to say, I will indurate his heart, but when my grace is absent from him, his own wickedness will obdurate him? To know this by example: water is congealed with vehement cold; but the heat of the sun coming upon it, is resolved, and the sun departing, it freezeth again. In like manner by the laziness of sinners, charity waxeth cold, and they are hardened as ice: but when the heat of God's mercy cometh upon them, they are again softened. So Pharao without pity or compassion afflicting the Hebrews, became as hard as ice, but God's hand touching him with afflictions, he made humble supplication, that Moyses and Aaron would pray to God for him, promising what they demanded: again, when the plagues were removed, he was more indurate against God and his people, than before. Whereby we see, God's gentleness, indulgence, and sparing of Pharao, not his rigour, not his will or set purpose, but his permission, and Pharao's own wilful malice hardened his heart, and brought him to obstinate contempt of God's commandements. And therefore God did only indurate him, in that common phrase of speaking, as a father, or a master having brought up his child or servant delicately, and not sufficiently punished his frequent faults, whereby he becometh worse and worse, desperate and obdurate, at last the father or master saith: I have made thee thus bad as thou art, by sparing thee and suffering thee to have thine own pleasure, have nourished thy perverseness, and carelessness: yet he saith not this, as though by his will and intention, but by his goodness and gentleness the man became so wicked. It may here be demanded again; why did not our Lord so mercifully punish Pharao, as wholly to reclaim him, for it seemeth that had been greatest mercy; and God dealeth so with some, why doth he not with all, that all might be saved? First it is most justly and rightly ascribed to their iniquity, which deserve to be indurate: again why this sinner is reclaimed, and not an other of the same ill deserts, is to be referred to God's inscrutable judgements, which are often secret, never unjust. Let it therefore suffice piously and humbly to believe, that as Moyses testifieth, God is faithful and without any iniquity, just and right: and as the royal Prophet also professeth, Thou art not a God that wilt iniquity, and as the Apostle teacheth, there is no iniquity with God. By all which and some more to the same effect (which we omit) St. Augustine concludeth again, that properly Pharao hardened his own heart, God only by bestowing benefits upon him, which he abused, and not plaguing him so much, as he deserved, but letting him live, and reign, and persecute the Church for the time, until he and all his army were in the midst of the sea. Whither (as the same learned father noteth, ser. 89) their own desperate boldness drew them, vain fury through their own madness provoking them to go so far, where God not working, but only ceasing to continue his miracle, the waters returning to their own nature, and meeting together involved and drowned them all. Other like expositions the same learned father hath in other places. As, q. 18. super Exodum, he teacheth that Pharao being already so wicked through his own fault, other things were done to him and his people, which partly were to the correction of others, and might have been to his, but he abusing all, became worse and worse, by God's suffering and dispensation, not only for his just, but evidently just punishment. (L. 5. cont. Iulian. c. 3) touching the ground of temptation he alleageth the Apostle saying: Every one is tempted of his own concupiscence, abstracted and allured: but touching one kind of God's punishing some, that are overwhelmed in obstinate sins, he alleageth the saying of an other Apostle: God hath delivered them into passions of ignominy, and into a reprobate sense, to do those things that are not convenient, for God delivereth them (saith he) conveniently: that the same sins are made both punishments of sins past, and are deserts of punishments to come. Yet he maketh not the wills evil, but useth the evil as he will, who can not will any thing unjustly. Again, q. 24. it appeareth (saith he) that the causes of induration of Pharao's heart, were not only for that his Enchanters did like things (to those which Moyses and Aaron did) but the very patience of God, by which he spared him. God's patience according to men's hearts is profitable to some to repentance, to some unprofitable to resist God, and persist in evil: yet not of it self unprofitable, but through the evil heart. Briefly. q. 36. I have hardened Pharao's heart, that is, I have been patient over him and his servants. Epist. 105. God doth not indurate by imparting malice, but by not imparting mercy (or grace.) L. de Prædest. et Grat. c. 4. God is said to indurate him, whom he will not mollify. So, to make him blind whom he will not illuminate. So also to repel him, whom he will not call. And c. 6. what is that to say: I will indurate his heart, but I will not mollify it? cap. 14. it ought to have availed Pharao to salvation, that God's patience deferring his just and deserved punishment, multiplied upon him frequent stripes of miracles, or miraculous punishments. Cap. 15. Did not Nabuchodonosor repent being punished after innumerable impieties, and recovered the kingdom which he had lost? But Pharao by punishment became more obdurate, and perished. Both were men, both kings, both persecutors of God's people, both gently admonished by punishments. What then made their ends diverse, but that the one feeling God's hand mourned in remembrance of his own iniquity, the other by his free will fought against God's most merciful verity? Neither is this the doctrine of St. Augustine alone, but of other Doctors also. Origen (l. 3. Periarch. c. de Libert. arbitrij) saith, the Scripture sheweth manifestly, that Pharao was indurate by his own will. For so God said to him: Thou wouldest not: If thou wilt not dismiss Israel. St. Basil (Orat. quod Deus non sit auctor malorum) saith, God beginning with less scourges, proceeded with greater and greater to plague Pharao, but did not mollify him being obstinate, neither yet did punish him with death, until he drowned himself, when he presumed through pride, to pass the same way, by which the just went, supposing the red sea would be passable to him, as it was to the people of God. St. Chrysostom (hom. 67. in John) God is said in holy Scripture to have indurate some, and delivered some into reprobate sense, not for that these things are done by God (coming indeed of man's own proper malice) but because God justly leaving men, these things happen to them. And (in cap. 1. Rom.) He delivered (into reprobate sense) is nothing else, but he permitted. St. John Damascene (l. 4. c. 20. de fide orthodoxa) it is the manner of holy Scripture to call the permission of God his act. As, He hath given them the spirit of compunction; eyes, that they may not see: and ears that they may not hear, and the like; all which are to be understood not as proceeding of God's action, but as of God's permission, to wit, for man's free power of working. St. Jerome (Epist. 150. resp. ad q. 10) Not God's patience is to be accused, but their hardness who abuse God's goodness to their own perdition. Theodoret (q. 17. in Exod.) it is to be noted, that if Pharao had been evil by nature, he had never changed his mind. And (after diverse mutations recited, how sometimes he would dismiss Israel, other times he would not) all these (saith he) Moyses recorded to teach us, that neither Pharao was of perverse nature, neither did our Lord God make his mind hard and rebellious. For he that now inclineth to this part, now to that, plainly sheweth free will of the mind. St. Gregory (l. 11. c. 8. Moral.) God is said to indurate by his justice, when he doth not mollify a reprobate heart. And (l. 31. c. 11.) Our Lord is said to have indurated Pharao's heart, not that he brought the hardness it self, but for that his deserts so requiring, he did not mollify it, with sensibility of fear infused from above. St. Isidore (l. 2. c. 19. de summo bono.) Sin is permitted for punishment of sin, when a sinner, for his desert forsaken of God, goeth into an other worse sin. Finally conference of holy Scriptures, as in other hard places, so in this, giveth light for better understanding thereof. For diverse places do not only shew that in all these resistance, mutations of mind, and obstinacy of heart, Pharao was never deprived of free will, as the Doctors before cited do note, but also expressly attribute the act of induration to himself. Cha. 8. v. 15. Pharao seeing that rest was given, he hardened his own heart. V. 32. where the latin readeth in the passive voice, ingrauatum est cor Pharaonis, Pharao's heart was hardened, which is more obscure, the Hebrew saith actively, and the protestants so translate, Pharao hardened his heart this time also. Likewise cha. 9. v. 7. the Hebrew saith, Pharao's heart hardened it self. Also v. 35. He hardened his own heart, he and his servants. Cha. 13. v. 15. When Pharao had indurated himself. And, 1. Reg. 6. v. 6. Why do you harden your hearts, as Egypt and Pharao hardened their heart? All which are reconciled with the other texts, that say God indurated Pharao's heart, understanding that phrase in like sense to this. (cha. 15. v. 4.) God hath cast Pharao his chariots, and his army into the sea. Where God only permitted, and no way forced Pharao and his army, to follow the Hebrews between the walls of water. As before is here noted out of St. Basil, and St. Augustine, and the text it self maketh it evident. Again many other places confirm, that not God, but the sinner's own wilfulness, is the proper cause of his sin. Job. 24. v. 23. God hath given him place for penance, and he abuseth it unto pride. Eccle. 8. v. 11. Because sentence is not quickly pronounced against the evil, the children of men commit evils without all fear. Osee. 13. v. 9. Perdition is thine, O Israel, only in me thy help. Rom. 2. v. 4. The benignity of God bringeth thee to penance: but according to thy hardness, and impenitent heart, thou heapest to thy self wrath. Ephes. 4. v. 19. Gentiles have given up themselves to impudicity (or wantonness.) And many like places shew, that God is not the mover, author, nor forcer of any thing, as it is sin: but man himself is the author by wilfully consenting to temptations of the devil, the flesh, and the world, and by abusing God's benefits, and resisting his grace.

7:11They also. True miracles being above the course of all created nature, can not be wrought but by the power of God, who is truth it self, and can not give testimony to untruth, and therefore they certainly prove that to be true, for which they are done. Other strange things done by enchanters, false prophets, and devils, are not indeed true miracles, but either sleights, by quickness and nimbleness of hand, called legier-demain, conveying one thing away and bringing an other; or false presentations deceiving the senses, and imaginations of men, by making things seem to be that they are not; or else are wrought by applying natural causes known to some, especially to devils, who also by their natural force can do great things, when God permitteth them. And so by enchantments and certain secrecies, these sorcerers either conveyed away the rods, and water, and brought dragons, and blood in their place, and more frogs, from other places; or else by the devils using natural agents turned rods into serpents, water into blood, and other matter into frogs: all which might be done naturally in longer time, and by the devil in short time. But many things are wholly above the devils power: as to destroy the world, to change the general order thereof: to create of nothing: to raise the dead to life: to give sight to the born blind, and the like, which are only in God's power. In things also devils naturally can do, they are much restrained by God's goodness, lest they should deceive, or hurt mankind at their pleasure. So these Enchanters failed in the fourth attempt, not able to make more sciniphes, nor any more such prodigies, and were only permitted to produce such serpents as were devoured by Aaron's serpent: and to change water into blood: and to increase the number of frogs, for the greater plague, and no profit of the Egyptians. Neither could they remove any plague. Nay themselves were so plagued with boils, that for pain, or for shame, they could not stand before Moyses. It is further to be observed, that whensoever any have attempted to work miracles to prove false doctrine, they have failed, and by God's providence been confounded. As when Baal's false prophets, crying to their false gods from morning till noon, could not bring fire for their sacrifice: and yet the devil brought fire to burn Job's sheep and servants: God permitting the one, and not the other. God also for a time suffered Simon Magus to make shew of miracles, and at last (as Egesippus l. 3. de excid. Hierosol. c. 2. and many others testify) to fly into the air, as though he would have ascended into heaven, but St. Peter praying to God, the Magician, notwithstanding his wings wherewith he presumed to fly, fell down and broke his legs, that he could not go. To omit many examples, Gregorius Turonensis (l. 2. hist. Franc. c. 3.) witnesseth, that one Cyrola an Arian Patriarch, pretending to obtain of God sight to a man, that feigned himself blind, the man was presently blind indeed, and exclaiming cried: Take here thy money which thou gavest me to deceive the world, restore me my sight which I had even now, and by thy persuasion, and for this money, I feigned to want. It happened worse to one Bruley a poor man in Geneva, whom Calvin with words and money persuaded to feign himself dead, and so pretending to raise him to life, the man was found dead indeed, and not he, but his wife (having consented to the device) lamented in earnest, inveighing against that false Apostle, calling him a secret thief, and a wicked murderer, that had killed her husband. So writeth M. Hierome Bolseck in vita Calvini. And besides the woman's unexpected out-cry, and asseveration that her husband was not dead before, but that through Calvin's persuasions and promises to relieve them with alms, they so feigned, all Geneva did know that Calvin endeavoured to raise the man, and could not. These, and many others, have attempted and could do nothing but against themselves. All the danger is when indeed wonders are done that may seem to be miracles. Against such therefore God's providence more particularly assisteth his servants diverse ways. First, he warneth all to stand fast when such temptations happen. Deut. 13. If there rise among you a Prophet, or one that saith he hath seen a dream, and foretelleth a sign and a wonder, and it cometh to pass which he spake, and he say to thee: Let us go and follow strange gods whom thou knowest not, and let us serve them: thou shalt not hear the words of that Prophet or dreamer. In like manner our Saviour foretelling that false Christs and false-prophets shall by great signs and wonders seduce many, warneth all, saying: Lo I have foretold you. If therefore they shall say unto you: He is in the desert, go not out; Behold in the closets, believe it not. Secondly, God suffered not the Enchanters of Egypt, nor Simon Magus long; and for the elect, the days of Antichrist's dangerous persecution shall be shortened. Thirdly, holy Scripture so describeth Antichrist, and his acts, that when he cometh he may be the sooner known. Our Saviour saith: The Jews will receive him. St. Paul calleth him the man of sin, importing one singular man, and the same replete with all wickedness, extolled above all that is called God, or is worshipped: neither worshipping true God, nor other false god above himself. He shall be deadly wounded and cured. Not only shall he shew strange wonders, but also one of his Prophets shall bring fire from the firmament, and his image shall speak. Fourthly, as our Lord gave power and authority to his great Prophet Moyses against the Egyptian Enchanters, in the end of the law of nature, before the written law, and to his first chief Vicar St. Peter, in the beginning of the law of grace, to control and confound Simon Magus, so he will send his two reserved great Prophets, Henoch and Elias, near the end of the world, to resist Antichrist, and to teach, testify, and confirm with their blood the doctrine of Christ. For they shall be slain, and rise again after three days, and ascend into heaven. Then Antichrist holding himself most secure, shall suddenly be destroyed. (2. Thes. 2.)