Commentary on Genesis and Exodus, Book 2 · Chapter 9
CHAP. IX.
1. The Argument and method.
IN this Chapter three other plagues are described: the fift, of the murrane of cattell, to vers. 8. the sixt, of the botches and sores, to vers. 13, the seventh, of the thunder, haile and lightning, to the end of the Chapter.
In the first part, containing a description of the first plague, we have first the denouncing of the plague, with the occasion thereof, if Pharaoh refuse to let Israel goe, vers. 1.2. the manner thereof, vers. 3. the limitation thereof, the Israelites are exempted, vers. 4. the time is appointed, vers. 5. Secondly, the execution followeth, vers. 6.3. The events are two; Pharaoh sendeth to see how it fared with the Israelites cattell, and his heart is hardned, vers. 7.
In the second part, containing the sixth plague, there is the commandement of God to Moses and Aaron, prescribing the signe of the plague, in taking the ashes, vers. 8. and the effect, vers. 9. secondly, the execution, vers. 10. thirdly, the events which are two, the plague of biles overtaketh the Sorcerers themselves, vers. 11. yet Pharaohs heart is hardned, vers. 12.
In the third part, where the seventh plague is described, there is 1. The commandement of God to denounce the plague: in which denuntiation, wee have first the occasion of this plague, Pharaohs refusall to let the people go, vers. 13. then a description of the plague in generall, vers. 14. and the end why God had not consumed them with the pestilence, and other plagues, that God might shew his power, vers. 15.16. then a particular designing of the plague, vers. 18. with advice and counsell given, how to scape the plague, vers. 19. and the successe of that counsell, vers. 20.21.
2. The execution followeth, where God commanded Moses, vers. 22. Moses obeyeth, vers. 23. the effect followeth, set forth by way of comparison, vers. 24.
3. The events are these: first, what hurt the haile and storme did, vers. 25. the preservation of Israel, vers. 26. the relenting of Pharaoh, and his request to Moses. vers. 27.28. Moses admonition, first to Pharaoh, vers. 29. (with a parenthesis, what things were smitten with the tempest, what not, vers. 31.) Moses prayer with the effect, vers. 33. the hardning of Pharaohs heart, vers. 34.35.
2. The Argument and Method.
1.Vers. 3. VPonUpon the cattell & the sheepe: with a very great plague. I. better than, upon the cattel & sheepe shall be a very great plague. B.G. cum caeter, for the perfect distinction athnah, over sheep, divideth it from the clause following:1. the Septuagint reade, a verie great death: but the word is deber, a plague.
Vers. 15. For now when I stretch out mine hand. I. or rather, I had stretched out my hand, and might have smitten thee &c. and so thou shouldest have perished from the earth. I. A reason is given, why the Lord did smite only the cattell with the pestilence, whereas he might have smitten the Egyptians also, and cut them off at once: this sense the Chalde expresseth, it was very neere mee, to send a plague to smite thee and thy people: better than for now I have stretcht my hand, that I may smite thee. V.A.P.L.S. for no such plague was now sent: or, I will stretch my hand, that I may smite thee &c. and thou shalt perish from the earth. B.G. for neither do we reade this to have been done.
I. A. P.Vers. 16. I have caused thee to remaine. I. or, caused thee to stand. A. P.H. or, I have sustayned or kept thee. G. or, thou art reserved foreign. S. better than, I have appointed thee. L.V.B.G.
To shew my power in thee. I.B. S.L. better than, … shew thee my power. C.A.P.G.V. that the preposition in, is to be supplied, appeareth. cap. 14.18. the Lord is said to get honour upon Pharaoh: and so the Apostle readeth, Rom. 9.17.
B. G. cum c…ter.Vers. 27. Thou Pharaoh sent and called B. G. cum c…ter. Then Pharaoh sent them that should observe, and called. I. Though it may bee referred to Pharaohs sending to see in the Land of Goshen: yet it is not safe to adde unto the text.
Vers. 30. I know that thou & thy servants will not yet feare. I.P.B.C.L.S. better than, I know afore I pray, I. B. cum …·that you will feare. V.A.G. terem better signifieth here nondum, not yet, than antequam, before, as the sense giveth.
3. The explanation of difficult questions.
QUEST. I. Why Pharaoh is so often sent unto, whom the Lord did foresee, that he would not hear….
Vers. 1. GO to Pharoh and tell him. 1. Though God knew that Pharaoh would not heare, yet he sendeth unto him againe both that his malice & obstinacie might be made manifest, & that the judgements also of God upon him, hereby might appeare to bee most just. Simler. 2. And though it was not in Pharaohs power to mollifie his heart, yet hee is punished because neither would he, though it had beene in his power. Simler. The necessitie of Gods decree, doth not take away the freenesse of the will to evill, neither is compulsive, but only maketh the event evitable: Pharaoh then is punished, not for the necessitie that lay upon him, but for the malice and unwillingnesse, and disobedience of his heart. Borrh.
QUEST. II. Why Moses in bringing the plagues d…th not alwaies use Aarons rod.
Vers. 3. BEhold▪ the hand of the Lord is &c. This plague is not brought by the lifting up of Aarons rod, as the other. 1. For, if Aaron should have alwayes used his rod, it might have been thought that there was vertue in the rod. Cajetan. 2. God therefore so wisely disposeth in the sending of these plagues, that no exception could be taken. If Moses had done all, they might have suspected him to bee a Sorcerer, and therefore most of these plagues are brought by the ministrie of Aaron. And if they two should have done all, they might have been taken for gods, as Paul and Barnabas was, Act. 14. If they had alwayes used the rod, they might have ascribed vertue unto it: If God had by his immediate hand, sent all the plagues without any meanes, it had not bin so admirable: for who doubteth, but that God of himselfe can do all things? Ferus.
QUEST. III. Why the Lord punisheth the Egyptians in their cattell.
Vers. 3. VPonUpon thy flocke which is in the field &c. 1. The Lord never sendeth any great plague upon the world, but he giveth warning of it before: so he did forewarne the old world of the floud by Noah: the Sodomites of their destruction by Lot: the Egyptians were admonished here by Moses: the Israelites by Ieremie, of the captivitie of Babylon. 2. The cattell heere are punished for the sinne of their masters: God beginneth with smaller punishments, before he proceed to greater, Osiander. 3. This plague was lesse troublesome than the former, but more discommodious, for by the destruction of their horse and oxen, their tillage was hindred, and they should want their sheepe for cloathing, their asses and horses for burden: Simler. 4. And this plague was most just: for as they had oppressed the Israelites before, in taking their oxen to plow, their horses and asses to carrie burdens; so the Lord doth worthily punish them in their cattel. Perer. As the fish were destroyed before in the water, so now the beasts upon land: to let them know that they were worthie to possesse nothing, God might justly deprive them of all. Borrh. 5. The Latine translator readeth, as though the hand of God should be, not onlie upon their cattell, but upon their very fields and grounds, which should be first poisoned and infected: but he leaveth out the Hebrew pronoune, asher, which shall be in the fields: for it is evident by the text, that the cattell onelyonly were infected.
QUEST. IV. Why the Lord doth not alwayes exempt his people from temporall calamities.
Vers. 4. I will make separation betweene the cattell of Israel &c. Though it pleased God in this and other plagues, for his great glory sake, to exempt his people from these publike calamities; yet alwayes the Lord doth not so deale with his servants, for the true Prophets suffered famine under Achab, as well as the rest; Ieremie was taken with the Citie; Daniel carried into captivitie; which the Lord doth for these causes: 1. To purge out the corruption and infirmities which are in his owne servants. 2. To make triall of their patience, that God thereby might be glorified. Simler. 3. And the Lord doth chastise them in the small afflictions of this life, making a separation betweene the righteous and the wicked in the great judgements of the next world, as the Lord saith by his Prophet: In a little have I forsaken thee, but with great compassions will I gather thee, Isay. 54.7. Ferus.
QUEST. V. In what sense all the cattell of Egypt are said to have died.
Vers. 6. ALl the cattell of Egypt died. All the cattell in generall died not, for many died afterward being smitten with the haile and tempest, vers. 27. 1. Some therefore doe thus expound it, that no cattell died but the Egyptians and all that died were theirs: Cajetan. 2. But it seemeth rather to be taken according to the phrase of Scripture, all died, that is, the greatest part. Iun. Perer. Simler.
QUEST. VI. Whether Pharaoh sent into Goshen in the other plagues.
Vers. 7. THen Pharaoh sent, and behold. 1. Some thinke that Pharaoh sent before, when the other plagues were; but the Scripture maketh no mention of it: as many matters of fact are omitted beside: but Thostatus refuseth this conjecture: for why should this bee onelyonly here expressed that Pharaoh sent, if he had done it at other times? 2. Some thinke that the other plagues all but the first, as of the frogges, the lice, and swarmes were such as Pharaoh could not send, and in the plagues following, but in the first Pharaoh did not then bethinke himselfe of any such thing: Perer. 3. But it is more likely that Pharaoh, though now twice he had been told so much by Moses, did neglect to trie whether the Israelites were exempted from these plagues or no. Simler.
QUEST. VII. Why Pharaoh called not to Moses to pray.
PHaraoh entreated not Moses at this time to pray to God to remove this plague, partly through envie and griefe, to see the privilege and freedome of the Israelites which was an occasion of the hardning of his heart: partly because the other plagues continued sometime, and so might be remooved. But this plague of mortalitie and murraine came all at once, and suddenly swept the cattell away, so that no remedie was left, neither was there place for prayer to remoove it, after this plague had suddenly smitten their cattell in all their coasts. Pererius.
QUEST. VIII. Whether this plague were naturall or supernaturall.
COncerning the kind of this plague: 1. It is evident that it was no naturall plague but supernaturall, for the text saith, the hand of God should be upon their cattell, that is, should smite them immediately, no meanes being used at all: not so much as Aarons rod, whereby other plagues were called for. And beside it was not infectious as other naturall plagues are: for the cattell of the Israelites feeding among the Egyptians cattell (they dwelling in the middest of them) were not smitten at all with this plague. Simler. 2. Yet there might be some preparation unto this plague by the former, as it is mentioned, cap. 8.14. that the land stunke of the dead frogges, and so both the aire and ground were corrupted, apt to breed putrefaction: Perer. But this was not the cause of the plague: for if the earth, and aire generally had been corrupted, the men had died as well as the beasts.
QUEST. IX. Why Moses is the minister of the sixt plague.
Vers. 10. ANd Moses sprinkled them toward heaven. 1. They both tooke the ashes out of the fornace, but Moses sprinkled them toward heaven. Philo saith, that Aaron was the Minister of those plagues, wherewith the earth and water were smitten; and Moses of those which came from heaven & out of the aire. Augustine giveth this reason, because Aarons office was to speake to the people, he worketh upon the earth and water; because Moses was in the things that belonged to God, hee is the minister of those plagues which came from above. But these are curious observations. The reason rather was this: they stood both before Pharaoh, and therefore Moses as the chiefe whom the Lord had made as Pharaohs God, he is the minister of this wonder: Ferus. 2. As the two first signes were of the water, the two next on the earth; so this is wrought in the aire: Simler rather than the element of fire, as Ferus.
QUEST. X. Of the sixt plague of boyles, and of the manner thereof.
Vers. 10. ANd there came boyles breaking out. First the handfull of ashes being cast into the aire, there was raised as a cloud of white dust like unto the ashes of the fornace over all Egypt: which dust could not be engendred of that handfull: but upon the sprinkling of the ashes, the Lord by his great power, caused that cloud of dust in the aire over al Egypt. 2. The matter which is here used is somewhat answerable to the effect, for as Moses taketh of the white ashes of the fornace, so they falling upon man & beast caused burning boyles, which at the first swelled & hoved the flesh, & then brake forth into sores: the word here used for blisters is derived of bagnah, which signifieth to boyle up as the water doth at the fire: Borrh. Perer. Philo. thinketh that these sores or boiles were over al their bodie, & grew into one being most grievous to behold. 3. This plague is answerable to the Egyptians sinne, for as they oppresse the Israelites with fornace work, in the burning of brick, so they are punished with burning sores which came of the ashes taken out of the fornace. Perer.
QUEST. XI. Why the Egyptians are smitten with vlcers.
Vers. 11. ANd the boyles are upon the enchanters. 1. This sheweth that the Magitians, though before they had confessed the power of God, yet doe persist still in their malice against Moses: Simler. Hereupon Cajetane thinketh that they did not acknowledge the power of God before, but rather some superiour power of the spirits: but this followeth not, because they resist Moses still, that they did not confesse the power of God before: for like as the same aire that is illuminate by the sunne is darkened when the sunne is gone away, so no marvell, if the minds of the wicked after they have received some light be darkned againe. Perer. 2. This is the third time that these sorcerers are confounded: first when Aarons serpent eat up theirs: secondly, when their power was restrained in the third plague and now because they will not yet give over, they are punished. 3. Like unto these sorcerers are all unfaithfull counsellers to Princes, whom the Lord in like manner will plague: Borrh. And thus the Magitians of that Pharaoh of Rome are smitten with exulcerate consciences, which swelling with pride and hypocrisie doe bring forth most vile ulcers of impietie. Simlerus.
QUEST. XII. Of the hardning of Pharaohs heart.
Vers. 12. ANd the Lord hardned Pharaohs heart. 1. The word signifieth to obfirme or strengthen, chazak, because it was a signe of strength, or rather stubburnenes to stand against God: there is another word used to signifie the same thing, cabadh, to make heavie, as cap. 8.15. Pharaoh first by his owne corrupt mind, hardning or making his heart heavie, the Lord as by casting a heavie weight upō it maketh it heavier: Iun. 2. Origen well noteth how sometime Pharaoh is said to harden his owne heart, c. 8.15. sometime the Lord as in this place: the first kinde of hardning is declared by the Apostle, how it commeth when men by their impenitencie abuse the lenitie and longanimitie of God, Rom. 2.5. But the same Apostle making mention of the other hardning by the Lord, Rom. 9. he passeth it over, and it may be thought to bee one of those high matters, which Paul heard being taken up into paradise and is not to bee uttered. Thus Origen counteth this a great secret, how God is said to harden the heart. And so it is, yet not such a secret, but that we find the same opened in scripture: how the Lord by giving wicked men over to themselves, and withdrawing his grace doth as a most just Judge punish their voluntary obstinacie with a further degree of induration. See more hereof before, Doct. 2. in 7. cap. 3. But here God is to be considered not as in his bare prescience only foreseeing the obstinacie & hardnesse of mens heartes, but as a just Judge in leaving of them to themselves. Simler. 4. And this Augustine doth worthily wonder at, that Pharaoh is hardned by those meanes which in all likelihood should have mollified him. For if the Israelites cattell had died aswell as the Egyptians, and if the sorcerers had prevailed still, hee might have had some colour: but seeing all things doe fall out contrarie, the Israelites to be preserved, and his sorcerer▪ to be foiled, he being still hardned, bewraieth a most obstinate heart that could no way be mollified.
QUEST. XIII. What plague the Lord threatned to destroy Pharaoh with.
Vers. 15. FOr now I had stretched forth my hand. 1. Some doe understand this generallie of the plagues following, shewing that the plagues to come were greater than these which were alreadie past, and that the Egyptians had felt nothing to that which they were like to feele: Ferus. But here mention is made of the plague of pestilence which both Pharaoh and his people should be smitten with, yet none such came. 2. Some do referre it to the plague of the first borne, and the full accomplishment of this threatning, they say, was in the red Sea: Osiander. But neither Pharaoh nor his people perished by the plague 3. It is better understood of the plague, which was alreadie past: that God might as well have destroyed them with the pestilence sent upon the cattell, but that he spared them for another end: sic Iun. Borrh. Perer. This sense best agreeth to that which followeth, vers. 16. For this cause have I kept thee &c. The Chalde Paraphrast also expresseth the same sense: as is before shewed in the divers readings.
QUEST. XIIII. In what sense the Lord saith, I have kept thee.
Vers. 16. FOr this cause have I kept thee &c. 1. Not that God made Pharaoh obstinate of purpose, to shew his power on him, & thereby to get glorie to himselfe: for God needeth not mans malice for the setting forth of his glorie. Ferus. And like as the Apostle giveth this rule, not to doe evill, that good may come of it, so neither doth the Lord give consent unto evill, that some good thing may be wrought thereby. 2. Some referre it to Gods permission: that he suffered Pharaoh to be hardened to this end, that hee might get glorie by him: but neither can this be said of God that he suffereth any evill to bee done, as it is evill: and to suffer one to be hardned, is the greatest punishment of sin that can be: and it is usually inflicted for great sinnes that were committed before: therefore, before Pharaoh had grievously sinned, he cannot be said to be permitted and suffered to bee hardned. Perer. 3. Some do understand it of Gods ordinance, that Pharaoh being hardned and become obstinate by his owne corrupt will, is ordained of God for the further setting forth of his glorie. Perer. 4. But though this exposition be sound, yet it seemeth not to be so fit and proper in this place: this verse then depending of the other, sheweth the reason why the Lord had saved and reserved Pharaoh out of the pestilence, that he might shew his power in him. Simler. Borrh. Iun. This then is the sense, though Pharaoh, being wickedly bent and obstinate, had deserved to have been cut off by the former plagues, yet the Lord was patient to him ward, and suffered him yet to continue, that the Lord might get greater glorie by him. Ferus. 5. The Apostle indeed, in setting forth this example, hath relation to Gods eternall decree,Reconciliation Rom. 9. yet it may very well stand also with this application to the present time of Pharaohs preservation: for that which God doth presently, he also decreed before in his eternall counsell to be done. Simler.
QUEST. XV. The plague of haile supernaturall.
Vers. 18. I will cause to raine a mightie great haile. 1 Although haile, thunder, lightning, are for the most part procured by naturall causes: yet this was a supernaturall and extraordinarie tempest: for these reasons: in Egypt there are no tempestes, or winter weather, but only in places neere the sea, in the time of winter there fall some thinne showers, but above Memphis there falleth no raine at all, Sic Philo. This tempest then of haile was unusuall in Egypt: secondly, it was generally over all Egypt as tempests use not to be: thirdly, it came at a certaine time prefixed. Simler. And this was admirable in it, that the fire and haile being mingled together, the fire did not melt the haile stones, nor the haile quench the fire, as Philo also noteth, and it is set forth, Wisdom. 16. 2. In this plague three elements together shew their force, the aire in the thunder, the water in the haile, the fire in the lightning. Perer. 3. Whereas the Grecians and Egyptians, and other heathen did imagine, some gods to be of the aire, some of the water, some of the land, the Lord therefore sendeth of all sorts of plagues upon the Egyptians, in the aire, the water, in the earth, in the fire, to shew himselfe to bee Lord of all the elements, and of all creatures. Thedoret quaest. 21. 4. Concerning the application of this plague; Origen understandeth the thunder, haile and lightning, of the Word of God, the voice thereof instructeth, it beateth downe sin, as haile, & as fire burneth up the stubble of our affections. Augustine, whom Ferus followeth, compareth it with the eight Commandement, Thou shalt not steale: for as heere the fruit which the trees beare, are beaten off with haile, so, whatsoever gaine is gotten deceitfully it perisheth, and Gods curse is upon it. But such mysticall applications are more curious than profitable, every man according to his own conceit, may find out wittie conveiances. But this observation is more proper, which Ferus noteth, that this plague hath also a fit correspondencie with the crueltie of the Egyptians: for as they did cause the Israelites to wander up and downe their fields to gather straw, so now the Lord sendeth haile and lightning, which destroyeth the fruit in their fields.
QUEST. 16. Whether there useth to be no rayne and hayle in Egypt.
Vers. 18. SVch as was not in Egypt since the foundation thereof. These words do give occasion to inquire, whether raine, haile and thunder are usuall in Egypt, or not at all, as some affirme. 1. Iosephus thus writeth, that in this plague there came haile, never seene in Egypt before, and bigger than useth to bee in other countries in the time of winter. 2. Philo also writeth, that Aegyptus sola inter regiones in mediano tractu hyemem ignoret: that Egypt alone of all the South countries hath no winter. And consequently, no winter weather, as raine, haile and such like: and he giveth three reasons thereof because it is neere unto Torrida Zona, the hot & partching climate, which drieth up the clouds: aut inundans fluvius nubes absumit, or Nilus overflowing doth waste the clouds: and seeing their grounds become fruitfull by the inundation of Nilus, natura non solet in vanum operari, vt pluvias terrae non indigenti largiatur: nature worketh not in vaine to give raine to a ground that needeth it not. 3. So Plinie shewing the reason, why lightning is rare in winter, or summer, because in the one the cold vapors extinguish what fiery matter is drawne up, in the other because the heate drieth up the exhalation, giveth instance for the first in Scythia a cold countrie; for the other in Egypt a hot countrey, that thunder and lightning are not there to bee seene or heard. But in temperate countries they are usuall, as in Italy: Plin. lib. 2. cap. 50. 4 Beside the Scripture seemeth so to affirme, that it raineth not in Egypt, but they watred their fields with their feete, as one doth a garden, Deut. 11.10. See also Zach. 14.13. 5. But against this it may bee objected, that if there used to bee no haile, nor thunder in Egypt, to what purpose is this comparison made, that there was none such in Egypt since the foundation thereof? Therefore this must needs be affirmed, that Egypt is not altogether without haile and raine, but as is before alleaged out of Philo, in the northerly parts thereof toward the sea, they use to have some thinne shewers: but yet generally, for the greatest part of Egypt they have none. Perer.
QUEST. XVII. What is the meaning of these words since the foundation of Egypt.
SInce the foundation of Egypt was laid. 1. Not from the foundation of the world, from whence, unto the 80. yeere of Moses, are yeeres 2453. for the text afterward evidentlie speaketh of the time since Egypt was a nation, vers. 24.2. Neither is it to be understood, since Egypt was so called: for Egyptus brother of Danaus, son of the Egyptian Belus gave that name unto it: who was about the time of Iosuah, as Augustine thinketh, following the computation of Eusebius which was 800. yeeres after the floud. But as Iosephus alleageth out of Manethon the Egyptian Chronicle,August. lib. 18. de … de…, cap. 11. Dana…s lived after the Hebrewes departed out of Egypt 300. yeeres: Then it is evident, that in Moses time, nor many yeeres after, Egypt had not that name. 3. The meaning then is, that since Egypt began first to bee inhabited, which was about 100. yeeres after the floud, at the division of tongues, at the building of the tower of Babel: for then Noahs sonnes were dispersed into the world, and Mizraim the sonne of Cham was the founder of this nation, of whom it is in Scripture usually so called: from thence untill this time are 697. yeeres. 4. Hence is manifest both the error of Gerardus Mercator, that the Egyptians do fetch their petigree from beyond Noahs floud; as also that fabulous fiction of the Egyptians, that before Amasis, who was King of Egypt in the time of Cyrus, affirme that there reigned in Egypt above 330. Kings: and they do boast of Chronicles of 13. thousand yeeres. Pompon. Mela. lib. 1. de situ orbis. Perer.
QUEST. XVIII. Of the greatnesse of this tempest of hayle.
Vers. 28. THat there be no more thunders of God, and haile. That is such grievous and terrible thunders. 1. The greatnes of these thunders is set forth by these foure arguments: the efficient, God was the author of them beyond the ordinarie worke of nature; the matter there was fire and haile mingled together; the effects, they killed both man and beast that were abroad, and blasted all the corne that was above the ground, vers. 31. and by way of comparison, there was never such haile in Egypt before, vers. 24. Ferus. 2. Wonderful are the effects of thunder and lightning, they make the Hinds to calve, and other cattell to cast their young: and therefore because of the terror and power of them, they are called the voices of God, Psal. 29. Borrh. 3, In this haile, this is admirable, that although it rained haile throughout all the land of Egypt, yet the land of Goshen was exempted: as the great hailestones which fell upon Ioshuas enemies and killed them, touched not the hoast of Israel Iohoua 10.4. Thus the haile and lightning destroyed all abroad, the haile the more softer and tender things, the lightning such things as were sturdie and strong, renting and breaking asunder what soever resisted. The Chronicles make mention of a most grievous haile in France, under the reigne of Lodovicus sonne to Charles the Great, about the yeere of the Lord 821. which was of such bignes that it slew both man and beast: and at that time a peece of y…e of 12. foote long fell with the haile out of the aire. Perer. 11.
QUEST. XXI. How Moses knew that Pharaoh dissembled.
Vers. 30. I Know that yee will not yet feare. 1. Some make this the sense (expounding the word terem for priusquam, afore) I know that now, before the plague is removed at my prayer, that yee will make a semblance and shew of feare, but when I have prayed, and you are delivered, then you will returne to your former hardnes of heart. Vatab. But beside that to make up this sense, much must be understood and supplied, that is not in the text, the word terem rather signifieth here nondum, not yet, as it is taken, Gen. 19.4. and cap. 10.7. and thus both the Septuagint and Chalde Paraphrast interpret it negatively, as is shewed before in the divers readings. 2. Although Moses saw some present fruits of sorrow and feare, yet he knew, that they were far from true fruits, because Pharaoh only humbled himselfe for the time, to be delivered from this plague: and Moses had experience alreadie of his hypocrisie and dissimulation: and further, he knew that Pharaoh was given over of God to hardnes of heart, and therefore no found fruits of repentance could come from him.
QUEST. X. What kind of graine was not smitten with the hayle.
Vers. 32. THe wheate and the rie were not smitten. 1. That which we here translate rie, is in the Hebrew, cus…meth, which Hierome sometime translateth vicia, a kind of fetches or tares, sometime far: some take it for a kinde of beare barley, others take it for spelta, a kinde of wheate so called, well knowne in Italie and Pannonio: so Montan. and Pagnin: but it is rather that kinde of graine which is called foreign zea, all one with foreign, as the Septuagint reade, a middle kind of graine betweene wheate and barley such as rie is. Diosco…ides saith that foreign is of the kinde of foreign. lib. 2. cap. 1, so also saith Herodotus that they used that kinde called foreign for bread, which some call foreign, which is well translated rie, for it was a kinde of beead corne, therefore neither fetches nor barley, and a middle sort betweene wheate and barley, 2. Now in that the barley was smitten, and not the wheate and rie, the reason is given, because the one was cared, and the other was hid, the word is aphiloth obscure, not hid in the hose, as Pellican, but hid in the ground: Iun. 3. the Septuagint reade foreign, the Latine serotina, because the wheates and ries were late sowne: but it is not like that wheat and rie were sowne after their barley, which sooner commeth up and is sooner ripe: but though they were sowne together, yet the barley lieth not so long hid in the ground, as the wheate and rie: the reason then of this difference was, the barley was growne of good length out of the ground, and so was blasted and smitten, the other not yet appearing out of the tilth, but lying hid. 4. But with us the use is contrarie, for our wheate and rie, which wee call winter corne, are out of the ground before the barley is sowne Some thinke that the Egyptians doe sow all their graine together in the slime and soile that Nilus leaveth behinde, about the Autumne, and then plow it in November, and sow it againe in Aprill: Borrh. in cap. 7. but that is not like: for both the moistnes of the ground, after the overflowing of N…lus, and the warmth of the aire, which in winter time in Egypt is temperate, would have brought forth the wheate and rie sooner, that it could not have lien so long hid, as toward the spring, when it is supposed this tempest of haile came. And againe, the use of husbandmen is not first to sow their ground and then to plow it: but first they make it plaine and readie, and then cast in their seede, as the Prophet sheweth, Esay. 28.25. Therefore it seemeth more like, that the Egyptians sow no corne at all, but toward the spring, as the like use is in some parts of England, as in Cumberland, as I have been informed, where they sow not their wheate and rie before winter, as in other countries but toward the rising of the yeere, and so all these kindes being sowne much about one time, the barley might sooner appeare above the ground 5. Now by this it may be conjectured at what time of the yeere these plagues came, the corne doth begin to eare but toward the spring, when all things as it were revive and begin to flourish. But the spring in those countries is forwarder, then it is with us: for they had ripe corne in mid March when they kept the Passeover: this plague then of haile might be sent about the end of Februarie, and so all the rest within the compasse of a monethmonth, or in a very short time, as is shewed before, quest. 29. in cap. 7.
4. Places of doctrine.
1. Doct. The pestilence is sent of God.
Vers. 3. BEhold the hand of the Lord is upon the flocke. This sheweth that the plague and pestilence commeth not by chance, nor by naturall meanes onelyonly, but it is sent of God: so the Prophet saith, Shall there be evill in the citie, and the Lord hath not done it? Amos 3.6. Ferus.
2. Doct. Why the Lord suffereth the wicked and is patient to them ward.
Vers. 16. THerefore have I kept thee. The Lord useth great patience and longanimitie toward the wicked and obstinate, as heere to ward Pharaoh, which the Lord doth for divers ends: 1. Hereby it appeareth how great an evil the hardnes of the heart is, wch can neither be wonne by benefits, nor yet mollified by punishments. 2. That the wicked and impenitent may bee inexcusable, having so long a time of repentance given them. 3. That Gods goodnesse & merciemercy might appeare in suffering so long the vesses of his wrath. 4. That God thereby may have occasion to shew his judgements in the world, and to set forth his glorie: which is the reason here touched why the Lord spared Pharaoh. Perer. 3. disput. in cap. 9.
3. Doct. How the Lord punisheth sinne with sinne.
Vers. 12. THe Lord hardned the heart of Pharaoh. Thus God in his justice doth punish sin with sin. Pharaohs former obstinacie and hardnes of heart, is punished with a greater measure and degree of obstinacie. Piscator. So Saul was punished with desertion, and being left unto himselfe, after he had committed most grievous sinnes of hypocrisie, presumption, disobedience, crueltie. Thus the Lord punished the Gentiles, by giving them over to their hearts lusts, Rom. 1.2…. The hardning then of the heart, as it is evill, proceedeth of man, as it is a punishment, it is disposed and inflicted of God.
4. Doct. Of the force of the law of nature.
Vers. 27. PHaraoh said I have now sinned. Heere wee see the force of the law of nature, which informeth Pharaohs conscience, that he had sinned and done amisse: So the Apostle teacheth, That the Gentiles did shew the effect of the law written in their hearts, their consciences bearing witnes, and their thoughts accusing one another, or excusing, Rom. 2.15. Hence also it is evident, how the Law differeth from the Gospell: the Law worketh terror, and revealeth sinne, but the Gospell worketh comfort in the remission and forgivenes of sinne, Borrh.
5. Places of confutation.
1. Conf. That God hardneth the heart otherwise than by permission.
Vers. 12. THe Lord hardned the heart of Pharaoh. Bellarmine, and generally the Romanists do hold, that God doth no otherwise blind the mind, and harden the heart, than permittendo & deserendo, by permission onelyonly and desertion, or forsaking, negativè, non positivè, negatively only, not positively, that is by denying and withholding his grace, not by acting or doing any thing. lib. 2. de amission gratia, cap. 14. obser. 4.
But this text evidently doth convince him. The Lord is here said to harden Pharaohs heart, wch sheweth an action in God, not a connivence or permission only. And three waies God is an agent in hardning of mans heart, and yet he is free from all touch or suspition of evill. 1. God is to be considered as the Creator of all, from whom both the righteous and unrighteous receive al their naturall powers & faculties, whereby they live, move, worke or doe any thing, In him we move, live and have our being. Act. 17.28. So Augustine saith, Non peccati cujusquam author est deus, sed naturae creator: God is not the author of any sin, but the Creator of nature, which when it had power not to offend, yet trespassed of it owne accord. 2. Though the Lord willeth not sinne to bee done, neither approoveth it when it is done, yet he doth order and disposeth it being done,August. arti…. 6. f…ls. imposit. and directeth it to such ende as himselfe pleaseth: so it is said in the Psalme, Whatsoever it pleased God that did hee in heaven and in earth, Psal. 13 5.6. God would never suffer sin to be committed in the world, but that be knoweth how to turne it to good, as here he useth Pharaohs hardnes of heart to his owne glorie. Augustine saith, Aliud Deus fecit & ordinavit, aliud non fecit, sed ordinavit: Some things God both doth & ordaineth, some things he doth not, yet ordaineth: that is, disposeth of them to some good end. 3. God is to be considered in the action of the hardning of the heart as a just judge that punisheth sinne by sinne: so is he also an agent, and not a patient or sufferer onelyonly. Their owne master of the sentences doubteth not to say,August. in Ps. 7. that concupiscentia in quantum poena est peccati, Deum habet a…thorem: that concupiscence as it is the punishment of sinne hath God the author thereof. lib. 2. distinct. 23. So likewise may it be said, that the hardning of the heart, as it is a punishment of sinne proceedeth from God; and his reason is, because all punishments are just. Therefore as God is a Creator giving power and life to all, as hee disposeth and ordereth evill actions unto good, as he is a just Judge and punisher of sinne, so is he an agent, in hardning of the heart, therein shewing his power, wisedom and justice: but the sinne and evill therein committed is only of man, who properly hardneth his owne heart.
2. Conf. Against the toleration of any contrarie religion.
Vers. 29. AS soone as I am out of the Ci…ie. Moses will not pray in the Citie which was given to superstition and Idolatrie, he will separate himself from the companie and presence of the superstitious and unbeleevers, that he may give himselfe to fervent and zealous praier. And for this cause he said before, that the people could not sacrifice unto God in Egypt: Simler. By this then we see, that God cannot be purely served in the middest of Idolaters. They which will worship God aright must sequester themselves from among such. It is therefore a dangerous thing that any toleration of a contrarie religion should be admitted, God will have as the whole heart in man, so the whole worship in his Church: where Gods arke is, there Dagon shall be thrust out of his place: for there is no fellowship betweene light and darkenes, Christ & Belial, 2. Cor 6.14.15. As Iacob would suffer no superstition in his familie, but removed all the images out of his house, Gen. 35. so will a religious prince in his kingdom.
3. Conf. Of assurance and confidence in prayer.
I Will spread mine hands unto the Lord and the thunder shall cease. Moses here prayeth with confidence, and is assured that God will heare his prayer. So ought we to aske in faith, & pray with assurance that God will heare us. S. Iames saith, let him aske in faith and waver not, neither let that man thinke (that is, he which wavereth) that hee shall receive any thing of the Lord, cap. 1.6.7. How then are not the Romanists ashamed thus to affirme, non requiri in oratione sidem qua certo credamus Deum absolute facturum quod petimus; that faith is not requisite in prayer, to beleeve certainly that God will absolutely do that for us which we aske? Bellarmin de bon. operib. in par…icul. cap. 9.
Indeed there is a double kind of such assurance, one is extraordinarie, which proceedeth of some speciall revelation, as here Moses building upon Gods particular promises made unto him, was sure his prayer should take effect; the other is an ordinarie assurance, which is also of two sorts▪ either when we pray for things spirituall concerning eternall life, where the faithfull have an absolute assurance to bee heard: or for things …emporall, where our assurance is but conditionall, that God will grant us such thing so faire forth as they are expedient. And even in praying for things temporall there is also an assurance … and determina…e, which is somewhat rare, yet often found in the children of God, when they ha…e … and constant perswasion, that God will heare them for their temporall blessing which they pray for: and God therein never faileth them: as Iacob was assured, that God would keepe him in his journey, and give him bread to eat and clothes to put on, Gen. 28. And of this assurance S. Iames speaketh th…t … of faith shall save the sicke, Iam. 5. they which pray with confidence and assurance, for the health of the bodie, even shall be heard therein: they which are not heard have not that f…i…h, and God giveth them not that faith and assurance, because he seeth such health not to be good for them. There is beside this a generall assurance, which every one of Gods children feeleth in their prayer: as to be fully perswaded, that either God will give them that particular temporall blessing, which they pray for, or some other gift which God seeth to be more necessary for them. As Paul was not in particular assured that the pricke of the flesh should be taken from him, yet he knew that his prayer should obtaine either that, or a more pretious gift: as the Lord said, my grace is sufficient for thee: he received the grace and strength of God, to resist and overcome that temptation, though it were not altogether taken from him. Augustine concerning this difference of assurance betweene prayer for things temporall, and for things spirituall hath this excellent sentence: Sanitatem quis petit, cum agrotat, & forte ei adhuc aegrotare utile est; potest fieri ut hic non exandiaris: at vero cum illud petis, ut det tibi Deus vitam aeternam, securus esto, accipies: A man asketh health when he is sicke, and yet it may bee good for him to be sicke; it may bee then thou shalt not be heard here; but when thou asketh of God to give thee eternall life, be out of doubt thou shalt receive it.
6. Places of morall use.
1. Observ. Sinne the cause of extraordinary sicknesse.
Vers. 10. THere came boiles breaking out into blisters. As Pharaoh here and his people were smitten with boiles and ulcers for their sins, which they had committed against God and his people; so when the Lord sendeth strange diseases and sicknesses into the world, wee must take them as signes of the wrath and indignation of God, Simler. As the Apostle sheweth that the Corinthians for certaine abuses, which they were guiltie of, in receiving the Lords Supper, were chastised, some with sicknesse, some with death, 1 Cor. 11.30.
2. Observ. Gods judgements tempered with mercy.
Vers. 19▪ SEnd therefore now and gather thy cattell &c. The Lord remembreth merciemercy in the middest of his judgements: though the Lord had certainly determined to bring this plague of haile upon Egypt: yet together Moses giveth advice, how both they and their cattell should be preserved from it: thus saith the Psalmist, Mercy and truth are met, righteousnesse and peace shall k…ss… one another, Psal. 85.10. Gods truth and justice is accompanied with mercy, truth and favour, Pellican.
3. Observ. Confession of sins which proceedeth onelyonly from the feare of Gods judgements is no true or right confession.
Vers. 27. PHaraoh said unto them, I have now sinned. This was no true confession, but Pharaoh was forced thereunto by this grievous plague of haile and lightning, that was upon him and his people: and beside, he simply confesseth not his sinne, but now ▪ that is, in this, or at this time, I have sinned: so hypocrites doe not truly confesse their sins, but those onelyonly they sometimes will seeme to acknowledge, that are notorious, and wherein they are manifestly convicted, Ferus. Here we have all the parts of popish penance, contrition, confession and satisfaction, for he is content to let the people goe: but yet it was far from true or sound repentance: so in Iudas there was all three, contrition, confession, and satisfaction in restoring the money, which he had taken to betray Christ: but he wanted the fruits of true repentance, the peace of the conscience, and cleering thereof before God by remission of sinnes, as the Apostle sheweth, Rom. 5.1. and 1 Cor. 7.11.Simler.
4. Observ. To hope the best of men while they live.
Vers. 29. AS soone as I am out of the Citie I will spread mine hands, &c. Though Pharaoh had deceived Moses divers times before, yet he refused not still to pray for him: he hoped the best of him, as the Apostle saith, that charitie hopeth all things, 1 Cor. 13.7. which teacheth us that we should be wanting unto none in our prayers but hope the best of them while they live, Ferus.