Original Douay–Rheims AnnotationsExodus 32
English College of Douai–Rheims
Read Exodus 32 in the BibleExodus 32:11
Moyses besought.
Albeit Moyses with most humble submission prayed for the people, which God so accepted, that he was thereby pacified (v. 14.) yet Calvin here condemneth him of arrogancy [1] [2], and pride, as though he imperiously prescribed law to God, spoiling him of his justice. Much otherwise S. Hierom (Epist. 12. ad Gaudent.) commending his fervent charity [3], doubteth not to say: Dei potentiam servi preces impediebant. The servant's prayers hindered God's power, because God himself saying, suffer me, that my fury may be angry against them, and that I may destroy them, sheweth his divine providence to be such, as he might be stayed from doing that which he threatened.
- 1 Calvin chargeth Moyses with arrogancy.
- 2 In hunc locum.
- 3 Moyses' charity concurred with God's providence.
Exodus 32:13
Remember Abraham.
It much troubled Calvin, that for obtaining pardon for the people, the Patriarchs are mentioned, for whose sake and merits, [1] [2] mercy and protection was promised by God (Gen. 18. 22. 26.) prophesied by Jacob (Gen. 48.) performed here, and in many other places. And it is a vain evasion to say: God shewed his mercy for his promise sake only; for he promised the same for their merits; as appeareth in the places alleged: Though all merits proceed from God's grace [3], first given without merits, 1. Cor. 4. v. 7. S. Aug. de grat. & lib. arb. c. 6.
- 1 God sheweth mercy for the merits of his servants.
- 2 S. Aug. q. 149. in Exod. S. Chrys. ho. 42. in Gen. Theod. q. 67. in Exo.
- 3 Grace goeth before merits.
Original Douay–Rheims Annotations — English College of Douai–Rheims. CC0 1.0
Exodus 32:4
A molten calf.
[1] No other reason can be imagined, why the people falling to idolatry, required the image of a calf, rather than of any other thing, but for that they thought the black calf with white spots, called Apis [2] or Serapis, whom they saw the Ægyptians esteemed most of all their gods, to be the chief, or only God. And therefore to this famous Idol they ascribed the benefit of their delivery from bondage, saying: These are thy gods, o Israel, that have brought thee out of the Land of Ægypt. So they meant not to worship our Lord, the true God, in that image, as Calvin would have it [3], but the very calf whose image it was [4], for adoring immediately the calf's image, and immolating hosts to it (v. 8.) they protested that to be their God, which the image represented. This appeareth also Deut. 32. v. 18. God that begat thee thou hast forsaken: and hast forgotten our Lord thy creator. And Psal. 105. v. 21. They forgat God, which saved them.