Original Douay–Rheims AnnotationsExodus 4

They will not believe me.

Moyses wisely considering that the children of Israel, much less Pharao, would hardly believe his bare word, affirming that he was sent to them by God, proposed this difficulty before he took the Embassy upon him. For without good proof both the Israelites and Ægyptians might have rejected him, as seeming to come of his own private spirit, being no ordinary superior, neither of the whole people, nor of his own tribe, nor first of his family; for Aaron was his elder brother. Therefore God gave him power of working miracles to prove his extraordinary mission true and lawful ^[1]. Which sufficed to make even Pharao himself to know, that he was sent from God Almighty, though it mollified not his stubborn heart, to obey God's commandment: and it fully satisfied the children of Israel touching all things which he denounced, believing him that God mercifully looked upon their affliction and would deliver them. Whereupon they adored prostrate, as the last words of this chapter testify. Where we see both the necessity, and sufficiency of miracles to prove the extraordinary vocation of such as preach otherwise than was taught before. For this cause our Saviour himself confirming his doctrine by miracles, said to the Jews: If you will not believe me, believe by works. Again he said of them: If I had not done among them works that no other man hath done, they should not have sin ^[2]. And conformably sending his Apostles to preach the Gospel, gave them power to work miracles in his name. So did S. Peter and S. John heal the lame. Act. 3. And S. Paul avouched miracles for the signs of his Apostleship. 2. Cor. 12.

• 1 Miracles necessary & sufficient to prove extraordinary vocation of new Preachers.
• 2 Ioan. 10. Ioan. 15. Mat. 9. Mat. 16.