[The following quote proves that Calvin did not view Exodus as teaching that Pharaoh was punished for hardening his heart by having God further harden Pharaoh's heart. No, the truth is that God had predetermined beforehand to harden Pharaoh's heart. Not only does the text say this but Calvin himself says the same thing.]
But nothing can be clearer than the many passages which declare, that he blinds
the minds of men, and smites them with giddiness, intoxicates them with a spirit
of stupor, renders them infatuated, and hardens their hearts. Even these
expressions many would confine to permissions as if, by deserting the reprobate,
he allowed them to be blinded by Satan. But since the Holy Spirit distinctly
says, that the blindness and infatuation are inflicted by the just Judgment of
God, the solution is altogether inadmissible. He is said to have hardened the
heart of Pharaoh, to have hardened it yet more, and confirmed it. Some evade
these forms of expression by a silly cavil, because Pharaoh is elsewhere said to
have hardened his own heart, thus making his will the cause of hardening it; as
if the two things did not perfectly agree with each other, though in different
senses—viz. that man, though acted upon by God, at the same time also acts. But
I retort the objection on those who make it. If to harden means only bare
permission, the contumacy will not properly belong to Pharaoh. Now, could any
thing be more feeble and insipid than to interpret as if Pharaoh had only
allowed himself to be hardened? We may add, that Scripture cuts off all handle
for such cavils: “I,” saith the Lord, “will harden his heart,” ( [Exod. 4:21] ). So also, Moses
says of the inhabitants of the land of Canaan, that they went forth to battle
because the Lord had hardened their hearts ( [Josh. 11:20] ). The same thing is
repeated by another prophet, “He turned their hearts to hate his people,” ( [Psalm 105:25] ). In like
manner, in Isaiah, he says of the Assyrian, “I will send him against a
hypocritical nation, and against the people of my wrath will I give him a charge
to take the spoil, and to take the prey,” ( [Isaiah 10:6] ); not that he
intends to teach wicked and obstinate man to obey spontaneously, but because he
bends them to execute his Judgments, just as if they carried their orders
engraven on their minds. And hence it appears that they are impelled by the sure
appointment of God. I admit, indeed, that God often acts in the reprobate by interposing the agency
of Satan; but in such a manner, that Satan himself performs his part, just as he
is impelled, and succeeds only in so far as he is permitted. The evil spirit
that troubled Saul is said to be from the Lord ( [1 Sam. 16:14] ), to intimate
that Saul’s madness was a just punishment from God. Satan is also said to blind
the minds of those who believe not ( [2 Cor. 4:4] ). But how so,
unless that a spirit of error is sent from God himself, making those who refuse
to obey the truth to believe a lie? According to the former view, it is said,
“If the prophet be deceived when he has spoken a thing, I the Lord have deceived
that prophet,” ( [Ezek. 14:9] ). According to the latter view, he is said to have
given men over to a reprobate mind ( [Rom. 1:28] ), because he is
the special author of his own just vengeance; whereas Satan is only his minister
(see Calv. in [Ps. 141:4] ). But as in the Second Book (Chap. 4 sec. 3, 4), in
discussing the question of man’s freedom, this subject will again be considered,
the little that has now been said seems to be all that the occasion requires.
The sum of the whole is this,—since the will of God is said to be the cause of
all things, all the counsels and actions of men must be held to be governed by
his providence; so that he not only exerts his power in the elect, who are
guided by the Holy Spirit, but also forces the reprobate to do him service.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment