Observations, censures, and confutations of notorious errours in Mr. Hobbes his Leviathan and other his bookes to which are annexed occasionall anim-adversions on some writings of the Socinians and such hæreticks of the same opinion with him / by William Lucy ...

Sect. 12.

I know Exodus 4.36. it is said by God to Moses, That Aaron should be his Spokes-man to the people; he should be to him instead of a mouth; and Moses should be to him instead of God. And again, Exodus 7.1. See I have made thee a God to Pharaoh, and Aaron thy Brother shall be thy Prophet. By the understanding these two places, I think may be cleared whatsoever can be say'd,* 1.1 for Mo∣ses his personating God; for that which concern's h••s being a God to Aaron, we may observe, that he could be no otherwise a God to Aaron, then Aaron was a Mouth to Moses; the same words are used to both: How was he a mouth, but by speaking, and delivering those things which Moses directed? the same way was he a God to Aaron, by directing Aaron, such things as God directed: so as the people need not doubt, but what Aaron spoke was by the Direction of Moses; so Aa∣ron need not doubt, but what Moses appointed him to doe, or speak, was the will of God; and it is remarkable, that in both these places, the word used for God is ELOHIM,* 1.2 which is a name given often to Kings and Princes, to men in Authority, so in particular; not to multiply the places, in the 22 of Exodus, 28. Thou shalt not revile the Gods, that is the Princes, so thou shalt be to him as God, or a Prince; howsoever, the place enfor∣ceth no more, but that Moses should be so a God, as Aaron was his mouth, that was, to deliver his will; this is not to personate or represent him as a person. The second place is as cleare,* 1.3 where Moses is said in the 7 Chap. 1. to be made a God to Pharaoh. The storie is thus; Moses had something of man in him, and was a∣fraid to goe to Pharaoh: be not afraid of him, saith God

to him, as he is above thee without me, so thou shall be above him with me; I can rule him, thou shalt be a God to him: thou shalt terrify him with signes and wonders, and Aaron thy brother shall be thy Prophet, that is, deliver thy words, as it is expounded in the following verse; or else we may take Elohim, in the other sense, for a Prince or King; so, I have made thee a King or Prince over Pharaoh, thou shalt have power over him, as he over his subjects; but, which way soever, he is but enabled by God, for certain workes; and we may take another observation; in neither of these places, is he called God or a Representment of God, but God to Aaron, God to Pharaoh, that is, to those particular persons, in those particular businesses: but this come's not up close to Mr. Hobbes who say's, the true God may be personated; concerning which there is no such expression in these Texts: but that Moses was made an Instrument of God's, to act some things towards these two persons, Pharaoh and Aaron. Nay, I will adde one note more,* 1.4 that from these Texts, had Moses represented God never so fully, yet could he not be say'd to personate God, accor∣ding to Mr. Hobbes his understanding a person, for a per∣son, by Mr. Hobbes, is such a man as is a Li••utenant, a representer, an Atturney &c. according to all these phrases he expresseth him in the preceding page; but none of these could Moses be, because all those must be notified that they are such to the parties with whom they negotiated; but this certainly was onely expressed to Moses, he was made acquainted with this power, not Aaron, not Pharaoh; and therefore he was not made one of Mr. Hobbes his persons: but if he were, which no where appear's, yet, it is most evident, not in that sense, which he express••th, that is, in respect of the people,

which is his expression [who governed the people] now he is never sayd to be a God to the people, which yet he might have been by the same word, which is used in those places, signifiing a R••ler, or Prince: he adde's an unadvised Parenthesis [that were not his, but Gods People.]

Notes

• * 1.1

  How Moses was instead of God to Aaron.
• * 1.2

  ELOHIM.
• * 1.3

  How Moses was made a God to Pha∣raoh.
• * 1.4

  Ho•• fully so∣ever Moses had represented God, he could not personate him.