Exposition of Ezekiel 14-19, Commentary on Ezechiel · Chapter 16 · Verses 62-63
VERS. 62, 63.
And I will eſtabliſh my covenant with thee, and thou ſhalt know that I am the Lord.
That thou mayeſt remember, and be confounded, and never open thy mouth any more becauſe of thy ſhame, when I am pacified towards thee for all that thou haſt done ſaith the Lord.
THe former verſ. conteined two benefits of the Covenant eſtabliſhed with Jeruſalem after her breach of Covenant. Theſe verſes tell you of more, which wee ſhall open to you, and finiſh the Chapter.
I will eſtabliſh my covenant with thee.
Of eſtabliſhing or raiſing up the Covenant was ſpoken in the 60. verſ. and therefore I ſhall not inſiſt upon that; only note, the repetition of it argues our backwardneſſe to believe it, and Gods readineſſe to aſſure us of it: Men once ſenſible of breach with God, are not eaſily induced to believe that God wil beſtow great mercies upon them to make a Covenant with them, and to beſtow covenant-mercies: The Lord therefore out of his abundant goodneſſe doubles the promiſe of making and eſtabliſhing his Covenant with Jeruſalem, that ſo her feares, doubts, and diſputes may ceaſe, and ſhe be aſcertain'd thereof.
Thou ſhalt know that I am the Lord.
The Heb word foreign ſignifies to know, to acknowledg, to underſtand, to be certain, and properly refers to the mind and underſtanding. Gen. 48.19. I know it, I know it: that is, I certainly know it. The Sept. for the word here ſaith foreign thou ſhalt acknowledg that I am the Lord.
The knowledg here meant is not common knowledg, but a ſaying knowledg; not a legall, but an Evangelical knowledg; for he ſpeaks not of that knowledg which riſes from afflictions and judgements, of which he had oft ſpoken before. Chap. 6, 7.13: 7.4.9: 11.10.12: 12.20: 13.9.14.21.23: 14.8: 15.7: Thirteen times the Lord ſaith, they ſhould know that he was the Lord, that it was by his judgments; but here he ſpeaks of ſuch knowledg as ſprings from a fountain and foundation of mercy. I will eſtabliſh my covenant with thee, and thou ſhalt know me: That is, in another manner then thou didſt before; thou ſhalt know me ſpiritually, with a knowledg of faith and ſalvation: ſo much the word know imports in John 7.17. Ch. 10.4. Now this knowledge differs from vulgar, legall, and literall knowledg; for
1. It's a more diſtinct knowledg of God, humane is more mixt, dark, and confuſed. Job 10.22. The light is is darkeneſſe: Every ungodly man's light is darkneſſe; but hee hath light from God in Covenant, his light is cleare. Prov. 13.9. The light of the righteous rejoyceth. If it were confus'd and obſcure, it would not rejoyce. Jam. 3.17. The wiſdome from above is pure: and the more pure, the more cleare, the more diſtinct.
2. It's a ſavory, reliſhing knowledg, the ſoule is affected with it: Taſt and ſee that the Lord is good. No meate, no wine, no ſpice taſts more pleaſant to the palate of a man, then the goodneſſe of God doth to a man hath the ſpirituall knowledg thereof. Experientia & examen mentis dicitur guſtus, R. David, taſting notes knowledg and experience, Prov. 31.18. She perceiveth that her merchandiſe is good: The Heb. word is, ſhe taſteth. The gaine of her labour is pleaſant and delightfull, Exod. 16.31. Manna had a taſt like wafers, made of hony. The true knowledg and taſt of God is as ſweet as any gaine, as ever Manna was. Cant. 2.3. His fruit was ſweet to my taſt, and his knowledg hath a ſavour in it, 2 Cor. 2.14.
3. It's a deep-rooted and wel-ſetled knowledg. Job 38.36. Who hath put wiſdome in the inward parts? or who hath given underſtanding to the heart? the Lord doth it to thoſe he ſtrikes his Covenant with: thou ſhalt know mee. Thou ſhalt have a deeper and more rooted and ſetled knowledge then others. 2 Cor. 4.6. God who commanded light to ſhine out of darkneſſe, hath ſhined in our hearts: Not in our heads only, not on our hearts only, but in our hearts. God ſeats the knowledg of himſelfe in the hearts of his; he puts and writes his law in their hearts, Jer. 31.33. Wicked men have knowledg & light in their heads, but darkneſſe in their hearts.
4. It's a knowledg diſtinguiſhable from other knowledge by the effects.
1. It's peaceable, and cauſeth men to live peaceably, Jam. 3.17. The wiſdome from above it pure and peaceable. Iſa. 11.9. They ſhall not hurt nor deſtroy in all my holy mountaine, for the earth ſhall be full of the knowledge of the Lord.
When men know God ſavingly, they love peace, and purſue peace: but when knowledg is literall, they are contentious and bitter.
2. It humbleth much; the more men know God in his holineſſe, glory, and goodneſſe, the more humble they will be. Ezek. 20.42, 43. Yee ſhall know that I am the Lord, and remember your wayes and doings: And ye ſhall loath your ſelves in your own ſight for all your evils that you have done. When Job had a cleare and ſpirituall ſight of God, he abhor'd himſelfe in duſt and aſhes, Chap. 42.5. So Iſa. 6.5. Woe is me, for I am undone, becauſe I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midſt of a people of unclean lips, for mine eyes have ſeen the King, the Lord of Hoſts, 1 Cor. 15.9.
3. It's working and powerfull; like fire it conſumes the luſts of mens hearts, and ſeparates the droſſe of their ſpirits, 1 Pet. 1.22. The truth purified their ſoules. Pſal. 119.34. Give me underſtanding and I ſhall keep thy law, yea I ſhall obſerve it with my whole heart. Divine knowledge keepes under what hinders practiſe, and leads out the ſoule to action. 1 Joh. 2.4. He that ſaith he knows God, and keeps not his commandements, is a lyar, and the truth is not in him. Men have not the true knowledg of God when their luſts over-power them, and make them diſobedient.
4. Truſt and confidence in the Lord; the knowledg wee ſpeak of hath certainty in it, and cauſeth venturing. Pſal. 9.10. They that know thy name will put their truſt in thee. They that know God ſpiritually, his truths, promiſes, covenant, faithfulneſſe, will reſign up themſelves to him, and lean upon him. What is the bottome and ground of the Prophets exhortation, Iſa. 26.4. Truſt in the Lord for ever, for in the Lord Jehovah is everlaſting ſtrength. When a man hath the true, reall, and cleare knowledg of this, he will truſt in God. David had the right knowledg of God, he ſaid of him, He is my refuge and my fortreſſe, my God, in him will I truſt, Pſal. 91.2.
Obſer.
The true knowledg of God is a covenant-mercy; thoſe are in covenant with God, they have the ſaving and ſpirituall knowledg of him. I will eſtabliſh my covenant with thee, & thou ſhalt know that I am the Lord Jer. 31.33, 34. Speaking there of the covenant of grace, ſaith the Lord; I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts, and will be their God, and they ſhall be my people. And they ſhall all know me from the leaſt of them to the greateſt of them. So Heb. 8.10, 11. The knowledg here ſpoken of is not a common, but a choiſe knowledg, and it's given to thoſe are in covenant, it's a covenant-mercy; none have ſuch knowledge are out of covenant. They may by their induſtry get a generall, unſavory, and powerleſſe knowledge of God, but they have not this knowledg we ſpeak of, it's given, 1 Joh. 5.20. and is cal'd ſeeing of God, Job 42.5. Iſa. 6.5. Mic. 6.9. The true light, 1 Joh. 2.8. The truth which is after godlineſſe, Tit. 1.1. The myſtery manifeſt to Saints, Col. 1.26. Sound wiſdome, Prov. 2.7. Marvellous light, 1 Pet. 2.9. The light of life, Joh. 8.12. Excellent knowledg, Phil. 3.8. The teaching of God, Pſal. 32.8. and his ſpirit, Joh. 14.26. according to that in Iſa. 54.13. All thy children ſhall be taught of the Lord. He ſpeaks of Jeruſalem in covenant: God would give her ſpirituall children, and they ſhould have ſpiritual inſtruction, whereby they ſhould know God to be their God, a father of mercies, and God of conſolations; they ſhould know the riches of his grace, and things freely given them of their God, all the good of the Covenant.
Verſ. 63. That thou maiſt remember, and be confounded.
Of remembring and being aſhamed was ſpoken in the 61. verſ. And of being confounded in the 52. and 54. v.
And never open thy mouth more.
Heb. is, foreign the words run thus; and there may not be to thee further opening of thy mouth; that is, that thou mayeſt be ſilent, and not open thy mouth any more. In the booke of Divine things you read of ſeveral openings; the opening of the hand, Deut. 15.11. Of the eyes, 2 King. 6.17. Of the womb, Gen. 30.22. Of the eare, Job 36.10. Of the lips and mouth, Pſal. 51.15.78.2. And likewiſe of anſwerable ſhuttings, as the ſhutting of the hand, Deut. 15.7. Of the eyes, Iſa. 6.10. Of the womb, 1 Sam. 1.6. Of the eares, Prov. 21.13. Of the mouth, Iſa 52.15. Kings ſhall ſhut their mouths at him: that is, they ſhall be ſilent, and ſubmit to Chriſt. So here the not opening of the mouth imports ſilence, patience, quiet, ſubmiſſion. Thou ſhalt have nothing juſtly to complain of me, or excuſe thy ſelfe; thou ſhalt juſtifie me in all my proceedings with thee, give me glory, and take ſhame to thy ſelfe.
When I am pacified towards thee.
Hebr. is, foreign in propitiando me, in my being propitious foreign properly ſignifieth to cover a thing, materia tenaci, with that which cleaveth and ſticks to the thing covered; not with duſt, graſſe, earth, wood, for ſuch things may eaſily be removed; but with pitch, glue, cement, ſo that the thing covered cannot eaſily be brought to ſight again. Gen. 6.14. Pitch it within and without with pitch. It's the ſame word; when a thing is pitch'd over, you cannot ſuddenly come at the ſight of it, and by way of metaphor its applyed to the covering of ſin, and wrath cauſed by ſin. Iſa. 22.14. This iniquity ſhall not be purged till ye dye: Heb. is covered. So Pſ. 78.38. He forgave their iniqui…y: Heb. he covered it. When ſin is ſo covered as not to be ſeen again, it's purged away, it's forgiven: So for wrath and anger ſtirred up by ſin. Gen. 32.20. Jacob had offended Eſau by getting the bleſſing, and he ſaith, I will appeaſe his face: Heb. is, cover his face, or anger that appears in the face. To come to our purpoſe; Jeruſalem had ſin'd grievouſly, and Gods anger was greatly up, and ſomething there muſt be to cover her ſins, and appeaſe his wrath, and that was the ſacrifice, death, and bloud of Chriſt, who is the only coverer of ſin, and appeaſer of anger: hee is foreign the true propitiation for mans ſin, and only pacifier of Gods anger, 1 Joh. 2.2. He is the peace-maker, Epheſ. 2.14. The purger of ſin, Heb. 1.3. The mediator, Heb. 9.15. Reconciliation, Eph. 2.16.
Some read the words thus; when I ſhall expiate thee from all that thou haſt done. Others, when I ſhall pardon thee, or blot out all thou haſt done. Sept. is, foreign in propitiating my ſelfe to thee.
Obſer. 1.
Godly ſorrow & ſhame for ſin riſes from the right knowledge of God in the covenant of grace. I will eſtabliſh my covenant with thee, and thou ſhalt know that I am the Lord: gracious, faithful, merciful, and what then? That thou maiſt remember, and be confounded and aſhamed. Mens ſorrow is according to their knowledge; a vulgar knowledg, and a vulgar repentance; a legall knowledge, and a legall repentance: but if the knowledg be ſpirituall and Evangelical, the fruit of the covenant, mens repentance wil be ſuitable; ſanctified knowledg wil produce ſanctified ſhame, ſor…ow and tears. Zach. 12.10. I will powre upon the houſe of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jeruſalem the ſpirit of grace and of ſupplication: and they ſhall looke upon him whom they have pierced, and they ſhall mourn for him as one mourneth for his only ſonne.
When men are in covenant with God, and have the ſpiritual knowledg of his love and bounty, in giving Chriſt to take away ſin, and looke upon him in his piercings and ſufferings by, and for their ſins, then will they mourn with a great, but a ſpirituall mourning, which is the moſt kindly and acceptable. When we apprehend God to have taken us into Covenant with him, to be our God, to have done great things for us, to have promiſed great things to us, and to have been very good to us, then the remembrance of our wretched wayes cauſeth a holy ſhame, and a holy ſorrow.
2. Thoſe who rightly know God in the covenant of grace wil not murmure againſt, or accuſe God for any of his dealings with them, but be ſilent and ſubmiſſive before him: They know God is infinitely wiſe, juſt, and holy, that all their afflictions, chaſtiſements, troubles, temptations, ſufferings are exceeding ſhort of what they deſerve; that nothing comes to paſſe without his providence; that hee can wrong none; that he doth uſe unholy inſtruments holily, and hath holy ends in all his ways. Till men know the Lord ſpiritually, in a covenant and Goſpel-manner, they are apt to open their mouths, to accuſe and blame God; yea oft they utter unſavory ſpeeches, but when it's known, it's otherwiſe. Job 1.22. In all this Job ſinned not, nor charged God fooliſhly. He met with very hard things; but knowing God the right way, he opened not his mouth againſt him, but for him, verſ. 21. So David, Pſal. 39.9. I was dumb, I opened not my mouth, becauſe thou didſt it. He was ſilent, and patiently ſubmitted unto the hand of God; hee neither accus'd him, nor excus'd himſelf: If I be reproach'd, perſecuted, afflicted any way, I know it's thy doings, and I will be dumb.
When Abſolom that rebellious and unnatural ſon had driven David out of all, and ſought his life; what ſaid he to it? If God have no delight in me, behold here am I, let him doe to me as ſeemeth good to him. If he will have me cut off, and cut down by the hand of mine own wicked ſon, I am content: if hee will have me driven out from the holy City and Land, and live in a prophane land amongſt his enemies, I leave it to him, let him do what he pleaſes, I know what I have deſerved. 2 Sam. 15.26. When God ſent out a fire which conſumed Nadab and Abihu for offering ſtrange fire, it was a ſadde affliction even for a godly parent, and might have made Aaron open his mouth; but ſaith the Text, he held his peace, Lev. 10.3. It's fit all fleſh ſhould be ſilent before the Lord, as it's Zach. 2.13. And that every mouth ſhould be ſtop'd, Rom. 3.19. But moſt mouths are open againſt God, more or leſſe; only thoſe have ſpiritual knowledg of him, and ſpiritual ſorrow for their ſins, are moſt ſilent, what condition ſoever they be caſt into; they will ſay with the Church, Mic. 7.9. We will beare the indignation of the Lord, becauſe wee have ſinned againſt him.
3. Sin is ſuch an evil as provokes God: when I am pacified towards thee, There can be no pacification where there is no provocation. Eſth. 7.10. Then was the Kings wrath pacified. Haman had offended Ahaſſuerus before, and being hang'd for it, his wrath was pacified. Eccl. 10.4. Yielding pacifieth great offences. If there were not offence, no place would be found for pacification: where this is to be made, provocation hath gone before. Sin is that provokes a God of patience & long ſuffering, it makes him angry and wrathfull. Jer. 44.8. Ye provoke me to wrath. Sin provokes him bitterly, Hoſ. 12.13. and makes him angry every day, Pſal. 7.11. Yea it provokes him to jealouſie, 1 K. 14.22. Let us take heed of ſin, and offending God any way; to kindle his anger but a little is a dangerous thing, Pſal. 2.12. Paul knew it when he ſaid, Do we provoke the Lord to jealouſie, are we ſtronger then he? 1 Cor. 10.22. We would not provoke a Lyon, a man of War, ſuch an one as Smapſon was: and ſhall we provoke God, who puts all ſtrength into beaſts and men, who is a roaring Lyon and the Lord of hoſts?
4. Though ſin do provoke God greatly & bitterly, yet he is to be pacified: when I am pacified towards you, he is not unpacifyable. Jer. 3.12. He ſaith, I will not keep anger for ever. His mercy endures for ever, but not his anger; his wrath is momentany, but his kindneſſe is everlaſting, Iſa. 54.8. Aaron made an attonement for the people, Num. 16.46. Phinehas turn'd away his wrath, Numb. 25.11. Moſes prevail'd with God, and pacified him when he was very angry, Exod. 32.14. The Lord is a God ready to pardon, Neh. 9.17. Though men have ſin'd much, long, provoked exceedingly; yet if they ſue unto him, he is facile and ready to forgive. When the man ought 10000. talents came to the Lord for patience, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all; He hid not only forbeare him, but forgave him, Mat. 18.26, 27. With men it fals out oft, that they will never forgive: but the Lord is forward to it: And when the people were full of ſinne, had greatly treſpaſſed; He being full of compaſſion, forgave their iniquity, and deſtroyed them not; yea many a time turned he his anger away, and did not ſtir up all his wrath, Pſal. 78.38.
When man perſiſts in ſin, God ceaſeth from his wrath, and reacheth out mercy. Iſa. 57.17, 18. I have ſeen his ways, and will heale him.
5. Gods being pacified towards a people is a great mercy, which appears herein two things.
1. All that hath offended is pas'd by and forgiven: When I am pacified towards thee for all that thou haſt done: Not for one, two, or three, or an hundred things done, but for all done; thy Idolatry, Oppreſſion, Pride, Fulneſſe of bread, Idleneſs, Neglect of the poore, Injuſtice, Prophaneſſe, &c When God is once pacified, he is fully pacified for all ſins. And here is magnitudo gratiae divinae, be ſins never ſo great, old, many, they are all done away.
2. He is ſo pacified, as that he will not be angry againe with them for thoſe evill deeds. I told you in the opening the words, that Caphar notes ſuch covering of them, as they cannot eaſily be ſeen again; expiation, blotting out. Iſa. 43.25. I am he that blotteth out thy tranſgreſſions for mine owne ſake, and will not remember thy ſins. God ſo blots out when he is pacified, as not to remember them. Heb. 8.12. God being in Covenant, and ſo pacified towards his people, he is mercifull to their unrighteouſneſſe, and their iniquity will he remember no more.
Jer. 50.20. The iniquity of Iſrael ſhall be ſought for, and there ſhall be none, and the ſinnes of Judah, and they ſhall not be found.