Exposition of Ezekiel 14-19, Commentary on Ezechiel · Chapter 16 · Verse 61
VERS. 61.
Then thou ſhalt remember thy wayes, and be aſhamed, when thou ſhalt receive thy ſiſters, thine elder and thy younger, and I will give them unto thee for daughters, but not by thy covenant.
GOd having renewed and eſtabliſhed the Covenant with Jeruſalem, yea an everlaſting Covenant; here begin the benefits and fruits thereof, which are,
1. Remembrance of her wayes, and ſhame upon it.
2. Reception of her ſiſters,
Elder
Younger
amplified.
1. From the true ground and cauſe thereof, Gods free grace. I will give, &c.
2. By removall of a ſuppoſed and falſe ground; not by thy covenant.
Thou ſhalt remember thy wayes.
It imports more then a bare remembrance; for the word foreign as Avenarius obſerves, ſignifies reſervare & revolvere in corde, to keep and roule a thing up and down in the mind, ſo as thereby to be ſtir'd up to the avoiding of evill, or doing good. Pſal. 119.55. I have remembred thy name O Lord in the night, and have kept thy law. Exod. 20.8. Remember the Sabbath-day to keep it holy: that is, ſo muſe, meditate on it, as to be ſtir'd up thereby to do thoſe holy duties belonging to it. So here, thou ſhalt remember thy wayes. So think of, conſider and mind them, as to be ſtir'd up thereby to renounce them, and turn from them, ſuitable to that of David, Pſalm 119.59. I thought on my ways, and turned my feet unto thy teſtimonies. It was an efficacious thinking on them.
Thy wayes.
The Hebrew word foreign ſignifies a path which leads from place to place which men do walk in, and metaphorically it's applyed to the cuſtoms, manners, actions, religions, and lives of men. Jer. 10.2. Learn not the wayes of the heathen: That is, their cuſtoms and manners. Prov. 1.19. So are the ways of every one is greedy of gaine: That is, their actions. 2 Chron. 28.2. Ahaz walked in the ways of the Kings of Iſrael, and made molten images for Baalim: That is, he did idolatrouſly, his religion and worſhip was as theirs were. Prov. 4.19. The way of the wicked is as darkneſſe: That is, their lives and converſations are as darkneſſe; the wayes of ſinners in the word are ſaid to be crooked, Pſ. 125.5. Stubborn, Judg. 2.19. Falſe, Pſal. 119.104. Grievous, Pſal. 105. Pernicious, 2 Pet. 2.2. Jeruſalems wayes had been crooked, ſtubborn, falſe, grievous, pernicious, and theſe ſhe ſhould remember.
Be aſhamed.
The Heb. is, foreign Erubeſces, ſhalt bluſh; the word foreign I opened in the 52. verſ. when I ſpake of thoſe words, beare thine own ſhame. The Sept. is, foreign which Kircker renders deſpicies, thou ſhalt deſpiſe thy wayes; but Steph. in Theſaur. ſaith, it's prorſus & penitus infamia notare, utterly and throughly to brand and infamize: Yea, infami & ignominioſa damnatione plectere, to ſentence and puniſh in an infamous and reproachfull way. So ſhould Jeruſalem upon ſerious remembrance of her wayes, ſhe ſhould utterly renounce them, brand them, yea ſhame and condemn her ſelfe for them, as not worthy to live.
When thou ſhalt receive thy ſiſters.
Heb. is, in thy receiving, there is no when. Here the calling and incorporation of the Gentiles into the Church is preſented to conſideration, of which much had been ſaid and promiſed of old: That is Gen. 9.27. falls in here; God ſhall enlarge Japhet, and he ſhall dwell in the tents of Shem. The poſterity of Japhet ſpread over many parts, and became heatheniſh; but God in his time did bring them into the tents of Shem, that was the Church, by the ſweet voyce of the Goſpel they were wrought upon, and brought in. The promiſe was to Abraham, that is him and his ſeed all the Families and Nations of the earth ſhould be bleſſed, Gen. 12.3.18.18.22.18. The heathen were promiſed Chriſt for his inheritance, Pſal. 2.8. Iſaiah makes frequent mention of the calling and comming in of the Gentiles, Chap. 54. throughout. Iſa. 42.4.60.3.4, 5. &c. The Gentiles ſhall come to thy light, and Kings to the brightneſs of thy riſing: Thy ſonnes ſhall come from far, and thy daughters ſhall be nurſed at thy ſide; the abundance of Sea ſhall be converted unto thee, the forces of the Gentiles ſhall come unto thee, &c.
This was made good in Chriſts time, and after; when the Apoſtles who were Jewes preached the Goſpel, converted ſome out of ſeverall Nations, and received them into the Chriſtian Church.
Thy Siſters.
The Nations were ſiſters to the Jews, comming from the poſterity of Noah, as the Jewes did; or here they may be cal'd ſiſters, for their likeneſſe in qualities and conditions. Jeruſalem was very wicked, and ſo were the Nations. Upon this account you may take that expreſſion, Jer 3.7, 8. Her treacherous ſiſter Judah. Judah was like Iſrael in treachery and apoſtacy from God.
Thine elder and thy younger.
Not Sodom and Samaria, unleſſe taken ſynechdochically for all the reſt. Sodome was not, and Samaria, by which is meant the 10. Tribes to this day is not come in to the Chriſtian Jeruſalem; wee muſt therefore include the Nations. The words elder and younger in the Originall are the greater and leſſer foreign thoſe Nations are greater in extent, in people, in honour, in wealth, or leſſer then thy ſelfe, that were before thee, or ſince thee, when thou ſhalt receive them.
I will give them unto thee for daughters.
Thou ſhalt by the preaching of the Goſpel beget them unto thee. In Jeruſalem was the firſt Chriſtian Church, which conſiſted moſt of Jewes: and when any were converted in Jeruſalem, they were added to that Church, Acts 2.41.47. Hence Jeruſalem had the honour to be cal'd the primitive Church. Yea the Chriſtian Church is cal'd Jeruſalem, and ſaid to be the mother of us all, Gal. 4.26. All converted Nations or perſons are the daughters of the Chriſtian Jeruſalem.
But not by thy Covenant.
Leſt thou ſhouldeſt think it is for thy faithfulneſſe, holineſſe, obedience that I do this; I tel thee I wil do it, but not by thy covenant; which as thou didſt carry it, gendred unto bondage, and made the very ſons ſervants, Gal. 4.1, 2, 3.24. Thou ſhalt have daughters, but not ex vi teſtamenti veteris, but ex vi pacti mei, by vertue of my Covenant made with Abraham; not by the law of works, but by the law of faith. Faith in Chriſt the promiſed ſeed, who is cal'd a Father, Iſa. 9.6. and acknowledges the children which God had given him, Heb. 2.13. Behold I and the children which God hath given me. So that thy covenant doth nothing herein, but all this ſhall be done by the Covenant of grace.
Obſer. 1.
The love, kindneſs, and mercy of God is that which cauſeth a ſinfull, guilty, unfaithfull people to remember their wayes, and turne from them: ſaith God in the words immediately before, I will eſtabliſh with thee an everlaſting covenant, ſhew thee much kindneſſe and mercy: and then thou ſhalt remember thy wayes. Then thy heart ſhall melt, break within thee, and renounce the wayes thou haſt walked in, Ezek. 36.24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31. God would gather them from the Heathen, plant them in their own land, cleanſe them from their filthineſſe and idols, give them new hearts, new ſpirits, be their God, owne them for his people, multiply their corn and fruit: and what upon all this? Then ſhal ye remember your own evill wayes, and your doings, that were not good, and ſhall loath your ſelves in your owne ſight for your iniquities and for your abhominations.
When God did let out love, ſhew kindneſſe, and multiply mercy, then did they remember to purpoſe their evill ways, how they had prophan'd his Name, his Sanctuary, rejected his Counſell, his Ordinances, his Prophets; deſpiſed his threatnins, broken Covenant, apoſtatized from him, turn'd idolaters, became heath'niſh, yea worſe then heath'niſh, and loathed themſelves for ſuch things.
Undeſerved, or unexpected kindneſſes do work upon the hearts of men have any ingenuity in them; they are coales of fire, and will warm, yea thawe a frozen icie heart. Pro. 25.21, 22. If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eate, and if he be thirſty, give him water to drink, for in ſo doing thou ſhalt heap coales of fire on his head. Thy kindneſſes will work in his head and heart, make him reaſon thus: why ſhould I think, ſpeak or doe evill to this man who is ſo loving? who relieves me in my neceſſities, and preſerves my life? ah! what a wretch was I that had ſuch hard thoughts, ſpake ſuch bitter words, and did ſo ill by him, I will never think, ſpeak, or doe ſo more: Here are coales upon his head and heart, that have warm'd and melted him to good purpoſe. If mans kindneſſe prove ſuch coales, how much more wil the Lords? When he heaps kindneſſe upon a people unexpectedly, undeſervedly, they will be coales of Juniper, cauſing a flame in their boſoms, making them to ſay, ah what have we done, how have we ſin'd againſt a God of love, againſt mercy, againſt grace? wee'll doe it no more. Ezek. 6.9. They that eſcape of you ſhall remember me among the nations, whether they ſhall be carried captives, and they ſhall loath themſelves for the evills which they have committed.
When God did give them their lives for a prey, which was a great mercy; this affected them, cauſed them to remember how they had ſin'd againſt God, and to loath themſelves for what they had done: If common mercies will do this, much more covenant-mercies, which was the caſe here.
So when Chriſt look't upon Peter, how did it affect and break his heart, make him goe out and weep bitterly for what he had done, Luke 22.61, 62. It was a covenant-look, ſuch a look as had influence into his heart, and made him to thinke with himſelfe; what, will the Lord Chriſt vouchſafe to look upon me, who denyed him to be my Lord and Maſter? who denyed that I knew him? who forſware him? will he yet mind me? Ah wretch, that, &c.
2. Former wayes are matter of ſhame to true Converts and Penitents: Thou ſhalt remember thy wayes, and be aſhamed; not only becauſe ſhe had wounded her honour, her conſcience, but eſpecially becauſe ſhe had broken Covenant with her God, violated his law, defiled his worſhip, and ſtain'd his glory. That which cauſeth ſhame is ſomething evill and naught properly, things forbidden, diſhoneſt, diſhonourable. Rom. 6.21. What fruit have you then in thoſe things whereof you are now aſhamed?
When the Romans were converted to the faith, they were aſhamed of their former wayes, thoſe ſins mentioned, Chap. 1.29, 30, 31. When grace hath got poſſeſſion of the heart, ſuch a deformity is ſeen in mens former wayes, that their blood appears in their cheeks, and they are greatly aſham'd of them. Jer. 31.19. After that I was turned, I repented: and after that I was inſtructed, I ſmote upon my thigh: I was aſhamed, yea even confounded, becauſe I did beare the reproach of my youth.
After Ephraim was converted, became truly penitent, then Ephraim's ſins were burthenſome, ſhamefull, and confounding: When men are changed by grace, then they loath their ſins and themſelves. Ezek. 20.42, 43. They ſhould know God, and remember their wayes, and loath themſelves in their own ſight for all the evills that they had committed; every ſin would be matter of ſhame and ſelfe-abhorency. They ſhould loath themſelves, not for evill to come upon them, but for evill done by them for the evill of ſin.
3. The Church under Chriſt, and the Goſpe…, they are extent then that under Moſes and the Law: the Ch…r carnall then ſhut up under the narrow bounds of Judea, or th… ſenſe, ly land, but ſince it's enlarged to other Nations; In thy receiving thy ſiſters, the greater and the leſſer.
The Gentiles were a long time aliens from the Common-wealth of Iſrael, and ſtrangers from the Covenant of promiſe: They were ſiſters, but not eſpouſed or marryed till Chriſts time. Jeruſalem was taken in to be the Lords, but not the Gentiles. Cant. 8.8. We have a little ſiſter, and ſhe hath no breaſts, what ſhall we doe with our ſiſter when ſhe ſhall be ſpoken for. Here the Church by a propheticall eye ſeeing what ſhould befall the Gentiles, that they ſhould be ſpoken for, and taken in by Chriſt, or ſpoken againſt, when taken in, (for foreign will bear both) calls her ſiſter, and a ſiſter without breaſts; ſhe had no meanes of grace, which are breaſts, and breaſts of consolation, Iſa. 66.11. But however a ſiſter ſhe was, and what ſhall we doe for her? The Jewiſh Church minded the Gentiles, and had it in her thoughts to doe for her; why; ſhe was a ſiſter? yet not a daughter: when it pleaſed God actually to bring in the Nations to Chriſt, then they were Jeruſalems daughters. Some were formerly received in from the Gentiles, who were neither call'd daughters nor brethren, but ſtrangers, Exod. 12.48. and theſe were few; but in Chriſts time the partition wall was broken down, and they came flocking in as doves to the windows, Iſa. 60.8. And they were no longer ſtrangers and forreiners, but fellow-citizens with the Saints, and of the houſhold of God, Eph. 2.19. And Jeruſalem was the mother of them all: So that was made good, Iſa. 66.18. It ſhall come that I will gather all nations and tongues, and they ſhall come and ſee my glory, my glory in Chriſt, my glory in the Goſpel, read Iſa. 54.23.
4. The comming in of the Gentiles, as it was of ſpeciall grace and favour, ſo moſt certain, infallible; it notes a powerfull giving, John 6.37. I will give them to thee: He ſaith not they will come to thee, others will bring them: no, but duplicate page duplicate page … …ve them. God would work upon them by his … ſpirit, and cauſe them being given, to come in. … had given the Gentiles to Chriſt long before, Pſal. 2.8. And though they minded not prophecies, promiſes, Chriſt, Goſpel, Jeruſalem, themſelves, or their own good; yet God minded them; and as he had freely given them, ſo freely brought them in, and powerfully. Hence theſe expreſſions, Pſal. 72.11. All Kings ſhall fall downe before him, all nations ſhall ſerve him. Pſal. 86.9. All nations whom thou haſt made ſhall come and worſhip before thee O Lord, and ſhall glorifie thy name. Iſa. 11.10. In that day there ſhall be a root of Jeſſe which ſhall ſtand for an enſign of the people; to it ſhall the Gentiles ſeeke, and his reſt ſhall be glorious.
While Chriſt lay in the Sacrifices and Ceremonies, in the Propheſies and Promiſes, he was a dark hidden thing, like a root under ground: but when God ſent him into the world, then he was as an Enſign lifted up; then he cauſed the Gentiles to ſee him, and ſeeke to him, and Jeruſalem the place of his reſt was glorious. Iſa. 49.20, 21. Zion ſhould have ſo many children come in from the Nations, that ſhe ſhould ſay, who hath begotten me theſe? It was the Lord begate them by the power of his ſpirit, he made them to run unto Chriſt. Iſa. 55.5. read the 60. of Iſa. conſider and obſerve the concluſion, I the Lord will haſten it in his time. And he did ſo, powring out his ſpirit upon the Apoſtles, whom he ſent abroad into the Nations to preach Chriſt and the Goſpel, to bring all their brethren for an offering unto the Lord out of all Nations unto his holy mountain Jeruſalem (that was the Chriſtian Church) Iſa. 66.20. So the Kingdome was given to the Gentiles, Matth. 21.43, &c. They made ſubjects of Chriſt, and that fulfil'd which you have in Pſal. 22.30, 31. A ſeed ſhall ſerve him, it ſhall be accounted to the Lord for a generation; they ſhall come and ſhall declare his righteouſneſs unto a people that ſhall he borne. That hee hath done this, the Lord did it, and that powerfully, nothing could hinder, neither ignorance, prophaneſſe, nor unbelief.
5. When Nations or any People receive the Goſpel of Chriſt, they have a new relation put upon them, they are daughters of Jeruſalem: not Jeruſalem in a literall or carnall notion, but of Jeruſalem in a ſpirituall and myſticall ſenſe, as it notes out the Church, which is the Spouſe of Chriſt and God. Hoſ. 2.19, 20. 2 Cor. 11.2. Epheſ. 5.32. Chriſt and the Church are a great myſtery. Rev. 19.7. The church is cal'd the Lambs wife. So Chap. 21.9. and ſhe is the mother of the faithfull, as Abraham was the Father of them; for ſhee brings forth, and with difficulty. Rev. 12.2. The woman cloathed with the Sun, viz. the Chriſtian Church, was with child, fell into labour, and was pained to be delivered: and when any are born of the Spirit, and immortall ſeed of the word, they are her children, and their priviledges are great, I will name two.
1. God will be their Teacher, Iſa. 54.13. All thy children ſhall be taught of the Lord: And, who teacheth like him, Job 36.22.
2. They ſhall have peace, yea great peace: Great ſhall be the peace of thy children, Iſa. 54.13. Pſal. 119.165. Great peace have they which love thy law, and nothing ſhall offend them. They are taught of God, and cannot but love the law of God: Therefore let us walk as children of God, 1 Pet. 1.14, 15. As obedient children, not faſhioning our ſelves according to our former luſts, in our ignorance: but as he which hath call'd us is holy, ſo let us be holy in all manner of converſation. It's an honour to be a ſon or daughter of Sion. Pſal. 87.5. Of Sion it ſhall be ſaid, this and that man was born in her.
6. When holy things are abuſed, many times, God ownes them not, but calls them theirs that have abuſed them, as here; thy Covenant. Jeruſalem had broken the oath, and deſpiſed the Covenant, and God calls it her Covenant. Iſa. 1.11. To what purpoſe is the multitude of your ſacrifices. 14. Your new moons and your appointed feaſts my ſoule hateth.
7. People are apt to think, who are in relation to God, that for their ſakes God doth much. Jeruſalem was neare unto God, he had taken her to be his: and ſhe thought when the Gentiles ſhould be given into her for daughters, it was for her ſake; but the Lord tell's no, it's not for thy ſake, thou haſt not kept covenant with me, nor pleaſed me; thou couldſt not challenge any ſuch thing at my hands, hadſt thou walked never ſo exactly, much leſſe now, having walked contrary unto me; It's not for thy covenant. When God ſhewed mercy to the Jewes, Ezek. 36.32. Not for their ſakes do I this ſaith the Lord God, be it known unto you. You may think it's ſo, but it's otherwiſe.
8. Not legall, but Evangelical diſpenſations, tenders of free grace and mercy by Jeſus Chriſt wrought upon the Gentiles. It was Chriſt, not Moſes prevail'd with them. The commiſſion was, Mar. 16.15. Goe ye into all the world, and preach the Goſpel to every creature: The Goſpel is ſemen fidei. Vehiculum ſpiritus, 2 Cor. 3.8. Word of grace. Acts 20.32. Grace of God. Titus 2.11. Word of life. Phil. 2.16. Power of God to ſalvation, Rom. 1.16.