Exposition of Ezekiel 14-19, Commentary on Ezechiel · Chapter 16 · Verse 9
VER. 9.
Then waſhed I thee with water, yea I throughly waſhed away thy blood from thee, and anointed thee with Oyle.
THis verſe layes before you, the recitall of former mercies God vouchſafed this people, and they are two,
1. Waſhing.
2. Anointing.
No ſooner had the Lord taken this woman into Covenant with him, made her his, but he waſheth and annoints her.
I waſhed thee with water.
Some referr this waſhing to their paſſing through the red Sea, Exod. 14.21.22. of which the Apoſtle ſaith, 1 Cor. 10.1, 2. All our Fathers were under the cloud, and all paſſed through the Sea, and were all baptiz'd unto Moſes, in the cloud and in the Sea. Their bringing out of Aegypt was a type of redemption by Chriſt, and their paſſage through the red Sea, a figure of baptiſme, or waſhing in the blood of Chriſt.
Some here make the water to be heavenly doctrine, which the Lord gave them, Deut. 32.2. My doctrine ſhall drop as the raine: when the raine fals, it waſheth away the filth of places: ſo did the Law, the corruptions and pollutions of this people.
Others thinke here to bee meant thoſe legall waſhings, ſpoken of in ſeverall places, begun in Exod. 19.10. The Lord ſaid unto Moſes, goe unto the people and ſanctifie them to day, and to morrow, and let them waſh their cloathes, and Numb. 19. you may reade of a water made of the Aſhes of a red Heifer, to purifie and cleanſe thoſe who were defiled, Heb. 9.10. they had divers vvaſhings.
One was foreign Joh. 11.55. They went up to Jeruſalem, to purifie themſelves.
A 2d. foreign which was a more through waſhing, Joh. 3.25. There was a queſtion between ſome of John's Diſciples, and the Jewes, foreign, you know they had their water pots, which held two or three firkins a peece, in which they waſhed their cloathes, hands, feet, when they were defil'd by touching any uncleane thing.
Others put it upon Gods freeing them from their miſerie, ſordid condition, through their povertie and meannes, raiſing them up to a conſiderable eſtate.
Wee may ſtep over the ſecond and fourth, and take the firſt & third, I waſhed thee in the red Sea, and with legall waſhings; now becauſe theſe were typicall, and leading unto Chriſt, we muſt paſſe from the Ceremonie to the ſubſtance, viz. the Bloud of Chriſt, and remiſſion of ſinnes, I led thee by thoſe waſhings and baptiſmes, to the fountaine ſet open for uncleanneſſe, Zachariah 13.1. Sinne defiles, and the blood of Chriſt cleanſeth from that defilement. I find Interpreters doe underſtand by this waſhing with water, forgiveneſſe of ſins, which in the new Teſtament, is oft expreſſed by the Metaphor, of waſhing, ſprinkling, cleanſing, purging, 1 Joh. 1.7. 2 Pet. 1.9. Rev. 1.5. Heb. 9.14. 1 Pet. 1.2. Water cleanſes, cooles, comforts, and ſo doth forgiveneſſe of ſinnes through the blood of Chriſt, Eph. 1.7. Heb. 10.22. Matth. 9.7. Heb. 12.24.
I throughly waſhed away thy blood,
Hebrew is, Vaeſhtoph damaijk, inundavi ſanguines tuos a te, I have flouded thy bloods from thee. Septu: foreign I have waſhed thy blood from thee, Piſc. Inundatione aquae ablui. French, te Nettoyai de ton ſang:
By bloods (ſo it is in the Hebrew) is meant ſinnes, the analogie betweene which I ſpake of in the 6. verſe, blood is naturall, diffuſeth it ſelfe through the whole man, defileth, makes loathſome, and ſo doth ſinne, I may add this, it abounds in man and ſo doth ſinne, but God waſhed away their bloods, their ſins throughly.
Queſt. How appeares it their ſinnes were waſhed away?
Anſ. Some Scriptures give in evidence, Pſal. 78.38. He being full of compaſſion, forgave their iniquitie, the word in the originall, Caphar, is to cover or cleanſe, God cleanſed the Elect by the blood of his Sonne, as Deodate upon the place ſaith, Pſal. 99.8. Thou waſt a God that forgaveſt them, God did forgive them their manifold, and great provocations of his Majeſty: that place in Numb. 14.19, 20. is very remarkable; ſaith Moſes, Pardon I beſeech thee the iniquitie of this people, according unto the greatneſſe of thy merciemercy, and as thou haſt forgiven this people from Aegypt even until now: they had often and much provoked God after their departure out of Aegypt, yet God had forgiven them, and this argument he preſſed to move God to pardon them ſtill, and ver 20. The Lord ſaid, I have pardon'd according to the word, thou haſt deſired me to pardon, and I have done it, hence in Nehem. 9.17. He is cald a God of pardons, ready to pardon is the tranſlation, in the hands, but the originall is, foreign A God of propitiations of pardons.
And anointed the with Oyle.
Hebrew is, foreign I annointed thee in Oyle, Septu: foreign Caſt: te unguento perunxi, we muſt to inquire in what ſenſe theſe words are to be taken.
Some put this conſtruction upon them, that God refreſh'd them after their great and long afflictions in Aegypt. They had ſuffered long and much in the Houſe of bondage, and when God brought them forth, freed them from their tasks, and task-Maſters, gave them liberty and eaſe, this was a kind of anointing of them.
Others referre this to the holy Oyle, with which Aaron and his Sonnes were annointed, Exod. 30.30. They were anointed and conſecrated, to miniſter unto the Lord in the Prieſts Office, and ſo virtually in them the people were anointed, and you know that in Exod. 19.6. they are cal'd A Kingdome of Prieſts, a'holy Nation, and in Ezra 9.2. The holy ſeed, Dan: 8.24. The holy people.
You may take the words in this ſenſe for the abundance of Oyle that God gave them, Deut. 8.8. their Land is cald A Land of Oyle Olive, or as the originall is, foreign A Land of Olive-tree of Oyle; that is, a Land of ſuch Olive-trees, as yeilded much Oyle: this Land did not only abound with milke and honey, but alſo with Oyle, Joel 2.24. Their fats did overflow with wine and oyle, they had it in ſuch abundance that th…y vented it to other Nations, Hoſ. 12.1. Oyle is carryed into Aegypt.
Artaxerxes appointed his Officers to allow Ezra upon his returne 100 baths of Oyle, Ezra 7.22.
Now there were two ſorts of Baths; one cald the leſſer Bath, which contain'd 72. quarts, another cal'd the greater Bath, which contain'd 180 ſextaruſſes or quarts, and this diſtinction is founded upon 1 Kings 7 26. where the brazen Sea is ſaid to containe 2000. baths, which muſt be underſtood of the greater baths, and 2 Cron. 4.5. where it is ſaid it held 3000 baths, which you muſt interpret of the leſſer baths, Ezra vvas allowed 100 of them, which ſhewes they had plentie of Oyle amongſt them, and hence its likely the Prophet gave out the expreſſion of Rivers of Oyle, Michah 6.7. for they had Olive-yards in abundance, Nehem. 9.25.
For a more full underſtanding of theſe words, you muſt know that in the orientall parts, they uſed much to waſh and annoint themſelves, Amos 6.6. They annoint themſelves with the chiefe oyntments, it was ordinary at their Feaſts to doe it, Matth. 26.7. A woman came and powred a box of pretious oyntment upon Chriſts head as he ſate at meate. Luke 7.38. A woman annointed his feet with oyntment as he ſate at meat. 46. verſe ſaith Chriſt to Simon, Mine head with Oyle thou didſt not annoint, but this woman hath annointed my feet, Eccleſ. 9.8. Let thy head lack no oyntment.
They annointed not only at their feaſtings, but alſo upon their faſtings, Matth. 6.17. When thou faſteſt, annoint thy head, and waſh thy face.
Lavater ſaith, that among the Eaſterne people the uſe of Oyle was the ſame with them, as the uſe of Baths amongſt thoſe where he liv'd. Husbands had Baths in their Houſes for themſelves and wives to cleanſe their bodies and ſtrengthen their ſpirits: and ſo upon the marriage of women, they uſed to waſh and bath, Ruth 3.3. when a match was intended betweene Ruth and Boaz, what ſaid Naomi to her, Waſh thy ſelfe therefore and annoint thee, and put thy rayment upon thee, and get thee downe to the floore: ſo Eſther 2.12. The Wives of the Perſian Kings, had 12. moneths for the time of their purification, 6. moneths with Oyle of myrrhe, and ſix moneths, with other ſweet odours, that ſo they might be the more pleaſing, and delightfull to the King, this was their cuſtome. Now unto this, it ſeemes unto me, the Lord here alludes, who proceeding in the allegorie of this metaphoricall woman, the Jewiſh eſtate, was now upon the marriage, & injoyment of her, & having waſh't away her blood and filth with water, he alſo anoints her with oyle, that ſo ſhe may be the more acceptable and delightfull unto him. Now this anointing leads us to a ſpirituall conſideration.
The ſtreame of later interpreters runs that way. Junius is of this judgement, Vitioſitatem curat Deus ſanguine Chriſti velut aqua, faetorem curat ſpiritu velut diapaſmate foreign.
So Polanus, I have annonited thee with Oyle, that is, I have regenerated thee, by my holy Spirit.
Piſcator, By this unction ſeemes to be ſignified regeneration by the holy Spirit.
Oecolampad: After waſhing comes the anointing of the Spirit, quae omniadocet juxta charitatem diſpenſare dantur que variae gratiae Spiritus ſancti.
Pintus, I have anointed thee with Oyle, that is, oleo gratiae meae.
Deodate, I have endowed thee with the graces of my Spirit, ſignified by the annointing.
Of the ſame judgement are they ſet out the Annotations upon the Bible.
So Bernard, in his Theſaurus Bibli…us, in the word Oyle, referring to this place, ſaith, its put for the grace of regeneration.
Now its cleare from the holy writ that ſpirituall things are held forth by Oyle and annointing with it. Exod. 40.13.15. Aaron and his Sonns muſt be annointed with the annointing Oyle, which repreſented the annointing of Chriſt and his Servants with the Spirit, Pſal. 45.7. Thy God hath annointed thee with the Oyle of gladneſſe above thy Fellowes, its ſpoken of Gods annointing Chriſt with his Spirit, and ſo likewiſe of his annointing the Saints with the graces of his Spirit, 2 Cor. 1.21. He who hath annointed us is God.
The Spirit and graces of it be here repreſented by Oyle, we muſt inquire further what is meant by this annointing, for it is certaine, all of them had not the Spirit, and graces of it.
1. By this annointing wee may underſtand the conſecration of this people unto the Lord, he ſeperated them from the Aegyptians and reſt of the world, who were prophane, and made them a holy people to himſelfe, Exod. 40.9, 10, 11. the Tabernacle, Altar and Veſſels of both were annointed with Oyle, that ſo they might be holy to the Lord, they were conſecated by that Oyle to the Lord: ſo when God by his Spirit in Moſes told this people, Exod. 19.6. that they ſhould be a Kingdome of Prieſts, an holy Nation, then did he annnoint them and conſecrate them unto himſelfe, and Pſal. 105.15. They are cald the Lords annointed ones, Touch not mine annointed.
2. Gods bringing them to a gladſome condition after their ſoare bondage in Aegypt, and 40 yeares travel in the Wilderneſſe. Oyle in holy Scripture ſets out joy and chearefulneſſe, Pſal. 104.15. Oyle to make his face to ſhine: Oyle when they annointed with it, and when they did eate it, much refreſhed them; it cal'd Oyle of gladneſſe, Pſal. 45.7. and Oyle of joy, Iſai. 61.3. and in that God made them a gladſome and a joyous people, he is ſaid to annoint them, Pſal. 105.43. He brought forth his people with joy, and his choſen with gladneſſe, the Hebrew is, with ſinging: when they ſaw themſelves thorow the read Sea, and the Aegyptians drownd, they ſang for joy, Pſal. 106.12. They ſang his praiſe, and you have the Song Exod. 15. Before, they were fild with anguiſh of Spirit, Exod. 6.9. but God gave them for mourning, the Oyle of joy by his Spirit, he put gladneſſe into their hearts, they were the people that knew the joyfull ſound Pſal. 89.15.
3. Gods teaching of them in the wayes of his worſhip, never before had any people ſuch Lawes, rules given them for divine worſhip, for regulation of their lives and wayes, towards God and man as they had, now teaching is ſet out by Oyle and Unction, 1 Joh. 2.20.27. Ye have an unction, and the annointing teacheth you all things; that was the Spirit: God annointed Moſes and the Prophets which were amongſt this people with the Spirit, and ſo taught them all things needfull for their condition, what ſaith Moſes, Deut. 4.5. I have taught you Statutes and judgements, even as the Lord my God commanded me: Moſes and the Prophets ſpake as the holy Spirit moved them, and having the ſpirit of propheſie amongſt them, they may be ſaid to be annointed.
Origen ſaith, Ʋnctio eſt habitatio Spiritus ſancti, in cognitione veritatis.
4. Gods working of grace in their hearts, and making of them truly holy: the giving of the Spirit and graces of it unto Chriſt, is cald an anointing of him Acts 10.38. God annointed Jeſus of Nazareth with the holy Spirit, and Cant. 1.3. Becauſe of the ſavour of his good oyntments, the Virgins love him. Chriſt communicated the graces of his Spirit, and annointed the Virgins therewith, which were ſweet and ſavourie as a pretious oyntment, and here God ſaith he annointed the Jewes with Oyle, and did give unto many of them his Spirit and ſaving grace; Abraham their Father was eminent for faith, Rom. 4.18, 19, 20. ſo Iſaac, Jacob, Joſeph, Moſes, Caleb, Joſhua, Gideon, Barach, Jephtah, David, Samuel, the Prophets, and multitudes of others, they had not only true grace, but much grace, Heb. 11.38. Theſe all obtaine a good report through faith.
This people was the Church of God, he had no other people which he own'd as his, the Jewiſh Nation alone was his peculiar people, and if there was any tru… grace in the world it was amongſt them, they were cal'd The holy People, Deut. 7.6. The holy Nation, Exod 19.6. Holy ſeed. Iſai. 6.13. The generation of the righteous, Pſal. 14.15. Saints, Pſal. 50.5. not only becauſe they were ſeperated from the reſt of the world, came of Abraham, made a profeſſion of the true God and his vvorſhip, but alſo becauſe they had true grace, Iſai. 51.7. God gives this teſtimony of them, The people in whoſe heart is my Law, if there had not been many of them truly gratious, God vvould never have given them ſuch a commendation.
Thus you ſee what is meant by this anointing, and though all had no true grace, yet how all may be in one reſpect or other ſaid to be anointed.
Obſer. 1.
Thoſe whom it pleaſeth the Lord to enter into Covenant with, and take to be his people, them he pleaſeth to waſh: this ariſeth clearely from the coherence, I entred into a Covenant with thee and thou becameſt mine, what then? Then waſhed I thee with water.
There is a double waſhing to be conſidered, One externall, vvhichwhich vvas in the red Sea, and in the legall vvaſhings, and ſo they were all waſh'd, good and bad.
There is another waſhing which is internall, viz. by the blood of Chriſt, ſignified by the outward waſhings, and this is the principall vvaſhing, and with this vvaſhing they were not all waſhed, only thoſe vvho vvere Elect and veſſels of grace, they were vvaſh'd in the blood of Chriſt, and had the forgiveneſſe of ſinnes. In the 31. of Jer. 33.35. where God ſpeakes of entring into Covenant with the Houſe of Iſrael, he tels them he vvill forgive iniquitie, and Chap. ….8. I will cleanſe them from all their iniquitie, foreign that cleanſing is vvaſhing them away in the blood of Chriſt, and pardoning them for his ſake, for it followes in the originall foreign and I will pardon their iniquities. Now in the times of the Goſpell thoſe live under the ſound of it, and doe profeſſe the ſame, they are waſhed with the water of baptiſme, but not all vvith the blood of Chriſt. Simon Magus had the outward waſhing, Act 8.13. but wanted the inward vvaſhing: ſo John baptized many with water, vvhom Chriſt never baptized with his blood, but all the Father gave him, and were covenanted for, thoſe he waſhed with his blood, Rev. 1.5. He loved us, that is being in Covenant with the Father, and waſh'd us from our ſinnes in his owne blood, which is therefore cal'd The blood of the Covenant, Heb. 13.20. And whereas it is ſaid, Heb. 10.29. That ſome which prov'd Apoſtates were ſanctified with that bloud, you muſt underſtand it of thoſe who by profeſſion of the faith, and participation of the Seales, baptiſme and the ſupper, were ſeperated from Judaiſme and Paganiſme, and in the judgement of charity ſuch, not that they were internally waſhed from their ſinnes by the blood of Chriſt, for its impoſſible, that any man ſanctified and pardon'd through the blood of Chriſt, ſhould tread under foote the Sonne of God, and count that blood an unholy, thing; to ſuch a ſoule nothing is more pretious than Chriſt and his blood.
2. Thoſe whoſe ſinnes God forgives, he fully forgives, I throughly waſh'd away thy bloods, I ſuffered no ſinne, no guilt to ſtick upon thee, Ezek. 36.25. I will ſprinkle cleane water upon you, and ye ſhall be cleane from all your filthineſſe, and from all your Idols I will cleanſe you: ſprinkling of them with cleane water imports the ſprinkling of them with the blood of Chriſt, whereby ſinnes are purged and done away, 1 Joh. 1.7. The blood of Chriſt cleanſeth from all ſinne, not ſome few, ſome little, ſome great, ſome old, ſome new ſinnes, but from all ſin; when God pardons he pardons throughly, Jer. 33.8. I will cleanſe them from all their iniquity whereby they have ſinned againſt mee, and I will pardon all their iniquities whereby they have ſinned againſt mee. Let the ſins, iniquities, be what they will, when the Lord is upon the worke of forgiving, he will forgive them all: David bleſſeth God upon this ground, becauſe God was a God forgiving all iniquities, Pſal. 103.3. that place in Iſa. 55.7. is to our purpoſe. He will abundantly pardon, not ten, twenty, a hundred, or a thouſand ſins, but ten thouſand ſins, all wicked wayes, all evill thoughts. The Vulgar reads it, Multus eſt ad ignoſcendum, He is much inclined to pardon, much in pardoning, he takes delight in it, as a thing naturall to him, Mic. 7.18. He pardons iniquity and paſſeth by tranſgreſſion. And why? Becauſe he delights in mercy. It's his will, his nature to be mercyfull, nothing pleaſes him more, then to ſhew mercy. The Hebrew is, He will multiply to pardon, if man have multlplied ſins, he will multiply meanes to pardon thoſe ſins; the ſins of the Creature ſhall not be ſupernumerary to the mercies of the Creator. Man is a Father of ſins, and God is a Father of mercies, 2 Cor. 1.3. Doth man beget and bring forth thouſands of ſins in a day? God begets and brings forth more mercies in an howre; where ſin abounds, he makes grace much more to abound. Rom. 5.20.
3. Thoſe whoſe ſins God waſhes away, them he ſeperates from the World, makes glad, teaches his wayes, and beautifies with the graces of his ſpirit, I throughly waſhed thee with blood and anointed thee with oyle; all theſe are comprehended in that anointing. When God waſheth away the ſins of any, then he anoints them with Oyle; when Aaron was waſhed, then was he anointed, Exod. 40.12, 13. And Peter tells them that had put the Lord Chriſt to death, that they were waſhed, and they ſhould be anointed, they muſt firſt be Baptized for remiſſion of ſ…ns, and then they ſhould receive the Gift of the holy Spirit, Acts 2.38. When God pardons any, he purges them; after the remiſſion comes the unction: and then,
1. They are off from the World, they are the Lords, his beloved, they have ſweet peace and fellowſhip with him, they are Veſſells anointed for the Lords uſe, and dare not prophane themſelves with the World, Knowing, that the friendſhip of the World is enmity with God, Jam. 4.4. In the firſt Epiſtle of John, 1. he ſpeaks of their cleanſing from ſin by the blood of Chriſt; in the ſecond, of their receiving the anointing: and in the 3 Chap. 13. of the Worlds hatred of them; they were now not of the World, the unction had ſevered them from the World, and they were conſecrated to the Lord.
2. They are joyous and chearfull ones who are anointed; the Apoſtles after they received the holy ſpirit, their ſorrowes for the departure of Chriſt fled away, their troubl…s in the fleſh were nothing: So Paul and Silas ſang praiſes at mid-night, after whipping, impriſoning, & thruſting into the ſtocks. Acts 16.24, 25. And the Hebrews tooke joyfully the ſpoyling of their goods, Cha. 10.34. And why? They were made partakers of the holy Spirit. Chap. 6.4. They were anointed, and that made them joyfull.
3. They are taught the wayes of God, Heb. 8.10, 11, 12. I will put my Laws into their minde, and write them in their hearts, they ſhall all know mee from the leaſt to the greateſt, for I will be mercifull …o their unrighteouſneſſe, and their ſins and iniquities will I remember no more. When God ſhould forgive them, and waſh away their ſins in the blood of Chriſt, then he would anoint them, he would teach them, little and great, the knowledge of himſelfe and his wayes.
4. They are ſanctified and beautified with the graces of his ſpirit. When ſins are waſhed away in the blood of the Lambe, then God anoints with the graces of his ſpirit. Tit. 3.5. Upon the waſhing of regeneration (that is, upon the effectuall waſhing of the ſoule by the blood of Chriſt in the uſe of Baptiſme) followed the renewing of the holy ſpirit, which he ſhed on us abundantly, Spiritum effudit, powred out like Oyle, ſo that they were repleniſhed, ſanctified, and beautyfied, with all the graces of his Spirit.