Commentary on the Old Testament Volume 2-4, Biblical commentary 7 · Ezekiel · Chapter 18
CHAP. XVIII.
HEre, because the prophet had formerly aggravated the sins of the Jews then living by the sins of their fathers, and they hereupon complained, as if they were unjustly dealth withal, for that when their fathers committing the same sins, that they did, yet escaping they were now threatned with destruction. To convince them therefore of their unjust complaining in this regard and so justifie the Lord in these his proceedings against them, he largly declareth in this Chapter, that neither they nor any other were at any time judged unjustly by the Lord, but in all justice and righteousness.
And he beginneth first with the manner of their complaint, they said by way of Proverb, The fathers have eaten soure graps, and the childrens teeth are set on V. ….edge, That is, they had committed the sins, and their children smarted for them, which was a thing, that nature aborreth from, seeing his teeth only are set on edge, that eateth soure or green fruit, and not his childes.
Against this first he opposeth a certaine ground, whereby this proverb is overthrown, v. 4. As I live, all souls are mine, saith the Lord, as the soul of the son, V. 4.so of the father, the soul that sinneth shall dye, That is, I have a like interest in all souls, and they are alike dear unto me, as I made them all, therefore I will undoubtedly proceed alike against every man, not respecting any relations of one to another, but where I finde any wicked they shall dye for their wickedness, and they only, not others for them. And this is further amplified, v. 5. 6, &c. by putting divers cases.
1. Of a mans being righteous in all points of righteousness, in this V. 5.case whether he be father or son he shall not dye but live.
2. Of the son of a righteous father degenerating to wickednes, he shall not live for his fathers righteousness, but dye.V. 10. 11.
3. Of a righteous son of a wicked father, v. 14. 15, &c. he shall not dy although his fathre were wicked, but live assuredly.V. 14. 15.
4. Of the same soul, that hath done wickedly, but repenteth and turneth, and fulfilleth all righteousness now by keeping all Gods comandements V. 21.v. 21 22. he shall live notwithsanding his former unrighteousness, and not be punished with death therefore.
5. Of a righteous man turning from his righteousness to sin, v. 2. 4. He shall not live, but die, his former righteousness standing him in no stead.V. 24.
And these two last cases are repeated againe for further confirmation of the same, v. 26, 27, 28. Against that which hath been said, that the son shall Calvin.not die for the fathers sin, it may be objected that by one man sin cometh upon Ob. all and death by sin, yea upon those that have not sinned actually, as Adam Rom. 5. 12.did, that is, infants. Sol. To this Calvin saith both, that God seeth sin in Sol. them, although man cannot, for he seeth sin in the seeds thereof, and that infants come not within the compass of that which is here spoken, for it is to them that objected against Gods justice, and therefore were of ripe yeers. And in this last I rest. But for the sin of our first parents being ours and death due therefore, before any actual sinning, the place alledged is plaine, and infants being daily taken away by death do confirme it more and more. For it is a corporeal death first and chiefly, of which the Lord here speaketh, because he hath reference to the judgements before threatened of killing them with the sword, famine and pestilence, although death eternall is to be understood also, yea rather then the corporeal, because that in time of common judgements for the sins of a people, the righteous may be cut off amongst the wicked, as this our prophet also afterwards speaketh, saying, I will destroy the righteous together with the wicked, but no one righteous person shall together with them dye eternally. If it be said, this then is not universally true, The son shall not dye for the fathers sins, because for the first mans and none of their own many dye daily both corporally and eternally. I answer, the first man was made afer Gods image and had power not to have sinned by vertue of his creation, and so to have stood in the state of innocency and immortality for ever together with all his posterity, and therefore it agreeth well with justice, as if he had stood, in whose loines was all mankind, to save all alive, so he turning sinner for that sin of his to destroy all.
But for other men and the children coming of them it is not so, they are dead in sins and trespasses, and have no power of themselves to do or to will the good, and as the father is, so is the son, not looked upon in him to dye together for one anothers sins, or to live for one anothers righteousness, but each one after Adam stands and fals to himself only, in regard of any thing actually done byt the one or the other whether good or evil. Now in the enumeration of particular sins here putting al the cases together, they are by Jerom V. 5.noted to be 17. as the parts of righteousness are. 1. To execute judgement. 2. To joyn to judgement righteousness or justice. 3. Not to eat upon the Hieron.mountaines. 4. Not to lift up the eyes to idols. 5. Not to go in to another mans wife. 6. Not to go in to a menstrous woman, his own wife. 7. Not to make sad any man. 8. To restore the pledge. 9. To take nothing by violence. 10. To give bread to the hungry. 11. To cloath the naked. 12. Not to put money to usury. 13. To take nothing again of that which thou hast given. 14. To turn his hand from iniquity. 15. To judge truly betwixt man and man. 16. To walk in the precepts of the Lord. 17. To keep his judgements and justifications. Thus he, but who so shall count them, as they are reckoned up in the text shall finde but 14. and if any other particular can be named it comes under one of these heads. And it is to be Note. noted, because in speaking of their righteous he mentioneth not some, but all points of righteousness, as being in him, then promising, that he shall live, not otherwise, hereby shewing, that it is not enough for a man to live free from some, but from all sins, and to do some good things required, but all and every of them, and therefore he who cometh short of this is not reputed righteous before God, but wicked, and shall dye for it. 2. Because thus a foundation of despaire were laid if some other way were Note. not opened to escape, he propoundeth life to be attained and deliverance from the danger of death in the case of turning by repentance. For in this case all sins past are forgiven, and none of them cometh any more in remembrance. 3. Yet this turning by repentance is not only by sorrowing and confessing and praying, but breaking off from all sin and doing all good Note. duties from thence forth to the end of our lives. Lastly, because when he that turneth doth the best that he can, he is still subject to some sinning through the flesh, or unregenerate part remaining in him as long as he liveth. Unto this comfort here given, another here passed over in silence is added by the Gospel, That which we cannot do by reason of the flesh, God sending his son, condemned Rom. 8. 3.sin in the flesh, that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us through him. to come now to the words, as they lye on order, where the parts of righteousness are set forth. 1. If a man be just doth that which is lawful and V. 5.right, Heb. and in other translations it is, doth judgement and justice, betwixt Calvin.which, Calvin, when they go together, putteth this difference, justice is to deal righteously with all men in all things, judgement to be helpful to those Esa. 11. 16.as much as in us lyeth, that suffer wrong, which is a thing called for at every ones hands, although at the hands of Judges and Justices especially. 2. He hath not eaten upon the mountaines, That is, feasted with idolaters going to their sacrifices, as the Midianitish women allured the Israelites sometime to do, for Numb. 25.which the Plague of God was sent amongst them. And this feasting is said to be upon mountaines, because they had their temples and altars upon high places for the most part, where idolatry was committed. 3. Nor lift up his eyes to the idols of Israel, That is, not prayed unto or worshipped them, because in prayer we do or ought to lift up our eyes towards heaven, but this phrase is used, to meet with such, as would haply justifie themselves by saying, that they pray not to images, but use them only for a remembrance by lifting their eyes up unto them, being put in minde of God and his Saints. But the righteous man that shall live, doth not so much as lift up his eyes to idols to be stirred up by so doing to any pretended good, and therefore not one papist is righteous, but wicked for this sin alone. And he saith, The idols of the house of Israel, lest any should think, it is true indeed, to lift up our eyes to idols of the heathen were an abomination, but images allowed by the church to be used for the ends before said, are not of that sort, and therefore it is not evil to look at them. In saying that the prophet at once cuts off all such pretexts, and leaveth them, that do but so without excuse. The 4. of abhorring from adulterry, and 5. of not going o his own wife in her flowres and 6. of fleeing oppression, 7. of restoring the pledge, and 8. of doing no violence ot any man, are all plaine without exposition, being also obvious in many other places, and the 9. of giving our bread to the hungry, and 10. of cloathing the naked. But the 11. putting money to usury, v. 8. hath wrought diversly amongst V. 8.worldly minded men, some standing upon the word foreign biting, and denying any encerase taking, that is not biting, to be usury: but against them this text plainly maketh, because it is added nor taken any increase, some varying the word and calling that, which they take for lending interest, as Calvin saith, was a devise amongst the French, upon these grounds is trade in usury without fear of being counted wicked for so doing. But he contrariwise saith, that any lending for increase is usury. Yet all usury is not unlawful, a namely that, which is not a taking of increase of the poore, touching whom it it expresly said, If thou lendest to any of my people that is poor, thou shalt not be an usurer unto him. 2. When a man maketh not usury a trade, but only sometime having Exod. 22. 25.money to live upon, which he cannot yet convert into something else, which may bring gaine in, he lendeth to such as have wealth, but occasion for the present to borrow for their advantage another way. In this case to take or the use of his money, is not unlawful, but it is just and equal for the benefit redounding to another by his money to take recompence of money therefore, thus he. But although I deny not his reason to be good, yet I cannot subscribe unto him, that any usury is lawful, seeing whatsoever may rightly be called by this name is by the very word setting it forth censured as a biting or oppressing, against which it is in many places exclaimed both by the Law and Prophets. We must therefore rather come to the definition of usury, which I take it, is best made by them that say,it is a lending of money upon condition to receive increase therefore to the dammage of the borrower. For although he be rich, he must not by me be damnified, and if he be not, that which is contracted for and taken, is no usury, but a lawful contract, as in bargaining to have a penny, for a penny worth. For it is not against the law of lending, which forbiddeth only lending for biting increase, or for any increase to the poor, and no oherwise, neither is it against the general tenour of the law, whcih is love, that requireth a man to do to another as he would have others do to him, and contariwise, do no Matth. 7. 12. Quod tibi non vis fieri, alteri ne feceris.to another what thou wouldst not have done to thee. For a man ought not to desire to be benefited by another without making him recompence who hath no need of his charity. For the quantum, that may be taken, as a just recompence, the law hath set one limit, and because that is yet too much, conscience ought to set another, viz. not much, but somewhat above the proportion commonly to be made out of the same money by purchasing; that is, six or seven pound pro centum, by the Imperial law it is allowed to take no more as I have read then five pound pro centum. But because in lending money time is often lost and an hazzard is run more then in purchasing land, in equity somewhat more may be taken then the rent of so much land. But for such as lend to the poor upon usury, or exact upon any without conscience, they take not the way of life, but of death in their so doing. Hitherto the 11. now followeth the 12. point of righteousness, That hath withdrawn his hand from iniquity. that is, taken no bribes to prevent Justice which being not taken care of, justice is perverted, and of Princes and Judges men are made companion of theefes. 13. Hath executed true judgement between man and man, that is, being a judge or arbitraor not carryed by love or hatred, but altogether Esa. 11. 23.going by the right rule of justice towards such as come before him. 14. Hath walked in my statutes and kept my judgements to deale truly. Here by statutes some understand the ordinances of the ceremonial law, concerning V. 9.which it is said, that Zachary and Elizabeth walked in all the commandements, and ordinances of the Lord without blame; but this is too restrained, it is rather to be Luc. 1. 6.held because the prophet would not proceed in enumerating more particulars, he thus endeth his capitulation in this general, that he might make a perfect description of a righteous man, and so it is, as if he had said, if there be any other point of righteousness yet un named, I will shut it all up in a word, he is righteous that hath walked in all my commandements both moral, ceremonial and judicial, dealing in all things truly, and sincerely, being without fraud or guile, as it is said of Nathaneel, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom there is John 1. 43.no guile.
If he beget a son that is a robber, a shedder of blood, that doth the like to any of these things. Hebr. doing one of these, and in Vulg. Lat. also. Here is the second case V. 10.put of a son degenerating from the righteousness of his father in any one of the thing here mentioned. 1. By robbing or bloudshed contrary to the doing of no violence before commended, and to oppression fleeing, and to restoring to pledge for the word foreign is to break, or to make a breach, so that it is a general word setting forth both robbing, bloodshed and all kind of oppression, and violence, and breaking the bonds of continency also by adultery and other unclean copulations, or any way else breaking out against the law of God.
Then having used a word implying all vices in general, v. 11. he enumerateth particulars most of them in he words before used, only v. 12. whereas V. 11.the father is said not to have oppressed, but to have broken his bread to the V. 12.hungry, and cloathed the naked, for all these it is said, hath oppressed the poor and needy, intimating, that not only to do them wrong, but not to exercis charity towards them is an oppression,and so it is not to execute judgement and justice, touching which nothing is particularly said here, but this is left also to be understood under this head of oppression, because he that seeth the poor oppressed and helpeth him not according to his power, is guilty of his sin of oppression also. 2. For going in to a menstruous woman he saith, hath committed abomination. And here it is to be noted, that not all or may of the sins here reckoned up, but one is enough to bring a man to destruction, because Note. he saith, doth one of these, that we may so flee sin, as not Herod like when Jam. 2. 10.we do many things reqired, live in some one sin still, for fear of being guilty of all by means of this one.
Here followeth the third case of a good son of an evil father, there being herein no difference from that which was said in the first case, v. 5. 6, &c. till V. 14, 15, 16, 17.he came at v. 17. he hath taken off his hand from the poor, Hebr. hath turned his hand forth the poor, this is opposed to oppressing the poor and needy spoken of v. 12. it being meant, that he keeps his hand from all such oppression, neither taking a pledge with his hand, nor holding it,if it be a thing, without which the poor man cannot live, or his health be preserved, nor a bribe to judge against him, but not from helping him being oppressed, or faln, or ready to perish for want of relief.
Have I any pleasure at all, that the wicked should dye, but that he should turn from his V. 23.wayes and live? The case of a wicked man turning and living, notwithstanding his former wickedness being laid open in the premises, now he inferreth upon this ground that the Lord willeth not, neither delighteth in any mans death, but in his conversion and salvation, that none, how far soever hey have gone in sin, might despaire, but by hope in his mercy be drawn to turn unto him, that is so gratious.
But against this it is objected both that he hath fore-appointed some to damnation, and that it is not in man to wil, but he worketh to will and to do of his own good pleasure: if then he take no pleasure in the death of Rom. 9. Phil. 2. 13.the wicked, why doth he not turn him?
Sol. He offers him grace and pardon for all that is past to turn him, yea he counsels him to turn, and intreats him, by his benefits seeks to lead him to repentance, and which is more then all this, he knockes at the door of hi… Rom. 2. 4. Revel. 3. 20.heart by his Spirit, and who can say then but that it is true, which is here sai… he delighteth not in his dying?
Obj. But all this is nothing, if either he hath fore-appointed him to death or worketh not effectually with the meanes, whereby he may be converted.
Sol. He fore-ordaineth none to damnation, but such as he foreseeth will be impenitent, when he hath used all the means of reclaiming them, that may be, and therefore Christ speaking of the cursed going into hell fire, saith, not prepared for you, but for the divel and his angels, whereas contrariwise to the blessed he saith, come into the kingdom prepared for you from the beginning, so that impenitent sinners come into condemnation by their preferring of the plea-sures of sin before the joy of salvation; for his effectual working upon his will, he worketh so by his word and spirit, that he may, if there be not an aversion in his will, turn himself being thus holpen, as it is said here v. 32. Turn your selves and live, fo if God, who biddeth us thus to do, stood not ready to help and inable us, this were but a delusion. But doing all that can be expected to be done on his part, yea that he could do, as he saith, Esa. 5. the impenitent sinner is unreasonable in charging him, as the cause of his non-conversion, when as indeed he is soly the cause thereof to himself and consequently of damnation, as a man in the water held up by the chin, that thrusts away his hand that holds him up that he might swim out, if he sinketh and be drowned, is the sole cause of his own death. And the rather is the sinner the cause of his own damnation, because he is not only held up at it were, but exhorted over and over to turn and live, v. 30, 31, 32. so that unless God would save him against his will, or take and carry him to heaven as a block or dead thing, he never putting on to do any thing tending to salvation, and so do more for him, then for any that are saved, he can never attaine August. Qui fecit te sine… te, non servabit te sine te.life, but must dye and perish everlasting. God indeed as August. hath it, made the without thee, but thou must not expect, that he should save thee without thee.