Joseph Truman (1631-1671) on Ezekiel 18:31-32

Truman:

4. Look too, that this Blood be not lost; this great Counsel of Heaven lost as to us, “Look to yourselves, that we lose not the things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward,” 2 John v. 8.

it is a sad thing for a man to complain, I have beaten the air, and spent my strength in vain. Have you done and suffered so many things in vain, if it be yet in vain? But much more should this prevail with us: “Take heed that you lose not the things that Christ has wrought.” A sad thing for Ministers to complain, “We have spent our strength in vain,” but much more for Christ to say, “I have lost my labors, tears, wounds, death, as to these men.

The Righteousness, and Pardon, and Life, which he has purchased, were not for himself; he has no more need of them, than the Heavens have need of rain, or the Sun of light. Cut off, but not for himself: therefore, if you refuse this offer, you endeavor interpretatively that it may be said of Christ, “He died as a fool dies.” You say to Christ’s face virtually, “you might have been wiser than to work and take pains for one that gives you so little thanks.”

Is this your kindness to your friend? Is this your thanks to your redeemer? Has not Christ deserved you? If the Devil and Sin have, and will do more to you, let them take you: Say then, “I love my Master Sin and Satan, and will not go out free.” But study how you will answer it to God, and look to your Redeemer in the face. Do you mock God, and your redeemer? and say, “You might have spared yourself, as Peter bade you?” Who bade you thus love me? You might have let the loving alone. God will not be mocked; “Be you not mockers lest your bonds be made strong;” And Christ will yet have some reward in well-doing, and honor in your ruin; your refusal, and punishment for it.

But these are secondary Ends, and Ends only upon the supposition of rejection of his Grace. The primary End of his Death and Law and Grace, is your salvation: for, he came not into the world primarily to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved. God swears, he “desires not the death of the wicked, but rather that he would turn and live.” The primary End of the Gospel and law of Grace is your Obedience and Salvation; and secondarily, upon supposition of your refusal, Condemnation. It cannot be said of a Governor making a Law. It was weakly done of him when he foresaw many would break it, except he want Power or Justice to vindicate it. Dare you say, “It was not wisely done of God to make the first Covenant and promise to Adam, because he foresaw he would lose the benefit of it, and incur the curse? And dare you say, “It was no kindness?” Suppose God had not known; Would that have made any change in the thing, by making the sin greater, and God’s kindness more? This is to say, God’s Omniscience hinders him from being Rector of the Word, from being able to make gracious Promises to the obedience, and just Threatenings to the disobedience. Take heed of such Doctrines as would in their own nature cause you to have thoughts of God, and discourage your return to him; and conclude they are false, that are so expressly contrary to the whole tenor of the Gospel: Though you know not how to answer the Objections, I dare confidently tell you others can, and have answered in the main such difficulties satisfactorily, and that in a way well agreeing with special grace. And I could do it satisfactorily to you I think; and should now, if I thought it inconvenient to turn to an alien subject. But suppose I could not, no nor the ablest men, must we therefore deny plain Scripture-truths,  because men know but in part, and can answer many difficulties but imperfectly? But to return: Shall Christ fall short of the primary End of the travail of his soul; to see his seed, a generation of sinners, turning and accepted his offered salvation; and then he will say, “My blood was well shed indeed; I am well paid, well satisfied,” so Israel be but thus gathered: and this he waits for, strives with you about.

Joseph Truman, The Great Propitiation; or Christ’s Satisfaction and Man’s Justification by it, Upon His Faith; that is Belief of, and Obedience to the Gospel (London: Printed by A. Maxwell, for R. Clavell, in Cross-key Court in Little Britain), 277-281.  [Some spelling modernized, some reformatting, and underlining mine.]

Obadiah Hughes (1695-1751) on Ezekiel 33:11 (Informal Reference)

Hughes:

[Proverbs 14:32 The wicked is driven away in his wickedness: but the righteous hath hope in his death.]

2. Let us now inquire into the import of what is here asserted in reference to the righteous; “he hath hope in his death.”

By his death some understand the wicked man’s death, and put this construction on the text:

When the good man is struggling with the troubles of life, the many of which perhaps are occasioned to him by the wicked; he has hope, that God will cut off the wicked, and then it shall be well with the righteous.

But I confess this construction appears to me unwarranted and forced; nor indeed can I see how it is consistent with the character of a righteous man, to hope or wish the death of any, how wicked and troublesome soever they are; the repentance and conversion and forgiveness of the wicked is the only proper matter of prayer with reference to them; our Savior has taught us to show our charity and good-will to our worst enemies in this way: and as the blessed God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked [Ezek. xxxiii. 11.]; it cannot surely be desired or hoped for by his servants.

Obadiah Hughes, The Righteous Man’s hope in death consider’d and improv’d, in a Sermon On Occasion of the Death of the late Reverend Mr Samuel Say. Preached in Westminster, April 24, 1743. (London: Printed and sold by M. Fenner, at the Turk’s head in Gracechurch-street, 1743), 12-13.  [Some spelling modernized; some reformatting; underlining mine; and verse insert mine.]

Daniel Tossanus (1541-1602) on Ezekiel 18:23 and 32 (informal reference)

Tossanus:

I believe the life everlasting.

A Prayer

O Lord my God, if thou has advertized the king of Hezekiah by the Prophet Isaiah, to dispose of his affairs when he should die [Isaiah 38:1.]: much more thy will is, that we going to death, should have regard to the disposition of our souls: to present ourselves before thee.  For alas, death is certain, but his hour is uncertain: and there is nothing more dangerous than to leave the soul in this sight doubtful and uncertain. O Lord what a Porter has thou given us, at our passage from this world, which will not suffer us to carry away anything with us? [The sentence of S. Bernard.]. But as we come naked into this world, even so death causes us to pass out of the same state. Wherefore should we then torment ourselves so much in worldly things? O Lord, what is it, that i should dispose of myself? It is in thee, to dispose of us: it is in thee to command, and in us to obey. Bear up our weakness through thy mercy. For how is it, that we should not be afraid of death, sins the horror thereof has made thy Son Jesus to sweat water and blood? [Mar. 14; Isaiah 53:4.] But seeing that it is even he, who has also born our sorrows, and that was wounded for our iniquities, what gain or advantage should death have over us, since that thy Son Jesus has saved us? And if thou be for us who is he that can  be against us? Yea man born of woman is thralled to many miseries and vanishes away as a shadow, or flower of the field. But yet O God, we do know how thou desires not the death of us sinners: thou rather would that we should turn and live [Ezek. 18:23, 27, and 32]. We do shed here many tears, but thou will at once make dry all my tears by calling me unto thee. Now O Lord strike  here below, so long as thou will, hurt wound, seeing that thou are merciful and favorable unto us in the everlasting & life to come. What sorrow or affliction should we fear, since that all things turn thy children for their good? Alas who would take much pleasure in life, since that man living it cannot see, and that all this is in it is but transitory, and miserable? Grant me therefore grace, patiently to await thy will, that I may be found a watching faithful servant. And as the prince of this world, coming towards thy Son Jesus what to bite upon him [John 14:30.]: so also the same enemy may not have any thing against me, seeing that I do belong to thy Son Jesus. By faith O Lord, have our fathers overcome kingdoms, and closed the mouth of Lions. Therefore O Lord grant me grace, that I may also overcome by faith all temptations, until that this faith being ended I may enter into thy everlasting rest.

Daniell Tossain The Exercise of the faithful soule (Imprinted at London by Henrie Middleton for Henrie Denham, 1583), 301-303. [Some spelling modernized, underlining mine.]

Augustine Marlorate on Ezekiel 18:23 and 2 Peter 3:9

Marlorate:

1) {Least at any time they should see with}

C. [Calvin] here the Lord might seem to be unwilling to have the reprobate converted which is contrary to this sentence, “I will not the death of the sinner, but rather that he turne from his wickednes and lyue,” [Ezek. 18.]. A [Marlorate] Also Peter says, “The Lorde is paciente to us warde, for so muche as he wolde haue no man loste, but wolde receiuve all men to repentance,” [2 Peter. 3.]. But Peter and Ezekiel dispute not in those places, as concerning the secret purpose of God, but only they do show how God shows himself towards us, calling us by the preaching of the Gospel, to everlasting life. So that it is not contrary to the place of Esaiah: for he calls all by his word, even the reprobate: But the reprobate are so destitute of grace, that they are nothing at all moved by the gentle invitation of God, no, they do not molify their hearts.     Augustine Marlorate, A Catholike and Ecclesiastical Exposition of the Holy Gospel after S. Mathew, gathered out of all the singular and approued Deuines (which the Lorde hath geuen to his Churche) by Augustine Marlorate. And translated out of Latine into Englishe, by Thomas Tymme, Minister, Sene and allowed according to the order appointed (Imprinted at London in Fletestreate near vnto S. Dunstones churche, by Thomas Marshe, 1570), Matt. 13:15; pp., 282-283. [Some spelling modernized.]

2) 3:21. “And I gaue hir time to repent hir of hir whoredome, but she repented not.”

God’s long
sufferance and
gentleness, and also his
rigor.

“And I gaue hir time.” &c. G. [Caspar Megander] The Scripture every where sets out the gentleness and long sufferance of God, where through being forward unto mercy and slow to wrath, he calls sinners to repentance, that they may receive forgiveness of their sins and walk in newness of life. For he would not that the sinner should die, but rather that he should convert and live. Ezek. 18.23. & 2 Peter 3.9. S. [Seb. Meyer] But if they despise his wholesome counsel of amendment, he executes sore punishment upon them, like as a man may see in the world that was before the flood: in the Sodomites: in Dathan, Korah, Abiram: and in the Prophets of Baal: all which perished miserably for taking scorn to amend.

“But she repented not.”

Unrepentantness.

Here is fault found with the wilfulness of all such as having space to repent them of their sins, do utterly neglect it: yea and rather heap sin upon sin, and so hoard up God’s wrath against themselves, according as it is said, Rom. 2.5.     Augustine Marlorate, A Catholike exposition vpon the Reuelation of Sainct Iohn, (Printed by H. Binneman, for L. Harison, and G. Bishop, 1574),) Rev. 3:21, p., 49b. [Some spelling modernized and formatting modified.]

3) In respect whereof, here is added by and by, “And it was said unto them that they should rest.” That is to wit, by waiting patiently for the day of the resurrection. “Yet a little while.” This is spoken after the manner of Scripture, which promises in many places, that the time of misery and trouble shall be shortened to the elect, Isai. 54.7,8, and Dan. 11.33, and Math. 24.22, and 2 Cor. 4.17, and Hebr. 10.37, and 1 Peter. 1.6, and 5.10. Until their fellow servants were filled up. Ergo, then the delay of vengeance, is made for the elect’s sake also. Hereupon Peter says, “The Lord forstows[?] not his promise as some suppose: but he deals patiently for our sakes, willing that none should perish, but that all should come to repentance, 2 Peter. 3.9.     Augustine Marlorate, A Catholike exposition vpon the Reuelation of Sainct Iohn, (Printed by H. Binneman, for L. Harison, and G. Bishop, 1574),) Rev. 6:11, p., 98a.

William Greenhill on Ezekiel 18:23, 32 and 33:11

Greenhill:

1) Ver. 23. “Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die.” Hebrew is He-Chapets Ae-Chapets is, the radical word signifies to have pleasure in, to affect, delight, to desire and will; therefore some render Do I desire or will the death of a sinner? Others, have I pleasure, or any pleasure? You charge me to punish the children for the fathers sins, and think I take pleasure in the death of sinners, but I neither do the one nor the other; I punish not you for your lathers sins, but for your own: and when I do punish you for your own, I had rather you should repent and live, than be cut off for them.

This seems contradictory to what is written, Prov.i 26, “I will laugh at your calamity, 1 will mock when your fear cometh;” and Ezek. v. 13, “Thus shall mine anger be accomplished, and I will cause my fury to rest upon them, and I will be comforted.” If God have no pleasure in the death of sinners, how can these texts be verified? To clear this difficulty, know that it is not absolutely to be taken, that God hath no pleasure in the death of the wicked, unless you mean it of the wicked who do repent; but respectively, thus, if they could turn from their wicked ways, and keep his statutes, he should have more pleasure in this, than in their death; but when they do not repent, he hath pleasure in their punishment and death, as it is an act of justice, and work of God, for God hath pleasure in all his works: the destruction and ruin of Babylon is called “his pleasure,” Isa. xlviii. 14, “He will do his pleasure on Babylon, and his arm shall be on the Chaldeans.”

Some refer this to the antecedent will of God, and say so he hath no pleasure in the death of a sinner, he wills it not, delights not in it; but in regard of his consequent will he doth.

Obs. 1. Repentance is a turning, and a turning from sin. Ver. 30, “Repent, and turn.” Acts iii. 19; xxvi. 20, repenting, and turning to God, are put together. Sin turns men from God ; Jer. xxxii. 33, “They have turned unto me the back, and not the face.” Repentance is a turning of them again unto God; it turns them from their sinful and wicked ways, 2 Chron. vii. 14; Jer. xxvi. 3; from all sin, and sinful wave, not some few; “if the wicked will turn from all his sins;” so ver. 30, “Turn from all your transgressions;” it turns men from their secret sins, Psal. xix. 12; Isa. Iv. 7. If a man turns not from all, he turns from none in truth, because there is the same reason why a man should turn from all, as well as one, viz. the will and command of God. This turning must he with the whole heart, and therefore it is from all sin, Deut. xxx. 10; Joel ii. 12.

Obs. 2. It is not enough to turn from all sin, but we must turn to all good. “If the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do,” &c. Negative righteous ness is no righteousness, negative holiness is insufficient holiness, 2 Kings xvii. 13. We must turn from the commands of sin, Satan, and the world, unto the commands of God. We must turn from worldliness unto heavenly-mindedness, from pride unto humility, from censuring to loving. It suffices not that the tree bears no ill fruit, but it must bring forth good fruit, else it is a barren tree, and must down. The question will be hereafter, What good have you done? 1 Tim. v. 10, “If she have diligently followed every good work.” David fulfilled all the wills of Goo, Psal. cxix. 6, he had respect unto all his commandments ; and Christians must observe all things Christ hath commanded, Matt, xxviii. 20.