Ezekiel 18

Ezekiel 18:2

THe fathers have eaten] That is, have sinned, and the children have suffered for it; as the sinnes of Manasseh are remembred upon Judah, and the sinnes of Jeroboam upon the ten Tribes. See Lament. 5. 7. See more Jeremiah 31:29.

Ezekiel 18:3

any more] Since ye make my patience an argument whereupon to taxe my judgements, I will hereafter bring them presently upon him that sinneth, and lay open your iniquities like unto the iniquities of your forefathers, for which I have heretofore punished them.

Ezekiel 18:4

all souls are mine] I am equally God, and Judge of all, not accepting of persons; and if I do delay my generall punishments, it is out of my superabundant goodnesse; and if the children do bear the iniquities of the fathers, it is according to justice, either by reason of their imitating them, or in so much as I punish them in their body and goods, which they had from their fathers; but the judgements upon the soul, which proceeds absolutely from me, and is mine, have no other cause nor foundation, but every ones owne works.

Ezekiel 18:5

that which is lawfull and right] Heb. judgement and justice.

Ezekiel 18:6

hath not eaten] Namely, of the idols sacrifices, whose service was done upon hils and mountaines, Ezekiel 22:9. See Deuteronomy 32:38. Psalms 106:28. 1 Cor. 10. 20, 21.

hath lift up his eyes] That is to say, shall have detested them with all his heart. defiled his neighbours wife] Leviticus 18:20. By adultery.

to a menstruous woman] Leviticus 18:19. & Leviticus 20:18.

Ezekiel 18:7

And hath not oppressed any] Exodus 22:21. Leviticus 19:15. & Leviticus 25:14.

pledge] Exodus 22:26. Deuteronomy 24:12.

hath given his bread to the hungry] Deuteronomy 15:7. Isaiah 58:7. Matthew 25:35.

Ezekiel 18:8

upon usury] Exodus 22:25. Levit. 25. 36, 37. Deuteronomy 23:19. Psalms 15:5. Usury and increase: the first word in Heb. properly signifieth biting, from the effect, because it doth bite or eate out a mans estate; the latter word signifieth multiplication or increase; in Greek it is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Matthew 25:27. Luke 19:23. a birth, because hereby money begetteth money, as Arist. shewes, in Polit. Book 1. Chap. 7. Thus money was not to be lent to the poor, Exodus 22:25. Leviticus 25:36. 37.

Ezekiel 18:10

robber] Or, breaker up of an house.

that doth the like to any one of these] Or, that doth to his brother besides any of these; or, any one of these.

Ezekiel 18:11

And that doth not any of those] Or, though he hath not done any of these things. Hath not done all the good deeds set down before, vers. 7, 8, 9. Or, hath not committed those sins mentioned vers. 10. but some of those after following, vers. 11, &c.

even] Or, either.

and defiled] Or, or defiled.

Ezekiel 18:12

Hath oppressed] Or, or hath.

hath spoiled] Or, or hath spoiled.

hath not restored] Or, or hath not restored.

and hath lift] Or, or hath lift.

hath committed] Or, or hath committed.

Ezekiel 18:13

Hath given] Or, Or hath given.

and hath taken] Or, or hath taken.

he hath done] Or, if he hath done.

all these abominations] Or, any.

he shall surely die] He sheweth how the sonne is punished for his fathers fault; that is, if he be wicked as his father was, and doth not repent, he shalbe punished as his father was; or else not.

his bloud] Or, his blouds. He shall suffer capitall punishment for his own sin, and he shall be the cause of his own death. Leviticus 20:9. Acts 18:6.

Ezekiel 18:16

hath not withholden the pledge] Heb. hath not pledged the pledge, or taken to pledge.

Ezekiel 18:17

hath taken off] That is, keeps himself from wronging or oppressing, though he might have some reason to do it.

Ezekiel 18:19

Why? doth not the sonne] He sheweth that those profane men contending wit the Prophets, did seek to catch them, and make them confesse, either that Gods judgements were not just, in punishing the children for the fathers sinnes; or that the Prophets limitations and expositions were contrary to Gods Law. Exodus 20:5. Deuteronomy 5:9.

the son hath done] The meaning of my law is, that I will punish the sinnes of the father upon the children, in case that they follow their fathers examples; which I doe often suffer to fall out so, through my secret judgement; and if through my speciall grace I do sanctifie them, so that they do not follow their fathers steps, they shall also be exempted from the punishment.

the sonne shall not bear] Deuteronomy 24:16. 2 Kings 14:6. 2 Chronicles 25:4. Jeremiah 31:29. Namely, the innocent sonne, who is by my Spirit purged from his fathers wickednesse. Yet this is no generall rule in respect of the body and bodily goods, in which God in all seasons hath visited the Children for the fathers sins; but must be understood of the everlasting punishment of the soul, or especially of the temporall punishments of those times.

the righteousnesse] That is, every one shall receive either a reward for his good workes, or punishment for his evill works.

Ezekiel 18:21

But if the wicked] Chap. 33. 12.

statutes] He joyneth the observation of the Commandement with repentance: for none can repent indeed, except he labour to keep the Law.

Ezekiel 18:22

he shall live] He shall be delivered from the common evils of this world, and shall attain to everlasting life, to which the true way and direction is the pure conversion of a sinner, and perseverance.

Ezekiel 18:23

Have I any pleasure at all] Chap. 33. 11. He speaketh this to commend Gods mercy to poore sinners, who rather is ready to pardon then to punish, as his long suffering declareth, Chap. 33. 11.

Ezekiel 18:24

But when the righteous] Chap. 3. 20. & 33. 12, 13.

his righteousnesse that he hath done] That is, the false opinion that the hypocrites have of their righteousnesse shall not move God to spare them. See vers. 22.

Ezekiel 18:25

Yet ye say] Or in Heb. and will ye say? Will you yet dare to tax, either mine actions with injustice; or my words, and my law with contradiction?

The way of the Lord is not equall] Chap. 33. 20. In punishing the father with the children.

are not your wayes unequall] All the injustice is in you, who follow your fathers wayes, and not in me: my Law agreeth well with this doctrine, but your understanding is perverted.

Ezekiel 18:26

When a righteous man] This is the rule of my so veraign justice, that the death of every one shall be punishment of his own proper sinne: as the order of my mercy is, to give a sinner hope that he shall be restored by repentance. Both the one and the other is well enough known unto you, but that in this contestation you sight against your own consciences.

Ezekiel 18:30

every one according to his wayes] And not for the sinnes of their fathers, as you impute it to me.

repent] Matthew 3:2.

your selves] Or, others.

ruine] Heb. a stumbling-block; to cause the ruine.

Ezekiel 18:31

make you a new heart] Jeremiah 32:39. Chap. 11. 19. and 36. 26. Give way to the Spirit of grace, to whom it properly belongeth to regenerate a man, who cannot do it of himselfe, Jeremiah 13:23. Ezekiel 11:19. & Ezekiel 36:26.

Ezekiel 18:32

I have no pleasure in] Chap. 33. 11. 2 Peter 3:9. your selves] Or, others.