1)
Object. Ezek. 18.
But God says, he will not the death of a sinner. The wise man says that through the envy of the devil death entered into the world [Wisd. 2.24.]. Do not these and such like places prove, that God will not man’s destruction? [Rom. 9, 2 Pet. 3, Jud. 5:4.]. No that do they not, for he has from all eternity appointed some to destruction: and must he not then will their destruction? As for that place of Ezekiel, that God wills not the death of a sinner; if you understand by a sinner every sinful man, then I say that the place is not meant of his secret, but revealed will, by which he offers favor to all that hear his word be they good or bad: but if you say it is meant of his secret will, then by the word sinner, I understand the elect alone, as it is taken in 1 Tim. 1:15, for God will not their death, and therefore makes them repentance: and this I take to be the true sense of this place. [Girolamo Zanchi] Live Everlasting: Or The True Knowledge of One Iehova, Three Elohim and Jesus Immanuel: Collected Out of the Best Modern Divines, and compiled into one volume by Robert Hill, ([Cambridge:] Printed by Iohn Legat, printer to the Vniuersitie of Cambridge. And are to be sold [in London] at the signe of the Crowne in Pauls Church-yard by Simon Waterson, 1601), 259.
2)
Object. 4.
Eze 18.
But does not God say, “I will not the death of a sinner:” he will not a sinner’s death and yet sinners do die and perish, how then is his will done?
Ans.
If by will you mean his secret will, then by a sinner you must understand only the elect; as in many other places the word sinner is taken: for according to this will, they only are converted and saved: if by will you mean God’s revealed will in his word, the meaning is, that in the Church he calls all men to life, and offers by the Gospel salvation to all in Christ Jesus. And so this place does not improve the immutability of God’s decree. [Girolamo Zanchi] Live Everlasting: Or The True Knowledge of One Iehova, Three Elohim and Jesus Immanuel: Collected Out of the Best Modern Divines, and compiled into one volume by Robert Hill, ([Cambridge:] Printed by Iohn Legat, printer to the Vniuersitie of Cambridge. And are to be sold [in London] at the signe of the Crowne in Pauls Church-yard by Simon Waterson, 1601), 278.
[Bibliographic Notes: Worldcat and Wing identify this as as: “Largely a translation and abridgement of Zanchi, Girolamo. De natura Dei. Zanchi is identified in the side-note on page 655—STC…” I have inserted Zanchi’s name in the title as a reflection that because: 1) as noted, this is largely a translation of Zanchi’s work; 2) because it quite probably does reflect Zanchi’s theology; 3) because Wing attributes the authorship to Zanchi, and Hill as the translator; and 4) from the opening “Epistle Dedicatory” (3rd page) Hill identifies a work by Zanchi as the principal text upon which this work is based. Lastly, I actually suspect this is a much more reliable translation than Toplady’s briefer translation from the same work.]
[Notes: 1) I post this from Zanchi, not because of his apparent actual take on Ezekiel 18:23, but because his point that if the will in Ezekiel 18:23 refers to the revealed will of God, then this is the meaning and these things follow. 2) Calvin on 1 Timothy 1:15 rightly says that Paul refers to the general office of Christ, that it speaks to the grace of God made known through the Gospel, and that it speaks to Jesus’ coming to save all sinners. See Calvin on 1 Timothy 1:15, and Institutes 2.12.5, and: “So likewise, when it is said in the holy scripture, (1 Timothy 1:15) that this is a true and undoubted saying, that God hath sent his only begotten son, to save all miserable sinners: we must include it within this same rank I say, that every of us apply the same particularly to himself: when as we hear this general sentence, that God is merciful. Have we heard this? Then may we boldly call upon him, and even say, although I am a miserable and forlorn creature, since it is said that God is merciful to those which have offended him: I will run unto him and to his mercy, beseeching him that he will make me to feel it.” John Calvin Sermons on Psalm 119, 7th sermon, 119:49-56, p., 133 (Old Paths Publications). 3) Zanchi’s concession still acknowledges the presence of the free offer in his theology.]