Commentary on Ezra Nehemiah Ester Job and Psalms, Commentary 5 · Psalm 15
PSAL. XV.
VErſ. 1. Lord, who ſhall abide in thy Tabernacle?] Heb. who ſhall ſojourn? for that is our condition whiles here, in a forein Country, and not at home. The Church Militant alſo is Tranſportative, as well as the Tabernacle; and not fixed to one place. Never was the Ark ſetled, till ſet in Solomons Temple; neither ſhall we till we come to Heaven. David having deſcribed an Atheiſt in Pſal. 14. and finding but too many ſuch in the boſome of the Church, Politicians, prophane Perſons, Hipocrites, who profeſs that they know God, but in works they deny him, Tit. 1.16. (He that dethroneth a King, doth as bad as he that denieth him) He therefore beggs of God to diſterminate, and put a difference between the righteous and the wicked, by certain infallible diſtinctive Notes and Characters, wherein men may ſurely reſt, without danger of being deceived; ſith his teſtimony is beyond all exception, and he is foreign Self-credible. Here then that grand and grave Queſtion is propounded by David as a Prophet of God, conſulting with him, and anſwered by God himſelf, for more authority ſake; who is the true Citizen of Zion, the free Denizon of the New Jeruſalem, who is a right member of the Church Militant, and ſhall be at length of the Church Triumphant? A reverend Divine ſaid once to a poor Soul, that told him he was troubled about his Salvation, I tell thee, ſaid he, it is able to trouble the whole World.Sinners ſal… by Hooker, pag. 2. Let a man but approve himſelf the party here deſcribed, in deſire at leaſt, and endeavour, being humbled for his daily failings, and he may be confident.
Who ſhall dwell in thine holy hill?] Heaven is aptly compared to a Hill, Hell to a Hole. Now who ſhall aſcend into this holy Mount? None but thoſe whom this Mount comes down unto, that have ſweet communion with God in this life preſent, whoſe converſation is in Heaven, though their commoration be for a while upon earth, who do here cate and drink, and ſleep eternal life.
Verſ. 2. He that walketh uprightly] This is Gods anſwer, for men are unſound, and unfit to judge, ſaith Calvin. They judge according to opinion, and appearance many times, and ſend thoſe to Heaven that can never come there; as the Pope doth his Canonized Saints; Mahomet thoſe that dye in defence of Turciſme; and Paraſitical Preachers, their irreligious benefactors. But God only admitteth ſuch as are righteouſly religious, and religiouſly righteous; ſuch, as through whoſe whole lives godlineſs runneth, as the Woof doth through the Warp. Hee then that ſhall be an inhabitant of Heaven, muſt firſt walk uprightly, or evenly. Chriſtians, ſaith Tertullian, are funambulones, as thoſe that walk on ropes, if they tread but one ſtep awry they are utterly gone; they muſt be Sine terrena & profunda fraude (as R. David here gloſſeth) without guile, and unacquainted with the depths of the Devil. Prov. 11.22. the upright in their way are oppoſed to the froward in heart. And ſuch only ſhall dwell with devouring fire, that is, with God, Iſa. 33.14, 15. The Arabick verſion for uprightly here, hath, without a cloud of vices.
And worketh righteouſneſs] This is wrought by faith, Heb. 11.33. and ſuch a man is acceptable to God, Act. 10.35. But the whole life of unbeleevers is ſin, ſaith Auſtin, neither is there any thing good, without the chiefeſt good. It was well ſaid of Luther, Walk in the heaven of the Promiſe, but in the earth of the Law; that in reſpect of beleeving, this of obeying.
And ſpeaketh the truth in his heart] His foreign are all one, he ſpeaks as he thinks; his ſpeech is the lively image of his inward affection. That was no commendation to that Pope and his Nephew, of whom it was ſaid, that the one never ſpoke as hee thought, the other never performed what he ſpoke.
Verſ. 3. Hee that backbiteth not with his tongue] that trotteth not up and down for the purpoſe, as the word ſignifieth;Ragal, when Regal a foo… Ruchil. that walketh not about as a Pedlar with his pack, as the word is Levit. 19.16. this is a bloody ſin, ibid. confer, Ezek. 22.9. Many wayes a man may backbite with his tongue, that unruly member.
Imponens, augens, manifeſtans, in mala v…rtens,
Qui negat, aut minuit, tacuit, laudatque remiſſe.
One obſerveth from this Text, that there is alſo a ſlander of the heart, that never commeth into the tongue, ſc. hard conceits, and evill ſurmiſes. Some ſay, that the word here ſignifieth to ſpeak truth, but with a miſchievons mind, to hurt another; as Doeg dealt by David, and is therefore accurſed, Pſal. 52. and called a lyer for his labour, Pſal. 120. The ſmutting of another mans good-name in any kind behind his back, is backbiting; it is an irreparable wrong; take heed of it. The eye, and the good-name can bear no jeſts, as the Proverb hath it.
Nor dath evill to his Neighbour] Neither by diſparaging, nor diſprofiting him. There is an elegancy in the originall, that cannot be Engliſhed.
Nor taketh up a reproach againſt his Neighbour] Or receiveth, Or indureth. The tale-bearer carrieth the Devill in his tongue; the tale-hearer in his ear. Plautus wiſheth that the one may be hanged by his tongue, and the other by his ear; the receiver wee ſay is as bad as the …heef. Not only he that maketh a lye, but he that loveth it is excluded Heaven, Rev. 22.15. It is evill to ſow reports and ſlanders; but worſe to harrow them in. The Heathen could ſay, Hee that eaſily beleeveth ſlanders, aut improbis, aut puerilibus eſt moribus, is either a knave, or a fool.
Verſ. 4. In whoſe eyes a vile perſon is contemned] An abject, a Reprobate, as one rendreth it;Joſephus. be he as high as Haman, See Eſthers Character of him, chap. 7. 6. and Mordica… 's ſlighting of him, chap. 3.2. Bee he as great as Antiochus Epiphanes, to whom the Samaritans excuſing themſelves that they were no Jews, wrote thus, To Antiochus the great God; Daniel counted and called him a vile perſon, chap. 11.21. So Eliſha deſpiſed Jehoram the King, 2 King. 3.14. we alſo muſt deſpiſe the wicked; yet non virum, ſed vitium, & ſalvo cui que loci ſui honere; giving honour, befitting their places, to whom honour is due, Rom. 13. but ſhunning that partiality taxed by St. James, chap. 2.3, 4. The Burgeſſe of the new Jeruſalem, reprobes reprobat, & probos probat, hee cannot flatter any man, nor fancy ſuch as in whom hee findeth not aliquid Chriſti, ſomething of the image of God. A golden Coloſſe ſtuffed with rubbiſh hee cannot ſtoop to.
But hee honoureth them that fear the Lord] As the only earthly Angells, though never ſo mean, and deſpicable in the Worlds eye. Mr. Fox being asked whether hee remembred not ſuch a poor ſervant of God, who had received ſuccour from him in time of trouble? anſwered, I remember him well; I tell you I forget Lords and Ladies to remember ſuch. Ingo an ancient King of Draves and Veneds ſet his Pagan-Nobles (at a feaſt) in his Hall below, and a company of poor Chriſtians with himſelf in his preſence Chamber,Aeneas Sylv. cap. 20. entertaining them with the royalleſt chear, and kinglieſt attendance that might be. At which when his Nobles wondred, he told them, this he did not as he was King of the Draves, but as he was King of another World; wherein theſe ſhould be his companions, and fellow-Princes.
He that ſweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not] Covetouſneſſe he ſo hateth, that firſt, hee will rather ſuffer loſſe than be worſe than his oath or honeſt word; ſecondly, he lendeth, looking for nothing again; thirdly, hee taketh no reward againſt the innocent, either as a Judge, or as a Pleader. Of many ſwearers it may be ſaid, that they can play with oaths as Children do with Nuts; or as Monkies do with their collars, which they can ſlip off at their pleaſure. And of many promiſers, that they are like the Peacock, all in changable colours, as often changed as moved: But this is not the guiſe of Gods people.Tertul. The Jews at this day keep no oath, unleſſe they ſwear upon their own T…rah, or Law, brought out of their Synagogues. The Turks keep no oath further than may ſtand with their own convenience; The Papiſts hold, that faith is not to be kept with Hereticks; and they practice accordingly. But the old Romans had a great care alwaies to perform their word, whatever it coſt them; inſomuch that the firſt Temple built in Rome was dedicated to the Goddeſſe Fidelity. In after times indeed, Romanis promittere promptumerat, promiſsis autem, quanquam jurament… firmatis, minime ſtare. The Romans were forward to promiſe and ſwear,Procop. de bel. Perſic. lib. 1. but careleſſe to perform, if Mirrhanes the Perſia Generall may be beleeved. But an oath was ever held amongſt all Nations a ſacred bond, and obligatory, unleſſe it were contra bonos mores, as the Lawyers ſpeak. Joſuah and the Elders kept their oath to the Gibeonites, though to their inconvenience. Zedekiah was puniſhed for not keeping touch with the King of Babylon. And one of the laws of the Knights of the Band in Spain was, that if any of them broke his promiſe, hee went alone by himſelf, and no body ſpake to him, nor he to any.
Verſ. 5. He that putteth not out his mony to uſury] To biting uſury, ſo ſome diſtinguiſh it from Tarbith, the toothleſſe uſury. But both theſe are condemned, Ezek. 18.8. 13. and no man of note in all Antiquity (Jews and Manichees excepted) for one thouſand five hundred years after Chriſt, hath ever undertaken the defence thereof. Here and Neh. 5. it is plainly cryed down; neither is there any ground in Scripture for that diſtinction of uſury into biting and toothleſſe. The Bever biteth ſo ſore, as that he never looſeth his teeth, untill he have broke the bones.
Nor taketh reward againſt the innocent] Olim didici quid ſint munera, ſaid one. A good man as he deſpiſeth the gain of oppreſsions, ſo he ſhaketh his hands from holding of bribes, Iſa. 33.15. leſt the touching thereof ſhould infect and benumme him; as Pliny writeth of the fiſh Torpedo, and as Hiſtories report of Demosthenes that great Lawyer, tempted and prevailed with againſt right, by poiſing Harpalus his goblet.
Hee that doth theſe things] For not the hearers of the law, but the doers ſhall be juſtified, Rom. 2.13. And to them who by patient continuance in well-doing ſeek for glory, and honour, and immortality, ſhall bee eternall life. Verſ. 7.
Shall never be moved] Poteſt in momentum moveri, ſed non in aeternum: reſurget … nim, ſaith R. Solomon here; Moved he may be for a time, but not removed for ever. His ſoul is bound up in the bundle of life, near unto the throne of glory; when the ſouls of the Wicked are reſtleſſe as a ſtone in the midſt of a ſling, ſaith the Targum in 1 Sam. 25.