fomes, as Paulinus wittily: "Faith (as our church speaks),
is the nest of good works; albeit our birds be never so fair,
though haply we do that which is right, and speak that which is
true, yet all these will be lost, except it be brought forth in a
true belief." Aristides was so just in his government that he would
not tread awry for any respect to friend or despite of foe. Pomponius
is said to have been so true, that he never made lie himself, nor
suffered a lie in other. Curtius at Rome, Menaeceus at Thebes, Codrus
at Athens, exposed themselves unto voluntary death, for the good of
their neighbours and country: yet, because they wanted the rest of
true faith in the world's Saviour, where to lay their young, we
cannot (if we speak with our prophet here from God's oracle), say
that they shall ever rest upon his holy hill. Another answer may be,
that faith is an inward and hidden grace, and many deceive themselves
and others with a feigned profession thereof, and therefore the Holy
Spirit will have every man's faith to be tried and known by their
fruits, and howsoever, eternal life be promised to faith, and eternal
damnation be threatened against infidelity, yet the sentence of
salvation and condemnation shall be pronounced according to works, as
the clearest evidence of both. It is truly said, out of Bernard, that
although our good works are not causa regnandi, yet they be
via regni, the causeway wherein, although not the cause
wherefore, we must ascend God's holy hill. To the second demand, why
the duties immediately belonging to God, are not mentioned here, but
only such as concern our brother? Answer is made, that this question
is propounded of such as, living in the visible church, openly
profess the faith, and would seem to be devout, hearing the word of
God, and calling upon his name; for of such as are profane atheists,
and so not so much as make a semblance of holiness, there is no
question to be made, for, without all doubt, there can be no resting
place for such in the kingdom of heaven. Now that we may discern
aright which of those that profess religion are sound, and which
unsound; the marks are not to be taken from an outward hearing of the
word, or receiving of the sacraments, and much less from a formal
observation of human traditions in God's tabernacle (For all these
things hypocrites usually perform), but from the duties of
righteousness, giving every man his due, because the touchstone of
piety towards God is charity towards our brother. "Herein," saith
John, "are the children of God known, and the children of the devil:
whosoever doth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that
loveth not his brother." John Boys.
Verse 2. There is no ascertaining the quality of a tree but by
its fruits. When the wheels of a clock move within, the hand on the
dial will move without. When the heart of a man is sound in
conversion, then the life will be fair in profession. When the
conduit is walled in, how shall we judge of the spring but by the
waters which run through the pipes? William Secker.
Verse 2. "And worketh righteousness." A man must first
be righteous before he can work righteousness of life. "He that doeth
righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous." 1 John 3:7. The
tree makes the fruit, not the fruit the tree; and therefore the tree
must be good before the fruit can be good. Matthew 7:18. A righteous
man may make a righteous work, but no work of an unrighteous man can
make him righteous. Now we become righteous only by faith, through
the righteousness of Christ imputed to us. Romans 5:1. . . .
Wherefore let men work as they will, if they be not true believers in
Christ, they are not workers of righteousness; and, consequently,
they will not be dwellers in heaven. Ye must then close with Christ
in the first place, and by faith receive the gift of imputed
righteousness, or ye will never truly bear this character of a
citizen of Zion. A man shall as soon force fruit out of a branch
broken off from the tree and withered, as work righteousness without
believing in, and uniting with Christ. These are two things by which
those that hear the gospel are ruined. Thomas Boston.
Verse 2. "Worketh righteousness." Jacob's ladder had
stairs, upon which he saw none standing still, but all either
ascending, or else descending by it. Ascend you likewise to the top
of the ladder, to heaven, and there you shall hear one say, "My
Father doth now work, and I work also." Whereupon Basil noteth that
King David having first said, "Lord, who shall dwell in thy
tabernacle?" adds then, not he that hath wrought righteousness
heretofore, but he that doth now work righteousness, even as
Christ saith, "My Father doth now work, and I work also." Thomas
Playfere.
Verse 2. But here observe, David saith, "that worketh
righteousness;" not that talks about, thinks about, or hears of,
righteousness; because, "not the hearers of the law, but the doers of
the law, shall be justified." What then do we owe unto others? That
which Christ saith (Matthew 7), "Whatsoever ye would that men should
do unto you, do ye also unto them," even unto your enemies: that is,
to injure no one, to succour those that suffer injury, and to do good
unto all men. But these things, I say, are spoken especially unto
those who have respect of persons; as if he has said, It is not
because thou art a priest, nor because thou art of a religious order,
not because thou prayest much, nor because thou doest miracles, nor
because thou teachest excellently, nor because thou art dignified
with the title of father, nor because thou art the doer of any work
(except righteousness), that thou shalt rest in the holy hill of the
Lord; for if thou be destitute of the works of righteousness, neither
all thy good works, nor thy indulgences, nor thy votes and suffrages,
nor thy intercessions, shall avail thee anything. Therefore, the
truth is firm; that it is the walker without spot, and the doer of
righteousness, that shall rest in the tabernacles of the Lord. Yet
how many are there, who build, increase and adorn churches,
monastaries, altars, vessels, garments, etc., who, all the while,
never so much as think of the works of righteousness; nay, who tread
righteousness under foot that they may work these their own works,
and because of them hope to gain the pardon of their unrighteousness,
while thousands are deceived by these means! Hence, in the last day,
Christ will say, "I was an hungered, I was thirsty, I was naked, I
was in prison, I was a stranger." He will not say one word about
those works which are done and admired at this day. And, on the other
hand, it is of no account against thee that thou art a layman, or
poor, or sick, or contemptible, or how vile soever thou art, if thou
workest righteousness, thou shalt be saved. The only work that we
must hope will be considered and accounted of, is the work of
righteousness: all other works that either urge or allure us on under
a show of godliness, are a thing of naught. Martin Luther.
Verse 2. "And speaketh the truth in his heart."
Anatomists have observed that the tongue in man is tied with a double
string to the heart. And so in truth spoken there is necessary
a double agreement of our words. 1. With our heart. That is, to the
speaking of truth, it is necessary our words agree with our mind and
thoughts about the thing. We must speak as we think, and our tongues
must be faithful interpreters of our mind: otherwise we lie, not
speaking as we think. So what is truth in itself may be spoken by a
man, and yet he be a liar; namely, if he does not think as he speaks.
2. With the thing as it is in itself. Though we think a thing to be
so, which is not so, we lie, when we affirm it; because it is not as
we say, though we really think it is so. For our mistaken notions of
things can never stamp lies to pass current for truths. 2
Thessalonians 2:11. Thomas Boston.
Verse 2. I this day heard a sermon from Psalm 15:2, "And
speaketh the truth in his heart." . . . . . . O my soul, receive
the admonition that has been given thee! Study truth in the inward
parts; let integrity and truth always accompany thee, and preserve
thee: speak the truth in thy heart. I am thankful for any conviction
and sense I have of the evil of lying; Lord, increase my abhorrence
of it: as a further assistance and help against this mean, sordid,
pernicious vice, I would endeavour, and resolve, in pursuit of the
directions laid before us in the sermon, to mortify those passions
and corruptions from whence this sin of lying more ordinarily flows,
and which are the chief occasion of it, as "out of the heart proceed
evil thoughts" (Matthew 15:19); so, from the same fountain proceed
evil words. And I would, with the greatest zeal, set myself against
such corruptions as upon observation I find more commonly betray me
into this iniquity: pride often indites our speech, and coins many a
lie; so envy, covetousness, malice, etc. I would endeavour to cleanse
myself from all this filthiness: there never will be a mortified
tongue while there is an unmortified heart. If I love the world
inordinately, it is a thousand to one I shall be often stretching a
point to promote a worldly interest; and if I hate my brother, it is
the same odds I shall reproach him. Lord, help me to purge the
fountain, and then the streams will be pure. When the spring of a
clock, and all of the movements are right, the hand will go right;
and so it is here. The tongue follows the inward inclination. I would
resolve to do nothing that may need a lie. If Gehazi's covetousness
had not shamed him, he had not wanted a lie to excuse him, "He that
walks uprightly, walks surely" and safely in this, as well as other
respects. Proverbs 10:9. May I do nothing that is dishonourable and
mean, nothing that cannot bear the light, and then I shall have
little temptation to lying. I would endeavour for a lively sense of
the eye of God upon me, acting and speaking in his presence. Lord, I
desire to set thee always before me; thou understandest my thoughts
as perfectly as others do my words. I would consider before I speak,
and not speak much or rashly. Proverbs 29:20. I would often think of
the severity of a future judgment, when every secret shall be made
manifest, and the hypocrite and liar exposed before angels and men.
Lastly, I would frequently beg divine assistance herein. Psalm
119:29; Proverbs 30:8. O my God, help me in my future conduct, remove
from me the way of lying; may the law of kindness and truth be in my
tongue; may I take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue. I
bewail my past miscarriages in this respect, and flee to thy mercy
through the blood of Christ; bless to me the instructions that have
been this day given me; let no iniquity prevail against me; "Keep
back thy servant from presumptuous sins, and cleanse me from secret
faults." I commit my thoughts, desires, and tongue, to thy conduct
and government; may I think and act in thy fear, and always speak the
truth in my heart. Benjamin Bennet's "Christian Oratory,"
1728.
Verses 2, 5. As the eagle casteth off her beak, and so
reneweth her youth, and the snake strippeth off her old skin, and so
maketh herself smooth: even so he that will enter into the joys of
God, and rest upon his holy mountain, must, as the Scripture speaks,
put off the old man and put on the new, which, after God, is created
in righteousness and true holiness, repenting truly speedily,
steadily. Robert Cawdray.
Verse 3. "He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth
evil to his neighbour." Lamentation for the gross neglect of this
duty, or the frequent commission of this sin. What tears are