He that keepeth the commandment keepeth his own soul; [but] he that despiseth his ways shall die.
Ver. 16. He that keepeth the commandment keepeth his own soul.] This is the first fruit of shaking off sloth and sleepiness. He that "stirs up himself to take hold of God," Isa 64:7 and to "take hold of his covenant," Isa 56:4 "to love the name of the Lord, and to be his servant," Pro 19:6 to "love him, and keep his commandments," Exo 20:6 to do that little he does out of love, if it be no more than to "think upon his commandments to do them," Psa 103:18 this man's soul shall be bound up "in the bundle of life," he shall find his name written "in the book of like." For in vitae libro scribuntur omnes qui quod possunt faciunt, etsi quod debent non possunt, saith Bernard. Their names are written in heaven who do what they can, though they cannot do what they ought. "If there be a willing mind, God accepts according to what a man hath, not according to what he hath not." 2Co 8:12 And here also, Nolentem, praevenit Deus ut velit, volentem subsequitur ne frustra velit. a God, that gives "both to will and to do," "causeth his people to keep his commandments," and "worketh all their works in them, and for them." Php 1:13 Eze 36:17 Isa 26:12 Lex iubet, gratia iuvat; petamus ut det, quod ut habeamus iubet. The law commandeth, but grace helpeth. Let us beg that God would make us to be what he requires us to be. b
But he that despiseth his ways.] That is, God's ways, chalked out in his word. See Trapp on " Pro 13:13 " Or, He that despiseth his own ways - lives carelessly, and at random; walks at all adventures with God, cui vita est incomposita, et pessime morata contra gnomonem et canonem Decalogi, a loose and lawless person - he "shall die," not a natural death only, as all do, but spiritual and eternal. c There is but an inch between him and hell, which already gapes for him, and will certainly swallow him up.
a Aug. Enebir. cap. 32.
b Augustin. in Exod. quaest. 55.
c Aut mentem aut restim comparandum. - Chrysip.