THE way of the wicked] The whole course of his life and behaviour: whatsoever he saith, and all that he doth [is abomination to the Lord] is filthy and loathsome in his eyes, provoking him in anger to plague him. And this is not to be understood only of the gross faults of sinful men, when they directly transgress the Law of God, but of every thing else which they take in hand, as long as they walk after the flesh: as labour and travel; their meat and drink; their sleep and necessary refreshings: though in exercises not utterly unlawful; though in matters that be merely civill; though in actions every way commendable for others to perform. And hereof the Apostle speaketh, when he saith to Titus, That to the pure all 1things are pure; but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure, but even their minds and consciences are defiled. But he loveth him] esteemeth him, and useth him as his own child; causeth his heart to feel the comfort of his favour, and will in due time make it manifest to all the world how dear he is unto him [who followeth after righteousness] which is not cold, or slow, or unstable in doing of good; but with might and main striveth constantly to obtain the habit and increase of goodness. The word signifieth earnestly to pursue, being a Metaphor taken from the eagerness of wild beasts, or ravenous fowls, or of any kind of creatures that live by the spoil of others, which will run or fly, both ⟨p. 9⟩fast and far, rather than be disappointed of their prey. True it is, that all are not of equal graces, nor any one at all times equally affected to that which is just and upright; but none must leave off endeavour to seek it. Every man is to make it his gain, and to abandon all the impediments which would stay him from it. The sense and meaning of the words will be the better discerned, if that be supplied which is understood in either part of the sentence, in this manner: The Lord abhorreth the way and person of the wicked, because he followeth iniquity: but he loveth the person and way of the godly, because he followeth righteousness.
THE way of the wicked] The whole course of his life and behauiour: whatsoeuer hee saith, and all that hee doth [is abomination to the Lord] is filthy and loathsome in his eies, prouoking him in anger to plague him. And this is not to bee vnderstood onely of the grosse faults of sinfull men, when they directly transgresse the Law of God, but of euery thing else which they take in hand, as long as they walke after the flesh: as labour and trauell; their meat and drinke; their sleepe and necessarie refreshings: though in exercises not vtterly vnlawfull; though in matters that bee meerely ciuill; though in actions euery way commendable for others to performe. And heereof the Apostle speaketh, when he saith to Titus, That to the pure all 1things are pure; but vnto them that are defiled and vnbeleeuing, nothing is pure, but euen their mindes and consciences are defiled. But he loueth him] esteemeth him, and vseth him as his own childe; causeth his heart to feele the comfort of his fauour, and will in due time make it manifest to all the world how deare he is vnto him [who followeth after righteousnesse] which is not cold, or slow, or vnstable in doing of good; but with might and maine striueth constantly to obtaine the habit and increase of goodnesse. The word signifieth earnestly to pursue, being a Metaphor taken from the eagernesse of wilde beasts, or rauenous fowles, or of any kinde of creatures that liue by the spoile of others, which will run or flie, both ⟨p. 9⟩fast and farre, rather than bee disappointed of their prey. True it is, that all are not of equall graces, nor any one at all times equally affected to that which is iust and vpright; but none must leaue off endeuour to seeke it. Euery man is to make it his gaine, and to abandon all the impediments which would stay him from it. The sense and meaning of the words will be the better discerned, if that bee supplied which is vnderstood in either part of the sentence, in this manner: The Lord abhorreth the way and person of the wicked, because he followeth iniquitie: but hee loueth the person and way of the godly, because hee followeth righteousnesse.
- 1Titus 15.
