A plain and familiar exposition of the fifteenth, sixteenth, and seventeenth chapters of the…A plaine and familiar exposition of the fifteenth, sixteenth, and seventeenth chapters of the…

Verse 9. The way of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord: but he loveth him that followeth righteousness.

Verse 9. The way of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord: but he loueth him that followeth righteousnesse.

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.