An exposition with practical observations continued upon the eighth, ninth and tenth chapters of…An exposition with practicall observations continued upon the eighth, ninth and tenth chapters of…

First, It imports the putting forth of bitter hatred, when a man sets himself maliciously against his brother.

Secondly, It is taken comparatively for a lesser or more remiss putting forth of love. He may be said to hate, who wants a due heat and height of love. In that sense Jacob was taxed for hating Leah, Gen. 29.31. When the Lord saw that Leah was hated, &c. Take hatred in the common notion, and then surely Jacob was not ⟨p. 138⟩a man so forgetful of a husbands duty, as to hate his wife: the meaning then is only this, The Lord saw that Leah had a less portion of love than Rachel had, or less then her conjugal relation called for. Jacob did not love her with that strength of affection with which he loved Rachel. Which exposition is clear (vers. 30.) and he (namely Jacob) loved Rachel more then Leah; then, Leah was loved, yet Jacobs loving of Rachel more then Leah, is called, hating of Leah. Not to love another in that degree we ought, is a degree of hatred. And in this sense we may take it here; for though such as maliciously, and professedly set themselves against the righteous are chiefly intended and fitted for this vesture of shame; yet it is cut out also for them, who do not love and esteem the righteous, who do not prize and rejoice in them, as the beauty and dignity which Christ hath put upon them, invites them to do. These haters shall be clothed with shame; according to the degree of their hatred shall be the degree of their shame.

Secondly, It is taken comparatively for a lesser or more remisse putting forth of love. He may be said to hate, who wants a due heat and height of love. In that sense Jacob was taxed for hating Leah, Gen. 29.31. When the Lord saw that Leah was hated, &c. Take hatred in the common notion, and then surely Jacob was not ⟨p. 138⟩