1Kdo po mnohém pokárání zatvrzuje šíji, bude v okamžiku rozdrcen a nebude pro něj uzdravení. 2Když se množí spravedliví, lid se raduje, když vládne ničema, lidé vzdychají. 3Kdo miluje moudrost, dělá svému otci radost, ale kdo se stýká s prostitutkami, zničí majetek. 4Král upevňuje zemi právem, kdo však zvyšuje dávky, boří ji. 5Kdo lichotí svému bližnímu, rozprostírá síť na jeho nohy. 6V přestoupení zlého člověka je léčka, ale spravedlivý volá a raduje se. 7Spravedlivý bere ohled na právní nárok chudých, ničema ohledy nechápe. 8Posměvači rozruší město, ale moudří odvrátí hněv. 9Když se moudrý soudí s hlupákem, třese se zlostí či vysmívá, klidu nemá. 10Krvelační nenávidí bezúhonného, avšak přímí hledají jeho život. 11Hlupák nechá propuknout celý svůj hněv, ale moudrý ho zadrží. 12Když vládce věnuje pozornost lživému slovu, všichni jeho služebníci budou ničemy. 13Chudý a utlačovatel se potkávají, světlo očím dává oběma Hospodin. 14Když král soudí chudé podle pravdy, jeho trůn bude navěky pevně stát. 15Hůl a pokárání dá moudrost, ale chlapec ponechaný sám sobě dělá hanbu své matce. 16Když se množí ničemové, množí se přestoupení, ale spravedliví uvidí jejich pád. 17Kárej svého syna a dá ti odpočinek, dá potěšení tvé duši. 18Když není vidění, lid je bez zábran, ale šťastný je ten, kdo zachovává zákon. 19Otrok se nedá pokárat pouhými slovy, i když rozumí, nereaguje. 20Viděl jsi člověka, který je ukvapený ve svých slovech? Pro hlupáka je víc naděje než pro něj! 21Kdo od mládí hýčká svého otroka, nakonec bude mít žal. 22Hněvivý člověk podněcuje svár, vztekloun se dopouští mnoha přestoupení. 23Člověka poníží jeho pýcha, ale ponížený duch získá slávu. 24Kdo se dělí se zlodějem, nenávidí svou duši; uslyší prokletí, ale neoznámí to. 25Strach z lidí klade léčku, kdo však doufá v Hospodina, bude v bezpečí. 26Mnozí usilují o přízeň vládce, ale právo pro člověka pochází od Hospodina. 27Pro spravedlivého je ohavností špatný člověk, pro ničemu je ohavností ten, kdo jde přímou cestou.
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary 1 Here, 1. The obstinacy of many wicked people in a wicked way is to be greatly lamented. They are
often reproved by parents and friends, by magistrates and ministers, by the providence of God and by their own consciences, have had their sins set in order before them and fair warning given them of the consequences of them, but all in vain; they
harden their necks. Perhaps they fling away, and will not so much as give the reproof a patient hearing; or, if they do, yet they go on in the sins for which they are reproved; they will not bow their necks to the yoke, but are children of Belial; they refuse reproof (
Prov 10:17), despise it (
Prov 5:12), hate it,
Prov 12:1. 2. The issue of this obstinacy is to be greatly dreaded: Those that go on in sin, in spite of admonition,
shall be destroyed; those that will not be reformed must expect to be ruined; if the rods answer not the end, expect the axes. They
shall be suddenly destroyed, in the midst of their security,
and without remedy; they have sinned against the preventing remedy, and therefore let them not expect any recovering remedy. Hell is remediless destruction. They
shall be destroyed, and no healing, so the word is. If God wounds, who can heal?
2 This is what was said before,
Prov 28:12,
Prov 28:28. 1.
The people will have cause to
rejoice or
mourn according as their rulers are
righteous or
wicked; for, if
the righteous be in
authority, sin will be punished and restrained, religion and virtue will be supported and kept in reputation;
but, if
the wicked get power in their hands, wickedness will abound, religion and religious people will be persecuted, and so the ends of government will be perverted. 2.
The people will actually
rejoice or
mourn according as their rulers are
righteous or
wicked. Such a conviction are even the common people under of the excellency of virtue and religion that they will rejoice when they see them preferred and countenanced; and, on the contrary, let men have ever so much honour or power, if they be wicked and vicious, and use it ill, they
make themselves contemptible and base before all the people (as those priests,
Mal 2:9) and subjects will think themselves miserable under such a government.
3 Both the parts of this verse repeat what has been often said, but, on comparing them together, the sense of them will be enlarged from each other. 1. Be it observed, to the honour of a virtuous young man, that he
loves wisdom, he is
a philosopher (for that signifies
a lover of wisdom ), for religion is the best philosophy; he avoids bad company, and especially the company of lewd women. Hereby he
rejoices his parents, and has the satisfaction of being a comfort to them, and increases his estate, and is likely to live comfortably. 2. Be it observed, to the reproach of a vicious young man, that he hates
wisdom; he keeps company with scandalous women, who will be his ruin, both in soul and body; he grieves his parents, and, like the prodigal son, devours their living
with harlots. Nothing will beggar men sooner than the lusts of uncleanness; and the best preservative from those ruinous lusts is
wisdom. 4 Here is, 1. The happiness of a people under a good government. The care and business of a prince should be to
establish the land, to maintain its fundamental laws, to settle the minds of his subjects and make them easy, to secure their liberties and properties from hostilities and for posterity, and to set in order the things that are wanting; this he must do
by judgment, by wise counsels, and by the steady administration of justice, without respect of persons, which will have these good effects. 2. The misery of a people under a bad government:
A man of oblations (so it is in the margin)
overthrows the land; a man that is either sacrilegious or superstitious, or that invades the priest's office, as Saul and Uzziah - or a man that aims at nothing but getting money, and will, for a good bribe, connive at the most guilty, and, in hope of one, persecute the innocent - such governors as these will ruin a country.
5 Those may be said to
flatter their neighbours who commend and applaud that good in them (the good they do or the good they have) which really either is not or is not such as they represent it, and who profess that esteem and that affection for them which really they have not; these
spread a net for their feet. 1. For their neighbours' feet, whom they
flatter. They have an ill design in it; they would not praise them as they do but that they hope to make an advantage of them; and it is therefore wisdom to suspect those who flatter us, that they are secretly laying a snare for us, and to stand on our guard accordingly. Or it has an ill effect on those who are flattered; it puffs them up with pride, and makes them conceited and confident of themselves, and so proves a net that entangles them in sin. 2. For their own feet; so some understand it. He that flatters others, in expectation that they will return his compliments and flatter him, does but make himself ridiculous and odious even to those he flatters.
6 Here is, 1. The peril of a sinful way. There is not only a punishment at the end of it, but
a snare in it. One sin is a temptation to another, and there are troubles which, as
a snare, come suddenly upon evil men in the midst of their transgressions; nay, their transgression itself often involves them in vexations; their sin is their punishment, and they are
holden in the cords of their own iniquity, Prov 5:22. 2. The pleasantness of the way of holiness. The snare that is
in the transgression of evil men spoils all their mirth,
but righteous men are kept from those snares, or delivered out of them; they walk at liberty, walk in safety, and therefore they
sing and rejoice. Those that make God their chief joy have him for their exceeding joy, and it is their own fault if they do not
rejoice evermore. If there be any true joy on this side heaven, doubtless those have it whose conversation is in heaven.
7 It is a pity but that every one who sues
sub form pauperis -
as a pauper, should have an honest cause (they are of all others inexcusable if they have not), because the scripture has so well provided that it should have a fair hearing, and that the judge himself should be of counsel, as for the prisoner, so for the pauper. 1. It is here made the character of a
righteous judge that he
considers the cause of the poor. It is every man's duty to consider the poor (
Pss 41:1), but the judgment of the poor is to be considered by those that sit in judgment; they must take as much pains to find out the right in a poor man's cause as in a rich man's. Sense of justice must make both judge and advocate as solicitous and industrious in the poor man's cause as if they hoped for the greatest advantage. 2. It is made the character of a
wicked man that because it is a poor man's cause, which there is nothing to be got by, he
regards not to know it, in the true state of it, for he cares not which way it goes, right or wrong. See
Job 29:16.
8 See here, 1. Who are the men that are dangerous to the public -
scornful men. When such are employed in the business of the state they do things with precipitation, because they scorn to deliberate, and will not take time for consideration and consultation; they do things illegal and unjustifiable, because they scorn to be hampered by laws and constitutions; they break their faith, because they scorn to be bound by their word, and provoke the people, because they scorn to please them. Thus they
bring a city into a snare by their ill conduct, or (as the margin reads it) they
set a city on fire; they sow discord among the citizens and run them into confusion. Those are
scornful men that mock at religion, the obligations of conscience, the fears of another world, and every thing that is sacred and serious. Such men are the plagues of their generation; they bring God's judgments upon a land, set men together by the ears, and so bring all to confusion. 2. Who are the men that are the blessings of a land - the
wise men who by promoting religion, which is true wisdom,
turn away the wrath of God, and who, by prudent counsels, reconcile contending parties and prevent the mischievous consequences of divisions. Proud and foolish men kindle the fires which wise and good men must extinguish.
9 A wise man is here advised not to set his wit to a fool's, not to dispute with him, or by contending with him to think either of fastening reason upon him or gaining right from him:
If a wise man contend with a wise man, he may hope to be understood, and, as far as he has reason and equity on his side, to carry his point, at least to bring the controversy to a head and make it issue amicably; but, if he
contend with a foolish man, there is no rest; he will see no end of it, nor will he have any satisfaction in it, but must expect to be always uneasy. 1. Whether the foolish man he contends with
rage or laugh, whether he take angrily or scornfully what is said to him, whether he rail at it or mock at it, one of the two he will do, and so there will be
no rest. However it is given, it will be ill-taken, and the wisest man must expect to be either scolded or ridiculed if he
contend with a fool. He that fights with a dunghill, whether he be conqueror or conquered, is sure to be defiled. 2. Whether the wise man himself
rage or laugh, whether he take the serious or the jocular way of dealing with the fool, whether he be severe or pleasant with him, whether he come with a rod or with
the spirit of meekness (
1Cor 4:21), it is all alike, no good is done.
We have piped unto you, and you have not danced, mourned unto you, and you have not lamented. 10 Note, 1. Bad men hate their best friends:
The blood-thirsty, all the seed of the old serpent, who
was a murderer from the beginning, all that inherit his enmity against the seed of the woman,
hate the upright; they seek the ruin of good men because they condemn the wicked world and witness against it. Christ told his disciples that they should be
hated of all men. Bloody men do especially
hate upright magistrates, who would restrain and reform them, and put the laws in execution against them, and so really do them a kindness. 2. Good men love their worst enemies:
The just, whom the bloody men hate,
seek their soul, pray for their conversion, and would gladly do any thing for their salvation. This Christ taught us.
Father, forgive them. The just seek his soul, that is, the soul of the upright, whom the bloody hate (so it is commonly understood), seek to protect it from violence, and save it from, or avenge it at, the hands of
the blood-thirsty. 11 Note, 1. It is a piece of weakness to be very open: He is
a fool who
utters all his mind, - who tells every thing he knows, and has in his mouth instantly whatever he has in his thoughts, and can keep no counsel, - who, whatever is started in discourse, quickly shoots his bolt, - who, when he is provoked, will say any thing that comes uppermost, whoever is reflected upon by it, - who, when he is to speak of any business, will say all he thinks, and yet never thinks he says enough, whether choice or refuse, corn or chaff, pertinent or impertinent, you shall have it all. 2. It is a piece of wisdom to be upon the reserve:
A wise man will not
utter all his mind at once, but will take time for a second thought, or reserve the present thought for a fitter time, when it will be more pertinent and likely to answer his intention; he will not deliver himself in a continued speech, or starched discourse, but with pauses, that he may hear what is to be objected and answer it.
Non minus interdum oratorium est tacere quam dicere -
True oratory requires an occasional pause. Plin. Ep. 7.6.
12 Note, 1. It is a great sin in any, especially in rulers, to
hearken to lies; for thereby they not only give a wrong judgment themselves of persons and things, according to the lies they give credit to, but they encourage others to give wrong informations. Lies will be told to those that will hearken to them; but the receiver, in this case, is as bad as the thief. 2. Those that do so will have
all their servants wicked. All their servants will appear wicked, for they will have lies told of them; and they will be wicked, for they will tell lies to them. All that have their ear will fill their ear with slanders and false characters and representations; and so if princes, as well as people, will be deceived, they shall be deceived, and, instead of devolving the guilt of their own false judgments upon their servants that misinformed them, they must share in their servants' guilt, and on them will much of the blame lie for encouraging such misinformations and giving countenance and ear to them.
13 This shows how wisely the great God serves the designs of his providence by persons of very different tempers, capacities, and conditions in the world, even, 1. By those that are contrary the one to the other. Some are
poor and forced to borrow; others are rich, have a great deal of
the mammon of unrighteousness (
deceitful riches they are called), and they are creditors, or
usurers, as it is in the margin. Some are
poor, and honest, and laborious; others are rich, slothful, and
deceitful. They
meet together in the business of this world, and have dealings with one another, and
the Lord enlightens both their eyes; he causes his sun to shine upon both and gives them both the comforts of this life. To some of both sorts he gives his grace. He enlightens the eyes of the poor by giving them patience, and of the deceitful by giving them repentance, as Zaccheus. 2. By those that we think could best be spared.
The poor and the deceitful we are ready to look upon as blemishes of Providence, but God makes even them to display the beauty of Providence; he has wise ends not only in leaving the poor always with us, but in permitting
the deceived and the deceiver, for both
are his (
Job 12:16) and turn to his praise.
14 Here is, 1. The duty of magistrates, and that is, to judge faithfully between man and man, and to determine all causes brought before them, according to truth and equity, particularly to take care of
the poor, not to countenance them in an unjust cause for the sake of their poverty (
Exod 23:3), but to see that their poverty do not turn to their prejudice if they have a just cause. The rich will look to themselves, but
the poor and needy the prince must
defend (
Pss 82:3) and plead for,
Prov 31:9. 2. The happiness of those magistrates that do their duty. Their
throne of honour, their tribunal of judgment,
shall be established for ever. This will secure to them the favour of God and strengthen their interest in the affections of their people, both which will be the establishment of their power, and help to transmit it to posterity and perpetuate it in the family.
15 Parents, in educating their children, must consider, 1. The benefit of due correction. They must not only tell their children what is good and evil, but they must chide them, and correct them too, if need be, when they either neglect that which is good or do that which is evil. If a
reproof will serve without
the rod, it is well, but
the rod must never be used without a rational and grave
reproof; and then, though it may be a present uneasiness both to the father and to the child, yet it will
give wisdom. Vexatio dat intellectum -
Vexation sharpens the intellect. The child will take warning, and so will get
wisdom. 2. The mischief of undue indulgence:
A child that is not restrained or reproved, but is
left to himself, as Adonijah was, to follow his own inclinations, may do well if he will, but, if he take to ill courses, nobody will hinder him; it is a thousand to one but he proves a disgrace to his family, and
brings his mother, who fondled him and humoured him in his licentiousness,
to shame, to poverty, to reproach, and perhaps will himself be abusive to her and give her ill language.
16 Note, 1. The more sinners there are the more sin there is:
When the wicked, being countenanced by authority, grow numerous, and walk on every side, no marvel if
transgression increases, as a plague in the country is said to increase when still more and more are infected with it.
Transgression grows more impudent and bold, more imperious and threatening, when there are many to keep it in countenance. In the old world, when
men began to multiply, they began to degenerate and corrupt themselves and one another. 2. The more sin there is the nearer is the ruin threatened. Let not
the righteous have their faith and hope shocked by the increase of sin and sinners. Let them not say that they have
cleansed their hands in vain, or that
God has forsaken the earth, but wait with patience; the transgressors shall fall, the measure of their iniquity will be full, and then they shall fall from their dignity and power, and fall into disgrace and destruction, and
the righteous shall have the satisfaction of
seeing their fall (
Pss 37:34), perhaps in this world, certainly in the judgment of the great day, when the fall of God's implacable enemies will be the joy and triumph of glorified saints. See
Isa 66:24;
Gen 19:28.
17 Note, 1. It is a very happy thing when children prove the comfort of their parents. Good children are so; they
give them rest, make them easy, and free from the many cares they have had concerning them;
yea, they
give delight unto their souls. It is a pleasure to parents, which none know but those that are blessed with it, to see the happy fruit of the good education they have given their children, and to have a prospect of their well-doing for both worlds; it
gives delight proportionable to the many thoughts of heart that have been concerning them. 2. In order to this, children must be trained up under a strict discipline, and not suffered to do what they will and to go without rebuke when they do amiss. The foolishness bound up in their hearts must by correction be driven out when they are young, or it will break out, to their own and their parents' shame, when they are grown up.
18 See here, I. The misery of the people that want a settled ministry:
Where there is no vision, no prophet to expound the law, no priest or Levite to teach the good knowledge of the Lord, no means of grace, the word of the Lord is scarce, there is
no open vision (
1Sam 3:1), where it is so
the people perish; the word has many significations, any of which will apply here. 1.
The people are made naked, stripped of their ornaments and so exposed to shame, stripped of their armour and so exposed to danger. How bare does a place look without Bibles and ministers, and what an easy prey is it to the enemy of souls! 2.
The people rebel, not only against God, but against their prince; good preaching would make people good subjects, but, for want of it, they are turbulent and factious, and
despise dominions, because they know no better. 3.
The people are idle, or
they play, as the scholars are apt to do when the master is absent; they do nothing to any good purpose, but stand all the day idle, and sporting in the market-place, for want of instruction what to do and how to do it. 4.
They are scattered as sheep having no shepherd, for want of the masters of assemblies to call them and keep them together,
Mark 6:34. They are scattered from God and their duty by apostasies, from one another by divisions; God is provoked to scatter them by his judgments,
2Chr 15:3,
2Chr 15:5. 5.
They perish; they are
destroyed for lack of knowledge, Hos 4:6. See what reason we have to be thankful to God for the plenty of
open vision which we enjoy.
II. The felicity of a people that have not only a settled, but a successful ministry among them, the people that hear and
keep the law, among whom religion is uppermost;
happy are such a people and every particular person among them. It is not having the law, but obeying it, and living up to it, that will entitle us to blessedness.
19 Here is the description of an unprofitable, slothful, wicked servant, a slave that serves not from conscience, or love, but purely from fear. Let those that have such servants put on patience to bear the vexation and not disturb themselves at it. See their character. 1. No rational words will work upon them; they
will not be corrected and reformed, not brought to their business, nor cured of their idleness and laziness, by fair means, no, nor by foul
words; even the most gentle master will be forced to use severity with them; no reason will serve their turn, for they are unreasonable. 2. No rational words will be got from them. They are dogged and sullen; and,
though they understand the questions you ask them, they
will not give you an
answer; though you make it ever so plain to them what you expect from them, they will not promise you to mend what is amiss nor to mind their business. See the folly of those servants whose mouth by their silence calls for strokes; they might
be corrected by words and save blows, but they
will not. 20 Solomon here shows that there is little hope of bringing a man to wisdom that is hasty either, 1. Through rashness and inconsideration:
Seest thou a man that is hasty in his matters, that is of a light desultory wit, that seems to take a thing quickly, but takes it by the halves, gallops over a book or science, but takes no time to digest it, no time to pause or muse upon a business?
There is more hope of making a scholar and a wise man of one that is dull and heavy, and slow in his studies, than of one that has such a mercurial genius and cannot fix. 2. Through pride and conceitedness:
Seest thou a man that is forward to speak to every matter that is started, and affects to speak first to it, to open it, and speak last to it, to give judgment upon it, as if he were an oracle?
There is more hope of a modest
fool, who is sensible of his folly, than of such a self-conceited one.
21 Note, 1. It is an imprudent thing in a master to be too fond of a servant, to advance him too fast, and admit him to be too familiar with him, to suffer him to be over-nice and curious in his diet, and clothing, and lodging, and so to bring him up delicately, because he is a favourite, and an agreeable servant; it should be remembered that he is a servant, and, by being thus indulged, will be spoiled for any other place. Servants must endure hardness. 2. It is an ungrateful thing in a servant, but what is very common, to behave insolently because he has been used tenderly. The humble prodigal thinks himself unworthy
to be called a son, and is content to be a servant; the pampered slave thinks himself too good to be called
a servant, and will be
a son at the length, will take his ease and liberty, will be on a par with his master, and perhaps pretend to the inheritance. Let masters
give their servants that which is equal and fit for them, and neither more nor less. This is very applicable to the body, which is a servant to the soul; those that
delicately bring up the body, that humour it, and are over-tender of it, will find that at length it will forget its place, and
become a son, a master, a perfect tyrant.
22 See here the mischief that flows from an angry, passionate, furious disposition. 1. It makes men provoking to one another:
An angry man stirs up strife, is troublesome and quarrelsome in the family and in the neighbourhood, blows the coals, and even forces those to fall out with him that would live peaceable and quietly by him. 2. It makes men provoking to God:
A furious man, who is wedded to his humours and passions, cannot but
abound in transgressions. Undue anger is a sin which is the cause of many sins; it not only hinders men from calling upon God's name, but it occasions their swearing, and cursing, and profaning God's name.
23 This agrees with what Christ said more than once, 1. That those who
exalt themselves shall be abased. Those that think to gain respect by lifting up themselves above their rank, by looking high, talking big, appearing fine, and applauding themselves, will on the contrary expose themselves to contempt, lose their reputation, and provoke God by humbling providences to bring them down and lay them
low. 2. That those who
humble themselves shall be exalted, and shall be established in their dignity:
Honour shall uphold the humble in spirit; their humility is their honour, and that shall make them truly and safely great, and recommend them to the esteem of all that are wise and good.
24 See here what sin and ruin those involve themselves in who are drawn away by the enticement of sinners. 1. They incur a great deal of guilt:
He does so that goes
partner with such as rob and defraud, and
casts in his lot among them, Prov 1:11, etc. The receiver is as bad as the thief; and, being drawn in to join with him in the commission of the sin, he cannot escape joining with him in the concealment of it, though it be with the most horrid perjuries and execrations. They
hear cursing when they are sworn to tell the whole truth, but they will not confess. 2. They hasten to utter ruin: They even
hate their own souls, for they wilfully do that which will be the inevitable destruction of them. See the absurdities sinners are guilty of; they love death, than which nothing is more dreadful, and
hate their own souls, than which nothing is more dear.
25 Here, 1. We are cautioned not to dread the power of man, neither the power of a prince nor the power of the multitude; both are formidable enough, but the slavish fear of either
brings a snare, that is, exposes men to many insults (some take a pride in terrifying the timorous), or rather exposes men to many temptations. Abraham, for
fear of man, denied his wife, and Peter his Master, and many a one his God and religion. We must not shrink from duty, nor commit sin, to avoid the wrath of man, nor, though we see it coming upon us, be disquieted with fear,
Dan 3:16;
Pss 118:6. He must himself die (
Isa 51:12) and can but kill our body,
Luke 12:5. 2. We are encouraged to depend upon the power of God, which would keep us from all that
fear of man which has either torment or temptation in it.
Whoso puts his trust in the Lord, for protection and supply in the way of duty,
shall be set on high, above the power of man and above the fear of that power. A holy confidence in God makes a man both great and easy, and enables him to look with a gracious contempt upon the most formidable designs of hell and earth against him. If God be my salvation,
I will trust and not be afraid. 26 See here, 1. What is the common course men take to advance and enrich themselves, and make themselves great: they
seek the ruler's favour, and, as if all their judgment proceeded from him, to him they make all their court. Solomon was himself a
ruler, and knew with what sedulity men made their application to him, some on one errand, others on another, but all for his
favour. It is the way of the world to make interest with great men, and expect much from the smiles of second causes, which yet are uncertain, and frequently disappoint them.
Many take a great deal of pains in seeking
the ruler's favour and yet cannot have it; many have it for a little while, but they cannot keep themselves in it, by some little turn or other they are brought under his displeasure; many have it, and keep it, and yet it does not answer their expectation, they cannot make that hand of it that they promised themselves they should. Haman had
the ruler's favour, and yet it availed him nothing. 2. What is the wisest course men can take to be happy. Let them look up to God, and seek the favour of the Ruler of rulers; for
every man's judgment proceeds from the Lord. It is not with us as the ruler pleases; his favour cannot make us happy, his frowns cannot make us miserable. But it is as God pleases; every creature is that to us that God makes it to be, no more and no other. He is the first Cause, on which all second causes depend; if he help not, they cannot,
2Kgs 6:27;
Job 34:29.
27 This expresses not only the innate contrariety that there is between virtue and vice, as between light and darkness, fire and water, but the old enmity that has always been between the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent,
Gen 3:15. 1. All that are sanctified have a rooted antipathy to wickedness and wicked people. They have a good will to the souls of all (God has, and would have none perish); but they hate the ways and practices of those that are impious towards God and injurious towards men; they cannot hear of them nor speak of them without a holy indignation; they loathe the society of the ungodly and unjust, and dread the thought of giving them any countenance, but do all they can to bring the wickedness of the wicked to an end. Thus
an unjust man makes himself odious
to the just, and it is one part of his present shame and punishment that good men cannot endure him. 2. All that are unsanctified have a like rooted antipathy to godliness and godly people:
He that is upright in the way, that makes conscience of what he says and does,
is an abomination to the wicked, whose wickedness is restrained perhaps and suppressed, or, at least, shamed and condemned, by the uprightness of the upright. Thus Cain did, who was
of his father the devil. And this is not only the wickedness of the wicked, that they hate those whom God loves, but their misery too, that they hate those whom them shall shortly see in everlasting bliss and honour, and who shall have
dominion over them in the morning, Pss 49:14.
