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19. The desire accomplished is sweet to the soul: but it is abomination to fools to depart from evil.
This must be limited to “the desire of the righteous.”† As that is “only good,” it “will be granted” (Chapter 11:23; 10:24); and the accomplishment is sweet to the soul. Infinitely sweeter will be the full, the eternal, accomplishment — “I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.” (Psalm 17:15.)
May not all enjoy this sweetness? All might, but all will not, be happy. The object is so revolting to the “enmity of the carnal mind.” Perhaps those, who have been early trained in the ways of God cannot experimentally estimate the bitterness of this enmity. But what can give a more awful view of this principle than the truth, that what is abomination to God to see, is abomination to the fool to depart from! (Chapter 15:21.) A striking figure of heaven and hell, in full contrast; with the great gulf that is fixed between them! Holiness makes heaven; sin makes hell. See then for which place the ungodly are fitting. Hatred of holiness is meetness for hell. Oh! what a mighty change must that be that can slay the enmity, and make it to the soul an abomination to commit evil, as it now is to depart from it!
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