Proverbs 24:9

Pro 24:9 The thought of foolishness [is] sin: and the scorner [is] an abomination to men.

Ver. 9. The thought of foolishness is sin. ] The schools do well observe, that outward sins are maioris infamiae, of greater infamy; but inward heart sins are maioris reatus, of greater guilt, as we see in devils. See Trapp on " Pro 14:22 "

And the scorner is an abomination to men. ] Witness Julian, Lucian, Porphyry, Julius Scaliger, that proud hypercritic ( qui neminem prae se duxit hominem ), Laurentius Valla, who jeered at other logicians, and extolled his own logic as the only best, calling it Logicam Laurentinam.

“ Iupiter hunc coeli dignatus honore fuisset,

Censorem linguae sed timet ipse suae. ” - Trithem.

But what an odious scorner was Quintinus the libertine, of whom Calvin complains, that he scoffed at every one of the holy apostles? Paul he called a broken vessel, John a foolish youth, Peter a denier of God, Matthew a usurer, En quomodo ille faetoris gurges putido ore suo blasphemare audebat! saith Calvin. a See how this stinking elf doth bark and blaspheme the saints. The basest can mock, as the abjects did David, Psa 35:15 and Tobiah the servant did Nehemiah. Neh 2:19 Scorners are the most base spirits. The Septuagint call them pests, Psa 1:1 incorrigible, Pro 21:1 proud persons, Pro 3:34 naught, Pro 9:12 &c.

a Calv., Inst. Advers. Libert, cap. 9.