Commentary upon the Prophecy of Isaiah

He useth then the figure called Synecdoche, a thing very frequent in Scriptures; when a part is taken for the whole. But he made choice of that part which was very fit for his purpose; seeing men are wont to make most show of godliness by the tongue and lips. The Prophet then comprehends all the other parts of Gods worship, whereby hypocrites are wont to counterfeit and deceive, for they are every way bent to lying and vanity.

Hee vseth then the figure called Synecdoche, a thing very frequent in Scriptures; when a part is taken for the whole. But hee made choice of that part which was verie fit for his purpose; seeing men are wont to make most shew of godlinesse by the tongue and lips. The Prophet then comprehends all the other parts of Gods worship, whereby hypocrits are wont to counterfet and deceiue, for they are euerie way bent to lying and vanitie.

We need seek no better expositor of these words then Jesus Christ, who upon the speech of washing of hands, (wherewith the Pharisees reproved the Disciples, because they had omitted so holy an act in their conceit) that he might convince them of hypocrisy, saith, Isaiah prophesied well of you, O ye hypocrites, saying, This people honours me with their lips, but their heart is far off from me: Matth. 15.7, 8. To the lips and mouth therefore the Prophet opposeth the heart; the integrity whereof God chiefly requires of us. For if we want that, he rejects all our works, carry they never so goodly a show in the eyes of men. For as himself is a Spirit,¹ so also will he be adored and worshipped of us in heart and spirit: at which end, if we begin not, we may do what we will in outward show, but it shall ⟨p. 289⟩every whit be accounted nothing else but vain ostentation.