Sacramental meditations upon divers select places of scripture

THIS Scripture gives us the Character and description of an Hypocrite, and he is here described two ways, viz. 1. By what he hath. 2. By what he hath not.

First: The Hypocrite is described by what he hath; he hath God in his ¹mouth: Thou art near in their mouth, (i. e.) they profess with a full mouth, that they are thy People, saith Piscator; or, they speak much about the Law (as another senses it) God, and his Temple, Religion with its rites are much talked of among them, they have him ⟨p. 22⟩in their prayers and duties; and this is all that the Hypocrite hath of God. Religion only sanctifies his tongue that seems to be dedicated to God, but it penetrates no farther; and therefore,

1. 11.

Secondly: He is described by that he hath not, or by what he wants; And, ¹or but thou art far from their reins, (i. e.) they feel not the powers and influences of that name which they so often invocate and talk of, going down to their very reins, and affecting their very hearts; so we must understand this Metaphorical expression here, as the opposition directs. For the reins having so great and sensible a sympathy with the heart, which is the seat of affections and passions, upon that account it is usual in Scripture, to put the reins for those intimate and secret affections, thoughts, and passions of the heart, with which they have so near cognation, and so sensible a sympathy. When the heart is under great consternation, the loins or reins are seized also, as