Secondly, He is described by that he hath not, or by what he wants; And (or, but) thou art far from their reins: i. e. They feel not the power 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 op- position directs : For the reins, having so great and sensible a sympa- thy with the heart, (which is the seat of the 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 Dan. v. 6. Then the " king's countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, and the joints of his loins Avere loosed."" On the contrary, when the heart is filled with delight and gladness, the reins are said to rejoice ; Prov. xxiii. 16. " Yea,
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imy reins shall rejoice, when thy lips speak right i"^ Totus lailtia d'lS'siliam ; " I shall even leap for joy."*' So then, when the prophet saith, " God is far from the reins of the hypocrite," the meaning is, he feels not the heart-affecting influence and power of religion upon his heart and affections, as God's people do. And hence the note will be,
Doct. That God comes nearer to the hearts and re'ms of Ms peo- pie in their duties, than he doth to any hypocritical, or formal professor.
By God's nearness, we imderstand not his omnipresence (that neither comes nor goes) nor his love to his people (that abides ;) but the sensible, sweet manifestations and outlets of it to their souls. So in Psal. cxlv. 18. " The Lord is nigh unto all that call upon him, unto all that call upon him in truth."
Note, the restriction and limitation of this glorious privilege ; it is the peculiar enjoyment of sincere and upright-hearted worship- pers. Others may have communion with duties, but not with God in them.
But that God comes nigh, -very nigh, to upright hearts in their duties, is a truth as sensibly manifest to spiritual persons, as that they are nigh the fire, when they feel the comfortable heat of it refreshing them in a cold season, when they are almost starved and benumbed with cold. Three things make this evident.
First, Sincere souls are sensible of God's accesses to them in their duties, they feel his approaches to their spirits ; Lam. iii. 57. " Thou drawest near in the day that I called upon thee ; thou saidst, Fear not." And what a surprize was that to the church ; Cant. ii. 8. "It is the voice of my beloved ; behold, he cometh," &c. Certainly there is a felt presence of God, which no words can make another to understand ; they feel that fountain flowing abundantly into the dry- pits, the heart fills apace, the empty thoughts swell with a fulness of spiritual things, which strive for vent.
Secondly, They are sensible of God's recesses, and withdrawment from their spirits ; they feel how the ebb follows tlie flood, and how the waters abate. So you find it in Cant. v. 6. " I opened to my beloved, but my beloved had withdrawn himself, and was gone; my soul failed when he spake : I sought him, but I could not find him : 1 called, but he gave me no answer." The Hebrew is very patheti- cal ; He was gone, he was gone. A sad change of the frame of her lieart quickly followed.
Thirdly, The Lord's nearness to the hearts and reins of his people in their duties, is evident to them from the effects that it leaves upon their spirits. For look as it is with the earth and plants, with respect to the approach or remove of the sun in the spring and autumn ; so it is here as Christ speaks, Luke xxi. 29. " When ye see the fig-tree, and all the trees, shoot forth, ye know that summer is nigh at hand."^ An approaching sun renews the face of the earth, and makes nature
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smile. The trees bud and blossom, the fishes rise, the birds sing ; it is a kind of resurrection to nature from the dead. So it is when the Lord comes near the hearts and reins of men in duty : For then they find that,
Firsts A real taste of the joy of the Lord is here given unto men, the fulness whereof is in heaven, * hence called, 2 Cor. i. 22. " The earnest of his Spirit.'' And 1 Pet. i. 8. Glorified joy ^ or a short salva- tion. Oh ! what is this ! what is this ! Certainly it is something that hath no affinity with flesh, or gross corporeal pleasures ; but it is of another nature, something which transcends all that ever was felt or tasted in this world, since we were first conversant among sen- sible objects.
Second!?/, A mighty strength and power coming into their souls, and actuating all its faculties and graces. When God comes near, new powers enter the soul ; the feeble is as David, Ps. cxxxviii. 3. " In the day that I cried, thou answeredst me, and strength enedst me with strength in my soul." Cant. i. 12. " Whilst the king sit- teth at his table, my spikenard,'' &c. Hope was low, and faith was weak, little strength in any grace, except desires ; but when the Lord comes, strength comes with him. Then as it is, Neh. viii. 10. ^* The joy of the Lord is your strength." O the vigorous sallies of the heart to God ! Psal. Ixiii. 8. " O the strength of love !" Cant. viii. 6. Duties are other manner of things than they were wont to be. " Did not our hearts burn within us !" Luke xxiv. 32.
ThirdJi/, A remarkable transformation and change of spirit fol- lows it.
These things are found to be marvellously assimilating. The sights of God, the felt presence of God, is as fire, which quickly assimilates what is put into it to its own likeness. So 2 Cor. iii. 18. They are said to be " changed from glory to glory." It always leaves the mind more refined and abstracted from gross material things, and changed into the same image. They have a similitude of God upon them, who have God near unto their hearts and reins.
Fourthly ^X vigorous working of the heart heaven- ward ; a mount- ing of the soul upward. Now the soul shews that it hath not forgot its way home again. It is with such a soul as sensibly embraces Christ in the arms of faith, as it was with Simon, when he took him bodily into his arms. " Now (saith he) let thy servant depart in peace, for mine eyes have seen thy salvation." O it would have the wings of a dove, to fly away from this polluted world, this unquiet world, and be at rest.
Infer. l.Then certainly there is an heaven, a7id a state of glory Jbr the saints. Heaven is no dream or night vision : It is sensibly tasted and felt by thousands of witnesses in this world ; they are sure it is no mis- take. God is with them of a truth, in the way of their duties : They
• Pr, Preston, when dying, said, I shall change mjr place, not my company.
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