3. The words of his mouth are iniquity and deceit. This pair of hell dogs generally hunt together, and what one does not
catch the other will; if iniquity cannot win by oppression, deceit will gain by
chicanery. When the heart is so corrupt as to flatter itself, the tongue
follows suit. God-fearing men make a conscience of their words, and if they sin
through infirmity they do not invent excuses, or go about to boast of their
wickedness; but because wicked men think little of evil and artful speeches, we
may be clear that God rules not in their souls. The original by declaring that
the words of the wicked are falsehood and deceit is particularly strong, as if
they were not only false in quality, but actual falseness itself. He hathleft off to be wise, and to do good. Those who fear God proceed from
strength to strength in the right path, but the godless soon forsake what
little good they once knew. How could people apostatize if they had respect to
the supreme Judge? Is it not because they grow more and more forgetful of God,
that in due season they relinquish even that hypocritical reverence of him
which they maintained in order to flatter their souls?
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