HENRY THOMAS BUCKLE, - Horntip

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2 Kings, chap. VIII. verfe 12, The Ion who comes out
of thy re:ns. From whence Tertullian, in his book
On the refurreetion of the flefh, calls the reins con-
fcious of feed. Hefychius, the preibyter, in his com-
mentaries on Leviticus, lib. T, lays—The reins are the
fervants of the feed in coition ; and foon after, The
feeds of coition are in the reins. St. Augullin, on the
eighth pfalm, writes, That the pleafures of venery are
fignified by the word reins. And St. Jerome, in his
/commentary on the prophet Nahum, affirms, That all
the parts that contribute to coition come under the
.appellation of the reins ; and he repeats almoft the
fame word often in his commentary on Ezekiel.
Farther, Nicolas Lyra explains thefe words of Jere-
miah ; and the fame in the Revelations, Searching
the reins and heart, thus examining and punning
libidinous and evil thoughts. For, in the Scripture
language, by the heart is meant the thoughts ; and by
the reins is underftood concupifcence. Therefore the
Pfalmift, in the twenty-fixth pfalm, defires GOD to
purify his heart and reins ; and the church, from him,
ufes it in the fame fenfe in this hymn, Purify our reins
and heart by the fire of thy Holy Spirit, that we may
lerve thee with a chalk body, and be accepted by
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thee