THE UPRIGHT MANS CHARACTER AND Crown Preached in a SERMON at Pauls before the right Honourable the Lord Major and the Aldermen of the City of London March 29. 1657. By THOMAS WATSON Minister of Stephens Walbrook LONDON Quid sinceritate divitius quae satis sibi abundat sua puritate contenta est non abrodit haec virtas nec se invarias artes commutat Quid fortius nam timere non novit Hierom. He that walketh uprightly walketh surely Prov. 10. 9. Better is the poor that walketh in his uprightnesse then he that is perverse in his wayes though he be rich Prov. 28. 6. London Printed for Ralph Smith at the Bible in Cornhill neer the Royal Exchange 1657. TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE Robert Tichborn Lord Mayor The Right Worshipful the Sheriffs with the rest of the Aldermen of the famous City of LONDON Right Honourable and Right Worshipful I Have been unwillingly drawn forth to this work wherein I must expose some of my unpolished thoughts to the publick view but your injunction together with the weightiness of the subject did at last prevail with me if there be any thing of moment to be look'd after it is truth in the inward parts by this we resemble him who is Truth and without it our title to heaven is but forged Aquinas tells us error in principio gravissimus 't is dangerous to erre in principles How many glorious frontispieces of profession have fallen because built upon unsound and crack'd foundations it is the designe of this ensuing discourse to Characterize and decipher the upright man He is undiquaque insignis his Motto may be semper idem like Aristotles {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} throw him which way you will he is still upright We have many sights to be seene in this City but if there be any shew worth seeing it is to behold the upright man who hath the Spirit of glory and of God resting on him Vprightnesse is that currant coyne which hath Gods impresse stamped upon it and though it may want something of angelical perfection yet it shall alwayes have graines of allowance Vprightnesse will not onely secure our selves but it will entaile a blessing upon our Posterity Proverbs 20. 7. The just man walketh in his integrity his seed are blessed after him I have made some little alteration in this Sermon and have inserted one or two Characters more because else the worke had been incompleat and the upright man would not have been perfect What I preached to your eares I now present to your eyes and that you may be transformed into the similitude of it shall be the prayer of him who is Your Honours and Worships in all Gospel-service THOMAS WATSON From my Study at Steph. Walbrook this 19. of June 1657. THE UPRIGHT MANS CHARACTER PSAL. 37. 37. Mark the perfect man and behold the upright for the end of that man is peace SIncerity is of Universal importance to a Christian 'T is the sauce which seasons Religion and makes it savoury Sincerity is the Jewel that God is most delighted with Psalm 51. 6. Behold thou desirest truth in the inward parts and to speak plain all our pompous shew of holinesse without this soul of sincerity to enliven it is but folly set forth in its embroydery 't is but going to hell in a more devout manner then others The consideration of which hath put me upon this subject in this place of solemne worship and concourse and to quicken your attention you have God himselfe calling to you to take notice in these words observa integrum Mark the perfect man and behold the upright for the end of that man is peace The Hebrew word for upright {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} hath two significations 1. It signifies plainesse of heart the upright man is not pleated in folds * he is without collusion or double-dealing In his Spirit there is no guile Psal. 32. 2. That verse in Virgil suits too many Spem vultu simulat praemit altum corde dolorem The upright man hath no Subterfuges his tongue and his heart go together as a well-made Dial goes with the Sunne he is down-right upright 2. This word Upright signifies a man approved the upright man is one whom God thinks highly of and better have Gods approbation then the worlds acclamation the plainer the Diamond is the richer and the more plaine the heart is the more it shines in Gods eyes In the words there are three parts 1. The Prospect the Upright man 2. The Aspect Behold 3. The Reason for the end of that man is peace Or thus 1. Here is the godly mans Character He is upright 2. His Crown the end of that man is peace The words present us with this doctrinal conclusion The end of an upright man is crowned with peace That I may illustrate this I shall shew you 1. Who this upright man is that we may know him when we meet him 2. The blessed end he makes {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} the end of that man is peace 1. Who this upright man is I shall shew you the innocency of Christs dove we live in an age wherein most pretend to Saint-ship but 't is to be feared they are not upright Saints but like the woman in the Gospel whom Satan bowed together Luke 13. 11. I shall give you several {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} or Characteristical signs of an upright Christian I. The upright man his heart is for God Hence that phrase {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} upright in heart Psal. 64. 10. 'T is the heart God calls for Prov. 23. 26. My sonne give me thy heart the heart is a Virgin hath many suitors and among the rest God himself becomes a suitor The heart is like the primum mobile which carries all the others Orbes along with it If the heart be for God then our teares our almes all is for God The heart is the Fort-royal that commands all the rest The high-Priest when he was to cut up the beast for sacrifice the first thing he looked upon was the heart and if that had any blemish it was rejected 'T is not the guift but the heart God respects * This people honour me with their lips but their heart is removed farre from me Esay 29. 13. they did movere not vivere like the finger that moves upon the Dial but there is no life within or like the tombs in the Church which have their eyes and hands lifted up to heaven but no heart to animate that devotion * in Religion the heart is all Ephes. 5. 19. Making melody in your hearts to the Lord 'T is the heart makes the musick The upright man gives God his heart 'T is reported of Cranmer that after his flesh and bones were consum'd in the flame his heart was found whole so an upright man in the midst of his infirmities his
2. A wicked man may die in a lethargy but not in peace Nabal died quietly * but he were a fool that would wish his soul with Nabals Conscience may be like a Lion asleep but when this Lion awakes it will roare upon the sinner Answ. 3. A wicked man may die in presumption but not in peace he hopes all is well with him but there 's a great deal of difference between presumption and peace It will be so much the worse to go to hell with hope of heaven a wicked man phancies to himself a good condition he dies in a phancy but not in peace and observe for the most part God drives a sinner out of his fools Paradise before he dies God lets loose conscience upon him guilt spoiles his musick and before his life is cut off his hope is cut off * I will conclude this with that saying of Christ Luke 11. 21. While the strong man keeps possession all his goods are in peace The peace a sinner seemes to have is but the Devils peace His serenity is but security and whatever he may promise himself Satan doth but still him with rattles He that lives gracelesse dies peacelesse Use 2. Here is infinite comfort to the upright man his end is peace If you look to the beginning of his life it is not eligible * his life is interwoven with troubles {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} we are troubled on every side 2 Cor. 4. 8. like a ship that hath the waves beating on both sides but the end is peace and the smoothnesse of the end may make amends for the ruggednesse of the way The upright man though he lives in a storme he dies in a calme Ier. 31. 17. There is hope in thine end The end crowns al The upright man though he drinks worm-wood while he lives yet he swims in honey when he dies the upright man with Simeon departs in peace Luke 2. 29. and his ending in peace is but his entrance into peace Isa. 57. 2. He shall enter into peace his dying-day is his marriage-day Grace gives both the flowers and the crop the sweet flowers of peace here and the full crop of glory hereafter Paula that religious Lady when one had read to her that Scripture Cant. 2. 11. The singing of birds is come yes saith she the singing of birds is now come and so being full of peace mounted off from her death-bed and went triumphing and as it were singing to heaven Then shout for joy all ye that are upright in heart Ps. 32. 11. peace is that never-fading garland which shall be set upon the head of the upright so saith my Text Mark the perfect man and behold the upright for the end of that man is peace FINIS 1. * In animis hominū multae latebrae Cicero Virg. 1. aeneid 2. Doct. 1. The upright mans Character I. Charact. * Neque enim in sacrifici is munera sed corda in spexit Deus Cyprian * A simulo fit simulachrum quod sit ficta imago alicujus Nonintuetur dominus quantum valeas sed quantum velis Greg. Moral. l. 12. * Hos. 10. 2 II. Charact. 1. False Rule * Nunquam magis periclitatur religio quam inter reverendissimos Luther * Adamas Ecclesiae Tertul. 2. False Rule 3. False Rule 4. False Rule * Job 29. 3. Sint castae delitiaemeae Scripturae Aug. 2 Pet. 1. 18 Verse 19 III. Charact. 1 * Ille apud Deum plus habet loci qui plus attulit non argenti sed fidei Aug. de ovib * Tertul. Juxta mensuram fidei erit mensura impetrandi Cyprian * Transfigit cor hominis excoquit desiderium aestibus amor Dei Bede * {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Arist. * Plus amat Christum quam timet gehennam Bern. IV. Charact. * Rom. 3. 23 Licet parvulus ex collo pendeat nepos licet mater mihi ubera ostendat c. Hier. 1. * Salvian 2 * Animalia gloriae vilia popularis aurae mancipia Hierom. V. Charact. * Tit. 2. 12 Sublata quacunque parte integrante tollitur totum Mat. 23 23. * Num. 14. 24. VI Charact. VII Charact. VIII Charact. * Nemo est tantae sanctitatis quin ad us num pcccatum quam ad caetera propensior Carrwr * {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Arist Rhet. l. 2. c. 5. IX Charact. * {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Ignat. ep 7. ad Smyrn. X. Charact. * 2 Cor. 12. 26. * Tantò quisque perfectior est quantò perfectius sentit dolores alienos Greg. in Moral XI Charact. 1 * 1 Chron 29. 3. 2. * Summa disciplinae Christianae consistit in miscricordia Ambr. * Manus pauperis Christi gazophylaciū Eccl. 11. 3 {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} * 1 Cor. 6. 8 * 2 Cor. 8. 9 * Job 31.19 XII Charact. * Quam diu vivit crescit * In primis partibus alios in poenultimis seipsum superavit Hier * Psal. 19. 5 Object Answ XIII Charact. XIV Charact. * In Christian is non initia sed fines lau dantur * Justum tenacem propositi virum non civium ardor prava jubentium non vultus tyranni mente quatit solida Horace {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Ignat. Ep. 11. ad Eph. XV Charact. * Isa. 40. 4. Use Exhort Motive Quest Answ Cant. 1. 5 1. 2. 3. * Non facit peccatum quiapatitur potius Ber. 4. 5. * Elegit nos ad perfectionem 2. The upright mans Crown 1. * Tranquillus Deus tranquillat omnia 2. * Laetitia bonae conscientiae Paradisus Aug. 3 Vse 1. Inform Object Answ 1. Answ 2. * Sam. 25 37 Answ 3. * Job 8. 14 Vse 2. Consolat * Noli praecipitare judicium nec sententiam proferre ex proximo intuitu mollerus
and bespangled with grace though he be sanctified but in part yet in every part therefore grace in a beleever is call'd the new man Col. 3. 10. The work of the Spirit in the heart is a thorow work Psalme 51. 2. wash me thorowly from my iniquity Grace in the heart is like aire in the twilight there is no part of the aire but hath some light in it and in this sense the upright man is perfect 2. The upright man is perfect comparatively in regard of others Thus Noah was perfect in his generation Gen. 6. 9. Noah compared with the prophane world was a perfect man gold in the oare compared with lead or brasse is perfect a field of wheat though it may have some thistles growing in it yet compar'd with a field of tares is perfect 3. The upright man is perfect in regard of his aimes he doth collimare level at the mark of perfection The upright man breaths after perfection and therefore he is said not to sinne 1 John 3. 9. because though he be not without sinne yet his will is against sinne * he hath voted sinne down though this bosome traitour rebels When he failes he weeps and this is a Gospel-perfection 4. The upright man is perfect through the righteousness of Christ he is perfectly justified Col. 2. 10. ye are compleat in him through the redglasse every thing appears red so through the glass of Christs blood the soule is look'd upon as beautiful and glorious He that hath on Christs seamlesse coat is perfect He that hath the righteousnesse of God is perfect 2 Cor. 5. 21. 5. God calls the upright man perfect because he intends to make him so Christ calls his Spouse his undesiled Cant. 5. 2. Open to me my dove my undefiled or as the original word is {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} my perfect not that the Spouse is so she hath her {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} her spots and blemishes but yet undefiled because Christ intends to make her so God hath chosen us to perfection * Eph. 1. 4. a limner that hath begun the rude draught of a picture he looks upon it what he intends to make it he intends to lay it in its own orient colours in this life there is but the first draught the imperfect lineaments of grace drawn in our soules yet God calls us perfect because he intends by the pensil of the holy Ghost to draw us out in our orient beauty and lay the Virmillion colour of glory upon us Thus the upright man is perfect it is as sure to be done as if it were done already And so much for the first part of my text The upright mans Character I proceed now briefly to the second which is the upright mans Crown in these words {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} The end of that man is peace as the upright is honorable while he lives he is perfect so he is happy when he dies His end is peace The word {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} peace incircles all blessednesse in it The end of that man is peace a wise man looks to the end of a thing Eccles. 7. 8. better is the end of a thing then the beginning So peaceable is the end of an upright man that Balaam desired it Numb. 23. 10. Let me die the death of the righteous and let my last end be like his Now the upright man goes off the stage of this world wearing a tripple Crown of peace 1. He hath peace with God * God saith to him be of good chear thy sins are forgiven thee I have nothing against thee thou hast laid thy sins to heart and I will not lay them to they charge The Jewish Rabbins say that Moses died with a kisse from Gods mouth the upright man dies embracing Christ and kissing the promises 2. He hath peace with conscience 1 John 5. 10. He that beleeves hath the witnesse in himself his end must needs be peace that hath a smiling God and a smiling conscience Austin * calls it the Paradise of a good conscience a godly man is in this Paradise before he dies What sweet musick doth the bird of conscience make in the breast of a beleever be of good comfort saith conscience thou hast walk'd uprightly in a crooked generation fear not death This is {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} the fore-taste of heaven here is Manna in the golden pot he that dies with peace of conscience flies to heaven as Noahs Dove to the Ark with an Olive-branch in his mouth 3. The upright man hath peace with the Saints he hath their good word they embalme his memory and erect for him monuments of honour in their hearts Thus the upright mans end is peace he is renoun'd among the people of God he inherits not their censure but their praise he is carried to his grave with a shoure of tears Use 1. See a great difference between the godly and the wicked in their end The end of the upright man is peace but the end of the wicked is to be cut off Psal. 37. 38. a wicked mans end is shame and horrour he dies with convulsion-fits of conscience he lives in a calme but dies in a storme Job 27. 20. a tempest steals him away in the night like those fish Pliny speaks of which swim along pleasantly till they fall into the mare mortuum or dead sea to every sinner I say as Abner to Joab 2 Sam. 2. 26. knowest thou not that it will be bitternesse in the latter end What is the end of hypocrites Iob 8. 13. Their hope shall be cut off What is the end of Apostates 2 Pet. 2. 20 For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ they are again intangled therein and overcome their latter end is worse with them Peter Castellon Bishop of Marsten having gotten a great estate began to inveigh in his Sermons at Orleands against the profession of Religion sitting at a time in his chaire he fell into a strange disease which no Physician had ever seen one part of his body was extream hot and burned like fire the other part cold and frozen like yce and thus with cries and groanes finished his life The end of the wicked is to be cut off when they are at their lives end they are at their wits end Psal. 107. 27. Obj. But do we not see the worst men go out of the world as quietly and smoothly as any do not they die in peace Answ. 1. If a wicked man seemes to have peace at death it is not from the knowledge of his happinesse but from the ignorance of his danger Haman went merrily to the banquet but little did he think what a second course was to be serv'd in and that his life must pay the shot Answ.
heart is kept whole for God he hath not {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Psalme 12. 2. an heart and an heart an heart for God and for sin God loves a broken heart not a divided heart * II. The upright man works by an upright rule There are many false crooked rules which the upright man dares not go by As 1. Opinion 'T is say some the opinion of such as are pious and learned This is a false rule 't is not the opinion of others can make a thing unlawful warrantable * If a Synod of Divines if an Assembly of Angels should say we might worship God by an image their opinion could not make this authentick and lawful an upright Christian will not make anothers opinion his Bible The best guides may sometimes go wrong Peter preacheth circumcision the very doctrine of the pseudo-Apostles Gal. 2. 11. Peter himself was not infallible the upright man is no adorer of opinion when the stream of Arrianisme swelled so high that it did overflow a great part of the world Athanasius did swim against the streame he was invincible in the truth * 2. Custome It hath been the custome of the place or {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} the Religion of our ancestors This is a false rule The customes of the people are vaine Jer. 10. 3. and as for our progenitors and ancestors a sonne may better take his land from his father then his Religion How many of our fore-fathers liv'd in times of Popery and stumbled to hell in the dark are we therefore bound to follow their blinde zeal a wise man will not set his watch by the clock but by the Sun 3. Conscience 't is saith one my conscience This is no rule for an upright man the conscience of a sinner is defiled Tit. 1. 16. conscience being defiled may erre an erring conscience cannot be a rule Act. 26. 9. I verily thought with my self that I ought to do many things contrary to the Name of Jesus he who is interfector veritatis as Tertullian speaks even an heretick may plead conscience admit conscience to be a rule and we open the door to all mutinies and Massacres if the devil get into a mans conscience whether will he not carrie him 4. Another false rule is providence providence sits at the helme and disposeth of all events and contingencies but providence is not a rule for the upright man to walk by we are indeed to observe Gods providence Psalme 107. 43. whoso is wise will observe these things but we are not to be infallibly led by it Providence is a Christians Diurnal not his Bible When the wicked prosper it doth not follow that their way is good or that God favours them Gods candle as Job saith may shine upon their head * and yet his wrath hang over their head 'T is the greatest judgment to thrive in a way of sinne Dyonisius when he had rob'd the Temple and afterwards had a faire gale to bring home his stollen plunder See saith he how the gods love Sacriledge The Philosopher saith a calme is sometimes the forerunner of an earth-quake Hamans banquet did but usher in execution God may let men succeed that their judgements may exceed The upright man will not go by these rules but leaving such false guides he makes the Word of God his star to follow This is the Judge and Umpire of all his actions To the Law to the Testimony Esay 8. 20. The Old and New Testament are the two lips by which God speaks to us and are the paire of Compasses by which the upright man draws the whole circumference of his life The Montanists and Enthusiasts talk of revelations and some now a dayes of a light within them the canon of Scripture is above any revelation The Apostle speaks of a voice from heaven 2 Pet. 1. 18. and this voice which came from heaven we heard when we were with him in the holy Mount yet saith he we have {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} a more sure word The Word of God ought to be more sacred and infallible to us then a voice from heaven III. An upright man works from an upright principle and that is Faith working by love Galat. 5. 6. 1. He acts from a principle of Faith * Hab. 2. 4. The just shall live by his faith The upright man 1. Hears in faith 't is call'd the hearing of faith Gal. 3. 2. verbum fide degerendum * faith concocts the word 2. He prays in faith 't is call'd the prayer of faith James 5. 15. David sprinkles faith in his prayer Ps. 51. 7. Purge me with hysop and I shall be cleane wash me c. in the Hebrew it runnes in the future {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Thou shalt purge me thou shalt wash me It is vox credentis the voice of one that beleeves as well as prays prayer is the arrow and faith is the bowe out of which we shoot to the Throne of grace a faithlesse prayer is a fruitlesse prayer Prayer without faith is like a Gun discharg'd without a bullet The upright man prayes in faith 3. He weeps in faith Mark 9. 24. The father of the childe cryed out with tears Lord I beleeve When his tears dropt to the earth his faith reach'd heaven 2. An upright man acts from a principle of love * Cant. 1. 4. The upright love thee Love is as the spring in the Watch it moves the wheels of obedience The upright Christian is carried to heaven in a fiery Chariot of love love doth meliorate and ripen every duty and make it come off with a better relish Divine love is like musk among linnen which perfumes it This gives a fragrant redolency to all our services A small token sent in love is accepted The upright love thee Hypocrites serve God formidine poenae only for feare as the slave works in the gally or as the Parthians worship the Devil that he should do them no hurt Hypocrites obedience is forc'd like water out of a Still by the fire The thoughts of hell-fire make the water of tears drop from their eyes The upright Christian acts purely from love * 2 Cor. 5. 14. The love of Christ constraines me an upright soul loves Christ more then he fears hell * IV. An upright Christian works to an upright end He makes Gods glory his ultimate end his aimes are right Gods glory is the upright mans mark and though he shoots short of the mark * yet because he aimes at it it is accepted This is the question the upright man propounds to himselfe Will this bring glory to God he labours still to bring in some revenues into the Exchequer of heaven He prefers the glory of God before whatsoever comes in competition with or stands in opposition against it If life be laid in one ballance and
Religion seems to lose ground He counts the Churches losse his losse he weeps in Sihons teares and bleeds in her wounds Jeremy that weeping Prophet makes the Churches miseries his own Lam. 3. 1. I am the man that have seen affliction He suffered least in his own person for he had a protection granted the King gave order that he should be well look'd to Jer. 39. 11 12. but he felt most in regard of sympathy Though they were Sihons miseries they were Jeremies lamentations he felt Israels hard cords through his soft bed Nehemiah lays to heart the miseries of the Church his complexion begins to alter and he looks sad Nehem. 2. 3. Why should not my countenance be sad when the City the place of my fathers Sepulchres lies waste What sad when the Kings Cup-bearer and wine so neare Oh but it fared ill with the Church of God therefore he grows weary of the Court he leaves his wine and mingles his drink with weeping Here was an upright man True grace enobles the heart dilates the affections and carries out a man beyond the Sphere of his private concernments making him minde the Churches condition as his own Oh how few upright Saints may not that charge be drawn up against sundry persons Amos 6. 4. That lie upon beds of Ivory and stretch themselves upon their Couches and eat the Lambs out of the flock that chaunt to the sound of the vial and invent to themselves Instruments of musick like David That drink wine in bowles and anoint themselves with the chiefe oyntments but they are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph It is with most people as with a drunken man fast asleep he is non sensible of any thing that is done let others be kill'd by him and lie a bleeding he is not sensible Somno vinoque sepultus He sleeps securely in his wine Thus it is with too many who are drunk with the wine of prosperity and fallen fast asleep though the Church of God lie bleeding of her wounds by them and ready to bleed to death they are not sensible they have quite forgotten Hierusalem Like Themistocles who when one offered to teach him the Art of Memory he desired that he would teach him the Art of Forgetfulnesse The Devil hath taught many men this Art They have forgotten the miseries of the Church such may suspect themselves to be unsound The Saints are called {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} lively stones 1 Pet. 2. 5. therefore if there be any breach in the spiritual house they must be sensible Is not the Church Christs Spouse and to see it smitten and Christ through her sides will not this affect our hearts The Church is the apple of Gods eye Zach 2. 8. and to see the apple of his eye weep will not this draw tears from us An upright heart cannot but grieve to sit by the Churches bed side and heare her dying groanes XI The upright Christian is sui diffusivus he is liberal and communicative 1. He hath a liberal heart towards the maintenance of Gods worship He will not let the fire of Gods Altar go out for want of pouring on a little oyle what vast summes of gold and silver did David prepare for the House of God * 1 Chron. 29 3. Moreover because I have set my affection to the House of my God I have of my own proper good of gold and silver which I have given to the house of my God over and above all that I have prepared for the holy house even three thousand talents of gold of the gold of Ophir and seven thousand talents of refined silver to overlay the walls of the houses withal c. Hypocrites if they may have golden purses are content to have wooden Priests They love {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} a cheap Gospel they are loath to be put to too much charges How many have lost their souls to save charges The upright Christian will not offer that to God which costs him nothing 2. The upright man hath a liberal heart to Christs poore * Psalme 112. 9. He hath dispersed abroad he hath given to the poor his righteousnesse endures for ever The Hebrew word for godly {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} signifies merciful The upright man poures the golden oyle of mercy into the wounds of other The poor mans hand is Christs treasury * the upright Saint is ever casting into Christs treasury mercy and liberality is the ensigne that integrity displayes The more excellent any thing is the more diffusive The clouds poure down their silver showers the Sunne doth send abroad its golden beames The end of life is usefulnesse What benefit is there of a Diamond in the rock and what is it the better to have a great estate if this Diamond be shut up in a rocky heart What shall we say to self-interested men are these upright All seek their own Phil. 2. 21. you may as well extract oyl out of a flint as a drop of charity from them Some observe the ground is most barren near golden mines and indeed it is too often so in a spiritual sence those whom God hath most enriched with estates are most barren in good works How can he say he hath an upright heart that hath a withered hand how dares he say he loves God in sincerity 1 Joh. 3. 17. Who so hath this worlds good and sees his brother in need and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him how dwells the love of God in him What shall we think of such as instead of scattering abroad the seeds of mercy and compassion to others care not how they they wrong others * are these to be accounted upright Christ made himself poore to make us rich * and these make others poore to make themselves rich instead of giving the poore a covering * they take away their covering from them like the Hedghog that rolls and laps it self in its own soft doune and turnes out the bristles to others an embleme of these who if they may gratifie themselves they turne out the bristles they care not what mischief or prejudice they do to others These are these who raise the honour of their own families out of the ruine of others They are not birds of Paradise but birds of prey and which is worse to do this under the mask of profession this is just as if a thief should commit a robbery in the Judges own robes or as if a woman should play the harlot having the Bible lying before her These are none of the race of the upright The upright man is a {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} a publick good in the place where he lives he is given to works of mercy he is like God who makes his springs to runne among the Vallies Psal. 104. 10. so doth the upright man make his springs of charity to runne among the vallies
of poverty XII The upright man is progressive in holinesse he pursues after further degrees of sanctity Job 17. 9. He that hath clean hands shall wax stronger and stronger Uprightnesse is in the heart as seed in the earth which will increase Col. 2. 9. unsound Christians rest in some faint desires and formalities it is with hypocrites as with the body in an Atrophy which though it receives food yet thrives not The upright Christian follows on to know the Lord Hosea 6. 3. It was Charles the fifths Motto plus ultra on further They say of the Crocodile it hath never done growing * Hierom writes of Paulinus that in the first part of his life he excelled others in the latter part he excelled himself * The upright man is not like Hezekiahs Sunne which went backward nor like Joshuahs Sunne which stood still but like Davids Sunne which goes forward and as a champion doth runne his race * Obj. But may a child of God say I fear I am not upright for I do not perceive that I wax stronger Answ. Thou mayest thrive in grace though thou doest not perceive it The plant grows but not alwayes in one place Sometimes it grows in the branches sometimes secretly in the root so an upright soul still grows but not alwayes in the same grace sometimes higher in the branches in knowledge sometimes he thrives in the root in humility which is as needful as any other growth If thou art not more tall yet if thou art more lowly Here is a progresse and this progresse evidenceth the vitals of sincerity XIII The upright man orders his conversation aright Psal. 50. 23. To him that orders his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God The upright man is {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} a pattern of holinesse he treads evenly be walks as Christ did 1 Joh. 2. 8. Though the maine work of Religion lies within yet our light must so shine that others may behold it The foundation of sincerity is in the heart yet its beautiful frontispiece appears in the conversation The Saints are called jewels because they cast a sparkling lustre in the eyes of others An upright Christian is like Solomons Temple gold within and without sincerity is a holy leaven which if it be in the heart will work it self into the life and make it swell and rise as high as heaven Phil. 3. 20. Some brag they have good hearts but their lives are crooked They hope to go to heaven but their steps take hold of hell Prov. 5. 5. an upright Christian is {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} he sets a Crown of honour upon the head of Religion he doth not only professe the Gospel but adorne it he labours to walk so regularly and holily that if we could suppose the Bible to be lost it might be found again in his life XIV The upright man will be good in bad times The Lawrel keeps its freshnesse and greennesse in the Winter-season Job 27. 6. My righteousnesse I hold fast and will not let it go my heart shall not reproach me so long as I live Uprightnesse is a complexion which will not alter The upright mans zeale is like the fire which the vestal Virgins kept in Rome alwayes burning * The hypocrite seemes upright till times of trial come The chrystal looks like pearl till it comes to the hammering The hypocrite is good only in Sun-shine he cannot sail in a storme but retreats to the shore Naturalists report of the Chelydonian stone that it will retaine its vertue no longer then it is enclosed in gold An embleme of hypocrites who are good only while they are inclosed in golden prosperity take them out of the gold and they lose that vertue they did seem to have descinit in piscem mulier formosa superne Unsound professours like green timber shrink in the hot Sunne of persecution The heat of the fiery trial cooles their zeale An upright man whatever he loseth he holds fast his integrity he is like wine full of spirits which is good to the last drawing The three children or rather the three champions were invincisible in their courage Dan. 3. 18. neither Nebuchadnezzars musick could flatter them nor his furnace scare them out of their Religion * Paul glories in his sufferings Rom. 5. 3. he shakes his chaine and displays it as an ensigne of honour Ignatius calls his fetters his spiritual pearles they were as precious to him as a neck-lace of pearle Thus the upright man though death be in the way spurs on to the end of the race he is most swift towards the centre Of him it may be said Thou hast kept the best wine till now XV An upright man endeavours to make others upright 't is his work to make crooked things streight * Where there is life there is a power of propagation 1 Cor. 4. 14. In Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the Gospel a good man labours to make others good as fire doth assimilate and turn every thing into its own nature Luke 22. 32. When thou art converted strengthen thy brethren The upright man is in the place of God to his brother he increaseth his knowledge confirmes his faith enflames his love if he sees his brother declining he labours to reduce him when the house begins to leane you put under a strait piece of timber to support it Another begining to lean to errour the upright Christian as strait timber doth underprop and support him And thus I have set before you the upright man he is worth a marking and beholding I have drawn the upright mans picture and the use I would make of all is this that you would fall in love with this picture and that you would endeavour to resemble it And there is a great Motive in the text to make you fall in love with uprightnesse See what a badge of honour is put upon the upright man God calls him perfect {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Mark the perfect man Quest But can any man be perfect in this life Who can say I have made my heart cleane I am pure from my sin Prov. 20. 9. Answ. Far be it from me to hold with the Katharists and Familists that a Christian is pure from sinne in this life If there were no Bible to confute that opinion a Christians own experience might do it We finde the continual ebullitions and motions of sinne working in our members Paul cries out of a body of death Rom. 7. 24. The Saints though they are comely yet black Grace in this life is like gold in the oare full of mixture but yet in an evangelical sense the upright man is said to be perfect and that five manner of wayes 1. An upright man is perfect with a perfection of parts though not of degrees There is no part of him but is embroidered