Selected quad for the lemma: law_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
law_n	word_n	work_n	yield_v	94	3	6.6786	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A92846	The anatomy of secret sins, presumptuous sins, sins in dominion, & uprightness. Wherein divers weighty cases are resolved in relation to all those particulars: delivered in divers sermons preached at Mildreds in Bread-street London, on Psalm 19. 12, 13. Together with the remissibleness of all sin, and the irremissibleness of the sin against the Holy Ghost preached before an honourable auditory. By that reverend and faithfull minister of the Gospel, Mr. Obadiah Sedgwick, B.D. Perfected by himself, and published by those whom he intrusted with his notes.	Sedgwick, Obadiah, 1600?-1658.; Chambers, Humphrey, 1598 or 9-1662.	1660 (1660)	Wing S2363; Thomason E1003_1; ESTC R203493	249,727	327

seeme a mercy if of a cruell Tyrant that would seem a mercy if of a desperate enemy if of bonds if of a sickness what then is it to be rid of the rule of sin which is infinitely worse then all these Fourthly no Lord so bad and no command soe vile as those of sin in dominion Therefore blesse God for your deliverance No Lord so bad or commandes so vile as those of sin in dominion you whose soules are through the mighty graciousnesse of a good God rescued from the powers of darknesse Tell me what are your thoughts what your judgements what your troubles for the workings of your vanquished enemy if the weakned corruptions appeare yet so vile what were your raigning corruptions If sin be so monstrous unto you now only in remptation what was it heretofore in dominion if the finger be so heavy what were the loynes if a particular action doth as you imagine expose you so dangerously what did the service of sin do under what displeasures of wrath lay your soules when sin had fullest affection and compleat to obedience Rebekah seemed weary of her life because of the presence of the Daughters of Heth If the presence created such an affliction what might the conjunction and union have done verily if sin be as it is bad and troublesome in combate O it is infinitely worse in the throne and absolute Empire over the soule wherein every faculty serves it with all its strength and madly strives how to dishonour God breaks his law resists his spirit to fulfill lusts and please the devill and to damne the soule O blesse the Lord for his goodnesse to thee that yet the dominion of sin is off T is true corruption yet remaines but yet it remaines not as a Lord but as a Tyrant not as a king but as an enemy time was that sin had thy love but now thou hatest it time was that sin had thy minde to devise for it but now those imaginations are cast down time was that thy will was espoused to sin but now a divorce is sued out time was that thy members were ready enough to fullfil the lusts of the flesh but now they are made servants of righteousnesse time was that thou didest sell thy selfe to wickednesse and was never so joyfull as when thou wast sinfull but now it is not so thou art a drudge a slave a vassall no longer thy former wayes amaze thee and the present Commands of sin are an affliction to thee O blesse the Lord c. 5. Again if the dominion of sin be off then assuredly the scepter If dominion of sin be off then the septer of Christ is set up in thy soul of Christ is set up in thy soul Beloved the soule stands not abides not in a middle estate it must have some one Lord or other it is necessarily under some one dominion either of sin or of Christ and this know that the dominion of sin cannot be taken off in the soul but by a contrary by a better by a stronger dominion by that of Christ who dispossesseth the strong man It is he who hath changed thy heart who hath made thy heart to chang its Master who hath drawn off thy love thy service c. Now no dominion in the world like that of Christ No dominion like Christs None so holy 1. None so holy hee is holy love holinesse and all his commands are righteous 2. None so Gracious he doth not exact beyond what he gives So gracious and will yet mercifully pardon our true endeavors of service wherein they fall short 3. None so peaceable his very service is a kind of wages to the obedient a vassal to sin is like a man labouring all day about Soe peaceable thornes and nettles the more abundance of them grasped Simile by him galls him with the more wounds and paines no man can be long cheerfully sinfull either Terrour or feare accompanies most sinnings but the service of Christ hath warrant from the word and peace from conscience 4. None so afflicted his commands are accompanied with So afflicted strength and spirit he bids us to do the worke and gives us his owne hand thereto imposeth duty and Imprinteth ability writes the law to the eare and writes it also in the heart 5. None so rewarded no man serves Christ too much or for Soe rewarded nought Though all our work be but duty yet he payes us rich wages we owe unto Christ all our strength and the use of all our graces neither doe we bring in so much of these in full service as we should yet our good Lord and Master will give us if we be faithfull servants at night our penny and at the last our crowne 6. Lastly be thankfull for if dominion be off then damnation is off There is no condemnation saith Paul to them that are in If dominon of sin be off damnation is off Christ Jesus who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit Rom 8. 1. A man is not damned meerly because he hath sin for then no man could be saved for who is the man that sinneth not but because sin is his Lord and he is the servant of sin Not so much because he is bad but because he will be bad not only for the act but for the love T is confessed that guilt is as naturall to sin as the shaddow is to the body no man can sin at any time in any thing and yet be Innocent But meritorious guilt is one thing and redounding guilt is another thing If the dominion of sin be broken off that a man loves not sin but hates it yeelds not up himselfe unto it but resists it is not in league but in conflict with it then the estate of guilt is taken off so that it shall not effectually redound to the condemnation of the person where God doth powerfully subdue the sinfull nature there he will mercifully pardon and discharge the unwillingly sinning and offending person if sin be not thy Lord then Hell shall not be thy portion He who is become an enemy to his sins grace rules in his heart now and glory shall crowne his soule hereafter Obj. But will some troubled and therefore unably discerning soule reply we doubt it not But that it is a most singular Doubts of troubled soules fearing they are still under the Dominion of sin mercy A rich grace worthy of greatest acceptance and heartiest thankes where the dominion of sin is broken off but alas we feare it is not so with us heavy cause have we to suspect that we are captives yet under sins dominion so that though others who can happily observe the yoke broken off and therefore can be chearfully thankfull we finde it yet strong O very strong and therefore more reason have we of griefe and sorrow Beloved it is granted that if a man findes himselfe indeed Sol. under the dominion of any sin assuredly

of their Creation to the obedience of his will he doth rule the Nations and hath power to order limit appoint to require to binde both bodies and souls natures consciences and acts 2. Derivative and depending and limitted such is the Dominion which God hath given man over the creatures the Dirivative and depending great Lord hath made man a Lord over the works of his hands a pro-rex a deputy as it were yea and he hath derived dominion to man over man to one man over another to the King over his Subjects to the Parent over the Children to Masters over Servants I say he hath derived dominion unto them i. a power to command and order yet this is a restrictive dominion and not absolute it must not be against God but for God and according unto God Thirdly observe that there is a twofold dominion One is lawful i. such a dominion and subjection There is a dominion lawful which the word and will of God doth or will warrant as that of persons over persons or of God and Christ over all persons and creatures God may command us for he made us and Christ may command us for he redeemed us both our persons and our services fall unto him we are not our own for we are bought with a price therefore serve or glorifie God in your body and in your spirit which are Gods 1 Corinth 6. 19 20. Another is unlawful and as it were usurped which is Unlawful when command is exercised and obedience given without any just title or right and this Dominion is either assumed by Satan who is called the Prince of the aire and the Prince of darkness and a Ruler and one who works mightily in the children of disobedience or else it is exercised by sin sinne is said to have a Dominion a Law a rule over a sinner and the sinner is said to obey the sin to serve it to fulfil the lusts of it c. Fourthly consider that the dominion of sinne doth imply The dominion of sin doth imply Singular power and strength with authority two things One is singular power and strength joyned with authority The authority of it consists in this that it doth command the man as a King doth his Subjects and the strength of it consists in this that it is able to make its commands to be obeyed and followed Another is quiet willing and total yeelding of subjection to Quiet yeelding of subjection to that authority that authority law and command of sinne when a man is as chearfully and readily prepared to obey his lusts as any Subject is to embrace the commands of his Prince or any servant is to follow the will and pleasure of his Lord and Master The former of these is stiled in Scripture sometimes the powers of darknesse Col. 1. 13. Sometimes the strong man Luk. 11. 21. Sometimes the Law of sin Rom. 7. 23. Sometimes the power of Satan Act. 26. 18. Sometimes the efficacy of the Prince of the aire Ephes 2. 2. by all which phrases this is implied viz. that where sinne doth reign or hath dominion there it is of singular power not only to stirre and ●ssault not only to tempt and provoke but also to command and incline to rule and dispose of the heart and wayes that the will of a man is but as it were the will of his lusts and the desires of the man are but as it were the desires of his lusts he is taken captive at the pleasure of Satan and sin needs not use any violent compulsion or strength of argument to draw on the sinner onely if sin speaks the word it is enough that 's Law enough The latter of these is expressed sometimes by fulfilling the desires of the flesh and by having the conversation in the lusts of the flesh Eph. 2. 3. and by being servant to unrighteousnesse Rom. 6. and by taking pleasure in sinne and by sinning with greedinesse and by selling of a mans self to work wickednesse and by giving up our selves or our selves over to uncleanness when a man doth as it were by a proper and voluntary act surrender up his soul to the obedience of iniquity as the servant passeth away himself when he takes such an one to be his Lord that all his faculties and strength and designes and maine intentions shall submit themselves to the service of his lusts and sinnes So that dominion of sinne on sins part comprehends strong and compleat power a commanding and disposing power and on the sinners part it comprehends resignation and compleat subjection A molesting power doth not constitute its dominion Note for sinne may molest as an enemy where it doth not rule as a King nor doth attempting and suggesting power nakedly considered constitute its dominion for sinne may be a tempter where yet it is not a ruler But where the dominion of sin is erected there it doth sit in the heart as a King in the Throne and gives forth its Laws and commands to the soul and body as to its proper servants and instruments the which commands are as chearfully entertained as they are unjustly prescribed But a little more to wade into this point sinne may Sin may be said to have dominion be said to have Dominion or to reigne in a threefold respect 1. In respect of assent when the understanding subjects it In respect of assent self to its motions I say subjects it self for there are two acts of the mind about the motions and commands of sinne one is apprehension another is subjection a man may apprehend sin as working and yet he may not embrace but resist that working of sin And then it is not sinne in dominion If I see an enemy approaching and rise up to oppose that enemy he is now an enemy encountering but he is not a King ruling so that it is not meere apprehension but subjection Two sorts of subjection which puts up sin into the Throne into a dominion i. when sin gives the command and the sinner yeelds thereto Renders up himself to the obedience freely gives way unto and entertains the motions of sin And hereto we must again distinguish of that subjection of assent which denominates Dominion that it is not a meer passive subjection as when a man is taken prisoner but an active subjection a subjection of approbation as when a servant hears the will of his Master and he likes it so where sin hath dominion the sinner doth not give a naked assent but an approving assent he allows his sinne and approves of his sinfull course Neither is this all for every active assent is not sufficient to Assent is either precipitated or deliberated denominate dominion a man may be on a sudden circumvented he may be under the quickness and strength of a temptation he may be so over-born by sudden passion that possibly he may assent and approve a sin in respect of the fact in this or that

if he yields obedience unto sin he is then noe servant of righteousnesse if he be an enemy to sin he is then a servant to righteousnesse If he be an enemy to righteousnesse he is then a servant of sin Yet many persons are enemies to righteousnesse we will not have this man to reigne over us said they in the Gospell they cannot endure the dominion of Christ either in his word or in his spirit The rules and precepts of the word are the cords which they will break asunder Psal 2. 3. They cast the laws of Christ behinde their backs and hate to be reformed Psal 50. 17. There is nothing more unacceptable to them then to serve the Lord Jesus Christ in holiness of heart and newnesse of spirit and righteousnesse of obedience In those who are still overcome of their lusts 3. What thinke you of those who are still overcome of their lusts and are willingly intangled The Apostle Peter Conjectures that sin hath dominion in such while they promise them liberty they them●elves are the servants of Corruption for of whom a man is overcome of the same is he brought in bondage 2. Peter 2. 19. There is a twofold overcoming of a person on is only in respect of the action Another is also in respect of the affection It cannot be denied but that even an holy man who is heartily the servant of Jesus Christ may be overcome in respect of particular action relapses are not impossible to him who is truly good and they may consist with though they do weaken and disconsolate the service of grace there is the same natural principle of sin in the best after repentance as before there is the same Satan to suggest and incline there may be the same occasions and provocations But then there is an overcoming in respect of assertion and this shews the dominion of sinne Now this overcoming is either when a man through policy forbears or else in passion seemes to bid defiance to his sin being either in sicknesse and apprehension of death or in pangs and distresse of conscience to which the Apostle seems to allude 2 Pet. 2. 22. the dogge is turned to his vomit again Now he cries out against sin and thinks he doth detest it heartily and will not for a world act the sin now yet when this tempest is off when the water grow●●ool when circumstances are free when the bitternesse either of death or cross or conscience is over and sin tempts and wooes him again he yeelds up himself he gives over his heart and affections he loves the sin and wallows in it as much ●s ever he turns from the holy Commandment as the Apostle speaks ver 21. all his good moods of holy profession and purpose are gone off and he is more entangled and renews his bondage with ardent and excessive delight even with greedinesse as the Apostle Paul speaks Eph. 4. Now if this be an argument of sins dominion viz. the willing and affectionate re-entring of our hearts to the service of sin then certainly many of us have just cause to feare and to suspect our selves who return with the dogge to the vomit and with the sow to the wallowing in the mire who not only are surprized in action but in affection nay and our affections are more eagerly carried to the sinning now then heretofore our mindes are more on them and our desires yea and the measures of sinning in the same kinde rise in an higher strength we are more mighty to drink more inglorious in swearing more unsatiable in earthliness more vaine in conversation more obstinate in our sinful courses against the reproofs of the Word the checks of our conscience the shame of men the fear of Hell and the hope of h●●●en we grow worse and worse c. Fourthly what think you of such who make choice of sin to be In those who makes choice of sin to be their Lord. the Lord whom they will serve There are but two sorts of people in the world viz. good and bad and both of them do chuse their Lords The good they choose the Lord to be their God Josh 24. And they choose the things which please him Esay 56. 4. And choose the way of truth Psal 119. 3. and choose the good part Luke 10. 42. The bad they also are said to choose their own ways Isa 66. 3. and evil Isa 65. 12. That in which God delights not yea and they are said not to choose the fear of the Lord when several things are propounded a man prefers this before that this is called an election or choice There is Christ and his way laid before the sinner and sin and its lusts laid before him now when he prefers the latter before the former he is said to make a choice which many do they do prefer their sinful lusts before the commands of Christ as appears in all the times of competition and in the courses of action yea and when they may go free yet with that Hebrew servant they will not for they love their Master Lastly what think you of many who love their sins love is that which bestows the soul and the service thereof the In those who love their sins whole strength of a man goes that way which his love goes for it is of a constraining and most serviceable nature Now there are many who do love sin there is as it were a conjugal match and union 'twixt their hearts and their sins and be sure of this that sin hath the whole man if it hath won the love of the heart A man may deceive himself about the dominion of sin 4. A person may possibly delude his own heart and deceive himself about the dominion of sin and therefore it is convenient to try our selves whether sinne hath not Dominion indeed There are many erroneous deceits Six deceits from The unsensiblenesse of its power 1. One is the unsensibleness of its power when a man feels no violence of sinful inclination no stirrings no opposition no commands but there is a calme and quietness in his spirit and in hi●●ay which could not be as he thinks if sin had dominion an●●●e in him Now this is a deceit For 1. It is most probable that sin hath the strongest dominion where the heart is most unsensible of the Law and commands of sinne when the strong man keeps the house all is quiet said our Saviour where subjection is peaceable there dominion is in all likelihood most absolute and compleat Nay this is certain that where Christ sets up his Scepter which cast down the dominion of sin there is the greatest stirre the Law of the minde will warre against the Law of the members Rom. 7. 23. And the spirit will lust against the flesh Gal. 5. 17. 2. This unsensibleness and quietnesse may arise partly from the oneliness of sin and partly from the ignorance of a sinful condition and partly from the habitual custome

holiness as a man may be a Traitor when he yet doth seeme to do something of the service to a Prince So sinne may be a mans Lord though he doth do many things which seem good Herod loved Herodias though he heard John Baptist and did many things gladly there is scarce any man where Christ is professed that is so universally bad but he may now and then do something which may be particularly good at least materially considered 4. But yet fourthly the Dominion of sin cannot consist with But it cannot consist with the love of holinesse the love of holiness for where sin is in dominion there sinne hath the love of the soul Now it is impossible for a man to love sin and to love holinesse I grant it that many things may be the object of love though there be a numerical variety of them yet there may be an objective unity they may all meet in one common reason and natural course of love and therefore may be loved But then opposite and contradictory things cannot be both loved at once the reason is because you cannot reconcile them into an objective unity that which is a reason of the love in one is a reason of hatred in the other Now sin and holinesse are opposite they are at the greatest distance in spiritual contradictions their natures and courses and effects all are opposite so that a man cannot at once possibly love them both And therefore if holinesse and grace hath thy love verily sin hath not dominion I must not insist at large on this only observe whether thou lovest holinesse preciselie and purely for it self what is it which thou esteemest most which thou desirest most is the want of it thy greatest grief is the prosperity of it either in thy self or others a true and singular joy unto thee at what paines art thou to purchase and encrease it what are thy thoughts of them who are holy and of those Ministries which edge and work on thy heart most unto holinesse these and such like things will shew whither thou lovest holiness which if thou doest thy sin is not thy Lord. 4. Whose Laws doest thou approve and delight in according Whose Laws doest thou approve and delight in as a mans Lord is so are his Laws and according as the man is so is his minde and affections towards those Laws of that Lord you shall finde that when sinne hath dominion there sin hath several Laws several commands the obedience of which is delightful to the sinner And therefore such a one is said to fulfill the lusts of the flesh and to commit sin with greediness Ephes 4. 19. and to yeeld himself over unto sin Thus it is on the contrary where sin is broken off from its dominion and Christ doth rule the heart his Lawes have a marvellous sutablenesse with the spirit of that man his Law is written in the heart i. there is a powerful and answerable inclination stamped in the heart which gives way to the command In the volume of thy book it is written of me that I should do thy will loe I come Psalm 40. 7. I delight to do thy will O my God yea thy Law is in my heart v. 8. Thou saidest seek ye my face my heart said unto me Thy face Lord will I seek Psal 27. 8. Lord what wilt thou have me to do Act. 9. 6. Obj. It is true that sinful corruption yet abiding in the best will make head against the holy commands of Christ it will be backward enough cross enough unwilling enough resisting and striving Sol. But yet three things will more habitually appear in a Three things appeare in a person governed by Christ and not by sin Approbation person whose soule is governed by Christ and not by sinne 1. One is Approbation i. this judgement doth highly esteeme of the commands of Christ Paul counted the commandment holy and righteous and good and tending to life Rom. 7. 12. 2. Another is consent i. his will yeelds unto it as to a rule Consent most sit to be obeyed I consent unto the Law that it is good Rom. 7. 16. and therefore would obey it 3. A third is inward delight Rom. 7. 22. I delight in the Inward delight Law of God after the inward man The Apostle from this though he found a contrary Law in his members warring against the Law of his minde and much evil present when he would do any good yet concludes against sins dominion Rom. 7. 25. so then with the mind I my self serve the Law of God but with the flesh the Law of sin Why brethren this is a great matter and a great discovery of our hearts to observe what Law that is with which we take part which we set up as our rule whose authority we do justifie sinne will command in him which hates it i. it will be prescribing to our affection and our actions but then if Christ doth rule us we war against those commands we resist them we defie them we pray against them we take not part with them We acquit that Law of Christ which we would follow but sometimes cannot so fully as we should we justifie it as a most righteous command and strive to conform our hearts to that and to order our lives by that 5. A fifth tryal may be this what is the disposition and What is the disposition of our hearts under the passive captivities of our soul by sin course of our hearts under the passive captivities of our souls by particular sinnings There is a twofold captivity of the soul to sin One is active wherein a man doth as Ahab sell himself to wickednesse or as Judas offer himself to betray Christ he went to the high-Priest what will you give me and I will betray him c. Another is passive wherein as Paul complained he is sold under sinne like a souldier over-powered and by strength taken captive and led away prisoner I confesse that this is most true a good man may sin nay he doth sin sin may have many particular victories where yet it hath not a Kingdom or Dominion As there may be antecedent differences before sin is committed and as there may be concomitant differences when sin is committing which may be as so many lively testimonies against dominion so there are consequent differences there are some things afterward which shew that yet sin hath not dominion though it did prevaile and overcome Three things Three things discover this Hearty grief 1. One is hearty grief though a good man hath not alwayes sufficient strength to conquer a temptation yet he hath sufficient grace to bewaile his sinnings though he cannot always rejoyce that he stands yet he can heartily grieve that he falls either sin is his conquest or else it is his sorrow Though you see not David cast down by his pleasures yet you shortly see him cast down himselfe by his mournings Though you see

strive and aim at as David here did and Why we should endeavour to be upright endeavour to be upright There are abundant reasons thereof I will deliver a few unto you First this uprightnesse is the great thing which God looks for Uprightness is the great thing that God looks for Joh. 4. 23. The true worshippers shall worship the Father in Spirit and in truth for the father seeketh such to worship him Gods seeking notes either his grace which prevents us or his pleasure which enjoyns us The father seeketh such to worship him i. the Lord by all means would have men in his services to come with spirit and truth to be upright Prov. 23. 26. My son give me thy heart q. d. though the body be made by me and every part thereof and though that whole frame be made for me as well as by me and thou art to glorifie me in thy body yet that which I principally enjoyn thee in thy services is to bring them with thy heart with affections intirely and not pretensively Nay secondly this is it which the Lord looks at See Jerem. This is it the Lord looks at 5. 3. Are not thine eyes upon the truth q. d. Why it is not your words which God doth so much regard nor is it your looks nor your tears nor your cries that which the Lord sets his eye on is the truth of the heart in and under all these uprightnesse there Excellent is that place in 1 Chr. 29. 17. I know also my God said David that thou triest the heart and hast pleasure in uprightnesse As for me in the uprightnesse of my heart I have willingly offered all these things In that place you finde David contributing toward the building of the Temple and stirring up others to that work and David for his part gave like a King thereto even three thousand talents of gold of gold of Ophir ver 4. And seven thousand talents of refined silver and the chief of the Fathers and the Princes gave also five thousand talents of gold and ten thousand d●ammes and of silver ten thousand talents and of brass eighteen thousand talents and one hundred thousand talents of iron besides precious stones v. 6 7 8. Now what a goodly gift was all this but David presently subjoynes I know my God that thou triest the heart and hast pleasure in uprightnesse q. d. O Lord all this is nothing thou wilt not accept of it thou wilt not look upon it if uprightness be wanting O that is it which thou regardest the heart the heart thou triest and if uprightnesse be found there that is it which thou regardest You read of the Jews that they made many prayers but God would not hear them brought many oblations but they were vaine i. is of no account Esay 1. 11 12. and 15. They remember the solemne feasts but prevailed not with God he did shut his eyes nay they were at their solemn fasts too but God took no knowledge Esay 58. 3. He gives the reason in both places in Esay 1. 15. your hands are full of blood ver 16. wash ye c. and Esay 58. 4. Behold ye fast for strife and debate to smite with the fist of wickedness ver 6. Is not this the fast which I have chosen to loose the bands of wickednesse q. d. away ye hypocrites do you commit and allow cruelties and villanies and oppressions and whoredomes and then bring multitudes of sacrifices and oblations and cryings and think that I am taken with these go and cleanse your hearts mend your lives leave your sins be plain upright with me that is it which I look at more then any thing that is it which pleaseth me Hence it is that oftimes in Scripture that the Hebrew word Jashar which signifies Right is many times translated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pleasing as Numb 23. 27. perhaps it will seem right in the eyes of the Lord we translate it peradventure it will please God so true is that of Solomon Prov. 11. 20. Such as are upright in their way are his delight yea and so that phrase of walking with God which is nothing else but the path of the just or upright is rendred by the Septuagint pleasing of God as Gen. 5. 22. 24. holy Enoch walking with God The seventy renders it he pleased God Thirdly this seemes to be the only thing that God expects 1 Sam. 12 24. onely fear the Lord and serve him in truth with all This is the only thing which God expects your heart Deut. 10. 12. And now Israel what doth the Lord thy God require of thee but to fear the Lord thy God and to walk in all his ways and to love him and to serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul When the Lord did enter into the Covenant with Abraham Gen. 17. and promised to be an Al-sufficient God unto him what doth he require of Abraham but only this be thou upright when he advanced Solomon to the Kingdome and enricht him with honour and wealth and wisdome above all that ever sat on the Throne what did he require of him 1 Kings 3. 14. Walk in my wayes keep my Statutes as thy father David did How was that see back to vers 6. David my father walked before thee in truth and righteousness and in uprightnesse of heart When Paul had commended many singular things of knowledge and duty to the Corinthians he closeth up all with finally my brethren be perfect 2 Cor. 13. 11. q. d. Will you have me to give you all in one word why then be perfect be upright 4. Uprightness doth bring the whole man unto God It is that Vprightnesse doth bring the whole man to God which commands all and carries all with it the thoughts these inward and sweet breathings of the minde Let the meditations of my heart be alwayes acceptable in thy sight O Lord my strength and my Redeemer saith upright David in Psalme 19. 14. The words Let the words of my mouth be acceptable so he there the mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom and his talk is of judgement Psalm 37. 30. The heart the Law of his God is in his heart Psalm 37. 31. my heart is fixed saith David again the conversation that is ordered aright Psal 50. hath a man any gifts many gifts why uprightnesse brings in their use and strength to God hath he any graces why uprightness brings in their service to God it keeps us in with God and are one with God and will not suffer us to deal falsely with God 5. God judgeth of a man by his uprightnesse thou art in his judgement good or bad according to the presence or absence God judgeth of a man by his uprightnesse of uprightnesse this is that which distinguisheth twixt the precious and the vile twixt the faithful and the unsound In outward appearances and in the colour of visible services the good