he will pursue thee with never-ending torments if thou wilt sin in Tuo Eterno thou must suffer in Suo Eterno and every man shall find like for like SECT III. ANd now 't is time to be gathering something for our instruction and let this be the Lesson hence to be learn'd namely Doctrine Where God doth find an upright man he shews himself an upright God True he finds none but whom he makes he finds them of his own making but where-ever such a man is found on the Throne or in a Prison or on a Dunghill he shall find a God of his own that will deal uprightly with him However he is an upright God let men be what they will whatever contrary motions the lower spheres have yet the Primum mobile keeps its even and constant motion and is never diverted out of its course at all so is it with our God let vain hypocrites walk never so crookedly yet the holy God will be justified when he speaketh and clear when he judgeth He will be upright with you in executing his threatnings if you hinder the current of his uprightness in performing Promises The filthy Dunghill cannot infect the glorious Sun that shinesall day upon it nor can any mans Evil cause him to cease from being Good But the meaning of the Point is to the upright man he shews himself a graciously upright God a true-hearted man on earth shall find a true-hearted God in Heaven The most proper and profitable way I â—…an think of for the handling of this Doctrine within the intended limits is 〈◊〉 By shewing wherein stands the uprightâ—…ess of a man 2. By declaring how God â—…hews himself an upright God 3. By drawâ—…ng out some inferences and uses thereof And first of the first SECTION IV. THere are Four words especially whereby Uprightness is exprest 〈◊〉 Scripture which being considered will give us some view of this Orient â—…ewel 1. It is called Truth 1 Sam. 12. 24. Serve him in truth Now Truth moral is â—…he conformity of the mind and heart to â—…hings said and done when therefore the â—…eart prayes with the tongue when the â—…eart obeys with the hand when we do â—…he things of God heartily as to the Lord. â—…his is to serve him in truth and upâ—…ightly And this sure is the sense of that Heb. â—…0 22. Let us draw near with a true heart â—…t is our sin and folly to keep at distance â—…rom God both in and out of his service afraid or loth to come up It is Gods wâ—… that we should draw near and nearer yeâ—… and that with a true heart a true-hearteâ—… man at a Prayer does the work when mâ—…ny of great appearances do but beat tâ—… Air. So when we come to men 1 John 3. 1â—… Let us not love in word or in tongue only but in deed and in truth having a Princip of unfeigned love in our hearts to everâ—… body and thence producing words anâ—… deeds of pure Charity This is an uprigâ—… man whose heart within doth not give tâ—… lye to his word and actions Survey hâ—… duties to God and men they are pious juâ—… and charitable open his heart Piety Rigâ—… teousness and Love are written there Like him that professed if he might haâ—… had the molding of himself Light shouâ—… have been his Body and Truth should haâ—… been his Soul 2. Another word for this is Sincerity 〈◊〉 word taken from Pure Honey that is siâ—… cera without wax unmingled When thâ—… New man hath as little as may be of thâ—… Old man mingled with him This word 〈◊〉 us'd Phil. 1. 10. That ye may be sincere Thâ—… Greek word there signifies that which 〈◊〉 Sun-proof as wares that can abide to 〈◊〉 tryed between you and the Sun suâ—… 〈◊〉 an upright man bring him to the Scripâ—…ure he is sound bring him to any solid â—…arks he can stand before them put â—…im into the scales he is weight however he is right Gold though he may want some grains of allowance He is of a right Eagle breed though haply young or weak yet he can look at the Sun â—…nd not be daunted An hypocrite can â—…ook men in the face but an upright man â—…he can look God in the face As for me I will behold thy face in righteousnoss This â—…one but a righteous upright man can â—…do 3. There is another word of this import and that is Singleness of heart Acts 2. 46. They did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart that is with a cordial chearfulness and bounty And to this referrs that Luke 11. 34. When thine eye is single when thy heart is singly bent to honour and serve God then the whole life will relish of that principle the whole body will be full of light but if the heart double with God the life will be no way uniform with men And this is taken to be the meaning of the Oneness of heart promised Ezek. 11. 19. whereas the hypocrite hath an heart and an heart and an heart and an heart for every lust an heart A double minded man is unstable in all his wayes He is unresolved in the end he drives at and so unfixed in his desires and actions that tend thereunto Now the upright mans heart is one he goes all one way he is what he seems one intention one delight one face one tongue in a word he is all but one man Psalm 103. 1. Bless the Lord O my soul and ALL that is within me praise his holy Name And to this purpose is the fourth word that signifies uprightness and that is Integrity 1 Kings 9. 4. And if thou wilt walk before me as David walked in Integrity of heart and in uprightness And that is when all the soul in every faculty is resolv'd and bent for God and his glory In an hypocrite the Judgment is against the Will the Conscience against the Affection the Reason against the Appetite but in the upright all the faculties agree and combine within themselves and the opposition is onely outward against a common enemy He is a whole man for the whole will of God So then you see an upright man is a True hearted a sincere-hearted a single-hearted and a whole-hearted man SECT V. THis Uprightness 1. Respects God 2. Respects Man The former may be called Uprightness of heart the latter Uprightness of Life and both these must be explained and where they meet there we find an upright man Concerning uprightness of heart we must assert that it is not so much a distinct Grace a grace by its self as it is all Grace t is that which stamps a Reality on every other grace Without it Nec amanda est ipsa Charitas nec ipsi Fidei fidendum nec bene sperandum de ipsa spe We cannot believe our Faith nor love our Love nor hope well of our Hope it self Uprightness and Watchfulness are Catholick graces of a general necessity the former to wit Uprightness
11. He that is filthy let him be filthy still So when a man is uprightly bent to serve him he spurs them on with his word and spirit saying He that is righteous let him be righteous still and thus herein to the upright man he shews himself upright SECT IV. IV. THe Lord shews himself upright to the upright man In hearing his prayers Prov. 15. 8. The Sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord But the Prayer of the upright is his delight No musick so sweet to men as sincere prayers are to God The upright man delights to pray and the upright God delights to hear How pleasant is the childs first language to the father he had rather hear it than an elegant Oration and the reason is first it is his own child and secondly it speaks poor thing as it thinks there is no colour upon its words nor dissimulation in them Even so the prayers of the upright man are most welcome to God his heavenly Father for the child is his own and then his prayer is the counterpane of his heart He cries against his sin and also he hates it he sues for Grace and he doth heartily long and indeavour for it and Hearts can come into Heaven when Words must stand at door He gets out of the hearing of many a starch't Oration but Psal. 145. 18. He gets nigh to them that call upon him to them that call upon him in Truth O when confessions are the sad note of a bleeding heart when supplications are the real breath of an hungry soul the Lord listens to such melody There is a vast difference between the formal note of a young beggar and the sensible cries of him that is half starved we neglect the former and are ready to serve him only with reproof but when the other cries that begs in truth his face cries his rags cry his tears cry the whole beggar cries then we draw out our heart and hand unto him even so doth our gracious God he slights and hates affected words coming from an unaffected heart but when the heart comes up with them then he comes and brings his alms with him and his reward before him O what incouragement should this give to an upright heart Thou hast an ear for God and he hath an ear for thee Thou art ready and quick in thy obedience he is as quick and ready in his audience thou art punctual to yield to him in any thing he is punctual to yield in any thing unto thee In a word thou art resolved to do his will he is resolved to do thine Hence Lâ—…ther boldly Fiat voluntas mea quia tua est Let my will be done because it s thine Thine are broken prayers but they are upright prayers There is no Rhetorick in them â—…but there is Logick in them there are arguments that will conquer God himself There is no argument on earth like Integrity nor in Heaven like the Blood of Christ. Object Ah but then I fear my state and doubt of my sincerity in that I have pray'd long for such a child for a better memory for strength against some sins and have received no answer and so may conclude my self a very hypocrite Answ. 1. God often delights in prayer when he seems to deny it and never denies his servants but when the deniâ—… is better then a grant You must distinguish between delaying and denying our God delayes to try us not to deny us to make us cry the louder so he put off Jacob to whet him on the more seem'd to be weary of his company but he would not pass so lames him yet hee 'l pray and wrestle on one leg rather then give out So the woman of Canaan Drink is more welcome when very thirsty and when the Lord sees you cannot be without a mercy you shall have it And then the Greatness of the mercy shall pay for the length of its stay and like money at Interest so your prayâ—…s which have been long on the file shall bring the greater increase back again Answ. 2. God often hears our Prayers when we perceive it not In this sence he speaks once and twice yet man perceives it not Psal. 138. 3. In the Day when I cried thou answeredst me and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul. On the same Day that his letter was sent he had an answer and what was it Why he was strengthned with strength in his soul. If he were not answered in the Letter yet he was answered in the Better He often gives Gold when we ask for Silver If he denied Abraham for Ismael he gave him Isaac He denies Moses Canaan but gave him Heaven Sometimes our thirst for more makes us think we have received none As rich covetous people never have enough because their desires are insatiable When you are arrived at Heaven you shall see that the Lord did book every Petition and answer it in the best manner for you It may be you are denied for one child but God gives it you for another or perhaps the Grandchild reaps the prayers that you sowed for the Father The Lord gives you not a stronger memory but yet bestows on you a softer heart you discern no strength against some sins yet you have deeper throws of repentance for them Still this is a truth inviolable that the upright mans Prayer when it is put up in Christs name for things agreeable to Gods will is graciously heard and answered in mercy Let not therefore your Fathers seeming denials trouble you for our wise God sometimes yields to the suits of Satan himself while he demurrs upon the supplications of his own Servants I had almost said of his own Son Compare Job 2. 5. and Luke 8. 32. with Gen. 17. 18. and Mat. 26. 39. But then his Grants to Satan are for his greater Confusion and his Denials to his Children are for their greater Consolation SECT V. V. THe Lord shews himself upright to the upright man In comforting him in his straits Psal. 116. 6. The Lord preserveth the simple that is the upright I was brought low and he helped me His integrity freeth him not from the common infirmities of mankind as wants sickness prisons losses crosses unkindnesses and death it self at last but his God takes special care to support and comfort him and at length deliver him In all these storms he is sure of Sunshine and you know the Sun-beams when it shines do guild every drop that the clouds pour down and make the storm as a calm So the face and favour of God doth refresh the upright in heart for Psal. 11. 7. The righteous Lord loveth righteousness his countenance doth behold the Upright And unworthy is that man of Heavens Glory that prefers not the sharpest sickness the darkest prison the heaviest cross with the light of Gods countenance before the riches of Egypt with his frowns This made Paul and Silas sing in prison when
honest man an upright man And when once you hate Hypocrisie you will flee it when once you really love uprightness you 'l take pains to procure it Shall I yield to that my soul hates dwell in an house that I abhor I le never do it May so rare a Jewel as Sincerity be had and shall I live without it shall it be offered me and I deny it No whatever it cost me I will not live or dye an hypocrite Shall I be a Dunghill covered with Snow how odious shall I be when my snow-white mantle will be stript off Speak man of Reason is Simulation lovely Is Dissimulation amiable Why wilt thou wear that ugly vizard For a Name in this World lose a Soul in another For a Shadow of Religion lose the Substance of Salvation A serious hatred of Hypocrisie is not only a means to conquer it but is a conquest of it A hearty love to integrity is Integrity IV. Attend a searching Ministry 1 Pet. 2. 2. Desire the sincere milk of the Word He that would attain Sincerity must desire Gods sincere Word A searching Ministry will make a sound Professor a plain Minister will make a plain Christian. Lay your naked heart under the naked truth of God and let him write on that blank paper what he pleaseth For the word of the Lord is quick and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit and of the joynts and marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart Such a Sword rightly welded will cleave an hair and give a man as little rest in formality as in prophaness The word of truth is the way to create the grace of truth the sincere word a sincere heart The babe draws spirits with the milk and that nourishes And in the word truly dispensed the spirit is conveyed and if the spirit of truth step in with the word of truth then the work is done Psal. 143. 10. Thy spirit is good lead me into the land of Uprightness This good spirit will take you by the hand and not only shew you but bring you into the land of uprightness And go not so much to judge the Minister as to be judged by the Sermon Let the most of your severity be imployed upon your selves and the largest of your charity upon the Preacher The humble sincere hearer doth mostly go home with the benefit when the censorious person goes away with the talk And remember this that as it requires more grace to hear and profit by a weak or offensive Preacher so a warm and serious spirit will infuse heat and vigour into the most cold general Sermon if not into the Minister V. Be instant in prayer Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above and cometh down from the Father of lights This is a good and perfect gift O seek it from the Father of lights The Matter of such a prayer pleaseth him and the Mediator pleaseth him and so nothing can frustrate it but the Man or the Matter Add faith and forveney and the manner is sure And then let not your suit fall for your own fault nor lose a prayer for up rightness for want of an honest heart Beg also the prayers of others he may hear Job that will not hear his friends Pray and wrestle till this blessing come O Lord I have heard such a Character of uprightness that I misdoubt my self I seel much amiss I fear all 's amiss I tremble at my condition I am a Christian by profession but I am an hypocrite by nature thy word hath found me out and I am lost Create in me a clean heart O God and renew a right upright spirit within me And know that the God of Heaven will give grace more freely than an earthly Father will bread Good and upright is the Lord therefore will he teach sinners in the way And thus you have the Means and do you mean to use them what are directions if you will not be directed by them O let not these words stand here to be your accusers but your monitors and remember that Practise is the End the Crown of Preaching SECT IX V. THe Fifth and last Use is for Consolation to all upright ones You are blessed men in the mouth both of Law and Gospel Psal. 119. 1. Blessed are the undefiled in the way that walk in the Law of the Lord. Mat. 5. 8. Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God You may be crost by men but you shall be blest by God you may not see the desire of your hearts in this life but you shall see God in life everlasting you may live poor but you shall dye rich Prov. 19. 1. Better is the poor that walketh in his integrity than he that is perverse in his lips and is a fool He that 's poor in his wealth but rich in his integrity hath coyn that will pass in the other world Uprightness and Blessedness are inseparable companions O but Sir that 's my fear that my heart is rotten at the core my wayes crooked and your discourse hath increas'd my doubts that I fear I have not one dram of sincerity And my fears are increas'd upon such grounds as these Doubt 1. The Allegatiòns of Satan See saith he thy rottenness after such a Duty in such a temptation thou hast but a shew and these accusations he follows with fears and terrours in my spirit that my soul is sometimes weary of my life Resol 1. There are roots of hypocrisie in the sincerest heart as of all other sins so of this That 's remarkable Luk. 12. 1. Jesus began to say to his Disciples first of all take heed and beware of hypocrisie Christs own Disciples were in danger of this leaven All the stock below the grass is perfect Crab-tree This you may grant with grief and yet retain your integrity with comfort 2 Satans Bills are void in Law for he is the Accuser of the Brethren right or wrong he had a face to accuse upright Job that had his Maker for his compurgator And then the accusation of a condemned person is no proof in any Court of Record yea his terrors may be your evidences for he seldom or never troubles his own house while his prisoners are quiet he holds his peace but when they are broken from him he shakes his chain after them But then hold up a crucified Christ before his very face with worthy Gesner and say Huic offendi non tibi vince hunc me vinces It 's this Christ that I have offended thou fiend of Hell I never sinn'd against thee conquer him and then thou conquerest me Doubt 2. The Censures of men my Friends whisper it my Foes proclaim it and the Minister meets me in every Sermon I may be partial to my self but others will speak plain Resol 1. The censures of others should make us more severe
to the Being and Truth of Grace and the latter to wit Watchfulness to the Preservation and Exercise of Grace And belike on that account sincerity is called a Girdle Ephes. 6. 14. having your loyns girt about with truth Religion is to many as a Cloak though it will prove the dearest Cloak that ever was worn which they can put on abroad when it serves their purposes and put off at home when it troubles them in their lusts but now sincerity is like a Girdle that ties it close to us This makes all our Garments sit close to us and to be ungirt here is to be unblest And may be thus described Uprightness of heart is that Grace or gracious temper whereby the soul is unreservedly resigned to God and heartily bent to walk with him without guile In short when one is A man after Gods own heart for Truth is nothing but an agreement of things with their first Principles so that the Heart agreeing plainly with the Heart and Will of God is an upright heart The same thing is meant by an Honest heart Luke 8. 15. that is resolved to carry squarely towards God as there in the hearing of Gods Word when the heart is clearly carried with the stream of Gods will without Exception or Dissimulation As you know an honest man is ruled and swayed by Reason and Equity in a business without squinting at his own opinions and ends even so an upright heart honestly yields his Reason and Will captive to the Will of God though it cross his own conceits and ends And thus he is a man after Gods own heart is as like him humane frailty considered as ever he can look Now this blessed Uprightness may be considered 1. In the Grounds of it 2. In the Nature of it 3. In the Object of it I. The Ground and root of Uprightness of Heart stands in the total Receiving of Christ by the Heart and the total Resigning of the Heart unto him This done and there 's a good foundation laid for sincerity of soul. 1. There must be a total Receiving of Jesus Christ tendered in the Gospel when you do take hold of the Lord Jesus and cleave to him with purpose of heart As Barnabas prest them at Antioch Acts 11. 23. Many have a months mind of Christ some velleities and wouldings but wilt thou have him and cleave to him and that with purpose of heart this is sincerity to receive a whole Christ with a whole heart Not Christ the Saviour or Refuge only so most would be willing but Christ the Prince and Portion also in the land of the living So David could say Psal. 142. 5. O Lord I said thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the living How many would fain have the Lord Jesus Christ for their Refuge when Conscience pinches affliction presses or death stares them in the face but how few will choose him for their portion and happiness in the midst of their outward comforts the Hypocrite dare not dye without him the upright Saint cannot live without him Cant. 1. 4. The upright love thâ—… and love cannot live contentedly without fruition To be content of a Christ because of some present need of him is one thing is nothing if that be all but to chuse him as the fairest of ten thousand and that with an intire heart to have Mind Will Conscience and Affection all of a mind and this mind to be set on Christs yoke as well as his Crown his Spirit as well as his Merit his Rule as well as his Righteousness here goes the upright heart whereas an hypocrite he hath some fancy for Jesus Christ but will not have him this pleases him but that likes him not and so he dodges endlesly and parles with him through the window but bolts the door and keeps him out for ever O that ever an holy just and offended God should follow such miserable sinners with a bleeding Christ in his arms and that ever such wretches should put a refusal upon him 2. There must be a total Resignation of the heart unto the Lord Jesus Christ wherein you do cordially deliberately and freely give up your souls and bodies to him and to his service which is called Ingageing the heart to approach to the Lord Jer. 30. 21. Who is this that ingaged his heart to approach unto me saith the Lord And thereupon that happy Covenant is drawn in the next verse ye shall be my people and I will be your God Who is this saith God Who in the World Who in this Congregation Who in this Family Who in this Seat Where 's the Man the Woman the Child O let each answer quickly it is I. But you must ingage not only hanker incline desire purpose but ingage 't is not bidding but buying will make this Pearl your own Alas it is the ordinary guise of people to stand off and treat only but Sirs will ye ingage is 't a bargain and will ye stick to it get or lose by Christ you will have him and then 't is the ingagement of the heart you did subscribe your hands in Baptisme this very Covenant was sealed in your name and behalf when you were children little and your not revoking it doth assert it but now we come for your hearts thereunto Where 's the Mind the Conscience the Will O where 's the Will that submits resolves and ingages to be the Lords Happy this day this word and happy you if hereupon one shall say I am the Lords and another shall call himself by the name of Jacob and another shall subscribe with his hand unto the Lord and surname himself by the name of Israel Isa. 44. 5. You are the Lords by your Christian names already O when will you be his by your surname also This is the Gospels great design this is our errand here we come for you and are loth to go without you We beseech you by the mercies of God to make a present of your selves as a living sacrifice to God Poor sinners are like Rebels besieged whom Christ Jesus will either win or starve His Ordinance is mounted and it batters A breach is made in the Judgment but the sinner will not yield another in the Conscience yet is he loth to yield the white flag of mercy is set up but of a long time the sturdy sinner will not treat the red flag is hung out divine wrath is on the march and a storm is preparing The Ordinance of God replanted again and now if it hit right and a breach be made upon the will then Christ is victor the City is won and the sinner yields And then his note is changed Psal. 116. 16. O Lord truly I am thy servant I am thy servant Mark how the Psalmist redoubles it I am I am truly I am Redoubled refusals call for redoubled submissions I will neither be my own master nor my own servant I here make a Deed of Gift of my
whole self to thee without Reservation and without Power of Revocation It is not enough to say this in a pang of kindness or in a complement as we do to men What 's more common with us than Your servant Sir but it s a servant without service and such servants hath God a great many his Servants but their own Masters but holy David was not such a man I am thy servant truly I am thy servant I am resign'd to thee I am resolv'd for thee thou hast boar'd my ears Psal. 40. 6. and oblig'd me to thee for ever I will be thine both Totally and Finally When you thus give your Own selves to the Lord 2 Cor. 8. 5. This is the ground and root of Uprightness SECT VI. II. THe Nature of this Uprightness of Heart is best discern'd by those expressions us'd by the Holy Ghost concerning it which have been partly observ'd already and shall be reduc'd to these five following It is 1. Single without Division 2. Sound without Rottenness 3. Pure without Mixture 4. Perfect without Reservation 5. Plain without Guile 1. An Upright heart is Single without Division Unto an hypocrite there be Gods many and Lords many and he must have a heart for each but to the upright there is but one God the Father and one Lord Jesus Christ and one heart will serve them both He that fixes his heart upon the Creatures for every Creature he must have an heart and the dividing of his heart destroyes him Hos. 10. 2. worldly profits knock at door he must have an heart for them carnal pleasures present themselves he must have an heart for them also sinful preferments appear they must have an heart too Necessariorum numerus parvus opinionum nullus Of necessary objects the number is few of needless vanities the number is endless The upright man hath made choice of God and hath enough A single Christ is enough for a single heart hence holy David prayes Psal. 86. 11. Unite my heart to fear thy Name Let me have but one heart and mind and let that be thine As there are thousands of Beams and Rayes yet they all meet and center in the Sun so an upright man though he hath a thousand thoughts yet they all by his good will meet in God Subordinate ends he hath many to procure a livelihood to preserve his credit to provide for his children but Supreme end he hath none but God alone Hence that Steadiness in his Resolutions that Undistractedness in his holy duties that Consistency in his Actions and that Evenness in the frame of his Heart which miserable hypocrites cannot attain 2. An Upright Heart is Sound without Rottenness Psal. 119. 80. Let my heart be sound in thy statutes that I may not be ashamed The more sincerity the less shame Integrity is the great author of confidence Every frost shakes an unsound body and every tryal shakes an unsound soul. An upright man hath not alwayes so pure a colour as an hypocrite may have but his colour is natural it is his own it is not painted his constitution is firm The hypocrites beauty is borrowed the fire of tryal will melt it off An Upright man hath his infirmities his diseases but his new nature works them out for he is sound within A leprosie overspreads the hypocrite but he hides it Psal. 36. 2. He flattereth himself in his own eyes until his iniquity be found to be hateful He endeavours to hide himself from God more from men most from himself he would fain be in with himself howsoever and this trade he drives till his iniquity be found to be hateful But now an Upright man he is alwayes sifting and trying himself am I sound am I right are my services rightly done are my infirmities consistent with integrity and the like An upright Saint is like an apple with rotten specks but an hypocrite is like the apple with a rotten core The sincere Christian hath here a speck of passion and there of worldliness and there of pride but cut him up anatomize him he is sound at heart there Christ and Christianity live and reign Now an hypocrite is like an apple that is smooth and lovely on the outside but rotten within His words exact his duties devout his life blameless but look within and his heart is the sty of sin the den of Satan 3. An Upright heart is Pure without Mixture Not absolutely pure that happiness is reserv'd for heaven but compared with that pollution and base mixture that constitutes an hypocrite Though his hand cannot do all that God bids yet his heart is sincere in all he doth His soul is bent for perfect purity and so he hath his name from that Mat. 5. 8. Blessed are the pure in heart In his words he sometimes fails and so in his thoughts and deeds but open his heart and there is a love a desire a design and an indeavour after real and absolute purity Not legally pure that is free from all sin but Evangelically pure free from the reign of all sin especially of hypocrisie which is so flatly contrary to the Covenant of Grace And in this sence the upright man is the Scripture Puritan and so 〈◊〉 further from hypocrisie than any other man He is really glad that God is the searcher of hearts for then he knows that he will finde his name and nature in his own And yet the most upright man in the world hath some hypocrisie in him Prov. 20. 9. Who can say I have made my heart clean I am pure from my sin but this he detects resists and hates and so it cannot denominate him an hypocrite in this world nor damn him for one in another His ends are generally purely at the glory of God his frame of heart and thoughts pure and generally better than his outside the farther you trace him the better he is Pure from dishonesty in his dealings purer yet in his family from all appearance of evil purer still in his closet and purest in his heart though there be sin there yet there is also there an antipathy against it that it mingles not with it The hypocrite chooses sin the upright man would have no sin if he could choose The Traveller its true meets with dirt in his way but he keeps it off as well as he can mingles not with it and if he be soil'd he rubs it off as soon as may be but the swine delights in it cannot be well without it 'T is just so between the upright man and the hypocrite The most upright Saint on earth is bemir'd with sin sometimes but he did not design it in the morning nor sleeps he with it at night but an hypocrite he designs it he delights in it he is never so well contented as in sin In a word the hypocrite may avoid sin but no man can abhor sin save the upright man 4. An Upright man is Perfect and intire without Reservation Psal. 37. 37.
former else the other is but like a candle in a dark lanthorn which burns away to no purpose This is the very Sinew of humane Society and makes men happy in one another It is such an excellent thing that they who never practise it yet alwayes pretend to it The veriest knaves abhor to be so called and would be reputed and stiled honest and upright men And that must needs be amiable which all men commend and necessary which no society can subsist without So that there abides a Crown of honour for a Downright Heathen as well as a Crown of glory for an Upright Christian and there will be an easier punishment for those I may call them Christian-Pagans than for abundance of our Pagan Christians 2. This Uprightness of life is not sufficient without the former 'T is good but not good enough To be a fast friend to men and a broken bow to God will yeild you little comfort Yet how many sit down here and think themselves well would not steal a shoe latchet from their neighbour for a world and yet make no Conscience of stealing from God his Honour and his Day That would not wrong their Brethrens Name by any reproach for a world and yet make no bones of wronging the Name of the great God and take it in vain day by day The squareness of your actions may crown you with reputation but the rottenness of your hearts will leave you in condemnation by that God that trieth the hearts and reins As in the Law without bloud there was no remission so in the Gospel without Oyle there is no admission into the Kindome of Heaven Civility and Sanctity are two things 3. This uprightness of life cannot be without that uprightness of heart It loseth in truth its name and nature for want of a principle For that which is truly good must have all its causes which this wants It is a common experiment that water will not ascend above its spring without a violence upon nature and it is as true that no mans actions can carry a higher level than the fountain of them so that to make the life upright you must begin at the heart and first make the Tree good and then the fruit will be good also Now this Uprightness of Life is the exact agreement of a mans words and actions with an honest and upright heart When the life is the picture of the heart and there is a blessed harmony between the frame of the soul within and the course of the life without when a man doth not frame his life to gratifie the company or serve the times he lives in or the corrupt humours of other or any carnal ends of his own but his heart is sincere and so are his words and deeds Not that we expect an absolute exactness here the uprightest man on earth hath enough to humble and afflict him but for the main there is no known ordinary and willing swerving of his course from his frame within or of that from the holy will of God And herein also we shall consider 1. It s Essence 2. It s Object SECT XII I. THe Nature or Being of Uprightness of life shines 1. In Simplicity Prov. 28. 6. 18. Better is the poor that walketh in his Integrity than he that is perverse in his wayes though rich The word for wayes in both places is Dual and intimates two wayes An hypocrite is a man with two wayes The one he goes in the other he seems to go in The poor upright man hath but one way and that 's better than them both 2 Cor. 1. 12. For our rejoycing is this the testimony of our Conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God we have had our Conversation in the world When this Apostle was traduc'd by men yet this afforded him not only content but joy to wit the testimony of his Conscience An hypocrite may have quiet in his Conscience but an upright man hath a Testimony in his Conscience He carries every where Letters Testimonial in his bosom And why all this joy that we have had our conversation in simplicity As our ends have been single in preaching the Gospel so our Lives have not been double The drift of our preaching and lives hath been the same Happy that Preacher that can here subscribe his hand This Simplicity of an upright man makes him sometimes the Subject of loss and sometimes the Object of scorn Job 12. 4. The just upright man is laughed to scorn and many a Simpleton he is called yet he goes on and carries it in the end His great consideration is What is my duty according to that Prov. 4. 25. Let thine eyes look straight on and let thine eye-lids look straight before thee That is without squinting at events or how it will please or whom it will lose he is resolved to live and dye in his duty Mistake me not as if Prudence and Integrity could not dwell together certainly they may and ought His simplicity only excludes the subtlety of the Fox which stands in being cunning to do mischief not the wisdom of the Serpent which stands in carefully avoiding it 2. Uprightness of Life stands in Purity Prov. 16. 17. The high-way of the Upright is to depart from evil His usual road is as far from the broad way as ever he can and his care herein sometimes carries him rather too far upon which account his Conscience breeds more scruples then other mens that can swallow any thing that comes to hand but his integrity in other things apologizeth for him to all wise men and at least brings him off with peace and comfort And this very thing hath brought upon very many of these upright men the badge of a Puritan which is by too many applied to subvert sincere holiness and to cast an odium on downright Christianity and the practise of that we all profess Sure I am the Scripture opens Heavens gates to none but those whose lives are pure and holy Psal. 24. 4. Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord and who shall stand in his holy place He that hath clean hands and a pure heart c. Hence the upright man dare not mingle with those vain fooleries vitious excesses or suspicious recreations that men of devasted Consciences are drowned in nor can all the good nature that 's in him nor importunity of neighbours or kindred draw him to such company or courses that would sting his Conscience when he should sleep except God leaves him to himself sometimes to try and humble him 3. This Uprightness of Life shines in the perfection of his Life Understand a Perfection of parts each part of him is sincere See that Isa. 33. 14. Fearfulness hath surprized the hypocrite who among us shall dwell with devouring fire Who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnnings that is stand before the holy just and upright Jehovah who
any one of them though you should labour to find them all you may rest with comfort in the safety of your condition though at present you may not discern the rest for that where there is one Integraâ—… member of the new man there is the whole though not apparent But let not one Character pass your eye without a faithful tryal Is it thus with me that you may know your own selves that Jesus Christ is in you and then you are not reprobates SECT IV. I. THe first Character of an upright man is He really approves himself to God 2 Tim. 2. 15. Study to shew thy self approved to God This is the care and business of every upright man In all business and companies his chiefest care is that the words of his mouth and the thoughts of his heart may be pleasing to him Famous is that story of Bernard who after a curious Sermon among the general applause was found dejected and in his dumps and after a more sincere plain discourse the day following exceeding chearful told one of his friends that inquir'd the reason Heri Bernardum hodie Jesum Christum praedicavi yesterday I preach'd Bernard but to day I have preached Jesus Christ. When you can say Lord others know my actions but thou knowest my ends others may lift me up too high or cast me down too low but I am satisfied if thou art pleased with me For not he that commendeth himself is approved but whom the Lord commends And this is to walk worthy of the Lord in all Pleasing When a mans great aim is at God and not to please or exalt himself or others Whereas an hypocrite he is quite another man Mat. 23. 5. For all their works they do to be seen of men and therefore they chose Trumpets to distribute their alms with and corners of Streets Streets would not serve but corners of Streets that so two full Streets might view them in their prayers and so poor creatures they paid themselves before the great Pay-day Verily I say unto you they have their reward Their thought is how will this or that man like this word or action If such and such commend me and applaud me I have enough But the upright man looks at God and a smile from him gives him content He may endeavour to compass the good opinion of men but he will serve God first and hate any base courses to procure the praise of men It s part of his Character Rom. 2. 29. Whose praise is not of men but of God II. The second mark of an upright man is He chiefly loves God To love the Lord our God with all the heart with all the soul with all the strength is an infallible Character of an upright man When it comes to be a disputable case between God and Mammon God and the Belly God and Relations God and a right Eye or Hand if thou cannot find at least for the most part thy soul determining for God over-ruling the case in his behalf and that thy love to him can make thee contemn the world and all that is in it fear nothing thou hast an upright heart Try now do you use the World to enjoy God or do you make use of God to enjoy the World Do you love him for himself do you love him like himself in every thing above every thing Object But how should I know I love him best Answ. Hath he if not the most yet the heartiest of your thoughts When your ends are raffled to the bottom do they end at him or self do you love the hours and duties that tend towards him Are not you troubled that you can love him no more is not Heaven it self desirable to you on this account because there you will love him and hate sin perfectly and eternally can you delight in your mercies when you fear they come not in love can you live contentedly under the sence or fear of his absence or displeasure in a word doth that please you best that tends and ends in his honour though it shame your persons or cross your other designs do you dearly affect his blessed word and those parts thereof that have nothing to commend them to you but their holiness not only the Histories of the Bible but the Doctrine the Precepts of the Bible Can you taste more sweetness in a Sermon of Christ an Epistle of Paul the hundred and nineteenth Psalm than in any human writings in the world Doth the remembrance of your communion with God and communication from him more refresh you than the review of other delights Cant. 1. 4. We will remember thy love more than wine the upright love thee That is a sign of love this is a sign of uprightness III. A third sign of an upright man is He willingly obeys God 1 Chron. 28. 9. And thou Solomon my Son serve thou the God of thy Fathers with a perfect heart and a willing mind What he does his will is in it He will do what he can yea more than he can An hypocrite doth more than he would He acts not but is acted by profit credit and the like and when this wind blows not he stands as the Windmill stock still Love to God oyls the wheel of obedience and then a man runs the way of his Commandments when the Lord hath inlarged his heart Psal. 119 32. Amor meus pondus mcum Happy for ever that man whose principle of motion is within An hypocrite he hath no hearty good will to the very duties he performs he prays but he hath no good will to prayer he gives but his will is another way his obedience is against his mind his interest draws him one way his mind goes another and what a wretched life must he live the generality of whose visible actions go against the frame of his mind and so neither God nor himself hath pleasure in them 2 Cor. 8. 12. If there be first a willing mind it is accepted according to what a man hath and doth Try your selves therefore do you find that your wills are prest for God do you obey your Master as your servants should obey you with good will doing service as to the Lord and not to men 'T is true you will find another Law another will drawing the other way but if you can say with Paul Rom. 7. 22. I delight in the Law of God after the inward man your hearts are upright you grieve for your unwillingness you bring your wills to every ordinance and use the means to make them better and cordially desire to do his will on earth as it is done in Heaven The crossness of your will is your greatest burden and you are getting ground herein are you not then your case is good IV. The fourth Character of an upright man is He can Judiciously appeal to God I call God to record on my soul saith Holy Paul And this not only in a crowd and before others
neither loves nor obeyes whereas the upright man finding his duty bides by it dwells upon it and will deny himself ere he will deny his duty If God will have me love mine enemies I will love them If he wil have me forsake this company or course that I am taken with I will freely leave them If he will have me pray yea and fast too no duty shall be so hard but I will do it no sin so sweet but I will leave it with my whole heart and my whole soul. We have both these in that trying verse Psal. 119. 128. Therefore I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right and I hate every false way Each word is a sacred touchstone Therefore It is said ver 126. Wicked men make void the Law That 's so far from carrying the upright man down the stréam that therefore he loves it the more he knows it cannot but be excellent that such men hate Is the Sabbath generally broken he is stricter in observing it Are oathes more frequent he abhors them the more Is true Piety hated and hist out of the world his heart and house shall more throughly imbrace it I esteem I cannot observe thy precepts as I would but I do dearly value them The least of thy Laws is more unto me than thousands of Gold and Silver I esteem thy precepts I do not only esteem the Truths of the Bible the Histories in the Bible the Promises of the Bible but I esteem thy Precepts those that cut out my work as well as those that hold out my Reward And all these those that are against my nature and interest and custome as well as those that are agreeable to my nature and custom and subservient to my interest They are all wise holy and good Thy word is very pure therefore thy servant loves it And I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right Those precepts that give rules for my bargains as well as for my hearing that controule me at my meat as well as those that direct me in my prayers they are all right and good And I hate every false way I do not say I escape and miss them all happy if I could but I hate them and he that hates sin will avoid it as much as he can And that every false way I see they are false wayes neither directed by my God nor leading to him and therefore I hate them all And this is an upright man he is Universally Religious SECT IX 3. AN upright man labours after Constant Religion His sanctity is a second Nature in him now that which is natural is constant There is great difference between the natural heat of an healthy man and the praeternatural heat of an Ague such is the difference between the true Saint and the hypocrite An hypocrite may have some fits of Piety but they are adventitious they flow from some outward cause and accordingly they last but for a while and when that cause ceaseth suppose some sharp judgement fear'd or felt some qualm of Conscience or shallow Sermon-sickness then a cold fit follows as bad or worse than before alas it is praeternatural it was no habit but the upright man hath a constant heat he fears alwayes and maintains constant duty though he cannot keep equal heat therein And here 's the difference between the inconstancy of an upright man and of an hypocrite the inconstancy of the hypocrite is in the Substance of the duty it self one while he prayes another while he restrains prayer one while he is strict and cautious and shortly loose and careless whereas the upright man keeps on in the course of his duty though he cannot do it alwayes alike he prayes and would not bâ—… hired from it though the thread of his prayers be uneven there may be remisness in it but not an intermission of it there 's constant Religion though not equal Religion The hypocrite makes a Cloak of his Religion which he puts on and off as it serves his purpose the upright man wears it as his every day cloathes and puts not off his integrity till he dye There may be some Parentheses in his holy course wherein vanity and sin may be written too many of these God knows in the best mans heart and life but still the sentence runs current the sence and scope of his heart runs Heaven-ward whereas on the contrary the full sence of an hypocrites heart is to please or promote himself though there may be some parentheses of Religion no part of the scope of his soul you have their character Psal. 78. 36 37. Nevertheless they did statter him with their mouth and they lied to him with their tongues for their heart was not right with him neither were they steadfast in his Covenant No greater sign of a rotten heart than a fundamental unstedfastness in the Covenant of God when a man is rul'd by times and companies to shew good or evil this mans heart is not right with God It s true a tempest may bend the boughs of a living tree or perhaps the tree it self if the storm be great but they return to their straightness they come to themselves but the rotten sticks and branches are broken and overturn'd just so some strong temptation may drive an upright man out of his honest way but he soon returns and by mending his pace makes amends for his stumbling Three Scriptures give the upright man his character concerning this matter Proverbs 28. 14. Happy is the man that feareth alwayes To be alwayes afraid looks like a miserable life among men but to have a waking eye and careful heart for fear of sin is no more a misery than to walk or ride with a vigilant regard to prevent a fall This fear is not troublesome or vexatious at all he 's an happy man that uses it and no wise man will count the other hapy for going running riding without fear or wit in danger every moment to break his bones Again Hos. 12. 6. Keep mercy and judgement and wait upon thy God continually The whole life of a sincere Saint is a continual waiting upon God whatever his work be whoever his company wherever he goes whenever he eats or drinks yet in all these he waites upon his God and serves the will of his heavenly Father And agreeable to this is the other passage Prov. 23. 17. Be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day long Most emphaticall both for the duty commanded and for the term of the duty both most apposite to set out an upright man The fear of the Lord that is universal Religion be thou in thâ—… more than if he had said let the fear of the Lord be in thee be surrounded with it swallowed up in it And then this all the day long not only a fit of Religion at thy prayers in the morning and another at night but work and walk eat and drink in it all the
day long yea all thy life long which is but a long day The Religion of an hypocrite is like a tireing horse which may go apace in the morning and shew much mettal for a while but the upright man though more soberly yet goes more constantly and in this sense that is most true Prov. 10. 9. He that walks uprightly walks surely You shall finde this man with savoury thoughts in his heart at noon with Ejaculations at his work and there is a coherence between his duties and his life In a word and so I 'le end this point the Upright man hath four Walks towards God which will set him forth to the life 1. The upright man walks Before God Gen. 17. 1. Walk before me and be thou perfect or upright And that is whereby the upright man habitually alwayes and actually as much as in him lies Sets the Lord alwayes before him and still thinks and speaks and acts as if he lookt on weighing not only the matter but the manner and motives of his wayes acquitting himself still to his God 2 Cor. 2. 17. As of sincerity as of God in the sight of God speak we in Christ. Happy for ever that Minister that can call God to record on his soul that as no errours corrupt his Doctrine so no base ends corrupt his heart but that he preaches Christs will sincerely as if the Lord himself look'd on 2. The upright man walks with God So Enoch Gen. 5. 22. And Enoch walked with God That is so to live as if the Holy God were in person walking with you on Earth or as if you were walking with him in Heaven If God should visibly walk with you on earth as he was a while with Abraham O with what humility sanctity watchfulness love and fear would you continually live what an humble and serious regard would you have towards him much more if you were to walk a while with him in Heaven what a frame would you there be in why this sence hath walking with God which no man hath skill in save the upright man he is constantly religious 3. The upright man walks After God Deut. 13. 4. Ye shall walk after the Lord your God and fear him and keep his Commandments and obey his voice Where he can see his God walk before him like a dutiful child he will though not aequis passibus walk after him as fast as he can This was the praise of Caleb Numbers 14. 24. that he followed God fully That word I am the Lord thy God makes every Thou shalt of his and every Thou shalt not acceptable to an upright man Come sayes God here 's a work I must have done here thou must give here forgive here 's a Saint must be loved for his own sake here 's a sinner must thou love and pity for my sake Ready Lord saith the upright man by thy Grace it shall be done this is to follow God fully this is to walk after God 4. The upright man walks Like God 1 John 2. 6. He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk even as he walked Now how did our Lord Jesus walk when he was upon earth why a mirrour and pattern of all humility justice charity meekness self-denial Think often when you are eating how did Christ order his meales do I give thanks like him discourse at table like him think often when you are hearing and praying did he hear and pray in such a manner as I do How would he carry himself among such neighbours how would he instruct and guide this Family how would he bear and improve these reproaches wants and troubles how would he appear for God is in such company how would he sanctisie the Sabbath how would he deal with such parents such children if he were in my place how quiet when provok'd how chast when tempted how just and true in his dealings how cautious of others names and how content with his own estate Put him often into your case and remember if ever you will live with him you must live like him And by this fruitful and good life you shew that God is upright and that there is no unrighteousness in him Psal. 29. last SECTION X. ANd thus I have opened in some poor measure an upright heart By all which dearly Beloved you may see the Absolute necessity of Regeneration I mean the through change of the heart from the state of nature to the state of grace For certainly mans heart by nature is false and far from this uprightness described How can the soul receive Christ Jesus as he is offered in his Gospel or resign it self to him without Regeneration how can the heart of a sinful child of Adam be either single or sound or pure or perfect or plain without Regeneration what man will study or practise Inward Universal and constant Religion till he be Regenerated Who will walk Before God With God After God Like God before his heart be changed Alas these things are neither conceived by the mind nor received by the will of a natural man He is ignorant in them and an enemy to them O Sirs you must be new creatures else all our treatie stands for nothing we must still begin here and can parly no further with you unless you yield in this Will ye be renewed in the Spirit of your mind Would you give all the world for a new Heart till then you are but rotten at the heart you walk in a vain shew for all your talk against hypocrites you are errand hypocrites and shall be condemned as such when those you have so reproach'd shall be your judges and openly honoured before Angels and men Those poor Mordecaies shall be royally arrayed and you like proud Haman shall see it to the breaking of your hearts To prevent this O learn this one Lesson Sound Conversion which is but restoring that image you lost in Adam Your bones were all put out of joynt by that fall this is the painful pluck that puts them in joynt again Would not any man abide a painful pluck to set one bone in joynt O Sirs abide one pluck to bring all your soul into frame again you must be new men else you cannot be upright men you must be in Christ before you can walk like him Your Religion is but skin deep till the Holy Ghost hath made an holy change And therefore for the Lords sake and for your souls sake study this point into practise Give no sound sleep to your eyes while you are such near neighbours to Hell your temperate just and honest behaviour may make your fall the softer but without holiness you must never see the Lord and a carnal heart can never be holy and upright without Regeneration And so far concerning the first part of uprightness which respects God uprightness of heart SECT XI THe second part of Uprightness respects Man which is Uprightness of life which 1. Must be with the
lye you will he likes it not his heart rises against it Psal. 119. 163. I hate and abhor lying two words for failing to shew his great hatred of this sin Be it with him or against him the upright man will speak the truth Whereas an hypocrite as he is nothing else but a Lye so he can swallow them as fast as occasion serves Poor man thou wouldst not speak it if the man that stands by thee saw into thy heart and how darest thou speak it when the holy and true God sees into thy heart and can choke thee with thy dissembling words 3. An upright man hates all Equivocations and mental Reservations That is he speaks his words in a sense that he would have them construed in and keeps no part of a sentence in his mind to contradict what he pronounced with his mouth especially with an intent to injure another Such was that jugling trick we read of Cydias that being betrusted by Archetimus with a sum of mony afterwards flatly denies it There being no witness to prove the truth Cydias is summon'd to his Oath before the Altar and a great Assembly he quilts the mony in his staffe and going to take his Oath gives Archetimus his staffe to hold the while and then confidently swears he had given him back his money But this deceit lasted not long for Archetimus seeing his perjury in a rage throws down his staffe it breaks and the fraud is found And such is the usual issue of such Equivocations The upright man hath no skill at this he knows if the plain truth will not bear him out these cunning shifts never can My brethren it beseems not the plain-heartedness of a Christian to speak like the Delphian Oracle to be understood in two contrary sentences The Romans themselves would not so much as hear those Embassadors that were painted saying how shall we believe them whose very face and looks do lie An upright man if he do not speak all his heart yet will speak according to his heart He loves not to walk with a dark lanthorn much less to deal with false lights but plain genuine are his expressions without and fair and candid is his heart within 4. An upright man greatly hates promise breaking whether it be to God or men A great note of integrity in Jephthah Judg. 11. 35. I have opened my mouth to the Lord and I cannot go back It was a rash vow but conscience of the obligation brake all other considerations which in his case might have been many and he chose rather to have his very heart broken than his word It is enough for a subtile Polititian to have Distinctions and Evasions ready to help himself out of the straightest bonds the upright man delights not after vows to make inquiry Well advised every man should be before he binds himself in any thing to the Lord but when his soul is fast let him be very well advised how he releases himself for there is nothing doth more prostitute the Conscience and utterly undo men than being fast and loose with God in sacred vows and promises The same abhorrence hath the upright man of breaking his word with men and thereupon his word is as good as his bond If he bids so much for a commodity he seldom shrinks but gives it if he bargain to his prejudice yet he changes not the scarceness of the thing the rising of the market cannot prevail with him to rescind his punctual agreement whether he gain or lose he will not lose his honesty nor his reputation O what a Golden age would return unto us if men were but plain in their dealing and punctual in their performances and unworthy is it for a man a Christian man to be so vile that no body can believe him nor trust him How will that Atilius Regulus rise up in judgment and condemn this generation who being prisoner at Carthage and assur'd of his own death if he fail'd in his negotiation was set at liberty to effect a peace at Rome upon the single security of his own word to return if he fail'd to procure it but such was his publick spirit that he effectually disswaded his Countrymen from a peace assuring them of a certain conquest and such the integrity of his spirit that after this he fairly return'd and accepted of a cruel death rather than infringe his word Ten thousand pities such heroick acts should be lost for want of a right principle and ten thousand shames that Christians should break their word for a groat while Pagans will not do it for their lives SECT XIV SEcondly An upright man is sincere in his Deeds or Actions Isa. 33. 15. He walketh righteously as well as speaketh uprightly As his words are a true Commentary upon his heart so his actions are a true Exposition upon his words Whatsoever Office or Relation he stands in he adorns it with integrity The upright Judge when he puts on his Robes puts off his worldly relations The upright Justice of the Peace disdaining to be drawn by favour or driven by fear besides his duty The upright Counsellour will not plead when his Tongue is confuted by his Conscience The upright Juror without all by respects esteems the least grain of Evidence more weighty than a Talent of Ophirs Gold The upright Atturney when he perceives the cause to be a drop blown up by malice into a bubble sounds a retreat to his Client though he lose thereby The upright Physician will rather go with an empty purse than torture either the body or purse of his Patient without cause The upright Tradesman will be upright in his words upright in his weights and upright in his wares and upright in his rates And the upright Minister will put on his Thummim that is uprightness a word derived from that in my Text as well as Urim and rather lose the love of ten by his plain dealing than the soul of one by dissimulation and unfaithfulness Thus uprightness like a silver thread is drawn through the whole course of the sincere Christian and he that is upright is upright every where And that I may set out this holy course by its most proper Opposites 1. An upright man is a great enemy to Craftiness or Subtlety Though he studies to be Wise yet he delights not in Cunning. Craft is wisdom degenerated it is wisdom devested of honesty A tang of this was in that practise of Rebecca Gen. 37. 35. to procure the blessing for Jacob by a wile But it cost him many a sweating day and many a frosty night Guile and guilt go hand in hand Job 15. 5. Thy mouth utters thy iniquity and thou choosest the tongue of the crafty Carnal policy was never friend to inward piety though it sometimes wears Lambs wool without yet it is alwayes lin'd within with the Foxes furre But the true and holy God disappoints the devices of the crafty and drives the counsels of the froward
to the purification of the Sanctuary And the Lord hearken'd to Hezekiah There were divers really upright yet not rightly and fully purified as you may see 2 Chron. 29. 34. For the Levites were more upright in heart to sanctifie themselves than the Priests Here were upright Levites yet not sufficiently purified but Hezekiah obtained for them a pardon of course for they had done what they could and the Lord had mercy on them A very great comfort for Ministers or People that through straits of time or any unavoidable hindrance are not rightly sittâ—…d and furnished for their respective duties and are afraid to come and more afraid to stay away The good Lord will pardon such a one it was an oversight the heart was sound at the bottom and God will never break with any of his for an infirmity Compare Saul and David Saul had foolishly at most covetously spared Agag and a prey and he is cast off for it and loseth his kingdom David defiles the Wife and then kills the Husband and he is spar'd he is its true sorely beaten but not turn'd out of doors Again take Peter and Judas Judas through covetousness betrays his Master and Peter through fear denyes and forswears him Judas is sent by the Gallows into Hell and Peter is receiv'd into mercy And why this different dealing why David was in the bent of his heart upright before God and Saul in the bottom of his heart was for himself Peter resolved to lose his life before he would forsake his Saviour and Judas never followed him but for the bag And therefore the Lord graciously pardons the unwilling infirmities of his people for he sees the integrity of their hearts As a faithful Husband is more satisfied with the bewailed failings of his poor Wife than with the studied observances of an adulteress so the Lord our God he can better connive at and bear with the mourn'd for infirmities of his dear children than with the fain'd compliance of rotten hypocrites And what a treasure of comfort is this for you that fear God and let none else meddle with it your infirmities are many and your fear great lest they should sink you for ever you have such raging passions brutish lusts frequent distractions base distrust un-heavenliness of heart out of ordinances and dulness in them these are your burden these your fear now all these are within the Grant of pardon made in the Covâ—…nant of Grace and you that are upright in heart if any in the world have an undoubted interest therein and so are forgiven in Heaven and will be forgiven in your Consciences so far as is good for you and shall be forgiven at the last day And you have Gods word for it Psal. 32. 1 2. Blessed is the man whose iniquity is forgiven whose sin 〈◊〉 covered But who is he that may claim this blessing Verse 2. In whose spirit there is no Guile that is an upright man that is no hypocrite When therefore you have fallen into sin do not sit poring and questioning your eternal state but speedily and seriously set about the work of repentance and faith in the blood of Christ that you may be made whole Indeed after some great fall or extraordinary fit of spiritual slumber it is not amiss to clear and resettle the ground work so far may the building be decayed that it may be easier to build anew than to repair the old But it is neither wisdom nor duty upon every slip to condemn your state or to conclude that because you are wounded or sick therefore you are dead Question your act but not your state condemn your acts of sin but do not condemn your state of grace nor brew more tears than you need to drink For supposing you to be true men to God resign'd to him resolv'd for him and walking with him to your power he hath graciously promised to pardon iniquity transgression and sin sins of all sorts and sizes of them that fear him and hope in his mercy And mark it for your comâ—…ort that it belongs to Gods Truth and Uprightness to pardon such a sinner 1 Joh. 1. 9. If we confess our sins he is Faithful and Just to forgive 〈◊〉 our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness It is happy for us that we can plead mercy to God for pardon but when we do uprightly confess and forsake our sins we may plead his justice and faithfulness O Lord as thou art just and faithful bestow a pardon on me I beg it in the uprightness of my heart bestow it in the uprightness of thy word For thou hast said with the upright man I will shew my self upright SECT II. II. THe Lord will shew himself upright to an upright man in Defending his Person He is made sometimes the Butt of malice Hell and earth conspire against him as in this Psalm vers 4 5. Snares of death flouds of ungodly men sorrows of Hell all bent against him A plain argument of the sad deâ—…eneracy of mankind to be so desperately set against the Image of God in man and hate those that never did them wrong and that for his sake that alwayes doth them good yet so is the case the most innocent man cannot escape by them unto Heaven without many onsets they bend their bow and lay their snares can hardly sleep for rage Wrongs and Scorns and Fines and Prisons are their usual Charity he that departs from evil ever makes himself a prey The generality of the world are alienated from the life of God and enemies in their minds to all that live it and O that I could speak and write it in tears of grief and compassion A Drunkard a Swearer a Whoremonger may live quietly by them He that never read the Scriptures that never prays with his Family shall have all their good will and go quietly by them into destruction but if a mans Conscience be once awakened if he retrive his course and fall to earnest prayer change his company and sinful courses dare not prophane the Sabbath or take Gods Name in vain or swear as before then up do all his neighbours rise against him watch him censure him malign him and if possible insâ—…are him while he poor heart thinks them no hurt prays for them and only strives to save his own soul and others if he can But here you may rest safoly Prov. He is a Buckler to them that walk uprightly The Buckler covers the Souldier and God coveâ—… the upright man They must shoot through God that can wound you to your 〈◊〉 They hit him in the eye that aim at you and they that will incounter him meddle not with their match Exod. 19. 4. I bear you on Eagles wings Other Fowls bear their young in their claws so that the Fowler may kill the young and the old one be safe but the Eagle carrieâ—… her young on her wings so that who wounds the young must shoot through the dam so doth
uprightness preserve me for I wait on thee Two good props to a weak Christian. He may say Lord I have but weak graces to preserve me I have no parts or learning I have few friends to hold me up in thy wayes But I have thou knowest a sincere desire to please and serve thee O let integrity and uprightness preserve me and the rather for that I wait on thee I wait in the use of the means of perseverance and I wait by faith upon thy promise If sincerity will not hold me up I must fall He that walks in a narrow way must not reel if he reel he is in danger to fall The true Christian goes in such a way leaning is next to falling The upright man walks uprightly and therefore surely He hath liv'd to see great Scholars great Professors and great Preachers dwindle to nothing but by Grace he stande Sirs this is a great comfort and security to a poor soul my stock is small yet I hope I shall never break I drive but a mean trade but I perceive I go not backward better 〈◊〉 be a mean Saint than a great hypocrite my heart is sound I have no secret reserves I know nothing by my self I cannot run so fast as others but I am in the way that will certainly bring me to Gods holy hill Job 27. 5. Till I dye I will not remove my integrity from me My righteousness I hold fast my heart shall not reproach me as long as I live Among the many needless fears of the servants of God this is one that disquiets the soul when God stands only looking on namely shall I hold out I am a very weak creature the fall of one tree shakes another I have seen great Cedars fall they were once as confident as I if tryals come what will become of me Study and believe that excellent Scripture Jer. 32. 40 41. I will make an everlasting Covenant with them that I will not turn from them to do them good Make a stand here poor soul. The eternal true and upright God is entred with thee even with the weakest and youngest believer into an everlasting Covenant that for his part notwithstanding all thy infirmities he will never mark never turn away from doing thy soul good O but my fear is saith many an upright heart that I shall forsake him and turn from him there is my fear Mark what follows then But I will put my fear in their hearts that they shall not depart from me So then as God will not turn from thee so thou shalt not depart from him and how then shouldst thou fall away and all this is in his everlasting Covenant that â—…annot be disannulled When therefore your fears come cold upon your hearts concerning your Perseverance plead this Scripture with God fasten it on your souls fear not your falling off with a fear of Dissidence you are allow'd a fear of Caution that will make you stand the faster but beware of a fear of Dissidence that will make you fall the sooner Look you to the rise root and beginning of your Religion and God will look to the end of it Though thy grace was but like a grain of Mustard-seed yet it shall come to be a great Tree Job 8. 6 7. If thou wert pure and upright Though thy beginning was small yet thy latter end shall greatly increase He that hath taken root in Christ can never wholly wither SECT IX IX GOd will shew himself upright to the upright man In bestowing outward blessings upon him Prov. 28. 20. A faithful man shall abound with blessings To these he can make the clearest claim of these 〈◊〉 hath the truest tenure Alwayes provided that they be for his good Prov. 14. 11. The house of the wicked shall be overthrown but the tabernacle of the upright shall flourish The eyes of the Lord are upon him and his house to do him good From the beginning of the year to the end of the year Health wealth peace and full contentment shall be heaped on him so far as they are good for him That upright Caleb whose Title of honour it was that he followed God fully Numb 14. 24. had a double portion so the Learned say in the Land of Canaan He that hath the soveraignty over the world and all that therein is loves them and he that loves gives and that liberally Prov. 15 6. In the house of the righteous is much treasure We count our Friends tokens among our treasure Every loaf of bread every shilling in his purse every corn yea every grass-pile in the field is a friends token to the upright man so that in his house there is a world of treasure The upright God doth in effect say to his Angels every day Recommend me to such a child this morning and carry him from me his daily bread this or that mercy that is good for him Hence that ample promise Psal. 84. 11. For the Lord God is a Sun and Shield The Lord will give Grace and Glory No good thing will he with-hold from them that walk uprightly O blessed promise Dost thou want Direction He is a Sun Dost thou want Protection He 〈◊〉 a Shield Dost thou want Grace He will give Grace Wouldst thou have Gloâ—…y He will give that also Hast thou â—…eed of other good things for thy comfort in this life No good thing will he with-hold from them that walk uprightâ—…y Sit down now and think what thou â—…anst wish or need that is not here promised And this from that God that cannot deceive able and resolved to make good his word Put all the worldlings Lands and Palaces and Bonds and Bags â—…nto one scale and this one verse into the other and try whether will weigh down you will quickly discern they are lighter than vanity and this one verse of more weight than the whole world Rest your weary hearts in this if health were good for me I know I should have it if riches were good for me I should have them for I have my upright God in a bond that he will with-hold noâ—… good thing from me Nay once more seeâ—… Psal. 112. 2 3. The Generation of the upright shall be blessed wealth and richeâ—… shall be in his house and his righteousness endureth for ever Thy great care and feaâ—… is about thy posterity loe here 's a promise for them also the generation of thâ—… upright shall be blessed Though we cannot certainly be assured of this to every upright mans child yet this promise gives the upright man more ground oâ—… hope than any hypocrite or wicked maâ—… in the world hath There is a Stock of your prayers going in Heaven and there is a Stock of God promises in the Bible why then shoulâ—… you distrust sooner or later your postâ—…rity will certainly reap them either iâ—… temporal or spiritual mercies he maâ—… be long but he will be sure the Coveâ—…nant is made with you and yours anâ—… the generation
long he may certainly while any of his base ends draw him on Indeed when sharp troubles come for Religion then generally such are weary of it and utterly deny that which they never delighted in Canst thou now say in the midst of thy multiplied duties that thou hadst rather do them than not do them Dost thou only use prayer or chuse prayer Dost thou only avoid sin or abhor sin That is something or else that Pharisee Luke 18. shall be justified as soon as thou Object 3. Quiet of Conscience My own heart condemns me not that is most privy to my own estate and would be surely most faithful to me in this weighty case nay it is more against an hypocrite than any other sinner Answ. Remember that a Conscience pacified is not alwayes a sign of a Conscience purified If Conscience be not blinded it will see if it be not bribed it will speak if it be not brawny it will feel but if it have been curb'd and silenc'd and sinn'd against it may let you alone even as God doth and never bark till it bite and make its teeth to meet There are that deceive others until at length they be deceiv'd themselves that have deceived their own hearts so long till a deceived heart hath turned them aside that they cannot deliver their souls nor say is there not a lye in my right hand Isa. 44. 20. And yet if one should refer it to thee Dost thou think in thy very Conscience that thou art an upright Saint and a sincere servant of Jesus Christ Dost thou not know that by thy self which is inconsistent with integrity of heart what is that which makes thee tremble at death in a fright at thunder in pain at a searching Sermon afraid at the reading or hearing of any sisting marks or signs And then for bearing a great hatred to hypocrites that 's nothing for one proud man may hate another for standing in his light and rotten hearts are usually most suspicious and censorious of others Thy best evidence would be to loath thy self and thy only cure to be pricked at the heart SECT II. II. Use. THe second Improvement of this Point is for Reprehension 1. Of those that Disturst an upright God 2. Of those that Distast an upright Man 1. That Distrust an upright God No greater trouble to an upright man than to be suspected and distrusted to have his word question'd and his wayes misconstrued Good and upright is the Lord and he cannot indure to be called in question They that know him will take his word for more than this world is worth Psal. 9. 10. They that know thy Name will put their trust in thee But alas how few are these if we run over those very particulars wherein he shews himself upright you shall find much distrust in the world yea in the very best If we be in Danger how sew can quiet themselves in Gods promise of succour If we have fallen into Temptation how long ere we can heartily believe our pardon sealed in the blood of Christ when we begin to Pray which of us believes that as sure as we ask we shall receive how difficult to relye upon the grace of God for perseverance or on the promise of God for all good things in this life and for a Crown of glory in another O the wretched distrust of mans heart whence else do men run to unworthy means to attain their desires every day and lean no more on him or on his word than on a weak staff that we dare not trust you can trust a man when he hath money in his hand you should trust God when he gives money in the Promise The World should know we serve a God whom we dare trust The promise is ever as good as the thing promised He is no flincher with whom you deal To distrust him is to devest him and that of his dearest Attribute his Truth When we distrust God we make him man when we trust in man we make him God How many experiments have you read nay how many experiments have you had of his uprightness to you and must they all stand for nothing What man can come out and say I was under such a promise but I never had the benefit of it I trusted Jacobs God in vain And must you be the first instances of his unfaithfulness God forbid To instance what disquieting thoughts have we sometimes about provision for our Children they 'l be left succourless and quite forsaken and unworthy courses are sometimes taken to prevent it and yet we know they will fall Wards to God and that the Generation of the upright shall be blessed And because here perhaps you may reply that herein you do not so much question Gods uprightness as your own therefore see in another Instance what perplexities are Gods servants in for his Church when it is rent with schisms eclips'd with errors oppress'd with troubles And yet he hath undertaken to rule the world for his Churches good and that the Gates of Hell stronger than armes on earth shall never prevail against her O silence then and charm down your unbelief and credit this word To the upright man he will shew himself upright 2. This Reproves those that Distast an upright man He that is unlike God cannot but dislike both him and his likeness Wonder of wickedness that ever any reasonable creature should hate his Makers picture dislike the men that are after Gods own heart and the better the man the worse to hate him It was so in the beginning is now and will be world without end 1 Sam. 29. 6. Surely sayes Achish to David as the Lord liveth thou hast been upright nevertheless the Lord favours thee not Let a man be never so honest charitable unblameable yet if he discover his integrity by reproving sin by a strict watch over his words by a peaceable demurring at a thing he is unsatisfied in there 's some of you though you never saw him were never disoblig'd by him yet out of an inveteracy against God it can be nothing else you dislike and declaim against him If this man have an hundred excellent qualities and but one defect or fault all his good qualities are buried and he goes with you under the notion of his single sin But on the other hand let a man be never so ignorant unclean swearer drunkard Atheistical yet divers of you can imbrace him delight in his company or at least he shall live quietly by you and if he do not personally affront you no Magistrate shall ever be inform'd of him that he might reform him And to see your equity if this man have an hundred ill conditions and but some one good quality as perhaps of an obliging carriage all his faults are silenced and he obtains a favourable character from this single vertue which shews clearly that your spite is at the good man as he is good or else you would cry