The Wise Gospel Preacher, Sermon · Part 37 – Part 38
The twelfth Doctrine.
And the Obſervation may be this, That a Spirit of Truth and uprightneſs, is an excellent frame of Spirit in all that profeſs the Name of Chriſt.
I ſhall not need to ſpend time about the opening or diſcovering what Truth and Uprightneſs is, becauſe among ſuch who enjoy wiſe Preachers, this is much diſcourſed of amongſt wiſe and gracious Perſons; this is well known, if not better known than practiſed. Therefore I ſhall briefly give you the proofs of the Point, and then come to improve it.
That this frame of Spirit and walking is lovely and excellent, take the witneſs of a ſtranger in Iſrael concerning David, when he told him, Surely as the Lord liveth, thou haſt been upright, and thy going out, and thy coming in with me in the Hoſt, is good in my ſight; for I have not found evil in thee, ſince the day of thy coming unto me, to this day, 1 Sam. 29.6. Take alſo David's own teſtimony, when he ſings forth the excellency of his Spirit, ſaying, I was alſo upright before him, and have kept my ſelf from mine iniquity, 2 Sam. 22.24. But ſetting aſide Man's teſtimony to this Truth, take the Lord's own teſtimony concerning Job; And the Lord ſaid unto Satan, Haſt thou conſidered my Servant Job? there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and upright man, Chap. 1.8. The like honourable acknowledgement doth our Lord give of Nathaniel, ſaying, Behold, an Iſraelite indeed, in whom there is no guile, John 1.47. And Solomon tells us, Such as are upright in their way, are the Lord's delight, or his delightful ones, Prov. 11.20.
But this may ſuffice for the proof of the Point, though manifold Texts might have been produced for the further demonſtrating this, had it been neceſſary.
Let me now give you ſome Arguments to clear this Obſervation, That truth and uprightneſs in the Spirit, renders ſuch Spirits excellent.
Argument 1.
Firſt; Becauſe this is the frame of God's Spirit or Beeing, therefore to be like God in beeing, muſt needs render us excellent in beeing. That God is thus in his Beeing, take that ſaying for it, Good and upright is the Lord, Pſal. 25.8. Alſo that of Iſaiah, Oh, thou moſt upright, doſt weigh the path of the Juſt, Iſa. 26.7. Now to have our Spirits according to the frame of God's Spirit, is the moſt excellent frame that can be imagined. But again;
Argument 2.
Secondly; This muſt needs be a moſt excellent frame, becauſe the contrary frame of Spirit is the moſt diſhonourable and unlovely frame that can be. 'Tis ſaid of Satan, That he is transformed into an Angel of Light: This is the emphaſis or height of his iniquity, he is not upright, he is not as he ſeems to be, he is really an Angel of darkneſs, and pretends to be an Angel of Light, 2 Cor. 11.14. Therefore when our Lord would ſet forth the vileneſs and unworthineſs of the Spirit of the Jews, he tells them, They are of their Father the Devil, and the luſts of your Father you will do, John 8.44. And no Spirit is ſo diſowned and deteſted of God, as the Spirit of Hypocriſie; Wo unto Hypocrites, Math. 23.27. read that place at your leaſure. Therefore to be of the contrary Spirit to Hypocriſie, muſt needs be excellent; that is, to be upright in Spirit. But again;
Argument 3.
Thirdly; 'Tis that frame begun in us here, which will be our frame perfectly in the ſtate of Glory. Now to be in ſuch a frame here, as we ſhall be in glory, muſt needs be a glorious and excellent frame. When the Diſciples ſaw Chriſt transfigured, That his Face did ſhine as the Sun, and his Rayment was white as the Light, Mat. 17.2. Even ſo, how glorious are ſuch Souls as are tranſfigured into the Image of Chriſt, even this image of Truth, and uprightneſs of Spirit? Such are the moſt excellent in their Generation. But again;
Argument 4.
Laſtly; This can be no other than a Truth, which both Heaven and Earth bear witneſs to; but that this is excellent, even truth and uprightneſs, in whom-ſoever it be found, we have heard the teſtimony of Heaven and of the Scripture; and if we enquire of all ſorts of men under the Heavens, they will all ſeal to this Truth, that Men and Women, of honeſt Spirits, are moſt deſirable and excellent Perſons both to dwell with and converſe with.
Therefore ſeeing this Doctrine knows no Adverſaries as to the acknowledgment thereof, I ſhall ceaſe any further demonſtration, and come to Application; wherein I ſhall ſpeak ſome-thing by way of Information, ſome-thing of Exhortation, and then give ſome Motives.
Uſe of Information.
The firſt Uſe I ſhall make of this Point, is to preſent you with a word of Information, and that is, Whence it comes to paſs that the Preachers and People of the Lord are no more valued and eſteemed than they are this day? 'Tis, becauſe they have no more of this excellent Spirit in them, this Spirit of Truth and of Uprightneſs. I do not ſay this is the only reaſon, or that there is no other reaſon, but I ſay it again, amongſt other Reaſons, this is one grand one: They ſay, Profeſſors want Truth and Uprightneſs; talk of Heaven, and of Love, and of Bounty and Patience, yet love the World, and purſue the World, and keep the World as much as any; love few but themſelves, and Men of their own Principles, judging all that believe not as they believe, and practiſe as they practiſe. They are as miſerable and impatient, or forward upon every ſlight occaſion, as any other men. Therefore men are apt to think that all is not true they ſay, and that they ſpeak not as they think, but are deceitful, meer words and ſhews. Oh my dear Friends! I wiſh that this were altogether groundleſs, and that there were not too much truth or ground for this complaint.
But Sirs, take notice how the want of viſibility and activity in this frame of Spirit, cauſeth our good commodity to be evil ſpoken of; therefore let it be our wiſdom and buſineſs, to take away occaſion from them that ſeek occaſion, and take heed that we open not the mouths of the uncircumciſed Philiſtines, to rejoyce or blaſpheme. Let Profeſſors know what they can, and talk what they will, 'twil ſignifie little, unleſs they walk alſo in this Spirit of Truth and Uprightneſs.