The Upright Mans Character and Crown, Text

The Upright Mans Character and Crown · Text

p. 1THE UPRIGHT MANS CHARACTER.

PSAL. 37. 37.

Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright, for the end of that man is peace

SIncerity is of Univerſal importance to a Chriſtian 'Tis the ſauce which ſeaſons Religion and makes it ſavoury. Sincerity is the Jewel that God is moſt delighted with, Pſalm 51. 6. Behold thou deſireſt truth in the inward parts; and to ſpeak plain, p. 2all our pompous ſhew of holineſſe without this ſoul of ſincerity to enliven it, is but folly ſet forth in its embroydery, 'tis but going to hell in a more devout manner then others. The conſideration of which, hath put me upon this ſubject in this place of ſolemne worſhip and concourſe; and to quicken your attention, you have God himſelfe calling to you to take notice, in theſe words, obſerva integrum, Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright, for the end of that man is peace.

The Hebrew word for upright, foreign hath two ſignifications. 1. It1. ſignifies plaineſſe of heart; the upright man is not pleated in folds **In animis hominū multae latebrae. Cicero.; he is without colluſion or doubledealing, In his Spirit there is no guile, Pſal. 32. 2. That verſe in Virgil ſuits too many,

Spem vultu ſimulat, praemit altum cordeVirg. 1. aeneid. dolorem.

p. 3The upright man hath no Subterfuges, his tongue and his heart go together, as a well-made Dial goes with the Sunne; he is down-right upright.

2. This word Upright ſignifies a2. man approved; the upright man is one whom God thinks highly of; and better have Gods approbation then the worlds acclamation; the plainer the Diamond is, the richer; and the more plaine the heart is, the more it ſhines in Gods eyes.

In the words there are three parts, 1. The Proſpect, the Upright man. 2. The Aſpect, Behold. 3. The Reaſon, for the end of that man is peace. Or thus, 1. Here is the godly mans Character, He is upright. 2. His Crown, the end of that man is peace. The words preſent us with this doctrinal concluſion.

The end of an upright man isDoct. crowned with peace.

That I may illuſtrate this, I ſhall p. 4ſhew you, 1. Who this upright man is, that we may know him when we meet him. 2. The bleſſed end he makes, foreign the end of that man is peace.

1. Who this upright man is. I1. The upright mans Character. ſhall ſhew you the innocency of Chriſts dove; we live in an age wherein moſt pretend to Saint-ſhip, but 'tis to be feared they are not upright Saints; but, like the woman in the Goſpel, whom Satan bowed together, Luke 13. 11. I ſhall give you ſeveral foreign, or Characteriſtical ſigns of an upright Chriſtian.

I. The upright man, his heart I. Charact.is for God. Hence that phraſe, foreign, upright in heart, Pſal. 64. 10. 'Tis the heart God calls for, Prov. 23. 26. My ſonne give me thy heart; the heart is a Virgin, hath many ſuitors, and among the reſt, God himſelf becomes a ſuitor. The heart is like the primum mobile, which carries all the others Orbes along p. 5with it. If the heart be for God, then our teares, our almes, all is for God. The heart is the Fortroyal that commands all the reſt. The high-Prieſt when he was to cut up the beaſt for ſacrifice, the firſt thing he looked upon was the heart, and if that had any blemiſh, it was rejected. 'Tis not the guift, but the heart God reſpects **Neque enim in ſacrifici is munera, ſed corda in ſpexit Deus Cyprian.. This people honour me with their lips, but their heart is removed farre from me, Eſay 29. 13. they did movere, not vivere; like the finger that moves upon the Dial, but there is no life within; or like the tombs in the Church which have their eyes and hands lifted up to heaven, but no heart to animate that devotion **A ſimulo fit ſimulachrum quod ſit ficta imago alicujus. Nonintuetur dominus quantum valeas ſed quantum velis. Greg. Moral. l. 12.. in Religion the heart is all, Epheſ. 5. 19. Making melody in your hearts to the Lord. 'Tis the heart makes the muſick. The upright man gives God his heart. 'Tis reported of Cranmer, that after his fleſh and bones were conſum'd in p. 6the flame, his heart was found whole: ſo an upright man in the midſt of his infirmities, his heart is kept whole for God, he hath not foreign, Pſalme 12. 2. an heart, and an heart; an heart for God, and for ſin. God loves a broken heart, not a divided heart **Hoſ. 10. 2Hos 10:2.

II. The upright man works by an II. Charact.upright rule. There are many falſe crooked rules which the upright man dares not go by. As,1. Falſe Rule.

1. Opinion, 'Tis (ſay ſome) the opinion of ſuch as are pious and learned. This is a falſe rule, 'tis not the opinion of others can make a thing unlawful, warrantable **Nunquam magis periclitatur religio quam inter reverendiſſimos Luther.: If a Synod of Divines, if an Aſſembly of Angels, ſhould ſay we might worſhip God by an image, their opinion could not make this authentick and lawful; an upright Chriſtian will not make anothers opinion his Bible.

The beſt guides may ſometimes go wrong. Peter preacheth circumciſion, p. 7the very doctrine of the pſeudo-Apoſtles, Gal. 2. 11. Peter himſelf was not infallible; the upright man is no adorer of opinion; when the ſtream of Arrianiſme ſwelled ſo high that it did overflow a great part of the world; Athanaſius did ſwim againſt the ſtreame; he was invincible in the truth **Adamas Eccleſiae, Tertul..

2. Cuſtome. It hath been the2. Falſe Rule. cuſtome of the place, or foreign, the Religion of our anceſtors. This is a falſe rule; The cuſtomes of the people are vaine, Jer. 10. 3. and as for our progenitors, and anceſtors, a ſonne may better take his land from his father, then his Religion. How many of our fore-fathers liv'd in times of Popery, and ſtumbled to hell in the dark, are we therefore bound to follow their blinde zeal? a wiſe man will not ſet his watch by the clock, but by the Sun.

3. Conſcience; 'tis (ſaith one) my3. Falſe Rule. conſcience. This is no rule for an p. 8upright man; the conſcience of a ſinner is defiled, Tit. 1. 16. conſcience being defiled may erre; an erring conſcience cannot be a rule, Act. 26. 9. I verily thought with my ſelf that I ought to do many things contrary to the Name of Jeſus; he who is interfector veritatis, (as Tertullian ſpeaks) even an heretick may plead conſcience▪ admit conſcience to be a rule, and we open the door to all mutinies, and Maſſacres; if the devil get into a mans conſcience, whether will he not carrie him?

4. Another falſe rule is providence, 4. Falſe Rule.providence ſits at the helme and diſpoſeth of all events and contingencies; but providence is not a rule for the upright man to walk by, we are indeed to obſerve Gods providence, Pſalme 107. 43. whoſo is wiſe will obſerve theſe things; but we are not to be infallibly led by it. Providence is a Chriſtians Diurnal, not his Bible.

p. 9When the wicked proſper, it doth not follow that their way is good, or that God favours them, Gods candle (as Job ſaith) may ſhine upon their head **Job 29. 3.Job 29:3, and yet his wrath hang over their head. 'Tis the greateſt judgment to thrive in a way of ſinne. Dyoniſius, when he had rob'd the Temple; and afterwards had a faire gale to bring home his ſtollen plunder; See (ſaith he) how the gods love Sacriledge. The Philoſopher ſaith, a calme is ſometimes the forerunner of an earth-quake. Hamans banquet did but uſher in execution. God may let men ſucceed, that their judgements may exceed.

The upright man will not go by theſe rules, but leaving ſuch falſe guides he makes the Word of God his ſtar to follow. This is the Judge and Umpire of all his actions, To * Sint caſtae delitiaemeae Scripturae, Aug.the Law, to the Teſtimony, Eſay 8. 20. The Old and New Teſtament are p. 10the two lips by which God ſpeaks to us, and are the paire of Compaſſes, by which the upright man draws the whole circumference of his life.

The Montanists and Enthuſiaſts talk of revelations, and ſome now a dayes of a light within them; the canon of Scripture is above any revelation. The Apoſtle ſpeaks of a voice from heaven, 2 Pet. 1. 18.2 Pet. 1. 182 Pet 1:18 and this voice which came from heaven, we heard when we were with him in the holy Mount; yet, ſaith he, we have, foreign, a more ſure word. The Word of GodVerſe 19 ought to be more ſacred, and infallible to us, then a voice from heaven.III. Charact. 1:

III. An upright man works from an upright principle: and that is, Faith working by love, Galat. 5. 6.

1. He acts from a principle of Faith **Ille apud Deum plus habet loci qui plus attulit non argenti ſed fidei. Aug. de ovib., Hab. 2. 4. The juſt ſhall live p. 11by his faith. The upright man, 1. Hears in faith; 'tis call'd the hearing of faith, Gal. 3. 2. verbum fide degerendum **Tertul., faith concocts the word. 2. He prays in faith; 'tis call'd the prayer of faith, James 5. 15. David ſprinkles faith in his prayer, Pſ. 51. 7. Purge me with hyſop and I ſhall be cleane, waſh me, &c. in the Hebrew it runnes in the future, foreign; Thou ſhalt purge Juxta menſuram fidei erit menſura impetrandi. Cyprian▪me, thou ſhalt waſh me. It is vox credentis, the voice of one that beleeves as well as prays; prayer is the arrow, and faith is the bowe out of which we ſhoot to the Throne of grace; a faithleſſe prayer is a fruitleſſe prayer. Prayer without faith is like a Gun diſcharg'd without a bullet. The upright man prayes in faith. 3. He weeps in faith, Mark 9. 24. The father of the childe cryed out with tears, Lord I beleeve. When his tears dropt to the earth, his faith reach'd heaven.

p. 122. An upright man acts from a principle of love **Transfigit cor hominis & excoquit deſiderium aeſtibus amor Dei▪ Bede., Cant. 1. 4. The upright love thee. Love is as the ſpring in the Watch, it moves the wheels of obedience; The upright Chriſtian is carried to heaven in a fiery Chariot of love; love doth meliorate and ripen every duty, and make it come off with a better reliſh. Divine love is like musk among linnen which perfumes it. This gives a fragrant redolency to all our ſervices: A ſmall token ſent in love is accepted. The upright love thee.

Hypocrites ſerve God formidine poenae, only for feare; as the ſlave works in the gally, or as the Parthians worſhip the Devil that he ſhould do them no hurt. Hypocrites obedience is forc'd like water out of a Still by the fire. The thoughts of hell-fire make the water of tears drop from their eyes. The upright Chriſtian acts purely p. 13from love **foreign. Ariſt., 2 Cor. 5. 14. The love of Chriſt conſtraines me; an upright ſoul loves Chriſt more then he fears hell **Plus amat Chriſtum quam timet gehennam, Bern..

IV. An upright Chriſtian works to an upright end: He makes Gods glory his ultimate end, his aimes are right. Gods glory is the uprightIV. Charact. mans mark, and though he ſhoots ſhort of the mark **Rom. 3. 23Rom 3:23, yet becauſe he aimes at it, it is accepted. This is the queſtion the upright man propounds to himſelfe, Will this bring glory to God? he labours ſtill to bring in ſome revenues into the Exchequer of heaven; He prefers the glory of God before whatſoever comes in competition with, or ſtands in oppoſition againſt it. If life be laid in one ballance, and Gods*Licet parvulus ex collo pendeat nepos, licet mater mihi ubera oſtendat, &c. Hier. glory in the other, the glory of God out-weighs. They loved not their lives to the death, Rev. 12. 11. If my wife and children (ſaith Hierom) ſhould hang about me and diſſwade p. 14me from doing my duty, if my mother ſhould ſhew me her breaſts that gave me ſuck, I would trample upon all, & ad vexillum crucis avolarem, and I would flie to the croſſe.

The upright man prefers the glory of God before his own ſalvation, Rom. 9. 1. I could wiſh my ſelf accurſed from Chriſt for my kinſmen according to the fleſh. Paul knew it was impoſſible he could be accurſed from Chriſt. The book of life hath no Errata in it; beſides, Paul knew it unlawful to wiſh he were accurſed from Chriſt; but the meaning is, ſuppoſing, that by his breaking off, and ſome of the Jews graffing into Chriſt, God might be more honoured, ſuch was his zeal for Gods glory, that he could even wiſh himſelf accurſed from Chriſt: Gods glory was dearer to him then his own ſalvation.

An hypocrite is known by his p. 15ſquint eye; he doth not look right forward to the glory of God, but he looks a-ſquint to his own private intereſt; he ſpurres on Religion through the ſtage of ſome politick deſigne, and then turnes it off again.

The hypocrite ſerves God, 1. For gaine. He looks at the emoluments1. and profits which come in by Religion; 'tis not the power of godlineſſe the hypocrite loves, but the gain of godlineſs; 'tis not the fire of the Altar, but the gold of the Altar which he adores. This is a religious wickedneſſe. **Salvian.Ephraim is an heifer that loves to tread out the corne, Hoſea 10. 11. God made a Law▪ Deut. 25. 4. that the oxe, while he was treading out the corne, ſhould not be mazled, he might eat as much as he would. Ephraim liked this; hypocrites love Religion for the provender it brings; 'tis the loaves not the miracles draw them to Chriſt▪ Demetrius p. 16cries up the goddeſſe Diana, Act. 19. 27. but it was not her Temple but her ſilver ſhrines he cared for; many fall in love with Religion, not for her beauty, but her jewels. Camero of Burdeaux a French Divine ſpeaks of a Lawyer in his time, who turn'd Proteſtant, only for worldly reſpects, that he might get preferment. There's a ſtory of a Monk, who went like a mortified man with his eyes down upon the ground, who afterwards was made Abbot; and being asked why he went in that ſubmiſſe lowly poſture with his eyes down? ſaith he, I was looking for the keys of the Abby, and now I have found them. The Moral of it is good: The Hypocrite doth ſacrifice Deo, & lari: while he ſerves God, he ſeeks himſelf; like the waſp that comes to the gally-pot for the honey; or the Fox which follows the Lion for the prey he lets fall. The hypocrite makes uſe of Religion p. 17only as the fiſherman doth of his net to catch preferment.

2. He ſerves God for applauſe; 2hypocrites look not at Gods glory, but vain-glory **Animalia gloriae & vilia, popularis aurae mancipia. Hierom.. They ſerve God rather to ſave their credit, then to ſave their ſouls: hypocrites pray to be ſeen of men, Matth. 6. 5. The Greek word is foreign, that they may be ſet upon a Theatre, and have Spectators; when they give almes they blow a trumpet, Mat. 6. 2. and their hearts were as hollow as their trumpet; they did it that they might have glory of men, verſe 2. It was not giving almes, but ſelling them; they ſold them for praiſe and applauſe: Verily I ſay unto you (ſaith Chriſt) they have their reward. The hypocrite may make his acquittance, and write, received in full payment, he hath all he muſt look for; an upright heart makes the glory of God his center.

V. An upright man is uniformeV. Charact. p. 18in Religion; he looks with an equal eye at all Gods Commands. The Tables were written on both ſides, Exo. 32. 15. an upright Chriſtian turnes both ſides of the Tables; he looks at duties of the ſecond Table as well as duties of the firſt; he knows all have the ſame ſtamp of Divine authority upon them. 'Tis ſaid in the honour of Zachary and Elizabeth, they walked foreign in all the Commandments and Ordinances of the Lord; an upright Chriſtian though he failes in every duty, yet he makes conſcience of every duty; he will as well worſhip God in the cloſet, as the Temple; he often caſts up the accounts between God and conſcience. Utitur ſpeculis magis quam perſpicillis, he wears his eyes at home, as well as abroad; and had rather uſe the looking-glaſſe of the Word to look into his own heart, then the broad ſpectacles of cenſure to look into the faults of p. 19others; he walks foreign, ſoberly in acts of temperance, foreign, righteouſly, in acts of juſtice, foreign, godly, in acts of piety **Tit. 2. 12Titus 2:12.

An hypocrite will pick and chooſeSublata quacunque parte integrante tollitur totum. in Religion, in ſome duties he is zealous, in others remiſſe; ye pay tithe of mint, and anniſe, and cummin, and have omited the weightier matters of the Law, judgement, mercy and faith, Matth. 23. 23. Jehu was zealousMat. 23 23.Matt 23:23 againſt the idolatry of Abab, but gives a toleration to the golden calves, 2 Kings 10. 29. Jehu's obedience was lame on one foot. Some will go over the ſmoth way of Religion, they are for eaſie duties, but they like not the rugged way of ſelf-denial and mortification: the plough when it comes to a ſtiff piece of earth, makes a bawlk; an upright Chriſtian, with Caleb, follows God fully **Num. 14. 24.Num 14:24; and where we are ſo ingenious as to do our beſt, God will be ſo indulgent as to paſſe by our worſt.

p. 20VI. An upright Chriſtian dothVI. Charact. not go ſtooping. The Hebrew word for upright foreign in Pyhel ſignifies to go ſtrait. The upright man will not ſtoop to any thing againſt his conſcience. The Greek word for upright uſed in the Septuagint, foreign ſignifies homo non tortueſus, a man that doth not bend. The upright Chriſtian doth not whirle about, or ſinfully proſtitute himſelf to the luſts and humours of men; the Apoſtles could not flatter or cringe, Act. 4. 19. Whether it be right in the ſight of God to hearken unto you more then unto God, judge ye?

The upright Chriſtian dares not palliate or juſtifie the ſinnes of men, this were with holy water to waſh the devils face, Iſa. 5. 20, 23. Woe to them that call evil good, which justifie the wicked for reward. Propertius ſpeaks of a Spring in Italy which makes the black oxen that drink of p. 21it look white. Afit embleme of thoſe Paraſites, that can make the worſt men look white.

An upright man dares not keep back any part of Gods truth, Acts 20. 27. I have declared unto you, foreign, all the counſel of God. 'Tis cowardiſe and treaſon to conceale any part of our Commiſſion.

An upright man will not neglect a known duty for feare of loſing a party. Some, upon this very ground have forborne to declare againſt errour for feare of a party falling off from them. If men will fall off from us for doing our duty; my opinion is, they are better loſt then kept. Others have neglected to have the hands of the Presbytery laid upon them, only becauſe this would diſpleaſe a party, how many Apocryphal preachers are now among us? in the Biſhops times we had many Miniſters who p. 22were no Preachers, and now we have many Preachers who are no Miniſters: The upright man had rather be without his head piece then his breaſt plate, and had rather men ſhould account him for imprudent, then God ſhould accuſe him for unfaithful. An upright man will not let any intereſt byaſſe him from the truth, Amicus Socrates, ſed magis amica veritas. The Saints are compar'd to pillars, Rev. 3. 12. the pillar ſtands upright. Unſound Chriſtians are ex ſalice, like willows which will bend every way, a good Chriſtian is like the palm tree which grows upright, Jerem. 10. 5. when we let men foreign, Lord it over our conſciences; if they bid us break our vows, ſell our Religion, we are ductile, and malleable to any thing, like hot iron which will be beat into any forme; like wooll, that will receive any die, this argues much unſoundneſſe of p. 23heart. An upright Chriſtian will not be bent awry, he goes without ſtooping.

VII. An upright Chriſtian is zealousVII. Charact. for God, Rev. 2. 2. Thou canſt not bear them which are evil, uprightneſſe is the white, and zeal is the ſanguine, which makes the right complexion of a Chriſtian. Zeale is a mix'd affection; 'tis a compound of love and anger, it boyles up the ſpirits to the height, and makes them runne over; zeale is a fire kindled from heaven; bleſſed be its ang…, for it is without ſinne; and its wrath for it is againſt ſin. When Paul ſaw their idolatry at Athens, his ſpirit was stirred in him, Acts 17. 16. The Greek word foreign, ſignifies, to be in a paroxyſme. Paul was in a burning fit of zeal. Moſes a meek man, though cool in his own cauſe, yet hot in Gods; when Iſrael had committed idolatry. Moſes anger waxed hot, Exod. 32. 19. He p. 24breaks the Tables, grindes the calf to powder, ſtrows it on the water, and made the children of Iſrael to drink of it.

An upright Chriſtian takes a diſhonour done to God more hainous, then a diſgrace done to himſelfe; can the true childe endure to heare the Father reproached? When Craeſus ſonne (though born dumb) ſaw them go about to kill his father, his tongue-ſtrings unlooſed, and he cried out, Kill not King Craeſus. He that can hear Chriſts Divinity ſpoken againſt by the Socinian, his Ordinances cried down by the Libertine; & his blood not riſe, and his zeal not ſparkle forth, is a traitour to the Crown of heaven. Did Chriſt open his ſides for us when the blood run out, and ſhall not we open our mouths in his vindication? how were the Saints in former times fired with zeale for God? They were as Cyprian affirmes tanquam p. 25leones ignem ſpirantes, like Lions breathing forth the heavenly flame of zeal.

VIII. An upright Chriſtian willVIII. Charact. not allow himſelf in any known ſin; he dares not touch the forbidden fruit, Gen. 39. 9. How then can I do this great wickedneſſe and ſinne againſt God? though it be a complexion-ſinne, he diſ-inherits it. There's no man but doth propend and incline more to one ſinne then another **Nemo eſt tantae ſanctitatis quin ad us num pcccatum quam ad caetera propenſior Carrwr.; as in the body there is one humour predominant, or as in the hive there's one maſter-Bee; ſo in the heart there's one maſter-ſinne: there is one ſinne which is not only near to a man as the garment, but deare to him as the right eye. This ſinne is Satans Fort royal, all his ſtrength lies here; and though we beat down his outworks, groſſe ſinne, yet if we let him hold this fort of complexion-ſin, p. 26'tis as much as he deſires. The Devil can hold a man as faſt by this one link, as by a whole chaine of vices. The fowler hath the bird faſt enough by one wing. Now an upright Chriſtian will not indulge himſelf in this complexion-ſinne, Pſalme 18. 24. I was alſo upright before him, and kept my ſelfe from mine iniquity. An upright Chriſtian takes the ſacrificing knife of mortification, and runnes it through his beloved-ſinne. Herod did many things, but there was one ſin ſo dear to him, that he would ſooner behead the Prophet, then behead that ſinne. Herod would have a gap for his inceſt. An upright heart is not only angry with ſinne, (which may admit of reconciliation) but hates ſinne **foreign Ariſt Rhet. l. 2. c. 5., and if he ſees this Serpent creeping into his boſome, the nearer it is, the more he hates it.

IX. An upright Chriſtian is rightIX. Charact. p. 27in his judgement; he doth not lean to errour; his head doth not turne round. Though there will be differences in leſſer matters, things indifferent, and diſputable, (& indeed where there are not ſuch cleare veſtigia, and footings in Scripture, here there muſt be ſome graines of allowance) yet in the Fundamentals of Religion, the upright Chriſtian keeps his ſtanding.

Error when it is not only circa, but contra fundamentum, is dangerous **foreign Ignat. ep 7. ad Smyrn.; a man may as well go to hell by error, as by moral vice; groſſe ſinne ſtabs to the heart, errour poyſons; there is leſſe hope of an erroneous perſon then a prophane; the prophane perſon ſinnes, and doth not repent; the erroneous perſon ſinnes, and holds it a ſinne to repent; the one is without tears, the other cries down tears. The upright Chriſtian is not tainted with this leproſie in the head; he hath rectitude in his minde.

p. 28X. An upright man is of a ſympathizingX. Charact. ſpirit **2 Cor. 12. 26.2 Cor 12:26, he laies to heart the miſeries of Sihon **Tantò quiſque perfectior eſt, quantò perfectius ſentit dolores alienos Greg. in Moral.. This argues much ſincerity, Pliny ſpeaks of the aurea vitis, the golden Vine, which feels no injury of winde, or ſtormes. The Church triumphant may be compared to this golden Vine, which is above all ſtormes of injury and flouriſheth in perpetual glory: but the Church-militant is not a golden Vine, but a bleeding Vine; now where there is ſincerity, there is ſympathy.

An hypocrite may be affected with his own miſeries, but an upright heart is affected with the Churches miſeries. I confeſſe an hypocrite may be ſenſible of the miſeries of the publick, ſo far as he himſelfe is concern'd, as a man may be troubled to heare of ſuch a ſhip caſt away, wherein were much Merchants goods, becauſe he himſelf had a ſhare in it, and his Cabbin is loſt; p. 29But an upright Chriſtian, though he be not touched in his own particular, he is out of the bill of mortality, yet becauſe it goes ill with the Church, and Religion ſeems to loſe ground. He counts the Churches loſſe his loſſe; he weeps in Sihons teares, and bleeds in her wounds.

Jeremy, that (weeping Prophet) makes the Churches miſeries his own, Lam. 3. 1. I am the man that have ſeen affliction. He ſuffered leaſt in his own perſon, for he had a protection granted; the King gave order that he ſhould be well look'd to, Jer. 39. 11, 12. but he felt moſt in regard of ſympathy. Though they were Sihons miſeries, they were Jeremies lamentations; he felt Iſraels hard cords through his ſoft bed. Nehemiah lays to heart the miſeries of the Church, his complexion begins to alter, and he looks ſad, Nehem. 2. 3. Why ſhould not my countenance be ſad, when the City, p. 30the place of my fathers Sepulchres lies waſte? What, ſad when the Kings Cup-bearer, and wine ſo neare? Oh but it fared ill with the Church of God, therefore he grows weary of the Court, he leaves his wine, and mingles his drink with weeping. Here was an upright man.

True grace enobles the heart, dilates the affections, and carries out a man beyond the Sphere of his private concernments, making him minde the Churches condition as his own. Oh, how few upright Saints! may not that charge be drawn up againſt ſundry perſons? Amos 6. 4. That lie upon beds of Ivory, and ſtretch themſelves upon their Couches, and eat the Lambs out of the flock, that chaunt to the ſound of the vial, and invent to themſelves Inſtruments of muſick like David; That drink wine in bowles, and anoint themſelves with the chiefe oyntments, but they are not p. 31grieved for the affliction of Joſeph.

It is with moſt people as with a drunken man faſt aſleep, he is non ſenſible of any thing that is done; let others be kill'd by him, and lie a bleeding, he is not ſenſible. Somno vinoque ſepultus,—He ſleeps ſecurely in his wine. Thus it is with too many who are drunk with the wine of proſperity, and fallen faſt aſleep, though the Church of God lie bleeding of her wounds by them, and ready to bleed to death; they are not ſenſible; they have quite forgotten Hieruſalem. Like Themiſtocles, who when one offered to teach him the Art of Memory▪ he deſired that he would teach him the Art of Forgetfulneſſe. The Devil hath taught many men this Art. They have forgotten the miſeries of the Church; ſuch may ſuſpect themſelves to be unſound. The Saints are called, foreign, lively ſtones, 1 Pet. 2. 5. p. 32therefore if there be any breach in the ſpiritual houſe, they muſt be ſenſible. Is not the Church Chriſts Spouſe, and to ſee it ſmitten and Chriſt through her ſides, will not this affect our hearts? The Church is the apple of Gods eye, Zach 2. 8. and to ſee the apple of his eye weep, will not this draw tears from us? An upright heart cannot but grieve to ſit by the Churches bed ſide, and heare her dying groanes.

XI. The upright Chriſtian is ſui XI. Charact.diffuſivus, he is liberal and communicative. 1. He hath a liberal1: heart towards the maintenance of Gods worſhip. He will not let the fire of Gods Altar go out for want of pouring on a little oyle; what vaſt ſummes of gold and ſilver did David prepare for the Houſe of God **1 Chron▪ 29. 3.1 Chr 29:3, 1 Chron. 29 3. Moreover, becauſe I have ſet my affection to the Houſe of my God, I have of my own proper good of gold and ſilver, which I p. 33have given to the houſe of my God, over and above all that I have prepared for the holy houſe, even three thouſand talents of gold, of the gold of Ophir, and ſeven thouſand talents of refined ſilver, to overlay the walls of the houſes withal, &c. Hypocrites, if they may have golden purſes are content to have wooden Prieſts. They love foreign, a cheap Goſpel, they are loath to be put to too much charges. How many have loſt their ſouls to ſave charges. The upright Chriſtian will not offer that to God which coſts him nothing.

2. The upright man hath a liberal2. heart to Chriſts poore **Summa diſciplinae Chriſtianae conſiſtit in miſcricordia. Ambr., Pſalme 112. 9. He hath diſperſed abroad, he hath given to the poor, his righteouſneſſe endures for ever. The Hebrew word for godly, foreign, ſignifies merciful; The upright man poures the golden oyle of mercy into the wounds of other. The poors mans p. 34hand is Christs treaſury **Manus pauperis Chriſti gazophylaciū.; the upright Saint is ever caſting into Chriſts treaſury; mercy and liberality is the enſigne that integrity diſplayes.

The more excellent any thing is, the more diffuſive. The cloudsEccl. 11. 3Eccl 11:3 poure down their ſilver ſhowers *, the Sunne doth ſend abroad its golden beames. The end of life is uſefulneſſe. What benefit is there of a Diamond in the rock? and what is it the better to have a great eſtate if this Diamond be ſhut up in a rocky heart?

What ſhall we ſay to ſelf-intereſted men? are theſe upright? All foreign.ſeek their own, Phil. 2. 21. you may as well extract oyl out of a flint, as a drop of charity from them. Some obſerve the ground is moſt barren near golden mines; and indeed it is too often ſo in a ſpiritual ſence; thoſe whom God hath moſt enriched with eſtates, are moſt barren in p. 35good works. How can he ſay he hath an upright heart, that hath a withered hand? how dares he ſay he loves God in ſincerity? 1 Joh. 3. 17. Who ſo hath this worlds good, and ſees his brother in need, and ſhutteth up his bowels of compaſſion from him, how dwells the love of God in him?

What ſhall we think of ſuch as inſtead of ſcattering abroad the ſeeds of mercy and compaſſion to others care not how they they wrong others **1 Cor. 6. 81 Cor 6:8; are theſe to be accounted upright? Chriſt made himſelf poore to make us rich **2 Cor. 8. 92 Cor 8:9; and theſe make others poore, to make themſelves rich; inſtead of giving the poore a covering **Job 31.19Job 31:19; they take away their covering from them; like the Hedghog that rolls and laps it ſelf in its own ſoft doune, and turnes out the briſtles to others; an embleme of theſe, who if they may gratifie themſelves, they turne out the briſtles, p. 36they care not what miſchief or prejudice they do to others. Theſe are theſe who raiſe the honour of their own families out of the ruine of others. They are not birds of Paradiſe, but birds of prey; and which is worſe, to do this under the mask of profeſſion, this is juſt as if a thief ſhould commit a robbery in the Judges own robes; or as if a woman ſhould play the harlot, having the Bible lying before her. Theſe are none of the race of the upright. The upright man is a foreign, a publick good in the place where he lives; he is given to works of mercy, he is like God who makes his ſprings to runne among the Vallies, Pſal. 104. 10. ſo doth the upright man make his ſprings of charity to runne among the vallies of poverty.

XII. The upright man is progreſſiveXII. Charact. in holineſſe; he purſues after further degrees of ſanctity; p. 37Job 17. 9. He that hath clean hands ſhall wax ſtronger and ſtronger. Uprightneſſe is in the heart, as ſeed in the earth, which will increaſe, Col. 2. 9. unſound Chriſtians reſt in ſome faint deſires and formalities; it is with hypocrites as with the body in an Atrophy, which though it receives food, yet thrives not. The upright Chriſtian follows on to know the Lord, Hoſea 6. 3. It was Charles the fifths Motto, plus ultra, on further. They ſay of the Crocodile, it hath never done growing **Quam diu vivit creſcit.Hierom writes of Paulinus, that in the firſt part of his life he excelled others, in the latter part he excelled himſelf **In primis partibus alios, in poenultimis ſeipſum ſuperavit. Hier. The upright man is not like Hezekiahs Sunne, which went backward, nor like Joſhuahs Sunne, which ſtood ſtill; but like Davids Sunne, which goes forward, and as a champion doth runne his race **Pſal. 19. 5 Object.Ps 19:5.

Obj. But may a child of God ſay, p. 38I fear I am not upright, for I do not perceive that I wax ſtronger?

Anſw. Thou mayeſt thrive inAnſw. grace, though thou doeſt not perceive it. The plant grows, but not alwayes in one place. Sometimes it grows in the branches, ſometimes ſecretly in the root: ſo an upright ſoul ſtill grows, but not alwayes in the ſame grace; ſometimes higher in the branches, in knowledge; ſometimes he thrives in the root, in humility; which is as needful as any other growth. If thou art not more tall, yet if thou art more lowly. Here is a progreſſe, and this progreſſe evidenceth the vitals of ſincerity.

XIII. The upright man ordersXIII. Charact. his converſation aright, Pſal. 50. 23. To him that orders his converſation aright will I ſhew the ſalvation of God. The upright man is foreign, a pattern of holineſſe; he treads evenly; p. 39be walks as Chriſt did, 1 Joh. 2. 8. Though the maine work of Religion lies within, yet our light muſt ſo ſhine, that others may behold it; The foundation of ſincerity is in the heart, yet its beautiful frontiſpiece appears in the converſation. The Saints are called jewels, becauſe they caſt a ſparkling luſtre in the eyes of others. An upright Chriſtian is like Solomons Temple, gold within and without: ſincerity is a holy leaven, which if it be in the heart, will work it ſelf into the life, and make it ſwell and riſe as high as heaven, Phil. 3. 20.

Some brag they have good hearts, but their lives are crooked. They hope to go to heaven, but their ſteps take hold of hell, Prov. 5. 5. an upright Chriſtian is foreign, he ſets a Crown of honour upon the head of Religion, he doth not only profeſſe the Goſpel, but adorne it, he labours to walk ſo regularly and p. 40holily, that if we could ſuppoſe the Bible to be loſt▪ it might be found again in his life.

XIV. The upright man will beXIV. Charact. good in bad times. The Lawrel keeps its freſhneſſe and greenneſſe in the Winter-ſeaſon, Job 27. 6. My righteouſneſse I hold fast and will not let it go, my heart ſhall not reproach me ſo long as I live. Uprightneſſe is a complexion which will not alter. The upright mans zeale is like the fire which the veſtal Virgins kept in Rome alwayes burning.

**In Chriſtian is non initia ſed fines lau dantur.The hypocrite ſeemes upright, till times of trial come. The chryſtal looks like pearl till it comes to the hammering. The hypocrite is good only in Sun-ſhine; he cannot ſail in a ſtorme, but retreats to the ſhore. Naturaliſts report of the Chelydonian ſtone that it will retaine its vertue no longer then it is encloſed in gold. An embleme of p. 41hypocrites who are good only while they are incloſed in golden proſperity, take them out of the gold, and they loſe that vertue they did ſeem to have; deſcinit in piſcem mulier formoſa ſuperne.—Unſound profeſſours, like green timber, ſhrink in the hot Sunne of perſecution. The heat of the fiery trial cooles their zeale.

An upright man whatever he loſeth, he holds faſt his integrity; he is like wine full of ſpirits, which is good to the laſt drawing. The three children, or rather the three champions were invinciſible in their courage, Dan. 3. 18. neither Nebuchadnezzars muſick could flatter them, nor his furnace ſcare them out of their Religion **Juſtum & tenacem propoſiti virum, non civium ardor prava jubentium, non vultus tyranni mente quatit ſolida. Horace. foreign, Ignat. Ep. 11. ad Eph.. Paul glories in his ſufferings, Rom. 5. 3. he ſhakes his chaine, and diſplays it as an enſigne of honour. Ignatius calls his fetters his ſpiritual pearles; they were as precious to him as a necklace p. 42of pearle; Thus the upright man, though death be in the way, ſpurs on to the end of the race; he is moſt ſwift towards the centre. Of him it may be ſaid, Thou haſt kept the beſt wine till now.

XV. An upright man endeavoursXV. Charact. to make others upright; 'tis his work to make crooked things ſtreight **Iſa. 40. 4.Isa 40:4. Where there is life, there is a power of propagation, 1 Cor. 4. 14. In Chriſt Jeſus I have begotten you through the Goſpel; a good man labours to make others good; as fire doth aſſimilate, and turn every thing into its own nature. Luke 22. 32. When thou art converted, ſtrengthen thy brethren. The upright man is in the place of God to his brother, he increaſeth his knowledge, confirmes his faith, enflames his love; if he ſees his brother declining, he labours to reduce him; when the houſe begins to leane, you put under a ſtrait piece of timber p. 43to ſupport it. Another begining to lean to errour; the upright Chriſtian, as ſtrait timber doth underprop and ſupport him.

And thus I have ſet before you the upright man, he is worth a marking and beholding. I have drawn the upright mans picture; and the uſe I would make of all is this, thatUſe. Exhort. you would fall in love with this picture, and that you would endeavour to reſemble it.

And there is a great Motive inMotive. the text to make you fall in love with uprightneſſe▪ See what a badge of honour is put upon the upright man. God calls him perfect, foreign, Mark the perfect man.

Queſt. But can any man be perfectQueſt. in this life? Who can ſay I have made my heart cleane, I am pure from my ſin? Prov. 20. 9.

Anſw. Far be it from me to holdAnſw. with the Kathariſts and Familiſts, p. 44that a Chriſtian is pure from ſinne in this life. If there were no Bible to confute that opinion, a Chriſtians own experience might do it. We finde the continual ebullitions, and motions of ſinne working in our members. Paul cries out of a body of death, Rom. 7. 24. The Saints, though they are comely, yet black *;Cant. 1. 5Song 1:5—Grace in this life is like gold in the oare, full of mixture; but yet in an evangelical ſenſe, the upright man is ſaid to be perfect, and that five manner of wayes.

1. An upright man is perfect with1. a perfection of parts, though not of degrees. There is no part of him but is embroidered, and beſpangled with grace; though he be ſanctified but in part, yet in every part; therefore grace in a beleever is call'd the new man, Col. 3. 10. The work of the Spirit in the heart is a thorow work, Pſalme 51. 2. waſh me thorowly from my iniquity. Grace in the p. 45heart is like aire in the twilight, there is no part of the aire but hath ſome light in it, and in this ſenſe the upright man is perfect.

2. The upright man is perfect2. comparatively in regard of others. Thus Noah was perfect in his generation, Gen. 6. 9. Noah compared with the prophane world, was a perfect man; gold in the oare compared with lead or braſſe is perfect; a field of wheat, though it may have ſome thiſtles growing in it, yet compar'd with a field of tares, is perfect.

3. The upright man is perfect in3. regard of his aimes; he doth collimare, level at the mark of perfection: The upright man breaths after perfection; and therefore he is ſaid not to ſinne, 1 John 3. 9. becauſe though he be not without ſinne, yet his will is againſt ſinne **Non facit peccatum quiapatitur potius, Ber.; he hath voted ſinne down, though this boſome traitour rebels. When he failes, he weeps; and this is a Goſpelperfection.

p. 464. The upright man is perfect4. through the righteouſneſs of Chriſt; he is perfectly juſtified, Col. 2. 10. ye are compleat in him; through the redglaſſe every thing appears red; ſo through the glaſs of Chriſts blood, the ſoule is look'd upon as beautiful and glorious: He that hath on Chriſts ſeamleſſe coat is perfect: He that hath the righteouſneſſe of God is perfect, 2 Cor. 5. 21.

5. God calls the upright man5. perfect, becauſe he intends to make him ſo. Chriſt calls his Spouſe his undeſiled, Cant. 5. 2. Open to me my dove, my undefiled, or as the original word is foreign, my perfect; not that the Spouſe is ſo, ſhe hath her foreign, her ſpots and blemiſhes, but yet undefiled, becauſe Chriſt intends to make her ſo. God hath choſen us to perfection **Elegit nos ad perfectionem., Eph. 1. 4. a limner that hath begun the rude draught of a picture, he looks upon it what he intends to make it; p. 47he intends to lay it in its own orient colours; in this life there is but the firſt draught, the imperfect lineaments of grace drawn in our ſoules, yet God calls us perfect, becauſe he intends by the penſil of the holy Ghoſt to draw us out in our orient beauty, and lay the Virmillion colour of glory upon us. Thus the upright man is perfect, it is as ſure to be done as if it were done already.

And ſo much for the firſt part of my text. The upright mans Character.

I proceed now briefly to the ſecond,2. The upright mans Crown. which is the upright mans Crown in theſe words, foreign. The end of that man is peace; as the upright is honorable while he lives, he is perfect; ſo he is happy when he dies. His end is peace. The word foreign, peace, incircles all bleſſedneſſe in it. The p. 48end of that man is peace; a wiſe man looks to the end of a thing, Eccleſ. 7. 8. better is the end of a thing then the beginning. So peaceable is the end of an upright man, that Balaam deſired it, Numb. 23. 10. Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my laſt end be like his.

Now the upright man goes off the ſtage of this world wearing a tripple Crown of peace. 1. He hath peace1. with God; **Tranquillus Deus tranquillat omnia.God ſaith to him, be of good chear, thy ſins are forgiven thee. I have nothing againſt thee; thou haſt laid thy ſins to heart, and I will not lay them to they charge. The Jewiſh Rabbins ſay, that Moſes died with a kiſſe from Gods mouth; the upright man dies embracing Chriſt and kiſſing the promiſes.

2. He hath peace with conſcience;2. 1 John 5. 10. He that beleeves hath the witneſſe in himſelf; his end muſt needs be peace that hath a ſmiling God, and a ſmiling conſcience. p. 46Auſtin **Laetitia bonae conſcientiae Paradiſus. Aug.calls it the Paradiſe of a good conſcience; a godly man is in this Paradiſe before he dies. What ſweet muſick doth the bird of conſcience make in the breaſt of a beleever! be of good comfort ſaith conſcience, thou haſt walk'd uprightly in a crooked generation, fear not death. This is foreign, the fore-taſte of heaven; here is Manna in the golden pot; he that dies with peace of conſcience, flies to heaven as Noahs Dove to the Ark with an Olive-branch in his mouth.

3. The upright man hath peace3▪ with the Saints; he hath their good word; they embalme his memory, and erect for him monuments of honour in their hearts. Thus the upright mans end is peace, he is renoun'd among the people of God; he inherits not their cenſure, but their praiſe; he is carried to his grave with a ſhoure of tears.

Uſe 1. See a great difference betweenƲſe 1. Inform. p. 50the godly and the wicked in their end▪ The end of the upright man is peace, but the end of the wicked is to be cut off, Pſal. 37. 38. a wicked mans end is ſhame and horrour, he dies with convulſion-fits of conſcience; he lives in a calme, but dies in a ſtorme, Job 27. 20. a tempeſt steals him away in the night; like thoſe fiſh Pliny ſpeaks of, which ſwim along pleaſantly till they fall into the mare mortuum, or dead ſea; to every ſinner I ſay as Abner to Joab, 2 Sam. 2. 26. knoweſt thou not that it will be bitterneſſe in the latter end?

What is the end of hypocrites? Iob 8. 13. Their hope ſhall be cut off: What is the end of Apoſtates? 2 Pet. 2. 20 For if after they have eſcaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jeſus Chriſt, they are again intangled therein, and overcome, their latter end is worſe with them. Peter Caſtellon, Biſhop of Marſten having gotten a p. 51great eſtate, began to inveigh in his Sermons at Orleands againſt the profeſſion of Religion, ſitting at a time in his chaire, he fell into a ſtrange diſeaſe which no Phyſician had ever ſeen; one part of his body was extream hot, and burned like fire, the other part cold and frozen like yce, and thus with cries and groanes finiſhed his life. The end of the wicked is to be cut off, when they are at their lives end, they are at their wits end, Pſal. 107. 27.

Obj. But do we not ſee the worſtObject. men go out of the world as quietly and ſmoothly as any? do not they die in peace?

Anſw. 1. If a wicked man ſeemesAnſw. 1. to have peace at death, it is not from the knowledge of his happineſſe, but from the ignorance of his danger; Haman went merrily to the banquet, but little did he think what a ſecond courſe was to be ſerv'd in, and that his life muſt pay the ſhot.

p. 52Anſw. 2. A wicked man may dieAnſw. 2. in a lethargy, but not in peace; Nabal died quietly **Sam. 25 37, but he were a fool that would wiſh his ſoul with Nabals. Conſcience may be like a Lion aſleep, but when this Lion awakes it will roare upon the ſinner.

Anſw. 3. A wicked man mayAnſw. 3. die in preſumption, but not in peace; he hopes all is well with him, but there's a great deal of difference between preſumption and peace. It will be ſo much the worſe to go to hell with hope of heaven: a wicked man phancies to himſelf a good condition; he dies in a phancy, but not in peace; and obſerve, for the moſt part God drives a ſinner out of his fools Paradiſe before he dies. God lets looſe conſcience upon him, guilt ſpoiles his muſick; and before his life is cut off, his hope is cut off **Job 8. 14Job 8:14. I will conclude this with that ſaying of Chriſt, Luke 11. 21. While the p. 53ſtrong man keeps poſſeſſion, all his goods are in peace. The peace a ſinner ſeemes to have, is but the Devils peace: His ſerenity is but ſecurity; and whatever he may promiſe himſelf, Satan doth but ſtill him with rattles. He that lives graceleſſe, dies peaceleſſe.

Uſe 2. Here is infinite comfort toƲſe 2. Conſolat. the upright man, his end is peace: If you look to the beginning of his life it is not eligible **Noli praecipitare judicium nec ſententiam proferre ex proximo intuitu mollerus., his life is interwoven with troubles, foreign, we are troubled on every ſide, 2 Cor. 4. 8. like a ſhip that hath the waves beating on both ſides; but, the end is peace; and the ſmoothneſſe of the end may make amends for the ruggedneſſe of the way. The upright man, though he lives in a ſtorme, he dies in a calme, Ier. 31. 17. There is hope in thine end. The end crowns al; The upright man though he drinks worm-wood while he lives, yet he p. 54ſwims in honey when he dies; the upright man, with Simeon, departs in peace, Luke 2. 29. and his ending in peace is but his entrance into peace, Iſa. 57. 2. He ſhall enter into peace; his dying-day is his marriageday. Grace gives both the flowers and the crop: the ſweet flowers of peace here, and the full crop of glory hereafter. Paula, that religious Lady when one had read to her that Scripture, Cant. 2. 11. The ſinging of birds is come: yes, ſaith ſhe, the ſinging of birds is now come, and ſo being full of peace mounted off from her death-bed, and went triumphing, and as it were ſinging to heaven: Then, ſhout for joy all ye that are upright in heart, Pſ. 32. 11. peace is that neverfading garland which ſhall be ſet upon the head of the upright, ſo ſaith my Text, Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright, for the end of that man is peace.

FINIS.

End of the text · Thomas Watson, The Upright Mans Character and Crown (1657)