The Character and Blessedness of the Upright, Title page
THE Character AND Bleſſedneſs OF THE UPRIGHT. A SERMON Occaſion'd by the Death of the Honourable Wait Winthrop Eſq Who Expired, Nov. 7. 1717. Aetatis 76.
By Joſeph Sewall, A.M. Paſtor of a Church of CHRIST in Boſton.
Pſal. 37.37. Mark the perfect man and behold the upright: for the end of that man it peace.
BOSTON: Printed by T. Crump, 1717.
THE Character and Bleſſedness of the UPRIGHT.
ISAIAH LVII. 2.
He ſhall enter into peace: they ſhall reſt in their beds, each one walking in his uprightneſs.
IN the beginning of this Chapter the Prophet Iſaiah gives an account of the degeneracy and ſtupidity of the Times wherein he lived. The righteous periſheth, and no man layeth it to heart—They did not duly conſider the operation of God's Hand in taking away the Righteous by Death, nor were they ſuitably affected with it. They did nor diſcern the ſigns of the Times, nor would they obſerve the warning which God gave them of approaching Calamities, in the removal of ſuch as were Upright before God in their Generation: None conſidering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come.
In the Second Verſe wherein is our Text, the Prophet comforts the People of God from the conſideration of the Peaceful End of the Upright, and of the Reſt which they enjoy after Death. He ſhall enter into peace: or, he ſhall go in peace; or as ſome read the Words, Peace ſhall come; to wit, to him. They go in peace when they leave this troubleſome World; and their departed Spirits are refreſh'd and comforted in the Paradice of God.
They ſhall reſt in their beds. As their Souls are taken to a place of perfect Peace; ſo their Bodies are laid in the Grave where they ſhall reſt 'till the …ction, when the ſhadows of Death ſhall be turn'd into the light of the Morning. Here's a ſudden change of the number, which is not unuſual in the Prophets. Each one walking in his uprightneſs; or, that walketh uprightly, or in ſtraightneſs, making ſtraight paths in the way of God's Commandments, without declining to the right hand, or to the left. Before Him: So Arias Montanus, and others read the Word: i. e. before God; as in His ſight, and ſeeing Him who is Inviſible.
In the Words we may obſerve, 1. The Character and Deſcription of the Children of God: They walk in Uprightneſs. While they live they walk with God in Sincerity, ordering their ſteps according to the rules laid down in His Word. 2. We have the Privilege and Bleſſedneſs of ſuch aſſerted and deſcribed: He ſhall enter into peace: They ſhall reſt in their beds.
In the Words there is contained this Doctrine,