concerning me, for I see One infinitely more above me than I seem to be above you, and liim I fear, wliich I could not do if I should be false to you. The word, 2 Cor. i. 12, for sincerity, is emphatical, fiUkriiicid, a metaphor from things tried by the light of the sun, as when you are buying cloth, or such-like ware, you will carry it out of the dark shop, and hold it up to the light, by which the least hole in it is discovered ; or as the eagle, say some, holds up her young against the sun, and jndgeth them her own, if able to look up wishly against it, or siiurious if not al)le. Truly, that is the godly, sincere soul, which looks up to heaven, and desires to be determined in his thoughts, judgment, affections, and practices, as they can stand before the light which shines from thence through the word, the great luminary into which (lod hath gathered all light for guiding souls, as the smi in the firmament is for directing our bodies in their walking to and fro in the world. If these suit with the word, and can look on it without being put to shame by it, tlien, on the sincere soid goes in his enterprise with courage, notliing shall stop him ; but if any of these be found to shun the light of the word, (as Adam would, if he coidd, the seeing of God,) not being able to stand to its trial, then he is at his journey's end, and can be drawn forth by no ju-guments from the flesh ; for it goes not on the flesh's errand, but on God's; and he that sends him, shall only stay him. Things are true or right, as they agree with their first principles. When the counterpart agrees with the original writing, then it is true; when a measure agrees with the legal standard or town bushel, then it is true : now the will of God is standard to all oiu- wills, and he is the sincere man, that labours to take the rule and measure of all his aflections and actions from that. Hence David is called a man after God's own heart, which is but a periphrasis of his since- rity, and is as much as if the Spirit of God had said. He was an upright man, he cai-ries on his heart the sculpture and image of God's heart, as it is engraved on the seal of the word. But enough for the present ; this may serve to shew what is evangelical uprightness. Thi-ee things would be desired further, before we foil on the application.
First, To shew what imcomelinesses they are that sincerity covers. Secondly, How sincerity covers these.
Thirdly, Why this evangelical sincerity doth cover these. We shall give some account to all.
Section II. — Quest. 1. Of the first, What uncomeliness doth sincerity cover? Ansto. I answer, all, especially sinful. There are several external temporal privileges, in wliich if any fall short (such excellency does this vain world put in them, more than their intrinsical worth calls for,) they are exposed to some dis- honom-, if not contempt, in the thimghts of others. Now where sincere grace is, it affords a fair cover to them all; yea, puts nu)re abundant honour on the person in the sight of God, angels, and men also, if wise, than the other can occasion con- tempt.
First, Beauty ; this is the great idol which the whole world 'wanders after,' as they after the ' Beast,' Rev. xiii., which if God denies, and confines the souls of some to a more imcomely house (body I mean) than others, tliis their mean bodily ))resence prejudiceth them in the esteem of others. Now grace, if it be but graced with sincerity, shines through the chmd that nature hath darkened the countenance withal, Eccl. viii. 1 : ' Wisdom makes the face to shine.' Who that hath the use of his reason would not prize and choose the vessel in the cellar, full of generous wine, before a gilt urn that hangs up empty at the door for a sign ? If sincere grace fills not the heart within, the beauty with which nature hath gilt the face without makes the person but little worth. A beau- tiful person without true grace is but a fair stinking weed ; you know the best of such a one, if you look on him furthest off; whereas a sincere heart, without this outward beauty to connuend it, is like some sweet flower, (not painted with such fine colours on the leaves,) better in the hand than eye, to smell on, than look on ; the nearer you come to the sincere soul, the better you find him. Outward uncomeliness, to tnie grace, is but as some old, mean buildings you sometimes sec stand before a goodly, stately house, which hide its glory only from the traveller that passeth by at some distance ; but he that comes in, sees its beauty, and admires it. *
2. Again, A mean parentage, and inglorious descent, is much despised in
232 HAVING YOUR LOINS