An exposition with practical observations continued upon the eighth, ninth and tenth chapters of…An exposition with practicall observations continued upon the eighth, ninth and tenth chapters of…

2. Man is much swayed in judgment by the power, pomp and splendour of men. We are apt to think they have most worth in them, who are worth most. And that they are good, with whom all's well. Even the Saints are touched with this infirmity: The Apostle James (chap. 2.2, 3.) bespeaks them thus, If there come into your Assembly a man with a gold ring in goodly apparel, and there come in a poor man in vile raiment, and ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Come and sit here by me in a good place, and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my foot-stool, Are ye not partial in your selves, and Judges of evil thoughts? that is, Are ye not condemned in your selves, and convinced in your own consciences, that you do evil, and so that your thoughts have been evil, which moved you to do so? Can you choose but judge this an evil thought, to think him the best man that weareth the best clothes, and him a vile person that is in vile apparel? Thus men, yea good men may mis-judge of men. But the Lord seeth not as man seeth, It is not good clothes, but a good heart; it is not a gold ring, but a golden conversation ⟨p. 457⟩which he accepts; wickedness is abominable in his eye, though it sit upon a throne; and holiness shines in his eye, though it lie upon a dung-hill. Holiness is not less lovely to him, because clothed with rags, nor unholiness less loathsome to him, because it goes in a gay coat. 'Tis well conceived,¹ that Job had reference to his own condition when he spake thus; he lay in a woeful plight, all over sores, and boils, and filthiness, yet (saith he) Lord, I know thou seest not as man seeth; Thou dost not therefore think me the worse, because I am thus ill. I am even a loathing, not only to others, but to my self, yet I know thou dost not loath me; Thou hast not a bad opinion of me, because my condition is thus bad.

2. Man is much swaied in judgment by the power, pomp and splendour of men. We are apt to think they have most worth in them, who are worth most. And that they are good, with whom all's well. Even the Saints are toucht with this infirmity: The Apostle James (chap. 2.2, 3.) bespeaks them thus, If there come into your Assembly a man with a gold ring in goodly apparel, and there come in a poor man in vile raiment, and ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Come and sit here by me in a good place, and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my foot-stool, Are ye not partiall in your selves, and Judges of evil thoughts? that is, Are ye not condemned in your selves, and convinced in your own consciences, that you do evil, and so that your thoughts have been evil, which moved you to do so? Can you chuse but judge this an evil thought, to think him the best man that weareth the best clothes, and him a vile person that is in vile apparel? Thus men, yea good men may mis-judge of men. But the Lord seeth not as man seeth, It is not good clothes, but a good heart; it is not a gold ring, but a golden conversation