A plain discourse upon uprightness showing the properties and privileges of an upright man…A plain discourse upon uprightness shewing the properties and priviledges of an upright man…

2. An upright man is a great enemy to Time-serving. There is a wise and faultless observing the times; the men of Issachar it should seem were good at it, 2 Chron. 12. 32. they had understanding of the times to know what Israel ought to do. Not only meant of weather-wisdom by rural observations; but also that by Deduction from former, they could make Directions for future times: and so he is compared to an Ass, Gen. 49. 14. for the strength of his back, not the stupidity of his head. A point of great wisdom to know what to do, according to the will of God, in every turn of Providence, or ⟨p. 69⟩change of condition, and in every company we come in.

2. An upright man is a great enemy to Time-serving. There is a wise and faultless observing the times; the men of Issachar it should seem were good at it, 2 Chron. 12. 32. they had understanding of the times to know what Israel ought to do. Not only meant of weather-wisdom by rural observations; but also that by Deduction from former, they could make Directions for future times: and so he is compar'd to an Ass, Gen. 49. 14. for the strength of his back, not the stupidity of his head. A point of great wisdom to know what to do, according to the will of God, in every turn of Providence, or ⟨p. 69⟩change of condition, and in every company we come in.

But there is a culpable Temporizing when a man hath so mastered his Conscience, and reduced it to that ready ¹flexibleness, that for worldly ends he can think, and speak, and act, one way, this day, this month, this year, and next day, next month, next year another way; can set his sails to every wind, please every body, to profit or preserve himself: Can turn, return, overturn, any turn to serve his own turn. And this temper is directly opposite to that uprightness we are describing. The upright man is deliberate in choosing and settling his principles, but a thousand worlds shall not alter him without clear evidence in his Conscience. He is not a twining Willow, but a sturdy Oak; and whether the point he differ in, be small or great, if a matter of Conscience, though he will not be factious, troublesome, or uncharitable; yet all the Rhetoric or Rigour on Earth, will not remove an upright man from his course, till God do make the business clear upon his Conscience.