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…

There is a vast difference between the formal note of a young beggar, and the sensible cries of him that is half starved: we neglect the former, and are ready to serve him only with reproof; but when the other cries that begs in truth, his face cries, his rags cry, his tears cry, the whole beggar cries, then we draw out our heart and hand unto him; even so doth our gracious God, he slights and hates affected words, coming from an unaffected heart; but when the heart comes up with them, then he comes, and brings his alms with him, and his reward before him. O what encouragement should this give to an upright heart! Thou hast an ear for God, and he hath an ear for thee. Thou art ready and quick in thy obedience, he is as quick and ready in his audience; thou art punctual to yield to him in any thing, he is punctual to yield in any thing unto thee. In a word, thou art resolved to do his will, he is resolved ⟨p. 95⟩to do thine. Hence L•ther boldly, Fiat voluntas mea quia tua est, Let my will be done, because its thine. Thine are broken prayers, but they are upright prayers. There is no Rhetoric in them, •but there is Logic in them, there are arguments that will conquer God himself. ¹There is no argument on earth like Integrity, nor in Heaven like the Blood of Christ.

There is a vast difference between the formal note of a young beggar, and the sensible cries of him that is half starved: we neglect the former, and are ready to serve him only with reproof; but when the other cries that begs in truth, his face cries, his rags cry, his tears cry, the whole beggar cries, then we draw out our heart and hand unto him; even so doth our gracious God, he slights and hates affected words, coming from an unaffected heart; but when the heart comes up with them, then he comes, and brings his alms with him, and his reward before him. O what incouragement should this give to an upright heart! Thou hast an ear for God, and he hath an ear for thee. Thou art ready and quick in thy obedience, he is as quick and ready in his audience; thou art punctual to yield to him in any thing, he is punctual to yield in any thing unto thee. In a word, thou art resolved to do his will, he is resolved ⟨p. 95⟩