The Godly Man's Picture

5. Sincerity is that which the Devil strikes most at: Satan's spite was not so much at Jobs Estate, as his integrity; he would have wrested the Shield of Sincerity from him, but Job held that fast, Job 27. 6. A Thief doth not fight for an empty purse, but for money: The devil would have robbed Job of the Jewel of a good Conscience, and then he had been poor Job indeed: Satan doth not oppose Profession, but Sincerity: Let men go to Church, and make glorious pretences of holiness, Satan doth not oppose this; this doth him no hurt, nor them no good; but if men will be sincerely pious, then Satan musters up all his forces against them: Now that which the Devil doth most assault, we must labour most to maintain: Sincerity is our Fort-Royal, where our chief treasure lies; this Fort is most shot at, therefore let us be more careful to preserve it: While a man keeps his Castle, his Castle will keep him: While we keep Sincerity, Sincerity will keep us.

5. Sincerity is that which the Devil strikes most at: Satans spite was not so much at Iobs Estate, as his integrity; he would have wrested the Shield of Sincerity from him, but Iob held that fast, Iob 27. 6. A Thief doth not fight for an empty purse, but for money: The devil would have robbed Iob of the Jewel of a good Conscience, and then he had been poor Iob indeed: Satan doth not oppose Profession, but Sincerity: Let men go to Church, and make glorious pretences of holiness, Satan doth not oppose this; this doth him no hurt, nor them no good; but if men will be sincerely pious, then Satan musters up all his forces against them: Now that which the Devil doth most assault, we must labour most to maintain: Sincerity is our Fort-Royal, where our chief treasure lies; this Fort is most shot at, therefore let us be more careful to preserve it: While a man keeps his Castle, his Castle will keep him: While we keep Sincerity, Sincerity will keep us.

6. Sincerity is the beauty of a Christian, ⟨p. 138⟩