I Have been unwillingly drawn forth to this work, wherein I must expose some of my unpolished thoughts to the ⟨image 3⟩public view, but your injunction, together with the weightiness of the subject, did at last prevail with me; if there be any thing of moment to be looked after, it is truth in the inward parts, by this we resemble him who is Truth; and without it our title to heaven is but forged. Aquinas tells us, error in principio gravissimus; 'tis dangerous to err in principles. How many glorious frontispieces of profession have fallen, because built upon unsound and cracked foundations; it is the design of this ensuing discourse to Characterize, and decipher ⟨image 3⟩the upright man: He is undiquaque insignis; his Motto may be semper idem, like Aristotle's [Greek or Hebrew] throw him which way you will, he is still upright. We have many sights to be seen in this City, but if there be any show worth seeing, it is to behold the upright man, who hath the Spirit of glory, and of God resting on him. Uprightness is that currant coin which hath Gods impress stamped upon it, and though it may want something of angelical perfection, yet it shall always have grains of ⟨image 4⟩allowance. Uprightness will not only secure our selves, but it will entail a blessing upon our Posterity, Proverbs 20. 7. The just man walketh in his integrity, his seed are blessed after him. I have made some little alteration in this Sermon, and have inserted one or two Characters more, because else the work had been incomplete, and the upright man would not have been perfect.
I Have been unwillingly drawn forth to this work, wherein I must expose some of my unpolished thoughts to the ⟨image 3⟩publick view, but your injunction, together with the weightiness of the subject, did at last prevail with me; if there be any thing of moment to be look'd after, it is truth in the inward parts, by this we resemble him who is Truth; and without it our title to heaven is but forged. Aquinas tells us, error in principio gravissimus; 'tis dangerous to erre in principles. How many glorious frontispieces of profession have fallen, because built upon unsound and crack'd foundations; it is the designe of this ensuing discourse to Characterize, and decipher ⟨image 3⟩the upright man: He is undiquaque insignis; his Motto may be semper idem, like Aristotles 〈non-Latin alphabet〉 throw him which way you will, he is still upright. We have many sights to be seene in this City, but if there be any shew worth seeing, it is to behold the upright man, who hath the Spirit of glory, and of God resting on him. Ʋprightnesse is that currant coyne which hath Gods impresse stamped upon it, and though it may want something of angelical perfection, yet it shall alwayes have graines of ⟨image 4⟩allowance. Ʋprightnesse will not onely secure our selves, but it will entaile a blessing upon our Posterity, Proverbs 20. 7. The just man walketh in his integrity, his seed are blessed after him. I have made some little alteration in this Sermon, and have inserted one or two Characters more, because else the worke had been incompleat, and the upright man would not have been perfect.
