The upright mans character and crown. Preached in a sermon at Pauls before the…

An upright man will not neglect a known duty for fear of losing a party. Some, upon this very ground have forborne to declare against error for fear of a party falling off from them. If men will fall off from us for doing our duty; my opinion is, they are better lost then kept. Others have neglected to have the hands of the Presbytery laid upon them, only because this would displease a party, how many Apocryphal preachers are now among us? in the Bishops times we had many Ministers who ⟨p. 22⟩were no Preachers, and now we have many Preachers who are no Ministers: The upright man had rather be without his head piece then his breast plate, and had rather men should account him for imprudent, then God should accuse him for unfaithful. An upright man will not let any interest bias him from the truth, Amicus Socrates, sed magis amica veritas. The Saints are compared to pillars, Rev. 3. 12. the pillar stands upright. Unsound Christians are ex salice, like willows which will bend every way, a good Christian is like the palm tree which grows upright, Jerem. 10. 5. when we let men [Greek or Hebrew], Lord it over our consciences; if they bid us break our vows, sell our Religion, we are ductile, and malleable to any thing, like hot iron which will be beat into any form; like wool, that will receive any die, this argues much unsoundness of ⟨p. 23⟩heart. An upright Christian will not be bent awry, he goes without stooping.

An upright man will not neglect a known duty for feare of losing a party. Some, upon this very ground have forborne to declare against errour for feare of a party falling off from them. If men will fall off from us for doing our duty; my opinion is, they are better lost then kept. Others have neglected to have the hands of the Presbytery laid upon them, only because this would displease a party, how many Apocryphal preachers are now among us? in the Bishops times we had many Ministers who ⟨p. 22⟩were no Preachers, and now we have many Preachers who are no Ministers: The upright man had rather be without his head piece then his breast plate, and had rather men should account him for imprudent, then God should accuse him for unfaithful. An upright man will not let any interest byasse him from the truth, Amicus Socrates, sed magis amica veritas. The Saints are compar'd to pillars,