A96110:53
The upright mans character and crown. Preached in a sermon at Pauls before the…
The upright mans character and crown. Preached in a sermon at Pauls before the right Honourable the Lord Major, and the aldermen of the City of London, March 29. 1657. / By Thomas Watson minister of Stephens Walbrook London.
London: printed for Ralph Smith, 1657
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Error when it is not only circa, but contra fundamentum, is dangerous*; a man may as well go to hell by error, as by moral vice; gross sin stabs to the heart, error poisons; there is less hope of an erroneous person then a profane; the profane person sins, and doth not repent; the erroneous person sins, and holds it a sin to repent; the one is without tears, the other cries down tears. The upright Christian is not tainted with this leprosy in the head; he hath rectitude in his mind.
Error when it is not only circa, but contra fundamentum, is dangerous*; a man may as well go to hell by error, as by moral vice; grosse sinne stabs to the heart, errour poysons; there is lesse hope of an erroneous person then a prophane; the prophane person sinnes, and doth not repent; the erroneous person sinnes, and holds it a sinne to repent; the one is without tears, the other cries down tears. The upright Christian is not tainted with this leprosie in the head; he hath rectitude in his minde.
- *[Greek or Hebrew] Ignat. ep 7. ad Smyrn.〈non-Latin alphabet〉 Ignat. ep 7. ad Smyrn.
X. An upright man is of a sympathizing1 spirit*, he lays to heart the miseries of Sihon*. This argues much sincerity, Pliny speaks of the aurea vitis, the golden Vine, which feels no injury of wind, or storms. The Church triumphant may be compared to this golden Vine, which is above all storms of injury and flourisheth in perpetual glory: but the Church-militant is not a golden Vine, but a bleeding Vine; now where there is sincerity, there is sympathy.