A96110:57
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.
True grace ennobles the heart, dilates the affections, and carries out a man beyond the Sphere of his private concernments, making him mind the Churches condition as his own. Oh, how few upright Saints! may not that charge be drawn up against sundry persons? Amos 6. 4. That lie upon beds of Ivory, and stretch themselves upon their Couches, and eat the Lambs out of the flock, that chant to the sound of the vial, and invent to themselves Instruments of music like David; That drink wine in bowls, and anoint themselves with the chief ointments, but they are not ⟨p. 31⟩grieved for the affliction of Joseph.
True grace enobles the heart, dilates the affections, and carries out a man beyond the Sphere of his private concernments, making him minde the Churches condition as his own. Oh, how few upright Saints! may not that charge be drawn up against sundry persons? Amos 6. 4. That lie upon beds of Ivory, and stretch themselves upon their Couches, and eat the Lambs out of the flock, that chaunt to the sound of the vial, and invent to themselves Instruments of musick like David; That drink wine in bowles, and anoint themselves with the chiefe oyntments, but they are not ⟨p. 31⟩grieved for the affliction of Joseph.
It is with most people as with a drunken man fast asleep, he is non sensible of any thing that is done; let others be killed by him, and lie a bleeding, he is not sensible. Somno vinoque sepultus,—He sleeps securely in his wine. Thus it is with too many who are drunk with the wine of prosperity, and fallen fast asleep, though the Church of God lie bleeding of her wounds by them, and ready to bleed to death; they are not sensible; they have quite forgotten Jerusalem. Like Themistocles, who when one offered to teach him the Art of Memory▪ he desired that he would teach him the Art of Forgetfulness. The Devil hath taught many men this Art. They have forgotten the miseries of the Church; such may suspect themselves to be unsound. The Saints are called, [Greek or Hebrew], lively stones,