Sincere Persons, if they be not so fair and comely as some others, yet being holy and upright, sincere and virtuous Ones, how amiable are they rendered hereby in the sight of all good Men! It covers all things that seems to render a Saint dishonourable or uncomely.
2. Mean Parentage, or a low Descent, is much despised in the World; but how base soever the Stock, and ignoble the Birth be, when true Grace and Sincerity comes, it makes the House and Person illustrious, and very glorious: Since thou wert precious in mine eyes, thou hast been honourable, Isa. 43.4. Sincerity sets a Mark of Honour upon a Person, or a People. If you see this flourishing, tho in a mean Cottage, it tells you a great Prince, nay, an Heir of Heaven dwells there. Sincerity brings the Creature into Alliance with the most high and glorious King of Heaven and Earth. Who dares say, a Child of God, the Spouse of Christ, and Heir of Heaven is of an ignoble Birth and Pedigree?
3. It covers Poverty, which exposeth to great Contempt. There's none so rich as a godly sincere Person; he is daily let into God's Treasury, Christ's Storehouse is always open unto him: All is yours.1
4. To want Parts, and to be a Person of no Name, and of small Endowments, exposeth to disdain; none are more contemptible in the eye of the wise and vainglorious World, than such. But alas! an honest Heart, one that is sincere, excels beyond all comparison the proudest, most renowned and applauded for human Wisdom, Parts, and Elegance in the World.
5. It covers all sinful Uncomeliness, and all the Godly Man's Failings, whether they be Sins of Omission or Commission; for Sincerity is that excellent quality to which pardoning Mercy is annexed. 'Tis Christ in a proper sense that covers all Sin, but he will cover the Sins and Failings of none but such as are sincere:2 Blessed is the Man whose Sins are covered, &c. The upright Man's Righteousness is accepted through Christ, tho he be never so infirm, or attended with Miscarriages: Tho God doth not like his Sin for his Sincerity, yet God will not un-saint him because of his Sin.
3X. The Priest under the Law wore a Girdle, which was made of fine Linen, and of Blew, Purple, and Scarlet; the Hebrew Doctors say, it was about three fingers broad; it was curiously woven, as Josephus observes,4 with Pictures of Flowers.
Sincere Persons, if they be not so fair and comely as some others, yet being holy and upright, sincere and vertuous Ones, how amiable are they rendred hereby in the sight of all good Men! It covers all things that seems to render a Saint dishonourable or uncomely.
2. Mean Parentage, or a low Descent, is much despised in the World; but how base soever the Stock, and ignoble the Birth be, when true Grace and Sincerity comes, it makes the House and Person illustrious, and very glorious: Since thou wert precious in mine eyes, thou hast been honourable, Isa. 43.4. Sincerity sets a Mark of Honour upon a Person, or a People. If you see this flourishing, tho in a mean Cottage, it tells you a great Prince, nay, an Heir of Heaven dwells there. Sincerity brings the Creature into Alliance with the most high and glorious King of Heaven and Earth. Who dares say, a Child of God, the Spouse of Christ, and Heir of Heaven is of an ignoble Birth and Pedigree?
3. It covers Poverty, which exposeth to great Contempt. There's none so rich as a godly sincere Person; he is daily let into God's Treasury, Christ's Storehouse is always open unto him: All is yours.1
4. To want Parts, and to be a Person of no Name, and of small Endowments, exposeth to disdain; none are more contemptible in the eye of the wise and vainglorious World, than such. But alas! an honest Heart, one that is sincere, excells beyond all comparison the proudest, most renowned and applauded for human Wisdom, Parts, and Elegancy in the World.
5. It covers all sinful Uncomeliness, and all the Godly Man's Failings, whether they be Sins of Omission or Commission; for Sincerity is that excellent quality to which pardoning Mercy is annexed. 'Tis Christ in a proper sence that covers all Sin, but he will cover the Sins and Failings of none but such as are sincere:2 Blessed is the Man whose Sins are covered, &c. The upright Man's Righteousness is accepted through Christ, tho he be never so infirm, or attended with Miscarriages: Tho God doth not like his Sin for his Sincerity, yet God will not un-saint him because of his Sin.
3X. The Priest under the Law wore a Girdle, which was made of fine Linnen, and of Blew, Purple, and Scarlet; the Hebrew Doctors say, it was about three fingers broad; it was curiously woven, as Josephus observes,4 with Pictures of Flowers.
- 11 Cor. 3.22
- 2Psal. 32.2.
- 3Ainsworth
- 4Josephus Antiquit. Book 8. cap. 2.
