'. Book IV. THE G I R D L E OF T R u T H. Truth: God is nea~ to all that call tipon him in Truth, Pfal. cxlv. 18. All Works of Charity ought to Bow from a pure Heart, viz. to be ~one in U.prightnefs and Sim– plicity, according to the DireEtion gtven by the Lord 111 hts Word, both for Matter and Manner. MET A 'PH 0 R. IX. A Girdle is a great Orna– ment, ukd to be put on uppermofr, to cover the J oints of the Armor, which iffeen, wou ld caufefome Un– comelinefs; for though the Armor was clofely knit and clafped toge– ther, yet fame gaping was fubjeEt to be betwixt Piece and Piece; and therefore they ufed 'to put over thefe parts a broad Belt or Girdle, which did ferve not only to fafren the other Armor together, but it made the Soldier -appear more comely in his Harnefs and Accoutrements. PARALLEL. IX. Sincerity is a glorious Ornament. A Chri!l:ian hereby appears very comely in the Sight of 1 God, and i[ greatly tends to l1ide and cover all the Infirmities of his Life; for the Saints Graces are not Jo clofe, nor their Lives fo exa{t, but in the be(\ are found DefeEts and Weakneffes, which are fo many Gaps in bs ArmQr; bm Sin– cerity covers all, fo that he is not pm to flume by them. 1. Sincerity covers all outward 'Blemifhes, or want of outward Beauty, that great Idol of the W01ld. Sincere l'erfons, if they be not fo fair and comely as fame others, yet being holy and upright, fincere and virtuous ones, how amiable are they rendered hereby in the Sight of all good Men ! Ir covers all Thmgs that fcen··,. to render a Saint difhonorable or uncomely. 2 , Mean P arentage, or a low D cfccnt, is much defpifed in the ;world; but how bafe foever the Stock, anJ ignoble the Birth be, when true G(ace and Sincerity comes, it makes the I-Iou.fe and Perfon illuflrious, and very glorious: Si11ce thou wert precious in mine Eyes, thou hojl bew honorable, !fa. xliii. 4· Sincerity fets a Mark of 1-Ionor upon a Pcrf<m, or a People. If you fee this Aourifhing, though in a mean Cortage, it tells you a great Prince, nay, an Heir of H eaven dwells there. Sincerity brings the Creature into Alliance with rhe mofr high and glorious King of Heoven and Earth. Who dares fay, a Child of God, the Spoufe of Chrifr, and Heir of H eaven is of an ianoble B1rth and Pedigree? 0 3 . It covers Poverty, which expoferh to great Contempt. There is none fo rich as a aodly fincere Perfon; he is daily let into God's Treafury, Chrifr's Storehoufe is al– w~ys open unto him: All is yours, 1 Cor. iii. Q.2. 4· To want Pans, and to be a Ptrfon of no Name, and of fmall Endowments, expofeth to Difdain; none are more contemptible in the Eye of the wife and vain-glo– rious 'World, than fuch . But alas! An honefr H eart, one that ts fincere, excels be– yond all comparifon the proude!t, moCl renowned and applauded for human Wifdom, !JartS, and Elega ncy in the World. 5• It covers all finful U ncomclinefs, and all the godly Man's F:ailings, whether they be Sins of Omiffion or CommiOion; for Sincerity is that excellent Q.,1ality to which pardoning Mercy is annexed. It is Chrifr in a proper Senfe that covers all Sin, bur he will cover the Sins and Failings of none but fuch as are fin cere: Blejjed is the Man "vhofe Sins are covered, &c. Pfal. xxxii. 2 . The upright Man's Righteoufnefs is accepted through Chnfi, though he be never fo infirm, or attended with Mifcar– riages : Though God do not like his Sin fat his Sincerity, yet God will not un.faint him becaufe uf his Sin. X. The PrieCl under ·the Law wore: a Girdle, ·:J which was made of fineLinnen, and of Blue, Purple, and Scarlet; the Hebrew DoEtors fay, it was <~bout three Fingers broad; it was curiouf1y woven 1 as Jofephus obfrrves, with PiCt ur<s of Fiowers. t This Girdle (faith Ainfworth) C.gnified the gi•ding up the Loins of our Minds with . • .llinfi~·ortb. X . Truth and Sincerity is not only an Orna– ment, but a moft glorious Ornament, be-incr rhat wh;ch was figured out by the Prjcfr's Girdle~ rare– ly made with curious Flowers. This is as a choice golden Girdle, curiou!ly wrought by the Spirit of God, whtch all the Pnef\hood of Chrifr have on, 1 Pet. ii. 5· lt is made of a Complication of every Grace. Sincerity is not alone; many choice divine Flowers are jnterwoven tQaecher in making of the Girdle of Truth. " ' t Jofephl(s Autiquit. Boqft 8. chap. z. ' Strength;
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