Page:A Treatise of the Covenant of Grace (John Ball).djvu/189

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Of Truth and Uprightnesse.
177

ends in the profession of the truth, indulgent to his beloved and darling sinnes, desirous to seeme religious, though he much neglect the power of godlinesse. But the true Christian is unlike him in all these respects: He is sound and constant, a master of his affections, a bungler to colour or guild over sinne, desirous to be good, and in every thing answerable to his profession, faithfull in his place, plaine in his dealings, innocent and harmelesse, as becomes the child of God; the same man at home and abroad, within and without, openly and in secret, in thought and discourse. This is that truth and sincerity which the Lord accepteth, and the godly strive after, and obtaine in some measure.

There be three words in the Originall translated Right or Upright. The firstכשל
Jer. 18.4.
ישל Targ.
comes of a root that signifieth to be right or prosper, or to direct, Eccles. 11. 6. and 10. 10. and it is translated Uprightnesse, Equitie, Industry, and Profit: of the Septuagint Valour or Fortitude. Sym. Swiftnesse or speed. כשל
ἀνδρεία
γοργοτης.
Eccl. 2. 21. and 4. 4. and 5. 11. Esth. 8. 5. But it is not to be referred to the act of the mind or heart, but to some externall work or deed, which is so cunningly polished and skilfully contrived, that nothing can more be desired in it, or justly be thought wanting. The second wordנכח comes of a root that signifieth before or in presence, as Prov. 4. 25. Let thine eye-lids look aa Sept. ὀρθὰ.
Sym. εἰς τὸ εὐθύ.
Aq. & Theod.
εὐθύνέτωσαν κατεναντίον.
straight before thee. Prov. 5. 21. For the wayes of man are bbἐνώπιον.
Sym. κατέναντι.
before the eyes of the Lord. See Gen. 25. 21. And it is translated right, equity and uprightnesse. Prov. 8. 9. They are right to them that find knowledge. Sept. ἐνώπιον or ἐνώπια. Theod. εὐθεια. Sym. ἐκεξώμεθα or ἐλεγξώμεθα: al. interp. ἒυκοπα better ἒυσκοπα. Amos 3. 10. They know not to doe right. Sept. ἐναντίον. Isai. 59. 14. Equity cannot enter. Sept. δι᾽ εὐθείας. Isai. 30. 10. Prophesie not unto us right things. Isai. 26. 10. In the Land of uprightnesse he will deale unjustly. LXX. ἀλήθειαν. Isai. 57. 2. Each one walking in his uprightnesse, or before him. 2 Sam. 15. 3. Thy matters are good and right. LXX. εὔκολοι. The third wordκατευθύνων
ὀρθοτόμεω.
comes of a root that signifieth to goe strait, Prov. 15. 21. 1 Sam. 6. 12. Psal. 5. 8. or to direct, Prov. 3. 6. And this is the most usuall and common: Thus God is said to be upright: Thou most upright dost weigh the path of the Just. Isai. 26. 7. To shew that the Lord is upright. Psal. 92. 15. The word of the Lord is uprightnesse. Eccl. 12. 10. Psal. 33. 4. His Judgements are right, or strait. Neh. 9. 13. Psal. 119. 128, 137.God