A cabinet of choice jewels, or, A box of precious ointment being a plain…A cabinet of choice jevvels, or, A box of precious ointment being a plain…

First, that they highly dishonour the blessed God, and the work of his Grace, by denying that which he hath done for them, and wrought in them.

Secondly, they are spiritual Murderers, they are self-Murderers, they are soul-Murderers; for by this means they stab and wound their own precious souls and Consciences through and through, with many a deadly dart. Now is there any Murder like to spiritual Murder, to self-Murder, to soul-Murder? surely no. But,

Thirdly, They are Thieves, for by this means they rob their own precious souls of that joy, peace, comfort, rest, content, assurance, and satisfaction, which otherwise they might enjoy. Now there is no theft to spiritual theft, and of all spiritual theft, there is none to that which reaches the precious and immortal soul. Mark all prevalent Disputes about our personal integrity, they do hold off the Application and tastes of comfort, though they do not disannul the title and right. Even the good man will walk uncomfortably so long as he concludes, and strongly fears that his Estate is sinful; for sensible comfort riseth or falleth, cometh on, or goeth off, according to the strength of our judgment and present apprehensions; observe, it is not what indeed our estate is, but what we judg of it, which breeds in us sensible comfort, or discomfort, a false heart may (even) break with a tympany of foolish joy upon an erring persuasion o• his estate, and so may a sound sincere heart be very heavy and disconsolate upon an unsound misconstruction and judging of its true condition. But,

Thirdly, They are Thieves, for by this means they rob their own precious souls of that joy, peace, comfort, rest, content, assurance, and satisfaction, which otherwise they might enjoy. Now there is no theft to spiritual theft, and of all spiritual theft, there is none to that which reaches the precious and immortal soul. Mark all prevalent Disputes about our personal integrity, they do hold off the Application and tasts of comfort, though they do not disanul the title and right. Even the good man will walk uncomfortably so long as he concludes, and strongely fears that his Estate is sinful; for sensible comfort riseth or falleth, cometh on, or goeth off, according to the strength of our judgment and present apprehensions; observe, it is not what indeed our estate is, but what we judg of it, which breeds in us sensible comfort, or discomfort, a false heart may (even) break with a timpany of foolish joy upon an erring perswasion o his estate, and so may a sound sincere heart be very heavy and disconsolate upon an unsound misconstruction and judging of its true condition. But,