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, There are some things in regard of sin, and a Christians actings about it, that speaks out a gracious estate, and that discovers a saving principle of Grace to be in the Soul. I shall instance in these Eleven particulars.

FIrst, There are some things in regard of sin, and a Christians actings about it, that speaks out a gracious estate, and that discovers a saving principle of Grace to be in the Soul. I shall instance in these Eleven particulars.

First, A universal willingness to be rid of all sin, is an ⟨p. 89⟩infallible evidence of the truth of Grace in a mans Soul;¹ the first saving work of the Spirit upon the soul, is the dividing between sin and the soul, tis a making an utter breach betwixt sin and the soul, tis a dissolving of that old League that has been between the sinner and his sin. The first work of the Spirit, is to make a man look upon sin as an enemy and to deal with sin as an enemy, to hate it as an enemy, to loath it as an enemy, to fear it as an enemy, and to arm against it as an enemy. When the holy spirit takes possession of the Soul, from that day forward the soul looks upon sin with as evil, and as envious an eye as Saul looked on David when the evil spirit was upon him. O, saith Saul, that I were but once well rid of this David; and O (saith the gracious Soul) that I were but once well rid of this proud heart, this hard heart, this unbelieving heart, this unclean heart, this froward heart, this earthly heart of mine, &c.² Look as the daughters of Heth even made Rebekah weary of her life, so corruptions within makes the gracious soul even weary of his life. Many a day have I sought death with tears (said blessed Cowper) not out of impatience, distrust, or perturbation, ³