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…

And with the Samaritans, who when God had sent Lyons among them, enquired after the manner of his Worship, 2 King's 17.25, 26. And yet after all this to remain as vile and wicked as they did, Jer. 2.20. For of old time I have broken thy yoke, and burst thy bands, and thou saidest, I will not transgress, when upon every high hill, and under every green tree thou wanderedst, playing the Harlot. A wicked mans willingness to be rid of his sins is transient, not constant, 'tis like the morning Cloud, and the early dew that passeth away, Hos. 6.4.¹ The Jews were a very unstable people, a people bent to backsliding, a people that would often start aside like a deceitful Bow. Sometimes when the Judgments of God were heavy upon them, or when they were under the reign of some good Kings, then down went their Groves, their Altars, their Idols, and their High places; but soon after you shall have them as much set upon Idolatry as before; sometimes they were willing to be rid of their Idols, and at other times they were mad to go a whoring after their Idols. But now a godly man (when he is himself) he is never unwilling to be rid of his sins, yea, to be rid of all his sins, the fixed, standing, and abiding disposition and bent of a godly mans Soul, of a godly mans will, is to be rid of every sin; and thrice happy is that man that is habitually under such a choice and blessed frame.

And with the Samaritans, who when God had sent Lyons among them, enquired after the manner of his Worship, 2 King's 17.25, 26. And yet after all this to remain as vile and wicked as they did, Jer. 2.20. For of old time I have broken thy yoke, and burst thy bands, and thou saidest, I will not transgress, when upon every high hill, and under every green tree thou wandredst, playing the Harlot. A wicked mans willingness to be rid of his sins is transient, not constant, 'tis like the morning Cloud, and the early dew that passeth away, Hos. 6.4.¹ The Jews were a very unstable people, a people bent to backsliding, a people that would often start aside like a deceitful Bow. Sometimes when the Judgments of God were heavy upon them, or when they were under the reign of some good Kings, then down went their Groves, their Altars, their Idols, and their High places; but soon after you shall have them as much set upon Idolatry as before; sometimes they were willing to be rid of their Idols, and at other times they were mad to go a whoring after their Idols. But now a godly man (when he is himself) he is never unwilling to be rid of his sins, yea, to be rid of all his sins, the fixed, standing, and abiding disposition and bent of a godly mans Soul, of a godly mans will, is to be rid of every sin; and thrice happy is that man that is habitually under such a choice and blessed frame.