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…

Seventhly, Other precious Saints have abstained from all §7appearances of evil, witness Joseph, Paul, Daniel, &c. but §8lately cited. And to these let me add that great instance of Augustine, who retracted even Ironies because they had the appearance of evil. And so the Primitive Christians would not let up Lights and Bayes at their doors, though for this ⟨p. 124⟩they were persecuted as enemies to the Emperor,¹ because the Temple, and the doors of Idolaters were wont to be thus garnished.² And so David refused to take the Threshing floor, and Threshing instruments, and Oxen, &c. of Araunah as a gift, but would needs buy them at a price, and this he did, partly out of a Divine nobleness, and partly to avoid the very show of Covetousness. Now why has God left all these famous Presidents upon Record, but on purpose to encourage his Saints in all Ages, to abstain from all appearing evils, as well as from all apparent evils. Certainly God looks that we should so eye the best, the highest, the worthyest, and the exactest examples, as that we should make it our great business and work to come up to them, and to imitate them to the life. O friends! the examples last cited should be very awakening, very persuading, very convincing, and very encouraging; because in them you may see that though abstinence from the appearance of evil be a difficult thing, yet 'tis a possible thing. Shall we love to look upon the Pictures of our friends, and shall we not much more love to look upon the holy examples of those eminent Saints that had the lively picture of Grace, and the lovely Image of Christ fairly stamped upon their hearts and lives. 'Tis both our Mercy and our duty to eye the examples, and to follow the footsteps of those Christians that have been most eminent in Grace, as you may plainly see by comparing of these Scriptures together, Prov. 2.20. Heb. 6.12.