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 the Lord said unto Jehu, because thou hast done well in executing that which is right in mine eyes, and hast ⟨p. 148⟩done unto the house of Ahab according to all that was in mine heart, thy children of the fourth generation, shall sit on the throne of Israel. And yet because his heart was not in his obedience, and because he did not purely act for God, but for himself, that he might bring about his own designs, he met with a revenge instead of a reward; as you may see in that, Hos. 1.4. And the Lord, said unto him, call his name Jezreel, for yet a little while, and I will avenge the blood of Jezreel upon the house of Jehu. Jehu's heart was not in his obedience, he had a dispensatory conscience; for though he rooted out Baals worship, yet the golden Calves must still continue: He destroyed Idolaters, but not Idolatry; and this carnal policy brought down vengeance and misery upon him and his posterity. Artaxerxes goes far, Ezra 7.23. Whatsoever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be diligently done. To what a height doth this Heathen Prince rise? He will do anything for God, he will do every thing for God that he requires. But mark, what is that which moves him to it? Is it love to God? is it delight in God? O no! all his obedience proceeded from nothing but fear of wrath and vengeance, as is evident in the latter part of the verse; For why should there be wrath upon the Realm of the King, and of his Sons? Or, as the Hebrew runs, Why should there be boiling or foaming anger, great indignation? As it is rendered and made the utmost degree of divine displeasure, in that Deut. 29.28. Some read these words, Against the Realm of the King and his Sons, as distinct one from another, and not depending one upon another, thus; Against the Realm, the King and his Sons; and this reading the Original will bear: And this reading shows, That as the King feared God's wrath against himself, so also against his Realm and Children; and accordingly he was the more studious and careful to escape it; blind nature was afraid of divine wrath,¹ and therefore was the more sedulous to prevent it. O, but now a true child of God, he has the Law of God written, not only in his understanding, but also in his heart and affections; and this is that which makes his obedience to be pleasing and delightful to him;