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…

Surely I will never have more to do with them. The Scripture tells us, That if father, or mother, or brother, or sister, or kinsman, or friend, should go about to draw a man from God, his hand should be first upon him, to put him to death. Now, bosom sins, complexion sins, they seek to draw a mans heart from God; and therefore a gracious soul can't but rise up against ⟨p. 168⟩them,¹ and do his best to stone them, and to be the death of them. The days of mourning for my father are at hand (saith bloody Esau) then will I slay my brother Jacob; ('tis a bloody speech of a vindictive spirit, whom nothing would satisfy but innocent blood) So saith the gracious soul, The days of mourning for the death of my dear Saviour, are now at hand, and therefore I will slay my bosom lusts, my constitution sins; now will I be revenged on them for all the dishonours that they have done to God, and for all the wounds that they have made in my conscience, and for all the mercies that they have embittered, and for all the favours that they have prevented, and for all the afflictions that they have procured, and for all the duties that they have hindered.² Sampson pleads hard with God, that he might be avenged on the Philistines for his two eyes; and so doth the gracious soul plead hard with God, that he may be avenged on his bosom lusts, on his complexion sins, which have put out his two eyes, which have so blinded him that he has not for a long time been able to see God, or Christ, or the things that belong to his external, internal or eternal peace. The next of kin in the Law, was always the avenger of blood, and to him it appertained to hunt after the murderer, to bring upon his head the innocent blood that he had shed; if therefore we will show our selves brethren or sisters of Christ, or any thing of kin unto him, we must even be the avengers of his blood upon bosom sins, upon complexion sins; for, for them as well as others was his blood shed. O Sirs! what bosom sin is there so sweet or profitable that is worth a burning in hell for, or worth a shutting out of heaven for? surely none. This a gracious soul seriously weighs, and accordingly he sets himself against the Toad in his bosom, against his darling sins, against his complexion sins. But now, unsound hearts are very favourable to bosom sins, to complexion sins; they say of them as Lot of Zoar,