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…

The Apostle tells us, that the whole body of Christ (whereof every true Christian is a limb) is so compact together in it self, and so firmly fastened with certain spiritual nerves and ligaments to the head, that from it there is by them conveyed to each part a continual supply of spiritual grace, both sufficient to furnish it, and to further the growth of it. Let me give a little further light into this particular, by this similitude: A man is bound for the East-Indies, and shapeth his course thitherward, but by the way is put often off by cross winds to the Westward; ⟨p. 185⟩he is by contrary winds compelled to put into divers Harbours, and to make some stay by the way there, either to shift off stormy weather, or to take in fresh water, or to stop a leak, or to get some fresh provisions; and yet all this while we truly say, he is going on in his way in his voyage, because his settled purpose and constant resolution is to make to his Port, his Haven whither he is bound, and all these seeming lets shall help forward his voyage. It is so in spiritual things, for our very growth in grace consists much in sincere desires, in fixed resolutions, and in faithful endeavours to grow in grace.¹ Aristotle makes it the mark of a good man, that he studieth how he may grow better than he is, not contenting himself with any degree or measure of goodness. And another Heathen observes, that the earnest desire of what men would have, maketh them forgetful of what they have. I forget what's past (saith the Apostle) and press on to what is before. Their eye is more upon what they want, than upon what they have. It is with good Christians in this case, as it is with rich worldlings; that like men in a race, have their eye on those that be before them, not on those that come after them, they are ever eying those that seem to out-strip and out-go them in wealth, and think they have nothing, and that they are but poor men, so long as they come short of such and such, who are rich and great in the world: And so it is with many precious Christians, they have still their eye sixth upon those whose examples they either read of, or whose courses and graces they are eyewitnesses of;

The Apostle tells us, that the whole body of Christ (whereof every true Christian is a limb) is so compact together in it self, and so firmly fastned with certain spiritual nerves and ligaments to the head, that from it there is by them conveyed to each part a continual supply of spiritual grace, both sufficient to furnish it, and to further the growth of it. Let me give a little further light into this particular, by this similitude: A man is bound for the East-Indies, and shapeth his course thitherward, but by the way is put often off by cross winds to the Westward;