A29686:417
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…
A cabinet of choice jewels, or, A box of precious ointment being a plain discovery of, or, what men are worth for eternity, and how 'tis like to go with them in another world ... / by Thomas Brooks ...A cabinet of choice jevvels, or, A box of precious ointment being a plain discovery of, or, what men are worth for eternity, and how 'tis like to go with them in another world ... / by Thomas Brooks ...
London : Printed and are to be sold by John Hancock ..., 1669
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
For which faithful counsel, he also was condemned to death, and suffered accordingly.1 A true friend is neither known in prosperity, nor hid in adversity. True love is like that of Ruth's to Naomi, that of Jonathan's to David, permanent and constant.2 Many there be whose love to the Saints is like Job's brooks, which in the Winter, when men have no need of them, overflows with tenders of service, and shows of love; but when the season is hot and dry, & the poor thirsty traveller stands in most need of water to refresh him, then the brooks are quite dried up. They are like the Swallow, that will stay by you in the Summer of prosperity, but fly from you in the Winter of adversity. It is observed by Josephus of the Samaritans, 3that when ever the Jews affairs prospered, they would be their friends, and profess much love to them; yea, they would vaunt of their alliance, saying, That they were near akin, and of the race of Ephraim and Manasseh the sons of Joseph: But when the Jews were in trouble and affliction, and brought to an under, then they would not own them,4 nor have any thing to do with them; yea, then they would set themselves with all their •ight against them, as the same Historian tells us. This age is full of such Samaritans; yet certainly, such as truly love, they will always love; such as truly love the people of God, they will love them to the end. In the primitive times it was very much taken notice of by the very Heathen, that in the depth of misery, when fathers and mothers forsook their children, Christians (otherwise strangers) ⟨p. 200⟩stuck close one to another, their love of Religion, and one of another, proved firmer than that of nature. They seem to take away the Sun out of the world (said the Orator) who take away friendship from the life of man; for we do not more need fire and water, than constant friendship. Though wicked men may pretend great love to the Saints, yet their love is not constant;5