A29686:593
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.
Oh, no, this is a happiness desirable on earth, but shall never be attained till we come to heaven. By and base ends and aims will be still ready to creep into the best hearts; but all sincere hearts sigh and groan under them, they complain to God of them, and they cry out for justice, justice upon them, and it is the earnest desires and daily endeavours of their souls to be rid of them; and therefore they shall not be imputed to them, nor keep good things from them: But now take a sincere Christian in his ordinary, usual and habitual course, and you shall find that his aims and ends in all his actions and undertakings are to glorify God, to exalt God, and to lift up God in the world. If the Hypocrite did in good earnest aim at the glory of God in what he does, then the glory of God would swallow up all his by aims and carnal ends, as Aaron's rod swallowed up the Magicians rods. Look, as the Sun puts out the light of the fire,1 so the glory of God (where it is aimed at) will put out and consume all by and base ends. This is most certain, that which is a man's great end, that will work out all other ends; he that sets up the glory of God as his chief end, will find that his chief end will by degrees eat out all low and base ends. Look,2 as Pharaoh's lean kin• ate up the fat, so the glory of God will eat up all those fat and worldly ends that crowd in upon the soul in religious work. Where the glory of God is kept up as a man's greatest end, there all by and base ends will be kept at an under. By what has been said, 'tis most evident, that an Hypocrite in all his transactions looks at himself, and designs the advance and advantage of himself. An Hypocrite is as well able to make a world, and to unmake himself, as he is able to make the glory of God, the exaltation of God his highest end, his utmost aim in what he does. But,
Oh, no, this is a happiness desirable on earth, but shall never be attained till we come to heaven. By and base ends and aims will be still ready to creep into the best hearts; but all sincere hearts sigh and groan under them, they complain to God of them, and they cry out for justice, justice upon them, and it is the earnest desires and daily endeavours of their souls to be rid of them; and therefore they shall not be imputed to them, nor keep good things from them: But now take a sincere Chistian in his ordinary, usual and habitual course, and you shall find that his aims and ends in all his actions and undertakings are to glorifie God, to exalt God, and to lift up God in the world. If the Hypocrite did in good earnest aim at the glory of God in what he does, then the glory of God would swallow up all his by aims and carnl ends, as Aarons rod swallowed up the Magicians rods. Look, as the Sun puts out the light of the fire,