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…

so an hypocrite looks like a Christian, and in many things acts like a Christian, till he comes to be hammered by sufferings, by persecutions, and then he discovers himself in his colours; and with Hymeneus and Alexander, ¹he makes shipwreck of faith and a good conscience. In suffering times hypocrites labour mightily to put out that light which shines in their bosoms, and when they have quenched that light, then farewell faith, farewell profession, farewell a good conscience, farewell all. The wolf, though he often dissembles, and closely hides his nature, yet he can't always do so; for at one time or other he will show himself to be a Wolf: So though an hypocrite may carry it closely for a time, yet he will one time or other discover himself to be an hypocrite. It is reported of the waters of Nilus, that having run many hundred of miles a pure and clear water, when it comes near the Mediterranean Sea, it begins to grow brackish and salt, and at last it falls into the Sea and loseth its name. Sooner or later this will be the case of all hypocrites, they won't retain ⟨p. 316⟩their spiritual fairness, clearness and sweetness long, but by degrees will grow brackish and salt, and lose their names, and all that seeming goodness and sweetness that once seemed to be in them.

so an hypocrite looks like a Christian, and in many things acts like a Christian, till he comes to be hammered by sufferings, by persecutions, and then he discovers himself in his colours; and with Hymeneus and Alexander, ¹he makes shipwrack of faith and a good conscience. In suffering times hypocrites labour mightily to put out that light which shines in their bosoms, and when they have quencht that light, then farewel faith, farewel profession, farewel a good conscience, farewel all. The wolf, though he often dissembles, and clossly hides his nature, yet he can't alwayes do so; for at one time or other he will shew himself to be a Wolf: So though an hypocrite may carry it clossly for a time, yet he will one time or other discover himself to be an hypocrite. It is reported of the waters of Nilus, that having run many hundred of miles a pure and clear water, when it comes near the Mediterranean Sea, it begins to grow brackish and salt, and at last it falls into the Sea and loseth its name. Sooner or later this will be the case of all hypocrites, they won't retain