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 third Proposition is this. When you look upon your §3graces in the light of the Spirit, it highly concerns you to look narrowly to it, that you don't renounce and rejecty our ⟨p. 336⟩graces, as weak and worthless evidences of your interest in Christ, and of that eternal happiness and blessedness that comes by Christ. The works of grace (saith my Author) which consists in those divine qualities of holiness and righteousness,¹ &c. Gal. 5.22, ••. is a sure Mark, a blessed character, whereby men may know whose children they are; even as the Spartans or Lacedaemonians of old are said to know what stock and linage they were of, by a mark that was made upon their bodies by the head of a Lance or Speer. I readily grant, that you must not trust in your graces, nor make a Saviour of your graces; but yet you ought to look upon your graces, as so many signs and testimonies of the love and favour of God to your souls. What certainty can there be of Election, Remission of sin, Justification or Glorification, if there be not a certainty of your Sanctification and Renovation; if that persuasion that is in you about your grace or sanctification be false, then that persuasion that is in you concerning remission of sin, predestination, justification and eternal salvation is false: This highly concerns all them to consider, that would not be miserable in both worlds. I know many cry up Revelations, Impressions, Visions (yea the visions of their own hearts) and speak lightly and slightly of the graces of the Spirit, of sanctification, of holiness, as evidences of the goodness and happiness of a Christians condition. There were some in James his time, who cried up faith,² and union, and communion with Christ, but were destitute of good works. Well, what saith the Apostle? Show me thy faith without thy works, ³and I will show thee my faith by my works; for as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead. Look, as the body without the spirit (or without breath, as the Greek word [Greek or Hebrew] primarily signifies) is dead; so that faith that is without works, which are as it were the breathings of a lively faith, is a dead faith. Though it be faith that justifieth the man, yet it is works that justifies a mans faith to be right and real, saving and justifying. So there were some in Johns time, viz.