A little cabinet richly stored with all sorts of heavenly varieties, and soul-reviving influences.: Wherein there is a remedy for every malady, viz. milk for babes, and meat for strong men, and the ready way for both to obtain and retain assurance of salvation: being an abridgement of the sum and substance of the true Christian religion; wherein the cause of our salvation, the way, the guide, the rule, the evidence, the seals, &c. and the connection of these points together, and dependancy of them one upon another: this I have endeavoured to do orderly, exactly, methodically, with much plainness and clearness. / By Robert Purnell.

Of the Flesh.

NOw the works of the flesh are mani∣fest,* 1.1 which are these, adultery, for∣nication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, therefore great need of this exhortation, 1 Pet. 2. 11. dearly beloved I beseech you as strangers abstain from fleshly lusts, Rom. 7. 18. in my flesh dwelleth no good thing, for to will is present with me, but how to perform that which is good I find not, for all flesh is grace, and all the goodliness thereof as the flower of the Field, the grass withereth, and the flower fadeth, Isa. 40. 6. 1 Pet. 1. 24. Psal. 37. 2. Psal. 90. 5, 6. & 92. 7. & 103. 15. Isa. 37. 27.

What shall I say more? all mankind are un∣der the wrath and curse of God, being full of blindness of mind, having a reprobate sense, liable to strong delusions, hardness of heart, horror of consci∣ence, and vile affections, having the curse of God up∣on the whole creation for mans sake; and besides all this, man is subject to all manner of evil, in body, name and estate, and relations, and imployment, to∣gether with an utter undisposed mind to all that is good, and wholly inclined to all that is evil, and that continually.

What man is by nature.

NOT only born in sin, but left in a condition not able to help himself, Job 14. 4. Who can bring a clean thing out of an uncelan? not one, Job 25. 4. How can he be clean that is born of a woman? Psal. 51. 5. Behold I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me, Mich. 7. 2. there is none upright amongst men, there is none righteous, no not one, Rom. 3. 12. We go astray as soon as we are born, Psal. 58. 3. Every imagination of the thoughts of our hearts is only evil, and that continually, Gen. 5. 6. Nay all the Saints themselves before conviction, conversion, and regene∣ration, were guilty of originall and actual transgres∣sion, and so were by nature the children of wrath as well as others, Eph. 2. 3. 1 Cor. 6. 9. Tit. 3. 3. 1 Tim. 1. 13. Eccles. 7. 20. What shall I say more, the under∣standing is full of vanity, Psal. 94. 11. Nay its full of blindness, 1 Cor. 2. 24. unteachableness and incredulity, 2 Cor. 4. 4. The will of man is wholly depraved, being contrary to God, his word and spirit in all things; as for the memory, that also is full of corruption, it will forget the things that it should remember, and re∣member the things that it should forget, it will retein trifles, and let go matters of moment; and as for the conscience, that also is wholly corrupted, it is without feeling, whereas it should excuse or accuse, it doth abuse and pervert the light it hath, by making great sins small, and small sins no sins; and as for our affections, they are also corrupted, they come as a tempest and carry us away, either to make us over∣love, or over-great, and to hate our brother we should love, and love our lusts we should hate.

Of mans own righteousness.

BUt we are all as an unclean thing, and* 1.2 all our righteousness is as filthy rags, and we all do fade as a leaf, Jer. 2. 22. For though thou wash thee with Niter, and take much Soap, yet thine iniquities are marked before me, saith the Lord God, Job 9. 30, 31. If I wash my self in Snow-water, yet mine own cloaths shall abhor me, Hosea 6. 4. O Ephraim, what shall I do unto thee? O Judah what shall I do unto thee? for your goodness is as the morning cloud, and as the early dew it goeth away, Isa. 28. 20. The bed is shorter then that a man can stretch himself on it, and the covering is narrow∣er then that a man can wrap himself in it, Isa. 50. 11. Behold all ye that kindle a fire, walk in the light of your fire, and in the Sparks that ye have kindled, this shall ye have of my hand, ye shall lie down in Sorrow, Job 35. 7. If thou be righte∣ous, what givest thou to him, or what receiveth he of thine hand? verse 8. Thy wickedness may hurt a man as thou art, and thy righteousness may profit the Sons of men, &c. See Job 22. 2, 3. Titus 3. 8. Psalm 16. 2.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Galat. 5. 19.
• * 1.2

  Isaiah 64. 6.