A Cabinet of Choice Jewels, Chapter 1 · Maxim 4
The fourth Maxim or Conſideration.
FOurthly, conſider, Where there is any one grace in truth, there is every grace in truth, though every grace cannot be ſeen. Look, as a man may certainly know a wicked man by his living under the reign and dominion of any one ſin,As they ſay of the cardinal vertues; Virtutes ſunt inter ſe connexa, The vertues are chained together; ſo we may ſay of the graces of the Spirit, &c. Mark, ſaith Chryſoſtom, 'tis not working of miracles, caſting out of devils, but love to our brethren, that's the infallible proof of being a Diſciple. though he does not live under the power of other ſins, becauſe there is not any one ſin mortified in that man, that hath any one ſin reigning in him, and that does not ſet himſelf in good earneſt againſt it as his greateſt enemy. So when a Chriſtian can but find any one grace in him, as love to the Saints, for grace ſake, for godlineſs ſake, he may ſafely conclude, that there is in him all other graces; where there is but one link of this golden chain, there are all the links of this golden chain, Joh. 13.35. By this ſhall all men know ye are my Diſciples, if ye love one another. He doth not ſay, if ye work miracles, if ye raiſe the dead, if ye give eyes to the blind, or ears to the deaf, or tongues to the dumb, or feet to the lame, but if ye love one another. There have been many, yea, very many precious Chriſtians, who have lived and died with a great deal of comfort and peace from the application of that Text to their own ſouls, 1 John 3.14. We know that we have paſſed from death to life, becauſe we love the brethren. Sincere love to the brethren, is a moſt evident ſign of a Chriſtians being already paſſed or tranſlated from death to life; obſerve, the Apoſtle doth not ſay, we think we have paſſed from death to life, but we know we have paſſed from death to life; nor he does not ſay, we conjecture we have paſſed from death to life, but we know we have paſſed from death to life; nor he does not ſay, we hope we are paſſed from death to life, but we are aſſured that we are paſſed from death to life, that is, from a ſtate of nature into a ſtate of grace, becauſe we love the brethren; for ever remember this, when all other evidences have failed, many gracious Chriſtians, and all other Texts of Scripture have afforded them no comfort here, they have anchored here, they have found reſt for their diſtreſſed ſouls, and upon this one ſingle planck, this one evidence they have ſwam ſafely and comfortably unto the haven of eternal happineſs. Every real Chriſtian hath in ſome meaſure, every ſanctifying grace in him; as a child ſo ſoon as it is born is a perfect man, for integrity of parts and entireneſs of limbs, though not for bigneſs and bulk of body, ſo every regenerate perſon, at the very firſt hour of his converſion,1 Theſ. 5.23. John 3 5, 6, 7, 8. Chap. 1.16. Pſal. 45.13. The new creature hath all the pa…ts and lineaments; as in the body there is a compoſition of all the elements, and a mixture of all the humours. he is in part renewed in all parts, all the habits of grace are infuſed into the ſoul by the Spirit at once; at firſt converſion, the ſoul is beſpangled with every grace, though every grace is not then grown up to its full proportion or perfection; ſo that where there is one grace in truth, there is every grace in truth; that ſoul that can truly and ſeriouſly conclude, that he has any one grace in him, that ſoul ought to conclude, that there is every grace in him. Such as diligently ſearch the Scripture, ſhall find that true bleſſedneſs,Mat. 5.3, 4, 5, 6, &c. Every child of God hath all the graces of the ſpirit in him radically, though not gradually. happineſs and ſalvation is attributed to ſeveral ſigns, ſometimes to the fear of God, ſometimes to faith, ſometimes to repentance, ſometimes to love, ſometimes to meekneſs, ſometimes to humility, ſometimes to patience, ſometimes to poverty of ſpirit, ſometimes to holy mourning, ſometimes to hungering and thirſting after righteouſneſs; ſo that if a godly man can find any one of theſe in himſelf, he may ſafely and groundedly conclude of his ſalvation and juſtification, though he cannot ſee all thoſe ſigns in him; there is no Saint but may perceive one ſign in him, when he cannot another. Now, he that can groundedly be perſwaded of any one ſign of grace, he may ſafely conclude he hath all the reſt, though for the preſent he can neither ſee them nor feel them in himſelf. But,