Precious faith considered in its nature, working, and growth

Fourthly, The Justified man hath more of the sweetness of life, and its outward Comforts, than others. He hath more of the sweetness of life than others. The Jewish Doctors treating about the estimation of Persons, mentioned Levit. 27. say, That if a man be adjudged to death for his transgression, he is not to be valued, because he is but a dead man, and there is no valuation of the dead. An unpardoned man is dead while he liveth, and as our Saviour saith, condemned already, Joh. 3.18. His life, save only as it is a space for repentance, and so for pardon, must be rated at little or nothing. Bajazet, the Great Emperor, valued not his life at all, when he was carried up and down in an Iron-cage: and what is a mans life, when he walks up and down in chains of sin and wrath? but as soon as the pardon comes, he lives indeed. His life, as little a vapour as it is in it self, glitters as a Jewel in the Sun, being irradiated with that precious favour of God, which is better than it self: Moreover, he hath more of the sweetness of outward Comforts than others. The unpardoned man may have Corn, and Wine, and all other Blessings flowing round about him; but if his eyes be open, he can take no more pleasure in them than Damocles did at the Tyrants table, spread with all Royal dainties, whilst the Sword with the point downward, hung over his head by an hair only: If he tastes sweetness in them, ⟨p. 236⟩it is an act of mere blindness and irrationality; because he seeth not the arrow of Gods wrath, which is upon the string, and ready in a moment to shoot him down to the lowest hell. Do but open his eyes upon the handwriting of Guilt, which is on the wall of Conscience, and all his crackling Joys are in a moment turned into fits of trembling and astonishment; but as soon as the Pardon comes every thing relishes with him. Moses, pronouncing a blessing on Joseph thus, Blessed of the Lord be his Land; for the precious things of beaven, for the dew, and for the deep that cometh beneath, and for the precious fruits brought forth by the Sun, and for the precious things put forth by the Moon, and for the chief things of the ancient Mountains, and for the precious things of the lasting Hills, and for the precious things of the Earth, and the fullness thereof, adds this as the crown of all, and for the good-will of him that dwelt in the Bush,