of her children And when God shall count the people of forraign nations he shall set a mark upon every true believer and reckon him as one born in Sion a Denizen of Jerusalem though not a Jew in the flesh De Dieu in loc I will make mention of Rahab and Babylon to them that know me or rather among them that know me or for them that know me * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will remember them as persons inlightned by me and acquainted with me The Psalmist reckons up here nations that were greatest enemies to the Church Rahab or Aegypt * For so Aegypt is named Isa 51.9 her antient enemy Philistia her perpetual invader Rahab signifies pride or fierceness the fiercest people shall be subdued to Sion by the power of the Gospel Aegypt the wisest and learnedst nation the most Idolatrous and Superstitious men that rest in their own parts and strength shall cast away their Idols Babylon the strongest and most powerful Empire the subjects of which the Scripture often describes as luxurious cruel proud Tyre the greatest mart whose Citizens were the greatest merchants The Aethiopians the posterity of Cursed Cham whose souls are blacker than their bodies men buried in sin benighted with ignorance poysoned with pride the most fierce and envenom'd enemies shall be brought in by an infinite grace and make up one body with her and shall be counted as related to her by a new birth and be made members of her by regeneration this is properly to be born in Sion * This man was born there as without regeneration we have not God for our father so neither have we Sion or the Church for our mother this is the great priviledg we should inquire after without which we are not in Gods register this 2d birth God only approves of he enrolls no man in the number of the Citizens of Sion nor indows them with the special priviledges of it upon the account of their first wherein they lye buried in the corruption of Adam and are Citizens of Hell not of Jerusalem Again this 2d birth is never without the knowledge of God * Among those that know me Ignorance is a bar to this enrolment he is no man that is not a rational creature and he no regenerate man that hath not some knowledg in the great mysteries of God in Christ In v. 5. 1. The honour of Sion is described by her fruitfulness 1. In regard of the eminency of her births she is not wholly barren she hath her births of men and worthy men the carnal world hath not exceeded the Church in men of raised intellectuals Sion hath not been a City of fools Dionysius the Areopagite hath been her production as well as Damaris a woman Kings also have been nurst at her breasts that they might be nursing fathers to her by their power but the honour of Sion consists in the inward change it makes on men dispossessing them of the nature of wolves for that of lambs rendring them the Loyal subjects of God instead of his active enemies 'T is the glory of Sion that this or that man born in her was changed to such principles and such affections that all the education and politeness of the most accomplisht Cities in the world could not furnish them with 2. In regard of the multitude of them this and that man of all sorts and conditions and multitudes of them so that more are the children of the desolate than of the marryed wife The tents were prophesied to be inlarged the curtains of the habitations of Sion to be stretched out and her cords to be lengthened to receive and entertain that multitude of children that should be brought forth by her after the Sacrifice of the Son of God Isa 54.1 2. For that exhortation follows upon the description of the death and exaltation of Christ Isa 53. 2. The happiness of Sion The highest himself shall establish her 1. Security in her glory Establish her 2. The Author of that security and perpetuity The Highest and that exclusive of any other The Highest himself * Coccei in loc all that are not the most high are excluded from having a share in the establishment of the Church 'T is a work peculiar to him 'T is not the excellent learning strength of the wise or mighty men that are born in her that doth preserve her but God alone he spirits and acts them means God doth use in bringing in inward grace means he doth use in setling the outward form But such means that have in reason no strength to effect so great a business means different from those which are used in the establishment of other Kingdoms whereby the hand that acts them is more visible and plain than the means that are used * Folang 'T is not the wit of man which is folly nor the strength of man which is weakness nor the holiness of man which is nothing can claim the honour of this work God himself picks stones out of the quarry smooths them for the building fixeth them in their places he himself is the only architect his wisdom contrives it his grace erects it his power preserves it and accomplisheth his own work 't is the highest none higher to over-power him none so high as to check and mate him Shall establish her This cannot be meant of the literal or local Sion though that indeed was preserved while the legal service was to indure excepting that interruption by the Babylonish captivity but now Mahomets horse tramples upon it and it retains none of the ancient inhabitants but of the true mystical Sion the Gospel state of the Church which shall continue in being as Christ the head of it hath setled it till time shall be no more Other Kingdoms may crumble away the foundations of them be dissolved But that God which laid the foundation of Sion and built her walls will preserve her palaces that the gates of Hell the subtilty of Hereticks the fury of Tyrants the Apostacy of some of her pretended Children all the locusts and spawn of the bottomless-pit shall not be able to root her up Shall establish her The word signifies the affording all things necessary for defence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 increase of victory preparations of it the knitting of it Doct. The Gospel-Church is a perpetual Society establisht by the highest Power in Heaven or Earth It shall continue as long as the World and out-live the Dissolution of Nature she shall bring forth her Man-child maugre all the vigilancy of the Dragon which shall be caught up to God and his Throne and though she be forced to flie into the wilderness yet a place is prepared for her habitation and food for her support during that state no less than 1260 days or years and this by no weaker no meaner a hand than that of God himself * Rev. 12.3 4 5 6. where she hath a place prepared of God that
their office of teaching Since he promised his presence with his ministry to the end of the world he will have a Church to the end of the world to enjoy the benefit of that promise to be taught by them It consisted not with the wisdom or faithfulness of Christ to promise a perpetuity to that if he knew it were to be cut short before the end of the world And this himself also assures the Church of in all its variety of states Revel 2.1 These things saith he that holds the seven Stars in his right hand who walks in the midst of the seven Golden Candlestiâ—k Not only seven Stars at one time or seven Golden Candlesticks in being together but in all the successions of the Church to the consummation of the world And as he describes himself by this title when he speaks of the Church of Ephesus which was the first state of the Church not only assuring her of his holding her Star and walking by her Candlestick but all the rest that were to follow so he doth renew the same expression in part when he speaks of the Church of Sardis which is the rising of the Church from the Apostacy wherein it had been covered in the Thyatirian state Revel 3.1 These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God and the seven Stars The seven spirits of God signifies the gifts for the building and perfecting the Church still in the hand of Christ which should be in a more plentiful way poured out than for some time before as they were in the first reformation He is still therefore as a Prophet walking in the Church in all ages Not only in the first Foundation of it by the Apostles but in the reformation of it after it had been buried in Superstition and Idolatry And at the restauration of the Church in the world there shall be a pure river of water as clear as Christal proceeding from the Throne of God and the Lamb Revel 22.1 i. e. Pure doctrine without any mud and mixtures 2. 'T is his part as a Priest to establish it in the favour of God and look to the reparations of his Temple The Church is his Temple A Temple is the proper seat the proper care of a Priest He is a Priest still upon his Throne Zach. 6.13 and that for ever As he hath therefore some thing to offer so he hath always some for whom he offers who are they but his Church His prayer on earth John 17. was but a model or draught of his intercession in Heaven one part of it is for preservation of them through the truth of God John 17.17 The keeping up the Gospel in the world in order to a sanctification of some is the matter of his intercession which is one part of his Priestly Office And we cannot imagine his plea for his Church to be weaker on his throne it being also a throne of grace than it was for his enemies when he was upon a cross of suffering The compassions annext to his Priesthood remain still Heb. 4.15 If his office be perpetual the qualifications necessary to that office are as durable as the office it self as long as there is any object for their exercise To what purpose are his compassions if he should not pity her for whom they were designed and for whose behoof he was furnisht with them He cannot be faithful to God in his office if he be not merciful and tender to Sion in her distresses He certainly pities her as he would himself were it possible he should be in an infirm condition He must lose his Soul before he can lose his pity and the Church must cease to be his body before she can cease to be the object of his compassions He hath the same sentiments now that he had when he called to Paul from Heaven Act. 9.4 It was not then Why persecutest thou mine but why persecutest thou me Nor is it so now as the relation continues the same so doth the compassion so do his sentiments so do his cares To what purpose doth he as a Priest sit upon a Throne of grace if he did not shew grace to his Sion against the cruel designs of her enemies As God pities us when he remembers our frame Psal 103.13 14. So no question doth Christ when he remembers Sions oppressions as a distressed child is the object of the fathers pitty Add to this That since the death of Christ was one part of his Priestly performance and that the virtue of his sacrifice is as eternal as his Priest-hood what a disparagement would it â—e to him and the virtue of his death if ever the world while it stood should be void of the fruits of it There can be no moment wherein it is not valid to expiate the sins of some men and therefore not a moment wherein the world shall be without a Sion whose sins are expiated by it Should the standar'd of Sion be snatcht away and torn by the powers of darkness what would become of the glory what would become of the virtue of the Redeemers death Would God consecrate him so solemnly by an oath to be a Priest to so little purpose How could it be for ever if the execution of that office should be interrupted by the cessation of a Church as long as the world stands upon its pillars Would it not be an empty title if the end of it were not performed We cannot imagine the falling of Sion but we must question the merit of his death the truth of his exaltation the strength of his intercession the faithfulness of his office and the sincerity and candor of his compassions 3. 'T is his part as a King to establish Sion in being and govern her The Prophets always testified that of his Government there should be no end If the Church should cease for one moment in the world what subjects would he have to govern here Can he be a King without a Kingdom or a governour without subjects to bear a voluntary and sincere witness to his name If he be King in Sion he will also have a Sion to own him and a Sion to rule in not only a conquest of the Serpentine brood and infernal powers was promised but the total and perpetual victory Gen. 3.15 The sted of the woman was to bruise the Serpents head When the head is bruised there is no more wisdom to guide or force to Spirit the arm and the other members of the body It was a promise made not only of Christ to man but of a compleat victory to Christ that he should outwit the Serpents wisdom and utterly discomfit the Serpents power If the conquest were not perfect and perpetual it could not be called a spoiling of principalities and powers as it is Col. 2.15 but an interruption or temporary check whence they might rescue themselves He is therefore said to still the enemy and the avenger * Psal 8.2 I make no scruple
the superstructure Adam fell under the strength of the Serpents wit but he could by no promise lay claim to stability as the Church can by an immutable Covenant for her support IV. The Vse 1. Information 1. If the Church hath a duration and stability then Ordinances and Ministry are perpetual Ministers may be thrust into corners clapt up in prison hurried to their graves but the Sepulchres of Ministers are not the graves of the Ministry A Ministry and a Church Ordinances and a Church cannot be separated they run parallel together to the end of the world for Sion cannot be supposed without Divine Officers and Divine Institutions the one cannot be established without the other Christ walks in the midst of the seven golden Candlesticks Rev. 2.1 in the seven States of the Church to the end of the world * I do not question but that the whole is prophetical it would not else be called Mystery as it is Rev. 1.20 were it meant of those particular Churches As there are seven States of the Church so there are seven Stars in the hand of Christ for all those States the Ministry have the same support the same Guardian as the Church her self What was in the Ephesian and Primitive State is also in the Sardian State the State of the Church rising from corruption of Doctrine and Ordinances * Rev 3.1 These things saith he that hath the seven spirits of God and the seven Stars Christ hath still Stars to shine and seven Spirits to gift them hath at present not had hath in the State we are which seems to be the end of that Sardian State 'T is true the Church is in a wilderness condition and hath been so for above 1200 years but hath she yet seen her Funeral No she hath a place for her residence and food for her nourishment and both provided for her by that God that fram'd her by that God that stood by her in the pangs of her travel and shelter'd her Man-child from the fury of her enemies * Rev. 12.6 And the woman fled into the wilderness where she hath a place prepared of God that they should feed her there 1260 days They should feed her she is not starved in the desert she hath Manna to comfort her her Caterer to provide her food and some to administer the Banquet of the Word and Sacraments to her For any Member of Sion to deny a Ministry and deny Ordinances and therefore to neglect them is to conclude her dead in a grave and not living in a desert utterly famisht and not fed Though there be a smoke in the Temple a cloud and obscurity the Truths and Ordinances of God not so clear so efficacious as they have been as some understand Rev. 15.8 or as they shall be yet there is a Temple still A smoke in the Temple supposeth a Temple standing and Ordinances in it The obscurity of a thing nulls not the being of it nor a cloud upon the Sun the stability and motion of it He that denies a Church a Ministry and Divine Ordinances in it must first charge Christ with falshood when he promised to be with them to the end of the world Mat. 28.19 20. Alway even to the end of the world Not to sustain their particular persons to the end of the world but their Doctrine in a succession of some to teach and baptize by virtue of Authority from him for to that doth the promise and command refer and not unto the continuance of the Apostolical dignity or of their extraordinary gifts of miracles but the duration of their standing work till the top-stone were laid with the loud acclamations of grace grace The Church shall no more want a Ministry in the desert than she wanted a Prophet in Babylon 2. The Doctrine of the establishment of every member of Sion is clearly confirmed He that establisheth Sion counts up every man that was born in her every Child of Sion is in the same state and under the same promise as Sion her self The promise of stability to Sion is not to be understood of the firmness of her palaces but the duration of her inhabitants as when God is said to build a house 't is not to be understood of the rearing the walls but increasing the family * Exod. 2.21 God made them houses i. e. gave them children Every renew'd man every one truly born in Sion stands upon the same Foundation of the Covenant hath the same Charter with Sion her self and therefore upon a surer ground than any particular society of men in the world Psal 125.1 They that trust in the Lord shall be as mount Sion which cannot be remov'd but abides for ever He is upon a better Foundation of security than the Church of Ephesus or Smyrna Pergamus or Sardis which have lost their footing and their places know them no more A believer injoys other priviledges with Sion but the patent runs here for his stability in the favour of God and runs high by removing all fears in the negative Cannot be removed and confirming all confidence in the affirmative Abides for ever No name writ upon Gods hand no name presented on Christs breast shall be razed out no fruit of his death shall be lost no Devil shall steal from him any part of his purchase As he hath blood enough to redeem them so he hath power enough to preserve them the same blood that is the cement of Sion the same hand that built her the same head that influenceth her secures every one of her true born Children They are all in the same posture and upon the same Foundation with Sion her self 3. How great is the folly of Sions enemies They Judg of her by the weakness of her worldly interest and not by the Almightiness of her Guardian They stand against a God that in decreeing the stability of Sion decreed the ruine of her opposers and can with as much ease effect it as resolve it The Stone which is the Foundation of this Kingdom shall break in pieces the Image of all worldly glory the policy of all worldly wisdom and the force of all worldly power Dan. 2.35 44 45. It shall make the Mountains of the world as a level and dust underneath it Chaff may as well stop the wind and force it to another quarter Stubble may as well quench the fury of the flames as the Enemies of Sion be victorious over the God of Sion As he hath a Fire in Sion to warm her so he hath a Furnace in Jerusalem to consume her Enemies Isa 31.9 a Fire to burn his Peoples dross but a Furnace to dissolve his Enemies force Pharaoh is an Example to all Generations to warn men not to struggle with those whom God resolves to patronize how did he further his own destruction by his hardness and the deliverance of the oppressed by his fury How often is the violence of her Enemies the occasion of the manifestation of
orders that a Woman should not teach But I suffer not a Woman to teach i. e. publickly Two Reasons are rendred 1. * Hierom. She was last in Creation Adam was first formed then Eve 2. First in defection v. 14. And Adam was not deceived but the woman being deceived was in the transgression The fall of man was the fruit of the Womans first Doctrine and therefore she is not suffered to teach any more the Woman was deceived by the Serpent and so drew her Husband and whole Posterity into ruine Some of the Papists bring this place as an Argument against Womens reading the Scripture but no reason can conclude it from this place How can the Spirit of God prohibit their reading the Scripture in private and the instruction of their Families since Women are among those who are commended for reading the Scripture Acts 17.11 12. where the honourable Women are mention'd And Lois and Eunice are applauded for their instruction of Timothy Are not Women bound by that command of Peter to give a reason of their Faith to any that shall ask them unless they would have Women Christians without reason What was the Office of those Ecclesiastical Widdows in the Primitive times but to instruct the younger Women But this is not to be charged upon all the Papists Becanus only is the man that Rivet mentions * Isagog ad Script c. 13. p. 990 991. And because upon this declaration of the Apostle some might be dejected by the consideration of the deep hand the Woman had in the first fall in the punishment inflicted upon them for it the Apostle in the Text brings in a Notwithstanding for their comfort Notwithstanding her guilt in defection her punishment in child-bearing she hath as good a right to salvation as the Man So that the Apostle here answers by way of anticipation an Objection which might be made whether the guilt contracted by the Woman and the punishment inflicted might not hinder her eternal salvation The Apostle answers No. Though she was first in the transgression and the pain of child-bearing was the punishment of that first sin yet the Woman may arrive to everlasting salvation notwithstanding that pain if she be adorn'd with those graces which are necessary for all Christians Though the punishment remain yet the believing Woman is in the Covenant of Grace under the wings of the Mediator of that Covenant if she have Faith the condition of the Covenant which works by Love and Charity and is attended with holiness and renewal of the heart Observe God hath gracious Cordials to cheer up the hearts of Believers in their distress and in the midst of those cases which are sufficient of themselves to cast them down The Apostle here alludes to that curse upon the Woman Gen. 3.16 Vnto the Woman he said I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception In sorrow thou shalt bring forth Children The punishment is peculiar to the married woman besides that punishment which was common to her with the man Thy sorrow and thy conception Hendiadys say some The sorrow of thy conception The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies the whole time of the Womans bearing in the Womb and so includes not only those pains in the very time of Labour but also all those precursory indispositions as the weakness of the stomach heaviness of the head irregular longings and those other symptoms which accompany conceptions Though this pain seems to be natural from the constitution of the Body yet since some other Creatures do bring forth with little or no pain * Aristot Hist Animal l. 7. c. 9. It would not have been so with the Woman in innocency because all pain which is a punishment of sin had not been incident to a sinless and immortal body We will consider the words apart Saved It may either note the Salvation of the Soul or the preservation of the Woman in Child-bearing The first I suppose is principally intended for the Apostle here would signify some special comfort to Women under that curse But the preservation of Women in Child-bearing was a common thing testified by dayly experience in the worst as well as in the best Women and Christianity did not bring the professors of it into a worse estate in those things which immediately depended upon God or make the Children Vipers not to come into the world without the death of their Mothers Yet a temporal preservation may be included for when an eternal salvation is promis'd temporal salvation is also promis'd according to the methods of Gods wisdom and goodness in the course of his providence there being in all such promises a tacit reserve viz. if God sees it good for us and the manner of their preservation also wherein the preservation of a believer differs from that of an unregenerate Person Others are preserved by God as a merciful Creator and Governour in a way of common Providence for the keeping up of the world But believers are preserv'd in the way of promise and covenant in the exercise of faith and by the special love of God as a tender Father and their God in covenant with them through Christ In Child-bearing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 through Child-bearing The Praeposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is often taken for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Rom. 4.11 That he might be the Father of all that believe though they be not circumcis'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 believing in uncircumcision where it notes the state wherein they shall be saved So it notes here not the cause of the salvation of the Woman but the state wherein she shall be saved and amounts to thus much The punishment inflicted upon the Woman for her first sin shall not be remov'd in this life yet notwithstanding this there is a certain way of salvation by faith though she pass through this punishment For by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not meant a simple Child-bearing but a Child-bearing in such a manner as God hath threatned with sorrow and grief If they continue By They is not meant the Children as some imagine because of the change of the singular to the plural the sense then should run thus she shall be saved if the Children remain in faith c. That would be absurd to think that the Salvation of the Mother should depend upon the faith and grace of the Children When it is sometimes seen that the Children of a godly Mother may prove as wicked as Hell itself But by they is meant the Woman The name Woman is taken collectively for all Women and therefore the plural number is added The Apostle passes from the singular number to the plural as he had done from the plural to the singular v. 9. In like manner let the women adorn themselves in modesty where he uses the plural but v. 11. reassumes the other number again in his discourse The graces which are here put as the conditions are Faith Charity Sanctification
and charging others and thus his grace would rather be a mockery and derision of men Neither doth it consist with the end of pardon which is Salvation for to give an half pardon is to give no Salvation since if the least guilt remains unremitted it gives justice an unanswerable plea against us What profit would it be to have some forgiven and be damned for the remainder Had any one sin for which Christ was to have made a compensation remain'd unsatisfied the Redeemer could not have risen so if the smallest sin remains unblotted it will hinder our rising from the power of eternal death and make the pardon of all the rest as a nullity in Law But it is the glory of God to pass by all Prov. 19.31 It is his glory to pass over a transgression 'T is the glory of a man to pass by an offence 'T is a discovery of an inward principle or property which is an honour for a man to be known the master of If it be his glory to pass by a single and small injury then to pass by the more heinous and numerous offences is a more transcendent honour because it evidenceth this property to be in him in a more triumphant strength and power So that it is a clearer evidence of the illustrious vigor of mercy in God to pass by mountainous and heaped up transgressions than to forgive only some few iniquities of a lesser guilt Jer. 33.8 I will cleanse them from all their iniquities whereby they have sinned against me and I will pardon all their iniquities whereby they have sinned against me and whereby they have transgrest against me Therefore when God tells the Jews that he would give them a general discharge in the fullest terms imaginable to remove all jealousie from men either because of the number or the aggravations of their sins he knew not how to leave expressing the delight he had in it and the honour which accrued to him by it It shall be to me a name of joy a praise and honour before all the nations of the earth He would get himself an honourable name by the large riches of his Clemency Mercy is as infinite as any other attribute as infinite as God himself And as his power can create incomprehensible multitudes of worlds and his justice kindle unconceiveable Hells so can his mercy remit innumerable sins 3. Perfect in respect of Duration Because the hand writing of ordinances is taken away Col. 2.14 15. Blotting out the hand writing of ordinances that was against us which was contrary to us and took it out of the way nailing it to his Cross which was the Ceremonial Law wherein they did by their continual presenting Sacrifices and imposition of Hands upon them sign a Bill or Bond against themselves whereby a conscience of sin was retain'd Heb. 10.2 3. and a remembrance of sin renewed they could not settle the Conscience in any firm peace Heb. 9.9 they were compelled to do that every day whereby they did confess that sin did remain and want an expiation Hence is the Law called a ministration of condemnation 2 Cor. 3.9 because it puts them in mind of condemnation and compelled the people to do that which testified that the curse was yet to be abolished by virtue of a better Sacrifice This Hand writing which was so contrary to us was taken away nailed to his Cross torn in pieces wholly cancelled no more to be put in suit Whence in â—pposition to this continual remembrance of sin under the legal administâ—ation we read under the New Testament of Gods remembring sin no more Hâ—â— 10.3 17. Christ hath so compounded the business with Divine Justice that wâ— have the sins remitted never returning upon us and the renewal also of remissions upon daily sins if we truly repent For though there be a blacker Tincture in sins after conversion as being more deeply stain'd with ingratitude yet the Covenant of God stands firm and he will not take away his kindness Isa 54.9 10. And there is a greater affection in God to his Children than to his Enemies for these he loves before their Conversion with a love of benevolence but those with a love of complacency Will not God be as ready to continue his grace to those that are penitent as to offer it to offending Rebels Will he refuse it to his Friends when he intreats his Enemies Not that any should think that because of this duration they have liberty to sin and upon some trivial Repentance are restored to God's favour No where Christ is made Righteousness he is made Sanctification His Spirit and Merit go together A new Nature and a New State are Concomitants and he that sins upon presumption of the grand Sacrifice never had any share in it V. The Effect of Pardon That is Blessedness 1. The greatest evil is taken away sin and the dreadful consequents of it Other evils are temporal but those know no period in a doleful Eternity There is more evil in sin than good in all the creatures Sin stript the fallen Angels of their Excellency and dispossessed them of the Seat of Blessedness It fights against God it disparages all his Attributes it deforms and destroys the creature Rom. 7.13 Other evils may have some mixture of good to make them tolerable but sin being exceeding sinful without the mixture of any good engenders nothing but destruction and endless damnation Into what miseries afflictions sorrows hath that one sin of Adam hurl'd all his posterity what screechings wounds pangs horrours doth it make in troubled Consciences How did it deface the Beauty of the Son of God that created and upheld the World with sorrow in his Agonies and the stroak of Death on the Cross How many thousands millions of poor creatures have been damned for sin and are never like to cease roaring under an inevitable Justice Ask the damned and their groans yellings howlings will read thee a dreadful Lecture of sins sinfulness and the punishment of it And is it not then an inestimable blessedness to be delivered from that which hath wrought such deplorable Executions in the World 2. The greatest Blessings are conferred Pardon is God's Family-Blessing and the peculiar mercy of his choicest darlings He hands out other things to wicked men but he deals out this only to his Children 1. The Favour of God Sin makes thee Satan's Drudge but pardon makes thee God's Favourite We may be sick to death with Lazarus and be God's Friends sold to slavery with Joseph and yet be dear to him thrown into a Lions Den with Daniel and be greatly beloved poor with Lazarus who had only Doggs for Chirurgions to dress his Sores and yet have a Title to Abraham's bosom But we can never be beloved if we are unpardoned no share in his friendship his love his inheritance without a pardon All created evils cannot make us loathsom in a justified State nor all created goods make us lovely under guilt Sin is the