The souls exaltation A treatiseThe soules exaltation A treatise

Sixthly, then when the Lord hath perfected that grace he hath bestowed upon us, then when a man comes to the end of his days, he crowns all the grace he hath perfected; it were enough, and a child's portion to give us grace, and vouchsafe us mercy, but when we come in heaven, when he hath given us weapons, and taught us to fight, and made us conquerors, then he will crown us, and is not this enough? but so it is, 2 Tim. 4.6. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, from henceforth is laid up for me a crown of glory, and not for me only, but for all those that love the appearing of his coming; he makes us work, and he rewards us for what he hath wrought in us; he enables us to do the service, and he pays us our wages: in the second commandment, the text saith, I will show mercy to thousands of generations, in them that love me; one would think now, that they which loved God deserved mercy, no, I will show mercy, what you do, it is all from Gods mercy, if you love God, it is mercy, and if God crown that mercy, it is love also; so Paul saith, The Lord ⟨p. 80⟩show mercy to Onesiphorus, for he relieved me; one would think that this would have merited everlasting life; no, the Lord show mercy, he hath refreshed me in my trouble, and done service of love to me, and glory to God, now the Lord show mercy to him; so that the Lord gives us grace, and he crowns that grace he gives, he makes us work, and he rewards the work, he gives us the victory, and he makes us triumph, and be more than conquerors; thus then we have the tenure of this conveyance: and now I may read your feoffment to you, you poor Saints of God, you live beggarly and basely here, yet this is the best match that ever you made in the world, you are made for ever, if you have a Saviour, it is that which will maintain you, not only Christianly, but triumphantly; you shall have enough here, & too much hereafter, if too much can be conceived or received; what you want Christ hath, you need not go a begging to other mens doors; Secondly, you need not think he is churlish and unkind, but whatsoever you need, and is fit for you, he will give you, but you must not be malapert and saucy with the Lord Jesus, and say, Why have not I this as well as others? no, you shall have what is fitting; Thirdly, he will maintain what he gives;

Sixtly, then when the Lord hath perfected that grace hee hath bestowed upon us, then when a man comes to the end of his dayes, he crowns all the grace he hath perfected; it were enough, and a childes portion to give us grace, and vouchsafe us mercy, but when wee come in heaven, when he hath given us weapons, and taught us to fight, and made us conquerors, then he will crowne us, and is not this enough? but so it is,