The souls exaltation A treatiseThe soules exaltation A treatise

if he sanctify, who can pollute? if he justify, who can condemn? this is the work of a Saviour, if Christ will do it, none can hinder it; if God hath appointed it, nothing can let it; but it is the work of a Christ, and God hath appointed ⟨p. 89⟩it, therefore cheer up thy heart in the consideration hereof: you that are the Saints of God, cast off all those cavils and pretences against the power of Christ and his grace, and go out of your selves, and see the privileges that God vouchsafes unto you, and reason thus with your selves; It is true, Lord, my heart is naught, and I have no power, my mind is blind, and I have no wisdom, but I know that Christ is made wisdom to me, and thou hast appointed the Lord Jesus Christ to be made wisdom and sanctification to the soul of thy servant: though sin pollute me, yet Christ can sanctify me; though the guilt be great, yet the pardon of a Christ is greater than the guilt, and where sin abounds, grace abounds much more: therefore lift up your selves, and cheer up your hearts, and go away comfortably, what is awanting God will give, what he gives he will maintain, what he maintains he will quicken, what he quickens he will perfect, and he will crown you, and your grace, and all in the kingdom of heaven for ever; what would you have in this kind? nay, let me speak one thing more, He is the redeemer of his servants, what is that? why, the Scripture saith, the last enemy of all is death, and that is the aim of all the wicked, that is the worst they can do; now in Saint Matthew Christ saith, Thou art Peter, and upon this rock will I build my Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it; the gates of hell, whats that? it was the fashion among the Jews, as our sessions and assizes are kept in the market ⟨p. 90⟩place, so their place of meeting was at the gates, so that when he saith, The gates of hell shall not prevail against it; his meaning is this, when Beelzebub, and all the Devils in hell shall join together to destroy the Church, all the policy of all the Devils in hell shall not prevail, the worst they can do, is to bring them unto death, but Christ will be redemption unto them; art thou in captivity? he will free thee; art thou in persecution?

if he sanctifie, who can pollute? if he justifie, who can condemne? this is the worke of a Saviour, if Christ will doe it, none can hinder it; if God hath appointed it, nothing can let it; but it is the worke of a Christ, and God hath appointed