The souls exaltation A treatiseThe soules exaltation A treatise

I appeal to your own consciences in this case, would you be willing to appear before Gods Tribunal with those prayers, and those performances of thine, and justify thy self by them, and say, Lord thou canst not ⟨p. 121⟩lay any thing to my charge, the Law of God can bring indictments enough against thee, to confound thee; nay, we condemn our selves in this case: these dead hearts, and these blind minds, and this want of faith, shall the Lord then acquit any man for that which he condemns himself? If then the best and most gracious Saint hath sin in the frame of his heart, and sin in the best of his services, then neither soul nor service can be answerable to the Law of God, and he cannot be justified thereby: but the best of Gods servants not only before grace, but after grace, in the best heart a man hath, the best action he doth, there is weakness in the action: therefore they cannot justify a man, therefore we must be justified only through the merits and obedience of Christ: thou canst not do, Christ hath done for thee; thou canst not suffer, Christ hath suffered for thee; in him thou art justified, through him thou shalt be saved. So that when the soul of a poor sinner, shall appear before the Tribunal of the Lord, and justice comes to put in a plea against him, Christ shall step in and say, Lord, for this poor soul that believes in me I have died: for this poor soul I took the nature of man upon me; therefore let thy justice be fully satisfied with what I have done for him: well then saith justice, go thy way, I have nothing to say to thee: the Lord makes a proclamation, Be it known to all men and angels, I acquit this soul; there is no imputation of sin he hath committed, no failing in any duty shall condemn him, this is the way of justification.

I appeale to your owne consciences in this case, would you be willing to appeare before Gods Tribunall with those prayers, and those performances of thine, and justifie thy selfe by them, and say, Lord thou canst not ⟨p. 121⟩lay any thing to my charge, the Law of God can bring inditements enough against thee, to confound thee; nay, we condemne our selves in this case: these dead hearts, and these blinde minds, and this want of faith, shall the Lord then acquit any man for that which he condemnes himselfe? If then the best and most gracious Saint hath sin in the frame of his heart, and sinne in the best of his services, then neither soule nor service can bee answerable to the Law of God, and he cannot bee justified thereby: but the best of Gods servants not only before grace, but after grace, in the best heart a man hath, the best action hee doth, there is weaknesse in the action: therefore they cannot justifie a man, therefore we must be justified onely through the merits and obedience of Christ: thou canst not doe, Christ hath done for thee; thou canst not suffer, Christ hath suffered for thee; in him thou art justified, through him thou shalt be saved. So that when the soule of a poore sinner, shall appeare before the Tribunall of the Lord, and justice comes to put in a plea against him, Christ shall step in and say, Lord, for this poore soule that beleeves in me I have died: for this poore soule I tooke the nature of man upon me; therefore let thy justice bee fully satisfied with what I have done for him: well then saith justice, goe thy way, I have nothing to say to thee: the Lord makes a proclamation, Be it knowne to all men and angels, I acquit this soule; there is no imputation of sin he hath committed, no failing in any dutie shall condemne him, this is the way of justification.