The souls exaltation A treatiseThe soules exaltation A treatise

Use 2 In the second place we hear what the Doctrine saith, that God the Father charged all our sins upon Christ, and that they shall never ⟨p. 197⟩condemn the penitent and faithful; then what will become of the faithless and unbelievers think ye? This truth is like a thunder-bolt, and it is able to shake the hearts of all unbelievers, and to dash them all in pieces: Hence it is evident that every obstinate unbeliever is destitute of all hope of succour and pardon of his sin: consider of this all you that are unbelievers; you must pay your own debts, and bear your own burdens. I know your hearts cannot but testify that the condition of such poor souls is very miserable; it is that which sometimes comforts a man, that either he hath good friends that will help him, or else he hath means of his own by which he is able to relieve himself; but he that hath no relief of himself, nor cannot expect no• hope for any, this man sinks down in sorrow, because he knows there is no way in the world to help him: This is thy condition right, thou that art an unbeliever; what to be cast out of heaven and earth too, this is miserable, to be forsaken of God and man too, that no means in heaven nor earth will stand him in steed for his good, whilst he thus continues. Consider of this you that make nothing of the sin of unbelief, though you have some care of other sins; whither will you go for succour in that great day of accounts? will you go to the Saint they dare not; will you go to the Creatures? they cannot, will you go to the Lord Jesus Christ? he will not succour you: If you go to any of the Saints to see if they will take the guilt of your sins upon them, ⟨p. 198⟩they say we have too many inabilities to procure pardon for any one sin, and never a Saint in the world dares to meddle with the guilt of another's sins, and therefore they dare not meddle with them; but they say as the wise virgins did to the foolish ones, Matth. 25.9. When the foolish virgins said, give us of your oil, for our lamps are gone out; not so, said they, lest there be not enough for you and us too, but rather go unto them that sell, and buy for your selves: Even so, if you go to the Saints, and say, I pray you undertake the pardon of my sins, and rebellions, and bear you the guilt of my sins, because you are holy and righteous; no, say they, we cannot;