The souls exaltation A treatiseThe soules exaltation A treatise

Let no filthy communication come out of your mouth, why, what if there do? If there were no greater sins than these, I hope I should do well enough: What saith the Apostle; A Christian, and a liar; a Christian, and a swearer; a Christian, and a base vile wretch; Oh grieve not the good Spirit of God: why? because by it ye are sealed up unto the day of redemption: the good Spirit of the Lord hath sealed you up unto redemption, and knit you unto him, and will you rend your selves from him, and grieve him? if you were not sealed up, and if you had none of the Spirit of Christ, it were no great matter: but now, Oh grieve not the holy Spirit, if you do, you have no salvation by it; away to hell if you will grieve the good Spirit of the Lord; if the Lord do bestow his Spirit upon thee, wilt thou then grieve his good Spirit? how canst thou, or how darest thou do thus, and dishonour the ⟨p. 49⟩Name of God, look that place, Matthew 12.44. When the unclean spirit returns again to his rest, he findeth it empty, swept and garnished; then he taketh to himself seven other spirits worse than himself, and they enter in and dwell there; the end of that man is worse than the beginning. It is well observed by one, that pride and idleness sweeps the house for the devil; a proud heart which stays it self up upon its own abilities, and so grows idle, and lazy, and secure; if it be a Minister, or Magistrate, this makes clean work for the Devil, you cannot do this, but you will grieve the good Spirit of the Lord: Now look to this, when a man stays himself upon his parts, and gifts, he doth little good: you sweep the house for the Devil, whereas a watchful painful heart doth wonderfully please God; it is a good, and a pure, meek, and holy Spirit, which God accepts of, therefore be thou so too: now you that are Christians, do not go away, and think that you have warrant to be idle, and careless, take heed of such cursed distempers of heart; if thou art a Christian, thou darest not do or say, as others dare, for the sin of a Christian is abominable in the eyes of God, because he is so nearly united to his blessed Spirit: this is the first use of the point.

Let no filthy communication come out of your mouth, why, what if there doe? If there were no greater sinnes than these, I hope I should doe well enough: What saith the Apostle; A Christian, and a lier; a Christian, and a swearer; a Christian, and a base vile wretch; Oh grieve not the good Spirit of God: why? because by it yee are sealed up unto the day of redemption: the good Spirit of the Lord hath sealed you up unto redemption, and knit you unto him, and will you rend your selves from him, and grieve him? if you were not sealed up, and if you had none of the Spirit of Christ, it were no great matter: but now, Oh grieve not the holy Spirit, if you doe, you have no salvation by it; away to hell if you will grieve the good Spirit of the Lord; if the Lord doe bestow his Spirit upon thee, wilt thou then grieve his good Spirit? how canst thou, or how darest thou doe thus, and dishonour the