The Morning exercise [at] Cri[ppleg]ate, or, Several cases of conscience practically resolved

But here take heed thy heart be not rash in affirming or denying, suspend the determination till thou hast made a narrow, strict inquiry into thy soul, as thou lovest thy soul do not presume, as thou valuest thy comfort do not deny any work of the spirit of God upon thy heart, but with thankfulness acknowledge any thing that thou canst discern to be a fruit of the spirit. Search throughly, and judge impartially. Say therefore to thy soul,¹ to make thy self more serious in this weighty work; thou art now, oh my Soul! in the presence of the great heart-searching God, that knoweth certainly what thy state and condition is, what thy will, heart, and affections are; thou must oh my Soul! shortly stand at the bar of God, as now thou standest at the bar of conscience, and must be searched, judged by the Lord, and have the sentence of life or death, of absolution or condemnation, according as thy state shall be found to be. Consider oh my Soul! thou art now about the greatest concernment in the world, many have been mistaken, many are now tormented in hell, that once thought their condition was good; it is not therefore for thee to flatter thy self, and it is easy to be mistaken, and if thou shouldest be mistaken, it is as much as thy soul is worth; if thy condition be bad, and thou conclude it to be good, thou wilt but go more merrily to hell: It is as much as thy comfort is worth, if thy condition be good, and thou ⟨p. 317⟩conclude it to be bad; thou wilt go more sadly to Heaven, and wilt be unthankful to thy God, and keep the glory from him, and the comfort from thy self. Thou art indited, oh my soul! arraigned and sound guilty, that thou hast sinned against the Lord, the question is, Whether thou hast repented and are pardoned? I charge thee therefore, oh my soul! that thou speak truly, and answer rightly to these demands.

But here take heed thy heart bee not rash in affirming or denying, suspend the determination till thou hast made a narrow, strict inquiry into thy soul, as thou lovest thy soul do not presume, as thou valuest thy comfort do not deny any work of the spirit of God upon thy heart, but with thankfulness acknowledge any thing that thou canst discern to bee a fruit of the spirit. Search throughly, and judge impartially. Say therefore to thy soul,¹