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

3. Direction.

3. That thy assurance may be yet more complete and full, and thy comfort arising from the same more enlarged; Fall down at the Throne of Grace, and beg earnestly, and pray importunately for the witness of the Spirit of God. For as it is the Spirit that worketh grace in us, so it is the Spirit that must discover the truth of that grace to us, 1 Cor. 2.12. Now we have received not the Spirit of the World, but the Spirit which is of God, that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God, Rom. 8.16. The Spirit it self beareth witness with our Spirit, that we are the children of God. But beware thou take not Satanical delusions for the spirits persuasion, or the conceit of thy own brain, for the witness of the Spirit. The Spirit never witnesseth any thing to any man contrary to what is revealed in the Word, for he is a Spirit of Truth, and never speaks contradictions; therefore if any man thinketh that he hath the witness of the Spirit, testifying that he is a child of God, and yet is not holy, humble, penitent, he is deceived; but if thou hast the Graces of the Spirit, and the Spirit witnesseth so much unto thy conscience; and with thy conscience. 1. It inflameth thy heart with love to God and Christ. 2. It raiseth more hatred in thee to thy sin. 3. Thou findest a mighty strength and power in it engaging thy soul to walk humbly, holily with thy God. 4. A wonderful cogency in it to be zealous ⟨p. 318⟩for God in suffering •ny thing for his sake, and doing and obeying any thing that he enjoins—thou hast encouragement to ask this of God, because it is according to his will