318 EXTRAORDINARY WITNESS Or THE SMUT. paths of holiness. Take heed lest at any time you resist the blessed Spirit, in his sanctifying influences, lest he withdraw yourcomforts ofevery kind. Be not deceived, for the Spirit of God will not be trifled with. Ifyou sow to the flesh, after you have received any witnessings of the Spirit, you may expect to reap desertions, sorrow, pains, and long mourning. Keep a conscience tender, and afraid of every sin ; grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, wherebyye are sealed to the day of redemption r Eph. iv. 30. 5. Wait on God in all his holy ordinances, and wait for the manifestations of his love. It is in a regular attendance on the public and private duties of religion, that we may hope to meet with the witnessing Spirit ; there the principles of grace are wont to be awakened, and called forth into lively exercise ; and where your love to God your Father, and to Jesus your Saviour, is ex- cited, and your soulsexert themselves as becomes the children of . God, you have most reason to expect the presence of the Holy Spirit, to bear witness to your adoption, and to your interests in his love. He will never bestow consolations of an ordinary or extraordinary kind, where there is a wilfulneglect ofthe duties he has prescribed. Frequent the services of his holy temple; the out- goings of God our King are in his sanctuary. His power and glory, his grace and kindness are madevisible in his house. There has he promised his own presence ; and where his pre! settee is he often brings with him the witnessing Spirit,
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=