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

Rule. 7 Be well skilled in the Elenchs of Temptation. I mean in unmasking the Sophistry and Mystery of iniquity, in defeating the Wiles, and Stratagems of the Tempter, and in detecting, and frustrating the cheats and finesses of the flesh with its deceitful lusts, Eph. 4.23. 2 Cor. 2.11. No small part of spiritual wisdom lies in the blessed art of discovering and refuting sins fallacies and impostures. If ever thou wouldst prove famous, and victorious and worthy honour and reverence, in thy spiritual warfare, be well seen in the skill of fencing, know all thy wards for every attack. Provide thy self with answers and retorts beforehand, against the subtle insinuations, and delusions of thine enemy, Ex. gr. If Satan tells thee (as he often will) that the sin is pleasant,^‖ ask whether the gripings of conscience be so too, whether it be such a pleasant thing to be in hell, to be under the wrath of an Almighty Judge. If he tells thee, no body sees, thou mayst commit it safely; ask whether he can put out Gods all-seeing eye, whether he can find a place empty of the divine presence for thee to sin in, or whether he can blot out the Items out of the Book of Gods Remembrance. If he tells thee it is a little one, ask whether the Majesty of the great Jehovah, be a little one, whether there be a little hell, or no. If he talks of profits and earthly advantages that will accrue, ask what account it will turn to at the last day, and what profit there is,² if one should gain the whole world and lose his own soul, or what one should give in exchange for his soul. When sin like Jael, invites thee into her Tent,³ with the lure and decoy of a lordly treatment, think of the nail and hammer which fastened Sisera dead to the ground. Be not caught with chaff, lay by thee such memoirs, such answers and reparties as these, wherewith thou mayst reply upon the Tempter: that the God of truth hath other manner of pleasures, profits, honours to court thy love, and reward thy service with, then the father of lies, viz. true and real, solid and eternal ones; what are the pleasures, that are ⟨p. 95⟩