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

1. The more thou yieldest the more thou mayest. Sin is unsatiable, it will never say it is enough. Give it an inch, it will take an ell: See the sad example of Peter denying his Lord, Matth 26. 1. He was only timorous, he follows afar off, vers. 58. 2. At the next step he denies his Lord openly before them all, vers. 70. 3. He adds an oath to it, vers. 72. And lastly, vers. 74. he falls a cursing and swearing as if he meant to out-sin the vilest there. It is no wisdom to try conclusions between fire and Gun-powder in the heap. Who but a fool would unlock the door of his house, when it is beset with Thieves, and excuse it, he did but turn the key, that was all. Why, he need do no more, to undo himself, they will easily do all the rest.

1. The more thou yeeldest the more thou mayest. Sin is unsatiable, it will never say it is enough. Give it an inch, it will take an ell: See the sad example of Peter denying his Lord, Matth 26. 1. He was only timerous, he follows afar off, vers. 58. 2. At the next step he denies his Lord openly before them all, vers. 70. 3. He adds an oath to it, vers. 72. And lastly, vers. 74. he falls a cursing and swearing as if he meant to out-sin the vilest there. It is no wisdome to try conclusions between fire and Gun-powder in the heap. Who but a fool would unlock the door of his house, when it is beset with Thieves, and excuse it, he did but turn the key, that was all. Why, he need do no more, to undo himself, they will easily do all the rest.

2. It is the quarrel of the Lord of Hosts, in which thou fightest,¹ let thy courage rise in proportion to the goodness of thy cause, and the honour of that great Prince & Captain under whose banner thou servest. Upon thy good behaviour and address in Arms, depends much of the renown and honour of Christianity. A cowardly Soldier is the reproach of his Commanders. Thou hast a noble General, O Christian, that hath done, and finished perfectly what ever concerns thy Redemption from the powers of darkness. To him that over cometh will he give to sit on his throne, even as he overcame, and is set down on his fathers throne, Rev. 3.23. Do valiantly and worthily. Follow thy victorious Leader, let all that know thee, see that Religion is no mean and feeble thing, that the School of Christ breeds the excellent of the earth, that the Divine life is the most powerful principle in the world, that the Spirit of God in thee, and his grace, […] stronger then all thy lusts and corruptions. Not he that talks mst, or professeth most, but he that acts and lives most as a Christian, shall be the man whom the King delights to honour.