_Direct._ XVIII. Live as in a constant course of obedience; and suppose you saw the law of God also written upon every thing you see. As when you look on any tempting beauty, suppose you saw this written on the forehead, Thou shalt not lust--Whoremongers and adulterers God will judge--They shall not enter into the kingdom of God.[378] See upon the forbidden dish or cup the prohibition of God, Thou shalt not eat or drink this. See upon money and riches this written, Thou shalt not covet. See upon the face of all the world, "Love not the world, nor the things that are in the world: if any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him," 1 John ii. 15. Thus see the will of God on all things.
_Direct._ XIX. Make not the objects of sense over-tempting and dangerous to yourselves; but take special care, as much as in you lieth, to order all so, that you may have as much of the benefit, and as little of the snare of the creature as is possible. Would you not be gluttonous pleasers of your appetite? choose not then too full a table, nor over-pleasant, tempting drinks or dishes, and yet choose those that are most useful to your health. Would you not over-love the world, nor your present house, or lands, or station? Be not too instrumental yourselves in gilding or dulcifying your bait! if you put in the sugar, the devil and the flesh will put in the poison. Will you make all as pleasant and lovely as you can, when you believe that the over-loving them is the greatest danger to your salvation? Will you be the greatest tempters to yourselves, and then desire God not to lead you into temptation?
_Direct._ XX. Let not the tempting object be too near your sense; for nearness enrageth the sensitive appetite, and giveth you an opportunity of sinning. Come not too near the fire if you would not be burnt (and yet use prudence in keeping the usefulness of it for warmth, though you avoid the burning). Distance from the snares of pride, and lust, and passion, and other sins, is a most approved remedy, and nearness is their strength.
_Direct._ XXI. Accustom your souls to frequent and familiar exercise about their invisible objects, as well as your senses about theirs. And as you are daily and hourly in seeing, and tasting, and hearing the creature, so be not rarely in the humble adoration of him that appeareth to you in them. Otherwise use will make the creature so familiar to you, and disuse will make God so strange, that by degrees you will wear yourselves out of his acquaintance, and become like carnal, sensual men, and live all by sense, and forget the holy exercise of the life of faith.
_Direct._ XXII. Lose not your humble sense of the badness of your hearts, how ready they are as tinder to take the fire of every temptation; and never grow fool-hardy and confident of yourselves. For your holy fear is necessary to your watchfulness, and your watchfulness is necessary to your escape and safety. Peter's self-confidence betrayed him to deny his Lord. Had Noah, and Lot, and David been more afraid of the sin, they had been like to have escaped it. It is a part of the character of the beastly heretics that Jude declaimeth against, that they were "spots in their feasts of charity, when they feasted with the church, feeding themselves without fear," ver. 12. When the knowledge or sense of your weakness and sinful inclination is gone, then fear is gone, and then safety is gone, and your fall is near.