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By the Croft cf Chrift. 161 think your felves , What it is that God would teachyou, or command you by that creature : and efpecially , to what ufe he requireth you to put it. And remember, that if you fhould think of God all the day long, and yet not intend him,and refer your labours and your riches to his fetvice, and give them up to his ufe, this is not fanctifyingGod in the creature , but hypocriticall abufing of him. For it is not all thinkingof God that will ferve the turn. 6. As youufe to take account of your fervants , how they do your work, fo I would advife you every night,or.as often as you can, totake an account of your (elves as you are the fer- vants of the Godof heaven, and ask your Confciences, [What have I done thisday for God; and.howhave I obferved andfantlified him in his Works ? j So much for the fifth Direction. ThreFt.6. Emember alwaies that the World is the enemy of your falvation, and that ifyou be damned , it is like to be through its enticements; and therefore labour tobe al- Wales fenfible thatyougo in continual dangerof it. And this will makeyou ufe it as an enemy , and walk in a conftant fear leaf' it fhould over-reach you. And fee alto that you endeavour as clearly as youcan , to find out wherein its enmity Both confift ; and then you will perceive that it is efpecially in feeming more Lovely then it is , as it is the fewel of concupifcence , and the provifi.onof the flefh. And when you underfiand this, you will perceive , that your danger lyeth in over. loving it, and that it killeth by its embracements : And this will direct you which way to bend the courfe of your oppofition, and what you muff do to be faved from its fnares ; To call the world anenemy is eafie and common : but fo far as your veryhearts apprehend it as an enemy, fo far youare out of danger of it : An eafie enemy that is conquered by underfiandingthat it is an enemy ! And the way of its conqueft is, by enticing men to take it for a friend. And alto remember, how great a part of your Chriftian life confifteth in keepingup thecombate with this enemy , and how certainly and miferably you will perifh if you be overcome. DireE1?

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