. CJ"he Danger ~t Pr-ojperity. -w-o-rk_u_po_n_t-he-S-ou-.1,-a...:.nd_t_ti-the native freedom of his Will: For tho' the fupcrnarn raJ Agent inf.Ill!bly changes the Heart; yet the Inllrument can only dtrecr and pcrlwadc Men as dtoiC who are endowed with Ihtclledual and elccttve ~aculncs; ·and r.Jms rbc cffica'cy of Divine Grace _is inlinuarcd, _in a wa~ fllirabJe tt> rhc rc~fonablC Narur~. Tlle Min.illcrsare lliled rhe L1ght of the World, to dlfcovcr to Men rhm undone condition by fin, 411d ro point out the way to their eve~lailing Peace. Our blc!Ted Redeemer ~wes dle loll Remnant ofMankind by the facred Mmifuy ; and where there ar~ no &;ange!tcal Preachers font, or only adolcfulfucceffion of bhnd~uides, what *Tei"tullum faysof S9·tl.mt, ·.om~;·"u~ ?-Country that by the ~x:rrcmiry of the cold, IS hard nnd dry, and per~cn~ally . Barren_ ,~::·,: r;~~i.~:-: ~ut the rcfidencc of fierce Cruelty; is applicable to a Nation, the Hearts of Men ar,c 1.s1 c.slu, frozen to their fms, there is no melting in the tears of true Rcpcntanc~, no holy Hear, , only their brutifh Lut1s arc ardent and aCtive. But where the Emba!f.1dors of Chrifl: arC faithful and zealous to induce linnets to break off their fins by repentance, and to be reConciled to God, there arc none more uncapablc of the fanChfyi ng Power of the Gofpe~, than !inners in Profperity. . r. P<ide, the Vice of Profperiry, makes them fierce and flnbborn againfl the holy and frriCt Rules ()f the 'Word. We will not hearken to thee, but will certainly do w!Jatfoever goes Ira:'!i· l6, I 1llut of our mim mouth. If a faithful Minifter reprciCnts the infide of their fou l Souls~ their uncomely Pafiions are rais'd againil hiin: Uhe recommends d1e.carne~ fiudy ofH9linefs, and Godlinefs, they entertain his Cotinfels with derifiiJn ahd difdain. Thole to whom the dearcfl: and mofi: affeCtionate Honour is due, being fpirirual Fatl1cts and Phyficians, are defpifed in their Perfons and Office, by Fools in their Profpc!ritY< .They condemn what ~hey do not undcdl:and, and affeCt not to underfi:tn~ what condemns them. They hear $ermons to cenfurc, and ccnfure th<it they may not be trouble~ by them. What hope is there of reducing haughtyScorncrs to the Obedience of the Gofpcl? Even-the Miracles ~1.1d Minill:ry of our Saviour was with !hccefs upon rhc Pharifces~ ~vbo ~eard ami de~!~eJ ~im. If fuch arc convinc'd in their Minds, and not difa~m 'd ()~ r.hc1t Pndc and Sclf.-wt!J, they refufe to yield tl;emfelves to the Lord. Meeknefs IS a reqUJfite Qialification for receiving the Word wirhout its faving Vertue. We are direEI.ed to lay ajide all jilthinefs, and foper.fluity of naughtinefs; and with meeknefs tO recei7.1e tbe ingrafted Word, tbat is able tO }true our Souls. We .arc prepared for Di7.!ine Grace, by a fcrious fenfc of our want of it, and earnefi defire to obtain it. He jilh the /;ung,ry with good things and the Ricb be fends emptj away. None are fo infCnflble of rhelt fpuirual Wants, and avcrfc from the humble ac:. ~nowledgment of them, as die Profperous Sinner; a11d none inore ttnlikely rO obrait{ fpirirualRiches. . . 2. Infidelity that is occafion'd and i:onfirm'd by Profperiry in Sin, renders the Gofpel . _ , meffe<'lual to rheSalvatJon of Men. Tbe word preached did_ not profit the Jews, not being !J,b. 1 . ;, mixt with Faith in them that he~rd it. A 11edfaff belief of Dtvmc Re~clanons, is the prin.. ciple of Obedience: without It, Motives of the highell llra!n are meffeetua). Eternal things are nor within the profpect of Senfc, and rho' fct forth wirh the clcare!l evidence of Reafon, and enforced with the greatell ea1nellnefs of AffeCtion, yet the Sons of Dark- ~e~ft 11:t7cJ~~:o~~~:reri,n i~~~~!~ ~~~s~o~~ ~ffi~va~~ ';~t!~l~t~f~l!m~n~h~~0:1;:1~~i~~;~~~~~1 r~~ awaken one out of a Lethargy: only violent Remedies, bleeding, fcarifying, and:buni, 1_11~, are proper and powerful ~or his recovery. Jf they are w<trhed, tliar rh~. eVedafiing K111g will fl10rrly open die Clouds, and come with terrible M;Uelly to the UJllverfal Judgm~nr., a~d requi~e an accouiltfor his abufed Mercies: their Hearts are apt to reply, as thci, Pnefis dtd to Judas, Wbat is that to Us P fee ye to it. The Terrors of the Lord no more affeCt them than Thunder does the Deaf, or Lightning the Blind. In fl10rt, rho' charged and adjured by all the Threarnings of the Law and the negleCted Gofpel, tlio' intre, f~~sd: b{1:~~tiUp'i~~i~~! ~;~;~~e~~~~:r;'[ ~~ln~?s'~~~X"~kt~:J~~/,~ a~h~:c~;J~~:u~~d Impertinent, and Minill:crs as men of vain talk and imaginations. Fot the Infidel Senfes' ij~n~~~o~~e<'led with things future; ahd Sinners whilll profperous, are under their. , ~. Suppofe in preaching the Word, a !harp ray of Truth darts through rl1e deep and' fetled darknefsof the Heart, yet 'ris foon dampr, and without faving effeCt upon Sinners ~~:~~~;e~:~;r;r:~r:~ fa~~~,;~~ ~he'W~~kt ~~~rc~p~0g~~~~~sblfr:~~ ATi::~:rn;:~:if,:~~ dare not .appearbefore fuch ObjeCts as awaken the Confcience; dte Senfes llrongly apply the Mind to things that touch them ; the Fancy is' the fpring of dill taCtion in the thougl~ts, and thefc reign 111 rhctr full power in profpcrous Sinners, fo that rhey do not by fcnous confJdcratlon apply things of eternal confequence to rhemfelves. The Heaz
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