'!he Danger of Profperity. In the Rebellions of their Lives, the"y cxprei\: open enmity againil: God ; and their , Devo~ion at their _Death, is fecret Flattery in his Account. ~or rhus 'tis faid by the. ,... ,p Pfalm1fi of fuch Smners; When·he flew them, _then th~ Jo.ugiJt IHm : ~nd they rft~rned and s~:\;~· H· tJ~quir~d early_ after God. Never~h~lefs, tbey dtdJl.atter ~JJm l_vith their mouth, and /yed to ~;~J;;~~:,::;::ongues. For thetr beart was not rrght wzth htm, and tbey were not jledfaj/ 'Tis true, God is rich in Mercy, and mofl: willing to pardon returning Sinners, when 'their Contrition is finccrc; when they are truly forrowful, that Sin has made them unholy as well as unhappy, chat they have abus'd the Mercies of God, our gracious Creator and PrciCrver, compailionare Redeemer, and blelfed Comforter, as well as provok'd his Anger ' And ~hen the Refolutions of Amendment are fo deeply rooted, as would prove clfc<'lual if rhcy fl1ould be tried by lengthning of their Time in rhis World. Bnt thofe who defer their repenting whilll God defers punithing, and like the unjull Steward never think of making provifion for their Souls, till they arc cited to give an account 0f their unrighreous and ungrateful abufe of his Blc11ings : rl10fe who renounce their Sins when unable ro commit them, .and refolve to live well when they can live no longer, have great reafon to fufpect thetr own Hearts, and to be fearful of their future fiare. If a Minifl:er be call'd to allifl: fuch in their dying Hours, there is infinite reafon he fhould be cautious of alfuring them of Pardon and Salvation, left natural Sorrow be rnifiaken , . for godl.\' Sorr~w, and the Re~entancc dcclar'd by them, would be retraCted upon new ,/'" 1 •'mP1 Temptations: Tts fafe to tmnare a .;f dt~creet Phyfictan, that IS unwilling ro declare :,~J;;~J~u~1011 what he fears will be the iffue of the Dtfeafc, but modefily infinuates the Danger ro 9~Ddpr~miunt;tho[c that arc about the. fick Perfon: The good God can do all things, he can revive ;:;::,;;;:;"'ut the. a!mofi fpen~ and cxptr~ng, 0 pray. for him. 'Tis advice given by a skilfu~ Her. _tt•rn..t: m•· bahtl, rhat parttcular c.arc IS neceffary m planting rl:e Seed of the Carduus, for 1f they t=f::.:=Ei!;t· :e~:~~~e~~~d~~g~i~~ t~l~~d~~i~~~~r~~~~~~cspr~p~~~d~J~v~!~d~e;l~ati:;1~1~0~~~l ~~c~~~e~ar~~~ ~:::1:::.:~;,;• ~l~,sHrl;:: :;~g~~q,;[li:~:o~~:f~:~ ~! ~~~~eK~~1~l1c;;;l;f,~y"~~~~~~~g a'~a:::er?e~~~;~: Auc;. on, a falfe Hope, a delufivc Peace, mil:cad of an unfeigned Fa1th, a punfymg Hope, a Ezek. JJ. 11. folid Peace. God declares it with the mo!l: facred folcmnity, As I live, faith the Lord God, I bave no pleafore in tbe deatb of the Wicked; if the carnal Heart (like the Devil ' who abus'd Scripture, by leaving out part of it) fhall not confider what follows, but that ~ the..Wicked turn from his w~ ant! ~i'Ve? but fh~ll harden and fortific it fclf in Sin, with hopes of imptmiry, God Will reJOice 111 their Jllfi: Defl:ruction. . He tells us that a conEzek. 11.21. vertcd Sinner fhallbe forgiven; but that converfion mufl: be untform and lafiing; If tbe Wicked turn from aft his Sins that he hath committed, and keep all my Statues, and do that 1vhicb is lawful and right, he jhall furely live and not die. He has promifed ro h fouNd r{,;t~;~~~lf:'n~,i~ b:~, ;~w~~ewhc~~::d;l~.% ~e~.:jr,~r\~icl~~~ h;a;?o~~t;;,t,' cy and afliiling Grace. To apply the Word of God againJl: the Mind of Gt>d, is injuri· ous to his Honour, and pernicious to deluded Souls. l· The heavinefs of the DefiruCtion will be according to the aggravation of rheir Sin, who abufc Profpcriry. t. 'Tis a Sin moll contrary to the acknowledged Dury of Man, and unbecoming rhe reafonable Nature. 'Tis an univerfal conceflion that fprings from the purefi Light of M". S· <•· Reafon, that we jhouli return good for good: the Heathens agreed in it. To be defeCtive in obfcrvance, and thankful refpects to a Benefactor ts unnatural, but to requite Evil for Good, is fo direCt a violation of the ingenuous Principles of Humanity, that one is prodigioully wicked in doing it: He ceafcs to be a Man, and becomes a Devil. Now this black Guilt cleaves to thofe who abufe Profpenry. The Bleflings of God are t1rong and fwcer Obligations to love him, yet their pcrvcrJc Hearts arc thereby alienated from him: . His Mercies engage and enable d1em to fervc and glorifie him, bur are ufed to gratifie their Lulls, and to make them more capable and prefumpruous to offend him. Profpcrity makes them luxurious and fecure; Riches make them fm at a higher rate; the parienr Providence of God, that waits for their Repentance (fuch is their defperatc·Corruprion) fortifies them in their rebellion againfi him. This was the reafon of that fringing RcIJ,ur. 1'· proach of Mofes to Ifrael, Do ye thus requite the Lord, 0 foolijh People and unwife? . 2 . The abufe of Profperity IS moll lfiJUnous and provoking to God. To fin agarnfi his Law, i:; art high affront to his Majefiy; bur to fin againfl: his L~we and Bencfirs ~s ttom. '· ~~~~ cco~~~u:~to~~~s~0tf,1!~·to ;~~~~J~~!e ~~~;!~~~ ~o:fef;r~:£1~0~~/;:fif;:~,;,n~);a:~~~ ,t!.ffdliMs? As the Gift of a Friend is {lighted that is put to a bafc ufe; or as one rhar '~~:
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