The Danger of Profperity. is within me Uefs bis Holy Name. Blefs the Lord, 0 my_ Soul, andforget not all his Benefits. The earnc!l ana repeated Addrefs to make a hvely and fervent Impre«.on upon his Soul, is a tacit irltimation of rhe drowiy negligence h_e found 111 lumfelf. ~ius Duty is Spiritual, ai1d to be_ performed by tfie Soul that IS our nobl~ part, ~nd capable to undedlarlcl our Obhganons to the Dmne Goodnefs. Indeed, ns often exprefr in the * vtlcal praife~ of God, for there is a J~atural corr~fpondence between the • Pfa1. H· 2 ~ Tongue and the Heart, as between the Hand of a Clock, and the Motion of the Wheels within : But die thief part is performed m the Soul, and IS only . of value and acceptance with God, Wh~ is the Maker, the S~arcl1er, an~ rh~ J~dgc_ ~f <:'ur __ ~carts. Therefore the Holy Pfalrntil calls upon bis Soul, and all that zs wztlun brm, every Facul: ty to u;1ite in tbe Praifes of God: The Underllandin~ to confider rhe feveral Arguments of Praiie and Thankfulnefs, to elleem and ro adrrure rhe d1VU)e (]oodnefs, ro afcnbe ~~~~~~dyA~:~:~:~~~otfo~eo~i:rf~;s1~e~~:cie:~,~~~~~~~ :he~~1ller his Benefits ; tl1e nu~~:~~[~1~~~[: !dJl~efufir~~:rll:~~o~~i~ff~;~st: ;;;~~~~:.o~[ aG~~~~=:tJ~ ~~:lper~f:~ for rhc Blenings \vc enjoy, :1~ \ve are in our Prayers for what we need. · No_r o')IY fignal Mercies, but common and ordinary fhould be continually acknowledged by us. ~d fince our Memories arc fo flippcry as to the retauung of Favours, InJuncs are mfcnbd in Marble Benefits written in Dufl:: We fhould every day review the Mercies we enjoy, to '}t;icl~en our Praifcs for them, an~ to rriakc Impr~ffi<?J~s 1~or f~on defac'd. Tha~kfulncfs 1mphes a due valuation of Gods Benefits : Tins \vtll be raifed, by confidenng the Author, rhe great God : the meanell Mercy fro~ his Ha~d, is a high Favour. As the Guilt of Sin arifes from the greatnefs of the Objed:; rho fomc Sms arc comparativc~y fn.1all, ~rcc nbne is in its inrrin!ick Nature a fmall Evil: fo rho' o~ Mercies, fome arc m companiOn eminent, and fonie are ordinary, ycr every Mercy IS great with reJpdl to the Author frolll whence it coflle5 : And the thankful elleem of Mercies, will nfc ~n proportion to the f~nf~ of oh( Unwordunefs. ~ confl:ant poverty of Spirit in reflcCbng upon our own VIlencfs, ~ha~ . therc is not meedy a Want of dcfert in ~s,_ wit~ refpect to God's Blclfmgs, -bur a defert of His heavy Judgments, 1vill height7n our elleeni of tl1em. For this end it is very ufeful, that the Pro!pcrous would confider rhofe below them, how .many bcttcf· than themfel~~s ~J;e Under op~reffing Wants, torrrienting Pains, beatt:breakmg Sorrows, whom you may trace by rhe1r Tears every day; and what free and nch Mercy is it, that they enjoy rlie aff!~ence o_f all rhin~s :_ th.is dil1•~gtiifhing Good: ncfs, fl10uld be acknowledged Wlth a warm rapture of AflcChon to the DIVine BenefaCtor.. To compare otir felves with thofe d1at eXcellts in_ Grac:, will make us humble; and WHh thofC \vho arc below us in outWard Bleffings, will make us tha1ikful. The Profperous have fpecial Obligations robe moll tonvenanr in this Celelliat'Dury: there are various Graces arid Duties that are only ufeful in this imptrfect_llarc, and fhall expire With us: as Repentance, Faith, Hope, Patience, &c. the Reward of them will be Eternal, but the cxercife is limited to prefent Life; but Love arid Pt:aifc remain in Heaven. The Saints eternally admire, love, and blefs God .for hi s Mercies. And rhe · lincere and conllant performance of this Duty, is moll plcafii1g to God, and profitable to us.' for rhankfulnefs to our bleifed Benefactor, engages Ius Heart, and opens rhe Treafurcs of h1 s Bounty more Jibcrally to us. The way to obtai11 new Benefits, is not to fuffer former Favours to be loll in ungrateful oblivion. In fl1ott, '~is t11e bell and Jurcll Evidence of out rhankfulnefs to God, when his Mercies are effectual Motives ro plea_iChim. 'Vc canriot always ma~e an aCtual cornmemorat~o.n _of his Be_nefirs, bur an hab_1rual_ remcm?rance fl10~ld ever Be _ili our Heart~~ and inAqcnt1al in ou_r Lives. Thy Pr~. 2&. lwmr, krndnefs zs before mrne eyes, (fatth holy Dawil) and I liave walJ:ed zn tby 7ruth; unfe1gned ly refpccted all rhy Commandments. . 4· The Fear of God, and a vigilant care to avoid the Sins that fo eafil y encompafs us; IS nccerfary 111 Profpenty. The Secure amll Satan in his War agam11 the Soul; bur watc hfulne~s d1f~rrns the Tempter. Circumfped"ion is _nevcr more_ a DUty, thari when P1cafurcs wtrhout, and Paffib:ts within, c?~fpjr~ to betray us. 'T1s Ufeful to reRe-Ct upon the great numbers v.:ho have Been Coriup·red and ruin'd by Pro~pcriry: That the Vices of rhe dead may fecure the Vermes of the living. Tliefear of God is clean, effectively, ;t~ 1~J~,~~:,ve:n~~~1 r·~~1fcaZ~s :;t;r;::r' fi!~~g~e t~~a(~h~; ~~cl r;~:ce;t~~ rt:r '60:Jd f~~· all thett Vanities will bring them to Judgment. This ainfiderarion will b'e powerful to pre:vem the n~ngs of the corrupt Affections, or ro fupprcfs their growth, and hinder •he" Accomphfl1ment. Bm with rhe excellently tem~er'd Sou! 1 an ingenuous Fear from' Xi rhe
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