The Da71ger of Profperity. the confideration of Go~'s Mercies, is an cffcCl:ual refirainr .from Sin. ,Tis faid, tht fhall fear the Lord, and hzs.Goodne.fs ' Fear to offend, and gneve, and lofe his Good~ ncfs.. Tlus Fear does not mfnnge the C~mfo[[ of the Soul_, butp~cfcrve and improrc · . Servile Fear, when ~he Soul is afra~d to burn, not to fm, IS ajmhcial forc'd Imprcffi~~1 • the Char~~cr of a Slave;. but an mgenuous g_rareful Fe~r, that f~rings from the fenf~ of the Dtvmc Goodnefs, ts a voluntary Affechon becommg a Cluld of God, and cl _ rifh'~ by him, Tbe Fearof the Lord is his 1reafore. This Watchfulnefs mufl be 111~~ vcdal agamfr all Te'!lprauons r_o wluch we arc mc1den~ by Profpenry : orherwifC we fhall be guilty of a hke folly w1th thofe that lhut and forttlie one Gate, and leave the other open ro the Enemy. And It rnu!l: be as contmual as ou.r Temptations. Blef[ed is tbe Man that feareth always. ~ · A moderate ufe of worldly things, is an excellent prefervative from the Evil adhering ro them. 'Tis a Dtvme Blefling, to partake of the Gifts of God Wtth Comcntmcnr and Tranquility, efpecially 'tis f\veet to tafic his Love in them. God gi'Ves to a Ma11 that is good in bis jigbt, Wifdom~ and Knowledge, and Joy: That is, ro ufc temperately and comfortably, outward Bkilmgs. Bur the Flefh 15 rhc Devil's Solhciror, and perfwades Men wuh a fre~r Fancy, and loofer AffcClio~s, to c1tioy the W<:dd, than is con~ frll:ent with the Profpenry of their Souls. When Dtogenes ob!crvcd wtth rhe many fick and 1angudhmg Pcrfons, the Hydroptck, Confurnpuvc , and other Difeafes, that came to the Temple of /Efculapius for recovery, and rhar afrer their Sacrifices they made a luxurious Fcafr, he cned out, Is tlus the way to recover Health? If you were found 'tis the fpecdy and effeCtual way to bring Difeafes, and being difeafed, ro bring Dea;h to you. 'TIS applicable m a higher fenfe; rhe tntemperate ufe of fenfhal Delights, weakens the Life and Vigour of the SQul m a Saint, and certamly brings Death to difcafed Souls, rhat habitually indulge their corrupt AffeCtions. The A pollle faith of the licen- ~ious Woman, She that lives in pleafore, is dead while foe lives: An allulion to a Torch that is confum'd by its own flames. Senlual Lufls are cherifl1'd and pamper' cl by Profperity, and the carnal Heart over-rules the whole Man. Our Savxour charges his Dif. . ciples to beware of furfeiting. and drunkenne.fs. The indulging the lower Appetites, is Wtntis '1Jt- natural to Men, but chiefly mcident to thofe in Profperity. The great care of filch '/:~n;,i :;a:~ fhould be, to ufe wor~dly things with that n:10deily aJ.td meafure, that the Divine Parr, the Soul, may be untamtcd by them : That It may nctthcr over-value nor over-delighr in them. The firfl degeneracy of Man is by fenfual SatisfaCtion. This expell'd him from Paradi{C, and keeps him out ever fince. The cxcefs of Pleafures darken the Mind, fru ~ HoC. 4. 11 • pi fie d1e Confcience, cxtinguifh the radiancy and vigour of the Spirit. Whte and Women take mvay the Heart. The Apoille fpeaks of thofe who are abandon'd ro Pleafures, Ephef. 4· 19· they are pafl feeling; without a quick and render fenfc of their Sin and Danger. Thac we may not in an unlawful degree ufe lawful things, we fl10uld always be.ordered by the Principles of Fear and Refuaint, not indulging our felves to the utmofi of what may f~em allowed : For to be upon the Confines of Sin, expofes us to be cafily overthrown r Cor. 7. 3", the next gufr of a Tempcation. 'Tis a Divine Command, that Chrifiiru1s flwuld rejoice, ,.. ~ ~~~;i~%, fi1;:,;ddc::::C1eb~?i~~ ~?,~ {t?r~:J!'fs'~n;:~,:{'t;!i,~h~o~~;1c~\~f~,at~;!,:; he prays for fi>irirual Bldlings wirh rim coldnefs, as if he had no delire to obtain them; he hears rhc Word with thar carelelli>efs, as tf he had no dcfire to profir by it; he performs other Rel igious Duties wichout a Heart, as if he had no defire to be faved: Such an indi~ere ncy of Spirit in outward Enjoymcnts, is our Dt~ty and Safety. 'Tis a ~rodi~ ~.J,.,i1 bu- gious DtiOrder, . and the great * Ca~fe of the Sins and Mtferics of Men, that dtcJI Af~ tn" 11 • pa"J"~ fedions arc lavtf11ly wafted upon TnAcs, their Love, Dcfircs, and Delights are lcr fonh !;l~&~~;;,J~:: in their full vigour .to the Honours, R~ches, and Plcafures of. this World, but arc \~'retch~ f.••· Aug edly remifs to fpinrual and eternal rhmgs. They would enJOY the World as thetr Heaven and Felicity, and ufe God for their Nccefiity. And thus by embracing vani fl1i1_1~ Shadows, they lofc the moll fubllanrial and durable Good. 'Tis a Point of great 11'!1dom ro conf1der the fCveral refpects of temporal things, as they refpcct our fenfitirc Pzrr, and the preii~nt Life, and as they refpect our Souls and the future State : And ro ufe them, that the outward Man may be a more ·adive and ready lnfl:rumcnr of the Soul in working out our own Salvation. 6. Le[ the Favour of God, and Communion with him be mofi precious and joyf~1l to us in rhe midfl of Profpcriry. The hi ghefl Elleem and moll ravi!hing Apprehen!ions of God, the dcarefi Delight in him _as rh~ mofr excellent fuirahi: ~ood, and in whom.rhe Soul has the mofl: intimate Propncry, ts the Honour due ro hts mcomparab~e PerfeCt~~::·
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