The Danger of Profperity. Jhc Holy Pfalmiil: ofr~n declares his rranfcendcnr Valuation, and in.Aamcd AffeCtion towards God; _How pre.czous a-re thy lboughts unto me, 0 God! ( no ~mfiCe of\\'ord~ could ~~at. 1 ;;9. fuUy cxprc1S 1t) bow great is tJJefom of ~hem.! If ljhOuld. count them, they tTremore m mmt- ' ler than d;e Sand ; when I afva/.:e I am jldl wtlh tbee. As 1f he breathed not ofmcr than he rhoughr of G~d wi~h reverence and compla~ency . _ Th~1s alfo he detpiiCs all that carnal Men purfuct Wi th vwlcnt dcfircs, in comp_anfon ot Gods Fa~our~ There_ be man)' tbatfay, fVbo will flew uS any Good? rhat is, a fenfual Good, for nothmg I t pleafant to them, but what appears in a fkO_llY fafhion. Lord, !if~ thou Uf/ the light of thy Countena~ce uron ~iS- Pfat .... 6 , 7' Jhou bajf put gladnefs m my heart, ~nore than m the t~m_e. that thezr Corn an1 thezr Wt~e mcrcafed. The carnal Mall, who IS a t1ranger to Jpmrual Joys, has a fwccrc r rcldh of carnal things, than a Sai11t dtat i1asa new Nature, that dc~ds the Appetite to dreggyDeJighrs : i\nd in the Vintage and Han'cil there is .aSpring-nde of carnal Joy: yet Da·vid feels a more inward joy and cordial Contentment in the FlUition of God's Favour, than a natural Man has in the Fltnver of his worldly Felicity. Nay, he prizes the Favour of God before Life it felf, which is our mofl: precious pofTeilion in this Worid. Thy lo-Pfal. 6J ~ 'Vin~ kindnefs is. better tban Life, therefo~e my lips ]halt fraife thee~ Comn~union wit~l G_od, is the begmning of ~eaven , and dtf.fers from the tu ll~~iS of Joy that IS in the Dl- \lne PrciCnce above, only m the degrees and manner of Fnutton. As the Blufhes of the Morning arc ~he fame Light w.ith the glorious Brightnefs of the Sun at_ Noon-~ay. The natura l M::m IS avcrfc from tlus heavenly Duty, and mofl: in Profpenty. 'Tts the ObiCrvation of holy Joh; Tbeyfpend their days in Wealth; tlm;fore they !"f. to the Almighty, Depart fr~ us; rve dejire not tbe k~owledge of ti!J. Way~. .Tts the_ m~hgnant Property of worldly rhmgs, to deface the Norwns, and cauic a d1frchfl~ of fubltme and f}1Prirual things. The Objeds that pleaf.1ntly affed the carnal Faculnes, draw the Soul ftoni God. This is rhc pnncipal and umverfal Tcmpranon of the pre~ent Wo~ld, by rl_te ~rn.lption of ou.r Hea_rrs, and never fo dangerous a~ in our Pro_ipenry. 'T1s a rule 111 .nuddmg, _t hat ch1~f care mnfi be taken fo~ the contnving of Wm.dows, f?r the tranfmtfiion of a liberal L1ghr to refrcfl1 the Inhab1tan~s. N?w to b.uild 111 a Plam where the Heavens arc open on all f1dcs, and the pure L1ght llunes, 'ns eafie to make the Houfe convenient: But to raife a luminous Fabrick in a City thick fer with Houfcs, and fl:raitned for room, requires Art, and the Bu-ilding rnufl: be higher : Thus a Perfon that is furrounded with rhc Honours, Riches, and Pleafurcs of rhe ·world, that are fo apr to darken rhc Soul, and to_ cx~ludc the Influences Of Heaven, has ti~ed of h?IYSkill tO prcfcrvc a free commumcatton with Gocl, and to be always rcccpttve of lus Grace. Then hol y Duties f110uld be freq~1cnc and fervent, wherein d.1e Soul af~cnds t~ God by rai_fcd dcfircs, an:\ God dcfcends mto the Soul, by the Operanons of !us fanChfying and comfort ing Spirit. And as we fee in Nature, the Flowers of every k ind open their Leaves ro the riling Su.n, to be rcviv'd \~ith his vital Hear; ~o we f?m~ld every day open our Hcarrs to God m Prayer and Pratfes. And fincc aU ius Merctes mvire and conduct us to the blcrfcd ,Attthor,. and temporal B~nefir.s ar~ fcnfiblc Arguments of his Love ; thofe who moll n chly enJoy them, arc obhgcd 1nfimrely more to value and delight in the Givct, than in rh~ Gifts thcmfclrcs. If the Heart /;e Jet upon Rich~~, which ' tis very apt to /;e wben tbey m.cr.eafe, or upon pleafures, God is negleCted and VIlified : And rho' many" arc nor openly vtcwus and profane, yet fo plcaf.1nrly the things of the World infinuare into their ARCctions, rhatthey cannot taj/e how gaod tbe Lord is ; a fad indication of their unrcgcne.rate flare: for the Divine N a_rure in a Saint, inclines him to God ~s his fupream .Good, Ills only Trcafure and cxccedmg Joy; and as foon as he begins to breathe the· life of Holinefs, he dies to the Vanities of the World. And when Profperity alienates the Heart from God, 'us as furdy dcfrruChve, as :vhcn. it draws forth the fenfual Appetites into cxorbitam and foul Actions. A Confumpuon k1lls as furcly as a Calenture. - Thofe who abufe the Favours of God to it~ piety and luxury, throw ~hemfelves headiortg intq the bottomlclS Pit; and thofe who m their abundance arc rem1fs and cold towards God gradually defcend thither: For God will not be oor Joy for ever in Heave11, if he be no~ our exceed ing Joy upon t he Earth." But when in the midil: of Profperity the Soul is fill'd with a noble Admirarion of the Divme Exccltcncies, when It tafl:es incomparable more fwcetnefS in the Love of God, fr~m whence outward Bletlings arc derived, than in the things them!Cives, when the due,r Joy arifcs from the Contemplation of ~is Favour in Chrifl:, whereby we are par..: don d, and prcferr'd to be his Brethren, Coheirs with him of the immortal and undefiled Inherit~nce, then \~e know how to abound . Our Saviour commands his Difciples not to rejotte tbat Spints were fubjeEl to them, rho' an admirable Tefl:i.monY: o,f hi s Favour, Lulc, ro. 2i; bur that their Names we~e written in Heav!n. Much lefs fh ould tlus penfhing World be the matter of out Joy, 1n compatifon of our T itle, and the bleffcd hope of Hoaven. X x 2 Spiritual.
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