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The experience of all ages has verified, that none
are exposed to more dangerous trials than the prosperous in this world. The
great tempter has found the temptations of prosperity so insinuative and
prevailing with men, that he attempted our blessed Saviour; expecting, by the
pleasant prospect of the kingdoms of this world, and their glory, to have
fastened an impression apon his spirit, and tainted his inviolable purity. But
he found nothing in our Saviour, not the least irregular inclination to his
allurements, and could work nothing upon him.
It is otherwise with men born
of the flesh, in whom there is a carnal heart (the centre of apostacy and
corruption) that is easily inticed and overcome by charming complacencies.
Prosperity is a disguised poison, pleasant to the unwary sense, but deadly in
the operation; and the more pernicious in the effects, because less dangerous
in the opinions of men. The temptations of prosperity are so frequent and
favoured by us, that they give vigour to the inward enemy, the sensual
affections, and boldness to the malicious tempter. They foment the carnal
appetites, that defile and debase the soul; and are the more rebellions and
exorbitant the more they are gratified.
Prosperity is the strongest
obstacle against the conversion and reformation of sinners. Whilst they are
plying their various pleasures, they have neither will nor leisure to advert to
the voice of conscience, so reproachful and stinging to them. And many times
prosperity stupifies conscience, that men are fearless of divine judgments,
involved in sensual security. They will not reverence and obey God's authority,
till they feel his power; they abuse his blessings to pride and vanity,
idleness and luxury, and are hardened in their impenitence, dyed with the
deepest tincture ingratitude: they drive on through a course of sin, till death
puts a period to their lusts. How destructive, how penal is prosperity to such
graceless souls? When God rains snares upon the wicked; when the affluence of
this world is abused to satisfy their vicious desires, it is a sad forerunner
of the shower of fire and brimstone, and the horrible tempest that shall
overwhelm them at last.
Others in prosperity are not openly profane, and
boldly vicious, yet are corrupted, and insensibly destroyed by it. They
over-value and over-delight in the good things of this world, and please
themselves in an opinionative felicity in their present state. They enjoy the
world with more appearance of reason, and less sensuality than the riotous and
luxurious; but their conversation with so many charming objects, alienates them
from God. They do not sanctify him in their hearts, placing their highest
esteem upon his most amiable excellencies, and their dearest delight in
communion with him. They look upon religion as a sour severity, and count
nothing delightful, but what is suitable to the fleshly affections. A deceit
like that of a sick person, who feeling no pleasure but in the easy intervals
between his fits, and the remission of his distemper, should imagine that if he
were freed from his disease, he should lose all pleasure: whereas the delights
of health are more full and durable. The angels are incapable of sensual
pleasures; their happiness arises from the perfection of good, not the allays
of evil. The beasts are only capable of sensual pleasures, the remedies of
natural evils, hunger, thirst, weariness, or accidental evils, diseases and
pains: and many are so sottishly deceived, as to prefer brutish pleasures that
affect the senses, before angelical joys that arise from the fruition of God's
favour, and obedience to his laws. This is a sad symptom of an unrenewed heart,
and an heavy presage of future misery; for God will not be our everlasting joy
in heaven, if he be not our exceeding joy upon the earth;
Others surrounded
with riches and honours, are neither thankful to their divine benefactor, nor
careful to employ their prosperity and power for his glory. The law of mercy
requires a solemn affectionate recognition of God's benefits: but the current
of prosperity drowns their sense of the divine goodness: and incogitant
practical atheism, is as destructive as absolute and speculative. And how many
by the deceitfulness of riches, are apt to imagine, that they possess with
dominion what they receive in trust: they might be rich in good works, and if
their hearts were according to their ability, be fruitful as paradise, but are
as barren as the sands of Africa. They are in a mighty debt for so many
received blessings, for which their account will be heavy and undoing with the
highest Lord. These and many other considerations, make it evident how
dangerous prosperity is to the most that enjoy it here.
It is therefore a
point of high and holy wisdom how to manage prosperity so, as to avoid the
impendent evils that usually follow it, and to improve it for our eternal
advantage. This is the design of the present treatise, and humbly recommended
to the divine blessing, from one who most unfeignedly desires the salvation of
men's souls.
WILLIAM BATES,
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