The danger of prosperity discovered in several sermons upon Prov. I. 27 /

4. The Fear of God, and a vigilant care to avoid the Sins that so easily encompass us, is necessary in Prosperity. The Secure assist Satan in his War against the Soul: but watchfulness disarms the Tempter. Circumspection is never more a Duty, than when Pleasures without, and Passions within, conspire to betray us. 'Tis useful to reflect upon the great numbers who have been corrupted and ruined by Prosperity: that the Vices of the dead may secure the Virtues of the living. The fear of God is clean, effectively, as it preserves from Sin. 'Tis Solomon's advice to young ⟨p. 218⟩Men, that enjoy the World in its Flower, and in the season of their sinning, that they would remember that God for all their Vanities will bring them to Judgment. This Consideration will be powerful to prevent the risings of the corrupt Affections, or to suppress their growth, and hinder their accomplishment. But with the excellently tempered Soul, an ingenuous Fear from the consideration of God's Mercies, is an effectual restraint from Sin. 'Tis said, they shall fear the Lord, and his Goodness: fear to offend, and grieve, and lose his Goodness. This Fear does not infringe the comfort of the Soul, but preserve and improve it: Servile Fear, when the Soul is afraid to burn, not to sin, is a judicial forced Impression, the Character of a ⟨p. 219⟩Slave; but an ingenuous grateful Fear, that springs from the sense of the Divine Goodness, is a voluntary Affection becoming a Child of God, and cherished by him. The Fear of the Lord is his Treasure. This watchfulness must be universal against all Temptations to which we are incident by Prosperity: otherwise we shall be guilty of a like folly with those that shut and fortify one Gate, and leave the other open to the Enemy. And it must be as continual as our Temptations. Blessed is the Man that feareth always.

4. The Fear of God, and a vigilant care to avoid the Sins that so easily encompass us, is necessary in Prosperity. The Secure assist Satan in his War against the Soul: but watchfulness disarms the Tempter. Circumspection is never more a Duty, than when Pleasures without, and Passions within, conspire to betray us. 'Tis useful to reflect upon the great numbers who have been corrupted and ruin'd by Prosperity: that the Vices of the dead may secure the Vertues of the living. The fear of God is clean, effectively, as it preserves from Sin. 'Tis Solomon's advice to young