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

That we may not in an unlawful degree use lawful things, we should always be ordered by the Principles of Fear and Restraint, not indulging our selves to the utmost ⟨p. 223⟩of what may seem allowed: for to be upon the Confines of Sin, exposes us to be easily overthrown by the next gust of a temptation. 'Tis a Divine Command, that Christians should rejoice, as tho they rejoiced not, and ¹buy as tho they possessed not; and use the World as not abusing it. A Christian should converse with the World, as a carnal Person converses with Heaven; he prays for spiritual Blessings with that coldness, as if he had no desire to obtain them; he hears the Word with that carelessness, as if he had no desire to profit by it: He performs other Religious Duties without a Heart, as if he had no desire to be saved: such an indifferency of Spirit in outward Enjoyments, is our Duty and Safety. 'Tis a prodigious disorder, ⟨p. 224⟩and the great ^*Cause of the Sins and Miseries of Men, that their Affections are lavishly wasted upon Trifles, their Love, Desires, and Delights are let forth in their full vigour to the Honours, Riches, and Pleasures of this World, but are wretchedly remiss to spiritual and eternal things. They would enjoy the World as their Heaven and Felicity, and use God for their Necessity. And thus by embracing vanishing Shadows, they lose the most substantial and durable Good. 'Tis a Point of great wisdom to consider the several respects of temporal things, as they respect our sensitive Part, and the present Life, and as they respect our Souls and the future State: and to use them, that the outward Man may be a more active and ready Instrument of the ⟨p. 225⟩Soul in working out our own Salvation.

1. 11 Cor. 7. 30, 31.
2. *Omnis humana perversio fruendis uti veil, & utendis frui. Aug.