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

This intellectual Ray was planted in us by the wise God in out Creation, and extended to the Divine Law, the Object and End of it, to keep us to our Duty. ⟨p. 68⟩And since our revolt, 'tis being enlightened and sanctified the vital Principle of Conversion to God, the powerful means of rescuing the lapsed Soul from its prostitution to the Flesh, and recovering it to a temper of Purity becoming its Original Excellence, and Relation to the Father of Spirits. 'Tis true, the Love of God is the primary Rule of our Duty, and the Holy Spirit is the Efficient of our Renovation; but the enlightened Conscience is the immediate Rule, and the immediate Mover of us to return to our Duty. And if Conscience, which is the Eye of the Soul, be covered with a film of Ignorance, if it be bleared with the false glitterings of the World, if it totally neglects its Office, or makes but a cold application of saving Terrors ⟨p. 69⟩that may control the licentious Appetites, if it be disregarded, when it suggests and excites to our Duty, the sinner is hardened and settled in his lost state. Now Prosperity foments the sensual Affections, that obscure the Light of Conscience, that corrupt its Judgment, that smother and suppress its Dictates, or despise and slight them, that 'tis powerless, tho constituted God's Deputy to order our Lives.

This intellectual Ray was planted in us by the wise God in out Creation, and extended to the Divine Law, the Object and End of it, to keep us to our Duty. ⟨p. 68⟩And since our revolt, 'tis being enlightned and sanctified the vital Principle of Conversion to God, the powerful means of rescuing the lapsed Soul from its prostitution to the Flesh, and recovering it to a temper of Purity becoming its Original Excellence, and Relation to the Father of Spirits. 'Tis true, the Love of God is the primary Rule of our Duty, and the Holy Spirit is the Efficient of our Renovation; but the inlightned Conscience is the immediate Rule, and the immediate Mover of us to return to our Duty. And if Conscience, which is the Eye of the Soul, be covered with a film of Ignorance, if it be blear'd with the false glitterings of the World, if it totally neglects its Office, or makes but a cold application of saving Terrors ⟨p. 69⟩