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

1. The Gospel is the Power of God to Salvation to them that believe; and the preaching of it is by divine Institution the ordinary means of Conversion. God could by the immediate illumination of the Mind, and influence upon the Will and Affections, convert sinners from the Errors of their Ways; but his Wisdom and condescending Goodness makes use of the Ministry of Men to convey the Word of Truth and Life to the World. This way is very ⟨p. 84⟩congruous, both to the compounded Nature of Man, by the Senses to work upon the Soul, and to the native freedom of his Will: for tho the supernatural Agent infallibly changes the Heart, yet the Instrument can only direct and persuade Men, as those who are endowed with intellectual and elective Faculties; and thus the efficacy of Divine Grace is insinuated, in a way suitable to the reasonable Nature. The Ministers are styled the Light of the World, to discover to Men their undone condition by sin, and to point out the way to their everlasting Peace. Our blessed Redeemer saves the lost Remnant of Mankind by the sacred Ministry; and where there are no Evangelical Preachers sent, or only a doleful succession of blind Guides, what ⟨p. 85⟩^*Tertullian says of Scythia, a Country that by the extremity of the cold, is hard and dry, and perpetually barren, but the residence of fierce Cruelty, is applicable to a Nation, the Hearts of Men are frozen to their sins, there is no melting in the tears of true Repentance, no holy Heat, only their brutish Lusts are ardent and active. But where the Ambassadors of Christ are faithful and zealous to induce sinners to break off their sins by repentance, and to be reconciled to God, there are none more uncapable of the sanctifying Power of the Gospel, than sinners in Prosperity.

1. The Gospel is the Power of God to Salvation to them that believe; and the preaching of it is by divine Institution the ordinary means of Conversion. God could by the immediate illumination of the Mind, and influence upon the Will and Affections, convert sinners from the Errors of their Ways; but his Wisdom and condescending Goodness makes use of the Ministry of Men to convey the Word of Truth and Life to the World. This way is very ⟨p. 84⟩