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

5. Prosperity renders Men averse from suffering for the sake of Christ, when they are called ⟨p. 98⟩to give testimony to his Truth, and support his Cause. Self-denial, with respect to the present Life, and all the Ornaments, Comforts, and Endearments of it, is absolutely necessary by the Law of Christianity, when the preserving of it is contrary to the Glory of Christ, and inconsistent with our Duty to him. Then said ¹Jesus to his Disciples, If any Man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his Cross and follow me. The Cross implies all kinds and degrees of suffering, from the least afflicting evil, to Death with ignominy and torment. And how just is it, if we expect to be glorified by his Sufferings, that we should willingly suffer for his Glory. At the first preaching of the Gospel, many were offended at ²the Cross of Christ: they esteemed ⟨p. 99⟩it folly, to expect eternal Life from one that was put to death, and that he should bring them to the highest Glory, who suffered in the lowest Weakness. Our Saviour was concealed from their carnal Eyes, by the overshadowing train of his Afflictions. And the Cross of Christ, that is to be³ voluntarily and obediently taken up by his Disciples, is a greater offence to the World, than that to which he was nailed. 'Tis a harder Lesson, that we must obtain Glory by our own Sufferings, than that it was purchased by our Saviour's. The Mind more willingly assents to the reasons of his Sufferings, than of ours: in the first, it only encounters with false Prejudices, and vain Shadows that darken that mighty Mystery; but in the second, it ⟨p. 100⟩must overcome the natural Love of this Life, and the Pleasures of it, which is so predominant in Men. The alliance to the Body, and the allurements of the World, are the causes of forsaking Religion, when the owning of it will cost us dear. And those who enjoy Prosperity, are most easily terrified from their Duty to Christ; the account of which is open to Reason, both from some general Considerations, and from special, that respect Sufferings for Religion. The general Considerations are two.