by William Bates
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THE experience of all ages has verified, that none are exposed to more dangerous trials than the prosperous in this world. The great tempter has found the temptations of prosperity so insinuative and prevailing with men, that he attempted our blessed Saviour; expecting, by the pleasant prospect of the kingdoms of this world, and their glory, to have fastened an impression upon his spirit, and tainted his inviolable purity. But he found nothing in our Saviour, not the least irregular inclination to his allurements, and could work nothing upon him. It is otherwise with men born of the flesh, in whom there is a carnal heart (the centre of apostacy and corruption) that is easily inticed and overcome by charming complacencies. Prosperity is a disguised poison, pleasant to the unwary sense, but deadly in the operation; and the more pernicious in the effects, because less dangerous in the opinions of men. The temptations of prosperity are so frequent and favoured by us, that they give vigour to the inward enemy, the sensual affections, and boldness to the malicious tempter. They foment the carnal appetites, that defile and debase the soul; and are the more rebellious and exorbitant the more they are gratified.
Prosperity is the strongest obstacle against the conversion and reformation of sinners. Whilst they are plying their various pleasures, they have neither will nor leisure to advert to the voice of conscience, so reproachful and stinging to them. And many times prosperity stupifies conscience, that men are fearless of divine judgments, involved in sensual security. They will not reverence and obey God's authority, till they feel his power; they abuse his blessings to pride and vanity, idleness and luxury, and are hardened in their impenitence, died with the deepest tincture of ingratitude: they drive on through a course of sin, till death puts a period to their lusts. How destructive, how penal is prosperity to such graceless souls? When God rains snares upon the wicked; when the affluence of this world is abused to satisfy their vicious desires, it is a sad forerunner of the shower of fire and brimstone, and the horrible tempest that shall overwhelm them at last.
Others in prosperity are not openly profane, and boldly vicious, yet are corrupted, and insensibly destroyed by it. They over-value and over-delight in the good things of this world, and please themselves in an opinionative felicity in their present state. They enjoy the world with more appearance of reason, and less sensuality than the riotous and luxurious; but their conversation with so many charming objects, alienates them from God. They do not sanctify him in their hearts, placing their highest esteem upon his most amiable excellencies, and their dearest delight in communion with him. They look upon religion as a sour severity, and count nothing delightful, but what is suitable to the fleshly affections. A deceit like that of a sick person, who feeling no pleasure but in the easy intervals between his fits, and the remission of his distemper, should imagine that if he were freed from his disease, he should lose all pleasure: whereas the delights of health are more full and durable. The angels are incapable of sensual pleasures; their happiness arises from the perfection of good, not the allays of evil. The beasts are only capable of sensual pleasures, the remedies of natural evils, hunger, thirst, weariness, or accidental evils, diseases and pains: and many are so sottishly deceived, as to prefer brutish pleasures that affect the senses, before angelical joys that arise from the fruition of God's favour, and obedience to his laws. This is a sad symptom of an unrenewed heart, and an heavy presage of future misery; for God will not be our everlasting joy in heaven, if he be not our exceeding joy upon the earth.
Others surrounded with riches and honours, are neither thankful to their divine benefactor, nor careful to employ their prosperity and power for his glory. The law of mercy requires a solemn affectionate recognition of God's benefits: but the current of prosperity drowns their sense of the divine goodness: and incogitant practical atheism, is as destructive as absolute and speculative. And how many by the deceitfulness of riches, are apt to imagine, that they possess with dominion what they receive in trust: they might be rich in good works, and if their hearts were according to their ability, be fruitful as paradise, but are as barren as the sands of Africa. They are in a mighty debt for so many received blessings, for which their account will be heavy and undoing with the highest Lord. These and many other considerations, make it evident how dangerous prosperity is to the most that enjoy it here.
It is therefore a point of high and holy wisdom how to manage prosperity so, as to avoid the impendent evils that usually follow it, and to improve it for our eternal advantage. This is the design of the present treatise, and humbly recommended to the divine blessing, from one who most unfeignedly desires the salvation of men's souls.
WILLIAM BATES.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
The Preface
The Danger of Prosperity
FIRST, PROOFS that prosperity is destructive to sinners
SECONDLY, The FOLLY of prosperous sinners, It is Voluntary, Culpable, Ognominious, Most Woeful
THIRDLY, The MISERY of prosperous sinners is Just, Certain, Aggravated
INFERENCES from the doctrine
RULES how to manage prosperity for our everlasting good