SERM. nour and Judge of mankind, to whom VIII. they are accountable, as well as directly

to difown his being and providence: But I can't apprehend this to be the meaning of the phrase here, becaufe, in this large view, there is no more danger of denying God to men in high and flourishing circumstances, than what every other ftate of life affords, which has in it equal temptations to vice and immorality: I fhall take it therefore in a ftricter fenfe than this, and yet not in the most confined fenfe of all, and enquire briefly, what peculiar danger there is, arifing from riches and plenty, of "irreligion "and prophaneness, a difregard and con"tempt of providence, and other crimes "of a like nature, that are committed more directly and immediately against "God himself."

ger

And, in general, the fundamental dan

of all lies here, that in the height of profperity, men are apt to be careless and inconfiderate. Chearfulness, and a relaxation from feverer ftudies and contemplations, is not only innocent but neceffary, in the prefent mixed and imper

fect

fect ftate of human nature: But in an SERM. affluent profperity, when every thing aVIII. bout us is gay, and has a smiling afpect, we are too apt to contract an habitual levity of mind, and neglect all grave and ferious reflections. A continued fucceffion of pomp and pleasure fixes our attention, and diverts it from greater and more important concerns. Wife men, indeed, who have impartially estimated the true worth of things, look upon riches and honours only as fuperfluities and outward decorations of life, and not as effential to human happiness; and value themselves upon them no farther, than as they enable them to do greater good to their fellow creatures; but the foolish and unthinking are made giddy by their profperity: The natural confequence of which is, that they must be an eafy prey to all the peculiar temptations of their wealthy and exalted state; and it will appear, particularly from the following confiderations, that they are in great danger of the vices implied in the text. For

SERM.

ift. When the mind is thus weakened VIII, and diffolved, and its faculties enervated and broken, when the moderation of nien's tempers are destroyed, and they are become thoughtless and inconfiderate, which the indolence and gaiety, and various little trifling entertainments of a profperous condition have a natural tendency to effect; 'tis no wonder, if they pride themselves in their riches, as their ultimate happiness; and for want of reflecting on the inftability of all human affairs, think themselves felf-fufficient and lofe that juft fenfe which they ought to have of the fovereignty of their maker, and their abfolute and neceffary dependence upon him. 'Tis no wonder at all, if, by being complimented and flattered, their vanity be raised so high, as to make them regardless of that fupreme being, from whom all their abundance, hônour, and greatnefs flows; nor if having conceived an extraordinary opinion of their own merit upon the account of their fhining circumftances, they neglect to pay their due homage and worship to the Deity, and live unmindful of his benefits.

This is, in effect, to deny not only God's SER M government of the world, but his abfolute VIII. perfection, and confequently his being: "Tis to deny our obligations to him as the author of every thing we enjoy, and his right to our services. The language of fuch a conduct is, who is the Lord that we should obey his voice? And that all this difingenuity and ingratitude towards the greatest and best of beings is a confequence, that, it may juftly be feared, will fpring from riches and greatness, when men are immoderately fond of them, and for want of due confideration, grown prefumptuous and arrogant, experience abundantly teftifies.

For there are too many to whom à time of affliction is a feason of fome fort of piety, because then their fufferings put them in mind of their fins, and the hope of deliverance makes them, to appearance at leaft, humble and fubmiffive to their maker; but when things go on fmoothly, and anfwer to the heighth of their wishes, they feem to think they have no farther need of him, and are fufficient for their own happiness, without his

N 4

SERM. his interpofition. The distinguishing goodVIII. nefs of God, in their continued plenty and abundance, is unheeded, because it is conftant and uninterrupted.

What a perverfe creature is man! he wishes not to be miferable, and yet forgets the author of his happiness, because he has not allotted him fome mixtures of evil and mifery with it! Or rather fince this is not human nature, which abhors ingratitude, but a vile and melancholy depravation of it; what will not a man do when prosperity has made him wantan and infolent! But further,

2. 'Tis most evident, that affluent circumstances are attended with great temptations to luxury, and the immoderate pursuits of pleasure. Plenty too naturally begets excefs: It has the means of it in its power, cuftom to countenance it, and generally minifters of vice enough at hand to prompt and excite to it. And luxury enfeebles the mind, deftroys every thing that is great and generous, and indifpofes for all rational exercises and improvements. It naturally heightens and inflames the fenfual paffions, and leads to

the