As, then, unto a jyrosperous condition. I shall not mn cross to Solomon's counsel, " In the day of prosperity rejoice," Eccles. vii. 1-1. Rejoice in the God of thy mercies, who doth thee good in his patience and forbearance, notwithstanding all thy nnworthiness. Yet I may add to it, from the same fountain of wisdom, " Consider," also, lest evil lie at the door. A man in that state is in the midst of snares. Satan hath many advantages against him; he forgeth darts out of all his enjoyments; and, if he watch not, he will be entangled before he is aware.
Thou wantest that which should poise and ballast thy heart. For- mality in religion will be apt to creep upon thee ; and that lays the soul open to all temptations in their full power aiid strength. Satis- faction and delight in creature-comforts, the poison of the soul, will be apt to grow upon thee. In such a time be vigilant, be circum- spect, or thou wilt be surprised. Job says, that in his affliction " God made his heart soft," chap, xxiii. 16. There is a hardness, an in- sensible want of spiritual sense, gathered in prosperity, that, if not watched against, will expose the heart to the deceits of sin and baits of Satan. " Watch and pray" in this season. Many men's negligence in it hath cost them dear; their woful experience cries out to take heed. Blessed is he that feareth always, but especially in a time of prosj^erity.
(2.) As in part was manifested before, a time of the slumber of grace, of neglect in communion with God, of formality in duty, is a season to be watched in, as that wdiich hath certainly some other temptation attending it.
Let a soul in such an estate awake and look about him. His enemy is at hand, and he is ready to fall into such a condition as may cost him dear all the days of his life. His present estate is bad enough in itself; but it is an indication of that which is worse that lies at the door. The disciples that were with Christ in the moimt had not only a bodily, but a spiritual drowsiness upon them. What says our Saviour to them? " Arise; watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation." We know how near one of them was to a bitter hour of temptation, and not watching as he ought, he immediately entered into it.
I mentioned before the case of the spouse, Cant. v. 2-8. She slept, and was drowsy, and unwilling to giixl up herself to a vigorous per- formance of duties, in a way of quick, active communion with Christ. Before she is aware, she hath lost her Beloved ; then she moans, inquires, cries, endures woundings, reproaches, and all, before she obtains him again. Consider, then, O poor soul, thy state and condi-
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tion! Doth thy light burn dmi? or though it give to others as great a blaze as formerly, yet thou seest not so clearly the face of God in Christ by it as thou hast done? 2 Cor. iv. 6. Is thy zeal cold? or if it do the same works as formerly, yet thy heart is not warmed with the love of God and to God in them as formerly, but only thou pro- ceedest in the course thou hast been in? Art thou negligent in the duties of praying or hearing? or if thou dost observe them, thou doest it not Avith that life and vigour as formerly ? Dost thou flag in thy j)rofession? or if thou keep it up, yet thy wheels are oiled by some sinister respects from within or without ? Does thy delight m the people of God faint and grow cold? or is thy love to them chang- ing from that which is purely spiritual into that which is very carnal, upon the account of suitableness of principles and natural spirits, if not worse foundations? If thou art drowsing in such a condition as this, take heed; thou art falling into some woful temptation that will break all thy bones, and give thee wounds that shall stick by thee all the days of thy life. Yea, when thou awakest, thou wilt find that it hath indeed laid hold of thee already, though thou perceivedst it not; it hath smitten and wounded thee, though thou hast not com- plained nor sought for relief or healing.
Such was the state of the church of Sardis, Rev. iii. 2. "The things that remained were ready to die." " Be watchful," says our Saviour, " and strengthen them, or a worse thing mil befall thee." If any that reads the word of this direction be in this condition, if he hath any regard of his poor soul, let him now awake, before he be en- tangled beyond recovery. Take this warning from God; despise it not.
(3.) A season of great spiritual enjoyments is often, by the malice of Satan and the weakness of our hearts, turned into a season of danger as to this business of temptation.
We know how the case stood with Paul, 2 Cor. xii. 7. He had glorious spiritual revelations of God and Jesus Christ. Instantly Satan falls upon him, a messenger from him buffets him ; so that he earnestly begs its departure, but yet is left to struggle with it. God is pleased sometimes to give us especial discoveries of himself and his love, to fill the heart with his kindness; Christ takes us into the banqueting-house, and gives our hearts their fills of love; and this by some signal work of his Spirit, overpowering us with a sense of love in the unspeakable privilege of adoption, and so fills our souls with joy unspeakable and glorious. A man would think this was the securest condition in the world. What soul does not cry with Peter in the mount, " It is good for me to be here; to abide here for ever?" But yet very frequently some bitter temptation is now at hand. Satan sees that, being possessed by the joy before us, we quickly