Poverty no lind'ance to the higl ;ell- degree in Heaven, eltate, yet a man of eflatc ll.oúld be chofen rather then ano- ther that is poore, becaufe it is not fo fit for a man that hath no &ate to have the dil oi'e of all other mens effates. But now when you come to the kingdome of Heaven, where there is nothing but fpirituall power, nothing but in a fpiriruall way wherein men are to deale with confciences,and no way to deal with mens elates nor outward liberty. The kingdome of Hea- ven concernes not the bufinelle of outward liberty or of+ate, but meerely to deale with mens con ciences in regard of their fpiriLuall eflates, in reference untoHeaven, Í lay now,whatever Offices there are in the Church, there ihould be no confidera.- tion of the &tares of men fo as to down weigh the leafs graine, ,if the poor& man have more Godlinetle_ and underftan- ding in the things of the kingdome of Heaven, h. rhould ra- ther be an Officer there then any man whatfoever that hath lefre underflanding in the things of the kingdome of Heaven, and therefore it's a carnali way to goe after that manner when they come to choofe Church Officers, then to think of the chiefe of the Pariah whither he be Godly or no It's true, if he were as Godly and underftanding as any other,then for him as well as another, but to make that to be the Tway of bufineßè though there be not that Godlinefhe nor únderftanding, I fay this to fute the Bate of the kingdome of Heaven to the world, whereas thole that are poor in that kingdome, they are capable of as high dignity there, as any whatfoever, and that's a great helpe and comfort to Godly Fo,ore peor le,that are par- takers of the kingdome of heaven,they have all the p, iviledges of this kingdome, they cannot enjoy the p iledges of a worldly kingdome, fo as others do, but they may enjoy to the full the priviledges of this kingdome. Sixthly, Even thole that are outwardly roor, if Godly they have right to all things in this world fo far as may be good for them, it's laid of . Abraham, (Rom: 4. r 3.) that he was the heir of the world, It is fpoken of Abraham as he was a beleever now every beleever is a child of Abraham, and every child of Abraham doth inherit Abrahams blelfing,and therefore every beleever is heir of the world. All is yours, and yon are Chr fir, ánd
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