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A52375 Godly adversity far better than wicked prosperity, or, The rage of the wicked, should not hinder the race of the Godly being a few comfortable reasons or encouragements against the fear and terrour of man : very seasonable & sutable [sic] for the consideration of God's people in this day of tryal, to fortifie them against all troubles and oppositions whatsoever : together with a heavenly discourse concerning the saints in their kingdom, wherein is discovered the excellency of the kingdom itself, and the wonderful glory and happiness of the saints in their heavenly habitation / by Edward Noble ... Noble, Edward. 1661 (1661) Wing N1197; ESTC R4611 58,130 70

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Heavenly Calling by a cheerful continuing in the paths of Holiness Oh! let us take heed that our Actions do not witness against our Words and our Conversations give our Profession the lye But as we bear a Heavenly Profession so let us lead a Heavenly Conversation and let us not suffer our hearts and affections to run out after the things of this Life But if we be risen with Christ let us seek those things which are above and set our Affections there where we profess our Portion is and let us manifest our selves to be Heirs of this Kingdom by our constant continuing in the work of the Kingdom and let us not shame our selves nor disgrace our Royal Profession with doring upon the beggerly things of this World but let us make it appear to the World that we are the Sons of God and Heirs of Heaven by abounding in the fruits of the Spirit and devoting our selves to Heavenly things and let us take heed that we do not defile our selves with any of the works of Darkness nor stain our Heavenly Reputation with wandring in the filthy paths of Iniquity For we that profess our selves to be Heirs of this Glorious Kingdom we must not expect to walk as other Gentiles walk in the vanity of their minds and in the lusts of the flesh for if we do we must expect to be rewarded accordingly But we must if we expect a better Reward than others exercise our selves in a better Work than others and we must put off our former Conversation and cast away the old Man with his deeds which is corrupt and be renewed in the Spirit of our Minds and put on the new Man which after God is created in Righteousness true Holiness that so we may adorn our Princely Profession and walk worthy of the Vocation wherewith we are Called For pray consider what an unsuitable thing it would be for a Prince or one that is Heir to an Earthly Kingdom to go up and down in Beggers Apparel and associate himself with the meanest and basest of the People and expose himself to such a contemptible Course of life as to spend his time in the works of drudgery and slavish employment and take up his lodging with Beggers on a dunghil or under a hedge and yet keep up his Princely Profession and proclaim himself to be the Son of a King and Heir to a Kingdom I say it would be accounted a very unsuitable thing and a great dishonour to one of his degree and it would very much stain and diminish his Reputation in the eyes of the World and render him very ridiculous amongst his Friends and Relations How much more would it be an unsuitable thing for us that professe our selves to be the Children of GOD and Princes of HEAVEN and Heirs to an ETERNAL Kingdom if we should suffer the rags of unrighteousness to rest upon us and go along with the wicked in the paths of impurity and exercise our selves in the Devils drudgery and set our affections upon the unprofitable dunghils of this Life take up our lodging here under the hedges of Earthly Vanity Oh! how unsuitable would it be to our Heavenly Profession And how greatly would it derogate from God and diminish the Reputation of Godliness And how unworthy and unfit should we render our selves of such a Glorious Inheritance and we should cause the way of Truth to be mightily abused and manifest our selves to be no better than Hypocrites Therefore now let us endeavour to regulate and order our Conversations aright in the fear of the Lord and to walk circumspectly both in Words and Actions redeeming the time because the dayes are evil and let no corrupt Communication proceed out of our mouths nor no corrupt Actions be seen in our lives but rather let the appearance of Gods Grace unto our Souls teach as to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live soberly and righteously in this present evil World that so we may walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing increasing and abounding in the fruits of the Spirit and continuing and persevering in the way of the Lord all the dayes of our lives to the Praise and Glory of him who hath called us to such a Heavenly Glorious unmoveable Kingdom Now the God of Peace that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus that great Shepherd of the Sheep through the blood of the Everlasting Covenant make us perfect in every good Work to do his Will working in us that which is well-pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ our Lord To whom with the Father through the Spirit of Grace be Blessing and Glory Wisdom and Thanksgiving Honour and Power Might Majesty and Dominion now henceforth and for evermore Amen THE END
time to put under his everlasting Arm to bear up their Souls and support them under the worst of Tryals and in his due time to deliver them out of all their Afflictions Well but wee 'l see what the Scripture sayes concerning this matter See first Psal 23.4 Yea sayes the Psalmist though I walk through the valley of the shadow of Death yet will I fear no evil Mark how bold and resolute the Psalmist is in the midst of strange Difficulties As much as if he should say Although I should walk in a dangerous valley and mine Enemies at the top of the Hill ready to overwhelm me with destruction and though Death should pursue me and be as near to me as my shadow yet will I fear no evil Why David what 's the matter that thou art so exceedingly transported above the fear of evil Certainly thou hast some Reason for it thou could'st never be so full of Courage in such eminent Danger as thou speakest of if thou hadst not something more than ordinary to Support thy Spirit See the Reason therefore in the following words THE LORD IS WITH ME. There 's the business there 's that which is sufficient to fortify my Soul against all fear whatsoever Thy ROD and thy STAFF they Comfort me As much as if he should say Although thy Rod doth a little Correct me yet thy Staff doth exceedingly Support me and thy PRESENCE doth very much Refresh me and betwixt them all I am mightily filled with Comfort and Encouragement Thus the Saints and People of God should Plead their Interest in him in a day of Adversity and he will make all things Comfortable and pleasant unto their Souls and nothing shall be able to make them afraid See also Psal 46.1 2 3. God is our Refuge and Strength a very present help in time of Trouble Well what then What use doth the Psalmist make of this Why therefore will we not fear though the Earth should be removed and though the Mountains be carried into the midst of the Sea though the Waters thereof roar and be troubled and though the Mountains shake with the swelling thereof Here 's an admirable Spirit filled with Confidence and godly Resolution in the strength of the Lord Challenging as it were the greatest Terrours on Earth to shew themselves in their greatest Rage and Fury yet they shall not so much as diminish his Courage nor make him afraid And the Reason of all is this GOD IS OUR REFUGE AND STRENGTH So that it seems the Consideration of God's supporting Presence is or ought to be one great Reason or Encouragement to bear up our Souls in the worst of Troubles Therefore when troubles do attend us and when our Enemies are most implacable against us and talk of Stoning of us and Banishing of us and putting of us to Death and the like let us with David encourage our selves in the Lord our God 1 Sam. 30.6 And let us consider the Lord is with us and he is a present Help in time of Trouble and if God be for us who can be against us Therefore saith God Isa 41.10 Fear thou not for I am with thee be not dismaid for I am thy God I will strengthen thee yea I will help thee yea I will uphold thee with the right hand of my Righteousness As much as if God should say Although all the World should be against thee yet fear thou not keep close to me and I will be with thee and although thou hast never so many Enemies and Adversaries to oppose thee yet be not dismaid for I am thy God and I will strengthen thee And though they set themselves against thee to wrong and oppress thee yet be of good chear I will help thee and take thy part against them And though they think to Conquer thy Spirit and subdue the strength of thy Inward-man by Imprisoning and Punishing of thee yet be not troubled at that do but put thy Trust in me and depend upon me and I will uphold thee with the right hand of my Righteousness Therefore seeing the Lord is so much engaged for the good of his People let 's not fear what man can do unto us Reas 2. Why we should not fear man Because the Lord himself will engage and fight against the Enemies of his People and bring them to a reckoning for all their Malice and Cruelty towards them though they may tyrannize and insult over God's Heritage for a time and magnifie themselves against the Lord and his Jewels yet the time will come when the Lord himself 〈◊〉 appear against them in Wrath and Judgement and dash them in ●●●ces like a Potter's Vessel for their Rage and Cruelty against his People Therefore this may be another Reason to arm us against the fear of Man because the Lord hath engaged to deal with our Adversaries in Judgement and Recompence Fury upon our Enemies for all their Tyranny towards us and will assuredly work Deliverance and Salvation for his People from all their Troubles See that notable Text Isa 49.25 26. But thus saith the Lord Even the Captives of the Mighty shall be taken away and the Prey of the Terrible shall be delivered for I will contend with them that contendeth with thee and I will save thy Children and I will feed them that oppress thee with their own flesh and they shall be drunken with their own blond as with swoet Wine and all flesh shall know that I the Lord am thy Saviour and the Mighty One of Jacob thy Redeemer Thus the Lord will one Day deal with the enemies of his People when they have filled up the Measure of their Iniquity then they shall assuredly Drink the dreggs of the Cup of God's Fury and when they are at the highest raging and roaring and swelling in Malice like the Sea against the People of the Lord then is their destruction the nearest and then is Sions Deliverance near at hand Read and Consider well that Scripture Isa 17.12 13 14. compared with Chap. 59.15 to the latter end Wo to the multitude of many People which make a noise like the noise of the Seas and like the rushing of many Waters the Nations shall Rush like the Rushings of mighty Waters But GOD SHALL REBUKE them And they shall flee and be chased as the Chaff of the Mountains before the wind and as Thistle-down before a Whirle-wind Behold this is the Portion of them that spoil us and the Lot of them that Rob us c. Oh! Little doth our Enemies Consider what mischief they are a heaping upon their own heads when they drive on so furiously against the People of God and Persecute the innocent Lambs of Jesus Christ without a Cause What account do you think they can give to the Lord when he shall call them to a Reckoning for these things And how will they be able to stand before the Lord when he shall bring them to a Tryal for dragging his People out of their Houses
and GLORY Therefore he strictly charged them to walk worthy or sutable to that great Love of God which had graciously called them to such a GLORIOUS Kingdom And further saith he in another place Rom. 8.18 I Reckon that the Sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the GLORY which shall be revealed There will be such Inestimable Glory revealed in and for the Saints when they enjoy this Kingdom as there is nothing comparable thereunto there is nothing here below worth the naming in comparison thereof Therefore sayes he in another place 2 Cor 4.17 Our Light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and Eternal weight of GLORY So that this is also another thing which doth very much Demonstrate the Excellency of this Kingdom It is not onely a Heavenly Kingdom but a Heavenly Kingdom of GLORY And there is a Crown of Glory in it laid up for all the Little Flock of Christ 1 Pet. 5.1 3 4. verses 3. Lastly It is an unmoveable Kingdom or a Kingdom which cannot be moved It is such a Kingdom as can never be shaken nor moved by all the Powers on Earth nor it can never be thrown down nor destroyed by all the strength in the World All the Force and Violence that men and Devils can use against it can never shake nor move the Foundation of this Kingdom It far exceeds all the Kingdoms on Earth in this particular also For alas all the Kingdoms on Earth are Changeable and Mutable and are very subject to be subdued and destroyed by Power and strength But the Saints Kingdom is Unchangeable and Immutable an Inheritance which fadeth not away Alas the Kingdoms of this World are at no certainty they are often altering and changing in their affairs Sometimes to one thing and sometimes to another sometimes High and sometimes Low sometimes Rich and sometimes Poor sometimes Gaining and sometimes Losing sometimes Peace and sometimes War sometimes Prosperity and sometimes Adversity Alwayes Ebbing and Flowing Rising and Falling Changing and Turning from one thing to another Till many times Kings are even weary of their Kingdoms And again in the Kingdoms of this World things are so Mutable and subject to Change that it 's possible a man may be a King to day and a Beggar to morrow a man may be upon the Throne to day and upon the Dunghil to morrow a man may be in great Honour to day and in great Reproach to morrow yea a man may be a Ruler to day and over-ruled himself to morrow so variable and changable are even the best things of this life By which means all things here below are but vanity and vexation of spirit But now it is not so in the Saints Kingdom it 's altogether Unmovable and Unchangable there 's nothing can alter or change the Excellency of that Kingdom there 's nothing can stain the Glory nor diminish the Beauty of that Kingdom but as it is a Heavenly Kingdom now so it will be a Heavenly Kingdom for EVER and as it is a Glorious Kingdom now so it will be a Glorious Kingdom for Ever and as it is full of Beauty and Majesty now so it will be full of Beauty and Majesty for EVER So that this is also another thing which doth exceedingly proclaim the Excellency of this Kingdom Therefore saith the Apostle Heb. 12.28 Wherefore we receiving a Kingdom which cannot be MOVED let us hold fast Grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with Reverence and godly Fear Mark not only a Kingdom but a Kingdom which CANNOT be MOVED not only a Building but an ETERNAL Building 2 Cor. 5.1 not only a City but a City which hath FOUNDATIONS whose Builder and Maker is God Heb. 11.10 not only an Inheritance but an INCORRUPTIBLE Inheritance which fadeth not away 1 Pet. 1.4 So that these three things seriously considered do exceedingly discover the unspeakable Excellency of that Kingdom which the Saints and People of God shall one day receive for their Reward and Portion First It is a HEAVENLY Kingdom Secondly It is a GLORIOUS Kingdom Thirdly It is an UNMOVABLE Kingdom Which being put together make a HEAVENLY GLORIOUS UNMOVABLE Kingdom An excellent Habitation an appointed Portion a precious Reward for the People of God So much shall suffice concerning the Excellency of this Kingdom it self I shall now come to speak something concerning the Priviledges of God's People in this Kingdom and endeavour to give you a glimpse or a Discovery of that Glory and Happiness which the Saints shall be made partakers of in this Heavenly Glorious Unmovable Kingdom The Happiness and Priviledges of God's People in this Kingdom consist in these two general Heads First A Freedome from all Evill Secondly An Enjoyment of all Good But more particularly First They shall be all Righteous and without Sin they shall be altogether pure and without spot they shall be altogether clean and without Corruption they shall be altogether Holy and without Pollution This is a glorious State and one excellent Priviledge that the Saints shall be made partakers of in this Heavenly Kingdom They shall be wholly freed from Sin and Iniquity and put out of a Capacity of ever Sinning more Oh! this is a blessed Priviledge indeed and much to be desired and longed after Oh! saith many a gracious Soul If I were but altogether free from Sin and Iniquity I should think my self in a happy Condition indeed Oh! If I were but in such a State as that I could never Sin against God what a blessed Condition should I be in But this is such a Condition as cannot be attained on this side the Grave this is such a Priviledge as cannot be found in an Earthly Pilgrimage for alas now we are subject to Sin every day and lyable to fall into Iniquity every hour and many Temptations offer themselves unto us and spread themselves before us and many times occasion us to Sin against the Lord and endanger the destruction of our Souls But now when the Saints enjoy this Kingdom they shall be altogether free from Sin and Iniquity and perfectly Pure and Undefiled before the Lord And all Temptations and all occasions of Sin shall be wholly removed and taken away and they shall never be in a Capacity to Sin any more against the Lord but they shall be all a Tree of Righteousness planted by the pure hand of the Lord And there shall be no more Curse but the Throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it and his Servants shall Reign and serve him for Ever and Ever Revel 22.3 5. See also Revel 14.5 And in their mouth was found no guile for they are WITHOUT FAULT before the Throne of God There 's nothing of GUILT to be laid to their Charge there 's nothing of BLAME to be found amongst them there 's none can accuse them of any FAULT But they are altogether RIGHTEOUS without SIN and they shall inherit the
Land for Ever that God may be Glorified Isa 60.21 This is one great Priviledge and one Branch of that Happiness which the Saints shall be made partakers of in this HEAVENLY Kingdom But Secondly Another is this 2. They shall be wholly freed from all Sorrow and from all Trouble of what nature soever they shall be wholly freed from all manner of Grief and Anguish from all manner of Distress and Misery and they shall never know what belongs to Sorrow any more Alas now we are subject to much Sorrow and Misery to much Trouble and Distress and many distempers of Body and defects of Nature do dayly attend us and several Afflictions are every day ready to seize upon us as Sickness Lameness Blindness Hunger and Cold and many other Troubles and Miseries are every day ready to fall upon the outward man in this life which many times occasion great grief and sorrow of heart and great trouble and perplexity of spirit and great complainings under the burthen of bitter Afflictions But now it is not so in this Heavenly Kingdom for when the Saints receive their Portion there then all Sorrow and Trouble shall quite be removed and all occasions of Grief and Anguish shall be wholly taken away and there shall be no more cause of Complaint under the burthen of any Affliction nor no more cause of Grief under the sence of any Misery for they shall hunger no more neither shall they thirst any more neither shall the Sun light on them nor any heat for the Lamb which is in the midst of the Throne shall feed them and shall lead them into Fountains of living Waters and God shall wipe away all Tears from their eyes and there shall be no more Death nor no more Sorrow nor no more Crying neither shall there be any more Pain for all such things shall be past'd away and shall never have a Being in this Heavenly Kingdom Revel 7.16 17. 21.4 Here 's another excellent Priviledge that the Saints shall be made partakers of in this glorious Kingdom they shall never any more taste of Sorrow nor never any more be acquainted with Grief they shall never any more be troubled with Afflictions nor never any more fall under Distress though now it may be they may be laden with Afflictions and burthened with Misery yet the time will come when Afflictions shall fly away and Misery shall be no more For all Trouble shall be swallowed up in Victory and the Lord God will wipe away Tears from off all Faces and the rebuke of his People shall be wholly taken away for the Lord hath spoken it Isa 25.8 Oh! what an Eminent Priviledge will this be for poor despised Saints to be made partakers of Oh! what a blessed condition will they be in that are subjects of this Glorious Kingdom There is no condition on Earth so happy nor no State in the World so Excellent nor no enjoyment under the Sun worthy to be compared with the least Priviledge in this Heavenly Kingdom there is no condition on Earth so happy but it 's subject to misery there is no condition on Earth so joyful but its subjects to sorrow there is no condition on Earth so pleasant but it is subject to pain but now the Saints in their Kingdom shall be wholly delivered from all their afflictions and shall never know what belongs to Trouble any more They shall be wholly exempted from all their Infirmities and be crowned with Perfection without any change So that this is another Excellent Priviledge or a second Branch of that Happiness which the Saints shall be made partakers of in this Heavenly Kingdom But Thirdly Another is this 3. They shall dwell with God and Christ and see them Face to Face they shall be received into the presence of God and behold his Glory and they shall sit down in the presence of the Lamb and behold his Beauty they shall be so much honoured by God and promoted by Jesus Christ as to be Companions with them in Glory and dwell in their presence continually Here 's another Excellent Priviledge and Emninent Dignity which the Saints shall be made partakers of in this Glorious Kingdom They shall not onely be freed from shame and reproach but they shall also be Crowned with Honour and Dignity Their eyes shall not onely be freed from vain sights and Terrible objects but they shall also be Blessed with Heavenly Visions and Sights of God and dwell in the presence of the Lamb continually It 's counted a great Honour and an Excellent Priviledge amongst the Men of the World to behold the face of an Earthly King or to be admitted into the presence of a great Person But it 's counted more Honour to be one of the Family and DWELL in his Presence and to be a Companion with Him in his Honour and Dignity But now the Saints in their Kingdom shall have tenfold more Honour and Dignity than all this I mean in Reference to this particular besides all the Rest they shall have more Honour than to behold the face of an Earthly King for they shall behold the face of him that is King of Kings and Lord of Lords they shall have more Honour than to be admitted into the presence of a great Man on Earth for they shall be admitted into the presence of a Great God in Heaven And not onely so but they shall be of his Family and DWELL with him and be Companions with him in his Glorious Kingdom Therefore says the Psalmist Psal 140.13 Surely the Righteous shall give thanks unto thy Name The Upright shall DWELL in thy presence Mark it doth not say onely They shall BE in thy presence for a Little Time But they shall ' DWELL in thy presence They shall continue and abide in thy presence as Persons belonged and related to thy House and Family And they shall sit at the Table with Jesus Christ and see his Face and his Name shall be in their Foreheads and they shall be known to be his servants for Ever Revel 22.4 Luke 22.30 Therefore sayes Christ Joh. 14.3 If I go to prepare a place for you I will come again and receive you unto my Self that where I am THERE Ye may be also So that it seems where the Lord Christ is Exalted there must the Saints be Exalted And where the Lord Christ takes up his habitation there must the Saints be received And they shall dwell in his presence and see him as he is Therefore sayes the Apostle 1 Cor. 13.12 Now we see through a Glass darkly but then we shall see face to face now we know but in part but then we shall know even as also we are known So that this is also another Excellent Priviledge or a third Branch of that Happiness which the Saints shall be made partakers of in this Heavenly Kingdom They shall DWELL in the Presence of the Lord and continually behold the Majesty of God But Fourthly Another is this 4. They
Reward shall be SURE and NEVER be removed Their Joy shall ALWAYES continue and NEVER be taken away But as they are glorious and beautiful at first so they shall be glorious and beautiful for EVER and as they are rich and honourable at first so they shall be rich and honourable for EVER and as they are blessed and happy at first so they shall be blessed and happy for EVER ALWAYES rejoycing in fulness of Glory and praising the Lord to ALL ETERNITY Therefore sayes the Psalmist Psal 16.11 In thy presence is fulness of joy and at thy right hand are pleasures for EVERMORE So also the Prophet Esay in Chap. 61.7 For their shame they shall have double and for confusion they shall rejoyce in their portion they shall inherit the Land for EVER and EVERLASTING Joy shall be unto them Mark Not only Pleasures but Pleasures for EVERMORE not only Joy but EVERLASTING Joy They shall not only have double Glory for all their Shame and a joyful Portion for all their Confusion but it shall be of an EVERLASTING nature and shall continue for EVER There 's nothing shall be able to diminish their Joy nor nothing shall be able to put an end to their Glory for the portion of Righteousness shall be Peace and the effect thereof ASSURANCE for EVER Therefore sayes Christ Mat. 25.46 The wicked shall go into everlasting punishment but the righteous into life ETERNAL Again Whosoever shall leave or lose any thing for the sake of Christ shall be sure to receive a hundred fold and shall inherit EVERLASTING Life Mat. 19.29 They shall not only have a living portion and a plentiful reward for all their losses and crosses in this life but their portion shall be an EVERLASTING Portion and their Reward shall continue for ever and ever Therefore sayes the Apostle Gal. 6.8 He that soweth to the flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap Life EVERLASTING Here 's an Excellent Priviledge and a wonderful Portion here 's a blessed Reward and a happy Inheritance who is able to express the Heavenly happiness of glorified Saints in this eternal and unmoveable Kingdom They shall not only be filled with joy and crowned with glory but they shall so continue for ever and ever and enjoy the same to all ETERNITY So that all these things seriously considered do exceedingly discover the wonderful Happiness which the Saints shall be made partakers of in this heavenly Kingdom of glory Consider all these branches briefly in order together and then judge whether you have not great cause to admire the goodness of God towards his now Despised Saints and People Although indeed all that I have spoken concerning it is but a glimpse as it were of that Glory and Happiness which they shall enjoy when they shall come to receive the fulness of it in their Fathers Kingdom But yet in a Glass behold their Happiness First They shall dwell in a heavenly glorious unmoveable Kingdom Secondly They shall be altogether holy and pure without sin and iniquity Thirdly They shall be wholly freed from all manner of sorrow and trouble of what nature soever Fourthly They shall dwell in the presence of God and of the Lamb and see them face to face and behold their Glory Fifthly They shall have glorious bodies full of splendor and beauty like unto Jesus Christ Sixthly They shall have altogether glorious company and blessed society their meanest companions shall be heavenly Angels Seventhly They shall have fulness of unspeakable joy and be exceedingly crowned with unspeakable happiness Lastly And all this shall be eternal even for ever and ever Oh tast and see that the Lord is gracious blessed are all they that put their trust in him Thus having given you a discovery in some measure of that Glory and Happiness which the Saints shall enjoy in their Fathers Kingdom I shall now come to make a little Use or Application of this comfortable Doctrine and so conclude this Heavenly subject Well then is it so That God is pleased to provide and prepare a Kingdom for his People Then in the next place by way of Discovery this will serve to discover two things to us concerning the People of God First It discovers the excellency of Gods People for if it be so That the Lord hath prepared such an excellent Kingdom for his People and accounts them worthy to enjoy such an excellent Reward Oh! then it must needs be true that the People of God are an excellent People and that they are wonderful high in Gods esteem And if it be so that the People of God shall be crowned with Glory and cloathed with Majesty in a heavenly Kingdom Oh! then it must needs be true that the People of God are a glorious People and wonderful precious in Gods account And if it be true that the People of God shall be counted worthy to dwell in his presence and behold his Glory then it appears that the People of God are an honourable People and wonderful famous in the sight of God Though it may be they are much despised and trampled under foot by the men of this World yet be it known unto all That there 's none in the world so excellent as they And though they are much reproached and branded with shame by the men of the world yet of a truth there is none in the world so glorious as they And though they are counted the filth and the off-scouring of the world by ungodly people yet there is none in the world so honourable as they For pray consider The poorest and meanest of Gods People are Princes of Heaven and they that are most despised are now Heirs of a glorious Kingdom and joint heirs with Jesus Christ It 's counted a great honour and dignity amongst men to be an earthly Prince or an Heir to an earthly Kingdom and he that is Heir to an earthly Crown is counted an excellent Person and worthy of honour and great respect But the meanest of Gods People are far more excellent than he for they are all the Sons and Daughters of the living God and Heirs with Christ to a heavenly Crown and Kingdom And they are so lovely and honourable in the sight of God as that he accounts them his Jewels and esteems them his peculiar Treasure and tenders them as he tenders the Apple of his own Eye This is such an honour and dignity as all the Kings on earth are not able to reach unto nor all the Princes great men under the Sun are not able to claim an interest in such an Excellent Priviledge I mean not by vertue of their earthly power and greatness except they are such as belong to the number of Saints and so invested with glory from Heaven Therefore the meanest Saint in the world is far more excellent and honourable than the greatest Monarch on Earth Therefore sayes David Psal 16.3 My goodness extendeth not unto