Moses his choice with his eye fixed upon Heaven, discovering the happy condition of…

Many Ministers think if they should be poor and mean, every one would contemn their Ministry, and therefore they think the way to have their Ministry respected, is to get great livings; this certainly is a false way: A poor godly man that walks in his Ministry faithfully, and conscionably, will gain more respect, then others by all their great preferments. As it was the speech of Boniface, that was a Martyr; one asked him, whether it was lawful to give the Wine in the Sacrament in a wooden cup; Time was, says he, when there were wooden Chalices, and golden Priests; but now there are golden Chalices, and wooden Priests: This was the way of Papistry, for to have outward bravery, and thought to gain mens devotion that way; but when there were wooden Chalices, when things were carried meanly, that did not take away the dignity of the Ministry, but by the holiness of their lives, they were esteemed of the more, and the Ordinances were not accounted the worse ⟨p. 226⟩by the outward simplicity of them, but the better. Let us that are acquainted with any thing of the mind of God, know that there are better things to gain respect to Religion, and to our selves by, then all the outward things; be not afraid therefore of sufferings, be godly, and let sufferings be never so much, and your name will be precious. Those who wandered up and down in sheep-skins, and goat-skins, Heb. 11. yet obtained a good report by faith.

Many Ministers think if they should be poor and mean, every one would contemn their Ministery, and therefore they think the way to have their Ministery respected, is to get great livings; this certainly is a false way: A poor godly man that walks in his Ministery faithfully, and conscionably, will gain more respect, then others by all their great preferments. As it was the speech of Boniface, that was a Martyr; one askt him, whether it was lawful to give the Wine in the Sacrament in a wooden cup; Time was, says he, when there were wooden Chalices, and golden Priests; but now there are golden Chalices, and wooden Priests: This was the way of Papistry, for to have outward bravery, and thought to gain mens devotion that way; but when there were wooden Chalices, when things were carryed meanly, that did not take away the dignity of the Ministery, but by the holiness of their lives, they were esteemed of the more, and the Ordinances were not accounted the worse ⟨p. 226⟩