A sermon preached before the Right Honourable the House of Peers, in the Abbey…A sermon preached before the Right Honourable the House of Peeres, in the Abbey…

When he can set a due value and price upon the good things he enjoys, so as neither to prize them too low nor too high. Honours and riches are in themselves the good blessings of God, they come out of Gods good treasure. Deut. 28.12. The Lord will open to thee his good treasure. And if you be godly, they are unto you the fruit of the Promise, they are given to you as encouragements in the ways of God, as good utensils for Gods service, giving you larger opportunities for the work of the Lord, then those have who are poor. I beseech you, Right Honourable, consider of this one note, it is an excellent argument of truth of grace, yea and of a good measure of grace, to account the excellency of honours and riches to consist in this, that they give larger opportunities for the service of God, then others have, who are in a lower condition; to make the estimate of your honours and estates, by the opportunity of your service. A poor man may be as precious to God as you, but he can do but little for him, because he hath not those outward helps that ye have. You enjoy great mercies, but wherein lies the excellency of them? can you say as in the presence of God, I bless God for these outward mercies I have, but that which enlarges my heart most in blessing his Name for them, is the large opportunities they afford me to honour his Name, which otherwise I should not have? Many great men make the estimate of their honours and estates to be this, they have more ability and opportunity ⟨p. 18⟩by them to satisfy their lusts without control, which others have not.

When he can set a due value and price upon the good things he enjoyes, so as neither to prize them too low nor too high. Honours and riches are in themselves the good blessings of God, they come out of Gods good treasure. Deut. 28.12. The Lord will open to thee his good treasure. And if you be godly, they are unto you the fruit of the Promise, they are given to you as encouragements in the wayes of God, as good utensils for Gods service, giving you larger opportunities for the work of the Lord, then those have who are poore. I beseech you, Right Honourable, consider of this one note, it is an excellent argument of truth of grace, yea and of a good measure of grace, to account the excellency of honours and riches to consist in this, that they give larger opportunities for the service of God, then others have, who are in a lower condition; to make the estimate of your honours and estates, by the opportunity of your service. A poore man may be as precious to God as you, but he can doe but little for him, because he hath not those outward helps that ye have. You enjoy great mercies, but wherein lyes the excellency of them? can you say as in the presence of God, I blesse God for these outward mercies I have, but that which enlarges my heart most in blessing his Name for them, is the large opportunities they afford me to honour his Name, which otherwise I should not have? Many great men make the estimate of their honours and estates to be this, they have more ability and opportunity