goes under the Name of a Kingdom, is becaufe in Heaven they are all of 'em Kings. Tho' there they ferve the Lord, yet fo it is, that they Live and Reign in Royal State and Kingly Height themselves. As the fame perfons may be both Servants, and Sons; So may they be Servants and Kings. Servants they muft needs be, who are Made of God, and still owe him Duty and Obedience, to whom they ever owe their Being and Life and All. And yet they are Sons too; Because Born of God; And alfo Kings, Because that Royal degree and Dignity is communicated to 'em by the King of Kings.

Kings of the Earth (you'll fay) they may be; (whom the Pfalmift cautions to be fo wife, as to ferve the Lord with Fear, and Rejoyce with Trembling, Pfal. 2. 10, 11.) But who can conceive or Believe, that any can be Servants, and yet Kings of the Heavenly Kingdom? Whether it gain Belief or not, This we have upon no less Credit, than that of God's own Word; Mat. 5. 3. Bleed are the Poor in Spirit; for their's is the Kingdom of Heaven. Mat. 25. 34. Come ye Blessed Children of my Father, Inherit the Kingdom. And Rev. 3. 21. To him that Overcomes will I grant to fit with me in my Throne. Here's the Promife made, yea, Poffeffion, and alfo Enthronement given. And what can all this fignify lefs than a

Participation

Participation of the Royalty, Power Wealth, Honour, and other Goods of the Heavenly Kingdom? If we Suffer, we shall alfo Reign with our Lord. 2 Tim. 2. 12. Yea, even fuch as may feem to ftand moft Remote from it, and not at all likely for it, (the very Poor of this World,) God has chofen to be Heirs of the Kingdom, which he has prepared for them that Love him. Jam. 2. 12.

Nor is this Kingdom at all Diminished, because fo Participated, even by the Innumerable company, that are made fo Bleffed. For 'tis nothing like the poor Earthly Kingdoms here, that will not abide fuch Partition, without Diminution and Confumption. But the Kingdom of Heaven is whole to All, and whole to every One. Even as the Sun is feen wholly by each particular Perfon; and it Enlightens and Warms every one individually and fingly, as much as All together; and as if no o ther enjoyed the fame Benefit. This will be easier understood, when the Goods of the Heavenly Kingdom come to be explained. But first, the conditions and Qualifications of thefe Kings are to be confidered, That none may call in question the validity of this Reafon, why all the Blef fed fhould be fo called.

The two main Qualifications requifite in Kings are Wisdom and Juftice. With the Wifdom holy Scripture joins Prudence,

Coun

.

Counfel, and all thofe Accomplishments that pertain to the Understanding; and with the Justice, Clemency, and the rest of those Virtues that adorn and perfect the Will. Now in the Wisdom, 'tis required, that he who Reigns, fhould know how to Rule well, and in the Juftice, that his Heart be fet upon it.

So, when Solomon, in the Beginning of his Reign, was allowed of God, to Ask even what he would, He defir'd Wisdom as the Chief of thofe good Accomplishments requifite in Kings. And the Petition fo pleafed God, that he answer'd him in the wishes of his heart. Had he fo well bethought himself, as alfo to ask Righteoufnefs; It might have fecur'd him from falling as he did, into fo fcandalous Wickednefs. His Father pray'd better for him, Pfal. 72. I. Give the King thy Judgments, O God, and thy Righteousness to the King's Scri. For tho' Righteoufnefs cannot be without Wisdom; Yet there may be a fort of Wisdom feparate from Righteoufnefs. But both of thefe are ever conjunct in the Bleffed above. Tho' many of the Saints were Weak and Illiterate here on Earth; yet in Heaven they Commence Illuminati on a fudden, To See All in Him,who is the First Caufe of all: and prefently they exceed even Solomon in Wisdom, as well as Glory. There they fee not darkly, but Face to Face; and Know, not in Part, but

as

as they are known, 1 Cor. 13. 12. And tho' here, they had the Alloy of many Frailties hanging upon 'em, to fadden 'em; Yet above, all that's Imperfect is done away: And as to any manner of Sinning, They neither will nor ever can be further fo Concerned. Still beholding the pure infinite Good, They can neither Divert from it, nor chufe but most ardently to Love it. And their Love being, in the utmost fenfe, made Perfect, their Righteousness alfo is Compleat. And when fo accomplisht in Wif dom and Goodness, they are every way fitted to Rife fo High, and Reign for ever.

Rouze then, Chriftian, and with thy Mind, Afcend as high as poffible. Be-. think thyself what a Good is this, To Reign with God! Mount upon the Wings of Contemplation, to pierce the very Heavens; and behold the high Throne, in which our bleffed Lord and Saviour has promised the Saints to fit, even with Himfelf. Think if thou canft, how Superlative will be that Glory, To be fo Seated before a multitude of Angels, and proclaim'd a Conqueror over the World; And how tranfporting will be the Gladnefs, To have a total and Eternal Discharge from all manner of Labour and Danger. O how cheerfully may they now Work, and alfo Suffer for Chrift, who forefee by Faith, How they fhall Rife and alfo Reign with him?

And

And what can further be Defired, but to Participate of all his Goods? which is next to be confidered.

CHAP. V.

Concerning the Goods of God's Kingdom.

T HE laft Reafon, why the Saints Blifs in Heaven is fet forth under this Notion of a Kingdom, is because there they are Happy in the Enjoyment of all the Goods that a Kingdom can afford. Now, we will look upon thefe Goods of the Heavenly Kingdom, as bearing fome Refemblance to the Goods of an Earthly Kingdom: Only fo much Greater and Better, С as Heaven excells the Earth. And this 'will give fuch a Turn to the Balance, as to 'fhew us even an infinite Difproportion. What's prepared then for the Bleffed, is not called only a Kingdom, but the Kingdom of Heaven: That we may fuppofe fuch a proportion of Goods to Goods, as there is of Earth to Heaven; i. e. of a Narrow, Low, Sorry, Temporary matter, to the Acquifition that is moft Large, and High, and Rich, and Noble, and (which is more than all the reft,) Everlasting.

Now,