Preached Auguff 17. 1662. 57 they highly efleemed,they now dif-efteemr thole perfons that before they efleerned a damp to their aniazh, they now look upon them as the excellentones of the Earth, Prov. 12. 26. - The righteous is more excellent than his neighbour. In the i6. PCalm, lays David, My good- refs extends not to thee, but to the Saints, the excellent ones in whom is all my delight. Here was a renewed eflimation, David law excellen- cy in thofe which worldlings defpifed. A carnal eye fees no glory but in carnal objeas : Worldlings blefs the Covetous, whom the Lord-abhor. A gracious heart, fees a fpiritual -worth in a man divefled of worldly enjoyments, as a curious eye may, and does fee a great deal of Art and Curiofity in a Pi&ure, though in a broken frame. A Beall can fee the fhiningof a Diamond, but knows not the worth of it : a beaft will rather lick up a lock of Hay, then a Diamond, though ofnever fo great value. A wicked man wants a fpirit ofdifcernang. The People ofGod are the Workmanfhip of God, which a godly man is very much taken withall ; not with the greatnefs, but with the goodnefs that is in them. The four Mo- narchs of the Earth, is expreft by four Beafts, which fliewe3 their cruelty, not their curiofity, in obferving that of God, which may be obferved. A child is taken with the gay, but a learned man is taken with the learning, and Art of a leffon. Thirdly, A child of God is one that highly ell eerns the people of God, judging of them as God judges. The child efleems as the father efteems : if the father cannot love any one, the ingenuous child cannot endure that he fhould come into the houfe. The cour- tier follows the favourite of the King ; whom the King honours, they cringe to.. But to be fure, it is true as to fpirituals : God judges not by the gold ring, or filken fhute : a finner is a vile per-. fon in Gods account, and fo he is in a godly mans account : God is more taken with a broken-hearted figh, than with all the gaudery in Solomons Temple. He did not chute the Eagle, or theLion for fa- crifice, but the Lamb and the Dove : not many noble, not many rich, but the poor hath God chofen : He that hath the choice of God, hath the life of God. 2d. Rearon. Is from the people of God that arebeheld. This will appear in five or fix particulars : Firft, The people of God, thole that are truly fuch,let their pre- fent condition he what it will, their end !hall be happy. Men are not regarded in reference to what they have in poffeflion, but what they fhall have in reverfion : the poor here are rich in faith, and null be rich in glory, a Pet. 3. chap. The people of God are heirs of glory, co-hears with Chriff : when he tall appear, theyball ap- pear
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=