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

Many times under mean outsides, there are precious things within; in earthen vessels, rich treasures. The Tabernacle of God, covered meanly outwardly, and yet precious within. It is said of Christ himself, that he had no form and comeliness at all outwardly, ⟨p. 201⟩Isa. 53. No beauty to a carnal eye: And yet in Cant. 5. where the Church is put upon the description of Christ, she says, He is altogether lovely; altogether desires, so it is in the Original: See what a different esteem is of Christ in the thoughts of the world, and the thoughts of a gracious heart: And as of Christ, so of Christians, Christ is precious to them that do believe; To you he is precious (says the Apostle) but ¹to others a rock of offence; so to a godly gracious heart, the godly are precious, though contemned of those that are ungodly. The arguments that a gracious heart goes upon, or reasons why a spiritual eye should see so much excellency in Gods people, under their outward means, are,

1. 1Why a gracious heart sees so mueh excellency in Gods people, under outward meanness.

First, because they judge as God judges; it is of ¹the Spirit of God that they have received, and therefore they must needs judge of things as God judgeth. A child esteems of things usually as his father doth; if there be any of you manifest a slight esteem of any among whom you live, before your children, your children will have the like esteem of them; if you manifest a high esteem of any, your children will do the like: Hence it is, if those that are profane, do despise and scorn at Gods people before their children, their children will quickly learn to despise them: Now because Gods people have Gods Spirit, and God is their Father, they judge as their Father does. Righteous men and Kings, in Scripture phrase, are made all one; those who are Righteous, God looks upon as Kings, and such as are Kings, are not respected of God, if they be not Righteous: Compare those two Scriptures,