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

First, they are the chosen of God, they are those ⟨p. 208⟩which the Lord in his eternal counsels, hath set apart for himself; the counsels of God from all eternity have wrought for their good; and this is manifested unto a gracious heart, The Lord hath set apart a godly man for himself, says the Psalmist in Psal. 4. They are those that are the consecrated ones of God; consecrated and devoted things, though they were never so mean, were exceedingly esteemed of; if it were but leather, or wood, or never so mean a thing that was in the tabernacle, and consecrated to God, it was highly esteemed: Those that are superstitious, if there be any thing they think is a holy relic, though never so mean, what a high esteem they have of it?

First, they are the chosen of God, they are those ⟨p. 208⟩which the Lord in his eternal counsels, hath set apart for himself; the counsels of God from all eternity have wrought for their good; and this is manifested unto a gracious heart, The Lord hath set apart a godly man for himself, says the Psalmist in Psal. 4. They are those that are the consecrated ones of God; consecrated and devoted things, though they were never so mean, were exceedingly esteemed of; if it were but leather, or wood, or never so mean a thing that was in the tabernable, and consecrated to God, it was highly esteemed: Those that are superstitious, if there be any thing they think is a holy relique, though never so mean, what a high esteem they have of it?

It is reported of Apries, a King of Egypt, who was of a base birth, for which some despised him; wherefore of a great Basin of gold, in which he and his guests were wont to wash their feet, he made an Image, and set it up in an eminent place in the City, and observing the superstitious devotions of the people thereunto, Now, says he, though the King be of mean birth, he is not to be respected the less: It is true, the Saints of God for their outwards are mean, but their consecration puts glory upon them. I have read of the people of the East-Indies, in the Isle Zeylon, who having an Apes tooth got from them, which was a consecrated thing by them, they offered an incredible mass of treasure to recover it; and if so be a consecrated thing, though so base in it self, be so highly esteemed for the consecration sake, how much more an immortal soul, that hath so many graces, as pearls set glittering in it, being consecrated unto God?