The saints inheritance and the worldlings portion representing the glorious condition of a child…

Lastly, (to name no more) the excellency of the Saints appears in this, the great use that they are of in the world. As especially this is one thing that God attains in them his great aim and end in creating the whole world. Were it not for a few gracious men, and women, what glory should God have in all the world? They are those that hold up the glory of God in the world, by which God hath his glory actively; for that is that God aims at. It is true God can force glory in spite of mens hearts, he will be glorified in spite of Devils: but God hath no active glory, but from gracious, godly people (I speak of the inferior ⟨p. 146⟩world) it is only the godly that God hath glory from. Therefore were it not for them God (in some kind) had made all the world for nothing. Now those that are employed in such a great work, and are of this great use in the world, as to bring to God that which he made the world for, the main, and great end that he made heaven and earth for; certainly these are principal in Gods esteem, and excellent. God can say I have my end in these: Take any town where there are but two or three that are godly, what glory hath God but of these? So for other places where hath God glory but for a few contemptible ones? They are these that God glorifies in high and great services: these are the lights of the world, the salt of the earth: they are these that are the blessings of the world wheresoever they are; they are these for whom the world continueth so as it doth. There is a notable expression in Isaiah, In that day shall Israel be the third with Egypt, and with Assyria, even a blessing in the ⟨p. 147⟩middest of the Land, whom the Lord of hosts shall bless, saying, blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel mine inheritance. Isaiah 19.24.25. Wheresoever they are in a Kingdom, or a family, or a town, they are a blessing in that Kingdom, in that town, and in that family. Israel shall be a blessing in the middest of the Land. These are they that are the excellent of the earth.

Lastly, (to name no more) the excellency of the Saints appears in this, the great use that they are of in the world. As especially this is one thing that God attains in them his great aim and end in creating the whole world. Were it not for a few gracious men, and women, what glory should God have in all the world? They are those that hold up the glory of God in the world, by which God hath his glory actively; for that is that God aims at. It is true God can force glory in spight of mens hearts, he will be glorified in spight of Devils: but God hath no active glory, but from gracious, godly people (I speak of the inferiour