(1.) By the kind of Mercies that we affect. There are some Mercies vouchsafed to the Creature that lie nearer to God than others do, and do least detain us from him: as his Image and Favour, or his renewing and reconciling Grace. When we love God, these are sought in the first place: As you shall see how the temper of the Saints is described, and distinguished from the temper of the brutish Multitude, Psal. 4. 6, 7. The Many say, Who will show us any good? but, Lord, lift thou up the light of thy Countenance upon us, and this will put gladness into our Hearts. The Many, the brutish Multitude seek an uncertain good, and they seek it from an uncertain Author; Who will show us? They do not acknowledge God in these common Mercies: but the Children of God must have his Favour; Lord, lift thou up the light of thy Countenance upon us: As the Beams of the Sun do cheer and refresh the Earth, this is that that doth revive their Souls. So Mat. 5. 6. Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after Righteousness. Well then, they that desire to be like God in Purity and Holiness, and to recover ⟨p. 107⟩his Favour lost by Sin, do certainly more love him than those, that only seek temporal Mercies from him. God's sanctifying Spirit witnessing his love to us, is the greatest gift can be bestowed in this Life, and will more witness his love, than any thing else can be given us. This the Saints seek after, that they may be like God, that they may be accepted, and wellpleasing unto God, this is all their Ambition; 2 Cor. 5. 9. Wherefore we labour, that whether present, or absent, we may be accepted of the Lord. Other things may please the Flesh, but that is not their design, those things that bring them nearer to God, take up their Mind and Heart. Now as it appears by the Mercies we affect, so it appears,
(1.) By the kind of Mercies that we affect. There are some Mercies vouchsafed to the Creature that lie nearer to God than others do, and do least detain us from him: as his Image and Favour, or his renewing and reconciling Grace. When we love God, these are sought in the first place: As you shall see how the temper of the Saints is described, and distinguished from the temper of the brutish Multitude, Psal. 4. 6, 7. The Many say, Who will shew us any good? but, Lord, lift thou up the light of thy Countenance upon us, and this will put gladness into our Hearts. The Many, the brutish Multitude seek an uncertain good, and they seek it from an uncertain Author; Who will shew us? They do not acknowledg God in these common Mercies: but the Children of God must have his Favour; Lord, lift thou up the light of thy Countenance upon us: As the Beams of the Sun do chear and refresh the Earth, this is that that doth revive their Souls. So Mat. 5. 6. Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after Righteousness. Well then, they that desire to be like God in Purity and Holiness, and to recover ⟨p. 107⟩his Favour lost by Sin, do certainly more love him than those, that only seek temporal Mercies from him. God's sanctifying Spirit witnessing his love to us, is the greatest gift can be bestowed in this Life, and will more witness his love, than any thing else can be given us. This the Saints seek after, that they may be like God, that they may be accepted, and wellpleasing unto God, this is all their Ambition; 2 Cor. 5. 9. Wherefore we labour, that whether present, or absent, we may be accepted of the Lord. Other things may please the Flesh, but that is not their design, those things that bring them nearer to God, take up their Mind and Heart. Now as it appears by the Mercies we affect, so it appears,
