1. That spiritual blessings are the best blessings that we can 1wish to our selves and others. The Apostles in their salutations do not wish temporal felicity but spiritual grace: Gods people pray for one another out of the communion of the Spirit, and for themselves out of a principle of the divine Nature; and therefore they do not seek wealth and honour for themselves or one another, but increase of Gods favour and Image. 'Tis true, Nature is allowed to speak in prayer, but grace must be heard first; our first and chiefest requests must be for mercy, peace and love, and then *other things shall be added to us; the way to be heard in other things, is first to beg for grace: Psal. 21. 4. He asked life of thee, and thou gavest him length of days for ever: Solomon sought wisdom, and together with it found riches and honour in great abundance. Well then, if thou prayest for thy self make a wise choice, beg for spiritual blessings; so David prayeth, Psal. 106. 4. Remember me, O Lord, with the favour that thou bearest unto thine own people; nothing less would content▪ him then Favourites mercy: other blessings are dispensed out of common pity to the generality of men, but these are mercies privilegiate, and given to Favourites; now saith David, of this mercy, Lord; no common blessing would serve his turn: So Psal. 119. 132. Look upon me, and be merciful to me, as thou usest to do to those that love thy Name: Surely that which God giveth to his people, that's a better mercy then that which God giveth to his enemies. Again, these are mercies that cost God dearer; they flow to you in the Blood of his own Son: yea, they are mercies that are better in themselves; wealth and honour may become a burden, yea, life it self may become a burden, but not mercy, not grace, not peace of Conscience; ⟨p. 69⟩and therefore they are better then life, Psal. 63. 3. then wealth, then honour: none ever complained of too much mercy, of too much love of God: These are blessings that swallow up other miseries, yea, the loss of other blessings; grace with poverty 'tis a *preferment, peace of Conscience with outward troubles is an happy condition: if there be a †flowing of spiritual comforts, as there is an ebbing of outward comforts, we are not much wronged; therefore▪ first seek these blessings. Again, If you pray for others, pray for grace in the first place;
1. That spiritual blessings are the best blessings that we can 1wish to our selves and others. The Apostles in their salutations do not wish temporal felicity but spiritual grace: Gods people pray for one another out of the communion of the Spirit, and for themselves out of a principle of the divine Nature; and therefore they do not seek wealth and honour for themselves or one another, but increase of Gods favour and Image. 'Tis true, Nature is allowed to speak in prayer, but grace must be heard first; our first and chiefest requests must be for mercy, peace and love, and then *other things shall be added to us; the way to be heard in other things, is first to beg for grace: Psal. 21. 4. He asked life of thee, and thou gavest him length of days for ever: Solomon sought wisdom, and together with it found riches and honour in great abundance. Well then, if thou prayest for thy self make a wise choyce, beg for spiritual blessings; so David prayeth, Psal. 106. 4. Remember me, O Lord, with the favour that thou bearest unto thine own people; nothing less would content▪ him then Favorites mercy: other blessings are dispensed out of common pity to the generality of men, but these are mercies privilegiate, and given to Favorites; now saith David, of this mercy, Lord; no common blessing would serve his turn: So Psal. 119. 132. Look upon me, and be merciful to me, as thou usest to do to those that love thy Name: Surely that which God giveth to his people, that's a better mercy then that which God giveth to his enemies. Again, these are mercies that cost God dearer; they flow to you in the Blood of his own Son: yea, they are mercies that are better in themselves; wealth and honour may become a burden, yea, life it self may become a burden, but not mercy, not grace, not peace of Conscience; ⟨p. 69⟩and therefore they are better then life, Psal. 63. 3. then wealth, then honour: none ever complained of too much mercy, of too much love of God: These are blessings that swallow up other miseries, yea, the loss of other blessings; grace with poverty 'tis a *preferment, peace of Conscience with outward troubles is an happy condition: if there be a
- 1Observat. 1.
- *Mat. 6. •3 [Greek or Hebrew] an additional supply, like paper and pack-thread, which is given over and above the bargain.Mat. 6. •3 〈non-Latin alphabet〉 an additional supply, like paper and pack-thread, which is given over and above the bargain.
- *James 1. 9.
- †2 Cor. 1 5.
