XCIV. divided between the happiness of the next life, and SER M. 2. "Seeking the kingdom of GOD and his righteoufnefs; "implies inceffant care and diligence as to the means; that we make religion our business, and exercife our felves in the duties of it, both in publick and private, at proper times and feasons, with the fame seriousness and application of mind, as men do in their callings and profeffions, for the gaining of wealth and preferment; efpecially on the LORD'S-day, which Gop hath taken to himself, and fet apart for the duties of his worship and fervice. Not that we are excufed from minding religion at other times; but that those who are preffed and ftraitned by the neceffary cares of this life, may be fure to mind it then, and may have no colour of excufe for the neglect of it at that time, which GOD hath allotted for that very purpose, and which it is unlawful to employ about our worldly affairs. GoD expects 1 SER M. expects that we should ferve him at other times, that XCIV. we should live in an habitual sense of him, and (as Not but that our whole life, and all the actions of it, fhould be under the government of religion, and directed by the laws and rules of it; and it should be our continual care and endeavour to please God in all things, and we should take as much pains, and be as heartily concerned to be good men, as the men of the world are to grow rich and great in this world; nay fo much more, by how much it is a better and nobler defign to improve in grace and virtue, than to profper and thrive in our temporal eftate; and we do nor in good earneft" feek the 66 kingdom of God, and his righteoufnefs, " if this be not our great ftudy and endeavour, to fubdue our lufts and govern our paffions, and, in a word, to reform whatever is amifs in the inward frame and temper of our minds, and in our outward converfation. And indeed nothing does require greater diligence, ligence, and attention, and care, than for a man to SERM become truly and thoroughly good, to be meek and XCIV. humble, and patient and contented, and refigned to the will of Gop in every condition; to be peaceable, and charitable, and placable, and ready to forgive; thefe are great and difficult things, and, whatever we think, not the work of a wish, or the effect of a fudden refolution before the receiving of the holy facrament, no, nor the fruit of frequent and fervent prayers, without the hearty concurrence of our own care and endeavour, to render our lives fuch, as we pray God by his grace to affift and enable us to be 2. Seeking the kingdom of GoD and his righte"oufness," does further imply zeal and earnestness in the pursuit of this defign; and this is a degree above diligence; for zeal is an ardour and fervency of mind in the profecution of a thing for which we are greatly concerned, and which we vehemently defire to obtain, it is the hottest and most intense degree of our affection towards any thing, of our defire and love, mixed with anger at every thing that ftands in our way and hinders us from obtaining what we feek after; fuch an heat as ambition does commonly infpire men withal, in the purfuit of power and preferment. Such ought to be the temper of our minds, and the edge of our fpirits, "in "feeking the kingdom of GOD, as does ufually poffefs men in feeking the kingdoms of this world, and the glory of them. We must remember, that it is a kingdom which we feek for, and afpire after; not like the unstable and tottering kingdoms of this world, but "a kingdom which cannot be fhaken," as the apoftle calls it. SERM. So that the greatness of the defign, and the excellency of what we seek after, will justify and warrant the highest degree of a difcreet zeal and fervour in the prosecution of it; and therefore no wonder that the fcripture in this matter ufeth words that import the greatest vehemency and earneftnefs, bidding us "to strive to enter in at the strait gate, to labour " and watch, to run and wrestle, and fight,” and, in a word, "to give all diligence, to make our "calling and election fure." Laftly, "feeking the kingdom of God and his " righteousness," does imply patience and perfeverance in our endeavours after them, and that we never cease our pursuit of them, 'till we have obtained them; and this, notwithstanding all the difficulties and discouragements, the oppofition and perfecution that we meet with "for righteousness fake." For this we must expect, and reckon upon before-hand, to encounter many difficulties, and many difcouragements in the ways of religion; for "ftrait is the 66 gate, and narrow is the way that leads to life," as our LORD himself hath told us: nay, we must count to be grievously "perfecuted for righteoufnefs fake," and, if GOD fee it good for us, "to pafs through many tribulations," before we shall enter " into "the kingdom of GOD;" and therefore we had need to be armed with a great deal of patience, and a very firm and obftinate refolution, to enable us to bear up, and to hold out against all these; for this is a neceffary qualification for our "feeking the "kingdom of GOD and his righteousness." So our LORD hath told us, Matth. x. 22. " he that en"dureth to the end, fhall be faved;" if we " hope to pur XCIV. "to receive the crown of life, we must be faithfulS ER M. to the death, Rev. ii. 10." And to the fame pofe St. Paul declares, Rom. ii. 7. that they only fhall be made partakers of "eternal life, who by "patient continuance in well-doing, feek for glory, "and honour, and immortality." You see what is meant by "feeking the kingdom "of God, and his righteoufnefs;" it remains briefly to be fhewn, in the fecond place, what is meant by feeking these firft; "feek ye firft the kingdom of GOD, and his righteoufnefs;" that is, let this be your main and principal defign, fo as to take place of all others in your esteem and affections, in your aim and endeavour; in comparison of this, mind nothing elfe, not the comforts and conveniencies, not the neceffaries of life," what ye fhall eat, and what ye fhall drink, and wherewithal ye fhall be clothed." Thefe you fee our SAVIOUR inftanceth in before the text, as not to be regarded and taken care of, when they come in competition with " the kingdom of God, and his righteousness." And our SAVIOUR tells us elfewhere, that not only none of the comforts and neceffaries of life are to be valued against him, and his religion; but that even this temporal life itfelf, as dear as it is to us, is to be parted withal, and given up, rather than to quit the profeffion of his truth and religion; Matt. x. 37, 38. "He that loveth father or "mother more than me, is not worthy of me; and "he that loveth fon or daughter more than me, is "not worthy of me." He inftanceth in the nearest relations, thofe towards whom we have the moft tender and relenting affections, and yet he tells us, that the confideration of his truth and religion ought to |