IT is the wonted manner of Physitians, Erumpens san­guis vena secta s [...] ­stitur. Fernel. me­thod. med. l. 2. c. 6. when bloud is­sueth out immoderatly one way, to open a veine else­where, and so Dum revulsionis vi revocatur. Ibid. by revulsi­on, as they terme it, to stay it, by diverting the course and current of it another way: Occasion. The like course doth our Saviour Christ take in this place. For observing Vers. 31, 32. the minds and hearts, the thoughts and cares of most men, to be wholly addicted unto, and caried after the things of this world; he endevoureth in this place to withdraw them [Page 2] there-from, & so to cure them of this running disease, by diverting and turning the tide and streame of them another way. Drift. And as the A­postle would have us turne al our worldly griefe into 2 Cor. 7.10. godly griefe, into sorrow for our sins; and our Sauiour else-where, all our worldly feare in­to godly feare, into Matth. 10.28. Timor [...] timore pel­lit, ut clavum cla­vo feare of offending and dis­pleasing God almightie; so here he willeth us to turne all our worldly care into godly care, our care for this life, Summe. and the things of this life, into care for the things of another, of a better life.

Branch 1. Seeke first the Kingdome of God, and his Righ­teousnesse.

Now because many Lu [...]. 12.29. doubts and distrustfull thoughts might hereupon arise in weake or worldly mens minds, how they should be pro­vided for, & furnished with meat, drink, & appa­rell, and other necessaries of this life; that they may beg or starve, if they looke not after the world: Our Saviour for the better strengthning of their faith herein & further encouragement hereunto, assureth them that upon their due and diligent pursuite of the one, God himselfe will be mindfull of them, to supply them with the other; these things that they now thirst af­ter, and take so much thought for, shall upon their so doing, without their further care bee cast in upon them, and Non ait, [...], dabuntur; sed [...], ad­dentur, [...], velat add [...]tamentum: Metaphora ab eis qui poma, pyra, &c. emunt. Piscat. [...]. Chrysost. in Matth. 22. Non ait, dabuntur, sed, adj [...]cientur. Aliud est enim quod principaliter datur, aliud quod superadditur. Greg. Moral. l. 15. c. 20. added as an ouerplus or an advantage thereunto.

[Page 3] And all these things shall be added unto you. Branch 2. Division. Parts 2. Part 1. Part 2.

So that the words, you see, divide them­selues into two Generall Parts;

• An Exhortation,
• And a Motiue to induce thereunto.

But for further light and helpe we may sub­diuide them into these foure Particulars; Members 4. Member 1. Member 2.

• 1. An Act, what we must doe, Seeke:
• 2. The Object of this Act, what it is that we must seeke, Gods Kingdome and his righte­ousnesse:
• 3. The Order and Manner,
  Member 3.
  how and when these things must be sought, in the First place:
• 4. The Benefit that thereby will accrew un­to us
  [...]. Chrysost▪ in Mat. hom. 22.
  And all these things shall be added unto you.
  Member 4.

To begin with the First, Seeke.

Spirituall things must be sought.

Coloss. 3.1. Seeke the things that be aboue, saith the Apo­stle Paul. And, Member 1. Act. Observat. 1. Rom. 2.7. To those that by continuance in well doing seeke glorie, and honour, and immortali­tie, saith the same Apostle. And, Matth. 13.45. The King­dome of Heauen is like a Merchant that seeketh pre­tious Pearles, saith our Sauiour.

Sought thus they must be in two respects,

Ratione difficul­tatis. In regard of the Difficultie, Respects 2.

And Ratione d [...]gnita­tis. in regard of the Dignitie of them.

First in regard of the Difficultie of obtai­ning them: Respect 1. Prius est quae­rere quā acquirere. because Without seeking they will not be had.

1. Things must be sought, Reason 1. that cannot easi­ly [Page 4] be compassed; such [...]. Plato Cratyl. & Hippia maj. & de rep [...]b. l. 4. Plut. de Paedag. Difficilia quae prae­clara. Sine studio et ardore quodā mētis in vita nihil qui [...] ­quam fit egregium. Cic. de orat. lib. 1. all things of worth and weight are ordinarily, and such also these are. They are compared to a Kingdome both here, and oft Mat. 3.2. & 5.3. Iam. 2.5. 2 Pet. 1.11. Apoc. 1.9. elsewhere: And a Kingdome, we know, is not easily conquered: a Crowne is not ordinarily compassed with ease. It is not wonne commonly without battaile; nor bought but with bloud. They are compared to Matth. 13.44. treasure, and matter of 1 Tim. 6.6. gaine. And worldly Wealth, wee well know, (and the heavenly much more) will not be gotten but with labout and trauell.

2. Things must be sought that are not na­turall, Reason 2. that come not by kinde. So [...]. Aristot. Ethic. Nicom. l. 2. c. 3. Arts and Sciences, (because Nemo nascitur ar­tifex. Nemo nasci­tur sapiens. Sen. de Ira, lib. 2. cap. 10. no man is borne an Artist) must by studie and industrie be attained. And much more then this Ars artium re­gimen animarum. Gerson. de Recid. pecc. Ars est bonum fieri. Ad hoc, sed non cum hoc nasci­mur. Sen. ep. 9. Art of Arts; this Ars regnandi. Art of reigning; this Ars benè beate (que) vivendi. [...]. Epict. Arian. l. 3. Ars vitae. Cic. Tuscul. l. 2. Ars vitae rectè agendae. Sen. ep. 94. Ars benè vivendi. Idem ep. 90. Virtus ars est benè vivendi. Aug. de ciuit. l. 4. c. 21. Art of hap­pinesse. Rowse. Art of living well and happily, yea of living everlastingly, Non dat natura virtutem. Non contingit virtus animo nisi instituto & edocto, & ad summum assidua exercitatione perducto. Sen. ep. 9. will not without much studie and industrie be learned: especi­ally lighting upon such blockes, as we all are naturally, being borne Iob 11.12. Psal. 73.22. Prov. 30.2. Ier. 10.14. starke ideots, and of our selves wholly 1 Cor. 2.14. [...]. uncapable of ought in it.

3. Things must be sought, that are not eve­rie where to be had: as forreine commodities that must be farre fecht. But such is 2 Pet. 3.13. Mat. 13.45. [...]. Macar. homil. 38. Praeclara rara. the Righ­teousnesse spoken of in this place. Reason 3. It is a simple that every soile will not beare: a rare drugge [Page 5] that every countrie or climate will not afford. Eccles. 7.29. It grew once in Paradise. But upon the fall of our first Parents, — Terras Astraea reliquit. Ouid. Met. lib. 1. Neglecta ter­ras fugit Astraea. Memor. Octav. 2.1. — ad sup [...]ros Astraea recessit. Iuven. sat. 6. Terra cessit, in coe­lumque migrauit. Lact. Instit. l. 5. c. 5. it left this world; and it is Iob 28.13, 14. not now to be found here on earth, in the land of the liuing. It must be fetched againe, as ( Hesiod. Oper. l. 1. they say) fire was by Prometheus from heaven. Iam. 1.17. Every good giving, and every perfect gift, saith S. Iames, commeth [...], ut Act. 14.17. vel [...]. Mat. 21.25. i. à D [...]o. Drus. in prov. & q [...]aest. l. 2. c. 61. from above.

4. Things lost must be sought ere they can be againe found. So our Saviour saith, Luk. 19.10. he came to seeke what was lost. And Luk. 15.8, 9. the Widow in the Parable, by seeking found her lost Drachma enim valebat 7. denarios cū dimidio. Breer­wood de num. Iud. cap. 1. test [...]r. Such are these, we had them once, but we have now lost them. Our first Parents were [...] i. in ostro nati: uti Claudian. nup. Ho­nor. & Mar. borne, as I may so say, with this Gen. 1.26, 27. Eccles. 7.29. royall robe; Reason 4. they were created with this Psal. 8.5. imperiall Crowne. But the Devill stript them of it; P [...]rrexit pomum, & surripuit para­disum. Bernard. de Grad. humil. 4. he cheated and coo­sened them of this Crowne, as wee vse to doe Children, with Gen. 3.5, 6. the Apple, or Ficum vult Moses Bar-Ceph. & Theod. in Gen. quaest. 28. Mal [...]granatum Machmed. in Alcoran. Malum Medicum alij, alij Persicum, quod Pe [...]e G [...]ll. Alij pomum Pa­radisi, prout fructum quendam Syri indigetant. Sed & Malum ex Hebr [...]i [...] quidam ex Cant. 2.3. vide Perer. ad Genes. what ever fruit it were, that he tendred unto Eve. So they lost it: and their posteritie must recover it, ere they can enjoy it; they must win this Crowne againe, before they may weare it.

Thus you see then that these things must be sought in regard of the hardnesse and difficulty, because otherwise they cannot be had. Respect. 2.

Now they must againe be sought in regard of the dignitie of them. Which worth and dig­nitie of them appeareth in the next Point.

[Page 6] Vses 2.But before we passe to that, the Vse of this in a word.

Vse 1. Confutation.And the First use hereof may be for Confu­tation, to controll the vaine conceits of those that thinke that these things wil come without seeking; Credunt dormi­entibus sibi haec cō ­fectur [...] Deum. Ter. Adelph. 4.5. Non curāt quaerere, quae tamē desiderant in­venire: cupiunt cō ­sequi, non & sequi. Bern. in Cant. 2. that hope to have them though they never once looke after them, or the meanes whereby they may be attained; that make ac­count that heaven and happinesse will drop in­to their mouths, if they doe but gape when they lye a dying, and say, Lord have mercy up­on me, or, Lord helpe me to Heaven. It were to little purpose for our Saviour to incite us here to seeke thus after them, if without such seeking they might bee had. No, Prov. 2.4. [...]. Menand. If thou seeke for it, saith Salomon, as for silver, and search for it, as for treasure, &c. And God, saith our Saviour, will have us Matth. 7.7. [...]. So­phocl. Plut. de for­tun. aske that we may have, and seeke that we may finde, and knocke that it may be opened unto us. And as he addeth there, that Matth. 7.8. [...]. Idem. Nil tam dif­ficile, quin quaeren­do investigari pos­siet. Ter. Heaut. 4.2 Hee that seeketh findeth: so Illud desperandum est, posse nobis casu bonum tantum contingere. Sen. ep. 50. certaine it is, that he that seeketh not, is never like to finde ought.

Vse 2. Conviction.Another Vse hereof may be for Conviction, to convince many Nemo in sapientiam incidit. Nulli sapere casu obtigit. Sen. epist. 76. Et cui credere contigit? Bern. de Consid. lib. 3. not to have what they professe and pretend to have. For how many pretend title to, and claime interest in this Kingdome, that neuer tooke paines or labour about the compassing of it? How many pro­fesse themselves to be possessed of the Righte­ousnesse [Page 7] here spoken of, that never travelled or laboured in the searching out of it, or in the seeking after it?

He would be d [...]emed a most vaine man, that would boast and beare men in hand that Quomodo Caius Caesar Gall [...] Grae­cisque aliquot un [...] c [...]ndemnatis, Gallo­graeciam se subegis­se g [...]oriabatur, cum pedem Italia non e [...]tulisset. Et Occa­num ipsum deuicis­se, cum legionibus signo dato imperas­set, ut conchas per otium in litore l [...]ge­r [...]n [...]. Sueton. C [...]io. cap. 29. & 46. Et Domitianus qui fal­sum à Germania triumphū egit, emp­tis per commercià, quorum habitus & crines in captivorū sp [...]ciem formaren­tur. Tacit. Agric. Ac si quis de certa­minibus gloriosè peractis gloriare­tur, qui nec oleum quidem quo ungi solebant athletae, o­culis unquam usur­passet, ut Theocrit. idyl. 4. he had beene at the East Indies, conquered a great part of the Country, and brought away much treasure and rich commodities from thence, who yet had never crossed the seas, or set foot once on ship-bord, or come neere the sea side. And no lesse vaine are they, that would have men beleeve them, that they haue made con­quest of the Spirituall Canaan, and possessed themselues of much of the wealth and treasure of it; when as they never yet stirred once out of the mysticall Aegypt, never so much as en­quired the way to it, much lesse ever travelled toward it. He would be deemed most ridicu­lous, that would professe Acsi eruditum se quis jactaret, [...], qui nec Aesopum unquam didi [...]isset: ut Aristoph. avib. to have rare skill in the Mathematickes, or some other abstruse Sci­ence, when he had never spent day or howre in the studie thereof. And no lesse ridiculous are they that will seeme to have gotten much skill in this spirituall Arte regnandi, siue imperandi, ut Liv. hist. 22. vel Arte Imperatoria▪ ut Cic. de Orat. l. 1. [...]. Greg. Naz. Apolog. King-craft, (if I may so terme it▪) and yet never beate their heads, or busied their braines about it; never studied Euangelium Regni. Matth. 4.13. & 24.14. the Go­spell of this Kingdome, the onely Booke out of which it may be learned. Yea in this regard is this Spirituall Treasure rather like learning than [Page 8] wealth; in that Pecunia veniet ultrò, honor affere­tur, gratia ac dig­nitas fortasse inge­rentur: virtus in te non incidet, ne levi quidem opera, aut parv [...] labore cogno­scitur. Sen. ep. 76. worldly wealth and Honours may be had without labour or study by the do­nation of others, or by succession and descent; this, Philosophia non est res beneficiaria: non obvenit. Sen. epist. 90. not so; each one must seeke it for him­selfe, and must seeke and labour in it himselfe, or else the seeking of others, and their ende­vour for him, will stand him in little stead.

It is a pithie speech, indeed, that Bernard hath, and in his sense not unsound. Speaking of those words of the Prophet, Lament. 3.25. The Lord is good to him that trusteth on him, and to the soule that seeketh him; Si tam bonus quae­renti, quid inveni­enti? (Quomodo idem in Cant. Si tā bonus sequentibus, quid consequenti­bus?) Sed in hoc mirum est, quòd ne­mo te quaerere va­let nisi qui prius in­venerit. Vis quaeri ut inveniaris: vis inveniri ut amplius quaeraris. Bern. de dilig. Deo, cap. 3. If God be so good, saith he, to him that seeketh him, what will he be to him when he findeth him? But a strange matter it is; That no man can seeke God before he have found him; nor can a man sinne seeking of him, when he hath once found him. God will be sought, that he may be found of us; and he will be found, that he may further be sought of us. Men cannot seeke him, saith hee, untill they have found him: and certaine it is that they have not yet found him, that never sought him, or that doe not still constantly and Psal. 105.4. continually seeke him.

Yet for the better explaining of Bernards meaning in the words before recited, & the as­soiling of some scruple that thēce might arise, as also for the reconciling of some Luke 11.10. & 13.24. speeches of our Saviour, that may seem the one to crosse the other: we must understand, that Esai. 65.1. there is never any seeking on our part, before some proffer on Gods part: for Potes quaeri & inveniri: praeveni­ri non potes. Bern. de dilig. Deo, c. 3. Ad bonum assurge­re perfectè non pos­sumus, nisi nos spiri­tus & praeveniendo excitet, & subse­quendo confortet. Greg. in Ezech. 10. Nolentem praevenit ut velit: volentem subsequitur, ne frustra velit, Aug. Enchir. cap. 32. man can by no means [Page 9] prevent Gods worke. Now to passe by those Rom. 1.20. & 2.15. common lights and helpes of nature by God generally afforded unto all, of which the Apo­stle Paul to Act. 17.27. the Athenians, and Act. 14.17. the Lyca­onians in the Acts; because 1 Cor. 1.21. & 2.7, 8, 9. they never prove effectuall in this kinde to any purpose ordina­rily in any: and to confine our selves to those aides that hee offereth and affordeth usually in his Church; which alone in ordinary course are effectuall to this end: There is as a twofold vocation; so a twofold diquisition: As Vocatio duplex; externa, interna: s [...] ­ve generalis & spe­cialis: vel commu­nis & peculiaris▪ Vide Aug. de Cor­rept. & Grat. c. 7. Drus Miscell. lib. 2. cap. 2. & Calv. In­stitut. l. 3. c. 24. §. 7. a twofold vocation on Gods part; an externall vocation, in the offer of the meanes, which doth not al­waies take effect; of which our Saviour, Matth. 20.16. & 22.14. Ma­ny are called, but few chosen: and Quae & vocati [...] secūdum propositū ▪ Rom. 8.28. 2 Tim. 1.9. an internall vocation, in the blessing accompanying those meanes, which cannot bee without effect; of which the Apostle, Rom. 8.30. Those that hee calleth, he justifieth; and those that hee justifieth, he glorifi­eth. So there is Disquisitio du­plex. a twofold diquisition or see­king on our part; an outward seeking (if I may so tearme it) in the use of the meanes, the stu­die of them, and paines taking about them, which yet is not alwaies effectuall: For, Hosh. 5.6. They shall goe to seeke the Lord with their sacrifices; but they shall not finde him, saith the Prophet: And Luk. 13.24. Many shall seeke to enter, but shall not bee able, saith our Saviour. The other inward, Ier. 24.7. & 30.21. & 31.18, 19. 1 Ioh. 5.20. when those meanes by the gracious assistance of Gods Spirit, have wrought thoroughly up­on the heart: of which the Psalmist, Psal. 119.2. Bles­sed are they, that seeke him with their whole heart: [Page 10] and God by the Prophet, Ier. 29.13, 14. They shall seeke me, and finde me; because they shall seeke me with all their heart. And this is that seeking that Ber­nard speaketh of, which is ever effectuall; and of which our Saviour therefore, Matth. 7.7, 8. Luk [...] 11.9, 10. Whosoever seeketh findeth. For none so seeke but such as by effectuall vocation are found of God before: none so seeke, but such as by effectuall conver­sion (the inseparable effect and fruit of such vo­cation) have Ierem. 24.7. & 31.18. returned unto God, and so found him in part alreadie. But as none are called ordinarily in the latter sort, but those that are called first in the former: so none seeke or­dinarily in this latter sort, but those that have diligently Prov. 2.3, 4, 5. & 4.19 10, 20. & 8.33, 34. Io [...]. 5.39. Luke 10.39, 42. Act. 8.27, 28. & 16.13, 14. & 17.11, 12. sought first in the former: which seeking our Saviour therefore inciteth hereun­to, and by which we may hope to attain to the latter, if we continue constant therein, through Gods blessing thereupon. But without it there is no hope ever to attaine to it, or to finde that, that in some sort may bee Iohn 7.34. Rom. 9.31, 32. sought and not found, but Psal. 119.155. cannot bee found unlesse it bee sought; and when it is once found, is so farre from causing men to give over their seeking, that it maketh them, Sirac. 24.23, 24. Propter saporis dul­cedinem, qui gusta­tus magi [...] excitat appetitum, Bern. de Temp. Sic ergò quaeramus tanquam inventuri, & sic inveniamus tanquā quae situri: quia Si­rac. 18.6. Ibid. l. 9. c. 1. Videantur & Ambros. epist. 11. Gregor. in Evang. hom. 36. Bern. de Dilig. Deo, c. 1. & epist. 2. & 341. & de Divers. 38. Mā ­ducant & bibunt, quia inveniunt; & quia esuriunt & si­ [...]iunt, adhuc quae­runt. Nam & in­venicudus quaeri­tur, & quaerendus invenitur, qui & quaeritur ut inveniatur dulcius, & invenitur, ut qu [...] ra­tur avidiu [...], Aug. de Trinit. l. 15. c. 2. encited by that sweet­nesse that they finde in it in part found, Esai. 26.9. Psal. 119.10, 45. seeke more diligently now than ever before.

Without Nugae d [...]ff [...]c [...]les. Turpe est difficiles habere nugaes: Et [...] est in [...]ptiarum, Martial▪ l▪ 2. epist. 86. tristes ineptiae, Caecilius. imò ridiculae, Sen. epist. 113. Sophismata, quae nec ignoranti nocent, nec scientem juvant, Idem epist. 45. seeking then, these things are [Page 11] not to bee expected. Question. But are they worth the seeking? may some man say. There are in­deed some [...]. Scopas Thessal. Plu. de Avarit. toylsome toyes, hard to come by, but of no use or worth when a man hath them: like an Olive, or a Date stone, hard to cracke the one, and to cleave the other, but nothing or nothing worth ought, when it is crackt or clouen, within either: And the very wealth, yea and the Latrunculis lu­dimus. Jn superva­cuis subtilitas teri­tur, Sen. epist. 106. learning too of many consisteth much in such.

But these are not so: Answer. The things here pro­pounded as they are [...]. hard & difficult, so they are singularly [...]. excellent. And therefore as they must bee sought ere they can bee had in regard of their difficul [...]ie; Respect. 2. so they may bee sought that they may be had, in regard of the dignitie, the worth, the excellencie of them; yea in regard of the use to, and the necessitie of them.

For first, here is a Crowne, a Kingdome, Member 2. Object. Branch 1. the highest pitch of ambitious mens aymes. [...], Eteocles a­pud E [...]rip. Phoenis. apud Plut. de Aud. Poet. & [...]anit. tu [...]d. Nam si violandum est jus, regnādi gra­tia Violandum est: alijs rebu [...] pi [...]tatem col [...], Cic. Offic. lib. 3. If for any thing a man should breake his faith, it should be for a Crowne, for a Kingdome; saith one. And the Devill hoped, if by any meanes, by the proffer of Matth. 4.8. a Kingdome, to draw our Saviour to his impious and devillish desires. If such reckoning then be made of 1 Cor. 9.25. a corrup­tible Crowne, of Psal. 68.33. an earthly Kingdome, Dan. 5.21. the Kingdome of men; that which when it hath beene long a getting, may be lost and gone a­gaine [Page 12] the very next [...], Eurip. [...]. Idem He­cub. day, yea may bee over­turned in an [...], Demetrius Phalar. apud Plut. ad A­pullo [...]. Longam mo­rā dedit malis pro­perantibus, qui diē dixit; hora momen­tum (que) t [...]mporis [...] ­vertendis imperijs suffecere, Sen. epist. 91. Simul parta ac sperata decora un [...]us horae fo [...]tuna [...]vertere pot [...]st, Li [...]. hist. l. 30. V [...]ncendo didici magna momento obrui, Sen. Troad 2.2. houre: what account should be made of an [...], 1 Cor. 9.25. [...], Iam. 1.12. incorruptible Crowne, of a Crowne that cannot bee lost, of an heavenly Kingdome, the Kingdome of God; of [...] ▪ Heb. 12. [...]8. a Kingdome, saith the Apostle, that cannot be shaken, of [...]sal. 45.6. a Throne that standeth firme and immoveable forever?

Secondly, here is Righteousnesse, Ephes. 4.24. a princi­pall part of Gods Image, Gen. 1.27. [...], Greg. Naz. i [...] Matth. 19. Haec antecedit animalia; Deos sequitur, Sene [...]. epist. 76. wherein Man at fi [...]st was made: Branch 2. that whereby man excelleth the beasts; Quic quid longa se­r [...]s, multis labori­bus, mul [...]a numinis indulgentia stru [...]it, [...]d [...] dies spargit & d [...]ssipat, Senec. e [...]ist. 91. and that maketh him 1 Iohn 3.7. 1 Pet. 1.15, 16. like God; yea without which man is not only no better, but farre worse than a beast; and whereby men doe as farre excell men, as men themselves doe beasts. For Ipsis best [...]is bestiali [...]r est hom [...] ration [...] [...], & ratione non [...], Bernard. in Cantic. 35. a man endued with reason, with­out this righteousnesse, that is, without religion, is (not only as bad as, but) far worse than a b [...]ast. And Ratione homines jum [...]ntis, religione homines hominibus an­tistant. Vltra homines prove [...]it probitas sola, infra hominem detrudit improbitas, [...]oct. Consol. lib. 4. Pros. [...]. Religion maketh some men excell other some that want it, as much as reason maketh them excell brute beasts.

It was the saying of an Heathen Man, that Nihil est virtute formosius, ni [...]l pulchrius, [...], Cicer. de Nat. De [...]r. lib. 1. & 2. & de Amic. Quae si oculis cerneretur, mirabiles sui amo­res ex [...]i [...]ar [...], Idem O [...]fic. lib. 1. Omnes mortales in admirat [...]onem sui r [...]per [...]t. Senec. epist. 89. Nemo non amore ejus arderet, si vid [...]re illam contingeret, Ibid. 115. Morall vertue was so beautifull, that if it could be seene with bodily eyes, it would make men to be [Page 13] wondrously enamoured with it. And yet was that, saith Lactantius, but a bare Vmbra quaedam & imago j [...]stitia, Lactant. Jnstitut. l. 5. c. 17. & l. 6. c. 6. & [...]aber. in Rom. cap. 2. shadow of the Righ­teousnesse here spoken of. But Sire ipsam prae­ [...]l [...]r [...]ssimam omniū penitus videremus, quonam gaud [...]o cō ­pleremur, quum [...]ā ­topere, ejus adam­brata op [...]nione lae­temur? Cic. de Fin. lib 5. if the shadow be so excellent, what is the substance? if the Picture be so beatifull; what is the Person it selfe, which the Picture commeth so far short of? Tanti Vitrum, quāti margaritum. Tertul. ad Martyr. Tanti vit [...]ū, quāti verum margari [...]ū? Hieron. ad Deme [...]r. ad Salvin. & alibi. If they made such account of their glassie bugle, saith Ierome after Tertullian, how ought this rich and pretious Pearle of ours to be esteemed of? This to that is as [...], Homer. Ili­ad. [...] ▪ V [...]lius argē ­tum est auro. vi [...]tu­tibus aurū, Horat. lib. 1. epist. 1. Gold to Brasse, saith Bernard; and a little of Melius est pal­lens aurum quam fulgens aurichal [...]ū. Bern. in Cant. 61. the palest and coursest Gold is farre better than much of the finest and brightest Brasse.

But let us consider them a little severally.

In the First place then, here is

A Kingdome propounded to all Christs followers anf favourites.

Seeke Gods Kingdome, saith our Saviour.

Concerning which, Branch 1. it shall not be amisse to enquire; Observ. 2.

• 1. What Kingdome this is;
  Points 3.
• 2. Wherein it consisteth;
  Point 1.
• 3. Why it is so termed.

The Kingdome then here spoken of, is not so much the Kingdome of God [...]ver us, as the King­dome of God in us: not the Kingdome whereby Psalm. [...]03.19. Luke 19 27. he reigneth over us; (and yet it is no small priviledge and preeminence to be subject and Psal. 18. & 36. Title. [...], Man. Pal [...]ol. praecept. 7. Rom. 1.1. Phil. 1.1. Merit [...] Paul [...]s hoc titulo gloriatur, 2. Cor. 11.22. O praeclarum ministerium, quo non principatu gloriosius? Bern. de Consid. l. 2. servant to so puissant a Soveraigne; if they were counted 1 King. 10.8. happie that were in Salomons [Page 14] service, then are they much more Psal. 84.4, 13. blessed that dwell in Gods house and court, that have depen­dance upon him:) but the Kingdome whereby he reigneth in us, and wherein we reigne with him: Luke 12.32. It is your Fathers will, saith our Savi­our, to give you a Kingdome. And, Apoc. 1.6. & 20.6. Hee hath made us Kings and Priests, and we shall reigne with him Apoc. 22.5. for ever. And, Apoc. 3.21. To him that overcom­meth I will give to sit on my Throne, as I over­came, and sit on my Fathers Throne.

Now of this Kingdome there are two degrees.

Point 2. Degrees 2. Degree 1 Branch 1.There is first Regnum gratiae. a Kingdome of Grace; wherein Rom. 5.21. we reigne here in grace by Christ, whereby wee haue power here;

1. To quell, conquer, and over-come Humilis res est stultitia, abjecta, sordida, servi [...]is, multis affectibus et saevissimis subjecta. Hos tā graves Do­minos, interdum al­ternis imperantes, interdum pariter, dimittit à te sapiē ­tia, quae sola liber­tas est, Sen. ep. 37. Quē vicerim quae­ris? non Persas, non extrema Medorū, &c. sed avaritiam, sed ambitionem, sed metum mortis, qui victores gentiū vi­cit, Idem epist. 72. Nulla major est victoria, quam viti [...] [...]muisse. Innumerabiles sunt qui urbes, qui populos h [...] ­bu [...]re in potestate; paucissimi, qui se. Quaest. Nat. l. 3. our naturall corruptions, our lusts and concupis­censes within us, our outragious passions, our unruly and inordinate affections, 2 Pet. 2.12. Iude 16. Non eunt, sed feruntur, Sen. ep. 23. Turpe est autem non ire, sed ferri, Idē ep. 37. wherewith worldly men are led captive, enslaved and en­thralled, and which Rom. 6.17. 1 Cor. 12.2. Tit. 3.3. before our conversion bare sway, and ruled in and over us also. Sibi imperare maximum est imperium, Sen. ep. 113. Sivis tibi omnia subjicere, te subjice rationi. [...] rexerit, Idem ep. 37. It is a point of the highest command, saith the Hea­then man, for a man to have command of him­selfe. Regem non faciunt [...]pes, Non vestis Tyriae color, Non [...] r [...]giae, Non a [...]ro [...] [...]rabes. Rex [...]st, qui [...] me­ [...]us, Et diri mala pectoris: Qui tuto positus loco, Infra se videt omnia. Rex est qui metuit; rex est qui cupit nihil. Sen. Thyest. 2.2. Latius reg [...]es avi [...]um [...]omando Spirit [...]m, quàm si Lybiam remotis Gadibus jungas, & uter (que) [...] Serviatuni, Horat. Carm. 2.2. Rectius enim i [...] ap­pellabitur Rex quam Tarq [...]ius, qui [...] se nec suos regere potuit. Cic. de Finib. l. 3.— tum om­nia jura tenebis, Cum poteris Rex esse tui, Claud. de 4. Coss. Hon. He is a King that dreads nought; hee is a [Page 15] King that covets and desires nothing. And, Immane regnum est posse s [...]ne regno pati. Senec. Thyest. 3.1. It is a wondrous great Kingdome for a man to be able to contemne a Crowne, to set light by a Kingdome, as Hebr. 11.24, 25, 26. Moses did, that preferred afflictions with Gods people before it; to tread, not the Earth only, but the very Apoc. 12.1. Moone too, and all sublunarie things, as Philip. 3.8. drosse and Trash under his feet.

2. To prevaile against, Branch 2. and triumph over all the enemies and adversaries of our salvation without us, and all such outward evils as they are able to raise up against us. To which pur­pose it is that the Apostle having spoken be­fore of persecutions the sword, f [...]mine▪ and naked­nesse; Rom. 8.35, 36, 37. In all these things, saith he, [...], Si­cut Soph [...]l. Elect. [...]. wee are more than Conquerors, (What is that? even Tri­umphers.) through him that hath loved us. For, 2 Cor. 2.14. God maketh us alwaies to [...], Theophyl. triumphat, i. tri [...]m­ [...]hare facit Prunas. triumph through Christ. Crux Christo cur­rus fuit triumpha­lis. Thom. Cartw. Harmon. Euang. in Luc. 13.32. & Ioan. 12.32. Sic & Col. 2.15. [...], Ignat. ep▪ 5. Cum ultima hoste morte [...], per trophaū crucis tri­umphavit, Tertull. ad. Marc. l. 4. The very Crosse of Christ, saith one, was Christs Charet of Triumph. And the verie same is the Crosse even to this day to all Chri­stians; it is their Charet, their Chaire of estate. [...], Ig [...]t. ep. 4. Duris ut ilex [...] P [...]r damn [...], per [...]aede [...], ab ipso Sumit opes animū (que) ferro. Non hydra secto corpore firmior vinci d [...]lentem crevit in Hercui [...]. Merces profundo: pulc [...]rior evenit. Luctere: magna pro [...] integrum Cum laude victorem, Horat. Carm. 4▪4. He is a valiant Champion indeed, saith Ignatius, who though he be beaten, and receive many blowes, yet will not give over till he have vanquisht his adversarie. Apoc. 12.11. They overcame him, saith the Ho­ly Ghost, Apoc. 13.7. that warred upon them, and overcame them, by the bloud of the L [...]m [...]e▪ [...] by the word of the Testimonie, and by not thinking much to lay [Page 14] [...] [Page 15] [...] [Page 16] downe their lives unto death; by setting light (as Act. [...]0.24. the Apostle of himselfe) by their lives. The Spirit of God may seeme to contradict him­selfe when he saith in the one place, Apoc. 13.7. He made warre upon the Saints and overcame them; and in the other againe, Apoc. 12 11. They conquered and over­came him. But the one is spoken [...]. according to humane conceit, the other [...]. according to the truth of the thing. And certaine it is, that as Gods Tunc enim non ex malo uno, sed ex omn [...]bus simul & s [...]m [...]l liberantur, Aug. in Psal. 34.17, 19. Ita liberantur, ut liberari amplius o [...]us non habeant, B [...]rn. in Psalm. 91.15, 16. Children are never better delivered out of their troubles, than when they seeme not to be de­livered at all, when they are delivered out of them by death. So [...], Oecum. in 2 Cor. 2. [...], Chrysost. in Rom. hom. 15. they never more prevaile against, and triumph over their adversaries, than when those their adversaries outwardly seeme most to prevaile against, and to triumph over them.

But because this their Ps [...]l. 45.13. Majestie is most in­ward, and 1 Iohn 3.2. the world cannot so well see it: there is secondly therefore Regnum gloriae. a Kingdome of Glorie, whereby those that Rom. 5.21. reigne now in Grace by Christ, shall one day Rom. 5.17. reigne in Glory with Christ. For, Coloss. 3.3, 4. our life is now hidden with Christ in God; saith the Apostle: But when Christ, who is our Life shall appeare, then shall we also appeare in glory with him. And, 1 Iohn 3.2. We shall at his appearing be­come like unt [...] [...], Degree 2. because we shall see him as he is. As Ephes. 2.6. We are now glorified in him, so 2 Thess. 1.10. hee shall then be glorified in us; what time we shall heare from him that blessed and joyful sound, Matth. 25.34. Come and receive the Kingdome prepared for you from the beginning of the world.

[Page 17]Now further this Kingdome is called the Kingdome of God; Point 3. Reasons 4. Reason 1. Reason 2. Reason 3. Reason 4.

• 1. Because
  Matth. 20.23.
  he hath prepared it;
• 2. Because
  Luke 12.32.
  he conferreth and bestoweth it;
• 3. Because
  Apoc. 4.10.
  of and under him we hold it;
• 4. Because
  Apoc. 20.6.
  with him wee reigne in it; for from him we receive it, and together with him we reigne in it.

Is it a Crowne and a Kingdome then, and such a Crowne and a Kingdome, Vses 4. that our Saviour here maketh offer of?

This serveth first, as to discover, Vse 1. Reprehēsion. so to check and control the base-mindednesse of most men in the World: Who, as Num. 11.5, 6. the Israelites prefer­red the In cepe & alliū impensa 1600. ta­lenta in pyramidū una extruenda, re­fert Herodot. l. 2. Leekes and Onions of Aegypt, before Psal. 78.25. the bread of Angels, Iohn 6.31. the food that came downe from heaven; so preferre paltry Peables before these pretious Matth. 7.6. & 13.45. Perles; [...] Ha­bac. 2.6. thick [...]clay, as the Prophet speaketh, before this Apoc. 3.18. pure Gold; the worlds counterfeit coine, before this Luke 16.11, true treasure; the base and slavish service of sinne and Satan, before the Crowne and the Kingdome that our Saviour here maketh offer of: that choose rather, with Gen. 49.14, 15. Issakar, (dull asses indeed) to couch themselves quietly betweene two packes, and bowe their shoulders downe to beare any such (e­ven unsufferable and unsupport [...]bl [...]) burdens as [...]; Chrysost. in Matth. 38.1. Lega­tur Pers. Sat. 5. & ad eundem Epictetum ex Arian. dissert. l. 3. c. 26. apud Casaub. qui eos multa facere contendunt qui cupiditatibus suis serviunt, quae si servus domini jussu faceret, de dura servitute sua multum quiritaret. the World is wont to impose on those that are slaves and drudges to it; than to rouse up [Page 18] their spirits, that lye groveling on the ground, seeke to shake off the yoake, and free them­selves from this thraldome, and strive to get command of him, that now keepeth them as captives: that Malunt servire Diabolo, quam reg­nare cum Christo: Cui servire regnare est, Bern. de Temp. 110. & de bon. de­s [...]. are content to serve the Divell rather, and their, nay his, brutish lusts, ( [...], Clem. Strom. l. 2 Nulla volun­tariâ turpior est servitus, Sen. epist. 47. the baddest and basest service that can be,) than to reigne with Christ, or to serve him in a free and honourable service, whose Rom. 6.21. Falli­tur egregio quis­quis sub principe credit Servitium: nusquam lib [...]rtas gratior extat. Clau­dian. de Stilic. Phi­losophiae servias o­portet, ut tibi contingat vera libertas. Qui se illi subjecit & tradidit, statim circum­agi [...]ur. Hoc enim ipsum Philoso [...]hiae s [...]rvire, libertas est, Senec. epist. 8. service is true free­dome, and [...], Gregor. Nazianzen. de Pace 2. to serve him is to reigne with him, who maketh all his servants Captaines, Comman­ders and Veruos quam Assur, Esai. 10.8. Kings.

Againe, it serveth to discover and convince many, not to be that indeed, which they pro­fesse themselves to be, not to be Christians in­deed and truth, though they beare the name and title of such. For Christianitie is a King­dome. Vse 2. Conviction. It not freeth men only from the thral­dome of Sinne and Satan; ( Iohn 8.31, 32, 36. Arbitrium voluntatis tunc est vere liberum, cum vitijs peccatisque non servit, Augustin. de Civitat. lib. 14. cap. 11. Sapientia sola libertas est, Senec. epist. 37. [...]. Nisi sapiens nemo liber, Zeno apud Laert. Cic. Parad. 5. Non natura servum facit, sed insipientia: nec manumissio liberum, sed disciplina, Ambros. epist. 7. Solus sapiens liber est, Ibidem. they are free indeed that Christ maketh free;) but it maketh them Kings also to rule and sway over such as Ephesians 2.2, 3. be­fore they were enthralled and enslaved unto. Whereas many millions of those that professe themselves to be Christians, remaine still Satans [Page 19] vassals, Alius libidini ser­vit, alius avaritiae, alius ambitioni, om­nes timori. Dabo cō ­sularē aniculae servi entē: dabo ancillulae divitē, Sen. ep. 47. Si metuis, si parva cu­pis, si duceris ira, Servitij patiere ju­gum; tolerabis ini­quas, Interius leges -Claud. 4. Coss. Hō. Liber est qui servi­tutē effugit sui. haec est assidua servitus, & in [...]luctabilis, & per diē ac nocte ae­qualiter premens, sine intervallo, sine cōmeatu. Sibi servi­re gravissima servi­tus est, Sen. Nat. q. l. 3. Extr [...]ma est ser­vitꝰ, cū animae viti­js d [...]ditae, rationis propriae possessione c [...]ciderint, Bo [...]. Cōs. slaves some to their filthy lusts, some to their mucke and their money, some to their pride and ambition, some to their furious affe­ction, some to one corruption, and some to an­other. Yea as one saith of Rome when she was in her Pride, that Victrix gentiū ▪ captiva vitiorū. Aug. de Civ. l. 15. c. 4. shee conquered other Coun­tries abroad, but was vanquished with her owne Vices at home: and another of the Persian Kings, that [...]. Plut. ad praesect indoct. 1 Esd 4 26, 29, 30, 31. E [...]ū sibi dominas, Ambr. ep. 7 captivarum suarū captivi. Ibid. they commanded the whole World, but their Wives or Concubines commanded them. And Cato of the Romans; [...], Cato Censor. Plut. Apophth. All men, saith he, but we, rule their wives; We rule all mē; & our wives rule us. And the Orator of Verres, that Iura omnia Populi Romani nutu at (que) arbit [...] Chelid [...]nis meri­triculae gubernari, Cic Verrin. 5. he gover­ned the Province, & a base strumpet him. And The­mistocles of himselfe, & the Athenians, That [...], Plut. in Apophth. the Athenians ruled all Greece, hee the Athenians, his Mother him, and his Sonne his mother: So many in this kinde, they are 2 Pet. 2.19. Masters of others, and yet servants themselves; command some, but are againe commanded by others; Bonus etiamsi serviat, liber est: Malus, etiams [...] regnet, servus est: nec unius hominis, sed quod gravius est, tot dom norum, qu [...]t vitiorum, Aug. de Civit. Dei, l. 4 c. 3. Est sa [...]ie [...]t [...] & s [...]rvire libertas: Stulto & imperare servitus est: Et q [...]od p [...]jus [...]st, cum paucioribus praesit▪ pluribus dominis & gravioribus servit▪ Servit enim proprijs passionibus, servi [...] cupiditatibus suis, quarum domina­tumnec nocte pote [...] fugere nec d [...]e, Ambr. ep. 7, Vidit eos qui judiciorum D [...]minos se dici vo­lebant, harū cupiditatū [...]sse servos. Cic. Ver. 3 Quos videssedere celso Solij culmine Reges, &c. Detrahat siquis superbis Vana tegmina cultus, [...]ā videbit in [...]us a [...]ctas Domi [...]os ferre [...]atenas, Multos [...]erre tyrannos, Bo [...]t. Co [...]sol. l 4. m [...]tr. 2. Refraenet pr [...]us libidin [...]s spernat volup [...]at [...]s, ra­cundiā ten [...]at, coerceat avarit [...]ā, caetera [...] animi l [...]bes repella [...]. Tū [...]ncipia [...] al [...]j [...] imperare, [...] [...]pse imprubissimis Dominis dedecori a [...] turpitudi [...], parere desierit. Dum his qu [...] de obe [...]e [...], nō modo Rex, sed liber habendus omnino non erit. Cic. Parad. 5. Vide & Horat. [...]. l. 2. Sat▪ 7. have as many [Page 20] Lords as lusts, that beare rule and sway in them; For 2 Pet. 2.19. by whom a man is overcome, his bond-slave he is, saith S. Peter: And, Rom. 6.16. His servant hee is, whom he yeeldeth obedience unto; saith S. Paul: And, John 8.34. [...], Dio­gen. Laert. l. 6. Meli­or est autē ejus sta­tus qui famulatur homini, quam qui suae servit cupidita­ti, Aug. in Prosper. Sent. 164. who so committeth sinne, is the servant of sinne, saith our Saviour. As long therefore as Iam. 4.1. — intus & in j [...]c [...]re aegr [...], Nascuntur domini, Pers. Sat. 5. Intra se dominos habet: intra seservitiū pa­titur intolerabile, Ambr. ep. 7. Levius autē est malum cap­tivum esse corpore quam animo, Sal­viā. de Provid. l. 6. thou hast a Master, yea many Masters, with­in thee, thou art a slave to thy corruptions, Iam. 1.14. [...], Plat. leg. l. 1. [...], Antonin. vit. sua, l. 7. [...], Ibid. 12. [...], Ibid. l. 10. & Chrysost. to. 8. Ser. 13. [...]. Tu mihi qui imp [...]rita [...], al [...]js servis miser, atque Duceris ut nervis alienis mobile lignum, Horat. ser. l. 2.7. they rule and sway thee as they list, they winde and turne thee whither way they will, like an artificiall motion that goeth with a screw, and stirreth as that writhes it; so long as thou reignest not over them, but they reigne in and over thee, and thou art ruled & swayed by them, so long thou art no Christian, what­soever thou mayest be counted or called; For Christianitie is a Kingdome; and 1 Cor. 7.22. every Christi­an is not a Free-man only, but in this kinde even Apoc. 1.6. & 5.10. a King too.

But are they so indeed? And are all Christi­ans called to a Crowne, Vse 3. Admonition. to a Kingdome? Then let them learne hence how charily and warily it behoveth Christian men to walke of all others.

For first, Soli latere si licet, Regi licet. Sen. de Clem. l. 1. c. 8. Nam lux altissima fati Occuliū nihil esse sinit, Claud. de 4. Conss. Hon. The Sunne may goe unseene as soone as Kings may. Reason 1. Qui in excelso aetatem agunt, eorum facta cuncti mortales novere, Salust. ad Caesar. They are in the eye of the world, and Omnium in ista conversi sunt oculi, Sen. vbi sup. all mens eyes are on them. And, Matth. 5.14. You [Page 21] are the light of the World, saith our Saviour, not to us Ministers alone, but to all Christians in ge­nerall. Yee are as Idem. a Citie seated on an hill, that cannot be hid.

Againe, Reason 2. the In maxima for­tuna minima licen­tia, Salust. in Catil. Magna servitꝰ for­tuna magna, Sen. ad Polyb. c. 26. Mi­nimum debet lib [...] ­re, cui nimium li­cet, Sen. Troad. Quanto plus liceat, tam libeat minus, Auson. 7. Sap. greatest states afford least liber­tie. Liberiora omnia sunt his quorum affectꝰ tegi possunt, Sen. ad Polyb. c. 25. Multa tibi non li­cent quae humilli­mis & in angulo jacentibus licen [...], I­bid. c. 26. Cui omnia licent, propter [...] ipsum multa non li­cent, Ibid. Quam multa tibi non li­cent, quae nobis tu [...] beneficio licent? Serv. ad Neron. de Clem. l. 1, c. 8. Many things may well beseeme meane men, that will in no wise become great ones. It stood not with Themistocles his state to stoope downe to take up of the spoiles, that the ene­mie had throwne from them in flight; but, [...], Plut. Themist. Servo quo melior, quo liberior sit avarus, In trivio fixum cum se demittit ob assem, Non video. Hor. ep. 16. l. 1. Hinc & Pers. Sat. 5. In (que) luto fixū possis transcendere nummum. Take thou up of them, if thou wilt, saith hee to one of his followers; thou mayest well enough; for thou art not Themistocles; thou art not as I am: And many things may well beseeme a worldly man, as Mat. 6.32. to be greedie of the world, and to Phil. 3.19, 20. minde earthly things, which will in no wise be­come a Christian.

Besides that, [...], Dion. Chry. orat. 1. the greater and higher the person is that offendeth, Reason 3. the more Indignitate peccans pecca [...] amplius, Iustin. in Authent. & Hilar. Pp. apud Grat. c. 25. q. 1. c. 4. Majore Regum scelera taxantur modo, Sen. Herc. fur. hainous and Omne animi vitium tanto conspectius in se Crimen habet, quanto major qui peccat habetur, Iuvenal. Sat. 8. conspicuous is his offence. [...], Greg. Naz. in Matth. 19. In veste labes candida est insignior, Iuel. Apolog. Eccl. Ang. Any spot is soone spied upon white apparell; and the least staine doth evill upon a royall roabe. A small defect in a Christian is more, than a grea­ter matter in a meere Worldling. And Ideò de­te [...]es sumus, quia meliores esse debemus, Salvian. de Provid. l. 4. there­fore [Page 22] are such worse, saith Salvian, though they be no worse, than others, because they ought to bee better. Vse 4. Exhortation.

Lastly, is it no lesse matter than a Kingdome, that we are here invited unto? This may serve to incite us, if there be any mettle in us, to the diligent & industrious seeking after it. Perp [...]ssi sunt ex­ercitus in [...]piam re­rum omnium, vixe­runt herbarum ra­dicibus, & dictu foedis tulerunt fa­mem. Haec omnia passi sunt pro regno (quo magis mir [...]ris) alieno, Sen. epist. 17. Ab mis [...]ris quid si peteretur crimine tanto Limes uter (que) poli? pugna est de paupere regno. Stat. Theb. l 1. Who would not put hard for it, to winne a Crowne, to gaine a Kingdom? Here is fit matter for our am­bitious thoughts and desires to be working up­on with warrant. For, as Augustine observeth, that there is a kinde of lawfull and religious Qui vetat te esse foeneratorem, idem jussit te esse foenera­torem, et dicitur ti­bi, Foenerare, Aug. in Psal. 36. Vsury, that the Word of God alloweth; Prov. 17.19. He that sheweth mercie to the poore, lendeth on Vsurie to the Lord; and it shall with large interest be re­payed him. And there is a kinde of spirituall [...]. Covetousnesse, that the Spirit of God appro­veth of; when men are Veri boni avidi­tas tuta est, Sen. ep. 23. greedie of Grace, they can never have enough of it; Matth. 5.6. Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after Righteousnesse. So there is a kinde of holy [...]. Rom. 15.20. 2 Cor. 5.9. 1 Thess. 4.11. Ambition, that our Sa­viour Christ not alloweth only, but enciteth also, and exhorteth us hereunto. [...]. 1 Cor. 12.31. Affect, saith the Apostle, the best, the chiefest things. And, Let even a Kingdome at least, a Crowne, and no lesse, saith our Saviour, be your aime. It is e­nough for earthly Princes, their followers and favourites, if they can attaine to some Titles of inferiour Honour, to be Dukes and Marquesses, or the like. But if they begin once, Legatur Dio Cass. hist. lib. 57. with Seianus, to have an eie or aime at a Crowne, Nulla fides regni so [...]j [...], omnisque po­testas, Impatiens consortis erit, Lu­can. lib. 1. that will in no wise bee indured in them. But it is not [Page 23] some Vsque ad regni dimid um. Ester 7.2. Marke 6.23. inferiour Honour, some petie place in a kingdome, but the Crowne and Kingdome it selfe, that our Saviour Christ here would have us shoot at, and seeke after. And who would not seeke after a kingdome, if he had any hope to attaine it? Wee see upon what uncertaine hopes ambitious persons in such cases lay Jmperia pr [...]tio quolibet cōstant b [...] ­nè, Polyni [...]es apud Sen. Theb. 4. all at the stake, and hazard losse, not of living on­ly, but of life. And certainely our Saviour would never encite us to seeke after it, if [...]. it were not to be had. Yea he giveth us assurance, that if we seeke seriously, and so as we should, we shall finde it. For Luke 11.10. So­lus Deus nunquam frustra quaeritur, e­tiam quum non in­venitur, Bern▪ de Cons [...]d. l. 1. Every one, saith he, that so seeketh, findeth: he is as sure to finde, as if he had found already. 2 Tim. 1.17. One siphorus sought me di­ligently, saith the Apostle, and he found me: And so, Prov. 8.17. I love them that love me, saith the Wisdome of God, that Apoc. 19 11. hath the disposing of this Crowne, Apoc. 2.26. & 3.21. of this Kingdome; and all those that seeke me early, 1 Chron. 28.9. shall be sure to finde mee. The Kingdome of this World, as the Aurum quaesitu­rus es, & [...]orte non inventurus: quis­quis me quaerit, cum illo sum. August. in 1 Iohn 10. Wealth of this World, may bee sought, and not found; this Kingdome we shall not misse of, if wee seeke it as we should. Amaturus es ho­norē, & [...]ortasse u [...] perventurus. Qui [...] me amavit, & n [...]s ad me pervenit? Ib. He that sincerely desireth it, hath in part attained it already.

But a Crowne, a Kingdome? may some say. Objection. Imperare omnes volunt; parere nemo. [...] ▪ Greg. Naz. Apol. What man is there that will none of it? What need any man bee encited or exhorted to accept of it? Quis non perpe­tuò v [...]vere velit? Salvian▪ a [...] Eccles. Cath. l. 1. Nemo est qui beatꝰ esse nolit. Aug. de lib. Arb. l. 1. c. 14. Vit [...] beatam omn [...] hominem mod [...]s omnibus vel [...]e quis dubitat? Id [...]m [...]pist. 121. Who would not have hea­ven [Page 24] and happinesse? Who would not reigne in heaven eternally with God and Christ? Vn­lesse it be some wretched & accursed Atheists, that thinke there is no such thing to be had.

Subjection.Yea but there is somewhat more than so in it. Matth. 19.28. Wee must begin to reigne here, if wee meane to reigne there. We must partake with Christ here in the Rom. 8.23. first-fruits of Grace, if we de­sire hereafter to partake with him in Iohn 1.14, 16. fulnesse of Glorie.

Observ. 3▪ There is no accesse to this Kingdome, but by Righteousnesse only.

Branch 2. Seeke Gods Kingdome and his Righteousnesse, saith our Saviour Christ here. And, Rom. 5.21. That Grace may reigne through Righteousnesse; saith the Apostle else-where.

Questions 3.Now concerning this Righteousnesse, three Questions would be discussed;

• 1. What is meant by Righteousnesse here;
• 2. Why it is called the Righteousnesse of God;
• 3. Why no part in this Kingdome can be had without it.

Question 1.There is therefore a twofold Righteousnesse; and every true Christian (it is the constant Do­ctrine of all our Divines; and Legantur quae Mortonus noster adducit ex scripto­ribus Pontificijs, Apolog. Cath. par. 1. l. 1. c. 24. our Adversa­ries wittingly wrong us, when they charge us with the contrary) hath his peculiar share in either. There is Iust [...]tia imputata, Rom. 4.6. a Righteousnesse imputed, and there is Iustitia imperti­ta, Ephes. 5.9. a Righteousnesse imparted; the one Ierem. 23.6. & 33.16▪ Rom. 10.4. 2 Cor. 5.21. in­herent in Christ, and imputed to us; the other 1 Cor. 1.30. Ephes. 4.24. imparted by Christ, and In nobis, non ex nobis, Aug. ep. 143. inherent in us. For [Page 25] that Esai. 61.1. spirituall Oyle that was powred upon Christ our Head, & wherwith Psal. 45.7. God anointed him aboue all his fellowes, when Iohn 3.34. the Spirit was given him beyond measure, like Psal. 133.2. the Ointment that was powred upon Aarons head, is shed forth and diffused in some measure, more or lesse, unto every living member of his mysticall Body. Iohn 1.16. Of his fulnesse have we received all, even grace for grace. 1 Cor. 6.11. The former is the Righteousnesse of Iustification; the latter is the Righteousnesse of Sanctification.

Some understand here the former: Answer. I rather the latter.

1. Because the word is so taken every where else throughout this whole Sermon: Reason 1. as where it is said; Matth. 5.6. Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousnesse: And, Matth. 5.10. Blessed are they that suffer for righteousnesse sake: And, Matth. 5. [...]0. Vnlesse your Righteousnesse goe beyond the Righteousnesse of the Scribes and the Pharisies, &c. Which verie passage these words seeme to have reference unto.

2. Because it is that Righteousnesse that doth properly, peculiarly, Reason 2. and immediatly make us actually Kings, and putteth us in the actuall 2 Pet. 1.4. Mens regnum bona possi­det, Sen. Thy. 2.2. Qui rectè faciet, nō qui dominatur, erit Rex. Auson. Mono­fyll. possession of this Kingdome: the former meri­teth it, this entreth us into it: the former pur­chaseth it for us; this prepareth and fitteth us for it. Rom. 4.5, 6, 7, 8. Our justification acquiteth us of the guilt of sin: Rom. 8.1, 2. Our sanctification freeth us from the power of sinne, Rom· 6.8, 17, 14. enabling us to quell it, to subdue it, to prevaile against it, that ruled, con­quered, [Page 26] and kept us under before: and so cau­seth us Apoc. 20.6. to reigne here as spirituall Kings over it: yea Ezek. 36.25. Ephes. 5.26. it clenseth us also of the soile and filth of sinne, and so by eating our corruption out of us by degrees, it prepareth and fitteth us for that Kingdome to come, 1 Cor. 15.50. which flesh and bloud cannot enter, nor corruption inherit. But whether of the two be here meant, is not greatly mate­riall; since that 1 Cor. 6.11. & 1.30. Rom. 8.29, 30. they never are severed the one from the other: And where the one there­fore is expressed, there the other ever is im­plied.

Question 2. Answer. Generall.Now this Righteousnesse is here called the Righteousnesse of God;

Generally, in opposition to Luke 18.9. that counter­feit Righteousnesse that the Scribes and Pharisies so much bragged of, and gloried so much in; and which our Saviour had discovered, taxed, and rejected before Chap. 5.20. in this Sermon.

Answer. Particular. Reason 1.More particularly, in divers respects:

1. Because it is given of God. For, [...]. Nullum bonum, quod non à summo bono, Aug. de divers. 3. All good is of God. And, [...], P [...]ndar. Olymp. 9. Nemo abs (que) numi­ne aut est, aut fuit bonus. Bonus vir si­ne Deo non est, Sen. ep. 41. Nulla sine Deo [...] est, Idem ep. 73. No man ever was or is good without God. Iob. 3.27. No man can have ought, saith S. Iohn the Baptist, unlesse it be given him from a­boue. And, Iam. 1.17. [...]· Marc. de L [...]g. Sp [...]. p. [...]0. Every good gift, saith S. Iames, is from aboue, and commeth downe from the Father of lights. As Matth. 19.17. none is originally and essentially good but God: so no man is in any kinde or de­gree good without God. Nemo bon [...], qui non ex mal [...] bo [...]s, Aug. in Prosper. Sent. 155. There is no man good, [Page 27] saith Augustine, but that of [...], is by God made good. And, Qui n [...]minē bo­num [...]venit, nemi­n [...]m salvat, nisi quē praevenit, Bern. de Grat. & lib. Arb. He, saith Bernard, that Psal. 14.2, 3. findeth no man good, saveth none but such as by preventing grace he maketh good.

2. Because it is approved of by God▪ Reason 2. which that other of theirs is not. It is said of Zacha­rie and Elizabeth, that they were Luke 1.6. just in Gods sight. Whereupon saith Ambrose, Multi hominibꝰ justi videntur, pau­ci Deo. Aliter enim hominibus & aliter Deo. Hominibus sec. externam speciē & fac [...]m: Deo sec. in­ternam veritatē & virtutem, Ambr. in Luc. It is one thing to be just in mans sight, and another thing to be just in Gods sight, An outward shew and sem­blance, is enough for the one: but inward power and truth is required unto the other. And Luke 16.15. Mat. 23.27, 28. that that maketh a glorious shew in the eyes of man, is most abominable many times in the sight of God; Aurum homini­bus, l [...]tū Deo. Greg. Mor. l. 34. c. 13. Gold in mans eyes, durt in Gods sight; saith Gregorie.

3. Because it is conformable to the Law of God; It maketh us 1 Ioh. 3.4, 6, 9, 10, 24. & 5.2, 3. Rom. 7.25. conformable to it in part here for the present, Reason 3. and it will make us Eph [...]s. 5.27. fully and perfectly conformable to it hereafter. Whereas that other of theirs doth nothing lesse. Tota vita infide­lium peccatum est. Et nihil est bonum absque summo bono, Aug. in Sent. Pro­sper. 81. The whole Life of such, saith Augustine, is nothing but sinne: and their best actions, no better than Splendida pecca­ta: Et vitia potius quā virtutes, Idem de Civit. l. 19. c. 25. Sine Christo siquidem omnis virtus in vitio est, Hier. in Gal. 3. Incassum (que) quis laborat in acquisitione virtutum, si aliunde eas sperat, quam a Domino virtutum, Bern. in Cant. 22. Omne etenim probitatis opus, nisi semine verae Exoritu [...] fidei, peccatum est, inquereatum Vertitu [...]: & sterilis cumulat sibi gloria poenam, Prosper. de Ingrat. glittering corruptions.

4. Because it is and shal be rewarded of God. The Crowne expected is called 2 Tim. 4.8. the Crowne of Righteousnesse. And, Rom. 2.7. To those, Reason 4. saith the Apo­stle, that by well-doing, and continuance therein, [Page 28] seeke glory, and honour, and immortalitie, will God give eternall life in that day. And, Matth. 6.6. Thy Father, saith our Saviour, that seeth thee in secret, will re­ward thee openly. Yea there is Mat. 25.34, 35, 40. Luke 14.9. no action so meane or slight proceeding from this, even to Matth. 10.42. Mark [...] 9.41. the gift of a Cup of cold water, that shall passe unregarded, or unrewarded with God. Whereas that other Righteousnesse of theirs hath no re­ward promised it. Matth. 6.2. Verily I say unto you, saith our Saviour, not barely, [...]. they have, but they [...]. Quod Theophylact [...]s ob­servavit. have all, their reward: they have Matt. 23.5, 6▪ 7. all they de­sire, and all they deserve, and all that ever they are like to have: they may make their [...]. Quo mod [...] Paulus Phil. 4.18. [...]. De quo arguti­us Paulo D [...]naeus noster ad Chrysosto­mum Savilianum. acquit­tance; for such kinde and manner of discharge doth our Saviour there allude unto.

But why may a man without this Righteous­nesse have no part in Gods Kingdome? Quest. 3.

Answer.For dive [...] [...]auses and reasons;

These among many others:

Reason 1.1. Because the Chiefe Commaunder in this Kingdome, is Hebr. 7.2. [...] ( ex Hebr. [...] Gen. 14.18.) [...]. Frustrâ ergò est au­tor Etymologici, qui [...], inquit, [...]. Imo [...] ad quod Salem alludit, est [...], uti & Apo­stolus, ibidem, Etymologico ducente alucinatus est & Meurs. animadv. Miscell. lib. 1. cap. 11. a King of Righteousnesse. The Scepter of this Kingdome is▪ Psalm. 45.6. a Rod of Righte­ousnesse. The Throne of this Kingdome is Psalm. 9.5. & 97.2. a Seat of Righteousnesse: And the Kingdome it selfe is Rom. 14.17. a Kingdome of Righteousnesse: And, 1 Cor. 6.8. No un­righteous therefore can inherit this Kingdome; that hath nothing at all but Righteous in it. Esai. 60.21. The people of it, saith the Prophet, are all Righteous.

[Page 29]2. Because Rom. 5.17. Apoc. 20.6. none but those that have part here in the Kingdome of Grace, Reason 2. may hereafter partake in the Kingdome of Glorie. But by Righ­teousnesse we become members of the Kingdom of Grace. Rom. 5.21. That Grace, saith the Apostle, may reigne through Righteousnesse. None but such therefore have any part in the one; none but such shall ever have share in the other.

3. Because this Righteousnesse is the Royall Roabe. Psal. 132.9. Let thy Priests, saith the Psalmist, Reason 3. (and the same Persons here are both 1 Pet. 2.9. Apoc. 1.6. & 5.10. & 20.6. Kings and Priests) be cloathed with Righteousnesse. And, Isai. 61.10. He hath clad me with the Robe of Righteousnesse. And, Apoc. 19.8. To the Bride it was given to bee arayed in fine Silke: and [...]. the fine Silke is the Righteousnesse of the Saints. As no man then might come into the Wedding-house Mat. 22.11, 12. without the Wedding-gar­ment; so may no man enter into this Kingdome without this Royall Robe. Hebr. 12.14. Without Holinesse, saith the Apostle, shall no man ever see God. And Psal. 132.9, 16. those alone that are cloathed with Righteous­nesse here, shall bee cloathed everlastingly with Salvation hereafter.

4. Because Apoc. 21.27. No uncleane thing can come within the walls and compasse of this Kingdom: Reason 4. nay, Esai. 35.8. no uncleane person can set foot into the Way that leadeth to it. But this Righteousnesse, and this alone is that, that can truely and through­ly clense, purge, and purifie us, and that not Psal. 24.3, 4. 1 Tim. 2.8. our hands onely, but our Matth. 5.8. Act. 15.9. hearts too; as well the Rom. 7.22. 2 Cor. 4.16. inward man, as the outward; as well 2 Cor. 7.1. Ephes. 4.23. the Spi­rit as the Flesh. Whereas that other Righteous­nesse [Page 30] Matth. 23.25. Luke 11.39. clenseth the outside only, but leaveth the inside as foule still as ever it was. And therefore no marvell if our Saviour tell us, That Matth. 6.20. unlesse our Righteousnesse exceed the Righteousnesse of the Scribes and the Pharisies, we shall never get into the Kingdome of God.

Vse 3. Vse 1. Information.First then, doe we desire to have part in this Kingdome?

Are wee ambitious of a Crowne? and that such a Crowne, as is not Inest imperio cu­ra maxima maxi­mo, Salust. ad Caes. Seleucus Rex dicere solebat, si multi sci­rent, quātum [...]it ne­gotij tantū modo to [...] epistolas scrib [...]re ac legere, nec humi pro­jectum diod [...]m [...] tol­lerent. Alphōsus A­rag. Rex, As [...]norū cond [...]tionem esse po­t [...]rē quam regum: siquidem illis dum pascuntur dominos parcere, regibus ne­minem. Rex alius accepto in manus diademate, O Pan­n [...], inquit, nobi [...]ē magis quam foelicē! quem siquis penitus cognoscat, quā mul­tis periculis, sollici­tudi [...]bus ac miserijs fit re [...]ertus, ne humi quidem jacentem tollere dignetur, Erasm. in A­popht [...]. l. 6. & 8. Lega [...]tur Dio Chrysost. de Rege Persarum, Orat. 4. Sen▪ Thy [...]st. 3.1, 3. & Oedip [...]d. 1.1. & Aga [...]. l. 2. Et Petra [...]ch. Dialog. 79. & 96. Scit [...] ita (que) Iocasta in Theb. 4. Ne metue; poenas & quidem solvet graves: Regnabit; haec est poena.— environed with pric­king Cares, as if it were [...], Mark [...] 15.17. De qu [...] Meditationem Serenissimi Iacob [...] Regis nostri confidas sis. a Crowne of thornes or thistles, but such a one as may c [...]re and rid our heads of all carking care? as hereafter we shall see. Learne we here the way to it. The Way to this Crowne, to this Kingdome, is by Righteous­nesse. Seeke yee, saith our Saviour, the Righteous­nesse of God; and that will bring you to the Kingdome of God. For, Rom. 14.17. The Kingdome of God is Righteousnesse. This Kingdome of God is not like the Kingdomes of this World: that are Scelere parte; s [...]iere r [...]tenta: De quibus Sen. The [...]. 4.— regna cū scelere omnibus sunt exi [...]ijs graviora.— got­ten oft by wicked courses, and kept by the like: wherein Aud [...] aliquid brevibus G [...]aris & carcere dignum, Si vis esse aliquid▪—Iuvenal. Sat. 1. men rise by unrighteousnesse, and wherein not 2 Pet. 3.13. Righteousnesse, but — exe [...]t aulâ Qui volet esse pius— Virtus & summa potesta [...] Non co [...]unt.— Lucant▪ [...] ▪ Phars. l. 8. — jura, pud [...]que, Et conjugij sacra­ta fides [...] aula [...] ▪ Fra [...] sub [...]imi r [...]gnat in [...], Sen. Agam. [...].2.— sanctita [...], pie [...]. fides Privat [...] [...]ono sunt, Sen. Thy. 1.2. Vt nemo doceat fraudis & scel [...]rum vias, Regnum docebit.— Ibid. [...].1.— quid jam non regi [...] ans [...]? Aut quod [...] regni restat scel [...]? Silius bel. Pun. l. 16. unrighte­ousnesse [Page 31] oft reigneth. There is no way to rise in this Kingdome, there is no way to attaine to this Kingdome, but by Righteousnesse. Prov. 21.21. He that fol­loweth Righteousnesse and mercie, shall finde Righ­teousnesse, and Life, and Glory; saith Sal [...]mon. For it is the [...]ust, saith the Psalmist, that Psal. 11.5▪7. God loveth and regardeth, that Psal. 5.12. he gardeth & protecteth, that Psal. 17.15. shall behold his face, that shall Psal. 140.13. dwell ever in his house; and that Matth. 13.43. shall shine as the Sunne, saith ou [...] Saviour, in the Kingdome of God their Father Dan. 12.3. for ever and ever.

Secondly, Vse 2. Eviction. observe we hence how crosse and averse the corrupt heart of man is naturally to all goodnesse and godlinesse; that, though a Crowne, a Kingdome, an incorruptible Crowne, an everlasting Kingdome bee propounded to this Righteousnesse, and annexed unto it, yet will ra­ther lose this Crowne, rather leave and forgoe this Kingdome, than condescend to accept of it upon such a condition; At [...]aris ut vi­vat regnet (que) ben [...]ꝰ, Cog [...] posse [...]egat▪ Horat. epist. [...]. will not be constrai [...]ed to live happily, and to reigne everlastingly, unlesse he may doe so upon some other termes▪ will choose rather not to reigne, than to be righteous. If this Crowne indeed might be compassed by fraud and deceit, or by oppression and extorti­on; not a few would be sure to have a share in it, that are now never like to have any interest therein. Or if it might be held with loosenesse and lewdnesse of life, we should not need much Rhetoricke to perswade many to accept of it. It is [...], Plut. ad [...] ▪ in­doct. [...] potentiae suae magnitudinem me­tiuntur, Vell. hist. l. 2. Idque esse regni maximū pignus pu­tant. Si quicquid a­lijs [...], Sen. [...]gam. 2.2. [...] qu [...]ibet [...], ill esse Regem esse, [...] Hoc principat [...]s [...] putant, [...]. hist. 1. one maine end, for which many men de­sire [Page 32] authoritie and greatnesse, that they may thereby gaine libertie to live and doe as they list; Sceptorū vis tota perit, si pēdere justa Incipit.—Lucā. l. 8. Vbicūque tantum honesta dominanti licent, Precario reg­natur.— Atreus, Sen. Thyest. 1.2. and without which they esteeme power and authoritie nought worth. When Matth. 3.1, 2. Iohn the Baptist preached the Gospell of this Kingdome, Marke 6.20. Herode would willingly have had it, if hee might have held his Herodias, his Harlot with it. When Matth. 4.23. Marke 1.14. our Saviour Christ published it, Iohn 12.42, 43, & 3 1. the Pharisies would faine have had it, if with their Matth. 23.6, 7. John 5.44. pride, Luke 16.14, covetousnesse, and Luke 12.1. hypocri­sie, it might have beene had and held; or if such Matth. 5.20. Luke 18.9. a specious shew of Righteousnesse would have served the turne for it, as they dazled the eyes of the simpler sort with. But when this Matth. 5.20. & 7.13. Righ­teousnesse of God, this strictnesse of life, com­meth to be propounded together with it, and to bee exacted of all those that will have any share in it; now Marke 6.17, 18. Herode flieth off, and will none of it, Luke 7.30. the Pharisies keepe aloofe off, and reject it; & every naturall mans perverse heart thinketh it held at too high a rate, if Mica 6.6, 7, 8. without change of his corrupt course of life it cannot be compassed.

Vse 3. Exclusion.Thirdly, this serveth to exclude many from it, that would yet seeme to have, yea and per­swade themselves, that they haue a good share in it. They have no share in the former, because they have no part in the latter: They have no part in the Kingdome propounded by Christ, be­cause no part in the Righteousnesse annexed un­to it; because they remaine still as they were naturally, 1 Cor. 15.32, 33, 34. 2 Cor. 12.21. Tit. 1.10, 12, 15, [...]6. unrenewed, unsanctified, unholy, [Page 33] unrighteous, wholly impure and profane both in heart and in life; or if they have some shew of holinesse, it is 2 Tim. 3.2, 3, 4, 5. in outward semblance only, there is no inward substance or power of it. Such they are; and Psal. 58.3, 4, 5. & 36.1, 2, 3. Ier. 9.2, 3, 5, 6. other they refuse to be. They like well of this Kingdome; but they cannot a­way with the Righteousnesse: Num. 23.10. They are desi­rous to reigne; but unwilling to bee righteous. Jmpius & foelix sic simul esse cupit, Vt nolit pius esse, velit tamē esse bea­tus. De Macrin [...] nescio quis apud Iul. Capitolin. Happy they would be; but holy they wil not be. And yet they hope, they say, to doe as well as the best. A thing that Quod natura negat, nec ratio pa­titur, Ibid. neither Religion, nor natural Reason admitteth. For God hath lincked these two together with an indissoluble bond, Apoc. 20.6. [...]. Bo­nus beatus omnis, et malus miser, Socrat. Plato. Greg. & Cic. Tucs. l. 5. Happinesse and Holinesse, Reigning and Righte­ousnesse; the one as the Crowne, the other as the Robe, which cannot be had or worne therefore the one without the other. And Matth. 19.6. what God hath conjoyned, man, do he what he can, shall never be able to dis-joyne, and to sever. Whosoever re­fuseth Rom. 8.12, 13. Gal. 6.7, 8, 9. Vivi­te itaque benè, ne moriamini malè, August. de verb. Dom. 24. Id age ut bonam vitam habeas, & quacunque occasione à vita exi­eris, ad requiem, ad beatitudine maeternam exibis: merces enim vitae bonae, [...]terna est. Idem discipl. Christ. c. 2. to live as a Saint with Christ here on earth, shall never reigne as a Saint with him here­after in heaven.

Yea but, will some say, Objection. though [...], Plut. de Praefect. Ita, [...], Epicur. Stob. c. 16. Quod [...]odiè non est, eras erit: sic vi­t [...] truditur, Petron. Satyr. Cras hoc fiet, idem cras fiet. Quid? quasi magnum Nempe diē d [...]nas. Sed cum lux altera venit: Iam cras [...]esternum consumpsimus: ecce aliud cras Egerit hos annos, & semper paulum erit ultra, Pers. Sat. [...], Ita (que) pulchrè Chrysost. ad Pop. Ant. 19. [...] we be not so for the present, yet intend we, and purpose one day to be such; we hope to be so ere wee [Page 34] die, when wee lye a dying at least. As there is no wretched miser almost, no miserable world­ling, no griping cormorant, no filthy leacher, no debauched hell-hound, unlesse he be Ierem. 2.25. despe­rately bent to destroy his soule, and be wholly given up unto Rom. 1.28. a reprobate sense, & to Ephes. 4.19. a sense­lesse estate, but will say, that he meaneth yet one day to doe otherwise; Ier. 8.5, 6. he goeth far, they say, that never turneth; and he hopeth he shall have time enough so to do ere he die. But they must follow the world, or their own lusts first a while, and then they will take time at last to looke after these things.

Subjection. Member 3. Order.To meet with this slight that Satan is wont to suggest, therby to cheat men of their soules, our Saviour here admonisheth us to seeke Gods Kingdome and his Righteousnesse, not in the last, but Sive aliquid ha­bes; ò jam▪ philo­sophare. Sive nihil, hoc prius q [...]aere quā quidquā, Sen. ep. 17 in the first place.

Spirituall things as they must be sought, so they must be sought in the first place:

Observ. 4. [...], Nigri­nus apud Lucianū. They must bee sought instantly, without longer delay; Ab hoc incipien­dum est. Nihil prius quam hoc parandū est. Quid tu differs & post [...]aetera pa­ras? Sen. epist. 17. they must be sought first, Prou. 4.5, 7. be­fore and above all other things. Seeke ye first Gods Kingdome, and his Righteousnesse, saith our Savi­our. And, Prov. 8.17. He that seeketh me early, saith Gods Wisdome by Salomon, shall finde me.

Reasons 8.And great reason there is, why it should so be.

Reason 1.For first, Merito poscit studia majora pars melior, Euc [...]r. ad Va [...]r. Prior pars [...]. Vt qu [...] [...] prior est, non [...]it con [...]ideratione post [...]ri [...]r, Ibidem. The better part justly claimeth the [Page 35] principall care, and to be provided for in the first place. Other things concerne our bodies; these our soule and its wel-fare. And as our Savi­our saith, Matth. 6. [...]5. Luke 12. [...]. The Bodie is better than raiment: so [...], Plut. cont. Epic. [...], Idem de Tranq. [...], Aristot. Polit. l. 7. c. 1. No­stri melior pars a­nimꝰ est, Sen. quaest. Nat. [...]. Greg. Naz. ad Cle­don. 1. [...], Idem de Nupt. [...], Post Eu­ripid. Idē in I [...]. 1. [...], Idem Apolog. the Soule is better than the Bodie. Besides that, The Soule may doe well without the Body; but the Bodie cannot doe well without the Soule. Our [...], Chrys. tom. 8. ser. 17. Pr [...] ­ [...] animi bona, Iu­ [...]en. Sat. 8. first and principall care therefore should be for our soule, and those things that concerne it; and for these therefore in the first place, be­cause they principally concerne it.

Secondly, Aeterna momen­taneis praef [...]ren [...] [...]. Things eternall should be prefer­red before things temporall. 2 Cor. 4.1 [...]. While we looke, Reason 2. saith the Apostle, not on the things that are seene, but on the things that are not seene. For the things that are seene, are temporall; but the things that are not seene, are eternall. And, Iohn 6.27. Labour, saith our Sa­viour, not for the meat that perisheth, but for [...], Plut. the meat that endureth unto life eternall. But [...], Euripid. M [...]talium m [...]rtalis est foelicitas. Mortal [...] est omn [...] mortali [...]m▪ bonum. Metrodorus d [...] [...]is loquit [...]r bo [...] ad qu [...] concurritur, Sen. epist. 98. all other things are temporall and transitorie; Certum est sempiter [...]mque virtu [...] bon [...]. Hoc unum con­tingit immortale mortalibus, Sen. epist. [...]. these only that our Saviour enciteth hereunto, are e­ternall. And what comparison then betweene the one and the other?

Thirdly, Supe [...]ac [...] n [...]cessarijs pos [...]ponend [...] s [...]nt, Sen. epist. 49. & 109. Things necessarie ought to be prefer­red to the first place. Reason 3. But these are the only ne­cessary things. Vnicum nec [...]ssarium, Luke 10.42. There is but one thing necessary; saith our Saviour to Martha. Which Psal. 27.4. [...], Chrysost. tom. 8. S [...]r. 17. one thing [Page 36] therefore only David desired; and Paul made his Phil. 3.12, 13. maine aime, counting all but as drosse and trash unto it: to wit, this Kingdome, and the Righ­teousnesse of it. The old Proverb here holdeth, Aut Caesar, aut nullus, [...], Gregor. Naz. in Pentecost. Omnis homo aut est cum Christo regna­turus, aut cū diabo­lo cruciandus, Aug. de Temp. 85. Either a King, or a Caitiffe. The greatest King in the world, if he misse of this Kingdome, is as miserable a wretch as may be.

Fourthly, Indignum est da­re Deo, quod dedig­natur homo, Hier. in Malac. 1. Grat. De­cret. Dist. 49., c. 3. It is a most unworthy thing to deale so with God, Reason 4. as no man would endure to bee dealt with. We will serve God, forsooth: but when? when we are now good for nought. When we have served our selves of the world, and satis­fied our owne lusts, are glutted with the one, and have surfetted of the other, and are unfit and unable any longer to follow either; — Postquam lapi­dosa cheragra Fre­gere articulos, vete­ris ramalia fagi, Pers. Sat. 5. Cum omnibus mēbris ex­torti & fracti, ne in lectulo quidem que­ant nisi ab alijs mo­veri; uti de Domi­tio Tullo, Plin. epist. 18. lib. 8. when we are scarce able to turne our withered bodies, and wearied bones in our bed, then will wee offer and tender our service to God. Malac. 1.8. Non pudet te reliquias vitae tibi reservare, & id solum tempus bonae menti destina­re, quod in nullam rem conferri possit? Sen. de Brev. Vit. c. 4. Offer it to thy Prince, saith the Prophet; and see if he will ac­cept of it. Yea make proffer of thy selfe then, say I, to any meane man. And it is an unworthy usage of God, for a man to offer that unto God, that any man would thinke scorne of.

Fiftly, Non omnis [...]as ad perdiscendum sat est. Plaut. Truc. 1.1. Nullum non tā magnis re [...]ꝰ tēpus a [...]gustū est, Sen. q. Nat. l. 3. Non cū vacaveris, philosophandum est: Omnia alia negligen­da, ut huic assideamus, cui nullum tēpu [...] satis magnum est, etiamsi à pueritia us (que) ad longiss [...]os humani aevi terminos vita protēditur, Idē ep. 72. All mans life is little enough, were it never so long, as for the learning, so for the at­taining of these things. Reason 5. And [...]; Epicu [...]. Stob. c. 16. Nihil in diem, nihil in horam permittitur, Sen. ad Marc. c. 10. Nihil ne in totum quidem diem certum est, Idem ad Poly [...]. c. 29▪ we have no sure­tie of any time, no not of an houre. Psal. 31.15. My times, [Page 37] saith David, are in thine hands. Our times are in Gods hands, who Qui promisit p [...] ­nitenti veniam, nō promisit poenitendi horam. Qui poeni­tenti misericordiam promisit, peccanti crastinum non pro­misit. Aug de verb. Dom. 59. & homil. 11. & 13. & in Sent. Prosp. 72. as he hath promised par­don, saith Augustine, upon our repentance, so hee hath not promised us, so much as an houre for repentance. And when Apoc. 2.21, 22. hee hath given men space, but they have no grace to turne, it is a just thing with him Apoc. 10.6, 7. to deny them further time for turning. Maximum benè vivendi impedimē ­tum est expectatio, quae pendet ex cra­s [...]ino. Perdis hodier­num: quod in man [...] alterius positum est disponis; quod in tua dimittis, Sen. de brevit. vit. c. 9. It is a fond thing therefore to let goe and lose the time that we have, in hope of, and building upon that that wee may never have; to let that goe that is in our owne hand, relying upon that that is in anothers hand. Reason 6.

Sixtly, Durus valdè, imò potius, quod molesti­us est, valdè mollis capitur, consuetudi­ne mala & diutina fractus, qui vitij [...] simul & emarc [...]t & induruit, Sen. ep. 112. The longer we defer it, the more un­fit shall we finde our selves for it. Qui non est hodiè cras minus aptus erit, O­vid. Remed. l. 1. He that is not fit for it to day, will be more unfit for it to morrow. Consuetudo peccandi tollit sensum peccati, Bern. de Cons. c. 4. Continuance in sinning hardeneth in sinne, and breedeth a brawninesse in the Soule: while Na­ture, and Custome, [...], Arist. Eth. Mag. l. 2. [...]. 6. Cōsuetudo altera natura, Cic. Fin. l. 5. Ber. de Divers. 14. a second Nature, concurring together, Ier. 13.23. Natura & consuetudo robustissimam faciunt & invictissimam cupiditatem, Aug. ad Simpl. l. 1. q. 1. Ex voluntate perversa facta est libido; & dum servitur libidinū facta est consuetudo: & dum consuetudini non resistitur, facta est necessitas. Idē Conf. l. 8. c. 5. Inveterata in nobis malorū omnium labe, aliter jā nō vitiosi esse nō possumꝰ, nisi ut omnino nō simꝰ, Salv. de Prov. l. 6. L [...]ngo quod usu in pejus us (que) induruit, multo facilius fregeris quā flexeris, Buch. Bapt. produce an irrecoverablenesse in evill.

Seventhly, this Righteousnesse should bee sought in the first place, Reason 7. because [...], Arist. Eth. Nicō. l. 5. c. 1. & Mag. l. 1. c. 34. et Eudem. l. 4. c. 1. [...], Plato de Rep. l. 4. Iustitia instar sanitatis est, sine qu [...] nihil quicquā juvat. Sine justitia nihil valet, Cic. Offic. l. 2. nihil potest esse laud [...]bile, Ib. l. 1. Domina siquidē est omniū et regina virtutū, Ibid. l. 3. Nothing [Page 38] whatsoever, though never so good, either is good, or can doe good without it. Yea the better and the more excellent any thing is, the worse it is, if it be not joyned with it.

What is better than government? the verie Sin [...] imperio nec domus ulla, nec ci­vitas, nec g [...]ns, nec hominū universum genus stare, nec re­rum natura omnis, nec ips [...] mundu [...] po­test, Cic. de leg. l. 3. Istud est vinculum, per quod Respub. co­ [...]ret: ille spiritus vitalis, quē tot mil­lia trahunt: nihil ipsa per se futura nisi onus & praeda, s [...] mens illa imperij [...]ubtra [...]atur, Senec. de Clem. l. 1. c. 4. Life of a State. Yet if the Scepter be not swaied aright; if it rule not according to justice and right; Regiment without righteousnesse degenera­teth, and turneth into Tyrannie; it is but Iudex injustus latro cum privilegio est. Sicut medicus imperit [...], homicida. Colum. lib. 1. Iudex locusta civitatis est malus, Scalig. A [...]e. Rob­berie with authoritie. For the maine Fruēdae justitiae causa reges constituti sunt, Cic. Offic. l. 2. Judex iniq [...]s & [...]trone p [...]jar est. end of government is for the execution and enjoyment of justice: and without it therefore government is no better than plaine [...], Plut. ad praefect. ind [...]ct. [...]emo [...] justitia quid sunt Regna nisi magna latrocinia, Aug. de Civit. l. 4. c. 4. robberie; yea it is in some respect Injusta reg [...]a justa latrocinia sunt. worse than it.

What is [...], Euripid. better than Law? the [...], Arist. R [...]et. l. 1. c. 3. Pr [...]sunt enim Magistrati [...]us leges, ut populo Magistratus, Cic. de Leg. l. 3. [...], Demosth. apud S [...]b. life of Government. But Leges iniqu [...] nec l [...]ges dice [...]d [...] su [...], Aug. de Civit. l. 19. c. 21. injust Lawes are not worthy the Name of Lawes. Esai. 10.1. Woe to those, saith the Pro­phet, that make unjust Lawes. Woe to those that make them; yea and w [...] to those also for whom they are made. For Legibus fundata civitas legi [...]us evertitur, Pli [...]. [...]neg. they are but a meanes to undoe those, for whose good they are pre­tended.

[...], Gregor. Naz. in Iul. 1. [...], Idem ad Cledon. 2. Pax opti [...]a rerum Qua [...] homini [...]visse datum. Pax una triumphi [...] [...] p [...]ti [...]r.—S [...]us bel. Pun. lib. 2. What is better than Peace, Vnitie, Agree­ment, [Page 39] and Concord? Iudici [...], l [...]gosque esse nō possunt pace sub [...]at [...], Cic. Phil. 8. Without which those former also are of no use, of no force. The very Name of Peace is sweete; [...], Greg. Nazi [...] ▪ de Pac [...] 3. Dulc [...] [...] est pa­cis: res verô ipsa tū jucunda. tum salu­taris, Cic. Philip. 2. & 13. but the thing it selfe much sweeter. Psal. 133.1. Behold, saith the Psalmist, [...], Greg. Naz. de Eu [...]a [...]. how goodly and how pleasant a thing it is for brethren to dwell together in unitie▪ Psal. [...]33.2. It is for the pleasant­nesse of it, like the pretious Levit. 8.12. Ointment that was powred upon Aarons Head, that wet his Beard, and ran downe to the very [...]kirts of his Garments. It is Pax [...] r [...] ­tis, tranquillitas a­ [...]ni, s [...]plicitas cordis, vinculum a­moris, consortium charitatis. Haec est quae sim [...]ates tol­lit, bella compescit, ira [...] comprimit, dis­cordes s [...]d [...]t, inimi­cos concordat, cun­ctis est placi [...]a, Aug. de ve [...]b. Dom. 57. delightfull not to those themselves alone, that are at unitie among themselves, but it sen­deth forth a pleasing savour to their neighbors round about them: as on the other side, con­tentious persons are not troublesome to either other onely, but to all that dwell neare unto them. Quod in cantu [...], i [...]civi­tate [...]oncordia, ar­ctiss [...] at (que) op­timum [...] Cic. de Repub. l. 2. Aug. de Civit. l. 2. c. 21. Concord in societies, is as Harmonie in consorts, which being duly observed, maketh the Musicke delightfull; being not observed, by jar­ring maketh all harsh and unt [...]able, as well to the hearers, as to the fingers themselves. Again, for the profitablenesse and behovefulnesse of it, Psal. 133.3. It is like the dew of Her [...]n, and that that com­meth downe upon the Hill of Sion. It is as a sweet Prov. 19.12. dew, that maketh all things grow and thrive; as the contrarie spoileth and layeth all things waste, like the Ha [...]. 1.9. blast of some malignant aspect. Conc [...]dia [...] crescunt: discordia maximae dila [...]u [...]tur. Micypsae apud [...]. [...], Eccles▪ 4.1 [...]. Gregor. Naz. ad Aegypt-adv [...]n. Concord and agreement addeth strength even to meane things; discord and disagreement bringeth the strongest to wracke. And no marvell: For [Page 40] Nihil beatum nō favente numine. [...], Eschyl. Theb. without the Blessing of God what can prosper; yea or subsist? But Psal. 133.3. There, saith the Psalmist, hath God promised his Blessing, (to wit, Vers. 1. where Brethren agree together in one) and life for ever­more. But Mat. 18.19, 20. Rom. 16.20. the God of Peace will give Pacis Deus nisi pacē colentibus be­nedictionem nō da­bit, Cyprian. Quid simultates amas, quod antori pacis placere non potest? Non potest concordi­am habere cū Chri­sto, qui discors esse voluerit cum Chri­stiano, August. de verb. Dom. 57. no blessing there, where Peace and Vnitie is not. So that there is nothing more delightfull, more behoovefull than Peace. In regard whereof, it is that the A­postle Paul so oft, and so instantly enciteth un­to it. Ephes. 4▪1.—6. I therefore Paul, the Lords Prisoner, be­seech you, that you would walke worthy of the Cal­ling whereunto you are called; with all humblenesse of minde, and meeknesse, with long suffering, sup­porting one another through Love; Endevouring to retaine the unitie of the Spirit in the Col. 3.14. bond of Peace. There is Rom. 12.5. 1 Cor. 12.12, 27. one Bodie, and 1 Cor. 12.13. one Spirit, one Faith, one Hope, one Baptisme, 1 Cor. 8.6. one Lord, one God and Father of all, aboue all, through all, and in you all. And againe, to passe by many other pas­sages; Philip. 2.1, 2. If therefore there be any consolation, if any comfort of Love, if any communion of Spirit, if any bowels and compassions; Fulfill yee my joy, that yee be Act. 4.32. Rom. 15.5, 6. 1 Cor. 1.10. Phil. 3.16. & 4.2. [...], Ari­stoteles, Laert. [...], Iocus in Catonem min. ipsius (que) hospitē, Plut. [...], Gregor. Naz. in Basil. like minded, like affected, of one ac­cord, and of one judgement. And so Phil. 2.3, 4. proceedeth he to dehort them from selfe-will, selfe-love, selfe-respect, and selfe-conceit, the very bane and pests of agreement and concord. [...], Chrysost. in 1 Cor. hom. 19. Hanc erg [...] qui accepit teneat; qui perdidit repetat; qui ami [...]it, exquirat, Aug. de verb. Dom. 57. This there­fore should you strive and labour by all means to maintain among your selves, being (as Gen. 13.8. A­braham [Page 41] told Lot) brethren; and being Coloss. 3.15. called and joyned together (as the Apostle speaketh) into one Bodie. But [...], Greg. Naz. de Pa­ce 1. [...], Chry­sost. in Ioan. hom. 57 withall, you must have a care that this your Peace bee the Peace of God, that it be in God, and for God; that the maine aime of your agreement be the advancement of Gods Kingdome, and the maintenance of Right. For [...], Greg. Naz. ibidem. if Peace be not joyned with Pietie, better no Peace than such Peace; Sine justitia pax nulla est, Cic. de Re­pub. l. 2. Aug. de Ci­vit. l. 2. c. 21. if agreement be not joyned with justice and equitie, better no agree­ment at all than such. As it is Conciliabulum, sive Conventiculū, non Concilium. no Councell, but a Conventicle, wherein Truth is not aimed at: so it is [...], Act. 23.13. [...], Chrys. in Matth. hom. 35. no Societie, but a Conspiracie, wherein right is not regarded. When men are, as Simeon and Levi, Fratres in malo, Gen. 49.5. Pax ma­la est inter malos, ut quibus est una malitia, & unus ad malefaciendum consensus, Autor oper. imperfect. in Matth. hom. 26. Brethren in evill; when they combine themselves together to injure and wrong o­thers; [...], Chrysost. in Mat. 35. Pax cum bello sub Sylla de crudelitate certavit & vicit. Aug. de Civit. l. 3. c. 28. such agreement and concord is worse than any discord or disagreement whatsoever. And Vt pernitiosum est, si unitas desit bonis: ita perniciosius est, si nō desit malis▪ Eripiuntur enim justa, dū dividuntur injusti. At verò contra bonos vehemēter praevalent, quādo in malo se cōcor­diter tenent, Greg. Mor. l. 34. c. 3. Qui iniquos paci sociat, iniquitati vires administrat: quia bo­nos deterius deprimunt, cum unanimiter persequuntur, Idem Pastor. part. 3. c. 1. §. 24. the more strongly men in such case are united together, the worse they are, the more evill they may doe; yea the worse it is for them­selves too. For the more they are united and conjoined either with other, the more are they dis-united and dis-joined from God.

But to leave this Digression, though not alto­gether impertinent, which I was that morning admonished, that somewhat of this Argument was of course by the Doners desire required and expected. the present Occa­sion [Page 42] in part required of me; and to returne to the maine Point that wee are principally to pursue.

Therefore, lastly, are Gods Kingdome and his Righteousnesse first to be sought, Reason 8. because

The seeking thereof will be the most Compendi­ous Course for the Compassing of our owne Desires.

For why do men neglect to looke after Gods Kingdome? Moratur me res familiaris. Sic illam disponere volo, ut sufficere mihi hoc a­genti possit, ne aut paupertas mihi one­ri sit, aut ego alicui. Quantū sat est, nō ­dum habeo. Si ad il­lam summam per­vener [...], tunc me to­tum philosophiae da­bo, Sen. epist. 17. Forsooth, because they must build their houses, they must feather their nestes first: they must get something that may bee a stay to them hereafter, that they may bee able to defend the world withall. To remove there­fore this rubbe, Member 4. Benefit. and to rid and ease men of this care, our Saviour here telleth them, that Quid in longum ipse te differs? ex­pectabis ne foenoris quaestū, aut ex mer­ce compēdium, aut tabulas beati senis, cum [...]ieri possis sta­tim dives? Reprae­sentat opes sapi [...]tia: quas cuicunque su­pervacuas fecit, dedit, Ibidem. up­on the due seeking of Gods Kingdome and his Righteousnesse, or the Righteousnesse thereof, (for E [...]dem quod sensum attinet, rede [...]nt; etiamsi ad De­um, non ad Regnum referri Syntaxis Grammatica postulat. Atque hoc est quod Cal­vinus in hunc locum voluit. Quem iniquè igitur Maldonatus ta [...]at tanquam Graecarum literarum imperitum. all commeth to one effect) all these things that men so much desire and looke after, and take so much thought and care for, shall bee by God himselfe provided for them, supplied unto them, and cast in thereupon as an advantage thereunto.

So that

Vi [...]tus omnia in se habet: Omnia adsunt bona, Quem penes est Virtus, Plaut. Amph. 2.5. Est tanti laborare, omnia bona semel occupature, Senec. epist. 76. This one thing will bring all with it, it will helpe us to all things, Observ. 5, that our heart can desire. Psal. 37.3, 4. Trust in the Lord, saith the Psalmist, and doe [Page 43] good, and thou shalt assuredly be [...]ed. Delight thy selfe in the Lord, and he will give thee thine [...]wne hearts desire. Psal. 84.11. Hee will be Deus Sol et Sc [...] ­tum, debit grati [...] & gloriam. thy Sunne and thy Shield; he will give thee grace and glory: and hee will deny thee no good thing, so long as thou leadest a godly life. As 1 King. 3.9—13. 2 Chron. 1.11, 12. when Salomon asked Wise­dome, it pleased God so well, that he gave him Wealth and Honour together with it; so upon the seeking hereof, we shall not onely finde it, but we shall have all other good things cast in upon us together with it.

Nor indeed can it be otherwise. Reasons 4. Reason 1.

For first, we shall have thereupon our right to all things restored us in Christ. 1 Cor. 3.22, 23. All things, saith the Apostle, whether present, or future, this world or the next, all things, I say, are yours; and you Christs; and Christ Gods. As Hebr. 1.2. Christ, so all Christians are Gal. 3.26. Rom. 8.17. in Christ Apoc. 21.7. Heires of all things. And for Aud [...]cter Deum roges, nihil illum de alieno rogaturus, Sen ep [...]st. 10. God therefore to deny them ought, were to deny them of their owne.

Secondly, they that thus doe, Reason 2. are Iohn 1.12. Gal. 3.26. 2 Cor. 6.17, 18. Gods Children in Christ; and Iohn 14.13. & 16.23. 1 Iohn 5.14, 15. may have for the as­king what they will at Gods hands. For, Matth. 7.11. If you that are evill, saith our Saviour, use to give good things to your Children; how much more will your heavenly Father give you good things, if you aske him? Psal. 147.9. Mat. 6.26. [...]; &c. Epictet. Ari [...]. Dissert. l. 3. c. 26. He seedeth the fowles of the aire, and the beasts of the field: and hee that is carefull to provide for his hounds and his haukes, will hee suffer his Children to beg and starve, that must one day be his heires?

[Page 44] Reason 3.Thirdly, he hath prepared a Crowne, a King­dome for them. Luke 12.32. Feare not, little flocke, saith our Saviour; it is your Fathers will to bestow a Kingdome upon you. And, Qui dabit regnū, non dabit viaticū? Aug. de verb. Dom. [...], Chrysostom. in Matth. 22. will he deny them a Crum, that will give them a Crowne? Will hee deny them a bit of bread, or a cup of drinke, ( 1 Chron. 29.11, 12. all the wealth in the world is no more with him; he can as easily give the one as the other) that pur­poseth one day to make them Kings.

Reason 4.Yea lastly, he hath bestowed his owne, his only Sonne on them. Iohn 3.16. He so loved them, that he gave his only begotten Sonne for them. And, Rom. 8.32. [...], Chrysost. in Rom. hom. 15. He that spared not his owne Sonne, but gave him up to death for them, how can he but give them all things toge­ther with him? Qui misit unige­nitum, immisit sp [...] ­ritū, promisit vul­tum, quid tandem tibi negaturus est? Bern. de Temp. Ni­hil ei negaturꝰ cre­ditur, quem ad e­sum vituli horta­tur, Hieron. de Fil. Prodig. He that 1 Iohn 4.9, 10. sent his Sonne to die for them, hath Galat. 4.6. put his Spirit in them, and hath Matth. 5.8. promised them the fruition of his blessed presence for ever; how can hee refuse to provide for them, and confer upon them whatsoever good thing they shall stand in need of, while they live here?

Vses 4. Vse 1. Admonition.Now this first serveth to admonish all Chri­stian men, yea all men in generall, both what they should first and most, and what they should last and least care for. Optimum est curam principalem a­nima impendere. Eucher. ad Valer. Vt primas apud nos curas, quae prima habentur, obti­ [...]ant: summasque sibi sol [...]citudinis partes, qu [...] summa est, salus vendicet. Omnia vincat eo studio, quo praecedit omnia, Ibidem. Their first and principall care should be for the principall things, that is, for spirituall things, for Gods Kingdome and his Righteousnesse, for sanctification and true holi­nesse. [Page 45] Quis extruendi, nisi cum fundamen­ta jeceris, locus est? Superaedificare cae­teras utilitates de­stinanti salus fun­damentum est. Cae­terū quomodo quis­piam sequentia ad­dat, si nec prima possederit? Idē ibid. These are the things that most neere­ly concerne them; and without which they can have no benefit of ought else. And these are the things that God would have them most to looke after: As for other things, when we have so done, hee would have us leave the care of them wholly to him. Psal. 55.22. Roll thy burden upon the Lord, saith the Psalmist, and he will maintaine thee. 1 Pet. 4.4. Cast all your care upon him, saith S. Peter; for hee taketh care for you. And, Philip. 4.6. Take you no thought for ought, saith S. Paul: but let al your wāts be made knowne unto God by prayer. He Matth. 6.32. knoweth what is fit for you, and he will supplie you. What a deale of trouble, and distraction might wee free our selves of? How great quietnesse and sweet tranquillitie of minde might we procure to our selves, if we could doe thus?

But alas how contrarily (and let that be the next Vse) are most men affected to that that God would here have? Vse 2. Reprehēsion.

God would have men take care for spirituall things, Error 1. and leave the care of temporall things wholly to him. Whereas most men take a cleane contrarie course. [...], Chrysost. in Matth. 22. All the care they take is for temporall things, and as for spirituall things, they say, they will leave all to Gods mer­cie: They will take to themselves Gods part, and they will leave God their part. What he would doe himselfe, they will doe; and what he would have them doe, that they put off and referre wholly to him. Temporall things they will be sure to looke for, they will not trust God [Page 46] with them: But for spirituall things if they will not be found without seeking, for their parts they are never like to be sought after.

Error. 2.Againe, Spirituall things God would have to be esteemed as the [...]. principall, and to be set in the first place; and temporall things to bee reckoned of as [...], Chry­sost. in hunc locum. secondarie matters, as things accessorie unto them. Whereas worldly men generally take a direct contrary course. They [...], Lucian. Terpsion. set the cart, as wee say, before the horse. They Si caro famula anima domina, non oportet posteriore loco nos dominam ponere, ac famulam iniquo jure praefer­re, Eucher. ad Valer. make Sara tend on Hagar; the Mistresse wait on the hand-maid. [...], A­gatho apud Clem. S [...]rom. l. 5. Vel ut a­pud Athen. Dipno­soph. lib. 5. [...], Sic enim utrobique in­terstinguendum, ne suus sententiae lepi­dissimae lepos inte­reat. Vise Hadr. Iu­ni [...]m in Adag. Cen [...] ▪ 3. Adag. 79. They make the principall the accessorie, and the accessorie the Principall. Take most pains in that, that God would have them to take least in; and take least paines in that, that God would have them to take most in. First Gods Kingdome and his Righteousnesse, saith Christ, and then Riches or those other things, Vers. [...] cives, cives, quaerenda pecunia primùm est. Virtus post nummos.— Ho­rat. [...] Lucri [...]us est od [...] ex re Qualibet.— Vade habeas quaerit ne [...]o; sed oportet [...]. Sat. 14. — facias rem, Si possis, rectè: si non, quocun [...] mo [...] re [...] ▪ Horat. ep. 1. [...]; cum omnia habu [...]ris, tunc & sapientiam habere voles. Hoc [...]rit ultimum vitae in­ [...]mentum, &, ut ita dic [...], [...], Sen. epist [...] 17. meat, drinke, and apparell. But ⁱ first Riches, saith the World, moneyes and meanes of main­tenance, (for ^k these must be had howsoever) and ^l the Religion and Righteousnesse may a little, time enough, be looked after, when wee are once furnished of the former.

Yea Gods Children themselves are oft-times too much faultie in this kinde: Too slacke and [...] in seeking after the best things; and [...]ore careful thā they should be, for the things [Page 47] of this life. Not so diligent in attending as they should be, with Mary, that Vnicum necessa­rium, Luke 10.42. one thing, that is only necessarie, and without which no worldly thing can ought availe them; and on the other side, with Martha, Solliciti de mul­tis, Luke 10.41. troubled about many things, and those many times such as they might very well be without; much perplexed and distra­cted with care and thought about provisions for the bodie, for the backe and the belly, for meat, drinke and apparell; (that which our Saviour here Mat. 6.25, 28, 31. Luk. 1 [...].22, 29. had reproved in his followers before) as if either they wanted Matth. 6.26. a Father to provide for them, or Matth. 6.32. Luke 12.30. their Father were ignorant of their wants. Perkins alicubi. If wee see a young man grow worldly, full of care and thought for the world; we are readie to say, Sure his Father is deceased, and his Friends gone; he hath lost those that should looke after him; he hath no bodie left to take care for him but himselfe; else [...]. Aristot. Rhetor. l. 2. c. 12. he would never sure be so worldly, so full of care as he is. But our heaven­ly Father is not dead: (he 1 Tim. 6.17. Apoc. 15.7. liveth for ever to doe for us:) nor doth or can Esay. 49.15. his care die for them, whom he hath once vouchsafed to un­dertake the care of. And it is a great wrong therefore, that Christian men offer to this their carefull and provident Father, when they are so full of care themselves.

But doth no care at all then bec [...]me Christians▪ Question. may some man say. Or is all Care utterly con­demned? Should Christian men be like those of Iudg 18.27. Laish, a sort of carelesse people; to live loo­king after nothing, but Qui finxit alas papilioni, is curabit omnia. Luxurioso­ [...] [...]. Sc [...] ­lig. de Subtil. put off all to Gods [Page 48] providence, and so let things goe at six and sevens, as we say?

Answer.Not so neither. We must wisely distinguish here, that we neither wheele into the whirle-pit of distrustfulnesse on the one hand, nor wrecke our selves against the rocke of retchlesnesse on the other. There is a two-fold care, yea or care­fulnesse, if you will: there is Solicitudo diligē ­tiae, [...]. a carefulnesse of diligence; and there is Solicitudo diffi­dentiae, [...]. a carefulnesse of diffi­dence: the one is approved and commended; the other is disallowed and condemned: we are Prov. 27.23. & 22.29. Phil. 4.8, 9. 1 Tim. 5.4, 8. en­joyned the one; wee are Philip. 4.6. 1 Tim. 6.8, 17. inhibited the other; nor doth the one necessarily follow the other, or the expulsion of the one exclude also the o­ther. Conceive it by a plaine and familiar in­stance. A Father placeth his Sonne in a Farme, furnisheth him with a stocke, biddeth him play the good husband; and further assureth him, to put him out of all feare, that, if things fall out otherwise than well, so that it bee not by his owne wilfull neglect or default, he will supplie him and set him up againe. The Sonne in such case, though he may well be the lesse distrust­full, yet ought not to be the lesse diligent, for this his Fathers kinde offer, and the assurance gi­ven him of such supplies. Nor ought Christi­an men therefore to bee the lesse carefull of Prov. 6.6, 7, 8. et 12.11. et 28.19. walking diligently and industriously in those places and callings whereunto God hath assig­ned them, or in following the affaires and do­ing the duties that doe thereunto appertaine. (They 2 Thess. 3.6, 11. walke inordinately, saith the Apostle, [Page 49] that 1 Thess. 4.11. follow not their owne worke, and as well 2 Thess. 3.10. earne, if they be able, as 2 Thess. 3.1 [...]. eat their owne bread;) because God hath graciously promised, and un­dertaken to provide for them. [...], Phil. 3.16. Walke they must each one carefully 1 Cor. 7.20, 24. within the compasse of his calling, and expect Deut. 28.8. Psal. 128.1, 2. Gods blessing upon their labours and endevours. But for the issue and event of them, they must not be troubled and distracted about it; but Psalm. 37.5. 2 Sam. 10.12. leave that all to God, Hebr. 13.5, 6. assuring themselves that hee will not see them to want, howsoever things fall out, but will furnish them ever with what is fit.

And so in the third place, Vse 3. Prevention. this serveth to meet with a conceit that keepeth many from looking after the things of Gods Kingdome, be­cause they feare that they shall want necessa­ries, if they shall so doe. For, to omit that true Fides famem non formidat, Hieron. ad Heliodor. Faith, as Ierome speaketh, feareth not Famine: and againe, that he is unworthie this Crowne, this Kingdome, that preferreth worldly trash be­fore it, or Mat. 13.44, 45, 46. Luke 14.26, 33. that is not content Philip. 3.7, 8, 9. willingly, yea and Hebr. 10.34. gladly, Omnia relinquas, ut hoc habeas, Sen. epist. 76. to forgoe the one, for the attai­ning and compassing of the other: Such feare is wholly superfluous; it is a groundlesse feare: Since that God the Father by Iesus Christ his Son and 2 Cor. 1.20. his Surety, hath here given thee assurance; that so long as thou seekest it as thou oughtest, At necessaria de­crunt. Deesse non poterūt, Sen. ep. 17. thou shalt never want ought; all other things shall be from God himselfe supplied to thee with it. And Psal. 34.10. the Lions themselves therefore, saith the Psalmist, (and the Lion is the Prov. 30.30, 31. Rex ferarum, Isid. Orig. l. 10. c. 2. King of beasts,) shall hunger and starve; those that are [Page 48] [...] [Page 49] [...] [Page 50] likeliest to be fed: But those that seeke the Lord shall want nothing that is good. Hee Psal. 78.24. Plu­viam escatilē. Ter­tul. de Patient. will raine bread from heaven, and Psalm. 78.20. & 114.8. Petram a­quatilem, Ibid. set the flintstone a­broach, and turne Psal. 107.35. 2 King. 3.17. Esai. 43.19, 20. the drie and waste wilder­nesse into rivers of water, before his shall pine and perish.

Yea this rather should enduce, encite, and encourage us to seeke, Vse 4. Encourage­ment. as the more carefully, so the more cheerefully after these things, consi­dering that so gracious a promise is annexed thereunto Psal. 34.9. Feare, that is, Sicut, 1 King. 17.32, 33. & alibi. serve the Lord di­ligently, yee his Saints, saith the Psalmist: for there shall nothing bee wanting to them that feare him. Parare unde vi­vam volo. Simul & parare disce— Sen. ep. 17. i. vis parare? Parandi rationem disce, Lips. Wouldest thou then bee cared for? Wouldest thou be provided for? Wouldest thou need to take no more thought or care for ought? Get thee into Christs Court; get thee a place in Gods Kingdome. Men thinke they shall be well, they shall be safe, they shall be made for ever, when they have got some place, so it be at least some gainfull one, about the King, or belonging to the Court: such an office could they compasse, they should never need more to feare wāt, or to take further care for the world. Yet we know and see that such places oft bring Desere palatia: nā Curia Curis, imò crucibus & morti­bus Semper est ob­noxia. Petr. Bles. ep. 57.— dum excel­sus steti, numquam pavere destiti.—Sen. Thyest. 3.1. a world of cares with them, & Pauc [...]s [...]eavit au­la, plures perdidit: Sed hos quo (que) ips [...]s, quos beavit, per di­dit. area means oft to bring men to want. But he that hath a share in this Kingdome of God, shall never indeed need to take further care for ought, shall never need indeed to feare any defect. Ierem. 17.7, 8. Blessed is the man, saith the Prophet, that dependeth upon God: for he shall bee as a Tree planted by the water side, that [Page 51] spreadeth her roote alongst the river, and doth not feele when the scorching heat commeth, but continu­eth ever greene, and taketh no thought for the yeere of drought, nor at any time ceaseth to have fruit on her. Forbeare not therefore the following here­of for feare of want; but follow these things rather if thou wouldest not feare want.

In like manner for your Children, would you have them so provided for, that you should not need to take any further care for them in that kinde? Distrustfull care, I meane still, and of uncertaine event; for otherwise 2 Cor. 12.12. Parents ought to be carefull to provide for their children; and 1 Tim. 5.8. he is worse, I say not, than an Infidell, but Nahum. 2.13. Thren. 4.3. Ipsae fe­ra savissimae f [...]us su [...]vent, enutri­unt▪ milvi pullis circumvolantes ra­pinis prospiciunt, Aug. de Civit. l. 19. c. 12. than a brute beast, that doth otherwise. But would you so doe for them, that they may bee sure not to want? which otherwise, Eccles. 4.14. Am­plae & regiae [...]pes, ubi ad malum domi­num pervenerunt, momēto dissipātur, Sen. de Brev. vit. c. 1. Irus & est su­bitò, quid modò Croe­sus erat. Ovid. Trist. 3.7. though you leave them never so much, they may doe. Doe the like for them, that you are exhorted here to doe for your selves. A poore man when he hath gotten his childe once into the Hospi­tall, how glad is he? he thinketh hee need take no more care for him, whether hee live or die, whether he leave him ought or no; (and yet he will do his best to get somewhat to leave him;) he knoweth there he shall not want. But get your Children, say I, not into Christs Hospitall, but into Gods Kingdome of Grace, and they shall then bee sure indeed never to want, you shall need to take no further thought for them. Let this be thy first care, and thy principall care, as for thy selfe, so for them, nor how to make them [Page 52] rich, but Genes. 18.19. Deut. 6.6. 1 Chron. 28.9. how to make them religious, how to worke the sincere Prov. 24.21. Ephes. 6.4. feare of God, and 1 Tim. 4.6. 2 Tim. 1.5. & 3.15. faith of Christ into them. This when thou hast once effected, thou needest not bee troubled to thinke what will become of them, if thou beest taken away from them; or what thou shalt bee able, when thou diest, to doe for them: thou shalt leave them Gods blessing, if thou hast no­thing else to leave them; (where Religion and Righteousnesse runneth on in a race, there Psal. 115.13, 14. Gods blessing is also hereditarie with it:) and if thou leave them that, though thou leave them nought else, they shall be sure to doe well, they shall never want ought. For, Psal. 37.18, 19. The Lord know­eth the daies of the upright, or the righteous; saith David: and their inheritance shall abide for ever. They shall not be confounded in the evill time: and in the daies of famine they shall have their fill. And hee confirmeth it further by his owne experi­ence, both concerning them and their issue. Psal. 37.25, 26. I have beene young, and am now old; yet [...], Clem. Alex. Paedag. lib. 3. cap. 7. never, either in my younger or elder times, have I seene any righteous man forsaken, or his seed driven to beg their bread. But though he be mercifull and readie to lend, (a meanes many times to lessen and impaire mens estates) yet his seed after him inheriteth the blessing.

Objection.Yea but we see even Hebr. 11.37. godly men many times in want, may some say.

I answer in a word. Psalm. 37.10. & 64.11. They never want what is good, Solution. what is necessarie, what is Sicut contra de malis Chrysippus a­pud Plut. de com­mun. not. [...]. Ai [...] sapientem nul­la re indigere, & tamen multis illi re­bus opus esse: con­tra stulto nulla re [...]pus est; nulla e­nim re scit uti, sed omnibus eget. Ege­re enim necessitatis est. Nihil autem sa­pienti necesse est quod non habet▪ Sen. epist. 9. needfull and behoovefull for them to have. And whatsoever [Page 53] is not good and fit for them, it is [...], Di [...]gen. Laert. l. 6. better for them to be without it, than with it; to want, than to have it. Doe we not see, I say not, the Sons of Kings, but even Kings and Princes themselves oft by the Physitians direction [...], Dion. Chrysost. Orat. 14. imprisoned in their owne Palaces, confined to, and cowpt up in their chambers, restrained of their wonted full and delicate fare, and held to hard meat, as we say, tied to a strict and spare diet; yea and glad too to observe it, because [...], ibid. it would o­therwise be worse with them? No marvell then if the godly sometime in like manner, though Kings and 2 Cor. 6.10. Lords of all things, are for their spi­rituall health and further good, restrained of some things that are not so fit for them at the present. Such want is no want, when a man ra­ther Aliud enim non habere, aliud care­re, Cic. Tuscul. l. 1. is without, than wanteth that, which to be without then is for his good.

To end where wee began; let us by any meanes take heed, Conclusion. lest our immoderate care for the things of this life, expell and justle out our care for things belonging to a better life: Congruum nō est in honor [...] solicitudi­nis nostrae praestan­tioribus pej [...]ra sub­jicere, Eucher. ad Valer. Let that rather yeeld to this, and Philip. 4.4. this then wil dis­charge us of that: let our maine and principall care be for Gods Kingdome and his Righteousnesse, and for other things we may then boldly 1 Pet. 5.7. cast our care upon God, who will be sure thereupon Psalm. 23.1. Luke 22.35. sufficiently, yea 2 Cor. 9.8. [...], &c. Chrysost. in [...] l [...]cum. abundantly to furnish us with whatsoever Matth. 6.32. he shall see to be needfull and fit for us.