Sixteen Sermons, Sermon 9
A SERMON ON MATTH. VI. 33.
But ſeek ye firſt the Kingdom of God, and his Righ…ouſneſs; and all theſe things ſhall be added unto you.
IN the latter part of this Chapter, our Saviour doth in a long Diſcourſe caution his Diſciples againſt an Inordinate Care about the Things of this Life, which he concludes with a ſtrict Charge to make Religion their firſt and great Concernment, and above all Things to take Care to ſecure to themſelves the happineſs of another Life; But ſeek ye firſt the Kingdom of God, and his Righteouſneſs, &c. In the handling of which words, I ſhall do theſe Four Things.
Firſt, I ſhall explain what is here meant by the Kingdom of God, and his Righteouſneſs.
Secondly, What by ſeeking of theſe.
Thirdly, I ſhall lay down ſome neceſſary and plain Directions, which if we obſerve, we cannot miſcarry in this matter.
Fourthly, I ſhall ſet before you ſome of the moſt proper and powerful Motives and Encouragements to the minding of this great Intereſt and Concernment; among which, I ſhall particularly conſider the Argument or Encouragement here uſed in the Text, and all theſe things ſhall be added unto you.
1. I ſhall explain to you what is here meant by the Kingdom of God, and his Righteouſneſs.
Firſt, What is meant by the Kingdom of God. And there are two Famous acceptations of this Phraſe, and both of them very frequent in the New Teſtament. Sometimes it is uſed to ſignifie the State of the Goſpel, or the Chriſtian Religion, which by the Jews was called the Kingdom of God, or the Kingdom of the Meſſias, Mark 1. 15. The Kingdom of God is at hand; that is, the State or Diſpenſation of the Goſpel is now approaching, and ready to take place. Luke 17. 20. The Phariſees demanding of our Saviour when the Kingdom of God ſhould come, that is, when the Reign of the Meſſias ſhould commence; he anſwers them, the Kingdom of God cometh not with obſervation; that is, not with any Temporal Pomp and Splendor, ſo as to draw the eyes of People after it, as the Jews did vainly imagine; but the Kingdom of God, foreign, is among you; not within you, as our Tranſlation hath improperly rendred it; the Kingdom of God (he tells them) is already come unto you, the Meſſias is among you, and ye are not aware of him. In the like ſenſe this Phraſe is uſed, Mat. 21. 43. the Kingdom of God (that is, the Goſpel) ſhall be taken from you, and given to a Nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. And ſo likewiſe the Phraſe of the Kingdom of Heaven is uſed, Mat. 11. 11. where ſpeaking of John the Baptiſt, our Saviour ſaith, that among them that were born of Women, there hath not riſen a greater than John the Baptiſt; that is, there was no greater Perſon than he, under the Jewiſh Diſpenſation, and yet he that is leaſt in the Kingdom of Heaven (that is under the Diſpenſation of the Goſpel) is greater than he.
Now tho' this ſenſe of the Kingdom of God be not wholly excluded in the Text, yet there is another ſenſe of this Phraſe very uſual likewiſe in the Scripture, and which is more agreeable to the ſcope of our Saviour's Argument and Diſcourſe… and ſo it ſignifies that future ſtate of Happineſs and Glory which good Men ſhall be advanced to in another World, in oppoſition to this Life, and the Enjoyments of it, which our Saviour had before forbidden his Diſciples to be ſo ſolicitous about. Take ye no thought, ſaying, what ſhall we eat? or what ſhall we drink? or wherewithal ſhall we be cloathed? And then it follows in direct oppoſition to this inordinate and ſolicitous Care about Worldly Things, but ſeek ye firſt the Kingdom of God, and his Righteouſneſs. That is, be not ſo ſolicitous about the Conveniencies and Neceſſaries of this Life, as about the Happineſs of the other, and the Means to it. And this ſenſe of this Phraſe of the Kingdom of God is ſo very frequent in the New Teſtament, that I ſhall not need to give particular Inſtances of it.
Secondly, what is meant by Righteouſneſs; ſeek ye firſt the Kingdom of God, and his Righteouſneſs. Righteouſneſs, in the ſtricteſt and moſt proper ſenſe of the word, ſignifies the particular Virtue of Juſtice; and very frequently in the Old Teſtament it is uſed for Charity to the Poor, or Almsgiving, Pſal. 37. 25, 26. I have been young, and now am old, yet have I not ſeen the Righteous forſaken, nor his ſeed begging bread; he is ever merciful, and lendeth; and Pſal. 112. 9. he hath diſperſed, he hath given to the Poor, his Righteouſneſs endureth for ever. But Righteouſneſs in its largeſt and moſt extended ſenſe, comprehends all the Virtues of a good Man; and ſo it ſignifies here in the Text, and in many other places of Scripture.
So that the Kingdom of God, and his Righteouſneſs, comprehends the whole buſineſs of Religion, our laſt End, which is Eternal Life and Happineſs in another World; and the way and means to this End, which is Righteouſneſs, or that Univerſal Goodneſs which God requires of us, and whereof he himſelf is a Pattern and Example to us; for which Reaſon 'tis call'd his Righteouſneſs. And in this ſenſe of our laſt End, and the way and means to it, the Kingdom of Heaven, and Righteouſneſs, are uſed in another place, even of this Sermon of our Saviour's upon the Mount, Matth. 5. 20. Except your Righteouſneſs ſhall exceed the Righteouſneſs of the Scribes and Phariſees, ye ſhall in no caſe enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; where Righteouſneſs is made the neceſſary Means and Condition of Eternal Life. I proceed in the
Second Place, to explain what is meant by ſeeking firſt the Kingdom of God, and his Righteouſneſs. And this ſignifies the greateſt intention of mind, and earneſtneſs of endeavour about the buſineſs of Religion, in order to our attaining of Eternal Happineſs; ſuch a ſeriouſneſs and earneſtneſs of endeavour as Earthly-Minded Men uſe about the Things of this World. For after all theſe things (ſays our Saviour immediately after the Text) do the Gentiles ſeek; foreign, which words ſignifie an intenſe Care, and vigorous Endeavour; but ſeek ye firſt the Kingdom of God, and his Rightouſneſs; that is, be ye who profeſs your ſelves Chriſtians, as intent upon the buſineſs of Religion, and the Salvation of your Souls, as the Heathen, who are in a great meaſure ignorant of God and another Life, are about the things of this Life.
And here are two Things to be explained.
1. What is here meant by ſeeking the Kingdom of God, and his Righteouſneſs; And,
2. What by ſeeking them in the firſt place.
For the Firſt: A ſincere and earneſt ſeeking of the Kingdom of God, and his Righteouſneſs, does imply in it theſe Four Things.
Firſt, A fix'd Deſign and Reſolution as to the End; that we do not only propound to our ſelves the Eternal Happineſs and Salvation of our Souls as our chief End, but that we be immoveably fixt upon it, and always have it in our aim and deſign; that here we ſet up our Reſolution, if it be poſſible, to be happy for ever; that we have this End always in our eye, and be firmly reſolved to do all that we can towards the attaining of it.
Not that we are obliged always actually to think upon it; but to have it frequently in our Minds, and habitually to intend and deſign it, ſo as to make it the ſcope of all our Endeavours and Actions, and that every thing we do be either directly and immediately in order to it, or ſome way or other ſubſervient to this Deſign, or however not inconſiſtent with it; like the term and end of a Man's Journey, towards which the Traveller is continually tending, and hath it always habitually in his intention, tho' he doth not always think of it every ſtep that he takes, and tho' he be not always directly advancing and moving towards it, yet he never knowingly goes out of the way. And tho' he bate and lodge by the way, and does many other things which do not directly ſet him forward, yet they are all ſubſervient to his Journey, or in proſecution of it; or at leaſt no wilful deviations from it. Thus it ſhould be with us, while we are Sojourning in this World; our fix'd aim and deſign ſhould be to get to Heaven, and thither we ſhould be continually tending in our Deſires and Endeavours.
And if this Reſolution be deeply root…d and fix'd in our Minds, it will govern all our Actions, and keep them ſteady to their main End. Whereas, if we be uncertain, and unreſolv'd upon our great End, and be divided between the Happineſs of the next Life, and the preſent Enjoyments of this, we ſhall be fickle and unſteady in all our Motions. He that hath two Ends, can purſue neither vigorouſly; but while he is moving towards the one, he leans and inclines to the other; and like a Needle between two Loadſtones, is always in a doubtful and trembling Condition; inclines to both, but is conſtant to neither: And this is the meaning of that Aphoriſm of St. James, The double-minded Man is unſtable in all his ways. He that is unreſolved as to his main End, hath two Minds, and can proſecute nothing vigorouſly: But if our Mind be once fix'd and reſolv'd, that will determine and govern all our motions, and inſpire us with Diligence, and Zeal, and Perſeverance in the proſecution of our End.
Secondly, Seeking the Kingdom of God and his Righteouſneſs, implies inceſſant Care and Diligence as to the means; that we make Religion our buſineſs, and exerciſe our ſelves in the Duties of it, both in publick and private, at proper times and ſeaſons, with the ſame ſeriouſneſs and application of Mind, as Men do in their Callings and Profeſſions, for the gaining of Wealth and Preferment; eſpecially on the Lord's-Day, which God hath taken to himſelf, and ſet apart for the Duties of his Worſhip and Service. Not that we are excuſed from minding Religion at other times; but that thoſe who are preſt and ſtraitned by the neceſſary Cares of this Life, may be ſure to mind it then, and may have no colour of excuſe for the neglect of it at that time, which God hath allotted for that very purpoſe, and which it is unlawful to employ about our Worldly Affairs. God expects that we ſhould ſerve him at other times, that we ſhould live in an habitual ſenſe of him, and (as Solomon expreſſeth it, Prov. 23. 17.) Be in the fear of the Lord all the day long; ſo as to be careful not to offend or tranſgreſs in any thing, and ſo as to redeem all Opportunities for the exerciſe of Piety, and Devotion; but this Day he peremptorily challengeth to himſelf, and expects we ſhould imploy it in his Service, and Dedicate it to Religion, to the Contemplation of God and Heavenly things, and the Care of our Immortal Souls, with the ſame ſeriouſneſs and diligence, as we do upon other days labour for the bread which periſheth; and the leſs leiſure we have upon other days for this purpoſe, the more entirely ſhould we Devote and Conſecrate this Day to the Purpoſes and Duties of Religion.
Not but that our whole Life, and all the Actions of it, ſhould be under the government of Religion, and directed by the Laws and Rules of it; and it ſhould be our continual Care and Endeavour to pleaſe God in all things, and we ſhould take as much pains, and be as heartily concerned to be good Men, as the Men of the World are to grow Rich and Great in this World; nay ſo much more, by how much it is a better and nobler Deſign to improve in Grace and Virtue, than to proſper and thrive in our Temporal Eſtate; and we do not in good earneſt ſeek the Kingdom of God, and his Righteouſneſs, if this be not our great ſtudy and endeavour, to ſubdue our Luſts, and govern our Paſſions, and, in a word, to reform whatever is amiſs in the inward frame and temper of our Minds, and in our outward Converſation. And indeed nothing does require greater diligence, and attention, and care, than for a Man to become truly and thoroughly good, to be meek and humble, and patient and contented, and reſigned to the Will of God in every Condition; to be peaceable, and charitable, and placable, and ready to forgive; theſe are great and difficult things, and, whatever we think, not the work of a Wiſh, or the effect of a ſudden Reſolution before the receiving of the Holy Sacrament, no nor the fruit of frequent and …ervent Prayers, without the hearty concurrence of our own Care and Endeavour, to render our Lives ſuch, as we pray God by his Grace to aſſiſt and enable us to be.
Thirdly, Seeking the Kingdom of God, and his Righteouſneſs, does further imply zeal and earneſtneſs in the purſuit of this Deſign: And this is a degree above diligence, for zeal is an ardour and …ervency of Mind in the proſecution of a thing for which we are greatly concerned, and which we vehemently deſire to obtain; it is the hotteſt and moſt intenſe degree of our affection towards any thing, of our deſire and love, mixt with anger at every thing that ſtands in our way, and hinders us from obtaining what we ſeek after; ſuch an heat as Ambition does commonly inſpire Men withall, in the purſuit of Power and Preferment. Such ought to be the temper of our Minds, and the edge of our Spirits, in ſeeking the Kingdom of God, as does uſually poſſeſs Men in ſeeking the Kingdoms of this World, and the Glory of them. We muſt remember, that it is a Kingdom which we ſeek for, and aſpire after, not like the unſtable and tottering Kingdoms of this World, but a Kingdom which cannot be ſhaken, as the Apoſtle calls it.
So that the greatneſs of the Deſign, and the Excellency of what we ſeek after, will juſtifie and warrant the higheſt degree of a diſcreet zeal and fervour in the proſecution of it; and therefore no wonder that the Scripture in this matter uſeth words that import the greateſt vehemency and earneſtneſs, bidding us to ſtrive to enter in at the ſtrait gate, to labour and watch, to run, and wreſtle, and fight, and, in a word, to give all diligence, to make our Calling and Election ſure.
Laſtly, Seeking the Kingdom of God, and his Righteouſneſs, does imply patience and perſeverance in our endeavours after them, and that we never ceaſe our purſuit of them, 'till we have obtained them; and this, notwithſtanding all the difficulties and diſcouragements, the oppoſition and perſecution that we meet with for Righte…uſneſs ſake: For this we muſt expect, and reckon upon before-hand, to encounter many difficulties, and find many diſcouragements in the ways of Religion; for ſtrait is the gate, and narrow is the way that leads to life, as our Lord himſelf hath told us: Nay we muſt count to be grievouſly perſecuted for Righteouſneſs ſake, and, if God ſee it good for us, to paſs through many Tribulations, before we ſhall enter into the Kingdom of God; and therefore we had need to be armed with a great deal of Patience, and a very firm and obſtinate Reſolution, to enable us to bear up, and to hold out againſt all theſe; for this is a neceſſary qualification for our ſeeking the Kingdom of God, and his Righteouſneſs. So our Lord hath told us, Mat. 10. 22. he that endureth to the end, ſhall be ſaved; if we hope to receive the Crown of Life, we muſt be faithful to the death, Rev. 2. 10. And to the ſame purpoſe St. Paul declares, Rom. 2. 7. that they only ſhall be made partakers of Eternal Life, who by patient continuance in well doing, ſeek for Glory, and Honour, and Immortality.
You ſee what is meant by ſeeking th… Kingdom of God, and his Righteouſneſs; it remains briefly to be ſhewn, in the Second place, what is meant by ſeeking theſe firſt; ſeek ye f…rſt the Kingdom of God, and his Righteouſneſs; that is, let this be your main and principal Deſign, ſo as to take place of all others in your eſteem and affections, in your aim and endeavour; in compariſon of this, mind nothing elſe, not the Comforts and Conveniencies, no not the Neceſſaries of Life, what ye ſhall eat, and what ye ſhall drink, and wherewithal ye ſhall be cloathed. Theſe you ſee our Saviour inſtanceth in before the Text, as not to be regarded and taken care of, when they come in competition with the Kingdom of God, and his Righteouſneſs. And our Saviour tells us elſewhere, that not only none of the Comforts and Neceſſaries of Life are to be valued againſt him, and his Religion; but that even this Temporal Life itſelf, as dear as it is to us, is to be parted withall, and given up, rather than to quit the profeſſion of his Truth and Religion, Mat. 10. 37. 38. He that loveth Father or Mother more than me, is not worthy of me; and he that loveth Son or Daughter more than me, is not worthy of me. He inſtanceth in the neareſt Relations, thoſe towards whom we have the moſt tender and relenting affections, and yet he tells us, that the Conſideration of his Truth and Religion ought to take place of theſe, nay even of Life it ſelf; for ſo it follows, and he that taketh not his Croſs, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. St. Luke expreſſeth it more ſtrongly and vehemently, Luke 14. 26. If any man come to me (that is, take upon him the profeſſion of my Religigion) and hate not his Father, and Mother, and Wife, and Children, and Brethren, and Siſters, yea, and his own life alſo, he cannot be my Diſciple. When theſe come in competition with our Religion, and the great intereſt of our Eternal Salvation, we are to regard and value them no more than if they were the Objects of our hatred, but to ſet aſide all conſideration of affection to them, ſo far as it would tempt us from Conſtancy in our Religion, and the Care of our Souls.
So that when our Saviour bids us firſt to ſeek the Kingdom of God, and his Righteouſneſs, his meaning is, tha… Religion, and the Concernments of our Souls, and the Eternal Happineſs of them in another World, ſhould be our firſt and chief Care; and that all other things ſhould be made ſubordinate and ſubſervient to this great Deſign, and be no further minded by us, than they really are ſo: For that which is our great End, will ſubdue all other things, and bring them into ſubjection to it, and will reject them, and throw them aſide, if they be inconſiſtent with it. If Heaven be our utmoſt aim, and in order to that, it be our great ſtudy and endeavour to be Righteous, and Holy, this Reſolution and Deſign, ſincerely entertained, will over-rule all other Conſiderations, and make all the things of this World to ſtoop and give way to that which is our chief End, the Eternal Happineſs and Salvation of our Souls. And thus I have done with the Second Thing I propoſed, namely, what is meant by ſeeking the Kingdom of God, and his Righteouſneſs; and what by ſeeking them firſt.
I proceed in the Third place, to lay down ſome plain Rules for our Direction and Furtherance in ſeeking the Kingdom of God, and his Righteouſneſs; that is, in the great buſineſs of Religion.
Firſt, Let us always live under a lively and powerful ſenſe of another World; that we are placed here in this World, but for a little while, and that wholly in order to our preparation for a better and a happier Life. Let this thought be often in our Minds, that Eternity is the moſt conſiderable duration, and the next World the place of our Everlaſting abode, where we muſt dwell and continue for ever; and therefore our preſent ſtate is but of little Moment and Conſideration to us, but only in order to our future and Everlaſting Condition. We may pleaſe our ſelves here for a little while with Toys, and Trifles, with Dreams and Shadows of Pleaſure and Happineſs, and may be exerciſed with ſome Troubles and Afflictions for a ſhort ſpace, for a moment (as the Apoſtle calls it, our light afflictions which are but for a moment, and ſo indeed it is, compared with all Eternity; but the ſubſtantial and durable Happineſs or Miſery remain for Men in the other World, and will certainly be their portion, according as they have demeaned themſelves in this World.
Now the ſerious Conſideration of this cannot fail to put us upon vigorous preparations for another World, and to make us wholly intent upon our Eternal Concernments, and to reſolve whatever becomes of us in this World, to take effectual Care that we may be Happy for ever. He that firmly believes the Immortality of his Soul, and a Life after Death, which will never have an end, muſt needs take into Conſideration his whole duration, and bend all his Care and Thoughts, how he may avoid the greateſt and moſt laſting Miſery, and ſecure to himſelf an Immortality of Bliſs and Happineſs.
Secondly, Let us be always under a Conviction of the abſolute and indiſpenſable neceſſity of Holineſs and Righteouſneſs, as the only way and means whereby the Kingdom of God is to be attained, and that Holineſs and Happineſs are not to be ſeparated, the one being a neceſſary Condition and Qualification for the other; and conſequently, that it is the vaineſt thing in the World for any Man to hope to enter into the Kingdom of God, without endeavouring after his Righteouſneſs; there is ſo ſtrong a connexion between them, that a Man may as reaſonably expect to be well and at eaſe without Health, as to be Happy without Holineſs; for this makes us like to God, and our Likeneſs and Conformity to God is that alone which can make us capable of the Bleſſed Sight and Enjoyment of God. We muſt be Partakers of a Divine Nature, in order to our participation of the Divine Bleſſedneſs. And the Conſideration of this will effectually engage us to ſeek the Righteouſneſs of God, without which we ſhall never enter into his Kingdom; and to follow Holineſs, without which no Man ſhall ſee the Lord.
Thirdly, Let us always remember that Righteouſneſs is of a great extent, and comprehends in it all goodneſs, it takes in all the Duties of Religion, and the Practice of all of them; it is a Complication of all Graces and Virtues, of all the Parts and Ingredients, of all the Duties and Offices of a good Man. To denominate a Man Righteous, all Cauſes muſt concurr; all the Eſſential Principles and Parts of Religion and Goodneſs muſt meet together; Knowledge and Practice, Faith and Good Works, Right Opinions and Real Virtues, an Orthodox Profeſſion and a Holy Life, abſtaining from Sin and doing of Righteouſneſs, Purity of Heart and Unſpotted Manners, Godlineſs and Honeſty, the Bridling of our Tongue, and the Government of our Paſſions, and above all things Charity, which is the Band of Perfection.
For Righteouſneſs is our Conformity to the Law of God, as Unrighteouſneſs and Sin is the Tranſgreſſion of it: Now this, if it be real and ſincere, will be uniform and univerſal, equally reſpecting all the Laws of God, and every part of our known Duty, and will not content it ſelf with an eſpecial regard to one or two Precepts of the Law, tho' never ſo conſiderable, and then allow it ſelf in the neglect and violation of the reſt; no nor with the obſervation of the Duties of one Table of the Law, if it overlook the other; no nor with Obedience to all the Commandments of God, one only excepted. St. James hath put this very Caſe, and determined it, that he that ſhall keep the whole Law, ſave only that he offend in one point, is guilty of all; that is, he is not ſincere in his Obedience to the reſt: And therefore if we ſeek the Righteouſneſs of God, our Righteouſneſs muſt be Univerſal; as he that hath called us is holy, ſo muſt we be holy in all manner of Converſation, in the tenor of our Actions, and the whole courſe of our Lives; and any one Reigning Sin and Vice, any groſs and notorious defect in the Virtues of a good Life, will ſpoil all our Righteouſneſs, and will effectually ſhut us out of the Kingdom of Heaven.
Fourthly, Let us wiſely ſubordinate the ſeveral parts and duties of Religion to one another, according to the intrinſical worth and value of them, that ſo we may mind every part of Religion in its due place, and according to the true nature and importance of it. Knowledge and Faith are in order to Practice, and a good Life; and ſignifie nothing, unleſs they produce that; the Means of Religion, ſuch as Prayer, and Faſting, diligent Reading and Hearing of the Word of God, Reverent and Devout Receiving of the Bleſſed Sacrament, are of leſs account and value, than that which is the End of all theſe, which is to make us inwardly and really good, and fruitful in all the works of Righteouſneſs, which by Jeſus Chriſt are to the Praiſe and Glory of God. And therefore the Means of Religion which I have mentioned, are to be regarded and uſed by us, in order to the attaining of theſe Ends, without which they are meer Formalility and Hypocriſie, and inſtead of finding acceptance with God, they are an abomination to him, and his Soul hates them.
And ſo likewiſe the Circumſtances of Religion are leſs conſiderable than the ſubſtantial Means and Inſtruments of it. And therefore all Rites and Ceremonies are in Religion of leſs conſideration, than the Subſtance of God's Worſhip, and ought always to be ſubordinate to it. In like manner, the Moral Duties of Religion, comprehended under the two great Commandments of the love of God, and our Neighbour, becauſe they are of Eternal, and indiſpenſable obligation, are to be preferr'd to matters of meer poſitive Inſtitution; and where they cannot ſtand togother, that which is poſitive ought to be ſet aſide, and to give way for the preſent, to that which is moral and good in its own Nature, and not only becauſe it is Commanded, and Enjoyned; for in this Caſe God hath expreſly declared that he will have Mercy, and not Sacrifice. Upon which ground our Saviour declares, that the Law of the Sabbath ought to give place to works of Mercy. Upon the ſame account, Peace and Charity are to be valued above Matters of Nicety and Scruple, of doubtful Diſpute and Controverſie; becauſe the former are unqueſtionably good, the latter doubtfully and uncertainly ſo.
All theſe things ought to be conſidered, and are of great moment to make a Man ſincerely and wiſely Religious. For Men may keep a great ſtir about ſome parts of Religion, and be very Careful and Diligent, Zealous and Earneſt about the Means and Inſtruments of Religion, and in the Exerciſes of Piety and Devotion; and yet be deſtitute of the Power and Life of it, and fall ſhort of that inward, and real, and ſubſtantial Righteouſneſs, which alone can qualifie us for the Kingdom of God.
The Fifth and laſt Direction I would give, is this; That we have a particular regard to the great Duty of Charity, or Alms-giving, this being very frequently in Scripture called Righteouſneſs, as being an eminent part of Religion, and a great Evidence of the truth and ſincerty of our Piety. And this our Saviour particularly directs to, as the way to the Kingdom of God, Luke 12. 33. After this general Exhortation, to ſeek the Kingdom of God, he inſtanceth in Charity, as the direct way to it; give Alms, provide for your ſelves Bags that wax not old, a Treaſure in the Heavens, that faileth not. And elſewhere our Saviour ſpeaks of this Grace and Virtue, as that which, above all others, will make way for our admiſſion into Heaven, Luke 16. 9. I ſay unto you, make to your ſelves friends of the Mammon of unrighteouſneſs, that when ye fail, they may receive you (or ye may be received) into Everlaſting Habitations. And St. Paul calls it, laying in ſtore for our ſelves a good foundation; or (as the word may better be rendred in this place) a good treaſure againſt the time to come, that we may lay hold on Eternal Life, 1 Tim. 6. 19. St. James ſpeaks of it, as a main and moſt eſſential part of Religion, and the great Evidence of a true and ſincere Piety, Jam. 1. 27. Pure Religion, and undefiled before God and the Father, is this; to viſit the Fatherleſs and Widows in their affliction. Finally, our Lord inſtanceth in this, as the very thing which will admit us into, or ſhut us out of Heaven; by the performance whereof we ſhall be Abſolved, and for the neglect whereof we ſhall be Condemned, in the Judgment of the Great Day, Mat. 25. So that this part of Righteouſneſs or Religion ought in a more eſpecial manner to be regarded by us; becauſe upon the performance or neglect of this Duty, our Eternal Happineſs doth ſo much depend.
The Fourth and laſt thing only remains to be ſpoken to; which is, to ſet before you the moſt proper and powerful Motives and Incouragements, to the minding of this great Intereſt and Concernment. But this will be the Subject of another Diſcourſe.