Sermon Preached Several Times — Thomas Gataker

Sermon Preached Several Times · Thomas Gataker

THE CHRISTIAN MANS CARE.

MATTH. 6.33.

Seeke first the Kingdome of God, and his Righteouſneſſe, and all theſe things ſhall be added unto you.

IT is the wonted manner of Phyſitians, aErumpens ſanguis vena ſecta ſiſtitur. 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 obſervingbVerſ. 31, 32. the mindes and hearts, the thoughts and cares of moſt men, to be wholly addicted unto, and carried after the things of this world, he endevoureth in this place to withdraw them there-from, and 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 all our worldly griefe intoc2 Cor. 7.10. godly griefe, into ſorrow for our ſins; and our Saviour elſe-where, all our worldly feare into godly feare, intodMatth. 10.28. Timorem 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 manyeLuc. 12.29. doubts and diſtruſtfull thoughts might hereupon ariſe in weake or worldly mens mindes, how they ſhould be provided for, and furniſhed with meat, drink, and apparell, and other neceſſaries of this life; that they may beg or ſtarve, if they looke not after the world: Our Saviour for the further ſtrengthning of their faith herein, and better encouragement hereunto, aſſureth them that upon their due and diligent purſuit 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 be caſt in upon them, andfNon ait, foreign, dabuntur; ſed foreign, addentur, foreign, velut additamentum: Metaphora ab eis qui poma, pyra, &c. emunt. Piſcat. foreign. Chryſoſt. in Matth. 22. Non ait, dabuntur, ſed, adjicientur. Aliud eſt enim quod principaliter datur, aliud quod ſuperadditur. Greg. Moral. l. 15. c. 20. added as an overplus or an advantage thereunto.

Branch 2 And all theſe things ſhall be added unto you.

Diviſion.So that the words, you ſee, divide themſelvs into two Generall Parts;

Part 2 An Exhortation,

Part 1 And a Motive to induce thereunto.

Part 2 But for further light and helpe wee may ſubdivide them into theſe Members 4 four Particulars;

Member 1 1. An Act, what wee muſt doe, Seeke:

Member 2 2. The Object of this Act, what it is that wee muſt ſeeke, Gods Kingdome and his righteouſneſſe:

Member 3 3. The Order and Manner, how and when theſe things muſt be ſought, in the Firſt place:

Member 4 4. The Benefit that thereby will accrew unto us,*foreign. Chry. in Mat. hō. 22. And all theſe things ſhall be added unto you.

To begin with the Firſt, Seeke.

Spirituall things muſt be ſought.

gColoſſ. 3.1.Seeke the things that be above, ſaith the Apoſtle Paul. And,hRom. 2.7. To Member 1 thoſe that by continuance in well doing ſeeke glorie, and honour, and immortalitie, Act.ſaith the ſame Apoſtle. And,iMatth. 13.45. The Kingdome of Heaven is like Obſervat. 1 a Merchant that ſeeketh pretious Pearles, ſaith our Saviour.

Sought thus they muſt be in two reſpects,

kRatione d…fficultatis.In regard of the Difficultie,

AndlRatione dignitatis. in regard of the Dignitie of them.

Firſt in regard of the Difficultie of obtaining them:mPrius eſt quarere quam acquirere. becauſe Without Reſpect 1 ſeeking they will not be had.

Reaſon 1 1. Things muſt be ſought, that cannot eaſily be compaſſed; ſuchnforeign. Plato Cratyl. & Hyppia maj. & de repub. l. 4. Plut. de Paedag. difficilia qua praeclara. Sine ſtudio et ardore quodam mentis in vita nihil quicquam 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 oftoMatth. 3.2. & 5.3. Iam. 2.5. 2. Pet. 1.11. Apoc. 1.9. elſe-where: And a Kingdome, wee 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 topMatth. 13.44. treaſure, and matter ofq1 Tim. 6.6. gaine. And worldly Wealth, wee well know, (and the heavenly much more) will not be gotten but with labour and travell.

Reaſon 2 2. Things muſt be ſought that are not naturall, that come not by kinde. So*foreign. Ariſtot. Ethic. Nicom. l. 2. c. 3. Arts and Sciences, (becauſerNemo 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 thisſArs artium regimen animarum. Gerſon. de Recid. pecc. Ars eſt bonum fieri. Ad hoc, ſed non cum hoc naſcimur. Sen. epiſt. 9 Art of Arts; thistArs regnandi. Art of reigning; thisuArs benè beate que vivendi. foreign. Epict. Arian. l 3. c. 26. Ars vitae. cic. Tuſcul. l. 2. Ars vitae rectè agendae. Sen. epiſt. 94. Ars benèvivendi. Idem ep. 90. Virtus ars eſt benè vivendi. Aug. de civit. l. 4. c. 21. Art of happineſſe. Rowſe. Art of living well and happily, yea of living everlaſtingly, xNon dat natura virtutem. Non contingit virtus animo niſi inſtituto & edocto, & ad ſummum aſſidua exercitatione perducto. Sen. epiſt 9.will not without much ſtudie and induſtrie be learned: eſpecially lighting upon ſuch blocks, as we all are naturally, being borneyIob 11.12. Pſal. 73.22. Prov. 30.2. Ier. 10.14. ſtarke ideots, and of our ſelves whollyz1 Cor. 2.14. foreign. uncapable of ought in it.

3. Things muſt be ſought, that are not every where to be had, as forreine commodities that muſt be farre fetcht. But ſuch isa2 Pet 3.13. Mat. 13.45. foreign. Macar. homil. 38. praeclara rara. the Righteouſneſſe ſpoken of in this place. It is a ſimple that every ſoile will not beare: a rare drugge that every country or climate will not affordbEccleſ. 7.29. It grew once in Paradiſe. But upon the fall of our firſt Parents,c— Terras Aſtraea reliquit. Ovid Met. lib. 1. Neglecta terras fugit Aſtraea. Memor. Octav. 2. 1. — ad ſuperos Aſtraea receſſit. Iuven. ſat. 6. Terra ceſſit, incoelumque …igravit. Lact. inſtit l 5. c. 5. it left this world; and it isdIob 28.13, 14. not now to be found here on earth, in the land of the living. It muſt be fetched againe, as (eHeſiod. Oper. l. 1. they ſay) fire was by Prometheus from heaven.fIam. 1.17. Every good giving, and every perfect gift, ſaith S. Iames, commeth *foreign, i. foreign, ut Act. 14.17. vel foreign, Mat. 21.25. i. à …eo. Druſ. in prov. & quaeſt. l. 2. c. 61.from above.

Reaſon 4 4. Things loſt muſt be ſought ere they can be againe found. So our Saviour ſaith,gLuk 19.10. he came to ſeeke what was loſt. AndhLuk. 15.8, 9. the Widow in the Parable, by ſeeking found her lost iDrachma eni… valebat 7. denarios cum dimidio. Breerwood de num. Iud. cap. 1.teſtor. Such are theſe, wee had them once, but wee have now loſt them. Our firſt Parents werekforeign, i. in oſtro nati: uti Claudian. nup. Honor. & Mar. borne, as I may ſo ſay, with thislGeneſ. 1.26, 27. Eccleſ. 7.29. royall robe; they were created with thismPſal. 8.5. imperiall Crowne. But the Devill ſtript them of it;nPorrexit pomum, & ſurripuit Paradiſum. Bernard. de Grad. humil. 4. he cheated and cooſened them of this Crowne, as wee uſe to doe Children, withoGen. 3.5, 6. the Apple, orpFicum vult Moſes Bar-Ceph. & Theod. in Gen. quaeſt. 28. Malogranatum Machmed. in Alcoran. Malum Medicu… alii, alii Perficum, quod Peche Gall Aliipomum Paradiſi, prout fructum quendam Syri indigitant. Sed & Malum ex Hebraeis 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.

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

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

Vſes 2 But before wee paſſe to that, the Vſe of this in a word.

Vſe 1 And the Firſt uſe hereof may be for Confutation, Confutation.to controll the vaine conceits of thoſe that thinke that theſe things will come without ſeeking;qCredunt dormientibus ſibi haec confecturam Deum. Ter. Adelph. 4. 5. Non curant quaerere, quae tamen deſiderant invenire: cuoiunt conſequi, 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 mee, or, Lord helpe mee 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 be had. No,rProv. 2.4. foreign. Menan…, 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 usſMatth. 7.7 foreign. Sopho…l. Plut de fortun. aske that wee may have, and ſeeke that wee may finde, and knock that it may be opened unto us. And as he addeth there, thattMatth. 7.8. foreign. Idem. Nil tam d…fficile, quin quaerendo inveſtigari poſſet. Ter. Heaut. 4. 2. Hee that ſeeketh findeth: ſouIllud deſperandum eſt, poſſe nobis caſu bonum tantum in fluere. Sen. epiſt. 50. certaine it is, that hee that ſeeketh not, is never like to finde ought.

Vſe 2 Another Vſe hereof may be for Conviction, Conviction.to convince manyxNemo in ſapientiam incidit. Nulli ſapere caſu obligit. 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 never tooke paines or labour about the compaſſing of it? How many profeſſe themſelves to be poſſeſſed of the Righteouſneſſe here ſpoken of, that never travelled or laboured in the ſearching out of it, or in the ſeeking after it?

He would be deemed a moſt vaine man, that would boaſt and beare men in hand thataQuomodo Caius Caeſar Gallis Graeciſque aliquot unà condemnatis, Gallograeciam ſe ſubegiſſe gloriabatur, cum pedem Italia non extuliſſet. Et Oceanum ipſum deviciſſe, cum legionibus ſigno dato imperaſſet, ut conchas per otium in litore legerent. Sueton. Caio. cap. 29. & 46. Et Domitianus qui falſum à Germania triumphum egit, emptis per commercia, quorum habitus & crines in captivorum ſpeciem formarentur. Tacit. Agric. At 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-boord, or come neere the ſea ſide. And no leſſe vaine are they, that would have men beleeve them, that they have made conqueſt of the Spirituall Canaan, and poſſeſſed themſelves 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. Hee would be deemed moſt ridiculous, that would profeſſebAc ſierud tum ſe quis jactaret, foreign, qui nec A…ſopum unquam d…diciſſet: ut Ariſtoph. avib. to have rare skill in the Mathematickes, or ſome other abſtruſe Science, when he had never ſpent day or houre in the ſtudie thereof. And no leſſe ridiculous are they that will ſeeme to have gotten much skill in this ſpirituallcArte regnandi, ſive imperandi, ut Liv. hiſt. 22. vel arte imperatoria, ut Cic. de Orat. l. 1. foreign. Greg. Naz Apolog. King-craft, (if I may ſo terme it) and yet never beat their heads, or buſied their braines about it; never ſtudieddEvangelium Regni. Matth. 4.13. & 24.14. the Goſpell of this Kingdome, the onelyonly Booke out of which it may be learned. Yea in this regard is this Spirituall Treaſure rather like learning than wealth; in thatePecunia ven…et ultrò, honor afferetur, gratia ac dignitas fortaſſe ingerentur: virtus in te non incidet, ne levi quidem opera, aut parvo labore cognoſcitur. Sen. epiſt. 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; fSi tam bonus quaerenti, quid invenienti? (Quomodo idem in Cant. Si tam bonus ſequentibus, quid conſequentibus?) Sed in hoc mirum eſt, quòd nemo te quarere valet niſi qui prius invenerit. Vis quaeri ut inveneriaris: vis inveniri ut amplius quararis. 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 linne 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 andgPſal. 105.4. continually ſeeke him.

Yet for the better explaining of Bernards meaning in the words before recited, and the aſſoiling of ſome ſcruple that thence might ariſe, as alſo for the reconciling of ſomehLuke 11.10. & 13.24. ſpeeches of our Saviour, that may ſeeme the one to croſſe the other: wee muſt underſtand, thatiEſai. 65.1. there is never any ſeeking on our part, before ſome proffer on Gods part: forkPotes quaeri & inveniri: praeven…ri non potes. Bern de dilig. Deo, c. 3. Ad bonum aſſurgere perfecté non poſſumus, niſi nos ſpiritus & praeveniendo exo… tet, & ſubſequendo confortet. Greg. in Ezech. 10. Nolentem praevenitut velit: volentem ſubſequitur, ne fruſtra velit. Aug. Enchir. cap 32. man can by no meanes prevent Gods worke. Now to paſſe by thoſelRom. 1.20. & 2.15. common lights and helpes of nature by God generally afforded unto all, of which the Apoſtle Paul tomAct. 17.27. the Athenians, andnAct. 14.17. the Lycaonians in the Acts; becauſeo1 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 aids 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 diſquiſition: AspVocatio duplex; externa, interna: ſive 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 alwayes take effect; of which our Saviour,qMatth. 20.16. & 22.14. Many are called, but few choſen: and rQuae & vocatio ſecundum propoſitum: Rom. 8.28. 2 Tim. 1.9.an internall vocation, in the bleſſing accompanying thoſe meanes, which cannot be without effect; of which the Apoſtle,ſRom. 8.30. Thoſe that hee calleth, he justifieth; and thoſe that hee juſtifieth, hee glorifieth. So there istDiſquiſitio duplex. a twofold diſquiſition or ſeeking on our part; an outward ſeeking (if I may ſo terme it) in the uſe of the meanes, the ſtudie of them, and paines taking about them, which yet is not alwayes effectuall: For,uHoſh. 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 be able, ſaith our Saviour. The other inward, xIer. 29.13, 14.when thoſe meanes by the gracious aſſiſtance of Gods Spirit, have wrought thoroughly upon the heart: of which the Pſalmiſt,yPſal. 119.…. Bleſſed are they, that ſeeke him with their whole heart: and God by the Prophet,zIer. 24.7. & 30.21. & 31.18, 19. 1 Ioh. 5.20. They ſhall ſeeke mee, and finde mee, becauſe they ſhall ſeeke mee with all their heart. And this is that ſeeking that Bernard ſpeaketh of; which is ever effectuall; and of which our Saviour therefore,aMatth. 7.7, 8. Luke 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) havebIer. 24.7 & 31.18. returned unto God, and ſo found him in part already. 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 diligentlycPro. 2.3, 4, 5. & 4.19.10, 20. & 8.33, 34 Iohn 5.39. Luke 10.39, 34. 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 wee may hope to attaine to the latter, if wee 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 bedIohn 7.34. Rom. 9.31, 32. ſought and not found, butePſal. 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,fSirac. 24.23, 24. incited by that ſweetneſſe that they finde in it in part found,gEſai. 26.9. Pſal. 119.10, 45. ſeeke more diligently now than ever before.

Queſtion. Without ſeeking then, theſe things are not to be expected. But are they worth the ſeeking? may ſome man ſay.Propter ſaporis dulcedinem, qui guſtatus magis excitat appetitum, Bern. de Temp. Manducant & bibunt, quia inveniunt; & quia eſuriunt & ſitiunt, adhuc quaerunt. Nam & inveniendus quaeritur, & quaerendus indenitur, qui & quaeritur ut inveniatur dulcius, & invenitur, ut quaeratur avidiut, Aug. de Trinit. l. 15. c. 2. Sic ergò queramus tanquam inventuri, & ſic inveniamus tanquam quaeſituti: 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. There are indeed ſomehNugae d…fficiles. Turpe eſt difficiles habere nugas: Et ſtultus labor eſt ineptiarum, Martial l. 2. epiſt. 86. triſtes ineptiae, ca…ans. imo ridiculae, Sen. epiſt. c 13. Sophiſmata, quae nec ignoranti nocent, nec ſcientem juvant, Idem epiſt. 45. 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 crack the one, and to cleave the other, but nothing or nothing worth ought, when it is crackt or cloven, within either: And the veryiforeign. Scopas Theſſal. Plu. de Avarit. wealth, yea and thekLatrunculis Iudimus. In ſupervacuis ſubtil…tas teritur, Sen. epiſt. 106. learning too of many conſiſteth much in ſuch.

Anſwer. But theſe are not ſo: The things here propounded as they arelforeign. hard and difficult, ſo they are ſingularlymforeign. excellent. And therefore Reſpect 2 as they muſt be ſought ere they can be had in regard of their difficultie; ſo they may well be ſought that they may be had, in regard of the dignitie, the worth, the excellencie of them; yea in regard of the uſe too, and the neceſſitie of them.

Member 2 For firſt, here is a Crowne, a Kingdome, the higheſt pitch of ambitious mens aymes. Object. nforeign, Eteocles apud Euri…. Phoeniſ. apud Plut. de Aud. Poet. & ſanit. tuend. Nam ſi violandum eſt jus, regnandi gratia violandum eſt: aliis rebus pietatem colas, Cic. Offic. lib. 3.If for any thing a man ſhould breake his faith, it ſhould Branch 1 be for a Crowne, for a Kingdome; ſaith one. And the Devill hoped, if by any meanes, by the proffer ofoMatth. 4.8. a Kingdome, to draw our Saviour to his impious and devilliſh deſires. If ſuch reckoning then be made ofp1 Cor. 9.25. a corruptible Crowne, ofqPſal. 68.33. an earthly Kingdome, rDan. 5.21.the Kingdome of men; that which when it hath beene long a getting, may be loſt and gone againe the very next*foreign, Eurip. foreign. Idem Hecub. Quicquid longa ſeries, multis laboribus, multa numinis indulgentia ſtruxit, id unus dies ſpargit & diſſipat, Senec. epiſt. 91. day, yea may be overturned in anſforeign, Demetrius Phalar. apud Plut. ad Apollon. Longam moram dedit malia properantibus, qui diem dixit; hora momentum que temporis evertendis imperiis ſuffecere, Sen. epiſt. 91. Simul parta ac ſperata decora unius horae fortuna evertere poteſt, …iv. hiſt. l. 30. Vincendo didici magna momento obrui, Sen. Troad. 2.2. houre: what account ſhould be made of antforeign, 1 Cor. 9.25. foreign, Iam. 1.12. incorruptible Crowne, of a Crowne that cannot be loſt, of an heavenly Kingdome, the Kingdome of God; ofuforeign, Heb. 12.28. a Kingdome, ſaith the Apoſtle, that cannot be ſhaken, ofxPſal. 45.6. a Throne that ſtandeth firme and immoveable for ever?

Branch 2 Secondly, here is Righteouſneſſe, aEpheſ. 4.24.a principall part of Gods Image, bGen. 1.27. foreign, Greg. Naz. in Matth. 19. Haec antecedit animalia; Deos ſequitur, Senec. epiſt. 76.wherein Man at firſt was made: that whereby man excelleth the beaſts; and that maketh himc1 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. FordIpſis beſtiis beſtialior eſt homo ratione vigens, & ratione non vivens, 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 any beaſt. AndeRatione homines jumentis, religione homines hominibus antiſtant. Vltra homines provebit… probitas ſola, infra hominem detrudit improbitas, Boet. Conſol. lib. 4. Proſ. 3. 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, thatfNihil eſt virtute formoſius, nihil pulchrius, nihil amabilius, Cicer. de Nat. Deor. lib. 1. & 2. & de Amic. Quae ſi oculis cerneretur, mirabiles ſui amores excitaret, Idem Offic. lib. 1. Omnes mortales in admirationem ſui raperet. Senec. epiſt. 89. Nemo non amore ejus arderet, ſi videre illam con…ngeret, ibid. 115. Morall vertue was ſo beautifull, that if it could bee ſeene with bodily eyes, it would make men to be wondrouſly enamoured with it. And yet was that, ſaith Lactantius, but a baregƲmbra quaedam & imago juſtitiae, Lactant. Inſtitut. l. 5. c. 17. & l. 6. c. 6. & Faber. in Rom. cap. 2. ſhadow of the Righteouſneſſe here ſpoken of. ButhSi rem ipſam praeclariſſimam omnium penitus videremus, quonam gaudio compleremur, quum tantopere ejus adumbrata opinione laetemur? Cic. de Fin lib. 5. if the ſhadow be ſo excellent, what is the ſubſtance? if the Picture be ſo beautifull, what is the Perſon it ſelfe, which the Picture commeth ſo farre ſhort of?iTanti Vitrum, quanti margaritum. Tertul. ad Martyr. Tanti vitreum, quanti verum margaritum? Hieron. ad Demetr. 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 askforeign, Homer. Iliad. ζ. Vilius argentum eſt auro, virtutibus aurum, Horat. lib. 1. Epiſt. 1. Gold to Braſſe, ſaith Bernard; and a little oflMelius eſt pallens aurum quam fulgens aurichalcum. Bernard. in Cantic. 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.

Branch 1 In the firſt place then, here is

Obſervat. 2 A Kingdome propounded to all Chriſts followers and favourites.

Seeke Gods Kingdome, ſaith our Saviour.

Points 3 Concerning which, it ſhall not be amiſſe to enquire;

1. What Kingdome this is;

2. Wherein it conſiſteth;

3. Why it is ſo termed.

Point 1 The Kingdome then here ſpoken of, is not ſo much the Kingdome of God over us, as the Kingdome of God in us: not the Kingdome wherebymPſalm. 103.19. Luk. 19.27. he reigneth over us; (and yet it is no ſmall privilege and preeminence to be ſubject andnPſal. 18 & 36. Title. foreign, Man. Palaeol. praecept. 7. Rom. 1.1. Phil. 1.1. Meritò Paulus 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 countedo1 King. 10.8. happie that were in Salomons ſervice, then are they much morepPſalm. 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 wee reigne with him:qLuke 12.32. It is your Fathers will, ſaith our Saviour, to give you a Kingdome. And,rApoc. 1.6. & 20.6. Hee hath made us Kings and Prieſts, and wee ſhall reigne with him “Apoc. 22.5.for ever. And,ſApoc. 3.21. To him that overcommeth I will give to ſit on my Throne, as I overcame, and ſit on my Fathers Throne.

Point 2 Now of this Kingdome there are two degrees.

Degrees 2 There is firſt*Regnum gratiae. a Kingdome of Grace; wherein†Rom. 5.21. wee reigne here in grace by Chriſt, whereby wee have power here;

Degree 1 1. To quell, conquer, and over-cometHumilis res eſt ſtultitia, abjecta, ſordida, ſervilis, multis affectibus & ſaeviſſimis ſubjecta. Hos tam graves Dominos, interdum alternis imperantes, interdum pariter, dimittit à te ſapientia, quae ſola libertas eſt, Sen. ep. 37. Quem vicerim quaeris? non Perſas, non extrema Medorum, &c. ſed avaritlam, ſed ambitionem, ſed metum mortis, qui victores gentium vicit, Idem epiſt. 72. Nulla major eſt victoria, quam vitia domuiſſe. Innumerabiles ſunt qui urbes, qui populos habuere in poteſtate; pauciſſimi, quiſe. Quaeſt. Nat. l. 3. our naturall corruptions, Branch 1 our luſts and concupiſcences within us, our outragious paſſions, our unruly and inordinate affections,u2 Pet. 2.12. Iude 16. Non eunt, ſed feruntur, Sen. ep. 23. Turpe eſt autem non ire, ſed ferri, Idem ep. 37. wherewith worldly men are led captive, enſlaved and enthralled, and whichxRom. 6.17. 1 Cor. 12.2. Tit. 3.3. before our converſion bare ſway, and ruled in and over us alſo.ySibi imperare maximum eſt imperium, Sen. ep. 113. Si vis tibi omnia ſubjicere, te ſubjicerationi. Multos reges, ſi ratio te rexerit, Idem ep. 37. It is a point of the higheſt command, ſaith the Heathen man, for a man to have command of himſelfe. zRegem non fa iunt opes, Non veſtis Tyriae color, Non frontis nota regiae, Non auro nitidae trabes. Rex eſt, qui poſuit metus, Et dirimala pectoris: Qui tuto poſitus loco, Infra ſe videt omnia. Rex eſt qui metuit; rex eſt qui cupit nihil. Sen. Thyeſt. 2.2. Latius regnes avidum domando Spiritum, quàm ſi Lybiam remotis Gadibus jungas, & uter que Poenus Serviat uni, Horat. Carm. 2.2. Rectius enim is appellabitur Rex quam Tarquinius, qui nec ſe nec ſuos regere potuit. Cic. de Finib. l. 3. —tum omnia jura tenebis, Cum poteris Rex eſſe tui, Claud. de 4. Coſſ. Hon.Hee is a King that dreads nought; hee is a King that covets and deſires nothing. And,aImmane regnum eſt poſſe ſine 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, asbHebr. 11.24, 25, 26. Moſes did, that preferred afflictions with Gods people before it: to tread, not the Earth only, but the verycApoc. 12.1. Moone too, and all ſublunarie things, asdPhilip. 3.8. droſſe and Traſh under his feet.

Branch 2 2. To prevaile againſt, 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, famine, and nakedneſſe; eRom. 8.35, 36, 37.In all theſe things, ſaith he,fforeign, Sicut Sophocl. Elect. foreign. wee are more than Conquerors, (What is that? even Triumphers.) through him that hath loved us. For,g2 Cor. 2.14. God maketh us alwayes to hforeign, i. foreign, Theophyl. triumphat, i. triumphare facit, Primaſ.triumph through Chriſt. iCrux Chriſto currus fuit triumphalis. Thom. Cartw. Harmon. Evan. in Luc. 13.32. & Ioan. 12 32. Sic & col. 2.15. foreign, Ignat. ep. 5. Cum ultima hoste morte praeliatus, per trophaeum crucis triumphavit, Tertull. ad. Marc. l. 4.The very Croſſe of Chriſt, ſaith one, was Chriſts Charet of Triumph. And the very ſame is the Croſſe even to this day to all Chriſtians; it is their Charet, their Chaire of eſtate. kforeign, Ignat. ep. 4. Duris ut ilex tonſa bipennibus, Per damna, per caedes, ab ipſo Sumit opes animū que ferro. Non hydra ſecto corpore firmior vinci dolentem crevit in Herculem. Merſes profundo: pulchrior evenit. Luctere: magna proruet integrum Cum laude victorem, Horat. Carm. 44.Hee 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.lApoc. 12.11. They overcame him, ſaith the Holy Ghoſt,mApoc. 13.7. that warred upon them, and overcame them, by the bloud of the Lambe, and by the word of the Teſtimonie, and by not thinking much to lay downe their lives unto death; by ſetting light (asnAct. 20.24. the Apoſtle of himſelfe) by their lives. The Spirit of God may ſeeme to contradict himſelfe when he ſaith in the one place,oApoc. 13.7. He made war upon the Saints and overcame them; and in the other againe,pApoc. 12.11. They conquered and overcame him. But the one is ſpokenqforeign. according to humane conceit, the otherrforeign. according to the truth of the thing. And certaine it is, that as Gods ſTunc enim non ex malo uno, ſed ex omnibus ſimul & ſemel liberantur, Aug. in Pſal. 34.17, 19. Ita liberantur, ut liberari amplius opus non habeant, Bern. 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*foreign, Oecum. in 2 Cor. 2. foreign, 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.

Degree 2 But becauſe this theirtPſal. 45.13. Majeſtie is moſt inward, andu1 Iohn 3.2. the world cannot ſo well ſee it: there is ſecondly thereforexRegnum gloriae. a Kingdome of Glorie, whereby thoſe thatyRom. 5.21. reigne now in Grace by Chriſt, ſhall one day*Rom. 5.17. reigne in Glory with Chriſt. For,zColoſſ. 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 wee alſo appeare in glory with him. And,a1 Iohn 3.2. Wee ſhall at his appearing become like unto him, becauſe wee ſhall ſee him as hee is. AsbEpheſ. 2.6. We are now glorified in him, ſoc2 Theſſ. 1.10. hee ſhall then be glorified in us; what time wee ſhall heare from him that bleſſed and joyfull ſound,dMatth. 25.34. Come and receive the Kingdome prepared for you from the beginning of the world.

Point 3 Now further this Kingdome is called the Kingdome of God;

Reaſons 4 Reaſon 1 1. BecauſeeMatth. 20.23. he hath prepared it;

Reaſon 2 2. BecauſefLuk. 12.32. he conferreth and beſtoweth it;

Reaſon 3 3. BecauſegApoc. 4.10. of and under him wee hold it;

Reaſon 4 4. BecauſehApoc. 20.6. with him wee reigne in it; for from him wee receive it, and together with him wee reigne in it.

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

Vſe 1 This ſerveth firſt, as to diſcover, ſo to check and control the baſe-mindedneſſe of moſt men in the World: Who,Reprehenſion. asiNum. 11.5, 6. the Iſraelites preferred thekIn cepe & allium impenſa 1600. talenta in pyramidum una extruenda, refert Herodot. l. 2. Leekes and Onions of Aegypt, beforelPſal. 78.25. the bread of Angels, mIohn 6.31.the food that came downe from heaven; ſo preferre paltry Peables before theſe pretiousnMatth. 7.6. & 13 45. Pearles; *foreign Habac. 2 6thick-clay, as the Prophet ſpeaketh, before thisoApoc. 3.18. pure Gold; the worlds counterfeit coine, before thispLuke 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, withqGen. 49.14, 15. Iſſakar, (dull aſſes indeed) to couch themſelves quietly betweene two packs, and bow their ſhoulders downe to beare any ſuch (even unſufferable and unſupportable) burdens asrforeign; Chryſoſt. in Matth. 38.1. Legatur Perſ. Sat. 5. & ad eundem Epictetum ex Arian. d…ſſert. 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 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: thatſMalunt ſervire Diabolo, quam regnare cum Christo: Cui ſervire regnare eſt, Bern. de Temp. 110. & de bon. deſer. are content to ſerve the Devill rather, and their, nay his, brutiſh luſts, (*foreign, 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, whoſetRom. 6.21. Fallitur egregio quiſquis ſub principe credit Servitium: nuſquam libertas gratior extat, Claudian. de Stilic. Philoſophiae ſervias oportet, ut tibi contingat vera libertas. Qui ſe illi ſubjecit & tradidit, ſtatim circumagitur. Hoc enim ipſum Philoſophiae ſervire, libertas eſt, Senec. epiſt. 8. ſervice is true freedome, anduforeign, Gregor. Nazianzen. de Pace 2. to ſerve him is to reigne with him, who maketh all his ſervants Captaines, Commanders and xVerius quam Aſſur, Eſai 10.8.Kings.

Vſe 2 Againe, it ſerveth to diſcover and convince many, not to be that indeed, which they profeſſe themſelves to be,Conviction. not to be Chriſtians indeed and truth, though they beare the name and title of ſuch. For Chriſtianitie is a Kingdome. It not freeth men only from the thraldome of Sinne and Satan; (aIohn 8.31, 32, 36. Arbitrium voluntatis tunc eſt verè liberum, cum vitiis peccatiſque non ſervit, Auguſtin. de Civitat. lib. 14. cap. 11. Sapientia ſola libertas eſt: Senec. epiſt. 37. foreign. Niſi ſapiens nemo liber: Zeno apud Laert. Cic. Parad. 5. Non natura ſervum facit, ſed inſipientia: nec manumiſſto 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 asbEpheſians 2.2.3. before they were enthralled and enſlaved unto. Whereas many millions of thoſe that profeſſe themſelves to be Chriſtians, remaine ſtill Satans vaſſals, cAlius libidini ſervit, alius avaritiae, alius ambitioni, omnes timori. D…bo conſularem aniculae ſervientem: dabo ancillulae divitem, Sen. epiſt. 47. Si metuis, ſi parva cupis, ſi duceris ira, Servitii patiere j…gum; tolerabis iniquas Interius leges, Claud. 4. Coſſ. Hom. Liber eſt qui ſervitutem effugit ſui, haec eſt aſſidua ſervitus, & ineluctab…lis, & per diem ac noctem aequaliter premens, ſine intervallo, ſine comm…atu. Sibi ſervire graviſſima ſervitus eſt, Sen. Nat. q. l. 3. Extrema eſt ſervitus, cum animae vitiis deditae, rationis propriae poſſeſſione ceciderint, Boet. Conſ.ſlaves ſome to their filthy luſts, ſome to their muck 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 ſhee was in her Pride, thatdVictrix gentium, captiva vitiorum. 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, thateforeign. Plut. ad praefect. indoct. 1 Eſd. 4.26, 29, 30, 31. Emunt ſibi dominas, Ambr. epiſt. 7. captivarum ſuarum captivi. Ibid. they commanded the whole World, but their Wives or Concubines commanded them. And Cato of the Romans; *foreign, Cato Cenſor. Plut. Apophth.All men, ſaith hee, but wee, rule their wives; Wee rule all men; and our wives rule us. And the Orator of Verres, that†Jurae omnia Populi Romani nutu atque arbitrio Chelidonis meritriculae gubernari, Cic. Verrin. 5. he governed the Province, and a baſe ſtrumpet him. And Themiſtocles of himſelfe, and the Athenians, That“foreign, 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 aref2 Pet. 2.19. Maſters of others, and yet ſervants themſelves; command ſome, but are againe commanded by others;gBonus etiamſi ſerviat, liber eſt: Malus, etiamſi regnet, ſervus eſt: nec unius hominis, ſed quod gravius eſt, tot dominorum, quot vitiorum, Aug. de Civit. Dei, l. 4. c. 3. Eſt ſapienti & ſervire libertas: Stulto & imperare ſervitus eſt: Et quod pejus eſt, cum paucioribus praeſit, pluribus dominis & gravioribus ſervit. Servit enim propriis paſſionibus, ſervit cupiditatibus ſuis, quarum dominatum nec nocte poteſt fugere nec die, Ambr. ep. 7. Vidit eos qui judiciorum Dominos ſe dici volebant, harum cupiditatum eſſe ſervos. Cic. Verr. 3. Quos vides ſedere celſo Solii culmine Reges, &c. Detrahat ſiquis ſuperbis Vana tegmina cultus, Iam videbit intus arctas Dominos ferre catenas, Multos ferre tyrannos, Boet. Conſol. l. 4. metr. 2. Refraenet prius libidines, ſpernat voluptates, iracundiam teneat, coerceat avaritiam, caeteras animi labes repellat. Tum incipiat aliis imperare, cum ipſe improbiſſimis Dominis dedecori ac turpitudini, parere deſterit. Dum his quidem obediet, non modo Rex, ſed liber habendus omnino non erit. Cic. Parad. 5. Vide & Horat. Ser. l 2. Sat. 7. have as many Lords as luſts, that beare rule and ſway in them; Forh2 Pet. 2.19. by whom a man is overcome, his bondſlave he is, ſaith S. Peter: And,iRom. 6.16. His ſervant hee is, whom he yeeldeth obedience unto; ſaith S. Paul: And,kIohn 8.34. foreign, Diogen. Laert. l. 6. Melior eſt autem 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 aslIam. 4.1.—intus & in jecore agro, Naſcuntur domini, Perſ. Sat. 5. Intra ſe dominos habet: intrae ſe ſervitium patitur intolerabile, Ambr. ep. 7. Levius autem eſt malum captivum eſſe corpore quam animo, Salvian. de Provid. l. 6. thou haſt a Maſter, yea many Maſters, within thee, thou art a ſlave to thy corruptions,mIam. 1.14. foreign, Plat. leg. l. 1. foreign, Antonin. vit. ſua, l. 7. foreign, Ibid. 12. foreign, Ibid. l. 10. & Chryſost. to. 8. Ser. 13. foreign. Tu mihi qui imperitas, aliis 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 which 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 and ſwayed by them, ſo long thou art no Chriſtian, whatſoever thou mayeſt be counted or called; For, Chriſtianitie is a Kingdome; andn1 Cor. 7.22. every Chriſtian is not a Free-man only, but in this kinde evenoApoc. 1.6. & 5.10. a King too.

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

Reaſon 1 For firſt,pSoli latere ſi licet, Regi licet. Sen. de Clem. l. 1 c. 8. Nam lux altiſſima fati Oecultum nihil eſſe ſinit, Claud. de 4. Conſſ. Hon. The Sunne may goe unſeene as ſoone as Kings may. qQui inexcelſo aetatem agunt, eorum facta cuncti mortales novere, Sal ust. ad Caeſar.They are in the eye of the world, andrOmnium in ista converſi ſunt oculi, Sen. ubi ſup. all mens eyes are on them. And,ſMatth. 5.14. You 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.

Reaſon 2 Againe, the†In maxima fortuna minima licentia, Salust. in Catil. Magna ſervitus fortuna magna, Sen. ad Polyb. c. 26. Minimum debet libere, cui nimium licet, Sen. Troad. Quanto plus liceat, tam libeat minus, Auſon. 7. Sap. greateſt ſtates affoord leaſt libertie. tLiberiora omnia ſunt his quorum affectus tegi poſſunt, Sen. ad Polyb. cap. 25. Multa tibi non licent quae humillimis & in angulo jacentibus licent, Ibid. c. 26. Cui omnia licent, propter hoc ipſum multa non licent, Ibid. Quam multa tibi non licent, quae nobis tuo beneficio licent? Serv. ad Neron de Clem. l. 1. cap. 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 ſpoyles, that the enemie had throwne from them in flight; but,uforeign, 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. Inque luto fixum poſſis tranſcendere nummum. Take 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, asxMat. 6.32. to be greedie of the world, and toyPhil. 3.19.20. minde earthly things, which will in no wiſe become a Chriſtian.

Reaſon 3 Beſides that,zforeign, Dion. Chry. orat. 1. the greater and higher the perſon is that offendeth, the more*Indignitate peccans peccat amplius, Iuſtin. in Authent. & Hilar. Pp. ap…d 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.aforeign, 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. AndbIdeò deteriores ſumus, quia meliores eſſe debemus, Salvian. de Provid. l. 4. therefore are ſuch worſe, ſaith Salvian, though they be no worſe, than others, becauſe they ought to be better.

Vſe 4 Laſtly, is it no leſſe matter than a Kingdome, that wee are here invited unto? This may ſerve to incite us, if there be any mettle in us,Exhortation. to the diligent and induſtrious ſeeking after it.cPerpeſſi ſunt exercitus inopiam rerum omniū, vixerunt herbarum radicibus, & dictu foedis tulerunt famem. Haec omnia paſsi ſunt pro regno (quo magis mireris) alieno, Sen. epist. 17 Ah miſeru 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 Kingdome? 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 religiousdQui vetat te eſſè foeneratorem, idem juſsit te eſſe foeneratorem, et dicitur tibi, Foenerare, Aug. in Pſal. 36. Vſury, that the Word of God alloweth;eProv. 17.19. He that ſheweth merciemercy to the poore, lendeth on Vſurie to the Lord, and it ſhall with large intereſt be repayed him. And there is a kinde of ſpirituallfforeign. Covetouſneſſe, that the Spirit of God approveth of; when men are*Veri boni aviditas luta eſt, Sen. ep. 23. greedy of Grace, they can never have enough of it;gMatth. 5.6. Bleſſed are they that hunger and thirſt after Righteouſneſſe. So there is a kinde of holyhforeign. 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.iforeign. 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,kLegatur Dio Caſſ hiſt. lib. 57. with Seianus, to have an eye or aime at a Crowne, lNulla fides regni ſociis, omniſque potestas, Impatiens conſortis erit, Lucan. lib. 1.that will in no wiſe bee indured in them. But it is not ſomemVſque ad regni dimidium. 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 laynImperia pretio quolibet constant benè, Polynices apud Sen. Theb. 4. all at the ſtake, and hazard loſſe, not of living only, but of life. And certainly our Saviour would never encite us to ſeeke after it, if*foreign. it were not to be had. Yea he giveth us aſſurance, that if wee ſeeke ſeriouſly, and ſo as wee ſhould, wee ſhall finde it. ForoLuke 11.10. Solus Deus nunquam frustra queritur, etiam quum non invenitur, Bern. de Conſid. l. 1. Every one, ſaith he, that ſo ſeeketh, findeth: he is as ſure to finde, as if hee had found already.p2 Tim. 1.17. One ſiphorus ſought mee diligently, ſaith the Apoſtle, and he found mee: And ſo,qProv. 8.17. I love them that love mee, ſaith the Wiſdome of God thatrApoc. 19.11. hath the diſpoſing of this Crowne, ſApoc. 2.26. & 3.21.of this Kingdome, and all thoſe that ſeeke mee early, t1 Chron. 28.9.ſhall be ſure to finde mee. The Kingdomes of this World, as theuAurum quaeſiturus es, & forte 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 wee ſhall not miſſe of, if wee ſeeke it as wee ſhould.xAmaturus es honorem, & fortaſſe non perventurus. Quis me amavit, & non ad me pervinit? Ibidem. Hee that ſincerely deſireth it, hath in part attained it already.

Objection. But a Crowne, a Kingdome? may ſome ſay.yImperare omnes volunt; parere nemo. foreign, Greg. Naz. Apol. What man is there that will none of it? What need any man be incited or exhorted to accept of it?zQuis non perpetuò vivere velit? Salvian. ad Eccleſ. Cath. l. 1. Nemo eſt qui beatus eſſe nolit. Aug. de lib. Arb. l. 1. c. 14. Vitam beatam omnem hominem modis omnibus velle quis dubitat? Idem Epist. 121. Who would not have heaven and happineſſe? Who would not reigne in heaven eternally with God and Chriſt? Unleſſe it be ſome wretched and accurſed Atheiſts, that thinke there is no ſuch thing to be had.

Subjection.Yea but there is ſomewhat more than ſo in it.aMatth. 19.28. Wee muſt begin to reigne here, if wee meane to reigne there. Wee muſt partake with Chriſt here in thebRom. 8.23. firſt-fruits of Grace, if wee deſire hereafter to partake with him incIohn 1.14.16. fulneſſe of Glorie.

Obſervat. 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,dRom. 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 Pontificiis, 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 iseIustitia imputata, Rom. 4.6. a Righteouſneſſe imputed, and there isfIustitia impertita, Epheſ. 5.9. a Righteouſneſſe imparted; the onegIerem. 23.6. & 33.16. Rom. 10.4. 2 Cor. 5.21. inherent in Chriſt, and imputed to us; the otherh1 Cor. 1.30. Epheſ. 4.24. imparted by Chriſt, and*In nobis, non ex nobis, Aug. ep. 143. inherent in us. For thatiEſai. 61.1. ſpirituall Oyle that was powred upon Chriſt our Head, and wherewithkPſalme 45.7. God anointed him above all his fellowes, whenlIohn 3.34. the Spirit was given him beyond meaſure, likemPſalme 133.2. the Ointment that was powred uppon Aarons head, is ſhed forth and diffuſed in ſome meaſure, more or leſſe, unto every living member of his myſticall Body. nIohn 1.16.Of his fulneſſe have wee received all, even grace for grace. o1 Cor. 6.11.The former is the Righteouſneſſe of Iuſtification; the latter is the Righteouſneſſe of Sanctification.

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

Reaſon 1 1. Becauſe the word is ſo taken every where elſe throughout this whole Sermon: as where it is ſaid;pMatth. 5.6. Bleſſed are they that hunger and thirſt after Righteouſneſſe: And,qMatth. 5.10. Bleſſed are they that ſuffer for righteouſneſſe ſake: And,rMatth. 5.20. Vnleſſe your Righteouſneſſe goe beyond the Righteouſneſſe of the Scribes and the Phariſies, &c. Which very paſſage theſe words ſeeme to have reference unto.

Reaſon 2 2. Becauſe it is that Righteouſneſſe that doth properly, peculiarly, 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, non qui dominatur, erit Rex, Auſon. Monoſyll.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.ſRom. 4.5, 6, 7, 8. Our juſtification acquiteth us of the guilt of ſin: tRom. 8 1, 2.Our ſanctification freeth us from the power of ſinne, uRom. 6.8, 17, 14.enabling us to quell it, to ſubdue it, to prevaile againſt it, that ruled, conquered, and kept us under before: and ſo cauſeth usxApoc. 20.6. to reigne here as ſpirituall Kings over it: yeayEzek. 36.25. Epheſ. 5.26. it cleanſeth 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,z1 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. & 1.50. 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.

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

Generally, Anſwer. Generall. in oppoſition toaLuke 18.9. that counterfeit Righteouſneſſe that the Scribes and Phariſes ſo much bragged of, and gloried ſo much in; and which our Saviour had diſcovered, taxed, and rejected beforebChap. 5.20. in this Sermon.

More particularly, in divers reſpects: Anſwer. Particular.

1. Becauſe it is given of God. For,“foreign. Nullum bonum, quod non à ſummo bono, Aug. de diverſ. 3. All good is of God. Andcforeign, Pindar. Olymp. 9. Nemo abſ que numine aut eſt, aut fuit bonus. Bonus vir ſine Deo non eſt, Sen. ep. 41. Nullu ſine Deo ment bona eſt, Idem ep. 73. No Reaſon 1 man ever was or is good without God. dIohn 3.27.No man can have ought, ſaith S. Iohn the Baptiſt, unleſſe it be given him from above. And,*Iames 1.17. foreign. Marc. de Leg. Spir. p. 40. Every good gift, ſaith S. Iames, is from above, and commeth downe from the Father of lights. AseMatth. 19.17. none is originally and eſſentially good but God: ſo no man is in any kinde or degree good without God. fNemo bonus, qui non ex malo bonus, Aug. in Prosper. Sent. 155.There is no man good, ſaith Auguſtine, but that of bad, is by God made good. And,gQui neminem bonum invenit, neminem ſalvat, niſi quem praevenit, Bern. de Grat. & lib. Arb. He, ſaith Bernard, that hPſal. 14.2, 3.findeth no man good, ſaveth none but ſuch as by preventing grace hee maketh good.

Reaſon 2 2. Becauſe it is approved of by God: which that other of theirs is not. It is ſaid of Zacharie and Elizabeth, that they wereiLuke 1.6. juſt in Gods ſight. Whereupon ſaith Ambroſe, kMulti hominibus justi videntur, pauci Deo. Aliter enim hominibus & aliter Deo. Hominibus ſec. externam ſpeciem & faciem: Deo ſec. internam veritatem & 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. AndlLuke 16.15. Matth. 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, lutum Deo. Gregor. Mor. l. 34. cap. 13.Gold in mans eyes, durt in Gods ſight; ſaith Gregorie.

Reaſon 3 3. Becauſe it is conformable to the Law of God; It maketh usm1 Iohn 3.4, 6, 9, 10, 24. & 5.2, 3. Rom. 7.25. conformable to it in part here for the preſent, and it will make usnEpheſ. 5.27. fully and perfectly conformable to it hereafter. Whereas that other of theirs doth nothing leſſe.oTota vita infidelium peccatum eſt. Et nihil eſt bonum abſque ſummo bono, August. in Sent. Prosper. 85. The whole Life of ſuch, ſaith Auguſtine, is nothing but ſinne: and their best actions, no better thanpSplendida peccata: Et vitia potius quam virtutes, Idem de Civit. lib. 19. c. 25. Sine Christo ſiquidem omnis virtus in vitio eſt, Hier. in Gal 3. Incaſſumquè quis laborat in acquiſitione virtutum, ſi aliunde eas ſperat, quam à Domino virtutum, Bern. in Cant. 22. Omne etenim probitatis opus, niſi ſemine verae Exoritur fidei, peccatum eſt, inque reatum Vertitur: & ſterilis cumulat ſibi gloria poenam, Prosper. de ingrat. glittering corruptions.

Reaſon 4 4. Becauſe it is and ſhall be rewarded of God. The Crowne expected is calledq2 Tim. 4.8. the Crowne of Righteouſneſſe. And,rRom. 2.7. To thoſe, ſaith the Apoſtle, that by well-doing, and continuance therein, ſeeke glory, and honour, and immortalitie, will God give eternall life in that day. And,ſMatth. 6.6. Thy Father, ſaith our Saviour, that ſeeth thee in ſecret, will reward thee openly. Yea there istMatth. 25.34.35, 40. Luke 14.9. no action ſo meane or ſlight proceeding from this, even touMatth. 10.42. Marke 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.xMatth. 6.2. Verily I ſay unto you, ſaith our Saviour, not barely,*foreign. they have, but they †foreign. Quod Theophylactus obſervavit.have all, their reward: they haveyMatth. 23.5, 6, 7. all they deſire, and all they deſerve, and all that ever they are like to have: they may make theirzforeign. Quo modo Paulus Phil. 4.18. foreign. De quo argutius paulò Dunaeus 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 Question. 3 Gods Kingdome?

Anſwer. For divers cauſes and reaſons;

Theſe among many others:

Reaſon 1 1 Becauſe the Chiefe Commander in this Kingdome, isaHebr. 7.2. foreign (ex Hebr. foreign Gen. 14.18.) foreign. Frustra ergò eſt autor Etymologici, qui foreign, inquit, foreign. Imo foreign ad quod Salem alludit, eſt foreign, uti & Apoſtolus, ibidem, Etymologico ducente alucinatus eſt & Meurſ. animadv. Miſcell. lib. 1. cap. 11. a King of Righteouſneſſe. The Scepter of this Kingdome isbPſalm. 45.6. a Rod of Righteouſneſſe. The Throne of this Kingdome iscPſalm. 9.5. & 97.2. a Seat of Righteouſneſſe: And the Kingdome it ſelfe isdRom. 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.

Reaſon 2 2. BecauſeeRom. 5.17. Apoc. 20.6. none but thoſe that have part here in the Kingdome of Grace, may hereafter partake in the Kingdome of Glorie. But by Righteouſneſſe wee become members of the Kingdome of Grace. fRom. 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.

Reaſon 3 3. Becauſe this Righteouſneſſe is the Royall Roabe. gPſal. 132.9.Let thy Prieſts, ſaith the Pſalmiſt, (and the ſame Perſons here are bothh1 Pet. 2.9. Apoc. 1.6. & 5.10. & 20.6. Kings and Prieſts) be cloathed with Righteouſneſſe. And,iIſai. 62.10. Hee hath clad mee with the Robe of Righteouſneſſe. And,kApoc. 19.8. To the Bride it was given to bee arayed in fine Silke: and lforeign.the fine Silke is the Righteouſneſſe of the Saints. As no man then might come into the Wedding-houſe mMatt. 22.11, 12.without the Wedding-garment; ſo may no man enter into this Kingdome without this Royall Robe. nHebr. 12.14.Without Holineſſe, ſaith the Apoſtle, ſhall no man ever ſee God. AndoPſal. 132.9, 16. thoſe alone that are cloathed with Righteouſneſſe here, ſhall bee cloathed everlaſtingly with Salvation hereafter.

Reaſon 4 4. BecauſepApoc. 21.27. No uncleane thing can come within the walls and compaſſe of this Kingdome: nay,qEſai. 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 truly and throughly cleanſe, purge, and purifie us, and that notrPſal. 24.3, 4. 1 Tim. 2.8. our hands onelyonly, but ourſMatth. 5.8. Act. 15.9. hearts too; as well thetRom. 7.22. 2 Cor. 4.16. inward man, as the outward; as wellu2 Cor. 7.1. Eph. 4.23. the Spirit as the Fleſh. Whereas that other Righteouſneſſe xMat. 23.25. Luk. 11.39cleanſeth the outſide only, but leaveth the inſide as foul ſtill as ever it was. And therefore no marvell if our Saviour tell us, ThatyMatth. 6.20. unleſſe our Righteouſneſſe exceed the Righteouſneſſe of the Scribes and the Phariſies, wee ſhall never get into the Kingdome of God. Vſes 3

Vſe 1 Firſt then, doe wee deſire to have part in this Kingdome?

Are wee ambitious of a Crowne? and that ſuch a Crowne, Information.as is notaIneſt imperio cura maxima maximo, Salust. ad Caeſ. Seleucus Rex dicere ſolebat, ſi multo ſcirent, quantum fit negotii tantummodo tot epistolas ſcribere ac legere, nec humi projectum diadema tolerent. Alphonſus Arag. Rex, A ſinorum conditionem eſſe potiorem quam regum: ſi quidem illis dum paſcuntur dominos parcere, regibus neminem. Rex alius accepto in manus diademate, O Pannum, inquit, nobilem magis quam felicem! quem ſiquis penitus cognoſcat, quam multis periculis, ſollicitudinibus ac miſeriis ſit refertus, ne humi quidem jacentem tollere dignetur, Eraſm. in Apophth. l. 6. & 8. Legantur Dio Chryſost. de Rege Perſarum, Orat. 4. Sen. Thyeſt. 3. 1, 3 & Oedipod. 1. 1. & Agamem. l. 2. Et Petrarch. Dialog. 79. & 96. Scitè itaque locasta in Theb. 4. Ne metu…; poenas & quidem ſolvet graves: Regnabit; haec eſt poena.— environed with pricking Cares, as if it werebforeign, Marke 15.17. De quo Meditationem Sereniſſimi Iacobi Regis nostri conſulas fis. a Crowne of thornes or thiſtles, but ſuch a one as may cure and rid our heads of all carking care? as hereafter wee ſhall ſee. Learne wee 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,cRom. 14.17. The Kingdome of God is Righteouſneſſe. This Kingdome of God is not like the Kingdomes of this World: that aredScelere parta; ſcelere retenta: De quibus Sen. Theb. 4. — regna cum ſcelere omnibus ſunt exiliis graviora.— gotten oft by wicked courſes, and kept by the like: whereineAude aliquid brevibus Gyaris & carcere dignum, Si vis eſſe aliquid.—Iuvenal. Sat. 1. men riſe by unrighteouſneſſe, and wherein notf2 Pet. 3.13. Righteouſneſſe, butg—exeat auſâ Qui volet eſſe pius—Virtus & ſumma poteſtas Non coeunt.—Lucan. bel. Pharſ. l. 8.—jura, pudorque, Et conjugii ſacrata fides Fugiunt aulas. Fraus ſublimi regnat in aulâ, Sen. agam. 1.2.—ſanctitas, pietas, fides, Privata bona ſunt, Sen. Thy. 1.2. Vt nemo doceat fraudis & ſcelerum vias, Regnum docebit.—Ibid. 2.1.—quid jam non regibus auſum? Aut quod jam regni restat ſcelus? Silius bel. Pun. l. 16. unrighteouſneſſe oft reigneth. There is no way to riſe in this Kingdome, there is no way to attaine to this Kingdome, but by Righteouſneſſe. hProv. 21.21.Hee that followeth Righteouſneſſe and mercy, ſhall finde Righteouſneſſe, and Life, and glory; ſaith Salomon. For it is the Iuſt, ſaith the Pſalmiſt, thatiPſal. 11.5, 7. God loveth and regardeth, thatkPſal. 5.12. he regardeth and protecteth, thatlPſal. 17.15. ſhall behold his face, that ſhallmPſal. 140.13. dwell ever in his houſe; and thatnMatth. 13.43. ſhall ſhine as the Sunne, ſaith our Saviour, in the Kingdome of God their Father oDan. 12.3.for ever and ever.

Vſe 2 Secondly, obſerve wee hence how croſſe and averſe the corrupt heart of man is naturally to all goodneſſe and godlineſſe; that,Eviction. 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;pAt Paris ut vivat regnet que beatus, Cogi poſſe negat, Horat. epist. 2. will not be conſtrained to live happily, and to reigne everlaſtingly, unleſſe he may doe ſo upon ſome other termes; will chooſe rather not to reigne, than to bee 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 looſneſſe and lewdneſſe of life, wee ſhould not need much Rhetoricke to perſwade many to accept of it. It isqforeign, Plut. ad praefect. indoct. Peccandi libidine potentiae ſuae magnitudinem metiuntur, Vell hist. l. 2. Idque eſſe regni maximum pignus putant, Si quicquid aliis non licet, ſolis licet, Sen. Agam. 2. 2. Impune quidlibet facere, id eſſe Regem eſſe, Salust. Iug. Hoc principatus praemium putant, Tacit hist. 1. one maine end, for which many men deſire authoritity and greatneſſe, that they may thereby gaine libertie to live and doe as they liſt;rSceptrorum vis tota perit, ſi pendere justa Incipit. —Lucan. l. 8. Vbicunque tantum honesta dominanti licent, Precario regnatur. — Atreus, Sen. Thyest. 1.2. and without which they eſteeme power and authority nought worth. WhenſMatth. 3.1, 2. Iohn the Baptiſt preached the Goſpell of this Kingdome, tMarke 6.20.Herod would willingly have had it, if hee might have held his Herodias, his Harlot with it. WhenuMatth. 4.23. Marke 1.14. our Saviour Chriſt publiſhed it,xIoh. 12.42, 43, & 3.1 the Phariſies would faine have had it, if with theiryMatth. 23.6, 7. Iohn 5.44. pride,zLuke 16.14. covetouſneſſe, andaLuke 12.1. hypocriſie, it might have beene had and held; or if ſuchbMatth. 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 thiscMatth. 5.20. & 7.13. Righteouſneſſe of God, this ſtrictneſſe of life, commeth to bee propounded together with it, and to be exacted of all thoſe that will have any ſhare in it; nowdMarke 6.17, 18. Herod flieth off, and will none of it,eLuke 7.30. the Phariſies keepe aloofe off, and reject it; and every naturall mans perverſe heart thinketh it held at too high a rate,fMica 6.6, 7.8. if without change of his corrupt courſe of life it cannot bee compaſſed.

Vſe 3 Thirdly, this ſerveth to exclude many from it, that would yet ſeeme to have,Excluſion. yea and perſwade themſelves, that they have 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,g1 Cor. 15.32, 33, 34. 2 Cor. 12.21. Tit. 1.10, 12, 15, 16. unrenewed, unſanctified, unholy, unrighteous, wholly impure and profane both in heart and in life; or if they have ſome ſhew of holineſſe, it ish2 Tim. 3.2, 3, 4, 5. in outward ſemblance only, there is no inward ſubſtance or power of it. Such they are; andiPſal. 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: kNum. 23.10.They are deſirous to reigne; but unwilling to bee righteous. lImpius & foelix ſic ſimul eſſe cupit, Vt nolit pius eſſe, velit tamen eſſe beatus. De Macrino neſcio quis apud Iul. Capitolin.Happy they would be; but holy they will not be. And yet they hope, they ſay, to doe as well as the beſt. A thing thatmQuod natura negat, nec ratio patitur, Ibid. neither Religion, nor naturall Reaſon admitteth. For God hath lincked theſe two together with an indiſſoluble bond,nApoc. 20.6. foreign. Bonus beatus omnis, et malus miſer, Socrat. Plato. Gregor. & Cic. Tuſc 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. AndoMatth. 19.6. what God hath conjoyned, man, doe he what hee can, ſhall never be able to diſ-joyne, and to ſever. Whoſoever refuſethpRom. 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 beatitudinem aeternam exibis: merces enim vitae bonae, aeterna 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.

Objection. Yea but, will ſome ſay, thoughqforeign, Plut. de profect. Itae, foreign, Epicur. Stob. cap. 16. Quod bodiè non eſt, cras erit: ſic vita truditur, Petron. Satyr. Cras hoc fiet, idem cras fiet. Quid? quaſi magnum Nempe diem donas. Sed cum lux altera venit: Iam cras hesternum conſumpſimus: ecce aliud cras Egerit hos annos, & ſemper paulum erit ultra, Perſ. Sat. 5. Itaque pulchrè Chryſost. ad Pop. Ant. 19. foreign. wee be not ſo for the preſent, yet intend wee, and purpoſe one day to be ſuch; wee hope to be ſo ere wee 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 hee berIerem. 2.25. deſperately bent to deſtroy his ſoule, and be wholly given up untoſRom. 1.28. a reprobate ſenſe, and totEpheſ. 4.19. a ſenſleſſe eſtate, but will ſay, that hee meaneth yet one day to doe otherwiſe;uIer. 8.5, 6. hee goeth farre, they ſay, that never turneth; and hee hopeth hee ſhall have time enough ſo to doe ere hee die. But they muſt follow the world, or their owne luſts firſt a while, and then they will take time at laſt to looke after theſe things.

Member 3 To meet with this ſlight that Satan is wont to ſuggeſt,Subjection. thereby to cheat men of their ſoules, our Saviour here admoniſheth us to ſeeke Gods Kingdome and his Righteouſneſſe, not in the laſt,Order. butaSive aliquid habes; ô jam philoſophare. Sive nihil, hoc prius quaere 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:

bforeign, Nigrinus apud Lucianum.They muſt bee ſought inſtantly, without longer delay; cAb hoc incipiendum eſt. Nihil prius quam hoc parandum eſt. Quid tu differs & poſt caetera paras? Sen. epist. 17.they Obſervat. 4 muſt be ſought firſt, dProv. 4.5, 7.before and above all other things. Seeke yee firſt Gods Kingdome, and his Righteouſneſſe, ſaith our Saviour. And,eProv. 8.17. Hee that ſeeketh mee early, ſaith Gods Wiſdome by Salomon, ſhall finde mee.

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

Reaſon 1 For firſt,fMerito poſcit ſtudia majora pars melior, Eucher. ad Valer. Prior pars potior. Vt quae utilitate prior eſt, non ſit conſideratione posterior, Ibidem. The better part juſtly claimeth the 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,gMatth. 6.25. Luke 12.23. The bodie is better than raiment: ſohforeign, Plut. cont. Epic. foreign, Idem de Tranq. foreign, Aristot. Polit l. 7. c. 1. Nostri melior pars animus eſt, Sen. quaeſt. Nat. foreign. Greg. Naz. ad Cledon. 1. foreign, Idem de Nupt. foreign, Poſt Euripid. Idem in Iul. 1. foreign, Idem Apolog. the Soule is better than the bodie. Beſides that, The Soule may doe well without the Bodie; but the Bodie cannot doe well without the Soule. Ouriforeign, Chryſ. tom. 8. ſer. 17. Prima animi bona, Iuven. 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.

Reaſon 2 Secondly,kAeterna momentaeneis praeſerenda ſunt. Things eternall ſhould be preferred before things temporall. l2 Cor. 4.18.While wee looke, 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,mIohn 6.27. Labour, ſaith our Saviour, not for the meat that periſheth, but for *foreign, Plut.the meat that endureth unto life eternall. Butnforeign, Euripid. Mortalium mortalis eſt faelicitas. Mortale eſt omne mortalium bonum. Metrodorus de his loquitur bonis ad quae concurritur, Sen. Epist. 98. all other things are temporall and tranſitorie;oCertum eſt ſen piternumque virtus bonum. Hoc unum contingit immortale mortalibus, Sen. Epiſt. 98. theſe only that our Saviour enciteth hereunto, are eternall. And what compariſon then betweene the one and the other?

Reaſon 3 Thirdly,pSupervacua neceſſariis postponenda ſunt, Sen. epist. 49. & 109. Things neceſſarie ought to bee preferred to the firſt place. But theſe are the only neceſſary things.qVnicum neceſſarium, Luke 10.42. There is but one thing neceſſarie; ſaith our Saviour to Martha. WhichrPſal. 27.4. foreign, Chryſoſt. tom. 8. Sers. 17. one thing therefore only David deſired; and Paul made hisſPhil. 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,tAut Caeſar, aut nullus, foreign, Gregor. Naz. in Pentecost. Omnis homo aut eſt cum Chriſto regnaturus, aut cum diabolo cruciandus, Aug. de Temp. 85. Either a King, or a Caitiffe. The greateſt King in the world, if hee miſſe of this Kingdome, is as miſerable a wretch as may be.

Reaſon 4 Fourthly,uIndignū 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, as no man would endure to be dealt with. Wee will ſerve God, forſooth: but when? when wee are now good for nought. When wee 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;x— Poſtquam lapidoſa …cheragra Fregerit articulos, veteris ramalia fagi, Perſ. Sat. 5. Cum omnibus membris extorti & fracti, ne in lectulo quidem queant niſi ab aliis moveri; uti de Domitio Tullo, Plin. epiſt. 18. lib. 8. when wee are ſcarce able to turne our withered bodies, and wearied bones in our bed, then will wee offer and tender our ſervice to God.yMalac. 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. cap. 4. Offer it to thy Prince, ſaith the Prophet; and ſee if hee 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.

Reaſon 5 Fiftly,aNon omnis aetas ad perdiſcendum ſat eſt. Plaut. Truc. 1. 1. Nullum non tam magnis rebus tempus anguſtum eſt, Sen. q. Nat. l. 3. Non cum vacaveris, philoſophandum eſt: Omnia alia negligenda, ut huic aſsideamus, cui nullum tempus ſatis magnum eſt, etiamſi à pueritia uſque ad longiſsimos humani aevi terminos vita protenditur, Idem ep. 72. All mans life is little enough, were it never ſo long, as for the learning, ſo for the attaining of theſe things. Andbforeign; Epicur. Stob. c. 16. Nihil in diem, nihil in horam permittitur, Sen. ad Marc. cap 10. Nihil ne in totum quidem diem certum eſt, Idem ad Polyb. c. 29. wee have no ſuretie of any time, no not of an houre.cPſal. 31.15. My times, ſaith David, are in thine hands. Our times are in Gods hands, whodQui promiſit poenitenti veniam, non 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 wheneApoc. 2.21, 22. hee hath given men ſpace, but they have no grace to turne, it is a juſt thing with himfApoc. 10.6, 7. to deny them futher time for turning. gMaximum benè vivendi impedimentum eſt expectatio, quae pendet ex craſtino. Perdis hodiernum; quod in manu alterius poſitum eſt disponis; quod in tua dimittis, Sen. de brevit. vit. cap. 9.It is a fond thing therefore to let goe and loſe the time that wee 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,hDurus valdè, imò potius, quod molestius eſt, valdè mollis capitur, conſuetudine mala & diutina fractus, qui vitiis ſimul & emarcuit, & induruit, Sen. ep. 112. The longer wee defer it, the more unfit ſhall wee finde our ſelves for it. iQui non eſt hodiè cras minus aptus erit, Ovid. remed. l. 1.Hee that is not fit for it to day, will be more unfit for it to morrow. kConſuetudo peccandi tollit ſenſum peccati, Bern. de Conſ. cap. 4.Continuance in ſinning hardeneth in ſinne, and breedeth a brawnineſſe in the Soule: while Nature, and Cuſtome, lforeign, Ariſt. Eth. Mag. l. 2. c. 6. Conſuetudo altera natura, Cic. Fin. l. 5. Bern. de Diverſ. 14.a ſecond Nature, concurring together,mIer. 13.23. Natura & conſuetudo robuſtiſsimam faciunt & invictiſsimam cupiditatem, Aug. ad Simpl. l. 1 q. 1. Ex voluntate perverſa facta eſt libido; & dum ſervitur libidini facta eſt conſuetudo: & dum conſuetudini non reſiſtitur, facta eſt neceſsitas. Idem Conf. l. 8. c. 5. Inveterata in nobis malorum omnium labe, aliter jam non vitio ſi eſſe non poſſumus, niſi ut omnino non ſimus, Salv. de Prov. l. 6. Longo quod uſu in pejus uſque induruit, multo facilius fregeris quam flexeris, Buch. Bapt. produce an irrecoverableneſſe in evill.

Reaſon 7 Seventhly, this Righteouſneſſe ſhould bee ſought in the firſt place, becauſenforeign, Ariſt. Eth. Nicom lib. 5 cap. 1. & Mag. lib. 1. cap. 34. et Eudem. lib. 4. cap. 1. foreign, Plato de Rep. lib. 4. Iuſtitia inſtar ſanitatis eſt, ſine qua nihil quicquam juvat. Sine juſtitia nihil valet, Cic. Offic. lib. 2. nihil poteſt eſſe laudabile, Ibid. lib. 1. Domina ſiquidem eſt omnium et regina virtutum, Ibid. lib. 3. Nothing 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 verieoSine imperio nec domus ulla, nec civitas, nec gens, nec hominum univerſum genus ſtare, nec rerum natura omnis, nec ipſe mundus poteſt, Cic. de leg. lib. 3. Iſtud eſt vinculum, per quod Reſpub. cohaeret: ille ſpiritus vitalis, quem tot millia trahunt: nihil ipſa perſe futura niſi onus & prada, ſi mens illa imperii ſubtrabatur, 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 butpIudex injuſtus latro cum privilegio eſt. Sicut medicus imperitus, homicida. Colum. lib. 1. Iudex locuſta civitatis eſt malus, Scalig. Ate. Robberie with authoritie. For the maineqFruendae justitiae cauſa reges constituti ſunt, Cic. Offic lib. 2. Iudex iniquus & latrone pejor est. end of government is for the execution and enjoyment of juſtice: and without it therefore government is no better than plainerforeign, Plut. ad praefect indoct. Remota justitia quid ſunt Regna niſi magna latro…ima, Aug. de Civit. l. 4. cap. 4. robberie; yea it is in ſome reſpectſ…nj…sta regna justa latrocinia ſunt. worſe than it.

What is*foreign, Euripid better than Law? thetforeign, Ariſt. Rhet. l. 1 c. 3. Praeſunt enim Magiſtratibus leges, ut populo Magiſtratus, Cic. de Leg. l. 3. foreign. Demoſth. apud Stob. life of Government. ButuLeges iniquae nec leges dicendae ſunt, Aug. de Civit. l. 19. c. 21. unjuſt Lawes are not worthy the Name of Lawes. xEſai. 10.1.Woe to thoſe, ſaith the Prophet, that make unjuſt Lawes. Woe to thoſe that make them; yea and woe to thoſe alſo for whom they are made. ForyLegibus fundata civitas, legibus evertitur, Plin. Paneg. they are but a meanes to undoe thoſe, for whoſe good they are pretended.

aforeign, Gregor. Naz. in Iul. 1. foreign: Idem ad Cledon, 2. Pax optima rerum Quas homini noviſſe datum. Pax una triumphis Innumeris potior.—Silius bel. Pun. lib. 2.What is better than Peace, Vnitie, Agreement, and Concord? bIudicia, legeſque eſſe non poſſunt pace ſublatâ, Cic. Phil. 8.Without which thoſe former alſo are of no uſe, of no force. The very cforeign, Greg. Nazian. de Pace 3. Dulce nomen eſt pacis: res verd ipſa tum jucunda, tum ſalutaris, Cic. Philip. 2. & 13.Name of Peace is ſweet; but the thing it ſelfe much ſweeter. Behold, ſaith the Pſalmiſt, eforeign, Greg. Naz. de Eutax.how goodly and how pleaſant a thing it is for brethren to dwell together in unitie! fPſal. 133.2.It is for the pleaſantneſſe of it, like the pretious gLevit. 8.12.Ointment that was powred upon Aarons Head, that wet his Beard, and ran downe to the very skirts of his Garments. It ishPax ſerenitas mentis, tranquillitas animi, ſimplicitas cordis, vinculum amoris, conſortium charitatis. Haec eſt quae ſimultates tollit, bella compeſcit, iras comprimit, diſeordes ſedat, inimicos concordat, cunctis eſt placita, Aug. de verb. Dom. 57. delightfull not to thoſe themſelves alone, that are at unitie among themſelves, but it ſendeth forth a pleaſing ſavour to their neighbours round about them: as on the other ſide, contentious perſons are not troubleſome to either other onelyonly, but to all that dwell neare unto them.iQuod in cantu harmonia, in civitate concordia, arctiſſimum atque optimum incolumitatis vinculum, Cic. de Repub. l. 2. Aug. de Civit. lib. 2. cap. 21. Concord in ſocieties, is as Harmonie in conſorts, which being duly obſerved, maketh the Muſick delightfull; being not obſerved, by jarring maketh all harſh and untunable, as well to the hearers, as to the ſingers themſelves. Againe, for the profitableneſſe and behovefulneſſe of it,kPſal. 133.3. It is like the dew of Hermon, and that that commeth downe upon the Hill of Sion. It is as a ſweetlProverb. 19.12. dew, that maketh all things grow and thrive; as the contrarie ſpoileth and layeth all things waſte, like themHag. 1.9. blaſt of ſome malignant aſpect.nConcordia res parvae creſcunt: diſcordia maximae dilabuntur. Micypſa apud Sal. Iugur. foreign, Eccleſ. 4.12. Gregor Naz. ad Aegypt. adven. Concord and agreement addeth ſtrength even to meane things; diſcord and diſagreement bringeth the ſtrongeſt to wrack. And no marvell: ForoNihil beatum non favente numine. foreign, Aeſchyl. Theb without the Bleſsing of God what can proſper; yea or ſubſiſt? ButpPſal. 133 3 There, ſaith the Pſalmiſt, hath God promiſed his Bleſsing, (to wit,qVerſ. 1. where Brethren agree together in one) and life for evermore. ButrMat. 18.19, 20. Rom. 16.20. the God of Peace will give ſPacis Deus niſi pacem colentibus benedictionem non dabit, Cyprian. Quid ſimultates amas, quod autoripacis placere non poteſt? Non poteſt concordiam habere cum 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 behovefull than Peace. In regard whereof, it is that the Apoſtle Paul ſo oft, and ſo inſtantly enciteth unto it.tEpheſ. 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 meekeneſſe, with long ſuffering, ſupporting one another through Love; Endevouring to retaine the unitie of the Spirit in the uCol. 3.14.bond of Peace. There is xRom. 12.5. 1 Cor. 12.12, 27.one Bodie, and y1 Cor. 12.13.one Spirit, one *Pſal. 133.1.Faith, one Hope, one Baptiſme, z1 Cor. 8.6.one Lord, one God and Father of all, above all, through all, and in you all. And againe, to paſſe by many other paſſages;aPhilip. 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 bAct. 4.32. Rom. 15.5, 6. 1 Cor. 1.10. Phil. 3.16. & 4.2. foreign, Ariſtot. Laert. foreign, locus in Catonem min. ipſiuſque hoſpitem, Plut. foreign, Gregor. Naz. in Baſil.like minded, like affected, of one accord, and of one judgement. And ſocPhil. 23, 4. proceedeth hee to dehort them from ſelfe-will, ſelfe-love, ſelfe-reſpect, and ſelfe-conceit, the very bane and peſts of agreement and concord.dforeign, Chryſoſt. in 1 Cor. hom. 19. Hanc ergo qui accepit teneat; qui perdidit, repetat; qui amiſit, exquirat; Aug. de verb. Dom. 57. This therefore ſhould you ſtrive and labour by all meanes to maintaine among your ſelves, being (aseGen. 13.8. Abraham told Lot) brethren; and beingfColoſſ. 3.15. called and joyned together (as the Apoſtle ſpeaketh) into one Bodie. Butgforeign, Greg. Naz. de Pace 1. foreign, Chryſ. in Ioan. hom. 57. withall, you muſt have a care that this your Peace be 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. Forhforeign, Greg. Naz. ibidem. if Peace be not joyned with Pietie, better no Peace than ſuch Peace; iSine 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 iskConciliabulum. ſive Conventiculum, non Concilium. no Councell, but a Conventicle, wherein Truth is not aimed at: ſo it islforeign, Act. 23.13. foreign, Chryſ. in Matt. hom. 35. no Societie, but a Conſpiracie, wherein right is not regarded. When men are, as Simeon and Levi, mFratres 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;nforeign, 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. AndoVt pernitioſum eſt, ſi unitas deſit bonis: ita pernicioſius eſt, ſi non deſit malis. Eripiuntur enim justa, dum dividuntur injusti. At verò contra bonos vehementer praevalent, quando in malo ſe concorditer 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 conjoyned either with other, the more are they diſ-united and diſ-joyned from God.

But to leave this Digreſsion, though not altogether impertinent, whichpI was that morning admoniſhed, that ſomewhat of this Argument was of courſe by the Doner… deſire required and expected. the preſent Occaſion in part required of mee; and to returne to the maine Point that wee are principally to purſue.

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

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

Member 4 For why doe men neglect to looke after Gods Kingdome? rMoratur meres familiarus. Sic illā disponere volo, ut ſufficere mihi hoc agenti poſſit, ne aut paupertas mihi oneri ſit, aut ego alicui. Quantumſat eſt, non dum habeo. Si ad illam ſummam pervenero, tunc me totum philoſophiae dab…, Sen. epiſt. 17.Forſooth,Benefit. becauſe they muſt build their houſes, they muſt feather their neſts firſt: they muſt get ſomething that may be a ſtay to them hereafter, that they may bee able to defend the world withall. To remove therefore this rubbe, and to rid and eaſe men of this care, our Saviour here telleth them, thatſQuid in longum ipſe te differs? expectabis ne foenoris quaſtum, aut ex merce compendium, aut tabulas beati ſenis, cum fieri poſſis ſtatim dives? Repraeſentat opes ſapientia: quas cuicun que ſupervacuas fecit, dedit ibidem. upon the due ſeeking of Gods Kingdome and his Righteouſneſſe, or the Righteouſneſſe thereof, (fortEodem quod ſenſum attinet, redeunt; etiam ſi ad Deum, non ad Regnum referri Syntaxis Grammatica poſtulat. Atque hoc eſt quod Calvinus in hunc locum voluit. Quem iniquè igitur Maldonatus taxat tanquam Gracarū literarū 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

*Virtꝰ omnia in ſe haebet: Omnia adſunt bona, Quē penes eſt Virtus, Plaut. Amph. 2. 5. Eſt tanti laborare, omnia bona ſemel occupaturo, Senec, epiſt. 76.This one thing will bring all with it, it will helpe us to all things, that Obſervat. 5 our heart can deſire.uPſalm. 37.3, 4. Truſt in the Lord, ſaith the Pſalmiſt, and doe good, and thou ſhalt aſſuredly be fed. Delight thy ſelfe in the Lord, and hee will give thee thine owne hearts deſire. xPſal. 84.11.Hee will be yDeus Sol et Scutum, dabit gratiā & gloriā.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. Asz1 King. 3.9.—13. 2 Chron. 1.11, 12. when Salomon asked Wiſedome, it pleaſed God ſo well, that hee gave him Wealth and Honour together with it: ſo upon the ſeeking hereof, wee ſhall not onelyonly finde it, but wee 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, wee ſhall have thereupon our right to all things reſtored us in Chriſt.a1 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. AsbHebr. 1.2. Chriſt, ſo all Chriſtians arecGal. 3.26. Rom. 8.17 in Chriſt dApoc. 21.7.Heires of all things. And foreAudacter Deum roges, nihil illum de alieno rogaturus, Sen. epiſt. 10. God therefore to deny them ought, were to deny them of their owne.

Reaſon 2 Secondly, they that thus doe, arefIohn 1.12. Gal. 3.26. 2 Cor. 6.17, 18. Gods Children in Chriſt; andgIohn 14.13. & 16.23. 1 Iohn 5.14, 15. may have for the asking what they will at Gods hands. For,hMatth. 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? iPſal. 147.9. Matth. 6.26. foreign; &c. Epictet. Arian. Diſſert. l. 3. c. 26.Hee feedeth 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 bee his heires?

Reaſon 3 Thirdly, he hath prepared a Growne, a Kingdome for them.kLuke 12.32. Feare not, little flock, ſaith our Saviour, it is your Fathers will to beſtow a Kingdome upon you. And,lQui dabit regnum, nō dabit viaticum? Aug. de verb. Dom. foreign, Chryſ. in Matt. 22. Will hee deny them a Crum, that will give them a Crowne? Will hee deny them a bit of bread, or a cup of drinke, (m1 Chron. 29.11, 12. all the wealth in the world is no more with him; hee 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.nIohn 3.16. Hee ſo loved them, that he gave his only begotten Sonne for them. And,oRom. 8.32. foreign, Chryſoſt. in Rom. hom. 15. Hee that ſpared not his owne Sonne, but gave him up to death for them, how can hee but give them all things together with him? pQui miſil unigenitum, immiſit ſpiritum, promiſit vultum, quid tandem tibi negaturus eſt? Bern. de Temp. nihil ei negaturus creditur, quem ad eſum vituli hortatur, Hieron. de Fil. Prodig.Hee thatq1 Ioh. 4.9, 10. ſent his Sonne to die for them, hathrGalat. 4.6. put his Spirit in them, and hathſMatth. 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?

Vſe 4 Now this firſt ſerveth to admoniſh all Chriſtian men, yea all men Vſe 1 in generall, both what they ſhould firſt and moſt, and what they ſhould laſt and leaſt care for.Admonition. tOptimum eſt curam principalem animae impendere. Eucher. ad Valer. Vt primas apud nos curas, quae prima habentur, obtineant: ſummaſque ſibi ſolicitudinis partes, quae 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 ſanctificat …n and true holineſſe.uQuis extruendi, niſi cum fundamenta jeceris, locus eſt? Superaedificare caeteras utilitates destinanti ſalus fundamentum eſt. Caeterum quomodo quiſpiam ſequentia addat, ſi nec prima poſſederit? Idem 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 wee have ſo done, hee would have us leave the care of them wholly to him.xPſalm. 55.22. Roll thy burden upon the Lord, ſaith the Pſalmiſt, and hee will maintaine thee. y1 Pet. 4.4.Caſt all your care upon him, ſaith S. Peter; for hee taketh care for you. And,zPhilip. 4.6. Take you no thought for ought, ſaith S. Paul: but let all your wants be made knowne unto God by prayer. Hee*Matth. 6.32. knoweth what is fit for you, and hee 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 wee procure to our ſelves, if wee could doe thus?

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

Error 1 God would have men take care for ſpirituall things, and leave the care of temporall things wholly to him. Whereas moſt men take a cleane contrarie courſe.aforeign, 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 merciemercy: They will take to themſelves Gods part, and they will leave God their part. What hee would doe himſelfe, they will doe; and what hee 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 with them: But for ſpirituall things if they will not bee found without ſeeking, for their parts they are never like to bee ſought after.

Error 2 Againe, Spirituall things God would have to be eſteemed as thecforeign. principall, and to be ſet in the firſt place; and temporall things to be reckoned of asdforeign, Chryſost. in hunc locum. ſecondary matters, as things acceſſorie unto them. Whereas worldly men generally take a direct contrary courſe. Theyeforeign, Lucian. Terpſion. ſet the cart, as wee ſay, before the horſe. TheyfSi 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. gforeign, Agatho apud Clem. Strom. l. 5. Velut apud Athen. Dipnoſoph. lib. 5. foreign, Sic enim utrobi que interſtinguendum, ne ſuus ſententiae lepidiſſimae lepos intereat. Viſe Hadr. Iunium in Adag. Cent. 3. Adag. 79.They make the principall the acceſſorie, and the acceſſorie the principall. Take moſt paines 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, hVerſ. 32.meat, drinke, and apparell. ButiO cives, cives, quaerenda pecunia primùm eſt. Virtus poſt nūmos.— Horat. ep. 1. firſt Riches, ſaith the World, moneyes and meanes of maintenance, (forkLucri bonus eſt odor ex re Qualibet.— Vnde habeas quaerit nemo; ſed oportet habere, Iuven. Sat. 14.—facias rem, Si poſſis, rectè: ſi non, quocun que modo rem, Horat. ep. 1. theſe muſt be had howſoever) andlIta eſt; cum omnia habueris, tunc & ſapientiā habere voles. Hoc erit ultimum vitae inſtrumentum, &, ut ita dicam, additamentum, Sen. epiſt. 17. then Religion and Righteouſneſſe may a little, time enough, be looked after, when we are once furniſhed of the former.

Yea Gods Children themſelves are oft-times too much faulty in this kinde: Too ſlack and careleſſe in ſeeking after the beſt things; and more carefull than they ſhould be, for the things of this life. Not ſo diligent in attending as they ſhould be, with Mary, thatmVnicum 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, nSolliciti 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 back and the belly, for meat, drinke and apparell; (that which our Saviour hereoMatth. 6.25, 28, 31. Luke 12.22, 29. had reproved in his followers before) as if either they wantedpMatth. 6.26. a Father to provide for them, orqMatth. 6.32. Luke 12.30. their Father were ignorant of their wants. rPerkins alicubi.If wee ſee a young man grow worldly, full of care and thought for the world, wee are ready to ſay, Sure his Father is deceaſed, and his Friends gone; he hath loſt thoſe that ſhould looke after him; hee hath no bodie left to take care for him but himſelfe; elſe ſforeign. 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: (heet1 Tim. 6.17. Apoc. 15.7. liveth for ever to doe for us:) nor doth or canuEſay 49.15. his care die for them, whom hee 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 become Chriſtians? may ſome man ſay. Question. Or is all Care utterly condemned? Should Chriſtian men be like thoſe ofaIudg. 18.27. Laiſh, a ſort of careleſſe people, to live looking after nothing, butbQui finxit alas papilioni, is curabit omnia. Luxurioſorum diverbium. Scalig. de Subtil. put off all to Gods providence, and ſo let things goe at ſix and ſevens, as we ſay?

Not ſo neither. Wee muſt wiſely diſtinguiſh here; Anſwer. that wee neither wheele into the whirle-pit of diſtruſtfulneſſe on the one hand, nor wrecke our ſelves againſt the rock of retchleſneſſe on the other. There is a two-fold care, yea or carefulneſſe, if you will: there iscSolicitudo diligentiae, foreign. a carefulneſſe of diligence; and there isdSolicitudo diffidētiae, foreign. a carefulneſſe of diffidence: the one is approved and commended; the other is diſallowed and condemned: wee areeProv. 27.23. & 22 29. Phil. 4.8, 9. 1 Tim. 5.4, 8. enjoyned the one; wee arefPhilip. 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, hee will ſupplie him and ſet him up againe. The Sonne in ſuch caſe, though hee 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 be the leſſe carefull ofgProv. 6.6, 7, 8. & 12.11. & 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. (Theyh2 Theſſ. 3.6, 11. walke inordinately, ſaith the Apoſtle, thati1 Theſſ. 4.11. follow not their owne work, and as wellk2 Theſſ 3.10. earne, if they be able, a… l2 Theſſ. 3.12.eat their owne bread;) becauſe God hath graciouſly promiſed, and undertaken to provide for them.mforeign, Phil 3.16. Walke they muſt each one carefullyn1 Cor. 7.20, 24. within the compaſſe of his calling, and expect oDeut. 28.8. Pſalm. 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; butpPſalm. 37.5. 2 Sam. 10.12. leave that all to God,qHebr. 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.

Vſe 3 And ſo in the third place, this ſerveth to meet with a conceit that keepeth many from looking after the things of Gods Kingdome, Prevention.becauſe they feare that they ſhall want neceſſaries, if they ſhall ſo doe. For, to omit that truerFides 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, orſMatth. 13.44, 45, 46. Luke 14.26, 33. that is not contenttPhil. 3.7, 8, 9. willingly, yea anduHebr. 10.34. gladly, *Omnia relinquas, ut hoc habeas, Sen. ep. 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 andx2 Cor. 1.20. his Surety, hath here given thee aſſurance, that ſo long as thou ſeekeſt it as thou oughteſt,yAt neceſſaria deerunt. De eſſe non poterunt, Sen. ep. 17. thou ſhalt never want ought; all other things ſhall be from God himſelfe ſupplied to thee with it. AndaPſal. 34.10. the Lions themſelves therefore, ſaith the Pſalmiſt, (and the Lion is thebProv. 30.30.31. Rex ferarum, Iſid. Orig. l. 10. c. 2. King of beaſts,) ſhall hunger and ſtarve: thoſe that are likelieſt to be fed: But thoſe that ſeeke the Lord ſhall want nothing that is good. HeecPſalm. 78.24. Pluviam eſcatilem, Tertul. de Patient. will raine bread from heaven, anddPſalm. 78.20. & 114.8. Petram aquatilem, Ibid. ſet the flint ſtone abroach, and turneePſalm. 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.

Vſe 4 Yea this rather ſhould enduce, encite, and encourageEncouragement. us to ſeeke, as the more carefully, ſo the more cheerefully after theſe things, conſidering that ſo gracious a promiſe is annexed thereunto:fPſalm. 34.9. Feare, that is,gSicut, 1 King. 17.32, 33. & alibi. ſerve the Lord diligently, yee his Saints, ſaith the Pſalmiſt: for there ſhall nothing be wanting to them that feare him. hParare unde vivam volo. Simul & parare diſce — Sen. epist. 17. i. vis parare? Parandi rationem diſce, Lipſ.Wouldeſt thou then be 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 Kingdom. Men think 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 want, or to take further care for the world. Yet we know and ſee that ſuch places oft bring*Deſere palatia: nam Curia curis, imò crucibus & mortibus Semper eſt obnoxia, Petr. Bleſ. ep. 57.— dum excelſus ſteti, nunquam pavere deſtiti.—Sen. Thyeſt. 3. 1. a world of cares with them, andiPaucos beavit aula, plures perdidit: Sed hos quoque ipſos, quos beavit, perdidit. are a meanes 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.kIerem. 17.7, 8. Bleſſed is the man, ſaith the Prophet, that dependeth upon God: for hee ſhall be as a Tree planted by the water ſide, that ſpreadeth her root alongst the river, and doth not feele when the ſcorching heat commeth, but continueth ever green, 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 fear of want; but follow theſe things rather if thou wouldſt 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 otherwiſel2. Cor. 12.12. Parents ought to be carefull to provide for their children; andm1 Tim. 5.8. he is worſe, I ſay not, than an Infidell, butnNahum. 2.13. Thren. 4.3. Ipſae ferae ſaeviſſima ſ…tus ſuos fovent, en…tri…at: …ilvi p…llas circumvol…s rapinis proſpici…, 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,oEccleſ. 4.14. Ample & regiae op…s, ubi ad malum dominum pervene…, … …ſſi…gntur, S… … ſ… … …oef… …rat. … 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? hee 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 doe his beſt to get ſome what to leave him;) he knoweth there he ſhall not want. But get yo… Children, ſay I, not into Chriſts Hoſpitall, but into Gods Kingdome … Grace, and they ſhall then be 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, not how to make them rich, butpGeneſ. 18.19. Deut. 6.6. 1 Chron. 28.9. how to make them religious, how to worke the ſincereqProv. 24.21. Epheſ 6.4. f…a…e of God, &r1 Tim. 4.6. 2 Tim. 1.5. & 3.15. faith of Chriſt into them. This when thou haſt once effected, thou needeſt not be troubled to thinke what will become of them, if thou beeſt taken away from them; or what thou ſhalt be 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, thereſPſal. 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,tPſal. 37.18, 19. The Lord knoweth the dayes 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 dayes of famine they ſhall have their fill. And he confirmeth it further by his owne experience, both concerning them and their iſſue.uPſal. 37.25, 26. I have beene young, and am now old; yet xforeign, 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 hee be mercifull and ready to lend, (a meanes many times to leſſen and impaire mens eſtates) yet his ſeed after him inheriteth the bleſsing.

Yea but wee ſee evenyHebr. 11.37. godly men many times in want, may ſome ſay. Objection.

I anſwer in a word.zPſal. 37.10 & 64.11 They never want what is good, what is neceſſarie, Solution.what is*Sicut contra de malis Chryſippus apud Plut. de commun. not. foreign. Ait ſapientem nulla re indigere, & tamen multis illirebus opus eſſe: contra ſtulto nulla re opus eſt; nulla enim reſcit uti, ſed omnibꝰ eget. Egere enim neceſſitatis eſt. Nihil autem ſapienti neceſſe eſt quod nō habet. Sen ep. 9. needfull and behoovefull for them to have. And whatſoever is not good and fit for them, it isaforeign, Diogen. 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 directionbforeign, Dion. Chryſ. 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 wee ſay, tied to a ſtrict and ſpare diet; yea and glad too to obſerve it, becauſecforeign, ib. it would otherwiſe be worſe with them? No marvell then if the godly ſometime in like manner, though Kings andd2 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 rathereAliud enim non habere, aliud carere, Cic. Tuſcul. l. 1. is without, than wanteth that, which to be without then is for his good.

Concluſion.To end where wee began; let us by any meanes take heed leſt our immoderate care for the things of this life, expell and juſtle out our care for things belonging to a better life:fCongruum non eſt in honore ſolicitudinis noſtra praeſtantioribus pe…ora ſubjicere, Eucher. ad Valer. Let that rather yeeld to this, andgPhilip. 4.4. this then will diſcharge us of that: let our maine and principall care be for Gods Kingdome and his Righteouſneſſe, and for other things wee may then boldlyh1 Pet. 5.7. cast our care upon God, who will be ſure thereuponiPſal. 23.1. Luk. 22.35. ſufficiently, yeak2 Cor. 9.8. foreign, &c. Chryſoſt. in hunc locum. abundantly to furniſh us with whatſoeverlMatth. 6.32. he ſhall ſee to be needfull and fit for us.

FINIS.

Sermon Preached Several Times, Sermon 2

p. 27THE CHRISTIAN MANS CARE.

THE CHRISTIAN MANS CARE.