q 1. Cor 9.22 Hee that sets on with the Mastership and gouernment of a family by entering into the state of Wedlocke must make this first in his proceeding His first aime must be as Gods in the first institution of marriage the encreasing of Gods kingdome the aduancement of Gods glory by a godly seede r Mal 2.13 and that he may keepe his vessell in holines and in honor ſ 1. Thes 4.4 When lust and couetousnesse be the leaders a mariage is like an heritage hastily gotten the end whereof shall not bee blessed t Pro 20.21 In a worde it must bee thus in all things for whether ye eate or drinke or whatsoeuer ye do do all to the glory of God u 1. Cor 10.31 And is there not reason why it should bee thus who by so good right may challenge the precedence as God may In him we liue moue and haue our being x Act. 17.28 is it not of him that wee are able to seeke and to whom is all due if not to him from whom all comes shall not hee haue the prime of our daies the flower of our wit the best and strength of all that is within vs out of whose bountie we haue all that we enioy Well is it said that God being the Ancient of daies may pleade a kinde of seniority and by it require to be first serued Then besides the things that concern the eternall good and happines of the soule are our chiefest busines and the following procuring of them is the maine errand for which wee are come into this world God sent no man into this world properly to mak himselfe rich to come to honor or to sate himselfe with the vanishing contentments of this life but the end of euery mans comming into the world is that by glorifying of God here hee may lay vp in store a good foundation for the time to come Now what man of ordinarie vnderstanding but if he iourney into any place hee will be sure to doe that first which is of most moment Suppose a man were occasioned to trauell vp to London to the Terme vpon on some triall of his estate happily he is requested being there to performe some kindnesses for others and it may bee hee hath a meaning to buy some such commodities as the place affords but what doth he doe first whereunto doth he principally set himselfe will hee not first attend that for which hee vndertooke the iourney resoluing to set that in some forwardnesse before he stirreth so much as a foot about ought else when that is once done then if any leasure time fall out hee will bestow that vpon his by-occasions Is there not the like reason in this A man is come here into the world where in a small scantling of time he hath many things to accomplish but yet such as are not all of like importance some are but like seeing of friends or deliuerie of letters or buying of trifles or the like falling into such a iourney as before I spake of there is one maine imployment and that concernes the soule it is like a grand triall at the law whereon hangs a mans whole estate Is it not now agreeing to wisedome that this should bee first followed and applied with the first endeauour that so if a man bee ouertaken by time if any of his errands bee left vnfinished it may not be that the not doing whereof may turne to his vndoing and to his casting away for euer and euer What should I labour to say more concerning this Surely if matters of this kinde must bee sought and cared for at all they must bee sought and cared for and intended first of all and therefore forbearing to make any further discourse in so manifest a point I will hasten to the Vse Here is matter inough for a large discourse The Vse it is euen inough to vexe the righteous soule of a Lot to see what indignitie is offered to the things of God and what folly is committed in reiourning these important businesses into the hindermost place To equall Hagar with Sarah is iniurious but to giue Hagar the place and to make Sarah to come behind as an attendant is intolerable What saith our Sauiour Is the seruant that hath beene abroad all day at worke bid sit downe and waited on assoone as he is come home Is he not commanded to attend first vpon his master and so to tarrie till his turne comes y Luk. 17.5 How angry was God with the people who tooke their owne contentment first in seeling them houses before they took in hād the repairing of his house z Hag. 1.4 and how was the Prophet to exclaim vpon those who were wont to offer the lame the sick among their cattle for a sacrifice a Mal. 1.8 as if any thing had bin good inough for God These things are types and shadowes of that base vsage which is to be seen in men towards God who seeme to account the very dregs refuse of all to be good inough for him of whom the best and the principall is not worthy In steed of seeking the kingdom of God and his righteousnes in the first part of life what more vsuall then to prorogue to put off this duty vntil the last act That to which the dawning of a mans age is due is posted off vntil the euening men not considering how that folly which as Salomon saith Prouerb 22.15 is bound in the heart of a childe will if it be suffred to gather strength by continuance prooue such a huge and vnruly lumpe as will not soone bee ouermastered hard is it to plucke vp that plant of corruption which hath taken roote downewards Me thinks when I espie an old man that hath spent his younger daies in seeking of any thing rather then the thinges belonging to his soule to bee to seeke how and which way to serue God aright and to be saued hee is like one who hauing run out his youth in iollitie is in the end put to his shifts and glad to begge for his liuing when he is old What a myserie when one shall bring his hoare head in such extremitie to the graue and farre greater it is when one through the iust hand of God shall as hee hath liued in vanitie so conclude in impenitency go out of the world as blindly as hee hath gone on in the world aduenturously This is the issue mostly of shufling the things of God and of our soules from the right place Well next for seeking the kingdome of God in euery day I omit to vrge that which is best knowne to each mans owne soule touching priuate communings with the Lord lifting vp the heart constantly towards him euery morning I doe note onely the thinges that are obuious and apparant Let the most houses and families be a testimony how rare a thing it is to beginne the day with a seeking of
the Lord by prayer Surely if the Lord should send an Angell of his wrath into so many houses as where this euidence of seeking the kingdome of God first doth want I belieue it would fare with many townes as it did with Egypt in the night that Israel did depart not an house saith the text in which there was not one dead b Exod. 12.30 Think on it all you masters of Families for your parts and if you bee faultie thinke whether to neglect this can bee to seeke Gods kingdome first and resolue that there shall not a day passe more before you do reforme it Gods curse attends you in whatsoeuer you put your hands vnto if you leaue out this Well what say we to seeking this kingdome first in euery businesse Let me beginne with you Magistrates whereto doe you principally mainely leuell your authoritie I cannot accuse you in particular but this is the generall guise vpholding of credit aduancing of profit pleasuring of friends spiting of opposites such things as those march in the foremost rancke it is well if any thing that concernes God and his seruice come in dropping at the later end happily for forme custome or to get a name or to satisfie the importunity of a Preacher some little matter is done that way but where is he that makes this his first chiefe busines For one such Magistrate as Nehemiah that will lay all at the stake that God may bee glorified by his gouernment an hundred such as Gallio that do not care for such thingsc There is as much iniurie offered to God in our busines of the ministery Many an one there is amongst vs who if hee were demanded friend why camest thou hither what first moued thee to become a Minister I belieue if he should tell as we say Gods truth hee must confesse it was more to liue then to labour rather to gather sheaues into his owne barne then to fill vp the Lords Garner Surely that which hath the chiefetie in a mans desire will preuaile most in his endeauour hee that is more busie to feather his owne nest then to draw the people of Christ as so many chickens vnder his winges it cannot bee thought that in his putting his hand to the Lords plough hee sought for his righteousnes and his kingdome first of all What should I say of other callings of other businesses what thinke wee because of the present occasion of marriage busines what if a man should presse vpon all here that are married in particular vpon the now newly married what was the first sought for matter in our seuerall choyces what was the first question what was the first inquiry was it goods or goodnesse was it with what religion is the woman endewed or with what portion is shee endowed surely that which most mooues both parents in their direction and parties to bee married in their election is rather portion and proportion then sinceritie of heart and well grounded pietie towards God Hence comes that roote of bitternesse which groweth vp betwixt the most couples where religion was not the first motioner the issue of the mariage without great repentance can neuer bee comfortable A wofull thing a woman to haue a Husband that cannot dwell with her as a man of knowledge a lamentable thing a man to haue a Wife whom hee cannot comfortablie loue not only as a woman but as an Heire together with him of the grace of life I will conclude this vse It is not inough you see that wee take care for heauen but we must giue it our first our best our strongest care I wish this to you all that heare me but especially let mee commend it to those whose nuptials we are here met together to solemnize you are both younge and as your education hath bin I trust in the feare of God so be sure stil to consecrate these your first and flourishing daies to Gods glory and to the things which concerne your soules Be not now first for profit and delight meaning to reserue your grauer yeares for grauer matters You know not what a day may bring foorth euen childehood and youth are vanitie and for euery particular day remember to beginne it priuately with the Lord and if God giue you a familie let all your businesses take their beginning at some such ioint seruice as may witnesse for you that the glory of God and the pleasing of him is your chiefest aime If euer God shall raise you to some higher place in which to gouerne publikely then call to mind the precept giuen you on your mariage day and binde your selfe to be more for Gods glory and for the vpholding of his honor then for any other respect whatsoeuer and if you haue failed in your proceedings hitherto not being so carefull touching the religion either of other as was fit desire God that it may not be layed to your charge and stir vp your selues to make a kinde of recompence therein by a constant care more to seeke and more to esteeme a dramme of grace and a mite of sinceritie then all that euer else the world is able to afford you And the more to encourage you to this I come from the first part of my text the charge to the second the discharge And al these things shall be added vnto you The plaine point of Doctrine thus stands Doct 3. That they which labour and seeke for heauenly things shall not be left vnsupplied of earthly things Here is a stirre saith our Sauiour for the things of the world and you lay about you as if the dust of the earth should not suffice for euery man to take an handfull and all your drift is that you may haue inough for present maintenance Behold I will shew you a more excellent way I preach ordinarily to you of a kingdome I tell you of the righteousnes of God seek you that in such sort and maner as you ought Lo all these things wil come in of themselues it may be not in the measure you would but in such a proportion as your heauenly father knowes to be conuenient Look as the shadow followeth a man stil which turneth his face toward the Sunne so these things neuer but attend vpon those that set their thoughts vpon heauenly things What a world is there for this in holy Scripture God long ago made a promise vnto Abraham that if he would walke with him and be vpright which is all one with that seeking here made mention of he would be a God to him and to his seede after him d Gen. 17.7 Now how can a man be left destitute whose God the Lord is who both knowes ones need for all things are naked and open vnto his eyes e Heb. 4.13 and is all-sufficient The earth is his and all that therein is f Ps 24.1 and whose loue passeth the loue of naturall parents It is possible for a woman to forget her child and
though he may be in pouerty yet he cannot be ouercome of pouerty though he may be cast downe yet he shall not perish ſ 2. Cor. 4.8 9. he shall neuer be left comfortles t Ioh. 14.18 he shall alwaies haue a secret comfort to sweeten all his outward burdens When hee hath a small proportion hee shall be taught how to want u Phil 4.12 he shall euer eat to the contentation of his minde x Prou. 13.25 His little his pulse his dinner of green herbes shall rellish better with him then their plenty to whom euery day is a day of slaughter Gods countenance being lift vp ouer him puts more ioy into his heart then the smalnes of his portion can giue discouragement Once he is sure he shall haue inough for the present I meane inough for the necessity of nature and comfort with it and greater plenty when the Lord doth see it to be more expedient Thus then wee must vnderstand it All these things shall be ministred vnto you foode rayment c. Christ meaneth not that God will cloth euery such one in silke or feede him with dainties or giue him a house of Cedar with pillars of marble to inhabite in but hee will measure him such a portiō of these as he shall know to be expedient and euen the scantest portion shall be sweetned with the gracious feeling of his fauour Thus is the doctrine Vse Mee thinks in this point I should haue euery mans attention Who would not be glad to heare of such a stocke for his maintenance here in the world as shall neuer bee consumed Euery man affecteth perpetuities He who hath a lease for yeeres thinkes himselfe well he who hath an estate for his owne life and his childs is in his owne opinion better but hee who hath got the fee simple estate hee he imagineth needes not care These be things whereon men build their hopes but alas is it not possible that for all this a man may fall into an extremity what though a man hath ioyned house to house and field to field vntill there be no room what though his grounds bring forth fruit plenteously his barnes bee filled with abundance his sheepe yeeld out thousands and ten thousands in the streets what if hee haue so much stocke so many ships trading here and there so much certaine comming in what though in a word he were as rich as Cōstantine the Emperor of whom Austen reports De Ciuit. Dei l. 5 cap. 25. that God had filled him with so many and so great earthly commodities that no man might dare to wish the like is such an estate so fenced in or so established by any perpetuall decree that it cannot be dissolued Is not the trust in these things like the house of a spider y Iob 18.14 which though it doe take hold vpon the rafters yet is sodenly swept downe with a broome The Lord sometimes looseth the coller of Kings powreth contempt vpon Princes z Iob 12.18 and sweepes away euen great houses as a man sweepes away dung till all be gone a 1. King 14.10 All the wisest Lawyers in a kingdom cannot deuise how to secure a man for hereafter See here a new lesson how to be made sure of meate and drinke and clothing while we liue Here is a portion like that which the King of Babel gaue to Iehoiachim a continuall portion euery day a certaine all the daies of his life vntill he died b Ier. 52.34 Seeke yee first the kingdom of God c. This deed was drawne vp in heauen engrossed by the pen of the Euangelist in the gospell sealed by the bloud of the Lord Iesus who witnessed a good cōfession vnder Pontius Pilate who neuer yet did neither euer will beare witnes to a falshood and let all the world be examined it shall not be able to afford one instance of the failing of this assurance How glad men be when their Lords haue sealed their leases how pretious be their euidences and tenures of land how safely they are kept that they may not bee embelezed How all you Merchants reioyce at the safe arriuall of a ship at the report of a boone voyage how secure begin we to be in our thoughts when we see som what vnder hand why should we not with ioy lay it vp in the midst of our hearts which shall secure vs of a better portion then the greatest King of the earth is able to bestow If the King should giue thee a pension or annuity out of his Exchequer for thy life it were much yet because of it thou canst not surely say thou shalt not want This promise cannot misse his word who made it doth endure for euer because himselfe liueth euer to make good his word and it is impossible for him to deny himselfe And here see I pray you how far the thoghts of God are differing from our thoughts and his waies from our waies Mens common thoughts are that if religion should be thus cared for before all other things if they should prefer matters appertaining therevnto before things of this present life it were the next way for them to be quite vndone For what is mens ordinary reason why they doe redeeme so little time from the world for holy purposes and why they take so much euen of the Lords day to giue vnto themselues Is it not this else say they we cannot liue Hence is it that the kingdom of God which ought to bee first sought is as I haue shewed cast backe into the lowest place Men thinke it wisdome first to be sure of the world before they looke after heauen first prouide for the body then for the soule first seeke an estate here then cast for an estate hereafter This is the common course wherevpon it is that there bee many who haue liued long in the world and haue laboured hard and toyled infinitely to get a portion in the world are yet ignorant which way to seeke for the kingdome of God nay they haue scarse so much as a thought of it or a conceit or knowledge what it meanes What is the kingdome of God what is the righteousnes of God how many old men how many rich men how many painfull men who haue euen worne out themselues with catching for the world if they were put vnto it know not what to answer Let vs yet at the last all of vs and you especially for whose sakes principally this daies labour is learne this wisdome from the God of wisdome out of the booke of wisdom which is able to make vs wise vnto saluation Begin we not still at the wrong end first the world then heauen first gaine then godlines first riches then religion first the backe and the belly and then the soule but let vs take the true course both for contentment here and for saluation hereafter make it your first care your chiefe care and in comparison your onely care how to become members of Gods kingdome how to attaine to that righteousnes without which the kingdome cannot be enjoyed Either we must deny the truth of God speaking in his word and say that he feedes and foades vs of with vaine words not to be beleeued or els yeeld this to be a truth that this is the alone way to get a comfortable security for outward things Thus it is as Nazianzene saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nec prodi nec perdi It is profit indeed to get gaine to a mans soule This is that wealth which as one saith can neither be betrayed nor lost He who hath it not is a miserable and an accursed begger in the midst of abundance and he who hath but as much of it as a graine of musterd-seede is an absolute rich man euen when hee hath nothing The world will not beleeue this yet is wisdom iustified of her children They which are after the flesh sauour the things of the flesh they which are after the spirit the things of the spirit c Ro. 8.5 FINIS
dung that hee might winne x Phil. 3 8. And why are the elect of God called a generation of seekers y Psa 24.6 but in respect of their inquiries after this according as it is the brand of the vngodly that they seeke not z Psa 10.4 And surely if either the excellency of a matter or the necessitie therof may be of force to perswade inquiry and to stirre vp care neither of them is wanting in the things which Christ here commends vnto our seeking For excellency The very name of a Kingdome argueth worth the Deuill had hope to preuaile euen with Christ with the offer of Kingdomes a Luk 4.5 the addition of God the kingdome of God addeth to the dignitie what thoughts are able to reach to the excellency of such a Kingdome to which God is entitled The kingdomes of the earth will endure no partners there is one onely King all the rest be subiects The limmes of this Kingdome are Kings all Christ Iesus hath made vs Kings vnto God euen his father b Reu. 1.6 euen in this life they are all through him more then conquerors c Rom. 8.37 and they shall each haue a crowne of righteousnesse at the day of his appearing d 2. Tim. 4.8 Let vs looke a little vpon the particular excellency of each degree of this kingdom The kingdome of grace which is his Church here on earth gathered by the preaching of the Gospell Glorious things are spoken of thee saith Dauid thou cittie of God e Ps 8.7.3 It is the ioy of the whole earth the Cittie of the great King in the palaces whereof God is knowne for a refuge f Ps 48.2.3 the members of it are an holy nation a selected company g 1. Pet. 2.9 the people that dwell therein shall haue their iniquitie forgiuen h Is 33.24 they are as the first fruits of his Creatures i Iam 1.18 they which wrong them euill shall come vpon them saith the Lord k Ier. 2.3 God giueth his Angells charge ouer them l Psa 91.21 and is vnto them as a wall of fire round about m Zach. 2.5 It is the honour of Kings to bee nourcing fathers and of Queenes to be nourcing mothers vnto it n Is 49.23 Thus and more then thus is the kingdom of grace Now for the Kingdome of glory which way shall I beginne to declare the excellency of it when as the things which neither eye hath seene nor eare heard neither haue entred into the heart of man God hath prepared for them that loue him o 1 Cor. 2.9 This I may say in a word that looke what difference there is in proportion betwixt the Cope of heauen and the earth which respectiuely to it is but as a pricke in the midst of a Center the same and much more there is betwixt the glory of all the kingdomes of the world vnited together if it were possible into one and that which the Apostle calleth the glorie which shal be shewed hereafter p Rom. 8.18 Better with a kinde of silent astonishment to admire it then to take on vs either to discribe it or to comprehend it in particular Now shall not such a thing as this bee reputed worthy of our best care What doe men many times to obtaine a corruptible crowne q 1 Cor. 9.25 Strange things are done out of the desire and hope of kingdomes It is said in story that when Nero his mother being with childe with him asked of the Astrologers what her sonne should come vnto was told that he should raigne Interimat modo imperet but kill his mother said she Let him kill me so he may be King thus ambitious was shee of a Kingdome for her sonne This for the excellencie of the kingdom Now the righteousnesse heere spoken of it is excellent too else why doth the holy Ghost call it a robe of righteousnesse and a garment of saluation with which who so is clad is decked like a bridgrome and tired as a Bride with Iewels r Is 61.10 and how can that be other then excellent by which an vgly sinner is made holy and vnblameable and without fault in Gods sight Å¿ Col. 1.22 I haue briefly pointed you to the excellency of the thing commended to our seeking Now let me shew you the necessity too The necessitie in a word is such that without admittance into this Kingdome without partaking of this righteousnesse there is no possibility for a mans soule to bee saued in the day of Christ For vpon all those that are without the pale of this kingdome shall be executed that sentence bring them hither and stay them before mee t Luc. 19.27 and know ye not saith the Apostle that the vnrighteous such as haue no righteousnesse shall not inherit the kingdome of God u 1 Cor. 6.9 and now what saith Christ What shall it profit a man though hee should winne the whole world and loose his owne soule x Mat. 16.26 were it not better for a man that hee had neuer been borne then to haue his portion in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death y Reu 21.8 Look then of what necessitie saluation and happinesse and life eternall is of the same is this kingdome of God and this righteousnesse here spoken of If it be necessarie for a man to seeke to be saued it is necessary to seeke the present and future good of his soule by laying the foundation of his hope of glory vpon his now being in the state of grace What can deserue the very best and as it were the very quintissence of a mans care if not this Thus is the Doctrine I come now to the vse The Vse of this Doctrine The Vse I will beginne with a reproofe go on in with an exhortation perfit with a direction The reproofe is of the generall yea and the intollerable neglect of that in which according as hath been shewed there ought to bee such an especiall care Mens ordinarie carriage in and about the matters of the soule in and about this Kingdome of God and his righteousnesse sauoureth of an opinion that either it is one of the most needlesse or one of the most easie things that is to be saued If it were indeed the most superfluous businesse and such as did aske the lest labour for performance I do not see how there could bee lesse diligence and more cold endeuours bestowed about it then there is Truth is these are seeking times euery man is busie in seeking something or other Here is one seekes for profit another for delight another for reuenge another for a newe fashion but how may a man runne with Ieremy too and fro by our streetes and inquire before hee can meete with one who throughly and to the purpose seekes the kingdome of God and the appurtenances thereunto For one serious
not to haue compassion on the Sonne of her wombe but hee cannot forget g Is 49.15 his compassions faile not h Lam. 3.22 The like promise was after renued vnto Ioshua i chap. 1. 5. and the Apostle teacheth euery beleeuer to account himselfe to haue an interest in it k Heb. 13.5 6. I will not faile thee nor forsake thee How often doe we read such things as these The eye of the Lord is vpon them that feare him and vpon them that trust in his mercy to deliuer their soules from death and to preserue them in famine l Ps 33.18 19. The Lyons do lack suffer hunger but they which seeke the Lord shall wāt nothing that is good m Psal 34.10 No good thing shall he withhold from them that walke vprightly n Ps 84.11 The Lord will not famish the soule of the righteous o Prou. 10.3 The good man shall giue inheritance vnto his childrens children p Pro. 13.22 That speach of the prophet Habakkuk three times repeated in the New Testament The iust shall liue by his faith Cap. 2. 4. hath reference as well to the life of the body in this world as well as to the spirituall life of the soule Faith is as it were the liuely-hood of a Christian It is the stocke whereon he liues inasmuch as it giueth him an assurance not to be cast off Christ had a meaning to teach this euen in the course and order of the Lords prayer in setting that of Hallowed be thy name Thy kingdome come c before that concerning daily bread that wee might build our expectation of being heard in the latter vpon the truth of our desire for the former And indeed if we enter into a due consideration of the point we must needs acknowledge it to be a truth He that seekes the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse shall not misse of the end of his desire in that heauenly benefit For God will fulfill the desires of them that feare him q Ps 145.19 If God will giue the more excellent will he deny the things of lesser value Fe are not saith Christ your Fathers will is to giue you a kingdome r Luc. 12.32 will he who will bestow a kingdome not bestow necessary comforts for the outward man Will he who giues Christ not giue with him all things also ſ Ro. 8.32 Whom thinke wee to be respected by God he that seeks his kingdome or the foules of the ayre the beasts of the forrest the lillies of the field to day fresh to morrow in the fornace Surely the seekers of his kingdome are his chiefe treasure t Ps 135.4 He delights in them u Psal 147.11 He dwells with them x Ioh. 14.23 He keeps their bones y Ps 34 20 their haires z Math 10.30 their feete a 1. Sam. 2.9 Consider then He giues beasts foode and the young Rauens that cry b Ps 147.9 he lookes after the sparrowes c Matt 10 29 he takes care for oxen d 1. Cor. 9 9. he clotheth the grasse e Mat. 6.30 How is it possible that hee should neglect those whom his soule loueth yea for whose sakes euen Kings are reproued f Psal 106.14 and which are to him as the apple of his eye g Zac 2 8. Strange but yet comfortable are the euidences and examples which the Scripture affords of Gods prouiding for his in outward things The Rauens first and last at morning and euening brought bread and flesh to Elias h 1 King 17. by him and for him God made that small portion of oyle and meale which the widdow had to last out to the end of the famine He prouided strangely for the widdow of the prophet when the cruell Creditor was come to take her sonnes to be his bondmen i 2 King 17. He found◠meanes for Iacob and his family in the dearth he had sent a man before k Psal 105.17 It is memorable which befell our Sauiour and is doubtlesse written for our learning He was borne in a poore estate his mother could finde no roome in the Inne it seemes shee was in want otherwise money would haue commanded more respect The home-borne people as it is likely tooke no notice of her want Now see how God who is a God at a pinch brought the Wise-men from farre with their presents Gold incense myrhe l Mat 2.11 A notable example of Gods prouiding when it is least expected and where there is the smallest likely hood When Dauid fled from Absolom and went for his life and had small leasure to take prouision with him see how God prouided Shobi the sonne of Nahash and Machir the sonne of Ammiel and Barzelai brought wheat and barley flower and beanes and parched corne m 2. Sam. 17 27. I remember what Christ said to his disciples When as I sent you without bag and scrip lacked ye any thing and they said nothing n Luc. 22.35 What ment our Sauiour in feeding those miraculously that followed him from place to place to heare his preaching but to giue assurance thereby that they which seeke heauen as they ought shall neuer be forsaken here on earth they shall neuer be oppressed with wants for their bodies who are carefull to make prouision for their soules But now this doctrine may seeme not to be generally and vniuersally true without exception For many deare children of God and many forward men in religion haue beene and are in great want and may so be as is gatherable out of the parable of Lazarus o Luc. 16. who would haue beene glad of a few crums or to haue licked a trencher and I do not see saith the worldling any of them all a penny the richer for all their earnestnes It is answered The matter and point vndertaken here to be proued is not that they which seeke the kingdome of God and his righteousnes shall neuer be poore shall neuer be scanted for outward things shall neuer be brought euen to a morsell of bread I know how the prophets of God were glad of bread and water in a hole vnder ground when the prophets of Baal were fed at Iezabels table p 1. King 18.4 19. Many deare seruants of God doe with Michaiah feed vpon the bread and water of affliction when as they who walke on in their sinnes drinke wine in boules eat the lambes of the flocke and the calues out of the stall and haue as much as heart can wish So the poore Iewes in Shusan were in perplexity when the King and Haman sate drinking in the Palace q Hest 3.15 and diuers of the Lords worthies were destitute and afflicted r Heb. 11.37 But here is that which is hence proued that he whose heart is set to seeke the kingdome of God first and his righteousnes though he may be afflicted yet he cannot be straitned
THE CHRISTIANS Liue-loode Laid forth in a Sermon vpon Math. 6.33 BY SAMVEL HIERON Prou. 10.3 The Lord will not famish the soule of the righteous LONDON Printed by Edward Griffin for William Butler and are to be sold at his shop vnder S. Dunstanes Church in Fleet-street 1617. To my Worshipfull good friend HENRY CHAMPERNOWNE of Modbury Esquire SIR that which of late I commended in a Sermon as a gift to a couple of my friends vpon their mariage day as the best thing I had to bestow on them for their then as we call it entring vpon the world the same being ouercome by intreaties to put it into print do I here present to you as a meet implement for you at your now first beginning to keepe house If God shall moue your heart as I trust he hath begun to do and will more to the entertainment of that Lesson which is the principall subiect of this Sermon it will bring that vpon you which is onely able to make you rich the blessing of God a Pro. 10.22 and be better to you then all that outward estate which either you already haue or are in possibilitie hereafter to enioy Whatsoeuer of the worlds is now yours either in possession or in expectation may be either wasted greatly or lost wholy but that which Paul calleth the power of godlines b 2 Tim. 3.5 is that durable riches which the c Pro 8.18 Wiseman speakes of and that d Luk. 10.42 good part which can neuer be withdrawne As therefore in your childhood in the seasoning whereof with the rudiments of Religion Learning my selfe by Gods prouidence bare a part by the ingenuity of your disposition and tractablenes in the best things you gaue much hope and haue since both answered and confirmed it by shunning the atheisticall profanenes of these godles times so goe on I pray you and increase whatsoeuer the guise of others be who thinke religion is to be made shew of no where but at Church yet lay you the foundation of your family with the noble resolution of that worthy Iosua I and my house will serue the Lord e Ios 24.15 Hereof this Sermon may be vnto you when you shall please to looke theron a very fit Remembrance Which I pray you that it may remaine with you as a pledge and testimonie of his sincere loue who intendeth no other but to be euer Yours in his best affections Sam Hieron Modbury 24 No 1616. MATTH 6.33 But seeke ye first the kingdome of God and his righteousnes and all these things shall be ministred vnto you IT is a common guise at mariages The preaching of this Sermon at a Mariage gaue occasiō to this preamble that the friends of the maried do present them with gifts to hansell as they call it their entrance into that estate and to furnish them with some necessaries towards house Being therefore invited as a friend to these Nuptialls and withall intreated as a Minister to season the busines with some word of exhortation I thought it best to conforme my selfe in this to custome and to come in with my gift also not of siluer and gold but of such matter and mettall as Solomon speaks of which is more precious than pearles and with which all that can be desired doth not deserue to be compared a Pro. 3.15 And whereas the best things which men vsually bestow be such as perish with the vse are subiect to mothes and cankers theeues and are not able to protect a man from that necessitie which is wont to surprize like an armed man b Pro. 24.34 I shall recommend vnto you who are now entring vpon the world if you please to entertaine it such an implement which shall like the Arke to Obed-edom c 2 Sam. 6.11 bring a blessing vpon you and all yours and assure you of that which all the wealth in the world cannot ascertaine namely that although you should double the age of Methushelah yet you should neuer want a competency to maintaine you Seeke yee first the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse and all these things shall be ministred vnto you This in briefe for the reason inducing me to chuse this text Out of which as I shall deliuer that which will bee most for your good and the surest stocke for you to begin vpon so I shall also teach that which shall bee for the best behoofe of euery one in this Assembly that so none may goe away vnspoken to For the verse it self as it stands here in this Chapter and is to bee viewed as a limme thereof it is a Direction following vpon a Correction The state of the Text. The correction was for the abatement of a distracting heart-diuiding care for outward things The direction is for the ordering of euery mans ayme and endeuour towards that which is the mayne of all The thoughts of a man will be euer working and they will bee alwaies actiue vpon some subiect It was not inough therefore for our Sauiour to take them of and as it were to vnhange them from the world vnlesse hee did also fix them other-where Therefore lifting them from the world and the things thereof he setts them to worke vpon the kingdome of God and his righteousnes as honorable a remoue as was that of Iosephs from seruing in a prison to command as the second in a kingdome Thus in teaching Inhibitions and iniunctions must be coupled Inhibitions to pull backe from euill Iniunctions to quicken to a better course There were two voyces to Paul the one Saul Saul why persecutest thou me d Act 9.4 the other goe into the City and it shall be told thee what thou shalt do e ver 6. not this but this to these two heads may a man refer all preaching This for the connexion Now for the Text in euery mans eye and apprehension it diuides it selfe into two parts The diuisiō of it The first I may call a Charge binding vs to an heauenly care The second a Discharge because it tends to the freeing of vs from a worldly care In the Charge we are first to take notice of the substance of that dutie which is pressed and then next of a maine Circumstance in performing it The substance of the duty is to seeke the kingdome of God and his righteousnes Here touching the action required I shall not need to say much I suppose wee are none of vs to seeke what it is to seeke Who doth not apprehend it to be a very diligent busie kinde of enquiry such as was his in the parable for his sheepe or hers for her groate f Luk. 15.48 Concerning the matter to bee sought it requires more opening it is Gods kingdom and his righteousnes For Gods kingdom it is a terme in scripture What is the kingdome of God sometimes more largely taken sometimes more straitly more largely it is that ample authority
and vnlimited soueraignty which God hath and exerciseth ouer all his creatures both in heauen and in earth wherof is mention Psal 103.19 The Lord hath prepared his throne in the heauens his kingdom ruleth ouer all more straitly it is that command ouer his Church ouer his chosen generation his peculiar people which is so often ascribed to Christ as he is the Mediator betwixt God and vs of this spake the Angell bringing tydings of Christs birth g Luc. 1.33 He shall reigne ouer the house of Iacob for euer and of his kingdom there shal be no end of this did Dauid prophecy in terming Christ the King set vp by God vpon his holy mountaine Zion h Ps 2.6 God according to the election of grace hath called out some from the rest of mankind whom hee will saue all that is done for the good of these is the kingdom of Christ This kingdome is considerable either as it is in gathering and sitting in this life and is termed so the kingdome of grace or as it is in accomplishment in the life to come and so is called the kingdome of glory And this is the kingdome of God properly intended here What it is to seeke the kingdome of God so that to seeke the kingdome of God is to endeuour by an entrance into grace to gather assurance of an interest into glory What is the righteousnes of God Now concerning that which is called the righteousnes of God which is here annexed as a thing to be sought for with this kingdom Know we this brifely that by it here is not ment that essentiall righteousnes whereby God is in him selfe righteous which righteousnes somtime betokeneth his truth and fidelitie in the performance of his promises as 2. Tim. 4.8 1 Ioh. 1.9 sometimes his iustnes and vprightnesse in the administration of the world which is that doing right which Abraham spake of i Gen. 18.25 but here the righteousnes of God is taken much after the same sense as it is Rom. 1.17 Phil. 3.9 namely for that righteousnesse by which man who is a base vile and polluted sinner in himselfe is accepted righteous before God and is iustified in his sight This is called Gods righteousnes because as it is acceptable to God so it is wholy wrought in man by God through Christ man conferring nothing therevnto Now out of this righteousnes by which a man is iustified before GOD streameth another which discouereth it selfe by the fruits of righteousnes before men For those whom the Lord by the righteousnesse of faith dischargeth from the damnation of sin the same he sets at liberty by his spirit from the dominion of sin so that they haue their fruit in holines so many as are in th' end to haue eternall life This phrase then touching the righteousnes of this kingdō is added but as an illustration of the former For to seeke the kingdome of God is to seeke the righteousnes of God that is to seeke a passage through grace into glory is to endeuour to be accepted as righteous before God by Iesus Christ and to shine as a light in the way of righteousnesse among men And this interpretation wipeth away that base calumny which Maldonate the Iesuit in his Comment vpon this place vseth against Caluin Caluin saith that righteousnesse may indifferently be referred either to God or to kingdome wherevpon the Iesuits triumph because his in the Greeke is of the masculine gender whereas kingdome is the feminine whereof Caluine could not be ignorant and therefore went not about to make a grāmaticall agreement betwixt the words but to declare a concord of sense and to shew that which is true that the righteousnesse of Gods kingdome and Gods righteousnesse are all one as indeed it is For that righteousnes which becomes a subiect of this kingdome is such as by which there is iustification before God and fruit of sanctification before men God and the kingdome of God require one and the same righteousnes And now hauing as it were paued a way for that which I am to deliuer by giuing the sense of the words I come to that which is the doctrine of this place which is Doct. 1. That the things which concerne the soule both for the present and future good thereof must bee enquired after and sought for with especiall care This is the very pith and marrow of this charge We may suppose that we heard our Sauiour saying thus You are full of care and thoughtfulnesse about many things your plots and proiects are spread and stretched and enlarged many waies what you shall eate what you shall drinke wherewith you shall bee clothed you extend your desires like Hell which cannot be satisfied and so that you might haue your full lading of the things of this present world it seemes as if you would no more one thing is truly and simply necessarie and in it you be pittifully negligent Behold God offers you a Kingdome the glorie whereof if you had eyes to see it is able to dimme and to obscure all the glittering pompe of all earthly Kingdomes to the meanest subiect therof not Salomon in all his royaltie is meete to be compared the appurtenances whereto and the priuiledges whereof are such as passe vnderstanding and do exceede all that you can aske or thinke there is righteousnesse and peace and ioy in the holy Ghost pull away your ouer-eger and too violent indeauours from these baser things and fixe them vpon this this is that onely thing which is worth the seeking for Thus is the purpose of the place thus is the doctrine Now for the point it selfe it shall bee no hard taske for mee to confirme it by the Scripture what else but this endeauour and care for heauenly things can bee intended in these terms of seeking for wisedome and knowledge as siluer of searching for it as for treasure k Pro. 2.4 of taking the kingdome of heauen by force l Math. 11 10. of pressing into it m Luk. 16.16 of labouring for the meate which endureth to euerlasting life n Ioh 6 27 of striuing to enter in at the straite gate o Luk. 13.24 of running to obtaine p 1. Cor. 9.24 of following hard toward the marke for the price of the high calling of God c. q Phil. 3.34 of giuing all diligence r 2. Pet. 1.15 what is here ment in all these but that seeking for the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse which is here perswaded Is not this that treasure hid in the field that pearle of great price for the parchase wherof all is sold s Math. 13 44 46. was not this it which Moses valued more then the treasures of Egypt t Heb. 31.26 and which Dauid chose rather then the abundance of wheate and wine which the men of the world so much affected u Psal 4 6.7 and which Paul did account as losse and iudge as