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S. MATT. vi. 33.

But feek ye first the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness, and all these Things shall be added unto you.

Doct. HE Kingdom of God and His Right

Tcoufnels, must be fought in the first

Place.

I. What is the Kingdom of God? 1. The Kingdom of His Grace, Rom. xiv. 17. 1. Confisting in Righteousness.

2.

in Peace.

1. With God, Rom. v. 1.

2. With Confcience.

3. With the Creatures, Job v. 23, 24..
3. Joy in the Holy Ghost.

2. The Kingdom of Glory. Confisting,
1. In the Freedom from all Evil.
1. Of Sin.

2. Of Mifery.

2. In the Enjoyment of all Good,

II. What are we to understand by Rightcoufness?

It is the Righteoufnefs of his Gospel, whereby we are entitled to both these Kingdoms. For thereby,

1. Our Sins are mortify'd, Rom. vi. 14.

2. The contrary Graces are implanted. From whence it is, that,

3. Our Sins are pardon'd, Pfal. xxxii. 1. 4. And our Persons justify'd, Rom. v. 1.

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III. Why is it call'd His Righteousness? Th δικαιοσύνην αὐτό.

1. It was of His Contriving. of His Purchafing.

2.

3.

of His Manifefting and Publishing to

the World, 2 Tim. i. 10.

4. It is of His Effecting. For,

1. He begins it, Hebr. xii. 2.

2. He carries it on.

3. He finishes it, Hebr. xii. 2. fo as to ac

cept of it.

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Pfal. Ixxiii. 25.

2. To labour for it.

late.

Boni abfentis profecutia.

3. To use right Means to that End.

V. What is it to feek First? That is firft, 1. In order of Time.

1, While Young, Ecclef. xii. 1.

2. The first thing each Day.

2. In the Nature of Things, i. e. principally, chiefly, more than all other Things, and before all Things elfe.

1. Preferring it in our Judgments, Phil. iii, 7, 8.

2. Choosing it in our Wills, Pfal. lxxiii. 25: 3. Labouring after it in our Conversations,

2 Pet. i. 10.

1. More seriously,

2. More earnestly, Rem. xii. 11.

3. More conftantly, S. Luk. i. 74, 75,

VI. Why are we to feek This first? 1. We are to feek it firft in time,

1. Because it is a Thing of greateft Difficulty, S. Matt. vii. 13, 14,

2. Because

2. Because we are naturally eftrang'd from God and his Kingdom, Ephef. ii. 12.

3. Because we have long accuftom'd ourselves to fin, Jer. xiii. 23.

2. We are to feek it first, i. e. principally, chiefly.
Because,

1. It is the best Thing, S. Matt. xix. 17.
2. It is the most, the only necessary Thing,
S. Luk. x. 42. For without it,

1. We cannot be happy.

2. We cannot but be miferable.
It being by this only,

1. That our Sins can be pardoned.
2. God reconciled.

3. Our Natures cleanfed.

4. And fo our Souls made capable of Happiness.

Arguments to feek the Kingdom of God, &c. 1. Man in his Primitive Eftate was entitled to a Kingdom, Gen. i. 27.

2. This Kingdom was not our own, but God's. 3. This our Title we forfeited, and loft by Sin, Rom. iii. 23.

4. God, by Chrift, was pleased to bring us into a Capacity of recovering it again, S. Luk. xii. 32.

5. Tho' it be recovered by Christ, it must be alfo fought for by us, Ezek. xxxvi. 37.

6. None can seek aright for this Kingdom, but they must also seek for Righteousness.

1. Because without that they cannot find it, nor come to it.

2. Without that, tho' they fhould find it, yet they could not enjoy it, Hebr. xii. 14. 1 Cor. XV. 50.

7. We have no Righteousness of our own,whereby to recover this Kingdom, Rom. iii. 20. Ecclef. sii, 20,

8. Hence

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8. Hence we must endeavour to become true and living Members of Chrift, by a fincere Faith working by Love, Ephef. v. 30. Gal. v. 6. that His Righteousness may be looked upon as ours, Phil. iii. 9.

VII. Motives to induce us to feek the Kingdom of God, &c.

1. Seek the Kingdom of God, &c. For, 1. We are all loft Creatures, Ephef. ii. 3. 2. This Kingdom is yet to be had; 3. But by none but those who seek it, S. Luk. xiii. 24.

4. Unless we seek the Kingdom of God, we
are undone for ever.

5. Unless we feek it, we cannot expect to
find it.
6. If we feek it aright, we have a Promife
to have it, S. Matt. vii. 7, 8. Ifa. xlv,

19.

7. You can feek other Things, why not this,
which is of that Moment to you ?
8. It is not long, but you will all repent, you
have not fought it.

.

9. If you feek this, you need feek nothing elfe. For καὶ ταῦτα πάντα συνεθήσεται ὑμῖν, all things elfe fhall be added.

In this temporal Promise, which is here made, as an Inducement to feek the Kingdom of God, we may confider,

1. What is meant by all thefe Things.
1. All needful Things and Neceffaries, as
to our ferving God here, and our
enjoying Him hereafter, 1 Tim. iv. 8.
S. Matt. vi. 25. not great Things,
not great Riches and Honour, &c.
Jer. xlv. 5.

For,

For,

1. It is not needful that we should have these great Things, S. Luk. x. 42.

2. It is often hurtful for us to have them,

Prov. XXX. 9.

2. What is meant by Added? which implies,

1. That all Things elfe, as well as this Kingdom, are at God's Difpofal, added by God, not gotten by us.

2. That they who have not God's Kingdom, are certain of Nothing.

3. They that have it, are sure to have all Things else that are good and necef fary for them, Pfal. xxxiv. 9, 10. and lxxxiv. 4.

4. For they fhall be given them, Rom. vi, 23. Pfal. lxxxiv. 11.

5. They fhall be given over and above the Kingdom of God, not as Things neceffary in themselves, yet as Things needful to us; into the Bargain, if we may be permitted fo to speak, 1 King. iii. 13.

How doth this appear?

1. From God's Promife, 1 Tim. iv. 8. Pfal. xxxiv. 9, 10. who is,

1. Faithful in keeping His Promises, Pfal. cvi. 45. Tit. i. 2.

2. Able to perform them, Rom. iv. 20, 21. and therefore how happy fhould we be, could we always truft on Him? 2. From the Saints Experience, Pfal. xxxvii. 25.

3. From the Relation They stand in to God, who feek His Kingdom, &c.

For

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