aa 4.11111 276 Religion, our flrfl and' great Concernment, p], 1 inordinate and folicitous Care about worldly Things, butfeel¿ ye firft the 8 dons ofGod, and his Righteoufnefs. That is, be not fo folicitous about the Con« veniencies and Neceffaries of this Life, as about the Happinefsof the other, and the Means to it. And this Senfe of this Phrafe ofthe Kingdom of God is fo ve- ry frequent in the New Teftatnent, that I (hail not need to give particular In- fiances of it. IL What is meant by Righteoufnefs ; feekf yefirf$ the Kingdom of Gad, andhis Righteoufnefs. Righteoufnefs, in theftri&eft and molt proper fenfe of the Word, lignifies the particular Virtue of Ju(tice ; and very frequently in the Old Tefta- ment it is ufed for Charity to the Poor, or Aimfgiving, Pfd. 37: 25, 26. I have been young, and now am old, yet have I not feen the Righteous forfaken, nor his feed begging bread ; he is ever merciful, and lendeth ; and Pfd. 112. g, he hath difperfed, he hath given to the Poor, his Righteoufnefs endureth for ever. But Righ- teoufnefs in its largeft and molt extended Senfe, comprehends all the Virtues of a good Man 5 and fo it lignifies here in the Text, and in many other places of Scripture. So that the Kingdom of God, and his Righteoufnefs, comprehends the whole bnfinefs of Religion, our lag End, which is Eternal Life and Happinefs in another World ; and the way and means to this End ; which is Righteoufnefs, or that Univerfal Goodnefs which God requires of us, and whereof he himfelf is a Pat- tern and Example to us; for which Reafon 'tis call'd his Righteoufnefs. And in this fenfe ofour lag End, and the way and means to it, the Kingdom of Heaven, and Righteoufnefs, are ufed in another place, evenof this Sermon of our Saviour's upon the Mount, Matth. 5. 20. Except your Righteoufnefs(Sall exceed the Righte- oufnefs ofthe Scribes and Pharifees, ye fhall in no cafe enter into the Kingdom of Heaven ; whereRighteoufnefs is made the neceffary Means and Condition of Eter- nal Life. i proceed in the Second Place, to explain what is meant by feeltingfsrfl the Kingdom of God, and his Righteoufnefs. And this lignifies the greater} intention of mind, and ear- nertnefs of endeavour about the bufinels ofReligion, in order to our attaining of Eternal Happinefs ; fuch a ferioufnefs and earneftnefs ofendeavour as Earthly- minded Men ufe about the Things of this World. Forafter all thefe things (lays our Saviour immediately after the Text,) do the Gentiles feel ; aré Éarn 6rtnr, which words lignifie an intenfe Care, and vigorous Endeavour; but feel ye fir/l the Kingdom ofGod, and his Righteoufnefs ; that is, be ye who profefs your (elves Chriftians, as inrent upon the bufinefsof Religion, and the Salvation of your Souls, as the Heathen, who are in a great meafureignorant of God and another Life, are about the things of this Life. And here are Two Things to be explained. I. What is here meant by feeking the KingdomofGod, andhis Righteoufnefs ; And, II. What by feelting them in thefirfl place ? For the Firfl: A fincere and earneft feeling of the Kingdom of God, and his Righteoufnefs, does imply in it thefe Four Things. r. A fix'd Defign and Refolution as to the End ; that we do not only pro pound to our felves the Eternal Happinefs and Salvation of our Souls as our chief End, but that we be immoveably fixt upon it, and always have it in our Aim and Defign', that here we let up our Refolution, if it be poffible, to be Happy for ever; that we have this End always in our Eye, and be firmly refolved toda all that we can towards attaining of it. Not that we areobliged always a&ually to think upon it but to have it fre- quently in our Minds, and habitually to intend and defign it, fo as to make it the Scope ofall our Endeavours and Anions, and that every thing we do be either direaly and immediately in order to it or fome way or other fubfervient to this Defign, or however not inconfiftent with it ; like the term and end of a Man's Journey, towards which the Traveller is continually tending, and bath it al- ways habitually in his Intention, tho' he doth not always think of it every ftep that he takes, and tho' he be not always direaly advancing and moving towards it, yethe never knowingly goes out of the Way. And tho' he bate and lodge by
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