Serin. XLI. Religion, ourfirfl and great Concernment. 2S 3 by us with equal Care and Concernment, as the Salvation ofour Immortal Souls; that is, that we may be refcued from Eternal Mifery, and Everlaftingly happy in another World. And can we be at too muchCott and Pains upon fuch a De= figp, to efcape.fo difmal a Condition, fodreadful a Ruin, as that of Body and Soul toall Eternity ? Can any Manbeconcerned enough to bring about fo great a Good tohimfelf? Or, can he purchafe it too dear, whatever he give or part with for it ? a Good fo defirable, and fo durable, as our being happy for ever. When we purchafe theThings of this World, the Riches and Honours of it, at the Expence of fomuch Time, and Care, and trouble,, we pay dear for .Triflesand Fancies , but Eternal Happinefs is a Jewel of fo ineftimable a Price, that a Wife Merchant willhave it at any rate, and fell all that he hath to purchafe it. Of fuch Value is the Kingdom of God ; and next to it is Righteaufnefs, which is theonly Way and Means whereby this Kingdom is to be attained, and therefore to befought by' us with the greateft Diligence and Earnettnefs : For that which is the only Means to a great and defirable End, and which alone can make us capable of that End, and which in truth is a degree of it, is valuable next to the End, and almoft equally with it ; and fuch is Righteaufnefs, in Re- fpect of theKingdom ofGod ; it is the only Means to it, it is that alone which qualifies us, and makes us capable of Happinefs, nay, it is an elfential Ingredient into it, and that which does ina great meafure confl:itute the Happinefs of Hea- ven : For that Temper ofMind, that Conformity and Likenefs to God, which Holinefs and Righteoufnefsbrings us to, is the true Foundation of our Happinefs, and according to the belt Apprehenfions we have nowof it, is the very formal Caufe andEffence of our Bleffednefs. So St. John tells us, a 7oh.3. 2. It doth not yet appear what we(hall be ., but we know that when we ¡hall appear, we ¡hall be like him ; that is, we, do not now diftinftly underftand wherein the Happinefs of thenext Life confrfts, weare notable to frame aclear and perfeû Idea of it ; but this weknow in general, that it confifts in our likenefs toGod,. in a Conformity to the Moral Perfe&ions ofthe Divine Nature, which are exprett by the Name of Purity and Holinefs; and therefore every one that hopes for the H:t.,pinefs of Heaven, mutt endeavour after Holinefs; every Man that hath this hope en him, niuft purify himfelf, even as he is pore. So that the things which I am preffing you to. Peek after, are mart elf 1. . ily recommended, by telling you what theyare ; the Kingdomof God is Eternal Life and Happinefs, and his Righteaufnefs is Univerfal Holinefs and Goodnefs, with- out which noMan is qualified for this Bleffed State. Now if there be any thing better than Goodnefs, any thingmore defirable than a.Happinefs whichhath no Bounds, nor no End ; do not mind them, nor look after them : But if there be not ; thencertainly thefe are worthy of the Careand Endeavour ofour wholeLife. Secondly, Another Confideration that thould very muchexcite and quicken our Endeavour and Diligence in feeking thefe Things, is the difficulty of obtaining them. This, I confefs, is no Encouragement, but it is a very. good Motiveand Argument to whet our Induttry infeeking thefe Things, when we plainly fee that they are not tobe had upon other Terms. And this Confideration our Saviour ufeth to quicken us to firive and to contend earneftly for Eternal Life, Matth. 7. 14. becaufefirait is thegate, and narrow isthe way which leadeth to Life, and few there be that find it: And Luke 13. 24. Strive to enter in at the firait gate 5 for many Ifay untoyou, will,feel to enter in, and ¡hallnot be able. Seeking here, in oppofition tofiriving, is a faint and weak Endeavour, which will not carry us through this narrow anddifficult Paffage; and this is the reafon , why many mifcarry, who make force Attempts towardsHeaven ; but they do not ftrive, they do not put forth any vigorous Endeavours to get thither. Now the difficulty of attaining Eternal Happinefs, arifeth from the difficulty of the Way and Means to it; and it is therefore hard to attain the Kingdom of God, becaufe it is hard to attain hisRighteoufilefs. As defirable as it is, it mutt be acknowledged very difficult for a Man to raife himfelf to that temper and dif- .pofition of Mind, fo to fubdue his Lúfts, and govern his Paffions, to bridle his Tongue, and order all the A&ions of his Life, as is neceliary to qualifie him for Happinefs, and tomake him fit to be admitted into theKingdom 'of God. 00 2 And
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