suppose we attaine to our vvorldly desires hauing not yet sought the Kingdome of God nor cared for the saluation of our soules then will not these worldly goods be good vnto vs for as the wise man saith All these things are for good to the godly so to the sinners they are turned vnto euill For to a worldly man that seeketh not the Kingdome of God and his righteousnes what is pleasure but the lust of the flesh what riches but the Mammon of iniquitie what honour but the pride of life what learning and wisdome but armata nequities whereby men are enabled to doe the more hurt what long life it selfe but a longer continuance in sinne But on the other side if we first seek the kingdome of God and his righteousnes all these outward things shall be added vnto vs as blessings and fauours of God and pledges of his loue or if we may seeme to want any temporall blessings the seeming want thereof shall not hinder our happinesse Blessed are you saith our Sauiour to the faithfull though you be poore blessed though you mourne c. for though they seeme poore yet are they truly rich yea rich to God Luke 12. 21. not onely because they haue a treasure laid vp in Heauen but also because godlines with contentednes is great riches neither is any man so rich as hee that is contented though they be abridged of worldly pleasures yet they onely haue the true delight to them a good conscience is a continuall feast and hauing peace of conscience they haue also the ioy in the holy Ghost which as S. Peter saith is vnspeakeable and glorious Though they may seeme base in the eyes of the world yet who are so truly honourable as they who are the sonnes and heires of God and coheires of Christ Though they are simple yet who so wise as those that feare God who so learned as those who know God to bee their Father Christ to be their Sauiour and the holy Ghost to be their sanctifier Though their life sometimes be short yet is it recompenced with immortality and who may be thought so long-liued as those in whom our Sauiour hath begun a spirituall life which neuer shall haue end 6 Vntill we seeke the Kingdome of God and his righteousnes we remaine in the kingdome of Satan and in the state of damnation out of which we haue need to haste 7 Lastly vntill wee seeke the Kingdome of God and his righteousnesse we doe nothing but sinne this duty being the first which we can doe without sinne And therefore by delaying this duty which ought first to bee done we doe nothing but adde sinne to sinne and hoord vp wrath against the day of wrath You see what our duty is let vs now consider our practice Do not very many that would seeme Christians deferre their seeking of Gods Kingdome and care of their saluation vntill their old age or time of sicknesse making choice of that time which is most vnfit to beginne their repentance and yet when age or sicknesse commeth they still defer their turning vnto God and seeking of his Kingdome so long as there is hope of life For what is the course that these men take when God by sicknes summoneth them as it were to appeare before him first they send to the Physician That they send to the Physician I mislike not so it be done in due order But first we should labour to make our peace with God humbling our selues vnder his hand confessing and bewailing our sinnes whereby we haue prouoked him to anger turning to him that smiteth vs and flying vnto him by hearty earnest and faithfull praier for the pardon of our sinnes that the cause of our affliction being remooued the affliction it selfe may either be remooued or sanctified vnto vs. Then are we to vse Physicke and other lawfull helpes depending on the blessing of God in the vse of them But these men first send to the Physician and whilest they haue any hope of life they neuer seeke to God nor take care what shall become of their soules But when the Physician giueth them ouer as past recouerie then and neuer till then they send for the Minister then and neuer till then they seeke God and his Kingdome As though their meaning were whē they leaue to liue then onely to begin to liue to God and hauing all their time led the life of the Reprobate to dye neuerthelesse the death of the iust But be not deceiued qualis vita finis ita such as hath bin the life such commonly is the end and ordinarily the Greeke saying is true 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of an euill life there is an ill end I take not vpon mee to reftraine Gods mercy from those who at the last turne truely vnto him but I speake of that which is ordinary It is to be feared that not one of an hundred who haue al their life time deferred their repentance doth repent at the last houre and therefore it is an hundred to one that thou shalt not then repent if thou deferrest till then But the Kingdome of God is also to be sought first aboue all things that is chiefly and principally and that for these reasons 1. Because the saluation of our soules in the Kingdome of Glory and the degrees of saluation in the Kingdome of Grace is our true happinesse The former as beatitudo patrie the other as beatitudo viae and being our happinesse and consequently our chiefest good are in our iudgements to bee esteemed in our affections to be desired in our endeuours to be laboured for aboue all other things nothing else being to bee desired or sought for otherwise than as it may bee a furtherance or at least no hinderance thereunto As for the things of this life they are so farre from being the chiefe good as that to them that set their hearts vpon them and seeke them chiefly they are not good at all All these things saith the Wise man are for good to the godly but to the sinners they are turned into euill For to those that seeke them chiefly they are not onely vaine and vnprofitable as Salomon testifieth but through their owne default hurtfull also and pernicious vnto them as being not onely thornes to choke the seed of grace in them but also the baits of sinne and snares of the diuell For which cause Salomon saith The prosperity of fooles destroyeth them Againe The saluation of our soule is an eternall good These things if they be good are but momentany For as the whole earth compared to the heauens is but as a poynt of no sensible quantity so our whole time vpon the earth is but as a moment or poynt of time in comparison of eternity Who therefore would preferre the momentany vfe of earthly vanities in this world before the euerlasting fruition of the superexcellent eternall waight of glory in heauen Thirdly consider the wickednesse
THE CHRISTIAN ARTE OF THRIVING WHEREBY A MAN MAY become rich to God Or A Sermon vpon MATTH 6. 33. Preached and dedicated to the Right Worshipfull Company of Haberdashers in London by G. D. First seeke the Kingdome of God and his righteousnesse and all these things shall be added vnto you AT LONDON Imprinted by FELIX KYNGSTON 1620. THE CHRISTIAN ARTE OF THRIVING MATH 6. 33. But seeke yee first the Kingdome of God and his righteousnesse and all these things shall bee added vnto you THe very foundation of a Christian conuersation is a right perswasion concerning our happinesse This therefore being a matter of so great consequence our Sauiour Christ endeuoureth in the latter part of this Chapter to rectifie our iudgements therein shewing both wherein wee are not to repose our felicity and also wherein we are to place our happinesse Lay not vp saith he treasures to your selues on earth that is place not your treasure your chiefest good your happinesse in any earthly things which are transitory and momentany but lay vp your treasure that is place your happinesse and felicity in heauen where perfect and eternall happinesse is onely to be found For where your treasure is there will your heart bee also that is Whatsoeuer you esteeme your happinesse or chiefest good on that your heart will bee set vnto that your desires your studies and endeuours will bee referred If therefore your iudgement which is the eye of your mind bee sincere and iudge aright of your chiefest good the whole body as it were and course of your life and conuersation will be sutable thereunto But if your eye be euill if you iudge peruersly of your happinesse placing your chiefest good in earthly and worldly things then will your conuersation bee worldly and wicked As for example If a man set his hart on pleasure as his chiefest good the whole frame of his life will bee voluptuous if on riches the whole course of his life will be couetous if on honour and promotion his whole carriage and deportment will bee ambitious But if a man shall esteeme the eternall saluation of his soule as his chiefest good his life will be spirituall and religious as hauing his conuersation in heauen Now if any man shall thinke as it is to be feared too many doe that he can take a wiser course then that which our Sauiour prescribeth for he will place his treasure and happinesse both in heauen and in earth too our Sauiour telleth him that this cannot be for this were to serue two masters that are at variance You cannot serue God and Mammon you cannot be worldlings and true Christians You cannot prefix vnto your selues two supreme ends which be repugnant one to the other If therfore your heart be chiefly on the earth then is not your happinesse in heauen Our Sauiour hauing laid this foundation concerning the supreme ends in the next place hee giueth direction concerning the meanes deftinated and referred thereunto shewing that as our treasure is not to be placed on earth so our chiefest care should not be set on earthly things Therefore I say vnto you Take no thought for your life c. And on the other side as our happinesse is to be reposed in heauen so we should first and principally seeke the Kingdome of God and his righteousnesse And if any shall demand Alas how then shall we liue what course shall we take to thriue in this world Our Sauiour answereth that if wee first seeke the Kingdome of God and his righteousnesse all these things shall be added vnto vs. These words therefore containe two things a Precept Promise The precept is two-fold the one Negatiue which is but implied the other Affirmatiue which is expressed The Negatiue That we are not first to seeke the things on earth is implied partly in the aduersatiue coniunction But which presupposeth a Negation going before and partly in the word First for if wee are first to seeke the Kingdome of God and his righteousnesse then are we not first to seeke earthly things But heere it may be demanded Whether our Sauiour Christ do forbid al care for the things of this life for fo he may seeme vers 25. Wherefore I say vnto you take no thought for your life what you shall eate or drinke or wherewith ye shall bee clothed for if wee may not take thought for necessaries then much lesse for superfluities And Ioh. 6. 27. Labour not for the meate that perisheth but labour for that which endureth vnto euerlasting life I answere by a twofold distinction First that he forbiddeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for so he speaketh vers 25. 31. the immoderate the carking the distrustfull care whereby the heart is diuided as the word importeth and remoued from God not the moderate and prouident care which elsewhere is commended in the Scriptures Secondly that he forbiddeth inordinate and preposterous care whereby earthly desires are more cared for than the glory of God in our saluation not the orderly care of earthly things which is fubordinated to the glory of God and our owne saluation which seemeth to be implied both in this place and in the 12. of Luke For sirst seemeth to haue relation to a second and therefore when hee biddeth vs Seeke first the Kingdome of God hee doth not forbid nay he seemeth to imply that in the second place and in a secondary respect we should seeke the things of this life the former as Augustine saith vt bonum nostrum the latter vt necessarium nostrum necessarium autem propter illud bonum the former as our chiefe good the latter as necessary helpes and supplies whilest we are in this life as in the way towards happinesse In the 12. of Luke hauing in like sort disswaded from worldly cares in the 32. verse he saith But rather seeke the kingdome of God and so is the exhortation Iohn 6. 27. to bee vnderstood comparatiuely Labour not so much or labour not chiefly for the meate that perisheth For our Sauiour himselfe in this chapter hauing directed vs first after Gods glory to seeke his kingdome and his righteousnes his kingdome in the second petition of the Lords Prayer his righteousnes in the third in the fourth petition he teacheth vs to aske and by asking to seeke the things of this life And what we are to aske in prayer we are to seeke and to labour for in our practice and to endeuour in our liues lest we may seeme to tempt God From the immoderate and preposterous care for the things of this life our Sauiour disswadeth by two arguments the one because all such care is vaine and superfluous the other because it is heathenish and not beseeming Christians That it is vaine he proueth by foure reasons first à maiori from the more or greater The life is more then the meate and the body then rayment therefore he that gaue the life will prouide food
to sustaine it and he that prouided the body will giue rayment to clothe it namely to them that moderately and orderly seeke it The second and fourth à minori from the lesse God feedeth the Fowles without their carefulnesse and doth not onely clothe but also adorne the Lillyes of the field which are of no value in comparison of men Which as they were made for mans vse so are they supplied with necessaries for mans sake If therefore God prouide for them how much more will he prouide for vs if we shall depend vpon his prouidence in the moderate vse of lawfull meanes The third is from the like For God hath set to all men a stiat as of their stature so of their estate as therefore it were a vaine and idle thing for a man to carke and care for the increase of his stature so likewise for the aduancement of his state aboue that pitch which God hath limited The other argument is because such care is no way beseeming Christians first because it is Heathenish The Gentiles that doe not know God nor acknowledge his prouidence seeke immoderately and preposterously after these things But you must not be like vnto them as before hee had said Secondly it becommeth Christians who haue a heauenly Father which knoweth what is needfull and expedient for vs better then our selues to cast their care vpon him and to depend vpon his Fatherly prouidence Children that haue wise louing and able parents doe not vse to take thought for their foode and rayment or other necessaries but depend vpon the prouident care of their naturall Parents How much more ought we who are the children of God to depend vpon the prouidence of our heauenly Father For if earthly Parents doe know to giue good things to their children how much more will our heauenly Father giue good things to them that aske him who in loue wisdome and power doth infinitely more excell earthly Parents then the heauens exceede the earth But this argument that God is our Father may yet further be enforced Is God our Father in Christ then hath he giuen his owne Sonne forvs that by him we might be made the sonnes of God If therefore as the Apostle argueth God hath so loued vs that he spared not his onely begotten sonne but gaue him ouer vnto death for vs how shall not he with him giue vs all things that are needfull and expedient for vs Againe is God our Father then are we his sonnes and if sonnes then also heires heires of God and coheires with Christ and therefore to vs also belongeth that comfortable exhortation of our Sauiour Christ Luke 12. 32. Feare not little flocke be not distracted with distrustfull care or feare of want it is your Fathers pleasure to giue you a Kingdome For if God wil giue vs an heauenly and euerlasting Kingdom can we imagine that he will denie vnto vs the pettie commodities of this life So much of the negatiue precept or dehortation In the affirmatiue precept or exhortation we are to note three things The obiect or thing to be sought the dutie of seeking the order and degree first The obiect is twofold the Kingdome of God and his righteousnes As touching the former there are two kingdomes in the world the one of darkenes the other of light The former is the kingdome of Satan who is called the Prince yea the god of this world who ruleth effectually in the children of disobedience carrying them captiue to the obedience of his will vnto this kingdom all men naturally since the Fall of Adam are subiect and in that subiection doe remaine vntill they bee translated into the Kingdome of God The consideration whereof ought to moue all that are not in the state of grace earnestly and speedily to seeke the Kingdome of God For vntill they belong to Gods Kingdome they are subiects of the kingdome of Satan The Kingdome of God is twofold Vniuersall Speciall His vniuersall Kingdome is called the Kingdome of his power and prouidence Of which it is said Psalm 103. 19. The Lord hath prepared his Throne in the Heauens and his Kingdome ruleth ouer all vnto this Kingdome all creatures whatsoeuer be they neuer so rebellious are subiect For although in respect of their intent they set themselues against the will of God yet in respect of the euent they become though vnwittingly the instruments of God to bring to passe his good purposes Of this kingdome our Sauiour speaketh not in this place Neither shall wee need to seeke it but voluntarily to submit our selues vnto it whereunto all creatures of necessity are subiect His speciall kingdome is that whereby hee ruleth ouer his Elect who are not onely his kingdome but his Family also whereof one part is in heauen which is the Church triumphant the other on earth which is the Church militant In regard whereof the speciall kingdome of God hath two parts the kingdome of Glory and the kingdome of Grace The kingdome of Glory to the Elect is a state of Glory and eternall happinesse in heauen where they hauing vnion with Christ and by him communion and fellowship with the whole Trinity enioy the chiefest good which is God himselfe in whose presence there is fulnesse of ioy and at whose right hand are pleasures for euermore The kingdome of Grace vnto the Elect is a state of Grace and by it of happinesse begun in this life standing in the meanes and degrees of saluation wherein we hauing by the Spirit vnion with Christ as our Head who is our life and with whom our life is hid in God Colos. chap. 3. vers 3 4. and hauing also communion with him in his merits to our iustification and in his grace and efficacy of his Spirit to our sanctification doe passe the time of our pilgrimage as in his feare so also in expectation of euerlasting happinesse The former kingdome is to bee sought as our supreme end and absolute felicitie the latter as the meanes destinated thereunto Yet both as our happinesse that vt beatitudo patriae this vt beatitudo viae that as the happinesse comprehensorum who are in actuall possession this as the happinesse viatorum who liue in expectation and therfore both also are to be first sought that in intention as the end this in execution as the meanes to the end For whosoeuer desireth to be an inheritour of the Kingdome of Glory where God vnto his Saints is all in all must first bee a faithfull subiect in the Kingdome of Grace wherin God ruleth in his Saints by his Word and Spirit But our Sauiour requireth vs to seeke not only the Kingdome of God but also his righteousnesse Where perhaps it may seeme strange that this addition is heere made seeing righteousnes is included in the kingdome For as the Apostle saith the Kingdome of God standeth not in meate or drinke or in other things appertaining to this life
which respect our Sauiour doubted not to say vnto Peter Auant Satan for thou doest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mind sauour affect not the things which be of God but those that be of men This our losse and misery is seriously to bee acknowledged and bewailed of vs that by the acknowledgement and sense thereof we may be stirred vp studiously to seeke the Kingdome of God and the righteousnesse which wee haue lost For Christ our Sauiour came to saue those which were lost to redeeme captiues to iustifie those who by sinne were guilty of damnation to sanctifie those which were defiled polluted with sinne Wherefore if we be not lost in our selues we need not a Sauiour nor a Redeemer if we be not captiues nor a Iustifier if wee bee not guilty nor a Sanctifier if we be not polluted neither shall wee seriously seeke the Kingdome of God and his righteousnesse if wee doe not truly acknowledge that we haue lost them Now this word Seeke importeth a studious desire care and endeuour to find and to recouer that which we haue lost The studious desire must bee expressed in hearty earnest and faithfull prayer vnto God For what wee aske in prayer wee doe seeke at the hands of God Our care must shew it selfe in a studious meditation and serious purpose to vse all good meanes and to auoid the impediments Our endeuour must appeare in the carefull and diligent vsing of the means and auoiding the impediments and in doing whatsoeuer lieth in our power and not to be wanting to our selues in any thing which we are able to performe For wee are not so to cast the care of our saluation vpon God that we should neglect it our selues He that made vs without vs will not saue vs I speake of such as come to yeeres of discretion without our owne endeuours For though in respect of some mens extraordinary calling as also in regard of the first granting of the meanes of saluation to those which before sate in darknesse it be true that God is found of them who sought him not yet where the ordinary meanes of saluation are affoorded men are bound to seeke God in his ordinances and carefully to vse those meanes which God hath graciously vouchsafed Neither haue any a promise that they shal find vnlesse first they seeke Thus then wee are to seeke the Kingdome of glory and the eternall saluation of our soules First by begging this mercy at the hands of God which he hath promised to them that call vpon him Secondly by seeking the Kingdome of grace and his righteousnesse as the meanes thercto that is by an earnest desire a serious care and a true endeuour to attaine to the meanes and degrees of saluation in this life viz. our Vocation whereby wee are brought into his Kingdome our Iustification and Sanctification whereby we are made partakers of his righteousnesse Thirdly by endeuoring and giuing all diligence to make our Election Vocation and Iustification sure vnto vs by the workes of Sanctification that is of piety and righteousnesse For if we doe these things an entrance shall abundantly bee ministred vnto vs into the euerlasting Kingdome of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ. And to encourage vs carefully and diligently to seeke the Kingdome of God and his righteousnesse let vs remember that hee which hath commanded vs to seeke hath also promised that we shall finde But the chiefe thing which we are to insist vpon is the order and degree of seeking required in the word first For where we are enioyned to seek first the Kingdome of God and his righteousnes two things are implied First in order before all other things that is in the first place and first in degree aboue all other things that is chiefly and principally As touching the former It may bee obiected that in the Lords Prayer we are taught to seeke first not the Kingdome of God or his righteousnesse but the glory of God in the first Petition his Kingdome in the second and his righteousnes in the third It is true indeed that among all things whatsoeuer the glory of God is first to be sought as the supreme vniuersall end whereunto our saluation it selfe is subordinated But heere our Sauiour teacheth vs what to seeke first in bonis nostris in those good things which appertaine vnto vs and so our eternall saluation happines is first to be sought as our own chiefe good and as the Philosophers call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now that we are first and without any further delay to seeke the Kingdome of God and his righteousnesse it appeareth first by the commandement of God not onely in this place but elsewhere also in the Scriptures Esa. 21. 12. If you will seeke seeke returne come for this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as we call it importeth haste As if hee had said If yee will seeke the Lord indeed seeke him without delay returne by repentance come by faith Esa. 55. 6. Seeke the Lord whilest he may be found and call vpon him whilest he is neere Psalm 95. To day if yee will heare his voyce harden not your hearts as they do which delay to yeeld obedience to his Word but whilest it is called to day euen to day before to morrow turne vnto him And agreeable to the Canonicall Scriptures is that exhortation of the son of Syrach Delay not saith he to turne vnto the Lord and put not off fro day to day for suddenly shall the wrath of the Lord come forth and in thy security thou shalt be destroied perish in the day of vegeance 2 By the practice of the faithfull and namely of Dauid who professeth Psal. 63. 1. that early hee would seeke the Lord. And Psal. 27. 8. when the Lord said Seeke yee my face his heart made answere to God with this Eccho of a ready minde Thy facc Lord will I seeke 3 By other pregnant reasons whereby is manifested the absurd folly of those who put off their conuersion and care of their saluation vntill their old age or last sicknesse as if they meant to doe that last if euer they doe it which Christ requireth to be done in the first place For that which is commonly said is most of all verified in this particular Mora trahit periculum Delay breeds danger And that because of the vncertainty both of a longer life and of repentance to bee attained after delay For we haue no charter or lease of our liues but are tenants at will who must giue vp our soules into the hands of God whensoeuer it shall please him to call them hauing no assurance that we shall liue vntill to morrow And therefore it were extreme folly to deferre our conuersion vnto God or seeking of his Kingdome whereupon our saluation dependeth though it were but vntill to morrow But suppose we should liue so long as wee vainly promise to our selues what assurance haue we that
wee hunger and thirst after the grace of God and his spirituall blessings in heauenly things aboue all the things in this world Then our chiefe care also must be to keep a good conscience and to vse all good meanes whereby our saluation may be furthered to enter into a religious course of life wherein wee may walke before God in sincerity and truth to make choyce of our calling of our company of our marriage as may best stand with our spirituall good But chiefly and aboue all to auoid those things which doe hinder the saluation of our soules Now the soule is lost by sinne for the soule that sinneth shall die Seeing therefore the soule which is of more worth vnto vs than all the world besides is lost by sinne we ought euery one to haue this vnfained purpose and settled resolution not to sinne wittingly and willingly though wee might gaine the whole world thereby and much lesse the particular and pettie desires thereof Should we not sinne to gaine the whole world and shall euery trifle in the world moue vs to sinne For what is that which by sinne wee gaine in comparison of the world and what is the whole world to a mans soule For what will it profit a man if hee shall gaine the whole world and lose his owne soule Or what shall a man giue in exchange for his soule Secondly wee are to learne as wee haue been taught to place our happinesse and felicity in the saluation of our soules For then the eye of our mind shall bee single and sincere and the whole course of our life and conuersation will bee spirituall and religious Then will all our desires cares studies and indeuours tend chiefly to this end Then shall we alwaies with Moses haue an eye to the recompence of reward and with our Sauiour Christ for the ioy that is set before vs despise all earthly things Heb. 12. Then shall wee passe the time of this our pilgrimage in a longing expectation of euerlasting happines And therefore thrice happie are they who haue laid vp their treasure in Heauen and reposed their felicitie in the saluation of their soules Now followeth the promise which Christ hath annexed to his commandement And all these things shall be added vnto you Where before wee come to the words we may out of the promise in generall not vnprofitably obserue two things viz. the gracious dealing of God with vs and our vngracious indisposition in respect of spirituall things For whereas God in respect of his absolute dominion ouer vs might enioyne vs those things which appertaine to his glory onely without respect of our good as men vse to deale with their seruants yet he commandeth vs such things as doe tend to our owne good And that he might allure vs to seeke our owne good he addeth gracious promises thereunto The thing which our Sauiour here enioyneth is That we should seeke our owne happines And that we may be allured thereunto he hath promised that seeking weshall find And not only that but because we are sensuall and too much addicted to the things of this life he promiseth that if we shall first seeke our true and euerlasting happines we shall not only obtaine it but in the meane time he will giue vnto vs a supplie of all these outward things which naturally we doe so much desire Wherein the Lord dealeth with vs as louing Parents deale with their children who vse to allure them to learne or practise some thing which may be for their singular good by promising vnto them some pretty or pleasing reward wherewithall as children they are more affected The which gracious goodnes of God should allure and encourage vs to seeke first his kingdome and his righteousnes Secondly we may obserue our owne vntoward disposition to that which is spiritually good For whereas all men naturally and necessarily desire happines yet when we are informed that our happines consisteth in spiritual blessings in heauenly places we haue no mind thereunto Neither can we to the seeking thereof bee moued either by the commandements of God though wholy intending our good or yet by the promise of spirituall blessings vvhich are vvorth many vvorlds but the Lord must be faine to allure vs to seeke our eternall happines by promising vnto vs temporall revvards vvhich are but trifles to please children vvithall in comparison of the other And yet such is the vvayvvardnes of a great number that neither by the commandements of God nor by his threatnings neither by the promises of a better life nor by the promises of this life they can bee moued to affect or seeke spirituall things The which vntoward indisposition is so much the more absurd because it is contrary to the profession of Christians For Christian religion teacheth vs to deny worldly lusts And in the vowe of our Baptisme we haue promised to renounce thē And professing our selues Christians we professe our selues pilgrims in this world and citizens of Heauen and therefore ought to be weaned from earthly desires and affect and mind the things which are aboue But to come to the promise it selfe In handling whereof I will first explaine the words as they lye in order and then confirme the truth of this promise that it may serue as a forcible argument to moue vs to seeke first the kingdome of God and his righteousnes The coniunction And is here vsed as a note of consequence as ifhe had said Seeke first the kingdome of God and his righteousnes and then all these things shall be added vnto you Which teacheth vs that these temporall benefits by the promise and blessing of God are consectaries of spirituall grace that is doe follow vpon our study and care in seeking first the Kingdome of God and his righteousnes idest saith Augustine Consequentur si ista quaeretis But if any man shall hereupon infer that then belike the things of this life are promised to them that shall neglect them altogether I answere They are promised not to those that tempt God or liue inordinately but to them that seeke them in a secondary respect and subordinate their desire and care in seeking of them to their spirituall good God would haue euery man ordinarily to liue in a lawfull calling and to bee industrious therein to get his liuelyhoode in the sweate of his browes and walking ordinately to eate his own bread 2. Thes. 3. 11 12. Act. 20. 35. Ephes. 4. 28. The slothfull persons are sent to the Pismire to schoole of her to learne industry and prouidence Prou. 6. 6. The Householder is bound in conscience to prouide for his Family and the Father for his children 1. Tim. 5. 8. 1. Cor. 12. 14. and the good housewife is highly commended Prou. 31. Our Sauiour Christ commandeth vs by prayer to seeke our daily bread and what we desire in our prayer we are to seeke in our practice This promise therefore seemeth to be the same in effect with that
Psalm 128. 1 2. Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord and walketh in his waies for thou shalt eate the labour of thine hands That is If wee first seeke his Kingdome and his righteousnes he will blesse our labours and indeuours for these outward things They shall follow vpon our pietie and chiefe study for heauenly things without our carking and immoderate care but not ordinarily without our prouident care and honest endeuours Wee are therefore first to seeke the Kingdome of God and his righteousnes and then to seeke in a secondary respect the things of this life as helpes in this our way to a better life For as I faid before the word first seemeth to haue relation to a second and when we are commanded to seeke heauenly blessings first it is implied that in a second place wee are to seeke the blessings of this life This if wee doe we are in the vse of honest meanes to depend on the blessing of God according to his promise casting our care vpon him and referring the successe vnto God not troubling our selues or taking thought what shall be the euent the knowledge whereofbelongeth onely to God These things Which be needfull and expedient for this life For God hath not therefore commanded vs first to seeke his kingdome and the life to come that we should want the necessary helps of this life but that hauing sought that first wee might more fully enioy these with the fauour and blessing of God As if hee should say saith Chrysostome I forbid you to seeke these things not that you may not receiue them but that you may receiue them more abundantly For so hee saith All these things God therefore dealeth liberally with vs giuing vs richly all things to enioy If he be our shepheard we shall lacke nothing Psal. 23. If wee feare him there shall bee no want vnto vs Psalm 34. If we walke vprightly before him he will deny nothing vnto vs that is good Psalm 84. Come to our Sauiour therfore you who say Who will shew vs any good and hee will shew you the Christian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Arte of Thriuing First saith he seeke the Kingdome of God and his righteousnesse and all these things shall be added vnto you For indeed Godlinesse with contentednesse is great Thrift hauing the promises not onely of the life to come but of this life also This then is the most compendious way for a man to bee rich vnto God and to attaine to all things that are needfull and expedient to enioy them with the fauour of God whose blessing maketh rich But the principall word to be obserued heere is added All these things shall be added vnto you For first by this word is presupposed that those who seeke first the Kingdome of God and his righteousnesse shall obtaine those things which they principally seeke and ouer and besides them all these outward things shall be added vnto them As to Salomon when he asked wisedome of God the Lord did not onely giue him wisedome but thereunto added riches and honour This therefore must stirre vs vp seriously and cheerfully to seeke knowing that our labour shall not bee in vaine in the Lord. I said not to the seed of Iacob Seeke ye me in vaine saith the Lord. For as hee hath commanded vs to seeke so hee hath promised that seeking we shall finde Math. 7. And in this place that we shall not onely finde his kingdome and his righteousnesse which chiefly wee seeke but that thereunto shall bee added all the things of this life which are expedient for vs. Secondly wheras he saith not All these things shall be giuen but that they shall bee added hee teacheth vs that temporall blessings are not promised as the principall reward of our seeking but as accessaries and additions giuen ouer and aboue the principall by way of aduantage As Tradesmen when they will deale bountifully with their buyers doe vse by way of aduantage to adde somthing to the number waight or measure of that commodity which they vtter So that spirituall blessings in heauenly places are the rewards which principally are giuen temporall blessings are but pettie rewards and additions which are added by way of aduantage This therfore teacheth vs againe that the Kingdome of God and his righteousnesse are principally to be sought as the principall blessings and that they deale preposterously and absurdly who chiefly seeke the temporall or for their sakes seeke the spirituall seeing the temporal are but smal additions and accessories and auctaries appendices and consequents of the former To you namely that seeke first the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse For neither the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse are promised as the principall nor temporall blessings as additions and auctaries but onely to those who performe the duty which is the condition of the promise But against the truth of this promise two things may be obiected The former that to many who doe not first seeke the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse all these things are giuen The latter that to many who doe seeke first the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse all these things are not giuen To the first I answere that when worldlings who doe not first seeke the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse abound with worldly benefits it may first be doubted whether they be giuen vnto them of God For if they bee gotten by vnlawfull meanes they are not receiued from God as his gifts but rather from the diuell as the prices for which they sell their soules vnto him Or secondly if they be giuen of God to a man that setteth his heart vpon the world immoderately and preposterously seeking the same it is to be doubted that they are granted of God in iudgement and anger as to one whom he hath giuen ouer to his owne lusts And therefore that they are but as they say of the gifts of enemies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 blessings which are turned into curses Thus the Lord granted Quailes to the Israelites importunately desiring and longing for them when they had been better to haue bin without them Those that chiefly set their hearts vpon the world and doe enioy their hearts desire are to feare lest they be like the cattel which going in y t best pastures are fatted for the slaughter But suppose that the Lord doth giue thē as temporal rewards of moral vertues or wages for some outward tēporalseruice yet this promise is not verified of thē For to them these things though they be giuen yet they are not added because they are giuen alone For alas these men haue their portion in this life Psal. 17. and all their good things they receiue whiles they liue heere Luk. 16 and in this life as our Sauiour speaketh of other hypocrites they receiue all their reward But these are not the portion or reward of Gods children whose