For,

1. God is their Mafter, Mal. i. 6.

2.

3.

..4

5.

Friend, Ifa. xli. 8. Cant.v.16.
Husband, Hof. ii. 16. Isa.

Father, S.Matt. vi. 32. S.Joh.

liv. 5. and lxii. 4.

XX. 17.

God, Hebr. viii. 10. Isa. xli. 10. and xliii. 1, 2, 3. Hebr. xiii. 5. From whence we may draw this Conclufion; That the fureft way to find all necessary Things, is not to seek them in the first Place. 2. Seek the Kingdom of God first, in order of Time.

For,

1. Unless you feek it first, you can never find it, S. Luk. xiii. 24.

2. And if you feek it first, you cannot but find it, S. Matt. vii. 7.

3. You have neglected it too long already. 4. And Now, the Prefent is the only Time, wherein you can expect to find it, Pfal. Xcv. 7, 8.

5. And befides, you know not how little Time you have to feek it in, S. Joh.

ix. 4. !

3. Seek it firft, i. e. principally, chiefly, more and above all Things elfe. Confidering,

1. That Nothing can make you happy without this, Ecclef. ii. 1.

2. This can make you happy without other Things.

3. Unless you seek it above all Things, you do not feek it at all.

4. You can never feek it too much,

For confider,

1. It is a Kingdom.

2. Which

2. Which is moft Glorious and Honourable, Ifa. xliii. 4.

1. Wherein God is King. Ifa. xxxiii. 22. 2. The Angels are his Ministers of State, Hebr. i. 14.

3. Every Subject is a Prince, Rev. i. 6. 4. The moft Pleasant and Happy, Pfal. xvi. II.

5. The most Powerful, 1 Cor. iv. 20.

Rev. xii. 10.

6. The most durable Kingdom, even for ever and ever, S. Luk. i. 33..

VIII. Directions how to feek, that so we may obtain the Kingdom of God, &c.

1. Get thyself convinced of Sin, and the heinous Nature of it, A&t. ii. 37.

2.

and of thy Mifery by it, notwithstanding all thy temporal Enjoyments. 3. Repent, Act. ii. 38.

4. Depend on Christ only for Pardon and Reconciliation, Act. xvi. 30, 31.

5. Be constant in Prayer.

6. Be frequent in Reading, Hearing and Meditating.

7. Live always as one that is feeking a Kingdom.

8. Endeavour to make all thy Thoughts, Words and Actions, fubfervient to this thy great and truly Christian Defign.

S. MATT.

1

S. MATT. vi. 34:

Take therefore no Thought for the
Morrow.

Μὴς ἦν, μεριμνήσητε εἰς τὴν αὔριον.

W

HAT is the Meaning of the Words in this Command of our Saviour?

1. Negatively.

1. Not that we should never think of future Things.

2. Nor as if we fhould not have a prudent Care of our Subfiftence.

For,

1. We are to follow our proper and lawful Callings, 1 Cor. vii. 20, 24. 1 Theff. iv. 11.

2.

3.

- to be diligent in them, Prov. xviiii. 9.

to provide by them for ourfelves and Dependents, 1 Tim. v. 8. S. Job. xii. 6. and xiii. 29. Gen. xli. 35, 48. Prov. vi. 6. and xxx. 25. But here obferve,

1. To follow your Calling from a right Principle of Confcience, Col. iii. 23. 2. Pray to God for His Bleffing, Prov. x. 22. Deut. viii. 18. Pfal. cxxvii. 1,2. 3. Trust only on Him for Succefs, Pfal. xxxvii. 3, S.

2. Pofitively.

1. That we should not have high Thoughts, Prov. xxvii. 1. S. Jam. iv. 13.

Not

Not knowing but a Day may bring forth

1. Sin, S. Jam. i. 15.

2. Fresh Temptations, 1 S. Pet. v. 8.

3. Loffes, Job i. 14, 16, 17, 18.
4. Sickness.

3. Death, S. Jam. iv. 14.

2. That we should not have carking, tormenting Thoughts at what may happen, S. Luk. xxi. 34. Such are,

3.

1. Vain, S. Matt. vi. 27.
2. Foolish. For,

1. Hereby we anticipate our Sorrows, й xa

רעה,uia

L

2. Aggravate them.

3. Create new ones to ourselves.

4. Make ourselves more unable to bear 'em. not distrustful Thoughts.

For,

1. This will hinder our Service of God, S. Matt. vi. 24.

2. It is fuperfluous, for God will take Care
for us. For,

1. He hath given us Life, verf. 25.
Bodies, ibid.

2.

3. He feeds the Birds, v. 26.

4. He cloaths the Lillies, v. 28, 29.
Yet,

1. Thefe do not work as we do, v. 28. 2. Nor laft and continue as we do, v.30. 5. He gives us better Things, v. 33. Rom. viii. 32.

3. Our distrustful Thoughts may make us miferable, but cannot help us, v. 27.

4. This is like the Heathens, v. 32.

5. God knows we need thefe Things, ibid. 6. If we feek His Kingdom and Righteousness, thefe Things shall be added, v. 33.

7. Sufficient

7. Sufficient unto the Day is the Evil thereof, v. 34.

1. The Sin to be repented of.

2. The Griefs and Troubles to be born and undergone.

3. The Temptations to be refifted.

II. How may we obey this Command? 1. Set not your Hearts on this World, Coloff.

iii. 2.

For,

1. It is empty, Isa. lv. 2.

2.

unconftant, Prov. xxiii. 5.

3. troublesome, Ecclef. i. 14.

2. Mind your Duty, and trouble not yourselves with future Events, Prov. xvi. 33.

3. Reft fully fatisfied with the Providence of God, i Sam. iii. 18. Job i. 21, 22. and ii. 10. Lament. iii. 39.

4. Truft and depend only upon Him, eyen for the Things of this World also. For,

1. He is Omniscient, S. Matt. vi. 32.
2. He is Omnipotent, Ifa. xliii. 1, 2.
3. He is All-Gracious, Pfal. Iv. 22. 1 Pet.

V. 7.

5. Let your great Care be for your poor Souls.

S. MATT