SERM.

Therefore, as our infallible Teacher fums VI. up his Argument, take no Thought, saying, What shall we eat? Or what shall we drink? Or wherewithal fhall we be clothed? For your heavenly Father knoweth, that ye

have Need of all these Things: Let not these worldly Goods be always uppermost in your Minds,let them not be your chiefeft Concern, nor the principal Objects of your Affection. But feek ye first the Kingdom of God and his Righteoufnefs, and all thefe Things fhall be added unto you.

HERE we have the religious Improvement, our Saviour Chrift builds on the premised Doctrine of an univerfal Providence; and, as he enters deep into the Subject, we must neceffarily fuppofe it to be a Matter of the greatest Weight, and be perfuaded, that what he thought deferving of his highest Attention, does likewife demand ours; this obliges us in Point of Reafon to fearch and look into his Meaning: And as all his Inftructions were ordered with a View to our Advantage, Intereft pushes us on to the Enquiry And fince his Advice carries with it the Force of a Command, a Senfe of Duty alfo engages us to make it in the best manO 2

ner we can.

By

SERM.

VI.

By thefe Motives let us be urged to con-fider, what we are to understand by the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness,---what it is to feek these, and why we are to make the feeking of them our first Work.

THE Kingdom of God has diverfe Acceptations in his holy Word. It fignifies either his natural, or his moral Dominion, and, taken in the former Light, includes under it the whole Creation inanimate and animate, irrational and rational: This is that Kingdom, which ruleth over all, and to the Laws of which all Creatures must be fubfervient.

BUT befides this abfolute Government of univerfal Nature, there is alfo a moral Kingdom established by God, and conducted not by irresistible Power, but by equitable Commands, and the influencing Motives of Rewards and Punishments. This Empire has for its Subjects none but rational and free Creatures, and they for the Measure of their Subjection the original and unalterable Laws of eternal Reafon, which flow from their very Conftitutions, and are founded on the fixed Relation, they bear to their great Author and one another. And though they

are

are

not neceffitated to obey thofe Laws, SERM. which if they were, it must destroy their VI. Natures, and make them different Beings from what they are, yet they are as strictly bound to obey them, as if they could not tranfgrefs them, and if they prove Rebels by an Abuse of their Liberty, will be fadly accountable to their fupreme Lord and Po

tentate.

NoT, that every Tanfgreffion becomes alike fatal to the Offenders,----what was denied to the higher Rank of Criminals, is yet indulged to the lower,----there is Mercy in Store, tho' not for fallen Angels, however for fallen Men; these are permitted and affifted to recover themselves, nor are ever looked upon as Reprobates, fo long as they offend through a pitiable Weakness, and not through inveterate Malice, like the Devil and his Affociates.

FROM hence we have a Profpect of another of God's Kingdoms, even that of Grace, which is the fettled Order of his Government under the Gofpel-state, and this, if it was not erected, was promifed prefently after Man had rebelled against the moral Dominion of his Maker: It has the Difpenfation

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SERM. fation of Mofes to prepare its Way, and VI. usher it into the World, and was compleat

ly founded by the Appearance of the Son of God in the Flefh.

WHEN Mankind had withdrawn from their Allegiance to God, and had felt the Folly, and the Mifery of affecting to be independent of him, a new Scheme of governing, and a new Set of Laws were requifite to reduce the Traitors to, and keep them in their Duty, not indeed to abolish the old, but to improve it,---not to lessen the Obligation of moral Virtue, but to perfect it, by making them to ftand in a new Relation to him, as redeemed by his Mercy, as well as created by his Power.

WHILST a finful World continued under, as it had justly incurred, the Displeasure of the Almighty, what could remain for them in these Circumftances, but a certain fearful looking for of Judgment? And what was there to brighten the Profpect? Till the Introduction of a better Hope by Christ Jefus encouraged them to expect a far milder Treatment than they deferved, till a general Pardon was proclaimed and a Form of obtaining it by the Sacrament of Baptifm appointed, on

the

the eafy Condition of a penitent Faith: So SERM. that there is now no Condemnation to them VI. that are in Chrift Jefus (a),---to them, who being admitted to a Share of the Reconciliation he purchased with his Blood, behave like loyal Subjects, and do not madly forfeit the Allegiance, wherewith they are bound.

Or this excellent Society confifts the Kingdom of Grace; to which all were invited to fubmit themselves. And to bring the whole Race of Sinners into it, and to instruct them, how to live under it so, as to preferve a juft Title to its Privileges, is the Substance of the Doctrine published by our bleffed Lord, and delivered down in the Gospel.

BEFORE the Son of God appeared in the Likeness of Men, and declared himself to be the fupreme Head and Governor of this Kingdom, which is his Church, in Conjunction with the Father; God's fpecial Dominion was exercised over one Family and Nation only: But the Ends and Purposes of of the Jewish Economy being anfwered, the middle Wall of Partition was broken down,

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(a) Rom. viii. 1.