was once the child
grace.

5thly. The good Christian is still a seeker till Christ be all in all,
till he apprehend that for which he is apprehended. As long as he is in
this world he is a seeker. Whereof, ye will say? Not only of more grace
here, but of glory hereafter. Here he hath no continuing city, but he
seeks one to come, Heb. xiii. 14. He is a pilgrim on earth, embracing the
promises afar off, and seeking his country, even heaven itself, Heb. xi.
13, &c. All your present enjoyments in this world, your own houses and
lands, would not make you think yourselves at home, if ye were Christians
at the heart. Ye would miss consolation, ye would want happiness in the
affluence of all created things. And therefore, Christians, do ye want
nothing when all things go according to your mind? Is there no hole in
your heart that a world cannot fill up? This is not well. Ye ought to seek
a city, while ye are in your own country, and ye should never think
yourselves at home till ye be in heaven. The Christian gets some taste of
the fruits of the land, some clusters in the wilderness and house of his
pilgrimage, and this makes him long to be there. This inflames the soul's
desire, and turns it all in motion to seek that which was so sweet. If
hope be so sweet, what shall the thing possessed be? If a grape brought a
savour and taste so refreshful, what must the grapes plucked from the tree
of life be, and the rivers of pleasures, which are at God's right hand,
for evermore be? Sit not down then, Christians, upon your enjoyments,
whether they be worldly or spiritual, but aspire to high things.

Sermon XVI.

Matth. vi. 33.--"But seek ye first the kingdom of God," &c.

II. The Christian's chief employment should be to seek the kingdom of God,
and the righteousness thereof. "Seek first," &c. Upon this he should first
and chiefly spend his thoughts, and affections, and pains. We comprehend
it in three things. _First_, He should seek to be clothed upon with
Christ's righteousness, and this ought to take up all his spirit. This is
the first care and the chief concern. Did not this righteousness weigh
much with Paul, when he counted all things but loss and dung, that he
might be found in Christ, not having his own righteousness, but the
righteousness which is by faith in Jesus Christ? Phil. iii. 8, 9. Now this
righteousness is of more concernment than all the world beside. For it is
God's righteousness, (Rom. x. 3, 4; 2