her we overtake it or not. Every man
proposes this within himself as the principle of his life and
conversation, what shall I seek after? What shall I spend most of my time
and affections upon, to drive at? And alas! all men, save those whose eyes
the Spirit openeth, err in the very foundation. One man propones honour to
himself, another pleasure, and a third riches, and the most part seek all
of them, some accommodation and satisfaction in a present world. And
almost every man conceives he would be blessed, if he had that which he
wants, and sees another have.

Now while men's designs are thus established, all must be wrong. The ship
is gone forth, but it will never land on the coast of happiness. And thus
we see men seek many things. They are divided among many thoughts and
cares, because no one thing is found that can satisfy, and so we have put
ourselves upon an endless journey to go through all the creatures. Neither
one nor all together have what we want, and neither one nor all can be had
or possessed with assurance, though we had it. But the gospel comes to lay
a right foundation, and frame a right principle within us. "Seek ye first
the kingdom of God." Here is the principal design that should be driven at
and if men would make it, and follow it, O how should they be satisfied
with the fulness of that kingdom, the vast dimensions of it, the
incorruptibleness of it!

Now there is one of two you must fall upon, either many things, or one
thing. All that a man can seek after is here ranked. On the one side is
many things, "all these things," that is, food, raiment, honour, pleasure,
and such like, that concern the body, or men's condition here in this
world, and these things a man hath need of, verses 31 and 32, "Therefore
take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, what shall we drink? or,
wherewithal shall we be clothed? (for after all these things do the
Gentiles seek) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of these
things." Nay, there is but one thing that is set up against all these many
things, namely, "the kingdom of God and his righteousness." Now without
all controversy the more unity be, there will be the more satisfaction. If
all other things be equal, it is a kind of torment to have so many doors
to go to for help. If a man could have all in one, he would think many
things a great vexation and burden. If any one thing had in it as much as
to answer all our necessities, that one thing wo