Ye may reckon
beforehand, and lay down two things as demonstrated by scripture and all
men's experience. One is,--all is vanity and vexation of spirit under the
sun. All that ye can attain by your endeavours for an age, and by sweating
and toiling, will not give you one hour's satisfaction, without some want,
some vexation, either in wanting or possessing. Nay, though you had all,
it could not give you satisfaction. The soul could not feed upon these
things. They would be like silver and gold, which could not save a
starving man, or nourish him as meat and drink doth. A man cannot be happy
in a marble palace, for the soul is created with an infinite capacity to
receive God, and all the world will not fill his room. Another is,--that it
is impossible for you to attain all these things. One thing is
inconsistent with another, and your necessity requires both. Now then, how
shall ye be satisfied when they cannot meet? I think, then, the spirits of
the most part of us do not rise very high to seek great things in this
world, we are in such a lot among men. I mean that we have not great
expectation of wealth, pleasures, honours, or such like. Oh then so much
the more take heed to this, and see what ye resolve to seek after! Ye do
not expect much satisfaction here. Then I pray you hearken to this one
thing, seek the kingdom of God.

This kingdom of heaven and righteousness are equivalent unto, nay they
exceedingly surpass, all the scattered perfections and goodness among
these many things, or all things that God hath promised to add to them in
the text. Why should I say equivalent? Alas, there is no comparison. "For
I reckon (says Paul, Rom. viii. 18, 19) that the sufferings of this
present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be
revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for
the manifestation of the sons of God." What this kingdom is in itself, is
beyond our conception, but all these things which God will add thereunto,
are to be considered only as an appendix to it. Is not heaven an excellent
kingdom? All that ye are now toiling about, and taking thought for, these,
"all these things" (as a consequent to itself), food and raiment, and such
like, "shall be given you" as your heavenly Father judges fit. "For
godliness (says the apostle, 1 Tim. iv. 8), is profitable unto all things
having the promise of this life," as well as of "the life to come." I
think then, if all men would