lazy prayers have this written upon them in legible characters, I care not
whether God grant or not. Diligence speaks affection, and affection
principles(501) diligence. And if ye be seekers, ye must be so still, till
ye find, and have no more want. When ye have done all, ye must stand, Eph.
vi. 10, 16. When ye have found all, ye must seek. Ye do but find in part,
because the kingdom of God is but coming in the glory and perfection of
it. Nay, I believe the more ye find, the more ye will seek, because
tasting what this kingdom is, can best engage the affection and resolution
after it. Seeking is an exercise suitable to a Christian in this state of
pilgrimage. Enjoyment is for his own country, heaven. And shall not the
bitterness and pains of seeking, sweeten the enjoyment of this kingdom
when it is found? This will endear it and make it precious. Yet it needs
no supereminent and accessory sweetness, it is so satisfactory in itself.
Christians, remember your name. When you have attained all, still seek
more. For there is more to be found here than ye have yet found. It is
sitting down on our attainments that makes us barren and lean Christians.
Desires and diligence are the vital sap of a Christian. Enlarge once your
desires as the grave, that never says I have enough. And ye have good
warrant so to do, because that which ye are allowed to desire is without
bounds and measure. It is inexhaustible, and when once desires have
emptied the soul, and made it capable of such a great kingdom, then let
your study be henceforth to fill up that void with this kingdom. Let your
diligence come up to desires, and at length ye shall be what ye would be,
ye shall find what ye sought.

Sermon XVIII.

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

O "seekest thou great things for thyself," says God to Baruch, (Jer. xlv.
5) "seek them not." How then doth he command us in the text to seek a
kingdom? Is not this a great thing? Certainly it is greater than those
great things he would not have Baruch to seek after, and yet he charges us
to seek after it. In every kind of creatures there is some difference,
some greater, some lesser, some higher, some lower; so there are some men
far above others in knowledge, understanding, strength, and such like. Yet
such is the order God hath made, that the lowest angel is above the
highest man, so that in comparison of these, the greatest man is but a
mean worm, a despisable n