want any good thing,"
Psal. xxxiv. 9, 10. Godliness hath the promise of this life. Now, then, ye
are more assured of temporal things by these means than any monarch can
be. The world's stability depends only upon a command. But your food and
raiment here is grounded upon a promise, and though heaven and earth
should fail and pass away, yet not one jot of truth shall fail. God indeed
may change his command if he pleases, but not his promises. Now, then, let
all the world judge, come and see this balance, how on the one hand are
food, raiment, and all things needful for this present life, on the other
hand, these same thing necessary for our bodies, and well being here, and
that more solidly and sweetly flowing from God's love, grounded on a
promise,--I think this weighs down already, if we should say no more. But
then behold what more is on his right hand. There is a kingdom of God
beside, an eternal kingdom, and this weighs down eternally. All this world
is but an accession and addition to it. The promises of this life are not
your portion and inheritance, they are but superadded to your portion, so
then we have as much beside, an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled,
as the world have for their inheritance, yea, and more sure and more sweet
beside. We might with reverence change that verse which Paul has on this
consideration, "If we had hope only in this life, we were of all men most
miserable," 1 Cor. xv. 19. He speaks thus because of afflictions and
persecutions. But on this consideration we might say, If we have hope in
Christ only in this life, we were _not_ of all men most miserable, but
most blessed, because we have all these things added to us, without toil
and vexation, without care and anxiety, by divine promise and providence,
with God's blessing and favour, what the world takes thought for, rendeth
their hearts for, toils their bodies for, and yet are not sure of success,
or if they get them, they get a curse with them.

Now when the balance is thus presented, what is your choice? What will ye
seek after? Will ye seek this present world, and lose the kingdom of
heaven? Or will ye choose to "seek first the kingdom of God and his
righteousness," and then ye shall have in this world what is good for you?
The choice is soon made in men's judgments. Ye dare not any of you deny,
but it ought thus to be. But who seriously ponders these things till their
minds affect their hearts? Who will sit down to meditate upo