1. What are we to understand by the Kingdom and Righteousness of God. There is a three-fold Kingdom of God. 1. The Kingdom of his Power, 1 Chron. 29. 11. Thine is the Kingdom, O Lord, and thou art exalted as head above All. 2. The Kingdom of his Grace, Luk. 17. 21. The Kingdom of God is within you. 3. The Kingdom of his Glory, Joh. 3. 3. Except a man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom of Gods Power be sure is not here spoken of, some understand hereby the Kingdom of his Grace: But I rather think, that in this place the Kingdom of God is to be taken for the Kingdom of his Glory, where the chief and perfect happiness of men doth lye, which our Saviour would ⟨p. 5⟩have them to seek, and not be solicitous about earthly things which are so empty and transitory: And I the rather conceive that it is to be taken for the Kingdom of Glory, because the Kingdom of Grace which is the way to Glory, is included in the next word, namely, the righteousness of God, as Rom. 14. 17. The Kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but righteousness and peace, &c. There is a twofold righteousness of God, 1. That righteousness which is imputed to us, whereby we are justified, called the righteousness of God by Faith, Phil. 3. 9. 2. That righteousness which is wrought in us, begun in regeneration, when we are renewed after the image of God in righteousness and true holiness, Eph. 4. 24. and in the work of Sanctification is more and more increased and augmented, whereby we grow in our spiritual stature, until we come to a perfect man, to be perfectly righteous, even as Christ Is righteous. The Object then which we are to seek is the Kingdom of God, the Crown of glory, which God hath laid up for his people, the Happiness of Heaven as the End; and the righteousness of God, reconciliation to him, through the imputation of his Sons righteousness; and conformity to him through the working inherent righteousness in us by the operation of his Spirit, as the way to this Kingdom, and necessary means to attain this end.
1. What are we to understand by the Kingdom and Righteousness of God. There is a three-fold Kingdom of God. 1. The Kingdom of his Power, 1 Chron. 29. 11. Thine is the Kingdom, O Lord, and thou art exalted as head above All. 2. The Kingdom of his Grace, Luk. 17. 21. The Kingdom of God is within you. 3. The Kingdom of his Glory, Joh. 3. 3. Except a man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom of Gods Power be sure is not here spoken of, some understand hereby the Kingdom of his Grace: But I rather think, that in this place the Kingdom of God is to be taken for the Kingdom of his Glory, where the chief and perfect happiness of men doth lye, which our Saviour would ⟨p. 5⟩have them to seek, and not be sollicitous about earthly things which are so empty and transitory: And I the rather conceive that it is to be taken for the Kingdom of Glory, because the Kingdom of Grace which is the way to Glory, is included in the next word, namely, the righteousness of God, as Rom. 14. 17. The Kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but righteousness and peace, &c. There is a twofold righteousness of God, 1. That righteousness which is imputed to us, whereby we are justified, called the righteousness of God by Faith, Phil. 3. 9. 2. That righteousness which is wrought in us, begun in regeneration, when we are renewed after the image of God in righteousness and true holiness, Eph. 4. 24. and in the work of Sanctification is more and more increased and augmented, whereby we grow in our spiritual stature, untill we come to a perfect man, to be perfectly righteous, even as Christ Is righteous. The Object then which we are to seek is the Kingdom of God, the Crown of glory, which God hath layd up for his people, the Happiness of Heaven as the End; and the righteousness of God, reconciliation to him, through the imputation of his Sons rightcousness; and conformity to him through the working inherent righteousness in us by the operation of his Spirit, as the way to this Kingdom, and necessary means to attain this end.
