2. 11 12. and otherwise we cannot flee from what is reproved for we have no sufficiency of our selves as of our selves to think any thing that is good We shall therefore together shew that those that hear the word may take heed of this iniquity and by what means in general we say the Gospel of Christ is the power of God to salvation to every one that believes Rom. 1. 16. the law opens no door of repentance but saith cursed is every one that continues not in all things written in the book of the law to do them Gal. 3. 10. But now Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law Gal. 3. 13. and the declaration hereof is the great instrument God makes use of for delivering us from every path of the destroyer Psal 17. 4. and 119. 9. The Law of the Lord of or concerning him who is Lord of all is perfect compleat entire converting the soul both at first and so continually it is converting the soul whether men are converted by it or no Psal 19. 7. with this the Apostle was sent to open mens eyes and to turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God Act. 26. 17. 18-22 23. There are in this Gospel contained great and glorious arguments that we may be delivered from this present evil world and these are powerful to this end because Christ by his spirit is present therewith even to the end of the world and so with his servants in their faithful declaring it without hidden things of dishonesty so that while Paul plants and Apollo waters God sails not to give increase whether mâ—n receive it or no 1 Cor. 3. 5-7 and they that receive this testimony of Jesus with the heart and keep it in believing remembrance shall prove it to be the power of God hence the Apostle saith to the Corinthians who were some of them covetous ye are washed c. in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the spirit of our God 1 Cor. 6. 10 11. 2 Pet. 2. 20. and 1. 1. 18 19. Now then to this end that we may take heed and beware of covetousness and to shew we may do so we shall a little particularly consider what is contained in this testimony of Jesus in each of the three branches for our helpfulness viz. in what he hath done and is become in what he is now doing and in what he will do hereafter 1. In this Testimony of Jesus in what he hath done and is become is shewed to us that Jesus Christ the Word who was with God and was God was made flesh for sinful mankind and laid hold of the seed of Abraham and Adam in that body which the Father prepared for him whereby his ear was opened and he fitted to do the will of God in being further abased for us and doing what was needful to our being brought back to God in order whereto he had the trespasses of the world even the guilt of all those trespasses which occasioned the first breath and enmity between God and mankind imputed to him For God made him who knew no sin to be sin for us 2. Cor. 5. 19-21 He bare our sins in his own body to and on the tree and God therefore went to law with him He was wounded for our transgressions bruised for our iniquites he by the grace of God tasted death for every man Heb. 2. 9. He was delivered for our offences and is raised again for our justification and such the vertuousness and preciousness of his personal abasement and sufferings in the vertues whereof he is taken from prison and judgement that he hath redeemed us in himself from the curse of the law purged away our sins from before the presence of God slain the enmity that was between God and us taken out of the way all that was contrary to us abolished our death and spoiled principalities and powers and made a shew of them openly triumphing over them in himself and so hath made peace for us by the blood of his Cross Gal. 3. 13. Isa 53. 5 6. Eph. 2. 14-16 Col. 2. 14 15. 2 Tim. 1. 9 10. And hath recovered restored and brought back our loss into himself so that there is compleatness for us in him he hath not onely taken away and removed the guilt of our first sin and sinfulness from before the presence of God but having offered himself a spotless sacrifice to the Father throug the eternal Spirit hath obtained power to make reconciliation for the sins of the people which are condemnable according to the rule of the glorious Gospel Heb. 7. 27. and 2. 17. through this man is preached to us the forgiveness of sins Act. 13. 37 38. and he hath restored our nature in himself to perfect innocency integrity and righteousness and is filled with all the fulness of grace and truth Joh. 1. 14-17 and hath obtain'd eternal redemption for us Heb. 9. 12. and confirmed a new Testament of great and precious promises of all things that pertain to life and godliness and an everlasting covenant 2 Cor. 1. 20. Heb. 13. 20. So that he is become a rich and full fountain in which there is pardon peace righteousness spirit promises eternal life 1 Joh. 5. 10 11. Yea all things are delivered to him of the Father Math. 11. 27. all things are here ready a feast of fat things prepared for all people Isa 25. 6. All things that the Father hath is his Joh. 16. 15. and he in our nature and for us is glorifyed with the Fathers own self with the glory he had with him before the world was Joh. 17. 5. The Father hath so loved the Son because he laid down his life that he might take it up again that he hath given all things into his hand Joh. 3. 35 with chap. 10. 17 18. made him both Lord and Christ the last Adam the quickning spirit the Lord the fountaine of living waters wisedome righteousness sanctification and redemption he is beautiful and glorious excellent and comely for our escaping he is the foundation God hath laid in Zion the fountaine of forgiveness grace and spirit God hath given him glory that our faith and hope might be in God and this perfection is in him for every man and it was the work of the Apostles and is of those that so walk as they have them for an ensample to warn every man and teach every man in all wisdom that they may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus that they may shew all men where compleatness is prepared for them even durable riches and righteousness that they may not be at a loss or put upon it to seek bread rest peace and feeding in desolate places but may know assuredly by the light of this Testimony that he is the rest for the weary and he the refreshing 1 Cor. 15. 45. Isa 4. 2. Col. 1. 28 29. Isa 28. 12-16 Now then in this first great and fundamental branch
that this person was convinced by our Saviors discourse that he was a good and upright man and one to whom he might commit his matters in this particular and from whom he might expect what was just and equal and therefore he thus requests Master speak to my Brother This he would not have committed to every one but perceiving he spake the words of truth and soberness though not enough setting his heart thereto he pursues his own evil design under pretence of liking and esteeming our Savior and owning himself as his disciple Thus also those men who haveing seen our Saviors Miracle of the loaves and were thereby convinced and confessed that he was of a truth that Prophet that should come into the world yet perverting what was right in stead of receiving the law from his mouth they were seeking meat that perisheth and therefore would have taken him by force and made him King that so having such a mighty one over them they might have been delivered from their enemies and injoyed outward peace fulness and prosperity and been the head of the nations round about them Joh. 6. 14. 15. See also Joh. 6. 24-27 Even so at this time as it was then so it is now many that are in some measure convinced of the goodness and truth of the glorious Gospel and have some esteem of his disciples who walk in Christ as they have received him may yet carry on a selfish design they may while they hear Christ's words and frequent the assemblies of his people seek meat for their lusts and be pursuing some by-end of their own 3. In that the man thus vents forth his covetous desire after our Savior had thus spoken to his disciples it may admonish us not to condemn the Gospel or declarers of it because still the heart of those that hear are inclin'd to covetousness For Christ may labor in vain and spend his strength for nought and in vain Isa 49. 4. 5. And so may his servants also do Gal. 4. 11. Phil. 2. 16. How many were there that heard our Savior before he was delivered into the hands of men yea and many might hear him gladly who yet received not his grace or received it in vain and therefore they joyn'd with those that apprehended him Math. 26. 55. This is an evil way to condemn the Gospel of Christ or his disciples because of the miscarriages of those that hear it or come amongst them and walking herein men condemn the generation of the just yea and Christ himself and his Apostles nor is this a good way to judge of doctrines viz. by the demeanours of those that hear them but to bring all to the light to the Law and to the Testimony 1 Joh. 4. 1-3 6. Isa 8. 20. Those that hear the instructions that cause to erre from the words of knowledge may have a form of godliness upon them they may appear righteous before men as the Pharisees new and old and yet the leaven and doctrine they imbrace be hypocrisie And on the other hand there may be many transgressions found with those that hear the Gospel and yet it is a doctrine according to godliness Yea there may be great miscarriages found with such as have formerly obeyed from the heart the form of doctrine delivered to them when the things they have heard have been let slip and yet still the Gospel is the Gospel of God preached according to his commandment giving a faithful discovery of him in Christ and leading to him and which he will own and preserve from this generation for ever And if while we seek to be justified by Christ through faith in his blood without the works of the law we our selves are found sinners is Christ therefore the Minister of sin God forbid Gal. 2. 17. Or is his Gospel a doctrine of unrighteousness and ungodliness because those that believe it believe it in vain No Far be it from us that we should blame it And yet this is the way and manner of the world yea and of the saints of the world also to lay the fault upon the Gospel of the grace of God as preached in the words that the Holy Ghost hath taught if any of those that hear it turn aside to crooked pathes as if it were a doctrine of licentiousness and opened a gap to all profaneness and wickedness such reproaches it may seem were cast upon it as preacht by the Apostles as if men might continue in sin either because grace had abounded or that grace might abound Rom. 3. 5-8 6. 12. Though yet there is no doctrine doth so much shew the vileness of our sins and the vanity of all idols as this in the faithful declaration of it This shews the odious and provoking nature of our natural vileness and filthiness and the abominableness of continuing therein after grace vouchsafed and the necessity of our being washed without which no man shall see the Lord in witnessing of Christ and shewing that there was no other way to purge sin away from before the presence of God then by the abasement of the Son of God he must needs have suffered and be raised again or otherwise we could not be brought back to God nor could there have been any fountain opened for our washing but at this dear Cost and that his end in giving himself for us was that he might deliver us from this present evil world according to the will of God and our Father Oh how shall they that are dead to sin this way live any longer therein know ye not that so many of us as were Baptized into Christ washed into union and fellowship with him were baptized into his death into the knowledge and acknowledgment of his death in which we see the greatness of his sufferings that he might take away our sins and become a fountain thorow his blood for our washing and cleansing Rom. 6. 2. 3. 1 Pet. 4. 1-3 Rom. 8. 3. 4. And yet mean time they that reproach this worthy name as if it encouraged men to continue in sin and especially such as deny the grace of God in Christ to Manward these new Pharisees they overlook the direct fruit of their damnable heresies in which they deny and teach men to deny the Lord that bought them I mean those Doctrines in which they teach that Christ dyed not for all nor by the grace of God tasted death for every man but onely for some elect ones as they say who shall certainly be saved in conclusion and be overcome by an irresistable power and as for the rest they are reprobated or at least past by so as there is no true and saving grace vouchsafed to them and therefore they must in the issue necessarily perish Doe not these apprehensions received and heartily digested lead men thus to reason If I be elected or of that elect number for whom Christ dyed I shall infallibly be saved and brought in by an irresistible power and till then I
for it is great hide away thy face from my sins which have sprung from this root and blot out all my transgressions create in me a clean heart O God and renew a right spirit within me 2. In that this iniquity is so exceeding sinful and provoking it may shew unto us that what is highly esteem'd among men is an abomination in the fight of God for the wisdom of this world is foolishness with him this will lead to account lesser sins to be great ones and those which are very dangerous to be but small ones if not vertues Men have generally an high esteem of the desires of the mind as before is shewn of the wisdom riches honors of this world and praise of men and establishing a righteousness to themselves c. As if these might be sought after commendably yea and they are in request amongst appearing zealous ones and oh that God's pleasant plant were not too much polluted with these and particularly with this covetousness and so bring forth fruit to themselves in setting their affections on things below and coveting greedily after more that they may lay up here on earth for themselves and theirs and so withholding from their poor bretheren and somtimes by their cruelty occasioning and hastening the death of some surely such is the deceitfulness of sin and especially of these desires of the mind which the judgment and wisdom of a man as it defiled leads him to seek after that it would perswade us that it is nothing to serve such an inclination Yea many that hate the fruit of this iniquity love the root and perswade themselves there is little or no hurt in it They think indeed drunkenness uncleanness c. are abominable as indeed they are but covetousness is but a little moat like the scribes and Pharisees those foolish and blind guids who said whosoever shall swear by the temple it is nothing but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple he is a debter c. Math. 23. 16-19 lightly esteeming the greatest evils and pronouncing them guilty that committed the less so how many Pharisaical persons are there that are so appearingly holy that if others in following this root of iniquity have fallen into some of the gross lusts of the flesh as Adultery c. Oh how do they abominate those gross evils and can hardly come to see persons polluted herewith lest they should be defiled and yet as much given to covetousness as the former they can say with the Pharisee God we thank thee we are not as others adulterers c. and yet be guilty of this which is as and more dangerous Compare Luk. 18. 11. with 16. 14. they can severely condemn lesser sins as sometimes David did when Nathan used the Parable to him and yet be guilty of greater themselves and take no notice thereof 2 Sam. 12. 17. Oh the deceitfulness of man's heart 3. Seeing covetousness is such an evil and bitter thing let us examine our selves and search and try our hearts and wayes in the glass of the law of liberty He that doth truth cometh to the light that his deeds may be made manifest therein let us scearch our selves If any should say God I thank thee I am not guilty of it for it is the root of all evil and I am not guilty of fornication or adultery or of such and such gross evils as others are and therefore need not this admonition To such an one I would say 1. That though it be as indeed it is the root of all evil yet it so appears not or brings not forth all it 's evil fruits in every one that is highly guilty of it The Pharisees were covetous and derided our Savior for saying no man can serve two masters and yet they might not commit open and gross idolatry nor are they taxed with it nor reproved for it though that also is the fruit of it under the law a man might have the leprosy and yet not have all the signes of it for they were divers Lev. 13. For though a mans heart goes after his covetousness yet he may not be strongly inclined to some of it's fruits nor be under the power of inticements to some evils as others may be and sin and Satan usually sets upon us where we are weakest 2. I may say to such an one as the Apostle James doth He that said do not commit adultery said also do not kill now if thou commit no adultery yet if thou kill thou art become a transgressour and so mayst be deeply guilty of this iniquity Jam. 2. 11. hast not thou who thus justifiest thy self despised the poor and in assemblies bid them stand there or disrespected them this is murder Jam. 2. 1-10 Hast not thou out of love to the things of this present world forborn to feed the hungry and cloath the naked when thou hadst it in the power of thine hand to do it and on sight of thy brothers needs hast had the bowels of thy compassion opened this the charge against those on Christs left hand and who shall go into everlasting fire Math. 25. 41. 46. hast thou not out of love to the things of this world consumed what thou hadst put into thine hand upon thy lusts in pampering thy self and faring deliciously every day and so received and injoy'd thy good things and thy poor brother mean time received his evil This the iniquity of the rich man in the Parable which our Savior speak after the affirming the Pharisees were covetous and his reproving them Luk. 16. hast thou not been angry with thy brother yea and with the light also when he hath been faithfully reproving and admonishing thee of this evil and counted them most thy friends who have hated thee not rebuk't thee and secretly hated the faithful reprovers and spake against him and He that hateth his brother is a manslayer 1 Joh. 3. 15-18 Ezek. 33. 30-32 hath not the end of thy labor been to inrich thy self and to lay up treasures here on earth and not to give to him that needeth and when thou hast found the life of thine hand hast thou not been secretly rejoycing therein and lifting up thy self above thy poor brethren yea and departing from the Lord and from the assemblies of God's people for fear of being taken and loosing all hast thou not when a special opportunity hath been put into thine hand for getting silver and a choice advantage at the same time given thee for getting wisdom thought there was a necessity to imbrace the former though with a neglect of the latter hast thou not in giving given sparingly and grudgingly and so as of covetousness and minded another and walkt by his example when he might give according to ability and though thou hadst much more in thine hand yet wouldest do but as he did as one afraid to exceed and as if thou hadst parted with thy life when thou gavest any thing in thus diligently searching
of the Gospel is shewed to us that we may take heed and beware of iniquity in General and so of this of covetousness For in what is said we may see and learn 1. That there is forgiveness with him For 1. We are not now necessarily under the guilt and dominion of our sins for as is said he is raised for our justification who dyed for our sins and this so vertuous that as all have sinned and are come short of the glory of God so they are justified freely by Gods grace through the redemption that is in Jesus and this true before he is set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood Rom. 3. 23-25 He hath so satisfied God's justice fulfilled his truth appeased his wrath answered his law and so paid our debt that now the wrath of God doth not abide on any man simply because our first Father hath sinned and we in him or because we are naturally and unavoidably polluted and defiled in our own persons as we come to have a being from him and so are necessarily inclined to pride covetousness c. This is not the condemnation that we are by nature and first birth darkness but that light is vouchsafed and men love darkness rather than light c. Joh. 3. 19. The judgement of this world was executed upon and suffered by Jesus Christ so that no man is condemned because he hath sinned in the first Adam simply and comes forth from him necessarily polluted but there is a door of repentance opened and all the ends of the Earth called to look to him and be saved Isa 45. 22. Nor shall any man perish for ever in that first death but be all raised again by the man Christ Jesus and shall not then be judged according to that first rule of judgement Joh. 5. 22-27 And this because Jesus Christ by the grace of God tasted death for every man and is raised again from the dead and indeed otherwise we are yet in our sins and must so abide for ever for no man can redeem his brother Psal 49. 7. and all faith preaching and hope is in vain 1 Cor. 15. 14-17 if there were any one man for whom Christ hath not by the grace of God tasted death it were impossible for such an one to flee from covetousness and in vain to warn him so to do The house of Israel were reasoning rightly if there had been any ground for their so saying If say they our transgressions and our sins be upon us and we pine away in them how can we then live how can we turn to God from Idols to serve the living and true God it is impossible Ezek. 33. 10. So may we say if mens sins be upon them which they are naturally and necessarily guilty of and polluted with there is then no hope the case is desperate But what he said to them when they were so reasoning As I live saith the Lord I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked but that the wicked turn from his way and live Vers 11. is generally true concerning mankind while he is calling to them and of the truth of this he hath given his Son for a witness in that he appointed him and he was manifested to take away our sins and in him is no sin 1. Joh. 3. 5. As the first offence was unto all men to condemnation so the righteousness of the last Adam was to all men to justification of life in an answerable sense Rom. 5. 18 he once in the end of the world appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself Heb. 9. 26. and by vertue and as the effect thereof he hath delivered us in himself from the power of our enemies Now saith he is the judgement of this world namely when his soul was troubled now shall the Prince of this world be cast out namely from being the Prince of the world as he was necessarily according to the curse of the law And I if I be lifted up from the Earth will draw all men unto me namely from under the judgement of the world and dominion of the Prince of the world Joh. 12. 27 31 32. Joh. 17. 2. Math. 12. 28 29. Now then herein is further evidenced that man may lay a part all filthiness and so this of covetousness in that that snare of Satan is broken and we are in Christ deliver'd without which we had been necessarily bond-slaves to him and led captive by him at his pleasure being shut out and banished from God But he hath delivered us in himself out of the hands of our enemies that we might serve him without fear in righteousness and holiness before him c. Luk. 1. 73-75 Psal 98. 1-4 Col. 2. 15. Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness and for his wonderful works to the children of men For he hath broken the gates of brass and cut the bars of iron in sunder Psal 107. 15 16. He hath broken down the middle wall of partition between God and us hath taken out of the way all that was in the way contrary to us nailing it to his Cross and having spoiled principalities and powers he made a shew of them openly triumphing over them in himself Eph. 2. 14 15. Col. 2. 14 15. Psal 47. 1-5 6. and 68. 18. 2. Herein is also shewn that Jesus Christ hath not onely purged away the guilt of that first sin and sinfulness from before the presence of God but also that he hath obtained power into himself to make reconciliation for the sins of the people which they are guilty of upon a new account and which deserve new wrath even the wrath to come he hath not onely received gifts in the man for men as they come to have a being from Adam but for the rebellious also that are disobedient and gainsaying to the Gospel compare Isa 65. 2. with Rom. 10. 21. that the Lord God might dwell among them Psal 68. 18. without which they could not possibly be made an habitation for him He offer'd up sacrifice first for his own sins which were imputed to him and accepted by him as his to answer for and then for the peoples and this he did not often as the former High-priests he needed not to do it daily but once when he offered up himself Heb. 7. 27. and 10 11 12. He hath not onely made peace for us by the blood of his Cross But he is our peace Eph. 2. 14. the propitiation for the sins of the whole world 1 Joh. 2. 2. and the propitiatory and Mercy-seat and so set forth in the word of faith Rom. 3. 25. and as in our types of old the Mercy-seat was put above and so did cover the ark in which was the two tables of the covenant whereby our sinfulness and vileness is discovered Exod. 25. 21 22. even so Jesus Christ he is the true Mercy-seat the covering for our personal sins in which we also transgress the law
great sin and the cause of all other sins for which the wrath of God abides on them and so of their covetousness and the argument whereby he thus convinceth them it is by glorifying Christ and taking of his things and shewing to them Job 16. 8-15 That is to say to the convincing them of their sinfulness he shews to men that Christ hath dyed for them and is risen again and hath received all fulness and compleatness into himself for them that they might run unto Jesus Christ with a relinquishing all other things Isa 55. 1-5 All things that are reproved are made manifest by the light wherefore he saith Awake thou that sleepest arise from the dead namely from dead persons and things and particularly from all filthiness of the flesh and from this bitter root of covetousness of which the Apostle had been admonishing and Christ shall give thee light Eph. 5. 3-5-14 And to those that turn at his reproofs and receive the Testimony God hath given of his Son he is pouring forth his spirit to them and making known his words He is giving to them the Spirit of wisdom to make them wise to inlighten the eyes of their understanding and revelation to reveal Christ further to them that they may count what hath been fore gainful to them as loss for Christ Yea that they might still count all things as loss and dung for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ that they may win him Phil. 3. 7-9 He is rendring his blood so precious before them in shewing the peace thereby made the victory thereby gotten the righteousness thereby compleated the eternal redemption thereby obtained the new Testament and everlasting covenant thereby sealed and confirmed that he is thereby still and further powerfully redeeming them from their vain conversation 1 Pet. 1. 18 19. Rev. 5. 9. with chap. 14. 3 4. He gives himself unto them and with himself all things to deliver them from this present evil world 1 Cor. 3. 21-23 Gal. 1. 4. and thus is he deading them to the things here below crucifying them to the world Rom. 6. 2 3. Gal. 6. 14. raising their affections to things above Col. 2. 9-12 with 3. 1 2. strengthning them to have their conversation in Heaven their minds hearts and affections there and they set to promote the things thereof even while they may according to the instructions of his grace be exercised as to the outward man in the work of their Callings and assuring them he will never forsake them in having their conversation without covetousness 2. He is also the great and onely Mediator between God and Men making intercession for transgressors that they might be saved from their sins and so from this iniquity of their covetousness and come to the knowledge of the truth 1 Tim. 2. 4 5. otherwise men that have added rebellion unto their sin could have no opportunity for being washed without which they shall have no part with Christ but now through his daily presenting himself in the vertues of his sacrifice offered once for all patience and forbearance is exercised and space of repentance vouchsafed to rebellions ones that the Lord God may dwell amongst them and all this day of his patience he is vouchsafing means and stretching out his hand to them that are greedy of gain that they in hearing his words might turn at his reproof Psal 68. 18. Prov. 1. 19-23 24. Isa 65. 2. Rev. 2. 20 21. He is the Lamb of God that taketh away in his present mediation the sins of the world Joh. 1. 29. and is the propitiation for the sins of the whole world 1 Joh. 2. 2. He is praying Father forgive them as Luk. 23. 34. Lord let it alone this year also till I shall dig about it and dung it Luc. 13. 7 8. and while he thus intercedes the Father hears him and it is an acceptable time 2 Cor. 6. 1 2. the long-suffering of the Lord is and is to be accounted salvation his end herein being that men might come to repentance and be saved Isa 53. 10-12 2 Pet. 3. 9. 15. Act. 14. 17. 2 Cor. 5. 15. And in an especial manner he is mediating for those that come God by him and is therefore able to save them to the uttermost Heb. 7. 25. without which he were not able he is the Mediator of the new Testament that by means of death for the redemption of the transgressions under the first Testament they which are called might receive the promise of the eternal inheritance Heb. 9. 15. he is taking away and so covering their sins that God may be patient to them while they continue in them that they may have space vouchsafed to come to the fountain prepared and opened for washing and cleansing and that the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Christ may be given to them continually that through that knowledge they might flee from the pollutions of the world and in confessing their sins and turning to him he is forgiving them in Heaven and making them partakers of the forgiveness of their sins and so mediating the new Testament in his blood that they may be cared for to the end they may seek the Kingdom of God and his righteousness he is their Advocate who is also the daily and standing propitiation for their sins to teach them what to pray for as they ought and how to pray to hear their prayers to grant their requests and fulfil the desires of their heart to manage their matters to wash and cleanse them in his blood to subdue their iniquities fight their battels supply their wants and perfect what concerns them He is a Sun and sheild and will give grace and glory and no good thing will be withhold from them that walk uprightly Joh. 2. 1 2. Psal 84. 11 12. 3. To this end that those that hear the word may be doers of it and so take heed and beware of covetousness he is setting before us the things to come at the appearing of Christ and in his kingdom and these are proposed to and set before men generally in the scriptures of truth and of great usefulness to those that believe the Testimony of Jesus and are looking to the end from the beginning to strengthen them to have their conversation without carefulness and covetousness As to say 1. He hath prepared a kingdom for them that receive his grace to purpose even to the saving of their souls He will raise them again that sleep in Jesus first and change the surviving believers and they together shall appear in glory when Christ who is our life shall appear in his glory they are now kings and priests unto God and shall reign on the earth Rev. 5. 10. and 20. 4-6 the kingdom and dominion and greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the saints of the most high Dan. 7. 27. they shall sit with Christ in his throne Rev. 3. 21.