witness when such an one hath been swearing to his own hurt or vowing and promising such things as stand or prove in conclusion cross to their greedy design Thus Zedekiah and the people polluted God's name in that when they had made a vow and covenant to give libety to the servants they broke it and it may seem this was the cause of it because the keeping it consisted not with their profit Jer. 34. 8-16 Far from the least to the greatest every one was given to covetousness and indeed often times this leads to breach of covenant and promise even when the promise made hath tended to their more free and profitable seeking the kingdom of God yet now they cannot keep it they pretend because it will be of great hurt and prejudice to them they have bought a peice of ground or have a farm in their hands and they must needs go they have a necessity or a necessity lies upon them so to do and see it look after and improve it and therefore they desire and hope they shall be excused Luk. 14. 18. But shall he prosper that doth such things Yea more generally this leads to take his name in vain and recieve his grace in vain while though men call themselves of the holy city and cry the temple of the Lord are we yea and some of them may have been brought nigh to him by the blood of Jesus and served him in his temple yet they run with others to the same excess of riot in surfetting and drunkeness or in chambring and wantonness c. and have fellowship with men in their unfruitful workes of darkness Oh how do such cause the name of God and his doctrine to be blasphemed Pro. 30. 9. How doth it open the mouths of men not against this covetousness the root hereof but against the glorious Gospel as if it were a ministry of ungodliness how are the profane ones gladded to see that those who formerly had escaped the pollutions of the world thorow the knowledge of the Lord and Savior and were seperate from them that now they are turned with the dog to his vomit and that such can keep company with them and swear and drink yea and somtimes be drunk also this is a sport to them and they are strengthned in their wickedness and ready to say it is in vain to serve God and yet to this in times of temtation especially will covetousness lead one Eph. 5. 16-18 They that will be rich that have a design and resolution so to be fall into temptation and a snare into the fear of man in which they are intangled and fetter'd that they dare do nothing that may offend them Pro. 29. 25. and thence into many foolish and hurtful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition 1 Tim 6. 9. This will lead men into foolish lusts even into such as seem not to stand with their design such as drunkenness in which they spend that they love so dearly yet their having fellowship with men herein tending to their getting or keeping what they have by gaining and securing the favour of the world to them hence it ultimatly tends to their design 4. It leads to profane God's rest to count Jesus Christ who is the rest in whom God hath taken up his rest and well-pleasedness and the rest he hath prepared for our weary spirits and the refreshing Heb. 4. 3 4. Isa 28. 12. a common and profane thing and insufficient to satiate our souls and therefore leads to take up rest and seek satisfaction in that which is not bread and therefore will not satisfie thus the fool in the parable resolves I will say to my soul take thy rest c. Luk. 12. 19. though he never came at it nor will this satisfie and therefore it is a vain conversation here to be seeking it Yea and it leads to profane his holy-day that time he hath set apart for a solemn waiting upon him and thereto ceasing from our own works to signifie to us that it is he that doth sanctifie us and that in ceasing from our own works and by faith entring into his rest Exod. 31. 13. 17. I say it leads to profane it not onely by saying when will the sabbath be gone that we may set forth wheat as counting that a wearisome time as it was with them Amos. 8. 5. but more grosly either by over-working themselves and their servants in the six days that they are meet for no hallowing his day or imploying them in doing their ordinary servile work to the depriving them of waiting upon him and provoking Gods wrath Neh. 13. 15-22 Jer. 17. 21-27 Isa 58. 3. 7. 13. 2. And so also this is the root of unrighteousness or worldly lusts and contrary to our loving our neighbour as our selves as the grace of God doth instruct yea and as he is thereby working it in us and the righteousness of the law shall be fulfilled in them who are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit even the righteous affections and services thereof not by our own wisdom and strength in observing the law as a law of works and so looking on it as our duty but in ceasing from our own works and entring into God's rest and thorow the spirit waiting for the hope of righteousness by faith Rom. 8 4. Gal. 5 6. 16. 21 22. To this love of our neighbour covetousness is contrary Rom. 13. 9. And so it leads 1. To dishonor Parents whether natural or civil or those that by God's providence are set over us in that stead and not to give them that honor reverence or obedience which is due to them and to be given them in the Lord even in the acknowledgment and fear of him and for the Lords sake in reverence to his wisdom and faithfulness who hath set them in such a station of command and authority and us in the place of subjection This will lead us to withhold from natural parents that honor due to them in which is included a requiting them in providing for them and maintaining them when in straits and brought to poverty Thus the Pharisees who were covetous they honor'd not their parents yea and taught others to transgress the command of God and pretended godliness in thus transgressing God commanded saith our Savior saying honor thy Father and Mother c. But ye say whosoever shall say to his Father or Mother it is a gift by whatsoever thou maiest be profited or it is Corban a thing devoted and set apart for religious and pious uses possibly for the maintenance of such teachers or such Pharisaical Ministers he shall be free from the obligation of Gods law or is obliged to keep his former vow and so cannot honor his Father c. Math. 15. 3-6 Mark 7. 9-12 And this leads to rebel against authorities and rulers set over us and so to resist the ordinance of God that men may set their nest on high
world and loose his own soul these are idolaters and as such they shall be punished their worm dyeth not in that lake into which they shall be cast and their fire is not quenched Were it not infinitely better for us now to receive the love of the truth that we may be saved from our iniquities and idols than expose our selves to the wrath to come Oh who knoweth the power of it what shall a man then give in exchange for his soul than a great ransome cannot deliver will he esteem thy riches no not gold nor all the forces of strength Job 36. 18 19. these profit not in a day of wrath Oh how dreadful will it then be when the Son of man shall say Depart ye cursed into everlasting fire propared for the Devil and his angels For I was an hungred and ye gave me no meat I was thirsty and ye gave me no drink I was a stranger and ye took me not in naked and ye cloathed me not sick and in prison and ye visited me not Math. 25. 41-43 He saith not your heart was so given to your covetousness you so loved the world and the things thereof that you defrauded me and took away from me wrongfully what was mine you were not content with that portion of earthly things that was in your own possession but you coveted mine and took it away by violence and extortion and so exposed me to hunger thirst cold and nakedness no this was not directly laid to their charge though this is strongly supposed to be a more grievous iniquity but that for which they are sentenced to everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord it is that they did not cast their bread upon the waters they withheld more than was meet and now it tends to this great poverty they are now left destitute of his favour and for ever separated from him and doomed to the vengeance of eternal fire now when his poor servants that formerly injoyed their evil things are comforted those who formerly injoyed their good things are tormented and shall be so for ever For there will then be such a great gulf fixed that there is no passing from that state and condition to another Luk. 16. 25. at this our heart may tremble and be moved out of place who amongst us will give ear to this who will hearken and hear for the time to come such an one as thus shuts up the bowels of his compassion when opened may possibly by some men be look't upon as an hard man and as one that too much loves his money and this may be deemed as a venial or small offence in him and yet he may pass for an honest man though somewhat hard but were it wisely considered how such wil hereafter be proceeded against it would as viewed in Christ in whom there is now forgiveness and cleansing and power to deliver from the wrath to come be powerful to awaken us to quit our selves from this iniquity What hath been said in shewing that we may take heed and beware of covetousness and by what means we may do it may be of usefulness to us Vse 1. To shew unto us the preciousness of the blood of Christ in its vertue and in it's discovery for redeeming us 1 Pet. 1. 18 19. As that is it whereby forgiveness is procured peace made spirit received great and precious promises confirmed eternal life and redemption obtained so the discovery and application thereof is that whereby he doth wash us from our sins Rev. 1. 5 1 Joh. 1. 7. redeem us unto God from the Earth and from amongst men Rev. 5. 9. and 14. 4 5. purges from dead works as well as from those that are deadly to serve the living God Heb. 9. 14. 2. It shews unto us the reason why we are not washed from this filthiness of covetousness namely because we come not unto and are not obedient to the blood of sprinkling 1 Pet. 1. 2. Eph. 5. 6. for were we obedient thereto it would save us and if we do not thus experiment it let us judge our selves and search and try our ways for certainly we have been wandring out of the way of understanding 1 Cor. 15. 2. 1 Thes 1. 9 10. Oh thou who art named the house of Jacob is the spirit of the Lord straitned are these his doings do not my words do good to him that walketh uprightly Mica 2. 2-7 3. Let it instruct and ingage us to give more earnest heed to the things which God hath testified of his Son in what he hath done and is become in what he is now doing and in what he will do and so let us receive and walk in the spirit minding the things of the spirit and we shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh Gal. 5. 16. this is our victory even our faith who is he that overcometh the world but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God 1 Joh. 5. 4 5. it is onely through the spirit we may mortify the deeds of the body Rom. 8. 13. it is good for us to know that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by the faith of Christ the word of faith in which he is now manifested to be the foundation and object of faith as formerly he was not that we may believe in Jesus Christ that we may be justifyed and cleansed also as justified sometimes signifies as Dan. 8. 14. by the faith of Christ and not by the works of the law for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified Gal. 2. 16. That we may therefore flee covetousness consider we and remember what God hath given us in Christ and the hope set before us to be possessed and injoyed when he shall appear in glory and wait through the spirit who glorifies Christ for the hope of Gods righteousness through faith so shall we meet with his Divine power for delivering us from every path of the destroyer Col. 3. 3-5 Gal. 5. 5. And to ingage us to take heed and beware of covetousness let us briefly consider the motive here laid down by our Savior to seal home this caution For a man's life consists not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth From whence we noted 3. That the consideration of this that a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth is also proper as viewed in the glorious Gospel to move us to receive this admonition viz. to take heed and beware of covetousness By the abundance of the things which he possesseth is here meant the things of this present world as appears in that it is said a man as a man possesseth them and by the parable which our Savior presently joyns unto this Caveat Luk. 12. 16-18 the things of the Earth which he possesseth here on Earth as distinguished from what is laid up in Heaven in the motions and teaching of his grace And by a man's life is
We shall first shew what it is not 1. It is not a serving God in those works of his providence he gives us to be exercised in here under the Sun and diligence therein though in so doing we may be serving our Covetous inclination Yet we are not forbidden to exercise our selves in any honest Trade Way or Imployment though in all our conversations to beware of this iniquity God appointed to man some exercise to be exercised in while he was in the state of innocency namely to dress and to keep the Garden Gen. 2. 15. And hath since given a travel to men to be exercised in Exod. 20. 9. Eccl. 3. 10. And warnes of idleness and slothfulness and shews the evil nature and fruit of it Yea and there are commandments given by the Lord Jesus to the believers that if any would not work neither should they cat c. Rom. 12. 11. 2 Thes 3. 10. Tit. 3. 14. Yea and the Apostles and their fellow-laborers did worke and so make themselves an ensample to the beleivers to follow them 1 Cor. 4. 11. 12. 2 Thess 3. 7-9 And not onely is such instruction and example given to the believers in general but to the Elders of the Church of Ephesus how that so labouring as the apostle had done they ought to support the weak c. Acts 20. 28-25 Yea our blessed Savior hath given us an example who was not onely the reputed Son of a Carpenter but a Carpenter also Mark 6. 3. Luk. 2. 51. 2. Nor is it a desiring of him those things that are needful for our chearful seeking after and glorifying him in order thereto we may desire such meat drink cloaths and such a prospering the work of our hands as may conduce to our hallowing of his name and to such an end he hath instructed us in that doctrine of right prayer to say Give us day by day our daily bread Phil. 4. 6. Though yet in such desire also Covetousness is to be watcht against in the light of the Lord and we to be submitted to God and his infinite wisdome and faithfulness who knows what is most conducible to such an end better than we do and therefore are we willed by the mercies of God to present our bodies to him to be ordered by him as he sees good and taught to pray Thy will be done c. Give us this day our daily bread Math. 6. 10 11. Phil. 4. 5 6 7. Pro. 30. 8 9. 3. Nor is it all coveting that we are admonished of or of all that which is so called we are instructed to Covet earnestly the best gifts 1 Cor. 12. 31. and 14. 39. There are also the lusts of the spirit effected by spirit in the Testimony of Jesus in the spirit of the believer and so the spirit lusteth against the flesh Gal. 5. 17. The new spirit and heart of the hearty believer from the discovery and beholding of the excellency and comliness of Christ his love and loveliness and having tasted of his graciousness as a new born babe desires the sincere milk of the word it earnestly desires more to know Christ win him and be found in him to be conformed to him and clothed on with the fruit of his righteousness it pants after and thirsteth for God even the living God and longs and lusts for him to see further his glory and power in the Sanctuary in his Son and in the assemblies of his hidden ones even as those that cannot be satisfied without wisdom they while walking in the spirit seek it as men seek silver this the one thing they desire and for which they have counted and do count all other things as loss and dung in comparison thereof and in persuing after it and to the promoting of it nothing they suffer moves them nor count they their lives dear to themselves that they may more know and be made partakers of Christ Oh that we were filled more with these lusts of the spirit and were more coveting those excellent things that durable riches and righteousness in Christ Psal 27. 4. and 42. 1 2. and 63. 1-8 Pro. 2. 2-6 and 8. 18. Gal. 5. 16 17. Phil. 3. 8-10 But the Covetousness here admonished of is An affection and lust of the flesh in which a man doth love this world and the things thereof and not content with Gods provision allowance and gift doth greedily desire after more of it that he may be rich in or toward himself 1. I say it is an affection and lust of the flesh as distinguished from and opposed to the lusts of the spirit as before and so to shew unto us whence it springs namely from the flesh the carnal minde or wisdom of the flesh which is sometimes called Covetousness and so opposed to Gods testimonies which is the wisdom from above to shew the nature of it and that it is the source and fountain of this corrupt affection and lust Psal 119. 36. For from this corrupt fountain this iniquity proceeds even from that wisdom which is not from above it descends not or comes not down from the Father of light but ascends out of our hearts and is earthly affecting and lusting after and leading us to love minde and savour earthly things sensual leading us to judge according to outward appearance and to look upon and mind seen things which are temporal and to live by sight or sense as opposed to the living by faith and Devilish as being that which we received from him and are therein like to him leading us to aspire after an equality with God and to have a selfe-sufficiency in our own hands and to that end to worship and serve Satan the god of this world who beautifies and commends the things thereof Jam. 3. 15. Thus our Savior saith From within out of the heart of men namely out of that corrupt understanding and judgment that is in him as of him received from and poisoned by Satan and strengthened by the principles and spirit of this world proceed evil thoughts of God and of our selves and of the things of this world as if blessedness did consist in them and in our possessing abundance of them and thence proceeds Covetousness Mark 7. 21 22. This carnal mind is enmity against God he saith not it hath enmity in it nor onely that it is an enemy to him for then there might possibly be a reconciling of it that notwithstanding but it is enmity it self made up and composed of nothing else so as it can never be reconciled it is not subject to the law of God nor indeed can be it may be purged out and destroyed but can never be reformed Rom. 8. 7. It would perswade us there is no God Psal 14. 1. Or that he is not able or faithful to give unto us in his way what we stand in need of and that though he hath manifested his love to us in Christ and given him for a standing witness of it that we might when we
accusation against men Luk. 3. 14. This idolatry of covetousness was that it may seem which caused Doeg to devise mischief like a razour and lye and bear false witness against the priests of the Lord which procured their being cut off Psal 52. 2-7 6. And the last commandment is that we have been shewing to be the root of all evil and an immediate fruit of loving the world effected by listening to and walking after the carnal mind and wisdom of the flesh as we have before seen Demon. 3. Though this iniquity deprives and bereaves the soul of good and is the root of all evil yet it is a well favour'd iniquity as Nah. 3. 4. and that which is in great request amongst men many of the evils it leads to and of which it is the root are shameful amongst men and such as they wil not seriously plead for or seek to justifie though they may walk in them and serve them until they have so long hardened their hearts against the instructions of wisdom and it's reproofs that they are become past feeling and so commit all manner of filthiness with greediness such as murder adultery drunkenness c. But now this affection and lust of the flesh this covetousness is in great repute amongst men and the labouring to be rich and laying up for our selves here on earth which is included in it is that for which men will commend us When thou doest well to thy self men will praise thee Psal 49. 18. This is that which is highly esteem'd amongst men as our Saviour may signifie in that expression Luk. 16. 14 15. though yet it is an abomination in the fight of God And though all lusts are called the lusts of the flesh both because they spring from the carnal mind or wisdom of the flesh and because they are contrary to the spirit and the lust thereof yet when the Apostle distinguishes and branches them forth he calls some the desires of the flesh as surfetting drunkeness adultery c. And some the desires of the mind and under this head of lusts this iniquity is contained Eph. 2. 3. And therefore is called the lust of the eye 1 Joh. 2. 16. Not onely nor so much of the outward eye though that also may conduce thereto and affect the heart but of the eye of the soul and so of the mind because this springs from that and is more suited to the wisdom and understanding of men as corrupted by the poyson of Satans temptation which leads them to think that riches are very excellent and will render us happy in the injoyment of them hence we are admonished to cease from our own wisdom that we may not labor to be rich as before Pro. 23. 4. Now then the more appearance of wisdom there is in it the more highly will men esteem it for vain man would be and be accounted wise though he be born like a wild asses colt Job 11. 12. And also as this iniquity being a desire of the mind is therefore well accounted of amongst men so in serving of it and laboring to be rich especially if men find the life of their hands and that they lust after and labor for in any abundance together herewith they meet with other desires of the mind which the understanding of a man leads him to seek after and highly to prize in the injoyment these being usually concomitants of this iniquity As to say the wisdom of this world which is science falsly so called and onely seeming wisdom this also is a desire of the mind and that men thirst after now the covetous man being rich also seldom wants the repute of a wise man amongst men if he have but any considerable parts either natural or acquired his being rich gaines him the esteem of being wise when the wisdom of the poor is despised Eccl. 9. 16. And however he is wise in his own conceit Pro 28. 11. Yea and hereby he hath greater advantage also by accompanying himself with great ones and such as are in repute for wisdom whose crown in their riches Pro. 14. 24. and otherwise to seek after the satisfying this desire of the mind And so honor in this world and the praise of men is a desire of the mind and who like the covetous rich man is counted worthy of this men bless the covetous and every oâ—â— bows before them and the poor use intreaties to them while they answer roughly and are even servants to them Pro. 18. 23. and 22. 7. riches and honor usually go together And so the friendship of this world is a desire of the mind and that which men think adds much to their happiness and security and therefore they desire to have many joyned to them in some strict tye of affection and to say a confederacy with them and therefore to match into and be allied unto great families and personages that they may take deep root in the earth Now wealth maketh many friends and every one is a lover of him that hath it the poor is hated of his neighbor but many are the lovers of the rich Pro 14. 20. and 19. 4. and hence because there is such a meeting together of other desires of the mind in the object of this lust therefore it is so amiable in the eyes of men and men are so pursuing this iniquity with great greediness for in finding the object of this lust they shall have the friendship of this world praise of men and honor amongst men be accounted wise and well accomplisht persons and what not Yea and not onely is this lust so well thought of amongst men generally but the Saints of the world also are secretly pursueing and magnifying it because it will consist and stand together with an appearance of devotion godliness and righteousness and so more gross lusts which this leads to will not Men may seek to establish a righteousness to themselves which is also a desire of the mind and yet be given to covetousness yea and be esteemed religious by others while yet they are greatly polluted with this iniquity Hence our Savior saith of the Pharisees that they were covetous and therefore they derided him when he said no servant can serve two Masters God and Mammon as thinking this was a foolish assertion of our Savior and that both might stand together well enough Luk. 16 13 14. And yet they were the straitest Sect of the religion of the Jews Act. 26. 5. and were frequent in fasting and prayer exceeding herein it may seem Christ's disciples Luk. 5. 33. they kept the Sabbaths and were zealous in and for the observance of them and condemned our Savior as being one that did not keep them Joh. 9. 16. and frequented Synagogues and appeared righteous before men being like whited sepulchres that appear beautifull outwardly their covetousness did stand with this shew of righteousness so as they appeared righteous unto men though within they were full of hypocrisie and iniquity
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.