Lectures Upon Philippians, Lectures · Chapter 3 · Lecture 59
LECTƲRE LIX.
PHILIP. 3. Verſ. 10.11.
And the fellowſhippe of his afflictions, and be made conformable to his death, if by any meanes I may attaine &c.
OH, but thou wilt ſay that thine afflictions, thy troubles, and thy ſorowes are exceeding great and vnſupportable. Looke vponupon Iobs afflictions in his goods, in his children, in his owne perſon. He had 7000. ſheepe, and 3000. Camels, and 500. yoke of oxen, and 500. ſhe aſſes: and of all theſe he was quickly depriued, ſome the Shebeans, ſome the Chaldeans tooke away violently, and ſome the fire of God conſumed and burnt. He had alſo ſeuen ſonnes, and three daughters, and a very great familie: and theſe all were ſlaine at once by the fall of a houſe. Himſelfe likewiſe was ſmitten with ſore boyles from the ſole of his foote vntounto his crowne, ſo that he ſate downe in the aſhes, and tooke a potſheard to ſcrape himſelfe withall. His wife which ſhould hauehave beene his helper, bid him blaſpheame God and die. His friends which ſhould hauehave comforted him encreaſed his ſorowes; ſo that eueryevery way he was moſt grieuouſly afflicted. Compare now then thine afflictions and ſorowes with his, and ſee what compariſon there is betwixt them for greatneſſe and grieuouſneſſe. And if the Lord bleſſed his laſt daies more then the firſt in goods, and in children, and in eueryevery good bleſſing; then let not thy great affliction trouble thee, but hope thou in the Lord, and abide patiently on him, and he ſhall make thy way to proſper. Againe, looke vponupon Chriſt, perſecuted Chriſt, euen from his birth, forced to flie euen then into Egypt for feare of Herod; tempted Chriſt, by the Deuill in the wilderneſſe; poore Chriſt, not hauing a hou…e to put his head in; betrayed Chriſt, by the hands of one of his owne Diſciples; afflicted Chriſt, ſo that his ſweat was like drops of bloud, trickling downe to the ground; puniſhed Chriſt, ſo that he cried, my God, my God, why haſt thou forſaken mee; crucified Chriſt, euen between two theeues. What are thine afflictions, & thy ſorowes in compariſon of thy Chriſts? He hath ſeaſoned all thine afflictions and thy ſorowes with his, ſo that be they neuer ſo great thou ſhouldeſt not be troubled therewith. Oh, but they come ſo thicke vponupon thee one on the necke of another that thou art not able to looke vp. What? come they thicker vponupon thee then vponupon Iacob the Patriarch? Of whom we read, firſt that he fled to Laban leaſt his brother Eſau ſhould kill him; when he was with Laban hee dealt ill with him, and changed his wages tenne times; when he went from Laban, Laban purſued him, and if the Lord had not forbid him would ſurely hauehave hurt him; when hee had eſcaped Laban, then he was againe in great danger by his brother Eſau; when hee had eſcaped that danger, then his daughter Dinah was rauiſhed, and his ſonnes Simeon and Leuie ſlew the Shechemites, and brought him into great danger there; when he went from thence, his wife Rahel in the way died in trauell; ſoone after Reuben his eldeſt ſonne went vp vntounto his fathers bed, and lay with Bilhah his fathers concubine. Could ſorowes well come thicker vponupon a man? Iobs ſorowes likewiſe how thicke came they vponupon him? A meſſenger came to Iob, and ſaid, the oxen were plowing, Iob. 1.14.and the aſſes feeding in their places &c. to verſ. 20 Anon after this he was ſmitten with ſore boyles in his owne perſon as we hauehave heard: when he was ſo his wife came and ſpake as we hauehave heard; and then after her came his miſerable comforters. If thy ſorowes then come thicke vponupon thee, thou ſeeſt that nothing doth befall thee but ſuch as appertaineth to the children of God. Tarie thou therfore the Lords leaſure, be ſtrong, and he ſhall comfort thine heart. Oh, but thou haſt waited long, and yet doſt finde no caſe. What, longer then Dauid waited for the kingdome of Iſrael after that he was annointed King ouer Iſrael by Samuel? After he was annointed by Samuel, hee waited in great affliction, perſecution, and perill many yeares before he reigned ouer Iudah, and after that hee waited ſeuen yeares and a halfe before he rigned ouer Iſrael. Haſt thou waited longer then Chriſt himſelfe did? He was full of ſorowes all his life long. Thou maiſt not preſcribe God a time, thou muſt in patience poſſeſſe thy ſoule. Heauineſſe may endure for a night, but ioy commeth in the morning. And what if it come not the next morning? what if it come not the next week? the next month; the next yeare? nay what if thy daies bee conſumed with mourning? O in the morning when his glory ſhall appeare thou ſhalt be glad and reioyce. For the preſent thy faith and thy patience is exerciſed, and for the preſent it is grieuous, but afterwards it bringeth the quiet fruite of righteouſneſſe vntounto thee that art exerciſed thereby. Oh, but thou wilt ſay, what comfort can I hauehave in the meane time ſeeing he afflicteth mee as the wicked, and maketh no difference betweene me and the wicked? Oh, but thou art much deceiued. He afflicteth thee, and he afflicteth the wicked, and it may be with like afflictions, but yet not in like ſort. Hee afflicteth thee as a father, him as a iudge, thee in mercy and in louelove, him in anger and diſpleaſure, thee for thy correction and chaſtiſement, him for a plague and puniſhment. He chaſtiſeth thee with roddes, but he woundeth him with the ſwords of an enemie: thou by thy corrections art kept in a child-like awe, hee in a ſlauiſh feare; the effect of thine afflictions is, reformation of things paſt, and obedience afterwards to thy good; but the effect of his is hardnes of heart, and rebellion againſt the higheſt; the end of thine is ioy euerlaſting, the end of his is woe euerlaſting. Though therefore your afflictions ſeeme to be like, yet is the whole courſe of them altogether vnlike, in the beginning, in the manner, in the vſe, in the effect, and in the end. What then though thine afflictions be great? It is a token that he hath giuen thee great grace and ſtrength to ſtand. For he will not ſuffer his to be tempted aboue that they be able, 1 Cor. 10.13.but will euen giuegive the iſſue with the tentation that they may be able to beare it. What though thine afflictions be many? It is that, as gold purified ſeuen times in the fire, thou maiſt bee found more precious at the appearing of Ieſus Chriſt; what though thou haſt waited long? It is that thy patience may hauehave her perfect worke, and that thou maiſt be perfit, and entire, lacking nothing. What though there be no oddes vntounto thine outward ſenſe between thy ſufferings and the wicked? It is that thou maiſt grow out of louelove with that reſtleſſe and wretched life, and maiſt long after that life where there ſhall be no more death, nor ſorow, nor crying, nor paine, but life without death, ioy without ſorow, reſt without crying, and pleaſure without paine.
If this will not ſerue to make thee brooke thine afflictions be they great, or many, or whatſoeuer they be, then conſider theſe points Chriſtianly and with a wiſe heart. 1. Conſider what thou haſt deſerued if the Lord ſhould deale with thee in weight and meaſure. Are thine afflictions and thy troubles proportioned to the deſert of thy ſinnes? Nay if hee ſhould diſpute with thee thou couldeſt not anſwere him one thing of a thouſand: if he would ſtraightly marke thine iniquities, thou were not able to ſtand when he is angrie. No ſinne that thou committeſt in the whole courſe of thy life, but the wages of it is death, euen euerlaſting death both of body and ſoule without the Lords ſpeciall mercy. What are then thine afflictions vntounto that that thou haſt deſerued? 2. Conſider how light and momentanie thine afflictions are. For what if they be for a yeare? what if for twentie? what if for thy whole life? when the Lord had puniſhed his people with 70. yeares captiuitie, for a moment, ſaith he,Eſ. 54.8. in mine anger I hid my face from thee for a little ſeaſon, but with euerlaſting louelove hauehave I had compaſſion on thee. Seuentie yeares captiuitie it was but a little while, a moment in compariſon of his euerlaſting louelove. Euen ſo the afflictions that thou ſuffereſt, if they be for ſeuenty, if for a 100. yeares, what is this in compariſon of eternity? Who would make account of taking very bitter potions, and very ſharpe phiſicke for three or foure daies together, in hope of health for euer after? What then if thy potions, if thy phiſicke, if thine afflictions be for 70. or 100. yeares? It is not ſo much as three or foure daies, nor ſo much as three or foure houres, nay nothing in compariſon of eternitie. And therefore the Apoſtle very well calleth the afflictions of this life light and momentanie afflictions in reſpect of that eternall weight of …ory reſerued for them that ſtand faſt vntounto the end. 3.2 Cor. 4.17 Heb. 12.11 Conſider what fruit in the end followes thine afflictions. They bring, ſaith the Apoſtle, the quiet fruit of righteouſneſſe vntounto them that are thereby exerciſed. And in another place he ſaith that they cauſe vntounto vsus a farre moſt excellent, 2 Cor. 4.17.and an eternal we… of glorie. Which is not ſo to be vnderſtood as if by our afflictions we did merit an eternall weight of glory. Fo… count, ſaith the Apoſtle in an other place,Rom. 8.18. that the afflictions of this preſent time are not worthy of the glory that ſhall be ſhewed v …o vsus: but his meaning is that God in merciemercy rewardeth the light & momentanie afflictions of this life, with an eternall weight of glory, afflictions wi…h glory, light afflictions with a weight of glory, moment any afflictions with eternall glory, light and momentanie afflictions with an eternall weight of glory.
Let not afflictions then daunt vsus, but let vsus rather without Apoſtle deſire to know in our ſelues the fellowſhip of Chriſt his afflictions,Pro. 3.12 and let vsus count them a vantage vntounto vsus. For the Lord correcteth him whom he loueth, euen as the father do… the childe in whom he delighteth. Heb. 12.8.And if we be without correction, whereof all are partakers, then are we baſtards, and not ſons. The fineſt clothe yee know which a man weareth next vntounto his skinne will ſometimes be naſtie and ſlurried, and then it muſt be beaten, and waſhed, and wrung, and if yet it be not cleane, then to it againe, and beat it, and waſh it, and wring it till it be cleane, and fit to be worne next the skinne: but a ſack-cloth, or haire-cloth we care not how blacke it be, neither doe we waſh or wring it. Beloued we are ſo neere vntounto Chriſt, as that we are not next vntounto his skinne, but wee are fleſh of his fleſh, and bone of his bones. And therefore to purge vsus and to make vsus cleane he waſheth vsus, and hee wringeth vsus with afflictions. Sack-cloth and haire-cloth be it as blacke as it wi…l he cares not for the whiting and cleanſing of it, becauſe it ſhall neuer come neere vntounto his skinne. Hee taketh no pleaſure in it, and therefore he regardeth not the cleanſing of it. Let vsus not therefore be troubled at afflictions. They are nothing proportionable to that we deſerue; they are but light and momentanie whatſoeuer they are, and in the end they cauſe vntounto vsus a farre moſt excellent, and an eternall weight of glory. Let vsus therefore endure with patience, and let patience hauehave h… perfect worke, that we may be perfect and entire, lacking nothing. For if we endure chaſtening, Heb. 12.7. Iob. 5.17.God offereth himſelfe vntounto vsus as vntounto ſonnes: and bleſſed is he whom God correcteth. It followeth.
And be made conformable &c.] Or as Beza readeth it, whiles I am made conformable vntounto his death, i. vntounto Chriſt being dead: and ſo the ſenſe is this; I iudge all things without Chriſt to be dung, as for other vantages, ſo for this, that whilſt I am made like to the image of Chriſt that is dead, by ſufferings, I may know and feele in my ſelfe the fellowſhippe of Chriſt his afflictions, ſuch as he ſuffered in his perſon, and doth now ſuffer in hi… members. Here then I note two reaſons why the Apoſtle reckoned affli…tions a vantage vntounto him; 1. Becauſe in afflictions he had fellowſhippe with Chriſt. 2. Becauſe by afflictions he was made like vntounto Chriſt. Whence I gather theſe two obſeru…tions: 1. That in afflictions we hauehave fellowſhippe with Chriſt. 2. That afflictions make vsus like vntounto Chriſt. For the firſt, that in our afflictions we hauehave fellowſhip …ith Chriſt it is plaine, both becauſe he ſuffered the like afflictions before vsus, and becauſe in all our afflictions he ſuffereth with vsus. For what affliction is it that we ſuffer? Is it pouertie, perſecution, hunger; agonie in ſoule, puniſhment in body? Are we reuiled, ſlandered, mocked, tempted by the Deuill? Doth the wicked band themſelues againſt vsus, vniuſtly accuſe vsus, vniuſtly condemne vsus, vniuſtly put vsus to death? Are they of thine houſhold thine enemies? doe they that eate bread at table with thee lift vp their heeles againſt thee, and betray thee into the hands of the wicked and vngodly? All this way our Sauiour Chriſt hath walked before vsus: he hath drunke of all theſe cuppes, and hath ſeaſoned them vntounto vsus. Neither did he onelyonly ſuffer theſe and the like afflictions before vsus, but as the head with the members ſtill hee ſuffereth theſe and the like afflictions with vsus. How many, how great, how aboue meaſure were Pauls troubles by ſea, by land, of friends, of enemies, in body, in ſpirit? yet calleth he them all the afflictions of Chriſt, becauſe in them all Chriſt ſuffered with him. Lazarus likewiſe in all his pouertie, ſickneſſe, ſores, griefes, and miſeries ſuffered nothing wherein Chriſt was not partaker of his griefe. And if all the paines and miſeries of that patient Iob were now vponupon any of vsus, we ſhould feele nothing which Chriſt felt not with vsus. For can any member of the body ſuffer, and not the head ſuffer with it? Nay ſo long as this myſterie is which is for euer, that Chriſt is the head, and we the body, ſo long if the body, or any member of the body be hurt, ſhall Chriſt which is the head be touched with the point of it.
O what a great comfort muſt this needes be vntounto all the children of God: here is a notable ſeaſoning of all our afflictions. If we be poore, ſicke, perſecuted, impriſoned, baniſhed, whipped &c. in eueryevery croſſe that we beare the louelove of Chriſt is ſealed vntounto vsus, in eueryevery ſuffering that we ſuffer Chriſt ſuffereth with vsus. As therefore the Apoſtle exhorteth, Let vsus reioyce in all our ſufferings, 1 Pet. 4.13inaſmuch as we are partakers of Chr… his ſufferings. 2 Cor. 4.10.For as Paul ſaith, If we ſuffer with Chriſt, we ſhall alſo raigne with Chriſt, and if we beare about in our bodies the dying of the Lord Ieſus, the life alſo of Ieſus ſhall be made manifeſt in our mortall bodies.
My 2. obſeruation was, that afflictions doe make vsus like vntounto Chriſt. He was conſecrated the Prince of our ſaluation through afflictions. For taking our nature vponupon him he filled it with the fulneſſe of miſeries, with all ſorowes of fleſh, with all anguiſh of minde, with perſecution, with death, with ſin, with condemnation,Rom. 8.29. with hell: And thoſe whom God hath foreknowne he hath alſo predeſtinate to be made like vntounto the image of his ſonne, like vntounto him in many afflictions, that at the laſt they may be like vntounto him in eternall glory. Do ſorowes then come thicke vponupon vsus? the moe the better, becauſe the moethe liker vntounto Chriſt, who was full of ſorowes, as Eſay had prophecied of him. Doe we in agonies and bitterneſſe of ſorowes deſcend into hell? Chriſt hath alſo deſcended, and herein we are like vntounto him. If God hauehave giuen vntounto vsus pouerty, cold, nakedneſſe, and much affliction, if we feele many troubles to reſt vponupon vsus, if we feele that greateſt trouble of an affrighted ſoule, and a minde oppreſſed, let vsus thinke with our ſelues; how good is God vntounto vsus, thus to make the image of his onelyonly begotten ſonne to ſhine in vsus, that wee carying his image in vsus may die with him, and alſo reigne with him in the due time which he hath appointed. Let vsus looke into all that euer we hauehave, euen into what thing ſoeuer pleaſeth vsus beſt, …to our goods, lands, poſſeſſions, buildings, riches, honour, …ealth, fauour, authoritie, friendſhip, wife, children, and the …ke, in all theſe things we cannot behold the liuely image of Chriſt, nor by any of theſe things are we made like vntounto Chriſt. Affliction and troubles, humiliations and croſſes, …heſe are the things that make vsus like vntounto CHRIST, and …he greater that our afflictions are the liker wee are vntounto Chriſt.
Let this then teach vsus with patience to beare whatſoeuer …roſſe doe befall vsus. We are full of griefe, but we are chaſti…ed of the Lord, becauſe we ſhould not be condemned with …he world; we die with Chriſt, but becauſe we ſhould liue with him; we ſuffer with Chriſt, but becauſe we ſhould reigne with him; we weepe with Chriſt, but becauſe that Chriſt ſhould wipe all teares from our eyes; we are afflicted on eue…y ſide with Chriſt, but becauſe we ſhould be like vntounto him in all afflictions, and ſo be glorified with him in the day of glory. Let vsus therefore runne with patience the race that is ſet before …, looking vntounto Ieſus the author and finiſher of our faith, who for …he…y that was ſet before him, endured the croſſe, and deſpiſed the ſhame, and is ſet at the right hand of the throne of God. Let vsus approue our ſelues in much patience, in afflictions, in neceſſities, in diſtreſſes, in ſtripes, in priſons, in tumults, in labors, and let vsus commit our ſoules vntounto God in well-doing, as vntounto a faithfull Creator. Yea let vsus reioyce in afflictions, inaſmuch as they are a vantage vntounto vsus, inaſmuch as in our afflictions we hauehave fellowſhip with Chriſt, inaſmuch as afflictions make vsus like vntounto Chriſt.
Now if the queſtion be asked, whether, ſeeing afflictions are ſuch a vantage vntounto vsus as that therein we hauehave fellowſhip with Chriſt, and thereby we are made like vntounto Chriſt, whether I ſay we are to wiſh and deſire afflictions and croſſes: I anſwer that we are to wiſh them, if by that meanes we may attaine vntounto the reſurrection of the dead. For we are to wiſh, and we are to iudge all things without Chriſt to be but dung, that we may attaine vntounto the reſurrection of the dead. If therefore by the meanes of affliction, or by any meanes we may attaine vntounto the reſurrection of the dead, we are to w… that meanes whatſoeuer it be. We are not therefore ſimply to wiſh for afflictions and croſſes, being corrections and chaſtiſements for our ſinnes, but if the will of God be ſo that w… ſuffer afflictions, we are to reioyce inaſmuch as we are partaker of Chriſt his ſufferings, & thereby made like vntounto Chriſt and we are to wiſh, if by that or any meanes we may attaine vntounto the reſurrection of the dead. When therefore the Apoſtle ſaith here, if by any meanes, this (if) implieth not any doubting in the Apoſtle, but an earneſt deſire in the Apoſtle to attaine to the reſurrection of the dead. When he addeth if by any meanes, he implieth that the fellowſhip of Chriſt his afflictions is not the onelyonly meanes whereby we attaine vntounto the reſurrection of the dead, but ſome without perſecution at all, ſome not without perſecution, but without effuſion or their bloud, and ſome by martyrdome attaine to the reſurrection of the dead. Now the Apoſtle ſignifieth, that it is al one to him, if by any meanes, the firſt, ſecond, or third, he may attaine to the reſurrection of the dead. Laſtly, by the reſurrection of the dead, the Apoſtle meaneth the glorious reſurrection of the Saints vn to life euerlaſting. It is then as if the Apoſtle had ſaid, I doe iudge all things without Chriſt to be but dung, that I may winne Chriſt, that I may know Chriſt, and the vertue of his reſurrection, and the fellowſhip of his afflictions, and that I may attaine to the glorious reſurrection of the Saints, if by any meanes, or deſiring by any meanes, affliction, or any meanes to attaine and come vntounto the glorious reſurrection of the Saints, whereby they are raiſed vntounto glory, and life, and immortalitie. Now for the notes.
1. For the note of doubting which hence our aduerſaries would gather, we ſhall hauehave occaſion to ſpeake of it in the next verſe, by occaſion of thoſe words, if that I may.
2. I note, that albeit all the Saints of God attaine to the glorious reſurrection of the dead by the reſurrection of Chriſt Ieſus from the dead: for he was made the first fruits of them that ſleepe: 1 Cor. 15.20and his reſurrection is a ſure pledge of our reſurrection; yet doe not all the Saints of God attaine to the reſurrection of the dead by the ſame meanes. For ſome hauehave attained to the reſurrection of the dead without any perſecuti…n that we read of; as that good old Simeon that tooke our Sa…iour in his armes, and praiſed God, and ſaid,Luk. 2.28.29. Lord now letteſt …ou thy ſeruant depart in peace according to thy word &c. Like…iſe Zacharias, and Elizabeth, and Anna, and others. Others …aue attained to the reſurrection of the dead not without per…cu…ion and manifold afflictions, but yet without martyr…ome and effuſion of their bloud, as Iacob, Dauid, and diuers …thers. And others hauehave attained to the reſurrection of the …ead, but not without martyrdome, and cruell effuſion of …heir bloud, as many of the Prophets, Iohn Baptiſt, Steuen, …ames, Paul, Peter, and diuers others. All which were Saints …f God, and all which died in the Lord, and all of them no …oubt wiſhed, as Paul did, to attaine to the reſurrection of the …ead, if by any meanes they might attaine to the reſurrection …f the dead.
Whence I obſerue, 1. that the way vntounto the heauenly Ieru…lem is not onelyonly by violent death inflicted by the hand of …he cruell and bloudy perſecutor, but that very many alſo are …athered vntounto their fathers in peace, and ſo ſleepe in the Lord. …or as it is a bleſſing giuen vntounto Gods children, not onelyonly to …eleeue in Chriſt, but to ſuffer euen death for his ſake, and ſo …o enter into glory; ſo it is alſo a bleſſing giuen vntounto Gods children to goe to their graue in peace, and ſo to be receiued …nto the euerlaſting habitationss. So it was reckoned vntounto Abraham for a bleſſing that he died in a good age, an olde man, Gen. 25.8.and of great yeares, and was gathered to his people. So it was …eckoned vntounto Dauid for a bleſſing, that he died in a good age, 1 Chron 29.28. 2 Reg. 22.20.…ull of daies, riches and honour. So vntounto Ioſiah, that he was put in…o his graue in peace: and generally to goe to the graue in peace …s a bleſſing of God vponupon his children. And therefore groſſe …nd abſurd was their error, who thinking martyrdome the onelyonly meanes to attaine vntounto the reſurrection of the dead, vo…untarily offered themſelues as it were to the knife of the but…her. OnelyOnly this, if the will of the Lord be ſo, that by a vio…ent death we ſhall glorifie his name, we are patiently to ſub…it our ſelues vntounto his will: to which purpoſe is my ſecond obſeruation hence.
Secondly, hence I obſerue that if we will attaine vntounto the glorious reſurrection of the Saints that are dead and die in the Lord, if we will be partakers with Chriſt in his glory, then muſt we not refuſe to drinke of the ſame cup that he hath drunke, we muſt not refuſe to be partakers with him in his af… ctions, but if by that meanes we may attaine vntounto the re…rrection of the dead, we muſt patiently endure it. For (as ſ…th the Apoſtle) if we hauehave had the fathers of our bodies which corrected vsus, Heb. 12.9.and we gaue them reuerence, ſhould we not much rather be in ſubiection vntounto the father of ſpirits that we may liue? For they verily for a few daies chaſtened vsus after their owne plea…ure, 10.but he chaſteneth vsus for our profit, that we may be partakers of … holineſſe. Act. 14.22.Wee muſt through many afflictions (ſaith the Holy Ghoſt) enter into the kingdome of God. If therefore the Lord will that we come by the croſſe vntounto the crowne, let vsus take vp our croſſe and follow Chriſt. I vſe no other arguments to moue you herevnto then we hauehave already ſpoken of: they are a vantage vntounto vsus: in them all Chriſt ſuffereth with vsus; they make vsus like vntounto Chriſt, therefore let vsus not refuſe the chaſtening of the Lord, whereby he offereth himſelfe vntounto vsus as vntounto ſonnes, and let vsus reioyce, inaſmuch as we are partakers of Chriſt his ſufferings.
My laſt obſeruation hence is, that the glorious reſurrection vntounto life euerlaſting is the marke whereat we are alwaies to aime in the whole courſe of our life.1 Cor. 15.14.30.32.19. If the dead be not raiſed againe, then is our preaching in vaine, and your faith is alſo vaine, ſaith the Apoſtle; and againe, if the dead be not raiſed againe, why are we in ieopardie eueryevery houre? and againe, if I hauehave fought with beaſts at Epheſus after the manner of men, what aduantageth it me, if the dead be not raiſed vp? and againe, if in this life only we hauehave hope in Chriſt, then are we of all men the moſt miſerable. All which albeit they be brought to proue the reſurrection o… the dead, yet doe they likewiſe ſhew that the Apoſtle in his preaching, and in his ſuffering, and in all that he did euer reſpected the reſurrection of the dead. And ſo we ought in all things euermore to aime at the reſurrection of the dead. And this ought to make vsus both do all things cheerefully, & ſuffer all things willingly, knowing that there ſhall be a glorious reſurrection of the iuſt, and that wee ſhall receiue reward through the mercies of God in Chriſt Ieſus for whatſoeuer good we hauehave done, and for whatſoeuer tentation we hauehave ſuffered in the reſurrection of the iuſt.