Moses his choice with his eye fixed upon Heaven, discovering the happy condition of…

Fourthly, the respect unto the recompense of the reward hath a mighty power to carry on the soul in ¹a way of suffering, because the soul by this comes to see how infinitely well pleased God is with it, and with that it undertakes for his names sake, in suffering any thing in his cause; and this does mightily prevail with a gracious heart. If God does but give his command to do a thing, this might be enough to show Gods good pleasure in that action; but when with command God reveals such infinite glorious things that he will reward that action withal, this discovers more of the infinite good pleasure of God; so that the soul in this does not only see its own happiness, but sees the infinite good pleasure of God in it; and reasons thus, How hath God set his heart upon me? And what infinite good pleasure is it that he takes, in that I poor worm shall suffer for his names sake, when he does not only tell me it is according to his will, but he hath such infinite glorious things to reward that I do, except his heart were much upon it, & taken with it, there would never such great and glorious things have been for the rewarding of it; but in that these things are so revealed, and I in some measure see them, I cannot but think God takes infinite delight in these sufferings, for his names sake, & God forbid that any thing in the world should take off my heart from that which I see God takes such infinite pleasure in: when a gracious heart shall see God holding forth a crown to set on his head in suffering, ⟨p. 614⟩it sets the soul on fire in suffering for God; if thou hadst only given forth thy command, it had been enough to make all creatures obedient to thee; but that thou shouldest manifest thy self thus to crown them with this glory, and to lay up these treasures of the riches of thy glory for them, Who would not do and suffer any thing in thy cause, O blessed God!

Fourthly, the respect unto the recompence of the reward hath a mighty power to carry on the soul in ¹a way of suffering, because the soul by this comes to see how infinitely well pleased God is with it, and with that it undertakes for his names sake, in suffering any thing in his cause; and this does mightily prevail with a gracious heart. If God does but give his command to do a thing, this might be enough to shew Gods good pleasure in that action; but when with command God reveals such infinite glorious things that he will reward that action withal, this discovers more of the infinite good pleasure of God; so that the soul in this does not onely see its own happiness, but sees the infinite good pleasure of God in it; and reasons thus, How hath God set his heart upon me? And what infinite good pleasure is it that he takes, in that I poor worm shall suffer for his names sake, when he does not onely tell me it is according to his will, but he hath such infinite glorious things to reward that I do, except his heart were much upon it, & taken with it, there would never such great and glorious things have been for the rewarding of it; but in that these things are so revealed, and I in some measure see them, I cannot but think God takes infinite delight in these sufferings, for his names sake, & God forbid that any thing in the world should take off my heart from that which I see God takes such infinite pleasure in: when a gracious heart shall see God holding forth a crown to set on his head in suffering,