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

Seventhly, there is a great deal of power in this argument to help on the soul in a way of suffering, ¹because by looking at this recompense of reward, the soul comes to see what glorious things sufferings do prepare for, hasten unto, and work to the increase of. First, what glorious things sufferings prepare for: As it is a notable expression Mr. Hawks hath in a Letter he writ to encourage Mr. Philpot, being cast into the Bishops Cole-house, says he, This Bishops Cole-house is but to scour you, and make you bright, and to fit you to be set up upon the high shelf, meaning Heaven; as when you would set up vessels of brass, or iron, you first take cinders or ashes and scour them, and by rubbing them with such things, they are fit to be set up; so all sufferings are but the means that God uses to scour his people to make them bright, to set them up on high; God will not set up his servants ⟨p. 616⟩[…] ⟨p. 617⟩[…] ⟨p. 618⟩on the high shelf, till first he hath made them bright, and he uses this way to do it, and then they hasten to great things; the more one suffers, the nearer he comes to glory, and to Heaven: Let the world do the worst it can, it can but take away your estates, and meat, and drink, and put you in the cold, and hasten death, and the hastening of death is the hastening of glory: The greatest sufferings of Gods people, are but as the fiery Chariots to carry Gods ²people home in. This was the answer of Basil to the Emperors Lieutenant, when he threatened death to him, Death is a benefit to me, it will send me sooner to God, to whom I live, to whom I desire to hasten. And then they do increase glory, it is but a trade of less things to increase greater; all sufferings are the seeds of glory.

Seventhly, there is a great deal of power in this argument to help on the soul in a way of suffering, ¹because by looking at this recompence of reward, the soul comes to see what glorious things sufferings do prepare for, hasten unto, and work to the encrease of. First, what glorious things sufferings prepare for: As it is a notable expression Mr. Hawks hath in a Letter he writ to encourage Mr. Philpot, being cast into the Bishops Cole-house, says he, This Bishops Cole-house is but to scour you, and make you bright, and to fit you to be set up upon the high shelf, meaning Heaven; as when you would set up vessels of brass, or iron, you first take cinders or ashes and scour them, and by rubbing them with such things, they are fit to be set up; so all sufferings are but the means that God uses to scour his people to make them bright, to set them up on high; God will not set up his servants