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

Thirdly, hence we come to see the reason why so many are overcome in a way of suffering, and do ¹yield, and so basely Apostatize, rather then they will go on in a way of suffering for God: they have not an eye to look up to Heaven, and to see all the glory that is revealed: they do not know within themselves that there are such things, as it is said of those in Heb. 10. 34. They knew within themselves what they had in Heaven; they look upon these things as conceits and imaginations. In Phil. 3. 18. the Apostle speaks of some that were enemies to the Cross of Christ, but what were they? They were men that minded earthly things: but says the Apostle, Our conversation is in Heaven. What was the reason that Demas forsook Paul? It was for this present world; he was not acquainted with the powers of the world to come, and therefore he forsook Paul, rather then he would suffer in the cause of God with Paul. Certainly, those that fall off in the time of suffering, are such as never had a taste of the powers to come, or have lost it: this dew of Heaven hath not fallen upon their hearts to moisten them, and therefore every suffering does scorch up the root: If the root be kept moist, though scorching heat come, it does not dry up the plant, but it is green and flouwere ⟨p. 620⟩so able to suffer, because they had their hearts so purged by faith, Acts 15. 9. Take a man that was strong, if he have many ill humours in his body, all his strength is gone, but if the Physician gives him something to purge out his ill humours, though he have no Cordials given him to strengthen him, yet he is strong, and he is able to endure, and to do more then before: So those spirits that are full of distempered humours, that are unsound, they can bear nothing, undergo no difficulty, but when there is any thing to purge the heart and make it clean, then it is able to do or suffer more: sin lies rotting at the heart, and by rotting does weaken; a rotten rag hath no strength to bear any thing, so those that have old sins lie rotting, they can bear nothing: The spirit of power, and of a sound mind is put together,