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

And for these troubles, let them be the most terrible that can be, they are such as may stand with Gods love, the dearest of Gods love, such as the dearest of Gods people have met withal: says God in Jeremiah, I gave the dearly beloved of my soul, into the hands of her enemies. Indeed if they were such as could not fall, but from Gods hatred, it were another matter; but they may stand with Gods love, yea, with the very same love wherewithal God the Father did love Jesus Christ, and would you have better love then that? you may be sure that all your afflictions that you do endure for godliness, and the ways of godliness, they are not such but you may have them in the same love that God loved Jesus Christ, and one would think that were enough to satisfy any soul in the world. John 17. ult. there Christ prays, that his Disciples might be loved, with the same love wherewith he was loved: now notwithstanding the love of the Father ⟨p. 111⟩to the Son, he was afflicted, and suffered as much trouble, as you are like to suffer; and if you in suffering may be in no worse case then he was, and may have the same love that he had, notwithstanding your sufferings, sure your sufferings are no great matter; there is no more evil in your sufferings, then may stand with the love of God to your souls, the same love wherewith God loved Christ: and if a soul knows this, it will not be discouraged from the ways of godliness, notwithstanding afflictions: indeed if in affliction there were the venom of Gods wrath, and the curse of the Law, it were something, but the sting and venom is taken out, and there is no great evil.

And for these troubles, let them be the most terrible that can be, they are such as may stand with Gods love, the dearest of Gods love, such as the dearest of Gods people have met withal: says God in Ieremiah, I gave the dearly beloved of my soul, into the hands of her enemies. Indeed if they were such as could not fal, but from Gods hatred, it were another matter; but they may stand with Gods love, yea, with the very same love wherewithal God the Father did love Jesus Christ, and would you have better love then that? you may be sure that all your afflictions that you do endure for godliness, and the ways of godliness, they are not such but you may have them in the same love that God loved Jesus Christ, and one would think that were enough to satisfie any soul in the world.