Seasonable Counsel OR ADVICE TO Sufferers BY JOHN BUNYAN LONDON Printed for Benjamin Alsop at the Angel and Bible in the Poultry MDCLXXXIV TO THE CHRISTIAN READER BEloved I thought it convenient since many at this day are exposed to sufferings to give my advice touching that to thee Namely that thou wouldest take heed to thy self and keep thy Soul diligently and not suffer thy self to be entangled in those snares that God hath suffered to be laid in the World for some Beware of men is the counsel of Christ for they will deliver you up Mat. 10 17. Keep thou therefore within the bounds of uprightness and integrity towards both God and man for that will fortifie that will preserve thee if not from yet under the rage of men in a comfortable and quiet frame of heart Wherefore do that and that only that will justifie they innocency and that will help thee not with forced Speech but with good Conscience when oppressed to make thy appeals to God and to the Consciences of all men This is the advice that I thank God I have taken my self for I find that there is nothing next to God and his Grace by Christ that can stand one in such stead as will a good and harmless Conscience I hope I can say God has made me a Christian and a Christian must be a harmless Man and to that end must imbrace nothing but harmless Principles A Christian business as a Christian is to believe in Jesus Christ and in God the Father by him and to seek the good of all about him according as his place state and capacity in this World will admit not medling with other mens matters but ever following that which is good A Christian is a Child of the Kingdom of God and that Kingdom take it as it begins in Grace or as it is perfected in Glory is not of this World but of that which is to come and though men of old as some may now be afraid of that Kingdom yet that Kingdom will hurt no man neither with its Principles nor by it self To instance somewhat Faith in Christ what harm can that do A life regulated by a moral Law what hurt is in that Rejoycing in Spirit for the hope of the life to come by Christ who will that harm Nor is the instituted worship of our Lord of any evil tendency Christianity teaches us also to do our enemies good to love them that hate us and to pray for them that despitefully use us and persecute us and what evil can be in that This is the summ of the Christian Religion as by the word may be plainly made appear wherefore I counsel thee to keep close to these things and touch with nothing that jostleth therewith Nor do thou marvel thou living thus if some should be so foolish as to seek thy hurt and to afflict thee because thy works are good 1 John 3.12 For there is need that thou shouldest at sometimes be in manifold temptations thy good and innocent life notwithstanding 1 Pet. 1.6 For to omit other things there are some of the graces of God that are in thee that as to some of their Acts cannot shew themselves nor their excellency nor their power nor what they can do but as thou art in a suffering state Faith and Patience in persecution has that to do that to shew and that to perform that cannot be done shewed nor performed any where else but there There is also a patience of hope a rejoycing in hope when we are in tribulation that is over and above that which we have when we are at ease and quiet That also that all graces can endure and triumph over shall not be known but when and as we are in a state of affliction Now these Acts of our Graces are of that worth and esteem with God also he so much delighteth in them that occasion thorough his righteous Judgment must be ministred for them to shew their beauty and what bravery there is in them It is also to be considered that those Acts of our Graces that cannot be put forth or shew themselves in their splendor but when we Christianly suffer will yield such fruit to those whose Tryals call them to exercise that will in the day of God abound to their comfort and tend to their perfection an glory 1 Pet. 1.7 2 Cor. 4.17 Why then should we think thâ—t our innocent lives will exempt us from sufferings or that troubles shall do us such harm For verily it is for our present and future good that our God doth send them upon us I count therefore that such things are necessary for the health of our Souls as bodily pains and labour are for the Body People that live high and in idleness bring diseases upon the Body and they that live in all fulness of Gospel-Ordinances and are not exercised with Tryals grow gross are diseased and full of bad humours in their Souls And though this may to some seem strange yet our day has given us such an experimental proof of the truth thereof as has not been known for some ages past Alas we have need of those bitter pills at which we so whinch and shuck and it will be well if at last we be purged as we should thereby I am sure we are but little the better as yet though the Physician has had us so long in hand Some bad humoâ—rs may possibly ere long be driven out but at present the disease is so high that it makes some professors fear more a Consumption will be made in their purses by these Doses than they desire to be made better in their Souls thereby I see that I still have need of these Tryals and if God will by these judge me as he judges his Saints that I may not be condemned with the World I will cry Grace Grace for ever The consideration also that we have deserved these things much silence me as to what may yet happen unto me I say to think that we have deserved them of God though against men we have done nothing makes me lay my hand upon my mouth and causes me to hold my tongue Shall we deserve correction And be angry because we have it Or shall it come to save us and shall we be offended with the hand that brings it Our sickness is so great that our enemies take notice of it let them know too that we also take our Purges patiently We are willing to pay for those Potions that are given us for the health of our Body how sick soever they make us and if God will have us pay too for that which is to better our Souls why should we grudge thereat Those that bring us these Medicines have little enough for their pains for my part I profess I would not for a great deal be bound for their wages to do their work True Physicians are for the most part chargeable and the niggards are too loth to part with their
thou hast excellent Graces manage them cherish strengthen and replenish them according to the mind of that great one who has bestowed such power to rule upon thee Mortifie therefore your members which are upon the earth fornication uncleanness inordinate affection evil concupiscence and covetousness which is Idolatry Colos. 3.5 Nor do I think that murmuring shrinking whinching complaining and the like when men Governours lay a yoke upon our necks flows from any thing else but love to our flesh and distrust of the faithfulness of God to manage men things and actions for his Church The powers that be are ordered as well as ordained of God They are also always in Gods hand as his rod or staff for the good and benefit of his people Wherefore we ought with all meekness and humbleness of mind to accept of what our God by them shall please to lay upon us 1 Pet. 5.6 By what I now say I do not forbid groaning and crying to God under affliction I speak against striving to deliver our selves from the affliction And since men are as I said the rod staff or sword in Gods hand we should apply our selves unto him in faith in a way of Prayer Intercession Supplication and giving of thanks for Governours For since they are sent of God they must needs come with some good in their hand for us also our prayers may make them more profitable to us And this we ought to do without wrath and doubting for this is that which is good and acceptable unto God 1 Tim. 2. Besides 't is a sign that we forget our selves when we complain for the punishment of our sins If we look into our selves and wayes we shall see cause of more heavy stripes than yet God by men has laid upon us What sin has yet been suppressed by all that has happened to us Are Pride Covetousness Loosness Treacherous dealing Schisms and other things redressed by all the affliction that we have had Yea do we not grow worse and worse Wherefore then should we complain Where is Repentance Reformation and amendment of life amongst us Why then do we shrink and whinch For my part I have oft-times stood amazed both at the mercy of God and the favour of the Prince towards us and can give thanks to God for both and do make it my Prayer to God for the King and that God will help me with meekness and patience to bear what ever shall befall me for my professed subjection to Christ by men We are bid as I said afore to give thanks to God for all men for Kings and for all that are in authority Because as I said there is no man with whom we have to do we doing as we should but he bringeth some good thing to us or doth some good thing for us We will now descend from them that are supreme in authority and will come to inferior men And suppose some of them to act beyond measure cruelly What Can no good thing come to us out of this Do not even such things as are most bitter to the flesh tend to awaken Christians to Faith and Prayer to a sight of the emptiness of this World and the fadingness of the best it yields Doth not God by these things oft-times call our sins to remembrance and provoke us to amendment of life how then can we be offended at things by which we reap so much good and at things that God makes so profitable for us Doth not God oft-times even take occasions by the hardest of things that come upon us to visit our Souls with the comforts of his Spirit to lead us into the glory of his word and to cause us to favour that love that he has had for us even from before the world began till now A nest of Bees and honey did Sampson find even in the belly of that Lion that roared upon him And is all this no good or can we be without such holy appointments of God Let these things be considered by us and let us learn like Christians to kiss the Rod and love it I have thought again my brethren since it is required of us that we give thanks to God for all these men it follows that we do with quietness submit our selves under what God shall do to us by them For it seems a Paradox to me to give thanks to God for them that yet I am not willing should abide in that place that God has set them in for me I will then love them bless them pray for them and do them good I speak now of the men that hurt me as was hinted afore And I will do thus because it is good so to do because they do me good by hurting of me because I am cal-called to inherit a blessing and because I would be like my heavenly Father Therefore if mine enemy hunger let me feed him if he thirst let me give him drink Mat. 5.43 44 45 46 47 48. 1 Pet. 3.9 Rom. 12.17 20 1. We must see good in that in which other men can see none 2. We must pass by those injuries that other men would revenge 3. We must shew we have grace and that we are made to bear what other men are not acquainted with 4. Many of our graces are kept alive by those very things that are the death of other mens Souls Where can the excellency of our Patience of our meekness of our long-suffering of our love and of our Faith appear if it be not under Tryals and in those things that run cross to our flesh The Devil they say is good when he is pleased But Christ and his Saints when displeased Let us therefore covet to imitate Christ and the Scripture Saints Let us shew out of a good conversation our works with meekness of wisdom Let us take heed of admitting the least thought in our minds of evil against God the King or them that are under him in imploy because the cup the King all men and things are in the hand of God Psal. 75.8 Pro. 8.15 Chap. 21.1 Lam. 3.37 and he can make them better to us than if they were as our flesh desireth they should I have often thought that the best Christians are found in the worst of times and I have thought again that one reason why we are no better is because God purges us no more Joh. 15 I know these things are against the grain of the flesh but they are not against the graces of the spirit Noah and Lot who so holy as they in the day of their affliction Noah and Lot who so idle as they in the day of their prosperity I might have put in David too who while he was afflicted had ways of serving God that were special but when he was more enlarged he had ways that were not so good Wherefore the first wayes of David are the ways that God has commended but the rest of his wayes such as had not preheminence 2 Chro. 17.3 We have
to suffer for righteousness sake Take heed therefore that some thing else be not an inducement to thee to suffer A man may suffer to save what he has There is credit also and an applause there is shame to conform there is carnal stoutness of spirit there is hatred of persecutors and scorn to submit there is fear of contempt and of the reproach of the people c. These may be motives and arguments to a suffering state and may really be the ground of a mans being in the Gaol though he cries out in the mean while of Popery of Superstition and Idolatry and of the Errors that attend the common modes of the Religions of the World I charge no man as though I knew any such thing by any But I suggest these things as things that are possible and mention them because I would have sufferers have a care of themselves and watch and pray because no man can be upright here that is not holy that cannot pray and watch and deny himself for the love that he has to righteousness I said it before and will say it again 't is a rare thing to be set in down-rightness of heart against sin Secondly Is it for the sake of righousness that thou sufferest Then it is because thou wouldest have righteousness promoted set up and established in the world also thou art afflicted at those advantages that iniquity gets upon men upon things and against thy self I beheld said David the transgressors and was grieved because men kept not thy Law Psal. 119. And again these are they that mourn for the abominations that are done among men Ezek. 9. There is a great deal of talk about Religion a great deal of pleading for Religion namely as to the formalities of this and the other way But to chuse to be Religions that I might be possessed with holiness and to chuse that Religion that is most apt to possess me with it if I suffer for this I suffer for righteousness sake Wherefore say thus to thy Soul thou that art like to suffer for righteousness How is it with the most inward parts of my Soul what is there what designs desires and teachings out are there Why do I pray Why do I read Why do I hear Why do I haunt and frequent places and ordinances appointed for worship is it because I love holiness would promote righteousness because I love to see godliness shew it self in others and because I would feel more of the power of it in my self if so and if thou sufferest for thy profession thou sufferest not only for righteousness but also for righteousness sake Dost thou thus practise because thou wouldest be taught to do outward acts of righteousness and because thou wouldest provoke others to do so too Dost thou shew to others how thou lovest righteousness by taking opportunities to do righteousness How is it dost thou shew most mercy to thy Dog or to thine enemy to thy Swine or to the poor whose naked body hast thou clothed whose hungry belly hast thou fed Hast thou taken delight in being defrauded and beguiled hast thou willingly sat down by the loss with quietness and been as if thou hadst not known when thou hast been wronged defamed abused and all because thou wast not willing that black mouthed men should vilifie and reproach Religion upon thy account 1 Cor. 6.7 He that loveth righteousness will do thus yea and do it as unto God and of tenderness to the word of God which he professeth And he that thinks to make seeing men believe that when he suffereth he suffereth for righteousness sake and yet is void in his life of moral goodness and that has no heart to suffer and bear and put up and pass by injuries in his conversation among his enemies at home is deceived There are some Scriptures that are as if they were out of date amoâ—â— some professors specially such as can for actual holiness and acts of self denyal for God but it will be found at the day of judgment that they only are the peculiar people that are zealous of good works Tit. 2.14 God help us 't is hard now to perswade professors to come up to negative holiness that is to leave undone that which is bad and yet this of it self comes far short of ones being found in practical goodness But this is the man that suffereth when he suffereth for righteousness sake that makes it his business by all lawful means according to the capacity that God has put him in to promote set up and establish righteousness in the World I say this is the man that suffereth for righteousness sake that suffereth for so doing and I am sure that a life that is moral when joyned to the profession of the faith of the things that are of the spirit of God is absolutely necessary to the promoting of righteousness in the World Hence Peter tells them that suffer for righteousness sake that they must have a good conscience a good conscience towards God towards men towards friends towards enemies 1 Pet. 3.14 15 16. Acts 24.16 chap. 23.1 They must have a good conscience in all things being willing ready desirous to live honestly godly and righteously in this world or else they cannot though they may suffer for the best doctrine under heaven sâ—ffer for righteousness sake Heb. 13.18 Wherefore Thirdly Is it for righteousness sake that thou sufferest then thy design is the ruin of sin this depends upon what was said before for he that strives against sin that seeks to promote righteousness he designs the ruin of sin Be not said Paul to the suffering Romans overcome of evil but overcome evil with good Rom. 12.21 To overcome evil with good is an hard task To rail it down to cry it down to pray Kings and Parliaments and men in authority to put it down this is easier than to use my endeavour to overcome it with good with doing of good as I said before And sin must be overcome with good at home before thy good can get forth of doors to overcome evil abroad Abraham overcame evil with good when he quieted the discontent of Lot and his Herdsmen with allowing of them to feed their Cattel in the best of what God had given him Gen. 13.7 8. David overcame evil with good when he saved the life of his bloudy enemy that was fallen into his hand also when he grieved that any hurt should come to them that sought nothing so much as his destruction They rewarded me saith he evil for good to the spoiling of my Soul But as for me when they were sick my clothing was sackcloth I humbled my Soul with fasting I behaved my self as if he had been my Friend or Brother I bowed down heavily as one that mourneth for his Mother This is to overcome evil with good Psal. 35.11 12 13 14. Job saith concerning his enemy that he did not rejoyce when evil found him neither have I said he suffered
thy self by his word and providence and as for this or that mans judgment refer thy case to the judgment of God 3. Obj. But if I be taken and suffer my cause is like to be clothed with scandals slanders reproaches and all manner of false and evil speakings what must I do Answ. Saul charged David with Rebellion 1 Sam. 22.8.13 Amos was charged with conspiring against the King Amos 7.10 Daniel was charged with despising the King and so also were the three children Dan. 6.13 chap. 3.12 Jesus Christ himself was accused of perverting the nation of forbidding to give tribute to Caesar and of saying that himself was Christ a King Luk. 23.2 These things therefore have been But 1. Canst thou after a due examination of thy self say that as to these things thou art innocent and clear I say will thy conscience justifie thee here Hast thou made it thy business to give unto God the things that are Gods and unto Caesar the things that are his according as God has commanded If so matter not what men shall say nor with what lies and reproaches they slander thee but for these things count thy self happy Blessed are you when men shall revile you and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely lying for my name sake saith Christ. Rejoyce and be exceeding glad for great is your reward in heaven for so persecuted they the prophets that were before you Mat. 5.11 12. Comfort thy self therefore in the innocency of thy Soul and say I am counted a Rebel and yet am Loyal I am counted a deceiver and yet am true 1 Sam. 24.8 9 10 11 12. 2 Cor. 6.8 Also refer thy cause to the day of judgment for if thou canst rejoyce at the thoughts that thou shalt be cleared of all slanders and evil speakings then that will bear up thy heart as to what thou maiest suffer now The answer of a good conscience will carry a man thorough Hell to Heaven Count these slanders part of thy sufferings and those for which God will give thee a reward because thou art innocent and for that they are laid upon thee for thy professions sake But if thou be guilty look to thy self I am no comforter of such I come now to speak to the third and last part of the Text Namely of the good effect that will certainly follow to those that after a due manner shall take the advice afore given Let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their Souls to him in well-doing as unto a faithful Creator Two things from the last clause of the Text lie yet before us And they are they by which will be shown what good effect will follow to those that suffer according to the will of God and that commit their Souls to his keeping 1. Such will find him to themselves a Creator 2. They will find him a faithful Creator Let them commit the keeping of their Souls to him as unto a faithful Creator In this phrase a faithful Creator behold the wisdom of the holy Ghost how fitly and to the purpose he speaketh King is a great Title and God is sometimes called a King but he is not set forth by this Title here but by the Title of a Creator for it is not always in the power of a King to succour and relieve his Subjects that are suffering for his Crown and Dignity Father is a sweet Title a Title that carrieth in it an intimation of a great deal of bowels and compassion and God is often set forth also by this Title in the holy Scriptures But so he is not here but rather as a Creator For a Father a compassionate Father cannot always help succour or relieve his Children though he knows they are under affliction Oh but a Creator can Wherefore I say he is set forth here under the Title of a Creator First a Creator nothing can die under a Creators hands A Creator can sustain all A Creator can as a Creator do what he pleases The Lord the everlasting God the Creator of the ends of the earth fainteth not nor is weary Isa. 40.28 The cause of God for which his people suffer had been dead and buried a thousand years a go had it not been in the hand of a Creator The people that have stood by his cause had been out of both as to persons name and remembrance had they not been in the hand of a Creator Who could have hoped when Israel was going in even into the mouth of the red Sea that ever his cause or that people should have revived again A huge host of the Egyptians were behind them and nothing but death before and on every hand of them but they lived they flourished they out-lived their enemies for they were in the hand of a Creator Who could have hoped that Israel should have returned again from the land from the hand and from under the Tyranny of the King of Babylon They could not deliver themselves from going thither they could not preserve themselves from being diminished when they came there their power was gone they were in captivity their distance from home was far their enemies possest their Land their City of defence was ruined and their houses burned down to the ground and yet they come home again there is nothing impossible to a Creator Who could have thought that the three Children could have lived in a fiery furnace that Daniel could have been safe among the Lyons that Jonah could have come home to his Countrey when he was in the Whales belly or that our Lord should have risen again from the dead but what is impossible to a Creator This therefore is a rare consideration for those to let their hearts be acquainted with that suffer according to the will of God and that have committed the keeping of their Souls to him in well doing They have a Creator to maintain and uphold their cause a Creator to oppose its opposers And hence it is said all that burden themselves with Jerusalem shall be cut in pieces though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it Zech. 12.3 Secondly A Creator A Creator can not only support a dying cause but also fainting spirits For as he fainteth not nor is is weary So he gives power to the faint and to those that have no might he increaseth strength Isa. 4.29 He is the God of the spirits of all flesh and has the life of the spirit of his people in his own hand Spirits have their being from him he is the Father of Spirits Spirits are made strong by him nor can any crush that spirit that God the Creator will uhpold Is it not a thing amazing to see one poor inconsiderable man in a Spirit of faith and patience overcome all the threatnings cruelties afflictions and sorrows that a whole World can lay upon him None can quail him none can crush him none can bend down his spirit None can make
him to forsake what he has received of God a commandment to hold fast His holy harmless and profitable notions because they are spiced with grace yield to him more comfort joy and peace and do kindle in his Soul so goodly a fire of love to and zeal for God that all the waters of the World shall never be able to quench Ay say some that 's because he is head-strong obstinate and one that will hear no reason No say I but it is because his spirit is in the hand under the conduct and preservation of a Creator A Creator can make spirits uphold Spirits and make one Spirit stronger to stand than are all the Spirits of the World to cast down To stand I say in a way of patient enduring in well doing against all that Hell can do to suppress Thirdly A Creator A Creator can bring down the Spirits that oppose and make them weak and unastable as water The Lord the everlasting God the Creator of the ends of the earth fainteth not nor is weary There is no searching of his understanding He gives power to the faint and to those that have no might he increaseth strength now mark even the youth shall faint and be weary and the young men shall utterly fall A Creator can dash the Spirits of the enemies with fear God can put them in fear and make them know that they are men and not God and that their Horses are flesh and not spirit When the enemy came to take Jesus Christ their spirits fainted their hearts died in them they went backwards and fell to the ground They had hard work to strengthen their spirits to a sufficiency to boldness and courage though they brought Halberts and Staves and Swords and weapons with them to take a naked man John 18.3 4 5 6 7. And although this is that which is not so visible to the World as some other things are yet I believe that God treads down the Spirits of men in a day when they afflict his people oftner than we are aware of or than they are willing to confess How was the hostile Spirit of Esau trod down of God when he came out to meet his poor naked brother with no less than four hundred armed men He fainted before his Brother and instead of killing kist him Gen. 33. How was the bloudy Spirit of Saul trod down when David met him at the mouth of the Cave and also at the hill Hachâ—lah 1 Sam. 24.62 God is a Creator and as a Creator is a Spirit maker a Spirit reviver a Spirit destroyer He can destroy body and Soul in hell Luk. 12. Fourthly A Creator As a Creator he is over all Arts Inventions and Crafts of men that are set on work to destroy Gods people whether they be Souldiers excellent Orators or any other whatsoever we will single out one the Smith that roaring fellow who with his coles and his Bellows makes a continual noise I have created the Smith saith God that bloweth the coals in the fire that bringeth forth an instrument for his work and I have created the waster to destroy Isa. 45.16 The Smith what is he I answer an Idol-maker a promoter of false worship and one that makes Instruments of cruelty therewith to help to suppress the true Chap. 41.7 Chap. 44. the 12. Chap. 46. â— chap. 54.17 I have created the Smith saith God that bloweth the coals in the fire The Idol inventor the Idol-maker the supporter of Idol worship he is my creature saith God to teach that he has power to reach him and to command his Sword to approach him at his pleasure notwithstanding his roaring with his Bellows and his coals in the fire So then he cannot do what he will in the fire nor with his Idol when he has made it the instrument also that he makes for the defence of his Idol and for the suppressing of Gods true worship shall not do the thing for the which 't is designed by him And so the very next verse saith No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn this is the heritage of the servants of the Lord and their righteousness is of me saith the Lord. ver 17. And the Text saith moreover I have created the waster to destroy The waster what 's that why the Smith makes an Idol and God has made the rust the Smith makes a Sword and God has made the rust The rust eats them up the moth shall eat them up the fire shall devour them The wicked saith the Psalmist have drawn out the sword and have bent their bow to cast down the poor and needy and to stay such as are upright in conversation their sword shall enter into their own heart and their bow shall be broken Psal. 37.14 15. All this can God do because he is a Creator and none but God can do it Wherefore by this peculiar Title of Creator the Apostle prepareth support for suffering Saints and also shews what a good conclusion is like to be made with them that suffer for righteousness sake according to his will and that commit the keeping of their Souls to him in well doing as unto a faithful Creator Fifthly A Creator a Creator can make such provision for a suffering people in all respects as shall answer all their wants Have they lost their peace with the World have they no more peace with this World Why a Creator can make create peace can create peace peace Peace with God and peace with his conscience and that 's better than all the peace that can be found else where in the World Isa. 57.19 Have they lost a good frame of heart do they want a right frame of spirit Why though this is to be had no where in the World yet a Creator can help them to it Psal. â—1 10 Have they lost their spiritual defence do they lie too open to their spiritual foes Why this a Creator can help And the Lord shall create upon every dwelling place of Mount Sion and upon all her assemblies a cloud and smoke by day and the shining of a flaming fire by night for upon all her glory shall be a defence Isa. 4 5 6. This is the work of the Spirit for though the Spirit it self be uncreate yet all the holy works of it in the heart are verily works of Creation Our new man is a Creation our graces are a Creation our joys and comforts are a Creation 2 Cor. 5.17 18. Ephes. 4.24 Isa. 65.17 18 19. Now a Creation none can destroy but a Creator wherefore here is comfort But again God hath created us in Christ Jesus that 's another thing the Sun is created in the Heavens the Stars are created in the Heavens the Moon is created in the Heavens Who can reach them touch them destroy them but the Creator Why this is the case of the Saint because he has to do with a
righteousness sake sets himself against God fights against God and seeks to overthrow him Now such an one the Chrian must let alone and stand off from that God may have his full blow at him in his time Wherefore he saith to his Saints and to all that are forward to revenge themselves Give place stand back let me come leave such an one to be handled by me Dearly-beloved avenge not your selves but rather give place unto wrath for it is written Vengeance is mine I will repay saith the Lord. Rom. 12.19 Wherefore the Lord set a mark upon Cain lest any finding him should slay him You must not indeed you must not avenge your selves of your enemies Yea though it was lawful once so to do it is not lawful now Ye have heard that it hath been said to them of old time Thou shalt love thy neighbour and hate thine enemy but I say said our Lord love them bless them do good to them and pray for them that hate you Mat. 5.43.44 Secondly Revenge is of the flesh I mean this our revenge of our selves and it proceeds from anger wrath impatience under the cross unwillingness to suffer from too much love to carnal ease to estates to enjoyments to relations and the like It also flows from a fearful cowardly spirit there is nothing of greatness in it except it be greatness of untowardness I know there may for all this be pretences to justice to righteousness to the liberty of the Gospel the suppressing of wickedness and the promoting of holiness but these can be but pretences or at best but the fruits of a preposterous zeal For since as has been often said in this Treatise the Lord hath forbidden us to do so it cannot be imagined that he should yet animate any to such a thing by the holy Ghost and the effects of the graces thereof Let them then if any such be that are thus minded be counted the narrow spirited carnal fleshly angry waspish spirited professors The professors that know more of the Jewish than of the Christian Religion and that love rather to countenance the motions passions and gross motions of an angry mind than with meekness to comply with the will of a heavenly Father Thou art bid to be like unto him and also thou art shewed wherein Mat. 5.45 46 47 48. There is a man hates God blasphemes his Name despises his Being Yea says There is no God And yet the God that he carrieth it thus towards doth give him his breakfast dinner and supper clothes him well and when night comes has him to bed gives him good rest blesses his Field his Corn his Cattel his Children and raises him to high-estate Yea and this our God doth not only once or twice but untill these transgressors become old his patience is thus extended years after years that we might learn of him to do well Thirdly a professor and unquiet and troublesome discontented and seeking to be revenged of thy persecutors where is or what kind of graces hast thou got I dare say they even these in which thou thus actest are none of the graces of the spirit The fruits of the spirit are love joy peace long-suffering gentleness goodness faith meekness temperance against such there is no Law But wrath strife seditions traitors and inventors of evil things are reckoned with the worst of sins and sinners and are plainly called the works of the flesh Rom. 1.29 30 31. 2 Tim. 3.3 4. Galat. 5.19 20 21. But I say where is thy love to thine enemy where is thy Joy under the Cross where is thy peace when thine anger has put thee upon being unquiet where is thy long-suffering for as thou actest not ought but thy waspishness can be seen where also is thy sweet meek and gentle spirit and is goodness seen in thy seeking the life or the damage of thy enemy Away away thy graces if thou hast any are by these thy passions so jostled up into corners and so pent for want of room and liberty to shew themselves that by the word of God thou canst not be known to be of the right kind what a noise soever thou makest A Christian when he sees trouble coming upon him should not fly in the face of the instrument that brings it but in the face of the cause of its coming Now the cause is thy self thy base self thy sinful self and thy unworthy carriages towards God under all the mercy patience and long-suffering that God has bestowed upon thee and exercised towards thee Here thou mayest quarrel and be revenged and spare not so thou take vengeance in a right way and then thou wilt do so when thou takest it by godly sorrow 2 Cor. 7.10 11. A Christian then should bewail his own doings his own unworthy doings by which he has provoked God to bring a cloud upon him and to cover him with it in anger A Christian should say this is my wickedness when a persecutor touches him yea he should say it and then shut up his mouth and bear the indignation of the Lord because he has sinned against him Thy way and thy doings have procured these things unto thee this is thy wickedness because it is bitter because it reacheth unto thy heart Jer. 4.18 Fourthly What conviction of thy goodness can the actions that flow from such a spirit give unto observers none at all Yea a spirit of unquietness under sufferings and that seeketh to be revenged of those that do for thy faith and the profession thereof persecute thee is so far off of giving conviction to beholders that thou art right that it plainly tells them that thou art wrong Even Julian the Apostate when he had cast away whatever he could of Christ had this remaining with him that a Christian ought to take with patience what affliction fell upon him for his masters sake and would hit them in the teeth with an unbecoming behaviour that complained or that sought redress of them that had abused them for their faith and godly profession What will men say if you shrink and whinch and take your sufferings unquietly but that if you your selves were uppermost you would persecute also much more have they ground to say so when you will fight lying on your backs Be quiet then and if thine enemy strike thee on one cheek turn to him the other and if he also revile and curse thee down upon thy knees and pray for him This is the way to convince thy observers that thou art a godly man Father forgive them for they know not what they do was one of those things that convinced the Centurion that Jesus was a righteous man For he stood by the Cross to watch and see how Jesus carried it in these his sufferings as well as to see execution done Mat. 27.54 Luk. 23.34 47. Fifthly A professor unquiet and turbulent under sufferings and seeking his own revenge cannot be a victor over what he should nor a keeper of