Seasonable Counsel or Advice to Sufferers, Part 4, by John Bunyan. This sermon was created with an artificial voice for the Audiobook Initiative on Sermon Audio. There may be mispronunciations or occasional repetitions. To report a mistake, please email us at info at sermonaudio.com and include the sermon ID or title of the message and the time at which the error occurs. We will do our best to get it corrected for future listeners. From what has been said as to these things, this I collect as the sum. First, that man by nature is in a state of wrath and condemnation. Secondly, that the natural man, by all his natural abilities, is not able to recover himself from this, his condemned condition. Thirdly, that a man may have right notions of gospel things, that hath no grace in his heart. Fourthly, that to add human inventions to Christ's institutions, and to make them of the same force and necessity, of the same authority and efficacy, is not, and not to be subjected to. So then he that saith these things saith true. For the scriptures say the same. This, then, is a good cause to suffer for, if men will that I shall suffer for saying so, because it is that which is founded upon the word of God, and the word is the ground and foundation of all true doctrine. Let him, then, that believeth what is here discoursed, and that liveth soberly and peaceably in this belief among his neighbours, stand by what he hath received, and rejoice that he hath found the truth. And if any shall afflict or trouble him for holding of these things, they afflict or trouble him for holding to good things. And he suffereth at their hands, because his cause is good. And such an one may with boldness as to this make his appeal to the Bible, which is the foundation of his principles, and to God the author of that foundation, if what he holds is not good, He may say, Lord, I have said that man by nature is in a state of condemnation, and they make me suffer for that. Lord, I have asserted that man by all his natural abilities is not able to recover himself from this, his condemned state, and they make me suffer for that. Lord, I have said that a natural man may have right notions of the gospel, and yet be without the saving grace thereof, and they make me suffer for that. Lord, I cannot consent that human inventions and doctrines of men should be joined with thy institution as matters of worship, and imposed upon my conscience as such, and they make me suffer for that. Lord, I own the government. Pray for my superiors. Live quietly among my neighbors. Give to all their dues. Feed the hungry, clothe the naked, relieve the afflicted, and show myself, by my faith and life, to be a true Christian man. And yet my neighbors will not let me alone. True, I cannot comply with all that some men would have me comply with. No more did Daniel, no more did Paul. And yet Daniel said that he had to the king done no hurt. And Paul said, neither against the law of the Jews, neither against the temple, nor yet against the temple, nor yet against Caesar have I offended anything at all. For he that keeps within the compass of God's word hurts no man, gives just offense to no man, though he complieth not with all that are modes and ways of worship in the world. Nor can this appeal be judged injurious, if it be not attended with intercessions against them that hate us. But we will pass this, and come to a second thing. Three, as he that suffereth for righteousness must have a good cause, so he that suffereth for righteousness must have a good call. A man, though his cause be good, ought not by undue ways to run himself into suffering for it. Nature teaches the contrary, and so doth the law of God. Suffering for a truth ought to be cautiously took in hand, and as warily performed. I know that there are some men that are more concerned here than some. The preacher of the word is by God's command made the more obnoxious man, for he must come off with a woe if he preaches not the gospel. He, therefore, I say, doth and ought more to expose himself than other Christians are called to do. yet it behooveth him also to beware, because that Christ has said to him, Behold, I send you forth as sheep or lambs in the midst of wolves. Be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. A man is not bound by the law of his Lord to put himself into the mouth of his enemy. Christ withdrew himself. Paul escaped the governor's hands by being let down in a basket over the wall of the city, And Christ hath said, If they persecute you in one city, flee to another. If they will not let me preach here, I will take up my Bible and be gone. Perhaps this is because I must preach in some other place. A minister can quickly pack up and carry his religion with him, and offer what he knows of his God to another people. Nor should a minister strive, I think, with the magistrate for place or time. But let him hearken to hear what God shall say by such opposition. Perhaps the magistrate must drive thee out of this place, because the soul is in another place that is to be converted, or helped by thy sermon today. We must also, in all things, show ourselves to be such as by our profession we would that men should believe we are, to wit, meek, gentle, not strivers, but take our Lord and our brethren the prophets for our examples. But I will not here presume to give instructions to ministers, but will speak a few words in the general about what I think may be a sufficient call to a man to suffer for righteousness. First, every Christian man is bound by God's Word to hold to or stand by his profession, his profession of faith, and to join to that profession and holy, godly life. Because the apostle and high priest of his profession is no less a one than Christ Jesus, this by Christ himself is expressed thus, let your light so shine. No man lighter the candle to put it under a bushel. Let your loins be girded about and your lights burning. And Paul bids the Philippians hold forth the word of life. And more particularly, by all this, this is intended, that we should hide our faith in Christ from no man, but should rather make a discover of it by a life that will do so. For our profession thus managed is the badge and the Lord's livery by which we are distinguished from other men. So then, if, while I profess the truth of Christ, and so walk as to make my profession of it more apparent, I be made a sufferer for it, my call is good, and I may be bold in God and in my profession. This Peter intends when he saith, But, and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye, and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled, but sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you, a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear. Here then is a call not to meddle with the other, but to mind our own business, to walk in our Christian profession, and to adorn it with all good works, and if any man will meddle with me, and ask me a reason of the hope that I have, to give it him with meekness and fear, whatever follows thereupon. This Peter should have done himself there, where he denies his master thrice. The reason is, for that Christianity is so harmless a thing, that be it never so openly professed, it hurts no man. I believe that Christ will save me. What hurt is this to my neighbor? I love Christ because He will save me. What hurt is this to any? I will for this worship Christ as He has bid me. What hurt is this to anybody? I will also tell my neighbors. What a loving one my Christ is, and that He is willing to be good to them as He has been good to me. And what hurt is this to the governor of a kingdom? But, and if any man will afflict me for this, my cause is good, and also my call to stand full godly to my profession. Secondly, there is sometimes a call to suffer for righteousness, even from the voice of necessity. That is, either when, by my silence, the truth must fall to the ground, or when, by my shrinking, the souls of other men are in danger, this, I say, is a call to suffer, even by the voice of necessity. The case may be when God's ways may be trodden underfoot, yea, His word and ways and name and people and all. Thus Goliath did do for several days together, and vaunted in his doing, and there was not a man, no, not in Israel, that durst answer him a word. And now was the spirit of David stirred in him, and he would put his life in his hand, and give this man an answer. And he saw there was reason for it. Necessity gave him a call. Is there not a cause, saith he, lies bleeding upon the ground, and no man of heart or spirit to put a check to the bold blasphemer? I will go fight with him. I will put my life in my hand. If I die, I die. Consider also what Daniel did when the law was gone out to forbid. For thirty days, petitioning any god or man, save the king only. At that time, also, not a man of Israel peeped. Now necessity walks about the streets, crying, Who is on the Lord's side? who, etc., and Daniel answers, I am, by opening of his window, and praying, as at other times, three times a day, with his face towards Jerusalem. He heard this voice of necessity, and put his life in his hand, and complied with it, to the hazard of being torn in pieces by the lions. Much like this was that of the three children, for when that golden image was set up, and worship commanded to be done unto it, not one, that we read of durst stand upright when the time was come that bowing was the sign of worship. Only the three children would not bow. It was necessary that some should show that there was a God in heaven, and that divine worship was due alone to Him. but they run the hazard of being turned to ashes in a burning, fiery furnace for so doing. But necessity has a loud voice and shrill in the ears of a tender conscience. This voice will awake jealousy and kindle a burning fire within, for the name and cause and way and people of the God of heaven Thirdly, there is sometimes a call to suffer for righteousness by the voice of providence. That is, when by providence I am cast for my profession into the hands of the enemies of God and His truth, then I am called to suffer for it what God shall please to let them lay upon me. Only for the making of my way more clear this matter, I will deliver what I have to say with a caution or two. 1. Thou must take heed that thy call be good to this or that place, at which, by providence, thou art delivered up. 2. Thou must also take heed that, when thou art there, thou busiest thyself in nothing but that good is. 3. Thou must also take heed that thou stay there no longer than while thou mayest do good or receive good there. For, thus far, a man is in the way of his duty, and therefore may conclude that the providence of God, under which now he is, is such as has mercy and salvation in the bowels of it, whatsoever is by it at the present brought upon him, Christ Jesus our Lord, though His death was determined, and of absolute necessity, and the chiefly for which He came into the world, chose rather to be taken in the way of His duty than in any other way or anywhere else. Wherefore, when the hour was come, He takes with Him some of His disciples, and goeth into a garden, a solitary place, to pray. which done, he sets his disciples to watch, and falleth himself to prayer. So he prays once, he prays twice, he prays thrice, and he giveth also good doctrine to his disciples. And now behold, while he was here, in the way of his duty, busying himself in prayer to God, and in giving of good instruction to his followers, Upon him comes Judas and a multitude with swords and staves, and weapons to take him. To which providence he in all meekness submits, for he knew that by it he had a call to suffer. In this way, also, the apostles were called to suffer, even while they were in the way of their duty. Yea, God bid them go into the temple to preach, and there delivered them into the hands of their enemies. Be we in the way of our duty, in the place and about the work unto which we are called of God, whether that work be religious or civil, we may without fear leave the issue of things to God, who only doth wonderful things. And he who lets not a sparrow fall to the ground without his providence will not suffer a hair of our head to perish, but by his order. and since he has engaged us in his work, as he has if he has called us to it, we may expect that he will manage, and also bear us out therein, either so as by giving of us a good deliverance, by way of restoration to our former liberty and service for him, or so as to carry us well out of this world to them that under the altar are crying, How long, holy and true, or shall we, When we come there, repent that we suffered for Him here. Oh, how little do saints in a suffering condition think of the robes, the crowns, the harps, and the son that shall be given to them, and that they shall have when they come upon Mount Zion. Fourthly, there is sometimes a call to suffer for righteousness by an immediate and powerful impulse of the Spirit of God upon the heart. This, I say, is sometimes, and but sometimes, for this is not God's ordinary way, nor are many of his servants called after this manner to suffer for righteousness. Moses was called thus to suffer when he went so often unto Pharaoh with the message of God in his mouth. and he endured, as seeing him who is invisible. Paul was called thus to suffer, and he obeyed and went and performed that work according to the will of God. This kind of call Paul calls a binding, or a being bound in the Spirit, because the Holy Ghost had laid such a command upon him to do so, that he could not, by any means, get from under the power of it, And now, behold, saith he, I go bound in the Spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there. For he that is under this call has, as I said, bonds laid upon his spirit, which carry him to the place where his testimony is to be born for God. Nor shall he, if he willingly submits and goes, as Paul did, but have an extraordinary presence of God with him, as he. and see what a presence he had. For after the second assault was given him by the enemy, even the night following, the Lord stood by him and said, Be of good cheer, Paul. For as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome. Thus God meeteth his people in their service for him, when he calls them aloud to do great service for him. The power of such a call as this, I say, is great, and men of ordinary spirits must needs give place thereto, and leave a man thus bound to the God that thus has bound him. All the help such can afford him is to follow him with our prayers, not to judge him or grieve him, or lay stumbling blocks before him. No, they must not weep nor mourn for him, so as to make him sorrowful. His friends may suggest unto him what is like to attend his present errand, as Agabus did by the spirit to Paul, when he took his girdle, and bound himself therewith, to show him how his enemies should serve him whither he went. Thus said the Holy Ghost, said he, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles. But if this call be indeed upon a man, all sorrow is turned into joy before him, for he is ready not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus. Instances also, of later times, might be given of a call extraordinary to suffer for righteousness. For many, in the first 300 years' persecution, when nobody knew what they were, would boldly come up to the face of their enemies and tell what they were, and suffer for what they professed, the death. I remember also the woman who, when her friends were gone before to suffer, how she came running and panting after, for fear she should not come thither time enough to suffer for Jesus Christ. But I will give you an instance of later times, even in the beginning of Queen Elizabeth's reign, of an Hertfordshire man that went as far as Rome to bear his testimony for God against the wickedness of that place. This man, when he was arrived there, and had told them wherefore he was come, they took and condemned him to death, to wit, to be burned for an heretic. Now he was to ride from the prison to the place of execution upon an ass, with his face to the beast's tail, and was to be stripped from the shoulders to the waist. That he might be tormented all the way he went with burning torches continually thrust to his sides, but he, nothing at all afraid, spake in his exhortation to the people to fly from their sin and idolatry. He would also catch hold of the torches and put them to his sides, to show how little he esteemed the worst that they could do. When he was come to the place of execution, he suffered there such cruelty, with so unconcerned a mind, and with such burning zeal for God's truth, testified against them while he could speak. That all amazed, his enemies cried, he could not have suffered as he did but by the help of the devil. His name I have now forgot. but you will find it with the story at large in the third volume of Acts and Monuments at the 1022 page. But we will pass this and come to our second particular, namely, B, what it is to suffer for righteousness' sake, to show when it may be said, a man doth not only suffer for righteousness, but also for righteousness' sake. To suffer for righteousness' sake must be either with the intention of the persecutor or else of the persecuted. The persecutor, whatever the person's suffering is, if he afflicted this person for a supposed good that he thinketh he hath or professeth, he make him suffer for righteousness' sake. So that, in this sense, a man that hath no grace may not only suffer for righteousness, but also for righteousness' sake. But this I intend not, because the text is not concerned with it. The thing therefore now intended to be spoken to, is this namely, when a man may be said to suffer what he suffereth upon a religious account, of love to or for the sake of, that good that he finds in the truths of God, or because his heart is joined and espoused to the good of the truths that he professeth. Not that there is anything in any truth of God that is not good, but a man may profess truth, not for the sake of the goodness that is in it, but upon a remote account. Judas professed truth, not of love to the truth, but of love to the bag, and to the money that was put therein. Men may profess for a wife, for a trade, for friendship, or because profession is at such a time or in such a place in fashion. I wish that there were no cause to say this. Now there is not any of these that profess the truth for the truth's sake, that profess the truth of love to it. Nor shall they, should they suffer as professors, never so long, never so much, never so grievously, be counted of God among them that suffer for righteousness' sake. that is, of unfamed love to righteousness. Wherefore, that I may show you who may be said to suffer for righteousness' sake, I will propound and speak to several things. 1. Then he that suffereth in the apostles' sense, for well-doing or for righteousness' sake, sets his face against nothing but sin. He resisteth unto blood striving against sin. Sin is the object of his indignation, because it is an enemy to God, and to his righteous cause in the world. Sin, I say, is that which such a man singleth out as his opposite, as his antagonist, and that against which his heart is set. It is a rare thing to suffer a rite, and to have my spirit in my suffering, bent only against God's enemy. Sin, sin in doctrine, sin in worship, sin in life, sin in conversation. Now then, he that suffereth for righteousness' sake has singled out sin to pursue it to death, long before he comes to the cross. It is sin, alas, and his hatred to it that have brought him into this condition. He fell out with sin at home, in his own house, in his own heart, before he fell out with sin in the world or with sin in public worship. For he that can let sin go free and uncontrolled at home within, let him suffer while he will. He shall not suffer for righteousness' sake. And the reason is, because a righteous soul, as the phrase is 2 Peter 2, 8, has the greatest antipathy against that sin that is most ready to defile it. And that is, as David calls it, one's own iniquity, or the sin that dwelleth in one's own flesh. I have kept me, says he, from mine iniquity, from mine own sin. People that are afraid of fire are concerned most with that that burneth in their own chimney, They have the most watchful eye against that, that is like to burn down their own house first. He also that suffereth for righteousness' sake, doth it also because he would not that sin should cleave to the worship of God. And indeed, this is mostly the cause of the sufferings of the godly. They will not have to do with that worship that hath sinful traditions commixed with God's appointments, because they know that God is jealous of his worship. and is given a strict charge that all things be done according to the pattern showed to us in the mount. He knows also that God will not be with that worship and those worshipers that have not regard to worship by the rule of the Testament of Christ. He is also against the sin that is apt to cleave to himself while he standeth in the presence of God. I will wash mine hands in innocency, so will I compass thine altar, O Lord. This man also chooses to be in the practical parts of worship, if possible, for he knows that to have to do about holy things sincerely is the way to be at the remotest distance from sin. He chooses also to be with those holy ones that are of the same mind with him against sin. For he knows that two are better than one, and that a threefold cord is not easily broken. Wherefore look to yourselves, you that do, or may be called to suffer for religion. If you bend not yourselves against sin, if to be revenged of sin be not the cause of your suffering, you cannot be said to suffer for righteousness' sake. Take heed, therefore, that something 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, etc. These may be motives and arguments to a suffering state, and may really be the ground of a man's being in the jail. though he cries out in the meanwhile of potpourri, 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, it is a rare thing to be set in downrightness of heart against sin. 2. Is it for the sake of righteousness that thou sufferest? Then it is because thou wouldst 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 thyself. I beheld, said David the transgressors, and was grieved, because men kept not thy word. And again, these are they that mourn for the abominations that are done among men. 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 choose to be religious, that I might be possessed with holiness, and to choose 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 reachings out are there? Why do I pray? Why do I read? Why do I hear? Why do I haunt infrequent places and ordinances appointed for worship? Is it because I love holiness, would promote righteousness, because I love to see godliness show itself in others, and because I would feel more of the power of it in myself? If so, and if thou sufferest for thy profession, thou sufferest not only for righteousness, but also for righteousness' sake. Dost thou thus practice, because thou wouldst be taught to do outward acts of righteousness, and because thou wouldst provoke others to do so too? Dost thou show to others how thou lovest righteousness, by taking opportunities to do righteousness? How is it dost thou show 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 vilify and reproach religion upon thy account? 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 among some professors, especially such as call for actual holiness and acts of self-denial 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. God help us! It is hard now to persuade professors to come up to negative holiness, that is, to leave undone that which is bad. And yet this of itself 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 joined 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. 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, suffer for righteousness' sake, wherefore, three, 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. To overcome evil with good is a 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 endeavor to overcome it with good, was 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 cattle in the best of what God had given him. David overcame evil with good when he saved the life of his bloody 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 myself as though 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, Job saith concerning his enemy, that he did not rejoice when evil found him. Neither have I, said he, suffered my mouth to sin by wishing a curse to his soul. He means he did the quite contrary, and so overcame evil with good. Elisha overcame evil with good, when he received the men that came for his life, and had them where he might feast and comfort them, and sent them home in peace to their master. The New Testament also is full of this, both in exhortations and examples. In exhortations where it is said, resist not evil, that is, with evil, but overcome evil with good. But whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away. Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you, that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven. For he maketh his son to rise on the evil, and on the good, on the just, and on the unjust. Bless them that persecute you. Bless and curse not, not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing, but contrarywise blessing, knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing. This is righteousness. These are righteous courses. And as these are preceptively propounded, so they were as practically followed by them that were eminently godly in the primitive church. "'We are fools for Christ's sake,' said Paul. "'We are despised. "'We are hungry, thirsty, naked, and buffeted. "'Being reviled, we bless. "'Being persecuted, we suffer it. "'Being defamed, we entreat. "'We are made as the filth of the earth "'and are the offscouring of all things unto this day. "'This is overcoming of evil with good.'" And he that has chosen to himself that religion that teaches these things, and that loves that religion because it so teacheth him, if he suffereth for it, he suffereth for righteousness' sake. For he that suffereth for righteousness' sake will carry righteousness whithersoever he goes. Neither the enemy, nor thy sufferings, shall be able to take righteousness from thee. Righteousness must be thy chamber-mate, thy bed-companion, thy walking-mate. It is that without which thou wilt be so uncouth, as if thou couldst not live. Paul in his sufferings would have righteousness with him, for it must be, as it were, his armour-bearer. yea, his very armor itself. It is an excellent saying of Job. I put on righteousness, and it clothed me. My judgment was as a robe and a diadem. I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame. I was a father to the poor, etc. Princes, said David also, did sit and speak against me, but thy servant did meditate in thy statues. A man that loves righteousness doth, as Abraham did with his Sarah, carry it everywhere with him, though he goes, because of that, in danger of his life. Righteousness, it is the only intimate that a Christian has. It is that by which he takes his measures, that with which he consults with respect to what he doth or is to do in the world. Thy testimonies, said David also, are my delight and my counselors, the men of my counsel in the margin. David, he was the man of affliction, the suffering man in his day. But in all places where he came, he had righteousness, the law, and godly practice with him. It was his counselor, as he was a man, a saint, a king, I dare say. For the man that suffers righteousness to be rent away from him by the violence and rage of men, and that casts it away, as David did Saul's armor, that he may secure himself, he has no great love for righteousness, nor to the cross for righteousness' sake. My righteousness I hold fast, said Job, and will not let it go. My heart shall not reproach me so long as I live. What? Part with righteousness? A righteous Lord? A righteous word? A righteous profession? A righteous life? To sleep in a whole skin? The Lord forbid it me, and all that he has counted worthy to be called by his name. Let us carry it with us from the bed to the cross, and then it shall carry us from thence to the crown. Let it be our companion to prison and death. Then shall we show that we are lovers of righteousness, and that we choose to suffer for righteousness' sake. Five, dost thou suffer for righteousness' sake? Why then thy righteousness is not diminished, but rather increased by thy sufferings? Righteousness thriveth best in affliction, the more afflicted, the more holy man, the more persecuted, the more shining man. The prison is the furnace, thy graces are the silver and the gold. Wherefore, as the silver and the gold are refined by the fire, and so made more to show their native brightness, so the Christian that hath and that loveth righteousness, and that suffereth for its sake, is by his sufferings refined, and made more righteous, and made more Christian, more godly. Some, indeed, when they come there, prove lead, iron, tin, and at the best, but the dross of silver, and so are fit for nothing, but there to be left and consumed, and to bear the badge, if ever they come from thence, of reprobate silver from the mouth, and sentence of their neighbours. But when I, says Job, am tried, I shall come forth as gold. When Saul had cast one javelin at David, it made him walk wisely in all his ways. But when he added to his first fury plots to take away his life, then David behaved himself yet more wisely. The hotter the rage and fury of men are against righteous ways, the more those that love righteousness grow therein. For they are concerned for it, not to hide it, but to make it spangle, not to extinguish it, but to graten it, and to show the excellency of it in all its features and in all its comely proportion. Now such an one will make straight steps for his feet. Let that which is lame be turned out of the way. Now he shows to all men what faith is by charity, by self-denial, by meekness, by gentleness, by long-suffering, by patience, by love to enemies, and by doing good to them that hate us. Now he walketh upon his high places. Yea, he will not now admit that so slovenly a conversation should come within his doors, as did use to haunt his house in former times. Now it is Christmas, now it is suffering time, now we must keep holy day every day. The reason is, for that a man, when he suffereth for Christ, is set upon a hill upon a stage, as in a theatre, to play a part for God in the world. And you know, when men are to play their parts upon a stage, they count themselves, if possible, more bound to circumspection. and that for the credit of their master, the credit of their art, and the credit of themselves. For then the eyes of every body are fixed, they gape and stare upon them. And a trip here is as bad as a fall in another place. Also now God himself looks on. Yea, he laugheth as being pleased to see a good behavior attending the trial of the innocent. 1. He that suffereth for righteousness' sake suffereth for his goodness, and he is now to labour by works and ways to convince the world that he suffereth as such an one. 2. He that suffereth for righteousness' sake has many that are weak to strengthen by his sweet carriages unto the cross, wherefore he had need to exceed in virtue. 3. He also is by well-doing to put to silence the ignorance of foolish men. he had need be curious and circumspect in all his actions. For he is to come in, and to be a judge, and to condemn by his faith and patience in his sufferings the world with his Lord and fellows at the appearing of Jesus Christ. He had need be holy himself. This, therefore, is the fit sign of suffering for righteousness' sake. 6. He that suffereth, not only for righteousness, but also for righteousness' sake, will not exchange his cause, though for it in a jail, for all the ease and pleasure in the world. They that suffered for righteousness' sake of old, were tempted before they were sawn asunder, tempted, that is, allured, to come out of their present sufferings, and leave their faith and profession in irons behind them. tempted with promises of promotion, of ease, of friendship, of favor with men. As the devil said to Christ, so persecutors of old did use to make great promises to sufferers if they would fall down in worship. But his is alone, as if they should say, Butcher, make away with your righteousness and a good conscience, and you shall find the friendship of the world, For there is no way to kill a man's righteousness but by his own consent. This Job's wife knew full well. Hence she tempted him to lay violent hands upon his own integrity. The devil, nor men of the world, can kill thy righteousness or love to it, but by thy own hand, or separate that and thee asunder without thine own act. nor will he that doth indeed suffer for the sake of it, or of love he bears thereto, be tempted to exchange it for the goods of all the world. It is a sad sight to see a man that has been suffering for righteousness, restored to his former estate, while the righteousness for which he suffered remains under locks and irons, and is exposed to the scorn, contempt, reproach of the world, and trodden under the foot of men. It is better, said Paul, for me to die than that any man should make my glorying void. And it had been a hundred times better for that man, if he had never known the way of righteousness, than after he has known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto him. The striving is, in persecution, for righteousness, to wit, whether it shall be set up or pulled down. The sufferer, he is for setting up, and the persecutors are for pulling down. Thus they strive for the mastery. Now, if a man stands by his righteousness and holds fast his good profession, then is righteousness set up. nor can it so long be pulled down. Hence, so long a man is said to overcome, and overcome he doth, though he be killed for his profession. But if he starts back, gives place, submits, recants, or denieth any longer to own that good thing that he professed, and exposed himself to suffering for, then he betrays his cause, his profession, his conscience, his righteousness, his soul and all, for he has delivered up his profession to be murdered before his face. A righteous man falling down before the wicked is as a troubled fountain and a corrupt spring. But this, I hope, will not he do that loveth righteousness, and that suffereth for righteousness' sake? I do not say but that a man may slip here with Peter, Origen, Hyrum, Cranmer, Banum, Ormus, and other good folk. But be he one of the right kind, a lover of righteousness indeed, he will return and take revenge upon himself in a godly way, for so ungodly a fact. Seven, he that suffereth not only for righteousness, but also for righteousness' sake, is not so wedded to his own notions as to slight or overlook the good that is in his neighbor. But righteousness he loves wherever he finds it, though it be in him that smite of him. yea, he will own and acknowledge it for the only thing that is of beauty and glory in the world. With the excellent in the earth is all such a man's delight. Wherefore I put a difference betwixt suffering for an opinion and suffering for righteousness. As I put a difference between suffering for righteousness and suffering for righteousness' sake, if righteousness, if the stamp of God, if divine authority, is not found upon that thing which I hold, Let men never suffer for it under the notion of righteousness. If sin, if superstition, if idolatry, if derogation from the wisdom of Christ and the authority and perfection of his word be not found in, nor joined to that thing that I disown in worship, let me never open my mouth against it. I had rather fall in with, and be an associate of a righteous man that has no true grace, than with a professor that has no righteousness. It is said of the young man, though he went away from Christ, that he looked upon him and loved him. But it is not said that ever he loved Judas. I know that the righteousness for which a good man suffereth is not then embraced of the world, for that at such a time it is under a cloud. But yet there is righteousness also in the world, and wherever I see it, it is of a high esteem with me. David acknowledged some of his enemies to be more righteous than he acknowledged some of his servants to be. It is a brave thing to have righteousness, as righteousness to be the top piece in mine affections. The reason why Christ was anointed with the oil of gladness above his fellows was because he loved righteousness and hated iniquity more than they. Love to righteousness flows from golden graces, and is that, and that only, that can make a man capable of suffering in our sense for righteousness' sake. 8. He that suffereth not only for righteousness, but also for righteousness' sake, will take care that his sufferings be so managed with graciousness of words and actions, that it may live when he is dead. Yea, and it will please him too, if righteousness flourishes, though by his loss. Hence it is that Paul said, He rejoiced in his suffering, Colossians 1.24, namely, because others got good thereby, and that he said, Yea, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all. But why rejoice in this? Why, because though his sufferings were to the distressing of his flesh, yet they were to the refreshing comfort and stability of others. This was it also that made him jostle with the false brethren among the churches, to wit that the truth of the gospel might continue with them. When a man shall run the hazard of the ruin of what he has, and is, for righteousness, for the good and benefit of the church of God, that man, he managing himself by the rule, if he suffers for so doing, suffers not only for righteousness, but also for righteousness' sake. "'I endure all things,' said Paul, "'for the elect's sake, "'that they may also obtain the salvation "'which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. "'Here was love, you will say, to persons, "'and I will say also to things, "'to all the righteousnesses of God "'that are revealed in the world, "'that all the elect might enjoy them "'to their eternal comfort and glory by Christ Jesus. "'For whether we be afflicted,' says he, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer, or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation. The end of a man and his design, if that be to promote righteousness, he using lawful means to accomplish it, is greatly accepted of God by Christ. and it is a sign he is a lover of righteousness, and that if he suffereth for so doing, he suffereth not for well-doing, only as to matter of fact, but also for his love to the good thing done, and for its sake.