Lay therefore the woful state
of such to heart, and render him that which is good for his evil,
and love for his hatred to thee; then shalt thou show that thou art
moved by a spirit of holiness, and art like thy heavenly Father. And
be it so, that thy pity and prayers can do such a one no good, yet
they must light somewhere, or return again, as ships come laden from
the Indies, full of blessings into thine own bosom.
Poor man, thou hast thy time to be afflicted by thy enemies, that
thy golden graces may shine the more; thou art in the fire and they
blow the bellows. But wouldst thou change places with them? Wouldst
thou sit upon their place of ease? Dost thou desire to be with them?
O rest thyself contented; in thy patience possess thy soul, and pity
and bewail them in the condition in which they are.
The cup that God's people in all ages have drank of, even the cup of
affliction and persecution, it is not in the hand of the enemy, but
in the hand of God; and he, not they, poureth out of the same.
There are but two ways of obeying: the one to do that which I in my
conscience do believe that I am bound to do, actively; and where I
cannot obey actively, there I am willing to lie down and to suffer
what they shall do unto me.
A Christian, when he sees trouble coming upon him, should not fly in
the face of the instrument that brings, but in the face of the cause
of its coming.
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