He can pull such things out of his bosom, and can put such
things into thy mouth; yea, can make thee choose to be gone, though
through the flames, rather than to stay here and die in silken
sheets. Yea, he can himself come near, and bring his heaven and
glory to thee. The Spirit of glory and of God resteth upon them that
are but reproached for the name of Christ. And what the Spirit of
glory is, and what is his resting upon his sufferers, is quite
beyond the knowledge of the world, is but little felt by saints at
peace. They that are engaged, that are under the lash for
Christ--they, I say, have it, and understand something of it.
Look not upon the sufferings of God's people for their religion, to
be tokens of God's great anger. It is, to be sure, as our heavenly
Father orders it, rather a token of his love; for suffering for the
gospel and for the sincere profession of it, is indeed a dignity put
upon us, a dignity that all men are not counted worthy of. Count it
therefore a favor that God has bestowed upon thee his truth, and
grace to enable thee to profess it, though thou be made to suffer
for it.
Let God's people think never the worse of religion because of the
coarse entertainment it meeteth with in the world. It is better'to
choose God and affliction, than the world, and sin, and carnal
peace.
Pages:
304
305
306
307
308
309
310
311
312
313
314
315
316
317
318
319
320
321
322
323
324
325
326
327
328