This valuable treatise was first published in a pocket volume in 1684, and has only been

reprinted in Whitfield’s edition of Bunyan’s works, 2 vols. folio, 1767. No man could have been better qualified to

give advice to sufferers for righteousness’ sake, than John Bunyan: and this work is exclusively

devoted to that object. Shut up in a noisome jail, under the iron hand of persecution, for nearly thirteen years, in the constant fear of being hanged as a malefactor, for refusing conformity to the national liturgy, he well knew what sufferings were, and equally well did he know the sources of consolation. It was wisely ordered by Divine Providence, that before the king pardoned him, he had a legal return under the hand and seal of the sheriff of Bedfordshire, certifying the reasons of this frightful imprisonment. This is entered in the minutes of the Privy Council on the 8th and 15th of May, 1672; and it proves that he was thus cruelly punished for ‘being at conventicles for nonconformity’ and for no other cause. In this ‘Advice’ we find his opinion on the origin of persecution—the instruments—the motives—its cruelty—with cautions, counsels, and support to the persecuted. He considers persecution a strange anomaly,—’The reason is that Christianity is a harmless thing—that be it never so openly professed it hurts no man.’ Simple-hearted, honest John, thou dreamest. What wouldest thou have thought of a system by which all would have been taught to tag their laces and mend their own pots and kettles? What would have become of thy trade as a brazier? Christianity teaches all mankind not to trust in those empirics who profess to cure souls for Peter’s pence, tithes, mortuaries, and profits; but to go by themselves to the Great Physician, and he will pour in his wine and oil, his infallible remedies for a sin-sick soul, without money and without price. To Bunyan this was not only harmless to others, but the most boundless mercy that God could bestow upon man. What could be more destructive to the hierarchy of popes, cardinals, and papal nuncios of the Latin, with the patriarchs, archimandrites, and papas of the Greek churches? A system by which all their services are dispensed with, and priestly and prelatic pride is leveled with the dust. Can we wonder that those who preached the holy, humbling, self-denying doctrines of the cross, were persecuted to the death? Bunyan’s opinion is, that Satan is the author of persecution, by which he intended to root out Christianity. The whirlwind and the tempest drives away those who are not rooted and grounded in the faith, some of whom may have stood like stately cedars until the trying time of trial came. But the humble Christian in such a season takes deeper root—a stronger grasp. Faith, his anchor, is sure and steadfast; it enters eternity and heaven, where Satan can find no entrance to disturb its hold. In persecution, men are but the devil’s tools, and little think that they are doing his drudgery.

Sentiments like these are a blow at the root of superstition with all its fraudful emoluments. Hence the storms of persecution which fall on the faithful followers of Christ. Antichrist declares the excellency of human inventions to supply what he considers defects in God’s system.

Such is the mad folly of the human heart!

Still we have to pass through taunts and revilings, and sometimes the loss of goods; but we are saved from those awful trials through which our pilgrim forefathers passed. May our mercies be sanctified, and may grace be bestowed upon us in rich abundance, to enable us to pity and forgive those sects who, in a byegone age, were the tools of Satan, and whose habitations were full of cruelty.

(Matt 10:17). Keep thou therefore within the bounds of uprightness and integrity towards both God and man: for that will fortify, 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 justify thy 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.

It is also to be considered that those acts of  our graces, that cannot be put forth, or shew themselves in their splendour, but when we Christianly suffer, will yield such fruit to those whose trials call them to exercise, that will, in the day of God, abound to their comfort, and tend to their perfection in glory (1 Peter 1:7; 2 Cor 4:17).

Hosea 4:14). Is it not better that we bear those tokens and marks in our flesh that bespeak us to belong to Christ, than those that declare us to be none of his? For my part, God help me to choose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season: and God of his mercy prepare me for his will. I am not for running myself into sufferings, but if godliness will expose me to them, the Lord God make me more godly still: for I believe there is a world to come.

And besides all this, is there nothing in dark providences, for the sake of the sight and observation of which, such a day may be rendered lovely, when it is upon us? Is there nothing of God, of his wisdom and power and goodness to be seen in thunder, and lightning, in hailstones? in storms? and darkness and tempests? Why then is it said, he ‘hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm’ (Nahum 1:3). And why have God’s servants of old made such notes, and observed from them such excellent and wonderful things. There is that of God to be seen in such a day as cannot be seen in another. His power in holding up some, his wrath in leaving of others; his making of shrubs to stand, and his suffering of cedars to fall; his infatuating of the counsels of men, and his making of the devil to outwit himself; his giving of his presence to his people, and his leaving of his foes in the dark; his discovering the uprightness of the hearts of his sanctified ones, and laying open the hypocrisy of others, is a working of spiritual wonders in the day of his wrath, and of the whirlwind and storm. These days! these days are the days that do most aptly give an occasion to Christians, of any, to take the exactest measures and scantlings of ourselves. We are apt to overshoot, in days that are calm, and to think ourselves far higher, and more strong than we find we be, when the trying day is upon us. The mouth of Gaal and the boasts of Peter were great and high before the trial came, but when that came, they found themselves to fall far short of the courage they thought they had (Judg 9:38). We also, before the temptation comes, think we can walk upon the sea, but when the winds blow, we feel ourselves begin to sink. Hence such a time is rightly said to be a time to try us, or to find out what we are, and is there no good in this? Is it not this that rightly rectifies our judgment about ourselves, that makes us to know ourselves, that tends to cut off those superfluous sprigs of pride and self-conceitedness, wherewith we are subject to be overcome? Is not such a day, the day that bends us, humbles us, and that makes us bow before God, for our faults committed in our prosperity? and yet doth it yield no good unto us? we could not live without such turnings of the hand of God upon us. We should be overgrown with flesh, if we had not our seasonable winters. It is said that in some countries trees will grow, but will bear no fruit, because there is no winter there. The Lord bless all seasons to his people, and help them rightly to behave themselves, under all the times that go over them.

Farewell. I am thine to serve thee in the gospel, JOHN BUNYAN.

‘WHEREFORE LET THEM THAT SUFFER

ACCORDING TO THE WILL OF GOD,

COMMIT THE KEEPING OF THEIR SOULS

FAITHFUL CREATOR’—1 PETER 4:19.

affliction, specially those of the circumcision,

for whom this Peter was an apostle. And it was

written to them to counsel, and comfort them

in their affliction. To counsel them as to the

cause, for which they were in afflictions, and as

to the right management of themselves, and

their cause, under their affliction. To comfort

them also both with respect to their present

help from God, and also with reference to the

reward that (they faithfully continuing to the

end) should of God be bestowed upon them: all

which we shall have occasion, more distinctly,

to handle in this following discourse.

The text is a conclusion, drawn from the

counsel and comfort which the apostle had

afore given them in their suffering state. As who

should say, my brethren, as you are now

afflicted, so sufferings are needful for you, and

therefore profitable and advantageous:

wherefore be content to bear them. And that

you may indeed bear them with such Christian

contentedness, and patience as becomes you;

commit the keeping of your souls to your God

as unto a faithful Creator. ‘Let them that suffer

according to the will of God, commit the

unto a faithful Creator.’

In this conclusion, therefore, we have three

things very fit for sufferers to concern

of the persons, who are unto this, so necessary

good effect that will certainly follow to those

that after a due manner shall take this blessed

advice.

The duty so absolutely necessary is, that

sufferers ‘commit the keeping of their souls to

God.’ The sufferers here intended, are those

‘that suffer according to the will of God.’ The

good insinuated, that will be the effect of our

true doing of this, is, we shall find God ‘a

faithful Creator.’

[FIRST—THE DUTY TO WHICH

SUFFERERS ARE DIRECTED.]

We will first begin with the duty, that

sufferers are here directed to, namely, the

committing of their souls to God. ‘Let them -

commit the keeping of their souls to him, in

well doing.’

And I find two things in it that first call for

explaining before I proceed. 1. What we must

here understand by ‘the soul.’ 2. What by

‘committing’ the soul to God.

1. For the first: ‘The soul,’ here, is to be

taken for that most excellent part of man, that

dwelleth in the body; that immortal, spiritual

substance, that is, and will be capable of life,

and motion, of sense and reason; yea, that will

abide a rational being, when the body is

returned to the dust as it was. This is that great

thing, that our Lord Jesus intends, when he bids

his disciples in a day of trial, fear him that can

destroy both body and soul in hell (Luke 12:5).

That great thing, I say, that he there cautions

them to take care of. According to Peter here,

‘Let them commit the keeping of their soul to

him in well doing.’

2. Now to ‘commit’ this soul to God, is to

carry it to him, to lift it to him, upon my

bended knees, and to pray him for the Lord

Jesus Christ’s sake, to take it into his holy care,

and to let it be under his keeping. Also, that he

will please to deliver it from all those snares

that are laid for it, betwixt this and the next

world, and that he will see that it be

forthcoming, safe and sound, at the great and

terrible judgment, notwithstanding so many

have engaged themselves against it. Thus David

committed his soul to God, when he said ‘Arise,

O Lord, disappoint him, cast him down: deliver

my soul, O Lord, from the wicked, which is thy

sword’ (Psa 17:13). And again, ‘Be pleased, O

Lord, to deliver me: O Lord, make hast to help

me. Let them be ashamed and confounded

together that seek after my soul to destroy it’

(Psa 40:13,14).

Thus, I have shewed you what the soul is,

and what it is to commit the soul to God. This

then is the duty that the apostle here exhorteth

the sufferers to, namely, to carry their soul to

God, and leave it with him while they engage

for his name in the world. Now from the

apostle’s exhortation to this great duty, I will

draw these following conclusions.

raised against a people, there is a design laid for

the ruin of those people’s souls. This, I say,

doth naturally follow from the exhortation.

Why else, need they to commit the keeping of

their souls to God. For by this word, ‘Unto God

to keep them,’ is suggested; there is that would

raised against them. I am not so uncharitable,

But I verily believe that the devil doth design

this, when he stirs them up to so sorry a work.

In times of trial, says Peter, ‘your adversary the

devil walketh about as a roaring lion, seeking

whom he may devour’ (1 Peter 5:8).

Alas! men in their acts of this nature, have

designs that are lower, and of a more inferior

rank. Some of them look no higher than

revenge upon the carcass; than the spoiling of

their neighbor of his estate, liberty, or life;

than the greatening of themselves in this world,

by the ruins of those that they have power to

spoil. Their ‘possessors slay them, and hold

themselves not guilty: and they that sell them

11:5).

Ay! But Satan will not be put off thus: it is

not a bag of money, or the punishing of the

carcass of such a people, that will please or

satisfy him. It is the soul that he aims at; the

ruin of the precious soul that he hath bent

himself to bring to pass. It is this therefore that

Peter here hath his heart concerned with. As,

who should say, My brethren, are you troubled

and persecuted for your faith? look to it, the

hand of Satan is in this thing, and whatever

men drive at by doing as they do, the devil

designs no less than the damnation of your

souls. Ware hawk, saith the falconer, when the

dogs are coming near her: especially if she be

too much minding of her belly, and too

forgetful of what the nature of the dog is.

Beware Christian, take heed Christian; the devil

is desirous to have thee. And who could better

give this exhortation than could Peter himself.

Who for not taking heed as to this very thing,

had like by the devil to have been swallowed up

alive: as is manifest to them that heedfully read,

and consider how far he was gone, when that

persecution was raised against his Master (Luke

22).

When a tyrant goes to dispossess a

neighboring prince of what is lawfully his

own: the men that he employeth at arms to

overcome, and get the land, they fight for half-crowns,

and the like, and are content with their

wages: But the tyrant is for the kingdom,

the case: Men when they persecute, are for the

stuff, but the devil is for the soul, nor will any

thing less than that satisfy him. Let him then

that is a sufferer ‘commit the keeping of his soul

to God:’ lest stuff, and soul, and all be lost at

once.

that followeth upon these words, is this: That

sufferers, if they have not a care, may be too

negligent as to the securing of their souls with

God, even when persecution is upon them. For

these words, as they are an instruction, so they

are an awakening instruction; they call as to

people in danger; as to people, not so aware of

the danger; or as unto a people that forget, too

much, that their souls, and the ruin of them, are

sought after by Satan, when trouble attends

them for the gospel sake. As, who should say,

when troubles are upon you for the gospel’s

sake, then take heed that you forget not to

commit your souls to the keeping of God. We

are naturally apt with that good man Gideon,

to be threshing out our wheat, that we may

hide it from the Midianites (Judg 6:11). But we

are not so naturally apt to be busying ourselves

to secure our souls with God. The reason is, for

that we are more flesh than spirit, and because

the voice of the world makes a bigger sound in

our carnal mind, than the word of God doth.

Wherefore Peter, here, calls upon us as upon

men of forgetful minds, saying, Let them that

suffer according to the will of God, have a care

of their souls, and take heed, that the fears of

the loss of a little of this world, do not make

them forget the fear of the losing of their souls.

That sufferers are subject to this, may appear

by the stir and bustle that at such a time they

make to lock all up safe that the hand of man

and too indifferent about the committing of

their soul to God to keep it. This is seen also, in

that many, in a time of trouble for their

profession, will study more to deceive themselves

by a change of notions, by labouring to

persuade their consciences to admit them to

walk more at large, by hearkening to opinions

that please and gratify the flesh, by adhering to

bad examples, and taking evil counsels, than

they will to make straight steps for their feet:

and to commit the keeping of their souls to

God. What shall I say, have there not been

many, that so long as peace has lasted, have

been great swaggerers for religion, who yet so

soon as the sun has waxed warm, have flagged,

have been discontented, offended, and turned

away from him that speaketh from heaven? All

which is because men are naturally apt to be

more concerned for their goods, carnal peace,

and a temporal life, than they are about

securing of their souls with God. Wherefore I

say, these words are spoken to awaken us to the

consideration of soul-concerns, and how that

should be safely lodged under the care,

protection, and mercy of God, by our

committing of it to him, for that purpose, by

Jesus Christ our Lord.

followeth upon this exhortation, is this: That

persecution doth, sometimes, so hotly follow

God’s people, as to leave them nothing but a

soul to care for. They have had no house, no

land, no money, no goods, no life, no liberty,

has been in irons, the life condemned, the neck

in a halter, or the body in the fire. So then all,

to such, has been gone, and they have had

nothing left them to care for, but their soul. ‘Let

them commit the keeping of their soul to God.’

This conclusion, I say, doth naturally flow from

the words. For that the apostle here doth make

mention only of the soul, as of that which is

left, as of that which yet remains to the sufferer

of all that ever he had. Thus they served Christ;

they left him nothing but his soul to care for.

Thus they served Stephen; they left him nothing

but his soul to care for, and they both cared for

that, ‘Father, into thy hands I commend my

spirit,’ said Jesus (Luke 23:46). And, ‘Lord

Jesus, receive my spirit,’ said Stephen (Acts

7:59). As for all other things, they were gone.

They parted the very clothes of Christ among

themselves before his face, even while he did

hang pouring out his life before them, upon the

tree. ‘They parted my garments among them,’

said he, ‘and upon my vesture did they cast lots’

(Matt 27:35; Mark 15:24; John 19:24). This

also has oftentimes been the condition of later

Christians, all has been gone, they have been

stripped of all, nothing has been left them but

‘soul’ to care for. Job said that he had escaped

with the skin of his teeth; and that is but a little:

but he doth not escape with so much, that loses

all that he has, life and all, we now except the

soul. But,

followeth from the words is this; namely, That

when the devil and wicked men have done what

they could, in their persecuting of the godly;

they have yet had their souls at their own

of their souls, they are not able to hurt their

souls. The soul is not in their power to touch,

without the leave of God, and of him whose

soul it is. ‘And fear not them,’ saith Christ,

‘which kill the body, but are not able to kill the

soul’ (Matt 10:28). This, I say, lies clear also in

the text; for the exhortation supposes, that

whatever the sufferers, there made mention of,

had lost, they had yet their souls at their own

dispose. Let them that suffer, even to the loss of

goods, liberty, or life, ‘commit the keeping of

their souls to God.’ As, who should say, though

the enemy hath reached them to their all, and

stripped them of their all, yet I know, that their

soul is not among that all: For their soul is yet

free from them, at liberty, and may be disposed

of, even as the sufferer will. Wherefore, let him

commit the keeping of his soul to God, lest he

also through his negligence or carelessness be

also spoiled of that. The sufferer, therefore,

hath his soul at his own dispose, he may give

that away to God Almighty, in spite of all that

the devil and the world can do. He may, indeed,

see men parting his land, his household stuff,

yea, his very raiment among themselves, but

no more that they can do’ (Luke 12:4).

followeth from these words is this, That a man,

when he is a sufferer, is not able to secure his

own soul from the hand of hell by any other

means, but by the committing of the keeping

thereof to God. Do you suffer? Are you in

affliction for your profession? Then keep not

your soul in your own hand, for fear of losing

that with the rest. For no man ‘can keep alive

his own soul’ (Psa 22:29). No, not in the

greatest calm; no, not when the lion is asleep:

how then should he do it at such a time, when

the horrible blast of the terrible ones shall beat

against his wall. The consideration of this was

that that made holy Paul, who was a man upon

whom persecution continually attended, commit

his soul to God (Acts 20:22-24; 2 Tim

1:12). God, as I shall shew you by and by, is he,

and he alone that is able to keep the soul, and

deliver it from danger. Man is naturally a selfdeceiver,

and therefore is not to be trusted, any

farther than as the watchful eye of God is over

him. But as to his soul, he is not to be trusted

with that at all, that must be wholly committed

to God, left altogether with him; laid at his feet,

and he also must take the charge thereof, or else

it is gone, will be lost, and will perish for ever

and ever. Wherefore it is a dangerous thing for

a man that is a sufferer, to be a senseless man,

as to the danger that his soul is in, and a

prayerless man, as to the committing of the

keeping of it to God. For he that is such, has yet

his soul, and the keeping thereof, in his own

deceitful hand. And so has he also that stays

himself upon his friends, upon his knowledge,

the promise of men, or the mercy of his

enemies, or that has set in his mind a bound to

himself, how far he will venture for religion,

and where he will stop. This is the man that

makes not God his trust, and that therefore will

surely fall in the day of his temptation. Satan,

who now hunts for the precious soul to

destroy it, has power, as well as policy, beyond

what man can think. He has power to blind,

harden, and to make insensible, the heart. He

also can make truth in the eyes of the suffering

man, a poor, little, and insignificant thing.

Judas had not committed the keeping of his

soul to God, but abode in himself, and was left

in his tabernacle: and you by and by see what a

worthy price he set upon himself, his Christ,

and heaven, and all. All to him was not now

worth thirty pieces of silver.

And as he can make truth in thy esteem to be

little, so he can make sufferings great, and ten

times more terrible, than he that hath

committed the keeping of his soul to God shall

ever find them. A jail shall look as black as hell,

and the loss of a few stools and chairs, as bad

the Saviour of the world, shall seem to be a

thing both unreasonable and intolerable. Such

will choose to run the hazard of the loss of a

thousand souls, in the way of the world, rather

than the loss of one poor, sorry, transitory life

for the holy Word of God. But the reason, as I

said, is, they have not committed the keeping of

their soul to God. For he that indeed has

committed the keeping of his soul to that great

one, has shaken his hands of all things here.

Has bid adieu to the world, to friends, and life:

and waiteth upon God in a way of close

keeping to his truth, and walking in his ways,

having counted the cost, and been persuaded to

take what cup God shall suffer the world to

give him for so doing.

followeth from these words, is, That God is

very willing to take the charge and care of the

soul (that is committed unto him) of them that

publication of this ‘Advice.’ John Child, a Baptist

minister, one of Bunyan’s friends, to escape

persecution, conformed, and became terrified with

awful compunction of conscience. His cries were

fearful: ‘I shall go to hell’; ‘I am broken in

judgment’; ‘I am as it were in a flame.’ In a fit of

desperation he destroyed himself on the 15th

October, 1684.—Ed.

suffer for his sake in the world. If this were not

true, the exhortation would not answer the end.

What is intended by, ‘Let him commit the

keeping of his soul to God,’ but that the

sufferer should indeed leave that great care with

him; but if God be not willing to be concerned

the exhortation? But the exhortation has this

for its bottom, therefore God is willing to take

the charge and care of the soul of him that

suffereth for his name in this world. ‘The Lord

redeemeth the soul of his servants: and none of

them that trust in him shall be desolate’ (Psa

34:22; 1 Sam 25:28,29). None, not one that

committeth his soul to God’s keeping in a way

of well doing, but shall find him willing to be

concerned therewith.

Ay, this, saith the sufferer, if I could believe

this, it would rid me of all my fears. But I find

myself engaged for God, for I have made a

profession of his name, and cannot arrive to

this belief that God is willing to take the charge

and care of my soul. Wherefore I fear, that if

trials come so high, as that life, as well as

estate, must go, that both life, and estate, and

soul, and all will be lost at once.

Well, honest heart, these are thy fears, but let

them fly away, and consider the text again, ‘Let

them that suffer according to the will of God,

unto a faithful Creator.’ These are God’s

words, Christ’s words, and the invitation of the

Holy Ghost. When, therefore, thou readest

them, be persuaded that thou hearest the

Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost, all of

them jointly and severally speaking to thee and

saying, Poor sinner, thou art engaged for God

in the world, thou art suffering for his Word:

leave thy soul with him as with one that is more

willing to save it, than thou art willing he

should: act faith, trust God, believe his Word,

and go on in thy way of witness-bearing for

him, and thou shalt find all well, and according

to the desire of thy heart at last. True, Satan

will make it his business to tempt thee to doubt

of this, that thy way be made yet more hard

and difficult to thee. For he knows that unbelief

is a soul-perplexing sin, and makes that which

would otherwise be light, pleasant, and easy,

unutterably heavy and burdensome to the

sufferer. Yea, this he doth in hope to make thee

at last, to cast away thy profession, thy cause,

thy faith, thy conscience, thy soul, and all. But

hear what the Holy Ghost saith again: ‘He shall

spare the poor and needy, and shall save the

souls of the needy. He shall redeem their soul

from deceit and violence: and precious shall

their blood be in his sight’ (Psa 72:13,14).

These words also are spoken for the comfort of

sufferers, ver. 12. ‘For he shall deliver the needy

hath no helper.’ Wherefore, let them that are

God’s sufferers, pluck up a good heart; let them

not be afraid to trust God with their souls, and

with their eternal concerns. Let them cast all

their care upon God, for he careth for them (1

Peter 5:7).

But I am in the dark.

I answer, never stick at that. It is most

bravely done, to trust God with my soul in the

dark, and to resolve to serve God for nothing,

rather than give out. Not to see, and yet to

believe, and to be a follower of the Lamb, and

yet to be at uncertainty, what we shall have at

last, argues love, fear, faith, and an honest

mind, and gives the greatest sign of one that

hath true sincerity in his soul. It was this that

made Job and Peter so famous, and the want of

it that took away much of the glory of the faith

of Thomas (Job 1:8-10,21; Matt 19:27; John

20:29). Wherefore believe, verily, that God is

ready, willing, yea, that he looks for, and

expects that thou who art a sufferer shouldest

commit the keeping of thy soul to him, as unto

a faithful Creator.

followeth from these words is this, namely,

That God is able, as well as willing, to secure

the souls of his suffering saints, and to save

them from the evil of all their trials, be they

never so many, divers, or terrible. ‘Let him

commit the keeping of his soul to God,’ but to

what boot, if he be not able to keep it in his

hand, and from the power of him that seeks the

soul to destroy it? But ‘my Father which gave

hand’ (John 10:29). So then there can be no

sorrow, affliction, or misery invented, by which

the devil may so strongly prevail, as thereby to

pluck the soul out of the hand of him who has

received it, to keep it from falling, and perishing

thereby. The text therefore supposeth a

sufficiency of power in God to support, and a

sufficiency of comfort and goodness to

embolden the soul to endure for him: let Satan

break out, and his instruments too, to the

greatest degree of their rage and cruelty.

the soul-preserver, (Prov 24:12) ‘The

thy right hand. The sun shall not smite thee by

day, nor the moon by night. The Lord shall

preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy

soul’ (Psa 121:5-7). ‘The sun shall not smite

thee’: that is, persecution shall not dry and

wither thee away to nothing (Matt 13:6,21).

But that notwithstanding, thou shalt be kept

and preserved, carried through and delivered

from all evil. Let him therefore commit the

keeping of his soul to him, if he is in a suffering

condition, that would have it secured and found

safe and sound at last. For,

(1.) Then thine own natural weakness, and

timorousness shall not overcome thee.—For it

shall not be too hard for God. God can make

the most soft spirited man as hard as an

adamant, harder than flint, yea harder than the

northern steel. ‘Shall iron break the northern

iron and the steel?’ (Jer 15:12). The sword of

him is [used] in vain that lays at a Christian,

when he is in the way of his duty to God: if

God has taken to him the charge and care of his

soul, he can shoe him with brass, and make his

hoofs of iron (Deut 33:25). ‘He can strengthen

the spoiled against the strong, so that the

spoiled shall come against the fortress’ (Amos

5:8; Eze 13:9).

He can turn thee into another man, and

make thee that which thou never wast.

Timorous Peter, fearful Peter, he could make as

bold as a lion. He that at one time was afraid of

a sorry girl, he could make at another to stand

boldly before the council (Matt 26; Acts 4:13).

There is nothing too hard for God. He can say

to them that are of a fearful heart, ‘Be strong,

fear not’ (Isa 35:4). He can say, Let the weak

say I am strong; by such a word, by which he

created the world (Zech 12:8).

(2.) Thine own natural darkness and

ignorance shall not cause thee to fall; thy want

of wit he can supply.—He can say to the fools,

be wise; not only by way of correction, but also

by way of instruction too. He ‘hath chosen the

foolish things of the world to confound the

wise; - yea, things which are despised, - and

things which are not, hath God chosen to bring

to nought things that are’ (1 Cor 1:27,28).

Wisdom and might are his: and when, and

where he will work, none can at all withstand

him. He can give thee the Spirit of wisdom and

revelation in the knowledge of his Son (Eph

1:17). Yea, to do this, is that which he

challengeth, as that which is peculiar to himself.

‘Who hath put wisdom in the inward parts? or

who hath given understanding to the heart?’

(Job 38:36). And that he will do this that he

hath promised, yea, promised to do it to that

degree, as to make his, that shall be thus

concerned for him, to top, and overtop all men

that shall them oppose. I, saith he, ‘will give

you a mouth and wisdom, that all your

adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor

resist’ (Luke 21:15).

(3.) Thine own doubts and mistrusts about

what he will do, and about whither thou shalt

go, when thou for him hast suffered awhile, he

can resolve, yea, dissolve, crush, and bring to

nothing.—He can make fear flee far away: and

place heavenly confidence in its room. He can

bring invisible and eternal things to the eye of

thy soul, and make thee see that in those things

in which thine enemies shall see nothing, that

thou shalt count worth the loss of ten thousand

lives to enjoy. 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, 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

(1 Peter 4:14). And what the Spirit of glory is,

and what is his resting upon his sufferers, is

quite beyond the knowledge of the world, and

is but little felt by saints at peace. They be they

that are engaged, and that are under the lash of

Christ; they are they, I say, that have it and that

understand something of it.

When Moses went up the first time into the

mount to God, the people reproached him for

Moses, - we wot not what is become of him’

(Exo 32:1). Well, the next time he went up

thither, and came down, the Spirit of glory was

upon him; his face shone, though he wist it not,

to his honour, and their amazement (Exo

34:29-35). Also while Stephen stood before the

council to be accused, by suborned men, ‘All

that sat in the council, looking steadfastly on

him, saw his face as it had been the face of an

angel’ (Acts 6:15). Those that honour God, he

will honour, yea, will put some of his glory

upon them, but they shall be honoured. There is

none can tell what God can do. He can make

those things that in themselves are most fearful

and terrible to behold, the most pleasant,

delightful, and desirable things. He can make a

jail more beautiful than a palace; restraint,

more sweet by far than liberty. And ‘the

reproach of Christ greater riches than the

treasures in Egypt’ (Heb 11:26). It is said of

Christ, That ‘for the joy that was set before

him, he endured the cross, despising the shame’

(Heb 12:2). But,

2. As there is in God a sufficiency of power

mean communicative comfort and goodness.

Variety of, and the terribleness that attends

afflictions, call, not only for the beholding of

things, but also a laying hold of them by faith

and feeling; now this also is with God to the

Silas sang in prison, the apostles went away

from the council rejoicing, when they had

shamefully beaten them for their preaching in

the temple (Acts 5). But whence came this but

from an inward feeling by faith of the love of

God, and of Christ, which passeth knowledge?

Hence he says to those under afflictions, ‘Fear

none of those things which thou shalt suffer’

(Rev 2:10). There are things to be suffered, as

well as places to suffer in; and there are things

to be let into the soul for its emboldening, as

well as things to be showed to it (Rom 5:5).

Now the things to be suffered are many,

some of which are thus counted up: ‘They were

they were stoned, were sawn asunder, were

slain with the sword, - were tempted; - they

wandered about in sheep-skins, and goat-skins,

being destitute, afflicted, tormented’ (Heb

11:35-37). These are some of the things that

good men of old have suffered for their

profession of the name of Jesus Christ. All

which they were enabled by him to bear, to

bear with patience; to bear with rejoicing;

‘knowing in themselves that they had in heaven

a better, and an enduring substance’ (Heb

10:32-34). And it is upon this account that Paul

doth call to mind the most dreadful of his

afflictions, which he suffered for the gospel sake

with rejoicing; and that he tells us that he was

most glad, when he was in such infirmities.

Yea, it is upon this account that he boasteth,

and vaunteth it over death, life, angels,

principalities, powers, things present, things to

come, height, depth, and every other creature:

for he knew that there was enough in that love

of God, which was set on him through Christ,

to preserve him, and to carry him through all (2

Cor 12:9,10; Rom 8:37-39). That God has

done thus, a thousand instances might be given;

and that God will still do thus, for that we have

his faithful promise (Isa 43:2; 1 Cor 10:13).

To the adversaries of the church these things

have also sometimes been shewed, to their

amazement and confusion. God shewed to the

king of Babylon that he was with the three

children in the fiery furnace (Dan 3:24). God

shewed to the king of Babylon again, that he

den (6:24).

Also, in later days, whoso reads Mr. Fox’s

Acts and Monuments, will also find several

things to confirm this for truth. God has power

over all plagues, and therefore can either

heighten, or moderate and lessen them at

pleasure. He has power over fire, and can take

away the intolerable heat thereof. This those in

the Marian days could also testify, namely,

Hauks and Bainham, and others, who could

shout for joy, and clap their hands in the very

flames for joy. God has power over hunger, and

can moderate it, and cause that one meal’s meat

shall go as far as forty were wont to do. This is

witness in Elias, when he went for his life to the

mount of God, being fled from the face of

Jezebel (1 Kings 19:8). And what a good night’s

lodging had Jacob when he fled from the face of

his brother Esau: when the earth was his couch,

27:12-16).

I can do all things, said Paul, through Christ

strengthening me. And again, I take pleasure in

infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in

persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake. But

how can that be, since no affliction for the

present seems joyous? I answer, though they be

not so in themselves, yet Christ, by his presence,

can make them so: for then his power rests

upon us. When I am weak, saith he, then I am

strong; then Christ doth in me mighty things:

for my strength, saith Christ, is made perfect in

weakness; in affliction, for the gospel sake.

For when my people are afflicted and suffer

great distress for me, then they have my

comforting, supporting, emboldening, and

upholding presence to relieve them: an instance

of which you have in the three children and in

Daniel, made mention of before. But what,

think you, did these servants of the God of

Jacob feel, feel in their souls, of his power and

comforting presence when they, for his name,

were suffering of the rage of their enemies,—

while, also, one, like the Son of God, was

walking in the fire with the three; and while

Daniel sat and saw that the hands of the angels

were made muzzles for the lions’ mouths.

I say, was it not worth being in the furnace

and in the den to see such things as these? O!

the grace of God, and his Spirit and power that

is with them that suffer for him, if their hearts

be upright with him; if they are willing to be

faithful to him; if they have learned to say, here

am I, whenever he calls them, and whatever he

calls them to. ‘Wherefore,’ when Peter saith, ‘let

them that suffer according to the will of God,

well-doing, as unto a faithful Creator.’ He

concludes, that how outrageous, furious,

merciless, or cruel soever the enemy is, yet

there, with him, they shall find help and

succour, relief and comfort; for God is able to

make such as do so, stand.

touch upon that which may more immediately

be called the reason of this exhortation; for,

although all these things that have been

mentioned before may, or might be called

reasons of the point, yet there are those, in my

judgment, that may be called reasons, which are

yet behind. As,

1. Because, when a man has, by faith and

prayer, committed the keeping of his soul to

God, he has the advantage of that liberty of

soul to do and suffer for God that he cannot

otherwise have. He that has committed his soul

to God to keep is rid of that care, and is

delivered from the fear of its perishing for ever.

When the Jews went to stone Stephen they laid

their clothes down at a distance from the place,

at a young man’s feet, whose name was Saul,

that they might not be a cumber or a trouble to

them, as to their intended work. So we, when

we go about to drive sin out of the world, in a

should lay down our souls at the feet of God to

care for, that we may not be cumbered with the

care of them ourselves; also, that our care of

God’s truth may not be weakened by such

sudden and strong doubts as will cause us

faintingly to say, But what will become of my

soul? When Paul had told his son Timothy that

he had been before that lion Nero, and that he

was at present delivered out of his mouth, he

adds, And the Lord shall deliver me from every

evil work, and will preserve me unto his

heavenly kingdom. He shall and will. Here is a

man at liberty, here are no cumbersome fears.

But how came the apostle by this confidence of

his well-being and of his share in another

world? Why, ‘he had committed the keeping of

his soul to God,’ compare 2 Timothy 1:12 with

4:18. For to commit the keeping of the soul to

God, if it be done in faith and prayer, it leaves,

or rather brings this holy boldness and confidence

into the soul.

Suppose a man in the country were

necessitated to go to London, and had a great

charge of money to pay in there; suppose, also,

that the way thither was become exceeding

dangerous because of the highwaymen that

continually abide therein,—what now must this

man do to go on his journey cheerfully? Why,

let him pay in his money to such an one in the

country as will be sure to return it for him at

London safely. Why, this is the case, thou art

bound for heaven, but the way thither is

dangerous. It is beset everywhere with evil

angels, who would rob thee of thy soul, What

now? Why, if thou wouldest go cheerfully on in

thy dangerous journey, commit thy treasure,

thy soul, to God to keep; and then thou mayest

say, with comfort, Well, that care is over: for

whatever I meet with in my way thither, my

soul is safe enough: the thieves, if they meet me,

can not come at that; I know to whom I have

committed my soul, and I am persuaded that he

will keep that to my joy and everlasting comfort

against the great day.

This, therefore, is one reason why we should,

that suffer for Christ, commit the keeping of

our souls to God; because a doubt about the

well-being of that will be a clog, a burden, and

an affliction to our spirit: yea, the greatest of

afflictions, whilst we are taking up our cross

and bearing it after Christ. The joy of the Lord

is our strength, and the fear of perishing is that

which will be weakening to us in the way.

2. We should commit the keeping of our

souls to God, because the final conclusion that

merciless men do sometimes make with the

servants of God is all on a sudden. They give no

warning before they strike. We shall not need

here to call you to mind about the massacres

that were in Ireland, Paris, Piedmont, and other

places, where the godly, in the night before they

were well awake, had, some of them, their heart

blood running on the ground. The savage

monsters crying out, Kill, kill, from one end of

a street or a place to the other. This was

sudden; and he that had not committed his soul

to God to keep it was surely very hard put to it

now; but he that had done so was ready for

such sudden work. Sometimes, indeed, the axe,

and halter, or the faggot is shewed first; but

sometimes, again, it is without that warning.

Up, said Saul to Doeg, the Edomite, and slay

the priests of the Lord (1 Sam 22:11,18,19).

Here was sudden work: fall on, said Saul, and

Doeg fell upon them, ‘and slew on that day four

score and five persons that did wear a linen

ephod.’ ‘Nob, also, the city of the priests, smote

he with the edge of the sword, both men and

women, children and sucklings,’ &c. Here was

but a word and a blow. Thinkest thou not, who

readest these lines, that all of these who had

before committed their soul to God to keep

were the fittest folk to die?

‘And immediately the king sent an

executioner, and commanded his head to be

brought’ (Mark 6:27). The story is concerning

Herod and John the Baptist: Herod’s dancing

girl had begged John the Baptist’s head, and

nothing but his head must serve her turn; well,

girl, thou shalt have it. Have it? Ay, but it will

be long first. No; thou shalt have it now, just

now, immediately. ‘And immediately he sent an

executioner, and commanded his head to be

brought.’

Here is sudden work for sufferers; here is no

intimation beforehand. The executioner comes

to John; now, whether he was at dinner, or

asleep, or whatever he was about, the bloody

man bolts in upon him, and the first word he

salutes him with is, Sir, strip, lay down your

neck, for I am come to take away your head.

But hold, stay; wherefore? pray, let me commit

my soul to God. No, I must not stay; I am in

haste: slap, says his sword, and off falls the

good man’s head. This is sudden work; work

that stays for no man; work that must be done

by and by; immediately, or it is not worth a

rush. I will, said she, that thou give me, by and

by, in a charger, the head of John the Baptist.

Yea, she came in haste, and hastily the

commandment went forth, and immediately his

head was brought.

3. Unless a man commits the keeping of his

soul to God, it is a question whether he can

hold out and stand his ground, and wrestle with

all temptations. ‘This is the victory, - even our

faith’; and ‘who is he that overcometh the

world, but he that believeth?’ And what

encouragement has a man to suffer for Christ,

whose heart cannot believe, and whose soul he

cannot commit to God to keep it? And our

Lord Jesus intimates as much when he saith, ‘Be

thou faithful unto death and I will give thee a

crown of life.’ Wherefore saith he thus? but to

encourage those that suffer for his truth in the

world, to commit the keeping of their souls to

him, and to believe that he hath taken the

charge and care of them. Paul’s wisdom was,

that he was ready to die before his enemies

were ready to kill him. ‘I am now ready,’ saith

he, ‘to be offered and the time of my departure

is at hand’ (2 Tim 4:6).

This is, therefore, a thing of high concern; to

wit, the committing of the soul to God to keep

it. It is, I say, of concern to do it now, just now,

quickly, whether thou art yet engaged or no; for

it is a good preparatory to, as well as profitable

in, a time of persecution: consider it, I say. The

apostle Paul saith that he and his companions

were bold in their God, to profess and stand to

the word of God (1 Thess 2:2). But how could

that be if they had the salvation of their souls to

seek, and that to be sure they would have had,

had they not committed the keeping of their

souls to him in well-doing?

Quest. But what is committing of the soul to

God?

Answ. I have, in general, briefly spoken to

that already, and now, for thy further help, we

will a little enlarge. Wherefore,

(1.) To commit is to deliver up to custody to

be kept. Hence prisoners, when sent to the jail,

are said to be committed thither. Thus Paul,

‘haling men and women, committing them to

prison’ (Acts 8:3). And thus Joseph’s master

committed all his prisoners to him, to his

custody, to be kept there according to the law

(Gen 39:22).

(2.) To commit, is not only to deliver up to

custody, but to give in charge; that that which

is committed be kept safe, and not suffered to

be lost (Luke 16:11). Thus Paul was committed

to prison, the jailor being charged to keep him

safely (Acts 16:23).

(3.) To commit, is to leave the whole

disposal, sometimes, of that which is committed

to those to whom such thing is committed.

Thus were the shields of the temple committed

to the guard (1 Kings 14:27) And Jeremiah to

the hands of Gedaliah (Jer 39:14).

And thus thou must commit thy soul to God

and to his care and keeping. It must be

delivered up to his care and put under his

custody. Thou mayest also, though I would

speak modestly, give him a charge to take the

care of it. ‘Concerning my sons [and concerning

my daughters] and concerning the work of my

hands, command ye me’ (Isa 45:11). Thou must

also leave all the concerns of thy soul and of thy

being an inheritor of the next world wholly to

the care of God. He that doth this in the way

that God has bid him is safe, though the sky

should fall. ‘The poor committeth himself unto

thee, thou art the helper of the fatherless’ (Psa

10:14).

And for encouragement to do this, the Lord

has bidden us, the Lord has commanded us, the

Lord expecteth that we should thus do. Yea,

thou art also bidden to commit thy way unto

him (Psa 37:5). Thy work unto him (Prov 16:3).

Thy cause unto him (Job 5:8). Thy soul to him,

and he will take care of all. And if we do this,

as we should, God will not only take care of us

and of our souls in the general, but that our

work and ways be so ordered that we may not

fail in either. ‘I have trusted,’ said David, ‘in the

Before I leave this, I will speak something of

the way in which this commitment of the soul

to God must be; and that is, ‘in a way of welldoing.’

Let them commit the keeping of their

souls to him ‘in well-doing’; or, in a way of

well-doing. That is, therefore, the course that a

godly man should be found in, at, in, and after

he hath committed his soul to God to keep.

And, as the apostle says in another place, this is

but a ‘reasonable service’ (Rom 12:1). For if

God be so gracious as to take care of my soul at

my request, why should not I also be so

gracious as to be found in a way of well-doing

at his bidding? Take care, master, of me for

meat and wages, and I will take care, master,

that thy work shall be faithfully done. This is

honest, and thus should Christians say to God:

and he that heartily, in this, shall mean as he

saith, shall find that God’s ways shall be

strength unto him.

A Christian is not to commit his soul unto

God to keep, and so to grow remiss, carnal,

negligent, cold, and worldly; concluding as if he

had now bound God to save him, but sets

himself at liberty whether he will longer serve

him in trying and troublesome times or no. He

must commit the keeping of his soul to him ‘in

well-doing.’ He may not now relinquish God’s

cause, play the apostate, cast off the cross, and

look for heaven notwithstanding. He that doth

thus will find himself mistaken, and be made to

know at last that God takes the care of no such

souls. ‘If any man draws back,’ saith he, ‘my

soul shall have no pleasure in him.’ Wherefore,

he that committeth the keeping of his soul to

God must do it in that way which God has

prescribed to him, which is in a way of welldoing.

Alas! alas! there is never such a word in

it; it must be done in a way of ‘well-doing.’ You

must think of this that would commit your

souls to God in suffering and troublesome

times. You must do it in well-doing.

‘In well-doing,’ that is, in persevering in

ways of godliness, both with respect to morals

and also instituted worship. Thou, therefore,

that wouldest have God take care of thy soul,

as thou believest, so thou must do well; that is,

do good to the poor, to thy neighbour, to all

men, especially to the household of faith.

Benjamin must have a Benjamin’s mess; and all

others, as thou art capable, must feel and find

the fruit of thy godliness. Thou must thus serve

the Lord with much humility of mind, though

through many difficulties and much temptation.

Thou must also keep close to gospel

worship, public and private; doing of those

things that thou hast warrant for from the

word, and leaving of that or those things for

others that will stick to them—that have no

stamp of God upon them. Thou must be found

doing of all with all thy heart, and if thou

sufferest for so doing, thou must bear it

patiently. For what Peter saith to the women he

spake to, may be applied to all believers, ‘whose

daughters ye are,’ saith he, meaning Sarah’s, ‘as

long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any

amazement’ (1 Peter 3:6).

So then, the man that has committed his soul

to God to keep has not at all disengaged himself

from his duty, or took himself off from a

perseverance in that good work that, under a

suffering condition, he was bound to do before.

No; his very committing of his soul to God to

keep it has laid an engagement upon him to

abide to God in that calling wherein he is called

of God. To commit my soul to God, supposes

my sensibleness of hazard and danger; but there

is none [no danger] among men when the

offence of the cross is ceased. To commit my

soul to God to keep, concludes my resolution to

go on in that good way of God that is so

dangerous to my soul, if God taketh not the

charge and care thereof. For he that saith in his

heart, I will now commit my soul to God, if he

knows what he says, says thus: I am for holding

on in a way of bearing of my cross after Christ,

though I come to the same end for so doing as

he came to before me. This is committing the

soul to him in well-doing. Look to yourselves,

therefore, whoever you are that talk of leaving

your souls with God, but do live loose, idle,

profane, and wicked lives. God will not take

care of such men’s souls; they commit them not

unto him as they should. They do but flatter

him with their lips and lie unto him with their

tongue, and think to deceive the Lord; but to no

purpose. ‘He that soweth to the flesh shall of

the flesh reap corruption.’ It is he that sows to

the Spirit that shall ‘reap life everlasting’ (Gal

6:7,8).

[SECOND—A DESCRIPTION OF THE

PERSONS WHO ARE DIRECTED TO

COMMIT THE KEEPING OF THEIR SOULS

TO GOD.]

I shall now come to the second thing

contained in the text, namely, to give you a

more distinct description of the men that are

thus bid to commit the keeping of their souls to

God. And they are thus described: they that

‘suffer according to the will of God.’ ‘Let them

that suffer according to the will of God commit

as unto a faithful Creator.’

Two things are here to be inquired into.

the will of God is.

FIRST, For the will of God, it is divers ways

taken in the scriptures; as, sometimes, for

electing, justifying, sanctifying acts of God;

sometimes for faith, good life, and sometimes

for suffering for his name (Rom 9; Eph 1:11;

John 7:17; 1 John 3:23; 1 Thess 4:3; Matt

Understand HIS LAW AND TESTAMENT.

[THE WILL OF GOD MEANS HIS LAW AND

TESTAMENT.]

testament. This is called the revealed will of

God, or that by which he has made himself, and

how he will be worshiped, known unto the

children of men. Now, I, understanding these

words thus, must, before I go further, make this

distinction, to wit, that there is a difference to

be put betwixt them that suffer for the breach

and those that suffer for keeping of this law and

testament; for though both of them may suffer

by the will of God, yet they are not both

concerned in this text. A malefactor that

suffereth for his evil deeds the due punishment

thereof, suffereth, as other texts declare,

according to the will of God. But, I say, this

text doth not concern itself with them; for both

this text and this epistle is writ for the counsel

and comfort of those that suffer for keeping the

law and testament of God; that suffer for welldoing

(1 Peter 3:13,14,17; 4:13,14).

The man then that is concerned in this advice

is he that suffereth from the hands of men for

keeping of the word of God; and this is he that

has licence, leave, yea, a command to commit

the keeping of his soul to God in well-doing, as

unto a faithful Creator. We will a little enlarge

upon this.

He that keepeth the word of God is such an

one that has regard to both the matter and

manner thereof. The matter is the truth, the

doctrine contained therein; the manner is that

comely, godly, humble, faithful way of doing it

which becomes a man that has to do with the

law and testament of God; and both these are

contained in the text. For, first, here is the will

of God to be done; and then, secondly, to be

done according to his will. ‘Let them that suffer

according to his will’: which words, I say, take

in both matter and manner of doing. So then,

the man that here we have to do with, and to

discourse of, is a man that, in the sense now

given, suffereth. That which makes a martyr, is

suffering for the word of God after a right

manner; and that is, when he suffereth, not only

for righteousness, but for righteousness’ sake;

not only for truth, but of love to truth; not only

for God’s word, but according to it, to wit, in

that holy, humble, meek manner as the word of

God requireth. A man may give his body to be

burned for God’s truth, and yet be none of

God’s martyrs (1 Cor 13:1-3). Yea, a man may

suffer with a great deal of patience, and yet be

none of God’s martyrs (1 Peter 2:20). The one,

because he wanteth that grace that should poise

his heart, and make him right in the manner of

doing; the other, because he wanteth that word

of the Holy One that alone can make his cause

good, as to matter. It is, therefore, matter and

manner that makes the martyr; and it is this

man that is intended in the text which is

aforesaid described. So then, they that suffer for

the law and testament of God in that holy and

humble manner that the Word requires, they

are they that, by this Word of God, are

commanded to commit the keeping of their

souls to God.

From this consideration, two things present

themselves to our sight. 1. That a man may be a

Christian, and suffer, and yet not suffer, in the

sense last given, according to the will of God. 2.

There have been, and may yet be a people in the

world that have, and may suffer in the sense of

the apostle here, according to the will of God.

A few words to the first of these, namely,

that a man may be a Christian, and suffer, and

yet not suffer, in the sense of the apostle in the

text, ‘according to the will of God.’ He may be

a Christian and yet not suffer as a Christian. He

may want the matter, or, he may want the

manner, of suffering as a Christian.

This is evident from what this apostle

suggests in several places of this epistle.

For,Saith he, ‘If ye be buffeted for your faults’

(1 Peter 2:20). This supposeth that a Christian

may so be; for he speaketh here to the same

people, unto whom he speaketh in the text,

though he putteth them not under the same

circumstance, as suffering for well-doing. If ye

be buffeted for your faults, for what God’s

word calls faults, what thank have you from

God, or good men, though you take it

patiently?

So again, ‘For it is better, if the will of God

be so, that ye suffer for well-doing, than for

evil-doing’ (1 Peter 3:17). Here it is plainly

supposed that a Christian man may suffer for

evil-doing, yea, that the will of God may be,

that he should suffer for evil-doing. For God, if

Christians do not well, will vindicate himself by

punishing of them for their doing ill. Yea, and

will not count them worthy, though they be his

own, to be put among the number of those that

suffer for doing well.

Again, ‘But let none of you suffer as a

a busybody in other men’s matters’ (1 Peter

4:15). These are cautions to Christians to

persuade them to take heed to themselves, their

tongues and their actions, that all be kept

within the bounds of the Word. For it would be

a foolish thing to say, that these are cautions to

persuade to take heed of that, into which it is

not possible one should fall. It is possible for

Christians to suffer for evil-doing, and therefore

let Christians beware; it is possible for

Christians to be brought to public justice for

their faults, and therefore let Christians beware.

It is possible for Christians to suffer justly by

the hand of the magistrate, and therefore let

Christians beware. This also is insinuated in the

text itself, and therefore let Christians beware.

The causes of this are many, some of which I

shall now briefly touch upon.

(1.) Sin is in the best of men: and as long as

it is so, without great watchfulness, and humble

walking with God, we may be exposed to

shame and suffering for it. What sin is it that a

child of God is not liable to commit, excepting

that which is the sin unpardonable? Nor have

we a promise of being kept from any other sin,

but on condition that we do watch and pray

(Matt 26:41).

(2.) It is possible for a Christian to have an

erroneous conscience in some things, yea, in

such things as, if God by his grace prevents not,

may bring us to public justice and shame.

Abishai, though a good man, would have killed

the king, and that of conscience to God, and

love to his master (1 Sam 26:7,8). And had

David delivered him up to Saul for his attempt,

he had in all likelihood died as a traitor. Peter

drew his sword, and would have fought

therewith, a thing for which he was blamed of

his Master, and bid with a threatening, to put it

up again (Matt 26:52). Besides, oppression

makes a wise man mad; and when a man is

mad what evils will he not do?

Further, The devil, who is the great enemy of

the Christians, can send forth such spirits into

the world as shall not only disturb men, but

nations, kings, and kingdoms, in raising

divisions, distractions and rebellions. And can

so manage matters that the looser sort of

therein. In Absalom’s conspiracy against his

father, there were two hundred men called out

of Jerusalem to follow him, ‘and they went in

their simplicity, not knowing any thing’ (2 Sam

15:11). I thank God I know of no such men,

nor thing: but my judgment tells me, that if

Christians may be drawn into fornication,

adultery, murder, theft, blasphemy or the like,

as they may; why should it be thought

impossible for them to be drawn in here.

Wherefore I say again, watch and pray, fear

God, reverence his Word, approve of his

appointments, that you may be delivered from

every evil work and way.

I said afore that the will of God may be, that

a Christian should suffer as an evil-doer; but

then it is because he keepeth not within the

bounds of that, which is also called the will of

God. The will of God is, that sin should be

punished, though committed by the Christians;

punished according to the quality of

transgressions: and therefore it is that he hath

ordained magistrates. Magistrates, to punish

sin, though it be the sin of Christians. They are

the ministers of God, revengers, to execute

wrath, the wrath of God upon them that do evil

(Rom 13). Wherefore, though the Christian as a

Christian is the only man at liberty, as called

thereunto of God; yet his liberty is limited to

things that are good: he is not licensed thereby

to indulge the flesh. Holiness and liberty are

joined together, yea our call to liberty, is a call

quiet and peaceable life, in our respective

places, under the government, is that which we

should pray for, to wit, that we may without

molestation, if it were ‘the will of God,’ spend

our days in all godliness and honesty among

our neighbours. See 1 Timothy 2:1-8; 1 Peter

2:13-17.

—I would improve this a little, and first, to

Christians as Christians: beware the cautions,

that are here presented to you, be not neglected

by you. The evils are burning hot, as hot as a

red hot iron. It is the greatest blemish that can

be to a Christian, to suffer as an evil-doer. To

say nothing of the reproach that such do bring

to the name of Christ, their Lord; to his law,

their rule; and to the Christian profession,

which should be their glory: the guilt and

shame that evil actions will load the conscience

with at such a time, can hardly be stood under.

The man that suffereth as an evil-doer, and yet

weareth the name of a Christian, what

stumbling blocks doth he lay in the way of the

ignorant in a kingdom? The devil told them

before, that a Christian was a mischievous man;

and to suffer for evil-doing, confirms them in

that belief.

Consider also the difficulties that surely such

must meet with in the last minutes of their life.

For can it be imagined but that such a