5518 CHAHACT.ER OF A SOUND,_ the devil, for unjustly afflicting him. He will rather turn the other cheek to him that smiteth him, than hewill hinder the good of any soul by seeking right; much less will he exercise unjust revenge. Though where government is exercised for truth and righteous- ness, he will not refuse to make use of the justice of it to punish iniquity, and discourage evil doers ; yet this is for God and the com- mon good, and forthe suppression of sin,, much more than for him- self. . Suffering Both not surprise him, as a thing unlooked for : he bath beenlong preparing for it, and it findeth himgarrisonedin the love of Christ. Yea, thoughhis flesh'will be as the flesh of others, sensible of the smart, and his mind is not senseless of the sufferings of his body, yet it is some pleasure and satisfaction tb his soul, to find himself in the common way to heaven, and to see the predic- tions of Christ fulfilled, and to feel himselfso far conform to Jesus Christ, his head, and to trace the footsteps 'of.a humbledRedeemer in the waybefore him. As "- Christ bath suffered for us in the flesh, so doth the Christian arm himself with the same mind ;" 1 Pet. iv. 1. "He rejoiceth that he is made partaker of the sufferings of Christ, that when his glory shall be revealed, he may also be partaker of the exceeding joy ; " ver. 12, 13. Yea, hé taketh' the reproachof Christ for atreasure, yea, a greater treasure than riches, or men's favors can afford; Heb. xi. 25, 26. For he knoweth if he be reproached for the name or sake of Christ, he is happy. For thereby he glorifieth that God, whom the enemy doth blas- pheme,' and so the Spirit of God and of glory resteth on him; 1 Pet. iv. 14. He liveth and suffereth as one that from his heart believeth, that " They are blessed that are persecuted for right- eousness' sake, for great is their reward in heaven. And they are blessed when men shall revile them and persecute them, and say all manner of evil against them, falsely, for Christ's sake." In this they "rejoice and are exceeding glad," as knowing that herein they are " followers of them who through faith and patience inheritthe promise ; " Matt. v. 10=12. Heb. vi. 12. If he be "offered upon the sacrifice and service of the faith of God's elect, he can rejoice in it as having greater good than evil ; " Phil: ii. 17. He can suffer theloss of all things, Mid account them dung, that he may "win Christ, and be found in him,' and know him, and the power of his resurrection; and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable to his death ; " Phil. in. 8-10. Not out of . surliness and pride doth he rejoice in sufferings, as some do, that they may carry the. reputation of holy and undaunted men, and seem to be far better and more constant than.othet's. When pride maketh men suffer, they are partly the devil's martyrs, though the cause be never so good. Though it is much more ordinary for pride to make men suffer rejoicingly in an ill cause than in a good;
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