Published in Offor's 1861 edition of "Bunyan's Works."
OF SUFFERING.
It is not every suffering that makes a martyr, but suffering for
the word of God after a right manner; that is, not only for righteousness, but for
righteousness' sake; not only for truth, but out 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.
It is a rare thing to suffer aright, and to have my spirit in
suffering bent only against God's enemy, sin; sin in doctrine, sin in worship, sin
in life, and sin in conversation.
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 thy own
act. Nor will he that doth indeed suffer for the sake of it, or out of love he bears
thereto, be tempted to exchange it for the good will of all the world.
I have often thought that the best of Christians are found in
the worst of times. And I have thought again that one reason why we are no better,
is because God purges us no more. Noah and Lot--who so holy as they in the time of
their afflictions? And yet who so idle as they in the time of their prosperity?
