2. Those who are habituated to serve their God —
[Be not surprised if you are called to suffer for righteous- ness' sake, " nor think it strange if you be tried with a fiery trial." Should this be the case, we congratulate you upon the honour conferred upon you ; and we exhort you to " rejoice and leap for joy ; for so persecuted they the prophets that were before youx." Our Lord's direction is, " Be not afraid of man, who can only kill the body ; but fear Him who can cast both body and soul into hell ; yea, I say unto you, Fear Him." But while we exhort you to " be faithful unto death," and, like Daniel, to withstand all the powers of earth and hell, we would particularly entreat you to imitate his spirit. In the first place, let your enemies " find nothing against you, except concerning the law of God." In the next place, conduct yourselves with meekness under your sufferings. You read not of his exciting clamour and rebellion in the state, but of his submitting patiently to the cruelty of his oppressors. We mean not to condemn such an opposition to tyranny, as the law itself admits ; but such as is unconstitutional, turbulent, and factious : and we cannot but recommend a cheerful sub- mission to persecution, as, on the whole, most profitable to ourselves, and most honourable to our Gody. Indeed, when suffering for righteousness' sake, we may expect extraordinary interpositions for our deliverance or support, and may hope to win those who have been the authors of all our troubles z.]
u Acts xx. 24. and xxi. 13. x Matt. v. 11, 12.
y 1 Cor. iv. 12, 13.
z See a most encouraging and well-authenticated instance in Ben- son's Life of Mr. Fletcher, p. 309. first edition.