Seasonable truths in evil-times in several sermons / lately preached in and about London

With personal godliness: for if your person be not accepted, your suffering will not: if you be not in Christ, your suffering will come to little. ⟨p. 52⟩As the tree is, so is the fruit that grows upon the tree: if the tree be a Crab, all the fruit is but Crabs. And if you be a Crab, and not implanted into Jesus Christ, your suffering will not be accepted.

And not only personal godliness, but actual godliness; so as not to lie in any sin, either of omission or commission. For any sin is a hole in the bag of our sufferings: if there be a hole in the bag, all your money will run out. Surely if a man lies in any sin, that sin is a hole in the bottom of the bag, and all the profits of his sufferings will run out, though he suffers never so much for Christ, and for Religion. Therefore that's the first thing; be sure that all your sufferings be underlaid with godliness, personal and actual godliness.

And not onely personal godliness, but actual godliness; so as not to lie in any sin, either of omission or commission. For any sin is a hole in the bag of our sufferings: if there be a hole in the bag, all your money will run out. Surely if a man lies in any sin, that sin is a hole in the bottom of the bag, and all the profits of his sufferings will run out, though he suffers never so much for Christ, and for Religion. Therefore that's the first thing; be sure that all your sufferings be underlaid with godliness, personal and actual godliness.

Secondly, if you would so order and manage your sufferings, as that they may turn to a good account; then labour to get your understanding clear, and your will free, in the matter and business of sufferings. For though the thing that you suffer for be never so right, yet if you have not a clear understanding in what you suffer, your suffering will turn to little. And though you have never so clear an understanding, yet if your will be not free, it will turn to little. You know how it was with Moses; it 's said, He refused to be called the son of Pharaohs daughter, and chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God. Why when was this? when he came of years. Why when he came of years? Because then he had discretion and understanding; and the Holy-ghost would show, that he did what he did understandingly in the point of his suffering: and he did it freely in the point of his will; for he chose rather: choosing