9. It remains only to enquire, how are the children of God to behave, with regard to persecution? *And first, they ought not knowingly or designedly, to bring it upon themselves. This is contrary both to the example and advice of our Lord and all his apostles; who teach us not only not to seek, but to avoid it, as far as we can, without injuring our conscience; without giving up any part of that righteousness, which we are to prefer before life itself. So our Lord expresly, _When they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another_: which is indeed, when it can be taken, the most unexceptionable way of avoiding persecution. 10. Yet think not, that you can always avoid it, either by this, or any other means. If ever that idle imagination steals into your heart, put it to flight by that earnest caution, _Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his_ Lord. _If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you._ Be ye _wise as serpents, and harmless as doves_. But will this screen you from persecution? Not unless you have more wisdom than your Master, or more innocence than the Lamb of God. Neither desire to avoid it, to escape it wholly; for if you do, you are none of his. If you escape the persecution, you escape the blessing; the blessing of those who are persecuted for righteousness sake. If you are not persecuted for righteousness sake, you cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven. _If we suffer with him, we shall also reign with him. But if we deny him, he will also deny us._ 11. Nay, rather, _rejoice and be exceeding glad_, when men persecute you for his sake: when _they persecute_ you by _reviling_ you, and by _saying all manner of evil against you falsely_; (which they will not fail to mix with every kind of persecution; they must blacken you to excuse themselves.) _For so persecuted they the prophets which were before you_, those who were most eminently holy in heart and life; yea, and all the righteous which ever have been from the beginning of the world. Rejoice, because by this mark also, ye know unto whom ye belong. And because _great is your reward in heaven_: the reward purchased by the blood of the covenant, and freely bestowed in proportion to your sufferings, as well as to your holiness of heart and life. _Be exceeding glad_; knowing that _these light afflictions, which are but for a moment, work out for you a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory_. 12. Mean time, let no persecution turn you out of the way of lowliness and meekness, of love and beneficence. [76]_Ye have heard_ indeed _that it hath been said, an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth_. And your miserable teachers have hence allowed you to avenge yourselves, to return evil for evil.