On suffering

Thou mayest do in this as it is in thy heart. If it is in thy
heart to fly, fly; if it be in thy heart to stand, stand.
Anything but a denial of the truth. He that flies, has war-
rant to do so; he that stands, has warrant to do so. Yea, the
same man may both fly and stand, as the call and work-
ing of God with his heart may be. Moses fled, Exodus
2:15; Moses stood, Hebrews 11:27. David fled, 1 Samuel
19:12; David stood, 1 Samuel 24:8. Jeremiah fled,
Jeremiah 37:11-12; Jeremiah stood, 38:17. Christ with-
drew himself, Luke 19:10; Christ stood, John 18:1-8. Paul
fled, 2 Cor. 11:33; Paul stood, Acts 20:22-23. . . .
There are few rules in this case. The man himself is
best able to judge concerning his present strength, and
what weight this or that argument has upon his heart
to stand or fly. . . . Do not fly out of a slavish fear, but
rather because flying is an ordinance of God, opening a
door for the escape of some, which door is opened by
God’s providence, and the escape countenanced by
God’s Word. Matthew 10:23. . . . If, therefore, when
thou hast fled, thou art taken, be not offended at God
or man: not at God, for thou art his servant, thy life
and thy all are his; not at man, for he is but God’s rod,
and is ordained, in this, to do thee good. Hast thou
escaped? Laugh. Art thou taken? Laugh. I mean, be
pleased which way soever things shall go, for that the
scales are still in God’s hand.

John Bunyan