The Institution of Christian Religion

The eight Chapter. ¶ Of the bearing of the cross, which is a part of the forsaking of our selves.

The eight Chapter. ¶ Of the bearyng of the crosse, whiche is a part of the forsakyng of our selues.

But a Godly mind must yet climb up higher, even to that whereunto Christ calleth his disciples, that every one take up his cross.¹ For all whom the Lord hath chosen and vouchsafed to receive into his company, must prepare themselves to a hard, travailsome & unquiet life, and full of many and diverse kinds of incommodities. So it is the will of the heavenly father, to exercise them in such sort, that he may have a true proof of them that be his. Beginning at Christ, his first begotten son, he proceedeth with this order toward all his children.² For whereas Christ was the best beloved son above the rest, and in whom the fathers mind was fully pleased, yet we see how he was not tenderly & daintily handled: so that it may be truly said, that he was not only exercised with a perpetual cross so long as he dwelled in earth, but that at his life was nothing else but a kind of continual cross. The Apostle ⟨p. 164⟩showeth the cause thereof to be, that it behoved that he should learn obedience by those things that he suffered. Why then should we privilege our selves from that estate, whereunto it behoved Christ our head to be subject, specially sith he became subject thereunto for our cause, to show us an example of patience in himself? Therefore the Apostle saith that this is the appointed end for all the children of God,³ to be fashioned like unto him. Whereupon also in hard and sharp chances, which are reckoned adversities and evils, ariseth a great comfort unto us, that we communicate with the sufferings of Christ: that as he entered out of a maze of all troubles into the heavenly glory, so we may by diverse tribulations be brought into the same glory. For so saith Paul himself,