Our Saviour going himself to suffer, tells his Disciples what they must expect in the following of him,1 If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me. These are the terms, saith Christ, upon which you must follow me, you must be willing to deny your selves, and to take up your cross, to suffer hard things if you follow me. Christ would have his Disciples know the worst at first, and not please themselves in a fools Paradise, thinking that by following of him they should ⟨p. 202⟩get great matters to themselves in the world; no, saith he, expect no such matter, but deny your selves, and take up my cross. But this may seem to be hard, it may be our cross may be the loss of all, the loss of our lives, and must we take up that? yes, saith Christ, in the verse before my Text, be not solicitous what your cross is like to be, only be willing to take it up. And the truth is, the more willing you are to take it up, the better will it be for you, and you will get nothing by seeking to shift for your selves, For whosoever will save his life shall lose it, and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. 2It may be when you meet with sufferings in the world, you will think to shift this way, or that way, but you will get nothing: If you would save your lives by forsaking the truth, it is the only way to lose your lives: But if you be willing to lose your lives for my truth, you shall save them; or what if by forsaking me and my truth, when you meet with suffering, you should save your lives, and your estates, and live bravely in the world, do you think you are any gainers by this? you are infinitely mistaken: If you cast up the account, you will find that you have gotten nothing all: For what is a man profited if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? And thus you see how the words come in.
OUr Saviour going himself to suffer, tells his Disciples what they must expect in the following of him,1 If any man will come after mee, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow mee. These are the tearms, saith Christ, upon which you must follow mee, you must bee willing to deny your selves, and to take up your cross, to suffer hard things if you follow mee. Christ would have his Disciples know the worst at first, and not please themselves in a fools Paradise, thinking that by following of him they should ⟨p. 202⟩get great matters to themselves in the world; no, saith hee, expect no such matter, but deny your selves, and take up my cross. But this may seem to bee hard, it may bee our cross may bee the loss of all, the loss of our lives, and must wee take up that? yes, saith Christ, in the verse before my Text, bee not solicitous what your cross is like to bee, onely bee willing to take it up. And the truth is, the more willing you are to take it up, the better will it bee for you, and you will get nothing by seeking to shift for your selves, For whosoever will save his life shall lose it, and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall finde it. 2It may bee when you meet with sufferings in the world, you will think to shift this way, or that way, but you will get nothing: If you would save your lives by forsaking the truth, it is the onely way to lose your lives: But if you bee willing to lose your lives for my truth, you shall save them; or what if by forsaking mee and my truth, when you meet with suffering, you should save your lives, and your estates, and live bravely in the world, do you think you are any gainers by this? you are infinitly mistaken: If you cast up the account, you will finde that you have gotten nothing all: For what is a man profited if hee shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? And thus you see how the words come in.
- 1Vers. 24.
- 2Vers. 25.
