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THis seemeth a hard saieng to manie, For∣sake thy selfe a, take vp thy crosse, and folowe mee: But those last wordes wil be much harder b, Depart fro me yee cursed into euerlasting fire. For they which now gladlie do heare, and folowe the saieng of the crosse, shal not then dread the heauie sentence of eternal punishment c.
Then al the seruants of the crosse, which haue liued after the example of him yt was crucified, shal approach
vnto Christ with great boldnes d.
Why then fearest thou the crosse, which is the waie vnto heauen e?
In the crosse saluation is; in the crosse, life; in the crosse, aide against enimies; in the crosse, celestial com∣fort; in the crosse, strength of minde; ioie of the spirit is in the crosse; in the crosse, the chiefest virtue; perfection of holines is in the crosse; finalie without the crosse there is neither saluation of the soule, nor hope of e∣ternal life f.
Wherefore take vp thy crosse, and folowe Christ, and thou shalt go vnto eternal life g. He went before thee bearing his one crosse h, and for thy sake died on the crosse i, that thou also mightest beare the crosse, and desire to die vpon the same k. For if thou die with him, thou also shalt liue with him; if thou suffer with him, thou shalt also reigne with him l. For knowe this, in the crosse, and in dieng al things do consist, nei∣ther is there anie other waie vnto life and quietnes, than by the crosse, and dailie mortifieng of thy selfe m.
Whersoeuer thou turnest thy selfe, or castest thine eies, thou shalt finde neither aboue, nor beneath, a better
waie vnto blisse, than by the crosse n.
Though thou set al things in ne∣uer so good order, yet can it not be a∣uoided, but something thou must suf∣fer either voluntarilie, or against thy wil o, & alwaies run vpon the crosse. For either sicknes of bodie, or sorowe of minde wil vexe thee. Either God wil forsake, or man afflict, or (which worser is,) thou wilt be a burden to thy selfe: and that in such sorte, as no remedie can salue, nor comfort quite thee, but of necessitie thou must bear it, as long as God thinkes good p.
For it is Gods wil to haue thee suf∣fer miserie without comfort q, that thou maist submit thy selfe wholie vnto him, and be more humble tho∣rough aduersitie r.
No man so feeleth the paines of Christ in his mind, as he which hath suffered the like himselfe s.
So that the crosse is prepared, and abideth for thee in euerie place, nei∣ther shalt thou escape it, run where thou wilt t: for wheresoeuer thou be∣commest, thou bearest thy self about, and shalt finde thy selfe alwaies u.
Turne thee vpwarde, turne thee downeward, turne thee outward, or turne thee inward, eueriewhere thou
maist finde the crosse; and alwaies thou must haue patience, if thou wilt enioie the peace of minde, & crowne of rest x.
If thou wilt carrie the crosse wil∣linglie, the crosse wil carrie thee e∣uen to ye desired end, namelie where miserie hath an ende y, which wil not be in this world z. But if thou beare it grudginglie, thou doest encrease thy burden, and presse downe thy self the more, and yet must thou beare it do what thou canst a. If thou escapest one miserie, thou shalt assuredlie fal into another b, and perhaps into a woorser.
Thinkest thou to escape that which no mortal man could euer yet c? What man euer liued in the worlde without his crosse, and miserie d? Yea euen our Lord & Sauior Christ was no one houre without griefe, & tro∣ble while he liued here on earth e. For Christ suffered f, and so entered into his glorie, and wilt thou seeke another path: and not walke in this kinglie hie waie? The whole life of Christ was euen a meere crosse, and vexation g, and wilt thou seeke for rest, and quietnes?
Thou art out of ye waie, surelie thou
art out of the waie, if thou lookest for anie thing but miserie in this world: seing the whole life of mortal man is ful of trobles, and compassed about with calamities h. And the more god∣lie a man is, the more often doth he suffer aduersitie, for the soarnes of his affliction encreaseth through his loue of God i.
And yet is not this man of whome we speake without comfort, inasmuch as he beleeueth that by this crosse he shal reape much frute k.
For whilest willinglie he commeth vnder the crosse, it falleth out that the whole burden of trobles is tur∣ned vpon the confidence of Gods heauenlie comfort l: and the more the flesh by calamitie is weakened, the more the Spirit is confirmed by the comfort of minde m. Yea so is he strengthened manie times through the feeling of trobles, and aduersitie (of such force is his loue which suf∣fereth after ye ensample of Christ n,) that he would not wish to be without sorowe, and affliction o. For he belee∣ueth that he is the more acceptable to God, the more he can suffer for his sake p.
And yet is it not by the power of
man, but of the mercie of God, that he can in his fraile flesh loue, and through the zeale of the spirit set vp∣on those things q, which man by na∣ture doth flie, and abhor.
For man of himself cannot endure the crosse, loue affliction, tame and bring vnder the bodie, shun promo∣tion, abide to be reuiled, despise him∣selfe, yea couet to be despised, beare aduersitie, and contemne the prospe∣ritie of this world r.
If thou depende vpon thy selfe s thou shalt do none of these things: but if thou trust in God, he wil sende thee comfort from aboue t, whereby the world, & the flesh shalbe brought vnder thy subiectiō u. Yea thou shalt not feare the malice of the Diuel x, if thou be stedfast in faith y.
Thou therefore suffer affliction as a good soldior of Iesus Christ z, who for thy sake was crucified a.
Prepare thy selfe to suffer much ad∣uersitie, and sundrie incommodities in this miserable life: for as much as such is thy lot wheresoeuer thou be∣commest, or lurke where thou wilt, yea by no meanes shalt thou escape these trobles, but must beare them of necessitie b.
Drinke hartilie of y• Lordes cup c if thou desirest to be his freend and companion.
And as touching consolation, re∣fer that to the wil of GOD, let him giue it at his discretion: but yeelde thou thy selfe to the bearing of ad∣uersitie, and let it be thy ioie d. For the afflictions of this present time, are not answereable to the glorie which shal be hereafter e, though thou couldest beare them al thy self.
After thou art come vnto that passe, that thou canst with pleasure & ioie endure aduersitie for Christes sake, thinke thou art an happie man, which hast founde the kingdome of heauen here on earth f On the o∣therside, as long as it greeueth thee to beare it, so long art thou in il case, vexed euerie where with the flight of miscrie g. But do thy dutie, that is, prepare thy selfe to the crosse, and to die, and in short time shalt thou be assisted, and finde quietnes h.
If thou wert taken vp euen into the third heauen with Paule i, yet wert thou not assured, that none aduersi∣tie shal come to thee. I wil showe him, saith Christ k, how manie things he must suffer for my Name sake.
So that of necessitie thou must suf∣fer, if thy minde be to loue, and serue Christ euermore l.
And would to God thou wert coun∣ted woorthie to suffer for the Name of Iesus m; then what glorie to thy selfe n, ioie to the Sainctes of God o, and profit to mankind p, would arise! For al commende patience, though fewe wil suffer q. Doubtles there is great cause why thou shouldest en∣dure a litle for Christ, seeing thou canst suffer a great deale more for the world r. And know this for a truth, that thou must liue by dieng to thy selfe s. And the more a man dieth to himselfe, the more he liueth to God.
No man is meete to comprehend celestial things, vnles he can be con∣tent to beare aduersitie for Christ his sake t.
To conclude, nothing is either more acceptable in the sight of God, or profitable for thy selfe in this life, than willing lie to suffer aduersitie for the Name of Christ; insomuch that, if choise were giuen, thou shouldest chuse to suffer for Christ rather than to be refreshed with much consola∣tion u: for so shalt thou become the more like to Christ x, and al his ho∣lie
seruantes y.
Neither doth our comming for∣ward consist in the store of pleasures, and comfort, but rather in bearing great euils, and aduersitie z.
And if any thing had bin better, or more expedient for man than to suf∣fer miserie a, doubtles Christ would haue showen ye same both by wordes, and deedes. But now in plaine words he doth counsaile both his owne dis∣ciples, and as manie as are desirous to folow him, to beare the crosse, in these wordes b: If anie man wil fo∣low me, let him forsake himselfe, and take vp his crosse, and folow me.
Therfore al things being read o∣uer and ouer, and put in practise, let this be the end of our speech c: By manie afflictions we must enter into the kingdome of God.
Matth. 16, verse. 24. Mark. 8, 34. Luke. 9, 23.
Matth. 25, verse. 41.
Psa. 112, 6. 10.
Wisd. 5, 1. Matt. 19, 28 29. Luk. 22, 28.
Luke. 24, verse. 26 Rom 8, 17. 2. Tim. 2, 11. 12.
Gala. 2, 19. Galat. 6, 14.
Luk. 9, 23 24. Iohn. 12, 25. 26.
Ioh. 19, 17
Gala. 3, 13. 1. Pet 2, 24.
1. Pet. 2, vers. 21, &c.
2. Tim. 2, 11 12 Matt. 19, 28. Luk. 22, 28 29
Rom. 6, 3. 4. Galat. 6, 14. Coloss. 3, 5.
Luke. 24, verse. 26. Acts. 14, 22.
Sirac. 2, 1.
Phil. 1, 23.
Matth. 27, verse. 46.
Ps. 119, 67 71.
Gal. 6, 17. Philip. 2. 17. 30.
Ioh. 16, 1. 2. 20. Galat. 6, 12
Rom. 7, 14
Luk. 9, 24 Luk. 21, 19.
Reu. 7, 17.
Ioh. 16, 20 33.
Prou. 14, 14
Matth. 19, vers. 22, &c. 2. Tim. 3, 12 13. Iudith. 8, 11. 14.
Iob 5, 7. 17. Iob. 14, 1.
Ps. 34, 19. Actes. 14, 15. 22.
Luk. 9, 22.
Luke. 24, verse. 26.
Esaie. 53, 3 Iohn. 7, 7. Iohn. 15, 18.
Iob. 14, 1. 22.
Rom. 8, 35. 36. 2. Co. 12, 10 Philip. 1, 14. 20. 21.
Psa. 94, 19. Rom 5, 3. Iames. 1, 3.
Psal. 34, 22 Psalm. 91, 2. 9. 2. Cor. 7, 11.
Roman. 7, vers. 23, &c. Roman. 8, vers. 10, &c. 2. Cor. 4, 16.
1. Pet. 2, 21
Rom. 6, 5. Rom. 8, 35. 2. Tim. 2, 3. 11. 12.
Acts 5, 41. 2. Cor. 4, 16. 17. 18.
Gal. 5, 16. 24. Phil. 4, 13. 1. Tim. 1, 12.
Luk. 22, 32 40. 46. 2. Cor. 4, 7. 8.
2. Cor. 1, 4.
Iohn. 16, 7.
2. Co. 12, 9. 10.
Psal. 91, 5.
1. Pet. 5, 9.
2. Tim. 2, 3
1. Pet 2, 24
Luke. 21, verse. 19
Mat. 20, 22 23.
Acts. 5, 41. Iames. 1, 2.
Rom. 8, 18
Matt. 5, 10.
Prou. 10, verse. 29.
1. Pet. 4, 12 13.
2. Cor. 12, verse. 2.
Acts 9, 16.
Luk. 9, 23.
Acts. 5, 41
Rom. 5, 2.
1. Cor. 12, vers. 26, &c.
Colos••. 1, verse. 24. 2 Tim. 2, 1••.
Matth. 26, verse. 56.
1. Cor. 9, verse. 25.
Roman. 6, verse. 8, &c. 2, Tim. 2, 11.
Rom. 8, 35
Rom. 12, verse. 12. Galat. 6, 14.
Ioh. 15, 20 1. Pet. 2, 21.
Matt. 5, 11. 12.
Rom. 5, 3. Iames. 1, 2.
Ioh. 14, 27.
Matth. 16, verse. 24. Mark. 8, 34 Luke. 9▪ 23. Luk. 14, 27.
Actes. 14, verse. 22.