3. Those that desert their duty and their station, as being discouraged by the cross ; these are more culpable than the former : Ps. cxxv. 5, ' As for such as turn aside unto their crooked ways, the Lord shall lead them forth with the workers of iniquity.' He had been speaking of ' the rod of the wicked resting on the lot of the righteous,' ver. 3 ; and therefore by them ' that turn aside ' he meaneth such as dare not trust
10 SERMONS UPON MARK X. 17-27, [SeR. VIII.
God, nor adhere to the comfort of the promises ; these are in the same rank with open enemies : Eev. xxi. 8, ' The fearful and unbelieving ' are joined together.
4. Those that seek to make their worldly advantage and the profes- sion of the gospel agree further than they ever will ; and when they cannot frame the world and their conveniences to the gospel, they will fashion a gospel to the world and their carnal courses in it. It is a pity such had not been of the Lord's counsel, when he first contrived and preached the gospel, that they might have helped him to some discreet and mild course, that would have served the turn for heaven and earth; but do what ye can, 'the way is narrow that leadeth to life,' Mat. vii. 14 ; ' Take my yoke upon you, &c., and ye shall find rest unto your souls,' Mat. xi. 29.
5. Those that suffer, but it is for their evil-doing ; these take not up the cross of Christ, but the cross of the thieves. Or if a man put himself upon needless danger, he taketh not up Chi-ist's cross, but his own, and so hath his amends in his own hands. Afflictions so coming may be sanctified by repentance, good in their use, though not in their cause. When we suffer for our faults, we ought to bear it patiently, but we cannot suffer so cheerfully : 1 Peter iv. 15, ' But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evil-doer, or as a busy- body in other men's matters.'
Use 3. To press us to take up the cross, and to take heed of grudging and heartless discouragement. Now, that you may so take up the cross, see the hand and counsel of God in it. So it was as to Christ's cross : Acts ii. 23, ' Him being delivered by the determinate counsel and fore- Ivuowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain ;' John xviii. 11, ' The cup which my Father hath given me,' &c. ; and so as to the christian's cross : 1 Thes. iii. 3, ' That no man should be moved by these afflictions, for yourselves know that we are appointed thereunto.' All things must obey God's appointment, and every one must yield up himself to the disposal of God. And we have Christ's example, who took up his cross for us, and doth not call us but to walk in such ways as he hath trodden before us : 1 Peter ii. 21, ' For even hereunto were ye called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps.' He hath paved the way with the blessing of his example, whatever the cross be. Are we banished our country ? Our Lord Jesus was a stranger upon earth, and when he was in the cradle he was carried into Egypt. Are you poor ? You cannot be poorer than Christ, who had not where to rest his head. Are you constrained to hard fare ? He thought a draught of water a courtesy: John iv. 7, 'Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink ; ' and on the cross they gave him vinegar to drink when he was athirst. Christ preached in a boat in the midst of the waves. Do but read the history of Christ's life, and the hardship he endured, and will you be scandalised at a little suffering ? Are you reproached ? Chri.st himself was called a devil, accused of blasphemy and sedition, and you must not think to be better used than he was. Quum Cliristus ipse C7'ucem et supj^licia passus sit tantum illis preiii accessit, ut 7iemo istis dignus sit, saith Luther — Since Christ hath endured the cross, there hath such a value and honour accrued to it thereby, that no man
YeR. 21.] SERMONS UPON MARK X. 17-27. 11
is worthy to have this honour put upon him. We bear it together with Christ : Eom. viii. 26, ' The Spirit also helpeth our infirmities,' avvavrLKajx^dveraL ; 1 Cor. x. 13, ' He will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.' Such a master may well expect cheerful servants. He will give us peace and comfort in all our sufferings : John xvi. 33, ' These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace : in the world ye shall have tribulation ; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world ; ' 2. Cor. i. 5, ' For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us. so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.' Jacob, when he slept, and had a heap of stones for his pillow, had then the visions of God ; and usually when we are taken off from the comforts of the world, then we have the clearest manifestations of the love of God : Eom. v. 5, ' The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost, which is given unto us.' It is an honour for us to suffer with Christ and for Christ : Phil. i. 29, ' For unto you it is given in behalf of Ciirist, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake.' And all this, how bitter soever it be for the present, will end well : Acts xiv. 22, ' We must through many tribulations enter into the kingdom of God.' After this howling wilderness there will be a Canaan. We have had our times of good, and is it nothing to pass over so much of our time in peace and comfort ? Job ii. 10, ' Shall we receive good at the hands of God, and shall we not receive evil ? '