Use 4. If all that enter themselves disciples of Christ must prepare for the cross, then are we indeed prepared for it ? You will think all this needeth not in times of peace, when religion is under the covert and protection of the laws, and we are not called to the afflictions of the gospel, yet certainly such questions as these are not to be entertained coldly and carelessly. Have you prepared your shoulders for the cross of Christ ? It is necessary to put it to you —
1. Because of private crosses, which are incident to all, such as loss of goods and relations, pains of body, sickness, reproach, contempt, and the like. There is none get out of the world without some exercises : 1 Peter v. 9, ' Knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world ; ' Heb. vi. 12, ' That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.' All the heirs of salvation have their conflicts before tliey come to enjoy their hopes. The earth is a middle place between heaven and hell, and partaker of both ; it is only evil that is in hell and only good that is in heaven ; but here our state is mixed, our afflictions are tempered with some comforts, and our comforts seasoned with some afflictions. Earth must be earth, and heaven must be heaven ; here we must expect our trials : Job ii. 10, ' Shall we receive good at the hand of the Lord, and shall we not receive evil ? ' therefore we need to be provided ; there is good that need to be tried, and bad that need to be purged out.
2. Because we should be always ready to encounter the greatest difflculties. Though we do not always lie under tribulations and per- secutions, yet we should be always prepared, praparatione animi, as Joseph prepared for the years of scarcity in the years of plenty. The wise virgins had not only oil in their lamps, but oil in their vessels ;
12 SERMONS UPON MARK X. 17-27. [SeR. VIII.
we should not only have grace for present use, but against future temp- tations. Now have yon indeed this preparation of heart ? And because a man may crack and vaunt it before the temptation cometh, let us consider who hath this preparation of heart, so as cheerfully, willingly, and patiently to bear the cross, and who hath it not.
[1.] He that is not strict and holy in a time of peace will not be cheerful in a time of trouble: Acts ix. 31, 'Then had the churches rest, &c. ; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied.' When we are not called to passive obedience and suffering, our active obedience should be more cheerfully performed. Now where is it so ? Our fathers suffered more willingly for Christ than we speak for him ; they were not ashamed to die for a crucified Jesus, they endured the fire better than we can a frown or scoff.
[2.] He that is not mortified to the world, but loveth a flesh-pleasing life, is but ripening himself for apostasy : James v. 5, ' Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God ? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.' A fond and delicate person, that hath a value for worldly contentments, will be grieved when he cometh to part with them ; he that is corrupted with prosperity, will be dejected with adver- sity ; but no man is prepared but he that is crucified to the world by the cross of Christ, that liveth in a holy weanedness in the midst of his present enjo3'ments: Gal. vi. 14, 'But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified to me, and I unto the world.'
[3.] He that is not abounding in charity, and willing to part with temporal things in a way of free distribution, will be loath to part with them by constraint, and by way of sacrifice and voluntary surrender to God, when he calls for them. I offer this, because the churches that were free from persecution are still charged with the duty of charity ; and it is a general precept, Gal. vi. 10, ' As we have therefore oppor- tunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith ; ' because he that will not part with his super- fluities willingly to God, will never part with his substance and the main of his estate with rejoicing, when it is made a prey to the violence of men. It is irrational to think that he that grudgeth at a command that requires him to part only with a little of his temporal conveni- ences, will not storm at the violence when all is taken away : James V. 1, ' Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you,' There are their howling times, when that wealth which they sat abrood upon is taken away in an instant.