Tf Whatever may have been the influences which concurred in effecting this fundamental transformation in Dr. Martineau's philosophical system, there can be little doubt that when he preached the striking sermon on " The Christian View of Moral Evil " the process was virtually completed. That discourse gives expression in the most emphatic terms to the doctrine of Ethical Individualism, which forms the keynote of his moral philosophy. " This sense," he says, " of individual accountability — notwith- standing the ingenuity of orthodox divines on the one hand, and necessarian philosophers on the other — is impaired by all refer- ence of the evil that is in us to any source beyond ourselves. . . . There is no persuasion more indispensable to this state of mind, and consequently no impression which Christianity more pro- foundly leaves upon the heart, than that of the personal origin
1 L. Abbott, Signs of Promise, 187.
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16 THE KEYS OF THE KINGDOM
and personal identity of sin, — its individual incommunicable character. . . . Eence it appears impossible to defend the doctrines <>)' Philosophical Necessity — which presents <i<>d to us as the author oi sin and suffering — from the charge of invading the st-nse of personal responsibility." 1
1 The Life and LcUers oj 'Janus Martineau, ii. 271.
The Cost of Discipleship.
Literature.
Armstrong (R. A.), Memoir and Sermons, 195.
Bishop (J. W.), The Christian Year and the Christian Life, 117.
Black (J.), The Pilgrim Ship, 189.
Butler (W. A.), Sermons, i. 24.
Gibbon (J. M.), In the Days of Youth, 59.
Lawlor (H. J.), Thoughts on Belief and Life, 62.
Mackenzie (R.), The Loom of Providence, 69.
Macpherson (W. M.), The Path of Life, 198.
Matheson (G.), Searchings in the Silence, 56.
Moody (C. N.), Love's Long Campaign, 114.
Parker (J.), The City Temple, ii. 258.
Sampson (E. F.), Christ Church Sermons, 265.
Trumbull (H. C.), Our Misunderstood Bible, 130.
Vaughan (J.), Sermons (Brighton Pulpit), ii. (1862), No. 323.
Vickery (J.), Ideals of Life, 295.
Watkinson (W. L.), The Supreme Conquest, 158.
Watson (J.), Respectable Sins, 83.
Christian World Pulpit, vii. 305 (D. Thomas) ; xii. 394 (H. W. Beecher) ;
lvii. 219 (C. Gore). Church of England Pulpit, liii. 163 (J. P. Sandlands). Church Family Newspaper, April 7, 1911 (W. C. E. Xewbolt).
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The Cost of Discipleship.
Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man would come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. — Matt. xvi. 24.
These words were spoken by our Lord when He first began definitely to prepare the minds of His disciples for the humilia- tion, and suffering, and death which lay before Him. The con- ception of a suffering Messiah was so alien to the thought of His time that it became needful to prepare the minds of His immediate followers for receiving the Divine idea of self-sacrifice, which He was to reveal in His sufferings and death. " From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day." One of them, with characteristic im- pulsiveness, repudiated the idea ; and Jesus, reading at once the earthly thoughts which prompted the remonstrance of Peter, laid down the indispensable condition of spiritual life, the Divine law of self-sacrifice : " If any man would come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whoso- ever would save his life, shall lose it ; and whosoever shall lose his life for my sake, shall find it."
1. There was a special truth in these words for the disciples to whom they were spoken; and to them they were primarily addressed. No one could become a faithful follower of Jesus with- out being prepared to renounce everything, without carrying his life itself in his hand. And the first desire of Jesus in speaking these words was undoubtedly to make Peter and the rest of his companions understand clearly the absolute degree of the self- sacrifice which they must make in spirit, if they would be thoroughly associated with the Leader in whom they believed. He was going before them bearing His cross, submitting before-
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32o THE COST OF DISCIPLESHIP
band to the ignominy and pain which were to be openly realized; Ee w.is thus submitting, not in spite of His Divine nature, but because He was the perfect Son of the righteous and loving Father. If His disciples would cherish the high ambition of being His friends and followers ; if they would look forward to the joy aud the crown with which true sacrifice was to be rewarded — they also must tread in the steps of the Master, they must be content to serve and submit, they must gird themselves to the unreserved offering of themselves to God.
2. The Christian life also is one of service, of submission. Men do not sit and sing themselves away to everlasting bliss ; the way thither is the way of the yoke. Christ is very frank about this ; He allures no man to follow Him by false pretences. When men would follow Garibaldi to the liberty of Italy, he warned them that there would be hunger and thirst and fatigue, battle and wounds and death to be endured. Those who would follow must be willing to bear the yoke. When men would follow Christ, He frankly said, " Take my yoke upon you " — the yoke of service, of self-denial, of submission. " He that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me."