12. And thus it behoves every disciple of Christ, to _take up_, as well as to _bear_ his _cross_. Indeed in one sense, it is not _his_ alone; it is common to him and many others: seeing _there is no temptation befals any man_ εἰ μή ἀνθρώπινος· _but such as is common to men_, such as is incident and adapted to their common nature, and situation in the present world. But in another sense, as it is considered with all its circumstances, it is _his_; peculiar to himself: it is prepared of God for him: it is given by God to him, as a token of his love: and if he receives it as such, and (after using such means to remove the pressure as Christian wisdom directs) lies as clay in the Potter’s hand, it is disposed and ordered by God for his good, both with regard to the quality of it, and in respect to its quantity and degree, its duration, and every other circumstance.
13. In all this we may easily conceive our blessed Lord to act as the physician of our souls, not merely _for his own pleasure, but for our profit that we may be partakers of his holiness_. If in searching our wounds he puts us to pain, it is only in order to heal them. He cuts away what is putrified or unsound, in order to preserve the sound part. And if we freely chuse the loss of a limb, rather than the whole body should perish, how much more should we chuse, figuratively, to cut off a right-hand, rather than the whole soul should be cast into hell?
14. We see plainly then both the nature and ground, of _taking up our cross_. It does not imply the ♦_disciplining ourselves_ (as some speak) the literally tearing our own flesh: the wearing haircloth, or iron girdles, or any thing else that would impair our bodily health: (although we know not what allowance God may make for those, who acts thus through involuntary ignorance:) but the embracing the will of God, tho’ contrary to our own; the chusing wholesome, tho’ bitter, medicines: the freely accepting temporary pain, of whatever kind, and in whatever degree, when it is either essentially or accidentally necessary to eternal pleasure.
♦ ‘discipling’ replaced with ‘disciplining’
II. 1. I am, secondly, to shew, that it is always owing to the want either of self-denial, or taking up his cross, that any man does not throughly _follow him_, is not fully a _disciple of_ Christ.
It is true, this may be partly owing in some cases, to the want of the means of grace: of hearing the true word of God spoken with power, of the sacraments, or of Christian fellowship. But where none of these is wanting, the great hindrance of our receiving or growing in the grace of God, is always the want of denying ourselves, or taking up our cross.
2. A few instances will make this plain. A man hears the word which is able to save his soul. He is well pleased with what he hears, acknowledges the truth, and is a little affected by it. Yet he remains _dead in trespasses and sins_, senseless and unawakened. Why is this? Because he will not part with his bosom-sin, tho’ he now knows it is an abomination unto the Lord. He came to hear, full of lust and unholy desire: and he will not part with them. Therefore no deep impression is made upon him, but his foolish heart is still hardened: that is, he is still senseless and unawakened, because he will not _deny himself_.
3. Suppose he begins to awake out of sleep, and his eyes are a little opened, why are they so quickly closed again? Why does he again sink into the sleep of death? Because he again yields to his bosom-sin: he drinks again of the pleasing poison. Therefore it is impossible that any lasting impression, should be made upon his heart. That is, he relapses into his fatal insensibility, because he will not _deny himself_.
4. But this is not the case with all. We have many instances of those, who when once awakened sleep no more. The impressions once received, do not wear away; they are not only deep, but lasting. And yet many of these have not found what they seek: they mourn, and yet are not comforted. Now why is this? It is because they do not _bring forth fruits meet for repentance_: because they do not according to the grace they have received, _cease from evil, and do good_. They do not cease from the easily besetting sin, the sin of their constitution, of their education, or of their profession. Or they omit doing the good they may, and know they ought to do, because of some disagreeable circumstances attending it: that is, they do not attain faith, because they will not _deny themselves_, or _take up their cross_.