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to the will of God, but to the thoughts of man. No doubt, what I have foretold that he whom ye acknowledge to be the Christ, must suffer, is grievous to flesh and blood. But this is not to be considered. The will of God is to be considered.

Nay let all know to what they must make up their minds. Then he called the people unto him with his disciples also, and said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. Such are

the terms of my religion. have treasure in heaven."

My disciples "shall "For eye hath not

seen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man to conceive the things which God has laid up for them that love him." But let no man believe that he can serve God, and this world too that he can secure treasure in heaven, whilst his heart remains on earth below, and savours not the things which be of God, but the things which be of men.

This is described by the strongest terms. him deny himself, and take up his cross.

Let

Let him

deny himself his present inclinations, and study to please God: let him refuse his present interests for the sake of his eternal interests: let him be ready to part with life itself: let him take up of his own accord the cross on which he is to suffer, and bear it on his shoulders, if he should be called to such a trial in the way of duty. Nothing can be well conceived more painful, or more disgraceful, than a necessity like this. Yet this, says our Lord, those who come after him must be prepared for.

2

'This the Romans obliged malefactors to do.

of the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.

32. And he spake that saying openly. And Peter took him, and began to rebuke him.

33. But when he had turned about and looked on his disciples, he rebuked Peter saying, Get thee behind me, Satan: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men.

34. And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow

me.

35. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it.

36. For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?

37. Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? 38. Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.

By considering the whole of this passage together, we perceive most clearly its meaning and its application.

Jesus had declared, more explicitly than on any former occasion, the things which were appointed for him to suffer. He spake that saying openly.

Peter could not bear the thought. He took him, and began to rebuke him, "saying, Be it far from thee, Lord; this shall not be unto thee." This Jesus severely resented, saying to Peter that he was acting the part of Satan, and throwing a stumblingblock in his way; that his mind was not conformed See Matt. xvi. 22.

to the will of God, but to the thoughts of man. No doubt, what I have foretold that he whom ye acknowledge to be the Christ, must suffer, is grievous to flesh and blood. But this is not to be considered. The will of God is to be considered.

Nay let all know to what they must make up their minds. Then he called the people unto him with his disciples also, and said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. Such are the terms of my religion. My disciples "shall have treasure in heaven." "For eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man to conceive the things which God has laid up for them that love him." But let no man believe that he can serve God, and this world. too that he can secure treasure in heaven, whilst his heart remains on earth below, and savours not the things which be of God, but the things which be of men.

This is described by the strongest terms. Let him deny himself, and take up his cross. Let him deny himself his present inclinations, and study to please God: let him refuse his present interests for the sake of his eternal interests: let him be ready to part with life itself: let him take up of his own accord the cross on which he is to suffer, and bear it on his shoulders, if he should be called to such a trial in the way of duty. Nothing can be well conceived more painful, or more disgraceful, than a necessity like this. Yet this, says our Lord, those who come after him must be prepared for.

'This the Romans obliged malefactors to do.

us."

There is reason to believe that Peter, who gave occasion to the saying which we read here, bore this cross literally. The disciples of Christ are rarely called to so severe a trial. But the spirit of the sentence is closely interwoven in the whole texture of Christian faith. "If we suffer with him, we shall also reign with him. If we deny him, he will deny And be assured a cross is in every man's The heart which we bear about us, the way. world in which we live, are as a cross to us. "The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life," are as a cross to us. It is no duty to step aside, in order to seek a cross: but it is sin to step aside, in order to avoid it; to yield to Satan rather than oppose him. As it has been often expressed, no cross, no crown. Whatever troubles or losses, whatever inward vexations or outward hindrances you meet with in discharging your duty to God or man, these are your cross, these you must take up as you go along, and neither repine nor sink under them. And the nature of the heart must be changed, and the nature of the world must be changed, before the faithful and watchful Christian shall cease to meet with these. Even as men, we cannot but find many crosses in the world. But as Christians we must expect more, because it is easier to yield than to contend; easier to swim with the stream, than to strive against it; easier to give way to corrupt nature, than to resist it, and keep it in subjection.

This, however, is to follow Christ. This, and nothing else. He set the example; and he issues the command. Self-denial here-till his precepts

He

cease to be self-denial-and reward hereafter.
"for the joy that was set before him, endured the
cross, despising the shame." And it is worth
while. For what shall it profit a man, if he shall
gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?
O that every one would meditate on this truth,
as he lieth down, and as he riseth up, and as he
walketh by the way!

LECTURE XCIII.

CHRIST IS TRANSFIGURED.

FORETELLS HIS DEATH AND RESURRECTION.

MARK ix. 1—13.

1-13.

1. And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, that Matt. xvii. there be some of them that stand here, which shall not taste Luke ix. of death, till they have seen the kingdom of God come 28-37. with power.

The declaration made in this verse, belongs rather to the conversation which preceded it, than to what is related in the present chapter. Our Lord had been encouraging his disciples to confess and obey him, by bidding them look forward to the time

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