Every disciple of Christ has a cross and must count upon it. (continued)
Every disciple of Christ must take up that which the wise God has made his cross. It is an allusion to the Roman custom of compelling those that were condemned to be crucified to carry their cross. When Simon carried Christ's cross after Him this phrase was illustrated. Now let us note:
(a) That the cross lies in our way and 1s prepared for us. We must not make crosses for ourselves, but rather must accommodate ourselves to those which God has made for us. Our rule is, not to go a step out of the way of duty, either to meet a cross, or to miss one. We must not by our rashness and indiscretion pull crosses down upon our heads, but must take them up when they are laid in our way. We must so manage our affliction, as that it may not be a stumbling-block or hindrance to us in any service we have to do for God.
(b) We have not only to bear the cross—a stock, or a stone, or a stick may do that; not only to be silent under it; but we must take up the cross, must improve it to some good advantage. We must not say: '"' This is an evil, and I must bear it, because I cannot help it''; but, "This is an evil, and I will bear it, because it shall work for my good."" When we rejoice in our afflictions, and glory in them, then we take up the cross. This fitly follows upon denying ourselves. For he that will not deny himself the pleasures of sin and the advantages of this world for Christ, when it comes to the push will never have the heart to take up his cross. ''He that cannot take up a resolution to live a saint has demonstration within himself that he is never likely to die a martyr."
Let him follow me im this particular of taking up the cross. Suffering saints must look unto Jesus, and take from him both direction and encouragement in suffering. Do we bear the cross? We therein follow Christ, who bears it before us, bears it for us, and so bears it off us. He bore the heavy end of the cross, the end that had the curse upon it (that was the heavy end) and so made the other light and easy for us. Or, we may take it 7m general: we must follow Christ in all instances of holiness and obedience.
4. THE Cost oF DISCIPLESHIP
The disciples of Christ must study to imitate their Master, and conform themselves in everything to His example, and continue in well-doing, whatever crosses lie in their way. To
Discipleship 67 do well and to suffer ill is to follow Christ. "If any man will come after me, let him follow me." That seems to be idem per tdem—''the same thing over again''. What is the difference?
Surely it is this. "If any man will come after me in profession, and so have the name of a disciple, let him follow me in truth, and so do the work and duty of a disciple." Or thus, "If any man will set out after me in a good beginning let him continue to follow me with all perseverance." Those who come after Christ must fulfil after Him.
So those who undertake to follow Christ must count upon the worst and prepare accordingly.
(a) They must be willing to quit that which was very dear to them, and therefore must come to Him thoroughly weaned from all their creature comforts, and dead to them, so as cheerfully to part with them, rather than quit their interest in Christ (Luke xiv. 26). A man cannot be Christ's disciple, but he must hate father and mother, and his own life. He is not sincere, he will not be constant and persevering, unless he love Christ better than anything in this world, and be willing to part with that which he may and must leave, either as sacrifice, when Christ may be glorified by our parting with it—so martyrs, who loved not their lives to death—or as a temptation, when, by our parting with it, we are put into a better capacity of serving Christ. Thus Abraham parted with his own country, and Moses with Pharaoh's court.
Mention is not made here (Luke xiv. 26f.) of houses and lands. Experience will teach a man to look upon these with contempt. Christianity carries the matter higher. It is lifted to the height of family relationships. If we must either deny Christ, or be banished from our families and relations we must rather lose their society than this favour. Then again, every man loves his own life. No man ever hated it. But we cannot be Christ's disciples unless we love Him better than our own lives, so as rather to have our own lives embittered by cruel bondage, nay, taken away by cruel deaths, than to dishonour Christ, or depart from any of His truths and ways.
The experience of the pleasures of this discipleship, and the believing hopes and prospects of eternal life, will make this hard saying easy. When tribulation and persecution arise because of Christ, then chiefly the trial is whether we love Him better, or our relations and lives. Yet even in days of peace