aoa on the .Excellency of the Soul. Vef{.zç, get great matters to themfelves in the world ; no,faith hee, expect no fuch matter, but deny your felves, and take up my crofs. But this may feemto bee hard, it may bee our crois may bee the lofs of all the lofs of our lives, and muff wee take up that ? yes, faith Chrifl, in the verfe before my Text , bee not folicitous what your crofs is like to bee, onely bee willing to take it up. And the truth is, the more willing you are to take it up, the better will it bee for you , and you will get nothing by feeking to thift for your felves , For wholoever will fave his life (hall lofe it, and who - foever will lofe his life for my fake (hall finde it. It may bee when you meet with fufierings in the world, you will think to fhift this way, or that way, but you will get nothing : If you would fave your lives by forfaking the truth , it is the onely way to lofe your lives : But if you bee willing to lofe your lives for my truth, you íha ll fave them ; or what if by forfakingmee and my truth, when you meet with fuffering, you fhould fave your lives, and your canes, and live brave - ly in the world, do you think you are any gainers by this ? you are infinitly miflaken : If you call up the account, you . will finde that you have gotten nothing all : For what i, a man profited if hee (hall gain the whole world , and loft his own foul? And thus you fee how the words come in. Thefe words that I have read unto you, are of exceeding ferious confideration : And indeed they fhould bee as Thunder in every mans ears. Some Scripture that a Minifler may preach on , may concern fume particular perfon in a Congregation more than others : But here is a Text concerns every one that harh a foul, Man and woman, high and low, old and young, Whatfhall it profit any one ro gain the whole word, and to lofe their own foul? - -- I have read of one that gave counfel to Yohn King of Portugal that hee would repeat this Text to hirnfelf , and fpend one quarter of an hour in the meditation of ir, what(hall it profit a man íf hee gain the whole world, and lofe his own fouir and that hee would make the words of this. Text to bee the cloze of his prayer continually, what ¡h. alt it lroftt a man to gain the oh*k
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