89 S E R M O N XII. Of Self denial, and Suffering for Chrift's Sake. MATT H. XVI. 24. Sermoon an this Text, eThe Then Paid Jefus unto his Difciples, If any Man,will come after me, let him deny himfelf, and take up his Crofs, and followme. HEN faid yefuc to his Difciples, that is, upon Occafionof his former Difcourfe with them, wherein he had acquainted them with his ap- proaching Paffion, thathe muff fhortly go up toyerufalem, and there fuffer many Things ofthe Eldersand Chief Priefls and Scribes, and at laft be put to death by them ; thenfaid yefus unto his Difciples, Ifany Man will come after me, let him denyhimfelf, and take up his Cróf; andfollow me. Ifany Man will come after me; or follow me ; that is, If anyMan will be my Difciple, and undertake the Profeffion of my Religion ; If any Man chufe and refolve to be a Chriftian ; he muft bé fo upon thefe Terms, he muff deny himfelf and take up his Crofs andfollow me ; he muft follow me in Self-denial and Suf, feting. In the handling of thefe Words, I (hall do thefefour Things. , I. I !hall confider the Way and Method which our Saviour ufeth in making Profelytes, and gaining Men over to his Religion.. He offers no manner of Force and Violence to compel them to the Profeffion of his Religion ; but fairly offers it to their Confideration and Choice, and tells them plainly upon what Terms theymuff be his Difciples ; and if they be contented and refolved to fubmit to thefe Tern's, well if not, it is in vain to follow him any longer; for they cannot be his Difciples. II. I !hall endeavour to explain this Duty of Self-denial, exprefs'd in there Words, Let hiin deny himfelf, and take up his Crof and followme. . III. I Ihail confider the ftriét and indifpenfahle Obligation of it, whenever we are called to it ; Without this we cannot be Chi's Difciples ; If any Man will come . after me, or be my Difciple, lit him deny himfelf. IV. I !hall endeavour to vindicate the Reafonablenefs of this Precept ofSelf- denial and Suffering for Chrift, which, at firft Appearance, may feem to be fo very harfhand difficult ; and .I !hall go over thefe Particulars as briefly as I can: I. We will confider the Way and Method which our Saviour here ufeth in making Profelytes, and gaining Men over to his Religion. He offers no manner of Force and Violence to compel Men to the Profeffion ofhis Religion; but fairly propofeth it to their Confideration and Choice, telling them plainly upon what Terms they mull be his Difciples ; if they like them, and are content, and re- folved to fubmit to them, well ; he is willing to receive them, and own them' forhis Difciples : Ifnot, it is in vain to follow him any longer : For theycannot be. his Difciples. As, on the one hand, he offers them no Worldly Preferment and Advantage to intice them into his Religion, and to tempt them outwardly to pro-i fefs what theydo not inwardly believe ; fo, on the other hand, he does not hale and drag them by Force, and awe them by the Terrors of Torture and Death to fign the Chriftian Faith, tho' molt undoubtedly true, and to confers with their Mouths, and fubfcribewith their Hands, what they do not believe in their Hearts.' He did not obtrude his Sacraments upon them, and plunge them into the Water' to baptize them, whether they would or no, and thruf£ the Sacrament of Bread into their Mouths ; as if Men might be worthy Receivers of that Bleffed Sacrament, whether they receive it willingly or no. N Our
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