87-rm. X111. Of Self-denial, and Suffering for -Chri,ti's Sake. 10 God, as he is our Maker and gave us our Beings, bath an Entire and Sovereign Right over us, and by virtue of that Right, might have impofed very Hard things upon us, and this without the giving Account to us of any of his matters, and without propounding any Reward to us, fo vaftly difpropornonableto our Obedi- enceto him. But in giving Laws to us, he hath not made ufe of this Right. The moll Severe and Rigorous Commands of the Gofpel are fuch, that we !hall be .infinitely Gainers by our Obedience to them. If we deny our felves any thing in this World for Chrift and his Religion, we !hall, in the next, be con- fdered for it to the utmoft, not only far beyond what it can ,Deferve, but be- yond what we can Conceive or Imagine ; for this perifhing Life, and the tranfi- tory Trifles and Enjoyments of it, we !hail receive a Kingdom which cannot be fhaken, an zsncorruptible Crown whichfadethnet away, Eternal in the Heavens. For thefe are Faithful Sayings, and we !hall infallibly find them true, That if we freer with Chri f we (hall alfo reign with him ; if we be perfecuted for righteouffiefs fake, great fhall be our -reward in Heaven ; if we part with our Temporal Life, we'fhall be made 'Partakers of Eternal Life. He that is firmly perfwaded of the Happinefs of the next World, and believes the Glory which (hall then be revealed, bath no Reafon to be fo much offended at the Sufferings of this Prefent time, fo long as he knows and believes, that thefe Light Ajlic`lions, which:are,hutfor a Moment, will work for him a far more Exceeding and Eter- nal Weight ofGlory. IÍ.:Seeing this is required of every Chriftian, to be always in a Preparation and Difpofition,of Mind to deny our felves, and to take up our Crofs; if we do in good earneft refolve to be Chriftians, we ought to fit down and confider well with our felves, what our Religion will coil us, and whether we be content to come up -to the Price of it. If we value any thing in this World above Chrift and .his Truth, we are not worthy of -him. If it come to this, that we mull either renounce him and his Religion, or quit our Temporal Intereft; if we be _not.,ready to forego thefe, nay, and to part even with Life it felf, .rather than to forfake Him and his Truth ;. we are not worthy of him. Thefe are the Termsof our Chriftianity, and therefore we ate required in Baptifin folemnly to .renounce the -World : And our Saviour, 'from this very Confideration, infers, That all who take upon them the Profeffion of his Religion, i.fhould confider tferiouily beforehand, and count the coft of it, Luke 14. 28. Which ofyou, .(flays he) intending to build a Tower, fitteth-not down firfl, andcountétb the co/f, whether he have fu/Iïcient.tofinJh it Or what King going to war with another Xing, doth not fit down and confult, whether with ró000 he,be,able to meet him that cometh aping himwith 00000. So.likewife, wbofoe ?per he be thatforfaketh -not -all he hash, cannot be nJ - Difciple. You fee the Terms upon which we are .Chriftians ; we muff always be prepared in the Refolution of our Minds to deny:our Selves, and take -up-our Crofs, .tlio'we are not a&wally ,put upon this Tryal. Ill. What bath been faid is matter of great Comfort and Encouragement to all thefe : who deny themfelves, and fuller upon ,fo good an Account; of whom, God knows, there are too great a Number at this Day, in feveral parts of the World,; Same under aftual Sufferings, ifuch as cannot but move Compaffion and Horror in all that hear ofthem Others who are fled hither;and into other-Countries, for Refuge and Shelter from oneof the fharpeft Perfecutions thatperhaps ever .was, if all the Circumflances of it be duly confidered. But not to enlarge upon fo un- pleafant,a Theam, they -who fuffer theTruth and Righteoufnefs,fake, have all the Comfort and Encouragement, that the belt Example, andthe greater and molt glorious Promifes of God can give. They have the belt Example in their view, 7efue, the Author and Finifher of their Faith, who endured the Crofai and defpifed the Shame. So that how great and terrible foever their Sufferings be, they do but tread in the Steps of the Son of God, and of the bell and holi- eft Man that ever was ; and He, who is their great Example in Suffering, will likewife be their Support, and their exceeding great Reward. Sa
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