did, neither indeed can we fare so bad; for it is impossible that we should undergo so much for him as he hath undergone for us, ours being only the sufferings of men, his the sufferings of one who was God as well as man; whereby sufferings in general are sanctified to our human nature, it having already undergone them in the person of the Son of God, so that it can be now no disparagement at all to undergo any trouble, as hatred, reproach, poverty, pain, yea death itself, or any other calamity whatsoever in this world, seeing the Son of God himself, he that made the world, underwent the same while himself was in it. And therefore we need not think it below us to stoop down and take up the cross of Christ, as considering that Christ having borne it before us, hath so blessed and sanctified it unto us, that it is now become an honourable, an advantageous, yea and a pleasant cross, to them that bear it patiently, thankfully, and constantly as they ought to do, especially seeing it is such a cross as leads unto a crown; and whatsoever we can do or suffer for Christ here, will be fully recompensed with glory hereafter; and therefore instead of being troubled to take up our cross, we are rather to rejoice that we have any to take up. Thus we see in few words what it is which our Saviour commands from us, when he enjoins us to deny ourselves, and take up our cross, even that we do not gratify ourselves in any thing that is ungrateful unto him, nor grudge to take up any cross, or suffer any trouble we meet with in the world for his sake, thinking nothing too dear to forsake, nor any thing too heavy to bear for him, who thought not his own life too dear, nor the cross itself too heavy to bear for us; what now remains, but that knowing our Saviour's pleasure, we should all resolve to do it. There is none of us but hope and desire to be saved by him, but that we can never be, unless we observe what he hath prescribed in order to our salvation: and amongst other 3 things, we see how he hath commanded us to deny ourselves, and take up our cross; as any of us therefore desires to be Christians indeed, so as to see Christ's face with comfort in another world, let us bethink ourselves seriously what sins we have hitherto indulged ourselves in; I fear there are but few, if any amongst us, but are conscious to themselves, that they have and do still live either in the constant neglect of some known duty, or else in the frequent commission of some beloved sin; what that is, I dare not undertake to tell, but leave that to God and to men's own consciences; only I desire them to deal faithfully with their own souls, and not suffer themselves to be fooled into a fond and vain persuasion that they have an interest in Christ, or are truly his disciples, until they deny themselves that sin, whatsoever it is, which they have hitherto indulged themselves in. And let us not think that we shall deny ourselves any real pleasure or profit, by renouncing our sins; for what pleasure can we have in displeasing God, or profit in losing our own souls? No, we shall gratify ourselves more than we can imagine, by denying ourselves, as much as we are able, whatsoever is offensive or displeasing unto God; for we may be sure, he that came into the world on purpose to save us from evil, commands us nothing but for our own good, neither would he ever have obliged us to deny ourselves, if we could have been saved without it; and as for the cross, that he was so well acquainted with, that he would never have imposed it upon us to take it up, but that it is indispensably necessary for us. And therefore if we be what we pretend, real and true Christians, let us manifest it to the world and to our own consciences, by denying ourselves whatsoever Christ hath denied us, and by observing whatsoever he hath commanded us, even to the taking up of any cross, that he for his own sake shall suffer to be laid upon us, still remembering, that self-denial, though it be un pleasant, is a most necessary duty; and the cross, though it be never so heavy, it is but short, and hath nothing less than a crown annexed unto it, a glorious and eternal crown, which all those shall most certainly obtain, who deny themselves. THOUGHTS UPON STRIVING TO ENTER AT THE STRAIT GATE. AS certainly as we are here now, it is not long but we shall all be in another world, either in a world of happiness, or else in a world of misery; or if you will, either in heaven or in hell. For these are the two only places which all mankind, from the beginning of the world to the end of it, must live in for evermore; some in the one, some in the other, according to their carriage and behaviour here; and therefore it is worth the while to take a view and prospect now and then of both these places, and it will not be amiss if we do it now; for which end, I desire the reader in his serious and composed thoughts to attend me first into the celestial mansions, above yonder glorious sun and the stars themselves, where not only the cherubins and seraphins, angels and archangels, but many also of our brethren, the sons of men, at this very moment are enjoying the presence and singing forth the praises of the most high God. There are the spirits of just men made perfect, perfect in themselves, and perfect in all their actions, perfectly free from all both sin and misery, perfectly full of all true grace and glory, all their faculties being reduced to that most perfect and excellent frame and constitution, that their understandings are continually taken up with the contemplations of the supreme truth, and their wills in the embracement of |