Chapter 8. Of the Bearing of the Cross, Which Is a Part of the Forsaking of Ourselves

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But a godly mind must yet climb up higher, even to that which Christ calls his disciples, that every one take up his cross. For all whom the Lord has chosen and vouchsafed to receive into his company, must prepare themselves to a hard, toilsome and unquiet life, and full of many and diverse kinds of hardships. So it is the will of the heavenly Father, to exercise them in such sort, that he may have a true proof of them that be his. Beginning at Christ, his firstborn son, he proceeds with this order toward all his children. For whereas Christ was the best beloved son above the rest, and in whom the Father's mind was fully pleased, yet we see how he was not tenderly and daintily handled: so that it may be truly said, that he was not only exercised with a perpetual cross so long as he dwelled on earth, but that his life was nothing else but a kind of continual cross. The Apostle shows the cause thereof to be, that it behooved that he should learn obedience by those things that he suffered. Why then should we privilege ourselves from that estate, to which it behooved Christ our head to be subject, especially since he became subject to it for our cause, to show us an example of patience in himself? Therefore the Apostle says that this is the appointed end for all the children of God, to be fashioned like to him. Whereupon also in hard and sharp chances, which are reckoned adversities and evils, arises a great comfort to us, that we communicate with the sufferings of Christ: that as he entered out of a maze of all troubles into the heavenly glory, so we may by diverse tribulations be brought into the same glory. For so says Paul himself, that when we learn the communicating of his afflictions, we do also conceive the power of his resurrection: and when we are fashioned like to his death, we are so prepared to the fellowship of his glorious rising again. How much may this avail to assuage all the painfulness of the cross, that the more we are afflicted with adversities, so much the more surely is our fellowship with Christ confirmed? By communicating whereof, our sufferings are not only made blessed to us, but also do much help us to the furtherance of our salvation.

Beside that, our Lord had no need to take upon him to bear the cross, but to testify and prove his obedience to his Father: but we for diverse causes, have need to lead our life under a continual cross. First (as we be naturally bent to attribute all things to our flesh) unless our weakness be showed us as it were before our eyes, we do easily esteem our own strength above due measure, and doubt not that whatever happens, it will continue unbroken and unconquered against all hard assaults. Whereby we are carried into a foolish and vain confidence of flesh, and then trusting thereupon, we stubbornly grow proud against God himself, as though our own powers without his grace did suffice us. This arrogance he can no way better beat down, than when he proves to us, by experience not only how feeble, but also how frail we be. Therefore he afflicts us either with shame, or poverty, or loss of children, or sickness, or other calamities, which we being unable to bear in respect of ourselves, do by and by sink down under them. Being so humbled, we learn to call upon his strength, which only makes us to stand upright under the heavy burden of afflictions. Indeed the most holy, however well they know that they stand by the grace of God and not by their own force, yet are too much assured of their own strength and constancy, unless by the trial of the cross, he brings them into a more inward knowledge of themselves. The slothfulness crept into David: I said in my rest, I shall never be moved. Lord, you had established in your good pleasure a strength to my hill, you hid away your face, I was stricken. For he confesses that with sluggishness in prosperity his senses were dulled, that not regarding the grace of God, upon which he should have hung, he leaned upon himself, to promise himself perpetual continuance. If this chanced to so great a Prophet: which of us ought not to be fearful, that we may be heedful? Therefore whereas in prosperity they flatter themselves with opinion of a greater constancy and patience, when they are once humbled with adversity, they learn that their former opinion was but hypocrisy. The faithful (I say) being admonished by such examples of their diseases, do thereby profit to humility, that being unclothed of the wrongful confidence of the flesh, they may resort to the grace of God. And where they are once come to his grace, they feel the presence of God's strength, wherein is abundantly sufficient help for them.

And this is it that Paul teaches, that by troubles is engendered patience, by patience proof. For whereas God has promised the faithful that he will be present with them in troubles, they feel the same to be true, when they stand patiently, being upheld by his hand, which by their own strength they were not able to do. Patience therefore brings a proof by experience to the holy ones, that God when need requires, will indeed perform the help that he has promised. And thereby also their hope is confirmed: for as much as it were too much unthankfulness not to look for in time to come, the same truth of God that they had already by experience proved to be constant and sure. We see now how many good things do come to us in one knot by the cross. For, overthrowing the opinion that we falsely presume of our own strength, and disclosing our hypocrisy that delights us, it shakes away the hurtful confidence of the flesh, and teaches us being so humbled, to rest upon God only, by which it comes to pass, that we neither be oppressed nor fall down. And after victory follows hope, in so much as the Lord in performing that which he has promised, establishes the credit of his truth for time to come. Truly, although there were no more reasons but these, it appears how much the exercise of the cross is necessary for us. For it is a matter of no small importance, to have the blind love of yourself wiped away, that you may well know your own weakness. To feel your own weakness, that you may learn to distrust yourself: to distrust yourself, that you may remove your confidence from yourself to God: to rest with confidence of heart upon God, that being upheld by his help, you may continue unconquered to the last end: to stand fast by his grace, that you may understand that he is true in his promises: to know by proof the truth of his promises, that your hope may be strengthened thereby.

The Lord has also another end of afflicting his, to try their patience, and instruct us to obedience. Not that they can use any obedience toward him, other than the same that he gives them: but so it pleases him by open examples to make approved by witnesses, and to set forth the graces that he has bestowed upon his holy ones, that they should not lie idly hidden within them. And therefore in bringing forth into open show the strength of sufferance and constancy, wherewith he has furnished his servants, it is said that he tries their patience. And from hence came these sayings: that God tempted Abraham, and had proof of his godliness, by this that he refused not to offer up in sacrifice his own and only son. Therefore Peter teaches, that our faith is so proved in troubles, as gold is tried in a furnace: And who can say that it is not expedient, that the most noble gift of patience, which a faithful man has received of his God, should be brought forth into use, that it may be made certainly known and manifest? For otherwise men will not esteem it as it is worthy. Now if God himself does rightly when he ministers matter to stir up the virtues that he has given to his faithful, that they should not lie hidden, indeed lie unprofitable and perish: then there is good reason of the afflictions of the holy ones, without which their patience should be nothing. I say also that by the cross they are instructed to obedience, because they are so taught to live not after their own wish, but after the will of God. Truly if all things should flow to them after their own mind, they would not know what it were to follow God. And Seneca recounts that this was an old proverb, when they exhorted any man to suffer adversities, Follow God. By which they declared, that then only men truly entered under the yoke of God, when he yielded his hand and back to God's correction. Now if it is most righteous, that we should show ourselves in all things obedient to the heavenly father, then we ought not to refuse, that he should by all means accustom us to yield obedience to him.

But yet we perceive not how necessary this obedience is for us, unless we do also consider, how wanton our flesh is to shake off the yoke of God, so soon as it has been but a little while daintily and tenderly handled. The same happens to it, that chances to stubborn horses, which if they be a few days pampered idly, they can not afterward for fierceness be tamed, neither do they know their rider, to whose government they somewhat before obeyed. And this is continual in us that God complains to have been in the people of Israel, that being well fed and covered with fatness, we kick against him that fed and nourished us. The liberality of God should indeed have allured us to consider and love his goodness, but for as much as our evil nature is such, that we are always corrupted with his tender usage, it is more than necessary for us, to be restrained by some discipline, that we run not outrageously into such a stubborn wantonness. So, that we should not grow fierce with unmeasurable abundance of riches, that we should not grow proud being lifted up with honors, that we should not become insolent, being puffed up with other good gifts, either of the soul, body or fortune, the Lord himself, as he foresees it to be expedient, prevents it, and with the remedy of the cross subdues and bridles the fierceness of our flesh, and that diverse ways, so much as is healthful for every man. For all are not alike sick of one same disease, or alike in need of hard healing. And thereupon is to be seen how some are exercised with one kind of cross, and some with another. But whereas the heavenly Physician handles some more gently, and purges some with sharper remedies, when he means to provide for the health of all: yet he leaves none free or untouched, because he knows all without exception to be diseased.

Moreover, the most merciful Father needs not only to prevent our weakness, but many times to correct our past offences. Therefore so often as we are afflicted, the remembrance of our forepassed [reconstructed: sins] ought immediately to enter into our mind: so without doubt we shall find that we have done something worthy of chastisement. Yet we ought not chiefly to ground our exhortation to patience upon the acknowledging of sin. For the Scripture provides us a far better consideration, when it says that the Lord corrects us with adversities, that we should not be condemned with this world. Therefore we ought even in the very sharpness of tribulations to acknowledge the kindness and goodness of our Father toward us, inasmuch as even then he ceases not to further our salvation. For he does afflict, not to destroy or kill us, but rather to deliver us from the damnation of the world. That thought shall lead us to that which the Scripture teaches in another place: My son, refuse not the Lord's correction, nor be weary when you shall be rebuked of him. For whom the Lord loves, he corrects, and embraces him as a father does his child. When we know his rod to be the rod of a father, is it not our duty rather to show ourselves obedient children and willing to learn, than with obstinacy to do like desperate men, that are hardened with evil doings? The Lord loses us, unless he calls us back by correction when we are fallen away from him: so that the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews rightly says that we are bastards, and not children if we are out of correction. Therefore we are most wayward, if we cannot suffer him when he declares his good will and the care that he has for our salvation. This the Scripture teaches to be the difference between the unbelievers and the faithful, that the unbelievers as the bond slaves of a rooted and hardened wickedness, are made the worse and more obstinate with whipping: the faithful, like children having an honest freedom of nature, do thereby profit to repentance. Now must you choose of which number you will be. But because I have spoken of this matter in another place, I am content to touch it briefly, and so will make an end.

Moreover it is a singular comfort, when we suffer persecution for righteousness. For then we ought to think, how great an honor God vouchsafes to grant us, that he so adorns us with the peculiar mark of his soldiers. I mean that they suffer persecution for righteousness, not only those who suffer for defense of the Gospel, but also those who are troubled for any defense of righteousness. Whether therefore in maintaining the truth of God against the lies of Satan, or in taking in hand the defense of good men and innocents against the wrongs of the wicked, we are driven to run into the displeasure and hatred of the world, whereby our life or goods, or estimation may come in danger: let it not be grievous or loathsome to us to employ ourselves for God, or let us not think ourselves miserable in those things in which he has with his own mouth pronounced us blessed. Poverty indeed, if it be considered in itself, is miserable: likewise banishment, contemptuous estate, imprisonment, shame: finally, death is the uttermost of all calamities. But when the favor of our God breathes upon us, there is none of all these things, but it turns to our felicity. Therefore let us rather be content with the testimony of Christ, than with the false estimation of the flesh. So shall it come to pass, that we shall rejoice as the Apostles did, when God shall account us worthy to suffer reproach for his name. For why? If we, being innocent, and knowing ourselves clear in our conscience, are by the naughty dealing of wicked men spoiled of our goods: we are indeed brought to poverty thereby among men, but so riches do truly grow to us in heaven before God. If we are thrust out of our houses, we are the more inwardly received into the household of God. If we are vexed and despised, we take so much the deeper roots in Christ. If we are noted with reproaches and shame, we are in so much the more honorable place in the kingdom of God. If we are slain, so is the entry made open for us to blessed life. Let us be ashamed to esteem less these things, upon which the Lord has set so great a price, than shadowy and fickle enticing pleasures of present life.

Since therefore the Scripture does with these and like admonitions give sufficient comfort for the shames or calamities that we suffer for defense of righteousness, we are too much unthankful if we do not gladly and cheerfully receive them at the Lord's hand: specially since this is the kind of cross, most properly belonging to the faithful, whereby Christ will be glorified in us. As also Peter teaches. But it is more grievous to gentle natures to suffer shame than a hundred deaths: therefore Paul expressly admonishes that we shall not only suffer persecutions, but also reproaches, because we trust in the living God. As in another place he teaches us after his example to walk through slander and good report. Yet there is not required of us such a cheerfulness as may take away all feeling of bitterness and sorrow, or else the patience of the holy ones in the cross were no patience, unless they should be both tormented with sorrow and vexed with grief. If there were no hardness in poverty, no pain in sickness, no grief in shame, no horror in death, what valiantness or temperance were it to bear them indifferently? But when every one of these does with the natural bitterness thereof bite the hearts of us all, herein does the valiantness of a faithful man show itself, if being tried with the feeling of such bitterness, however grievously he is troubled with it, yet with valiantly resisting he overcomes it, his patience utters itself herein, if being sharply provoked, he is yet so bridled with the fear of God, that he bursts not out into any distemper. His cheerfulness appears herein, if being wounded with sadness and sorrow, he rests upon the spiritual comfort of God.

This conflict, which the faithful do sustain against the natural feeling of sorrow, while they study for patience and temperance, Paul has very well described in these words (2 Corinthians 4:8): We are put to distress in all things, but we are not made sorrowful: we labor, but we are not left destitute: we suffer persecution, but we are not forsaken in it: we are thrown down, but we perish not. You see how to bear the cross patiently, is not to be altogether astonished and without all feeling of sorrow. As the Stoics in old time did foolishly describe a valiant-hearted man, to be such a one as putting off all nature of man, was alike moved in prosperity and in adversity, in sorrowful and joyful state, indeed such a one as like a stone was moved with nothing. And what have they profited with this high wisdom? Indeed they have painted out such an image of wisdom as never was found, and never can hereafter be among men: But rather while they coveted to have too exact and precise a patience, they have taken away all the use of patience out of man's life. And at this day also among Christians there are new Stoics, that reckon it a fault not only to groan and weep, but also to be sad and careful. But these strange conclusions do commonly proceed from idle men, which busying themselves rather in speculation than doing, can do nothing but breed us such newfound doctrines. But we have nothing to do with that stony philosophy, which our master and Lord has condemned not only by his word but also by his example. For he mourned and wept both at his own and other men's adversities. The world (says he) shall rejoice, but you shall mourn and weep (John 17:20). And because no man should find fault therewith, by his open proclamation, he has pronounced them blessed that mourn (Matthew 5:4; Luke 22:44). And no marvel. For if all weeping be blamed, what shall we judge of the Lord himself, out of whose body dropped bloody tears? If every fear be noted of infidelity, what shall we judge of that quaking fear, wherewith we read that he was not slenderly stricken? If all sadness be disliked, how shall we like this, that he confesses his soul to be sad even to the death?

This I thought good to speak to this end, to call godly minds from despair: that they should not therefore altogether forsake the study of patience, because they cannot put off the natural affection of sorrow: which must needs happen to them, that make of patience a senseless dullness, and of a valiant and constant man, a stock. For the Scripture gives to the holy ones the praise of patience, when they are so troubled with hardness of adversities, that yet they be not overcome nor thrown down with it: when they be so pricked with bitterness, that they be also delighted with spiritual joy: when they be so distressed with grief, that yet they receive courage again being cheered with the comfort of God. Yet in the meantime that repugnancy abides still in their hearts, that natural sense shuns and dreads those things that it knows to be against it: but the affection of godliness labors even through all those difficulties to the obeying of God's will. This repugnancy the Lord expressed when he said thus to Peter: When you were young you did gird yourself, and did walk wherever you would: But when you are old, another shall gird you and lead you where you shall not be willing (John 21:18). Neither is it likely that Peter, when the time came that he must glorify God by his death, was drawn unwillingly and resisting to it. Otherwise his martyrdom should have but small praise. But however he did with great cheerfulness of heart obey the ordinance of God, yet because he had not put off the nature of man, he was doubly strained with two sorts of wills. For when he did by himself consider the bloody death that he should suffer, being stricken with horror thereof, he would gladly have escaped it. On the other side, when it came in his mind, that he was called to it by the commandment of God, then conquering and treading down fear, he gladly, indeed and cheerfully took it upon him. This therefore we must endeavor if we will be the disciples of Christ, that our minds be inwardly filled with so great a reverence and obedience to God, as may tame and subdue to his ordinance all contrary affections. So shall it come to pass, that with whatever kind of cross we be vexed, even in the greatest anguishes of mind, we shall constantly keep patience. For adversities shall have their sharpness, wherewith we shall be bitten: so when we are afflicted with sickness, we shall both groan and be disquieted and desire health: so being pressed with poverty, we shall be pricked with the stings of carefulness and sorrow: so shall we be stricken with grief of shame, contempt and injury: so shall we yield due tears to nature at the burial of our friends: but this always shall be the conclusion, But the Lord willed so, therefore let us follow his will. Indeed even in the midst of the prickings of sorrow, in the midst of mourning and tears, this thought must needs come between, to incline our heart to take cheerfully the very same things, by reason whereof it is so moved.

But for as much as we have taken the chief cause of bearing the cross, out of the consideration of the will of God, we must in few words define what difference is between Philosophical and Christian patience. Truly very few of the Philosophers climbed to so high a reason, to understand that the hand of God does exercise us by afflictions, and to think that God is in this behalf to be obeyed. But they bring no other reason, but because we must so do of necessity. What is this else, but to say that you must yield to God, because you shall struggle in vain to wrestle against him? For if we obey God only because we so must of necessity: then if we might escape we would cease to obey. But the Scripture bids us to consider a far other thing in the will of God, that is to say, first justice and equity, then the care of our salvation. These therefore are the Christian exhortations to patience, whether poverty, or banishment, or imprisonment, or shame, or sickness, or loss of parents, or children, or any other like thing do grieve us, we must think that none of these things does happen, but by the will and providence of God, and that he does nothing but by most just order: For why? Do not one innumerable and daily offenses deserve to be chastised more sharply, and with more grievous correction, than such as the merciful kindness of God lays upon us? Is it not most great equity that our flesh be tamed, and as it were made acquainted with the yoke, that she does not wantonly grow wild according to her nature? Is not the righteousness and truth of God worthy, that we should take pain for it? But if there appear an undoubted righteousness in our afflictions, we cannot without unrighteousness either murmur or wrestle against it. We hear not now that cold song: We must give place, because we so must of necessity, but we hear a lively lesson and full of effectualness: We must obey, because it is unlawful to resist: we must suffer patiently, because impatience is a stubbornness against the righteousness of God. But now, because that thing only is worthy to be loved by us, which we know to be to our safety and benefit, the good father does this way also comfort us, when he affirms that even in this that he afflicts us with the cross, he provides for our safety. But if it be certain that troubles are healthful for us, why should we not receive them with a thankful and well pleased mind? Therefore in patiently suffering them, we do not forcibly yield to necessity, but quietly agree to our own benefit. These thoughts (I say) do make that how much our minds are grieved in the cross with natural feeling of bitterness, so much they are cheered with spiritual gladness. Whereupon also follows thanksgiving, which cannot be without joy. But if the praise of the Lord and thanksgiving proceeds of nothing but of a cheerful and joyful heart, and there is nothing that ought to interrupt the same praising of God and thanksgiving in us: hereby appears how necessary it is that the bitterness of the cross be tempered with spiritual joy.

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