erty of spirit" to be found, which is divested of all that is thought rich and valuable in the creatures and self? This is “a pearl of great price,” that is worthy to be sought after to the utmost bounds of nature! Though a man give all his substance to feed the poor, it is nothing; though he mortify the desires of flesh and blood by severe penance, it is little; though he comprehend the vast extent of science, he is far behind. Though he hath the splendor of illustrious virtue, and the ardor of exalted devotion, still he will want much, if he still wants this "one thing needful," this poverty of spirit, which, after abandoning the creatures about him, requires him to abandon himself; to go wholly out of himself; to retain no leaven of self-love and self-esteem; but when he hath finished his course of duty, to know and feel, with the same certainty as he feels the motion of his heart, that he himself hath done nothing.

Such a man will set no value upon those attainments, which, if under the power of self-love, he would highly esteem; but, in concurrence with the voice of Truth, “ when he has done all that is commanded him," he will always freely pronounce himself" an unprofitable servant." This is that poverty and nakedness of spirit, which can say, with the Psalmist, "Lord, in myself, I am poor and desolate!” And yet there is none so rich, none so free, none so powerful, as he, who renouncing himself and all creatures, can remain in the most abject state of selfabasement.

CHAPTER XII.

The Necessity of Bearing the Cross.

THIS saying seems hard to all: "Deny thyself, take up thy cross, and follow me." But as hard a saying will be heard, when the same divine voice shall pronounce, "Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire!" They, therefore, who can now attentively hear, and patiently follow the call to bear the cross, will not be terrified at the sentence of the final judgment. In that awful day, the banner of the cross will be displayed in heaven; and all who have conformed their lives to Christ crucified, will draw near to Christ the Judge, with holy confidence. Why, then, dost thou fear to take up the

cross?

In the cross is life, health, protection from every enemy; from the cross are derived heavenly meekness, true fortitude, the joys of the Spirit, the conquest of self, the perfection of holiness. There is no redemption, no foundation for the hope of the divine life, but in the cross. Take up thy cross, therefore, and follow Jesus in the path that leads to everlasting peace. He hath gone before, bearing that cross upon which he died for thee, that thou mightst follow, patiently bearing thy own cross, and upon that die to thyself for him: and if we die with him, we shall also live with him: "If we are partakers of his sufferings, we shall be partakers also of his glory."

Though thou disposest all thy affairs according to thy own fancy, and conductest them by the dictates of thy own judgment, still thou wilt continually meet with some evil, which thou must necessarily bear, either with or against thy will; and, therefore, wilt continually find the cross. Thou wilt

feel either pain of body, or distress and anguish of spirit. Sometimes thou wilt experience the absence of inward comfort; sometimes thy neighbour will put thy meekness and patience to the test; and, what is more than this, thou wilt sometimes feel a burden in thyself, which no human help can remove, no earthly comfort lighten; but bear it thou must, as long as it is the blessed will of God to continue it upon thee. It is the blessed will of God, in permitting the darkness of distress, that we should learn such profound humility and submission, as to resign our whole state, present and future, to his absolute disposal.

The cross is always ready, and waits for thee in every place, run where thou wilt, thou canst not avoid it. Turn which way thou wilt, either to the things above, or the things below; to that which is within or without thee; thou wilt in all, certainly find the cross and if thou wouldst enjoy peace, and obtain the unfading crown of glory, it is necessary that in every place, and in all events, thou shouldst bear it willingly, and “in patience possess thy soul."

If thou bearest the cross willingly, it will soon bear thee, and lead thee beyond the reach of suffering, where "God shall take away all sorrow from thy heart." But if thou bearest it with reluctance,

it will be a burden inexpressibly painful, which yet thou must still feel; and by every impatient effort to throw it from thee, thou wilt only render thyself less able to sustain its weight.

Why hopest thou to avoid that, from which no human being has been exempt? Who among the saints hath accomplished his pilgrimage in this world, without adversity and distress? Even our blessed Lord passed not one hour of his most holy life, without tasting "the bitter cup that was given him to drink:” and, of himself, he saith, that "it behooved him to suffer, and to rise from the dead, and so to enter into his glory." And why dost thou seek any other path to glory, but that, in which, bearing the cross, thou art called to follow "the Captain of thy salvation?" The life of Christ was a continual cross, an unbroken chain of sufferings: and desirest thou a perpetuity of repose and joy? Though, like St. Paul, thou wert "caught up to the third heaven," yet thou wouldst not be exempt from suffering : for of St. Paul himself, his Redeemer said, "I will show him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake." To suffer, therefore, is thy portion; and to suffer patiently and willingly, is the great testimony of love and allegiance to thy Lord.

The regenerate man, as he becomes more spiritualized, has a quicker discernment of the cross, wherever it meets him; and his sense of the evils of his exile, as the punishment of his fallen life, increases in proportion to his love of God, and desire of reunion with him. But this man, thus sensible of misery, derives hope even from his sufferings; for

while he sustains them with meek and humble submission, their weight is continually diminishing; and what to carnal minds is the object of terror, is to him a pledge of heavenly comfort. He feels, that the strength, the life, and peace, of the new man, rise from the troubles, the decay, and death of the old : and from his desire of conformity to his crucified Saviour, as the only means of restoration to his first perfect state in God, he derives so much strength and comfort under the severest tribulations, that he wisheth not to live a moment without them. Of the truth of this, the blessed Paul is an illustrious instance; who says of himself, "I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then am I strong."

It is not in man to love and to bear the cross; to resist the appetites of the body, and bring them under absolute subjection to the Spirit; to shun honors; to receive affronts with meekness; to despise himself, and willingly be despised by others; to bear, with calm resignation, the loss of fortune, health, and friends; and to have no desire after the riches, the honors, and pleasures of the world. If thou dependest upon thy own will and strength to do and to suffer all this, thou wilt find thyself as unable to accomplish it, as to create another world; but if thou turnest to the divine power within thee, and trustest only to that as the doer and sufferer of all, the strength of Omnipotence will be imparted to thee, and the world and the flesh shall be put under thy feet: armed with this holy confidence, and defended