f him; we must take up our cross, be it what it will that he
thinketh good to appoint to us, and follow him, Matt. xvi. 24. Mark
viii. 34. "For he that taketh not up his cross, and followeth not after
him, is not worthy of him," Matt. x. 38. I know flesh and blood will
take this for a hard saying; but they that consider, that Christ will
bear the heaviest end of the cross, yea, all of it, and so support them
by his Spirit while they are under it, that they shall have no just
cause to complain; and how he will suffer none to go his errand upon
their own charges, but will be with them when they go through the fire
and water, Isa. xliii. 2, so that they shall suffer no loss, neither
shall the waters overflow them, nor the fire kindle upon them; and that
he who loseth his life for Christ's sake and the gospel's, shall save
it, Mark viii. 35; yea, that they shall receive an hundred-fold for all
their losses, Matt. xix. 29, and that even with persecution, Mark x. 30,
and, in the world to come, eternal life. They, I say, who consider this,
will see no discouragement here, nor ground of complaint; nay, they will
account it their glory to suffer any loss for Christ's sake.

8. Hence it followeth, that we are to take him, so as to avouch him and
his cause and interest on all hazards, stand to his truth, and not be
ashamed of him in a day of trial. Confession of him must be made with
the mouth, as with the heart we must believe, Rom. x. 9. Let corruption
speak against this what it will, because it is always desirous to keep
the skin whole. Yet reason cannot but say that it is equitable,
especially seeing he hath said, that "whosoever confesseth him before
men, he will confess them before his Father which is in heaven," Matt.
x. 32. And that, "If we suffer with him, we shall also reign with him,"
2 Tim. ii. 12. Is he our Lord and master, and should we not own and
avouch him? Should we be ashamed of him for any thing, that can befall
us, upon that account? What master would not take that ill at his
servant's hands?

Hence, then, we see, that there is nothing in all the conditions on
which he offereth himself to us, that can give the least ground, in
reason, why a poor soul should draw back, and be unwilling to accept of
this noble offer, or think that the conditions are hard.

But there is one main objection, which may trouble some, and that is,
they cannot believe; faith being the gift of God, it must be wrought in
them; how then