the beginning of the world, whose glory couldst thou but know, nothing would be heavy for thee to do or to suffer; and the days of thy labours would seem to thee few, because of the greatness of thy desire and of thy love.[1] For my kingdom suffers violence, and the violent bear it away. Now to offer violence to heaven is to lose thy own life, to overcome thy own self, and the evil impulses of thy own mind, and to crush the desires of the flesh. To one who loves, surely this is no difficult thing; nay, it will become pleasant, especially if at the same time he looks to the recompense, for the hope of reward is the consolation of toil.
But be it that it is laborious, wilt thou, therefore, refuse it? Dost thou desire to sit with me also in my kingdom, and wilt thou not drink of the cup which I have drunk of? Wilt thou presume to be the soldier of Christ, yet dread the hardships which thy Captain embraces? Thou art deceived, my son, thou art deceived, if thou expectest to pass from pleasures to pleasures, to rejoice here with the world, and hereafter to rejoice with me in heaven. Without a contest, not one of the Saints has been crowned. Look upon me: was it not necessary that I should suffer, and so enter into my own glory?[2] and shalt thou, without toil and suffering, enter into another’s glory? Act, then, courageously, and endure patiently; short and momentary is the labour, but lasting and eternal the reward.
Man. I am ready, and am not troubled. I will run the way of thy commandments when thou hast enlarged my heart.
§ 6. The following of Christ consists in self-denial and continual mortification.
Christ. First, then, if thou wilt come after me, deny thyself, and take up thy cross and follow me.2 For, for thy sake it was that I left my throne, put off my majesty, and became partaker of thy lowness, that thou mightst put off the old man and put on the new, which is created according to God, and mightst mortify thy members which are upon the earth. For thee I underwent death upon the Cross. Do thou at least crucify thy flesh, with its vices and concupiscences, and die to sinful desires; unless thou wilt thus die with me, thou wilt not be able to live with me.
Man. I confess, O Lord, that he is worthy of death who refuses to live to thee. Who can give me, O most gracious Jesus, for love of thee, to die to myself and
