Take up therefore thy cross, and follow Jesus, and thou shalt go into life everlasting. He is gone before bearing his cross, and is dead for thee on the cross; that thou mayst also bear thy cross, and desire to die on the cross with him. For, if thou diest with him, thou shalt also live with him: and if thou be his companion in pain, thou shalt be partaker with him in glory. *3. Behold in the cross all doth consist, and all lieth in our dying upon it: for there is no other way to life, and to true inward peace, but the way of the holy cross. *Go where thou wilt, seek whatsoever thou wilt, thou shalt not find a higher way above, nor a safer way below, than the way of the holy cross. *Dispose all things according to thy will and judgment; yet thou shalt ever find, that thou must suffer somewhat, either willingly, or against thy will, and so thou shalt ever find the cross. For either thou shalt feel pain in thy body, or in thy soul tribulation of spirit. 4. Sometimes thou shalt be tried of God, sometimes thou shalt be exercised by thy neighbour; and often thou shalt be irksome to thyself. Neither canst thou be delivered by any other remedy or comfort; but so long as it pleaseth God, thou must bear it. For God will have thee learn to suffer tribulation; and to subject thyself wholly to him. No man hath so cordial a feeling of the passion of Christ, as he who hath suffered the like himself. The cross therefore is always ready, and every where waits for thee. *Thou canst not escape it, whithersoever thou runnest; for wheresoever thou goest, thou carriest thyself with thee, and shalt ever find thyself. *Both above and below, without and within, which way soever thou dost turn thee, every where thou shalt find the cross; and every where thou must have patience, if thou wilt enjoy an everlasting crown. *5. If thou bear the cross willingly, it will bear thee. If thou bear it unwillingly thou increasest thy load, and yet thou must bear it. If thou cast away one cross, without doubt thou shalt find another, and that perhaps a more heavy one. 6. Thinkest thou to escape that which no man could ever avoid? Which of the saints in the world was without crosses and tribulations? Verily Jesus Christ our Lord was never one hour without suffering so long as he lived. Christ, saith he, ought to suffer, and rise again from the dead, and so enter into his glory. And dost thou seek any other way than this royal way, which is the way of the holy cross? The whole life of Christ was a cross and a martyrdom; and dost thou seek rest and joy? *7. Indeed it is not of man to bear and love the cross, to keep the body under, to fly honours, to suffer reproaches gladly, to despise himself, and to rejoice in being despised, to bear all adversities and losses, and to desire no prosperity in this world. If thou considerest thyself, thou art able to perform nothing of this.