“The object of government in peace and in war is not the glory of rulers or of races, but the happiness of the common man.”

by William Beveridge

"If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, take up his Cross, and follow me." - Matthew 16:24

"Let him deny himself." The self-denial here spoken of is opposed to self-love, or that corrupt and vicious habit whereby we admire and prefer our own fancies, wills, desires, interests, and such like, before Christ himself. He commands that we do not indulge or gratify ourselves in anything that comes into competition with himself, howsoever near and dear it may be to us. I shall show you more particularly what it is in ourselves that we are to deny.

First, we must deny your own reasoning in matters of divine Revelation. Use your reasoning no farther than to search into the grounds and motives for believing them to be revealed by God. We, who by all our art and cunning cannot understand the reasons for the most common and obvious things in nature, must not think to comprehend the great mysteries of the Gospel. These mysteries are not contrary to our reason, but are infinitely above them. By nature we are foolish, vain and ignorant. Yet we think ourselves so very wise as to comprehend within the narrow compass of our finite and shallow capacities matters of the highest and infinite nature.

Second, we must deny our own wills. At first, man was made upright and perfect, in every way corresponding to the will of God himself. But due to Adam's fall, mankind is now perverted and corrupt with sin, our wills naturally inclined toward evil. Instead of choosing the good and refusing the evil, we are generally apt to choose the evil and refuse the good. Christ himself denied his own most pure and perfect will in order that his Father’s will might be accomplished. How much more cause have we to deny our wills, which by nature prefer that which is evil and destructive before that which is truly good and advantageous for us.

Third, we must deny ourselves the use and enjoyment of earthly possessions whenever they come into competition with God's glory. We must be willing and ready to abandon and renounce whatever we have rather than renounce our interest in Christ. Indeed, he is not worthy to be Christ’s disciple who does not prefer him before all things. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

Fourth, we must deny ourselves those sins in which we still indulge ourselves. It is vain to pretend to be true Christians so long as we live in any one known sin, with any love to it or delight in it. It is very rare to find a man that is not inclined to any. So long as we live in any known sin, it is that sin and not Christ that is our Master.

Fifth, we must deny and renounce all our self-righteousness. We are all prone to boast of our own good works and to pride ourselves with the conceit of our own righteousness. Mankind, in general, being so much in love with themselves and doting upon what they themselves can do, think that have no need of any other righteousness besides their own.

In taking up one's cross, we are to understand those troubles or calamities, inward or outward, which we meet with in the performance of our duty to God or man. Christ does not invite us to an earthly paradise of idleness and outward pleasures, as if we had nothing to do or suffer for him. He himself has told us that in the world we shall have tribulation. Therefore, whatever we meet with is no more than what we are to look for, especially if we walk uprightly. We must not think to be carried to heaven with popular applause, nor to swim through a deluge of carnal pleasures into the haven of everlasting happiness. No, we must look to be tossed to and fro in this world, as in a raging and tempestuous ocean. Not that we should run into danger, but we should balk no duty to avoid it. We must be willing and ready to undergo the greatest suffering rather than to commit the least sin, and to run the greatest danger rather than neglect the smallest duty. If, while walking in the narrow path of holiness, there happens to lie a cross in the way, we must not avoid it, but we must patiently take it up and carry it. If it be a little heavy at first, it will soon grow lighter and will not hinder, but rather further, our progress toward heaven.

God requires no more of us than what he has himself undergone, so we can suffer nothing for him but what he has suffered before for us. Have we grief in our hearts? So had he. Have we physical pain? So had he. Are we derided and scoffed at? So was he. Remember what he told us: "A disciple is not above his master, nor a servant above his lord." We cannot expect to fare better in the world than Christ himself did.

Yet neither, indeed, can we fare so badly, for it is impossible that we should undergo as much for him as he has undergone for us. Ours are only the sufferings of men; his the sufferings of one who was God as well as man. Therefore, we need not think it below us to stoop down and take up the cross of Christ, since Christ carried it before us. He has so blessed and sanctified the cross that it has now become an honorable, an advantageous, yes, a pleasant cross to them that bear it patiently. Whatever we can do or suffer for Christ here will be fully recompensed with glory hereafter.

“The object of government in peace and in war is not the glory of rulers or of races, but the happiness of the common man.” —William Beveridge.

“Scratch a pessimist and you find often a defender of privilege.” 

—William Beveridge, economist and reformer (5 Mar 1879-1963).