Sermon XLVI.
[XCVI. Ben.]
On the words of the Gospel, Mark viii. 34, “If any man would come after me, let him deny
himself,” etc. And on the words 1 John ii. 15, “if any man love the world, the love of the Father
is not in him.”
1. Hard and grievous does that appear which the Lord hath enjoined, that “whosoever
will come after Him, must deny himself.”3157 But what He enjoineth is not hard or grievous,
who aideth us that what He enjoineth may be done. For both is that true which is said to
Him in the Psalm, “Because of the words of Thy lips I have kept hard ways.”3158 And that
is true which He said Himself, “My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.”3159 For whatsoever
is hard in what is enjoined us, charity makes easy. We know what great things love itself
can do. Very often is this love even abominable and impure; but how great hardships have
men suffered, what indignities and intolerable things have they endured, to attain to the
object of their love? whether it be a lover of money who is called covetous; or a lover of
honour, who is called ambitious; or a lover of beautiful women, who is called voluptuous.
And who could enumerate all sorts of loves? Yet consider what labour all lovers undergo,
and are not conscious of their labours; and then does any such one most feel labour, when
he is hindered from labour. Since then the majority of men are such as their loves are, and
that there ought to be no other care for the regulation of our lives, than the choice of that
which we ought to love; why dost thou wonder, if he who loves Christ, and who wishes to
follow Christ, for the love of Him denies himself? For if by loving himself man is lost, surely
by denying himself he is found.
2. The first destruction of man, was the love of himself. For if he had not loved himself,
if he had preferred God to himself, he would have been willing to be ever subject unto God;
and would not have been turned to the neglect of His will, and the doing his own will. For
this is to love one’s self, to wish to do one’s own will. Prefer to this God’s will; learn to love
thyself by not loving thyself. For that ye may know that it is a vice to love one’s self, the
Apostle speaks thus, “For men shall be lovers of their own selves.”3160 And can he who loves
himself have any sure trust in himself? No; for he begins to love himself by forsaking God,
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and is driven away from himself to love those things which are beyond himself; to such a
degree that when the aforesaid Apostle had said,” Men shall be lovers of their own selves,”
he subjoined immediately, “lovers of money.” Already thou seest that thou art without.
Thou hast begun to love thyself: stand in thyself if thou canst. Why goest thou without?
3157 Mark viii. 34.
3158 Ps. xvi. 4, Sept. (xvii. English version).
3159 Matt. xi. 30.
3160 2 Tim. iii. 2.
On the words of the Gospel, Mark viii. 34, ‘If any man would come after me, let him deny himself,’ etc. And on the words 1 John ii. 15, ‘if any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.’
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On the words of the Gospel, Mark viii. 34, ‘If any man would come after…