And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish. Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace. So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple. Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be seasoned? It is neither fit for the land, nor yet for the dunghill; but men cast it out. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
All these are so many beautiful illustrations of one and the same thing; namely, of the wisdom and safety of counting the cost, in every undertaking, before we enter upon any. The builder and the warrior are strong figures to explain: and what builder, like the
Christian, who is building for eternity? What warrior like him that contends for everlasting life? And unless the Lord Jesus Christ be the Founder of the one, and the General of the other, what success can follow? And in application to what went before, they both are beautiful. See on Luke 14:34; Mark 9:49-50
REFLECTI0NS
Reader! let us not turn away too hastily from this beautiful chapter, and those soul-teaching, and soul-refreshing discourses of Christ, While the Pharisees watched Jesus, to find somewhat offensive, as according to their corrupt hearts they would have made it, let you and I listen to his heavenly doctrine, and behold, with delight and joy, his mercies to the body in healing the man with the dropsy, while mingling sweet words for consolation to the soul, and oh! for grace in contemplating Christ thus discoursing at the Pharisee's table! to be earnest to discourse of Jesus at our own! What can be more suited, more grateful, more blessed than, while partaking of the Lord's bounties, to speak or the Lord's love? and while sitting with our family at our supper, to mingle with our food gracious conversation of the Lord's?
Reader! do not overlook the very wonderful condescension of Jesus in the various methods the Lord was pleased to adopt in setting forth the plentiful provisions of his Gospel. What a feast indeed of fat things it is! What bowels of mercy and grace in the Great Provider'! And what company are the guests invited? such as the great ones of the earth would not look at, much less consort with. Oh! how utterly lost, how utterly inexcusable must those be who refuse such great salvation! Hasten, my soul! hasten, Reader! for it is the poor and the maimed, the most sensibly wretched and miserable, that are most welcome.
And doth my Lord say that his followers must be self-haters, must bear a cross, must hate all which would stop the way? Oh! for grace to be of that happy number! Lord! help me to pluck out an eye, cut off an arm, leave all for Jesus and his great salvation, so that I may be found the true disciple of the Lord! Amen.