(34) And when he had called the people unto him, with his disciples also, he said unto them, Who soever will come after me, let him deny himself; and take up his cross, and follow me. (35) For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake, and the gospel's, the same shall save it. (36) For what shall it profit a man if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul (37) Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? (38) Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation: of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.
I cannot suffer this blessed discourse of the LORD JESUS to pass un noticed, though in the parallel passage, Matthew 16:24 to the end, (which see), I have already remarked upon it. But it were a pity to let a single word of JESUS drop to the ground. A single soul is of more value than the whole world; and for this plain reason: The time is coming, when the whole world, and all that is in it will be destroyed; but the soul of every individual must live, either in happiness or misery, forever. Reader! pause over the subject, and calculate, if possible, the value of a single soul. The creation of it called forth the council of the whole persons of the GODHEAD. The redemption of it cost CHRIST his blood. The regeneration of it was the work of GOD the HOLY GHOST, The everlasting happiness of it engaged the services of angels, and of men continually. Angels rejoice in heaven in the recovery of every sinner. Hell rageth in the event of their salvation. The soul hath a capability of grace here, and glory forever. And therefore what a loss, incalculably great, must it be, that a being of such qualities, and so formed, should be exposed to everlasting destruction. Reader! Who is there, think you, capable of being ashamed of JESUS, and his words? Never man spake like him! Never any among the sons of men to be compared to JESUS! Ashamed of him! All nature might blush at the very thought. But yet, in fact, every son and daughter of men take shame at Jesus and his Gospel, who do not seek salvation in his name and righteousness only; and everyone who wishes to add unto, or take from, the finished salvation of the LORD Jesus CHRIST. LORD JESUS! grant that heaven and earth may now be able to witness for me, and Jesus himself will be my witness then; that in thee alone all my hopes, wishes, joys, expectations, are. And, like, Paul, may I be able to say with the same assurance of faith; GOD forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our LORD JESUS CHRIST, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world. Galatians 6:14.