Take Up the Cross

Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. — Luke 13:24  

Fall and Rising

And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.
— Matthew 11:6

Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.
— Matthew 15:14

And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.
— Matthew 21:44

And he beheld them, and said, What is this then that is written, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner? Whosoever shall fall upon that stone shall be broken; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.
— Luke 20:17-18

From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.
— John 6:66

But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;
— 1 Corinthians 1:23

And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against;
— Luke 2:34

A Preface to the Glory of Christ, by John Owen.

It is a great promise concerning the person of Christ as he was to be given unto the church, for he was a child born, a son given to us. Isaiah 9,6. That God would lay him in Zion for a foundation, a stone, a tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation, where on he that believes shall not make haste, Isaiah 28, verse 16. Yet. Was it also foretold concerning him that this precious foundation should be for a stone of stumbling, and for a rock of a fence to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so as that many among them should stumble and fall and be broken, and be snared and be taken. Isaiah 8, 14 and 15.

According to this promise and prediction, it is fallen out in all ages of the Church, as the Apostle Peter declares concerning the first of them. Therefore also, he says, it is contained in the Scripture, Behold, I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone he lacked, precious, and he that believes on him shall not be confounded. To you, therefore, which believe, he is precious, but to them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, and a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense. Even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient, in which also they were appointed, first Peter 2, verses 6 to 8. To them that believe to the saving of the soul, he is, he always has been, precious, the sun, the rock, the life, the bread of their souls, everything that is good, useful, amiable, desirable, here, or to eternity, in from and by Him is all their spiritual and eternal life, light, power, growth, consolation, and joy here, with everlasting salvation hereafter. By Him alone they desire, expect, and obtain deliverance from that woeful apostasy from God, which is accompanied with, which contains in it virtually and meritoriously whatever is evil, noxious, and destructive to our nature.

And which out without relief will issue in eternal misery. By Him are they brought into the nearest cognition, alliance, and friendship with God, the firmest union unto Him, and the most holy communion with Him, that our finite natures are capable of, and so conducted to the eternal rejoinment of Him. For in Him shall all the seed of Israel be justified and shall glory, for Israel shall be saved and the Lord with an everlasting salvation.

They shall not be ashamed nor confounded world without end.” Verse 17. On these and alike accounts the principal design of their whole lives to whom he is thus precious is to acquaint themselves with him. the mystery of the wisdom, grace, and love of God in His person and mediation, is revealed to us in the scripture which is life, eternal John 17, verse 3. To trust in Him and unto Him as to all the everlasting concerns of their souls, to love and honor Him with all their hearts, to endeavor after conformity to Him in all those characters of divine goodness and holiness which are represented to them. in Him. In these things consists the soul, life, power, beauty, and efficacy of the Christian religion, without which whatever outward ornaments may be put upon its exercise, it is but a useless, lifeless carcass.

The whole of this design is expressed in these heavenly words of the Apostle in Philippians 3 verses 8 to 12, Ye doubtless, and I count all things but loss, for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ. The righteousness which is of God by faith, that I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings. being made conformable to his death, if by any means I might attain to the resurrection of the dead. Not as though I had already attained either were already perfect, but I follow after if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. This is a divine expression of that frame of heart, of that design which is predominant and efficacious in them to whom Christ is precious. But on the other hand, according to the aforementioned prediction, as he has been a sure foundation to all that believe, so he has in like manner been a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense to them that stumble at the word being disobedient, wherein to also they were appointed. There is nothing in him, nothing in which he is concerned. Nothing of him, his person, his natures, his office, his grace, his love, his power. His authority is relation to the Church, but it has been to many a stone of stumbling and rock of offense. Concerning these things have been all the woeful contests which have fallen out and been managed among those that outwardly have made profession of the Christian religion, and the contentions about them rather increase and abate to this very day the dismal fruits in which the world groans under and is no longer able to bear. For as the opposition to the Lord Christ in thee, things by men of perverse minds, is ruin their own souls, as heaven dashed themselves in pieces against this everlasting rock. So in conjunction with other lusts and interests of the carnal minds of men, it has filled the world itself with blood and confusion. The re-enthroning of the person, spirit, grace, and authority of Christ in the hearts and and then may be put to these woeful conflicts. But this is not to be expected in any degree of perfection amongst them who stumble at the stone of offense in which they were appointed. Though in the issue, he will herein also send forth judgment to victory and all the meek…shall follow after it.

In the meantime it sows to whom he is thus a rock of offense. in his person, his spirit, his grace, his office, and authority, are diligent and restless in their various ways and forms, in lesser or higher degrees, in secret artifices or open contradictions to any or all of them under various pretenses and for different ends, even secular advantages some of them, which the craft of Satan is prepared for the ensnaring of them. in all ways of opposition to His glory, so it is the highest duty of them to whom He is precious, whose principal design is to be found built on Him as a sure foundation, as to hold the truth concerning Him, this Person, Spirit, Grace, Office, and Authority, and to abound in all duties of faith, love, trust, and delight in Him, so as also to declare His Excellency, to plead the cause of His glory. To vindicate his honor and to witness him, the only rest and reward of the souls of man is they are called and have opportunity. This, and no other, is the design of the ensuing treatise, in which, as all things fall unspeakably short of the glory, excellency, and sublimity of the subject treated of. For no man can conceive, no tongue can express a real substantial glory of them.

So there is no doubt, but then all the parts of it there is a reflection of failings and imperfections from the weakness of its author. But yet I must say with confidence that in the whole, that eternal truth of God concerning the mystery of His wisdom, love, grace, and power, in a person in mediation of Christ, with our duties towards Him therein, even the Father, Son, and Eternal Spirit is pleaded and vindicated which shall never be shaken by the utmost endeavors and oppositions of the gates of Hell. And in the acknowledgement of the truth concerning new things consists, in a special manner, that faith which was the life and glory of the primitive Church which they earnestly contended for, and which, and whereby, they were victorious against all the troops of stumbling adversaries by whom it was assaulted, in giving testimony hereunto they loved not their lives to the death, but poured out their blood like water under all the pagan persecutions which had no other design but to cast them down, and separate them from this impregnable rock, this precious foundation.

In the defense of these truths did they conflict in prayers, studies, travels, and writings against the swarms of seducers by whom they were opposed. And for this cause I thought to have conformed the principal passages of the ensuing discourse with some testimonies. from the most ancient writings of the first ages of the Church. But I omitted that, because I is fearing that the interposition of such passages might obstruct instead of promoting the edification of the common sort of readers, which I principally intended. Yet, with that I thought not good utterly to neglect that design, but to give at least a specimen of their sentiments about the principal truths bleated for, and a preface to the whole. But in this also I met with a disappointment for the bookseller having unexpectedly to me finished the printing of the discords itself. I must be content to make use of what lies already collected under my hand, not having leisure or time to make any further inquiry. I shall do something of this nature, though rather because I shall have occasion by this to give a summary account of some of the principal parts of the discords itself, and to clear some passages in it. which by some may be apprehended obscure.

https://takeupcross.com
takeupcross