Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament

^9. Now in this world, holy, good, reconciled, saved, or rather to be saved, and now saved in hope, “for we are saved in hope;” in this world, I say, that is in the Church which wholly follows Christ, He has said as of universal application, “Whosoever will follow Me, let him deny himself.” For it is not that the virgins ought to give ear to this, and the married women ought not; or that the widows ought, and the women who still have their husbands ought not; or that monks ought, and the married men ought not; or that the clergy ought, and the laymen ought not: but let the whole Church, the whole body, all the members, distinguished and distributed throughout their several offices, follow Christ. Let the whole Church follow Him, that only Church, let the dove follow Him, let the spouse follow Him, let her who has been redeemed and endowed with the Bridegroom's blood, follow Him. There virgin purity has its place; there widowed continence has its place; married chastity there has its place; but adultery has no place of its own there; and no place there has lasciviousness, unlawful and meet for punishment. But let these several members which have their place there, in their kind and place and measure, “follow Christ;” let them “deny themselves;” that is, let them presume nothing of themselves: let them “take up their cross,” that is, let them in the world endure for Christ's sake whatever the world may bring upon them. Let them love Him, who Alone does not deceive, who Alone is not deceived, Alone deceives not; let them love Him, for that is true which He does promise. But because He does not give at once, faith wavers. Hold on, persevere, endure, bear delay and you have borne the cross.