A77983:134
Four books on the eleventh of Matthew
Four books on the eleventh of Matthew: viz: I. Christ inviting sinners to come to him for rest. II. Christ the great teacher of souls that come to him. To which is added a treatise of meekness and of anger. III. Christ the humble teacher of those that come to him. IIII. The only easy way to heaven. By Jeremiah Burroughs, preacher of the Gospel at Stepney and Cripple-Gate, London.Four books on the eleventh of Matthew: viz: I. Christ inviting sinners to come to him for rest. II. Christ the great teacher of souls that come to him. To which is added a treatise of meekness and of anger. III. Christ the humble teacher of those that come to him. IIII. The only easie way to heaven. By Jeremiah Burroughs, preacher of the Gospel at Stepny and Cripple-Gate, London.
London: printed by Peter Cole, 1659
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
And Thirdly, An Humble spirit can deny his own ends, whatever my ends were wont to be, what plottings, contrivings, what designs I was wont to aim at; now I find I can deny them, I can renounce mine own ends, and am not for my self, an humble Spirit is not a selfish Spirit, not aiming at his own ends.
And Thirdly, An Humble spirit can deny his own ends, whatever my ends were wont to be, what plottings, contrivings, what designes I was wont to aime at; now I find I can deny them, I can renounce mine own ends, and am not for my self, an humble Spirit is not a selfish Spirit, not aiming at his own ends.
Yea, Further: An humble heart can deny its own lawful contentments for God, even those things that are in themselves lawful contentments, that it might have much liberty in, yet if I see that God may have more honour by my being abridged of ⟨p. 551⟩such lawful contentments, and my Brethren may have more good, I am willing to deny my self in them, to let them go, it is not fit I should look after my self, such a wretched Creature as I am, that might have been in Hell long ago, it is not so much for me to look at my self, but if God may have any Glory, and my Brethren any good, I am willing to deny my own lawful contentments: so that an humble Spirit denies, not only its sinful self, but its lawful self, denies all its own excellencies whatever they be, willing that they should be buried, denies his own honour, cares not for his own disgrace, I have been perhaps of such an opinion, and if I should alter I should be dishonoured and disgraced, but if the truth of God may come up, let my honour lie in the dust, let the truth of God be advanced, he is willing to deny himself. This is the behaviour of a lowly Spirit in regard of it self, it doth deny it self, and that is the Lesson that Christ would have us indeed learn. Come, if you would be my Disciples, you must deny your self, and take up my Cross. The word in the Greek is more than deny your selves, you must throughly deny your self, deny your self to purpose indeed, if you will be the Disciples of Christ, and indeed, this Humility is the proper Christian Humility. Your Heathens, they were altogether for men to know their own excellencies, and to seek themselves altogether, but for such a Lesson as this, to deny themselves, you never read of any such thing in Heathen Authors, never such a Lesson that they would teach them, that they would deny themselves.