A77983:71
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.
2. And then the Second thing God would show that he would manifest infinite Wisdom, he would show his love to mankind; saith God, I have such an Argument of my love to mankind, that infinite Wisdom could not devise a greater, and that is, sending of Christ into the World.
2. And then the Second thing God would shew that he would manifest infinite Wisdom, he would shew his love to mankind; saith God, I have such an Argument of my love to mankind, that infinite Wisdom could not devise a greater, and that is, sending of Christ into the World.
3. And the Third Argument of humility and self denial, God would have the Children of men to have low hearts before him, this was the great design of Gods sending Christ into the world, Well, saith God, I give many precepts in my word for men to deny themselves, and if they look into themselves, the low condition they are in, they may have many Arguments to be low, I but, I have an Argument beyond all Arguments in the world, and that is, I send my Son into the world, and he ⟨p. 507⟩shall manifest such Lowliness in his carriage and Conversation, that it will be the greatest Argument in all the world that an infinite Wisdom could devise. Now hath he sent us such a pattern, then he teacheth us to follow, and to be sure to Learn of him that was of such a lowly heart, to Learn of him, so as to be lowly in Heart as he was.
Secondly, The second thing is, That this pattern of humility it makes pride in man a desperate evil, it aggravates the pride of man, with what indignation shall God look upon a wretched worm, that shall be proud when his own Son was so Lowly? Bernard in a Sermon of his upon the Nativity of Christ, saith, What more unworthy? What more despicable? What more vile to be punished then this? That thou seest even the God of Heaven to be made a little one, made Low, yet thou being a man, Magnifiest thy self, when God is made Low, it is most intolerable impudency, saith he, Whereas he emptied himself, when Majesty indeed hath emptied himself, That is his word, that a worm should swell, when Majesty hath emptied himself, what intolerable impudency is this? Oh! it vvil be that which will cause God to come in a horrible rage, when he shall say, What? Shall my Son thus deny himself, and be thus Low? Ad what! Shalt thou be proud? What! Shall be willing that my Son should be Low, and deny himself, and shalt not thou a Worm deny thy self? Nothing argues more the Lowliness of Christ, then this emptying of himself and denying of himself.