A77983:77
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.
Sixthly, Another is this, here we may see in this Example, that great things may be done where there is a Lowly heart, that lowliness of heart, and doing very great thing may stand together. Many men think that if they should be of lowly Spirits, they should not be able to do great things in the world, and therefore they think they must have their hearts up, and their spirits up: Now God did greater things, being humbled, then ever he did before he was humbled, to speak after the manner of men. Gods infinite power did not do such great things before, as in his being humbled, for the work that Christ did in his humility, by being humbled for mans sin, it was a ⟨p. 510⟩greater work then the creation of the world; now his Exaltation is made but a fruit of his humiliat on, God by his infinite power creating the world, did no• do so great a thing, as Christ did in the humbling of himself to be as a w•rm, and no man, as the Scripture speaks, therefore the greatest thing that ever was done by God himself, it was by being brought into a low condition, Now therefore, lowliness of spirit, and doing great things may stand together, Yea, We shall▪ further clear it to you, that no man is so fit to be regarded in great services, as that man that hath the most lowly spirit, and God doth not delight to use any man in great works so much as that man that is of a lowly spirit. Well therefore, Christs Example is to be set before us; to be lowly as he was Lowly. And further, there is this also in Christs Example to work lowliness in us, Christ was lowly for us, and therefore why should not we be lowly for him? I was lowly for you, and therefore why will not you be lowly for me? There is a great deal more Reason that you should be Lowly for me, then that I should be lowly for you. And if we consider the difference between Christs lowliness, wherein he was lowly for us, and what he requires of us to be lowly for him; we shall see the Reason very strong, As now, Christ was made lower for us, then he doth require of us to be made for him. As for instance, Christ was made sin for us, God doth not require that we should be made sin for him. It is lower for Christ to be made sin for us, Then for us to endure all the afflictions in the world for him.
Sixthly, Another is this, here we may see in this Example, that great things may be done where there is a Lowly heart, that lowliness of heart, and doing very great thing may stand together. Many men think that if they should be of lowly Spirits, they should not be able to do great things in the world, and therefore they think they must have their hearts up, and their spirits up: Now God did greater things, being humbled, then ever he did before he was humbled, to speak after the manner of men. Gods infinite power did not do such great things before, as in his being humbled, for the work that Christ did in his humility, by being humbled for mans sin, it was a