Four Books on Matthew 11, Book 3 · Chapter 121
CHAP. CXXI.
Six Arguments from the Lowlineſs of Chriſt to work Lowlineſs of ſpirit in our hearts. 1. It was one ſpeciall end of his coming into the world. 2. His Humility makes pride in man a deſperate Evill. 3. The greateſt Excellency ſtands with the greateſt Humility. 4. His Lowlineſs ſtands with the greateſt Wiſdom. 5. It is infinitly pleaſing to God. 6. It may ſtand with doing of great things.
BUt novv to ſhevv vvhat Arguments might be dravvn from the lovvlineſs of Chriſts Spirit ſo as to work Lowlines in our hearts. Auſtin hath a Speech concerning the Lowlineſs of Chriſt, ſaith he, Are ye aſhamed to imitate an humble Man? Imitate then an humble God, Imitate God that was content to be Humble: but take theſe three or four things.
Firſt: Conſider in this, As if Chriſt ſhould call upon you, Learn of me for I am Lowly, I am ſent by God the Father into the world, this is one ſpeciall end that I am ſent into the world for, to hold forth unto all the world a pattern of humility, there were theſe two things that were the errand of Chriſt: Firſt he was ſent into the world to be made a Sacrifice and ſatisfaction to Gods Juſtice; And then to be made a Pattern of Holineſs, and eſpecially of this Grace of Holin…ſs, namely of Humility, I am appointed as a great Ordinance of God the Father to hold forth this: God the Father doth ſhew three things in Chriſt ſo demonſtratively, as we cannot conceive that an infinite Wiſdom was able to deviſe a way to ſhew them forth more than in them.
1. The Vileneſs of Mans ſin, and the deſert of it, is ſuch an Argument, that we would not Imagine an infinite Wiſdome could deviſe more, as if God ſhould ſay, I have ſuch an Argument to ſhew the vileneſs of mans ſin, and the deſert of it, as infinite Wiſdome could not deviſe a geater.
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 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 ſhal 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 emptyed himſelf, when Majeſty indeed hath emptied himſelf, That is his word, that a worm ſhould ſwel, vvhen 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 ſhal ſay, What? Shal my Son thus deny himſelf, and be thus Low? A…d 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.
Thirdly, Conſider this, In the Example of Chriſts Lowlineſs, vve may ſee Tha… the greateſt humility, and the higheſt Excellency may be both together in one: Humility may ſtand vvith the greateſt Nobleneſs of Spirit it that poſſibly can be. Many men and Women, they vvould not be Lovvly and Humble, becauſe they think it vvould note too mean and too abject a Spirit, they think it an excellent thing to have a brave Spirit, a Noble Heroical Spirit, but to deny themſelves and to be Lovvly, they think it is to have too Mean a Spirit, and cannot ſtand vvith excellency and nobility, but novv vve ſee by the Example of Chriſt, that the higheſt excellency, and the greateſt humility may ſtand both together, for never vvas there ſuch a Noble, Heroical Spirit as Chriſt had, and yet never ſuch a Lovvly Spirit, the truth is, a proud Spirit is a baſe and mean Spirit, but an humble Spirit is a raiſed Spirit, as we ſhal hear afterwards, only now we ſee in Chriſts Example, that nobleneſs, and braveneſs of ſpirit, and yet lowlineſs of heart may ſtand together, I confeſs this is one of the greateſt Miſteries of Godlineſs, and yet thoſe that are taught in the Miſteries of Godlineſs do underſtand this.
Fourthly, And Further, in this Example of lowlineſs there is this more: for in this we may ſee that lowlineſs and Wiſdom, yea the very height of Wiſdom may ſtand together: many are not willing to deny themſelves to be of lowly Hearts, becauſe they think it is Folly, it is Fooliſhneſs for them to deny themſelves: but in Chriſt we may ſee, that the higheſt Wiſdom, and the loweſt humility in denying our ſelves may ſtand together, Chriſt the Wiſdom of the Father, and yet he is of a lowly Spirit, indeed, pride is the greateſt folly, as will appear afterwards.
Fifthly, And further, Another force of the Argument of Chriſts Example to Teach us lowlineſs is this, we may in Chriſts Example ſee, what it is that is infinitly pleaſing unto God the Father, Chriſt did pleaſe his Father infinitly, in whatſoever Chriſt was moſt eminent, in that he did moſt eminently pleaſe the Father. Now of any vertue that the Scripture notes, Chriſt was moſt eminent in the vertue of humility, that is a principal one, and therefore it muſt needs be, that in that Jeſus Chriſt did eminently pleaſe the Father. Now, as if Chriſt ſhould ſay, Learn of me, for I am Meek and Lowly. Would you know what it is that would pleaſe my Father moſt, that would make you moſt acceptable unto my Father? Look upon my Example, I pleaſe my Father my Father delights in me, he profeſſeth that in me his ſoul is well pleaſed, Now I know what would pleaſe him, namely, for me to be willing to deny my ſelf ſo far for his Glory, and for the good of others, for me to be willing to be in ſuch a low condition, as I was willing to be in, I know that this would Pleaſe him, now look upon my Example, if you would know what would pleaſe my Father, follow me in my ſteps, be you Lowly in heart.
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 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 creati…g 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, lowl…neſs 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 lovvly ſpirit. Wel 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. The utmoſt that God requires of us in our lowlineſs is▪ that we ſhould be willing to bear afflictions, and troubles, and deny our ſelves in our comforts, and the like; but to be made ſin, God never put his creature to this, to be in ſuch a low condition for him, that the creature ſhould be willing to be made ſin, No, not for the Glory of God, he never put that to us, that he did put Chriſt to, God never put us to this, that we ſhould be willing to take the guilt of any mans ſin upon us, to ſtand before the Lord to anſwer for the ſin of another man, but this was put upon Chriſt, he muſt take the guilt of all the ſins in the world upon him, of the Elect, the world of Elect upon him, and muſt ſtand charged withal and that before his Father, here is a low condition.
Again God doth not require that of us that he did of him, that is, that we ſhould be willing to bear the wrath of God, that we ſhould be willing that the Lord ſhould forſake us, and we ſhould ſtand under his wrath: but this vvas required of Chriſt, and Chriſt vvas vvilling for our ſakes to be put into this lovv condition, but the Lord never required this at our Hands, to be put into ſuch a lovv condition as this is.
Yea▪ Further, Chriſt had God the Father vvithdravving himſelf from him, and forſaking of him, vvhen he vvas lovv, and vvhen God puts us into a lovv condition vve have uſually the preſence of God more comfortably, and more glorious vvith us then ever, and vve may expect it, at that time, vvhen vve are put into the lovveſt condition for God, that vve ſhould have the moſt glorious preſence of God vvith us, and God vvould incourage us to be lovvly upon that ground, becauſe the ſpirit of God, and Glory ſhould then reſt moſt upon us. But novv Chriſt, he knevv that vvhen he ſhould be put into the loweſt condition, that then God the Father would withdraw himſelf from him, that then he ſhould have leaſt of his preſence, that then God would Leave him in that low condition, we are not put upon this: Yea, the leaſt thing that Chriſt ſuffered was a thouſand thouſand times more then the greateſt thing that we can ſuffer, yet Chriſt was called to be in a lower condition, (and was willing to be ſo) then ever God cals us to be, now is there not a great ſtrength in this Argument? If it were only thus, if Chriſt ſhould ſay, there is Reaſon you ſhould be as I was, low as I was low, As we read of Rebecca, when ſhe was coming unto Iſaac, and ſhe ſees him walking in the Field, and asked the Servant who it was, and he ſaid it was his Maſters Son, preſently Rebecca lighted down, and goes on her Feet, ſhe would be as he was, he walked, and Rebecca lights off her beaſt that ſhe Rode upon. And there is a great deal of Reaſon the Spouſe of Chriſt ſhould be low as Chriſt is, if Chriſt ſhould but ſay, I am lowly thus and thus, be you content to be as I was, I but Chriſt never required that, I was low indeed, and I expect that you ſhould be low, as I was, but not ſo low, I will never put you to be made ſo low as I was, be but content to be low as I was, in ſome little thing, but for the great things wherein I was made low, I will never put you to this, now there is a great ſtrength of Argument in this, when as Chriſt propounds to us his Example, that in that Example he doth not require we ſhould be ſo lovv as he vvas.