Four Books on Matthew 11, Book 3 · Chapter 120
CHAP. CXX.
Lowlineſs of heart what it is poſitively, and what it is in Chriſt in ſix particulars. 1. He became Mediator. 2. Man. 3. Born of a poor Virgin. 4. A Servant. 5. A Curſe: Yea, Sin. 6. He was lowly in his carriage to men.
QUEST.
YOU will ſay, What is the lowlineſs of heart that Chriſt would have us learn of him.
Anſw. It is to be conſidered two waies.
The firſt is this, That diſpoſition of ſpirit whereby one that is in a high, and excellent condition, yet is content to become low for God, and for the good of his Brethren; though he be in an excellent eſtate, yet is content to be in a Lovv condition, ſo it be for God, and the good of others; and this is that Lovvlineſs that belongs only to Chriſt himſelf, he vvas thus Lovvly. And alſo God the Father is lovvly, that God is of a Lovvly Spirit, thus to be content to be lovv for his ovvn Glory, and for the good of others. Ye have it in Pſalm. 113. 5. and 6. Who is like unto thee, Lord our God, who dwelleth on high, who humbleth himſelf to behold the things that are in Heaven, and in the Earth, God is on high and yet God humbleth himſelf to behold, to have regard to things that are in Heaven and Earth. Obſerve the Phraſe, I beſeech you, it is Gods humbling himſelf, if it be but to behold the things that are in Heaven, God is ſo high, that if he doth but vouchſafe to look upon the things in Heaven, he doth humble himſelf, he b…ings himſelf Lovv to behold them, much more upon the things in Earth, Oh! Hovv doth God humble himſelf then to regard the things on Earth as he hath done. And ſo Chriſt, that vvas from all eternity infinitly bleſſed, vvith the Father, yet for the Salvation of mankind, vvas vvilling to bring himſelf into a Lovv condition, and ſo Lovvlineſs belongs to the Father, and Jeſus Chriſt.
But the lowlines that is moſt proper unto us, that we may yet learn of Chriſt, that we may gather from Chriſts Example arguments to further it in our own hearts, I would deſcribe it thus. It is that grace, whereby the Soul doth behave it ſelfe towards God, and towards it ſelfe, and towards others, according, or anſwerable unto that right eſteem and ſence that he hath of his own vileneſs, and meanneſs. Formally this was not in Chriſt, but only thus far, Chriſt being once willing to take upon him that low condition, of being a Mediator for mankind, ſo there was a meanneſs that was in Jeſus Chriſt, and Chriſts demeanour of himſelfe, walking anſwerably unto God, and to others, ſuitable unto that mean condition that he knew himſelf was in▪ through his willingneſs to be a Mediator for mankind▪ that was Chriſts lowlineſs, though Chriſt as the ſecond perſon in the Trinity, cannot have the Rule of his Low lineſs to be the eſteem of his own meanneſs, and ſo of God; and therefore I gave you ſuch a deſcription of Lowlineſs, that may belong to the Father and the Son; but now this only belongs to Chriſt as Mediator, and that Lowlineſs that ſhould be in our hearts, that vve may gather abundance of Arguments from Chriſts low condition to further it in our own Soul. The meaſure of our humility, it doth conſiſt in the right eſteem of our own meanneſs, when a man or Woman hath a right eſteem, that is, come to know themſelves in that mean condition that they are in, and to be truly ſenſible of that mean condition that they are in, and accordingly come to behave themſelves towards God, and towards themſelves, and towards others; theſe are ſuch as indeed have lowly hearts. Now in this deſcription that I have made of Lowlineſs, or of humility, you wil find (when we come to open it, and to ſhew the workings of an humble heart that ought to be in Chriſtians) there will be very much diſcovered that nearly concerns us, but all that I ſhal do now is, to ſhew how Jeſus Chriſt was lowly in heart himſelf. And then what Arguments may be drawn from the Lowlineſs of Chriſt, for the furtherance of Lowlineſs in our hearts. There is one thing in the Point that I am ſpared from ſpeaking off, to handle this Lowlineſs of Chirſt, as Chriſt is a Teacher, that we have ſpoken of.
Learn of me, for I am Meek and Lowly, That is, be willing to Learn of me, for I am a Meek Teacher, and a Lowly Teacher, and therefore be willing to be my Schollers, Now that I have already ſpoke of, when I ſpake of being taught by Jeſus Chriſt, and ſhewed you what a fit Teacher he was, and I think this hath reference unto him, that he is not ſcornful, but he will Teach the meaneſt; and ſuite himſelf to all, but now we are to ſpeak of what Lowlineſs was in Chriſt, and how we ſhould Learn to be Lowly as he was.
Now for the Lowlineſs of Chriſt, that you have in divers Scriptures, in Pſalm. 22. is a Prophetical Scripture concerning Chriſt, and mark what is ſaid of Chriſt there, verſe, 6. But I am a Worm, and no man, a Reproach of Men, and deſpiſed of the people. But I am a Worm, They are even the ſpeeches of Chriſt concerning himſelf, it is apparent it is a prophetical Pſalme, concerning Chriſt, In the beginning of the Pſalme you have the very ſame words that Chriſt ſpake upon the Croſs, My God, My God why haſt thou forſaken me, And here I am a Worm, and no Man, Oh! How Lowly was Chriſt, that was God bleſſed for ever, it were lowly enough, one would think, to be a Man, but to be a Worm, and no Man in his own apprehenſion, Oh, what Lowlineſs was this? And then in Iſai, 53. 2. There you may ſee the Lowlineſs of Chriſt, that likewiſe is prophetical concerning Chriſt, that he ſhould grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a Root out of a dry ground he hath no form nor comlineſs, and when we ſhall ſee him, there is no Beauty that we ſhould deſire him, he is deſpiſed and rejected of men, a man of ſorrows, and acquainted with grief, and we hid as it were our Faces from hi… he was deſpiſed, and we eſteemed him not. I y… will ſay, this ſhews the Lowneſs of his condition, but how doth this argue the Lowlineſs of his Heart? For you told us even now, that a man may be in a low condition that is not Lowly in Heart. For Anſwer, Chriſt was not compelled to it, but freely took upon him to be in this condition, for the Glory of his Father, and the good of Poor S…uls, ſurely, it is a lowly heart that was willing to be put into ſuch a condition as this was.
But above all Scriptures, that is remarkable to this purpoſe, in Phillip. 2. 5. Let this mind be in you, which alſo was in Jeſus Chriſt, What mind was that? There is not only the condition of Chriſt, but the mind of Chriſt, a lowly Heart, and let that Lowly heart be in you, What was that? verſe, 6. Who being in the form of God, thought it no robbery to be equal with God, but made himſelf of no Reputation: He made himſelf, he did e…pty himſelf, (as the word hath it in the original) empty himſelf of the Excellency that was in him, And took upon him the form of a Servant, and made himſelf in the likeneſs of men, and being found in faſhion as a man, he humbled himſelf, and became obedient unto Death, even the Death of the Croſs. Here is the Lowlineſs of the Heart of Chriſt ſet out unto us, and that as a pattern unto al Chriſtians, to have the ſame mind that was in Chriſt. Now to ſtand upon things largely, to open the Lovvlineſs of Chriſt, that vvil not be needful, but to ſpeak generally of it, for that is neceſſary, forvve cannot bring it home vvith povver to our Point, if we do not open it in general, for it vvould ask many exerciſes to open the Lovvlineſs of Heart that vvas in Jeſus Chriſt. You knovv in opening his Meekneſs vve ſhevved you, vvhat Meekneſs vvas in him, And novv for Lovvlineſs. As thus,
Firſt, There was Lowlineſs in him to undertake to be Mediator between God, and mankind, it was a great Lowening of himſelf, as we may ſpeak after the manner of men.
Secondly, If he would undertake to be Mediator, then God …els him he muſt become a man, and take Human Nature upon him, and that in a perſonal union, that Chriſt the infinite glorious Son of God, ſhould be content to be made a Man, that it ſhould be ſaid of him, this perſon is a man, this is a mighty lowening of himſelf. In Hebrews, 2. 16. He did not take the Nature of Angels▪ But the Nature of Man, The Seed of Abraham It had not been ſo much Lowening of himſelf, if he had taken upon him the Nature of Angels, No ſaith God, if you wil be Mediator for man, you muſt take the Nature of Man, This Poor Wretched Creature; ſaith Chriſt, I will do it rather then man ſhould Periſh.
Thirdly, When he takes the Nature of Man, one would think he would be Born of the greateſt Queen upon the Earth, if Chriſt muſt come, and take the Nature of man, and be Born in the Womb, it would be of the greateſt Empreſs, No, of a poor Woman, a Poor Virgin, a Poor Maid, and therefore ſhe ſaith, in Luke. 1. 48. For he hath regarded the Low Eſtate of his Hand-Maiden, It is not there Lowlineſs, as noting Humility, but the Low condition of his Hand-Maid, The Lord regarded the Lew condition of his Hand-Maid. Of purpoſe, to that end, to incourage thoſe that are in a Low condition, that Chriſt ſhould paſs by al the Princeſſes, and Empereſſes in the World, and be willing to be born of a poor Maid, for ſhe was not a Rich Maid, nor had great things, that appears by the offering that ſhe made for Her Purification, in Luke, 2. 22. and the 24. verſes. When the daies of her Purification, according to the Law of Moſes, were accompliſhed they brought him to Jeruſalem to preſent him to the Lord, and to offer a Sacrifice according to that which is ſaid in the Law of the Lord, a pair of Turtle Doves or two young Pidgeons. Her Sacrifice was a pair of Turtle Doves, or two young Pidgeons, but mark, it is ſaid according to the Law of the Lord, do but compare this Text, with the Law of God that required an Offering of every Male that openeth the Womb, in Levit. 12. 6. When the daies of Her purifying are fulfilled, for a Son or for a Daughter, ſhe ſhall bring a Lamb of the firſt year for a Burnt offering, and a young Pidgeon or a Turtle Dove for a ſin offering unto the Door of the Tabernacle of the congregation, ſhe ſhall bring a Lamb, here is no Lamb brought, for ſo indeed, the Law did ſo far indulge, that if they were poor, the Lamb might be ſpared, as in another Law, ſo that in this her offering, that ſhe did not bring the Lamb, the Lamb that the Law did appoint, it was meerly from the indulgence of her Poverty, becauſe ſhe was a poor Maid, Noting, that if there be a poverty, and we do what we can, the Lord will not ſtand ſo much for great offerings, when we do what we are able, ſo the Virgin Mary, ſhe had not Money to buy a Lamb, but ſhe brings a pair of Turtle Doves, or two Pidgeons, And this is that which is accepted. And then his Low condition was not only in being born of her, but in being born in one of the meaneſt Villages, and places, not in the Metropolis Jeruſalem, but in BETHELEM. And then it was in an Inn, you know he had no ſtately Houſe, or Country Houſe, or brave place for to be in, but it was in an Inn, and it was in her Journy. Great Women, when they are with Child, will not be travelling in Journies, but will take ſtate …pon them, and will not go forth a long while, but ſhe was in her Journey, I, and when ſhe was in an Inn, ſhe could have never a Room, Surely ſhe muſt be in a Low condition. If a begger Woman ſhould be ready to cry out, if there were a poor Room that had but a Chimney in it▪ they would grant it to her, but ſhe was in a ſtable to be brought to Bed in a ſtable, your Vagrants and Rogues that go up and down cannot be worſe then this, and ſhe had no proviſion it ſeems, but was fain to lay her Child in the Manger; this infinite God, and Lord of Heaven and Earth, behold him lie in a Stable and a Manger. And beſides he was willing to be in this condition, he choſe this condition, ſurely he had a Lowly Heart.
Fourthly: And further Obſerve, It may be ſaid, but if he doth come as a man, and come into the world in a Low condition yet he may be ſome body in time, Nay, but he muſt be a Servant in the world he might have had poſſeſſion of the world, and might have had the honor to have been a King, but he muſt live as a Servant. So the Scripture ſaith, in Philip. 2. In the Form of a Servant. Nay, he was not only in the Form of a Servant, but in the Form of an evil Servant, a Servant to be beaten, that is a Low condition to be in the ſtate of a Servant, but to be in the ſtate of an Evil Servant, to be beaten, that is a Low condition indeed, ſo was Chriſt.
Fifthly: Yea, not only to be a Servant that was beaten▪ but to be made a curſe, ſo in Galath. 3. 13. not only Curſed, but a Curſe, in the abſtract. Yea, more then this, not only to be a Servant, and to be beaten, and made a curſe, but to be made Sin, that that is lower, So in 2 Corinth. 5. 2. He that knew no Sin, was made Sin for us: we wil not ſtand to open theſe Particulars, only ſo far is expreſſed the Low condition that Chriſt was in, how Lowly in Heart Chriſt was. And all the way as we go, you cannot but ſee, that there will be a great many Arguments to work Lowlineſs of Heart in al that profeſs Chriſt. After he came into the World, and was put into ſuch a condition, he was fain to flie for his Life, to flie into Egypt to ſave his Life, and being delivered, then he lives Thirty years in a Low, Poor, Mean condition. He is reputed Low in his parentage, his Father a Poor Carpenter, and his Mother a poor Woman, not able to live in the world, and yet he lives Thirty years together in ſubjection to this poor Father and Mother, to live in obed…ence to them, and ſeeks to live upon his Trade, to live as a Carpenter, Hewing of Timber, for this is the Reaſon they cal him the Carpenters Son, he lived not Idly. And when he came to be manifeſted the Redeemer of the World, even then the Devil himſelf had ſome power over him, he was in ſome kind under him as you may Read in Matth. 4. He was carried by the Devil, and Set upon the Pinacle of the Temple. It is a great matter for the Devil to carry any of our Bodies up and down, for Chriſt to be carried by the Devil, this was very Low. And when he enters upon his office, he wanted bread Fourty daies together, thus he was brought low & al this was free. And then in the conſtant way of his Poverty, you know what he ſaid of himſelf. Matth. 8. 20. The Foxes have Holes, and the Birds of the Air have Neſts, but the Son of man hath not wherein to put his Head, Chriſt had not ſo much as Birds, and Foxes, No little Cottage. Many of you think it hard that you are fain to live in a poor Smoakey hole, a poor Cottage; you have more then Chriſt had, Chriſt had not ſo much as a Gave to hide his Head, though he was poſſeſſer of all the world, he was brought in ſuch a Low condition and all for thee, and to teach thee. And when he came to chooſe his Diſciples, See the lowlineſs of his ſpirit there, he did not chooſe the great ones, Emperors, and Kings, and high ones of the world, but choſe a company of illiterate men, Publicans and ſinners, Illiterate and deſpiſed men Chriſt choſe, and Galileans, yea, Men of Galilee, the worſt place in all the Country, Can any good come out of Galilee? And for the other Diſciples that ſhould follow. Who were they? When Chriſt came to his own they rejected him: For a man to be rejected when he ſhall come out of another Countrey, and come home: Suppoſe one of you ſhould have a Friend come out of another Countrey, and when he comes home, all h…s Friend; ſhould reject him, caſt him out, that he ſhould …ot have a nights lodging amongſt all; Thus it was with Chriſt, his own caſt him out, and his Kindred laid hand; on him. And thoſe that did regard him, Who were they? Not the Scribes and Phariſees, not the great ones, not the learned ones of the world, But this Multitude, a curſed Generation, a company of poor Wretches, a company of Women that were with Chriſt, and poor Creatures that did follow him; How loathſome were they in the Eies of all thoſe that did behold Chriſt. And when he wrought Miracles, there was not many Miracles that he wrought at Jeruſalem, but his Miracles was for the moſt part wrought in obſcure Villages. When he was transfigured in his Glory, many muſt not ſee him, he carries only thoſe to ſee him in his Glory that muſt ſuffer for him, thoſe that ſaw him in his Agony, and he charges them not to tell any man at all, which ſhews the lowlineſs of his Spirit: And not only ſo but he goes yet further, and he humbles himſelf as the Scripture ſaith, to Death, a painfull Curſed Death, as he did upon the Croſs, to be firſt deſpiſed, ſpit upon: They ſpate upon his face before, and ſcorned him, and put Thorns upon his Head, and Buffetted him. Yea, his own Diſciples forſake him in his ſufferings. And then he muſt die among Theevs, and a Murderer muſt be choſe, before he muſt be choſe, and the…e he muſt hang, and he is ſcorned: we ſeldome wil ſcorn Malefactors upon the Gallows, we pitty Malefactors when they go to be hanged: but now to ſee one upon the Croſs, to be hanged there, and Crucified, and yet to be ſcorned and contemned then, and dying the Death as if he had been the greateſt Malefactor upon the face of the Earth. And then he was put into the Grave, and there his Humility was ſeen: and then what his Spirit felt then, was more than all. Certainly, when he cryed, If it be poſſible let this Cup paſs, and My God My God why haſt thou forſaken me? Oh! the Spirit of Chriſt was in a low condition at that time: Now that Chriſt ſhould be content to put himſelf into this condition, Surely, the heart of Chriſt was very low. Not to ſpeak of the lowly carriage of Chriſt in his life, and his tenderneſs towards thoſe he met withall, that we ſhewed in opening the Meekneſs of Chriſt, but all this you have in the Story of his life.
Sixthly: But further conſider what kind of lowlineſs it was, to omit the conſideration of his Perſon, who he was, that was hinted in ſpeaking of his Lowlineſs, for that is indeed the greateſt conſideration of all to ſet forth the Lowlineſs of Chriſt that ſuch a Perſon, that is the Brightneſs of the Father, the Character and ingraven Image of his Perſon to be in ſuch a low condition, it is ten thouſand times more, then if all the Kings, Princes, and Emperors in the world, ſhould have been Dogs and Toads, they ſhould not have been ſo much humbled as Chriſt was humbled, in being made man for mans ſin. But now beſides the Perſon, Conſider further this, That his Lowlineſs in all his carriage was not only towards his Father, but towards men, when he was a man, yet he carries himſelf as if he were under man; there is many my Brethren will carry themſelves lowly unto God, and when they come into Gods preſence they will have low thoughts, but towards man they cannot, Chriſt was lowly towards men: You may obſerve in the ſpirits of men, many will be very crouching and ſubmiſſive to thoſe that are above them, but unto thoſe that are under them, of the moſt domineering ſpirits that are. I have obſerved of others, that when they are to deal with thoſe that are Noble men, and above them, they will crouch, and be very ſubmiſſive and hukmble towards them, but when they come to thoſe that are under them, thoſe that are poor Servants, or Children, they will be as Tyrannicall as can be. But Now Chriſt was low towards man, as well as towards God, low towards his Inferiors, as well as towards his Superiors. And that is obſervable: Chriſt was low when he was to have Honor and Glory; as when you know they would have come and by force have made him a King, they would have compelled Chriſt at one time to be a King, and laid hand… upon him, but he would by no means regard it, and he continues in this lowlineſs: And ſo the Devill ſhewed him all the Glory in the world, and ſaith, All this will I give thee, but it was nothing to him. And there was another time that is very obſervable for the lowlineſs of Chriſt Perſon, as obſervable as any time, that in Luk. 23. 8, 9, 10. It was the time when Chriſt was brought to Herod, the Text ſaith, When Herod ſaw Jeſus, he was exceeding glad, for he was deſtrous to ſee him of a long ſeaſon, becauſe he had heard many things of him, and he hoped to have ſeen ſome Miracles done by him. Herod had a very high eſteem of Jeſus Chriſt, he had heard great fame of Jeſus Chriſt, that he had wrought many Miracles, and when he came to him, he made account ſurely, I ſhall ſee ſome great Miracles done by him, and therefore Herod is preparing to Honor Chriſt, but Mark: becauſe Herod was a vile, and a baſe man, he would not anſwer him a word, at verſe 9. Then he queſtioned with him in many words, but he anſwered him nothing, And the chief Prieſts, and Scribes ſtood, and vehemently accuſed him, and Herod with his men of war ſet him at naught and mocked him, and arrayed him in a gorgeous Robe, and ſent him again to Pilate. As if Herod ſhould ſay, What a poor ſilly man do you bring before me, I had thought you would have brought me a man that would have wrought Miracles, but I ſee he is a poor ſilly Fellow? Now Chriſt he was tempted to have ſought Glory at Herods Court, and of men, Chriſt might have ſhewed himſelf to have had that excellency in him, that Herod ſhould have had more regard to him than to the Scribes and Phariſees, but Chriſt would not do this, but ſuffered himſelf to be accounted a poor, ſleight, mean, Perſon, and to be ſcoffed and mocked at, and puts up all.
But further, That that I would obſerve for the lowlineſs of Chriſts Spirit, it was when he was among Proud Ones, many men will ſeem lowly when they are among Chriſtians that are lowly: When they are amongſt a company of Chriſtians that are broken in heart, their hearts wil be broken too, and vvhen a company of Chriſtians are bemoaning their condition, and lamenting their ſtate; they vvil do ſo too, this is nothing, but to be of a lovvly, ſelf denying, yeilding Spirit, vvhen a man is among proud ones, when a man converſeth with thoſe that are proud in the world, than ſtill to manifeſt lowlineſs, this is to be like Chriſt.
Yea, and further, that is another circumſtance that is very obſervable, to be lowly and humble when our lowlineſs and humility ſhall be contemned, it is an ordinary thing for Men and Women to manifeſt humility, vvhen their Humility ſhal bring credit to them, for there is a great deal of humility that brings credit to them, and they knovv it well enough, and therefore they will ſeem to be humble when they are among them that will honor them, and prize them the more for that humility; but if they be in a place, where the more humble they appear, the more they ſhal be ſcorned, and they ſhall not be honoured for their humility, not eſteemed the better for it, this is the tryall of thy Grace, and of others Grace, to manifeſt Grace in ſuch a place, and among ſuch company that no body wil take notice of it, ſo as to prize it, and prize you for it; but on the contrary wil contemn you, & contemn you for it, you ſhal be ſcorned the more becauſ you are humble, yet than to be humble at that time, & in that Company, Here is the Glory of a Chriſtian indeed: In theſe three or four things eſpecially conſiſts Humility, To be humble towards our Inferiors, and when you are tempted to the contrary, many are humble many times when they have no temptation, but ſet a Beggar a Horſe back, if he have any temptation, and then they will not be humble, Chriſt had the greateſt temptation and yet was humble. And then to be in company where they will ſcorn you, and contemn you for your Humility, and yet to be Humble conſiſts in this Humility. And al this in the conſtant courſe of your Life, to be humble at a fit, and a ſtart, there is but few men and Women in the world, but take them in ſome fit or ſtart, and they will be humble, but at other fits they will be proud; but Chriſt had a conſtant Lowlineſs of Spirit, what ever the variety of his condition was that he was put into, yet ſtil his Heart was low, if the people did cry Hoſanna to him, yet he carried himſelf with a Lowly Spirit: ſo for a man or Woman to have ſuch a ſtrength of Spirit, that though they be put into varieties of conditions, ſomtimes one way, and ſomtimes another way, yet to keep a conſtant Lowlineſs of heart in all conditions, this is to Learn of Chriſt, and this is but to ſet forth the Lowlineſs of Chriſts Spirit, Learn of me, for I am Meek and Lowly, Well, may Chriſt ſay of himſelf, that he was Lowly in Heart.
Yea and to add this one more.
He was lowly for others, Chriſt was lowly for the good of others, we may be lowly and crouch perhaps for ſome deſign of our own: but Chriſts Lowlineſs, His Emptying of himſelf was for the advantage of others, and therefore, as for himſelf in John 17. the beginning, ſaith Chriſt there unto his father in his praier, Father Glorifie me with the Glory that I had with thee before the beginning of the world. It ſeems Chriſt is content with the ſame Glory he had before the vvorld vvas, What ſhould become of all that Glory that he had purchaſed by his lovvlineſs, It is as if Chriſt ſhould ſay? Let my people have all that, vvhatever Glory is purchaſed by my lovvlineſs, by my humbling of my ſelf I am content that they ſhould have that Glory, but as for me, Father, The hour is come, Glorifie thy Son, I have Glorified thee on Earth, O Father Glorifie me vvith thine ovvn ſelf, vvith the Glory I had with thee before the world was, I will be content with the ſame Glory I had from thee before the world was, Surely there ſhould be a great deal of Glory purchaſed by his Humility, yet ſaith he, Let me but have that, and as for the other Let my people have that, thus Chriſt is lowly, for us, to teach us to be lowly, and deny our ſelves for others as well as for our ſelves. But of this more when vve come to ſhevv hovv vve ſhould be lowly as Chriſt was in the opening of our Lovvlineſs.