Every soul, and a lowly heart
He who thus loved God could not but love his brother also, and not in word only, but in deed and in truth. If God, he said, so loved us, we also ought to love one another. Yes, every soul of man, since the mercy of God is over all his works. Agreeably to this, the affection of this lover of God embraced all mankind for his sake. He did not leave out those whom he had never seen in the flesh, nor those of whom he knew nothing more than that they were the offspring of God, for whose souls his Son had died.
He did not leave out the evil and the unthankful, and least of all his enemies. He did not leave out those who hated him, or persecuted him, or despitefully used him, for his Master's sake. These had a peculiar place, both in his heart and in his prayers. He loved them even as Christ loved us.
And love is not puffed up. It abases to the dust every soul in which it dwells. Accordingly he was lowly of heart, little, mean, and vile in his own eyes.
He neither sought nor received the praise of men, but that which comes from God only. He was meek and long-suffering, gentle to all, and easy to be entreated. Faithfulness and truth never forsook him. They were bound about his neck, and written on the table of his heart.
By the same Spirit he was enabled to be temperate in all things, refraining his soul even as a weaned child. He was crucified to the world, and the world crucified to him. He was superior to the desire of the flesh, the desire of the eye, and the pride of life. By the same almighty love he was saved, both from passion and from pride, from lust and vanity, from ambition and covetousness, and from every temper which was not in Christ.
1771 text
5. He that thus loved God, could not but love his brother also; and not in word only, but in deed and in truth. “If God, said he, so loved us, we ought also to love one another.” Yea, every soul of man, as the mercy of God is over all his works. Agreeably hereto, the affection of this lover of God, embraced all mankind for his sake; not excepting those whom he had never seen in the flesh, or those of whom he knew nothing more than that they were the offspring of God; for whose souls his Son had died; not excepting the evil and unthankful, and least of all his enemies, those who hated, or persecuted, or despitefully used him for his Master’s sake. These had a peculiar place both in his heart and his prayers. He loved them even as Christ loved us.
6. And love is not puffed up. It abases to the dust every soul wherein it dwells. Accordingly he was lowly of heart, little, mean, and vile in his own eyes. He neither sought nor received the praise of men, but that which cometh of God only. He was meek and long-suffering, gentle to all, and easy to be intreated. Faithfulness and truth never forsook him; they were bound about his neck, and wrote on the table of his heart. By the same Spirit he was enabled to be temperate in all things, refraining his soul even as a weaned child. He was crucified to the world, and the world crucified to him: superior to the desire of the flesh, the desire of the eye, and the pride of life. By the same almighty love was he saved, both from passion and pride, from lust and vanity, from ambition and covetousness, and from every temper which was not in Christ.
About this text
Rendered in modern English, to be read and heard. Open the 1771 text under each part to check the claims and the scripture.
Rendered in modern English. The 1771 panel is his own Pine printing of the Works. It is public domain.
Catalogue & scope
Sermon 4 in the 1771 Works. Saint Mary's, Oxford, 24 August 1744. Acts 4:31.
This is an AI-assisted study translation. Source fidelity and completeness have not been independently certified. It is not a complete critical edition.