Lowly of heart
Then you learn from him to be lowly of heart (Matthew 11:29). And this is the true, genuine Christian humility, which flows from a sense of the love of God, reconciled to us in Christ Jesus. Poverty of spirit, in this meaning of the word, begins where a sense of guilt and of the wrath of God ends. It is a continual sense of our total dependence on him for every good thought, or word, or work, of our utter inability for any good unless he waters us every moment, and an abhorrence of the praise of men, knowing that all praise is due to God only. With this is joined a loving shame, a tender humiliation before God, even for the sins which we know he has forgiven us, and for the sin which still remains in our hearts, although we know it is not imputed to our condemnation. Nevertheless, the conviction we feel of inbred sin is deeper and deeper every day. The more we grow in grace, the more we see of the desperate wickedness of our heart. The more we advance in the knowledge and love of God, through our Lord Jesus Christ, as great a mystery as this may appear to those who do not know the power of God for salvation, the more we discern of our alienation from God, of the enmity that is in our carnal mind, and of the necessity of our being entirely renewed in righteousness and true holiness (Ephesians 4:24).
1771 text
13. Then thou learnest of him to be lowly of heart. And this is the true, genuine, Christian humility, which flows from a sense of the love of God, reconciled to us in Christ Jesus. Poverty of spirit, in this meaning of the word, begins, where a sense of guilt and of the wrath of God ends; and is, a continual sense of our total dependence on him, for every good thought or word or work; of our utter inability to all good, unless he water us every moment: and an abhorrence of the praise of men, knowing that all praise is due unto God only. With this is joined a loving shame, a tender humiliation before God, even for the sins which we know he hath forgiven us, and for the sin which still remaineth in our hearts, although we know it is not imputed to our condemnation. Nevertheless the conviction we feel of inbred sin, is deeper and deeper every day. The more we grow in grace, the more do we see, of the desperate wickedness of our heart. The more we advance in the knowledge and love of God, through our Lord Jesus Christ, (as great a mystery as this may appear, to those who know not the power of God unto salvation) the more do we discern of our alienation from God, of the enmity that is in our carnal mind, and the necessity of our being entirely renewed in righteousness and true holiness.
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 21 in the 1771 Works. Matthew 5:1-4.
This is an AI-assisted study translation. Source fidelity and completeness have not been independently certified. It is not a complete critical edition.