180 PRIDE CRUEL, FALSE, AND DISHONEST. affliction. When the good he desires is withheld, he repines, because he thinks he deserves more, and receives less, than some others that he esteems more highly favoured. I once knew a man who in affliction declared, that the Lord was not merciful to him; he would say, "Can this be of love?" and assert, that he could not love God, who so afflicted him. He would declare, that he had not deserved what he suffered; that there must be some mistake, and that he must be suffering for the sins of another. The discontent which pride breeds may not often be so openly expressed; but as seen by Him who searches the heart, and knows sin in the blade as well as in the ear, it is doubtless seen as a disposition of this infernal nature. § 4. Pride is cruel, cruel as death. Prompted by pride, ambition wades through seas of blood, and sees with unconcern myriads of victims slain, that it may obtain fame or power. Pride is not less cruel in private life. When, for the sake of glitter and show, sums of money are uselessly expended, that might feed many hungry, clothe many naked, and cheer many a broken heart;-when this is done (and what is more common?) pride is cruel. For the sake of a little self-exaltation, it denies to perishing creatures the aid that might else be imparted. How many professors of religion are there that have nothing to impart to the afflicted, and contribute nothing, or next to nothing, to support and diffuse religion, because their pride leads them to spend every spare shilling upon themselves in dress! Their pride is cruel. How many wealthy professors of the gospel spend scores or hundreds of pounds on vanities in their dress, their furniture, or their style of living, to make their fellow-worms esteem them respectable, while they give a paltry annual guinea to institutions, that are labouring to diffuse the gospel among six hundred millions of perishing and benighted men! Their pride is cruel. Were it not for this cruel pride among professors of the gospel, how rich would be the funds of every benevolent institution! The silver and the gold would pour like copious streams into their treasuries; but pride and selfishness render them poor; pride that gives a shilling where a guinea ought to be given, and gives a guinea where a hundred or a thousand ought to be imparted. Pride is false. How many lies are told through pride, by HUMILITY PRIZED BY GOD. 181 persons who have sinned, to shield themselves from shame and disgrace. They are not ashamed to sin, but they are ashamed to appear what they really are-the lovers of sin. How many lies are told by persons whose circumstances are depressed, that they may appear more wealthy than they really are. Pride is dishonest. How often do persons, for the sake of finer furniture and apparel than they can afford, contract debts which they cannot discharge! They are ashamed to appear in poor clothing, but they are not ashamed to obtain their neighbours' goods, and really to rob them of their property. § 5. The importance and value of humility is strongly enforced in the word of God. 66 Though the Lord be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly." "He giveth grace unto the lowly." "Thus saith the high and lofty One, that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place; with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart or the contrite ones." "Blessed are the poor in spirit; for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."* "When ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do." "Be clothed with humility."m § 6. The Lord Jesus was humble. He left a spotless pattern, that we should follow his steps; and of the glories that unite in that example, none shines brighter than humility. Before he appeared on earth he was in the form of God, and thought it not robbery to be equal with God; but with condescension that has no parallel, he became a man, a man of poverty and woe. When he appeared on earth, he appeared not as the son of a monarch, but of a carpenter; and chose for a birth-place not a palace, but the stable of an inn. Unlike the proud, who think the employments of the lower ranks of mankind disgraceful, he most probably laboured as a carpenter. When he commenced his public ministry, he invited not princes or philosophers to convey a message, which angels would be honoured by conveying, but he chose for his apostles a few poor fishermen. With these he associated on terms so condescending, that he said, "I am among you as (h) Prov. iii. 34. (i) Isa. lvii. 15. R (k) Matt. v. 3. (m) 1 Pet. v. 7. 182 THE LORD JESUS HUMBLE. he that serveth." Unlike those who esteem poverty disgraceful, he was so poor, that when a trifle was demanded from him for tribute, he had to work a miracle to raise even to the value of half a crown, for himself and a beloved disciple." Instead of sumptuous fare, he was contented with the plainest food, with small fishes and barley bread. No abode was too mean for him to enter; no office of kindness too humble for him to perform; no child of wretchedness too degraded for him to seek his benefit. Though infinitely superior to the angels of heaven, no consequential behaviour ever appeared in him; but the meanest of the mean was not below his kind attention. When the Samaritan woman, poor in circumstances and debased in character, found him sitting by Jacob's well, he freely conversed with the poor wanderer, unveiled the guilty secrets of her heart, and directed her into the way of life. When the centurion sent, beseeching him to heal his servant, with the humility which listens to every call of distress, he immediately replied, "I will come and heal him." When parents, anxious for their children's welfare, sought his blessing, unlike the self-important philosopher, who esteems such little ones beneath his notice, Jesus took them in his arms and blessed them. Despised as were the publicans, he readily allowed them to sit down with him and his disciples; and careless of the murmurs of the proud, said on one occasion to their chief, "Zaccheus, to-day I must abide at thy house." He preached the gospel to the poor, and the common people heard him gladly; and unlike those who think the poor and illiterate of little importance, who value churches or congregations according to what they call respectability, he rejoiced that such were his disciples; and said, "I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes."" Though he might have assumed the loftiest title, he often chose the humblest; and spoke of himself under the lowly appellation of the Son of man. The love of fame has been pronounced the universal passion; but he whom angels praise, sought no praise. Instead of magnifying those works of mercy, which deserved the admiration of the world, he spoke of them in the humblest terms. When about (n) Luke xxii. 27. (9) Matt. viii. 7. (t) Luke xix. 5. (0) Matt. xvii. 25. (u) Matt, xi. 25. (p) John vi. 9, 12. (5) Matt. ix. 10. (v) John i. 51; Matt. xvi. 27. THE HUMILITY OF THE LORD JESUS. 183 to raise the daughter of Jairus, he said, "Why make ye this ado, and weep: the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth." When going to raise Lazarus from the_grave, he said, "Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go that I may awake him out of sleep." And when he healed the Gadarene demoniac, from whom he expelled a legion of devils, he would not permit such a monument to his praise, to attend him from city to city, but said," Return to thine own house, and show how great things God hath done unto thee." So far was he from seeking applause, that instead of courting the fame his miracles would attract, he often, though vainly, charged those for whom these miracles were wrought, to tell no man of the benefit they had experienced. At other times he immediately left the place, as when he healed the lame man at the pool of Bethesda. On one occasion he took aside the sufferer whom he cured; and on another, when his help was solicited, immediately granted it when he saw a crowd assembling. How different from their conduct, whose pride renders them uneasy, when benevolent actions or labours are not noticed and applauded. Influenced by the same spirit, he sought not his own glory, but his that sent him; and said, "As my Father hath taught me, I speak these things."b No slights, no insults, disturbed the calmness of his soul. When not treated with common civility at the house of a pharisee, who invited him to dine, he manifested no displeasure. When the Samaritans would not receive him; and his two disciples, provoked at the insult, said, "Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did? He turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them." Though the author of Christianity, and the Lord of heaven and earth, he willingly permitted his unworthy disciples to excel himself, in the splendour of their miracles, and the fulness of their instructions. He said, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father." "I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.' (w) Mark v. 39, (z) Mark vii. 33. "'d (x) John xi. 11. (c) Luke ix. 54-56. (3) Luke yiii. 39. (b) John vii. 18. (d) John xiv. 12; xvi. 12. 184 THE HUMILITY OF THE LORD JESUS. O, think whose character you thus contemplate-whose humility you thus behold-his in whom every excellency met-spotless innocence, and perfect holiness;-yet he was humble. His possessions were heaven and earth-his dwelling-place eternity-his servants cherubim and seraphim-his Father the King eternal, immortal, invisible, whom no man hath seen nor can see-his happiness the delights enjoyed in the bosom of the Father;-yet he was humble; and when he came to earth, led a life of humility as consummate as his benevolence was boundless. And can you be his follower, and cherish pride?-pride which sprang up first in Satan's breast. Was he poor; and will you scorn the poor? or think it beneath you to enter the lowliest dwelling? Did he, when a man of poverty, labour for his daily support; and will you, a worm of the dust, look down with contempt upon a fellowworm, because he does what Jesus when incarnate did, earns his support by the labour of his hands? Did he make the pious poor his followers, and rejoice that such were his disciples; and will you look on piety itself as scarcely deserving notice, if it be united with poverty? or think that piety in a fine house, and costly apparel, deserves a hundred times more attention, than perhaps much superior piety in coarse clothes and a cottage? If these are your feelings, how different from those of him you perhaps call your Master. Were he on earth as poor as formerly, you would doubtless be ashamed of him. It would shock your genteel feelings, to be the friend or associate of a journeyman carpenter, though under that guise the Son of God were concealed. Yet, poor worm! of what have you to be proud? You by nature a child of wrath, and by sin's desert an heir of hell! You, who must soon leave all your gay apparel, to assume the dress of the grave. You, who must soon say to corruption, "Thou art my father, and to the worm, Thou art my mother and sister."e Of what have you to be proud? Is it your property? God values it so little, that he gives it to millions of his enemies, but to few of his children. Is it your rich attire? does that add one grain to your real worth? Is it your beauty? it must be soon exchanged for deformity and rottenness: all of you that is mortal will soon be mouldering dust or a ghastly skeleton. O! think: Jesus was humble, (e) Job xvii. 14. |