an Example of Humility, to which alone all our Pride muft yield. And fo indeed one would think,that this Example at least should prevail when all others fail'd; and that however the Incarnation of Christ might give offence to fome of the Angels, according to the Opinion of those who fuppofe the Sin of the Devil to have been a refufal to be fubject to Christ, when the Revelation was made to him and the other Angels of his Fature Incarnation, yet that the most impudent Pride of Man fhould be put out of countenance to fee his God Humble, and that even in the Cradle, much more upon the Crofs. For what Humility is there like this, and what a Pride must that be which can refift it? Such to be fure as has no Shame or Modefty, to which it would be a fufficient rebuke to need fuch a remedy as this, much more to withstand the efficacy of it. Let us therefore confider this great Example, and withal, our great Privilege in it. The Angels that fell had no Sacrifice to attone for their Pride, and the Pagan World had no fuch Example as this to teach them Humility. But we have both; and it must be our own fault, if neither the Sin of our Pride be purged by the Sacrifice, nor the Power of it broken by the Example. It is by an unmeasurably odds the greatest in the World. God manifeft in the Flesh: What a

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Mistery

Mistery of Humility, as well as of Faith, is contained in those few words! And accordingly, the Apostle fets it down as the first Branch of the great Miftery of Godliness. It is indeed a great thing; and if we confider it as we ought, and as fo great a thing deferves to be confider'd, it will prove as great a Remedy. A Remedy to cure our Pride, and a Means to procure that the fame (Humble) Mind be in us that was in Chrift Jefus. This great Example of Humility therefore we fhould always have before our Eyes, as a Prefervative against the Worlds Pride, and the rather, because Christ himself commends it to us in those never to be forgotten words, Learn of me, for I am Meek and Lowly in Heart.

16. Thefe are good Chriftian Confiderations, every one of which will give our Pride a Wound; but after all, it is the Grace of God that must mortify and kill it in us; which therefore we should learn at all times to call upon God for by diligent Prayer, being fenfible of our dependance upon him in all things, and that without his Grace we can do nothing; which of it felf again is another very Humbling Confideration. Not that we are to expect, that even the Grace of God will utterly extirpate our Pride, any more than any other Sin in this Life. No, our Humility,as well as our other Vertues,will

always

always be imperfect here, and have fome mixtures and allays of Pride in it. But the Grace of God will fo far deftroy the Dominion and the Power of it, that it may not reign in us, nor we deliberately yield up our felves to obey it in the Lufts thereof. Which is as full a conqueft, as an Humble Chriftian can expect over this or any other Sin while he is in the Body of this Death. And as for those remainders of it, which with our other Infirmities ftill cleave and adhere to our corrupt Nature in this state of Imperfection, they fhall be delivered over to be thoroughly purged, and finally abolished in the state of Glory, when we fhall clearly and fully dif cern our felves to be nothing, and God to be all in all, the laft and only perfect remedy against Pride. In the mean time, let us try what the Meditation of the greatest Example of Humility that ever was in the World, can do towards it,

CHA P. IX.

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Devotional Meditation,

UPON

The feveral degrees of the Divine Humiliation, in the Person of JESUS CHRIST.

Ho

OW am I afhamed my Lord and my God, how am I afhamed of my Pride, when I think upon thy Humility! Never was there any Love like thine, nor ever was there any Humility like thine. Love in coming into the World to fave Sinners, and Humility in stooping fo low to do it.

Which of these excellent Vertues was the greatest in thee, thou only who hadft them both in Perfection, can'ft perfectly tell. One of these Deeps calls upon the other, and they both call upon me for my devouteft

Wonder

Wonder and Gratitude. But thy Charity appeared chiefly in Dying for us, whereas 'twas thy Humility even to Live.

How is my Pride put to the Blush, when I Contemplate thee the only Begotten of the Father, the Brightness of his Glory, and the exprefs Image of his Perfon; his Coeternal and Confubftantial Son, God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God, the Eternal Word, the Second Perfon of the Blessed and All-glorious Trinity, the Infinite God, Condefcending to unite thy felf to a Creature, fo as to become one Perfon with him, between whom and thee the distance is no lefs than Infinite. When at the fame time, thy Vain-Glorious and Ambitious Creatures are affecting to be as God's. What Pride but theirs could ever afpire so high? And what Humility but thine could ever defcend fo low?

But thou defcendeft lower yet; and how is my Pride further discountenanc'd when I fee thee my Lord and my God chufing to unite thy felf,not with an Angel or Archangel, but with Flesh and Blood. When I fee thee refufing to take upon thee the Nature of Angels, (which yet had been an Humility greater than their Pride) and humbly taking upon thee the Inferiour Nature of Man. 'Twas