tians to be clothed, that they may be all subject one to another. § 2. The tendency of humility to secure mutual subjection. I have already adverted to the peculiar force of the expression, "Be clothed." The command does not refer so much, if at all, to the manifestation of this disposition in demeanour and language, as to the cherishing it in the heart, to the maintaining it in all circumstances, as that which fits a Christian for being subject to his fellow-Christians, by serving them in love, as the servant fastened his serving robes about him as necessary for the proper discharge of his duty as a servant. Humility is to the Christian, as the servant of all his brethren, what the appropriate dress for service was to the servant in common life. A proud, self-conceited man, is not disposed, is not qualified for serving others. He is continually making demands on others for service. It is their duty, in his estimation, to serve him, not his to serve them. A haughty mind ill comports with becoming all things to all men, pleasing our neighbour to his edification, in love serving each other, bearing one another's burdens, and so, in one word, fulfilling the law of Christ: just as a gaudy dress, a rich flowing robe, does not suit, is at once incongruous and inconvenient in one that serves. On the other hand, the humble-minded man is ready to serve, feels honoured in being permitted to do any office which can promote the honour of his Lord in the welfare of his brethren. Like the plainly, suitably-attired servant, he is like his work, and fit for it. He is ready to loose the latchets of his Lord's sandals, and to wash his brethren's feet. The importance of humility, in order to the discharge of those offices which are so closely connected with the peace and spiritual prosperity of a church, is very strikingly manifested in the following exhortations of the Apostle Paul: “Be like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done in strife or vain-glory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Let this mind be in you, that was in Christ Jesus," the disposition to humble himself that he might serve others. "Put on, therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long-suffering; forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any."1 CHAP. III. OF THE MOTIVE URGING CHRISTIANS TO The only other topic in the text which requires consideration, is the motive employed by the Apostle to urge Christians to cultivate that humility which was so necessary to their mutually serving each other. "Be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and," or rather, but2 "giveth grace to the humble." The leading idea is, 'humility is the object of the approbation of God, and pride of his disapprobation; and he makes this very manifest in his dispensations respectively to the proud and to the humble.' The first question with every man ought to be, as to any disposition or action the first question with a Christian will be, What is the estimate God forms of them; what effect will the cultivation of the one and the performance of the other have relations towards him? and the resolution of that question ought to have more influence with every man, with every Christian will have more influence, than all other things taken together, as to his checking or cherishing the disposition, following or avoiding the course of conduct. This matter is very clear as to pride and humility, "God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble." This is a quotation from the book of Proverbs, iii. 34, according to the Greek version in common use at the time; it runs thus in our version, which is a literal rendering of the Hebrew on my original, “Surely he scorneth the scorners, but giveth grace to the lowly." "God resists the proud." He sets himself to oppose him. It is impossible, in the nature of things, that God should not disapprove of pride, for it is a disposition which, just in the degree in which it prevails, unfits a man for his duty to God and to man, makes him a rebel to the one and an oppressor to the other; and, in any view we can take of it, it counteracts God's design to glorify himself in making his creatures happy. The Divine disapprobation against pride is strongly marked in an endless variety of ways. It is deeply impressed on the constitution of man as God's work, whether you consider the misery it inflicts on its subjects, or the disapprobation and dislike it produces in all who witness it. An apoароcryphal writer has said, "Pride was not made for man." It may be with equal truth said, Man was not made for pride. It is a disposition he cannot indulge without making himself unhappy. They sadly err who "count the proud happy." There is harmony in all God's works, and, to make man happy, his disposition must correspond to his condition; a proud being, who is at the same time a dependent being, entirely dependent on God, to a great extent dependent on his fellow men, must be miserable. His whole life is a struggle to be and to appear to be what he is not, what he never can be. The disapprobation of pride by God is evident, not only in his having so constituted man as that the proud man cannot be happy, but in his so constituting man as that the proud man is the natural object of disapprobation and dislike to all other men. No class of men are more disliked than proud men. And how could God more distinctly mark his disapprobation of pride, than by constituting human nature so, that the display of pride should excite in, and draw forth from men, the very opposite sentiments which the proud man wishes? He seeks admiration, he 1 Ecclus. x. 18. meets with contempt. No one really wishes to gratify the proud, and this mortification occasions general satisfaction. In the ordinary course of his providential dispensations, God so often shows his opposition to pride, that it has become a proverb, that 'a haughty spirit goeth before a fall;' and He has sometimes departed out of his usual mode of procedure, and miraculously shown how much he disapproves of haughtiness in man. Nebuchadnezzar, the proud king of Babylon, walked in the palace of his kingdom; and as he walked he spake and said, "Is not this great Babylon, which I have built for the house of the kingdom, by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty ?" How strikingly and effectually did God resist this proud man, and show that He, the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgments, is able to abase those who walk in pride! While the word was in the king's mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, “O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken, The kingdom is departed from thee: And they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field: they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and seven times shall pass over thee, until thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will. The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar; and he was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown like eagles' feathers, and his nails like birds' claws." Take another example: "Upon a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat on his throne, and made an oration. And the people gave a shout, 'It is the voice of a god, and not of a man.' And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten up of worms, and gave up the ghost."1 The plan of salvation through Christ is so framed as strikingly to show that "God resisteth the proud." No Dan. iv. 29-33. Acts xii. 21-23. man can become a partaker of its blessings who does not "deny," renounce "himself." It is only as a being deserving of, capable of deserving, nothing but punishment, and deeply sensible of this, that any man can obtain the pardon and peace, the holiness and comfort, of the Christian salvation. "The rich," in their own estimation, "are sent empty away." Men who are all naturally proud must be "converted, and become" humble "like little children,” else they cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven.1 And just in that degree in which pride prevails, even in a regenerate man, will he fail to enjoy the consolation that is in Christ. The declarations of Scripture on this subject are very explicit, "Pride and arrogancy I hate. The Lord knoweth the proud afar off. The lofty looks of men shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down; and the Lord alone shall be exalted. For the day of the Lord of hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty, and upon every one that is lifted up, and he shall be brought low." "God," to borrow the words of Archbishop Leighton, " singles out pride as his great enemy, and sets himself in battle array against it, as the word is.3 It breaks the ranks of men in which he hath set them, when they are not subject, as the word is before; yea, it not only breaks rank, but rises up in rebellion against God, and doth what it can to dethrone him and usurp his place. Therefore he orders his force against it; and so be sure, if God be able to make his party good, pride shall not escape ruin. He will break it, and bring it low; for he is set upon that purpose, and will not be diverted." "2 While God thus resists the proud,." he giveth grace". that is, he showeth favour "to the humble." Humility is the object of his approbation, and he shows this by his conduct to those who are characterised by it. A humble state of mind, as in accordance with truth, and calculated to promote the true happiness both of the individual who J Luke i. 53. * Αντιτασσεται. 2 Prov. viii. 13. Psal. exxxviii. 6. Isa. ii. 11, 12. 4 Υποτασσομένοι. |