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4S2
THE ADVANTAGES
OF
HUMILITY
[SECT.
III,
spread
his
gay
feathers, or the seas and the
winds un-
taught
to swell
and roar,
as a
man
full'of
self
to
put
off
his insolence, to
stand
upon a
level
with his
fellows,.
and
to
treat
those about
him with affability
and candour,
who
are
in
any
respect
inferior
to him.
Watch,
O
my soul,
against
the
first
secret motions
of
vanity:
when thy inward thoughts begin to
swell
and
thy
heart
to
exalt
itself,
watch
against
every
haughty air,
.against.the high look and the scornful tone
;
watch and
subdue
the
earliest
workings
of
pride
;
for
if
they gain
but
a
little indulgence and strength,
all the powers
of
thy
reason.
will
not
be
able to
subdue
them, and they
will
create
thee
long and heavy
toil to gain the victory after
many sore
vexations.of
spirit,
nor
wilt
thou ever
become
a
humble
creature
without the
abundant
aids
of
divine
grace.
.
H.
If
we have. low
thoughts
of
ourselves
we
shall
be
thankful
for every design
of kindness
which
our neigh-
bours
ex
press
towards
us,
nor
shall
we
scorn the good
offices
of
the meanest, though
perhaps
we
can receive
little
or
no
advantage
by them.
God
the
glorious
and
the
sublime, who
inhabits eternity and
dwells
above
the
praises
of
his
highest
angels, looks
down.upon
the
heart
of
every
humble-worshipper here
on
earth;
and receives
our
little worthless
services
with
a smile
of approbation:
.If
there
be a willing
mint.
the
gift
is
accepted accord-
ing
to
what
the
giver
is
able to offer
;"
Q
Còr.
viii.
12.
por
are
the
two mites
of
a
widow
neglected or disdained
in the treasury
of
our God
;"
Luke
xxi. 2.
Remember,
O
my
heart, the divine example, and
be
an
imitator
of
the
blessed
God
in
this
respect,
who made thee to
wear
his own image.
But mark
how
the haughty man
who
is
full
of
self
receives the
offers
of
kindness from
his
inferior. He
scarce
vöudhs.6.fes
to
cast
an
eye
upon
them, unless it
be
in scorn
:
Thus
he
upbraids
his
neighbour
with his
po-
verty
:
He
treats
his
humble civilities with. contempt,
and
despises all
his
good
-will
:
Merit
and
modesty
blush
,arid
sink down before
him,
and
die
under
his
frowns,
O
vile
idea
of
a
haughty scorner, who puts modesty
to
the
blush and lets
'merit
III.
The
humble
man
who,
has
low
thoughts
of
him-
self
is-
beloved
of
men as well
as
of God,
and
gains
the