EVANGELICAL HUMILITY
Evangelical humility consists in a just view of our own character, and in a
disposition to abase ourselves as low as the vileness of our character
requires us to lie. The pride of the human heart casts a veil over the
character of men and aims to conceal their worthlessness as creatures and
their ill dessert as sinners; while the humility of the Gospel throws aside
the veil, and discovers that native worthlessness which ought to sink the
creature in the dust and that moral deformity which ought to fill the sinner
with self-abasement. The natural spirit of men is an independent, haughty,
and proud spirit; and nothing is more certain than that this spirit is in a
measure subdued in every regenerated mind. It is no unwelcome sentiment to a
good man that he is absolutely dependent on God. There are seasons when he
feels that he is a “worm and no man.”
Not more readily does a little child hang upon the care and kindness of its
parent, nor the abject poor depend on the daily bounty of their fellow men,
than the humble child of God, the daily pensioner upon the divine bounty,
conscious of his dependence, waits only upon God as the Source and Sustainer
of his every expectation. Nor is he less sensible of his unworthiness than
of his dependence. At best, he feels as an unprofitable servant. The
habitual emotions of his soul are those of the returning prodigal when he
said, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no
more worthy to be called your son!” (Luke 15:21). The people of God also
cherish quite as deep impressions of their ill dessert as of their
unworthiness. Most deeply do they feel that “it is of the Lord’s mercies
they are not consumed” (Lam. 3:22). They do not complain of God though He
should sink them as low as they deserve to lie; but from the heart they
approve the justice that condemns, while they are allowed to admire and
adore the grace that rescues from the condemnation. Nor are sentiments like
these the mere dictates of the understanding, but in-woven with their
habitual experience and conduct, and manifested both toward God and man.
How is the humble and contrite sinner when in the more immediate presence of
God, borne down under the impression of his inexcusable deficiencies! How
does a view of his moral corruption keep him near to the earth! How is he
ashamed and abased that he is no more holy! How does he desire to be
divested of all his pride, to empty himself and feel less than nothing and
vanity. His more happy moments are those in which he is enabled to lie
abased before God, and in which he has increasing desires to be kept humble
to the end of his days. This humble temper also naturally expresses itself
in his relationships with his fellow man. It is indeed no part of his
character to make whining pretenses to humility; but if he truly desires
more to be humble than to appear humble, this unobtrusive and modest spirit
will evince itself in his walk and conversation. “Take my yoke upon you, and
learn of me” says our Lord Jesus, “for I am meek and lowly in heart” (Mat.
11:29).
A man of an ungovernable and ungoverned spirit surely bears little
resemblance to the character of Christ. It is not denied that some good men
have vastly more native haughtiness, vastly more of the overbearing spirit
of the carnal man with which to struggle, than others, but notwithstanding
this, real Christians are humble; and their humility will necessarily
express itself in the modesty and meekness of their habitual deportment.
“Let nothing,” says the Apostle, “be done through strife or vain glory, but
in lowliness of mind, let each esteem others better than themselves” (Phil.
2:3).
The Spirit of Christianity is congenial with its precepts though it is not
in the present. life perfectly conformed to them. There is such a thing as
in honor preferring one another. There is such a spirit and however those
who indulge in the hope of their good estate may be disposed to shrink from
the test, such is the spirit of all Christians. Divine “charity” says the
Apostle, “boasts not itself, is not puffed up, does not behave itself
unseemly” (I Cor. 13:4). It is only when, as the elect of God, good men put
on affections of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long
suffering, that they exhibit the power and sweetness of genuine religion
(Col. 3:12).
It is only when seated in the lowest place and clothed with humility that
they exhibit the amiableness of their gracious character. Well may we call
humility a heaven-born grace. She is indeed the daughter of the skies, the
“meek-eyed child of Jesus” and dwells only with Him, who like herself is
born from above. Does the reader possess this humble spirit? Does he know
anything of this child like, Christ-like disposition and conduct? Has he
ever been truly abased before God? Has he ever sunk down to that abyss of
self-abasement to which his guilt might sink him? Has he degraded himself as
low as his sin has degraded him? Has he ever taken the place which belongs
to him as a sinner against God? What would he think of God if He should
abase him as low as guilt and the curse require him to lie? And as it
respects your contacts with your fellow men and the world, do you evince
anything like this meekness and lowliness of demeanor? You recollect the
reproof our Lord gave His disciples when He took a little child and set it
in the midst of them, and said, “Except you be converted and become as
little children, you can in no wise enter into the Kingdom of God” (Mat.
18:3).
Have you been assimilated to this sweet spirit? Tell me, reader, do you love
the praise of men more than the praise of God? If so, can you be a
Christian? “How can you believe, who receive honor one of another, and seek
not the honor that comes from God only?” (John 5:44). “See you a man wise in
his own conceit? There is more hope of a fool than of him” (Prov. 26:12).