humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up. 1 Learn of me, (saith our Saviour) for I am meek and lowly in heart; and ye shall find rest unto your souls. Put not forth thyself in the presence of the king, and stand not in the place of great men: for better it is that it be said unto thee, Come up hither; than that thou shouldst be put lower in the presence of the prince, whom thine eyes have seen. When thou art bidden of any man to a wedding, sit not down in the highest room, lest a more honourable man than thou be bidden of him; and he that bade thee and him, come and say to thee, Give this man place; and thou begin with shame to take the lowest room: but, when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room, that when he that bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee, Friend, go up higher; then shalt thou have worship in the presence of them that sit at meat with thee. For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. 4 Be ye not as the Scribes and the Pharisees, who loved the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues, and greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi; who did all their works to be seen of men. be not as the chief rulers among the Jews, who loved the praise of men more than the praise of God. And 5 How can ye believe, which receive honour one 1 Matt. xi. 29. 2 Prov. xxv. 6, 7. 3 Luke xiv. 8, 9, 10, 11. 5 John v. 44. of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only? 1 Let the women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety. 2 Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 3 Whosoever shall humble himself as a little child, the same is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 4 Though the Lord be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly; but the proud he knoweth afar off. Surely he scorneth the scorners; but he giveth grace unto the lowly 5 When pride cometh, then cometh shame; but with the lowly is wisdom. Before destruction the heart of man is haughty; and before honour is humility. 7 A man's pride shall bring him low; but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit. 8 He that is of a proud heart stirreth up strife. Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? There is more hope of a fool than of him. 9 A proud look doth the Lord hate; and every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord. 10 Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight. For the day of the Lord of Hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lifted up, and he shall be brought low: the lofty looks of man shall be humbled; and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down; and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day. MEEKNESS. 1 Cease from anger, and forsake wrath fret not thyself in any wise to do evil. 2 Be angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath; neither give place to the devil. 3 Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee. * Let not thy spirit be provoked so as to speak unadvisedly with thy lips. 5 Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry; for anger resteth in the bosom of fools. 6 Let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; for the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. 7 Let your moderation be known unto all men: the Lord is at hand. 8 Let the holy women, who trust in God, adorn themselves with that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price. 'He that is soon angry, dealeth foolishly; and he that is hasty of spirit, exalteth folly; but he that is slow to wrath, is of great understanding. 10 A fool's wrath is presently known, but a prudent man covereth shame. 1 Psal. xxxvii. 8. 2 Eph. iv. 26, 27. 3 Prov. iv. 24. 6 James i. 19, 20. 9 Prov. xiv. 17. 29. 1 Seest thou a man that is hasty in his words ? There is more hope of a fool than of him. 2 An angry man stirreth up strife; and a furious man aboundeth in transgression. 3 A soft answer turneth away wrath; and yielding pacifieth great offences; but grievous words stir up anger. 4 * Meekness is the fruit of the Spirit: but wrath and strife are the works of the flesh. 5 Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth, and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace. 6 The Lord will guide the meek in judgment; and the meek will he teach his way. The meek also shall increase their joy in the Lord. 'He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit, than he that taketh a city. But he that hath no rule over his own spirit, is like a city that is broken down and without walls. He that hath a froward heart findeth no good; and he that hath a perverse tongue falleth into mischief. They that are of a froward heart, are abomination to the Lord. 1o A man of great wrath shall suffer punishment; for if thou deliver him, yet thou must do it again. "Wrath bringeth the punishment of the sword; that ye may know there is a judgment. 1 TEMPERANCE. We know that every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving; but we must add to our knowledge temperance: and live soberly in this present world; and use this world as not abusing it. * That every man, to whom God hath given riches and wealth, should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour; this is the gift of God: but take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness. * When thou sittest to eat, consider diligently what is before thee; and put a knife to thy throat, if thou be a man given to appetite: and be not desirous of dainties; for they are deceitful meat. 4 Be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit. 5 They that are drunken, are drunken in the night; but let us who are of the day be sober. Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness for drunkenness, revellings, and such like, are works of the flesh; and they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God; but temperance is the fruit of the Spirit. 6 Every man that runneth a race, and striveth for the mastery, is temperate in all things; that he may receive the prize. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. 1 1 Tim. iv. 4. 2 Pet. i. 5, 6. Titus ii. 12. 2 Eccles. v. 19. 18, 19. 4 Eph. v. 18. 21. 19. 21. 23. 22. Luke xxi. 34. |