H

UMILITY, (as St. Bafil teaches,) is a virtue that proceeds from a modest opinion of ourselves; and an abhorrence of that notion which arifes from a vain esteem of our own abilities; and in thinking others to be fuperior to us.

St. Augustine makes humility to be twofold. Ift, that by which a man humbleth himself in confeffing his fins, and not profeffing himself to be righteous. In which fense this saying of our Saviour's is underftood; Whofoever exalteth himself fhall be abased, and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. The other is, that by which a man is humbled by fome tribulation or dejection, which he may perhaps bring upon himself through his pride, or it may be that wherein he may be exercised as a trial of his patience; according to the 118th Pfalm, verfe 66th, Before I was afflicted I went aftray.

St. Bernard defines humility to be a contempt of a man's own worth; and, in his difcourfe concerning the degrees of humility,

he

he fays it is a virtue whereby a man, thro' a most perfect knowledge of himself, appears vile, and of little esteem in his own fight..

Some writers describe it to be the parent of order, of concord, of peace, of charity; and affirm, that humility is the head of all the virtues.

St. Hilary obferves, that our Saviour hath taught us, that all the rewards of faith are contained in humility. Our Lord indeed has left us a striking example of this virtue, when he affumed human nature; and particularly enjoined the fame to his difciples and followers, both by his words and actions. Learn of me, fays he, for I am meek and lowly in heart. In the life of our Saviour we perceive a wonderful propensity to instruct and direct us to this duty: his birth, his education, his meek behaviour before his accufers, amidst the most outrageous affronts; his patient enduring the most shameful death, by the judgment of man: and, as the apostle states, When he was reviled he reviled not again, when he fuffered he threatened not, but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously.

The dignity and excellence of this virtue may be learnt from the 5th chapter of St. Matthew; where our Lord, in delivering his divine doctrine on the mount, began

with this faying, Bleffed are the poor in fpirit, for their's is the kingdom of God. St. Auguftine tells us, that by the poor in fpirit we are to understand the humble.

St. Cyprian fays, "This is the first "entrance into religion; and that whoever "would live piously, let him think humbly "of himself, not haughtily." Humility is the foundation of piety, from which it is infeparable.

What is greater wealth than humility? what more precious can be found than this, whereby the kingdom of heaven is purchafed, and divine grace acquired. The neceffity of being humble is plainly declared by the answer our Lord returned to this queftion of his disciples, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? Verily, I fay unto you, except ye become as little children, ye fhall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. And upon another occafion, he faid, When ye fhall be invited to a dinner, fit down in the lowest room. Our Lord, in this last instance, applying his discourse to the Pharifees, preffed upon them the duty of humility, and declared to them the danger of pride; to which God is fo great an enemy, that, in his ordinary government of the world, proud people are generally

one means or other abafed, and brought

to

to shame and contempt: and those who are low in their own fight, are commonly exalted. For whofoever exalteth himself fhall be abafed, and he that humbleth himfelf fhall be exalted. But if it does not fo fall out in this life, yet their humility of mind is pleafing to God, and will be rewarded in the day of his righteous judgments.

It was a faying of one of the fathers, that humility is of Chrift, and pride is of the devil. Pride is the most express image of the devil, and, as is generally fuppofed, was that which caufed his rebellion and fall from heaven. Let us abftain from the prac tice of a vice, for which the devil and his angels were thrust from heaven, and is hateful in the fight of God and men; and let us inculcate it's lovely oppofite, humility: a virtue which chiefly characterized the Redeemer and Saviour of the world. Let us therefore not be backward to exercise this duty of humility, fince the Son of God, a little before his death, arose from fupper, and girded himself with a towel, and washed his difciples feet, giving this commandment, in the 13th chapter of St. John, verfes 14th, 15th; If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet, ye ought also to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that ye fhould do as I have done to you.

CHAPTER

CHAPTER VI.

Of Temperance.

EMPERANCE is a virtue which

T preserves a moderation in bodily

pleasures, and restrains the ardour of thofe paffions, which if not kept within due bounds, become brutish; and these, in fcripture, are often called the lufts of the flesh.

Temperance is two-fold, viz. fobriety and chastity.

Sobriety preferves that mediocrity in the ufe of God's creatures fo conducive to the health and duration of life, and to the vigorous exercife of thofe powers whereby we are to procure a fubfiftence. But it is impoffible to prescribe general rules concerning fobriety and temperance, on account of the difference of men's conftitutions. For one perfon being robust and healthful, is able to undertake and to be engaged in an employment that requires greater strength of body; so another, who is of a more weak and delicate frame, is fit only for a vocation that requires him to exercife the abilities of his mind, rather than of his body.