HUMILITY.
The fear of the Lord is the instruction of wisdom: and before honour is humility.—Proverbs, xv. 33.
Better is it to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud.—Proverbs, xvi. 19.
By humility, and the fear of the Lord, are riches, and honour, and life.—Proverbs, xxii. 4.
A man’s pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit.—Proverbs, xxix. 23.
Whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased: and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.—Matthew, xxiii. 12.
All of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.—I. Peter, v. 5.
He that high growth on cedars did bestow,
Gave also lowly mushrooms leave to grow.
In Haman’s pomp poor Mardocheous wept,
Yet God did turn his fate upon his foe:
The Lazar pined while Dives’ feast was kept,
Yet he to Heaven, to hell did Dives go.
We trample grass, and prize the flowers of May,
Yet grass is green when flowers do fade away.
Robert Southwell.
Humble we must be, if to Heaven we go;
High is the roof there, but the gate is low:
Whene’er thou speak’st look with a lowly eye—
Grace is increased by humility.
Robert Herrick.
He that is down need fear no fall;
He that is low, no pride;
He that is humble ever shall
Have God to be his guide.
Bunyan.
Humility is the softening shadow before the statue of excellence,
And lieth lowly on the ground beloved and lovely as the violet:
Humility is the fair-haired maid that calleth worth her brother,
The gentle, silent nurse, that fostereth infant virtues:
As when the blind man is nigh unto a rose its sweetness is herald of its beauty,
So, when thou savourest humility, be sure thou art nigh unto merit.
Tupper.
When Mary chose the “better part,”
She meekly sat at Jesus’ feet!
And Lydia’s gently-opened heart,
Was made for God’s own temple meet:
Fairest and best adorned is she,
Whose clothing is humility.
The saint that wears heaven’s brightest crown,
In deepest adoration bends;
The weight of glory bows him down,
Then most, when most the soul ascends:
Nearest the throne itself must be
The footstool of humility.
James Montgomery.
Pride, with haughty port, defies in vain
The force of rough adversity, which rends
With double violence the stubborn heart.
But, like a tender plant, Humility
Bends low before the threat’ning blast unhurt,
Eludes its rage, and lives through all the storm.
Pride is the livery of the prince of darkness,
Worn by his slaves, who glory in their shame;
A gaudy dress, but tarnish’d, rent and foul,
And loathsome to the holy eye of heaven.
But sweet humility, a shining robe,
Bestowed by heaven upon its favourite sons;
The robe which God approves and angels wear—
Fair semblance of the glorious Prince of Light,
Who stoop’d to dwell (divine humility!)
With sinful worms, and poverty, and scorn.
Pride leads her wretched votaries to contempt,
To certain ruin, infamy, and death.
But sweet humility points out the way
To happiness, and life, and lasting honours.
Humility how glorious! how divine!
Thus clothed, and thus enrich’d, O may I shine;
Be mine this treasure, this celestial robe,
And let the sons of pride possess the globe.
Mrs. Steele.