How much we have cause to be humble for! the constant cleaving of defilement to our souls; and even what is partially good in us, how mixed with imperfection, self-seeking, arrogance, vain-glory! A proud Christian is a contradiction in terms. The Seraphim of old (type of the Christian Church, and of believers) had six wings—two were for errands of love, but “with four he covered himself!” It has been beautifully said, “You lie nearest the River of Life when you bend to it; you can not drink, but as you stoop.” The corn of the field, as it ripens, bows its head; so the Christian, as he ripens in the Divine life, bends in this lowly grace. Christ speaks of His people as “lilies”—they are “lilies of the valley,” they can only grow in the shade!
“Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God.” “Go” with what Rutherford calls “a low sail.” It is the livery of your blessed Master; the family badge—the family likeness. “With this man will I dwell, even with him that is humble.” Yes! the humble, sanctified heart is God’s second Heaven!
“ARM YOURSELVES LIKEWISE WITH THE SAME MIND.”
Eighteenth Day.
PATIENCE.
“He was brought as a lamb to the slaughter.”—Isa. liii, 7.
How great was the patience of Jesus! Even among His own disciples, how forbearingly He endured their blindness, their misconceptions and hardness of heart! Philip had been for three years with Him, yet he had “not known Him!”—all that time he had remained in strange and culpable ignorance of his Lord’s dignity and glory. See how tenderly Jesus bears with him; giving him nothing in reply for his confession of ignorance but unparalleled promises of grace! Peter, the honored and trusted, becomes a renegade and a coward. Justly might his dishonored Lord, stung with such unrequited love, have cut the unworthy cumberer down. But He spares him, bears with him, gently rebukes him, and loves him more than ever! See the Divine Sufferer in the terminating scenes of His own ignominy and woe. How patient!—“As a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so He opened not His mouth.” In these awful moments, outraged Omnipotence might have summoned twelve legions of angels and put into the hand of each a vial of wrath. But He submits in meek, majestic silence. Verily, in Him “patience had her perfect work!”