*Have our sins rendered us so abominable [♦]to him that made us, that he could not so much as receive our prayers, or admit our repentance, till the Son of God made himself man, and became a suffering advocate for our whole race; and can we, in this state, pretend to high thoughts of ourselves? Shall we presume to take delight in our own worth, who are not worthy so much as to ask pardon for our sins, without the mediation and intercession of the Son of God?
[♦] duplicate word removed ‘to’
Thus deep is the foundation of humility laid, in these deplorable circumstances of our condition; which shew, that it is as great an offence against truth for a man, to lay claim to any degrees of glory, as to pretend to the honour of creating himself. If man will boast of any thing as his own, he must boast of his misery and sin; for there is nothing else but this, that is his own property.
6. Turn your eyes towards heaven, and fancy that you saw what is doing there; that you saw cherubim and seraphim, and all the glorious inhabitants of that place, all united in one work; not seeking glory from one another, not labouring their own advancement, not contemplating their own perfections, not singing their own praises, not valuing themselves, and despising others, but all employed in one and the same work, all happy in one and the same joy; casting down their crowns before the throne of God, giving glory, and honour, and power to him alone. Rev. iv. 10, 11.
Then turn your eyes to the fallen world, and consider how unreasonable and odious it must be, for such poor worms, such miserable sinners, to take delight in their own fancied glories, whilst the highest and most glorious sons of heaven seek for no other greatness and honour, but that of ascribing all honour and greatness, and glory to God alone?
*Pride is only the disorder of the fallen world, it has no place amongst other beings; it can only subsist where ignorance and sensuality, lies and falshood, lusts and impurity reign.
Let a man, when he is most delighted with his own figure, contemplate our blessed Lord stretched out, and nailed upon a cross: and then let him consider how absurd it must be, for a heart full of pride and vanity, to pray to God, through the sufferings of a crucified Saviour?
These are the reflections you are often to meditate upon, that you may walk before God in such a spirit of humility, as becomes the meak, miserable, and sinful state of all that are descended from fallen Adam.
7. But you must not content yourself with this, as if you was therefore humble, because you acknowledge the reasonableness of humility, and declare against pride.
You would not imagine yourself to be devout, because in your judgment you approved of prayers, and often declared your mind in favour of devotion. Yet how many people imagine themselves humble enough, for no other reason, but because they often commend humility, and make vehement declarations against pride?