What

to renounce their expectations of a triumphant Meffiah, and their confidence in their perfonal righteousness: Pride, which aggravated the offence of the Cross, the ignominy of acknowledging a Redeemer who had died between two malefactors: Pride, which permitted them not, when they had crucified the Master, to listen to the fervants: Pride, which prohibited them from brooking the extinction of the Mofaic ritual, and the admiffion of Samaritans and Gentiles into favour with God and communion with the defcendents of Jacob. obftacle chiefly impeded the conversion of the Romans and the Greeks? Pride: Pride, which fhamed them with the thought of accepting a religion fprung from Judea, and difclaiming the fubtleties of philofophy. What is the primary source of modern unbelief? Pride: Pride, which refuses to do homage to the wisdom of Revelation, and bow the neck to the yoke of the Gospel. On whom did Jefus Chrift find it the most difficult to make an impreffion? On the extortioner and the unchafte? The publicans and harlots, faid he, to the haughty Pharifees, go into the kingdom of God before you (1).

() Matth. xxi. 31.

Whom

Whom did his apoftles the most easily perfuade? The man diftinguished by rank or knowledge? Not many wife men after the flefb, replies St. Paul, not many mighty, not many noble are called. But God hath chofen the foolish things of this world to confound the wife and God hath chofen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty: and bafe things of the world and things which are defpifed bath God chofen (m): the ignorant, because they were not too proud to learn; the poor, because they were alfo poor in fpirit; the humble in ftation, because they were alfo lowly in mind. Whom does the experience of minifters of religion now pronounce least open to conviction? The dif honeft and the diffolute? No. The cold and careless fcorner. Compared with the man whose heart is fhut up in self-righteousness, or steeled by inveterate contempt, the abandoned profligate is a hopeful' subject of converfion. Do you wonder then to hear the voice of the Scriptures raised in continual admonitions against Pride, in continual exhortations to humility? In the mouth of the foolish is a rod of Pride. The (m) 1 Cor. i. 26-28.

,

Lord

Lord hateth a proud look. A high look and a proud heart is fin. Pride and arrogancy do I hate. Every one that is proud in beart is an abomination to the Lord. The Pride of life is not of the Father, but of the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. When Pride cometh, then cometh fhame: but with the lowly is wifdom. Be clothed with humility: for God refifteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble. Thus faith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whofe name is Holy; I dwell with him that is of an humble spirit. Whofoever exalteth himself fhall be abafed; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. Serve the Lord with all humility of mind. Walk humbly with thy God (n).

So speak the warnings and the precepts of Scripture. How fpeaks the example of our Lord? Being in the form of God, and thinking it not robbery to be equal with God; be made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a fervant and was made in the likeness of men and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even the death

(2) Prov. xiv. 3. vi. 17. xxi. 4. viii. 13. xvi. 5. xi. 2. 1 John, ii. 15, 16. 1 Pet. v. 5. Ifaiah, lvii. 15. Luke, Acts, xx. 19. Micah, vi. 8.

xiv. II.

of

;

of the Cross (). Though by nature God, voluntarily to become man; to be born in the meaneft ftation; to be deftitute of a place where to lay his head; to select asfociates and difciples of the lowest rank to be the fcorn of the wealthy and the powerful; to lead a life of continual toil, of unceafing peril; to deliver himself into the hands of his implacable enemies; to fubmit to be the jeft of the rabble, the derifion of the foldiery; to hide not his face from shame and fpitting; to bear the reed, the crown of thorns, the purple robe ; to hear a feditious murderer preferred before him to endure this aggravated malignity, this extremity of infult, from creatures whom his word had formed, whom his word could inftantly have annihilated; to die between two thieves by the most ignominious mode of death; to die thus, praying for his deftroyers; to die thus as an atoning facrifice for a rebellious and apoftate world: is not this Humility? Is it not humility ftupendous, furpaffing example, ftretching the limits of human comprehenfion? This was the mind which was in Chrift Fefus. Followers of Christ Jefus!

(0) Philipp. ii. 6—8.

Let

Come, faith,

Let this mind be in you (p). your Lord, and learn of Me: for I am meck and lowly in heart (q). I have given you, he exclaims in concluding a practical leffon of humility; I have given you an example that ye fhould do as I have done (r). This was the mind which was in Chrift Jefus. Followers of Chrift Jefus! let this mind be in you.

III. Behold in the fpecial judgements by which the Almighty has in former ages manifefted his indignation against Pride, the vengeance which it has at all times to expect from his unchangeable abhorrence.

The judgements with which the Supreme Being chaftifes nations for a particular fin are not only penal inflictions upon the whole people collectively, but fpecial tokens of difpleasure against every individual guilty of the offence. What is the fin which ftands prominent in the annals of holy writ, as having difplayed fingular potency in drawing down national vengeance from above? Pride. What is the fin which hath drawn down the moft con

(p) Philipp. ii. 5. (r) John, xiii. 15.

(g) Matth. xi. 28, 29.

VOL. II.

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fpicuous