You are not called to endure such things. No: but you, and I, and
every Christian soul are called on to do what we know to be right.
Not to halt between two opinions: but if God be God, to follow Him.
If we make up our minds to do that, we shall be sure to have our
trials: but we shall be safe, because we are on God's side, and God
on ours. And if God be with us, what matter if the whole world be
against us? For which is the stronger of the two, the whole world,
or God who made it, and rules it, and will rule it for ever?
SERMON XX. THE LOFTINESS OF HUMILITY
1 Peter v. 5. Be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the
proud, and giveth grace to the humble.
This is St. Peter's command. Are we really inclined to obey it?
For, if we are, there is nothing more easy. There is no vice so
easy to get rid of as pride: if one wishes. Nothing so easy as to
be humble: if one wishes.
That may seem a strange saying, considering that self-conceit is the
vice of all others to which man is most given; the first sin, and
the last sin, and that which is said to be the most difficult to
cure. But what I say is true nevertheless.
Whosoever wishes to get rid of pride may do so. Whosoever wishes to
be humble need not go far to humble himself.
But how? Simply by being honest with himself, and looking at
himself as he is.
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