(1) Hmnility in rclcdion to God, or the Law of Grace. — We are introduced here to the most powerful among the motives to humility, and to a relation deeper than any that influences us in the society of our fellow-men. In Wendt's lan- guage— ' Humility Is the conscious lowliness we feel before God in view of His superabundant love and holy majesty, and in contrast to our own un- worthiness, guilt, and entire dependence on His grace' (The 'feachin/; of Jesus, vol. i. p. 341, note [Eng. tr.]). We cannot therefore exaggerate our worth or assert our claims before God : the part we play is that of 'unprofitable servants' who, after all their performances, should be filled neither with the sense of merit nor the spirit of boasting (Lk 17'°). In the parable, which is a gem of teach- ing on this point, Jesus enforces on us the duty of humility towards God, the need of genuine self- abasement and confession of sin, as we see and feel our unworthiness in the Divine presence (Lk IS'-*-"). He represents God as turning away from the shallow and sounding worils of tlie Pharisee, but giving His mercy freely to the penitent publican who could not look up. For, as .i line .Ie\vi>Ii say ing i5Uts it, 'While God despises wb.-it is lnoken among the animals. He loves in man a lircjken heart.' This is a fundamental law of tlie Kingdom of heaven and the indispensable condition of grace : 'for every one that exalteth himself shall be humbled, but he that humbleth himself shall be exalted ' (cf. Pr 3**, 1 P 5=).
— that which bows and that which soars, the huiniliti' of a servant who loolis down, the humilitv of a son wlio gazes up. Milton's humility invigorates itself in the effort to ascend. He would not prostrate hnnself in the presence of material symbols, but would enter as a Rlad child into the courts of lieaven ' (Puritan and Anglican, p. 167). This is the humility that Christ welcomes, and that makes religion not stiff and heavy with ceremonial, but simple, reverent, glad, and pleasing to God. On no other terms is grace given or fellowshij) with God possible. ' Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall in nowise enter therein ' (Lk ISi").
(2) Humility in rehitin,, t,, „irii, or the Law of &ri«c<;.— While it is true tli.it liuniility 'is not primarily concerned witli our ivlaliuii to other men, Init with our lel.-ition li, (;..(l..-ui(l springs from an inti'lleelu.-illv true \iew ,.1 tii.il rel.-uiun' (Illingwnitli, <■/,,■; ■./,'.>„ f/,.n;o/rr. I'.lii.-,, ,,. liTl, yet its importance in re-ul;iting men's or.lin.-iiy conduct and intercourse did not esoajie Christ's notice. His striking lessons on this subject were called for at the time, and are far from being ex- hausted, for it is still true that 'the really humble man is .-i jicii m ih,. nuir.'il world as he is rare' (Bruee, / ,, /, /. ,„, Mt 18^).
(a) // ' ' I inniiiriiiiis inne of humility
(Mt l.s' '_. Mk !i ,. Tliis was Christ's object-
lesson on the question that caused frequent lieart- burning among the di.sciples, 'Who then is greatest 2' etc. Their assimilation of their Master's mind proceeiled slow ly. As He went on absorbed in the thought of His approaching cross, His followers walked behind and stirred each other's worst passions by raising questions of place and pre- cedence. At their next interview the Master of men set a child in the midst of His disciples, and shamed them out of their unworthy temper. This is our Lord's rebuke of pride, rivalry, and ambition in their thousand forms, His reversal of our ordin- ary and .selfish ideas of greatness, and His warning against the woiM's spirit of e.\rlusivi ness, intoler- ance, and class (lislinctions. 'I'lie truly L:reat is he who considers the claims of others and is slow to give ofi'ence (Mt IS''), and who on all o( <asions appears simple, teachable, unprelending. in.lilleient to questions of rank and superi.uily, ami willing to humble himself 'as this little i hil'il.' ll is only the childlike heart that is capal.le of lno« ing Goil (Mt U^'^), and of hnding the way iuio lli- kingdom. This image has stamped itse'lf on tlie mind of Christendom, and this pattern of greatne>s is still fresh. Human character is once for all taught to mould itself after this original and lovely type. Christ first saw the hatefulnes.s and unworkable- ne.ss of a world without a child !
(/,) nr.^.rnn,/. t l,r ,,n,rl „'„l ,.,■„ „i pi,- nfhnnility
This ideal of se'rvi..' was pre.sente.l ,,i'i two distinct ucca.sions : the one when the .suu.s of Zuhcdce came forward witli their request for the leading places in the Kingdom ; and the other when the same love of dignity, and the jealous exclusion of each other's claims, gave rise to the strife that marred the Last Supper. In rebuking tin- -pirit, Christ had in view not merely the mi-laken dudencies of His disciples, who were alre.aily liie.l l.y the jiromise of individual 'thrones' (Lk 2'>') de.ir in iIh- Israelitish imagination, but also the popular aiul inev.iiling standards of the time. The rulei , oi i hr ( I entiles aimed at supremaej', and, in the e\ei. i-e ,,\ a harsh mitlH.rity, d,.lii;lite.l to -lord il oie, iheui'; and e.|u;illy llie -ml.e- and rirni-ee-. m ili. n loudness