But the text may also be very fitly applied, II. To those who glory in themselves —
[If we have any particular endowments, whether of body or mind, we are apt to arrogate something to ourselves, as if
a 1 Cor. xii. 6, 11. ^ T.sai. x. 15. ^ Jam. i. 17.
we had ourselves been the authors of our own excellencies. But such a conceit is most offensive to Almighty God. For " who is it that has distinguished us, or made us to differ from others ?" Suppose we have the highest attainments ; for which of them are we not indebted to our God ? We will suppose that we have light in our understandings : was it not " the Spirit of God who opened our eyes''," and " guided us into his truth?" Suppose that we possess decision in our wills: is it not God who " has made us willing in the day of his power ^?" Suppose we are blessed with success in our endea- vours : is it not " God who has ordained it for us, and wrought all our works in us^?" How, then, can we take to ourselves the glory, which so evidently belongs to God alone ? When a fawning multitude applauded Herod as speaking like a God, he accepted the compliment ; and, by laying the flattering unction to his soul, provoked God to give him up to worms, which from that moment began to prey upon his vitals s. And we also shall incense our God against us to our destruction, if we take honour to oui'selves of aught that we possess, and withhold from God the honour due unto his name. Let this, then, be an acknowledged principle within us, that, whatever eminence we possess above our brethren, " by the grace of God we are what we are ;" and to Him must be given the absolute and undivided praise.]
In CONCLUSION,
1. I will reply to an objector —
[A person may ask, in reference to our first view of this subject, ' Am I to entertain no preference for a man who has been the means of awakening, sanctifying, and saving my soul ? Does not St. Paul say, in this very chapter, " Though ye have ten thousand instructors, yet have ye not many fathers : for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you, through the Gospel. Where- fore t beseech you, be ye followers of me '' ?" ' I answer. We may have a peculiar love to those to whom we are so pre-eminently indebted: but we must never so exalt one, as to despise another; and never so love any man, as to forget, for a mo- ment, that he is only an instrument in God's hands, or that the glory of all is due to God alone.
Again, it may be asked, ' Have I not used means which others have neglected ; and obtained, in the use of means, that which has been withheld from others on account of their neglect V To this I readily reply. Your statement is true and just: but your inference from it is altogether erroneous. You have not, as you imagine, any ground for self-preference or
^ Eph. i. 17, 18. " Ps. ex. 3. ^ Isai. xxvi. 12.
8 Acts xii. 21—2.3. •' ver. 15, 10.
1954.3 Paul's meekness. 151
self-complacency on this account: for it was " God alone who gave you both to will and to do, of his good pleasure'." To draw the exact line between Divine agency and the freedom of the will, is difficult, or perhaps impossible, to such an igno- rant creature as man : but so far as is necessary for practical purposes, it is easy. Suppose we say, that whatever comes within the range of your physical powers you may do : but to do it in a spiritual manner, and for spiritual ends, is beyond your reach : God alone can enable you to do that : you are indeed responsible to God for not using the powers which you have ; and to him you must give account of your abuse of them : but, if you succeed in any thing that is good, you must ascribe that thing to God, as his workmanship ; and say, " Not unto me, O Lord, not unto me, but unto thy name be the praise :" for " His is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever."]