6 at the fame time, we may grow impatient at an affront, and not be able to bear an outrage. If our heart boil within us at an injury, and be put into a tumult by a flight or difrefpect, it is plain that we have not cafe, and confequently, have not learned. to be lowly in heart. We find three correfpondent expreffions ufed by our bleffed Saviour: "Poor in heart, pure in heart, and lowly in heart." All which muft refer to the inward fenti6 ments and affections of our minds, in oppofition to the ufual acceptations of these words: poor, pure, and lowly, when applied to outward things: and that in which they 'all feem to agree is defire. Thus he is poor in heart, who defires not riches, whether he hath them or not; he is pure in 6 heart, who defires not fenfual pleasure, whether he is capable of it or not; and he is lowly in heart, who defires not honour, whether he hath it or not: and these defires all proceed from this principle, that we fo value unfeen things, the things of God, and heaven, and eternity, as not to defire wealth, nor be troubled at the disrefpe& of men; and to dread that pleasure, which fhould make us unworthy of pleasure in the favour of God. • That therefore which makes us lowly in heart, is converfing with another world; ⚫ for that renders us incapable of being proud of any thing that men can do to us. What cares a truly learned man, to be thought learned by peafants? they will think the fame of one who has no other learning but hard words; nay, perhaps, will think fuch a one more learned than he that is truly fo. • What cares that happy foul, whofe converfation is in heaven, for the judgment of the men of this world? they value me, fays he, for my outward figure, beauty, riches, wit,. accomplishments, that is, for trifles: thefe things do not make me valuable; it is real goodness does that, in respect of that world which only is of value: and God only is. judge of this, because it lies in the heart: men of this world, are no more judges. of it, than peafants are of learning. If they think well of me, it is but by acci<dent; a mere chance; they guess at it, and 6 may as well guess wrong as right; and fhall I think myself more valuable for their guessing? if I am good, I am indeed more valuable for being fo, not for their thinking 'me fo. But if thou, my God, doft not think 'me fo, woe be to me; their judgment will do me little fervice.' In another place, I find the following prayer. Lord, it is not enough that thou givest me leave to think of thee; give me a heart alfo, to think humbly of myfelf: it is not • enough that thou openeft me a glade to look towards thee; O fhut up the world on each fide alfo from my eyes. For the remem F 3 • brance brance of having thought on thee, will not "yield me pleafure; if I cannot think on thee, without being moved to confider what the world will think of me. If thou giveft me leave to think on thee, O let me gain this by it; to know myself to be nothing, ' and the world worse than nothing. And, O Lord! O gracious goodness, heal my foul, and change the evil affections that are there; and then fhall I neither think of the world, nor of myself, but of thee, who art the only centre and happiness of my foul. Amen.' It is probable that fome commendations which he met with for his piety, gave occafion to the following prayer. When, O when fhall it be, gracious Lord, that I fhall be content with thy judgment of me, without looking farther, or confidering what others think of me? St. Anthony ufed to hear the devil often crying out, "Make way for the fervant of the Lord: behold the beloved of God:" or fuch like. In his folitude, the devil difcovered him• felf more plainly to him than he does to us, whofe thoughts are involved in the multiplicity of worldly matters: yet we may be fure the devil is in all fuch founds, come they from the mouths of never fo good perfons; we may well have leave to fay,Get thee behind me, Satan." O make me watchful and careful of myself, that I be not circumvented by his deceits, ་ ་ • and and the fraud and treachery of my own finful heart. Amen.' And how his prayers for humility were anfwered; and what a happy progress he made in that heavenly virtue, the following meditation will fhew. To adminifter arfenic, is no injury to a man that has made poifon his diet. A little difrefpect is no injury to me, who love my own abjection; who can, God be blessed, bear a great many flights and affronts, nay, and delight in them too: but how or on 'what ground is it that a man can love his own abjection! it is because I believe these flights and affronts are fent on purpose by • God, for the good of my foul: I take them as tokens of his love, and therefore I love • them. Should he encrease my estate, or 'cause great prefents and honours to be given me, I fhould not fo heartily delight in them, because I fhould not fo furely know, that they were fent out of love, and for the good of my foul. But all things that cause my abjection, I am fure are fo; having a natural tendency to this end, namely, the bettering my mind. I immediately find that they take my heart off from the world, that · they abate my pride, (which is a tickling pain) and introduce a due efteem of myfelf, and that humility, in which confifts the fafety of my foul, and by confequence, the joy of my life.' Thus did he conquer pride and vanity in himfelf; and no man feems to have been better acquainted with the remedies that are most proper for that outrageous diftemper, which fome of his advices will fufficiently make ap pear. • If you are fubje&t,' says he, to spiritual pride, go to prayers to churches where you are not known; and fhift churches, that you may not feem conftant. But if you have furmounted this weaknefs, keep to the fame church where you are known; that your example may edify others, as well as the prayers edify yourfelf.' In another place he prescribes this cure for vanity. When your fit of paffion lies in vanity, • converse not with the things that make you think much of yourfelf, read rather than write, hear rather than fpeak: talk not of yourself, of your fickness, or your health, of your love or diflike, of your way of living or humour, or any thing that belongs to you.' To the fame purpofe is the following meditation. "Watch and be fober," 1 Theff. v. 7. "Be fober, be vigilant," 1 Pet. v. 8. Whatever makes our minds drunk, is oppofite to this fobriety; and every thing that makes us think unreasonably, does thus intoxicate us, that is, makes us think otherwife than fober reafon would dictate to us: which is the 'true |