DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.3689#0172
ijo zA Serious Call to
Chapter XVII.
Showing how difficult the practice of humi-
lity is made^ by the general spirit and
temper of the world. How Christianity
requireth us to live contrary to the world.
EVERY person, when he first applies himself to the
exercise of this virtue of humility, must, as I said before,
consider himself as a learner, that is to learn something
that is contrary to former tempers and habits of mind,
and which can only be got by daily and constant practice.
He has not only as much to do, as he that has some new art,
or science to learn, but he has also a great deal to unlearn : He
is to forget, and lay aside his own spirit, which has been a long
while fixing and forming itself; he must forget, and depart from
abundance of passions and opinions, which the fashion and vogue,
and spirit of the world, have made natural to him.
He must lay aside his own spirit; because as we are born in
sin, so in pride, which is as natural to us as self-love, and con-
tinually springs from it. And this is the reason, why Christianity
is so often represented as a new birth, and a new spirit.
He must lay aside the opinions and passions which he has
received from the world ; because the vogue and fashion of the
world, by which we have been carried away, as in a torrent, before
we could pass right judgments of the value of things, is, in many
respects, contrary to humility: so that we must unlearn what the
spirit of the world has taught us, before we can be governed by
the spirit of humility.
The Devil is called in Scripture the prince of this world, be-
cause he has great power in it, because many of its rules and
principles are invented by this evil spirit, the father of all lies and
falsehood, to separate us from God, and prevent our return to
happiness.
Now according to the spirit and vogue of this world, whose
corrupt air we have all breathed, there are many things that
pass for great and honourable, and most desirable, which yet are
so far from being so, that the true greatness and honour of our
nature consist in the not desiring them.
To abound in wealth, to have fine houses, and rich clothes, to
be beautiful in our persons, to have titles of dignity, to be above
Chapter XVII.
Showing how difficult the practice of humi-
lity is made^ by the general spirit and
temper of the world. How Christianity
requireth us to live contrary to the world.
EVERY person, when he first applies himself to the
exercise of this virtue of humility, must, as I said before,
consider himself as a learner, that is to learn something
that is contrary to former tempers and habits of mind,
and which can only be got by daily and constant practice.
He has not only as much to do, as he that has some new art,
or science to learn, but he has also a great deal to unlearn : He
is to forget, and lay aside his own spirit, which has been a long
while fixing and forming itself; he must forget, and depart from
abundance of passions and opinions, which the fashion and vogue,
and spirit of the world, have made natural to him.
He must lay aside his own spirit; because as we are born in
sin, so in pride, which is as natural to us as self-love, and con-
tinually springs from it. And this is the reason, why Christianity
is so often represented as a new birth, and a new spirit.
He must lay aside the opinions and passions which he has
received from the world ; because the vogue and fashion of the
world, by which we have been carried away, as in a torrent, before
we could pass right judgments of the value of things, is, in many
respects, contrary to humility: so that we must unlearn what the
spirit of the world has taught us, before we can be governed by
the spirit of humility.
The Devil is called in Scripture the prince of this world, be-
cause he has great power in it, because many of its rules and
principles are invented by this evil spirit, the father of all lies and
falsehood, to separate us from God, and prevent our return to
happiness.
Now according to the spirit and vogue of this world, whose
corrupt air we have all breathed, there are many things that
pass for great and honourable, and most desirable, which yet are
so far from being so, that the true greatness and honour of our
nature consist in the not desiring them.
To abound in wealth, to have fine houses, and rich clothes, to
be beautiful in our persons, to have titles of dignity, to be above