Humility disposes a person rather to be, like his blessed Lord when reviled, dumb, not opening his mouth. The more clamorous and furious the world IS against him, the more silent and still will he be. Spiritual pride leads those who are reproached, to be more bold and confident, and to go greater lengths in that for which they are blamed. Humility leads to improve the reproaches of enemies as an occasion o f serious self-examination. Spiritual pride leads to a certain unsuitable and self-confident boldness before God and man.
Humility leads t o the opposite.
Assuming is a mark of spiritual pride, -putting on the airs of a master, to whom it belongs to dictate. The eminently humble Christian thinks he wants help from everybody, whereas he that is spiritually proud thinks everybody wants his help. If young ministers had great humility it would dispose them especially to treat aged ministers with respect and reverence as their fathers, notwithstanding that a sovereign God may have given them greater success than they have had. It is a mark of spiritual pride to refuse to enter into discourse or reasoning with such as are considered carnal men, when they make objections and Inquiries. Humility would lead ministers to condescend to carnal men, as Christ has condescended to us, to bear with our unteachableness and stupidity, and still follow us with instructions, line upon line, precept upon precept, saying, Come, let us reason together'.