And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes; that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another.
~ 1 Corinthians 4:6
But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?
~ Galatians 2:14
He that walketh uprightly walketh surely: but he that perverteth his ways shall be known.
~ Proverbs 10:9
If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain.
~ James 1:26
Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;
~ 1 Corinthians 13:4-5
Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.
~ 1 Timothy 3:6
Showing What Things Are to be Corrected or Avoided in Promoting This Work in Revival, or In Our Behavior Under It, by Jonathan Edwards. The following contains an excerpt from his work, “Some Thoughts Concerning the Present Revival of Religion in New England”.
God’s own people should be more watchful of themselves with respect to this particular, in this day, because the temptations that many have to this sin are exceedingly great. The great and distinguishing privileges to which God admits many of his saints, and the high honors that He puts on some minister, are great trials in this respect. It is true that great degrees of the spiritual presence of God tend to greatly mortify pride and all corruption. Yet, even if the experience of such favors greatly restrains pride in one way, there is much to tempt and provoke it in another. Without great watchfulness and prayerfulness, we will be in great danger by this. There was much in the circumstances that the fallen angels were in, in heaven — in their great honors and high privileges, in beholding the face of God, and in their view of His infinite glory — to cause them to exercise humility, and to keep them from pride. Yet through lack of watchfulness, their great honor and heavenly privilege proved to be for them an undoing temptation to pride, even though they had no principle of pride in their hearts to expose them to it. Therefore, let no saint, however eminent and however near to God, think he is out of danger of this. Whoever thinks himself most out of danger, is indeed most in danger. The apostle Paul, who doubtless was as eminent a saint as any are now, was not out of danger of it — even after just being admitted to see God in the third heaven — as he himself describes in 2Cor 12.1-9. And yet, what he saw in heaven of the ineffable glory of the divine Being, doubtless had a direct tendency to make him appear exceedingly little and vile in his own eyes.
Spiritual pride in its own nature is so secret, that it is not discerned by immediate intuition about the thing itself, as it is by its effects and fruits. I would mention some of these, together with the contrary fruits of pure Christian humility.
Spiritual pride disposes us to speak of other people’s sins with bitterness, or with laughter and levity, and an air of contempt — their enmity against God and his people, the miserable delusion of hypocrites and their enmity against vital piety, and the deadness of some saints. But pure Christian humility rather disposes us either to be silent about them, or to speak of them with grief and pity.
Spiritual pride is very apt to suspect others; whereas a humble saint is most suspect of himself. He is suspicious of nothing in the world as much as he is of his own heart. The spiritually proud person is apt to find fault with other saints — that they are low in grace, observing how cold and dead they are; decrying them for it; and being quick to discern and note their deficiencies. But the eminently humble Christian has so much to do at home, and sees so much evil in his own heart, and is so concerned about it, that he is not apt to be very busy with others’ hearts. He complains most about himself, and decries his own coldness and lowness in grace. He is apt to esteem others better than himself, and is ready to hope that everyone has more love and thankfulness to God than he does. He cannot bear to think that others might bring forth no more fruit to God’s honor than he does.
Some who have spiritual pride mixed with high revelations and great transports of joy, which dispose them to talk to others in an earnest manner, are apt in such frames to call upon other Christians around them, sharply reproving them for being so cold and lifeless. But there are others who behave very differently. In their raptures, they are overwhelmed with a sense of their own vileness. And when they have extraordinary revelations of God’s glory, they are absorbed by their own sinfulness. Though they too are disposed to speak much and earnestly, it is very much in decrying themselves, and yes, exhorting fellow Christians, but in a charitable and humble manner. Pure Christian humility disposes a person to take notice of everything that is in any respect good in others, and to make the best of it, and to diminish others’ failings — but to have his eye chiefly on those things in himself that are bad, and to take notice of everything that aggravates them.
Contrary to this, it has been the manner in some places, or at least the manner of some people, to speak of almost everything they see amiss in others, in the harshest, most severe and terrible language. It is frequent for them to say about others’ opinions, or conduct, or advice, or about their coldness, silence, caution, moderation, prudence, and many other things that appear in them — that they are from the devil, or from hell; that such a thing is devilish, or hellish, or cursed; and that such people are serving the devil; or the devil is in them; that they are soul-murderers, and the like — so that the words devil and hell are almost continually in their mouths. They will commonly use such language, not only towards wicked men, but towards those whom they themselves admit to be the true children of God; and also towards ministers of the gospel, and others who are very much their superiors. And they look at it as a virtue and high attainment to behave themselves this way. — Oh, they say, we must be plain-spoken and bold for Christ; we must declare war against sin wherever we see it; we must not mince words in the cause of God, and when speaking for Christ. To make any distinction between people, or to speak more tenderly because what is amiss is seen in a superior, they look at as beneath a follower of Christ when speaking in his Master’s cause.
What a strange device of the devil this is to overthrow all Christian meekness and gentleness, and even all show and appearance of it, and to defile the mouths of the children of God, and to introduce the language of common sailors among the followers of Christ, under a cloak of high sanctity and zeal and boldness for Christ! It is a remarkable instance of the weakness of the human mind, and how the devil is much too cunning for us!
The grand defence of this way of talking, is that they say no more than what is true; that they only speak the truth without mincing the matter; and that true Christians who have a great sight of the evil of sin, and an acquaintance with their own hearts, know it to be true — and therefore, they won’t be offended to hear such harsh expressions made use of, concerning them and their sins. They say it is only hypocrites, or cold and dead Christians, who are provoked and feel their enmity rise on such an occasion.
But it is a grand mistake to think that we may commonly use with one another, all such language that represents the worst about each other, according to strict truth. It is really true that every kind of sin, and every degree of it, is devilish and from hell, and is cursed, hellish, and condemned or damned. And if people had a full sight of their hearts, they would think that no terms are too bad for them. They would look like beasts, like serpents, and like devils to themselves. They would be at a loss for words to express what they see in themselves. The worst terms they could think of, would seem faint to represent what they see in themselves. But may a child therefore, from time to time, concerning an excellent and eminently holy father or mother, say that the devil is in them, that they have devilish, cursed dispositions, that they commit hundreds of hellish, damned acts every day, and that they are cursed dogs, hell-hounds, and devils? Will the lowliest of people be justified in commonly using such language concerning the most excellent magistrates, or their most eminent ministers?
I hope nobody has gone to this height. But the same presence of boldness, plain-spokenness, and declared war against sin, will justify these things, as well as the things they are actually used to justify. If we proceed in such a manner, on such principles as these, what a face will be put upon the church of Christ, the little beloved flock of that gentle shepherd, the Lamb of God! What a sound we will bring into the house of God, into the family of His dear little children! How far away we will soon banish that lovely appearance of humility, sweetness, gentleness, mutual honor, benevolence, contentment, and esteem of others above themselves, which ought to clothe the children of God all over! It’s not that Christians shouldn’t watch over one another, or in any way reprove one another, and do it much, and do it plainly and faithfully. But it does not follow from there, that dear brethren in the family of God, in rebuking one another, should use worse language than Michael the archangel dared to use when rebuking the devil himself. (Jude 1.9)
Christians who are but fellow worms, should at least treat one another with as much humility and gentleness as Christ treats them, who is infinitely above them. And how did Christ treat his disciples when they were so cold towards him, and so regardless of him, at the
time when his soul was exceedingly sorrowful even unto death, and he was crying out in dismal agony and sweating blood for them, and they wouldn’t watch with him, and allow him the comfort of their company even one hour in his great distress, even though time and again he desired it from them? One would think that then was a proper time, if ever, to have reproved them for their devilish, hellish, cursed and damned slothfulness and deadness. But in what manner does Christ reprove them? Behold his astonishing gentleness! He says, What, could you not watch with me one hour? The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. And how did He treat Peter when he was ashamed of his master, while He was mocked and spit upon for him? Why, He looked at him with a look of love, and melted his heart.
And we read that Christ once turned and said to Peter, on a certain occasion, Get behind me, Satan. Though this may seem like an instance of harshness and severity in reproving Peter, I humbly conceive that this is taken wrongly by many, and that this is indeed not an instance of Christ’s severity in his treatment of Peter, but on the contrary, of his wonderful gentleness and grace, distinguishing between Peter and the devil in him — not laying the blame for what Peter had then said, or imputing it to him, but to the devil who influenced him. Christ saw the devil then present, secretly influencing Peter to play the part of a tempter to his master. And therefore Christ turned around to Peter, in whom the devil was then acting, and spoke to the devil, and rebuked him. Thus the grace of Christ does not behold iniquity in his people, nor impute what is amiss in them to themselves, but to the sin that dwells in them, and to Satan who influences them.
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