Phil. Humility maketh us to be humble and lowly both in heart & body. It expelleth the foul vice of pride, & causeth that Philantia, that is to say, the love of our selves or the standing in our own conceit, reigneth not in us. It maketh us to abstain from dissolute laughing. It causeth that we speak nothing unadvisedly. It provoketh us to grant that we are more vile than any other, & unworthy or unprofitable unto any good thing. It maketh us little to esteem our selves, & all our enterprises, & highly to advance & set forth other. It maketh us not to have any delectation to fulfil our own will. It giveth us an occasion to fear God, and to endeavour our selves to do that, which he requireth of us. It causeth us to be obedient to our superiors, & to give them ⟨image 25⟩all reverence & honour. It maketh us patiently to sustain all injuries & wrongs, that are done unto us. It engrafteth in us all kind of virtues. So that it may right well be named, the mother & nurse of all goodness & honest. Moreover Humility bringeth the grace & favour of God to us, as ye heard before of S. Peter, which saith,1 God resisteth the proud, but to the hum ble he giveth grace. It causeth ye God hath a respect unto us, as he saith by the Prophet,2 unto whom shall I look, but to the humble & broken in spirit, & unto him that feareth my words? It maketh that GOD heareth our prayers, as the Psalmograph saith,3 God doth behold the supplications of the humble, and he hath not despised their prayers. Also the wise man,4 the prayer of him that humbleth himself, shall pierce the clouds. It causeth ⟨image 26⟩us to be exalted,5 as the most blessed virgin singeth, He hath put down the mighty from their seat, & exalted the humble. And Christ saith:6 every one that exalteth himself, shall be made low. And he that humbleth himself, shall be exalted S▪ Peter also saith, humble your selves before God,7 that he may exalt you.8 To be short, it bringeth us unto the kingdom of heaven. For Christ saith:9 Except ye turn & become as little children ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven, Who so ever therefore shall humble himself, as this little child, he is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
Phil. Humilite maketh vs to be humble and lowly both ī herte & body. It expellethe the fowle vice of pryde, & causeth that Philantia, that is to say, the loue of our selues or the stōding in our owne conceate, reygneth not in vs. It maketh vs to abstaine frō dissolute laughing. It causeth that we speke nothyng vnaduisedly. It prouoketh vs to graūt that we are more vile than ony other, & vnworthy or vnprofitable vnto ony good thynge. It makethe vs lytyll to esteme our selues, & all our enterprises, & hyghly to auaunce & set forth other. It makethe vs not to haue ony delectacion to fulfyll our owne wyll. It gyuethe vs an occasion to feare God, and to endeuour our selues to do that, which he requirethe of vs. It causeth vs to be obedient to our superiours, & to gyue them ⟨image 25⟩all reuerence & honour. It maketh vs paciently to sustayne all iniuries & wronges, that are done vnto vs. It engraffeth in vs all kynde of vertues. So that it maye ryghte well be named, the mother & nurse of al goodnes & honeste. Moreouer Humilite bringethe the grace & fauour of God to vs, as ye hearde before of S. Peter, which sayth,1 God resistethe the proude, but to the hū ble he gyuethe grace. It causethe ye God hath a respecte vnto vs, as he sayth by the Prophet,2 vnto whome shall I looke, but to the hūble & broken in spirite, & vnto hym that feareth my wordes? It makethe that GOD heareth our prayers, as the Psalmograph sayth,3 God doth beholde the supplicacions of the humble, and he hathe not despised theyr prayers. Also the wise mā,4 the prayer of hym that humbleth himselfe, shall pearse the cloudes. It causeth ⟨image 26⟩vs to be exalted,5 as the moost blyssed virgin syngeth, He hathe putte downe the mighty frō theyr seate, & exalted the humble. And Christe sayth:6 euery one that exalteth himselfe, shall be made low. And he that humbleth hymselfe, shall be exalted S▪ Peter also sayth, humble youre selues before God,7
- 1i. Petre. v.
- 2Isaiah. lxvi.Esaie. lxvi.
- 3Psal. •i.
- 4Eccle. xxxv.
- 5Luke. i.
- 6Luke. xiiii.
- 7i. Pet. v.
- 8Mat. xviii.
- 9Mark. x. Luke. viii.Marke. x. Luke. viii.
