But few traits of Christian character are more lovely than lowliness.  Humility, meekness, and lowliness are terms nearly synonymous, but not wholly so.  It is somewhat difficult for the mind to grasp the shades of difference in their meaning.  It appears, however, that lowliness is the deepest depth of humility and meekness.  Meekness is the opposite of impatience, harshness, or irritability, and has for its fruit gentleness and kindness.  Humility is the opposite of pride, and has for its fruits modesty, unforwardness, etc.  Lowliness is simply the opposite of highness in self in any respect, and has for its fruits meekness and humility with their fruits.

To us this command is given:  ’Walk worthy of your vocation with all lowliness.’  If you have the experience of “all lowliness,” you will go on in your vocation without discouragement and disappointment, though you are unnoticed and wholly ignored.  And though God promotes others and honors them and they are loved and praised by men, you are glad for them and rejoice.  If you have the experience of “all lowliness” in your soul, you will not have the least disposition to lift up self.  All you do and say will be in godly sincerity.  Now look closely.

If God heals some one through your prayers, be careful when you tell of the healing that it is to lift up the Lord only.  If you have composed a song, and sing it to a company who do not know that it is your song, then you tell them the Lord gave you the song, what is your motive?  Do you want them to know how good and great the Lord is, and nothing more? or do you want them to know that you are the author?  I say, look closely into your motive.  If, from the lowliness of your heart, you desire in all you do and say, only to exalt the Lord, it will be felt in the depth of your speech, and God will be honored; but if there is the least inclination or feeling to exalt self, it will be felt in the gracelessness of your speech, and God will be dishonored.  Go humbly on in life attending to the work God has assigned to you, doing it well and in all lowliness of heart before him, and be content.

ON DRESS.

If you could be as humble when you choose rich apparel (which I flatly deny), yet you could not be as beneficent, as plenteous in good works.  Therefore every shilling that you needlessly spend on your apparel is in effect stolen from the poor!  For what end do you want these ornaments?  To please God?  No!—­but to please your own fancy or to gain the admiration and applause of those who are no wiser than yourself.  If so, what you wear you are in effect tearing from the back of the naked; and the costly and delicate food you eat, you are snatching from the mouth of the hungry.  For mercy, for pity, for Christ’s sake, for the honor of his gospel, stay your hand!  Do not throw this money away.  Do not lay out on nothing, yea worse than nothing, what may clothe your poor, naked, shivering fellow creatures.