HKB
11 passages · search this phrase →
Often appears with: pride, vanity, and humility · justice as a virtue · equity, mercy, and pardon · sin, guilt, and repentance · religious persecution and toleration · prayer and worship · divine judgment · spiritual discernment · spiritual consolation vs delusion · self-knowledge · self-conceit · scripture study
Usually: exhortation (7) · reflection (6) · injustice endured (5) · argument (3) · crisis of belief (3) · detachment (3) · reverence (3) · lament (2) · skepticism (2) · letter or document (1)
“People consider it wanting in humility, and think it means to teach those from whom it should learn, particularly if it be a woman.” Teresa of Ávila, Saint, The Life of St. Teresa of Jesus, of the Order of Our · observation
“this humility is the unfeigned submission of a mind overwhelmed with a weighty sense of its own misery and poverty; for such is the uniform description of it in the word of God.” Jean Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion (Vol. 1 of 2) · insight
“He completely succeeded in preserving me from the sort of influences he so much dreaded. I was not at all aware that my attainments were anything unusual at my age.” John Stuart Mill, Autobiography · observation
Calvin says his own conscience is clear before God and that accusations can be answered publicly; he warns that humility and justice can still preserve confidence amid adversaries.
like kind, but laying aside all evil affections, be guided solely by your zeal for the service of God, moderated by his Spirit according to the rule of his word. You have besides to consider, that these things have not thus fallen out without the dispensation of the Lord, who carries forward his purposes even by means of the wicked, according to the good pleasure of his own will. Now, that thought will turn you away…
He says he resolved to study the Scriptures, but his pride made them seem beneath the stateliness of Cicero; later he despised himself as “a little one,” so he fell into proud, carnal believers.
even with my mother's milk, devoutly drunk in and deeply treasured; and whatsoever was without that name, though never so learned, polished, or true, took not entire hold of me. I resolved then to bend my mind to the holy Scriptures, that I might see what they were. But behold, I see a thing not understood by the proud, nor laid open to children, lowly in access, in its recesses lofty, and veiled with mysteries; and…
Mill says his father prevented self-conceit by avoiding praise and making him compare himself to moral duty rather than other boys; in Hyde Park he told him praise would come from knowing more than peers.
was, very unreasonable; but I think, only in being angry at my failure. A pupil from whom nothing is ever demanded which he cannot do, never does all he can. One of the evils most liable to attend on any sort of early proficiency, and which often fatally blights its promise, my father most anxiously guarded against. This was self-conceit. He kept me, with extreme vigilance, out of the way of hearing myself praised, …
Calvin begins Book I’s doctrine of original sin by urging self-knowledge through remembering Adam’s creation and fall, arguing that humility and renewed seeking for God follow from acknowledging human degeneration.
On All Mankind, And Of Their Degeneracy From Their Primitive Condition. The Doctrine Of Original Sin. There is much reason in the old adage, which so strongly recommends to man the knowledge of himself. For if it be thought disgraceful to be ignorant of whatever relates to the conduct of human life, ignorance of ourselves is much more shameful, which causes us, in deliberating on subjects of importance, to grope our…
Calvin contrasts carnal self-knowledge with self-examination by divine judgment, arguing that examining oneself properly produces dejection rather than pride, while still preserving hope through reflection on creation’s end.
such teachers as amuse us with a mere exhibition of our virtues, will make no progress in the knowledge of himself, but will be absorbed in the most pernicious ignorance. III. Therefore, whilst the truth of God agrees in this point with the common consent of all mankind, that the second branch of wisdom consists in the knowledge of ourselves, yet with respect to the knowledge itself there is no small disagreement. F…
Calvin distinguishes true humility from mere modesty, describing humility as unfeigned submission born of misery, using Zephaniah and Isaiah, and concluding that Christ’s call and the publican’s prayer model genuine humility.
deceived who supposes himself capable of this enjoyment, without having first been truly humbled. It is a well‐known observation, that “God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.”(1982) VI. But what means have we of humbling ourselves, except by submitting, all poor and destitute, to the Divine mercy? For I do not call it humility, if we suppose that we have any thing left. And hitherto they have taugh…
The final passage continues with additional citations (including a note to “see particularly the Book of Job”) to underline that God judges and humbles human pride while saving by grace.
1954 Rom. v. 8‐10. 1955 2 Cor. v. 19. 1956 2 Cor. v. 21. 1957 Rom. iv. 6‐8. 1958 Luke i. 77. 1959 Acts xiii. 38, 39. 1960 2 Cor. v. 21. 1961 Rom. viii. 3, 4. 1962 Rom. v. 19. 1963 See particularly the Book of Job. 1964 Isaiah xxxiii. 14, 15. 1965 Psalm cxxx. 3. 1966 Job iv. 17‐20. 1967 Job xv. 15, 16. 1968 Deut. xxvii. 26. 1969 Luke xvi. 15. 1970 Psalm cxliii. 2. 1971 Job ix. 2, 3. 1972 Acts ix. 15.…
Teresa claims she asks God repeatedly to grant such graces to someone who will use them better, admits her humility fails, and insists salvation requires God’s great grace rather than her strength.
other two faculties quickly begin to molest it. As the will is calm, it entrances them again; they are quiet for another moment, and then they recover themselves once more. 17. In this way, some hours may be, and are, passed in prayer; for when the two faculties begin to drink deep, and to perceive the taste of this divine wine, they give themselves up with great readiness, in order to be the more absorbed: they fol…
Teresa claims rapture grants sharp vision, humility, and compassion for those still in darkness, but also can bring misunderstandings, persecution, and the soul’s renunciation of honor and money.
that this is the flight of the spirit rising upwards above all created things, and chiefly above itself: but it is a sweet flight, a delicious flight--a flight without noise. 33. Oh, what power that soul possesses which our Lord raises to this state! how it looks down upon everything, entangled by nothing! how ashamed it is of the time when it was entangled! how it is amazed at its own blindness! how it pities those…
A long quoted passage reflects on friendship’s effects, distrust, humility, and reserves, arguing that Fuller’s prudence comes from fearing misunderstanding rather than duplicity or charlatanism.
forms and shows of goodness, that fixed resolve to be anything but "like unto the Pharisees," which were to my eye such happy omens. Yet how strangely distorted are all his views! The daily influence of his intercourse with me was like the breath he drew; it has become a part of him. Can he escape from himself? Would he be unlike all other mortals? His feelings are as false as those of Alcibia…
Franklin adds humility to his virtue list after a Quaker criticizes his pride, then adopts linguistic hedging and softer conversational tactics, claiming this reduces conflict and boosts influence in public affairs.
determined endeavouring to cure myself, if I could, of this vice or folly among the rest, and I added *Humility* to my list, giving an extensive meaning to the word. I cannot boast of much success in acquiring the *reality* of this virtue, but I had a good deal with regard to the *appearance* of it. I made it a rule to forbear all direct contradiction to the sentiments of others, and all positive assertion of my own…