Vol. 2

CHAPTER IX. 137in the house, he asked them, What was it that yedisputed among yourselves by the way? 34. Butthey held their peace :for by the way they had disputedamong themselves who should be the greatest."How subtile is the poison of ambition ! how difficultis it for a man to preserve himself from it in thislife ! Humility is peaceable, and always ready togive place; pride is always disputing about preference.If we look narrowly into the world, we shallfind that this is what most generally reigns in allstates and conditions whatsoever. Few people areheartily willing to be below others ;they find as muchdifficulty almost to bear an equality ; and much thegreatest number think of nothing but gaining a superiority.Who would imagine that ambition couldtake hold of persons who had forsaken all;and thatthe apostolical college should not be exempt from it ?In short, every body is subject to it, and nobody is*'35. And he sat down, and called the twelve,and saith unto them. If any man desire to be first,the same shall be last of all, and servant of all."True greatness consists in renouncing greatnessitself. A man becomes a slave to it, when once hedesires it; he is above it, whenever he despises it.The primacy or first place in humility, is the only oneto which we are permitted to aspire. To disputewith secular persons which should be the greatest,a thing very opposite to an ecclesiastical spirit.isTheonly thing of which a minister of Christ ought to beambitious, is to be the last of all. Humility mustnot be an idle virtue, but a virtue useful to ourneighbour. It places its chief joy, not only in being