§ 4. Avoiding of Vain-Glory.

Desire not admiration, nor to be held in honour among men. And though thou mayest do some good works before men, yet thou shouldst do them not that thou mayest be seen and glorified, but that men may glorify God, and be edified to the praise of God. The moment thou perceivest a desire of vain-glory arising in thee, correct it, and rejecting and setting aside all impure motives, seek and have regard to 120God and His honour alone. Let it be more welcome to thee to be despised than to be praised, and to submit rather than to command.

Be not unwilling to perform the lowest and most abject services for the love of thy Heavenly King Jesus Christ, who for thee humbled Himself beyond all measure. Place thyself below all men, and dwell in the quiet valley of humility as in a most safe abode. Hold thyself to be like a vile and cast-off rag, which every one may freely tread under foot.

If thou feelest thyself inclined in thy words, gestures, and actions, to please any mortal man, so that thou seekest not purely God, or the honour of God, thou must immediately condemn and detest in thyself this inclination as a most impure source of pride, and lay aside the bad intention. Thou must instantly mortify whatever vanity, boasting, or elation thou discoverest in thyself.

Remember that our Lord Jesus Christ, and the blessed angelic spirits, and all the citizens of heaven are humble and detest pride; that, on the contrary, the wicked demons are proud and pursue humility with hatred. Do thou join thyself to the former, and separate thyself from the latter. Be fully persuaded that thou canst not possibly live for God, unless thou art humble and resigned, and dost strive to die to the vices and inordinate propensities of thy nature. Inasmuch as thou lessenest the pernicious self-love, by which thou seekest thyself impurely and reflectest on thyself, insomuch will the true love of God increase in thee.