“Oh! But it is unsuitable to believers, who are free grace’s debtor’s and beggars to be proud and forget themselves. You have nothing, believer, to boast of, but that he has shamed you with his grace; and should you be proud of that, as if you had made yourself thus? Therefore guard watchfully against all puffing up, self conceit, and high mindedness, and study to be humble, and to carry a low sail, else you may break into some scandalous offence, and may become a shame and reproach to the gospel. We commend humility to you above many things; for we think that in these days, folks’ pride is like to break their necks. For when once conceit creeps in, they begin to think they are so far advanced in holiness, that they must not keep company with others, nor join in worship with them; and from that they go to another thing, and from that to a third, and it is hard to tell where they will halt or end. They grow so giddy, that they are scarcely like to leave so much ground as themselves may stand upon. Oh! Think shame of pride; it is a most intolerable thing to be proud of that which God has given, wherein you have no more hand, and whereof you can no more boast, than they who never had it.”
“Be thankful, and give God the praise of that you have gotten. It becomes the upright to be thankful. It is no little matter to have God’s power manifested in the working of faith, and conferring grace; the temporal throne and kingdom, and great things in the world, are nothing to this. Many get their fill of this world, who never get, nor will get this. The world is of so little value with the Lord, that (so to speak) he does not much regard who get it, though it be exactly distributed by his providence; but converting and up-building grace is peculiarized to his favorites. Being therefore clear that he has bestowed grace on you, O how should you exult in blessing God (as David did) for giving you counsel to make choice of such a portion, and for his powerful determining of your heart by his grace to embrace it, for which you have not yourselves to thank, but God!”“Be compassionate and tender towards others, considering that it is only grace that has made the difference between you and them, and not any good nature in you, which was not in them, as some foolishly fancy. Be not puffed up at the faults and falls of any, but rather mourn for them, as well as for your own; and be more humble, when you think of the difference that grace has made, lest you fall; and since your standing is by grace, be not high-minded, but fear. Of all persons, it worst becomes you to look lightly on, let be to mock at the falls of others, considering who, and what, has made the difference.”
“If it is so peculiar a privilege, to be partakers of this powerful and special grace of God that is put forth in the great work of conversion; then surely there is something peculiar called for in your conversation, even that it may in all things be as it becomes the gospel, and answerable to this grace bestowed on you. O what manner of persons ought you to be, in all holy conversation and godliness.” Durham, James. Christ Crucified: The Marrow of the Gospel in 72 Sermons on Isaiah 53, Dallas: Naphtali Press, 2007, p173-174
