Chap. XIII Of the Obedience of an Humble Subject After the Example of Jesus Christ
1. Son, he who strives to withdraw himself from obedience, withdraws himself from grace; and he that seeks to have things for his own particular, loses such as are common.
If a man doth not freely and willingly submit himself to his superiors, it is a sign that his flesh is not as yet perfectly obedient to him; but oftentimes rebels and murmurs.
Learn then to submit thyself readily to thy superior, if thou desire to subdue thy own flesh;
For the enemy without is sooner overcome, if the inward man be not laid waste.
There is no more troublesome or worse enemy to the soul than thou art to thyself, not agreeing well with the spirit.
Thou must in good earnest conceive a true contempt of thyself, if thou wilt prevail over flesh and blood.
Because thou yet hast too inordinate a love for thyself, therefore art thou afraid to resign thyself wholly to the will of others.
2. But what great matter is it, if thou, who art but dust and a mere nothing, submittest thyself for God’s sake to man; when I the Almighty, and the Most High, who created all things out of nothing, have for thy sake humbly subjected myself to man.
I became the most humble and most abject of all men, that thou mightest overcome thy pride by my humility.
Learn, O dust, to obey, learn to humble thyself thou that art but dirt and mire, and to cast thyself down under the feet of all men.
Learn to break thy own will, and to yield thyself up to all subjection.
3. Conceive an indignation against thyself, suffer not the swelling of pride to live in thee: but make thyself so submissive and little, that all may trample on thee, and tread thee under their feet, as the dirt of the streets.
What hast thou, vain man, to complain of?
What answer canst thou make, O filthy sinner, to those that reproach thee, thou that hast so often offended God, and many times deserved hell?
But mine eye hath spared thee, because thy soul was precious in my sight, that thou mightest know my love, and mightest be always thankful for my favours, and that thou mightest give thyself continually to true subjection and humility; and bear with patience to be despised by all.