m. "The proud man," says Sir Henry Taylor, "is of all men the most
vulnerable. 'Who calls?' asks the old shepherd in _As You Like It_.
'Your betters,' is the insolent answer. And what is the shepherd's
rejoinder? 'Else are they very wretched.' By what retort, reprisal, or
repartee could it have been made half so manifest that the insult had
lighted upon armour of proof? Such is the invincible independence and
invulnerability of humility."

He that is humble ever shall
Have God to be his guide.

For thus saith the high and holy One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name
is Holy: I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a
contrite and humble spirit, to revive the heart of the humble, and to
revive the heart of the contrite ones . . . All those things hath Mine
hand made, but to this man will I look, saith the Lord, even to him that
is poor and of a contrite spirit, and who trembleth at My word . . .
Though the Lord be high, yet hath He respect unto the lowly; but the
proud He knoweth afar off . . . Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves
unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be
clothed with humility; for God resisteth the proud and giveth grace to
the humble . . . Lord, my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty,
neither do I exercise myself in great matters, or in things too high for
me. Surely I have behaved and quieted myself, as a child that is weaned
of his mother: my soul is even as a weaned child . . . Take My yoke upon
you and learn of Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find
rest unto your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.

I am content with what I have,
Little be it, or much:
And, Lord, contentment still I crave,
Because thou savest such.

The only thing this sweet singer is discontented with is his own
contentment. He will not be content as long as he has a shadow of
discontent left in his heart. And how blessed is such holy discontent!
For, would you know, asks Law, who is the greatest saint in all the
world? Well, it is not he who prays most or fasts most; it is not he who
gives most alms or is most eminent for temperance, chastity, or justice.
But it is he who is always thankful to God, who wills everything that God
willeth, who receives everything as an instance of God's goodness, and
has a heart always ready to praise God for it. "Perhaps the shepherd's
boy," says Thomas Scott, "may ref