Be compassionate and humble
"Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be
sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble."
1 Peter 3:8
'Austerus' is a solid and exemplary Christian. He has a
deep extensive, and experimental knowledge of Divine things
inflexibly and invariably true to his principles, he stems with
a noble singularity the torrent of the world, and can neither be
bribed nor intimidated from the path of duty. He is a rough
diamond of great intrinsic value, and would sparkle with a
distinguished luster--if he were more polished. But, though the
word of God is his daily study, and he prizes the precepts, as
well as the promises, more than thousands of gold and silver,
there is one precept he seems to have overlooked--"be
compassionate and humble."
Instead of that gentleness and
humility which will always be expected from a professed follower
of the meek and lowly Jesus, there is a harshness in his manner,
which makes him more admired than beloved; and those who truly
love him, often feel more constraint than pleasure when in his
company. His intimate friends are satisfied that he is no
stranger to true humility of heart; but these are few. By others
he is thought proud, dogmatic, and
self-important; nor can this prejudice against him be
easily removed, until he can lay aside that cynical air which he
has unhappily contracted.
How lamentable are such
blemishes in such a person!
Newton's letter on, Blemishes in Christian
character
