es, and common axioms of
unquestionable authority. All kind of professions have some fundamental
doctrines and points which are the character of them. Christianity hath
its principles too. And principles must be plain and uncontroverted; they
must be evident by their own light, and apt to give light to other things.
All the rest of the conclusions of the art are but derivations and
deductions from them. Our Master and Doctor follows the same method. He
lays down some common principles some fundamental points of this
profession, upon which all the building of Christianity hangs. "Learn of
me, for I am meek and lowly." This was the high lesson that his life
preached so exemplarily, and his doctrine pressed so earnestly, and in
this he is very unlike other teachers who impose burdens on others, and
themselves do not so much as touch them. But he first practises his
doctrine and then preaches it. He first casts a pattern in himself, and
then presses to follow it. Examples teach better than rules, but both
together are most effectual and sure. The rarest example and noblest rule
that ever was given to men are here met together.

The rule is about a thing that has a low name, but a high nature.
Lowliness and meekness in reputation and outward form, are like servants,
yet they account it no robbery to be equal with the highest and most
princely graces. The vein of gold and silver lies very low in the bowels
of the earth, but it is not therefore base, but the more precious. Other
virtues may come with more observation, but these, like the Master that
teaches them, come with more reality. If they have less pomp, they have
more power and virtue. Humility, how suitable is it to humanity! They are
as near of kin one to another, as _homo_ and _humus_,(420) and therefore,
except a man cast off humanity, and forget his original, the ground, the
dust from whence he was taken, I do not see how he can shake off humility.
Self knowledge is the mother of it, the knowledge of that _humus_ would
make us _humiles_.(421) Look to the hole of the pit from whence thou art
hewn. A man could not look high that looked so low as the pit from whence
we were taken by nature, even the dust, and the pit from whence we are
hewn by grace, even man's lost and ruined state. Such a low look would
make a lowly mind. Therefore pride must be nothing else but an empty and
vain tumour, a puffing up. "Knowledge puffeth up," not self knowledge.
That casts down, and b