It may justly seem. wonder, that when our blessed Saviour discoursed so frequently with his disciples about his sufferings, that they should at the same time be disputing among themselves about precedency and pre-eminency, which of them should be the greatest, the first in place, and the highest in dignity and honor.

But from this instance we may learn, that the holiest and best of men are too prone to ambition, ready to catch at the bait of honor, to affect. precedency before, and superiority over others. Here the apostles themselves were touched with the itch of ambition; to cure this, our Saviour sets before them. little child, as the proper emblem of humility; showing that they ought to be as free from pride and ambition as. young child, which affects nothing of precedency.

Such as are of the highest eminency in the church, ought to be singularly adorned with the grace of humility, looking upon themselves as lying under the greatest obligation to be most eminently useful and serviceable to the church's good.

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Old Testament