Page:The whole familiar colloquies of Desiderius Erasmus of Rotterdam.djvu/362

358 FAMILIAR COLLOQUIES. speak significantly than elegantly; for he is said to be modest that thinks moderately of himself, arrogating nothing to himself more than he deserves. But the commendation of TairfivoQpOGvvri (humility) belongs only to him that ascribes less to himself than he hath. Le. But then there is danger, while we affect to be modest we happen to be vain. Hi. How so 1 Le. Why, if Paul spoke truth in saying, I am not worthy to be called an apostle, and if Mary said truly that she was a mean handmaid, that is, one of the meanest circum- stances, then they run the hazard of lying who set them out in so magnificent titles. Hi. My good friend, here is no great danger in that, for when we set out good men or women with praises, in that we speak forth the goodness of God to them; but when they debase themselves they have an eye to what their own strength and merits are, if it were not for the grace of God. Nor is it of necessity a lie if any one does not lay claim to what he has; if he speaks as he thinks it can at most be but a mistake; it cannot be called a downright lie, and God is pleased when we are in this error.

Le. Paul, who denies that he was worthy to be called an apostle, in another place speaks very magnificently of himself, recounting his performances: "I have," saith he, " laboured more than all, and those who seem to be something have added nothing to me." Whereas we do not read the holy Virgin said anything of this nature. Hi. But Paul calls these performances his infirmities by which the power of God was manifested, and likewise calls the mention of them folly, to which he was compelled by the wickedness of some false apostles, who had rendered it necessary for him to lay claim to his apostolical authority ; not that he delighted in human glory, but because it was expedient for the gospel, the dispensation of which was committed to him. The Virgin had not the same reason, she had not the office of preaching the gospel committed to her. Besides, the utmost decency and modesty became her as a woman, as a virgin, and as the mother of Jesus.

Now I come to the original of this error. They that do not under- stand Latin think humility signifies nothing but a notable modesty, when it is often made use of as to place or condition, and not as to any virtue of the mind; and sometimes it is so applied to the mind as to signify that which is blameworthy. Le. What, in the holy scrip- tures? Hi. Yes; here is a place for you in the Epistle of Paul to the Colossians, chap. ii. ver. 18, "Let no man seduce you in a volun- tary humility and worshipping of angels." Nor is it in this place fv Tairstvwcrei, which is the word that is in the Virgin's song, but iv rairfiivofypoavvr]. The place, I confess, has something of difficulty in it, but I take that to be the genuine sense of it that learned men have accurately given it : Be ye not of so low and abject a mind, as, having once dedicated yourselves to Christ, the only author of salvation, to suffer yourselves to hope for salvation from angels, whom some pretend to have appeared to them. Be ye of so high a mind as that if any angel, who really came from heaven, should preach any other gospel than that which Christ hath delivered, let him be accursed as a wicked angel and an enemy to Christ. Much less is it fit that you should be of such abject minds as to suffer yourselves to be led away from Christ by their feigned apparitions. To hope for salvation from Christ alone