If we desired to put the whole history of the life of our blessed Saviour into a single sentence, I do not think we could find a better one than that which the apostle Paul uses when he says of him that—“_He humbled himself._” Phil. ii: 8. Before he came into our world he was “in the form of God, and thought it not robbery to be equal with God.” This means that he was God. Now if he had chosen to become an angel, holy, and pure, and good, he would have had to humble himself very much, even for that. But, instead of becoming an angel, he became a man. And, in becoming a man, he took our nature upon him in its fallen state. He was made like us in all points, except sin. How he humbled himself here! And, in coming into our world, if he had chosen to come as one of the richest men in it,—as a great king or emperor—that would have been an act of great humiliation. But he came as a poor man. He was one of the poorest men that ever lived on the earth. He had made the world, and was the owner of all its treasures, and yet he could say of himself with truth—“The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.” What humiliation there was here! We see his humiliation in the poverty and suffering that he endured. His whole life was an act of humiliation. But how greatly this humiliation was increased during the time of his trial! Think how his back was torn by the cruel scourges! What humiliation was there! Think how he was mocked, and insulted! Think how the soldiers put an old purple robe upon him: how they platted a crown of thorns, and put it upon his head; how they put a reed in his hand in mockery for a sceptre: how they bowed the knee before him in scorn, and cried—“Hail! king of the Jews!” How wonderful this was O, never let us forget the humiliation of Christ! And when we think of all this—how can we, as Christians, ever feel proud? Our great duty is, as the apostle says, to be “clothed with humility.” No wonder that Augustine, one of the old fathers of the early church, when asked—“What is the first thing for a Christian to learn?” should have said—“humility.” “What is the second?”—“humility.” “And what is the third?” should still have said—“humility.” “Examples of Humility.” A converted South Sea Islander was helping to translate the New Testament into his native language. On coming to the passage, “Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God;” I. John iii: 1, he hastened to Mr. Williams, the missionary and said, “No, no, this is too much, too much! let us say—‘Now are we allowed to kiss God’s feet.’” That man was clothed with humility.