John Chrysostom

"Which when the Apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of, they rent their clothes, and ran in among the people, crying out, and saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you." See how on all occasions they are clean from the lust of glory, not only not coveting, but even repudiating it when offered: just as Peter also said, "Why gaze ye on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made him to walk"? so these also say the same. And Joseph also said of the dreams, "Is not their interpretation of God?" And Daniel in like manner, "And to me also, not through the wisdom that is in me was it revealed." And Paul everywhere says this, as when he says, "And for these things who is sufficient? Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think aught as of ourselves, but our sufficiency is of God."

Let us imitate them: let us think nothing our own, seeing even faith itself is not our own, but more God's than ours. "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and this," saith he, "not of ourselves; it is the gift of God." Then let us not think great things of ourselves, nor be puffed up, being as we are, men, dust and ashes, smoke and shadow. For say, Why dost thou think great things of thyself? Hast thou given alms, and lavished thy substance? And what of that? Think, what if God had chosen not to make thee rich? think of them that are impoverished, or rather, think how many have given not their substance only, but their bodies moreover, and after their numberless sacrifices, have felt still that they were miserable creatures! Thou gavest for thyself, Christ not for Himself, but for thee: thou didst but pay a debt, Christ owed thee not. See the uncertainty of the future, and "be not high-minded, but fear"; do not lessen thy virtue by boastfulness. Wouldest thou do something truly great? Never let a surmise of thy attainments as great enter thy mind. But thou art a virgin? So were those in the Gospel virgins, but they got no benefit from their virginity, because of their cruelty and inhumanity. Nothing like humility: this is mother, and root, and nurse, and foundation, and bond of all good things: without this we are abominable, and execrable, and polluted. For say, let there be some man raising the dead, and healing the lame, and cleansing the lepers, but with proud self-complacency: than this there can be nothing more execrable, nothing more impious, nothing more detestable. Account nothing to be of thyself.