Matthew Poole and continuators on Luke 14:11

11 * For whosoever exalteth himself, shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself, shall be exalted.

Two or three Moral instructions we have in this Parable. 1. That the Law of Christ justifieth none in any rudeness and incivility, 2. That the Disciples of Christ ought to have a regard to their Reputation, to do nothing, they may be ashamed of. 3. That it is according to the Will of God, that honour should be given, to those to whom honour belongeth; that the more honourable Persons, should sit in the more honourable Places. Grace gives Men no exteriour preference, though it makes Men all glorious yet it is within. But the more spiritual instruction (for which our Saviour put forth this Parable) is in v. 11. Our Saviour had but now in the sight of these Pharisees, cured a Man of a bodily Dropsie, he is now attempting of a cure of the spiritual Dropsie, of Pride in their Souls. He had before denounced a Woe against the Pharisees, for loving the uppermost places in the Synagogues, ch. 11.43. and told us Matth. 23.6. that they loved the uppermost Rooms at Feasts, and possibly he might at this Feast see something of it. He therefore applieth his discourse by pressing upon them Humility, and shewing them the danger of Pride, which tho it be a vice seated in the heart, yet by such little things discovereth it self in the outward Conversation, he tells them, That God is such an Enemy to Pride, that he ordinarily so ordereth it in the Government of the World, that usually self-exalting People, are by one means or other abased, and brought to shame, and contempt, and those that are low in their own eyes are exalted, and if it doth not so fall out here, yet this will be, what will at the last Day befal them, in the Day of Gods righteous judgment. See the Notes on Matth. 23.12. We shall meet with the same again, ch. 18. v. 14.