that has found an abiding place upon his brow, he presents the brightest resemblance to be found in our selfish world, of the entrance of the Saviour among his disciples, when he said, "Peace be unto you!" and breathed upon them the Holy Ghost. Although he neither seeks nor wishes an equivalent, in return for his many acts of benevolence, his gentle spirit receives back, in a full tide, the streams of consolation which had ebbed from his own heart to fill the empty channels of his neighbour's happiness. Who can be unkind to him, who is kind to all? What heart is so hard, what mind is so cruel, what spirit is so diabolical, as to wound him, who never appears among his race but as a ministering angel? There is a magic in his tears, to melt to sympathy the stubborn soul of cruelty itself, which has a tear for no one else; and no less a magic in his smiles, so far to relax and soften the hard features of envy, as to reflect for a moment the sunshine of his joy. While he lives, every man is his admirer; and when he dies, every man is his mourner: while he is on earth, his name has a home in every heart; and when he is gone, he has a monument in every memory :-and this is the description of his character-the record of his praise: LOVE IS KIND!

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CHAPTER VIII.

THE CONTENTMENT OF LOVE.

"Charity envieth not."

ENVY is that passion, which causes us to feel uneasiness at the sight of another's possessions or happiness, and which makes us dislike him on that account. Of all the base passions, this is the basest. It is unmingled malignity, the very worst and bitterest dregs of human depravity; the most direct contrariety of love. Envy is either general or special in its objects. It often exists in the mind to such an extent, that its subjects seem almost instinctively opposed to excellence and to happiness, wherever they see them, or whenever they hear of them. They may not regard the individuals on whom their envious glance is fixed in the light of competitors or rivals; they may have nothing to hope from their depression-nothing to fear from their elevation; but it is enough to awaken their uneasiness and dislike, to know that they are in some respects superior. They cannot bear to see excellence or happiness in any one, or ever to hear the language of commendation or praise. They would beggar the universe to enrich themselves,

and monopolize all possessions, and all admiration; they would be alone in the world, as the sole occupants of every thing valuable, and can endure neither a superior nor an equal. This, it must be allowed, is a maturity to which envy rarely attains, compared with its more special and limited operation.

The OBJECTS of envy are commonly such as these. 1. Persons who are nearly on our own level. Individuals who are either much above us in station, or much below us, are not so likely to excite uneasiness and dislike, as those who are of our own standing, or approaching to it. The tradesman envies not the nobleman, but some fellow tradesman ; the laurels and fame of the hero are not envied by the common soldier, but by some officer of his own rank.

2. Those who though much above us, occupy a station from which we have been cast down, are likely to be regarded by us with an evil eye, and to draw forth our dislike.

3. Competitors, but especially some single rival for wealth, or fame, or any valuable possession, is a powerful temptation to this sin. It is extremely difficult to witness their success and superiority, and feel nothing of envy towards them.

It is evident, that persons descending in life are much exposed to this vice: and, perhaps, those still more so, who are candidates for popular applause, whether they be literary, scientific, military, or professional men. Vanity, or a thirst after applause, is the most unsocial and envious of the passions, avarice itself not excepted. The reason is plain. Property is a kind of good, which may

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be more easily attained, and is capable of more minute subdivision, than fame. In the pursuit of wealth, men are led, by an attention to their own interest, to promote the welfare of each other: their advantages are reciprocal; the benefits which each is anxious to acquire for himself, he reaps in the greatest abundance from the union of society. The pursuits of vanity are quite contrary. The portion of time and attention mankind are willing to spare from their avocations and pleasures, to devote to the admiration of each other, is so small, that every successful adventurer is felt to have impaired the common stock. The success of one, is the disappointment of multitudes: for though there be many rich, many virtuous, many wise men, fame must necessarily be the portion of but few. Hence every vain man regarding his competitor as his rival, is strongly tempted to rejoice in his miscarriage, and to repine at his success.*

There is not any kind of superiority, however low in its nature, or obscure in situation, which is not found to be sufficient to call forth the ill will and hatred of some inferior or disappointed spectator. Children and rustics, as well as philosophers, warriors, and princes, are subject to its influence. Like the venomous spider, it weaves its web, and directs its deadly glance, in the cottages of poverty, the mansions of affluence, and the halls of science. It is the epidemic of the human race, the most common operation of human depravity. Apostle seems to give it as a general description

See Mr. Hall's Sermon on Modern Infidelity.

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of human nature, while unrenewed by divine grace. "Living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another." The whole Gentile world, before the coming of Christ, is described as having been "full of envy." "Envyings" bear a high place among the works of the flesh; and on the converts from Paganism, the churches of believers, there was no one evil of which the prohibition was more frequently, or more earnestly enjoined, than this: and the apostle James tell us, that it is still partially inherent in every man-"the spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy.".

But let us now contemplate ITs hateful nature. It is a vice of the utmost deformity and heinousness. To feel uneasiness at another's happiness, or excellence, and to dislike him on that account, is a sin that needs no analysis to prove its deadly natureno dissection to expose its corruption; it presents at once, to the most superficial observer, a frightful and disgusting appearance-a kind of leprous surface. It stands directly opposed to the nature of God, whose love delights in excellence and in happiness, and whose grace produces both; and by whom this sin must be regarded with infinite loathing and abhorrence.

It is a secret murmuring against the appointments of heaven-an incessant quarrel with Providencean accusation preferred against the wisdom, equity, and goodness of the divine administration. As it is unlike God, so it is the image of Satan,-being the disposition, united with pride, which cast down the apostate angels from their seats in heaven, and which fills and fires their bosoms in the bottomless