the very standard to which it refers every thing. It cannot bear that any body but itself should possess any thing that approaches in the least degree to excellence of any kind. It sickens, as it were, at another's success. It holds a conspicuous place in the enumeration of the fruits of the flesh, so forcibly given by St. Paul in the fifth of the Galatians. And St. James asserts, "that the Spirit that is in us," in our natural disposition he means, "lusteth to envy." Solomon' declares" envy to be the rottenness of the bones," because it is the predominant passion; it preys and rankles upon the constitution, till it entirely wears it out. It is astonishing what a number of evil actions are attributed to this baneful passion as their source. It is said, that "the patriarchs, moved with envy, sold: Joseph into Egypt." To the same malignant cause Pilate assigns it, that the Jews desired Barabbas, a murderer and a thief, to be delivered to them instead of the benevolent and holy Jesus whom

they crucified; for he knew that for envy they had delivered him. Excited by this passion also, the Jews opposed the preaching of Paul at Antioch and at Thessalonica, as we learn from the history of the Acts of the Apostles; where it is expressly said in one passage, chap. xiii. ver. 45, "When the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy, and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul;" and in another, chap. xvii. ver. 5, "But the Jews which believed not, moved with envy, took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all the city on an uproar." So that in vain. does any one pretend to the grace of charity while under the influence of this heart-cousuming passion.

3. "Charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up." Let us try ourselves by this evidence of true love. I fear few of those who make a profession of Christianity, or have made but a small progress in the way of godliness, can stand before

this test. All are apt to think of themselves too highly, and to pass an unfair and partial judgment upon themselves. All are too much inclined to exalt their graces, and to lower their defects. This arises from that natural pride which every son of Adam inherits from his parent stock. Moreover, if we have any Christian attainments, if we have cast off any old vices or bad habits, and if we are kept by the almighty power of God from falling into such corruptions or such enormities as none but those who have no knowledge of God, would run into, we are ready to look upon ourselves as the peculiar favourites of Heaven, and upon all others with a contemptuous kind of pity and self-exaltation. This pharisaical spirit insinuates itself in some measure into every bosom. All, even the best, are too much inclined, in comparing themselves with others, to say in their hearts, "Stand by thyself; come not near me; for I am holier than thou." Now, this is a disposition as

diametrically opposite to true and refined charity as any thing can possibly be. True charity esteems every one better than himself, and with the greatest reason; because every one, every sincere Christian I mean, knows himself; knows the exceeding sinfulness of his own heart; and hence imagines that no one can possess so base a heart as his, conscious of the number of advantages he has had, and the singular marks of divine grace bestowed upon him, and the bad use he has made of them. Indeed, it is impossible for any one who is sensible of his being indebted to divine grace for every particle of true. charity, to vaunt himself, or be puffed up with what is not his own. The language in which such an one speaks to himself is this: "What hast thou, that thou didst not receive? and who is it that maketh thee to differ?" Humbling consideration! Hence we find, that those who have had the love of God shed abroad in their heart by the Holy Spirit,

and consequently the love of man for Christ's sake, are remarkable for humble and lowly thoughts of themselves, whatever others may think of them. Job says, "Behold, I am vile." David says, "I am a worm, and no man:" such, in effect, was the mean opinion he entertained of himself upon a contemplation of God's infinite purity, that he exclaimed, "Enter not into judgment with thy servant, O Lord; for in thy sight shall no man living be justified." John Baptist, though the most exalted of those born among men, thought himself unworthy to untie the shoes of his divine Lord. And St. Paul, speaking of himself, declares, that he was "carnally sold under sin, the chief of sinners, and less than the least of all Christians."

4. “Charity does not behave itself unseemly." A strict propriety of conduct is the effect of Christian charity. Let us not pass by this test. Having escaped the pollutions that are in the world, through the renewing of our

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