lowed and put away by all, and especially by those who profess to be Christians. Great numbers cherish the hope that this is their character, and that they have been endued with a new spirit, even the spirit of Christ. Let it then be evident to all that such is your spirit by the exercise of that charity that envieth not. In the language of the Apostle (James iii. 13, 14, 15, 16), "Who is a wise man, and endued with knowledge among you? Let him show, out of a good conversation, his works with meekness of wisdom. But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish; for where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work?" The spirit of envy is the very contrary of the spirit of heaven, where all rejoice in the happiness of others; and it is the very spirit of hell itself, which is a most hateful spirit, and one that feeds itself on the ruin of the prosperity and happiness of others, on which account some have compared envious persons to caterpillars, which delight most in devouring the most flourishing trees and plants. And as an en

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vious disposition is most hateful in itself, sc it is most uncomfortable and uneasy to its possessor. As it is the disposition of the devil, and partakes of his likeness, so it is the disposition of hell, and partakes of its misery. In the strong language of Solomon (Proverbs xiv. 30): "A sound heart is the life of the flesh, but envy is the rottenness of the bones." It is like a powerful eating cancer, preying on the vitals, offensive and full of corruption. And it is the most foolish kind of self-injury; for the envious make themselves trouble most needlessly, being uncomfortable only because of others' prosperity, when that pros-perity does not injure themselves, or diminish their enjoyments and blessings. But they are not willing to enjoy what they have, because others are enjoying also. Let, then, the consideration of the foolishness, the baseness, the infamy of so wicked a spirit, cause us to abhor it, and to shun its excuses, and earnestly to seek the spirit of Christian love, that excellent spirit of divine charity which will lead us always to rejoice in the welfare of others, and which will fill our own hearts with happiness. This love is of God" (1 John iv. 7); and he that dwelleth in it, "dwelleth in God, and God in him," 1 John iv. 16.

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LECTURE VII.

THE SPIRIT OF CHARITY IS AN HUMBLE SPIRIT.

"Charity vaunteth not itself; is not puffed up; doth not behave itself unseemly."-1 CORINTHIANS Xiii. 4, 5.

HAVING shown the nature and tendency of charity or Christian love, in respect to our receiving injury, and doing good to others, that it "suffers long and is kind;" and also with respect to the good possessed by others as compared with that possessed by ourselves, that charity "envieth not," the Apostle now proceeds to show, that in reference to what we ourselves may be or have, charity is not proud; that "it vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly." As, on the one hand, it prevents us from envying others what they possess, so on the other, it keeps us from glorying in what we possess ourselves. Paul had just declared

that charity was contrary to a spirit of envy, and now he declares that it is equally contrary to that spirit which specially provokes men to envy others, and which they often make a pretence or apology for envying them, viz.: that they are puffed up with their honors and prosperity, and vaunt themselves on their possession of these things. When men have obtained prosperity or are advanced, and others observe that they are puffed up and vaunt themselves in it, this tends to provoke envy and make others uneasy at the sight of their prosperity. But if a man has prosperity or advancement and yet does not vaunt himself or behave in an unseemly manner on account of it, this tends to reconcile others to his high circumstances, and make them satisfied that he should enjoy his elevation. As already observed, when men envy another, they are prone to excuse and justify themselves in so doing, by the pretence that he does not make a good improvement of his prosperity, but is proud of it and puffed up on account of it. But the Apostle shows how Christian love, or charity, tends to make all behave suitably to their condition, whatever it may be; if below others, not to envy them, and if above others,

not to be proud or puffed up with the prosperity.

In the words of the text, we may observe, that a spirit of Christian love is spoken of as the opposite of a proud behavior, and that two degrees of such a behavior are mentioned. The higher degree is expressed by a man's "vaunting himself," that is, by his so carrying himself as to show plainly that he glories in what he has, or is; and the lower degree is expressed by his "behaving himself unseemly," that is, by his not conducting himself in a becoming and decent manner in the enjoy ment of his prosperity, but so acting as to show that he thinks the mere fact of his being prosperous exalts him above others. And the spirit of charity or love is spoken of, as opposed not only to a proud behavior, but to a proud spirit, or pride in the heart, for charity "is not puffed up." The doctrine we are taught, then, in these words, is this:

THAT THE SPIRIT OF CHARITY, OR CHRISTIAN LOVE, IS AN HUMBLE SPIRIT.-In speaking to this doctrine, I would show, 1, What humility is; and 2, How a Christian spirit, or the spirit of charity, is an humble spirit. And,

I. I would show what humility is.--Humil