thee forth ; but it is pride to run before God speaks. Secondly, when called, earnestly implore Divine strength against this enemy ; shun not a duty for fear of pride ; thou mayest show it in the very seeming to escape it ; but go in the strength of God against it ; there is more hope of overcoming it by obedi- ence than disobedience.
Thirdly, In envying the gifts of others, when they seem to blind our own, that they are not so fair a prospect as we desire. This is a weed which may grow too rank in a good soil. Aaron and Mii'iani could not bear Moses's honour. Numb. xii. 1. That was the business, though they picked a quarrel with him about his wife, (because an Ethiopian,) as appears plainly, ver. 2 : ' Hath the Lord indeed spoken only by Moses? hath he not also spoken by us?' They thought Moses went away with too much of the honour, and did repine that God should use liim more than themselves. And it is observable, that the histing for flesh broke out among the mixed nudtitude and baser sort of people, (Numb. xi. 4, 5,) but this of pride and envy took fire in the bosoms of the most eminent for place and piety. O, what need then have we, poor creatin-es, to watch our hearts, when we see such precious servants of God led into tempt- ation ! 'The spirit that dwelleth in us, lusteth to envy,' Jam. iv. 5. Our corrupt nature is ever putting on to this sin. It is as hard to keep our hearts and this sin asvmder, as it is to hinder two lovers from meeting together. Thatch is not more ready to be fired with every flash of lightning, than the heart to be kindled at the shining forth of any excelling gift or grace in an- other. It was one of the first windows that corrupt nature looked out at, a sin that shed the first blood ; Cain's envy hatched Abel's murder. Now if ever thou meanest to get the mastery of this sin.
First, Call in help from heaven. No sooner hath the apostle set forth how big and teeming full the heart of man is with envy, but he shows where a fountain of grace is infinitely exceeding that of lust ; ' the spirit within us lusteth to envy, but he giveth more grace,' ver. 5. And therefore sit not down tamely under this sin ; it is not unconquerable. God can give thee more grace than thou hast sin, more humility than thou hast pride. Be but so humble as cordially to beg his grace, and thou shalt not be so proud as wickedly to envy his gil'ts or grace in others.
Secondly, Make this sin as black and ugly as thou canst possibly to thy thought, that when it is presented to thee, thou mayest abhor it the more. Indeed there needs no more than its own face, (wouldst thou look wistly on it,) to make thee out of love with it. For first, this envying of others' gifts casts great contempt upon God, and that more ways than one.
First, When thou enviest the gifts of thy brethren, thou takest upon thee to teach God what he shall give, and to whom ; as if the great God should take counsel or ask leave of thee before he dispenseth his gifts : and darest thou stand to thy own envious thoughts with this interpretation ? Such a one thou findest Christ himself give, Matt. xx. 15 : 'Is it not lawftil for me to do what I will with mine own ?' As if Christ had said, What hath any to do to cavil at my disposal of what is not theirs, but mine to give ?
Secondly, Thou malignest the goodness of God. It ti-oubles thee, it seems, that God hath a heart to do good to any besides thyself; thy eye is evil because his is good. Wouldst not thou have God be good? jrou had as good speak out and saj', You would not have him God ; he can as soon cease to be God, as to be good.
"Thirdly, Thou art an enemy to the glory of God, as thou defacest that which should set it forth. Every gift is a ray of Divine excellency : and as all the beams declare the glory of the sun, so all the gifts God imparts declare the glory of God : now envy laboiu-s to deface and sully the representations of God; it hath ever something to disparage the excellency of another withal. Ciod showed Miriam her sin by her punishment ; she went to bespatter Moses, that shone so eminently with the gifts and graces of God, and God spits in her face, (Numb, xii.) yea, fills her all over with a noisome scab. Dost thou cordially wish well to the honour of God? why then hangcst thou thy head, and dost not rather rejoice to see him glorified by the gifts of others? Could a hcatlien take it so well, when himself was passed by, and others chosen to places of honour
AGAINST SPIRITUAL WICKEDNESS. \^,\
and government, that he said, He was glad liis city could find so many more worthy than himself.' And shall a Christian i-epine that anj' are found fit to honour God beside himself.'