3. 'Charity envieth not,' ov ^rfkol. Nothing is more adverse to the goodness commended to us than envy, which cannot bear the good of another, and therefore is very far from procuring it and pro- moting it. Such was the envy of Cain, who taking notice that his brother's ofi'erings pleased God more than his own, he could not bear it, and at length slew him : 1 John iii. 12, ' Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother : and wherefore slew he him ? because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous.' Emula- tion and malignity at those that are better than ourselves is the very poison and venom which the devil hath infused into human nature ; the affection which put Cain upon killing his brother, and puts the world upon persecuting serious christians, when at the bottom they have no other quarrel against them, but because they excel in the simplicity of the christian faith, and holiness, and obedience. Such were Joseph's brethren, whose vu-tue was an eyesore to them, and therefore endea-
SERMON UPON I CORINTHIANS XIII. 4-8. 309
voured his destruction, Gen. xxxvii. Such were the Jews in the time of the apostles, who, despising the gospel, could not endure it should be preached unto the gentiles : Acts xiii. 45, ' But when the Jews saw the multitude, they were filled with envy, and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming/ Therefore well doth the apostle James call this * Bitter envying,' James iii. 14. It is like gall, which corrupts good food, and maketh it unprofitable. So doth this iDitter zeal corrupt all their actions whom it doth possess. Well, then, ' Charity envieth not.' Those whom we love sincerely, we will rejoice in their gifts and graces as in our own, their success and prosperity as in our own, and be well pleased with their happiness. But where envy prevaileth, charity hath no place; their praises are our disgrace, their success is our lessening ; and few there be that can say, with John the Baptist, * He must increase, but I must decrease/ John iii. 30 ; that is, in splendour and fame. Alas ! as placid and well-contented as many seem without, envy burneth within, and if it be not checked, will soon produce mischievous eff'ects.
4. ' Charity vaunteth not itself,' 6v irepirepeveTaL ; that is, it doth nothing pragmatically and foolish in word or deed ; where it possesseth the hearts of men, they do not arrogantly speak of themselves, or what they have done or can do. Hesychius telleth us the meaning of the word is /iera /SXa/ceta? e 7raipb/jb6vo<;, one that is lifted up with folly, as giddy proud fools are wont to vaunt or strut themselves, so that their own pride rendereth them ridiculous. And so it forbids arrogancy and external ostentation, as internal pride and self-conceit is touched in the next property. Now charity is contrary to more vices than one ; to pride, as it manifests itself by contemptuous and scornful carriage, which irritateth others rather than edifieth them.
5. * Is not puffed up,' 6v (pva-Lovra. He had told us, 1 Cor. viii. 1, that ' Charity edifieth, but knowledge puffeth up ; ' that is, with a vain conceit of our own worth, despising others. Now though know- ledge may beget this through the fault of him that receiveth that gift, yet charity serveth all, despiseth none ; therefore pride and insolency showed in despising others or overvaluing ourselves is far from the temper of this heavenly grace. Poor empty bubbles are soon blown up, contemning those that are beneath them in honours, favours, riches, knowledge, and some external services which look like grace : Luke xviii. 11, ' God, I thank thee I am not as other men are, extor- tioners, unjust, adulterers, or as this publican.' This condemneth that pride, whereby we thus conceit of our own good estate above others. Whereas brotherly love would persuade us in honour to prefer one another, Kom. xii. 10; and in humility to think others better than ourselves, Phil. ii. 3 ; not with our lips only, setting on a show of humility, but with our hearts ; for there is no man so great that is not in some things beneath those whom he despiseth. And we are conscious to our own infirmities, and should have a modest esteem of our own graces and virtues ; for the true excellency of a christian lieth in a mean esteem of himself. For the great business of his religion is to represent to him his own sinfulness, and the undeserved goodness of God ; and therefore he seeketh no other esteem with others than God fairly alloweth him, and dareth not set too liigh a price upon himself, nor is troubled if others come not up to his price.
310 , SEKMON UPON I CORINTHIANS XIII. 4-8,
6. ' It doth not behave itself unseemly,' ovk aa-xnf^ovel. This fol- loweth well on the former ; for men puffed up transgress the rules of all decency in setting out themselves, not giving others the respect due to them. Therefore it must needs be one of the properties of charity to make men do that which will become meekness, modesty, and godliness, and to abstain from all things that may be an offence and scandal to others in words, deeds, gesture, clothing, generally in all parts of conversation. Whatever may expose us to the contempt of others, or may argue a contempt of them, or may be a just offence, charity will mind us to forbear it : Phil. iv. 8, ' Whatsoever things are lovely, think on these things.'