John iii. 29, 30. He that hath the bride is the bridegroom : but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegrooms voice : this my jog therefore is fulfilled. He must increase, but I nuist decrease.
OF all the passions in the human breast, there is none more hateful than envy. When suffered to reign without controul, there is not any thing which it will not perpetrate. The rage of Cain, the con- spiracy of Joseph's brethren, the implacable enmity of the Jewish priests against the Lord Jesus Christ, clearly shew to what cruelties it will impel those who are under its dominion. Doubtless in those who have the smallest degree of piety, this malignant principle is weakened, and in a measure subdued : but it is not eradicated: it is one of those corruptions, which, by varying their appearances, retain posses- sion of us under the semblance of good : nor, till we have made very considerable advances in the divine life, are we able fully and effectually to guard against its deceitful workings. We are assured that Joshua was truly pious ; yet from an envious zeal for his Master's honour he was desirous of silencing those who by divine inspiration prophesied in the campa. The Disciples of our Lord were actuated by no better principle, when they forbad a person to cast out devils in his name, because he did not follow with themb. The complaint which John's disciples also made to him respecting the multitudes who submitted to the baptism of Jesus, originated in the same feel- ing. Some Jews had taken occasion, from Jesus re- baptizing the disciples of John, to represent John and Jesus as " opposing each other ; and, from the difficulties of determining which of the two was right, they maintained, that it was better to adhere to the lustrations appointed by Moses, than to comply with
a Numb. xi. 27—29. b Mark ix. 38.