488 DOCTRINE OF THE PASSIONS. your offences against God and man, what wouldbecome of you? Pity them therefore, as you hope for pity. Imitate the goodness of 0° your heavenly Father, who makes his sun to shine, and his rain to fall on the just and on the unjust." Mat. v. 45. This is the rule of Christ. 3. Know that a soul filled with envy and malice, is its own perpetual torment. All the good things that are spoken of others, and all the blessingswhich others enjoy, become a matter of grievance andpain to an envious spirit. It frets and vexesat the comforts of mankind, it pines 'away with rage to see others happy. What a dreadful and undesirable temper is this? Howmuch more pleasant is it to feel the gentle affections of benevolence and love always warm at the heart ! To rejoice in the happiness of our neighbours, and to derivea degree of satis- faction and felicity from all the blessings of mankind which come within the reachof our notice ! 4. Remember that a malicious and envious man is hateful in the eyes of all mankind, for his chief joyarises from the miseries of his fellow-creatures. No body loves such a temper ; even those that practise it themselve hate it in others. Are you will- ing to expose yourself to the ill-will of mankind ? Is it not better to get the love of all men ? It is the gentle and harmless, the peaceable the benevolent and compassionate man, who is the object of universal esteem and love. And let it be well considered, that by indulging malice in your heart against others, you tempt those persons in a special manner to hate and envy you; and do you know how far their malice may fly into violent extravagancies, into wicked, and spite- ful, and revengeful practices ? Think with yourselves how far you share in the guilt of such madness, by your indulgence of malice and envy against them. Remember that the fire of wrath and the fire of love, kindle their own congenial fires. Kindness and love are the most effectual methods to reduce others to the practice of kindness and love. 5. Malice apd envy are the special sins of the devil : They arehis peculiar image on the soul of roan ; he was a murderer from the beginning, and is so to this day. He envied the happi ness of our first parents in paradise, and contrived their ruin He envies us the blessings of the gospel, and our christian hope, and would fain destroy it. Now will you imitate such a hateful character, even the adversary of God and man ? Are you fond of bearing his image ? Are you willing to become as it were a devil in flesh and blood, rather than imitate the loving and the lovely character of God manifest in the flesh, even the blessed Jesus ? 6. Consider how near you are to death and judgment, and the eternal state ; and dare not venture into eternity with a ma- licioustemper, or with an enviousspirit. Spiteful and malignant
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