another's superior excellence or prosperity. "Because his father loved Joseph, his brethren hated him; they regarded with an evil eye the coat of many colours, and it had nearly cost him his life. We cannot bear that another should be more esteemed, more successful or richer than ourselves; especially if he was once our equal; particularly if he be of the same profession, or competitor with us for any distinction. Hence, since "many run in the race, and one only receiveth the prize," the effect of disappointed pride appears in all men ; for all have some things wherein they fail; though in others they may be the objects of envy. This is the source from which most part of the conversation in company arises: each hath his complaints; accuses the partiality of the world; wants to hear something depreciating of the envied rival; is ready to derogate from his worth; and pleased if any step be taken to lessen his excellence or remove him out of the way. Hence slander, scandal, backbiting, lies, are invented, reported, propagated: and in general, it becomes a difficult matter among such misrepresentations to know a man's real character.

And, whilst vice universally thus prevails in the world, those who are separated from the world will find the remainders of the same corrupt temper. If you see a brother, whose graces are more eminent, and whose advancement in the divine life surpasses your own; especially if thereby he is highly esteemed by those, whose favour you value; above all, if his superior piety eclipses and makes you less taken notice of; you must be very deeply humbled indeed, if envious jea lousy against such an one does not find a place in your heart.

6thly, Hatred: "This is the settled dislike of those by whom we have been injured, or whose

conduct in any manner reproaches us." Thus "Esau hated Jacob" for depriving him of his blessing, "and in his heart said, The days of mourning for my father are at hand, then will I slay my brother Jacob." (Gen. xxvii. 41.) And our hatred betrays itself on the appearance of the person disliked, especially if it be unexpected. When "his brethren beheld Joseph afar off, they said, Behold, this dreamer cometh," (Gen. xxxvii. 18, 19.) and took counsel to slay him. You hear it often said, "I forgive, but I cannot forget.' Here the root remains. Though an apparent reconciliation seems for a time to heal the wound, it continues to fester within. This is the case in a thousand particulars which might be instanced, but it appears no where more frequently than where religion is concerned. There is an eternal "enmity put between the seed of the serpent and the seed of the woman;" (Gen. iii. 15.) and those who are of the latter must be hated of the former. As their light "reproves abidingly the works of darkness, and testifies of the world that its deeds are evil," (Eph. v. 11, 13.) it cannot but produce hatred. Since the day that Cain hated Abel," because his works were righteous," so it is still. "He that is born after the flesh, persecutes and hates him that is born after the spirit." (Gal. iv. 29.) And no marvel: "He that was a murderer from the beginning," could not but stamp this strong mark of his image upon the fallen heart.

7thly, Malice: this is envy and hatred united and heightened. It is peculiarly the spirit of the devil. "It is the delight men feel in the wickedness or misfortunes of others, particularly of their enemies." This temper shews itself abundantly in the world. There is indeed a conspiracy againstGod: not content to serve the devila

little, we seem ambitious to serve him much; as though it was our veriest happiness. To engage a number to join in the same "excess of riot;' to see the drunkenness or quarrels of others; to teize and exasperate those whom you know to be fretful; especially to prevail on some, who made profession of religion, to betray it; what satisfaction does it give to the heart? And how ready are you to glory over them, and, devil-like, turni accuser, and report, and reproach them for the very sins you tempted them to commit ? You hear something evil of your enemy, and how happy are you to run open-mouthed into the world and spread it, heightened by your relation? One differs from you in his religious sentiments, and happens to give a handle for offence. How confidently you attribute it to the corruptness of his principles, and reproach the whole body for the faults of an individual? If any misery or calamity hath befallen the object of your hatred, doth not your heart feel a secret glow? Does your rival in trade fail, what a satisfaction? Is he that troubled you called off by death? The tolling-bell is music in your ears. Is your adversary fallen? immediately your cry is, "there, there, so would we have it." (Psal. xxxv. 25.) These are the indications of the malicious spirit,

Sthly, Revenge brings up the rear; the last, but not the least of our spiritual wickednesses. "It is the desire or actual infliction of some punishment, according to the dictates of malice, on those who have offended us." "Vengeance is mine, I will repay, saith the Lord.”. (Rom. xii. 19.) But man, the arrogant assumer of God's prerogatives, would be saying, nay, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay." Hence the contrivances how to return the injuries we have suffered; the

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watching the best time and opportunity for it the restlessness till that time comes; the eagerness to seize the moment; the violence if your adversary falls into your power; and the pleasure you take in tormenting when occasion offers.— It is a common saying, "Revenge is sweet ;" and it is a true one: yet what a dreadful mark of a diabolical spirit, and an especial proof of the doctrine advanced in the text, "that the heart is above all things desperately wicked?"

If the hints above given have the blessed ef-* fects of leading us more experimentally into the knowledge of ourselves, then shall not our labour have been bestowed in vain. For the following effects will be produced by it :

1. In proportion as we discover the vileness of our nature, we shall have admiring apprehensions of the riches of God's grace, who thought upon us in this low, this deplorably wretched and wicked estate. That when we were the enemies of God and his law, and no one trace of any thing pleasing remained, but "evil, and that continually," was found in us; that when we were become abominable, yea altogether abominable; that when by nature we were as apostate from God as the devils themselves; that then God should have compassion on us: that then he "should think towards us thoughts of peace, and not of evil;" that then he should plan out a covenant of redemption; that then he should give his own Son; that then "the brightness of the Father's glory" should be incarnate; that then he should lay on him the sins of the whole world;" that then "in his own body on the tree he should take away sin by the sacrifice of himself; "that then he should bleed and groan and die in torment, in ignominy, in dereliction, for us, miserable sinners; for us, ungodly; for us,

his enemies; for us, that were fallen, into the belly of hell; that he might redeem, justify, sanctify, glorify us. "This in deed is love! (1 John iv. 10.) Love, "the height and length and breadth & depth of which surpasseth knowledge." (Eph. iii. 18, 16.) Did we know more of ourselves we should know more of God's love to us; and because" much hath been forgiven us," be led to "love him much." (Luke vii. 47.) What a motive is this to search into the depth of corruption, that we may feel ourselves more constrainedly the debt of gratitude!

2. If such is our nature as hath been described, how absolutely necessary does is appear, and how little need we marvel at what Christ said, except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God;" (John iii.) These cannot be the tempers which make us "meet for an inheritance among the saints in light." Whilst they are undiscovered and unsubdued, "what communion can there be between righteousness and unrighteousness, Christ and Belial ?" The necessity of the new-birth, of a real participation of a divine nature, of a change, not of names or opinions or outsides, but of heart, is indeed at present strangely unknown or derided; whilst one part think their nature good enough, and regeneration no better than mystic Enthusiasm; and the other, that if we have been baptized in the church, have partaken of her ordinances, led a decent life, and shewn a zeal for the externals of religion, that then we have all the regeneration which the scripture exhorts us to look for. But alas! the superficial religion of the latter is as far from real conversion of heart, as the blindness or infidelity of the former. We must be born again; we must experimentally know a transition" from death unto life, (John v. 24,)