92SermonsofJonathanEdwards (continued)
III. The reason and evidence of the doctrine stated; or, to show that it is so, and why it is so, that a Christian spirit is thus the opposite of a spirit of envy. And this will appear if we consider three things: first, how much a spirit and practice contrary to an envious spirit is insisted on in the precepts that Christ has given; second, how much the history and doctrines of the gospel hold forth to enforce these precepts; and, third, how much a spirit of Christian love will dispose us to yield to the authority of these precepts, and the influence of the motives enforcing them. And,
1. A spirit and practice entirely contrary to an envious spirit is much insisted on in the precepts of Christ. — The New Testament is full of precepts of goodwill to others, and of precepts enjoining the principles of meekness, humility, and beneficence, all of which are opposed to a spirit of envy. In addition to these, we have many particular warnings against envy itself. The apostle exhorts (Rom. 13:13) that we "walk honestly, as in the day,… not in strife and envying;" and again (1 Cor. 3:3), he blames the Corinthians as being yet carnal, because there was envying among them; and still again (2 Cor. 12:20),he mentions his fears concerning them, lest he should find among them envyings, and that, too, coupled, as envyings too often are, with "wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults;" and again (Gal. 5:21), envy is ranked among the abominable works of the flesh, such as "murders, drunkenness, revellings," etc.; and again (1 Tim. 6:4), it is condemned as implying great wickedness; and again (Titus 3:3), it is mentioned as one of the hateful sins that Christians had lived in before their conversion, but which they are now redeemed from, and therefore should confess and forsake. And in the same spirit, the apostle James (Jam. 3:14, 16) speaks of envy as exceeding contrary to Christianity, and as connected with every evil work, being earthly, sensual, devilish; and he warns us against it (Jam. 5:9), saying, "Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the Judge standeth before the door;" and, to quote but one more instance, the apostle Peter (1 Pet. 2:1, 2) warns us against all envies, as connected with various other evils, and as preventing our growth in divine things.