The first Pointe

ENuy is a disordinate sadnesse for the goods of our neighbour when it excelleth and obscu∣reth ours. It springeth from pride, and is accompa∣ned with wrathe: so that the actes of these two vices doe accompanie it. The most ordinary are to abhorre my neighbour because his Prosperitie maketh mee sad: to reioyce at his fall, to grieue at his exalting: to heare his praise with paine, and his dispraise with delight: to murmur at him and his affaires, procuring to drowne, and vnder-value them, and vsing meanes to attaine to this ende.

1. Enuy feedeth itselfe in all kindes both of good and euill: from whence wee may collect foure sortes of Enuy. The first, and grossest Enuy is, to see others surpasse mee in temporall goods of wealthe, honour, dignitie, fauour with princes, beautie of body, and other such like excellecies. This is proper to world∣lings, and springeth from that pride which in the eighth meditation wee call worldely pride.

2 Another greater Enuy is fedde vpon letters, scien∣ces, habilities, and artes, and in those excellen∣cies which touche the vnderstanding. This Enuie assaileth those that professe studie, and it is mixed with obstinacye, and contentions, and with other vnlawfull meanes for a man to exalt his owne ho∣nour, and to abase, and vngilde another mans.

3. An other Enuy much greater feedeth vpon spiritu, all vertues, and goods, beeing sad that any others should haue any excellencie therein, or should bee honoured, and praised as holy men. This proceedeth from that pride which wee call spiritual, and setteth vpon those that conuerse with vertue: & it is most familiar, to principiants, and hipocrites.

4. Finally when this augmenteth it arriueth to the supremest degree, * which is called Enuie of gra∣ce, and brotherly charitye; and it is one of those sinnes which are against the holy Ghoste, beeing sad, and heauy that our neighbour should bee vertuous, and should haue the graces, and giftes of the holy spirit, wishing that hee had them not: from whence proceedeth the most grieuous sinne of scandal; which is, to saie, or doe something to cause our neighbour to loose grace, and charitie. Such was the enuie of the diuell against man, by the which (saieth the wi∣seman) deathe entred into the worlde, * whome all they imitate that are of his faction. This might suf∣fice to abhorre this so abominable vice, which ma∣keth mee an imitatour of sathan. And so confoun∣ding Page  265myselfe for the sinne which in this matter I haue committed, I will saye to myselfe: seeing thou wast called to imitate Christ, imitate not his enemie, for if thou imitatest him inenuie, thou shallt bee partaker of the deathe that entred thereby.