Book II, Part 1, Chapter 5. Remedies against Envy

1. Envy is a sorrow at other men's goods, and a repining at their happiness, that is, at great persons, because the envious man sees he cannot be equal to them ; at his inferiors, because they endeavor to equal him ; and at his equals, because they vie with him. Thus Saul envied David, and the Pharisees Christ, to that degree as to procure his death ; 1 Kings xix. For this passion is so cruel as not to spare even such persons as these. This sin is mortal in its kind, because it is as directly opposite to charity as hatred is ; though it often proves not to be mortal, which, as in all other sins, so in this of envy happens, when the envy is not consummate. For as there is a downright hatred, and a sort of an aversion, which cannot be called a perfect hatred, though it is not far from it, there is also a perfect and an imperfect envy ; but the latter leads to the former.

2. This is one of the most powerful and most prejudicial sins that is, and which of all others has the greatest command and rule in the world, but particularly in courts and great men's houses. Nay, there is no society, community or monastery, that can escape it. What man is there, then, that can defend himself against this monster ? Who is there so happy as neither to envy others, nor to be envied himself? For when a man considers what envy there has been in former times ; — I do not speak of tha t which was between the two brothers, Romulus and Remus, tht first founders of Rome, but of that which was between the two brothers who first peopled the world, and went so far as to make one of them kill the other (Gen. iv.) ; of that which Joseph's brothers bore him, when they sold him for a slave (Gen. xxxvii) ; of that which was between our Saviour's disciples themselves, before the Holy Ghost's coming down upon them (Luke xxii); and above all, of that which Aaron and Mary, the chosen of God, bore their brother Moses ; Numb. xii. ; — when a man reflects upon all this, what must he think of other men in the world, who are neither so holy as these persons were, nor so nearly related to one another? This is certainly one of the vices that most predominates in the world, and does the most mischief without making any noise. For its proper effect is to persecute good men, and such as are esteemed for their virtue and other commendable qualities. This is its chief aim : for this reason Solomon says, " That men's pains and labors lie all open to the envy of their neighbor ;" Eccles. iv. 4.

3. You ought, therefore, upon this consideration, to be very cautious, and to arm yourself well against this enemy, by continual prayer to God to assist you against him, and by being careful of rejecting it upon all occasions. And if it should continue still to solicit and disturb you, be you still constant and vigorous in beating it off; for it matters not, though the malicious flesh feel the slight stroke of this weak motion, so long as the will does not consent to it. So that if at any time you should see your neighbor or friend in a happier and more thriving condition than yourself, thank God for it, and persuade yourself either you have not deserved to fare so well as he does, or, at least, that it is not requisite you should ; and never forget, that to envy another man's happiness is no relief to your poverty, but rather an increase and addition to your misery.

4. But if you would know what weapons you must make use of against this vice, let them be the following considerations : — Consider, therefore, in the first place, that envious persons resemble the devils, who are extremely troubled at the good works we do, and at the eternal happiness we are capable of ; and this, not because men losing this happiness can give them any hopes of obtaining it, for they are out of all hopes of ever recovering it again, but because men that are formed out of the dust of the earth enjoy what they have for ever lost. It was this that made St. Augustine say, in his book of Christian Doctrine, " God preserve not only the hearts of Christians, but of all mankind, from ever falling into this vice ; because it is diabolical, particularly imposed upon the devil, and for which he will suffer for all eternity without any reprieve or respite." For the devil is not punished for committing adultery, or for any robbery or theft he has been guilty of, but for having envied man, that stood when he was fallen. So envious men, like the devils, envy other persons not so much because they pretend to be as happy as those others are, as because they would have those others as miserable as themselves. Consider, therefore, O envious man, that you would not be the better for those goods for which you envy another, though he whom you envy had them not ; so that, if his having what he has be no prejudice to you, you have no reason to be troubled at it. If you envy another man's virtue, consider you are in this point your own enemy, because there is no good work your neighbor does which you have not a share in, if you are in but the state of grace ; and the more he merits, the more you gain for yourself. You have so little reason, therefore, to envy his virtue, that you ought to rejoice both of his profit and your own, since you have a share in his good. Consider, therefore, what a misfortune it is, that your neighbor's growing better should make you grow worse ; whereas those very goods which you cannot have would be yours through charity, if you would but love them in your neighbor ; and by this means you would enjoy the benefit of other men's labors, without taking any pains yourself.

5. Consider that envy burns up the heart, parches the flesh, wearies the understanding, robs a man of his peace of conscience, banishes all kinds of joy and pleasure from the soul, and makes him melancholy and uneasy all his life-time. It is like a worm that generates in wood, which gnaws away and consumes the very wood that gave it being. After the same manner, the first thing that envy preys on is the heart itself, from whence it receives its rise and origin. When once it has corrupted the heart, it soon disfigures and changes the color of the face ; and you may guess by the outward paleness at the disturbance and trouble there is within. For there is no judge in the world so severe as this vice is against itself, for it is perpetually punishing and tormenting its own author. And, therefore, several learned men very properly call it just, not because it is really so, being a heinous sin, but because it is itself a punishment to him that has it, and so far does justice on him.

6. Consider also how opposite it is to charity, which is God, and how much against the common good, which every one should promote, as far as he can ; for to envy another man's happiness, and to hate those persons whom God had created and redeemed, and on whom he is continually bestowing so many favors, what is this but to dislike and undo what God has done in will at least,

• and in desire, if not in effect and actions ? But if you would have a more efficacious remedy against this poison, love humility and abhor sin, which is the mother of this plague. Because a proud man, not being able to endure any one above, or even equal to him, is easily wrought on to envy those persons who have any kind of advantage over him, persuading himself, that the higher another man rises, he must of "Course fall the lower. The apostle was very sensible of this, when he said, " Let us not be desirous of vain-glory, challenging one another, envying one another" •(Galat. v. 26) ; designing by these words to disarm the envy, and therefore begins with ambition, which is the very root from whence it springs. For the same reason you should wean your affections from the love of worldly riches, and fix it upon none but the spiritual, and on the inheritance you are to have in heaven ; because this treasure is of such a nature that it will never grow less, because there are many to enjoy it ; for, on the contrary, the more there are to possess it, the more it increases; whereas worldly riches, the more they are distributed, the sooner they are diminished. Therefore it is that envy torments the soul of him that covets this kind of wealth, because another person, getting what he covets, either deprives him entirely of it, or at least diminishes what he would have had. For a man can scarce forbear being troubled if another carries away that which he had set his heart on.

7. Nay, it is not enough for you to be troubled at your neigh-the sinner's guide. 30o bor's prosperity, you must further endeavor to do him all the good you can, and pray to God that he would be pleased to assist him in what you cannot. Hate no man, love your friends in God, and your enemies for the sake of God, who has such a tender and passionate love for you, though you were first his enemy, as to lay down his life to deliver you from the power of your enemies. And though your neighbor be a wicked man, yet you are not to hate him for his being so, but in such a case you must act the part of a physician who loves his patient, though he hates his distemper ; and this is nothing else but to love what God has done, and hate that which has been done by man. Never say within yourself, What have I to do with this man ? or what am I obliged to that man for ? I do not know him ; he is no relation of mine ; he never did me any good turn, but I am sure he has done me many a bad one. All you have to do is, to reflect on those infinite favors you have received from God, without ever having deserved them. All the return he requires is that you would be liberal and kind, not to him, for he has no need of any of your riches, but to your neighbor, whom he has recommended to you.