"earth; and Abel alfo himself brought "of the firstlings of his fheep and of the "fat of them. And God had refpect to "Abel and to his gifts; but unto Cain and "to his facrifices he gave no regard. And "Cain was fore grieved, and fell upon "his face. And God faid unto Cain, Why "art thou furrounded with grief? and "wherefore is thy countenance fallen, if "thou bring thine offering lawfully? but "if thou divide not lawfully, haft thou "not tranfgreffed? Be filent; his turning "fhall be towards thee, and thou fhalt "rule over him. And Cain faid unto his "brother Abel, Let us go out into the "field. And it came to pafs, when they "were in the field, Cain rofe upon his "brother Abel, and flew him." You fee, brethren, emulation and envy murdered a brother. By reason of emulation our father Jacob fled from the face of his brother Efaut. Envy was the cause that Jofeph

* Gen. iv. 3. † Gen. xxvii.

Jofeph was perfecuted even unto death, and was almost driven into flavery t. Emulation forced Mofes to fly from the face of Pharaoh king of Egypt, when he heard one of his own tribe fay unto him, "Who "appointed thee a ruler and judge over

66

us? wilt thou kill me in the fame man"ner thou killed ft the Egyptian yefter

day?" By reafon of envy, Aaron and Miriam were put without the campf. Envy drove Dathan and Abiram alive into the separate state ‡, because they raised fedition against Mofes the faithful fervant of God. By reason of emulation, David was envied not only by ftrangers, but alalfo fuffered perfecution from Saul the king of Ifrael.

V.

BUT leaving the examples of the ancients, let us proceed to the wrestlers of our own times. Let us take the generous

*Exod. ii. 14. † Numb. xii. Numb. xvi. examples

FIXy honour and ent be towed on you; ther fulfilled, "Mu k

ment was

are was

Frink,

Hence proceeded envy, Erfe, feditione, tumultuous contin, personi

and captivity Hence they who were co

examples of our own age. By reafon of emulation and envy, the faithful and moft upright pillars of the church were perfecuted even unto a terrible death. Let us fet before our eyes the good apostles. Peter, by reason of unrighteous emulation, fuffered not one or two, but many painful labours; and thus, having fuffered martyrdom, he went to his due place of glory. By reafon of emulation, Paul carried away the prize of long-fuffering, being feven times bound, beaten with rods, ftoned: was made a preacher both in the east and weft: he received the excellent glory of his faith, instructing the whole world in righteoufness: he came to the outmost borders of the weft, fuffering martyrdom under the high powers. Thus he departed out of the world, and went into the holy place, and was made the greatest example of persever

ance.