The Vanity of the Lives and Passions of Men, Chapter 20
CHAP. XX.
Of the vanity of the paſsion of Envie.
CImon the famous general of the Athenian Commonwealth, hearing a friend of his highly commending his martial Atchievments, Anſwered, That he feared they were not werthy commendation, becauſe they were not envied. See Plutarch in Cimons life.Intimating that in thoſe days, the noble and generous actions of the moſt valorous and vertuous men were the only object of the Athenians Envie. But Plutarch in his life giveth ſufficient reaſon why Cimons actions were not envied by the Athenians, as the actions of Solon, Themiſtocles, Alcibìades, and Ariſtides were in their time (for through envie of their vertue, they baniſhed them all for ten years,) viz. becauſe of his extraordinary liberality ſhewed to the common people; for he having great and ſpacious Demains about the City of Athens, relieved the poorer ſort with corn when it was dear, and every year at Lammas laid open the Gates of his Cloſing to relieve their Cattel: And this liberality of his did quench the fire of Envie, ſtopped the mouths of envions men, as conceiving his own prodigality would bring him lower, and make him poorer then their own envie could wiſh or deſire. Ariſtides was one of the moſt juſt and upright Magiſtrates that ever was in Athens, and for his Juſtice, Prudence, Temperance, and other rare Vertues was called Ariſtides the juſt, and by conſequence more envyed by the common people then any other. Therefore his name being written in the Liſt of ſuch as the people did deſire to baniſh that yeer, the day appointed for the collecting of the peoples Votes being come,See Plutarch in Ariſtides life. a Country-fellow that could neither write nor read, came amongſt the reſt to give his voyce; and becauſe the Athenians gave their Voyces by Tickets, he addreſſed himſelf to Ariſtides, deſiring him to write Ariſtides name in that Ticket, whereupon Ariſtides aſtoniſhed, demanded of him, Whether he knew Ariſtides, and what injury he had done unto him, that moved him to deſire he ſhould be baniſhed; I know him not, ſaid the fellow, neither hath he done me any injury; but I cannot endure to hear him called Ariſtides the Juſt; whereupon Ariſtides without diſcloſing of himſelf,The common object of Envie is goodneſs and vertue. write his name in the Ticket, and gave it to the Fellow: And was the ſame day exiled by the major part of the voyces of the people. By this it appears that goodneſs and vertue is the common object of envie. Give me leave therefore to enlarge my Diſcourſe upon theſe particulars, to diſcover the venome of this vitious paſſion.
1. On the definition of Envie.
2. On the nature, cauſes, and proprieties of it.
3. On the evil Effects of Envie.
4. On the means or remedies for the curbing of it.
Firſt, Envie is a mixt Paſſion, compoſed of cupidity, wrath, and hatred; cupidity makes it vile and baſe; wrath, fiery and furious; and hatred makes it loathſome and odious. And by the mixture of theſe three pernitious ingredients, it becomes one of the worſt paſſions incident to men; for where it raigneth, it produceth nothing but anguiſh, grief, and ſorrow of heart, and no profit, joy, or pleaſure at all. Envie, ſaith the Biſhop of Marſeilles, is a ſordid paſſion,See p. 369. of the Book upon this Paſſion. begetting a repining grief and ſorrow in the hearts of men who are poſſeſſed with it.
2. The Nature, Cauſes and Proprieties of this paſſion of Envie may be theſe: Firſt,The nature of Envie. Envie is by accident of a cold and dry nature, having a ſhrinking quality, like unto that of Fear and Sorrow; for although Wrath, of which it is compoſed, be hot and fiery, yet being turned into Hatred, it loſeth its natural heat, becomes cold by accident, as the humor of the yellow Choler, which is hot, being burned, changeth its nature, and is turned into a cold melancholy humor. Secondly, the cauſes of Envie are theſe:
1. Pride.
2. Self-love.
3. Malice.
Firſt, Pride-begetteth Envie; for all ſuch as are proud, repine and grieve to ſee others to excel them in honours,The cauſes of Envie. riches, pleaſures, or in moral Vertues, and ſpiritual graces.
Secondly, Self-love is the cauſe of Envie; for ſuch as are poſſeſſed with ſelf-love, cannot endure that others ſhould be accounted more valiant, nor more learned, vertuous, or righteous then they.
Thirdly, Malice breeds Envie; for malitious men cannot ſee without grief and ſorrow their Neighbours proſperity; and all theſe ſhall be proved by inſtances, when I ſhall ſpeak of the malitious effects of this paſſion of Envie.
The firſt proprietie of Envie is,The evil Proprieties of Envie. that ſuch as are tranſported with it, never envie thoſe who are of a lower degree then themſelves; for Envie doth ever aſcend and never deſcend, becauſe Envie is not like Hatred, which continues till death, and ſometimes after death, as it hath been proved in the Chapter of Hatred: but it encreaſeth or decreaſeth according to the proſperity or adverſity of thoſe that are envied by others; for if the party envied, become poor, or fall into miſery, the envious party will change oftentimes his envie into compaſſion and pitty.
The ſecond Propriety of Envy is, That men of different Callings ſeldom envie one another: But Princes envie Princes, Commanders envie Commanders, Learned men envie the Leaned, Merchants envie Marchants, and Artificers envie Artificers of their own calling; for a Smith will not Envie a Carpenter, nor a Carpenter a Smith. Marius did envy Sylla, Pompeius Caeſar; Francis the Firſt King of France did envie the Emperour Charls the Fifth;See Plutarch in their lives, and the French and Spaniſh Hiſtories. and all theſe were Competitors of honour and glory. And likewiſe learned men never envie Generals of Armies, but they envie ſuch as they fear will outgo them in the Sciences they profeſs: Orators envie Orators, and Divines envie Divines; for the objects of this malitious paſſion are thoſe that excel others in Valour, Prudence, Honors, Riches, Pleaſures, Sciences, Arts and Piety.
The third Proprietie of Envie, is, That it enticeth men to cruelty, for if Might and Power happen to be in the hands of envious men, to ſatisfie their envie, they will commit all manner of injuſtice and Tyrannicall cruelty.
3. The effects of Envie have from the Creation to this day been deſtructive to mankinde. And the Painter that did firſt repreſent this Paſſion under the ſhape of a woman having a wrinkled face, ſquint-eyes, a crown of Snakes on her head,The evil effects of Envie. and a Vultur gnawing her breaſt, was well acquainted with the evil nature and pernitious effects of Envie. For the Feminine Sexe firſt intimates the puſillanimity of this Paſſion, Secondly, her wrinckled face repreſents the grief and ſorrow that is incident to ſuch as are poſſeſſed with envie. Thridly, her ſquint-eye demonſtrates the indirect objects of this paſſion. Fourthly, the crown of Snakes on her head, ſignifies the anxieties of their minde. Fifthly, The Vultur gnawing her breaſt, is a lively emblem of the wracking tortures wherewith Envie doth continually afflict the hearts of envions men.
The firſt effect of Envie proceeding from Pride, was the cruel murder of Abel; for the pride of Cains heart did beget in him this envie, becauſe his Sacrifice was rejected of the Lord, and Abels Sacrifice was accepted, as it appears by theſe words,Gen. 4.5. And the Lord had reſpect unto Abel, and to his Offering: But to Cain and to his Offering he had no reſpect.
The ſecond effect of Envie proceeding from Pride, was, when the hearts of the Phariſees puffed up with pride, did out of a malitious envie ſlander our bleſſed Saviour, ſaying unto him,Joh. 7.46. That he did caſt out Devils by the power of Belzebub the Prince of the Devils, becauſe they could not endure to hear their own Officers ſay, Never man ſpake like this man. The firſt effect of Envie proceeding from ſelf-love was this; Dionyſius Tyrant of Syracuſe cauſed the Poet Philoxenus to be ſold for a ſlave,See Plutarch in his Morals. becauſe he was generally reputed to be a better Poet then he. The ſecond effect proceeding from ſelf-love was this, That the Emperor Adrianus cauſed Favorinus and Meliſius, See Spartianus in Adrianus Life.two Learned men, to be baniſhed, becauſe they were generally reputed to be more learned in the Liberal Sciences then he. The firſt effect of Envie proceeding from Malice was this, that Joſephs brethren ſold him to the Midianite Merchants to be carryed and ſold as a Slave into Egypt; for being tranſported with Envie and Malice, they ſaid amongſt themſelves, Come now therefore, Gen. 37.20.and let us ſlay him, and caſt him into ſome Pit, and we will ſay, ſome evil beaſt hath devoured him, and we ſhall ſee what will become of his dreams. But God who had in his ſecret Decree otherwiſe diſpoſed of him, cauſed Judah to perſwade them he ſhould be ſold, and not ſlain. The ſecond effect of Envie proceeding from Malice was the malitious Envie of Saul againſt David. And for no other cauſe, but foraſmuch as God was pleaſed to bleſs him in all his deſigns and undertakings: And this Malice and Envie was ſo inveterate,1 Sam. 29. that when all his wiles miſcarryed, he perſwaded Michal his Daughter to betray her own Husband; but ſhe abhorring ſo baſe an act, out of love ſaved his life by a wile.
Fourthly, Tyranny and Cruelty is an effect of Envie; for the Envie of Marius againſt Sylla was the cauſe of a bloody Civil War: And the envie of Pompeius againſt Caeſar was the cauſe of a greater; and the Envie of Francis the Firſt againſt Charls the Fifth, was the cauſe of the death of a Million of men. The fifth effect of Envie is, That it begetteth ſhame and ignominy, becauſe envious men cannot excuſe nor palliate this Paſſion of Envie, as men can divers other paſſions. The ambitious man will excuſe his ambition, and will ſay it is an evidence of his generoſity of ſpirit, to aſpire to honours and places of Authority; that there is none but baſe-minded men who do affect to live obſcurely. The covetous man will varniſh over his avarice, and cloke the ſame by this paſſage of S. Paul, 1 Tim. 5.8.But if any provide not for his own Family, he hath denyed the Faith, and is worſe then an Infidel. The cholerick man will diſguiſe his wrath, and perſwade men it proceeds from a maſculine courage, and that there is none but cowards that will ſuffer injuries and affronts. The voluptuous man will diſguiſe his Vices, and ſay this, that joy, mirth and pleaſure are natural to men, and will pervert this paſſage of Solomons, Eccleſ. 3.22.I preceive there is nothing better that a man ſhould rejoyce in his own works. The timerous man will excuſe his puſillanimity, and ſay, that Fear is the mother of ſecurity, and that there is more prudence to be fearful then over-bold. The curious man will varniſh over his nice curioſity, and ſay it is comely and gentile to be apparrelled a la mode, and that none but Clowns will go after the old faſhion. In a word, men have excuſes to turn all their vitious paſſions into Vertues, Envie only excepted: for they diſclaim it and will not own it, becauſe it is ſhameful and ignominious. The laſt evil effect of Envie is, That it fils the minds and hearts of men with anguiſh, grief and ſorrow; for repining and diſcontent do follow envious men, as the Spaniel followeth his Maſter, and the ſhadow the body.See Plutarch in his Morals. The Philoſopher Anarcharis being demanded by a friend of his, why ſo many men were diſcontented; becauſe they conceive ſaith he, that their Neighbours condition is better then theirs; intimating that Envie is the greateſt diſturber of peace and tranquility of the minde, and that they that are addicted to this vile and baſe paſſion, can never be merry nor joyful. And Solomon the Prince of wiſdom, that was better able then any to judge of the evil nature and pernitious effects of mens paſſions, ſaith, that Envie is worſe then Wrath, as it appears by theſe words, Wrath is cruel, and anger is outragious, Prov. 27.4.but who is able to ſtand before Envie? To conclude, Envie is not only vanity, but a great torment and vexation of Spirit.
4. The chief means or remedies againſt this paſſion of Envie, are, prayer,The remedies againſt Envie. contentedneſs, charity, and ſelf-denial: Firſt, fervent Prayer to God is a ſpecial remedy againſt this paſſion; for Envie is one of the temptations of Satan, which cannot be overcome without God be pleaſed to give men power to duplicate page duplicate page caſt them like dirt into his face by the ſhield of Faith;Eph. 6.16. Whereby they may be able to quench all the fiery darts of the Wicked. Secondly, contentedneſs is an approved remedy againſt Envie; for if men were contented with the condition that God hath been pleaſed to ſet them in, they would never Envie the proſperity of their Neighbous; for this diſcontent that is ſo familiar to men, proceeds from their cupidity or covetouſneſs, which is one of the ingredients of the compoſure of this paſſion of Envie, and this cupidity is inſatiable, except men can obtain from God by fervent prayers this excellent grace of contentedneſs; for as S Paul ſaith, Godlineſs with contentment is great gain. 1 Tim 6.6.And were a man the abſolute Monarch of the whole World, yet without this grace of contentedneſs, his deſires would never be ſatisfied, but would envie and long for ſome other imaginary felicity or greater glory. And that is the reaſon why S. Paul doth exhort the Hebrews to be contented with ſuch things as they had, and that their converſation ſhould be without covetouſneſs; Let your converſation, Heb. 13.50.ſaith he, be without covetouſneſs, and be content with ſuch things as ye have; for he hath ſaid, I will never leave thee nor forſake thee. Thirdly, Charity is a ſoveraign remedy againſt Envie; for if men were in charity with all men, they would never envie at the proſperity of their Neighbours; and the only antidote againſt Wrath, which is another of the ingredients of the compoſure of this paſſion of Envie, is Charity; becauſe men that be endowed with the Grace of Charity, bear patiently all manner of injuries, For Charity, ſaith S. Paul, 1 Cor. 13.4.ſuffereth long, and is kinde. Fourthly, ſelf-denial is an excellent remedy againſt Envie; for men that deny themſelves drive all manner of hatred and Envie from their hearts. And hatred is the third ingredient of the compoſure of this paſſion of Envie; and our bleſſed Saviour doth tell us, that if we will imitate and come after him, Mark 8.34.we muſt deny our ſelves and take up his croſs and follow him. To conclude, If men would be fervent in prayers to obtain theſe foreſaid Graces, they would abhor and deteſt Envie more then they do the Peſtilence and the contagious diſeaſe of the Plague; for a grain of Envie is able to ſtain and blemiſh all the ſpiritual Graces of a Chriſtian.
FINIS.
End of the text · David Papillon, The Vanity of the Lives and Passions of Men (1651)