another's wealth, or richer by another's poverty: he will look, without malignity, upon superiority, either external or intellectual: he will be willing to learn of those that excel in wisdom, and receive instruction with thankfulness; he will be willing to impart his knowledge, without fearing lest he should impair his own importance by the improvement of his hearer.
How much this generous sympathy would conduce to the comfort and stability of life, a little consideration will convince us. Whence are all the arts of slanders and depreciation, but from our unwillingness to see others greater, or wiser, or happier, than ourselves? Whence is a great part of the splendour, and all the ostentation of high rank, but to receive pleasure from the contemplation of those who cannot attain dignity and riches, or to give pain to them who look with malignity on those acquisitions which they have desired in vain? Whence is the pain which vanity suffers from neglect, but that it exacted painful homage, and honour which is received with more delight, as it is more unwillingly conferred? The pleasures of comparative excellence have commonly their source in the pain of others, and, therefore, are such pleasures as the apostle warns the Christians not to, indulge.
Thirdly: In pursuance of his injunctions to be of one mind, and to sympathize one with another, he directs them, to love as brethren, or to be lovers of the brethren. (Hammond.) He endeavours to establish a species of fraternity among Christians; that, as they have all one faith, they may have all one interest, and consider themselves as a family that must prosper, or suffer all together, and share whatever may befall, either of good or evil. The highest degree of friendship is called brotherly love; and the term by which man is endeared to man, in the language of the gospel, is the appellation of brother. We are all brethren by our common relation to the universal Father; but that relation is often forgotten amongst the contrariety of opinions, and opposition of passions, which disturb the peace of the world.
