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 III. Charity obliges  us  to  rejoice  at  a  neighbor's  good, and to  banish  envy,  which  consists  in  a  feeling  of  regret at the  good  of  others,  inasmuch  as  it  is  an  obstacle  to our  own.

According to  St.  Thomas,  a  person  may  grieve  at  the good of  others  in  four  ways:

First, when  he  apprehends  that  their  advancement will be  detrimental  to  himself  or  to  others;  and  if  the loss sustained  be  unjust,  his  regret  is  not  envy,  and  may be blameless."  "  It  may  often  happen,"  says  St.  Gregory, "  that  without  losing  charity,  we  rejoice  at  the  ruin of an  enemy;  and  that  without  incurring  the  guilt  of envy,  we  feel  sorrow  at  his  exaltation,  when  by  his  downfall we  think  that  others  will  be  justly  exalted,  and  when we fear  that  by  his  prosperity  many  will  be  unjustly oppressed."

Secondly, when  a  person  grieves  not  because  others have been  prosperous,  but  because  he  himself  has  not been equally  successful. This grief  is  not  envy,  but  is, on the  contrary,  an  act  of  virtue  when  it  regards  spiritual goods.

Thirdly, when  he  regrets  the  success  of  others,  because he deems  them  unworthy  of  it;  and  this  sorrow  is  not sinful, when  he  believes  that  the  advantages,  dignity,  or riches  that  they  have  acquired  will  be  injurious  to  their salvation.

Fourthly, when  a  person  regrets  the  prosperity  of others,  because  it  is  an  obstacle  to  his  own  advancement: this  is  envy,  and  should  not  be  entertained. The Wise Man  says  that  the  envious  imitate  the  devil,  who instigated our  first  parents  to  sin,  because  he  was  grieved