r is certainly most partial to itself, and self indulgent. It can
sooner endure a great beam in its own eye, than a little mote in its
neighbour's, and this shows evidently that it is not the hatred of sin, or
the love of virtue, which is the single and simple principle of it, but
self love, shrouded under the vail of displeasure at sin, and delight in
virtue. I would think one great help to amend this, were to abate much
from the superfluity and multitude of discourses upon others. "In the
multitude of words there wants not sin," and in the multitude of
discourses upon other men, there cannot miss the sin of rash judging. I
find the saints and fearers of God commended for speaking often one to
another, but not at all for speaking one of another. The subject of their
discourse (Mal. iii. 16.) certainly was of another strain,--how good it was
to serve the Lord, &c.--opposite to the evil communication of others there
registered.

Charity is no tale bearer. It goeth not about as a slander to reveal a
secret, though true, Prov. xx. 19. It is of a faithful spirit to conceal
the matter, Prov. xi. 13. Another man's good name is as a pledge laid down
in our hand, which every man should faithfully restore, and take heed how
he lose it, or alienate it by back-biting. Some would have nothing to say,
if they had not other's faults and frailties to declaim upon, but it were
better that such kept always silent, that either they had no ears to hear
of them or know them, or had no tongues to vent them. If they do not lie
grossly in it, they think they do no wrong. But let them judge it in
reference to themselves. "A good name is better than precious ointment,"
(Eccles. vii. 1.) "and rather to be chosen than great riches," Prov. xxii.
1. And is that no wrong, to defile that precious ointment, and to rob or
steal away that jewel more precious than great riches? There is a strange
connection between these. "Thou shalt not go up and down as a tale-bearer,
nor stand against the blood of thy neighbour," Lev. xix. 16. It is a kind
of murder, because it kills that which is as precious as life to an
ingenuous heart. "The words of a tale bearer are as wounds, and they go
down to the innermost parts of the belly," Prov. xviii. 8 and xxvi. 22.
They strike a wound to any man's heart, that can hardly be cured, and
there is nothing that is such a seminary of contention and strife among
brethren as this. It is the oil to feed the flame of alienation. Ta