ke away
a tale-bearer, and strife ceaseth, Prov. xxvi. 20. Let there be but any
(as there want not such who have no other trade or occupation), to whisper
into the ears of brethren, and suggest evil apprehensions of them, they
will separate chief friends, as we see it in daily experience, Prov. xvi.
28. "Revilers" are amongst these who are excluded out of the kingdom of
God, 1 Cor. vi. 10. And therefore, as the Holy Ghost gives general
precepts for the profitable and edifying improvement of the tongue, that
so it may indeed be the glory of a man, (which truly is no small point of
religion, as James expresses, Chap. iii. 2. "If any man offend not in
word, the same is a perfect man,") so that same spirit gives us particular
directions about this, "Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that
speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of
the law, and judgeth the law," (James iv. 11.) because he puts himself in
the place of the Lawgiver, and his own judgment and fancy in the room of
the law, and so judges the law. And therefore the Apostle Peter makes a
wise and significant connection, 1 Pet. ii. 1. "Laying aside all malice,
and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil-speakings."
Truly, evil speaking of our brethren, though it may be true, yet it
proceeds out of the abundance of these, in the heart, of guile, hypocrisy,
and envy. While we catch at a name of piety from censuring others, and
build our own estimation upon the ruins of another's good name, hypocrisy
and envy are too predominant. If we would indeed grow in grace by the
word, and taste more how gracious the Lord is, we must lay these aside,
and become as little children, without guile, and without gall. Many
account it excuse enough, that they did not invent evil tales, or were not
the first broachers of them; but the Scripture joins both together. The
man that "shall abide in his tabernacle" must neither vent nor invent
them, neither cast them down nor take them up, "He backbiteth not with his
tongue, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour;" (Psal. xv. 3.) or
_receiveth not_ or _endureth not_, as in the margin. He neither gives it
nor receives he it, hath not a tongue to speak of others' faults, nor ear
to hear them. Indeed he hath a tongue to confess his own, and an ear open
to hear another confess his faults, according to that precept, "Confess
your faults one to another." We are forbidden to have much society or