" said he, "was not this ointment
sold, and given to the poor?" His covetous heart prompted him to detract
from that action which Jesus, in His love, pronounced as a _good work_,
which should be spoken of as such, wherever the gospel was preached.

8. _A detractor regards not the general good character of a man's
conversation_ or discourse which is obvious, but attacks the part which
is defective, though less discernible to other eyes than his own; like a
man who, looking upon a body admirably beautiful, sees only a wart on
the back of one hand to attract his particular attention; or like the
man who overlooks the glories of the sun because of its spots.

Such are the chief particulars composing the character of the detractor.

We may now briefly notice some of the _causes_ which influence the
detractor in his talk.

1. _Ill nature and bad humour._--As good nature and ingenuous
disposition incline men to observe and commend what appears best in our
neighbour; so malignity of temper and heart prompt to seek and to find
the worst. One, like a bee, gathers honey out of any herb; the other,
like a spider, sucks poison out of the sweetest flower.

2. _Pride and inordinate self-importance._--The detractor would draw
all praise and glory to himself; he would be the only excellent person;
therefore he would jostle the worth of another out of the way, that it
may not endanger his; or lessen it by being a rival, that it may not
outshine his reputation, or in any degree eclipse it.

3. _Envy._--A detractor likes not to see a brother stand in the good
esteem of others, therefore he aims at the deterioration of his
character; his _eye_ is _evil_ and _sore_, hence he would quench or
becloud the light that dazzles it.

4. _Ungodly revenge._--His neighbour's good practice condemns his bad
life; his neighbour's worth disparages his unworthiness; this he
conceives highly prejudicial to him; hence in revenge he labours to
vilify the worth and good works of his neighbour.

5. _Sense of weakness, want of courage, or despondency of his own
ability._--He who is conscious of his own strength and industry will
allow to others the commendation becoming their ability. As he would not
lose the fruits of his own deserts, so he takes it for granted that
others should enjoy theirs also. To deprive them were to prejudice his
own claims. But he that feels himself destitute of worth, and despairs
of reaching the good favour of society, is thence