suspicious disposition. "Jealousy," says Solomon, "is cruel as the
grave: the coals thereof are the coals of fire, which hath a most
vehement flame." Nor is this language too intense. A jealous person
always sees a "snake in the grass." He is afraid to trust his most
intimate friend. He puts the worst construction upon the language and
conduct of others that they will bear: hence he conceives himself
grossly insulted, when no ill was designed; and a gentle rebuke, or a
good-humored repartee, constitutes an unpardonable offence. He always
looks on the dark side of human character, so that a single foible or
one glaring fault will eclipse a thousand real excellences. He is always
complaining of the degeneracy of the times, and especially of the
corruption of the church; for he can see nobody around him who is
perfect, and therefore he comes to the conclusion that there is very
little piety in the world; forgetting that, were he to find a church of
immaculate purity, his own connection with it would introduce
corruption. Should such a person conceive it to be his duty to tell you
all your faults, woe betide you! for desirable as self-knowledge is, it
is no kindness to have our faults aggravated a hundred-fold, and
concentrated before our minds like the converging rays of the sun, in
one focal blaze, nor poured upon our heads like the sweeping torrent,
nor eked out like the incessant patterings of a drizzling rain. Thus did
not Paul. When he felt it his duty to reprove, he was careful to commend
what was praiseworthy, and to throw in some expressions of kindness
along with his censures. And here, though it be a digression, let me
conjure you never to undertake the unthankful office of censor. You will
find some inexperienced persons who will desire you, as an office of
friendship, to tell them all their faults. Be sure, if you undertake
this with a friend, your friendship will be short. It will lead you to
look continually at the dark side of your friend's character, and,
before you are aware, you will find yourself losing your esteem for it.
Very soon, you will beget the suspicion that you have conceived some
dislike. If the cause is continued, this suspicion will corrode and
increase; and the result will be, a mutual alienation of affection.
However sincerely such an experiment may be entered upon, it can hardly
fail, in the nature of things, to produce this result.

It may, however, be said, that we are bound, by our cove