when you are reading it." He left a wife and three children to mourn their irreparable loss. Mr. Pitman possessed naturally a strong and powerful mind. Had he been favoured with the advantages of an early education, he would have been one of the most distinguished preachers of his day. But the best encomium that can be bestowed on the deceased is, that not only did he merit the character of a good parent, friend and citizen, but in an eminent degree that of the sincere and conscientious Christian. One of his children when quite young, remarked, that "was there no other proof of the reality of the Christian religion than my fa ther's daily life and conversation, I must esteem it as divine." after his decease, a person whose religious sentiments were directly opposed to his, observed, "if there ever was a good man, John Pitman was one. He was not afraid to preach what he firmly believed. I believe he is gone to heaven." And balances and found wanting," and occasionally interrupted my sinful joys. My acquaintance with Mr. P. was but little until my residence was fixed in this town in 1792. Here my brother lived, and was then an esteemed and valued member of the Church, and from my first connection with the church, our love and intimacy commenced, which never suffered an hour's interruption for nearly 30 years. Perhaps but few, if any of his friends knew more his views, feelings, and deportment, than myself; and I ever found him the tried friend, the judicious counsellor, the upright man, and the faithful minister. He was always ready to serve his friends, hospitable to the poor, commiserating the condition of the afflicted, and averse to all deception. Into his friendly bosom, I was not afraid to impart my thoughts. He had adopted this maxim, viz. When a case of distress, or an application for pecuniary aid presented, to follow the first suggestion of his mind, as to the sum proper to be given. He has frequently remarked to me, such is the selfishness of the human heart, that we are prone to form excuses by reasoning long upon a subject which calls upon us to part with a portion of our property." 66 His preaching was plain, argumentative, and instructive. He never shunned to declare what he believed to be the truth, and was an able defender of the doctrines of grace. As he believed, so he preached; as he preached, so he lived, and refuted the fallacy of those who charge the doctrine of sovereign grace, in the calling, justifying, and sanctify. ing the chosen vessels of mercy, and keeping them by his power through faith unto salvation, as tending to licentiousness. I mean not to suggest that my dear friend was without flaw: No. Put them in mind to speak evil of no man." In this Epistle, Paul gives directions to Titus relative to the manner in which he must discharge his ministry. Among other things he was required to put the Cretans in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work, to speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men. It was important that the Cretans should be reminded of these things, and it is necessary that we should be. We will endeavour, I. To explainII. To enforce the prohibition contained in the text. I. This rule-speak evil of no man, does not forbid us in all cases to say any thing which will be for the discredit of our fellow men. In some instances, we are required to bear witness against our neighbour. In the church, it is sometimes necessary to testify against an offender. It is our duty to expose impostors. Sometimes in courts of law, jus tice may require us to say that Tit iii. 12. of another which will be much to his disgrace. To vindicate the injured character of a worthy individual, it may be necessary for us to bring to light the villanous deceits and falsehoods of a base man. Aspersions cast upon our character we are permitted to throw off, although we may thus speak that, which will be to the detriment of the assailant. But in all these cases there must be a rigid adherence to truth; nothing must be said for the purpose of gratifying resentment, or any other hateful propensity: our object must be to satisfy conscience, to promote the public good, or to vindicate injured justice. 1. This rule, (speak evil of no man,) forbids us to utter any thing falsely against our fellow men. This is directly forbidden in the ninth commandment. It is worse than mere evil speaking; it is falsehood, it is calumny. injure the reputation of another by the sacrifice of truth, i an accumulation of guilt, which is hardly exceeded by any one in the whole catalogue of vices." 2. It prohibits us from saying aught against our neighbour on mere suspicion. 3. It does not allow us to take up and circulate an evil report. It is one trait of character in the citizen of Zion, that "he taketh, not up reproach against his neighbour." Psal. xv. 3. 4. It forbids our publishing abroad those things which are true, if calculated to injure the character of a fellow creature, unless the glory of God, and the good of society, require it. This rule admits of a general application. No man's character ought to be needlessly attacked. How much more then does the rule apply in the following cases.-1. In relation to benefactors. How vile, how ungrateful! "Tis like lifting up the arm that was withered a gainst him that restored it." 2. In relation to magistrates. Many seem to suppose they have a special license in this particular. But the Scriptures are very express on the subject. Exod. xxii. 28. compared with Acts xxiii. 5. See also 2 Pet. ii. 10. Jude 8. Because we enjoy a high degree of civil liberty, it does not follow that we have a right to speak evil of the rulers of the people. Whatever is inconsistent with that honour, respect, and reverence due to magistrates, we may be certain is wrong. See Rom. xiii. 3. In regard to the various domestick relations. How improper, and how fraught with evil consequences, for husbands to speak evil of their wives, and wives of their husbands; parents of their children, and children of their parents; masters of their servants, and servants of their masters; and brothers and sisters of one another! From such dwellings, peace and happiness take their flight. 4. In relation to our christian brethren, and es pecially to the members of the same church. The church is the body of Christ, and the indi viduals of which it is composed, are members one of another. They have drank into one spirit, are redeemed by the same blood, journeying to the same inheritance. What can be more inconsistent than for such persons to speak evil one of another? On this particular, St. James has given us a special injunction. "Speak not evil one of another brethren." Besides, if we know, or have reason to suspect, that any member is guilty of improper conduct, the course we should: pursue is plainly marked out in the word of God. Lev. xix. 17.. Thou shalt not hate thy brother, in thy heart, thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him. See also Matt. xviii. 15-18. 5. The text forbids subtle and oblique insinuations against a man's character. This is often the worst kind of evil speaking. In such instances the "tongue is a sharp razor, working deceitfully." A deep wound is frequently inflicted on a person's character before any thing is suspected. "An hypocritical gloss, or a recommendatory preface, does not in the least abate the odiousness of the crime." It is adding hypocrisy to malevolence. Such an one is a very worthy person," says the detractor, "but I am very sorry to hear, he has been guilty of some imprudences: I hardly believe the report, and wish it might not be true." And perhaps, if he is asked to specify particulars, he professes to be very unwil ling to mention any thing to the injury of the person's reputation. Thus conjecture is left to imagine a thousand things which really have no existence: and the person may be suspected of crimes which he utterly abhors. Of a similar nature with the above, are the questions with which the character may be assailed. Such as, Have you heard this or that thing of such and such persons? Do you believe such a man could do this or that? &c. &c. Such insinuations and questions are, to use the emphatic language of Scripture, "alldevouring words." 6. But those acquainted with the original (Baaσnue) will perceive that the text not only relates to speaking evil of a person, but also, to a person. All bitter, revengeful, railing words, all those 66 grievous words" which "stir up strife," are prohibited. - II. The prohibition contained in the text is enforced by the most powerful considerations. 1. The Scriptures expressly condemn evil speaking. In addition to the words of the text, and the passage already quoted from Ps. xv. notice the following. 2 Cor. xii. 20. "I fear lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I would-lest there be debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, backbiting, whisperings, swellings, tumults." Eph.iv. 31. "Let all bitterness and wrath and anger, and clamour and evil speaking, be put away from among you, with all malice." Observe, evil speaking is enumerated in connection with some of the worst passions of which the human heart is suscep-tible. 1 Peter ii. 1. "Laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil -speakings," &c. The observa -tion just made is applicable to this verse also. 2. Evil speaking is a violation of the law of love. We are required to love our neighbour as ourselves. Did we possess this affection, it would restrain us from speaking evil of him. You affirm, that what you have said to the disparagement of another is true. Be it so. But are you willing to publish abroad the thousand faults you have committed? Self love will not permit. Now, if you love your neighbour as yourself, you will be as solicitous not to spread abroad his faults as you are to avoid an unnecessary exposure of your own. Consider further, if you felt this love, you would not readily credit an evil report. "Charity," saith Paul, "thinketh no evil " If we regulated all our discourse to, or concerning others, by the Saviour's GOLDEN RULE, Matt. vii. 12, we should never be guilty of evil speaking. 3. Evil speaking is a perversion of the gift of speech The Psalmist called his tongue his glory. See Ps. xvi 9. compared with Acts ii. 26. It is the glory of our frame. Speech is one of. those faculties which distinguishes man from the brutes. It is a most noble and valuable faculty. Think of its uses. It ought to be employed for those purposes for which it was imparted. But how is it perverted, when it is made the vehicle of misrepresentation, slander, calumny and railing! When thus abused, the tongue becomes a fire, a world of iniquity, setting on fire the course of nature, itself set on fire of hell! 4. Evil speaking has an unhappy influence on the person who practises it. He may possess a kind of enjoyment in traducing others. But it is a joy like that which Satan, the great Calumniator,* feels in doing mischief. Positive suffering is better than such joy. The more this pernicious habit is indulged, the stronger it becomes. And, as it is itself an indication of a harsh judging and condemning of others, so its tendency is to foster * Διάβολος. and strengthen a censorious spir it. Where this spirit has been indulged, the individual who possesses it, is ready to "make a man an offender for a word," a criminal construction is put on the most innocent expressions, strong prej udices are excited against others without foundation, and actions entirely unblameable are imputed to the vilest motives. Thus the unhappy man becomes his own tormentor, and in addition to this, lays himself open to much suffering from those whose resentment he provokes by his improper language. 5. By speaking evil of another, we may injure him in his character, usefulness, and business in life. Even one unguard ed expression may produce most Jamentable consequences. It is not so easy to efface, as it is to blot. The latter may be done in a moment, years may not effect the former. The writer well recollects that some remarks made to him relative to a worthy man produced unfavourable impressions that were not removed for months. The reputation of a man is too serious a matter to be tampered with. Dr. Percival, a moral writer, mentions a striking instance of the direful consequences of misrepresentation, though made in sport. A young nobleman,a student at Cambridge, Eng. while at London, and dining in a mixed company of persons of fashion, happened to sit near a grave old gentleman, who took the first opportunity of making particular inquiries concerning a youth, then at Cambridge, whom he knew to be intimately acquainted with this nobleman. The young man instantly suspected that the serious Don was a rich uncle of his friend; and determined that he would give such an account of the nephew, as should occasion a solemn letter of reproof, over which he hoped to regale himself on his return to college He accordingly represented his young friend as a gay, lively fellow, a lover of pleasure, and much addicted to gaming. From the alteration he perceived in the stranger's countenance, he was assured of the success of his misrepresentations; and on his return to Cambridge, he hastened to the apartment of his friend, to enjoy the langhter which he should raise at his expense. But how was he shocked to find him in the delirium of a fever, occa. sioned by a billet received the preceding day, purporting," that Lucinda, (the object of his affec tions) had bestowed her hand upon a person much more deserving of her affections, than he had been represented to her father, by a young nobleman, his associate in pleasure, extrava gance and profligacy." "As a madman, who casteth fire brands, arrows and death; so is the man that deceiveth his neighbour, and saith, Am not I in sport?" 6. Consider the injurious consequences of evil speaking, in other respects. What heartburnings and implacable resentments it often occasions; what divisions and animosities in families, churches and communities! How many duels, and other murders, how many bloody and protracted wars, have issued from this source! "The tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth." Reflections. 1. The subject we have been considering, is calculated to humble us. In how many instances have we, in a greater or less degree, violated the injunction in the text? Let us not excuse ourselves by saying, It was the truth that we asserted: or, Every body knows what we have said, it is |