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GERM.
XXXI.
OR
REMEDIES AGAINST
FEAR.
9
The
all
-wise
and almighty
God
considers
it,
and
he will
not
approve
of
such meanness
of
spirit, and such
a
shameful
defect
of christian
charity.
V.
It
is
a
work which calls
for courage. to admonish
our brethren
when
they
depart
from the
ways
of
righte-
ousness,
and
to
reprove
sin
among
those with whom
we
converse,
The
law
of God
requires
it;
Lev.
six.
17.
Thou shalt
not hate thy
brother
in
thine_
heart
:
.thou
shalt
in any
wise
rebuke
thy
neighbour,
and
not
safer
sin
upon him.
It
is
expressed
as
though
a
neglect
of
re-
proof,
where it
is
a duty, looks
like
a
sort of hatred,
or
want
of
love.
But
for
the
most part
it
is
want
of
cou
rage'forbids
it.
Let
it
be
done
with holy
boldness;
but
without wrath and resentment, or
selfish
revenge
;
let
it
be
expressed and managed
with all love
and
gentleness,
with
all
humility and compassion,
and
with
a
becoming
exercise
of
those lovely
characters
of
moderation and
meekness, which
I
have elsewhere described.
Nathan
the
prophet
ingeniously
reproved David the
king,
for
his
adultery
and murder. And
we.
should
learn
the most artful
and obliging
methods, and the
softest
language of reproof,
that
we
may
practise
it
with
more
courage, security, and success; and the more secret
it
is,
it
will
generally be most successful.
If
at
any time
we
are called
by
most
evident provi-
dence,
to give
an
open rebuke
in
the
face
of
the world,
together
with
courage,
we
must
put
on all wisdom
and
humility,
Lest
we
publish
our
own
conceit and pride,
and
provoke wrath without hope
of
success.
When
we
re-
buke
the
profane and impious wretch,
for
the most
glaring
iniquity, we should
use
our
best
prudence
in
dis-
tinguishing
proper
seasons,
"
lest
we
cast
a
pearl before
swine,
and it
become, useless,
and
be
trodden under
foot,'
Mat.
vii. 6.
Sometimes
it
is
hard
to
know
what
is
our
duty
in
this
respect,
but
-thus
far
in
general it
may
be
said,
This
should
be
done whensoever there
is
a
great and evident
probability
of
doing
service
to
God
and souls
by
it:
MVhersoever
a
vindication
of
the name
of God and
his
honour requires
it,
or
when
there
is
any
just
hope
of
doing
good to
men;
there
is
indeed
a time
to
keep silence
in
this case,
and
there
is
a time
to
speak,
O may
the
word,'
and
Spirit,
and providence
of
God
join
together