Discourses, or, Sermons on several Scriptures

Secondly, ¹It is necessary that we watch over our Brother, not so as to be insidious Spies upon him, officiously to pry into his Actions, and busily concern our selves in all he doth. This pragmatical Temper is justly hateful: ⟨p. 13⟩And those who thus arrogate to themselves to be public Censors, and to inspect the Lives and Manners of others, making it their whole Employment to observe what others say or do, that they may have Matter either to reprove or reproach them, are a Company of intolerable busy Bodies. But yet,

Secondly, ¹It is necessary that we watch over our Brother, not so as to be insidious Spies upon him, officiously to pry into his Actions, and busily concern our selves in all he doth. This pragmatical Temper is justly hateful: ⟨p. 13⟩And those who thus arrogate to themselves to be publick Censors, and to inspect the Lives and Manners of others, making it their whole Imployment to observe what others say or do, that they may have Matter either to reprove or reproach them, are a Company of intolerable busy Bodies. But yet,

1. 1We ought to watch over our Brother.

First, ¹We ought so to watch over our Brother as to give him timely Caution if we see him in any danger through Temptation or Passion, and to admonish him to stand upon his guard, to recollect himself and beware he be not surprised or injured by such an approaching Sin.