Of all Judgments, Spiritual Judgments are the sorest. When God leaveth Mankind to its own degeneracy and corruption, and one great Branch of this corruption is Detraction, which venteth it self either by Whispering or Backbiting. So it is in the Text, Whisperers, Backbiters. These two words agree, that they both wound the Fame of our Neighbour, and they both do it behind his Back or in his absence. But they differ, 1. In that whispering doth it secretly and closely, but backbiting, openly. The one being privy, the other open Defamation, and are like Theft and Rapine: what Theft and Robbing are to our Goods, the same are Whispering and Backbiting to our good Names. 2. Whispering tendeth to breed strife among our Friends, or to disgrace us to some who are well conceited of us; but backbiting to our general disgrace before all the World, or amongst whomsoever. The one seeketh to deprive us of the good will of our Friends, the other to destroy our Service. But however they agree and differ, they are often conjoined in Scripture. 2 Cor. 12. 20. I fear lest when I come among you, I shall not find you such as I would, and that I shall be found unto you such as ye would not: lest there be Debates, Envyings, Wraths, Strifes, Backbitings, Whisperings, Swellings, Tumults. The Apostle foresaw it as too probable that neither of them would be much pleased with their meeting together, nor he with the Corinthians, when he should find them corrupted with Partialities and Divisions: nor the Corinthians with him, when he should be forced to inflict censures upon them for their Factions and Emulations, too much bewrayed by their backbitings and whisperings against each other. So here in the Text they are conjoined, Whisperers, Backbiters, when the Apostle speaketh of the reigning Sins among the Gentiles.
Of all Judgments, Spiritual Judgments are the sorest. When God leaveth Mankind to its own degeneracy and corruption, and one great Branch of this corruption is Detraction, which venteth it self either by Whispering or Backbiting. So it is in the Text, Whisperers, Backbiters. These two words agree, that they both wound the Fame of our Neighbour, and they both do it behind his Back or in his absence. But they differ, 1. In that whispering doth it secretly and closely, but backbiting, openly. The one being privy, the other open Defamation, and are like Theft and Rapine: what Theft and Robbing are to our Goods, the same are Whispering and Backbiting to our good Names. 2. Whispering tendeth to breed strife among our Friends, or to disgrace us to some who are well conceited of us; but backbiting to our general disgrace before all the World, or amongst whomsoever. The one seeketh to deprive us of the good will of our Friends, the other to destroy our Service. But however they agree and differ, they are often conjoyned in Scripture. 2 Cor. 12. 20. I fear lest when I come among you, I shall not find you such as I would, and that I shall be found unto you such as ye would not: lest there be Debates, Envyings, Wraths, Strifes, Backbitings, Whisperings, Swellings, Tumults. The Apostle foresaw it as too probable that neither of them would be much pleased with their meeting together, nor he with the Corinthians, when he should find them corrupted with Partialities and Divisions: nor the Corinthians with him, when he should be forced to inflict censures upon them for their Factions and Emulations, too much bewrayed by their backbitings and whisperings against each other. So here in the Text they are conjoyned, Whisperers, Backbiters, when the Apostle speaketh of the reigning Sins among the Gentiles.
