N17286:456
The saints everlasting rest
The saints everlasting rest: or, A treatise of the blessed state of the saints in their enjoyment of God in glory: extracted from the works of Mr. Richard Baxter, by John Wesley, M.A. late fellow of Lincoln College, Oxford.
Philadelphia: printed by Prichard & Hall, 1790
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
3. Nor do I persuade you to speak against men's faults behind their backs, and be silent before their faces, as the common custom of the world is. To tell other men of their faults, tendeth little to their reformation, if they hear it not themselves. To whisper men's faults to others, as it cometh not from love, or from an honest principle, so usually doth it produce no good effect: for if the party hear not of it, it cannot better him; if he do, he will take it but as the reproach of an enemy, and not as the faithful counsel of a friend, and as that which is spoken to make him odious, and not to make him virtuous; it tendeth not to provoke to godliness, but to raise contention; for a whisperer separateth chief friends. And how few shall we find that make conscience of this horrible sin? or that will confess it, and bewail it, when they are reprehended for it? especially if men are speaking of their enemies, or those that have wronged them; or whom they suppose to have wronged them, or if it be of one that eclipseth their glory, or that standeth in the way of their gain or esteem: or if it be one that differeth from them in judgment; or of one that is commonly spoke against by others; who is it that maketh any conscience of back biting such as these? And you shall ever observe, that the forwarder they are to back biting, the more backward always to faithful admonishing; and none speak less of a ⟨p. 198⟩man's faults to his face, than chose that speak most of them behind his back.
So far am I from persuading therefore to this preposterous course, that I would advise you to oppose it wherever you meet with it. See that you never hear a man speaking against his neighbour behind his back (without some special cause or call) but presently rebuke him: ask him, whether he hath spoke those things in a way of love to his face? if he hath not, ask him, how he dare to pervert GOD'S prescribed order, who commandeth to rebuke our neighbour plainly, and to tell him his fault first in private, and then before witness, till he see whether he will be won, or not? And how he dare do as he would not be done by?