Leviticus 19:17 You shall not hate your brother in your heart: you shall in any wise rebuke your neighbor, and not suffer sin on him. I. WHAT BROTHERLY REPROOF OR CORRECTION IS. It is an act of love and charity, whereby we endeavour to reduce our offending brother to repentance and reformation. 1. By words. Remonstrating to them the greatness of their sin; the scandal which they give to others, either by encouraging or saddening them; the reproach which they bring upon religion; and the danger which they bring upon their own souls. 2. Where words have proved ineffectual, we may try how deeds can prevail — prevail, I say, either to deliver them, or, at least, to deliver thine own soul from death. (1) If they be our inferiors, over whom we have authority, either as magistrates, or parents, or the like, we ought, when admonition is fruitless, to reprove them by correction and punishment. If they will not hear they must feel rebuke. This discipline, if it be seasonably and prudently used, is so far from being any act of cruelty that it is an act of the greatest charity that can be, both to them and to others. (2) If they be our equals, over whom we have no jurisdiction nor coercive power, we are then to rebuke them, if they continue obstinate after Christian admonition, by withdrawing ourselves from all necessary converse with them — not so as to deny them the offices of courtesy and our charitable assistance to promote their temporal good, but to break off all intimacy with them, not to make such dissolute persons our chosen companions (2 Thessalonians 3:6).And to these two things are necessarily previous and antecedent — 1. Instruction and conviction. Could we but skilfully convince our brother by representing the odiousness of such and such sins, to which we know he is addicted, possibly we might spare ourselves in that which is the most ungrateful part of this work — I mean personal reflection, and leave it to his own conscience to reprove himself, and to apply it home with "Thou art the man." And — 2. It 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 to concern ourselves in all he doth. (1) We 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. (2) If we have observed any miscarriages in him, we are to watch the best seasons and all the fittest circumstances in which to remind him of it, that so our reproof may be well accepted and become effectual. II. But indeed, which is the second thing, it is not so hard a matter to know what it is as it is DIFFICULT conscientiously and faithfully to practise it 1. Many are afraid to reprove sin, lest they should incur displeasure, weaken their secular interest, ruin their dependencies, and bring some mischief upon themselves by exasperating the offenders against them. But these are poor, low, carnal considerations. Where matter of duty is in question, it is very necessary for every Christian to be of an undaunted courage and resolution. 2. Others, again, are ashamed to reprove sin. And whereas many profligate wretches glory in their shame, these, on the contrary, are ashamed of that which would be their glory. Either they doubt they shall be thought but troublesome and hypocritical inter-meddlers, or else, possibly, being conscious to themselves of many miscarriages, they suspect their reproofs will be upbraidingly retorted upon themselves; and so, by reproving the faults of others, they shall but give an occasion to have their own ripped up and exposed, and so they think it the safer way to say nothing. III. It is a most NECESSARY duty. The greatest good you can do in the world is to pluck up these briars and thorns with which it is overgrown. IV. I shall give you some brief RULES and DIRECTIONS when you ought to reprove, and how you ought to manage your reproofs, so as they may be most beneficial to your brother. And some of them shall be negatives, and others shall be positives. 1. For the negative rules take these that follow. (1) I ought not to reprove my brother if I have no certain knowledge of his offence. (2) It is not necessary to reprove where I have reason to conclude that others, of more prudence and interest in the party, either have already or will more effectually perform it. (3) We ought not to give sharp reproofs for small offences. (4) We are not to reprove those whom we have reason to believe are such desperate wretches that our reproofs would but exasperate them to sin the more for a reproof. 2. Let us now proceed to lay down some positive rules and directions for the right managing of our reproofs. And here — (1) If thou wouldst reprove with success, observe right circumstances of time and place. And let the one be as opportune, and the other as private, as thou canst. Now, usually, it is no fit season for reproof — (a) Presently, as soon as the sin is committed; for then the heat is not over, nor the uproar of the passions and affections appeased. In all likelihood a reproof as yet would but irritate. Nor yet — (b) Is a time of mirth and joy fit for reproof; for that will look like a piece of envy, as if we were malicious at their prosperity, and therefore studied to cast in somewhat that might disturb them, and so they will be apt to interpret it. Nor — (c) Is a time of exceeding great sadness and sorrow a proper season for reproof; for this will look like hostility and hatred, as if we designed utterly to overwhelm and dispatch them. But the fittest opportunity for this duty is when they are most calm, their passions hushed, and their reason (with which you are to deal) again reseated upon its throne. (2) If thou wouldst have thy reproofs successful, reprove with all gentleness and meekness, without giving any railing or reviling terms. (3) Though our reproofs must be meek and gentle, yet must they be quick and vivacious also; for as charity requires the one, so doth zeal the other, and the best and most equal temper is rightly to mix these two, that at once we may show meekness to his person ("For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God," James 1:20) and sharpness against his sin (for a remiss reprover will make but a slow penitent). (4) Let all thy reproofs be given as secretly and privately as possibly thou canst, otherwise thou wilt seem not so much to aim at thy brother's reformation as at his shame and. confusion. (5) Reprove not one who is greatly thy superior, unless it be at a respectful distance. Towards such we must not use downright and blunt rebukes, but rather insinuate things into them with address and artifice. (6) If thou wouldst hard thy reproofs effectual, especially beware that thou thyself art not guilty of those sins which thou reprovest in another. V. Some MOTIVES which may quicken you to the conscientious discharge of this duty. And here, next to the express command of Almighty God, whose authority alone ought to prevail against all the difficulties which we either find or fancy in the way of obedience thereunto, consider the great benefit which may redound both to the reprover and reproved. 1. To the reprover. (1) Thou shalt hereby provide thyself a friend who may take the same liberty to reprove thee when it shall be needful and for thy great good. (2) Thou wilt hereby entitle thyself to that great and precious promise (Daniel 12:3). (3) Thou shalt increase thy own graces and comforts more than possibly thou couldst do by separating thyself from them. Thy graces will be more confirmed, because reproving of others will engage thee to a greater watchfulness over thyself. Thy comforts also will be increased, because a conscientious discharge of this duty will be to thee a great evidence of the integrity and sincerity of thy heart. 2. The practice of this duty will be greatly profitable unto him that is reproved. How knowest thou but it may be a means to turn him from his iniquity? and so thou shalt prevent a multitude of sins and save a soul from death (James 5:20). (Bp. E. Hopkins.) Parallel Verses KJV: Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart: thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him. |
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