hall perform their
duty: their text being not so much of their own choosing, as given
them by St. Paul; they can surely scarce find a better to discourse
upon: it cannot be a matter of small moment or use, which this
great master and guide so expressly directeth us to insist upon.
And to the observance of his precept, so far as concerneth me, I
shall immediately apply myself.

It is then the duty of all Christian people (to be taught and
pressed on them) not to reproach, or speak evil of any man. The
which duty, for your instruction, I shall first endeavour somewhat
to explain, declaring its import and extent; then, for your further
edification, I shall inculcate it, proposing several inducements
persuasive to the observance of it.

I. For explication, we may first consider the object of it, no man;
then the act itself, which is prohibited, to blaspheme, that is, to
reproach, to revile, or (as we have it rendered) to speak evil.

No man. St. Paul questionless did especially mean hereby to hinder
the Christians at that time from reproaching the Jews and the pagans
among whom they lived, men in their lives very wicked and corrupt,
men in opinion extremely dissenting from them, men who greatly did
hate, and cruelly did persecute them; of whom therefore they had
mighty provocations and temptations to speak ill; their judgment of
the persons, and their resentment of injuries, making it difficult
to abstain from doing so. Whence by a manifest analogy may be
inferred that the object of duty is very large, indeed universal and
unlimited: that we must forbear reproach not only against pious and
virtuous persons, against persons of our own judgment or party,
against those who never did harm or offend us, against our
relations, our friends, our benefactors, in respect of whom there is
no ground or temptation of evil-speaking; but even against the most
unworthy and wicked persons, against those who most differ in
opinion and practice from us, against those who never did oblige us,
yea, those who have most disobliged us, even against our most bitter
and spiteful enemies. There is no exception or excuse to be
admitted from the quality, state, relation, or demeanour of men; the
duty (according to the proper sense, or due qualifications and
limits of the act) doth extend to all men: for, "Speak evil of no
man."

As for the act, it may be inquired what the word [Greek] (to
blaspheme)