doth import. I answer, that it is to vent words
concerning any person which do signify in us ill-opinion, or
contempt, anger, hatred, enmity conceived in our minds towards him;
which are apt in him to kindle wrath, and breed ill-blood towards
us; which tend to beget in others that hear ill-conceit or ill-will
towards him; which are much destructive of his reputation,
prejudicial to his interests, productive of damage or mischief to
him. It is otherwise in Scripture termed [Greek], to rail or
revile, (to use bitter and ignominious language); [Greek], to speak
contumeliously; [Greek], to bring railing accusation (or reproachful
censure); [Greek], to use obloquy, or detraction; [Greek], to curse,
that is, to speak words importing that we do wish ill to a person.

Such is the language we are prohibited to use. To which purpose we
may observe that whereas, in our conversation and commerce with men,
there do frequently often occur occasions to speak of men and to men
words apparently disadvantageous to them, expressing our dissent in
opinion from them, or a dislike in us of their proceedings, we may
do this in different ways and terms; some of them gentle and
moderate, signifying no ill mind or disaffection towards them;
others harsh and sharp, arguing height of disdain, disgust, or
despite, whereby we bid them defiance, and show that we mean to
exasperate them. Thus, telling a man that we differ in judgment
from him, or conceive him not to be in the right, and calling him a
liar, a deceiver, a fool, saying that he doeth amiss, taketh a wrong
course, transgresseth the rule, and calling him dishonest, unjust,
wicked, to omit more odious and provoking names, unbecoming this
place, and not deserving our notice, are several ways of expressing
the same things whereof the latter, in relating passages concerning
our neighbour, or in debating cases with him, is prohibited: for
thus the words reproaching, reviling, railing, cursing, and the like
do signify, and thus our Lord Himself doth explain them in His
divine sermon, wherein he doth enact this law: "Whosoever," saith
He, "shall say to his brother, Raca" (that is, vain man, or liar),
"shall be in danger of the council; but whosoever shall say, Thou
fool, shall be in danger of hell-fire;" that is, he rendereth
himself liable to a strict account, and to severe condemnation
before God, who useth contemptuous and contumelious expressions
towa