not so much as bring it to his mouth again.' Hence you will find an unwillingness to oblige others in the usual occurrences of domestic life, not from a principle of illnature, but to avoid the trouble arising from those little kind offices which are so neces. sary and so pleasing. While you spend so large a portion of your time in total inactivity, or in frivolous employments, which are of no advantage, the remainder will be crowded with business, that, for want of leisure, cannot be well performed; and this single circumstance will occasion a certain vexation in your mind. Then will you regret the past, without resolution to amend the future; you will, by daily idleness, prepare for daily remorse; and the inclination of sloth, increasing with custom and indulgence, will prevail over every generous affection. How can he, who is so much his own enemy, be supposed to be a friend to others? "The desire of the slothful killeth him ; for his hands refuse to labour." "He also that is slothful in his work, is brother to him that is a great waster;" he cannot, therefore, have the power to perform those acts of munificence which a proper conduct would enable him to do; and if he is solicited to assist those who are in distress, although his heart may be interested, and he may incline to aid them, yet the difficulty of the business will every deter him from the execution. His indolence will magnify every obstacle to his designs as insurmountable: he will say, in the language of the sluggard, described in the Proverbs, "There is a lion without, I shall be slain in the streets." That formidable lion, my dear reader, you will each of you find to oppose all your good resolutions. It is the slothfulness of your own tempers; it is the most dreadful foe you can encounter, and, un. less subdued by the authority of conscience and the force of religion, it will render your characters as despicable, as it will make your lives uncomfortable, and you deaths unhap py. 162. SUNDAY XLVII. ON TALE-BEARING AND DETRACTION. Ir is a common error with young persons, to act according to the inclination of the moment, and, thoughtless of the consequences that may follow, to speak their sentiments without reflection. The natural curiosity of their age, if not directed in search of better subjects, will be excited to attend to every idle tale, which their indiscretion will lead them as eagerly to report to others: and this practice is often the result of that disposition we last considered. The Apostle remarks, that indolent people usually delight in wandering about from house to house, and are not only idle, but talkative also, and busy-bodies, speaking things which they ought not. This temper you may not, perhaps, consider as a vice, or imagine that the fault of a tale-bearer deserves notice as a subject of religious consideration; but it has frequently been shown you from Scripture, that nothing can be innocent, or insignificant, that has a ten. dency to disturb the order of society, or to make others unhappy. There are Your a thousand incidents which daily occur, entirely harmless in themselves, that may, by an ill-timed or injudicious representation, occasion mischief in families, and ruin the peace of individuals. parents may, with perfect propriety, make an observation on the character or failings of a person, to whom, if you repeat it, you may cause much resentment and displeasure, and, perhaps, occasion a train of evils which no time can remedy or relieve. Among your companions, many will be found so weak as to betray the little secrets of each other, and to reveal the private opinions they have been entrusted with under the strictest injunctions of silence. But it is always dangerous to listen to such communications; those who have been false to one associate, will not be true to others and though they profess to rely upon your honour, you can have no dependence upon theirs; the story they have once divulged, they will take pleasure to spread, and their indiscretion will probably involve you in disgrace, how cautious soever may be your conduct; it is therefore needful to avoid attending to idle tales from others, as well as to be careful not to publish any yourself. If every petulant expression is reported to those of whom it was spoken, consider what vexation and ill-will it must be the means to produce; and who would wish to propagate dissension, or to be the author of strife? It is a malicious pleasure to reveal, without any design to amend, what you hear to the disadvantage of any one charity should lead you to conceal from them what is said out of ill-nature, and to hide that which is the result of indis. cretion. Reflect, that in this point you are also liable to offend; and how much shame and regret would you probably suffer, if every inadvertent speech was repeated to those whose name you have too freely treated. There are numberless subjects that afford innocent mirth without ridicule; and that mind must be weak, as well as wicked, that can take delight in sarcastic observations on the circumstances and behaviour of its companions. To endeavour to make mischief between those who would otherwise be pleased with each other, argues |