AN HYPOCRITE WITH HIS MOUTH DESTROYETH HIS NEIGHBOUR.

A TALE-BEARER REVEALETH SECRETS: BUT HE THAT IS OF A FAITHFUL SPIRIT CONCEALETH THE MATTER.

A FROWARD MAN SOWETH STRIFE: AND A WHISPERER SEPARATETH CHIEF FRIENDS.

A MAN THAT BEARETH FALSE WITNESS AGAINST HIS NEIGHBOUR IS A MAUL, AND A SWORD, AND A SHARP ARROW.

I.

HENCE, Slander, to thy proper den!
There, hidden from the cheerful sun,
Far from the homes of honest men,

Think on the mischief thou hast done.

SLANDER.

II.

Think how thy sharp and venom'd tooth
Hath made the joys of friendship cease;
Instill'd dislike, and tainted truth,
Where all was confidence and peace.

III.

Remember when thou didst the wrong,
As surely as th' assassin's steel;
Perchance 'twas 'midst the brilliant throng,
Or haply o'er the social meal.

IV.

Weapons thou hast of every sort;
Thy look, thy whisper bears a sting;
Thou lov'st to hint the ill report,
And fit the arrow with a wing.

V.

Bound on its far and viewless track,
That arrow, sent for malice' sake,
Remorse can never summon back,
Nor truth nor mercy overtake.

VI.

'Tis thus the bands of life are riv'n

By arts the sufferer scarce can trace, Since in the dark the blow was giv'n:— Thou durst not do it to his face.

75

Thy spirit never let me share,

Foul Slander, nor partake thy wiles;
Ne'er give a false right hand, nor wear
Thy painted mask, thy wreathed smiles.

VIII.

May I attain the guileless heart,

That cannot brook a double face:
May all my secret faults1 depart,

And truth and justice take their place.

IX.

Since Christ, my Saviour and my Lord,
To quell the power of Satan? came,

How

pure should be each thought and word Of those who bear the Christian name!

1 Psalm xix. 12.

2 It is worthy of remark, that the Greek word Aßoλos from which Devil is derived, and which is used in the Septuagint as a translation of the Hebrew word Satan, means a slanderer, a calumniator. Under this Greek work, Parkhurst, in his Lexicon, gives the following as the second meaning, the first being a slanderer.

"II. The Devil, so called because he originally accused or slandered God in Paradise, as averse to the increase of man's knowledge and happiness (see Gen. iii. 5; John viii. 44), and still slanders him by false and blasphemous suggestions; and because, on the other hand, he is the accuser of our brethren, which accuseth them before our God day and night. Rev. xii. 9, 10 (comp. Job i. 6), whence also he is called our adversary. 1 Pet. v. 8."

A SOUND HEART IS THE LIFE OF THE FLESH; BUT ENVY THE ROTTENNESS OF THE BONES.

WRATH IS CRUEL AND ANGER IS OUTRAGEOUS; BUT WHO IS ABLE TO STAND BEFORE ENVY?

I.

THERE is a dark and deadly foe
Who tempts our fallen race,
And makes the cup of life o'erflow
With sorrow and disgrace.

II.

Forth from its bed he loves to tear
The hearts'-ease all in bloom,
And plant with crooked fingers there
A nightshade in its room.

He bids us grudge at others' fame,1
Their well-earned praise deny ;
In virtue's self discover shame,
A mote in honour's eye.

IV.

Should nations join, with lib'ral zeal,
Exalted worth to hail,

He knows no joy that others feel,
But sickens and turns pale.

V.

His restless step, his brow of care,
By censure's lines impress'd,
An inly-tortur'd soul declare;
And ENVY stands confess'd!

VI.

Ah! ye who thus with evil eye
A brother's welfare see,
Survey your likeness hanging high
On Haman's gallows-tree.2

VII.

What banish'd Joseph as a slave,
But envy's spiteful word ?3
Brought Daniel to the lions' cave !4
And crucified the Lord ?5

1 James v. 9.

2 Esther v. 13; vii. 10. 4 Dan. vi. 4.

3 Gen. xxxvii. 11; Acts vii. 9.
5 Matt. xxvii. 18; Mark xv. 10.