As the Westminster Larger Catechism explains it, this is a call for “a charitable esteem of our neighbors; loving, desiring, and rejoicing in their good name; sorrowing for, and covering of their infirmities; freely acknowledging of their gifts and graces, defending of their innocence; a ready receiving of a good report, and unwillingness to admit of an evil report, concerning them; discouraging talebearers, flatterers, and slanderers.”15 Again, it restrains us from spouting guesses about the motives and intentions of others.16 Extreme caution and self-restraint are called for with the dirt of
...more
