Judge not,

that

XXXVI.

ST. MATTHEW, VII. 1, 2.

ye be not judged.

For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged and with what measure ye inete, it shall be measured to you again.

66

MEN of the world are accustomed to accuse the more strict and religious person of severity in judging them. "Is it not," say they, written in that very Bible which you `profess to follow, “Judge not, that ys be not judged?" Why, therefore, do you not obey your own Scriptures? We, for our part, judge no one; while you, both by thinking ill of human nature in general, and of a multitude of individuals, betray a want of that charity which we deem to be the sum of Christian virtue.-By such language as this, many, who are unacquainted with the superior strictness of Christianity, and walk in the broad road, defend their own cause, while they pretend to be pleading that of the Gospel. Many, also, who allow in themselves some habitual vice, make a somewhat similar defence, when charged with the sin which they commit: "allow us to practise the sin to which we are prone; we will tolerate an equal degree of iniquity in you." Let us, therefore, be careful to construe this passage in such a manner as not to favour any unworthy views of Christianity.

It is a maxim, in explaining Scripture, that one text must always be so construed, that other texts may stand. Let it, therefore, be noticed, that our LORD hath said to Christians," Ye are the salt of the earth, ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.”* Did CHRIST and his Apostles speak favourably of the common practice of the world? Our SAVIOUR testified of it, that its works were evil; and St. John affirmed, "We know that * St. Matt. v. 13, 14.

we are of GoD, and the whole world lieth in wickedness."* The precept "judge not" cannot, therefore, mean, that Christians ought to judge favourably of the common maxims and conduct of the world. Let us beware then of this unchristian mode of interpreting the text. “He that justifieth the wicked," said Solomon, " and he that condemneth the just, even they both are abomination to the LORD."†

Let us now consider, whether sufficient force may not be given to the precept in question, without inclining to any dangerous interpretations of it. It may be considered as forbidding three things: first, a rash and hasty judgment; secondly, a prejudiced and partial judgment; and thirdly, a harsh and severe judgment.

First, it forbids a rash judgment. How many decide on the character and conduct of their neighbour, before they have had the means of forming a tolerable opinion. They judge, before they have heard the cause. We should, first, examine and cross-examine: we should, then, weigh and deliberate; and, if the evidence be defective in any part, we should still suspend our judgment. He, who is in haste to determine, has not yet learnt one great rule of wisdom; and one of the most important lessons of the Gospel.

Secondly, this is a precept against partial judgment. We are all, more or less, prejudiced! If a man, for instance, be of another nation, or of an opposite political party, or of a contrary sect in religion; or if he be our rival in trade, or our opponent in any matter, how hard it is to judge fairly of his conduct. It should be the great care of Christians to divest themselves of partiality. Their ambition should be to rise in this respect above the world. Never let us join in the general abuse of some opposite and absent party, which makes a leading part of the conversation of many circles. Candour is an essential Christian virtue; a point not sufficiently considered by many persons who are strict in other respects. "Judge not that ye be not judged:”—if you may judge uncandidly of others, have they not the * 1 St. John, v. 19.

† Prov. xvii. 15.

same right to judge uncandidly of you? If you have your prejudices, why may they not be permitted to have theirs?

But, thirdly, a too severe judgment is also forbidden. We should consider the infirmity which is in man. We should allow for the force of particular temptations. We should reflect, that we may happen to be well informed respecting some sin of our neighbour, and to be totally unacquainted with the bitterness of his repentance on account of it. We should make a distinction between deliberate and allowed sin; and that sin which is the effect of surprise we should remember, that a man may possibly fall into great vices, through some sudden assault on his virtue; who nevertheless, may be bent on following a religious course of life; and may, on the whole, be in favour with God.

The practice of inferring a man's general habit from some one particular act, and of deciding from a single circumstance on the state of his soul, seems a grievous offence against this precept. It is a bad symptom of the state of their souls who presume to judge thus severely.

To conclude; let us, if we would avoid this sin of judging others, reflect on the manner in which we ourselves. hope to be judged: our minds are sufficiently fertile in inventing excuses for our own sin; let us endeavour to be as ingenious in respect to the errors of others.

Let us

make for them the excuses which we expect that they shall make for us. Above all, let us reflect how merciful must be the manner in which we must be judged by Gor, in order to escape His condemnation. As we hope to find mercy, so let us show it; for "with what judgment we judge, we shall be judged; and with what measure we mete, it shall be measured to us again."

XXXVII.

ST. MATTHEW, VII. 3-5.

And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?

Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine owr. eye?

Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.

OUR SAVIOUR here intimates, that they, who have a beam in their own eye, are commonly the most inclined to complain of the mote which is in their brother's eye. And does not our own observation justify this saying of Christ ? Who is it, that commonly passes the rashest and the severest sentence of condemnation? Is it not the wicked, the licentious, and the profane?

There is, indeed, one occasion, on which immoral persons give full scope to the severity of their tongue; namely, where the person, whom they reproach, bears the character of a religious man. He, who is a sincere servant of GOD, resolved to lead a holy life, and to live no longer to himself, but to Him who hath died for us, must expect to be most harshly judged by the vain, the worldly minded, and the wicked. They will wait for his halting:-they will dwell, in their conversation, on some little incivility in his manner; some impropriety in his speech; some inattention to the decorum of life. If he should err from inadvertency, the mistake will be charged to design; if from rashness, it will be ascribed to deliberate purpose of heart. A little warmth of temper, in such a man, will be called fury ; and any single sin, into which he may be surprised, will be considered as one only of a course of crimes; and will be

proclaimed as from the house-top. Religious persons are often charged with censuring the irreligious; but it may safely be affirmed, that, in general, the saint is not so severe against the sinner, as the sinner is against the saint.

CHRIST may properly be considered as here particularly reproving this disposition in wicked men to censure the pious. "Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then, shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye." Thou, who art severe against the children of GoD, and strict to mark in them whatever is in the least amiss; thou, who art, at the same time, thyself an unchaste person, an adulterer, a drunkard, an unjust man in thy dealings, a despiser, a hinderer of GOD's word," cast out, first, the beam out of thine own eye; and, then, shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote that is in thy brother's eye." Thou, who knowest not GoD, and art the enemy of His CHRIST,-thou who art thyself sensual, and worldly, not having the Spirit,-presume not to judge him who is spiritual; him, who is struggling with the burthen of his sins; him who prays day and night for mercy; him who trembles, through fear of offending GOD; him whose soul is prostrate before the cross of his Saviour; and who is exercising himself with a watchfulness, of which thou hast no conception, to preserve a conscience void of offence, both towards GoD, and towards man. Thou Pharisee, also, who makest clean the outside, only, of the cup, while corruption is within; who art exact in outward forms of religion, while pride and impenitence are in thy heart; thou, who boastest in thine own righteousness, while thy secret thoughts are full of wickedness; judge not him, who, though less exact in some external observances, and possibly also enjoying less reputation among men, is more truly turned to GOD, in the main bent of his heart. Thou self-deceiver, thou hypocrite, cast out, first, the beam out of thine own eye. Be converted from thy pride, thy self-sufficiency, thy superficial morality, thy false religion, and thy secret sin then, shalt thou be able to