utility of a truth though there is always sufficient but the difficulty of its being otherwise known Much more might have been suggested in so considerable a Matter But this is enough if not too much in this place Lastly As for this Discourse's not being superfluous I should be glad to be mistaken and that this Argument hath been so Handled and Treated of already as to render this useless I shall give thee no further trouble Good Reader but only desire that thou wouldst read this Treatise if thou thinkest fit to read at all with the same design it was Composed viz. Of Guidance and Conduct of our selves in this particular and consequently that it might contribute some-thing to the increase of universal Charity Justice and Wisdom in the World The Contents CHAP. I. § I. THe several senses of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to Judg. p. 7 8. § II. That in the general sense of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to Judg two parts may be observed 1. The inward action of Mind 2. The signification of the Action p. 11 12. CHAP. II. What Judgments may be thought forbidden by our Saviour both Principally and Secondarily or Occasionally are reckoned up which are six p. 13 14. § I. The first prohibited Judgment too great a proneness to pass our Judgments concerning Persons in any respect at all p. 15. § II. The second is too great a proneness to pass judgment on the worst side p. 19 20. § III. The third is rash Judgment without any reason or without sufficient reason p. 23 24 c. § IV. The fourth is false Judgment p. 29. § V. The fifth thing forbidden is too great a proueness to declare and signifie our Judgment p. 34. § VI. The sixth and principal is the undue end of Judging viz. Vltimately to please ones self Selfishness Self-love and this by Malice Hatred Pride Affectation of Superiority Revenge Envy Flattery by Anger Fear Busie-bodiness Curiosity p. 37 38. CHAP. III. What Judgments are not forbidden § I. 1. In general not a Judging out of Charity p. 39. § II. 2. In general not when there are and appear more good Effects thereof than of the Omission p. 40. § III. 3. Many particular Cases are instanced in for example to our Prudence in which it is not prohibited in general to observe and pass Judgment concerning others Qualities and Actions p. 42 43. § IV. 4. It is not prohibited universally to pass Judgment on the worst side p. 45. § V. 5. It is not universally forbidden to declare our Judgment and that on the worst side p. 46. CHAP. IV. Contains some Causes of these forbidden Judgments § I. The Causes of too much proneness to Judg in general of which the first Idleness p. 49. § II. The second love of Activity of doing somewhat p 52. § III. The third is Curiosity or of knowing somewhat p. 54. § IV. The fourth a Self-pleasing in our Ability or reputed Ability to judg p. 56. § V. Causes of too great proneness to judg on the worst side of which the first is meer Ignorance p. 57. § VI. The second ill dispositions of Will as 1. Hatred 2. Revenge 3. Pride 4. More particularly Affectation of Superiority in any thing 5. Envy 6. Contempt 7. Flattery p. 59. § VII That the Causes of rash Judgment are the same with those of the two former p. 68. § VIII That the Causes of false Judgment concerning Persons are defect in our understanding in our Will p. 69. § IX The first Cause reducible to one of those two is Ignorance p. 70. § X. The second an Opinion or Judgment too unlimited that all Men are like our selves Some instances hereof This extended to God himself that it hath been the Cause of making God in Humane Shape and that the representing God or any thing in him by Humane Shape is likewise the Cause of such an Opinion concerning God p. 76 c. § XI The third is too general a belief of Testimony or Report p. 85. § XII The fourth Cause is an observing only what is good or what is bad in a Person and not observing both p. 88. § XIII A fifth is a want of a prevalent love of Truth p. 92 93. § XIV A sixth is our Passions the instances thereof That Passions determine our Judgments three ways among others 1. By bringing to mind only those things which are true indeed but serve to maintain or encrease them but keeping out those which tend to abate them so that they never appear 2. By thrusting into our Minds more than is true of that which maintains them 3. By thrusting out those things which may be suggested and true but yet serve to extinguish them or by causing a Man not to attend thereto or the Evidence that is in them or by confounding the attention or perception on purpose that it might not see the most necessary truth which it cannot deny if it did see p. 97 98 c. § 15. A seventh Cause of false Judgment either on the good or bad part is all Appetites whatsoever besides those of Truth and Vniversal Justice of which one more useful Instance p. 106. § 16. The Causes of too great a proneness to declare our Judgments much the same with what have been mentioned viz. Idleness Self-pleasing by Activity Curiosity Conceit of ability and sufficiency to judg by fancied Reputation there-for by Hatred Revenge Pride Affectation of Superiority Envy Contempt Anger Flattery p. 110. § 17. The Causes of the last prohibited Judgment out of such bad Principles as are above-named the Corruption of our Natures improved by Custome and wilful ill Vsage of our selves p. 111. CHAP. V. Treats of the mischievous Consequences or Effects of these prohibited Judgments § I. The ill Effects of too great a proneness to judg others in general are 1. Too great a neglect of our own Affairs and principally our Manners in which we are principally to employ our selves For 1. We cannot so well know that in another Man concerning which we pass judgment as what is in our selves And 2. We can make more certain effectual use of our Judgment and Observation of our selves p. 112 113 c. A 2d ill Effect of too great proneness to judg in general is an Vsurpation of anothers right or Tyranny p. 118 119. § II. The ill Consequences of too great proneness to judg on the worst side are 1. False Judgment 2. Vnjust Contempt 3. oft-times unjust Suspition in others of the Judgment coming from the worst Principles whence 4. Contempt Hatred Revenge in the Persons judged against the Person judging p. 122 123. § III. The ill Consequences of rash Judgment are 1. The usage of a Mans self thereto 2. The rendring a Man's Testimony inconsiderable 3. It is occasion to Men of Hatred Contempt Anger c. p. 125. § IV. The ill Consequences of false Judgment are 1. A Man 's own Discredit 2. The ill distribution of the Good or
Evil that is in a Man's power to bestow or inflict p. 126. § V. The ill Consequences of too great a proneness to declare ones Judgment are 1. It renders a Man contemptible 2. It draws others from their Business 3. Mutual Suspicions Animosities Envyings Contempts or foolish Admiration and Esteem vain Trust and Expectation p. 127. § VI. The ill Consequences of judging out of Hatred Revenge Pride Affectation of Superiority Envy Anger Contempt Flattery c. are 1. The increase of those Passions with their ill Principles in our selves and others which are the most detestable things 2. It exposeth to the Hatred Anger Revenge Contempt of others 3. The Persons who are thus judged by us judging us again untruly on the worst side out of Revenge p. 133. § VII The contrary of all these mischievous Effects and Consequences put together and briefly counted p. 138. CHAP. VI. Contains some Remedies to prevent those prohibited Judgments Of which the § I. 1. And one of the most general is to remember and attend to the mischievous Consequences thereof as also their Causes The one to make us willing the other able to abstain there-from Those more affectionately Represented and these Exhorted against p. 146. § II. A second Remedy is to possess our hearts with an universal Charity and Benignity to all p. 155. § III. 3. Is to rivet soundly in our Minds the love of Truth p. 156. § IV. 4. More particularly ask thy self again and again whether thou art sure thy Judgment be true p. 157. § V. 5. Ask thy self whether thou wouldst not have true what thou judgest p. 160. § VI. 6. Vse thy self much to dwell at Home p. ibid. § VII 7. Have a special care of all Passions that they do not precede but follow thy Reason and when they do this that they do not blind or confound it p. 162. § VIII 8. More particularly be sparing in or refrain altogether from judging a Person thou art inclined to hate or be angry with or more expresly then set thy self to shake off all Prejudices of which more and more properly in the Rules to follow p. 164. § IX 9. Discourse more of Things than Persons p. ibid. CHAP. VII Some few Rules to be observed in our Judging generally and for the most part § I. Pass and declare all thy Judgments out of Charity This Charity how meant The signs of this Charity to others in judging 1. More readiness to judg on the good side than on the bad 2. An excusing others and saying all we can justly for them 3. Frequent judging our selves 4. Calmness and Modesty p. 164. § II. A second Rule briefly mention'd is to judg truly p. 173. § III. A third Have a care of all Passions but especially of Anger before Judgment p. ibid. § IV. A fourth Declare not thy Judgment when thou thy self art guilty of which the Reasons p. 175. § V. A fifth If thou judgest when guilty resolve to be innocent for the future and first condemn thy self of which the Reasons 1. Because every one ought to love himself as well as his Neighbour in all Circumstances aliks 2. It is an excellent Example in a thing very rare and yet extraordinary useful 3. Ones own Judgment concerning others is thereby rendred more effectual 4. Every one knoweth more certainly the truth of his Judgment concerning himself 5. Men's Care and Zeal will be here more certainly employed with success p. 177. § VI. A sixth That it is more safe generally not to declare thy Judgment than to do it of which one Reason p. 179. § VII A seventh Be more cautious in passing or declaring thy Judgment in these following Cases 1. Concerning thy Superiours 2. Thy Friends 3. Thy Enemy 4. A Person generally innocent and well-disposed but once or rarely overtaken 5. Wrathful and Bashful Persons 6. Before much Company 7. Before Enemies Of all these their respective Reasons p. 180. § VIII An eighth is Be inclin'd rather to defer thy Judgment till thou art desired Some Reasons hereof p. 190. § IX A ninth Is more freely and frequently to pass or declare Judgment concerning one to another when thou seest a Person concern'd defective in his Ability or Care for himself Followed with some Reasons these Rules rerecounted briefly p. 192. § 10. An Exhortation to the exercise of Charity and Prudence in this so considerable a part of our Conversation the Scope and Design of the whole Treatise p. ult Errata Pag. Line For Read 5 7 Foolishly out of c. Foolishly out of c. 19 2 And readiness and a little readiness ib. 11 Dele and.  ib. 19 Contrary to the c. contrary to it the. 33 14 Judgment This rash Judgment This c. 38 21 Principally moreover Principally Moreo 43 16 care are ib. 19 Those out of c. Those Out of c. 54 9 There for c. Therefor 60 5 Our selves so to do Our selves so to do ib. 13 Pleasures Pleasure 62 7 It is so In c. It is so In c. 63 2 To be an excellent To be an excellent 73 19 For Christ For Example 75 15 Looks Books 98 â—8 Encreased Increased ib. 27 which obtains in Inanimate things but principally in c. which may be to Inanimate things but principally to c. 99 9 Many or all perhaps Many or all perhaps 104 7 By bringing into our Minds not only what Not only bringing into our minds what 106 26 And favour nay c. And favour Nay 117 12 More then in thine More in thine c. 122 14 is are 124 17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ib. 22 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 129 17 To bad c. Too bad c. ib. 18 Too be ctc. To be c. 135 27 More ore less More or less 146 1 when we judg to do when we judg to do 147 2 There-from The There-from the c. 153 11 Iustruction Hardly Instruction Hardly A TREATISE CONCERNING Judging one another CHAP. I. Mat. 7.1 Judg not that you be not Judged AVery good Commendation of any Argument or Subject of Discourse is its Usefulness for the Prevention of very Mischievous and Hurtful Effects and Consequences Such is this of Mens passing Judgment concerning other Mens Qualities and Actions the Principles and Effects of them The too great Proneness Readiness and Frequency of doing it and that on the bad side to Suspect Accuse and Condemn and this most-what rashly that is without Reason Uncertainly often Falsly Nay not being content with this on all Occasions without any Reason or Cause but Self-love Pride Hatred Envy Flattery Curiosity Busibodiness or the like to make it known and declare it to others Whereby they dispose themselves to be Unjust and Uncharitable to others and hardly to like any Body but themselves or those that are like themselves or some way or other Useful and Profitable to them that is themselves in others
therefore it signifies the same with its Compound 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to Condemn This is also a most frequent Sense of this word both in the New and Old Testament as Rom. 14.3 4. Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not And let not him that eateth not judg him that eateth That is As he that did Eat and was so well informed in his Liberty of the good Effects of it as to put no Distinction between Meats upon the Account of any Divine Command but only his own Prudence was not to despise the other for his Ignorance So he also who did make such Distinctions was not to condemn the other of Unconscientiousness or Prophaneness that is Neglect or Contempt of his Duty commanded by God's Revelation And in verse 4. is the same Sense Who art thou that Judgest that is Condemnest another Mans Servant Where by the way you must take Condemnation in the Sense I shall by and by limit as also understand it here between private Persons and with this Circumstance that it was before the Christian Jews had time to inform themselves well and to understand the Reasons of this Liberty and to get rid of their Inclinations to believe still the Mosaical Law to be observed even under the Messias's Government But that by the Bye And to go no further ver 10. still of the same Chapter Why dost thou judg or why dost thou set at nought thy Brother That is surely Why dost thou so judg thy Brother as after Judgment to contemn him and to despise him But such a Judgment must be that he is Faulty or Ignorant and that is to condemn him Now which of these Senses the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here hath I shall by and by tell you when I more explicately and distinctly inform you what Judgment it is that is here forbidden Sect. II. To give you yet a more distinct Notion of the General Sense of this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is to be observed that it consists of two Parts The First is the Inward Action The Second the Signification of it The First Is to pass Judgment only in a Mans thoughts silently in ones own Breast The Second Is to signifie this our Inward Judgment to others by Words and Speech or any other convenient Sign I observe this principally because it may be permitted and laudable oft-times to do the First when it is not to do the Last A Man may nay ought often to give Judgment concerning things and Persons when he may and ought not for many Reasons to signifie it Such as are the Circumstances of the Persons Faults who may be a Superiour a Governour a Friend one otherwise very Wise and Innocent or one either through Bashfulness or Wrathfulness not able to bear it or many the like So the Circumstances of Company either that there are any or too many or such as will make more ill use of such a Judgment of ours may make it reasonable and just to abstain from making known our Judgment And many still other Circumstances may there be for these are but to give Instance CHAP. II. WE proceed to the Second General viz. What kind of Judgment may be here Forbidden or Commanded against what this may be more Distinctly And they may be among others these Six things some principally and firstly some occasionally and secondarily 1. Too great a Proneness Propensity Inclination Readiness to pass any inward Judgment in General concerning other Mens Qualities and Actions 2. Too great an Inclination to pass this Judgment on the worst side to judg them Imperfect or Bad to attribute some Defect or Infirmity to them or to accuse or condemn them for some Fault 3. To pass this Judgment without any Reason at all oft-times but only a Mans will Sometimes indeed with some Reason but little slight sudden or in general not with so much either on one side or t'other as a Man might and ought to have found out and considered When one doth not spend so much Time nor use so much Care Heed and Attention in the Reason of his Judgment as he ought which sometimes is more sometimes less according to the Importance of the thing judged or rather of the Judgment And this is called Rashness or Temerity a rash Judgment a rash Censure of others 4. To pass this Judgment contrary to the Reasons even appearing to us which must always proceed out of some bad Principle next to be named sometimes with some appearing Reasons but falsly And this is called False Judgment which we ought to do what we can when it is permitted us to judg to prevent 5. Too great a readiness to declare signifie talk of these our Judgments and that is principally to do it upon all Occasions not sufficiently Reasonable nay upon none at all 6. And lastly Above all in which only the Blame Fault Viciousness Iniquity is to be found a bad Principle or End of our Judgment concerning others which is but too often the cause of all the other Imperfections Such as is a want of Charity Hatred or Malice Self-love in General Pride Affectation of Superiority Envy and the like of which hereafter In all the former we may be Defective Wanting Imperfect but here we are Wicked Bad Unrighteous Sect. I. 1. Too great a Proneness and Readiness to pass Judgment concerning others in any Respect which is always concerning their Qualities of Power or Knowledg and Wisdom or their Goodness or their Actions hence proceeding I say too great an one for all passing of Judgment is not here prohibited as I shall hereafter mention Now this too great a Proneness or Inclination is Various according to Persons and must be determined by every Mans Prudence when it is so In some Men it may be much their Calling their Business it may be what is committed to their Care for very excellent Uses and Purposes to observe and give Judgment of others And therefore they are to bend and incline themselves to get so much Readiness and Aptness or Quickness to observe and judg as may make them best able to discharge that Trust Such are all kind of Governours who have the Care of others Qualities and Manners Magistrates Ministers those who have the Education of Youth Masters of Families All these will do ill if they do not take notice and judg concerning the Tempers and Behaviours of their Subjects People Youth Children and Servants as much as they can without too much Neglect of themselves or other worse Effects Again There are some that observe others to very good Use and Purpose what is Good they are prone to imitate what is Bad to shun and avoid and this that they may clearly apprehend Virtue and Vice which oft-times we better see in others than in our selves What is usually signified by the Proverb That Standers-by see more than Gamesters Men oft-times would neither be so Sensible of their own Virtue nor Vice Good or Ill-Qualities if
and in many other Circumstances which every ones private prudence must determine Much less still is the contrary commanded or indulged viz. To judg that good and laudable which is bad and to be condemned to judg falsly on the best and favourable side for to judg falsly is ever forbidden and to judg according to Truth when we do judg is always commanded and enjoyned We are not neither to think well of all Persons and all in Persons to praise speak well of all things We may and ought when Charity and Prudence are the reasons of our using our Judgments to think of things as they are to think that bad or faulty which is so as near as we can be informed and to say so too as it follows in the next particular Sect. V. Fifthly Nor in the next place is it here universally forbidden to declare and make known our Judgments and that on the worst side But there are many Circumstances in which it is of much better effect so to do Sometimes to reprove always with Charity and Discretion to be sure the Guilty or Faulty and to let him know our Opinion concerning any Actions or Temper or Quality in him may be of excellent use and be a means to amend the Persons and to prevent the like for the future Sometimes to admonish others lest they imitate or do the like we may make known our Judgment to them especially when the faulty Person is Incorrigible or to prevent some fraud or hurt or mischief that otherwise might be done by one to another We are not always to hold our Tongue nor conceal all signs of our Opinions be Meal-mouth'd for fear of displeasure or the like causes which as it may be in the effect very mischievous so it proceeds usually from Treachery or Cowardize Much less still is it commanded or permitted here to signifie a contrary Judgment to what we really have in our Breasts to speak or otherwise so to behave our selves as if we thought well of approved and liked that which we do not To do this out of the self-end of preventing any evil or procuring any good from a Person is called Flattery We are not to say That evil is good or darkness light We are not either for fear or favour to Commend and Praise what in our Judgment and Conscience we condemn But when we think our selves obliged to declare and make known our Opinion and Judgment concerning any Person or Actions it must always be with Truth although it be to disapprove or condemn But then to be sure let this be always done with a sincere inward Charity and all the just signs of it and of freedom from any Self-design and especially that which is in such a case most ordinary and suspected viz. from Pride and Imperiousness and therefore with Modesty with great Discretion and Prudence that is a discerning and fore-seeing when it may and when it may not be of good use and effect to do or not do it Of which hereafter under another Head Here is to be noted that as these Actions of Judgment are not prohibited so not all Inclinations thereto CHAP. IV. We proceed to the Fourth General Head viz. Sect. I. TO Instance in some of the Causes of these prohibited Judgments here those especially which are more Proper Immediate Frequent and most in our own power to prevent We must run them over again And First Of too much Proneness to judg in general the Causes some of them may be 1. Too much Idleness By which I mean not a Man's doing nothing for that cannot be every Body is always employ'd his Thoughts are always taken up about somewhat but a Man 's not having any destined or set-purposed-Employment which one should always chuse as that in which he can best serve God and the World do most good in his Generation A neither designing nor purposing to pursue always or at least but when any extraordinary occasion happens any particular nor his General calling as is usually distinguished neither that which he with some others employ themselves about nor that which all Men should such as Reflection upon ones own Actions the end design the event or effect of them the having respect to the pleasing of God and doing good some way or other to our Neighbour to the Publick and the performance of some general Duties to God and our Neighbour which all are constantly obliged to perform Men's not having I say constantly such designed purposed and set-employment gives their Mind leave le ts them at liberty to wander about any where to be employed about any thing that shall from any cause be thrust upon them or shall occur Now this is far more usually others Persons and Actions than themselves partly because they are far more the object of our External Senses which affect Men generally more strongly and frequently than any thing from within themselves and then what we have proposed or objected to us we naturally and laudably are prone to be judging somewhat or other concerning them or appertaining to them But Men that have any set constant Calling to employ themselves in and besides perform their general Duties to God their Neighbour and themselves are not so much at leasure to mind and attend to what others are and do and consequently to judg Just for Example as Idle wandring Beggars who as we say are never out of their way and have no certainly designed Place or Business turn to every By-House to see who dwells there They look upon observe talk to or talk of every Passenger they meet when the Man that hath some designed Affair or Business with certain time and place in his Journey hardly observes or minds or but very little and passingly the Company upon the Rode nor any way diverts or stops himself Such was the fault of the younger Widdows which Saint Paul bids Timothy to advise They learnt to be Idle wandring about from House to House and then They were Tatlers and Busiebodies speaking things which they ought not 1 Tim. 5.13 This is a privative Cause Sect. II. Secondly The Love of Activity meerly ultimately to no better end but only to please themselves therein Themselves are too little a Sphere there is more variety of things to be observed and judged in all others who they know than only in themselves whence they do it with greater life and vigour Men think it a dull thing and that 's their only reason to mind principally themselves and things appertaining to them and it may be the same things too for the most part to live in a round not always but so much as is for most Men most expedient And then when Men do observe or take notice of others Persons qualities and actions they will be passing Judgment because there is more of Action than in suspending doubting or meerly observing That seems to be a slow dull thing too in compare with a Mans briskly and smartly and uninterruptedly passing Judgment
true which before he did but say was so though he thought the contrary And here it may be observed that as too great a Proneness to judg on the worst side doth proceed from these Causes mentioned So it is a most ordinary thing for the passing and especially declaring ones Judgment and Opinion on the advantagious side i. e. That a Man hath more of some good thing than indeed he hath to proceed from some of the same Causes too viz. Hatred Envy Indignation For Example That a Man hath more Revenue Treasure Honour Power Ease Pleasure than indeed he hath only to expose him more to the Envy or Indignation of others And in general Men judg thus in a thing which they account a reward to him who they think doth not or they would not have him either to merit or receive it most commonly it is an easie thing from Circumstances to discern from what Principles such Judgment proceeds But some may be so cunning as to conceal or dissemble Sect. VII Seventhly For the Causes of rash Judgment and Censure they must be the same with those of the two former particulars The Causes of rash Judgment in general Idleness Busibodiness Activity Curiosity Pride and of rash Censure or Judgment without Reason but a Man 's own Will on the worst side as such are among others Hatred Revenge Pride Affectation of Superiority Envy Contempt Flattery To which we may add Anger and Wrath which if a Man be not very careful disposeth us to as much uncharitable and unreasonable Judging as the former and a Man is seldom or never to trust his Judgment of any Person after that fierce and confounding Passion but refer it to another time when calmness and freedom from Passion gives him more ability to see the Truth and more impartiality to judg And now all these Causes methinks are so Unreasonable Inhumane and Unchristian when thus nakedly represented that they cannot but stir up in Souls not quite degenerate or corrupted dead and sensless of what 's good many of these very Passions against themselves and seem the ugliest Objects that can be beheld These are those which compose a Devil more and are more essential to him than any other shape Sect. VIII IV. The Causes some of them of false Judging as false or of falsity errour of Judgment concerning Persons whether on the good or bad side may as in all other false Judgments be reduced to two within us in General 1. Defect in our Understanding which here in this case is but one viz. Ignorance in a large sense viz. the Absence or want of Apprehension or of the actual Knowledg of something which would influence our Judgments 2. In our Will a meer inclination to any certain false Judgment whether it be from Custom and Use or from the Love and for the sake of any certain Object In this particular case of false Judgments some of the most frequent Causes more or less remotely and some way or other reducible to these two are these Sect. IX 1. In general meer Ignorance of the truth of things where there is no defect of Will So a Man may judg an action in respect of the effect and principle of it to be well or ill done when it is the contrary and it was the case of the Jewish and Gentile Christians passing Judgment of one anothers Eating and abstaining from certain Meats and observing or not observing some certain Days and Times and consequently imposing them upon one another from their own private Opinions not as determined by their rightful Superiours or Governours Rom. 14. Some of them through Ignorance judged that those who took the Liberty to eat forbidden Meats contrary to the Mosaical Law which they thought was still even under the Messias to be observ'd did an evil Action and out of an evil Principle too possibly viz. Prophaneness or want of that respect for God's Commands which they ought And this probably too because they found in themselves that if they should do so it would proceed from such a Principle which will be a second Cause presently to be named The other Gentile Christians judged right concerning the action of abstaining from Meats that it was not right and the Non-observation of or Liberty from the Jewish Law was a Christian priviledg or it did not belong to the Christian Religion But possibly too they might if they did not judg wrong concerning the Principle of these Jewish Christians viz. That it was out of Superstition or Pride that the Gentiles might not be in all things equalized to themselves and that the Ancient Constitutions of their Religion might seem more considerable From hence also more particularly it proceeds that even very Honest and Just Persons though much oftner in the World it proceeds from ultimate Self-love or a mixture of it judg themselves Comparatively more Superiour to others in good qualities and truly more valuable than they are viz. They know and observe more their own Perfections and good Qualities their Number their Nature the degrees of their worth and excellency from their effects than they do those of others They can tell better all the Good qualities they have in themselves than what are in others many of which or but few they may ever have had occasion to observe They may also and do see and take notice of all the uses and good effects of any Perfection which is in themselves having frequent occasion to observe them but hardly of any of that which is in another when he possibly could quote as many more of his And hence a little further it comes to pass that every one extols and crys up his own Art though never so trivial and prefers it before others really believing what he saith Hence also it is together with some Rashness and Precipitancy in inferring that Men judg others too generally and too confidently to be Ill or Good qualified Persons to have more of Defects or Perfection comparatively each with other than they really have that they have for Christ such or such ill qualities and imperfections which may be true but none or much fewer good quallities to balance them than indeed they have and than they themselves would have known if they had had some other opportunities of knowing them They have had only occasion or means to know the defects and Ill qualities and not the Good and so perhaps on the contrary and yet they do not observe so much nor reflect upon it nor attend unto this Caution Now Men ought to pass Judgment first distinctly that at such or such a time in such or such a performance or action there appeared to them such defect or commendable quality and then from thence according to the degree of probability or likelihood in the Consequence which if the observation be but once is oft but very small if there be just occasion to infer and conclude concerning the Qualities of the Person in general as to number degree and
in themselves and afterwards be generally contemptuous and ill-affected towards the Person thou discommendest It is more safely done and very profitably oft-times before Persons of a benign and generous Temper and those who are Discreet who make from thence profitable Observation of the Causes the mischievous Effects of the Defects Infirmities Faults and Vices of Humane Nature to Direct Govern and Moderate themselves to Advise and Counsel others with Reason and even the Person himself whose faults are noted if it comes fairly in their way Not to contemn or dispise the Person in general much less to hate him Sometimes this may be done unawares but oft-times it proceeds from an ill will to the Person judged and therefore from an intent and design to exasperate and incense his Adversaries against him more knowing they are apt easily to take fire Oft-times it comes more from Flattery to pick Thanks and ingratiate ones-self with him who is enemy to the Person judged whom they judg they please hereby being willing to hear of the others Faults and Infirmities to gratifie his Hatred or Pride or that he may have wherewithal to justifie his being so dispos'd against him that he might seem to be his Enemy with more Reason If it be not thus yet oft-times this will be suspected a Man will incur the suspicion of an ungenerous Revenge or Hatred or Ill-will or Flattery or at least the accusation of Imprudence That 's the 7th Rule Be more sparing in thy Judgment 1. Concerning Superiors 2. Friends 3. Enemies 4. Once or rarely Surprized 5. To and of wrathful and bashful Persons 6. Before much Company 7. Before Enemies or Ill-dispos'd Sect. VIII 8. Be apt and inclin'd rather to defer thy Judgment concerning others till thou art desired and that either by the Person himself or others who may be much necessarily concern'd to know another Persons Qualities or Conditions and then not to refuse it Some Reasons are because that hereby thou accustomest and usest thy self to Self-government and Direction to Act for certain Ends and by certain Rules particularly thou causest thy self to refrain thy self and to be free and averse from Busie-bodiness and impertinent and profitable medling with other Mens Matters and other bad Principles of Judgment partly by meer disuse partly by attending to this Rule and the good effects of it Again thy Judgment is then more likely to be true Further Thou securest thy self also from suspicion of Prejudice and consequently thy Judgment is more heeded and it being more likely to be true may be of good use to the Person desiring and the other concerning whom it is desired if known to advise and forewarn them of some Fault or Imperfection to be reformed or get rid of which otherwise would not have been minded or believed Further Thou doest a very good turn for and gratifiest him that inquires of thee It may be also an occasion of a good Turn and of a Kindness to the other Person thou passest thy Judgment of to remove some unjust Suspicions or Opinions concerning him It may be he was believed or suspected worse than he was Thou mayst rectifie some Mistakes Sect. IX 9. Thou mayst then more freely and frequently declare thy Judgment concerning one to another or to more when thou seest them deficient in Ability or Wisdom to take care of themselves and particularly when they are actually Ignorant of something in another Person which may be of great concernment to them or are deceived in their Opinion concerning him whence some great Detriment or Dammage may arise from one to the other Thus for Example If a Man knows or reasonably suspects a Man to be False and Faithless to be Fraudulent or to be Poor and Insufficient who yet would be bargaining with or borrowing of another or getting some interest in his Person or Estate of which he may be Ignorant or to perswade to some Actions and Opinions which may be childish foolish or hurtful a Man may advise the Persons concerned and give them his Judgment then unasked not out out of any Ill-will to the one but of Good-will to and Care of the other For a Man ought to be a Friend to every Man and a Brother and nor permit if he can any one to be dammaged or mischieved and to keep him from the commission of a Sin A Man may oft-times meet with Persons in the World who are innocent too and simple of no great prudence and foresight who are also rash and precipitate or dull and inapprehensive who therefore may be easily impos'd upon by others and made a Prey of by them Here it is a prudent piece of Charity to advise and fore-warn and to discover the Designs and Qualities of those who would and do abuse their Simplicity and imprudent well-meaning Honesty Some Reasons of this are the same with the former It is an exercise of Virtue and Prudence in our selves It is an act of more than ordinary Charity to the Person in danger to be deceived to lend him thus the use of thine Eyes for his safety and good It is a very seasonable making use of thy Judging that is it will do most good now when at another time perhaps it would do none at all or not so much Here in this case when a Man desires thy Opinion or Judgment thou removest his Solicitude and satisfiest him perhaps if he be Ignorant thou informest him whereas if thou givest thy Judgment unasked before thou art desired and where the Man is sufficient himself thou wilt do them no kindness nor will they so much mind thee nor thank thee for it for it may be they have none or not such need of thy Judgment just then and thou wilt be more suspected too of Busie-bodiness or Ill-will So also where thou art not desired by one Person to give thy Judgment concerning another Person but unasked because of the Persons Insufficiency out of Charity thou doest it the effects most-what are very good and if therefore thou doest it thou art no less prudent than charitable And these are the most considerable Rules I have now thought of for the Mannagement and Government of our selves in judging others which in very few words for Memory sake I will reckon up again 1. Be sure it be never inconsistent with Charity but always done out of the prospect of some good end 2. With the exactest truth 3. Beware of all Passions before Judgment 4. Declare not thy Judgment when thou thy self art guilty Or 5. If thou dost first accuse and condemn thy self 6. It is better and safer generally not to declare thy Judgment of Persons 7. Be sparing in judging and declaring thy Judgment on the worst side concerning Superiors Friends Enemies Surprized Wrathful and Bashful Persons before much Company before Enemies and Ill-disposed 8. Defer thy Judging much till thou art desired or asked 9. Interpose it to them whom thou seest defective in their Ability or Care for themselves Many more by Experience may be taken notice of and observed Sect. X. 10. I have nothing more to do in this Argument now but only to remind you of the two general things I intended and aimed at in this Discourse principally to recommend to you and that is Charity and Prudence in a business that is very frequent and takes up a very considerable part of our Lives For it is very obvious and easie to observe that a great part of our Actions of Life are the thinking and judging and talking and discoursing of other Persons their Qualities and Actions The Charity is in the last of the six Farticulars The contrary of which I here think principally prohibited which was to judg out of any nltimate Selfishness and therefore not out of Busi-bodiness Hatred Revenge Pride Affectation of Superiority Envy Contempt Anger Flattery or the like But if this bad Principle be prohibited than if ever Judging be permitted in any Case as sure it is the contrary of Charity is commanded for one of those Ends and Principles must be our Prudence is concern'd in the other five prohibited Judgments viz. to be too prone to judg in general to be too much inclined to judg on the worst side to judg rashly to judge falsly to be too forward in declaring our Judgments All the Causes Consequences Remedies and Rules I have mention'd are but more particulary Motives and Incentives to our Charity or Directions for our Prudence And now therefore I heartily exhort you to the Practice of what hath been spoken That you would adorn this part of your Conversation with the two most excellent Ornaments not only of our Souls but of the Divine Nature it self For our Charity and Prudence are but little imitations of God's infinite Wisdom and Goodness How beautiful lovely and pleasant a thing it is to see each one discreetly tender of his Neighbours good Name Reputution Interest or Concern How lovely a thing is generous Love And what a reverend thing is unaffected Prudence in all our Conversation and particularly here What unhandsome things are Rashness and Falshood How ugly and contemptible Selfishness Hatred Malice Pride Envy Contemptuousness unguided Anger Busie-bodiness vain Curiosity Flattery c. Finally remember we are Christians and who it is viz. Our Master and Saviour Himself who hath here expresly forbidden these things Judg not that ye be not judged The same our Master and Saviour send down His gracious Influence to help us to do what He hath taught and commanded us Amen FINIS
And as much do they dispose others by this their Behaviour and Temper both by way of Imitation and Revenge or Self-defence at least to behave themselves in like manner to them and to pay them in their own Coyn. Men hereby too growing Strangers to themselves and being busier in other Mens Tempers and Actions than their own are taken up in mending in others that which is not Faulty or they can less mend if it be While they neglect themselves where it may be more to be mended and where they can better do it A Vice or Fault this seems too Extraordinary frequent For what more frequently comes into our thoughts and Discourses at all times than other mens Persons and consequently their Qualities and Actions All our Behaviour to one another to all sorts of Persons supposeth and followeth our Judgments we make one of another which are very rarely exactly true and sincerely Charitable but most-what altogether rash and prejudiced by Self-love and consequent Passions or blended and mixed Few Men also employ themselves in Judging or Discousing of things appertaining to Persons abstracted from Persons because they are not accompanied with a sensible Subject which with what appertains thereto they best apprehend and conceive And for the same Reason among others the Persons are others not themselves they most frequently occurring to their Senses Men seldomer see themselves in their Glasses than others directly with their Eyes And then they being great but as foolish and unreasonable Self-lovers are not only willing therefore to have nothing Faulty Bad or Imperfect in themselves which is well But also not to see it and then they judg they really have none when they have as many or more and greater than others which is foolish and bad Bad because it proceeds from ultimate Self-love Foolish because the mistake through Self-flattery is very Hurtful and Mischievous to themselves whom they so much love For hereby they deprive themselves of the greatest good that is of becoming universally Good and Vertuous while they overlook what is amiss in themselves and see it not at all or if they do they take it for something that is Vertuous and Commendable or much more so than it is Nor is this Fault or Vice only to be seen in ordinary Persons But is also very general to all sorts even to those who have had the Opportunity of the best instructed Education Witness Books and Writings where oft-times Men proclaim aloud and leave upon Record and this most willingly rashly foolishly out of Pride Envy Revenge Contempt the Ignorance the Folly and Mistake the Rashness Falshood Knavery Hypocrisie Obstinacy of one another This is that which our Saviour here Warns and Adviseth against in this long and Excellent Discourse of his both to his Disciples and a multitude of People who were gathered together from all the Countrey about to see and hear what he did and said And it seems they heard so much as put them into great Wonder and Astonishment Both in respect it is like of the Excellent Matter of his Preaching and Discourse being more Moral and Spiritual than that of the Pharisees and their Scribes and Doctors was who most-what read them Lectures of tithing Mint and Cummin and the minute small Matters of their Law And then in respect of his manner of Speaking which was with more Authority That is so as to move them more to mind and believe the things he said and that among other Ways by speaking them so as if he most certainly knew the Truth and Concernment of what he spake they on the Contrary it may be only probably uncertainly dubiously and coldly reasoning about their small Questions In treating of this Argument the Summ or Contents of our Discourse shall be these I. Only just to mention the true Sense of the word here used to Judg or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 II. The Judgment here forbidden shall be more particularly explicated III. What Judgment here is not forbidden though in danger of being taken for that which is IV. Whence this forbidden Judgment here proceeds what are the Causes V. The mischievous Effects or Consequences hereof which will be so many Reasons too why we should not be guilty of it VI. The Remedies to prevent or mend it VII How we should govern our Judgments of Persons both concerning their Vertues and Vices Sect. I. I. For the First The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here rendred to Judg hath several Significations in Scripture 1. In General to pass Judgment that is to affirm or deny any Proposition or Sentence thought of This is the most ordinary Sense and every where occurs 1 Cor. 11.13 Judg in your selves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Is it comely for a Woman to Pray with her Head uncovered And the same in 1 Cor. 10.15 I speak as to Wise-Men Judg you what I say i. e. Pass your Judgment give your Opinion after Consideration of what I am now about to propose unto you And where this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is thus used in the Septuagints Translation of the Old Testament it may Answer to the Hebrew words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and other words 2. More particularly To pass Judgment concerning the Actions or Qualities of a Person either of his Vertues or Faults Good or Bad And this is as often met withal and so it is three or four times presently after one another in 1 Cor. 4. 3 4 5. But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you or of Mans Judgment Yea I judg not mine own self That is As for yours or any Mans Judgment concerning my Faithfulness in my Stewardship of the Mysteries of the Gospel of which in the two former Verses whether I am or am not Faithful I make a little account of it Their Judgments upon many Accounts it may be being but little if any probable signs of the Truth Nay I pass not Judgment concerning this thing Universally my self I it may be forgetting or not seeing many things in my self But the Lord is he that doth always and hath right to Judg who is All-knowing and Just as it is in Verse 5. 3. More particularly yet It signifies to pass Judgment concerning a Persons Innocency or Merit that he is Innocent That is an Acquitting and Absolving him so is the Sense To Judg the Cause of the Poor and Needy Spoken of Jehoiakim's Father And To Judg the Fatherless and Oppressed that the Man of the Earth may no more Oppress Psalm 10.18 Here and in such like the Septuagints word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 answering to the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 4. On the contrary it oft-times signifies to pass Sentence or Judgment concerning a Persons Fault or Guilt or Punishment he deserves that he is Guilty and deserves Punishment that is to Condemn or Accuse For in both this is done in the one as a Judg in the other as a Witness And
we should judg one or t'other way we are to suspend our Judgment That which is usually exprest by saying we do not know we cannot tell it may or it may not be so indeed if we apprehend the possibility but whether it be or be not we are Ignorant In our Judgments concerning some things we may sometimes follow our Inclinations both without and contrary to some smaller Reasons but then they must be very strong such as are natural and born with us and which we cannot oppress or hinder by our wills though we would and we do not find they proceed from any Insincerity any secret desire or inclination to gratifie any Lust but that we are possest with a serious and upright unmixed desire to know the truth in order to Goodness And this indeed seems to be a sign of great reason for that Judgment viz. Of this inclination being Impressed by God and consequently he being Good that it is true and useful Such are Mens strong inclinations notwithstanding all appearance of reason though but such and and real deceits to the contrary which may be brought by Cavilling men to believe God's Existence his Justice to punish and reward Immortality of Souls distinction of Actions right and wrong universal Goodness our great perfection and ultimate Self-love contrary to the truth of our Senses c. these God hath anticipated us withal But in our Judgments concerning Persons no such inclination is to be followed by no means which notwithstanding is extraordinary frequent but always from some secret passion of hatred displeasure against the Person not for any reason but some bodily temper which is called Antipathy and oft-times past offences c. Of the other viz. Judging without sufficient reason there is variety that which may be sufficient reason to one Man or at one time in one thing may not be to another One Man may be more capable and able to examine a thing further than another and yet both may be ought to pass their Judgment As if one Friend should for very good ends ask the judgment of some other concerning the Qualities or Actions of a third So sometimes the time for Deliberation or Information may be necessarily shorter in one affair than in another and yet the Judgment is then to be passed too and not neglected And so the Judgment concerning one thing of less moment and yet enough too may be with require our Opinion too may be with less reason or probability than another of greater Importance And here this rash Judgment is not to be allowed on either side as well to the advantage as disadvantage of the Person concerning his good or his ill-qualities or actions We are not to judg Men better than they are as well as not worse and consequently falsly and foolishly admire and approve of what they say or do without reason only because we will and as we say we imagine so not with that sufficient Reason as we ought to have Though the extream of Judging Men rashly better than they are being less frequent or hurtful I suppose the other is here principally intended viz. The Judging Men rashly worse than they are and censuring them This Imperfection very often proceeds from Ultimate and therefore Inordinate Self-pleasing our selves by meer Activity of this kind We must be passing Judgment of every thing we see or that appears to us and as soon and as fast as may be we cannot stay so long as to call to mind or examine Reasons This is too troublesome to most and would spoil the pleasure of it Oft-times Men make it their Diversion but imprudently chosen to be at any rate wantonly Judging and Discoursing of Persons in general Oftentimes also the Cause or Principle is Self-pleasing again by the exercise and sense of our ability and sufficiency of Wit or Understanding we much pleasing our selves that we can observe what others do and judg and discern whether they are good or bad do well or ill especially what the most considerable Men do and here most because it is a sign of a greater Comparative ability that we see Imperfections and Defects even in the Wiser and Better sort of Men which they do not as we think see in themselves The first of these Causes is more ordinary the second in those most often who really are of considerable ability These are more innocent Causes as not arguing so much of Self-Love in opposition to the good of others or to Charity as the other of Malice Hatred Revenge Pride Affectation of Superiority and thence secret Envy which are but too frequent Sect. IV. 4. The Fourth thing forbidden is false Judgment which although it may be more hurtful in effect yet it may be and often is more innocent in the principle or end than the former For a Man may often judg false and out of Charity and Duty too and with as sufficient reason as he could find or observe But yet a Man having first seen he may or ought to pass his Judgment ought to adhibit the greatest care that it be true This is a great instance of Justice which as every Man at all times is bound to so then especially when he undertakes to be a Judg. The most general Instances of rash and false Judgment concerning Persons Qualities and Actions and perhaps which comprehend all others are these 1. When we Judg imperfections defects faults of any kind or sort to be in Men when they are not 2. When we Judg those to be much greater imperfections than indeed they are compared with others we mistake in the quality The first again is First Either when we judg Imperfections to be in Men one or more when either there is none or not so many When we mistake in respect of the Number Secondly When we Judg more of that which is a greater Degree and a greater Constancy of these Imperfections which really are in the Persons to be in the Persons than there is we mistake in the Degree and in the Continuation or Duration And thus on the contrary also we often judg as rashly and falsly of our selves or any we favour or who are Friends to us We judg perfections and good qualities to be in our selves and them and more of these Perfections in number and them to be greater and more of each of them in Degree and Frequency or Constancy than indeed there is when all this is a mistake and oft a silly or wilful one and on the contrary judg ours and our Friends Imperfections and and their degrees of Intention and Frequency fewer and the Imperfections less than indeed they are and we to that purpose conceal connive at forget them willingly even to our own Consciences and our best Friends and this out of ultimate and foolish mistaken Self-love A thing often to be observed in sick and dying Persons very backward to take notice of their sins and faults and the degrees of them and to reckon them up all and to
make a frank acknowledgment to their own Consciences or their Friends A sign too of no very great degree of Repentance or a Conversion from sin In the first we multiply and magnifie the Imperfections Infirmities Defects ill-Qualities of others Here the good ones Surely much the better extream as to its Effects as it seems even when it proceeds from ultimate Self-love as well as the other extream which is too often and not out of Charity A more particular and very useful Instance of the First General is when we Judg the Actions of Men to proceed from worse Principles Ends Designs and Qualities in them than indeed they do A thing the more diligently and carefully to be avoided because of very mischievous and evil consequences and yet extraordinary frequent and easie to be fallen into Thus often we accuse and condemn Men of Covetousness Pride Unconscientiousness or the like from some actions which really were the effects much of a wise and discreet Virtue and had very little mixture if any of these Vices A thing very often especially happening in refusal or denying the Cravings and Desires of others Thus we accuse Men often of great Wilfulness when it is Weakness of Wickedness or Evil-disposition of Will when it is Ignorance and Imprudence of deliberate Mischievousness when it is a sudden Surprize How often shall you hear Men fiercely accuse one another of Malice Hatred Revenge Pride than the first of which nothing more devilish and worse can be thought or said of a Man though I wish it were not so often true when there is no such matter but an impartial and upright Justice that is Charity to the Publick or at worst ignorance mistake Mens not attending forgetfulness or the like This is very often seen in the behaviour of Sects and Parties one towards another Where the Inconsistency of Opinions with good Conscience is often fiercely affirmed too universally before it is known what Advantages they have had for Information Though I acknowledg too there may be oft very sufficient signs for a very probable Judgment This rash and false Judgment in these or the like Instances being so mischievous and yet frequent is as I said when it is on the false side diligently to be avoided and rather let the defect the rashness and the mistake be on the other hand which usually argues much of Wisdom and Charity good Nature and a great freedom from ultimate and inordinate Self-love and especially when it is towards Adversaries And therefore it is a lovely and amiable thing it is called good Interpretation and Candour When one judgeth most favourably and putteth the best sense and meaning upon Actions and external appearances when there is equal probability on both sides or there is none at all of either appearing and when it is constrain'd to judg worse it is with pity According to that invaluable 13th Chap. of the first Epistle to the Corinthians to be written in the most deep and lasting Characters in our Souls and to be read every morning nay as oft as may be verse 5. Charity as it beareth all things so it believeth and hopeth all things Sect. V. 5. The Fifth thing forbidden is too great a Proneness and Aptness to pronounce to declare and make known our Judgment and Opinion concerning others especially on the bad side To be always talking thereof though to no visible good effect nor out of any good Principle And to be in pain as it were till they have delivered themselves and this usually comes too from the Inordinate love of Activity of doing somewhat of Restlesness which is called Busibodiness and sometimes from the other worse Qualities so often mentioned Malice Pride Envy Revenge c. and mostly from a mixture of more of them together With all which too as in all other Actions of Men insincere as most are I doubt some small mixture sometimes there may be of Justice that is of a kind of common Charity This too great Proneness or Inclination considered without its Principle or End as I have told you before admits of Variety Some Men ought to have more as all Governours and Overseers of others Manners or in general of their good Qualities Those also that find the good effects of good Instruction Self-amendment kindly and laudable Emulations Pity an endeavour for the good of the faulty and of others to amend or prevent the same else-where Others on the contrary who are private Persons in a private Capacity or Condition apt to gratifie thereby their Envy Pride Hatred Contempt of others Self-conceit affectation of Superiority will have seldomer sufficient reasons to pass or declare their Judgment and when they have the good effects are not so considerable in them as in the former Persons Consequently they must nourish a lesser Proneness and Inclination thereto These Men also who find they can better discern choose govern and Instruct themselves in all Circumstances of declaring their Opinion concerning Persons such as I have before mentioned of the Persons judged the Persons before whom c. These also may be more free and allow themselves more of this Proneness Those on the contrary who may and ought to observe themselves forgetful unable to take notice or discern the fittest Circumstances or not to be able to moderate or govern themselves when they do but what they have in their mind it must come out those who are thus dull and weak ought to lay aside this Proneness and Inclination to subjugate or weaken it so far forth and to betake themselves more to mind their own affairs immediately In General of which more hereafter the declaration of this our Judgment must always be done with all the signs and with the best effects we can of Charity in doing Good and consequently Self-denial Charity I say sometimes more immediately respecting the Person of whom we judg sometimes our selves it may be as in the case of sin when we ought to vindicate our selves sometimes some others By-standers sometimes altogether Be sure let there not appear any the least sign of doing it out of ultimate respect to our selves in any kind nor let the effect be only such with a neglect of or in opposition to the good of the Person or others And a great many signs there are of this which may better come in in another place Sect. VI. 6. And lastly And above all is here forbidden the undue end of our Judging others viz. Self-pleasing ultimately and that several ways by others hurt or mischief positive or privative These are Malice Hatred Pride Envy Revenge Flattery and base Fear Busibodiness Curiosity c. This is that which is here principally intended this mainly advis'd against by our Saviour as also judging on the worst side suspecting accusing condemning Persons out of the foresaid Principles As appears by the reason subjoyned both in this and the next Verse Judg not is here taken in the sense in which that you be not judged is But by
that is meant suspected accused condemned by others principally out of the former Principles For if it were meant of the Judgment of the good side the avoiding of that would be no motive not to judg because it would not seem an evil to the Person judging I say principally moreover I have mentioned the defect of being too prone in general to pass Judgment though it may happen on the good side and so to declare ones Judgment and to judg rashly or falsly though still on the good side on this occasion as belonging to our Judgments to suggest unto you that they might be occasionally forbidden too and are Defects Infirmities All the forementioned Particulars if they can be supposed to proceed not from these bad Principles but from good viz. Charity though imprudent and mistaken though they may be immediately hurtful and do mischief yet they are not vicious faulty wicked But more of this when we come to the Causes of these forbidden Judgings here especially of rash and false ones CHAP. III. Sect. I. BUt what Judgments are here not forbidden though they may be apt to be mistaken for those which are And in general these two viz. 1. Not an observing or judging out of Charity a sincere and unmixed Charity For sometimes surely we may exercise our Charity both in good and bad Judgments The principal thing here forbidden is passing our Judgment out of bad Principles such as are Ultimate Selfishness Malice Hatred Pride Envy c. But then the contrary cannot be forbidden to pass Judgment out of a good one and the only good one viz. Charity or Good-will unless all Principles of a Mans actions were forbidden Sect. II. Nor Secondly Is it ever forbidden to a Person when there are more good effects of his doing this than of his omission Nay then contrary-wise he is commanded to do it The first respects our Principles or End The second our Prudence or the Effect The first of these may be without the second viz. A Man may give his Judgment and Opinion concerning Persons and Actions out of Charity and very good Intentions of doing the most good unlimitedly in general whether it be particularly applied to our selves or others or both and yet as far as we see the effects of it may be bad A Man may both inwardly and outwardly commend and discommend Persons unseasonably with a very good meaning through want of Information And so the second may be without the first too that is There may be very good effects and consequences of a Mans passing and pronouncing his Judgment when the principle may be bad enough A Man may approve or condemn what is truly good or bad in others and consequently dispose himself and others to an imitation of the one and an eschewing of the other especially if he be a Person of some esteem and yet he may do the first out of fear or flattery or because it is like some-what in himself not because it is a quality or thing really profitable to the World and therefore would have it more propagated And the second out of Envy Hatred c. not because it is a thing mischievous and hurtful to the Person himself to others or displeasing to God Almighty In summ whensoever it doth appear to any Man that it would be worse if he did not pass his Judgment that there would be worse consequences thereof than if he did any where to others as well as himself considering himself but as any other Person just in the same Circumstances and to do it for this very reason and cause this common Good this I say is not here prohibited Sect. III. Thirdly But more particularly therefore in the first place it is not universally prohibited here to pass Judgment In the Cases and Circumstances I have formerly mentioned and innumerable more if we descend to particulars it is not It is much permitted nay enjoyned to Governours somewhat less to private Persons Laudable it is in Men to have regard to and observe the qualities and actions generally of those that are their Superiors to compare their own with and see their defect and to be excited to Amendment and Imitation To look at and to judg their own faults in others if thereby they find themselves disposed to see them more clearly in themselves and to be put in mind of them Laudable it is to observe good qualities in others that we may rejoyce in them and be glad to see any thing good in the World and be able to encourage it by a discreet Observation and Commendation thereof Consequently we are not commanded to be negligent and utterly careless of what other Men care or do For this is contrary to the former generals of Charity and Prudence we should then be prohibited both those out of Prudence and Charity to our Neighbour both good and bad Men and to our selves too we are obliged to take notice of them what they are and do to encourage and help or to rejoyce in what is good to check hinder and prevent what is bad and mischievous in the World by our pity and just endeavours We are not surely to say with Cain Am I my Brothers keeper Yes we are all so that is we should be so We are not like Brutes to live only within our own Skins to care for no Body but our selves and inhumanly to say What care we what others do We 'll look after our selves let them be good or bad we matter not we think it best always to mind our selves we see Men busie themselves too much about others matters In the first of which thou art bad and wicked being only selfish in the other mistaken and imprudent Thou art always to have regard to the common good in all thou art and dost and therefore when thou appliest thy self to mind thy self and to do good to thy self it must always be to fit thy self to do most good in general it must have that for the end Thou art also often and thy own prudence must determine for it may be too often to step out and see what others do and are and concern thy self charitably and prudently for thy Neighbours and to please and serve God consequently there is a time when this is best Besides indeed thou mindest thy own self to best purpose and effect when thou disposest thy self to be of this charitable and prudent Temper which may sometimes be best done by use and exercise Sect. IV. Fourthly Nor in the next place is it prohibited universally to pass Judgment on the worst side to Accuse or Condemn for it is permitted to the Overseers of others Manners and Instructors and Teachers of good Manners and to Friends whose care and industry for the good of those whom they thus judg it will excite to those that would free themselves from too partial an admiration of Persons to those who have a mind and design to be more accurately good in things of more great and publick Concernment
usually in our Judgments of our Selves or our Friends or those we love and favour But on the contrary those in whom we attend to or observe what is bad or imperfect only their bad qualities or actions the bad effects and consequences of these and not at all or but little of what is Good we judg them much worse than they are Judg them to have done a great many and very bad actions to have a great many and very bad qualities but none or very few good This as it is the most mischievous so it is the more frequent extream Men being now so far from that Humane and Christian temper of universal Kindness and Good-will that they are but very few they care for or to whom they are disposed friendly in comparison of those they do not This again may sometimes proceed from meer necessary Ignorance and want of Information For sometimes a Man may have seen or otherwise known much Good by a Man and none or little bad either because the Man wanted his proper Temptation or through dissimulation of his temper and inclination or for other reasons And on the contrary a Man by himself or others may know many bad things by a Person and little Good when he may have much in him which he had never the opportunity to observe or the Means otherwise to know But it most-what proceeds from some undue disposition of Will and when a Man is partially not justly affected to Persons and as he ought he is either pleased or displeased with Persons more than in general he might observe them to deserve or merit Thus you shall but too often see to give Instances of that side which is most to be avoided that Men will take more notice of and better remember one bad Action in a Person than twenty good ones and consequently this shall procure him more Disreputation or Disesteem than they shall honour or good-will So ungrateful and ill-natur'd a thing is but too much of the World Whereas we should say such or such a thing indeed at such a time is amiss bad or evil but then 't was but once or seldom perhaps nay I know it is oftner otherwise and he hath such or such good qualities there he is to be commended that is or was well done And this should be done not to sooth Men up or to make them content and so well-pleased with themselves notwithstanding many ill Actions Vices and Imperfections as not to endeavour to prevent reform and amend them too but to encourage them so to do since they have so much Good in them already And to make ones Counsel or Reproof more effectual since this ready taking notice and approbation of what 's Good in them is an Argument of an impartial Love Charity and Kindness to them in the Person exhorting or reproving And here I 'le only add by the way because it is a thing of frequent and great use in Humane life that it is the same kind of Cause of our false Judment of the Goodness or Evilness of things viz. We only observe and attend to either the Conveniencies or Inconveniencies the Good or Bad effects of things but not to both together which is oft from meer Ignorance oftner from some Passion We may observe it every where in publick Constitutions in Domestick Private and Personal affairs Whence oft-times we hurry and haste to mend things for the worse and are discontent ill at ease make our selves unhappy repine murmur are unthankful to God unjustly and without reason and yet after some experience of the contrary Inconveniences we are running back again with many other mischievous and hurtful Consequences Oft-times too on the other hand we will not stir to mend things taking notice only of their Conveniencies and not of their Inconveniencies which might without greater be redressed The first generally is the defect of those who affect Novelty The second of those who affect Antiquity i. e. Who inordinately and immoderately love them either absolutely for themselves without reference to any good use or effect or more than what they can really contribute to any such good use doth deserve The first is commonly the temper of Young-Men the second of Old In the one being an immoderate appetite of Activity in the other of Ease Sect. XIII 5. A fifth Cause is want of a prevalent love of Truth Men most-what in their Judgments and Discourse concerning Persons nor is it much less in things witness the generality of Books look more at other things little or not at all at the truth of what they judg or say they take little heed whether it be really true or no and therefore seldom examine suspend or pronounce doubtfully or according only to appearing probability It is true they say and think things to be true very confidently and strongly but this not because they see the truth of what they affirm but because they would have it true Not because their Understanding and Perception goes before their Judgment and their natural affection to Truth makes them so judg but some other disposition of will such as I have so often named Activity Curiosity Pride Hatred Envy Anger Contempt Flattery c. Whereas we should be very careful to possess our Minds with such a serious love of the Truth that we may have a constant reverend regard thereto in all our Judgments and Speeches concerning others And this we should do without much trouble if we used our selves thereto and did but use to check our selves and ask the Question and pause a little whether we know it to be true or no. We should love not only to speak truth withour Neighbour but of our Neighbour too We should look upon Truth as a most Sacred thing ever to be inviolable and to be the main if not the only perfection of our Judgments without which we had better have none at all We had better be utterly Ignorant and never judg at all than do it erroneously For by that means our Actions and Resolutions are determined and directed amiss and are mischievously made use of For were it not much better that we were ignorant and passed no Judgment at all of Persons either of the quantity or quality of their Perfections and Imperfections than by being mistaken therein sometimes to neglect or punish the Innocent and Well-deserving and to be Beneficent and bestow good things upon those that ill deserve and make ill use of them In few words Men judg falsly because they will not judg truly or are not pleased therewith or at least but little and in such degree only that it is not effectual For it is not every degree of love to the Truth that will secure a Man from false Judgments of things and here of Persons But it must be a greater degree of Love thereto than to the thing which at any particular time may be a temptation to the contrary And if we would be always secure we must have a stronger
Arguments commend justifie or excuse any Action of our Friends and with as many discommend or aggravate that of our conceited Adversary whom we are in hatred with or bear grudge against or are wrathful and angry with Hence therefore we give false Judgments concerning Persons qualities or actions judging them much better or worse than they are we having only Arguments and Proofs on one side brought to our Mind by our passions and those on the other kept out by them Which is like as if corrupted or bribed Officers should permit no Witnesses to come into or appear in the presence of the Judg but those that shall serve for that side or the Cause that they are bribed for And yet often our Mind and Reason the Judg not attending and taking notice of this Bribery and Partiality of these Officers the Passions though it might and should may think it very truly judged at least as it ought according to the Evidence that it had and set down and be content and think all was well done and truly they were very honest and sincere in their Judgments This is one of the most slie and close Cheats and Tricks we by our Passions put upon our Reasons The more had we need here to be cautious and now more especially when the Deceit and Cozenage is discovered And both on this and the two following as well as other accounts it is a special Maxim of Wisdom not to trust those Judgments where Passions have gone before Reason But do one of these three things Either 1. Be calm and and have no Passions at all Or 2. If thou wilt for Invention-sake have any then passionate thy self equally on both sides Or 3. Raise up in thy self a greater and commanding passion for Truth which will make all the Evidence and Proof thou hast in thy keeping appear equally on all sides But here I may prevent what is to be said in another Head 2. And very briefly Our Passions cause us to judg in favour of themselves by bringing into our Minds not only what is true on one side and keeping back what is so on the other but also by thrusting into them more than is true And therefore we observe in our Friends and in our Enemies that is to whom we are so more virtues or faults fine or foul things and more of them too than any Body else not alike prejudiced can see or than indeed there are And 3. When things on both sides do come to our Minds as especially when suggested by another who would discourse or defend the Person we are passionated for or against I say when this is by thrusting them on one side away again or turning a Man from them or causing one wilfully not to attend to them or if that cannot be not to the Proof and Evidence that is in them nay not to be able it confounding and agitating our Minds and drawing their force another way And so it is by every days Experience observed that he that is under the passions of Hatred and Anger against any thing or Person will not attend to what can be said or proposed in their Commendations or Defence nor will nor can oft-times apprehend the Proof or Consequence thereof So on the other hand Timidity or Fear or Scruple to judg amiss concerning Persons especially on the bad side may cause many not to judg according to the best probability that doth appear to them without any prejudice from any Person or ill disposition of Will But this is an effect of Passions more visible and more to be observed by the Person himself mis-judging than the former and therefore in that respect more easie to be prevented And here we see manifestly one of the principal mischiefs of Passions as there are also very good use of them and how much therefore it concerns us to govern them well Sect. XV. 7. Another Cause of false Judgment either on the good or bad part may be all Appetites whatsoever besides those which have Truth and universal Justice for their Objects By which Justice I mean nothing else but such a love of and desire to do Good to each particular as is most consistent with or productive or effective of the greatest Good of the whole that always with regard to measured and moderated by this I say all Appetites besides those not only those which cause it on the bad side as Malice Pride Envy Revenge which two last seem mixed of the two former and others which have been formerly mention'd but those also which cause it on the favourable side as in Flattery when a Man by passing his Judgment before another concerning himself or his Friend desires to please him and to gain his good opinion and favour nay partial and imprudent Charity it self may be the Cause As when a Man having no Self-end more than the pleasure of the Action in giving his Judgment concerning a Person to whom he hath a strong inclination to do good but without that due actual heed to or fore-sight of the Hurt or Evil that may come of this his Beneficence to him or to others else-where or at some other time that is partially or imprudently judgeth him more deserving than in truth he is To give particular Instances of false Judgments from these Causes would be endless only one may be observed for Example which is frequent and of consequence Contradicting the Judgment of others passing Judgments contrary to those of others and oft-times the more by how much the Number or Reputation of those others are the greater When we see one praised or dispraised by them contrariwise to dispraise or praise either in general or quoting particulars and multiplying and magnifying of them Generally this is out of Pride that we might Equalize or be Superiour to others in our Invention or Discretion or Honesty the Abilities which fit us for Judging that we might not at least seem to our selves or others to be inferiour in those Qualities that others might not seem as if they were only able and fit to do it In all which there is affectation of Superiority Vain-glory and Ostentation Envy which are several Branches of Pride And this we see not only among the Vulgar and in ordinary Conversation but among the Learned who often when any Author is generally commended and it may be too much set themselves to multiply and magnifie his Faults and Defects but to diminish his commendable Qualities by concealing or extenuating them And on the contrary when an Author is now out-done and thought to be much exceeded by another and therefore comparatively undervalued they endeavour to multiply and magnifie what is Good and Deserving in him but to neglect conceal or lessen what is Bad and Defective And consequently by this unobserved prejudice they give false Judgments concerning them I know these Instances may proceed from a careful Veracity and Justice because Men commonly both praise and dispraise excessively and their Judgments may be true but
it is more rare even to have any thing thereof but much more rare still to see this without some mixture of the other Causes And here we may just take notice of one reason of the aptness of Men to recriminate to accuse their Accusers though never so Just and Modest or presently to quote their Infirmities and Faults viz. Men know that by possessing the Person to whom they are accused with Hatred Envy Anger c. against him who accuseth them they shall cause him to judg confusedly and in general the Accuser a bad or silly Person and consequently all that appertains to him and consequently his Testimony and that therefore it is not to be believed We see this design most-what to take effect with the Vulgar where there is almost always Revenge too Sect. XVI The Causes of the Fifth prohibited Judgment viz. Too great a Proneness to declare and make known our Judgments may be and usually are the same now often mentioned in some of the former viz. Idleness ultimate Self-pleasing by Activity Curiosity Vain-conceit of ones own sufficiency and ability to judg of others fancied Reputation therefor also by Hatred Revenge Pride affectation of Superiority Envy Contempt Anger Flattery And Persons who are too prone thus to do on the worst side out of such Principles especially now named one or more of them and are frequent and busie in doing of it are those who are called properly Tale-bearers concerning whom you have so many Advisements in the Book of the Proverbs and of the mischievousness of their Employment as Prov. 26.20 22. and 16.28 and 11.13 Sect. XVII Lastly For the Causes of Mens passing Judgment in Thought and Speech concerning Persons on the worst side out of such bad Principles as are aforenamed I have no other now to name but only the corruption of their Natures and inclinations thereof when born into this World by some certain Causes and this improved and increased by too constant an ill usage of themselves their wilful compliance therewith few taking care to correct and amend by the Grace of God what is bad and amiss in themselves their natural Degeneracy and Corruption their Inordinacy and Immoderacy of appetite but swimming down with the Stream and doing that which is most easie CHAP. V. We have dispatcht the Fourth General Head the Causes of prohibited Judgment Sect. I. THe Fifth is the mischievous Effects or Consequences which are so many Reasons and should be so many Motives to beware and to abstain therefrom We shall observe some of these in each particular prohibited Judgment distinctly I. Of too great a proneness to judg others in general the ill effects are these 1. The first is That too great a Proneness and Practice accordingly to observe and judg others causeth us to neglect our own Affairs The more our Eyes are abroad the less at home for they cannot be in two places We cannot mind two things at once so different and distant And it is every where by Experience seen that those who little take notice of what others are and do are usually more attentive to their own Business and what immediately belongs to themselves The time that is spent in Reflection upon others Actions and Principles would otherwise most-what if we are not very dull for want of Variety have been converted to the observation of our own Such shamefully neglect oft-times to purpose or set apart their own Actions what they will what they will not do and their own Principles out of what End and for what Reason and the execution of their purposed Actions that they even forget to do what they themselves had purposed and designed because they are busie and employed in gazing at others Wisdom is before him that hath understanding but the eyes of a Fool are in the ends of the Earth Prov. 17.24 The sense may be That a Man of understanding regards and looks at more often his own wisdome to see where he acts wisely out of foresight of and in order to good Ends but a Fool 's thoughts are roving and employed about things far from him the most remote and impertinent that is of Persons and Actions among others which he can little make use of in comparison As the Man that looks at his own next steps employs himself generally to better Purpose than he that gazes at the Horizon or bounds of the Heavens Now the further ill Consequences of thus doing is this that we transfer our Observation and Judgment there where we can make less good Use if any and from thence where we could have used it to much better purpose for the most part For 1. Thou canst not so well know that concerning which thou judgest in another Man as in thy self thy Judgment will be the less certain and consequently the Effects of it less certainly good All our Judgments concerning others are concerning their Qualities or Actions and of their Actions sometimes whether they have been at all sometimes out of what Principle sometimes to what effect or good purpose whether they should have been done Now no Man can tell so well what Qualities are in another Man as what are in himself No man can so well tell the Principles of another Mans actions his end intention and design as those of himself every Man may know his own Heart better than another Mans. No Man can be so sure of what is done by any Man as the Person himself And lastly It is but rare that any Man of these great Talkers or Judgers know the Circumstances of any Mans condition and consequently what can or ought to be done by such a Person so well as he himself and surely he doth or may unless it is because he is an idle Busie-body or worse know the circumstances of his own Actions better than he can those of another Man and consequently what is fittest to be done in his owne Case better than in another Mans. Why then doth he not busie himself there viz. At Home I speak not universally but for the most part For sometimes in some Cases a Man may know other Mens Affairs better than they themselves and than their own Affairs and give their Judgment with Modesty and out of Friendship Yet how frequent is it for Men and the most Ignorant and Sottish most peremptorily and confidently to judg what others who are truly Wise ought to do what would be fittest and of best effect for them to do to direct or find fault where it is apparent they know little of the Circumstances of their Condition or Affairs and these cannot reasonably be thought to be such strangers to their own Business and Affairs as not to know more and to know better what they have to do and ought to do yea and are as good to do it too But that 's another Consideration 2. But then Secondly If thy Judgment be as certain and if another did indeed such a bad Action or out of such a bad Principle or hath
any bad Quality it may be you can contribute little to the preventing the like for the future or to his amendment or help it may be none at all if distant though thou would'st he is out of thy reach thou canst not let him know thy Judgment or he 'll not care for it if he do but in thy self thou mayst do much prevent the next time otherwise dispose thy self nor do nor be so any more mind thy own Faults or Infirmities Thou art without Comparison more than in thine own power to direct alter or change thy self than another Man is and yet thou art very busie about him and negligent of thy self Which is like as if one should be very sollicitous concerning another Travelling-mans way and diligently observe whether he went right or in a bad way it may be to direct him too if he went wrong it may be only to gratifie Curiosity or to laugh at him when he could not or would not come at him to direct him and in the mean time he never minded his own and so perchance falls into a Slough or Ditch or wanders into a wrong one Or as if thou shouldst be careful of another Mans Health or Legs or Eyes which it is little in thy power to use when they are never so perfect and neglect thy own which thou canst use at thy pleasure and it may be have more need of being looked after and are worse than thy Neighbours Or to use part of our Saviours own Comparison here to be peering into thy Neighbours Eye and taking notice of a Mote there when thy own Eye hath the same if not a Beam When as our Saviour also Himself intimates here if thou pulledst out thy own mote or beam first thou might'st use thy own sight to help thy Neighbour but if thou should'st pull out that of thy Neighbours it may be thou canst not assure he shall so well use his clearness 2. Another evil consequence of too great a Proneness and too frequent Judgment of others or it then is so is most what an Usurpation of anothers right or of that which for another to have would do most good a taking from another what is his due it is a piece of Injustice For generally those who give Judgment concerning others would oblige them both to judg as they judg and do so too to do accordingly They are apt to impose their Judgments and this by all the power they have and therefore will Inflict what evil lies in their power if they do not which may be at least Ill-opinion disgrace or Ill-speaking-of even in the meanest Person They are seldom content themselves to pass their Judgment but they would have Persons of whom they judg to Judg as they do and do as they would have them or think fit they should and are Angry or Ill-pleased if they do not And here they would take away their Liberty of judging in their own Affairs in acting according to their own Judgment they would deprive them of making use of their own Examination and Prudence and then of determining themselves But is not this every Mans Right in respect of private Persons Is it not better the Judgment and Determination of a Man 's own Actions for Example should rest in himself It is true I may give my Judgment when desired or asked or where the defect of Ignorance or Infirmity is manifest out of Friendship but then with deferrence to the Persons own Judgment and Determination at last And this not carelesly and as being displeased because he follows not me but with an acknowledgment of his Right and an Acquiescence therein Every Man is a Prince and supream Moderatour to himself under God in abundance of his Actions most of his External such as Domestick ones and Personal especially and of his Internal as his willing designing Intentions Opinions and Judgments and it is most for the Publick or Universal good it should be so And Men should be left to the exercise and use of their own Prudence and Liberty in many things though they should not so well use it altogether as they might The one may be a greater good than the other an evil Besides It is most likely every Person should best know the Circumstances of his own especially more private Actions and consequently what 's fittest to be done or not done Or if any did better know sometimes and were better and more virtuous to direct yet How should it be known when And who would not pretend to it So that there would be nothing but Confusion and every one would be every ones Lord and Master And yet I dare say it is to be observ'd a most frequent piece of Injustice and Tyranny and running through all sorts of Men and lodged even in the Beggars brest Men are not content Men should be Judges in any of their own affairs even Private and Personal but they will be judging directing reproving urging and forcing as much as they can them to be and do as they would have them lording and domineering over others not seasonably modestly and friendly advising only This gratifies and increaseth Pride in us also and this is that in part which the Apostle reproves in Rom. 14.4 Who art thou that judgest another Man's servant Why wouldst thou be Govenrour of another Man and needs have and force him compel him to judg and do as thou judgest or else would'st hate him despised and blame him in words too I suppose if he did not when-as in this case he is only subject to God Sect. II. II. The evil Consequences of too much Proneness to judg on the worst side I speak as to the effect only though the Principle be not bad is 1. That it leads a Man to false Judgments and to judg Persons worse than they are 2. That it consequently disposeth a Man to Contemn Undervalue nay Hate a Person more than he deserves Whence 3. It begets Suspicions and belief in others that this his Judgment comes from the worst principles of Self-love Hatred Revenge Pride Envy Contempt c. when it really may not be so Whence 4. It disposeth and gives occasion and is but too often an effectual temptation both in those whom he thus judgeth and others to contempt hatred and revenge toward him and that by observing and marking making known and publishing his Faults and Infirmities too which really are so which otherwise they neither would nor should have done nay by adding thereto increasing their number and greatness and judging him worse than he is as the former had done by his Neighbour whence further hatred and contempt reciprocally from them to him and more than he deserves too hence again it may be Hatred and Revenge stirred up in him again against them So that now behold what a crowd and heap of Mischief there is on all hands instead of mutual Charity and Beneficence Part of this is the Motive our Saviour Himself here subjoyns to His Command to
the like nature those Mischiefs of doing contrary to our Duty and the advantages and good Effects of the Practice of it in this particular of our Judgments concerning others ought reasonably to make us careful of our Principles and Prudence therein more than ordinary viz. That we be not too Prone to judg others much less to Judg them on the worst side to observe accuse and condemn them even in our Hearts not to judg rashly and without all Reason but our Wills not to be Inconsiderate not to judg falsly but always when we judg to do it exactly according to Truth as near as we can not to babble out our Judgments at any rate not to be too prone to do that but to do it out of Charity always and with Discretion and Prudence never lastly to pass our Judgments out of the worst of Dispositions Self-pleasing by Activity Curiosity Hatred Pride Revenge Envy affectation of Superiority Contempt Anger Flattery c. CHAP. VI. Sect. I. WE are now come to the Remedies or Means to prevent those prohibited Judgings of which one of the most General And 1. Shall be to remember and attend to the great number of mischievous Effects and Consequences thereof and then to the Causes of them The first will dispose our Wills to be averse there-from The second will direct us to some means to effect our Wills The first will make us willing to abstain therefrom The second able Call to mind therefore and think of as oft as thou may'st be in danger how much of that time spent in observing and judging of others might have been spent in Self-examination reflection and attention to thy own Business and Affairs How idly and unprofitably to say no worse I employ my self there in comparison to what I might do if my thoughts were more at Home How much more uprightly and prudently might I carry and demean my self in all my Actions Again how troublesome and importunate it makes one Man to another to be too frequently Checking Controlling Determining them in their own Affairs to be Tyrannical and Injuring How unreasonable and mischievous it is to be disposed to Hate Under-value or Contemn Persons more than in impartial Judgments they deserve and to be consequently the Causes of our selves being Under-valued Hated Contemned there-for and more than we deserve Again the being occasions and causes of Sin and Trouble both to our selves and others in the World How foolish is it to expose our selves to just censure for Folly Rashness Inconsiderations Weakness Indiscretion and Partiality and to be neglected justly and not to be fit to do any good to others by our Testimony The bearing false Witness against our Neighbour how should it pinch and wring us and hurt us as much as if we nip'd or cut our own Fingers or gashed our own Flesh What a pitiable thing is it and mischievous to see a Man mistakenly to stroke the Bad and strike the Good because he thinks well of the one and ill of the other just clean contrary to what should be and like Mad-men out of their Wits Why should any Man call upon himself Contempt Hatred Anger or Revenge for his weak imprudent peevish or ill-natured Tatling his Opinion of others How hateful a thing is it to be the Cause of Hatred Animosities Grudgings Ill-wills Discords Contentions Wranglings and Brawlings and mischievous Actions between Men to set the World on Fire to be a Fire-brand Consider can any Man who wisely loves himself and the World for the good of which he is made endure to be the Author of mischief only to be better out of the World than in consequently to see himself a constant Judg to condemn and Executioner too by his Hatred Malice Ill-nature Enmity Envy and Spite Revenge Anger Pride affectation of Superiority in Judging to be a Pest and Bane to the World and to improve these most Noxious qualities in himself by Exercise and Use and in others by the imitation of his example and to banish kind and friendly Conversation Is it not also brutish enough and a sign a Man hath no Mind to get any Good quality wherein he may be an useful Example to others Or if he hath he cares not whether any be the better for it or no Consider and attend to these and such like things especially at those times when you may have most need when you find your selves most prone to offend in this kind or when upon Reflection on your selves at any time you find you have so done And as we shall do well thus to learn and inform our selves in and remember and call to mind these or some of these ill Effects both when we are about to do amiss in this kind and when we have done so to prevent the like for the future by getting our Minds against it so that we may know how to do it it will be useful to take notice of and remember the Causes that we may remove them Shun we therefore and avoid Idleness let us chuse and mind some Calling of our own in particular nor let us neglect our general Calling of serving God Self-examination and Reflection occasional doing Good and Benificence Have we a care of Busie-bodiness and meerly to be doing and talking for doing and talking sake but always for some further good end And so likewise have we a care of Curiosity or a humour and desire to observe and know every thing though most Remote from us and Impertinent to any good use or design we can put it to meerly for the observation and knowledg sake and it is no matter where the things be never so small and trivial and in others as they will be for most part too so it will gratifie that Humour in us and that is all we care for Secure we our selves from this Childish temper and if we desire to observe and know things let them be Profitable and of Concernment and those which we may make best use of and that is be sure what is in our selves Let us have a care also of that particular branch of Pride viz. Affectation to know and direct others in their own Affairs and Actions But most Industriously let us eschew and flee the gratification of our selves by the hatred of others and revenge Far be this from us and Pride and foolish affectation of Superiority and therefore envy fury wrath and anger against Persons in general as also Contempt the most common Causes of Detraction and Slander Let them not come near us nor enter in the least within any the doors of our Breasts Flattery too and ultimate base fear of any ones displeasure or seeking of their favour we must also despise and scorn which doth so much betray us oft-times to Judgments on the worst side of some that we might please others let us be sure to inform our selves as well as we can when we judg concerning others and not do it ignorantly And more particularly let us have a care
thereof But if thou didst it in the greatest sincerity then thou mightest and wouldest proceed to judg with more confidence and freedom because thou findest thy self free from any ill Principles and yet more particularly that thou mayst try thy own sincerity Sect. V. 5. Ask thy self whether thou would'st not have true what thou judgest concerning others whether thou would'st as willingly it should be false nay suppose it be on the worst side thou art rather inclin'd it should not be true or that thou art considering that absolutely without any further respect sorry it is true and wouldst alter the case if it were in thy power These things will principally serve to secure us from rash and false Judgments especially those of the worst side Sect. VI. 6. Use thy self much to dwell at Home that is to make thy self or something more immediately appertaining to thee the Object of thy Observation and particularly then when thou dost judg another or art about to do it cast a quick eye back upon thy self whether thou it may be art not guilty of that which thou condemnest in another or would'st not be if thou wert in their Circumstances it may be more for assuredly it is a very ordinary thing As for example It is most frequent to judg and condemn others for Pride and Covetousness out of Pride and Covetousness or reflect whether thou art not guilty of as bad Thus doing will oft-times find us more and better work at Home in our selves and so consequently will keep us from using our Observation and Judgment abroad which then is too much when it might be better employed nearer hand in our own selves This will also restrain us from judging falsly and rashly and pronouncing our Judgment without necessary ends of Charity For we are generally inclin'd to be asham'd when we attend to it to do that in another's case which we would not have done in our own Now when we observe our own Faults or Imperfections we find we are not very willing at least not gladly be sure to look upon them we are loth to acknowledg them or judg our selves guilty of them we shift we apologize excuse or if we can deny be sure we 'll have Reason and Truth evident for the most part of us I except some discontented Persons with themselves before we conclude against our selves Why then should we not so do by others as we do by our selves I know no Reason but it is as just in one as in the other case Sect. VII 7. Have a special care of all Passions in Judgments especially of Anger the most boysterous and rude one Let these not precede but always follow Reason that so they do not bribe or prejudice or deceive even Reason it self as I have heretofore more particularly told you how they may and then that they do not confound it Passions they either prejudice or blind our Judgments The experience of this is so frequent that there is none but may have observed the numerous miscarriages of Judgments from hence And in order to this means let us keep our Minds sober and calm towards others have a care of using them to be affected with Passions immediately before Reason upon every occasion Some you may observe whose Minds are like Tinder or Gun-powder which take fire always at every spark And in order hereto again use we Temperance and Sobriety with moderate exercise not too violent fierce and active that our bodily temper may be less subject to them less confus'd dull and yet fierce Too much Drink especially and violent and frequent bodily Exercise and Action dispose much to Confusion and Passions and rash Actions and consequently to blind rash Judgments We most-what see such Persons more Talkative Medling Opinionative and Peremptory and rudely and carelesly or Proudly and Huffingly say any thing of others though never so innocent and their Betters and very uncivilly sullying their Names with their foul Breath This will secure you from rash and false Judgments Sect. VIII 8. More particularly be sparing most to give thy Judgment concerning a Person thou findest thy self inclin'd to hate or be angry with Suspect thy self refrain for thou wilt be prejudic'd even undiscernedly to thy self Or if Circumstances should necessarily require thy Judgment remember how thou art affected set thy self to shake off that prejudice say all thou canst for the Person first in thy thoughts and be passionated against those Passions and the Prejudice of them that thou should'st thereby be so cozen'd and deceiv'd thy self and so unjust to others This will give check always to the bad Principles of our Judgments so often named and prevent also many rash and false Judgments Sect. IX 9. Discourse more of Things than Persons Thus we have suggested to you some remedies to prevent or amend the Miscarriages in our judging concerning others I desire you would remember and make use of them and try their Efficacies and consequently prevent the many great and frequent Mischiefs of which they are the Causes and contribute considerably to the Peace and Innocency of the World CHAP. VII Sect. I. WE are now in the last place to observe to you some few Rules to be made use of in our Judging others viz. generally and for the most part For it is rare that any rule of Prudence or the using any certain Means to obtain our due End of Universal Charity is Universal and never to be receded from 1. Which cannot be too often named and the most general is Pass and declare all thy Judgments out of Charity that is because thou seest it better so to do and more good effects of it than not to do it not to thy self only but any where Out of Charity I say in general to do more Good than thou seest Harm let it light where it will where ever thou seest it Which part of Good effects may sometimes be more particularly received to thy self as to expel thy too much Indifferency and Coldness to the Good or Hurt of others to the love of Truth and Goodness to use and exercise the good government and direction of thy Judgment of which as a Superiour in some sort thou mayest have more need as of a necessary quality for thy place and duty to imitate what 's Good shun what thou observest Bad in others c. Part of these good effects to the Person himself judged to encourage him in any good Quality or Action to check or restrain him from what 's bad to advise him of his Errour or Fault which but by a discreet and seasonable Judgment of him from some other Person he would not have taken notice of Men would want considerable advantages to the knowledg and minding of their Faults and Duties Perfections and Imperfections if they were and did what they listed and no body cared or dared to observe and pass their Judgments concerning them It is better they should know that others and that wiser than themselves are Observers and
of much worse effect than that of private Persons as generally Laws publick Advices and Sentiments and Examples too sometimes are of more use than private Opinions and Examples They being I say generally better of more comprehensive and certain good effect as done by a greater and more generous Charity with more of a publick Spirit and more Prudence and Wisdom Private Persons especially still the more Vulgar are generally more Selfish and Foolish 2. Be more sparing in declaring thy Judgment concerning Friends For if thy Judgment be on the good hand it will be suspected Flattery or generally Self-love And therefore it is generally when any one commends his Friend allowed for him nay expected he should interpose his excuse that it is said by him who might be suspected Partial and more apt to speak somewhat beyond the Truth But if thy Judgment be on the worst side thou wilt be esteemed Ungrateful and were it never so true yet it should not have been said by thee and therefore in such Cases too we see Men Apologize and make an Excuse and alledg some more than ordinary reason that obligeth them to pass such a Judgment on their very Friend 3. Be more sparing in doing it of thine Enemy the reason is because thy Judgment will be suspected and believed to proceed from Hatred and Ill-will I say be more sparing and cautious in these and such like Cases I do not say but that sometimes there may be sufficient reasons to do it but then there is more than ordinary Prudence to be used in such manner as I have now Instanc'd to prevent or remove the hinderance of its good effect Nay I advise rather to take occasion to pass thy Judgment on the good side here that is to commend him and speak well of him for what thou knowest good and commendable in him for then thy Judgment is believed and consequently of better effect to those who hear it for encouragement to Imitation Thou givest also a good Example to others of thy Unprejudicedness and being above and untoucht by busie Passions of Hatred Ill-will or Revenge and of being such a generous lover of Truth and Goodness as not to conceal but willingly take notice of and approve what is really in the Person laudable though thine Adversary it may be too altogether undeserved and without reason And lastly too By this exercise and use thou really dost procure and confirm in thy self this Generosity and Manliness and Christianness for nothing more commended in Christian Religion of Temper and subduest Selfishness and the rabble of it's Slaves those inordinate and immoderate Appetites and Passions makest them sneak and dare not to appear 4. Be more sparing and cautious in declaring thy Judgment concerning a Person generally Innocent or well Disposed but once or rarely overtaken and that because it is most likely that he will do so no more or mend without thy judging him to himself or others Nor is there much danger of others imitating him in one single or very rare Action when they know he generally doth the contrary only indeed if one should observe it who knows not the Man he may be informed that the Man was surprized and useth not so to do and then what needed the trouble or shame or discredit that thou gavest him it was unnecessary And no evil of Pain or Punishment must be admitted but where it is necessary for a greater good And then it is an usual sign to others of some ill nature and Pride that is pleased too much in others Faults or Infirmities when Men are so ready to judg the first and consequently is of bad Example to them and prejudicial to ones self Or if thou dost see reason to take notice of such Fault or Infirmity let it be very shortly and presently seconded with a Commendation of him for his general past Innocency or freedom there-from and that thou doubtest not but that he himself the most disapproves of it and will not readily do so again All which are signs of freedom from any Selfishness of Charity and Prudence and consequently the more likely to have good effect on the Person concern'd and others too 5. Be sparing in declaring thy Judgment of wrathful and bashful Persons either to themselves or others One reason is because the wrathful and angry Man will not and cannot bear it through Pride and the bashful through Shame that is Fear To the wrathful Man it is at least to himself ineffectual for he 'll the more justifie or defend himself and do or be the same thing again out of Revenge and Pride it will give him occasion of wrath and attempting Mischief he 'll turn and rent thee I say this for the most part as all other Directions of this kind For sometimes it may be requisite for his and others Good first calmly and softly signs of Good-will to him by doing him good afterwards shortly and smartly that is out of real Benevolence still but by some pain or evil to him to pass Judgment concerning any Principle or Action of his let him take it how he will and but too impatiently And as for the bashful Person it is too great a punishment for him less would have done And always do as little evil as thou canst A private Hint to him would have been sufficient Be not a Witness against thy Neighbour without a cause and deceive not with thy Lips saith the Wiseman Prov. 24.28 That is Do not pass nor make known thy Judgment either privately or publickly without sufficient reason 6. Be sparing in declaring thy Judgment on the worst side before much Company especially Persons whose Favour or good Opinion is more considerable and who are in no great danger of Imitation One reason is because most-what less Discredit or Disgrace would have sufficed to the Mending or Correcting of the Person if it had been before but one or two either before the Person himself concern'd or from whom it might have been conveyed to him The Faults or Imperfections had need be great or frequent and the Person or Persons very confident and presumptuous obstinate and conceited and a danger of some general Infection when they are so much published and made known 7. Be sparing in declaring thy Judgment on the worst side before Enemies or Adversaries or ill-disposed One reason is because they are or are in danger of being prejudiced and partial in their Judgments concerning the Person to whom they are ill-affected already and thou by thy Judgment confirmest and increasest this their Partiality They are but too ready to catch at and take notice of any thing spoken disadvantagiously and to add to it too and aggravate it and thou art not to give them the occasion if there be no greater good to be had thereby not with a less Inconveniency to be procur'd Those too that are of an ill Temper and apt to be Envious and Proud will make ill use thereof and gratifie and augment those Vices
Affection thereto than to any other Object which may occur in our Lives more than to the favour or good-will of the Greatest or Best more than to Mischievousness Superiority either in Reputation for or Possession of any Good thing more than to Power or Greatness more than to Gain or Riches finally any other good Advantage or Interest We must look upon our uprightness or truth of our Judgments or Opinions as a far greater proper Good a richer and more excellent Possession than all these whereby we do more Good than by all these without it And consequently be more shamed and afraid to be Erroneous and live in Falshood and a Lye than any other evil or hurtful thing to us except Vice and Sin We must in a general sense Buy the Truth and sell it not That is prefer it before all other things that are inconsistent with it and cause us to part with it also Wisdom Instruction and Understanding the means to obtain it Prov. 23.23 If we do not do thus if we be not thus tempered and disposed if we do not judg this a greater good we shall have our Judgments affected strengthened bent and determined by our love to other things in all Matters where there is not apparent demonstration but only high degrees of Probability as it is almost in all affairs of Humane life Nay even in these a Man may wilfully blind and confound himself or divert his attention and if not make himself judg false yet at least hinder himself from clearly seeing and judging truly and make himself doubt as it were saying when a thing cannot be denied Truly I do not know or the like and in such a manner shuffle and contrive to bring himself at least to suspension and doubt and confusion Every Man hath some degree of love to Truth naturally some more some less more than sometimes to more sometimes fewer other things and accordingly they are more likely more often to judg truly But it is and must be a greater degree than to all other things universally and constantly that will always secure from all prejudices of his will Sect. XIV 6. The sixth Cause I shall name is our Passions both those of the Concupiscible and Irascible appetite as they are usually called Or more plainly those that have good and those that have evil for their immediate Object Such as are the simple ones of Love Hatred Joy and Grief and Desire And others compounded of these as Revenge Anger Hope Fear c. These all in every Case cause us to judg to the advantage and in favour of themselves that is so as they may be preserved and maintained the Instances of which are every-where and innumerable Thus for Example Love causeth us to attribute to the Object beloved things that are lovely whereby the Passion is maintained or encreased and hatred on the contrary to attribute or ascribe or adjudg to the Object hated those things that are hateful and evil for its own preservation or encrease whereby it is kept up or augmented and made more keen and sierce And all this without any regard to the truth or falshood of what is judged So likewise what we desire we will think it is good Positively or Privatively In desire properly so called or where the good we desire is a possession of some good thing we most readily judg the good thing a great Good and consequently its Possession In Anger and Revenge where the good thing desired is a removal of some evil or grievous thing to us by doing evil to it which obtains in Inanimate things but principally in Persons we are extraordinarily prone and forc'd to judg this removal a greater good and in order thereto the evil to be removed a mighty evil And therefore more particularly in Persons to whom we are thus affected or passionated we judg many kinds and degrees of evil or bad things to be in them many or all perhaps more than indeed there are which are seldome but very confusedly apprehended and signified usually by some name to which our passions of Anger Hatred or the like have been joyned as that of some Sect or Party whereby still these our Passions are gratified that is supported maintained nay augmented and boyled up to the greatest degree of Agitation and Violence And those Mens judgments thus from Passions whereby they are maintained and increased though they may happen to be true yet it appears by Experience that they are more generally false Their happening to be true sometimes makes Men oft-times justifie and think well of such passionate Judgments whereas the truth was not at all seen by them nor was it the Reason or Cause therefore of their Judgments These Passions thus byass and warp and determine our Judgments three Ways among others 1. By bringing to mind and furnishing our Invention only with those things which maintain or increase them and which are true and keeping out the contrary hindring those from appearing which may abate or extinguish them which are as true too We all may have often observed how much we have presently to say for a Person whom we love how plentifully and readily our Invention is furnished What long Orations we can make in his behalf and praise How many excellent Qualities and in what great Degree appear to us in him and we attribute to him All which grant to be true But we have nothing to say against him nothing to his disadvantage nothing that is bad imperfect or faulty in him appears or comes to our mind when as much might as truly there have been said too And so on the contrary the worse or at least the more frequent extream in a Person whom we hate are revengefully and wrathfully affected to with whom we are angry Then how many Faults in him or Imperfections crow'd presently into our Minds All his past bad Actions and Qualities remembred his present observed nay his future too foretold and altogether flie about immediately in our Fancies and we could give a Catalogue sometimes of many hours long and make large Declamations against him the Man hath been this and that and t'other all which we 'll grant to be true too But then how barren are our Inventions for him we have nothing or very little to say to commend him This would be a very dry Theme for us We remember or take notice of nothing considerable in him Whereas it may be here is as much and as true to be said by any other Person who is Calm and Reasonable not thus possessed by these Passions against him nay and we our selves can do it when we are out of that Passion when the Man is not altered except it be in that one particular for which we are angry with him he is the same still he is no better nor worse when we are and when we are not so affected to him 't is we only alter and change And so in particular Actions how easily can we by how many