Exposition of the Sermon on the Mount, Chapter · Verse 1,2
Chap. 7. Verse 1.
Iudge not, that you be not iudged.
2. For with what iudgement ye iudge, yee shall be iudged; and with what measure you mete, it shall be measured to you againe.
IN these words, and so forward to the end of the fift6. part of Christs s…rmon. verse, is contained the sixt part of this sermon of our Sauiour Christ, concerning Iudgement; and it consisteth of three parts: first, a commandement, Iudge not: then certaine reasons of the commaundement, in the words following, to the 5. verse: and thirdly, a remedie of euill and rash iudgement, in the 5. verse.
Touching the commandement, Iudge not] The meaning. This commandement forbids not all kinde of Iudgement, but must bee restrained to vnlawfull Iudgement; for there be foure kinds of lawfull Iudgement,4. kinds of lawfull iudgment. two whereof be publike, and two priuate. Of publike, the first is ciuil Iudgement, belonging to the ciuill Magistrate, who is to enquire1 into the manners of men, and according to the good positiue lawes of the country to giuegive iudgement, either in punishing offenders, or rewarding them that doe well. The second kinde is Ecclesiasticall, belonging principally to the minister, who in the publike dispensation of the word2 iudgeth mens manners, by reproouing and condemning their sinnes, whether they be thoughts, words, or actions. In this sense the vnbeleeuer is said to be iudged, when his thoughts & actions are controlled by the word, 1. Cor. 14. 24. and thus Noah iudged and condemned the olde world, Heb. 11. 7. Of priuate lawful iudgement, the first is priuate admonition, 3whereby one man doth in Christian and louing maner, reprehēd another for his sinnes, and thereby iudgeth him: this is also commanded in the word of God, and therefore it is not here forbidden. The second4 is iust dispraise, when the grosse faults of notorious persons are reprooued and condemned for this ende alone, that others may take warning thereby: thus Christ iudged the Pharisies both for life and doctrine…i…t 23 1, 2, 3 before his Disciples, calling them Hypocrites, that said, and did not: and their doctrine leauen: and that most iustly and wisely, that hisMath. 16. 6. Disciples and others might beware of them: and thus he called Herod a Foxe, so discouering his subtiltie, for the admonition of others.
The thing then here forbiddē, is rash iudgemēt, which one man doth vniustly giuegive of another; and the reason why wee so vnderstand this place, may be drawne from the 3. verse, where instance is giuen of the iudgement here forbidden, in a quicke espiall and sharpe censure of small faults in others, not seeing farre grosser and greater in our selues: also Saint Luke setting downe this same prohibition, Iudge not, expoundsLuk. 6. 37. it in the next words, by condemne not: which must be vnderstood of rash censure, as is plaine by S. Paul, Rom. 2. 1. In that thou iudgest another, thou condemnest thy selfe, because thou doest rashly cō demne him of that whereof thou thy selfe art guiltie. Now that wee may better know the thing forbidden, first I will shew what rash iudgement is, and in the second place make knowne the common practises thereof. For the first:
Rash iudgement, is when of an euill minde wee iudge amisse of others, Rash iudgement descrbed.for some euill ende. In this description, first obserue the roote and ground of all rash iudgement; to wit, an euill minde, whereby wee louelove our selues too well, and want the louelove of our neighbour: This wee testifie, by beeing sharpe sighted, to prie into the liues and behauiour of others, and are blinde as beetles to see into our selues: as also by giuing our selues exactly to censure other mens sayings and doings, and with delight to heare their faults ripped vp; but for our own courses, we would not hauehave them called into question nor controlled. Secondly, here note the manner of rash iudgement, which is to iudge amisse of others: and this they doe which iudge of other mens persons and doings without a calling, or vrgent necessitie: secondly, which giuegive out sentence of mens doings, but not according to the law of charity, which bindes a man to iudge and say the best of others alwaies, so farre forth as may stand with good conscience, and the word of God. Thirdly, here note the ende of rash iudgement; for as it is ill grounded and guided, so it aimes not at the reformation of the partie, nor the detestation of sin in our selues and others, but is directed to some wrong ende: as first, to testifie our hatred of the partie, and desire of reuenge: secondly, to delight our selues with the faults of others: thirdly, to defame our neighbours, and to bring them to an ill name, that our names may beare away the praise without comparison: and lastly, that wee may seeme more holy then others, by beeing much in censuring sinne in others.
The practise of rash iudgement consists in two things: first, the euillThe practis… of rash iudgment. minde of man prepares matter of wrong iudgement: and secondly, giues sentence accordingly of the sayings and doings of men, and likewise of their persons. For the first, the euill minde prepares matter of rash iudgement thus; it sets it selfe to prie and inquire narrowly into the liues and behauiour of men, and to see if it can find any matter in word or action worthy reproofe: Indeede there is a vertue wherby one man doth obserue another in his waies, but that is directed to a good ende; namely, to rectifie and reforme him in his wants, and to further him when he doth well: but for one man to obserue another for this ende, to finde out matter of defamation and reproach, is a fault directly forbidden by our Sauiour Christ in this place. Secondly, when matter is found, the euill minde accordingly giues censure: this censure is giuen, first, of the persons of men; then of their speeches and actions. RashRash censure of mens persons. censure of mens persons, is when a man thinkes otherwise of the person of another, then in conscience, and by Gods word he ought to doe. Example of this wee hauehave in Satan, for when the Lord commended Iob for his fidelitie, Satan tels the Lord, that Iob indeede seruedIob 1. 8, 9, 10, 11. the Lord, but it was onelyonly for his owne profit, for (saith hee) withdrawe thou thin… hand from him, and thou shalt see, whether hee will not curse thee to thy face: This then wee see is a deuillish practise, and ought to bee farre from eueryevery one of vsus. Wee must remember what an auntient Diuine hath taught heretofore, that there are three things exempted from the iudgement and censure of men; the Scriptures, the Counsell of God, and the condemnation of any mans person.
Rash censure of mens speeches and actions is giuen many waies: I. When things are well done, to carpe and cauill at them without anyRas… censure of mens behauiour. iust cause. Thus the profession of Religion at this day, is accounted of many to be but counterfeit holines, and the due obedience to the morall Law is nicknamed and tearmed precisenesse, and the professours thereof called Puritans and Precisians, for this cause onelyonly, that they make conscience of walking in obedience to Gods law. II. When actions or speeches indifferent, are taken in the worser part. Thus was Dauids kindnesse ill accepted of Hanun king of Ammon, when Dauid1. Sam. 10. 3, 4 sent his seruants to comfort him after the death of his father: for his Nobles told him and perswaded him, that Dauid sent not vntounto him, because he honoured his father (though Dauid vndoubtedly sent with an honest and vpright heart) but as it were craftily to search out the citie, and to spie it out, and to ouerthrow it. Now hereupon Dauids seruants were badly intreated, and shamefully sent away; whence grew the warre that ensued betweene them. III. When vponupon light occasion and vncerten reports, we suspect and surmise euill of our neighbour: suspicions indeede are sometime good, beeing conceiued on a good ground, and retained for a good ende; as to beware of the partie and of his euill: but when they are conceiued vponupon light causes, and for some sinister respect (as the common practise is, vponupon no good ground to conceiue most badly) this is rash iudgement. IV. When we see any want in our neighbours speach or behauiour, to make it worse then it was meant, or then indeede it is. V. When we spread abroad and publish the wants of men, to defame them, which might better be concealed, and in conscience and charitie ought so to be. VI. When we speake nothing but the truth of another, but yet withall doe insinuate thereby some euill of the partie into the hearts of the hearers. This practise is as pestilent and daungerous, as any of the former. Thus Doeg told Saul of the fact of Ahimelec vntounto Dauid, how he gaue him victualls, and the sword of Goliah, which was true: but withall he did therein insinuate, that Dauid and Ahimelec intended conspiracie against Saul. And this telling of the truth in that sort, cost the liues of fourescore and fiue persons, that weare the liuen Ephod, as we may read, 1. Sam. 21. 7. compared with the 22. chap. v. 9. and 18. VII. When in hearing the word preached, and sinnes reprooued in the congregation, some hearers misapply the same▪ as for example, the minister reprooues the sinne of swearing, of drunkennesse, or any such sinne: then some one gultie hereof, doth not onelyonly surmise, but also breake forth intò this speach, Now the preacher meanes me: he speakes this of me: he censures my facts and speaches; herevpon followes spite and malice against the person of the minister, and also rash censuring and condemning of his ministerie. They also sinne in this kinde, that apply the reproofes of sinne to the person of others: as when they say, now such a one is touched: there is a good lesson for such a one if he would learne it: yea others goe further and say, now the preacher meanes such a man; now he speakes against such a man: but▪ this also is rash iudgement in hearing of the word: they misconceiue of the purpose of the minister, for his maner is not when he standeth in the roome of God, to rippe vp the secrets and liues of some particular hearers; but to deliuer the will of God concerning such and such sinnes vntounto all: it is the power of the word, not the mind of the preacher, that causeth: it to touch thy conscience: and therefore eueryevery one ought to apply the word vntounto his own heart, and not to lay it vponupon others, or els take it to be spoken of himselfe for his disgrace: for it is to misapply the word, and to iudge amisse of the preacher: and this is a common sinne, which is the cause why many men reape so little profit by the word preached as they doe. The VIII. practise of rash iudgement is, when in townes and cities some persons are wrongfully reputed and taken for witches: this is as common a sinne throughout the world as any of the former: one man will say, such a one is a witch, because he in conscience is so perswaded; and yet the ground of this perswasion is nothing but his bare conceit. Another man saith, such a one is a witch, because a wise man or a wise woman hath so reported of him or her: and yet this testimonie is but the testimonie of the deuill, who is a lyar, and the father thereof: if he tell truth, it is with purpose to deceiue. Againe, another is iudged to be a witch, because comming to a mans house to borrow something, and beeing denied thereof, he tooks it vnkindly, and thereupon gaue these or such like threatning words; it had beene as good you had lent it me, or, I will meete with you: and hereupon some one in the family fell sicke, or some cattell died, and other things did miscarie. It is no question, but witches be too rife among vsus, and ought to be sought out and seuerely punished; and there be lawfull waies of conuincing a witch: but vponupon these bare presumptions to iudge any one to be a witch, is an vnchristian practise of rash iudgement: for why may not the hand of God befall thee in visiting some one in thy family, or in the death of thy cattell, as well as the annoyance of the witch, after some hard speeches of another. A witch therefore must first be lawfully conuinced, and then iudged to be a witch, and not before. This thing especially Iurers ought to looke vntounto; els if they hauehave but the ordinarie discretion of common people, to iudge one for a witch vponupon these presumptions, they may easily defile their hands with innocent blood. Thus much for the sinne of rash Iudgement, and the practises thereof, which are condemned and forbidden in this place.
Now because it is so common a sinne in all places, and with most men counted no sinne: for the common talke in all meetings is of other men, and selfeloue makes the heart glad to heare other mens faults ripped vp, yea this sinne will take hold when other sinnes leaue a man, which caused Christ to forewarne his Disciples hereof in this place: therefore it is our dutie to labour and striue the more earnestly to beReason… against rash iudgement. purged from this euill minde, and preserued from these euill practises of rash iudgement: for which ende let vsus lay to our consciences the reasons following. I. The practise of rash Iudgement cannot stand1 with Christian charitie: for charitie binds a man to walke in louelove, and louelove suspecteth not euill, but thinks the best alwaies, and if it be possible, thinks well of all. II. When thou seest a man speake or practise any2 euill, for which thou beginnest to thinke hardly of him, then consider well of thine owne selfe, how thou hast both that and all other sinnes in thee, if we regard the roote of sinne, and therefore doe not rashly condemne him for his fact, because thou thy selfe hast done the like heretofore; or els in time to come maist doe the like or worse, then he hath done whome thou now condemnest. III. Consider that God3 the father hath committed all iudgement vntounto his Sonne: who now executeth publike iudgement by the Magistrate in the common-wealth, and by the Minister in the Church; and priuate iudgement of admonition, and iust dispraise, by them whome he calleth thereunto: if therefore thou iudgest another, not beeing called thereto, thou thrusteth Christ out of his office, and robbest him of his honour, which is a grieuous sinne, and cannot be vnpunished. IV. Consider also that thou4 art vnable, whatsoeuer thou art, to iudge aright of other mens actions, beeing ignorant of many circumstances thereof: for thou knowest not with what minde, or to what ende the action was done: thou knowest not the cause why he did it, nor the state of his person, nor manner of his temptation thereto: and therefore why iudgest thou rashly of him. V. He that giues rash iudgement of another, is worse then a theefe5 that steales away a mans goods: for he robbes him of his good name, which (as Salomon saith) is to be chosen aboue great riches, Prov. 22. 1. Againe, riches may be restored, so can not a mans good name beeing once blemished in the hearts of many. Againe, a man may defend himselfe from a theefe, but no man can shunne an other mans euill minde, or his badde tongue: nay the backebiter is worse then a murtherer, for he killeth three at once; first, his owne soule in thus sinning: secondly, his neighbour whose name he hurteth: and thirdly, the hearer who receiueth this rash and iniust report: and for this cause the slaunderer is numbered among those that shall not inherit the kingdome of God, Psal. 15. 3. 1. Cor. 6. 10. and the Apostle chargeth Christians to account of such raylers as of persons excommunicate. 1. Cor. 5. 11.
Here some will say; if we may not giuegive our opinion of others freelyDuties to be obserued when we speake of others. as we hauehave done; what must we doe when we hauehave occasion to speake of them? Answ. Thy cariage towards others must be according to these rules: I. If thou know any good thing by the partie of whome1 thou speakest, when thou hast occasion, thinke and speake of that: if thou knew euill by him also, conceale it from others; and if thou maist, admonish the partie thereof: or els tell it to those who hauehave authoritie to correct his faults; and thus shalt thou win thy brother. Some will say, I doe indeed sometime censure my brother for his faults, yet onelyonly in detestation of his sinne; I louelove the partie neuer the worse; and I onelyonly doe it to some priuate friend that will not tell it againe. Answ. But this excuse, and all such like are friuolous: no colour of good intent can excuse rash iudgement: if thou louest him, why doest thou make knowne his fault to another, for louelove couereth a multitude of sinnes? And if thy conscience answer, it will tell thee that either ill will to the partie causeth thee so to doe, or selfe-louelove, whereby through his defamation thou thy selfe seekest to be aduanced aboue him in the thoughts of others. In thy censuring therefore looke to thine heart, whether malice mooue thee not thereto: and take heed to the end also; for if it rise from a bad ground, or tend to a wrong ende, the whole action is nought. II. Dutie. We ought to thinke as wel of eueryevery man,2 as possibly we can, yea of our enemie & of his actions: for louelove thinketh not evill; and in the practise of louelove towards our enemies we become followers of God, Math. 5. 44, 45. III. Dutie. If thou marke thy3 neighbours life and behauiour, doe it for this ende to withdraw him from sinne, and to further him in well-doing. Lastly, in all thy societies4 and dealings with others, labour either to doe them good, or to receiue good from them: and by this meanes thou shalt eschew the sinne of rash iudgement.
Here two questions may be mooued concerning rash iudgement, and that necessarily, because surmises will arise vponupon very small occasions.
I. Quest. When may a man doubt or suspect euill of another? Ans. In all suspicion recourse must be had to the ground thereof,Of suspecting euill of others. whether it rise of iust and sufficient cause or not. A sufficient cause of suspicion is that, which in the iudgement of wise men, beeing well considered with all the circumstances thereof, is iudged sufficient: and on the other side, that is insufficient which wise men well waying with the circumstances thereof, doe iudge insufficient: if then the cause of suspicion be thought insufficient in the iudgement of the wise and godly, we must suspend our suspicion: as thus; suppose some euill is reported abroad of such a man; as that he is a theefe, an adulterer, or such like: yet this fame riseth onelyonly of some one mans report, which because it may proceede from an ill minde on a priuate grudge, we are not to yeild thereupon to suspect ill of the partie: this report may well cause vsus to search further into the case, and mooue vsus to looke vntounto our selues that we be not hurt by him. But if the cause be thought sufficient in the iudgement of those that are wise and discreete, then we may without offence or breach of conscience, yeild to suspect and iudge euill of another.
II. Question. How may we giuegive vpright iudgement of all men with whome we liue and hauehave to deale? Answ. This is as necessarie to beHo… to iudge of others …ightly knowen as the former, for as we are prone to thinke ill, so we are also forward in iudging rashly: therefore there are three things required in the iudging of others. First, we must hauehave recourse to the cause of1. Rule. our iudgement: for if the cause be insufficient, then our iudgement is rash and vnlawfull. Before the Lord brought vponupon the world the confusion of languages, he is saide to goe downe among them, to see their fact, Gen. 11. 6. & before he destroied Sodom and Gomorra with fire & brimstone, he is saide to come downe from heauen to see whether they had done according to the cry that was come vp to the Lord. Gen. 18. 21. whereby the Lord would teach vsus, that before he enter into iudgement with any man, or any people, he first takes good consideration of the fact, which causeth his punishment.
Secondly, we must hauehave authoritie and warrant by calling to giuegive2. Rule. iudgement, or els some thing which is answerable thereto, though the iudgement be priuate: as to giuegive admonition or iust dispraise; yet without a calling we must not doe it: he that giueth iudgement must be able truly to say, the Lord hath called me thus to doe. The Magistrate, the Minister, the master, and eueryevery superiour hath authoritie to iudge those that are vnderunder him: and for priuate men in priuate iudgement, though they want this authority by calling, yet if they hauehave that which is answerable hereto, that is, the affection of Christian louelove; so as they can say with Paul, the louelove of God constraineth me, then they may iudge.
Thirdly, we must alwaies hauehave a good ende of our iudgement, as well3. Rule. as a good beginning: that is, the reformation and amendment, not the defaming of our brother. And these three concurring in all hard speeches, they cease to be rash and vniust censures. Iohn Baptist calls the Pharisies and Sadduces, a generation of vipers, Matth. 3. 7. our Sauiour Christ calls themaMat. 23. 27 hypocrites, and painted tombes: andbLuk. 13. …2 Herod, a foxe: the Prophet Isai calls the Princes and people of Iuda and Israel,cIsa. 1. 10. Princes and people of Sodom: and the Apostle Paul calls the Galatians, fooles, Gal. 3. 1. and the Cretians, lyars, euill beasts, slow bellies, Tit. 1. 12, 13. All which are hard speeches, but yet no slanders; because they had all of them a calling so to doe: and likewise did this on good ground, and for a good ende.
Thus much for the commandement. Now follow two reasons to induce2. Reasons against rash iudgement. vsus to make conscience of rash iudgement. The former is laide downe in these words: That ye be not iudged. And it may be framed thus:
If ye iudge, ye shall be iudged of men againe with rash iudgement:
But ye cannot abide to be iudged of rashly: and therefore iudge not.
The second part is vnderstood, but yet necessarily collected. The conclusion is the commandement it selfe, Iudge not.
This reason doth affoard vntounto vsus two instructions. I. It giueth vsus aA tast of m…s naturall pride. tast and view of our owne naturall pride and selfeloue: for when we heare God dishonoured by sweating, or our neighbours name defamed by slandering, we are not onelyonly not grieued, but oftentimes are the cause thereof, and take great delight therein, especially in hearing other mens faults ripped vp to their disgrace: but yet we can in no sort brooke or suffer our owne good name to be called into question: if our selues be ill spoken of, we are presently filled with malice and enuie, and cannot be at rest till we be requited or reuenged: nay, though we be in a good manner admonished of our fault, euen in louelove, and after a friendly sort, yet we can very hardly brooke it; though the partie admonishing make knowne vntounto vsus, that he doth it only for our good, without all purpose of disgrace vntounto our persons.
II. Instruct. Here also our Sauiour Christ affoardeth vntounto vsus a notableHow to know and iudge rightly of our owne sinnes. way whereby we may come to the knowledge of our own sinnes, and of the hainousnes thereof. When we behold sinne in our selues we hardly iudge it to be sinne: we must therefore looke vponupon our owne sinnes in the person of others, and learne to iudge of it in our selues as we iudge of it in others. When we consider of rash iudgement in others against our selues, we count it a vile and grieuous sinne, yea odious and intolerable: and in like sort ought we to thinke of rash iudgement in our selues towards others: and so for eueryevery other sinne in our selues, we ought to iudge of it, as we doe when we see it in the person of others against vsus: otherwise if we looke onelyonly to our selues, we shall sooth vp our selues in sinne, making great sinnes, little sinnes; and small sinnes, none at all.