Sermons on Isaiah 11:1-10, Sermon · Verse 3
VERSE III.
—And he ſhall not judge after the ſight of his eyes, &c.
IN the former part of the verſ. we have the manner of our bleſſed Lord his judging and governing his ſubjects with great wiſdom and prudence; In theſe words, we have his equity and juſtice ſet down, negatively, verſ. 3. and poſitively, verſ. 4.
Whereas it is ſaid here, He ſhall not judge after the ſight of his eyes; it may be demanded, if it be a fault for men to judge according to their ſeeing and hearing; becauſe men on earth cannot ordinarily underſtand any cauſe or action, till firſt they have it in their ſenſe and imagination? Anſw. Certain it is, that Judges ſhould determine according to matters alleadged and proven, and therefore muſt judge according to things heard or ſeen, Deut. 1.16, 17. The Prieſt under the Law was appointed to look with his eyes upon the leprous perſon, before he judged and pronounced ſentence, whether he was clean or unclean: But Judges would not be raſh to judge according to fama clamoſa, the common report: becauſe in ſo doing, men judged amiſs of the Apoſtles themſelves, who were commonly, but falſly reported to be ſeditious perſons, Acts 17.6. As alſo of their Doctrine, calling it hereſie, Acts 24.14. Whereas a flagrant report is only a ground for inquiring, but not for a judicial ſentence, Deut. 17.4. Neither muſt men in Judgement, judge according to the ſeeing of their eyes, as by looking to the perſon of the poor man, to take no notice of his cauſe, Deut. 1.17. nor ſhould they judge partially out of reſpect to the man whom they ſee to be of outward grandour or proſperity in the world, Lev. 19.15 Ye ſhall do no unrighteouſneſs in judgement, thou ſhalt not reſpect the perſon of the poor, nor honour the perſon of the mighty; but in righteouſneſs ſhalt thou judge thy neighbour. Our bleſſed Lord judged not of the Phariſees according to his hearing of their fair words, nor according to their ſeeming holineſs; but he judged righteous judgement of them, that they were a generation of vipers.
The words may be alſo taken for the way of judging, that was peculiar to Chriſt, wherein he excelled all the Judges of the earth; in ſo far as he needed not the help of the outward ſenſes of hearing and ſeeing, becauſe he did diſcern and judge the ſecrets of the heart. Solomon, in judging which of the two women was the true mother of the child, made good uſe of hearing both the one and the other; but our bleſſed Lord knoweth the hearts and thoughts of men, though they ſpeak nothing, Joh. 2.24. yea, he knew the wickedneſs of their hearts, notwithſtanding their flattering ſpeeches of diſſimulation.
Ʋſe. This equity of our Lord in Judgement, ſerveth for our imitation, both in publick and privat Judgement: Men in publick Judgement, ſhould not upon hear-ſay and ba…e information proceed to a ſentence of abſolution or condemnation; but they ſhould inquire diligently, if the matter be ſo as is reported: God himſelf doth teach Judges this duty by his manner of proceeding to judge Sodom, Gen. 18.21. and by his precept, Deut. 13.14. For if it were enough upon hear-ſay and common report, to judge and condemn, then innocent perſons ſhould ſuffer many times. Jeremiah was reported to be a factious man, who by his preaching did weaken the hands of the people; and Paul to be a ſeditious man, that ſtirred up the people: neither ſhould Judges be raſh upon hearing only the one party, to pronounce ſentence againſt the other; for if it be enough to accuſe, who ſhall be innocent? Prov. 18.17. He that is firſt in his own cauſe, ſeemeth juſt; but his neighbour cometh and ſearcheth him. Such raſhneſs in judging was contrair to the Law of the Jews, Deut. 1.17. Joh. 7.51. Job ſearched out the cauſe which he knew not, Job 29.16. It was contrair to the Law of Nature and of Nations among the Heathens: Alexander the Great, in time of judging, laid his hand cloſs upon the one of his ears, that he might reſerve it (as he ſaid) for the party that was accuſed. Neither ſhould they judge according to the ſeeing of the eye, as they perceive the party to be a friend or an enemy, rich or poor, a great or a mean man, Levit. 19.15. Deut. 33.9. becauſe the Judge who is a reſpecter of perſons, is eaſily byaſſed and perverted in judgement, Prov. 28.21. The partial Judge ſaith, Shew me the man, and then I will ſhew you the Law; but the impartial and unbyaſſed Judge ſaith, I will ſhew you the Law, be the man what he will. It was Tertullian his complaint againſt the Judges of that time, perſecuting the Chriſtians; there is (ſaith he) inquiſitio nominis, ſed non examinatio criminis, an inquiry after the name, if they be called Chriſtians, but no examination of the crime. It was well ſpoken by the Heathen Judge Ariſtides, fitting in Judgement; when one of the Competitors, pleading before him, ſaid, This fellow hath alſo done great wrong to thy ſelf in ſpeaking evil of thee: My friend (ſaid Ariſtides) I pray thee, tell me only the wrong he hath done unto thee, for I am Judge here to do right unto thee, and not to judge the perſonal wrongs done to my ſelf. Raſhneſs in Judgement doth bring guiltineſs upon the Judge, and dammage upon the innocent Party: David his raſh Judgement againſt Mephiboſheth, did no ſmall prejudice both to himſelf, and to the poor innocent lame man.
In your privat Judgement, be not raſh, Mat. 7.1. as in judging wicked men to be in a good cauſe, or courſe, from their outward proſperity, Mal. 3 15. or in judging a cauſe to be evil, becauſe men are croſs'd in it: This was the error of Aſaph, till he recollected himſelf, Pſa. 73.17. Jonah in fleeing from the Lord, was in an evil courſe, and yet found a Ship ready at the firſt, and alſo fair weather at his Embarqueing; but God met with him in end, and croſſed his courſe. The Diſciples of our Lord were in a right courſe commanded by himſelf, Joh. 6. and yet were croſſed with a mighty contrary wind; but in end had an happy and ſafe landing. Of this purpoſe ſee more, Serm. Joh. 7.24. Neither ſhould men be raſh in judging one another about matters indifferent, in the practice whereof they differ one from another, Rom. 14.2 This Magiſterial cenſuring one of another, is a great impediment to peace and unity. Auguſtine his advice is good, Epiſt. 106. to Caſul. We muſt always beware (ſaith he) to overcloud the fair face of Chriſtian Charity by the tempeſt of contention. And to the ſame purpoſe ſpeaketh judicious Calvin, Inſtitut. Lib. 4. Cap. 10. Sect. 32. We muſt alwayes take heed (ſaith he) that one Church do not deſpiſe or contemn another, for the difference of outward Diſcipline.