The fourth (and last) volume of discourses, or sermons, on several scriptures

First, A Reproof that comes from a guilty Conscience, is but a stammering and a timorous Reproof. Such a Man's own Conscience must needs rise up in his Throat, and choke his Reproofs. Consciousness of the same Miscarriages will retort whatever we can say against others, more strongly upon our selves, and will suggest to us that it is but Hypocrisy for us to blame that which we our selves practise. With what Face canst thou press others to Repent and Reform? What Arguments canst thou use to them, who by continuing in the same Sins, dost thy self judge those Arguments are of no force at all? Thus Conscience will suggest, and hereby Tongue-ties Reproofs.

First, A Reproof that comes from a guilty Conscience, is but a stammering and a timerous Reproof. Such a Man's own Conscience must needs rise up in his Throat, and choak his Reproofs. Consciousness of the same Miscarriages will retort whatever we can say against others, more strongly upon our selves, and will suggest to us that it is but Hypocrisie for us to blame that which we our selves practise. With what Face canst thou press others to Repent and Reform? What Arguments canst thou use to them, who by continuing in the same Sins, dost thy self judge those Arguments are of no force at all? Thus Conscience will suggest, and hereby Tongue-ties Reproofs.

Secondly, This also makes Reproofs §2ineffectual. It were indeed a Temper to be wished and prayed for, that we could only respect how righteous the Reproof is, and not how righteous the Person is that gives it; and if we could be content to have the Motes plucked out of our own Eyes, though it be by such as have Beams in their own Eyes; for indeed there is no more reason to reject sound Admonitions, because they come from an unsound Heart, than there is to stop our Ears against good Counsel, because delivered it may be with an unsavoury Breath. But yet so it is, when Men of polluted Consciences and defiled Conversations come to reprove others, Men are apt to think of them, What, is such a one in earnest? Doth he not personate his Reproof? Doth he not do as bad or worse himself? Or, doth he envy me my Sins, and would engross them all to himself, and so the Reproof takes no place at all upon him? But now when a Man of a clear and unspotted Conscience reproves wicked Men, his Reproofs break in upon them with Conviction, Authority and Power, if not to reform them yet at