22. Take heed of censuring the good; This is another sin, that even good men are guilty of when they meet together; Some no sooner creep into the Cradle of Profession, but immediately they leap out of it, into the Chair of Censure; If a Christian do stumble, he saith he falls, and so carrieth it up and down; He always greatens others, and lessens his own sins. Things in a mist, seem bigger to us, then in a fair day, by reason of the indisposedness of the air or medium; He looks on the sins of others, through the mist of envy, and so makes them bigger then they are; He beholds his own sins, as God doth himself afar off, or as things on a Steeple, which seem small and little. Because some persons are not of his party, therefore they are in the bond of iniquity, saith the Censorious man. Thus the Romans judged others not Saints, because they were not exactly of their ⟨p. 267⟩own size, Rom. 14. 3. If good men are brought to the fire of affliction, it is, saith he, because they bear not good fruit, and are fit for nothing but fuel. Thus Jobs friends judged him an Hypocrite, and without armour of proof, because he was the Mark at which the Arrows of the Almighty were levelled, Job. 4. 5, 6, 7. If a good man step awry, he tells others positively that his whole way and course is wrong. From his failing in one action the Censurer condemneth his whole conversation, as feigned and fraudulent; as if the best gold did not need some grains of allowance, and the brightest burning Taper had not some smoke with it; He judgeth according to appearance, and doth not judge righteous judgement; When an action is doubtful, and admits of a good or bad construction, to be sure he will take it in the worst sense. He never meets with an ambiguous text, but he makes a bad comment on it. If Christ associate with Zacheus (though not for communion with him in his sins, but for the conversion of his •oul,) he will presently cry him up for a Wine-bibber, a Glutton, and a friend of Publicans and Sinners; In this, and in all the rest he judgeth without judgement; For indeed it is from want of judgement, that the heaviest judgement comes. O how sad is it, that those who believe a day of judgement, should walk so contrary to the rule of their Judge! Mat. 7. 1. 1 Cor. 4. 5. Jam. 3. 1. The Dogs were kinder then such Men, for they licked the sores of honest Lazarus ;
22. Take heed of censuring the good; This is another sin, that even good men are guilty of when they meet together; Some no sooner creep into the Cradle of Profession, but immediately they leap out of it, into the Chair of Censure; If a Christian do stumble, he saith he falls, and so carrieth it up and down; He always greatens others, and lessens his own sins. Things in a mist, seem bigger to us, then in a fair day, by reason of the indisposedness of the air or medium; He looks on the sins of others, through the mist of envy, and so makes them bigger then they are; He beholds his own sins, as God doth himself afar off, or as things on a Steeple, which seem small and little. Because some persons are not of his party, therefore they are in the bond of iniquity, saith the Censorious man. Thus the Romans judged others not Saints, because they were not exactly of their ⟨p. 267⟩own size, Rom. 14. 3. If good men are brought to the fire of affliction, it is, saith he, because they bear not good fruit, and are fit for nothing but fuel. Thus Iobs friends judged him an Hypocrite, and without armour of proof, because he was the Mark at which the Arrows of the Almighty were levelled, Job. 4. 5, 6, 7. If a good man step awry, he tells others positively that his whole way and course is wrong. From his failing in one action the Censurer condemneth his whole conversation, as feigned and fraudulent; as if the best gold did not need some grains of allowance, and the brightest burning Taper had not some smoke with it; He judgeth according to appearance, and doth not judge righteous judgement; When an action is doubtful, and admits of a good or bad construction, to be sure he will take it in the worst sense. He never meets with an ambiguous text, but he makes a bad comment on it. If Christ associate with Zacheus (though not for communion with him in his sins, but for the conversion of his •oul,) he will presently cry him up for a Wine-bibber, a Glutton, and a friend of Publicans and Sinners; In this, and in all the rest he judgeth without judgement; For indeed it is from want of judgement, that the heaviest judgement comes. O how sad is it, that those who believe a day of judgement, should walk so contrary to the rule of their Iudge! Mat. 7. 1. 1 Cor. 4. 5. Jam. 3. 1
- 2In censuring the good
