The peril of the times displayed. Or the danger of mens taking up with…

2. Thus to censure them, is to usurp Gods Prerogative in judging the heart. When men do their duty in the outward part of it, it is so far well; and though it be a truth, that there are those that make a great show, and yet do all with a false ⟨p. 146⟩heart, yet all that use care in this, are not such; and it is a great sin for you to judge all, because we are told that there are some such, and the more sinful is it, when we have no other reason for our thus judging of them, but only because they are more careful in the doing of the things which God hath commanded them, than we are; as if it were a crime for any to outdo us in the practise of Religion; or as if it were necessary that men must be profane, if they would escape having the brand of Hypocrisy set upon them by a loose Generation which they live among. If men discover the falsehood of their hearts by any evil acts of theirs, and they be such as do manifestly declare them to be false, and we censure them accordingly for it, we do then judge of the tree by its fruits, and it is a right judgment, according to Mat. 7. 20. by their fruits ye shall know them; but if there be no such thing appears, but in all things they carry it regularly, and yet we condemn them, we take Gods work out of his hand, and may be guilty of condemning the Generation of the just.

2. Thus to censure them, is to usurp Gods Prerogative in judging the heart. When men do their duty in the outward part of it, it is so far well; and though it be a truth, that there are those that make a great shew, and yet do all with a false ⟨p. 146⟩heart, yet all that use care in this, are not such; and it is a great sin for you to judge all, because we are told that there are some such, and the more sinful is it, when we have no other reason for our thus judging of them, but only because they are more careful in the doing of the things which God hath commanded them, than we are; as if it were a crime for any to outdo us in the practise of Religion; or as if it were necessary that men must be profane, if they would escape having the brand of Hypocrisy set upon them by a loose Generation which they live among. If men discover the falshood of their hearts by any evil acts of theirs, and they be such as do manifestly declare them to be false, and we censure them accordingly for it, we do then judge of the tree by its fruits, and it is a right judgment, according to