obferving and amending of their own Faults, fpend all their Zeal in reproving and correcting others. I fhall not here take Occasion to speak of Hypocrify in general, but only confider this one Branch of it, the pretending to an extraordinary Strictnefs in detecting and reforming the Faults of others, while we ufe no Diligence, nor make any Conscience of finding out and amending our own. This falfe Zeal has certainly much of Hypocrify in it; for the plain Tendency of it is, to keep up a Reputation of a Strictness and Exactness in Duty, while, in the mean time, we fecretly indulge ourfelves in grofs Vices. But it will be found that this Branch of Hypocrify goes a great deal further. For to divert the Sufpicion of their being guilty of heinous Tranf greffions, they endeavour to place Duty and Religion in feveral Things of little or no Confequence, and by fhewing abundance of Zeal for them, would make the World believe, that they are much more zealous in Matters of greater Con+ fequence. This is what I take to be our Saviour's Aim in this Place, even to tell the Scribes and Pharifees, that all their Cenforioufnefs, and pretended Zeal for a Strictnefs of Duty in others, was fo far from proceeding from true Piety, that it was only a Cloak, the better to cover their own Vices. For who would imagine but that a Man fo ftrict in obferving, and reproving, and cendemning every small Error in his Neighbour, must be a very exact Man as to his own Life and Conversation? And herein particularly our Saviour places their Hypocrify, that it was not fo much the great crying Sins of their Neighbours, that they spent their Zeal about, as the little Things, E 4 [SERM. Things, which an ordinary Degree of Charity would have paffed by. As our Saviour faid of them elsewhere, they trained at Gnats, and fwallowed Camels, Mat. xxiii. 24. They were sharp upon our Saviour's Difciples, for rubbing a few Ears of Corn when they were hungry, and eating them on the Sabbath-day; or for neglecting to wash before they ate; or for not observing every Tradition of the Elders; while Pride, Covetoufness, Malice, Uncharitableness, nay, a general Evafion of the Precepts of the Moral Law, were justified by their Doctrine. It appears from hence, that the Scribes and Pharifees were very guilty of this Piece of Hypocrify, in cenfuring fmall Faults in others, while they overlooked far greater in themselves. And confidering how much our Saviour forefaw of this Spirit in the Chriftian Church, he had a great deal of Reafon to guard his Difciples against it. All Parties are apt to accufe one another of this Vice; but there is fcarce any Party clear of it, even in this Particular. How feverely have they cenfured and condemned one another for fome fmall Differences in Opinion, while the great Duties of Chriftianity have been too generally forgotten and neglected by all? And what Volumes of Difputes have been written about the mere Fringes and Ceremonies of Religion; the circumstantial Part fwallowing up that Zeal, which fhould have beeu referved for the fubftantial Parts of God's Worship, and a good Life? But to pass by the Business of Party in Church or State, which yet, alas, in moft Countries eats put Charity, and all other Chriftian Duties; and to take a View of Mens ordinary Converfation, how how greedily do we hearken to any Cenfure of our Neighbour? How does every ill Story grow like a Snow-ball the more it is tumbled about? What a Spirit of Cenforioufnefs and Want of Charity reigns in the World? And how many are to be found every where that furnish Fewel to that Fire by their Lies and Calumnies, and their unreasonable mif-conftruing and aggravating some Truths? If it were not for this rafh judging and cenfuring, Differences would either never rife, or would quickly die of themselves; and then the World would be a peaceable and quiet Habitation. I should proceed now to the laft Argument against this Sin of Cenforioufnefs or rafh judging, namely, the Difficulty of the Terms and Conditions requifite both on the Part of the Cenfurer, and the Offender, before we are fit to judge our Neighbour. On the Part of the Cenfurer, it is requifite that he have the Humility and the Discretion to begin at home, and first to clear himself of all grofs Vices. And on the Part of the Offender, it is neceffary that he be fo well difpofed, as not to abuse the Admonitions, nor the Monitor. But because these are Subjects that cannot be handled with that Care as is requifite, now in the End of a Sermon, I fhall refer them to fome other Opportunity, and conclude, after a fhort Exhortation to help you to put in Practice what is recommended from that Part of the Text which we have been now confidering. I. From the first Part of my Text there is a Reprimand given to thofe who intrude themfelves felves into the Office of reforming others, before they amend and reform themselves. How wilt thou fay to thy Brother, let me pull out the Mote out of thine Eye, and behold a Beam is in thine own Eye? Two Things feem to me to be reprehended here, in both which let me intreat you to bear with the Word of Exhortation. 1. The first Thing here reprehended is a too great Nicenefs in fpying out and correcting our Neighbours fmall Faults; let me pull out the Mote. If we would live quietly and peaceably in the World, we must learn to bear with the fmall Faults or Infirmities of our Neighbour, and not be too forward and zealous to amend them: at least not angry and peevish if we cannot compafs it. My Reafons for this Doctrine are these following. 1. The best of Men have their Failings and Infirmities; and God, though he has given us Precepts of great Perfection, yet accepts of our very imperfect Obedience, if it be but fincere. Like as a Father pitieth his Children, fo the Lord pitieth them that fear him; for he knoweth our Frame, and remembreth that we are Duft, Pfal. ciii. 13, 14. If a Child behaves himself dutifully to his Parents, not ftubbornly, rebellioufly, or disobediently, he is reckoned a good Child, though he is guilty of many Mistakes in his Understanding and Memory, and though his little Paffions are eafily moved; and especially though his Strength is fmall, that he can do no great Service. It is his good Will is regarded, and not his Ability. Now like unto this the Pfalmift faith is God's dealing with his Servants that fear him. 2. We may obferve, that all good Men have not Talents alike: One has ten; another two; and a third but one; and yet all these may ferve God fincerely and faithfully, according to their feveral Abilities. A cenforious Man would expect and require that every one fhould excel; and inftead of praifing God for the leffer Talents, he falls a cenfuring and difparaging one Man in comparison of another. 3. This cenforious, fatirical Spirit, is no way confiftent with Love and Charity, which is the Spirit of the Gofpel. Some of the more forward fiery Difciples, without any Confideration either of the mild Spirit of the Gofpel, or of the ftrong Prejudices the Jews and Samaritans had against one another, were for revenging an Affront proceeding from a Prejudice of Education, with Extirpation by Fire from Heaven, Luke ix. 54, 55. but our Saviour inftructed them and us better in our Duty and taught us to confider all the unhappy Circumftances of Mens Educations, and to make Allowances for them accordingly. 4. Let us confider, that the spending our Zeal about little Things, takes off the Edge of it in greater Things, where it is really wanted. This is the very Thing our Saviour here obferves, that while they were fo over-diligent in taking out the Mote, they overlooked the Beam, that is, the great Vice, whatever it was, that utterly blinded them as to their own much greater Faults and Errors. 2. The other Thing here reprehended, is too great an Indulgence, or Negligence as to our own |