Christian prudence, or, Directions for the guidance and conduct of our selves in the case of judging one another being several discourses on Math. 7, 1 / by G. Bright.

Sect. VII.

Seventhly, For the Causes of rash Judgment and Censure, they must be the same with those of the two for∣mer particulars. The Causes of rash Judgment in general, Idleness, Busi∣bodiness, Activity, Curiosity, Pride, and of rash Censure or Judgment, with∣out Reason, but a Mans own Will on the worst side as such; are among o∣thers, Hatred, Revenge, Pride, Affe∣ctation of Superiority, Envy, Con∣tempt, Flattery. To which we may add Anger and Wrath, which if a Man be not very careful, disposeth us to as much uncharitable and unreasonable Judging as the former, and a Man is

seldom or never to trust his Judgment of any Person after that fierce and con∣founding Passion, but refer it to ano∣ther time, when calmness and freedom from Passion, gives him more ability to see the Truth, and more impartiality to judg. And now all these Causes, me∣thinks, are so Unreasonable, Inhumane, and Unchristian, when thus nakedly re∣presented, that they cannot but stir up in Souls not quite degenerate, or cor∣rupted, dead, and sensless of what's good, many of these very Passions a∣gainst themselves, and seem the ugliest Objects that can be beheld. These are those which compose a Devil more, and are more essential to him than any other shape.