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. II.

II. The evil Consequences of too much Proneness to judg on the worst side, (I speak as to the effect only, though the Principle be not bad).

1. That it leads a Man to false Judg∣ments, and to judg Persons worse than they are.

2. That it consequently disposeth a Man to Contemn, Undervalue; nay, Hate a Person more than he deserves. Whence,

3. It begets Suspicions, and belief in others, that this his Judgment comes from the worst principles, of Self-love, Hatred, Revenge, Pride, Envy, Con∣tempt, &c. when it really may not be so. Whence

4. It disposeth and gives occasion, and is but too often an effectual temp∣tation, both in those whom he thus judgeth and others, to contempt, ha∣tred, and revenge toward him, and that by observing and marking, ma∣king known and publishing his Faults and Infirmities too, which really are so; which otherwise they neither would nor should have done; nay, by adding thereto, increasing their number and greatness, and judging him worse than he is, as the former had done by his Neighbour; whence further hatred and contempt reciprocally from them to him, and more than he deserves too; hence again, it may be Hatred and Re∣venge stirred up in him again, against them. So that now, behold what a crowd and heap of Mischief there is on all hands, instead of mutual Cha∣rity and Beneficence. Part of this is the Motive, our Saviour Himself here subjoyns to His Command, to abstain from Judging, viz. With what Judg∣ment ye judg, ye shall be judged; and with what measure ye mete, it shall be

measured to you again. That is, If you judg Men otherwise than you ought, they'll do so by you again, they'll pay you in your own Coyn; Men do not use to be behind with one another in these requitals: I conceive, That ye be not judged, is meant of Men; and so in the next Verse, [Ye shall be judged,] and not of God. For God will not judg Men otherwise than is Right, and as ought to be; and therefore not as Men, who judg one another otherwise than they ought. By the way, this Reason of our Saviours, was an Adage or Wise-saying among the Jews. So in the Jerusalem Targum, or Chaldee Para∣phrase, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 i. e. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 With the same measure a Man mea∣sures, shall it be measured to him again whether good or bad, Gen. 38. 24. And again, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 i. e. Measure for measure. So they feign Judah to have spoken to himself, when Thamar his Daughter being condemned by him to be burnt, for playing the Harlot, she produced the Signet, Brace∣lets

and Staff, which he had given her, and bid him discern whose those were, as a punishment for him, who had frau∣dulently asked his Father Jacob the same question concerning Josephs Coat, whom he with his Brethren had thrown into the Pit, and made his Father be∣lieve he was torn with wild Beasts. This by the bye.