SERMON L.

EIGHTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER

PENTECOST.

ON RASH JUDGEMENT.

Jesus seeing their thoughts, said, Why do you think evil in your hearts? (Matt. ix. 4.)

We discover, my brethren, in the present gospel, an evident proof of the divinity of Jesus Christ. While he evinces his heavenly mission by the miracle which he performs, he demonstrates the divinity of his character by absolving from sin, by his own power and authority, which God alone can do, and by his penetrating into the hidden thoughts of his hearers, which are known to God only. He had said to the sick man, Son, thy sins are forgiven thee: he proves that he possesses this power of forgiving sins, by restoring him to the use of his limbs, and by the exertion of a power which must be derived from heaven,

and he confounds the secret rash judgements of the Scribes, who in their hearts accused and condemned him of blasphemy. Let us rejoice that our Saviour has afforded such powerful evidence in support of our faith; let us adore him as God and man; let us profit by what he teaches us; let us learn from the answer which he made to those who thought evil of him who was pure from all guilt, and the God of purity, never to form a rash judgement to the prejudice of our neighbour, but to interpret all his actions as favorably as it is in our power, and even when the exterior presents nothing favorable to our view, to hope that a virtuous, though possibly an erroneous intention may protect him from sin in the sight of God. Above all let us learn never to pass sentence of condemnation upon our neighbour, for judgement is the Lord's.

Against this sin of rash judgement and its pernicious consequences, so common among mankind, I intend to direct my present discourse; hoping to convince you that rash judgement passed upon the conduct of our neighbour, is contrary to the rights and authority of God, and opposite to christian charity. Hence it will necessarily follow that this offence in which men so frequently indulge without scruple or remorse, is a griev

ous violation of morality, and ruinous to man's salvation.

By rash judgement, is understood the condemnation of our neighbour's actions or intentions, upon light or insufficient grounds. I wish not to excite scruples in the breasts of the timorous, as if I included every involuntary thought, or uncherished suspicion to the prejudice of our neighbour, which may rush upon the imagination, and from which the just are not secure; but I mean every voluntary thought, every suspicion entertained with full deliberation, every judgement formed with knowledge and consent, to the injury of our neighbour's virtue and character. This is in the first place, an injury done to God, who has expressly forbidden it in many passages of sacred writ. In Levit. xix. 15, he says, thou shalt not do that which is unjust, nor judge unjustly. Our Saviour Christ Jesus has confirmed the same, when he says, Judge not, that ye may not be judged. (Matt. vii. 1.) Judge not, and ye shall not be judged; condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned. (Luke, vi. 37.) Thou art inexcusable O man, whosoever thou art, that judgest; says St. Paul, Rom. ii. 1.; for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself. He that judgeth his brother, (says the Apostle St. James, iv. 2,) judgeth the law. But if thou judge the

law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge. There is one lawgiver and judge, that is able to destroy and deliver. But who art thou that judgest thy neighbour? To judge then, is to invade the authority and rights of the Deity, and to violate his express command. Nor is it less a violation of christian fraternal charity, an injustice done to our neighbour. Charity thinketh no evil, rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth with the truth. (1 Cor. xiii. 5.) It would rather be deceived by inclining to a favorable construction, than offend God, and hurt its neighbour, by too much severity in forming an opinion. Charity directs us to give to others the same treatment which we could wish to receive ourselves: would we then desire, in similar circumstances, that our neighbour should condemn us? Oh, no: we are sufficiently tender of ourselves; and while we are condemning others, upon the slightest grounds, we are suspicious that our actions may be scrutinized in the same manner, and we reprobate the injustice, the cruelty of such conduct, when it concerns ourselves. We have doubtless a claim to the candour of our neighbour, but the right is reciprocal, and he has the same claim upon us; and as long as he commits no action criminal in itself, we are not authorized to condemn him, upon surmise and conjecture. How would you

cry out, if, upon suspicion, you were judged and condemned? Let your conduct be regulated by the laws of equity, and you will spare your neighbour; where, on many occasions, you condemn him, upon the same principles, which, in similar circumstances, would entitle you to mercy. Often is your fellow-creature and fellow-christian summoned to the tribunal of your judgement, upon the most trivial grounds, upon the slightest conjectures, or upon reports, which often originate in envy, malice, or unprincipled wantonness; you are not solicitous to find arguments to render report or conjecture improbable, but every effort is made to turn arguments against him, and a secret satisfaction is enjoyed, in pronouncing him guilty in a court, where witness, judge, and jury, are all combined against him. Frequently do you impute a bad intention to a doubtful action, which might have with equal probability, proceeded from a laudable motive; in short, prejudice, dislike, ill humour, interest, or some baneful passion, influences the judgement of the world, and ruins the good fame of innocence. If it proceed no further than your own heart, it inflames aversion, and a species of malice : but, unfortunately, from rash judgement, are produced consequences widely diffused, and most calamitous in their

nature.