we do not too generally conclude all Persons like our selves nor suffer our selves to be abused by publick Report or Testimony and judg all true what we so receive make always an allowance one way or another at least most generally suspect and doubt till further Examination if it be worth the while Let us have a care of that kind of Partiality whereby we observe and take notice but of one sort of Qualities or Actions in Men none but their Good or none but their Bad as they are our Friends or Foes as we are well or ill affected towards them but let us be free and indifferent to see both Faults and Imperfections in our Friends and Virtue and what 's good and laudable in our Enemies Let us stir up and maintain always in our Minds a strong habitual love of the Truth which will be by and by a more particular Instruction Hardly any thing of more good effect in this business than the government of our Passions to remove calm quiet them if you intend to pass any considerable Judgment as to Truth viz. Love Hatred Admiration Contempt Revenge Anger and the like suffer we not our Minds and Memories to be Brib'd by these to admit only what can be said on one side and not of another nay more than can or onght to be said and to thrust upon us what is not true and thrust out again what is or may be true because against them suffer we not our Minds to be ruffled and confused by them and not to be able and willing not to attend to the evidence of what we would not have to be True or would have to be False though never so manifest For what can be expected from us of Truth and Justice in our judgments concerning others when we are so affected And lastly Let us seriously endeavour to Reform Correct Amend the Corruptions and bad Inclinations of our Nature that ultimate Selfishness seeking our own selves without any regard to the good of others nay with an express contempt thereof and by their mischief or hurt as if their good were not Good as well as mine hence consequently Hatred Malice Revenge Pride affectation of Superiority Envy Contempt causless Anger Flattery Seek we I say to cure our Nature by Observation Caution Endeavour and God's Assistance Thus if we take but heed to and remember these and all other which are the Causes of our too busie disadvantageous rash selfish false malicious proud envious wrathful contemptuous flattering Judgments of others and remove them we shall certainly prevent the Effect But more particularly I shall recommend to you some Remedies which follow Sect. II. 2. And therefore secondly But more particularly possess we our Hearts and Minds throughly with an universal Charity and Benignity to all with a proneness and readiness to do Good any where but only where we see and therefore in some Circumstances as where the thing concerns many and is not so soon known to consider and deliberate it will be necessarily the cause of a greater Evil which will in general extraordinarily secure us Nor let us suffer our selves to be beaten from this temper of Mind by any ill carriage misdemeanor folly or injury of others Let us still retain a true love of Benevolence for the Person whatever our Keenness be against the Vice or Imperfection Say still with thy self what pity it is Persons should be so much their own and others Enemies as to be guilty of any voluntary Wickedness but if it be an Imperfection out of their power then more need still to be pitied and relieved by us if we be not employed in things of greater concernment This will dispose us to diminish abate or connive at and look off the Infirmities or Imperfections of others and therefore either judg favourably or not at all except where as I have oft said our mutual Christian common and universal Charity and Prudence obligeth and stirreth us up provoketh us to do otherwise Sect. III. 3. Rivet soundly into thy Mind the love of Truth let nothing whatsoever cause thee to be out of the Truth scorn to feign judg rashly or falsly concerning the worst disposed and affected Man towards thee i. e. Contemn this Quality but not out of a haughty Pride i. e. Ultimately because it is thine own Imperfection But out of an universal common Charity i. e. Because of all the Mischief it is the cause of both to thy self and others And indeed there is some reason why here thou shouldst less do this because if he be faulty and imperfect indeed there is but too much true already why shouldst thou make an addition Sect. IV. 4. And yet more particularly ask thy self again and again especially in Judgments of more Concern and Importance whether or no thou be sure that thy Judgment be true Stay not till another ask thee how thou knowest For then for thy Credit and Reputation lest thou shouldst seem to have said any thing rashly or untrue or out of bad Principles thou 'lt be tempted to invent somewhat falsly and to feign and alledg somewhat it may be true but insufficient and yet perswade thy self or at least seems to him that asks thee that it is good proof But do this privately or tacitly thy self when thy Credit may not prejudice thee against the Truth but engage thee to it And if it happen thou shouldst have overshot thy self be most ready to Retract it and acknowledg so much Ask thy self I say how thou provest it And when thou doest suppose thy self before the most impartial person who hath no particular respect to any person or persons that is inconsistent with Truth and Justice one that loves thee and the person thou judgest and every body else and some such it may be thou mayest have known in the World be sure God is so whether thou thinkest he would admit of the proof and evidence for what thou affirmest or sayest as sufficient Then again suppose thy self in the same case with the Person thou judgest and he in thine to judg thee Whether wouldst thou be content he should judg so of thee as thou dost of him now Whether dost thou think that if he had thy Proof only for what he said concerning thee thou wouldst think it sufficient and aquiesce and grant that he had good Reason for what he said If thou shouldst be afraid to remit the censure of thy Judgment to an impartial Person who neither hoped nor feared any thing from thee and was above that but thou shouldst suspect he would not judg as thou dost if it were but for a small Wager if thou wonldst not be content thy Brother should judg of thee in the same manner and for the like reasons and be sure either thou dost not rashly say and fiercely thou wouldst when if it come to be done thou wouldst not if thou shouldst find this I say this sure would put a check to thy Judgment and make thee somewhat ashamed
utility of a truth though there is always sufficient but the difficulty of its being otherwise known Much more might have been suggested in so considerable a Matter But this is enough if not too much in this place Lastly As for this Discourse's not being superfluous I should be glad to be mistaken and that this Argument hath been so Handled and Treated of already as to render this useless I shall give thee no further trouble Good Reader but only desire that thou wouldst read this Treatise if thou thinkest fit to read at all with the same design it was Composed viz. Of Guidance and Conduct of our selves in this particular and consequently that it might contribute some-thing to the increase of universal Charity Justice and Wisdom in the World The Contents CHAP. I. § I. THe several senses of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to Judg. p. 7 8. § II. That in the general sense of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to Judg two parts may be observed 1. The inward action of Mind 2. The signification of the Action p. 11 12. CHAP. II. What Judgments may be thought forbidden by our Saviour both Principally and Secondarily or Occasionally are reckoned up which are six p. 13 14. § I. The first prohibited Judgment too great a proneness to pass our Judgments concerning Persons in any respect at all p. 15. § II. The second is too great a proneness to pass judgment on the worst side p. 19 20. § III. The third is rash Judgment without any reason or without sufficient reason p. 23 24 c. § IV. The fourth is false Judgment p. 29. § V. The fifth thing forbidden is too great a proueness to declare and signifie our Judgment p. 34. § VI. The sixth and principal is the undue end of Judging viz. Vltimately to please ones self Selfishness Self-love and this by Malice Hatred Pride Affectation of Superiority Revenge Envy Flattery by Anger Fear Busie-bodiness Curiosity p. 37 38. CHAP. III. What Judgments are not forbidden § I. 1. In general not a Judging out of Charity p. 39. § II. 2. In general not when there are and appear more good Effects thereof than of the Omission p. 40. § III. 3. Many particular Cases are instanced in for example to our Prudence in which it is not prohibited in general to observe and pass Judgment concerning others Qualities and Actions p. 42 43. § IV. 4. It is not prohibited universally to pass Judgment on the worst side p. 45. § V. 5. It is not universally forbidden to declare our Judgment and that on the worst side p. 46. CHAP. IV. Contains some Causes of these forbidden Judgments § I. The Causes of too much proneness to Judg in general of which the first Idleness p. 49. § II. The second love of Activity of doing somewhat p 52. § III. The third is Curiosity or of knowing somewhat p. 54. § IV. The fourth a Self-pleasing in our Ability or reputed Ability to judg p. 56. § V. Causes of too great proneness to judg on the worst side of which the first is meer Ignorance p. 57. § VI. The second ill dispositions of Will as 1. Hatred 2. Revenge 3. Pride 4. More particularly Affectation of Superiority in any thing 5. Envy 6. Contempt 7. Flattery p. 59. § VII That the Causes of rash Judgment are the same with those of the two former p. 68. § VIII That the Causes of false Judgment concerning Persons are defect in our understanding in our Will p. 69. § IX The first Cause reducible to one of those two is Ignorance p. 70. § X. The second an Opinion or Judgment too unlimited that all Men are like our selves Some instances hereof This extended to God himself that it hath been the Cause of making God in Humane Shape and that the representing God or any thing in him by Humane Shape is likewise the Cause of such an Opinion concerning God p. 76 c. § XI The third is too general a belief of Testimony or Report p. 85. § XII The fourth Cause is an observing only what is good or what is bad in a Person and not observing both p. 88. § XIII A fifth is a want of a prevalent love of Truth p. 92 93. § XIV A sixth is our Passions the instances thereof That Passions determine our Judgments three ways among others 1. By bringing to mind only those things which are true indeed but serve to maintain or encrease them but keeping out those which tend to abate them so that they never appear 2. By thrusting into our Minds more than is true of that which maintains them 3. By thrusting out those things which may be suggested and true but yet serve to extinguish them or by causing a Man not to attend thereto or the Evidence that is in them or by confounding the attention or perception on purpose that it might not see the most necessary truth which it cannot deny if it did see p. 97 98 c. § 15. A seventh Cause of false Judgment either on the good or bad part is all Appetites whatsoever besides those of Truth and Vniversal Justice of which one more useful Instance p. 106. § 16. The Causes of too great a proneness to declare our Judgments much the same with what have been mentioned viz. Idleness Self-pleasing by Activity Curiosity Conceit of ability and sufficiency to judg by fancied Reputation there-for by Hatred Revenge Pride Affectation of Superiority Envy Contempt Anger Flattery p. 110. § 17. The Causes of the last prohibited Judgment out of such bad Principles as are above-named the Corruption of our Natures improved by Custome and wilful ill Vsage of our selves p. 111. CHAP. V. Treats of the mischievous Consequences or Effects of these prohibited Judgments § I. The ill Effects of too great a proneness to judg others in general are 1. Too great a neglect of our own Affairs and principally our Manners in which we are principally to employ our selves For 1. We cannot so well know that in another Man concerning which we pass judgment as what is in our selves And 2. We can make more certain effectual use of our Judgment and Observation of our selves p. 112 113 c. A 2d ill Effect of too great proneness to judg in general is an Vsurpation of anothers right or Tyranny p. 118 119. § II. The ill Consequences of too great proneness to judg on the worst side are 1. False Judgment 2. Vnjust Contempt 3. oft-times unjust Suspition in others of the Judgment coming from the worst Principles whence 4. Contempt Hatred Revenge in the Persons judged against the Person judging p. 122 123. § III. The ill Consequences of rash Judgment are 1. The usage of a Mans self thereto 2. The rendring a Man's Testimony inconsiderable 3. It is occasion to Men of Hatred Contempt Anger c. p. 125. § IV. The ill Consequences of false Judgment are 1. A Man 's own Discredit 2. The ill distribution of the Good or
that is meant suspected accused condemned by others principally out of the former Principles For if it were meant of the Judgment of the good side the avoiding of that would be no motive not to judg because it would not seem an evil to the Person judging I say principally moreover I have mentioned the defect of being too prone in general to pass Judgment though it may happen on the good side and so to declare ones Judgment and to judg rashly or falsly though still on the good side on this occasion as belonging to our Judgments to suggest unto you that they might be occasionally forbidden too and are Defects Infirmities All the forementioned Particulars if they can be supposed to proceed not from these bad Principles but from good viz. Charity though imprudent and mistaken though they may be immediately hurtful and do mischief yet they are not vicious faulty wicked But more of this when we come to the Causes of these forbidden Judgings here especially of rash and false ones CHAP. III. Sect. I. BUt what Judgments are here not forbidden though they may be apt to be mistaken for those which are And in general these two viz. 1. Not an observing or judging out of Charity a sincere and unmixed Charity For sometimes surely we may exercise our Charity both in good and bad Judgments The principal thing here forbidden is passing our Judgment out of bad Principles such as are Ultimate Selfishness Malice Hatred Pride Envy c. But then the contrary cannot be forbidden to pass Judgment out of a good one and the only good one viz. Charity or Good-will unless all Principles of a Mans actions were forbidden Sect. II. Nor Secondly Is it ever forbidden to a Person when there are more good effects of his doing this than of his omission Nay then contrary-wise he is commanded to do it The first respects our Principles or End The second our Prudence or the Effect The first of these may be without the second viz. A Man may give his Judgment and Opinion concerning Persons and Actions out of Charity and very good Intentions of doing the most good unlimitedly in general whether it be particularly applied to our selves or others or both and yet as far as we see the effects of it may be bad A Man may both inwardly and outwardly commend and discommend Persons unseasonably with a very good meaning through want of Information And so the second may be without the first too that is There may be very good effects and consequences of a Mans passing and pronouncing his Judgment when the principle may be bad enough A Man may approve or condemn what is truly good or bad in others and consequently dispose himself and others to an imitation of the one and an eschewing of the other especially if he be a Person of some esteem and yet he may do the first out of fear or flattery or because it is like some-what in himself not because it is a quality or thing really profitable to the World and therefore would have it more propagated And the second out of Envy Hatred c. not because it is a thing mischievous and hurtful to the Person himself to others or displeasing to God Almighty In summ whensoever it doth appear to any Man that it would be worse if he did not pass his Judgment that there would be worse consequences thereof than if he did any where to others as well as himself considering himself but as any other Person just in the same Circumstances and to do it for this very reason and cause this common Good this I say is not here prohibited Sect. III. Thirdly But more particularly therefore in the first place it is not universally prohibited here to pass Judgment In the Cases and Circumstances I have formerly mentioned and innumerable more if we descend to particulars it is not It is much permitted nay enjoyned to Governours somewhat less to private Persons Laudable it is in Men to have regard to and observe the qualities and actions generally of those that are their Superiors to compare their own with and see their defect and to be excited to Amendment and Imitation To look at and to judg their own faults in others if thereby they find themselves disposed to see them more clearly in themselves and to be put in mind of them Laudable it is to observe good qualities in others that we may rejoyce in them and be glad to see any thing good in the World and be able to encourage it by a discreet Observation and Commendation thereof Consequently we are not commanded to be negligent and utterly careless of what other Men care or do For this is contrary to the former generals of Charity and Prudence we should then be prohibited both those out of Prudence and Charity to our Neighbour both good and bad Men and to our selves too we are obliged to take notice of them what they are and do to encourage and help or to rejoyce in what is good to check hinder and prevent what is bad and mischievous in the World by our pity and just endeavours We are not surely to say with Cain Am I my Brothers keeper Yes we are all so that is we should be so We are not like Brutes to live only within our own Skins to care for no Body but our selves and inhumanly to say What care we what others do We 'll look after our selves let them be good or bad we matter not we think it best always to mind our selves we see Men busie themselves too much about others matters In the first of which thou art bad and wicked being only selfish in the other mistaken and imprudent Thou art always to have regard to the common good in all thou art and dost and therefore when thou appliest thy self to mind thy self and to do good to thy self it must always be to fit thy self to do most good in general it must have that for the end Thou art also often and thy own prudence must determine for it may be too often to step out and see what others do and are and concern thy self charitably and prudently for thy Neighbours and to please and serve God consequently there is a time when this is best Besides indeed thou mindest thy own self to best purpose and effect when thou disposest thy self to be of this charitable and prudent Temper which may sometimes be best done by use and exercise Sect. IV. Fourthly Nor in the next place is it prohibited universally to pass Judgment on the worst side to Accuse or Condemn for it is permitted to the Overseers of others Manners and Instructors and Teachers of good Manners and to Friends whose care and industry for the good of those whom they thus judg it will excite to those that would free themselves from too partial an admiration of Persons to those who have a mind and design to be more accurately good in things of more great and publick Concernment
Besides that suspending doubting being Ignorant argue an imperfection and this fault may have the name of Busibodiness viz. When out of love of being Busie meerly to be always doing somewhat and that with vigour and smartness Men employ their Thoughts in Observing and Judging other Mens either Qualities or Actions Not out of any Neighbourly or Charitable Principle not because they see a great deal of good they may do by it and therefore would do it accordingly that is not out of Reason Prudence Charity Men oft-times Bussle and are Busie in the World and they know no other Reason but that they love to be so and nothing more often occurs about which they may be so than what other Men are or do Sect. III. Thirdly The third cause is sometimes Curiosity that is a Mans pleasing himself meerly and ultimately in knowing something he did not know before and being very much conceited of himself there for not directing his knowledg to those things which are most profitable which he can make best use of do most good withal nor attending to them Hence it comes to pass that Men are not content to mind and know themselves or their own minds if it was less difficult than it is nor yet things more nearly Relating to themselves which is more easie But they are also more inquisitive into and desirous to know the. Affairs of others what they are and do and observe them and consequently to pass Judgment of them which is a sign to them but oft a very false one that they do know Because we use to do so and should do so viz. Pass Judgment only of things we do know If we should not pass Judgment but doubt or suspend we should seem to our selves to be Ignorant which we would not do because we will ultimately and please our selves not to be so To doubt or to suspend ones Judgment because one does not know is but very rare and in few Tempers but it should be always and is to be preferred before Knowledg because it is a better thing a greater excellency to withhold a Mans Judgment where there is no Reason seen where one doth not know or see the Connexion of what he affirms and does the Truth it self than it is to know the Truth it self The one is but a perfection of our Understanding t'other a great virtue of our Wills and we shall be the wiser the more we thus judg and accordingly behave our selves I say rather to say and think we do not know when we indeed do not then to know though never so certainly Sect. IV. Fourthly A fourth cause may be an Instance or Branch of Pride that is to please our selves too much meerly either that we have or are reputed to have an ability and sufficiency to understand and direct others and their affairs too better than they themselves can When 't is only so conceitedly by us and we know not others Circumstances or were we in them we would do the like or worse or if we had this ability perhaps we had better be without it whilst it makes us less able to understand and direct our selves by using our minds to Wander abroad and to attend to others and depriving us of the opportunities of Self-reflection It is very often seen that those who are extraordinary forward not out of some sence of Duty to give Counsel Advice or Judgment of other Mens Concerns are very negligent and careless and unapt to follow the very same when it is as useful and profitable for themselves Sect. V. Secondly For some of the Causes of too great a Proneness to judg on the worst side whether truly or falsly but not therefore or because they are true or false in our selves they are all either Ignorance or some Ill-disposition of Will 1. Ignorance viz. Of the bad effects or consequences of this our too great Proneness which Ignorance may proceed from Ill-dispositions of Will either on set purpose or designed then when we judg and we wilfully shut our Eyes and do not attend to what might better inform us or it may be contracted before But it may proceed too sometimes even from Love and Charity So we see sometimes Persons much desirous of their Relations or others Good and Well-fare very apt always to suspect the worse of them and to observe their Beginning bad Inclinations and to think them so but not so much to take notice of the contrary good ones in them and this partly that they might timely prevent any evil that may happen to them thereby And so may it be in publick Affairs and of very great and universal Concernment especially and yet soon out of our power nay so we see it in our selves sometimes Some Men being too apt to look upon their Faults and Imperfections and to magnifie them and to take no notice of what 's good in themselves and consequently to judg falsly concerning themselves on the worst side Though this is but rare in compare with the other extream and proceeds from an imprudent and ignorant love not attending that they ought and may do themselves as much good by their being pleased with and encouraged by and thankful for the good they have as by being afraid of removing and preventing any evil fallen upon them or that may fall upon them and not considering still that it 's best be sure all things considered to judg always according to Reason and Truth not to trouble and perplex our selves with vain fears and endeavours and for other good effects thereof Sect. VI. Sixthly But I doubt the far more usual Causes of too great Proneness to judg on the worst side are ill-dispositions of Will in general Self-love and Self-pleasing ultimately in various Instances such as are more particularly Self-pleasing by 1. Hatred of or Malice an habitual Hatred against any Person in general Than which there is nothing in the World more detestable because the most Mischievous and it is the greatest degeneracy from the most opposite and contrary to the most excellent perfection in the World which is Goodness and is usually attributed to the Devil that is the worst of Beings This is when a Man pleaseth himself ultimately in doing mischief to in vexing and hurting another Man other Persons It is easie to see how this disposeth a Man to the greatest readiness to judg any thing bad in the Person to whom he is thus affected For if we thus please our selves in doing Mischief we shall endeavour that we may still please our selves so to do and that we may so do we 'll represent Persons as bad as we can as great evils whether true or false it matters not as we can This I say manifestly is a Cause in us of being mischievously affected and of doing what we can to them And this again is a Cause to such Persons of Pleasures and Delight He therefore that wills the End viz. Pleasing himself by the mischief of others will will the Means
true which before he did but say was so though he thought the contrary And here it may be observed that as too great a Proneness to judg on the worst side doth proceed from these Causes mentioned So it is a most ordinary thing for the passing and especially declaring ones Judgment and Opinion on the advantagious side i. e. That a Man hath more of some good thing than indeed he hath to proceed from some of the same Causes too viz. Hatred Envy Indignation For Example That a Man hath more Revenue Treasure Honour Power Ease Pleasure than indeed he hath only to expose him more to the Envy or Indignation of others And in general Men judg thus in a thing which they account a reward to him who they think doth not or they would not have him either to merit or receive it most commonly it is an easie thing from Circumstances to discern from what Principles such Judgment proceeds But some may be so cunning as to conceal or dissemble Sect. VII Seventhly For the Causes of rash Judgment and Censure they must be the same with those of the two former particulars The Causes of rash Judgment in general Idleness Busibodiness Activity Curiosity Pride and of rash Censure or Judgment without Reason but a Man 's own Will on the worst side as such are among others Hatred Revenge Pride Affectation of Superiority Envy Contempt 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 confounding Passion but refer it to another 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 methinks are so Unreasonable Inhumane and Unchristian when thus nakedly represented that they cannot but stir up in Souls not quite degenerate or corrupted dead and sensless of what 's good many of these very Passions against 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 Sect. VIII IV. The Causes some of them of false Judging as false or of falsity errour of Judgment concerning Persons whether on the good or bad side may as in all other false Judgments be reduced to two within us in General 1. Defect in our Understanding which here in this case is but one viz. Ignorance in a large sense viz. the Absence or want of Apprehension or of the actual Knowledg of something which would influence our Judgments 2. In our Will a meer inclination to any certain false Judgment whether it be from Custom and Use or from the Love and for the sake of any certain Object In this particular case of false Judgments some of the most frequent Causes more or less remotely and some way or other reducible to these two are these Sect. IX 1. In general meer Ignorance of the truth of things where there is no defect of Will So a Man may judg an action in respect of the effect and principle of it to be well or ill done when it is the contrary and it was the case of the Jewish and Gentile Christians passing Judgment of one anothers Eating and abstaining from certain Meats and observing or not observing some certain Days and Times and consequently imposing them upon one another from their own private Opinions not as determined by their rightful Superiours or Governours Rom. 14. Some of them through Ignorance judged that those who took the Liberty to eat forbidden Meats contrary to the Mosaical Law which they thought was still even under the Messias to be observ'd did an evil Action and out of an evil Principle too possibly viz. Prophaneness or want of that respect for God's Commands which they ought And this probably too because they found in themselves that if they should do so it would proceed from such a Principle which will be a second Cause presently to be named The other Gentile Christians judged right concerning the action of abstaining from Meats that it was not right and the Non-observation of or Liberty from the Jewish Law was a Christian priviledg or it did not belong to the Christian Religion But possibly too they might if they did not judg wrong concerning the Principle of these Jewish Christians viz. That it was out of Superstition or Pride that the Gentiles might not be in all things equalized to themselves and that the Ancient Constitutions of their Religion might seem more considerable From hence also more particularly it proceeds that even very Honest and Just Persons though much oftner in the World it proceeds from ultimate Self-love or a mixture of it judg themselves Comparatively more Superiour to others in good qualities and truly more valuable than they are viz. They know and observe more their own Perfections and good Qualities their Number their Nature the degrees of their worth and excellency from their effects than they do those of others They can tell better all the Good qualities they have in themselves than what are in others many of which or but few they may ever have had occasion to observe They may also and do see and take notice of all the uses and good effects of any Perfection which is in themselves having frequent occasion to observe them but hardly of any of that which is in another when he possibly could quote as many more of his And hence a little further it comes to pass that every one extols and crys up his own Art though never so trivial and prefers it before others really believing what he saith Hence also it is together with some Rashness and Precipitancy in inferring that Men judg others too generally and too confidently to be Ill or Good qualified Persons to have more of Defects or Perfection comparatively each with other than they really have that they have for Christ such or such ill qualities and imperfections which may be true but none or much fewer good quallities to balance them than indeed they have and than they themselves would have known if they had had some other opportunities of knowing them They have had only occasion or means to know the defects and Ill qualities and not the Good and so perhaps on the contrary and yet they do not observe so much nor reflect upon it nor attend unto this Caution Now Men ought to pass Judgment first distinctly that at such or such a time in such or such a performance or action there appeared to them such defect or commendable quality and then from thence according to the degree of probability or likelihood in the Consequence which if the observation be but once is oft but very small if there be just occasion to infer and conclude concerning the Qualities of the Person in general as to number degree and
God hath no Body cannot be understood For then He must want Sense Prudence Pleasure which we comprehend in the notion of the Gods And again Quod si Omnium animantium formam vincit Hominis figura Deus autem animans est ea profecto figura est quae Pulcherrima sit Omnium Quoniamque Deos Boatissimos esse constat beatus autem esse sine virtute nemo potest nec Virtus sine ratione constare nec ratio usquam inesse nisi in hominis figurâ hominis esse speciè Deos confitendum est To this purpose That if Humane shape be better than that of any other Animal and God be an Animal then He must needs have the best and the most Beautiful And because God is a most happy Beeing and He cannot be Happy without Virtue nor have Virtue without Reason nor can Reason be any where but in a Humane shape therefore God is of that shape too So Cotta the Academick in his reply to Velleius Homini homine nihil Pulcrius videri blandam enim conciliatricem esse naturam lenam sui i. e. Man indeed thinks nothing more Beautiful than himself so Nature flatters it self Herodotus in his Clio relating that the Persians made no Statues nor Temples nor Altars to their Gods but that they counted them Fools who did so gives this Reason in his Opinion viz. Because they did not think the Gods to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sprung from Men and consequently I suppose not of their shape as the Greeks did Whether this Proneness to judg God like our selves out of Self-love use and custom of concelving and judging hath been the cause of making Images and corporal Representations of God or something in God by Humane shape among Christians or no Yet I think there is but too much Reason to believe that the judging God like Mens-selves hath been but too much the effect of it especially among the Vulgar I am sure it hath a very great natural tendency thereto And the effect it is probable would have been much more if it had not been hindred by the Christian Doctrine which notwithstanding some have kept those in Ignorance of who have in this respect most need of it and especially by the Admonitions and just reproaches of those whom these Patrons of Images as fastuously as foolishly and falsly call Hereticks A custom and usage so sottish and childish that never any who had their Religion from the True God or who had any notion of His Spiritual and Infinite Nature either among Jews or Heathâ—ns pretended any sufficient reason for as the instruction of the Vulgar c. or did not contemn and deride it until some Christians in the times of the greatest Ignorance and Corruption of Manners within some few Hundreds of years introduced it into the Christian Church But to return from this Digression In Opinions and Perswasions Some even of the better natured Persons oft judg that Men cannot be of such a perswasion but out of some ill disposition of Will and such a particular one too viz. Self-interest that is it is for some designed good to themselves besides the being in the Truth so to be perswaded and this because they find themselves inclin'd thereto and if they were of such perswasions it would be from such Causes Not considering want of Information Ineptitude to apprehend things any other way but as they have been accustomed a great usage of themselves so to conceive and judg may be the causes of such really false Opinions of theirs Nor do I see it a thing but very generally to be determined how far a true Lover of the Truth or an Honest-man in this particular may err and mistake Though I think too on the other hand very oft-times other Causes of false perswasions are alledged besides some naughty disposition of Will when it is not so or but in small measure and this alone hath the greatest Influence indeed Sect. XI 3. Too general a belief of every Testimony or Report whether in Talk or Books which proceeds oft-times again from meer actual Ignorance or Non-attention that most Reports are most-what very fallible signs of what 's true and sometimes none at all That there are much better Proofs of things sometimes from contrary Testimonies of better Persons sometimes from other things This proceeds also from love of Activity and Curiosity of Knowing and Judging some-what new and fresh and some-times from the worser Principles so often named All Testimonies are more or less signs of what 's true according as the Persons are more wise and knowing or more veracious willing and careful to say no more than they know Now how many Actions of Persons reported to be done with certain Circumstances and from certain Principles and Reasons by those who neither do nor can know any thing of them Or if they do yet through temerity rashness and precipitancy curiosity suspition envy flattery or some other disposition of Will do so either invent or change by adding or detracting or substituting that sometimes none at all most-what but little rarely very much of what they say is true and to be believed But yet what more ordinary than for Men to believe all without stick or scruple The further too still Reports go through the more Persons they pass they are still the more uncertain because still the more alteration and as it rarely happens for Persons who observe things by their own sense or reason to report them just as they observed them through forgetfulness or rashness Besides that they might not discern some Circumstances So it is as rare and seldom for the same things to be convey'd from any one to another exactly without some alteration I believe that the more Cautious and Wise cannot but have observed that in almost all Reports and Testimonies concerning Persons their Actions Principles Qualities or Tempers either the things are quite false or but some general part of them true The more Cautious and Discreet Honest and lovers of Truth we observe Men to be the more we may in their Reports and Testimonies concerning Persons either on the Good or Bad side defer to them of our Belief and Judgment of the truth of what they say and these in any degree considerable are but too few A good short Memorandum of this particular is that excellent Precept 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Remember to unbelieve or disbelieve i. e. Either to suspend thy Belief or to believe the thing to be false Sect. XII 4. A fourth Cause of our false Judgment on either the Good or Badside is our attention to and taking notice of or observing only either the good or bad Actions or Qualities Perfections or Imperfections of Men together with their Effects and Consequences and not both Whence it comes to pass that those Persons in whom we attend to nothing or little but what is Good which is still the better extreme we judg much better than indeed they are and thus it is
Arguments commend justifie or excuse any Action of our Friends and with as many discommend or aggravate that of our conceited Adversary whom we are in hatred with or bear grudge against or are wrathful and angry with Hence therefore we give false Judgments concerning Persons qualities or actions judging them much better or worse than they are we having only Arguments and Proofs on one side brought to our Mind by our passions and those on the other kept out by them Which is like as if corrupted or bribed Officers should permit no Witnesses to come into or appear in the presence of the Judg but those that shall serve for that side or the Cause that they are bribed for And yet often our Mind and Reason the Judg not attending and taking notice of this Bribery and Partiality of these Officers the Passions though it might and should may think it very truly judged at least as it ought according to the Evidence that it had and set down and be content and think all was well done and truly they were very honest and sincere in their Judgments This is one of the most slie and close Cheats and Tricks we by our Passions put upon our Reasons The more had we need here to be cautious and now more especially when the Deceit and Cozenage is discovered And both on this and the two following as well as other accounts it is a special Maxim of Wisdom not to trust those Judgments where Passions have gone before Reason But do one of these three things Either 1. Be calm and and have no Passions at all Or 2. If thou wilt for Invention-sake have any then passionate thy self equally on both sides Or 3. Raise up in thy self a greater and commanding passion for Truth which will make all the Evidence and Proof thou hast in thy keeping appear equally on all sides But here I may prevent what is to be said in another Head 2. And very briefly Our Passions cause us to judg in favour of themselves by bringing into our Minds not only what is true on one side and keeping back what is so on the other but also by thrusting into them more than is true And therefore we observe in our Friends and in our Enemies that is to whom we are so more virtues or faults fine or foul things and more of them too than any Body else not alike prejudiced can see or than indeed there are And 3. When things on both sides do come to our Minds as especially when suggested by another who would discourse or defend the Person we are passionated for or against I say when this is by thrusting them on one side away again or turning a Man from them or causing one wilfully not to attend to them or if that cannot be not to the Proof and Evidence that is in them nay not to be able it confounding and agitating our Minds and drawing their force another way And so it is by every days Experience observed that he that is under the passions of Hatred and Anger against any thing or Person will not attend to what can be said or proposed in their Commendations or Defence nor will nor can oft-times apprehend the Proof or Consequence thereof So on the other hand Timidity or Fear or Scruple to judg amiss concerning Persons especially on the bad side may cause many not to judg according to the best probability that doth appear to them without any prejudice from any Person or ill disposition of Will But this is an effect of Passions more visible and more to be observed by the Person himself mis-judging than the former and therefore in that respect more easie to be prevented And here we see manifestly one of the principal mischiefs of Passions as there are also very good use of them and how much therefore it concerns us to govern them well Sect. XV. 7. Another Cause of false Judgment either on the good or bad part may be all Appetites whatsoever besides those which have Truth and universal Justice for their Objects By which Justice I mean nothing else but such a love of and desire to do Good to each particular as is most consistent with or productive or effective of the greatest Good of the whole that always with regard to measured and moderated by this I say all Appetites besides those not only those which cause it on the bad side as Malice Pride Envy Revenge which two last seem mixed of the two former and others which have been formerly mention'd but those also which cause it on the favourable side as in Flattery when a Man by passing his Judgment before another concerning himself or his Friend desires to please him and to gain his good opinion and favour nay partial and imprudent Charity it self may be the Cause As when a Man having no Self-end more than the pleasure of the Action in giving his Judgment concerning a Person to whom he hath a strong inclination to do good but without that due actual heed to or fore-sight of the Hurt or Evil that may come of this his Beneficence to him or to others else-where or at some other time that is partially or imprudently judgeth him more deserving than in truth he is To give particular Instances of false Judgments from these Causes would be endless only one may be observed for Example which is frequent and of consequence Contradicting the Judgment of others passing Judgments contrary to those of others and oft-times the more by how much the Number or Reputation of those others are the greater When we see one praised or dispraised by them contrariwise to dispraise or praise either in general or quoting particulars and multiplying and magnifying of them Generally this is out of Pride that we might Equalize or be Superiour to others in our Invention or Discretion or Honesty the Abilities which fit us for Judging that we might not at least seem to our selves or others to be inferiour in those Qualities that others might not seem as if they were only able and fit to do it In all which there is affectation of Superiority Vain-glory and Ostentation Envy which are several Branches of Pride And this we see not only among the Vulgar and in ordinary Conversation but among the Learned who often when any Author is generally commended and it may be too much set themselves to multiply and magnifie his Faults and Defects but to diminish his commendable Qualities by concealing or extenuating them And on the contrary when an Author is now out-done and thought to be much exceeded by another and therefore comparatively undervalued they endeavour to multiply and magnifie what is Good and Deserving in him but to neglect conceal or lessen what is Bad and Defective And consequently by this unobserved prejudice they give false Judgments concerning them I know these Instances may proceed from a careful Veracity and Justice because Men commonly both praise and dispraise excessively and their Judgments may be true but
it is more rare even to have any thing thereof but much more rare still to see this without some mixture of the other Causes And here we may just take notice of one reason of the aptness of Men to recriminate to accuse their Accusers though never so Just and Modest or presently to quote their Infirmities and Faults viz. Men know that by possessing the Person to whom they are accused with Hatred Envy Anger c. against him who accuseth them they shall cause him to judg confusedly and in general the Accuser a bad or silly Person and consequently all that appertains to him and consequently his Testimony and that therefore it is not to be believed We see this design most-what to take effect with the Vulgar where there is almost always Revenge too Sect. XVI The Causes of the Fifth prohibited Judgment viz. Too great a Proneness to declare and make known our Judgments may be and usually are the same now often mentioned in some of the former viz. Idleness ultimate Self-pleasing by Activity Curiosity Vain-conceit of ones own sufficiency and ability to judg of others fancied Reputation therefor also by Hatred Revenge Pride affectation of Superiority Envy Contempt Anger Flattery And Persons who are too prone thus to do on the worst side out of such Principles especially now named one or more of them and are frequent and busie in doing of it are those who are called properly Tale-bearers concerning whom you have so many Advisements in the Book of the Proverbs and of the mischievousness of their Employment as Prov. 26.20 22. and 16.28 and 11.13 Sect. XVII Lastly For the Causes of Mens passing Judgment in Thought and Speech concerning Persons on the worst side out of such bad Principles as are aforenamed I have no other now to name but only the corruption of their Natures and inclinations thereof when born into this World by some certain Causes and this improved and increased by too constant an ill usage of themselves their wilful compliance therewith few taking care to correct and amend by the Grace of God what is bad and amiss in themselves their natural Degeneracy and Corruption their Inordinacy and Immoderacy of appetite but swimming down with the Stream and doing that which is most easie CHAP. V. We have dispatcht the Fourth General Head the Causes of prohibited Judgment Sect. I. THe Fifth is the mischievous Effects or Consequences which are so many Reasons and should be so many Motives to beware and to abstain therefrom We shall observe some of these in each particular prohibited Judgment distinctly I. Of too great a proneness to judg others in general the ill effects are these 1. The first is That too great a Proneness and Practice accordingly to observe and judg others causeth us to neglect our own Affairs The more our Eyes are abroad the less at home for they cannot be in two places We cannot mind two things at once so different and distant And it is every where by Experience seen that those who little take notice of what others are and do are usually more attentive to their own Business and what immediately belongs to themselves The time that is spent in Reflection upon others Actions and Principles would otherwise most-what if we are not very dull for want of Variety have been converted to the observation of our own Such shamefully neglect oft-times to purpose or set apart their own Actions what they will what they will not do and their own Principles out of what End and for what Reason and the execution of their purposed Actions that they even forget to do what they themselves had purposed and designed because they are busie and employed in gazing at others Wisdom is before him that hath understanding but the eyes of a Fool are in the ends of the Earth Prov. 17.24 The sense may be That a Man of understanding regards and looks at more often his own wisdome to see where he acts wisely out of foresight of and in order to good Ends but a Fool 's thoughts are roving and employed about things far from him the most remote and impertinent that is of Persons and Actions among others which he can little make use of in comparison As the Man that looks at his own next steps employs himself generally to better Purpose than he that gazes at the Horizon or bounds of the Heavens Now the further ill Consequences of thus doing is this that we transfer our Observation and Judgment there where we can make less good Use if any and from thence where we could have used it to much better purpose for the most part For 1. Thou canst not so well know that concerning which thou judgest in another Man as in thy self thy Judgment will be the less certain and consequently the Effects of it less certainly good All our Judgments concerning others are concerning their Qualities or Actions and of their Actions sometimes whether they have been at all sometimes out of what Principle sometimes to what effect or good purpose whether they should have been done Now no Man can tell so well what Qualities are in another Man as what are in himself No man can so well tell the Principles of another Mans actions his end intention and design as those of himself every Man may know his own Heart better than another Mans. No Man can be so sure of what is done by any Man as the Person himself And lastly It is but rare that any Man of these great Talkers or Judgers know the Circumstances of any Mans condition and consequently what can or ought to be done by such a Person so well as he himself and surely he doth or may unless it is because he is an idle Busie-body or worse know the circumstances of his own Actions better than he can those of another Man and consequently what is fittest to be done in his owne Case better than in another Mans. Why then doth he not busie himself there viz. At Home I speak not universally but for the most part For sometimes in some Cases a Man may know other Mens Affairs better than they themselves and than their own Affairs and give their Judgment with Modesty and out of Friendship Yet how frequent is it for Men and the most Ignorant and Sottish most peremptorily and confidently to judg what others who are truly Wise ought to do what would be fittest and of best effect for them to do to direct or find fault where it is apparent they know little of the Circumstances of their Condition or Affairs and these cannot reasonably be thought to be such strangers to their own Business and Affairs as not to know more and to know better what they have to do and ought to do yea and are as good to do it too But that 's another Consideration 2. But then Secondly If thy Judgment be as certain and if another did indeed such a bad Action or out of such a bad Principle or hath
thereto and that 's one viz. Judging them as great Evils as we can It is like a Man's dressing up another Person in ugly or contemptible Habit that he might please himself in hating or contemning him whereas the Person 's true and natural Make or Features was more beautiful and comely than his own But this is so truly a hateful disposition that I would be willing rather to think there is no such thing amongst Men what-ever there may be amongst the Infernal Spirits or elsewhere in the World 2. Though in the second place Revenge comes somewhat near it that is to please ones self in doing evil to another Man meerly because he hath done evil to him which is a very unreasonable thing For why should there be more mischief in the World because there hath been some already Clear contrary the more there hath been the less there should be I know oft-times there is a mixture of Justice and Self-defence to prevent the like for the future but oft-times too there is more pretended than there is and when there is a love to Justice and a just and reasonable Defence it is a Cloak to hide much of the other too or a Pill that hath much of that Poyson in it We have the more need to be Skilful and Subtle in the discovery of the sincerity of our Hearts that is the ends or designs that move our Wills Now it is here likewise manifest that to judg a Person as bad and as imperfect as we can will augment whetten and sharpen our Revenge and consequently if we be so wickedly disposed our Pleasure and Delight too and as before he that wills the End wills the Means thereto when he sees it is so In revenge too is often mixed the affectation of Superiority 3. Somewhat less a bad Cause but bad enough too is Pride or a Self-pleasing ultimately in the instances of our power And here more particularly 1. Self-pleasing in our Superiority to others in any thing a branch of Pride i. e. to be Ultimately and more than ought pleased therewith inordinately and immoderately A very mischievous Temper and Appetite I do not see that any degree thereof is allowable or that it doth any good more than the gratification of the proud Person To affect to be Superiour in some excellent and useful Quality may be an occasion sometimes of a Man's excelling therein and consequently of some good effect But it is not because he affects Superiority that is not the precise Cause but because that Superiority happens to be an excellent thing And yet more particularly 2. Envy a kind of this affection of Superiority not the passion so much that is a desire of depriving others of any Good they possess which we have not as is to be understood too in the fore-going cause of Hatred and Revenge but the cause or principle of our being prone to this Passion that is pleasing our selves ultimately that we have some good things which others have not and being very glad they have them not and sorry and grieved if they have them And this makes us to will both that it should seem so to us and that it really should be so That it should seem so and therefore we wilfully judg it is so that others are in general much Inferiour to us in any good thing or less Superiour at least than indeed they are and therefore particularly that they are guilty or defective where we are not that they are such or such We would have others not better or as bad or worse than our selves and are much pleased it is so and therefore we make it to seem so to our selves and wilfully judg it so when it may be it is not in our power really to make it so For the same reason Envy also makes us to will it should be so indeed and to endeavour it as much as we can and therefore particularly so far as we esteem honour love reward good things that they should not be honoured beloved rewarded or the like and consequently that they should not seem to others to merit it and consequently both to judg and make known our Judgment very greedily and readily that they do not to bear witness against them It is called Detraction when a Man from this or such like Principle is judged not to have some good Quality that he hath really and Slander when he is judged to have some bad one which he is free from A contrary temper to that wise Admonition of the Wise-man Prov. 24.17 Rejoyce not when thine Enemy falleth and let not thy heart be glad when he stumbleth 3. Contempt this hath an effect contrary to admiration Admiration of any Person in general and confusedly causeth a Man to judg all things in or any way belonging to that Person excellent and to attribute more to him than he hath Contempt in general of a Person on the contrary causeth us to judg all things appertaining to the Person contemned mean or small or to attribute to him many and greater Imperfections than indeed are in him in some such manner ordinarily signified Tush there is no great matter in such a Person indeed he may be so or so But that 's a small thing if he be nay there is nothing laudable in him what 's matter what he saith or doth He is weak silly wilful c. Whereas we ought not thus confusedly to pass Judgment but more distinctly if there be any thing contemptible yet there may be other things very considerable Men also may please themselves meerly in contempt of another as a Mark or Sign to themselves though it may be to no Body else of their own Superiority and being better and that they may more contemn and consequently please themselves as it was before in hatred make him appear to themselves and judg him much more contemptible than he is Both these last particulars are contrary to the Apostolical Precept in that excellent Chapter Rom. 12.10 In honour preferring one another Be we rather inclin'd to judg others better than our selves and to give unto them the signs thereof rather I say than assume them to our selves even when equal probability of both sides or some it may be advantage of our own for the more excellent effect only sometimes of checking and controuling and subduing and bringing under Command that unreasonable and inordinate Self-love These three are Branches of Pride 4. A fourth cause is Flattery in Judging That is when a Man pleaseth himself ultimately in pleasing any one that is an Adversary or Enemy to the Person concerning whom he gives Judgment and consequently is well pleased to hear of his Faults or Imperfections A Man may use out of Flattery so often to tell his Judgment to the disadvantage of a Person that at last he may unawars come to believe it himself and partly that his Flattery may not at any time be discovered oblige himself to believe it and perswade himself that that is