Book I, CfjESUSCHRlST.

Chap. XIV.
Agahft Rajh Juclgmefit,
TUrn your Eyes inward upon your felf; for you can very hardly exceed in judging your own A- dions^ nor be too cautious and fparing in cenfuiing thofe of others. And Cenfurlnv indeed this defei ves to be called in the word Senfe of the word, rather than Judging ; if we confider, not only how unprofitable to any good End, but how liable to infinite Miftakes, and very often how exceeding finful , all fuch Judg- ments are. Whereas the Examining and Judging our own felves is a Work very proper for us ; Such as we are qualified to undertake, and alwa\s turns to good account. We generally determine and give fentence^ juft as we ftand affecled to Perfons and Things ; Our Qwn Paffions and Private PrepolTeflions blind our Minds , and either hinder us from difcernirg the Truth , or from letting it have its due Weight with us. Whereas , if we proceeded from no other Prin- ciple but the Love of God, thofe Matters, which dif- agree with our own Senfe of Things,would beallow'd fairer Confideraticn, and be lefs uneafy to us.
But now fomething foreign to the Cafe in hand, either lurking privately in our own Bread , or hap- pening from without, engages and draws our Minds after it. Many People ad upon private Refpcctis and perfonal Interefts, even when leaft fenfible that they do fo. Thefe Men continue well fatisfied, Co long as Things agree with their own Inclination • but are out of all Patience, upon the leaf!: Difference and Contra- didion. And hence it comes to pafs, that good Cor- refpondence is fo often broke, and Quarrels commen- ced between Friends and Neighbours, even Men of Piety and the moft Sacred Profeffions, upon no other
• Ground^
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Ground, than that they do not think and adl: alike.
The Reafon of this feems to be, that mighty Af- cendant, which Ufe and inveterate Habits naturally gain upon us. We can very hardly be perfuaded to change a Pradice or Opinion, which we have been educated in, and long accuftomed to ; or to fuppofe, that other Men fee farther into things, than our felves. The Man therefore who leans more to his ownUnderflanding and Study, than to that Principle of Virtue, which fliould difpofe him to an entire Sub- miffion to Chrill: and his Doctrine, is by no means in a condition of having his Mind enlightened by God. For God expects that we fhould be fubjed to Him without any Referves, and thinks it fit, that a Reli- gious Love and Obedience fliould take place of our own Reafonings.
Chap. XV. Of Works of Chanty.
THis is a conftant and univerfal Rule , That no Confideration of any Advantage, no Regard of any Perfon whatfoever, muft ever prevail with us to do an ill Thing. But the Benefit of a Perfon, who itands in need of our Relief, is oftentimes a fuffici- ent Warrant for leaving a Good Thing undone ; or for changing our Meafures, and chufing to do one GoodThing rather than another. For indeed, properly fpeaking, this is not fo much an omitting to do well, as a prudent Contrivance to do better. But, let the Thing we do be what it will, it is the Principle upon which we do it, that muft recommend it : And, as without Charity, both all we are, and all we do, figni- fie nothing j ioy where this is at the bottom, every
thing