"Fayre Sir," said she, half in disdainful wise, "If the devoutest hermit be proud, or he that 'fasts thrice in the week' be uncharitable once; or he that gives much to the poor, gives also too much liberty to himself; he hath planted a fair garden, and invited a wild boar to refresh himself under the shade of the fruit trees; and his guest, being somewhat rude, hath disordered his paradise, and made it become a wilderness."-Jer. Taylor. "Let us be sure that we neglect no sin, but repent for every one, and judge ourselves for every one, according to the proportion of the malice, or the scandal, or the danger. And although in this there is no fear that we should be excessive; yet when we are to reprove a brother, we are sharp enough, and either by pride or animosity, by the itch of government, or the indignation of an angry mind, we run beyond the gentleness of a Christian monitor."-Ibid. "He that thinks himself less than the greatest sinner, shall not be so great as the least saint in the kingdom of heaven.”—Bp. Hacket. Beus propitius esto mihi peccatori ! LUKE vi. 41, 42. "And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but perceivest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Either how canst thou say to thy brother, Brother, let me pull out the mote that is in thine eye, when thou thyself beholdest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to pull out the mote that is in thy brother's eye." THEY among the Jews before our Saviour's time which spake in proverbs, when one should say unto them, "take out the small piece of wood out of thy teeth," were wont to reply, "take out the beam out of thine eyes." So it is recorded in the Talmud. And as the proverbs of a nation usually contain much truth, and are familiar as household words, though disregarded and set aside by reason of their open speech, we need not be surprised to find them continually referred to in the pages of the Old and New Testament. For example. In the Book of Numbers we read, "They that speak in proverbs say, Come unto Heshbon, let the city of Sihon be built and prepared: For there is a fire gone out of Heshbon, a flame from the city of Sihon: it hath consumed Ar of Moab, and the lords of the high places of Arnon'." In the first Book of Samuel, "As saith the proverb of the ancients, wickedness proceedeth from the wicked"." And again in Ezekiel, "Behold, every one that useth proverbs shall use this proverb against thee, saying, As is the mother, so is her daughter." These and the like occur in the Scriptures of the Old Testament, those in the New will more readily occur to your recollection, and we do well and wisely, Christian brethren, to lay them to heart. The proverb referred to in the text, and made canonical by our blessed Lord in his wondrous and comprehensive Sermon on the Mount, (for it occurs likewise in the seventh chapter of St. Matthew's Gospel,) is none of the least valuable, yea, the more so, as it tends to humble the pride of the human heart, ever ready to exalt itself, and to oppose itself "above all that is called God, or that is worshipped." This our Redeemer, who knew what was in man, knew full well, and so He took up the proverb of his own people, and spake unto them in words, which 1 Numb. xxi. 27, 28. 3 Ezek. xvi. 44. 21 Sam. xxiv. 13. * See the Proverb treated of at length by Vorstius, de Adagiis N. T. chap. v. p. 17, ed. 4to, 1705. The lines of the Roman Poet will readily occur to many readers. 5 2 Thess. ii. 14. oftentimes, it may be, had passed the door of their own lips. Out of their own mouth, as it were, He would condemn those who did not judge "righteous judgment," but were inclined to be censorious, quick to blame, quick to condemn,-in all the fulness of spiritual pride, trusting in themselves that they were righteous, despising others". "Judge not," saith He who spake as never man spake, "that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye. Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye?." The warning, Christian brethren, is applicable to us all,-to us, and to our children, in all ages of the world. In the first instance, it is possible, that the words may have had a more especial reference to the sect of the Pharisees,—a sect in those days, which was rash in censuring and judging, as we learn more especially from the Parable of the Pharisee and the Publican,—but in its extended sense it prophesies "again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings." It is for the humbling of all men 6 Luke xviii. 9. 7 Matt. vii. 1-5. * Rev. x. 11. |