26. He is more employed in searching his own heart than in censuring other men's states

Another singular action of a sanctified Christian, is, To be more employed in searching his own heart, than he is in censuring other men's states.

Those bishops are too busily employed, who lord it over another man's diocese. We are to allow believers for their failings, though we are not to allow them in their failings. Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds. It is a matter of greater moment to know the state of our hearts, than the state of our flocks.

Censorious men commonly take up magnifying glasses, to look at other person's imperfections; and diminishing glasses, to look at their own enormities.

Plato entertaining a few friends at an elegantly spread table, Diogenes, a famous cynic philosopher, coming in at the same time, trampled upon it, saying, 'I trample upon the pride of Plato!' To whom Plato immediately replied, 'Yea, but with greater pride in Diogenes.'

They are fittest to find fault, in whom there is no fault to be found. There is no removing blots from the paper, by laying upon them a blurred finger. 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. Reader, what do you get by throwing stones at your enemy's windows, while your own children look out at the casements? He that blows into a heap of dust, is in danger of putting out his own eyes.

Reader, are there not the same lusts lodging in your heart, that are reigning in other men's lives? The reason why there is so little self-condemnation, is because there is so little self-examination. For want of this, many persons are like travellers, skilled in other countries, but ignorant of their own.

As it is an evidence that those tradesmen are embarrassed in their estates, who are afraid to look into their books; so it is plain that there is something wrong within, among all those who are afraid to look within. The trial of ourselves, is the ready road to the knowledge of ourselves. He that buys a jewel in a case, deserves to be cozened with a Bristol stone.

Reader, would you see God? then cast your eyes upwards: would you see yourself? then cast your eyes inward. Contemplation is a perspective glass to see our Saviour in; but examination is a looking-glass to view ourselves in. Are we then in the narrow way that leads to life, or in the broad way that leads to death? are we Christ's bride, or Satan's harlots? are our spirits chairs for vice to sit in, or thrones for grace to rule in?

Nero thought no person chaste, because he was so unchaste himself. Such as are troubled with the jaundice, see all things yellow. Those who are most religious, are least censorious. Who art thou that judgeth another man's servant? Those who are fellow-creatures with men, should not be fellow-judges with God.

Reader, why will you search another man's wound, while your own is bleeding? Take heed that your own vesture be not full of dust, when you are brushing your neighbour's. Complain not of dirty streets, when heaps lie at your own doors. Many people are no longer well, than while they are holding their fingers upon another person's sores: such are no better in their conduct than crows, which prey only upon carrion. But let every man prove his own work; and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.

For want of self-examination, men have their accounts to cast up, when they should have them to deliver up. They have their evidences of grace to seek, when they should have them to shew. They lie down with such hopes in their beds of rest, with which they dare not lie down in their bed of dust. Conversion begins in consideration. The hasty shower falls fastest, but the soft snow sinks the deepest.

As that mariner who is inattentive to his helm is in danger of wrecking his vessel; so he who knows not himself, is likely to lose himself. Examine yourselves whether ye be in the faith. If your heart be not the cabinet of such a jewel, your head will never be graced with a diadem in glory.

If you must needs be a judge, then pray sit upon your own bench. I shall ever esteem such to be but religious lepers, who care not for scripture looking-glasses. He that never cries out, Woe is me, for I am undone; will never hear Christ say, Go in peace. Self-examination is the beating path to perfection; it is like fire, which not only tries the gold, but purifies it also.

The heathens tell us, that nosce teipsum (know thyself) was an oracle that came down from heaven. Sure I am, it is this oracle, that will lead us to the God of heaven.