I. A caution against rash judging the characters of men—­judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come.

Civil judges may give judgment according to law and evidence, on those brought before them for trial—­so may the church on those arraigned at her tribunal.  These are necessary to the subsistence of civil and ecclesiastical communities; therefore ordered of God.  It is another species of judging which is here forbidden; judging the characters of men, especially such as profess Godliness, and appear to act sincerely; pretending to determine their moral state, before the motives which actuate them are disclosed.  This is judging before the time, and without evidence on which to ground a judgment; which the wise man observes to be folly and a shame to him who doth it.

This had been done at Corinth, by the enemies of the apostle; and hath been done by others in every age.  There have ever been people who have dared to scatter their censorious decisions at random, according to the prevalence of humor, caprice, or prejudice; often to the wounding of the faithful; and rending of the body of Christ.

This occasions temporary mischief; but the day is coming when all those disorders will be rectified.  The censurer, and the censured, will stand at the same bar, and be tried by the same Judge.  Every wrong judgment will then be reversed, and every injurious suspicion be removed.  For,

II.  Every man’s character will be known when the Lord comes—­who will bring to light the hidden sufferings of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts.

Many things necessary to determine the moral characters of men are hidden from mortal eyes.  We are ignorant of the counsels of the hearts—­do not know their purposes and views.  Without this knowledge, right judgment cannot be formed.

Our knowledge of ourselves is imperfect.  For self knowledge we have advantages which we have not for the knowledge of others.  We can turn inward, and contemplate the motives which govern, and the views which actuate us.  But pride, passion, prejudice, or the corrupt bias, operating in ways unperceived, often blinds the mental eye, and renders us strangers at home.  “Whoso trusteth his own heart is a fool.—­The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked, who can know it?” It requires great attention to form a just judgment of ourselves—­yea, to attain that self knowledge which is necessary for us.  With regard to the knowledge of others, the difficulty is still greater.  We can neither see the heart, nor know the thoughts and designs.

We are often at a loss for the motives which occasion things which fall under our observation.  Other things which might cast light upon them, are hidden from us.  But when the Lord cometh, the veil spread over secret matters will be removed.  “There is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed, or hid that shall not be known.” The Lord will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and make manifest the counsels of the hearts.