SERMON XII. ON CENSORIOUSNESS. ACTS xxviii. 6. Howbeit, they looked when he should have fwollen, or fallen down dead fuddenly: but after they had looked a great while, and faw no harm come to him, they changed their minds, and said that he was a god. T. Paul being shipwrecked on the island ST of Malta, in his paffage to Rome, not only was the happy instrument of saving the whole fhip's company, confisting of two hundred and feventy-fix perfons, but when he came on fhore, he alfo gave proof to the Maltese of the divine interpofition of providence in his favour; for, having 66 ga thered thered a bundle of sticks, and laid them on It is probable, that, at that time, no medicine was discovered that could cure the ferpent's venom, and therefore the patient was generally left to his fate; for we do not read that any of the mariners, who were indebted to St. Paul for their lives, or that any of the islanders, offered to him the leaft affistance, or even any conjectural means of cure. Nay, even in this age of medical induftry and improvement, I believe that the poifon of certain of the viper tribe in hot climates, may be confidered as the opprobrium of the medical art. But whether this be fo or not, it appears that St. Paul ufed no means of care; he only "fhook off the beaft into the fire, and he felt no harm. Howbeit, they looked when he should have fwollen, or fallen down dead fuddenly but after they had looked a great while, and faw no 1 no harm come to him," then their rash cenfure was inftantly turned into extravagant applaufe ; they changed their minds, and faid that he was a god." The inhabitants of Malta did indeed well deserve excuse for their hafty opinions concerning St. Paul, because they were without the light of the Gospel, and perhaps of philofophy. They were, at that time, barbarians; and they naturally enough concluded, that fignal calamities always closely followed extraordinary crimes ; and that they who escaped fuch calamities were either guiltless, or elfe gods in human fhape. We, indeed, as Chriftians, do all acknowledge the error of fuch conceits; but, nevertheless, whatever be the motive, do not many of us, like these islanders, too haftily decide upon appearances? Do we not often, at first fight, condemn the innocent; and when we perceive our mistake, do not fome of us foolifhly think that we repair the fault, and, therefore, that we do ourselves honour, by running into the contrary extreme, by overwhelming the fufferer in the mire of flattery? Would it not be well for us all to regulate our thoughts upon this important fubject; fubject; to ftrive to think patiently and justly? Surely it would be well: And, therefore, fuffer me, ift, To point out the folly of rash judgment, whether it be for or against any man. 2dly, To fhew how we should act while under the preffure of this injury. ift, The folly of condemning others, particularly because of any apparent calamity; will, I think, appear, by reflecting that the Deity (if we may prefume to reafon concerning his agency) doth not feem to difcriminate, in ordinary cafes, between the good and the wicked in this lower world. For all cometh alike to all. He "fendeth rain upon the juft and upon the unjust." He fuffereth the tares to grow up together with the wheat until the time of harveft; but then he will fay unto the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn," Matt. xiii. 30. Nay, for certain wife ends and purpofes unqueftionably it is, that fome few among the good, fo far from fharing their proportional part of this world's pleasure, are pre-eminent in fufferings and in calamities. There have त |