And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
Ver. 3. And why beholdest thou] Here is the true method of preaching, by doctrine and use, explication and application. Ministers must (as our Saviour in his text) bring hammers with their nails, Jeremiah 23:29, and drive them into the very head, yea, goad men to the quick, Ecclesiastes 12:11; that the people's hearts may either break, as theirs,Acts 2:37, or burst, as theirs,Acts 7:54. A general doctrine, not applied, is as a sword without an edge, not in itself, but to us, through our singular fencelessness: or, as a whole loaf set before children, that will do them no good; the bellows will be burnt in the fire, but the dross remains still. A garment fitted for all bodies is fit for no body; and that which is spoken to all, is taken as spoken to none.
The mote that is in thy brother's eye] The mote or straw: the word "beam" seems rather to have reference to a straw than to a mote: a and this is an evil disease that I have seen under the sun, that men (and those of the better sort sometimes) bear nothing, talk of nothing, so willingly, as they do of other men's faults; Psalms 50:20; "thou sittest and speakest against thy brother," &c. b There is no discourse that men will sit so long at and be so taken with as this. "The words of the talebearer are as flatteries, and they go down to the bowels of the belly," Proverbs 18:8. Many are never well, longer than they are holding their fingers in other men's sores, amplifying and aggravating their faults and failings, not only most severely, but almost tragically; not once mentioning their good parts and practices. These are like crows, that fasten only upon carrion, or the horsefly, that if he happen into a field that is never so full of sweet flowers, yet if there be but a little filthy dung in it his eye and scent is only to that, and upon that only will he light. c David compareth such as these to the asp, that is quick of hearing, but very ill-sighted (having his eyes not in his forehead, but in his temples), weak, but full of poison. Herein only is the difference. That poison that asps vent to the hurt of others, they keep within them without hurt unto themselves. d But the malicious censurer is his own worst enemy; for as he "sets his mouth against heaven, and his tongue walketh through the earth," Psalms 73:9, so by misjudging (out of an inward hatred of another) all his actions and intentions, he pulls upon himself the hatred both of heaven and earth, for his trampling upon God's jewels, because a little sullied. God doth unwillingly see the faults of his children, Numbers 6:21; Num 6:23 yea, he passeth by their iniquity, transgression, and sin, Micah 7:18; with one breath both these are reported: "The high places were not removed, yet nevertheless Asa's heart was perfect," &c. So1 Peter 3:6; cf. Genesis 18:12. Sarah's whole sentence was vile and profane; not one good word in it, but this, that she called her husband Lord. God of his goodness takes notice of that word, and records it, by St Peter, to her eternal commendation. He spieth out and severeth gold, though but a dram, from a mass of dross; good grain, though but a handful, from a heap of chaff; cuts out that which is perished (as men do out of a rotten apple) and preserves the rest. Be ye therefore followers herein of God, as dear children; and walk in love, &c.,Ephesians 5:1,2. It thinketh not evil, but "believeth all things, hopeth all things," 1 Corinthians 13:5; strains to hold a good opinion where it hath least probability to induce it; rashly rejects none in whom it seeth signs of grace; according to that of our Saviour, "See that ye despise not one of these little ones," neither for error in judgment, Romans 14:3,10, nor for slips and infirmities in life and conversation, and that because God despiseth them not, but guards them by his angels, and sayeth them by his Son, whom he sent for the purpose, Matthew 18:10,11; and1 Thessalonians 1:4; "Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God," viz. by your effectual faith, laborious love, patient hope, 1Th 1:3 although they were so compassed with infirmities, as he doubted lest the tempter had tempted them: and his labour had been in vain,1 Thessalonians 3:5; he feared their utter apostasy. So,Hebrews 5:11 : he could not but be persuaded of them "better things, and such as accompany salvation," though he had justly and sharply reproved them for their dulness of hearing and slowness of proceeding yea, sets before their eyes that terror of the Lord upon apostates, to quicken their pace and excite them to proficiency. "I am black," saith the Church, "but comely as the tents of Kedar as the curtains of Solomon," Song of Solomon 1:5. The Kedarites dwelt in tents and open fields, where all was exposed to the parching sun in the desert but in Arabia's deserts, and they were very rich and glorious, see Ezekiel 27:21 ; Jeremiah 49:28; Jer 29:1-32 Isaiah 21:13; Isa 21:16-17 full of precious gems, gold, and pleasant odours. Arabia looked rudely yet by searching it regularly, there were to be found things of greatest price. So is it with many of God's people, especially in the scorching heat of temptation, desertion, or outward affliction, &c. He that follows his own conjecture, may condemn a dear child of God, and approve a detestable heretic, as Philip did Simon Magus. If his eyes be too fast fixed either on the saints' infirmities or the hypocrites' fair pretences, they may bring forth, as Jacob's shoe did, spotted fruits.
But considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye] Most men's minds are as ill set as the eyes; they can turn neither of them inwards. They tell us of a kind of witches, that stirring abroad would put on their eyes, but returning home, they boxed them up again. e The philosophers call upon us to look to the hinder part of the wallet. And St James saith, "Be not many masters" or teachers: and mark the reason, which he prescribeth as a remedy; "for in many things we sin all," James 3:1,2. Now those that in the sense of their own sinfulness are poor in spirit, will soon be meek and merciful to their fellow sinners; they that have proved their own works, and found all to be (not good and very good, as God did his, but) naught and stark naught, as the figs in Jeremiah, Jer 24:2 will be content to bear one another's burdens, and restore such as are overtaken in a fault with the spirit of meekness, considering themselves lest they also be tempted, Galatians 6:1,2; Galatians 6:4. They will be as willing to lend mercy now, as they may have need to borrow mercy another time f And consciousness of their own corruptions will make them compassionate towards others in this kind. The Greek word that signifieth to censure, signifieth also, and in the first place, to be idle. g Whereunto agreeth that of St Paul (speaking of wanton widows), "they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house: and not only idle, but tattlers also, and busy bodies, speaking of things that they ought not," 1 Timothy 5:13. Those that travel not with their own hearts, have both leisure and list to be meddling with others.
a Generaliter significat quod siccum et leve est. Tertullianus stipulam vertit.
b Vituperant homines quam commendant promptius. Plaut.
c Vultures ad male olentla feruntur. Basil.
d Aspidi hebetes oculi dati, eosque non in fronte sed in temporibus habet. Pliny, 16. 14. Non est huic similis malitia, haec habentibus pessima est. Seneca.
e Lamiae apud Plinium.
f Erratis veniam poscenti reddere par est. Hor.
g Αργεω, arguo, proprie ferior, post, reprehendo. Becman.