St. Paul having professed himself a minister of Christ, and steward of
the mysteries of God, acknowledged the obligations of fidelity, and
disclaimed anxious concern respecting the opinion entertained of him
by his fellow men, because the Lord was his judge, here adds a
caution, reprehensive of the censorious spirit of the Corinthians, who
seem to have listened to his enemies, and given into their suspicions
of the apostle. _Therefore judge nothing before the time_--

In the text we observe a caution against rash judging the characters
of men--a declaration that they will be known when the Lord comes
--and that some things commendable will then be found in all--then
shall every man have praise of God. We observe--

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