the pharisee and the publican-第12节

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hen　after　the　most　strictest　sect　of　thy　religion　thou　livest　also　a　Pharisee；　yea；　and　now　in　the　temple；　in　thy　prayer　there；　thou　shewest　thyself　to　be　full　of　ignorance；　pride；　self…conceit；　and　horrible　arrogancy；　and　desire　of　vain　glory；　&c。；　which　are　none　of　them　the　seat　or　fruits　of　righteousness；　but　the　seat　of　the　devil；　and　the　fruit　of　his　dwelling；　even　at　this　time　in　thy　heart。

Could　it　ever　have　been　imagined；　that　such　audacious　impudence　could　have　put　itself　forth　in　any　mortal　man；　in　his　approach　unto　God　by　prayer；　as　has　shewed　itself　in　thee？　　〃I　am　not　as　other　men；〃　sayst　thou！　　But　is　this　the　way　to　go　to　God　in　prayer？　　〃The　prayer　of　the　upright　is　God's　delight。〃　　But　the　upright　man　glorifies　God's　justice；　by　confessing　to　God　the　vileness　and　pollution　of　his　state　and　condition：　　he　glorifies　God's　mercy；　by　acknowledging；　that　that；　and　that　only；　as　communicated　of　God　by　Christ　to　sinners；　can　save　and　deliver　from　the　curse　of　the　law。

This；　I　say；　is　the　sum　of　the　prayer　of　the　just　and　upright　man；　Job。　i。　8；　xl。　4；　Acts　xiii。　22；　Psalm　xxxviii。；　li。；　2　Sam。　vi。　21；　22；　and　not　as　thou　most　vain…gloriously　vauntest　with　thy；　〃God；　I　thank　thee；　I　am　not　as　other　men　are。〃

True；　when　a　man　is　accused　by　his　neighbours；　by　a　brother；　by　an　enemy；　and　the　like；　if　he　be　clear　（and　he　may　be　so；　as　to　what　they　shall　lay　to　his　charge）；　then　let　him　vindicate；　justify；　and　acquit　himself；　to　the　utmost　that　in　justice　and　truth　he　can；　for　his　name；　the　preservation　whereof　is　more　to　be　chosen　than　silver　and　gold；　also　his　profession；　yea；　the　name　of　God　too；　and　religion　may　now　lie　at　stake；　by　reason　of　such　false　accusations；　and　perhaps　can　by　no　means　（as　to　this　man）　be　covered　and　vindicated　from　reproach　and　scandal；　but　by　his　justifying　of　himself。　Wherefore；　in　such　a　work；　a　man　serveth　God；　and　saves　religion　from　hurt；　yea；　as　he　that　is　a　professor；　and　has　his　profession　attended　with　a　scandalous　life；　hurteth　religion　thereby；　so　he　that　has　his　profession　attended　with　a　good　life；　and　shall　suffer　it　notwithstanding　to　lie　under　blame　by　false　accusations；　when　it　is　in　the　power　of　his　hand　to　justify　himself；　hurteth　religion　also。　But　the　case　of　the　Pharisee　is　otherwise。　　He　is　not　here　a…dealing　with　men；　but　God；　not　seeking　to　stand　clear　in　the　sight　of　the　world；　but　in　the　sight　of　heaven　itself；　and　that　too；　not　with　respect　to　what　men　or　angels；　but　with　respect　to　what　God　and　his　law　could　charge　him　with；　and　justly　lay　at　his　door。

This　therefore　mainly　altereth　the　case；　for　a　man　here　to　stand　thus　upon　his　point；　it　is　death；　for　he　affronteth　God；　he　giveth　him　the　lie；　he　reproveth　the　law；　and；　in　sum；　accuseth　it　of　bearing　false　witness　against　him；　he　doth　this；　I　say；　even　by　saying；　〃God；　I　thank　thee；　I　am　not　as　other　men　are；〃　for　God　hath　made　none　of　this　difference。　　The　law　condemneth　all　man　as　sinners；　testifieth　that　every　imagination　of　the　thought　of　the　heart　of　the　sons　of　men　is　only　evil；　and　that　continually；　wherefore　they　that　do　as　the　Pharisee　did；　to　wit；　seek　to　justify　themselves　before　God　from　the　curse　of　the　law　by　their　own　good　doings；　though　they　also；　as　the　Pharisee　did；　seem　to　give　God　the　thanks　for　all；　yet　do　most　horribly　sin；　even　by　their　so　doing；　and　shall　receive　a　Pharisee's　reward　at　last。　　Wherefore；　O　thou　Pharisee；　it　is　a　vain　thing　for　thee　either　to　think　of；　or　to　ask　for；　at　God's　hand；　either　mercy　or　justice。　　Because　mercy　thou　canst　not　ask　for；　from　sense　of　want　of　mercy；　because　thy　righteousness；　which　is　by　the　law；　hath　utterly　blinded　thine　eyes；　and　complimenting　with　God　doth　nothing：　and　as　for　justice；　that　can　do　thee　no　good；　but　the　more　just　God　is；　and　the　more　by　that　he　acteth　towards　thee；　the　more　miserable　and　fearful　will　be　thy　condition；　because　of　the　deficiency　of　thy　so　much；　by　thee；　esteemed　righteousness。

What　a　deplorable　condition　then　is　a　poor　Pharisee　in！　　For　mercy　he　cannot　pray；　he　cannot　pray　for　it　with　all　his　heart；　for　he　seeth　indeed　no　need　thereof。　　True；　the　Pharisee；　though　he　was　impudent　enough；　yet　would　not　take　all　from　God；　he　would　still　count；　that　there　was　due　to　him　a　tribute　of　thanks：　　〃God；　I　thank　thee；〃　saith　he：　　but　yet　not　a　bit　of　this　for　mercy；　but　for　that　he　had　let　him　live　（for　I　know　not　for　what　he　did　thank　himself）；　till　he　had　made　himself　better　than　other　men。　　But　that　betterment　was　a　betterment　in　none　other's　judgment　than　that　of　his　own；　and　that　was　none　other　but　such　an　one　as　was　false。　　So　then　the　Pharisee　is　by　this　time　quite　out　of　doors：　　his　righteousness　is　worth　nothing；　his　prayer　is　worth　nothing；　his　thanks　to　God　are　worth　nothing；　for　that　what　he　had　was　scanty　and　imperfect；　and　it　was　his　pride　that　made　him　offer　it　to　God　for　acceptance；　nor　could　his　fawning　thanksgiving　better　his　case；　or　make　his　matter　at　all　good　before　God。

But　I　will　warrant　you；　the　Pharisee　was　so　far　off　from　thinking　thus　of　himself；　and　of　his　righteousness；　that　he　thought　of　nothing　so　much　as　of　this；　that　he　was　a　happy　man：　　yea；　happier　by　far　than　other　his　fellow　rationals：　　yea；　he　plainly　declares　it；　when　he　saith；　〃God；　I　thank　thee；　I　am　not　as　other　men　are。〃

O　what　a　fool's　paradise　was　the　heart　of　the　Pharisee　now　in；　while　he　stood　in　the　temple　praying　to　God！　　God；　I　thank　thee；　said　he；　for　I　am　good　and　holy；　I　am　a　righteous　man；　I　have　been　full　of　good　works；　I　am　no　extortioner；　unjust；　nor　adulterer；　nor　yet　as　this　wretched　Publican。　　I　have　kept　myself　strictly　to　the　rule　of　mine　order；　and　my　order　is　the　most　strict　of　all　orders　now　in　being：　　I　fast；　I　pray；　I　give　tithes　of　all　that　I　possess。　　Yea；　so　forward　am　I　to　be　a　religious　man；　so　ready　have　I　been　to　listen　after　my　duty；　that　I　have　asked　both　of　God　and　man　the　ordinances　of　judgment　and　justice；　I　take　delight　in　approaching　to　God。　　What　less　now　can　be　mine　than　the　heavenly　kingdom　and　glory？

Now　the　Pharisee；　like　Haman；　saith　in　his　heart；　To　whom　would　the　king　delight　to　do　honour　more　than　to　myself？　　Where　is　the　man　that　so　pleaseth　God；　and；　consequently；　that　in　equity　and　reason　should　be　beloved　of　God　like　me？　　Thus　like　the　prodigal's　brother；　he　pleadeth；　saying；　〃Lo；　these　many　years　do　I　serve　thee；　neither　transgressed　I　at　any　time　thy　commandments；〃　Luke　xv。　29。　　O　brave　Pharisee！　but　go　on　in　thine　oration〃Nor　yet　as　this　Publican。〃

Poor　wretch；　quoth　the　Pharisee　to　the　Publican；　What　comest　thou　for？　　Dost　think　that　such　a　sinner　as　thou　art　shall　be　heard　of　God？　　God　heareth　not　sinners；　but　if　any　man　be　a　worshipper　of　God　（as　I　am；　as　I　thank　God　I　am）；　him　he　heareth。　　Thou；　for　thy　part；　hast　been　a　rebel　all　thy　days：　　I　abhor　to　come　nigh　thee；　or　to　touch　thy　garments。　　Stand　by　thyself；　come　not　near　me；　for　I　am　more　holy　than　thou；　Isa。　lxv。　5。

Hold；　stop　there；　go　no　further：　　fie；　Pharisee；　fie！　dost　thou　know　before　whom　thou　standest；　to　whom　thou　speakest；　and　of　what　the　matter　of　thy　silly　oration　is　made？　　Thou　art　now　before　God；　thou　speakest　now　to　God；　and　therefore　in　justice　and　honesty　thou　shouldst　make　mention　of　his　righteousness；　not　of　thine；　of　his　righteousness；　and　of　his　only。

I　am　sure　Abraham；　of　whom　thou　sayst　he　is　thy　father；　never　had　the　face　to　do　as　thou　hast　done；　though；　it　is　to　be　presumed；　he　had　more　cause　so　to　do　than　thou　hast；　or　canst　have。　　Abraham　had　whereof　to　glory；　but　not　before　God；　yea；　he　was　called　God's　friend；　and　yet　would　not　glory　before　him；　but　humbleth　himself；　was　afraid；　and　trembled　in　himself；　when　he　stood　before　him　acknowledging　of　himself　to　be　but　dust　and　ashes；　Gen。　xviii。　27；　30；　22；　Rom。　iv。　1；　2；　but　thou；　as　thou　hadst　quite　forgot　that　thou　wast　framed　of　that　matter；　and　after　the　manner　of　other　men；　standest　and　pleadest　thy　goodness　before　him？　　Be　ashamed；　Pharisee！　dost　thou　think　that　God　hath　eyes　of　flesh；　or　that　he　seeth　as　man　sees？　　Are　not　the　secrets　of　thy　heart　open　unto　him　Thinkest　thou　with　thyself　that　thou；　with　a　few　of　thy　defiled　ways；　canst　cover　thy　rotten　wall；　that　thou　has　daubed　with　untempered　mortar；　and　so　hide　the　dirt　thereof　from　his　eyes；　or　that　these　fine；　smooth；　and　oily　words；　that　come　out　of　thy　mouth；　will　make　him　forget　that　thy　throat　is　an　open　sepulchre；　and　that　thou　within　art　full　of　dead　men's　bones；　and　all　uncleanness？　　Thy　thus　cleansing　of　the　outside　of　the　cup　and　platter；　and　thy　garnishing　of　the　sepulchres　of　the　righteous；　is　nothing　at　all　in　God's　eyes；　but　things　that　manifest　that　thou　art　an　hypocrite　and　blind；　because　thou　takest　no　notice　of　that　which　is　within；　which　yet　is　that　which　is　most　abominable　to　God。　　For　the　fruit；　alas！　what　is　the　fruit　of　the　tree；　or　what　are　the　streams　of　the　fountain？　　Thy　fountain　is　defiled；　yea；　a　defiler；　and　so　that　which　maketh　the　whole　self；　with　thy　works；　unclean　in　God's　sight。

But；　Pharisee；　how　comes　it　to　pass　that　the　poor　Publican　is　now　so　much　a　mote　in　thine　eye；　that　thou　canst　not　forbear；　but　must　accuse　him　before　the　judgment…seat　of　Godfor　in　that　thou　sayst；　that　thou　art　not　even　as　this　Publican；　thou　bringest　in