the pharisee and the publican-第3节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　the　apostle　Matthew；　whom　we　mentioned　before；　is　evident；　for　both　Mark　and　Luke　do　count　him　such。　　First；　Mark　saith；　Christ　found　him　when　he　called　him；　as　he　also　found　Matthew；　sitting　at　the　receipt　of　custom；　yea；　Luke　words　it　thus：　　〃He　went　forth；　and　saw　a　publican；　named　Levi；　sitting　at　the　receipt　of　custom；　and　he　said　unto　him；　Follow　me；〃　Mark　ii。　14；　Luke　v。　27。

Now；　that　this　Levi；　or　James　the　son　of　Alpheus；　was　a　Jew；　his　name　doth　well　make　manifest。　　Besides；　had　there　been　among　the　apostles　any　more　Gentiles　save　Simon　the　Canaanite；　or　if　this　Levi　James　had　been　here；　I　think　the　Holy　Ghost　would；　to　distinguish　him；　have　included　him　in　the　same　discriminating　character　as　he　did　the　other；　when　he　called　him　〃Simon　the　Canaanite；〃　Matt。　x。　4。

Matthew；　therefore；　and　Levi　or　James；　were　both　publicans；　and；　as　I　think；　called　both　at　the　same　time；　were　both　publican　Jews；　and　made　by　grace　the　apostles　of　Jesus　Christ。

（3。）　　The　next　publican　that　I　find　by　name　made　mention　of　in　the　Testament　of　Christ；　is　one　Zaccheus。　　And　he　was　a　publican；　yea；　for　ought　I　know；　the　master　of　them　all。　　〃There　was　a　man；〃　saith　Luke；　〃named　Zaccheus；　which　was　the　chief　among　the　publicans；　and　he　was　rich；〃　Luke　xix。　2。　　This　man；　Christ　saith；　was　a　son　of　Abraham；　that　is；　as　other　Jews　were；　for　he　spake　to　stop　the　mouths　of　their　Pharisaical　cavillations。　　Besides；　the　Publican　shewed　himself　to　be　such　an　one；　when　under　a　supposition　of　wronging　any　man；　he　had　respect　to　the　Jewish　law　of　restoring　four…fold；　Exod。　xxii。　1；　2　Sam。　xii。　6。

It　is　further　manifest　that　he　was　a　Jew；　because　Christ　puts　him　among　the　lost；　to　wit；　among　the　lost　sheep　of　the　house　of　Israel；　ver。　10；　and　Matt。　xv。　24；　for　Zaccheus　was　one　that　might　properly　be　said　to　be　lost；　and　that　in　the　Jews'　account：　　lost；　I　say；　and　that　not　only　in　the　most　common　sense；　by　reason　of　transgression　against　the　law；　but　for　that　he　was　an　apostate　Jew；　not　with　reference　to　heathenish　religion；　but　as　to　heathenish；　cruel；　and　barbarous　actions；　and　therefore　he　was；　as　the　other；　by　his　brethren；　counted　as　bad　as　heathens；　Gentiles；　and　harlots。　　But　salvation　is　come　to　this　house；　saith　Christ；　and　that　notwithstanding　his　publican　practice；　forasmuch　as　he　also　is　the　son　of　Abraham。

3。　　Again；　Christ；　by　the　parable　of　the　lost　sheep；　doth　plainly　intimate；　that　the　Publican　was　a　Jew。　　〃Then　drew　near　all　the　publicans　and　sinners　for　to　hear　him；　and　the　Pharisees　and　Scribes　murmured；　saying；　This　man　receiveth　sinners；　and　eateth　with　them。〃

But　by　what　answer　doth　Christ　repel　their　objections？　　Why；　he　saith；　〃What　man　of　you　having　an　hundred　sheep；　if　he　lose　one　of　them；　doth　not　leave　the　ninety　and　nine　in　the　wilderness；　and　go　after　that　which　is　lost　until　he　find　it？〃　　Doth　he　not　here；　by　the　lost　sheep；　mean　the　poor　publican？　plenty　of　whom；　while　he　preached　this　sermon；　were　there；　as　objects　of　the　Pharisees'　scorn；　but　of　the　pity　and　compassion　of　Jesus　Christ：　　he　did　without　doubt　mean　them。　　For；　pray；　what　was　the　flock；　and　who　Christ's　sheep　under　the　law；　but　the　house　and　people　of　Israel？　　Ezek。　xxxiv。　11。　　So　then；　who　could　be　the　lost　sheep　of　the　house　of　Israel；　but　such　as　were　Matthew；　James；　Zaccheus；　and　their　companions　in　their　and　such　like　transgressions？

4。　　Besides；　had　not　the　publicans　been　of　the　Jews；　how　easy　had　it　been　for　the　Pharisees　to　have　objected；　that　an　impertinency　was　couched　in　that　most　excellent　parable　of　the　lost　sheep？　　They　might　have　said；　We　are　offended；　because　thou　receivest　the　publicans；　and　thou　for　vindication　of　thy　practice　propoundest　a　parable　of　lost　sheep；　but　they　are　the　sinners　of　the　house　of　Israel；　and　the　publicans　are　aliens　and　Gentiles。　　I　say；　how　easily　might　they　thus　have　objected？　but　they　knew　full　well；　that　the　parable　was　pertinent；　for　that　the　publicans　were　of　the　Jews；　and　not　of　the　aliens。　　Yea；　had　they　not　been　Jews；　it　cannot；　it　must　not　be　thought；　that　Christ　（in　sum）　should　call　them　so；　and　yet　he　did　do　so；　when　he　called　them　〃lost　sheep。〃

Now；　that　these　publicans　were　Jews；　what　follows　but　that　for　this　they　were　a　great　deal　the　more　abominated　by　their　brethren；　and　（as　I　have　also　hinted　before）　it　is　no　marvel　that　they　were；　for　a　treacherous　brother　is　worse　than　an　open　enemy；　Psalm　lv。　12；　13；　for；　if　to　be　debauched　in　an　open　and　common　transgression　is　odious；　how　odious　is　it　for　a　brother　to　be　so；　for　a　brother　in　nature　and　religion　to　be　so。　　I　say　again；　all　this　they　did；　as　both　John　insinuates；　and　Zaccheus　confesses。

The　Pharisee；　therefore；　was　not　so　good；　but　the　Publican　was　as　bad。　　Indeed　the　Publican　was　a　notorious　wretch；　one　that　had　a　way　of　transgressing　by　himself；　one　that　could　not　be　sufficiently　condemned　by　the　Jews；　nor　coupled　with　a　viler　than　himself。　　It　is　true；　you　find　him　here　in　the　temple　at　prayer；　not　because　he　retained；　in　his　apostacy；　conscience　of　the　true　religion；　but　God　had　awakened　him；　shewed　him　his　sin；　and　bestowed　upon　him　the　grace　of　repentance；　by　which　he　was　not　only　fetched　back　to　the　temple　and　prayer；　but　to　his　God；　and　to　the　salvation　of　his　soul。

The　Pharisee；　then；　was　a　man　of　another　complexion；　and　good　as　to　his　own　thoughts　of　himself；　yea；　and　in　the　thoughts　of　others　also；　upon　the　highest　and　better　ground　by　far。　　The　Publican　was　a　notorious　sinner：　　the　Pharisee　was　a　reputed　righteous　man。　　The　Publican　was　a　sinner　out　of　the　ordinary　way　of　sinning；　and　the　Pharisee　was　a　man　for　righteousness　in　a　singular　way　also。　　The　Publican　pursued　his　villanies；　and　the　Pharisee　pursued　his　righteousness；　and　yet　they　both　met　in　the　temple　to　pray：　　yea；　the　Pharisee　stuck　to；　and　boasted　in；　the　law　of　God：　　but　the　Publican　did　forsake　it；　and　hardened　his　heart　against　his　way。

Thus　diverse　were　they　in　their　appearances：　　the　Pharisee　very　good；　the　Publican　very　bad：　　but　as　to　the　law　of　God；　which　looked　upon　them　with　reference　to　the　state　of　their　spirits；　and　the　nature　of　their　actions；　by　that　they　were　both　found　sinners；　the　Publican　an　open；　outside　one；　and　the　Pharisee　a　filthy；　inside　one。　　This　is　evident；　because　the　best　of　them　was　rejected；　and　the　worst　of　them　was　received　to　mercy。　　Mercy　standeth　not　at　the　Publican's　badness；　nor　is　it　enamoured　with　the　Pharisee's　goodness：　　it　suffereth　not　the　law　to　take　place　on　both；　though　it　findeth　them　both　in　sin；　but　graciously　embraceth　the　most　unworthy；　and　leaveth　the　best　to　shift　for　himself。　　And　good　reason　that　both　should　be　dealt　with　after　this　manner；　to　wit；　that　the　word　of　grace　should　be　justified　upon　the　soul　of　the　penitent；　and　that　the　other　should　stand　or　fall　to　that　which　he　had　chosen　to　be　his　master。

There　are　three　things　that　follow　upon　this　discourse。

1。　　That　the　righteousness　of　man　is　not　of　any　esteem　with　God；　as　to　justification。　　It　is　passed　by　as　a　thing　of　naughtiness；　a　thing　not　worth　the　taking　notice　of。　　There　was　not　so　much　as　notice　taken　of　the　Pharisee's　person　or　prayer；　because　he　came　into　the　temple　mantled　up　in　his　own　good　things。

2。　　That　the　man　that　has　nothing　to　commend　him　to　God；　but　his　own　good　doings；　shall　never　be　in　favour　with　him。　　This　also　is　evident　from　the　text：　　the　Pharisee　had　his　own　righteousness；　but　had　nothing　else　to　commend　him　to　God；　and　therefore　could　not　by　that　obtain　favour　with　God；　but　abode　still　a　rejected　one；　and　in　a　state　of　condemnation。

3。　　Wherefore；　though　we　are　bound　by　the　law　of　charity　to　judge　of　men　according　as　in　appearance　they　present　themselves　unto　us；　yet　withal；　to　wit；　though　we　do　so　judge；　we　must　leave　room　for　the　judgment　of　God。　　Mercy　may　receive　him　that　we　have　doomed　to　hell；　and　justice　may　take　hold　on　him；　whom　we　have　judged　to　be　bound　up　in　the　bundle　of　life。　　And　both　these　things　are　apparent　by　the　persons　under　consideration。

We；　like　Joseph；　are　for　setting　of　Manasseh　before　Ephraim；　but　God；　like　Jacob；　puts　his　hands　across；　and　lays　his　right　hand　upon　the　worst　man's　head；　and　his　left　hand　upon　the　best　（Gen。　xlviii。）；　to　the　amazement　and　wonderment　even　of　the　best　of　men。

〃Two　men　went　up　into　the　temple　to　pray；　the　one　a　Pharisee；　and　the　other　a　Publican。　　The　Pharisee　stood　and　prayed　thus　with　himself；　God；　I　thank　thee；　that　I　am　not　as　other　men　are；　extortioners；　unjust；　adulterers；　or　even　as　this　Publican。　　I　fast　twice　in　the　week　I　give　tithes　of　all　that　I　possess。〃

In　these　words　many　things　are　worth　the　noting。　　As；

First；　The　Pharisee's　definition　of　righteousness；　the　which　standeth　in　two　things：　　1。　　In　negatives；　2。　　In　positives。

1。　　In　negatives；　to　wit；　what　a　man　that　is　righteous　must　not　be：　〃I　am　no　extortioner；　no　unjust　man；　no　adulterer；　nor　yet　as　this　Publican。〃

2。　　In　positives；　to　wit；　what　a　man　that　is　righteous　must　be：　　〃I　fast　twice　a…week；　I　give　tithes　of　all　that　I　possess；〃　&c。

That　righteousness　standeth　in　negative　and　positive　holiness　is　true；　but　that　the　Pharisee's　definition　is；　notwithstanding；　false；　will　be　manifest　by　and　by。　　But　I　will　first　treat　of　righteousness　in　the　gen