the pharisee and the publican-第9节

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eternal　life　of　God。

But；　further；　thou　sayst　thou　art　righteous；　but　they　are　but　vain　words。　　Knowest　thou　not　that　thy　zeal；　which　is　the　life　of　thy　righteousness；　is　preposterous　in　many　things？　　What　else　means　thy　madness；　and　the　rage　thereof；　against　men　as　good　as　thyself。　　True；　thy　being　ignorant　that　they　are　good；　may　save　thee　from　the　commission　of　the　sin　that　is　unpardonable；　but　it　will　never　keep　thee　from　spot　in　God's　sight；　but　will　make　both　thee　and　thy　righteousness　culpable。

Paul；　who　was　once　as　brave　a　Pharisee　as　thou　canst　be；　calleth　much　of　that　zeal　which　he　in　that　estate　was　possessed　with；　and　lived　in　the　exercise　of；　madness；　yea；　exceeding　madness　（Acts　xxvi。　9…11；　Phil；　iii。　5；　6）；　and　of　the　same　sort　is　much　of　thine；　and　it　must　be　so；　for　a　lawyer；　a　man　for　the　law；　and　that　resteth　in　it；　must　be　a　persecutor；　yea；　a　persecutor　of　righteous　men；　and　that　of　zeal　to　God；　because　by　the　law　is　begotten；　through　the　weakness　that　it　meeteth　with　in　thee；　sourness；　bitterness　of　spirit；　and　anger　against　him　that　rightfully　condemneth　thee　of　folly；　for　choosing　to　trust　to　thy　own　righteousness　when　a　better　is　provided　of　God　to　save　us；　Gal。　iv。　28…31。　　Thy　righteousness　therefore　is　deficient；　yea；　thy　zeal　for　the　law；　and　the　men　of　the　law；　has　joined　madness　with　thy　moral　virtues；　and　made　thy　righteousness　unrighteousness：　how　then　canst　thou　be　upright　before　the　Lord？

Further；　has　not　the　pride　of　thy　spirit　in　this　hotheaded　zeal　for　thy　Pharisaical　notions　run　thee　upon　thinking　that　thou　art　able　to　do　more　than　God　hath　enjoined　thee；　and　so　able　to　make　thyself　more　righteous　than　God　requireth　thou　shouldst　be？　　What　else　is　the　cause　of　thy　adding　laws　to　God's　laws；　precepts　to　God's　precepts；　and　traditions　to　God's　appointment？　　Mark　vii。　　Nay；　hast　thou　not；　by　thus　doing；　condemned　the　law　of　want　of　perfection；　and　so　the　God　that　gave　it；　of　want　of　wisdom　and　faithfulness　to　himself　and　thee？

Nay；　I　say　again；　hath　not　thy　thus　doing　charged　God　with　being　ignorant　of　knowing　what　rules　there　needed　to　be　imposed　on　his　creatures　to　make　their　obedience　complete？　　And　doth　not　this　madness　of　thine　intimate；　moreover；　that　if　thou　hadst　not　stepped　in　with　the　bundle　of　thy　traditions；　righteousness　had　been　imperfect；　not　through　man's　weakness；　but　through　impediment　in　God；　or　in　his　ministering　rules　of　righteousness　unto　us？

Now；　when　thou　hast　thought　on　these　things；　fairly　answer　thyself　these　few　questions。　　Is　not　this　arrogancy？　　Is　not　this　blasphemy？　Is　not　this　to　condemn　God；　that　thou　mightst　be　righteous？　　And　dost　thou　think；　this　is　indeed　the　way　to　be　righteous？

But　again；　what　means　thy　preferring　of　thine　own　rules；　laws；　statutes；　ordinances；　and　appointments；　before　the　rules；　laws；　statutes；　and　appointments　of　God？　　Thinkest　thou　this　to　be　right？　Whither　will　thy　zeal；　thy　pride；　and　thy　folly　carry　thee？　　Is　there　more　reason；　more　equity；　more　holiness　in　thy　tradition；　than　in　the　holy；　and　just；　and　good　commandments　of　God？　　Rom。　vii。　12。　　Why　then；　I　say；　dost　thou　reject　the　commandment　of　God；　to　keep　thine　own　tradition？　　Yea；　why　dost　thou　rage；　and　rail；　and　cry　out；　when　men　keep　not　thy　law；　or　the　rule　of　thine　order；　and　tradition　of　thine　elders；　and　yet　shut　thine　eyes；　or　wink　with　them；　when　thou　thyself　shalt　live　in　the　breach　of　the　law　of　God？　　Yea；　why　wilt　thou　condemn　men；　when　they　keep　not　thy　law；　but　study　for　an　excuse；　yea；　plead　for　them　that　live　in　the　breach　of　God's？　　Mark　vii。　10…13。　　Will　this　go　for　righteousness　in　the　day　of　God　Almighty？　　Nay；　rather；　will　not　this；　like　a　mill…stone　about　thy　neck；　drown　thee　in　the　deeps　of　hell？　　O　the　blindness；　the　madness；　the　pride；　that　dwells　in　the　hearts　of　these　pretended　righteous　men

Again；　What　kind　of　righteousness　of　thine　is　this　that　standeth　in　a　mis…esteeming　of　God's　commands？　　Some　thou　settest　too　high；　and　some　too　low；　as　in　the　text；　thou　hast　set　a　ceremony　above　faith；　above　love；　and　above　hope　in　the　mercy　of　God；　when　as　it　is　evident；　the　things　last　mentioned；　are　the　things　of　the　first　rate；　the　weightier　matters；　Matt。　xxiii。　17。

Again；　Thou　hast　preferred　the　gold　above　the　temple　that　sanctifieth　the　gold；　and　the　gift　above　the　altar　that　sanctifieth　the　gift；　Matt。　xxiii。　17。

I　say　again；　What　kind　of　righteousness　shall　this　be　called？　　What　back　will　such　a　suit　of　apparel　fit；　that　is　set　together　to　what　it　should　be？　　Nor　can　other　righteousness　proceed；　where　a　wrong　judgment　precedeth　it。

This　misplacing　of　God's　laws　cannot；　I　say；　but　produce　misplaced　obedience。　　It　indeed　produceth　a　monster；　an　ill…shaped　thing；　unclean；　and　an　abomination　to　the　Lord。　　For　〃see；〃　saith　he　（if　thou　wilt　be　making）；　〃that　thou　make　all　things　according　to　the　pattern　shewn　thee　in　the　mount。〃　　Set　faith；　where　faith　should　stand；　a　moral；　where　a　moral　should　stand；　and　a　ceremony；　where　a　ceremony　should　stand：　　for　this　turning　of　things　upside　down　shall　be　esteemed　as　the　potter's　clay。　　And　wilt　thou　call　this　thy　righteousness？　yea；　wilt　thou　stand　in　this？　wilt　thou　plead　for　this？　and　venture　an　eternal　concern　in　such　a　piece　of　linsey…　woolsey　as　this？　　O　fools；　and　blind！

But；　further；　let　us　come　a　little　closer　to　the　point。　　O　blind　Pharisee；　thou　standest　to　thy　righteousness：　　what　dost　thou　mean？　Wouldst　thou　have　mercy　for　thy　righteousness；　or　justice　for　thy　righteousness。

If　mercy；　what　mercy？　　Temporal　things　God　giveth　to　the　unthankful　and　unholy：　　nor　doth　he　use　to　sell　the　world　to　man　for　righteousness。　　The　earth　hath　he　given　to　the　children　of　men。　　But　this　is　not　the　thing：　　thou　wouldst　have　eternal　mercy　for　thy　righteousness；　thou　wouldst　have　God　think　upon　what　an　holy；　what　a　good；　what　a　righteous　man　thou　art　and　hast　been。　　But　Christ　died　not　for　the　good　and　righteous；　nor　did　he　come　to　call　such　to　the　banquet　that　grace　hath　prepared　for　the　world。　　〃I　came　not；I　am　not　come　（saith　Christ）　to　call　the　righteous；　but　sinners　to　repentance；〃　Mark　ii。；　Rom。　v。　　Yet　this　is　thy　plea；　Lord；　God；　I　am　a　righteous　man；　therefore　grant　me　mercy；　and　a　share　in　thy　heavenly　kingdom。　　What　else　dost　thou　mean　when　thou　sayst；　〃God　I　thank　thee；　that　I　am　not　as　other　men　are？〃　　Why　dost　thou　rejoice；　why　art　thou　glad　that　thou　art　more　righteous　（if　indeed　thou　art）　than　thy　neighbour；　if　it　is　not　because　thou　thinkest　that　thou　hast　got　the　start　of　thy　neighbour；　with　reference　to　mercy；　and　that　by　thy　righteousness　thou　hast　insinuated　thyself　into　God's　affections；　and　procured　an　interest　in　his　eternal　favour？　　But；

What；　what　hast　thou　done　by　thy　righteousness？　　I　say；　What　hast　thou　given　to　God　thereby？　　And　what　hath　he　received　of　thy　hand？　Perhaps　thou　wilt　say；　righteousness　pleaseth　God：　　but　I　answer　no；　not　thine；　with　respect　to　justification　from　the　curse　of　the　law；　unless　it　be　as　perfect　as　the　justice　it　is　yielded　to；　and　as　the　law　that　doth　command　it。　　But　thine　is　not　such　a　righteousness：　no；　thine　is　speckled；　thine　is　spotted；　thine　makes　thee　to　look　like　a　speckled　bird　in　his　eye…sight。

Thy　righteousness　has　added　iniquity；　because　it　has　kept　thee　from　a　belief　of　thy　need　of　repentance；　and　because　it　has　emboldened　thee　to　thrust　thyself　audaciously　into　the　presence　of　God；　and　made　thee　even　before　his　holy　eyes；　which　are　so　pure；　that　they　cannot　look　on　iniquity　（Hab。　i。　13）；　to　vaunt；　boast；　and　brag　of　thyself；　and　of　thy　tottering；　ragged；　stinking　uncleanness；　for　all　our　righteousnesses　are　as　menstruous　rags；　because　they　flow　from　a　thing；　a　heart；　a　man；　that　is　unclean。　　But；

Again；　Wouldst　thou　have　mercy　for　thy　righteousness？　　For　whom　wouldst　thou　have　it：　　for　another；　or　for　thyself？　　If　for　another　（and　it　is　most　proper　that　a　righteous　man　should　intercede　for　another　by　his　righteousness；　rather　than　for　himself）；　then　thou　thrustest　Christ　out　of　his　place　and　office；　and　makest　thyself　to　be　a　saviour　in　his　stead；　for　a　mediator　there　is　already；　even　a　mediator　between　God　and　man；　and　he　is　the　man　Christ　Jesus。

But　dost　thou　plead　by　thy　righteousness　for　mercy　for　thyself？　　Why；　in　doing　so；　thou　impliest　…

1。　　That　thy　righteousness　can　prevail　with　God　more　than　can　thy　sins；　I　say；　that　thy　righteousness　can　prevail　with　God　to　preserve　thee　from　death　more　than　thy　sins　can　prevail　with　him　to　condemn　thee　to　it。　　And　if　so；　what　follows；　but　that　thy　righteousness　is　more；　and　has　been　done　in　a　fuller　spirit　than　ever　were　thy　sins？　But　thus　to　insinuate；　is　to　insinuate　a　lie；　for　there　is　no　man　but；　while　he　is　a　sinner；　sinneth　with　a　more　full　spirit　than　a　good　man　can　act　righteousness　withal。

A　sinner；　when　he　sinneth；　he　doth　it　with　all　his　heart；　and　with　all　his　mind；　and　with　all　his　soul；　and　with　all　his　strength；　nor　hath　he　in　his　ordinary　course　any　thing　that　bindeth。　　But　with　a　good　man　it　is　not　so；　all　and　every　whit　of　himself；　neither　is；　nor　can　be；　in　every　good　duty　that　he　doth。　　For　when　he　would　do　good；　evil　is　the　Spirit；　and　the　Spirit　against　the　flesh；　and　these　are　present　with　him。　　And　again；　〃The　flesh　lusteth　against　one　to　th