the pharisee and the publican-第14章

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ought　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　an　accusation；　a　charge；　a　bill；　against　him？　　What　has　he　done？　　Has　he　concealed　any　of　thy　righteousness？　or　has　he　secretly　informed　against　thee；　that　thou　art　an　hypocrite　and　superstitious？　　I　dare　say；　the　poor　wretch　has　neither　meddled　nor　made　with　thee　in　these　matters。

But　what　aileth　thee；　Pharisee？　　Doth　the　poor　Publican　stand　to　vex　thee？　　Doth　he　touch　thee　with　his　dirty　garments？　or　doth　he　annoy　thee　with　his　stinking　breath？　　Doth　his　posture　of　standing　so　like　a　man　condemned　offend　thee？　　True；　he　now　standeth　with　his　hand　held　up　at　God's　bar；　he　pleads　guilty　to　all　that　is　laid　to　his　charge。

He　cannot　strut；　vapour；　and　swagger　as　thou　dost；　but　why　offended　at　this？　　Oh；　but　he　has　been　a　naughty　man；　and　I　have　been　righteous！　sayst　thou。　　Well；　Pharisee；　well；　his　naughtiness　shall　not　be　laid　to　thy　charge；　if　thou　hast　chosen　none　of　his　ways。　　But　since　thou　wilt　yet　bear　me　down　that　thou　art　righteous；　shew　now；　even　now；　while　thou　standest　before　God　with　the　Publican；　some；　though　they　be　but　small；　yea；　though　but　very　small；　fruits　of　thy　righteousness。　　Let　the　Publican　alone；　since　he　is　speaking　for　his　life　before　God。　　Or；　if　thou　canst　not　let　him　alone；　yet　do　not　speak　against　him；　for　thy　so　doing　will　but　prove　that　thou　rememberest　the　evil　that　the　man　has　done　unto　thee；　yea；　and　that　thou　bearest　him　a　grudge　for　it　too；　and　while　you　stand　before　God。

But；　Pharisee；　the　righteous　man　is　a　merciful　man；　and　while　he　standeth　praying；　he　forgiveth；　yea；　and　also　crieth　to　God　that　he　will　forgive　him　too；　Mark　xi。　25；　26；　Acts　vii。　60。　　Hitherto　then　thou　hast　shewed　none　of　the　fruits　of　thy　righteousness。　　Pharisee；　righteousness　would　teach　thee　to　love　this　Publican；　but　thou　shewest　that　thou　hatest　him。　　Love　covereth　the　multitude　of　sins；　but　hatred　and　unfaithfulness　revealeth　secrets。

Pharisee；　thou　shouldst　have　remembered　this　thy　brother　in　this　his　day　of　adversity；　and　shouldst　have　shewed　that　thou　hadst　compassion　on　thy　brother　in　this　his　deplorable　condition；　but　thou；　like　the　proud；　the　cruel；　and　the　arrogant　man；　hast　taken　thy　neighbour　at　the　advantage；　and　that　when　he　is　even　between　the　straits；　and　standing　upon　the　pinnacle　of　difficulty；　betwixt　the　heavens　and　the　hells；　and　hast　done　what　thou　couldst；　what　on　thy　part　lay；　to　thrust　him　down　to　the　deep；　saying；　〃I　am　not　even　as　this　Publican。〃

What　cruelty　can　be　greater；　what　rage　more　furious；　and　what　spite　and　hatred　more　damnable　and　implacable；　than　to　follow；　or　take　a　man　while　he　is　asking　of　mercy　at　God's　hands；　and　to　put　in　a　caveat　against　his　obtaining　of　it；　by　exclaiming　against　him　that　he　is　a　sinner？　　The　master　of　righteousness　doth　not　so：　　〃Do　not　think　（saith　he）　that　I　will　accuse　you　to　the　Father。〃　　The　scholars　of　righteousness　do　not　do　so。　　〃But　as　for　me　（said　David）；　when　they　（mine　enemies）　were　sick　（and　the　Publican　here　was　sick　of　the　most　malignant　disease）；　my　clothing　was　of　sackcloth；　I　humbled　my　soul　with　fasting；　and　my　prayer　（to　wit；　that　I　made　for　them）　returned　into　mine　own　bosom。　　I　behaved　myself　as　though　he　had　been　my　friend　or　brother：　　I　bowed　down　heavily；　as　one　that　mourneth　for　his　mother；〃　John　v。　45；　Psalm　xxxv。　13；　14。

Pharisee；　dost　thou　see　here　how　contrary　thou　art　to　righteous　men？　Now　then；　where　shall　we　find　out　one　to　parallel　thee；　but　by　finding　him　out　that　is　called　〃the　dragon；〃　for　he　it　is　that　accuseth　the　poor　sinners　before　God？　　Zech。　iii。；　Rev。　xii。

〃I　am　not　as　this　Publican。〃　　Modesty　should　have　commanded　thee　to　have　bit　thy　tongue　as　to　this。　　What　could　the　angels　think；　but　that　revenge　was　now　in　thine　heart；　and　but　that　thou　comest　up　into　the　temple　rather　to　boast　of　thyself　and　accuse　thy　neighbour；　than　to　pray　to　the　God　of　heaven；　for　what　petition　is　there　in　all　thy　prayer；　that　gives　the　least　intimation　that　thou　hast　the　knowledge　of　God　or　thyself？　　Nay；　what　petition　of　any　kind　is　there　in　thy　vain…glorious　oration　from　first　to　last？　　Only　an　accusati