the pharisee and the publican-第31章

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ing　moving　him　thereto。

I　say；　this　is　the　way　to　make　others　be　affected　with　mercy；　as　he　saith；　by　the　apostle　Paul；　〃But　God；　who　is　rich　in　mercy；　for　his　great　love　wherewith　he　loved　us；　even　when　we　were　dead　in　sins；　hath　quickened　us　together　with　Christ　（by　grace　ye　are　saved）；　and　hath　raised　us　up　together；　and　made　us　sit　together　in　heavenly　places　in　Christ　Jesus；　that　in　the　ages　to　come　he　might　shew　the　exceeding　riches　of　his　grace　in　his　kindness　to　us…ward　（or　toward　us）　through　Christ　Jesus；〃　Eph。　ii。　4…7。　　You　may　also　see　that　1　Tim。　i。　15；　16。

（6。）　　Another　reason　of　this　is；　because　this　is　the　way　to　heighten　the　comfort　and　consolation　of　the　soul；　and　that　both　here　and　hereafter。　　What　tendeth　more　to　this；　than　for　sinners　to　see；　and　with　guilt　and　amazement　to　confess；　what　sin　is；　and　so　to　have　pardon　extended　from　God　to　the　sinner　as　such？　　This　fills　the　heart；　it　ravishes　the　soul；　puts　joy　into　the　thoughts　of　salvation　from　sin；　and　deliverance　from　wrath　to　come。　　Now　they　〃return；　and　comb　to　Zion　with　songs；　and　everlasting　joy　upon　their　heads：　　they　shall　obtain　joy　and　gladness；　and　sorrow　and　sighing　shall　flee　away；〃　Isa。　xxxv。　10。　　Indeed；　the　belief　of　this　makes　joy　and　gladness　endless。

（7。）　　Besides；　it　layeth　upon　the　soul　the　greatest　obligations　to　holiness。　　What　like　the　apprehension　of　free　forgiveness　（and　that　apprehension　must　come　in　through　a　sight　of　the　greatness　of　sin；　and　of　inability　to　do　any　thing　towards　satisfaction）；　to　engage　the　heart　of　a　rebel　to　love　his　prince；　and　to　submit　to　his　laws？

When　Elisha　had　taken　the　Syrian　captives；　some　were　for　using　severities　towards　them；　but　he　said；　〃Set　bread　and　water　before　them；　that　they　may　eat　and　drink　and　go　to　their　master；〃　and　they　did　so。　　And　what　follows？　　〃So　the　bands　of　Syria　came　no　more　into　the　land　of　Israel；〃he　conquered　their　malice　with　his　compassion。　And　it　is　the　love　of　Christ　that　constraineth　to　live　to　him；　2　Kings　vi。　13…23；　2　Cor。　v。　14。

Many　other　things　might　possibly　be　urged；　but　at　present　let　these　be　sufficient。

The　SECOND　thing　that　we　made　mention　of　in　the　Publican's　prayer；　was　an　imploring　of　help　against　this　malady：　　〃God　be　merciful　to　me　a　sinner。〃　　In　which　petition　I　shall　take　notice　of　several　things。

First；　That　a　man's　help　against　sin　doth　not　so　absolutely　lie　in　his　personal　conquest　as　in　the　pardon　of　them。　　I　suppose　a　conquest；　though　there　can　indeed　by　man　be　none　so　long　as　he　liveth　in　this　world；　I　mean；　a　complete　conquest　and　annihilation　of　sin。

The　Publican；　and　so　every　graciously　awakened　sinner；　is　doubtless　for　the　subduing　of　sin；　but　yet　he　looketh　that　the　chief　help　against　it　doth　lie　in　the　pardon　of　it。　　Suppose　a　man　should　stab　his　neighbour　with　his　knife；　and　afterwards　burn　his　knife　to　nothing　in　the　fire；　would　this　give　him　help　against　his　murder？　No；　verily；　nothwithstanding　this；　his　neck　is　obnoxious　to　the　halter；　yea；　and　his　soul　to　hell…fire。　　But　a　pardon　gives　him　absolute　help：　　It　is　God　that　justifies；　who　shall　condemn？　　Rom。　viii。　　Suppose　a　man　should　live　many　days　in　rebellion　against　God；　and　after　that　leave　off　to　live　any　longer　so　rebelliously；　would　this　help　him　against　the　guilt　which　he　had　contracted　before？　　No；　verily；　without　remission　there　is　no　help；　but　the　rebel　is　undone。　Wherefore　the　first　blessedness；　yea；　and　that　without　which　all　other　things　cannot　make　one　blessed；　it　lies　in　pardon。　　〃Blessed　is　he　whose　transgression　is　forgiven；　whose　sin　is　covered。　　Blessed　is　the　man　unto　whom　the　Lord　will　not　impute　sin；〃　Psalm　xxxii。；　Rom。　iv。

Suppose　a　man　greatly　sanctified　and　made　holy；　I　say；　suppose　it：　yet　if　the　sins　before　committed　by　him　be　not　pardoned；　he　cannot　be　a　blessed　man。

Yet　again；　suppose　a　man　should　be　caught　up　to　heaven；　not　having　his　sins　pardoned；　heaven　itself　cannot　make　him　a　blessed　man。　　I　suppose　these　thingsnot　that　they　can　beto　illustrate　my　matter。　There　can　be　no　blessedness　upon　any　man　who　yet　remaineth　unforgiven。　　You　see　therefore　here；　that　there　was　much　of　the　wisdom　of　the　Holy　Ghost　in　this　prayer　of　the　Publican。　　He　was　directed　the　right；　the　only；　the　next　way　to　shelter；　where　blessedness　begins；　even　to　mercy　for　the　pardon　of　his　sins。　　Alas！　what　would　it　advantage　a　traitor　to　be　taken　up　into　the　king's　coach；　to　be　clothed　with　the　king's　royal　robe；　to　have　put　upon　his　finger　the　king's　gold　ring；　and　to　be　made　to　wear；　for　the　present；　a　chain　of　gold　about　his　neck；　if　after　all　this　the　king　should　say　unto　him；　But　I　will　not　pardon　thy　rebellion；　thou　shalt　die　for　thy　treason？　　Pardon；　then；　to　him　that　loves　life；　is　better；　and　more　to　be　preferred　and　sought　after；　than　all　other　things；　yea；　it　is　the　highest　wisdom　in　any　sinner　to　seek　after　that　first。

This　therefore　confuteth　the　blindness　of　some；　and　the　hypocrisy　of　others。　　Some　are　so　silly　and　so　blind　as　quite　to　forget　and　look　over　the　pardon　of　sin；　and　to　lay　their　happiness　in　some　external　amendments；　when；　alas！　poor　wretches　as　they　are；　they　abide　under　the　wrath　of　God。　　Or　if　they　be　not　quite　so　foolish　as　utterly　to　forget　the　forgiveness　of　sin；　yet　they　think　of　it　but　in　the　second　place；　they　are　for　setting　of　sanctification　before　justification；　and　so　seek　to　confound　the　order　of　God；　and　that　which　is　worse　unto　them；　they　by　so　doing　do　what　they　can　to　keep　themselves　indeed　from　being　sharers　in　that　great　blessing　of　forgiveness　of　sins　by　grace。

But　the　Publican　here　was　guided　by　the　wisdom　of　heaven。　　He　comes　into　the　temple；　he　confesseth　himself　a　sinner；　and　forthwith；　without　any　delay；　before　he　removeth　his　foot　from　where　he　stands；　craves　help　of　pardon；　for　he　knew　that　all　other　things；　if　he　remained　in　guilt；　would　not　help　him　against　that　damnation　that　belonged　to　a　vile　and　unforgiven　sinner。

This　also　confuteth　the　hypocrites；　such　as　is　our　Pharisee　here　in　the　text；　that　glory　in　nothing　so　much　as　that　they　are　not　as　other　men；　not　unjust；　no　adulterer；　no　extortioner；　nor　even　as　this　Publican；　and　thus　miss　of　the　forgiveness　of　sin；　and　if　they　have　missed　of　the　beginning　good；　they　shall　never；　as　so　standing；　receive　the　second　or　the　third。　　Justification；　sanctification；　glorification；　they　are　the　three　things；　but　the　order　of　God　must　not　be　perverted。　　Justification　must　be　first；　because　that　comes　to　man　while　he　is　ungodly　and　a　sinner。

Justification　cannot　be　where　God　has　not　passed　a　pardon。　　A　pardon；　then；　is　the　first　thing　to　be　looked　after　by　the　sinner。　　This　the　Pharisee　did　not；　therefore　he　went　down　to　his　house　unjustified；　he　set　the　stumbling…block　of　his　iniquity　before　his　face　when　he　went　to　inquire　of　the　Lord；　and　as　he　neglected；　slighted；　scorned；　because　he　thought　that　he　had　no　need　of　pardon；　therefore　it　was　given　to　the　poor；　needy；　and　miserable　Publican；　and　he　went　away　with　the　blessing。

Publicans；　since　this　is　so　weighty　a　point；　let　me　exhort　you　that　you　do　not　forget　this　prayer　of　your　wise　and　elder　brother；　to　wit；　the　Publican　that　went　up　into　the　temple　to　pray。　　I　say；　forget　it　not；　neither　suffer　any　vain…glorious　or　self…conceited　hypocrites　with　argument　to　allure　you　with　their　silly　and　deceitful　tongues　from　this　wholesome　doctrine。　　Remember　that　you　are　sinners　as　abominable　as　the　Publican；　wherefore　do　you；　as　you　have　him　for　your　pattern；　go　to　God；　confess；　in　all　simple；　honest；　and　self…　abasing；　your　numerous　and　abominable　sins；　and　be　sure　that　in　the　very　next　place　you　forget　not　to　ask　for　pardon；　saying；　〃God　be　merciful　to　me　a　sinner。〃　　And　remember　that　none　but　God　can　help　you　against；　nor　keep　you　from；　the　damnation　and　misery　that　comes　by　sin。

Secondly；　As　the　Publican　imploreth　help；　so　notwithstanding　the　sentence　of　the　law　that　is　gone　out　against　him；　he　saith　to　God；　Be　merciful　to　me：　　and　also　in　that　he　concludes　himself　a　sinner。　　I　say；　he　justifieth；　he　approveth　of　the　sentence　of　the　law；　that　was　now　gone　out　against　him；　and　by　which　he　now　stood　condemned　in　his　own　conscience　before　the　tribunal　of　God's　justice。　　He　saith　not　as　the　hypocrite；　Beca