the pharisee and the publican-第33章

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es　God　the　glory　of　his　justice；　and　after　that　the　glory　of　his　mercy；　by　saying；　〃God　be　merciful　to　me　a　sinner；〃　and　thus　in　the　ears　of　the　angels　he　did　ring　the　changes　of　heaven。　　And；

3。　　The　Publican；　in　his　thus　putting　himself　upon　mercy；　sheweth；　that　in　his　opinion　there　is　more　virtue　in　mercy　to　save；　than　there　is　in　the　law　and　sin　to　condemn。　　And　although　this　is　not　counted　a　great　matter　to　do；　while　men　are　far　from　the　law；　and　while　their　conscience　is　asleep　within　them；　yet　when　the　law　comes　near；　and　conscience　is　awake；　who　so　tries　it　will　find　it　a　laborious　work。　Cain　could　not　do　thus　for　his　heart；　no；　nor　Saul；　nor　Judas　either。　This　is　another　kind　of　thing　than　most　men　think　it　to　be；　or　shall　find　it；　whenever　they　shall　behold　God's　angry　face；　and　when　they　shall　hear　the　words　of　his　law。

However；　our　Publican　did　it；　and　ventured　his　body；　soul；　and　future　condition　for　ever　on　this　bottom　with　other　the　saints　and　servants　of　God；　leaving　the　world　to　swim　over　the　sea　of　God's　wrath　（if　they　will）　in　their　weak　and　simple　vessels　of　bulrushes；　or　to　lean　upon　their　cobweb…hold；　when　he　shall　arise　to　the　judgment　that　he　hath　appointed。

In　the　mean　time；　pray　God　awaken　us　as　he　did　the　Publican；　pray　God　enlighten　us　as　he　did　the　Publican；　pray　God　grant　us　boldness　to　come　to　him　as　the　Publican　did；　and　also　in　that　trembling　spirit　as　he　did；　when　he　cried　in　the　temple　before　him；　〃God　be　merciful　to　me　a　sinner。〃

Thus　having　passed　over　his　prayer；　we　come　in　the　next　place　to　his　GESTURES；　for　in　my　judgment　the　right　understanding　of　them　will　give　us　yet　more　conviction　of　the　Publican's　sense　and　awakening　of　spirit　under　this　present　action　of　his。

And　I　have　observed　many　a　poor　wretch　that　hath　readily　had　recourse　to　the　Publican's　prayer；　that　never　knew　what　the　Publican's　gestures；　in　the　presence　of　God；　while　in　prayer　before　him；　did　mean。　　Nor　must　any　man　be　admitted　to　think；　that　those　gestures　of　his　were　a　custom；　and　a　formality　among　the　Jews　in　those　days；　for　it　is　evident　enough　by　the　carriage　of　the　Pharisee；　that　it　was　below　them　and　their　mode；　when　they　came　into　the　temple；　or　when　they　prayed　any　where　else；　and　they　in　those　days　were　counted　for　the　best　of　men；　and　in　religious　matters　men　were　to　imitate　and　take　their　examples　at　the　hands　of　the　best；　not　at　the　hands　of　the　worst。

The　Publican's　gestures　then　were　properly　his　own；　caused　by　the　guilt　of　sin；　and　by　that　dread　of　the　majesty　of　God　that　was　upon　his　spirit。　　And　a　comely　posture　it　was；　else　Christ　Jesus；　the　Son　of　God；　would　never　have　taken　that　particular　notice　thereof　as　he　did；　nor　have　smiled　upon　it　so　much　as　to　take；　and　distinctly　repeat　it；　as　that　which　made　his　prayer　the　more　weighty；　also　to　be　taken　notice　of。　　Yea；　in　my　opinion；　the　Lord　Jesus　committed　it　to　record；　for　that　he　liked　it；　and　for　that　it　will　pass　for　some　kind　of　touchstone　of　prayer　that　is　made　in　good　sense　of　sin　and　of　God；　and　of　need　of　his　goodness　and　mercy。　　For　verily；　all　these　postures　signify　sense；　sight　of　a　lost　condition；　and　a　heart　in　good　earnest　for　mercy。

I　know　that　they　may　be　counterfeited；　and　Christ　Jesus　knows　who　doth　so　too；　but　that　will　not　hinder；　or　make　weak　or　invalid　what　hath　already　been　spoken　about　it。　　But　to　forbear　to　make　a　further　prologue；　and　to　come　to　the　handling　of　particulars：

〃And　the　Publican　standing　afar　off；　would　not　lift　up　so　much　as　his　eyes　to　heaven；　but　smote　upon　his　breast；〃　&c。

Three　things；　as　I　told　you　already；　we　may　perceive　in　these　words；　by　which　his　publican　posture　or　gestures　are　set　forth。

1。　　He　stands　〃afar　off。〃

2。　　He　〃would　not　lift　up　so　much　as　his　eyes　to　heaven。〃

3。　　He　〃smote　upon　his　breast；〃　&c。

For　the　first　of　these；　He　stood　afar　off。　　〃And　the　Publican　standing　afar　off。〃　　This　is；　I　say；　the　first　thing；　the　first　posture　of　his　with　which　we　are　acquainted；　and　it　informeth　us　of　several　things。

First；　That　he　came　not　with　senselessness　of　the　majesty　of　God　when　he　came　to　pray；　as　the　Pharisee　did；　and　as　sinners　commonly　do。　For　this　standing　back；　or　afar　off；　declares；　that　the　majesty　of　God　had　an　awe　upon　his　spirit；　he　saw　whither；　to　whom；　and　for　what；　he　was　now　approaching　the　temple。　　It　is　said　in　the　20th　of　Exodus；　that　when　the　people　saw　the　thunderings　and　lightnings；　and　the　noise　of　the　trumpet；　and　the　mountain　smoking　（and　all　these　were　signs　of　God's　terrible　presence　and　dreadful　majesty）；　they　removed　themselves；　and　〃stood　afar　off；〃　Exod。　xx。　18。　　This　behaviour；　therefore；　of　the　Publican　did　well　become　his　present　action；　especially　since；　in　his　own　eyes；　he　was　yet　an　unforgiven　sinner。　　Alas！　what　is　God's　majesty　to　a　sinful　man　but　a　consuming　fire？　　And　what　is　a　sinful　man　in　himself；　or　in　his　approach　to　God；　but　as　stubble　fully　dry？

How　then　could　the　Publican　do　otherwise　（than　what　he　did）　than　stand　afar　off　if　he　either　thought　of　God　or　himself？　　Indeed　the　people　afore　named；　before　they　saw　God　in　his　terrible　majesty；　could　scarcely　be　kept　off　from　the　mount　with　words　and　bounds；　as　it　is　now　the　case　of　many：　　their　blindness　gives　them　boldness；　their　rudeness　gives　them　confidence；　but　when　they　shall　see　what　the　Publican　saw；　and　felt；　and　understood；　as　he；　they　will　pray　and　stand　afar　off　even　as　these　people　did。　　They　removed　and　stood　afar　off；　and　then　fell　to　praying　of　Moses；　that　this　dreadful　sight　and　sound　might　be　taken　from　them。　　And　what　if　I　should　say；　he　stood　afar　off　for　fear　of　a　blow；　though　he　came　for　mercy；　as　it　is　said　of　them；　〃They　stood　afar　off　for　fear　of　her　torments；〃　Rev。　xviii。　10；　18。

I　know　what　it　is　to　go　to　God　for　mercy；　and　stand　all　that　while　through　fear　afar　off；　being　possessed　with　this；　will　not　God　now　smite　me　at　once　to　the　ground　for　my　sins？　　David　thought　something　when　he　said　as　he　prayed；　〃Cast　me　not　away　from　thy　presence；　and　take　not　thy　Holy　Spirit　from　me；〃　Psalm　li。　11。

There　is　none　knows；　but　those　that　have　them；　what　turns　and　returns；　what　coming　on　and　going　off；　there　is　in　the　spirit　of　a　man　that　indeed　is　awakened；　and　that　stands　awakened　before　the　glorious　Majesty　in　prayer。　　The　prodigal　also　made　his　prayer　to　his　Father　intentionally；　while　he　was　yet　a　great　way　off。　　And　so　did　the　lepers　too：　　〃And　as　he　entered　into　a　certain　village　there　met　him　ten　men　that　were　lepers；　which　stood　afar　off：　　and　they　lifted　up　their　voices　and　said；　Jesus；　Master；　have　mercy　on　us；〃　Luke　xvii。　12；　13。

See　here；　it　has　been　the　custom　of　praying　men　to　keep　their　distance；　and　not　to　be　rudely　bold　in　rushing　into　the　presence　of　the　holy　and　heavenly　Majesty；　especially　if　they　have　been　sensible　of　their　own　vileness　and　sins；　as　the　prodigal；　the　lepers；　and　our　poor　Publican　was。　　Yea；　Peter　himself；　when　upon　a　time　he　perceived　more　than　commonly　he　did　of　the　majesty　of　Jesus　his　Lord；　what　doth　he　do？　　〃When　Simon　Peter　saw　it　（says　the　text）；　he　fell　down　at　Jesus'　knees；　saying；　Depart　from　me；　for　I　am　a　sinful　man；　O　Lord；〃　Luke　v。　3…8。　　Oh！　when　men　see　God　and　themselves；　it　fills　them　with　holy　fear　of　the　greatness　of　the　majesty　of　God；　as　well　as　with　love　to；　and　desire　after；　his　mercy。

Besides；　by　his　standing　afar　off；　it　might　be　to　intimate　that　he　now　had　in　mind；　and　with　great　weight　upon　his　conscience；　the　infinite　distance　that　was　betwixt　God　and　him。　　Men　should　know　that；　and　tremble　in　the　thoughts　of　it；　when　they　are　about　to　approach　the　omnipotent　presence。

What　is　poor　sorry　man；　poor　dust　and　ashes；　that　he　should　crowd　it　up；　and　go　jostlingly　into　the　presence　of　the　great　Godespecially　since　it　is　apparent　the　disproportion　that　is　betwixt　God　and　him？　Esther；　when　she　went　to　supplicate　the　king　her　husband　for　her　people；　made　use　neither　of　her　beauty　nor　relation；　nor　the　privileges　of　which　she　might　have　had　temptation　to　make　use　of；　especially　at　such　a　time；　and　in　such　exigencies；　as　then　did　compass　her　about；　but；　I　say；　she　made　not　use　of　them　to　thrust　herself　into　his　presence；　but　knew；　and　kept　her　distance；　standing　in　the　inward　court　of　hi