stification； and God will not take thy stinking righteousness in as a partner in thy acquitment from sin； death； wrath； and hell。 Now the question is； Who shall prevail？ God； or the Pharisee？ and whose word shall stand？ his； the Pharisee's？
Alas！ the Pharisee here must needs come down； for God is greater than all。 Also； he hath said； that no flesh shall glory in his presence； and that he will have mercy； and not sacrifice。 And again； that it is not （or shall be） in him that wills； nor in him that runs； but in God that sheweth mercy。 What hope； help； stay； or relief； then is there left for the merit…monger？ What twig； or straw； or twined thread； is left to be a stay for his soul？ This besom will sweep away his cobweb： the house that this spider doth so lean upon； will now be overturned； and he in it； to hellfire； for nothing less than everlasting damnation is designed by God； and that for this fearful and unbelieving Pharisee： God will prevail against him for ever。
3。 But wilt thou yet plead thy righteousness for mercy？ Why； in so doing thou takest away from God the power of giving mercy。 For if it be thine as wages； it is no longer his to dispose of at pleasure； for that which another man oweth me； is in equity not at his； but at my disposal。 Did I say that by this thy plea thou takest away from God the power of giving mercy？ I will add； yea； and also of disposing of heaven and life eternal。 And then； I pray you； what is left unto God； and what can he call his own？ Not mercy； for that by thy good deeds thou hast purchased： not heaven； for that by thy good deeds thou hast purchased： not eternal life； for that by thy good deeds thou hast purchased。 Thus； Pharisee （O thou self…righteous man）； hast thou set up thyself above grace； mercy； heaven； glory； yea； above even God himself； for the purchaser should in reason be esteemed above the purchase。
Awake； man！ What hast thou done？ Thou hast blasphemed God； thou has undervalued the glory of his grace； thou hast； what in thee lieth； opposed the glorious design of heaven； thou hast sought to make thy filthy rags to share in thy justification。
Now； all these are mighty sins； these have made thine iniquity infinite。 What wilt thou do？ Thou hast created to thyself a world of needless miseries。 I call them needless； because thou hadst more than enough before。 Thou hast set thyself against God in a way of contending； thou standest upon thy points and pantables； thou wilt not bate God an ace of what thy righteousness is worth； and wilt also make it worth what thyself shalt list： thou wilt be thine own judge； as to the worth of thy righteousness； thou wilt neither hear what verdict the word has passed about it； nor wilt thou endure that God should throw it out in the matter of thy justification； but quarrelest with the doctrine of free grace； or else dost wrest it out of its place to serve thy Pharisaical designs； saying； 〃God I thank thee； I am not as other men；〃 fathering upon thyself； yea； upon God and thyself a stark lie； for thou art as other men are； though not in this； yet in that； yea； in a far worse condition than the most of men are。 Nor will it help thee anything to attribute this thy goodness to the God of heaven； for that is but a mere toying； the truth is； the God that thou intendest is nothing but thy righteousness； and the grace that thou supposest is nothing but thine own good and honest intentions。 So that；
4。 In all that thou sayst thou dost but play the downright hypocrite： thou pretendest indeed to mercy； but thou intendest nothing but merit： thou seemest to give the glory to God； but at the same time takest it all to thyself： thou despisest others； and criest up thyself； and in conclusion； fatherest all upon God by word； and upon thyself in truth。 Nor is there anything more common among this sort of men； than to make God； his grace； and kindness； the stalking…horse to their own praise； saying； 〃God； I thank thee；〃 when they trust to themselves that they are righteous； and have not need of any repentance； when the truth is； they are the worst sort of men in the world； because they put themselves into such a state as God hath not put them into； and then impute it to God； saying； God； I thank thee； that thou hast done it； for what greater sin than to make God a liar； or than to father that upon God which he never meant； intended； or did： and all this under colour to glorify God； when there is nothing else designed； but to take all glory from him； and to wear it on thine own head as a crown； and a diadem； in the face of the whole world。
A self…righteous man； therefore； can come to God for mercy no otherwise than fawningly： for what need of mercy hath a righteous man？ Let him then talk of mercy； of grace； and goodness； and come in an hundred times with his； 〃God； I thank thee；〃 in his mouth； all is but words； there is no sense； nor savour； nor relish； of mercy and favour； nor doth he in truth； from his very heart； understand the nature of mercy； nor what is an object thereof； but when he thanks God； he praises himself： when he pleads for mercy； he means his own merit； and all this is manifest from what doth follow； for； saith he； I am not as this Publican： thence clearly insinuating； that not the good； but the bad； should be rejected of the God of heaven： that not the bad but the good； not the sinner； but the self…righteous； are the most proper objects of God's favour。 The same thing is done by others in this our day： favour； mercy； grace； and； 〃God； I thank thee；〃 is in their mouths； but their own strength； sufficiency； free… will； and the like； they are the things they mean by all such high and glorious expressions。
But； secondly； If thy plea be not for mercy； but for justice； then to speak a little to that。 1。 Justice has measures and rules to go by； unto which measures and rules； if thou comest not up； justice can do thee no good。 Come then； O thou blind Pharisee； let us pass away a few minutes in some discourse about this。 Thou demandest justice； because God hath said； that the man that doth these things shall live in and by them。 And again； the doers of the law shall be justified； not in a way of mercy； but in a way of justice： 〃He shall live by them。〃 But what hast thou done； O blind Pharisee？ What hast thou done； that thou art emboldened to venture to stand and fall to the most perfect justice of God？ Hast thou fulfilled the whole law； and not offended in one point？ Hast thou purged thyself from the pollutions and motions of sin that dwell in thy flesh； and work in thy own members？ Is the very being of sin rooted out of thy tabernacle？ And art thou now as perfectly innocent as ever was Jesus Christ？ hast thou； by suffering the uttermost punishment that justice could justly lay upon thee for thy sins； made fair and full satisfaction to God； according to the tenor of his law； for thy transgressions？ If thou hast done all these things； then thou mayst plead something； and yet but something； for thyself； in a way of justice。 Nay； in this I will assert nothing； but will rather inquire： What hast thou gained by all this thy righteousness？ （We will now suppose what must not be granted：） Was not this thy state when thou wast in thy first parents？ Wast thou not innocent； perfectly innocent and righteous？ And if thou shouldst be so now； what hast thou gained thereby？ Suppose that the man that had； forty years ago； forty pounds of his own； and had spent it all since； should yet be able now to shew his forty pounds again； what has he got thereby； or how much richer is he at last than he was when he first set up for himself？ Nay； doth not the blot of his ill living betwixt his first and his last； lie as a blemish upon him； unless he should redeem himself also； by works of supererogation； from the scandal that justice may lay at his door for that。
But； I say； suppose； O Pharisee； this should be thy case； yet God is not bound to give thee in justice that eternal which by his grace he bestoweth upon those that have redemption from sin； by the blood of his Son。 Injustice； therefore； when all comes to all； thou canst require no more than an endless life in an earthly paradise； for there thou wast set up at first； nor doth it appear from what hath been said； touching all that thou hast done or canst do； that thou deservest a better place。
Did I say； that thou mayst require justly an endless life in an earthly paradise？ Why； I must add to that saying this proviso； If thou continuest in the law； and in the righteousness thereof； else not。
But how dost thou know that thou shalt continue therein？ Thou hast no promise from God's mouth for that； nor is grace or strength ministered to mankind by the covenant that thou art under。 So that still thou standest bound to thy good behaviour； and in the day that thou dost give the first； though ever so little a trip； or stumble in thy obedience； thou forfeitest thine interest in paradise （and in justice）； as to any benefit there。
But alas！ what need is there that we should thus talk things； when it is manifest that thou hast sinned； not before thou wast a Pharisee； but when after the most strictest sect of thy religion thou livest also a Pharisee； yea； and now in the temple； in thy prayer there； thou shewest thyself to be full of ignorance； pride； self…conceit； and horrible arrogancy； and desire of vain glory； &c。； which are none of them the seat or fruits of righteousness； but the seat of the devil； and the fruit of his dwelling； even at this time in thy heart。
Could it ever have been imagined； that such audacious impudence could have put itself forth in any mortal man； in his approach unto God by prayer； as has shewed itself in thee？ 〃I am not as other men；〃 sayst thou！ But is this the way to go to God in prayer？ 〃The prayer of the upright is God's delight。〃 But the upright man glorifies God's justice； by confessing to God the vileness and pollution of his state and condition： he glorifies God's mercy； by acknowledging； that that； and that only； as communicated of God by Christ to sinners； can save and deliver from the curse of the law。
This； I say； is the sum of the prayer of the just and upright man； Job。 i。 8； xl。 4； Acts xiii。 22； Psalm xxxviii。； li。； 2 Sa