the pharisee and the publican- 第12部分

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　accusation　drawn　up；　and　that　against　one　helpless　and　forlorn；　against　a　poor　man；　because　he　is　a　sinner；　drawn　up；　I　say；　against　him　by　thee；　who　canst　not　make　proof　of　thyself　that　thou　art　righteous；　but　come　to　proofs　of　righteousness；　and　thou　art　wanting　also。　　What；　though　thy　raiment　is　better　than　his；　thy　skin　may　be　full　as　black；　yea；　what　if　thy　skin　be　whiter　than　his；　thy　heart　may　be　yet　far　blacker。　Yea；　it　is　so；　for　the　truth　hath　spoken　it；　for　within；　you　are　full　of　excess　and　all　uncleanness；　Matt。　xxiii。

Pharisee；　these　are　transgressions　against　the　second　table；　and　the　Publican　shall　be　guilty　of　them；　but　there　are　sins　also　against　the　first　table；　and　thou　thyself　art　guilty　of　them。

The　Publican；　in　that　he　was　an　extortioner；　unjust　and　an　adulterer；　made　it　thereby　manifest　that　he　did　not　love　his　neighbour；　and　thou　by　making　a　god；　a　saviour；　a　deliverer；　of　thy　filthy　righteousness；　dost　make　it　appear；　that　thou　dost　not　love　thy　God；　for　as　he　that　taketh；　or　that　derogateth　from　his　neighbour　in　that　which　is　his　neighbour's　due；　sinneth　against　his　neighbour；　so　he　that　taketh　or　derogateth　from　God；　sinneth　against　God。

Now；　then；　though　thou　hast　not；　as　thou　dost　imagine；　played　at　that　low　game　as　to　derogate　from　thy　neighbour；　yet　thou　hast　played　at　that　high　game　as　to　derogate　from　thy　God；　for　thou　hast　robbed　God　of　the　glory　of　salvation；　yea；　declared；　that　as　to　that　there　is　no　trust　to　be　put　in　him。　　〃Lo；　this　is　the　man　that　made　not　God　his　strength；　but　trusted　in　the　abundance　of　his　riches；　and　strengthened　himself　in　his　wickedness；〃　Psalm　lii。　7。

What　else　means　this　great　bundle　of　thy　own　righteousness；　which　thou　hast　brought　with　thee　into　the　temple？　yea；　what　means　else　thy　commending　of　thyself　because　of　that；　and　so　thy　implicit　prayer；　that　thou　for　that　mightst　find　acceptance　with　God？

All　this；　what　does　it　argue；　I　say；　but　thy　diffidence　of　God？　and　that　thou　countest　salvation　safer　in　thine　own　righteousness　than　in　the　righteousness　of　God？　and　that　thy　own　love　to；　and　care　of　thy　own　soul；　is　far　greater；　and　so　much　better；　than　is　the　care　and　love　of　God？　　And　is　this　to　keep　the　first　table；　yea；　the　first　branch　of　that　table；　which　saith；　〃Thou　shalt　love　the　Lord　thy　God？〃　for　thy　thus　doing　cannot　stand　with　love　to　God？

How　can　that　man　say；　I　love　God；　who　from　his　very　heart　shrinketh　to　trust　in　him？　　Or；　how　can　that　man　say；　I　would　glorify　God；　who　in　his　very　heart　refuseth　to　stand　and　fall　by　his　mercy？

Suppose　a　great　man　should　bid　all　the　poor　of　the　parish　to　his　house　to　dinner；　and　should　moreover　send　by　the　mouth　of　his　servant；　saying；　My　lord　hath　killed　his　fatlings；　hath　furnished　his　table；　and　prepared　his　wine；　nor　is　there　want　of　anything；　come　to　the　banquet：　　Would　it　not　be　counted　as　an　high　affront　to；　great　contempt　of；　and　much　distrust　in；　the　goodness　of　the　man　of　the　house；　if　some　of　these　guests　should　take　with　them；　out　of　their　own　poor　store；　some　of　their　mouldy　crusts；　and　carry　them　with　them；　lay　them　on　their　trenchers　upon　the　table　before　the　lord　of　the　feast　and　the　rest　of　his　guests；　out　of　fear　that　he　yet　would　not　provide　sufficiently　for　those　he　had　bidden　to　the　dinner　that　he　had　made？

Why；　Pharisee；　this　is　the　very　case；　thou　hast　been　called　to　a　banquet；　even　to　the　banquet　of　God's　grace；　and　thou　hast　been　disposed　to　go；　but　behold；　thou　hast　not　believed　that　he　would　of　his　own　cost　make　thee　a　feast　when　thou　comest：　　wherefore　of　thy　own　store　thou　hast　brought　with　thee；　and　hast　laid　upon　thy　trencher　on　his　table　thy　mouldy　crusts　in　the　presence　of　the　angels；　and　of　this　poor　Publican；　yea；　and　hast　vauntingly　said　upon　the　whole；　〃God；　I　thank　thee；　I　am　not　as　other　men　are。〃　　I　am　no　such　needy　man；　Luke　xviii。　11。　　〃I　am　no　extortioner；　nor　unjust；　nor　adulterer；　nor　even　as　this　Publican。〃　　I　am　come　indeed　to　thy　feast；　for　of　civility　I　could　do　no　less；　but　for　thy　dainties；　I　need　them　not；　I　have　of　such　things　enough　of　mine　own；　Luke　xviii。　12。　　I　thank　thee　therefore　for　thy　offer　of　kindness；　but　I　am　not　as　those　that　have；　and　stand　in　need　thereof；　〃nor　yet　as　this　Publican。〃　　And　thus　feeding　upon　thine　own　fare；　or　by　making　a　composition　of　his　and　thine　together；　thou　contemnest　God；　thou　countest　him　insufficient　or　unfaithful；　that　is；　either　one　that　has　not　enough；　or　having　it；　will　not　bestow　it　upon　the　poor　and　needy；　and；　therefore；　of　mere　pretence　thou　goest　to　his　banquet；　but　yet　trustest　to　thy　own；　and　to　that　only。

This　is　to　break　the　first　table；　and　so　to　make　thyself　a　sinner　of　the　highest　form：　　for　the　sins　against　the　first　table　are　sins　of　an　higher　nature　than　are　the　sins　against　the　second。　　True；　the　sins　of　the　second　table　are　also　sins　against　God；　because　they　are　sins　against　the　commandments　of　God：　　but　the　sins　that　are　against　the　first　table；　are　sins　not　only　against　the　command；　but　against　the　very　love；　strength；　holiness；　and　faithfulness　of　God：　　and　herein　stands　thy　condition；　thou　hast　not；　thou　sayst；　thou　hast　not　done　injury　to　thy　neighbour；　but　what　of　that；　if　thou　hast　reproached　thy　maker？

Pharisee；　I　will　assure　thee；　thou　art　beside　the　saddle；　thy　state　is　not　good；　thy　righteousness　is　so　far　off　from　doing　any　good；　that　it　maketh　thee　to　be　a　greater　sinner；　because　it　signifieth　more　immediately　against　the　mercy；　the　love；　the　grace；　and　goodness　of　God；　than　the　sins　of　other　sinners；　as　to　degree；　do。

And　as　they　are　more　odious　and　abominable　in　the　sight　of　God　（as　they　needs　must；　if　what　is　said　be　true；　as　it　is）；　so　they　are　more　dangerous　to　the　life　and　soul　of　man；　for　that　they　always　appear　unto　him　in　whom　they　dwell；　and　to　him　that　trusteth　in　them；　not　to　be　sins　and　transgressions；　but　virtues　and　excellent　things；　not　things　that　set　a　man　further　off；　but　the　things　that　bring　a　man　nearer　God；　than　those　that　want　them　are　or　can　be。

This　therefore　is　the　dangerous　estate　of　those　that　go　about　to　establish　their　own　righteousness；　that　neither　have；　nor　can；　while　they　are　so　doing；　submit　themselves　to　the　righteousness　of　God；　Rom。　x。　3。　　It　is　far　more　easy　to　persuade　a　poor　wretch；　whose　life　is　debauched；　and　sins　are　written　in　his　forehead；　to　submit　to　the　righteousness　of　God　（that　is；　to　the　righteousness　that　is　of　God's　providing　and　giving）；　than　it　is　to　persuade　a　self…righteous　man　to　do　it；　for　the　profane　is　sooner　convinced　of　the　necessity　of　righteousness　to　save　him；　as　that　he　has　none　of　his　own；　and　accepteth　of；　and　submitteth　himself　to　the　help　and　salvation　that　is　in　the　righteousness　and　obedience　of　another。

And　upon　this　account　it　is　that　Christ　saith　the　publicans　and　harlots　enter　into　the　kingdom　of　heaven　before　the　scribes　and　Pharisees；　Matt。　xxi。　31。　　Poor　Pharisee；　what　a　loss　art　thou　at？　thou　art　not　only　a　sinner；　but　a　sinner　of　the　highest　form。　　Not　a　sinner　by　such　sins　（by　such　sins　chiefly）　as　the　second　table　doth　make　manifest；　but　a　sinner　chiefly　in　that　way　as　no　self…righteous　man　did　ever　dream　of。　　For　when　the　righteous　man　or　Pharisee　shall　hear　that　he　is　a　sinner；　he　replieth；　〃I　am　not　as　other　men　are。〃

And　because　the　common　and　more　ordinary　description　of　sin　is　the　transgression　against　the　second　table；　he　presently　replieth　again；　〃I　am　not　as　this　Publican　is；〃　and　so　shroudeth　himself　under　his　own　lame　endeavours　and　ragged　partial　patches　of　moral　or　civil　righteousness。　　Wherefore；　when　he　heareth　that　his　righteousness　is　condemned；　slighted；　and　accounted　nothing　worth；　then　he　fretteth　and　fumeth；　and　would　kill　the　man　that　so　slighteth　and　disdaineth　his　goodly　righteousness；　but　Christ；　and　the　true　gospel…teacher　still　go　on；　and　condemn　all　his　righteousness　as　menstruous　rags；　as　an　abomination　to　God；　and　nothing　but　loss　and　dung。

Now　menstruous　rags；　things　that　are　an　abomination　and　dung；　are　not　fit　matter　to　make　a　garment　of　to　wear　when　I　come　to　God　for　life；　much　less　to　b