the pharisee and the publican- 第27部分

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　his　palace　until　he　held　out　the　golden　sceptre　to　her；　then　Esther　drew　near；　and　touched　the　top　thereof；　Esth。　v。　1；　2。

Men；　also；　when　they　come　into　the　presence　of　God；　should　know　their　distance；　yea；　and　shew　that　they　know　it　too；　by　such　gestures；　and　carriages；　and　behaviour；　that　are　seemly。　　A　remarkable　saying　is　that　of　Solomon；　〃Keep　thy　foot；〃　saith　he；　〃when　thou　goest　into　the　house　of　God；　and　be　more　ready　to　hear　than　to　give　the　sacrifice　of　fools；　for　they　consider　not　that　they　do　evil。〃　　And　as　they　should　keep　their　foot；　so　also　he　adds；　〃Be　not　rash　with　thy　mouth；　and　let　not　thine　heart　be　hasty　to　utter　any　thing　before　God；　for　God　is　in　heaven；　and　thou　upon　earth；　therefore　let　thy　words　be　few；〃　Eccles。　v。　1；　2。

Three　things　the　Holy　Ghost　exhorteth　to　in　this　text。

The　one　is；　That　we　look　to　our　feet；　and　not　be　forward　to　crowd　into　God's　presence。

Another　is；　That　we　should　also　look　well　to　our　tongues；　that　they　be　not　rash　in　uttering　any　thing　before　God。

And　the　third　is；　Because　of　the　infinite　distance　that　is　betwixt　God　and　us；　which　is　intimated　by　these　words；　〃For　God　is　in　heaven；　and　thou　upon　earth。〃

The　Publican　therefore　shewed　great　wisdom；　holy　shame；　and　humility；　in　this　brave　gesture　of　his；　namely；　in　his　standing　afar　off　when　he　went　up　into　the　temple　to　pray。　　But　this　is　not　all。

Secondly；　The　Publican；　in　standing　afar　off；　left　room　for　an　Advocate　and　high…priest；　a　Day's…man；　to　come　betwixt；　to　make　peace　between　God　and　his　poor　creature。　　Moses；　the　great　mediator　of　the　Old　Testament；　was　to　go　nigher　to　God　than　the　rest　of　the　elders；　or　those　of　the　people；　Exod。　xx。　21。　　Yea；　the　rest　of　the　people　were　expressly　commanded　to　worship；　〃standing　afar　off。〃　　No　man　of　the　sons　of　Aaron　that　had　a　blemish　was　to　come　nigh。　　〃No　man　that　hath　a　blemish　of　the　seed　of　Aaron　the　priest　shall　come　nigh　to　offer　the　offerings　of　the　Lord　made　by　fire。　　He　shall　not　come　nigh　to　offer　the　bread　of　his　God；〃　Lev。　xxi。　21。

The　Publican　durst　not　be　his　own　mediator；　he　knew　he　had　a　blemish；　and　was　infirm；　and　therefore　he　stands　back；　for　he　knew　that　it　was　none　of　him　that　his　God　had　chosen　to　come　near　unto　him；　to　offer　〃the　fat　and　the　blood；〃　Ezek。　xliv。　13…15。　　The　Publican；　therefore；　was　thus　far　right；　he　took　not　up　the　room　himself；　neither　with　his　person　nor　his　performances；　but　stood　back；　and　gave　place　to　the　High…priest　that　was　to　be　intercessor。

We　read；　that　when　Zacharias　went　into　the　temple　to　burn　incense；　as　at　the　time　his　lot　was；　〃The　whole　multitude　of　the　people　were　praying　without；〃　Luke　i。　9；　10。　　They　left　him　where　he　was；　near　to　God；　between　God　and　them；　mediating　for　them；　for　the　offering　of　incense　by　the　chief…priest　was　a　figurative　making　of　intercession　for　the　people；　and　they　maintained　their　distance。

It　is　a　great　matter　in　praying　to　God；　not　to　go　too　far；　nor　come　too　short；　in　that　duty；　I　mean　in　the　duty　of　prayer；　and　a　man　is　very　apt　to　do　one　or　the　other。　　The　Pharisee　went　so　far；　he　was　too　bold；　he　came　into　the　temple　making　such　a　ruffle　with　his　own　excellencies；　that　there　was　in　his　thoughts　no　need　of　a　Mediator。　He　also　went　up　so　nigh　to　God；　that　he　took　up　the　room　and　place　of　the　Mediator　himself；　but　this　poor　Publican；　he　knows　his　distance；　and　keeps　it；　and　leaves　room　for　the　High…priest　to　come　and　intercede　for　him　with　God。　　He　stood　afar　off：　　not　too　far　off；　for　that　is　the　room　and　place　of　unbelievers；　and　in　that　sense　this　saying　is　true；　〃For；　lo；　they　that　are　far　from　thee　shall　perish；〃　Psalm　lxxiii。　27；　that　is；　they　whose　unbelief　hath　set　their　hearts　and　affections　more　upon　their　idols；　and　that　have　been　made　to　cast　God　behind　their　backs；　to　follow　and　go　a…whoring　after　them。

Hitherto；　therefore；　it　appears；　that　though　the　Pharisee　had　more　righteousness　than　the　Publican；　yet　the　Publican　had　more　spiritual　righteousness　than　the　Pharisee；　and　that　though　the　Publican　had　a　baser　and　more　ugly　outside　than　the　Pharisee；　yet　the　Publican　knew　how　to　prevail　with　God　for　mercy　better　than　he。

As　for　the　Publican's　posture　of　standing　in　prayer；　it　is　excusable；　and　that　by　the　very　Father　of　the　faithful　himself：　　for　Abraham　stood　praying　when　he　made　intercession　for　Sodom；　Gen。　xviii。　22；　23。　　Christ　also　alloweth　it；　where　he　saith；　〃And　when　ye　stand　praying；　forgive；　if　ye　have　ought　against　any；　that　your　Father　also　which　is　in　heaven　may　forgive　you　your　trespasses；〃　Mark　xi。　25。　Indeed　there　is　no　stinted　order　prescribed　for　our　thus　behaving　of　ourselves　in　prayer；　whether　kneeling；　or　standing；　or　walking；　or　lying；　or　sitting；　for　all　these　postures　have　been　used　by　the　godly。　　Paul　〃kneeled　down　and　prayed；〃　Acts　xx。　36。　　Abraham　and　the　Publican　stood　and　prayed。　　David　prayed　as　he　walked；　2　Sam。　xv。　30；　31。　　Abraham　prayed　lying　upon　his　face；　Gen。　xvii。　17；18。　　Moses　prayed　sitting；　Exod。　xvii。　12。　　And　indeed　prayer；　effectual　fervent　prayer；　may　be；　and　often　is；　made　unto　God　under　all　these　circumstances　of　behaviour：　　for　God　has　not　tied　us　up　to　any　of　them；　and　he　that　shall　tie　himself；　or　his　people；　to　any　of　these；　doth　more　than　he　hath　warrant　for　from　God：　　and　let　such　take　care　of　innovating；　it　is　the　next　way　to　make　men　hypocrites　and　dissemblers　in　those　duties　in　which　they　should　be　sincere。

True；　which　of　those　soever　a　man　shall　choose　to　himself　for　the　present；　to　perform　this　solemn　duty　in；　it　is　required　of　him；　and　God　expects　it；　that　he　should　pray　to　him　in　truth；　and　with　desire；　affection；　and　hunger；　after　those　things　that　with　his　tongue　he　maketh　mention　of　before　the　throne　of　God。　　And　indeed　without　this；　all　is　nothing。　　But　alas！　how　few　be　there　in　the　world　whose　heart　and　mouth　in　prayer　shall　go　together？　　Dost　thou；　when　thou　askest　for　the　Spirit；　or　faith；　or　love　to　God；　to　holiness；　to　saints；　to　the　word；　and　the　like；　ask　for　them　with　love　to　them；　desire　of　them；　hungering　after　them？　　Oh！　this　is　a