the pharisee and the publican- 第29部分

He　would　not。　　He　knew　what　he　was；　what　he　had　been；　and　should　be；　if　God　had　not　mercy　upon　him；　yea；　he　knew　also　that　God　knew　what　he　was；　had　been；　and　would　be；　if　mercy　prevented　not；　wherefore；　thought　he；　Wherefore　should　I　lift　up　the　head？　　I　am　no　righteous　man；　no　godly　man；　I　have　not　served　God；　but　Satan；　this　I　know；　this　God　knows；　this　angels　know；　wherefore　I　will　not　lift　up　the　head。　　It　is　as　much　as　to　say；　I　will　not　be　an　hypocrite；　like　the　Pharisee：　　for　lifting　up　of　the　head　signifies　innocency　and　harmlessness　of　life；　or　good　conscience；　and　the　testimony　thereof；　under　and　in　the　midst　of　all　accusations。　　Wherefore　this　was　the　counsel　of　Zophar　to　Job〃If；〃　saith　he；　〃thou　prepare　thine　heart；　and　stretch　out　thine　hand　towards　him；　if　iniquity　be　in　thine　hand；　put　it　far　away；　and　let　not　wickedness　dwell　in　thy　tabernacles。　For　then　shalt　thou　lift　up　thy　face　without　spot；　yea；　thou　shalt　be　steadfast；　and　shalt　not　fear；〃　Job　xi。　13…15。

This　was　not　the　Publican's　state：　　he　had　lived　in　lewdness　and　villany　all　his　days；　nor　had　he　prepared　his　heart　to　seek　the　Lord　God　of　his　fathers；　he　had　not　cleansed　his　heart　nor　hands　from　violence；　nor　done　that　which　was　lawful　and　right。　　He　only　had　been　convinced　of　his　evil　ways；　and　was　come　into　the　temple　as　he　was；　all　foul；　and　in　his　filthy　garments；　and　amidst　his　pollutions；　how　then　could　he　be　innocent；　holy；　or　without　spot？　and；　consequently；　how　could　he　lift　up　his　face　to　God？　　I　remember　what　Abner　said　to　Asahel；　〃Turn　thee　aside　（said　he）　from　following　me；　wherefore　should　I　smite　thee　to　the　ground？　how　then　should　I　hold　up　my　face　to　Joab；　thy　brother？〃　　2　Sam。　ii。　22。

As　if　he　had　said；　If　I　kill　thee；　I　shall　blush；　be　ashamed；　and　hang　my　head　like　a　bulrush　the　next　time　I　come　into　the　company　of　thy　brother。

This　was　the　Publican's　case：　　he　was　guilty；　he　had　sinned；　he　had　committed　a　trespass；　and　now　being　come　into　the　temple；　into　the　presence　of　that　God　whose　laws　he　had　broken；　and　against　whom　he　had　sinned；　how　could　he　lift　up　his　head？　how　could　he　do　it？　　No；　it　better　became　him　to　take　his　shame；　and　to　hang　his　head　in　token　of　guilt；　and　indeed　he　did；　and　did　it　to　purpose　too；　for　he　would　not　lift　up；　no　not　so　much　as　his　eyes　to　heaven。

True；　some　would　have　done　it；　the　Pharisee　did　it；　though　if　he　had　considered　that　hypocrisy　and　the　leaning　to　his　own　righteousness　had　been　a　sin；　he　would　have　found　as　little　cause　to　have　done　it　as　did　the　Publican　himself。　　But；　I　say　he　did　it；　and　sped　therein；　he　went　down　to　his　house；　as　he　came　up　into　the　temple；　a　poor　unjustified　Pharisee；　whose　person　and　prayer　were　both　rejected；　because；　like　the　whore　of　whom　we　read　in　the　Proverbs；　after　he　had　practised　all　manner　of　hypocrisy；　he　comes　into　the　temple　and　wipes　his　mouth；　and　saith；　〃I　have　done　no　wickedness；〃　Prov。　xxx。　20。　　He　lifts　up　his　head；　his　face；　his　eyes；　to　heaven；　he　struts；　he　vaunts　himself；　he　swaggers；　he　vapours；　and　cries　up　himself；　saying；　〃God　I　thank　thee　that　I　am　not　as　other　men　are。〃

True；　had　he　come　and　stood　before　a　stock　or　stone；　he　might　have　said　thus；　and　not　have　been　reprehended；　for　such　are　gods　that　see　not；　nor　hear；　neither　do　they　understand。　　But　to　come　before　the　true　God；　the　living　God；　the　God　that　fills　heaven　and　earth　by　his　presence；　and　that　knows　the　things　that　come　into　the　mind　of　man；　even　every　one　of　them；　I　say；　to　come　into　his　house；　to　stand　before　him；　and　thus　to　lift　up　his　head　and　eyes　in　such　hypocrisy　before　him；　this　was　abominable；　this　was　to　tempt　God；　and　to　prove　him；　yea；　to　challenge　him　to　know　what　was　in　man；　if　he　could；　even　as　those　who　said；　〃How　doth　God　（see）　know？　can　he　judge　through　the　dark　cloud？〃　　Job　xxii。　13；　Psalm　lxxiii。　11。

But　the　Publicannohe　would　not　do　this；　he　would　not　lift　up　so　much　as　his　eyes　to　heaven。　　As　who　should　say；　O　Lord；　I　have　been　against　thee　a　traitor　and　a　rebel；　and　like　a　traitor　and　a　rebel　before　thee　will　I　stand。　　I　will　bear　my　shame　before　thee　in　the　presence　of　the　holy　angels；　yea；　I　will　prevent　thy　judging　of　me　by　judging　myself　in　thy　sight；　and　will　stand　as　condemned　before　thee　before　thou　passest　sentence　upon　me。

This　is　now　for　a　sinner　to　go　to　the　end　of　things。　　For　what　is　God's　design　in　the　work　of　conviction　for　sin；　and　in　his　awakening　of　the　conscience　about　it？　　What　is　his　end；　I　say；　but　to　make　the　sinner　sensible　of　what　he　hath　done；　and　that　he　might　unfeignedly　judge　himself　for　the　same。　　Now　this　our　Publican　doth；　his　will　therefore　is　now　subjected　to　the　word　of　God；　and　he　justifies　him　in　all　his　ways　and　works　towards　him。　　Blessed　be　God　for　any　experience　of　these　things。

〃He　would　not　lift　up　so　much　as　his　eyes　to　heaven。〃　　He　knew　by　his　deeds　and　deservings　that　he　had　no　portion　there；　nor　would　he　divert　his　mind　from　the　remembering；　and　from　being　affected　with　the　evil　of　his　ways。

Some　men；　when　they　are　under　the　guilt　and　conviction　of　their　evil　life；　will　do　what　they　can　to　look　any　way；　and　that　on　purpose　to　divert　their　minds；　and　to　call　them　off　from　thinking　on　what　they　have　done；　and　by　their　thus　doing；　they　bring　many　evils　more　upon　their　souls；　for　this　is　a　kind　of　striving　with　God；　and　a　shewing　a　dislike　to　his　ways。　　Would　not　you　think；　if　when　you　are　shewing　your　son　or　your　servant　his　faults；　if　he　should　do　what　he　could　to　divert　and　take　off　his　mind　from　what　you　are　saying；　that　he　striveth　against　you；　and　sheweth　dislike　of　your　doings？　　What　else　mean　the　complaints　of　masters　and　of　fathers　in　this　matter？　　〃I　have　a　servant；　I　have　a　son；　that　doth　contrary　to　my　will。〃　　〃O　but　why　do　you　not　chide　them　for　it？〃　　The　answer　is；　〃So　I　do；　but　they　do　not　regard　my　words；　they　do　what　they　can；　even　while　I　am　speaking；　to　divert　their　minds　from　my　words　and　counsels。〃　　Why；　all　men　will　cry　out；　〃This　is　base；　this　is　worthy　of　great　rebuke；　such　a　son；　such　a　servant；　deserveth　to　be　shut　out　of　doors；　and　so　made　to　learn　better　breeding　by　want　and　hardship。〃

But　the　Publican　would　not　divert　his　mind　from　what　at　present　God　was　about　to　make　him　sensible　of；　no；　not　by　a　look　on　the　choicest　object；　he　would　not　lift　up　so　much　as　his　eyes　to　heaven。　　They　are　but　bad　scholars　whose　eyes；　when　their　master　is　teaching　of　them；　are　wandering　off　their　books。

God　saith　unto　men；　when　he　is　teaching　them　to　know　the　evil　of　their　ways；　as　the　angel　said　to　the　prophet　when　he　came　to　shew　him　the　pattern　of　the　temple；　〃Son　of　man；〃　says　he；　〃behold　with　thine　eyes；　and　hear　with　thine　ears；　and　set　thine　heart　upon　all　that　I　shall　shew　thee；　for　to　the　intent　that　I　might　shew　them　unto　thee　art　thou　brought　hither；〃　Ezek。　xl。　4。　　So　to　the　intent　that　God　might　shew　to　the　Publican　the　evil　of　his　ways；　therefore　was　he　brought　under　the　power　of　convictions；　and　the　terrors　of　the　law；　and　he　also；　like　a　good　learner；　gave　good　heed　unto　that　lesson　that　now　he　was　learning　of　God；　for　he　would　not　lift　up　so　much　as　his　eyes　to　heaven。

Looking　downwards　doth　ofttimes　bespeak　men　very　ponderous　and　deep　in　their　cogitations；　also　that　the　matter　about　which　in　their　minds　they　are　now　concerned　hath　taken　great　hold　of　their　spirits。　　The　Publican　hath　now　new　things；　great　things；　and　long…lived　things；　to　concern　himself　about：　　his　sins；　the　curse；　with　death；　and　hell；　began　now　to　stare　him　in　the　face：　　wherefore　it　was　no　time　now　to　let　his　heart；　or　his　eyes；　or　his　cogitations；　wander；　but　to　be　fixed；　and　to　be　vehemently　applying　of　himself　（as　a　sinner）　to　the　God　of　heaven　for　mercy。

Few　know　the　weight　of　sin。　　When　the　guilt　thereof　takes　hold　of　the　conscience；　it　commands　homewards　all　the　faculties　of　the　soul。　　No　man　can　go　out　or　off　now：　　now　he　is　wind…bound；　or；　as　Paul　says；　〃caught：〃　now　he　is　made　to　possess　bitter　days；　bitter　nights；　bitter　hours；　bitter　thoughts；　nor　can　he　shift　them；　for　his　sin　is　ever　before　him。　　As　David　said；　〃For　I　acknowledge　my　transgressions：　　and　my　sin　is　ever　before　me；〃in　my　eye；　and　sticketh　fast　in　every　one　of　my　thoughts；　Psalm　li。　3。

〃He　would　not　lift　up　so　much　as　his　eyes　to　heaven；　but　smote　upon　his　breast。〃　　This　was　the　third　and　last　of　his　gestures；　he　〃Smote　upon　his　breast；〃　to　wit；　with　his　hand；　or　with　his　fist。　　I　read　of　several　gestures　with　the　hand　and　foot；　according　to　the　working　and　passions　of　the　mind。　　It　is　said；　〃Balak　smote　his　hands　together；〃　being　angry　because　that　Balaam　had　blessed　and　not　cursed　for　him　the　children　of　Israel。

God　says　also；　that　he　had　smitten　his　hands　together　at　the　sins　of　the　children　of　Israel。　　God　also　bids　the　prophet　stamp　with　his　feet；　and　smite　with　his　hand　upon　his　thigh　（Num。　xxiv。　10；　Ezek。　xxii。　13；　vi。　11；　xxi。　12）；　upon　sundry　occasions；　and　at　several　enormities；　but　the　Publican　here　is　said　to　smite　upon　his　breast。　And；

1。　　Smiting　upon　the　breast　betokeneth　sorrow　for　something　done。　This　is　an　experiment　common　among　men；　and　indeed；　therefore　（as　I　take　it）；　doth　our　Lord　Jesus　put　him　under　this　gesture　in　the　act　and　exercise　of　his　repentance；　because　it　is　that　which　doth　most　lively　set　it　forth。

Suppose　a　man　comes　to　great　damage　for　some　folly　that　he　has　wrought；　and　he　be　made　sorrowful　for　（being　and）　doing　such　folly；　there　is　nothing　more　common　than　for　such　a　man　（if　he　may）　to　walk　to　and　fro　in　the　room　where　he　is；　with　head　hung　down；　fetching　ever　and　anon　a　bitter　sigh；　and　smiting　himself　upon　the　breast　in　his　dejected　condition：　　〃But　smote　upon　his　breast；　saying；　God　be　merciful　to　me　a　sinner。〃

2。　　Smiting　upon　the　breast　is　sometimes　a　token　of　indignation　and　abhorrence　of　something　thought　upon。　　I　read　in　Luke；　that　when　Christ　was　crucified；　those　spectators　that　stood　to　behold　the　barbarous　usage　that　he　endured　at　the　hands　of　his　enemies；　smote　their　breasts　and　returned。　　〃And　all　the　people　（says　Luke）　that　came　together　to　that　sight；　beholding　the　things　which　were　done；　smote　their　breasts　and　returned；〃　Luke　xxiii。　48。　　Smote　their　breasts；　that　is；　in　token　of　indignation　against；　and　abhorrence　of；　the　cruelty　that　was　use