the pharisee and the publican-第14部分

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I　will　give　you　two　or　three　instances　for　this。

（1。）　　Nehemiah　was　a　man　（in　his　day）；　one　that　was　zealous；　very　zealous；　for　God；　for　his　house；　for　his　people；　and　for　his　ways；　and　so　continued；　and　that　from　first　to　last；　as　they　may　see　that　please　to　read　the　relation　of　his　actions；　yet　when　he　comes　seriously　to　be　concerned　with　God　about　his　duties；　he　relinquisheth　a　standing　by　them。　　True；　he　mentioneth　them　to　God；　but　confesseth　that　there　are　imperfections　in　them；　and　prayeth　that　God　will　not　wipe　them　away。　　〃Wipe　not　out　my　good　deeds；　O　my　God；　that　I　have　done　for　the　house　of　my　God；　and　for　the　offices　thereof。〃　　And　again；　〃Remember　me；　O　my　God；　concerning　this　also　（another　good　deed）；　and　spare　me　according　to　the　greatness　of　thy　mercy；　and　remember　me；　O　my　God；　for　good；〃　Neh。　xiii。

I　do　not　think　that　by　these　prayers　he　pleadeth　for　an　acceptance　of　his　person；　as　touching　justification　from　the　curse　of　the　law　（as　the　poor　blind　Pharisee　doth）；　but　that　God　would　accept　of　his　service；　as　he　was　a　son；　and　not　deny　to　give　him　a　reward　of　grace　for　what　he　had　done；　since　he　was　pleased　to　declare　in　his　testament；　that　he　would　reward　the　labour　of　love　of　his　saints　with　an　exceeding　weight　of　glory；　and　therefore　prayeth；　that　God　would　not　wipe　away　his　good　deeds；　but　remember　him　for　good；　according　to　the　greatness　of　his　mercy。

（2。）　　A　second　instance　is　that　of　David；　where　he　saith；　〃Enter　not　into　judgment　with　thy　servant；　O　Lord；　for　in　thy　sight　shall　no　man　living　be　justified；〃　Psalm　clxiii。　2。　　David；　as　I　have　hinted　before；　is　said　to　be　a　man　〃after　God's　own　heart；〃　Acts　xiii。；　and　as　here　by　the　Spirit　he　acknowledges　him　for　his　servant；　yet　behold　how　he　shrinketh；　how　he　draweth　back；　how　he　prayeth；　and　petitioneth；　that　God　would　vouchsafe　so　much　as　not　to　enter　into　judgment　with　him。　　Lord；　saith　he；　if　thou　enterest　into　judgment　with　me；　I　die；　because　I　shall　be　condemned；　for　in　thy　sight　I　cannot　be　justified；　to　wit；　by　my　own　good　deeds。　　Lord；　at　the　beginning　of　thy　dealing　with　me；　by　the　law　and　my　works；　I　die：　therefore　do　not　so　much　as　enter　into　judgment　with　me；　O　Lord。　　Nor　is　this　my　case　only；　but　it　is　the　condition　of　all　the　world：　　〃For　in　thy　sight　shall　no　man　living　be　justified。〃

（3。）　　A　third　instance　is　that　general　conclusion　of　the　apostle；　〃But　that　no　man　is　justified　by　the　law　in　the　sight　of　God　is　evident；　for　the　just　shall　live　by　faith。〃　　By　this　saying　of　St　Paul；　as　he　taketh　up　the　sentence　of　the　prophet　Habakkuk；　chap。　ii。　4；　so　he　taketh　up　this　sentence；　yea；　and　the　personal　justice　of　David　also。　　No　man；　saith　he；　is　justified　by　the　law　in　the　sight　of　God：　　no；　no　just　man；　no　holy　man；　not　the　strictest　and　most　righteous　man。　　But　why　not？　　Why；　because　〃the　just　shall　live　by　faith。〃

The　just　man；　therefore；　must　die；　if　he　has　not　faith　in　another　righteousness　than　that　which　is　of　the　law；　called　his　own：　　I　say；　he　must　die；　if　he　has　none　other　righteousness　than　that　which　is　his　own　by　the　law。　　Thus　also　Paul　confesses　of　himself：　　〃I　（saith　he）　know　nothing　by　myself；〃　either　before　conversion　or　after；　that　is；　I　knew　not　that　I　did　any　thing　before　conversion；　either　against　the　law；　or　against　my　conscience；　for　I　was　then；　touching　the　righteousness　which　is　of　the　law；　blameless。　　Also；　since　my　conversion；　I　know　nothing　by　myself；　for　〃I　have　walked　in　all　good　conscience　before　God　unto　this　day。〃

A　great　saying；　I　promise　you。　　Well；　but　yet　〃I　am　not　hereby　justified；〃　Phil。　iii。　7；　Acts　xxiii。　1；　1　Cor。　iv。　4。　　Nor　will　I　dare　to　venture　the　eternal　salvation　of　my　soul　upon　mine　own　justice；　〃for　he　that　judgeth　me　is　the　Lord；〃　that　is；　though　I；　through　my　dim…sightedness；　cannot　see　the　imperfections　of　my　righteousness；　yet　the　Lord；　who　is　my　judge；　and　before　whose　tribunal　I　must　shortly　stand；　can　and　will；　and　if　in　his　sight　there　shall　be　found　no　more　but　one　spot　in　my　righteousness；　I　must；　if　I　plead　my　righteousness；　fall　for　that。

2。　　That　the　best　of　men　are　afraid　to　stand　before　God's　tribunal；　there　to　be　judged　by　the　law　as　to　life　and　death；　according　to　the　sufficiency　or　non…sufficiency　of　their　righteousness；　is　evident；　because　by　casting　away　their　own　（in　this　matter）；　they　make　all　the　means　they　can　for　this；　that　is；　that　his　mercy；　by　an　act　of　grace；　be　made　over　to　them；　and　that　they　in　it　may　stand　before　God　to　be　judged。

Hence　David　cries　out　so　often；　〃Lead　me　in　thy　righteousness。〃　〃Deliver　me　in　thy　righteousness。〃　　〃Judge　me　according　to　thy　righteousness。〃　　〃Quicken　me　in　thy　righteousness。〃　　〃O　Lord　（says　he）；　give　ear　to　my　supplications：　　in　thy　faithfulness　answer　me；　and　in　thy　righteousness。〃　　〃And　enter　not　into　judgment　with　thy　servant；　O　Lord：　　for　in　thy　sight　shall　no　flesh　living　be　justified。〃　　And　David；　what　if　God　doth　thus？　　Why；　then；　saith　he；　〃My　tongue　shall　speak　of　his　righteousness。〃　　〃My　tongue　shall　sing　of　thy　righteousness。〃　　〃My　mouth　shall　shew　forth　thy　righteousness。〃　　〃Yea；　I　will　make　mention　of　thy　righteousness；　even　of　thine　only；〃　Psalm　lviii。；　xxxi。　1；　xxxv。　24；　cxix。　40；　xxxv。　28；　li。　14；　lxxi。　15；　16。

Daniel　also；　when　he　comes　to　plead　for　himself　and　his　people；　he　first　casts　away　his　and　their　righteousness；　saying；　〃For　we　do　not　present　our　supplications　unto　thee　for　our　righteousness：〃　　And　he　pleads　God's　righteousness；　and　that　he　might　have　a　share　and　interest　in　that　saying；　〃O　Lord；　righteousness　belongeth　to　thee；〃　to　wit；　that　righteousness；　for　the　sake　of　which；　mercy　and　forgiveness；　and　so　heaven　and　happiness；　is　extended　to　us。

Righteousness　belongeth　to　thee；　and　is　thine；　as　nearly　as　sin；　shame；　and　confusion；　are　ours；　and　belongeth　to　us。　　Read　the　16th　and　17th　verses　of　the　9th　of　Daniel。　　〃O　Lord　（saith　he）；　according　to　all　thy　righteousness；　I　beseech　thee；　let　thine　anger；　and　thy　fury；　be　turned　away　from　thy　city　Jerusalem；　thy　holy　mountain；　because　for　our　sins；　and　for　the　iniquities　of　our　fathers；　Jerusalem；　and　thy　people；　are　become　a　reproach　to　all　that　are　about　us。　　Now；　therefore；　O　our　God；　hear　the　prayer　of　thy　servant；　and　his　supplications；　and　cause　thy　face　to　shine　upon　thy　sanctuary　that　is　desolate；　for　the　Lord's　sake：〃　　For　the　sake　of　the　Lord　Jesus　Christ；　for　on　him　Daniel　now　had　his　eye；　and　through　him　to　the　Father　he　made　his　supplication；　yea；　and　the　answer　was　according　to　his　prayer；　to　wit；　that　God　would　have　mercy　on　Jerusalem；　and　that　he　would　in　his　time　send　the　Lord；　the　Messias；　to　bring　them　in　everlasting　righteousness　for　them。

Paul　also；　as　I　have　hinted　before；　disclaims　his　own　righteousness；　and　layeth　fast　hold　on　the　righteousness　of　God；　seeking　to　be　found　in　that；　not　having　his　own　righteousness；　for　he　knew　that　when　the　rain　descends；　the　winds　blow；　and　the　floods　come　down　on　all　men；　they　that　have　but　their　own　righteousness；　must　fall；　Phil。　iii

Now；　the　earnest　desire　of　the　righteous　to　be　found　in　God's　righteousness；　ariseth　from　strong　conviction　of　the　imperfections　of　their　own；　and　the　knowledge　that　was　given　them　of　the　terror　that　will　attend　men　at　the　day　of　the　fiery　trial；　to　wit；　the　day　of　judgement。　　For　although　men　can　now　flatter　themselves　into　a　fool's　paradise；　and　persuade　themselves　that　all　shall　be　well　with　them　then；　for　the　sake　of　their　own　silly　and　vain…glorious　performances；　yet　when　the　day　comes　that　shall　burn　like　an　oven；　and　when　all　that　have　done　wickedly　shall　be　as　stubble　（and　so　will　all　appear　to　be　that　are　not　found　in　Christ）；　then　will　their　righteousness　vanish　like　smoke；　or　be　like　fuel　for　that　burning　flame。　　And　hence　the　righteousness　that　the　godly　seek　to　be　found　in；　is　called；　The　name　of　the　Lord；　a　strong　tower；　a　rock；　a　shield；　a　fortress；　a　buckler；　a　rock　of　defence；　unto　which　they　resort；　and　into　which　they　run　and　are　safe。

The　godly　therefore　do　not；　as　this　Pharisee；　bring　their　own　righteousness　into　the　temple；　and　there　buoy　up　themselves　and　spirits　by　that　into　a　conceit；　that　for　the　sake　of　that　God　will　be　merciful　and　good　unto　them；　but　throwing　away　their　own；　they　make　to　God　for　his；　because　they　certainly　know；　even　by　the　word　of　God；　that　in　the　judgment　none　can　stand　the　trial　but　those　that　are　found　in　the　righteousness　of　God。

3。　　That　the　best　of　men　are　afraid　to　stand　before　God's　tribunal　by　the　law；　there　to　be　judged　to　life　and　death；　according　to　the　sufficiency　or　non…sufficiency　of　their　righteousness；　is　evident；　for　they　know；　that　it　is　a　vain　thing　to　seek；　by　acts　of　righteousness；　to　make　themselves　righteous　men；　as　is　the　way　of　all　them　that　seek　to　be　justified　by　the　deeds　of　the　law。

And　herein　lieth　the　great　difference　between　the　Pharisee　and　the　true　Christian　man。　　The　Pharisee　thinks；　by　acts　of　righteousness；　he　shall　make　himself　a　righteous　man：　　therefore　he　cometh　into　the　presence　of　God　well　furnished；　as　he　thinks；　with　his　negative　and　positive　righteousness。

Grace　suffereth　not　a　man　to　boast　before　God；　whatever　he　saith　before　men。　　His　soul　that　is　lifted　up；　is　not　upright　in　him；　and　better　is　the　poor　in　spirit　than　the　proud　in　spirit。　　The　Pharisee　was　a　very　proud　man；　a　proud；　ignorant　man；　proud　of　his　own　righteousness；　and　ignorant　of　God's：　　for　had　he　not；　he　could　not；　as　he　did；　have　so　condemned　the　Publican；　and　justified　himself。

And　I　say　again；　that　all　this　pride　and　vain…glorious　show　of　the　Pharisee　did　arise　from　his　not　being　acquainted　with　this；　that　a　man　must　be　good　before　he　can　do　good；　he　must　be　righteous；　before　he　can　do　righteousness。　　This　is　evident　from　Paul；　who　insinuateth　this　as　the　reason　why　none　do　good；　even　because　〃There　is　none　that　is　righteous；　no；　not　one。〃　　〃There　is　none　righteous；〃　saith　he；　and　then　follows；　〃There　is　none　that　doeth　good；〃　Rom。　iii。　10；　11；　12。　For　it　is　not　possible　for　a　man　that　is　not　first　made　righteous　by　the　God　of　heaven；　to　do　any　thing　that　in　a　gospel…sense　may　be　called　righteousness。　　To　make　himself　a　righteous　man；　by　his　so　meddling　with　them；　he　may　design；　but　work　righteousness；　and　so　by　such　works　of　righteousness　make　himself　a　righte