the pharisee and the publican-第2部分
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!
ep their own traditions。 That they turned aside also as to their manner of worship; and became sectarians; there is with no less authority asserted〃For all their works they do for to be seen of men;〃 Acts xxvi。 5; Mark vii。 9…13; Matt。 xxiii。 5。
Now this being none of the order or ordinance of Christ; and yet being chosen by; and stuck to of these sort of men; and also made a singular and necessary part of worship; became a sect; or bottom for those hypocritical factious men to adhere unto; and to make of others disciples to themselves。 And that they might be admired; and rendered 'venerable by the simple people to their fellows; they loved to go in long robes; they loved to pray in markets; and in the corners of the streets; they shewed great zeal for the small things of the law; but had only great words for things that were substantial〃They made broad their phylacteries; and enlarged the borders of their garments;〃 Matt。 xxiii。
When I say the Pharisee was a sectarian; I do not mean that every sectarian is a Pharisee。 There were the sects of the Herodians; of the Alexandrians; and of the Sadducees; with many others; but to be a Pharisee; was to be of the straitest sect: 〃After the most straitest sect of our religion; I lived a Pharisee。〃 That; therefore; of all the sects; was the most strait and strict。 Therefore; saith he; in another place; 〃I was taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers。〃 And again; 〃Touching the law; a Pharisee;〃 Acts xxii。 3; xxvi。 4…6; Phil。 iii。 5。 The Pharisee; therefore; did carry the bell; and wear the garland for religion; for he outdid; he went beyond all other sectarians in his day。 He was strictest; he was the most zealous; therefore Christ; in his making of this parable; waived all other sects then in being; and pitched upon the Pharisee as the man most meet; by whose rejection he might shew forth and demonstrate the riches of his mercy in its extension to sinners: 〃Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee:〃 such a brave man as you have heard。
2。 The Publican also went up thither to pray。 The Publican; I told you before; was an officer: an officer that served the Romans and himself too; for the Romans at that time were possessors of the land of Jewry (the lot of Israel's inheritance); and the emperor Tiberius Caesar placed over that land four governors; to wit; Pilate; Herod; Philip; and Lysanias; all these were Gentiles; heathens; infidels; and the publicans were a sort of inferior men; to whom was let out to farm; and so men that were employed by these to gather up the taxes and customs that the heathens had laid upon the Jews to be paid to the emperor; Luke ii。 1; iii。 1; 2; 12; 13。
But they were a generation of men that were very injurious in the execution of their office。 They would exact and demand more than was due of the people; yea; and if their demands were denied; they would falsely accuse those that so denied them to the governor; and by false accusation obtain the money of the people; and so wickedly enrich themselves; Luke iii。 13; 14; xix。 2; 8。 This was therefore grievous to the Jews; who always counted themselves a free people; and could never abide to be in bondage to any。 And this was something of the reason; that they were so generally by all the Jews counted so vile and base; and reckoned among the worst of men; even as our informers and bum…bailiffs are with us at this day。
But that which heightened the spirit of the people against them; and that made them so odious and filthy in their eyes; was for that (at least so I think) these publicans were not; as the other officers; aliens; heathens; and Gentiles; but men of their own nation; Jews; and so the brethren of those that they so abused。 Had they been Gentiles; it had not been wondered at。
The Publican then was a Jew; a kind of a renegade Jew; that through the love that he had to unjust gains; fell off in his affections from his brethren; adhered to the Romans; and became a kind of servant to them against their brethren; farming the heathenish taxations at the hand of strangers; and exacting of them upon their brethren with much cruelty; falsehood; and extortion。 And hence; as I said; it was; that to be a publican; was to be so odious a thing; so vile a sinner; and so grievous a man in the eyes of the Jews。 Why; this was the Publican! he was a Jew; and so should have abode with them; and have been content to share with his brethren in their calamities; but contrary to nature; to law; to religion; reason; and honesty; he fell in with the heathen; and took the advantage of their tyranny to poll; to rob; and impoverish his brethren。
But for proof that the Publican was a Jew。
1。 Publicans are; even then; when compared with; yet distinguished from; the heathen; 〃Let him be to thee as an heathen man and a publican;〃 Matt。 xviii。; which two terms; I think; must not here be applied to one and the self…same man; as if the heathen was a publican; or the publican a heathen; but to men of two distinct nations; as that publican and harlot is to be understood of sinners of both sexes。 The Publican is not an harlot; for he is a man; &c。; and such a man as has been described before。 So by publicans and sinners; is meant publicans and such sinners as the Gentiles were; or such as; by the text; the Publican is distinguished from: where the Pharisee saith he was not an extortioner; unjust; adulterer; or even as this Publican。 Nor can he by 〃heathen man〃 intend the person; and by the term publican; the office or place; of the heathen man; but by publican is meant the renegade Jew; in such a place; &c。; as is yet further manifested by that which follows。 For …
2。 Those publicans; even every one of them that by name are made mention of in the New Testament; have such names put upon them; yea; and other circumstances thereunto annexed; as doth demonstrate them to be Jews。 I remember the names of no more but three; to wit; Matthew; Levi; and Zaccheus; and they were all Jews。
(1。) Matthew was a Jew; and the same Matthew was a publican; yea; and also afterwards an apostle。 He was a Jew; and wrote his gospel in Hebrew: he was an apostle; and is therefore found among the twelve。 That he was a publican too; is as evident by his own words; for though Mark and Luke; in their mentioning of his name and apostleship; do forbear to call him a publican (Mark iii。 18; Luke vi。 l6); yet when this Matthew comes to speak of himself; he calls himself Matthew the publican (Matth。 x。 3); for I count this the self…same Matthew that Mark and Luke make mention of; because I find no other Matthew among the apostles but he: Matthew the publican; Matthew the man so deep in apostacy; Matthew the man of that ill fame among his brethren。 Love; in Mark and Luke; when they counted him among the apostles; did cover with silence this his publican state (and it is meet for Peter to call Paul his beloved brother; when Paul himself shall call himself the chief of sinners); but faithfulness to the world; and a desire to be abased; that Christ thereby; and grace by him; might be advanced; made Matthew; in his evangelical writings; call himself by the name of Matthew the publican。 Nor has he lost thereby; for Christ again to exalt him (as he hath also done by the apostle Paul); hath set; by his special providence; the testimony that this Matthew hath given of his birth; life; death; doctrine; and miracles; in the front of all the New Testament。
(2。) The next publican that I find by the Testament of Christ; made mention of by name; is Levi; another of the apostles of Jesus Christ。 This Levi also; by the Holy Ghost in holy writ; is called by the name of James: not James the brother of John; for Zebedee was his father; but James the son of Alpheus。 Now I take this Levi also to be another than Matthew; First; because Matthew is not called the son of Alpheus; and because Matthew and Levi; or James the son of Alpheus; are distinctly counted where the names of the apostles are mentioned (Matt。 x。 3) for two distinct persons: and that this Levi; or James the apostle; was a publican; as was the apostle Matthew; whom we mentioned before; is evident; for both Mark and Luke do count him such。 First; Mark saith; Christ found him when he called him; as he also found Matthew; sitting at the receipt of custom; yea; Luke words it thus: 〃He went forth; and saw a publican; named Levi; sitting at the receipt of custom; and he said unto him; Follow me;〃 Mark ii。 14; Luke v。 27。
Now; that this Levi; or James the son of Alpheus; was a Jew; his name doth well make manifest。 Besides; had there been among the apostles any more Gentiles save Simon the Canaanite; or if this Levi James had been here; I think the Holy Ghost would; to distinguish him; have included him in the same discriminating character as he did the other; when he called him 〃Simon the Canaanite;〃 Matt。 x。 4。
Matthew; therefore; and Levi or James; were both publicans; and; as I think; called both at the same time; were both publican Jews; and made by grace the apostles of Jesus Christ。
(3。) The next publican that I find by name made mention of in the Testament of Christ; is one Zaccheus。 And he was a publican; yea; for ought I know; the master of them all。 〃There was a man;〃 saith Luke; 〃named Zaccheus; which was the chief among the publicans; and he was rich;〃 Luke xix。 2。 This man; Christ saith; was a son of Abraham; that is; as other Jews were; for he spake to stop the mouths of their Pharisaical cavillations。 Besides; the Publican shewed himself to be such an one; when under a supposition of wronging any man; he had respect to the Jewish law of restoring four…fold; Exod。 xxii。 1; 2 Sam。 xii。 6。
It is further manifest that he was a Jew; because Christ puts him among the lost; to wit; among the lost sheep of the house of Israel; ver。 10; and Matt。 xv。 24; for Zaccheus was one that might properly be said to be lost; and that in the Jews' account: lost; I say; and that not only in the most common sense; by reason of transgression against the law; but for that he was an apostate Jew; not with reference to heathenish religion; but as to heathenish; cruel; and barbarous actions; and therefore he was; as the other; by his brethren;