the pharisee and the publican-第30部分

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at　was　used　to　the　Son　of　God。

Here　also　we　have　our　Publican　smiting　upon　his　breast　in　token　of　indignation　against；　and　abhorrence　of；　his　former　life；　and　indeed；　without　indignation　against；　and　abhorrence　of；　his　former　life；　his　repentance　had　not　been　good。　　Wherefore　the　apostle　doth　make　indignation　against　sin；　and　against　ourselves；　one　of　the　signs　of　true　repentance；　2　Cor。　vii。　11；　and　his　indignation　against　sin　in　general；　and　against　his　former　life　in　particular；　was　manifested　by　his　smiting　upon　the　breast；　even　as　Ephraim's　smiting　upon　the　thigh　was　a　sign　and　token　of　his：　　〃Surely　（says　he）；　after　that　I　was　turned；　I　repented：　　and　after　that　I　was　instructed；　I　smote　upon　my　thigh：　　I　was　ashamed；　yea；　even　confounded；　because　I　did　bear　the　reproach　of　my　youth；〃　Jer。　xxxi。　19。　　Man；　when　he　vehemently　dislikes　a　thing；　is　very　apt　to　shew　a　dislike　to　that　thing　by　this　or　another　outward　gesture；　as　in　snuffing　or　snorting　at　it；　or　in　deriding；　or；　as　some　say；　in　blowing　of　their　noses　at　it；　Ezek。　viii。　17；　Mal。　i。　13。　　But　the　Publican　here　chooseth　rather　to　use　this　most　solemn　posture；　for　smiting　upon　the　breast　seems　to　imply　a　more　serious；　solemn；　grave　way　or　manner　of　dislike；　than　any　of　those　last　mentioned　do。

3。　　Smiting　upon　the　breast　seems　to　intimate　a　quarrel　with　the　heart；　for　beguiling；　deluding；　flattering；　seducing；　and　enticing　of　him　to　sin；　for　as　conviction　for　sin　begets　in　man　（I　mean　if　it　be　thorough）　a　sense　of　the　sore　and　plague　of　the　heart；　so　repentance　（if　it　be　right）　begets　in　man　an　outcry　against　the　heart；　forasmuch　as　by　that　light；　by　which　repentance　takes　occasion；　the　sinner　is　made　to　see　that　the　heart　is　the　fountain　and　well…spring　of　sin。　〃For　from　within；　out　of　the　heart　of　men；　proceed　evil　thoughts；　adulteries；　covetousness；〃　&c。；　Mark　vii。　21…23。　　And　hence　it　is　that　commonly　young　converts　do　complain　so　of　their　hearts；　calling　them　wicked；　treacherous；　deceitful；　desperate　ones。

Indeed；　one　difference　between　true　and　false　repentance　lieth　in　this。　　The　man　that　truly　repents　crieth　out　of　his　heart；　but　the　other；　as　Eve；　upon　the　serpent；　or　something　else。　　And　that　the　Publican　perceived　his　heart　to　be　naught；　I　conclude；　by　his　smiting　upon　his　breast。

4。　　Smiting　upon　the　breast　seems　to　intimate　one　apprehensive　of　some　new；　sudden；　strange；　and　amazing　thing；　as　when　a　man　sees　some　strange　sight　in　the　air；　or　heareth　some　sudden　or　dismal　sound　in　the　clouds；　why；　as　he　is　struck　into　a　deep　damp　in　his　mind；　so　it　is　a　wonder　if　he　can　keep　or　hold　back　from　smiting　upon　his　breast。

Now；　oftentimes　a　sight　of　God　and　sense　of　sin　comes　to　the　sinner　like　a　flash　of　lightning　（not　for　short　continuance；　but）　for　suddeness；　and　so　for　surprisal；　so　that　the　sinner　is　struck；　taken　and　captivated　to　his　own　amazement；　with　what　so　unexpectedly　is　come　upon　him。　　It　is　said　of　Paul　at　his　conversion；　that　when　conviction　of　his　bad　life　took　fast　hold　of　his　conscience；　he　trembled；　and　was　astonished　（Acts　ix。　6）；　and　although　we　read　not　of　any　particular　circumstance　of　his　behaviour　under　his　conviction　outwardly；　yet　it　is　almost　impossible　but　he　must　have　had　some；　and　those　of　the　most　solid　sort。　　For　there　is　such　a　sympathy　betwixt　the　soul　and　the　body；　that　the　one　cannot　be　in　distress　or　comfort；　but　the　other　must　partake　of　and　also　signify　the　same。　　If　it　be　comfort；　then　it　is　shewn　by　leaping；　skipping；　cheerfulness　of　the　countenance；　or　some　other　outward　gesture。　　If　it　be　sorrow　or　heaviness　of　spirit；　then　that　is　shewed　by　the　body；　in　weeping；　sighing；　groaning；　shaking　of　the　head；　a　louring　countenance；　stamping；　smiting　upon　the　thigh　or　breast；　as　here　the　Publican　did。

We　must　not；　therefore；　look　upon　these　outward　actions　or　gestures　of　the　Publican　to　be　empty；　insignificant　things；　but　to　be　such；　that　in　truth　did　express　and　shew　the　temper；　frame；　and　complexion　of　his　soul。　　For　Christ；　the　wisdom　of　God；　hath　mentioned　them　to　that　very　end；　that　in　and　by　them　might　be　held　forth；　and　that　men　might　see　as　in　a　glass；　the　very　emblem　of　a　converted　and　truly　penitent　sinner。　　He　〃smote　upon　his　breast。〃

5。　　Smiting　upon　the　breast　is　sometimes　to　signify　a　mixture　of　distrust；　joined　with　hope。　　And；　indeed；　in　young　converts；　hope　and　distrust；　or　a　degree　of　despair；　do　work　and　answer　one　another；　as　doth　the　noise　of　the　balance　of　the　watch　in　the　pocket。　　Life　and　death　is　always　the　motion　of　the　mind　then；　and　this　noise　continues　until　faith　is　stronger　grown；　and　until　the　soul　is　better　acquainted　with　the　methods　and　ways　of　God　with　a　sinner。　　Yea；　were　but　a　carnal　man　in　a　convert's　heart；　and　could　see；　he　could　discern　these　two；　to　wit；　hope　and　fear；　to　have　continual　motion　in　the　soul；　wrestling　and　opposing　one　another；　as　doth　light　and　darkness　in　striving　for　the　victory。

And　hence　it　is　that　you　find　such　people　so　fickle　and　uncertain　in　their　spirits；　now　on　the　mount；　then　in　the　valleys；　now　in　the　sunshine；　then　in　the　shade：　　now　warm；　then　frozen；　now　bonny　and　blithe；　then　in　a　moment　pensive　and　sad；　as　thinking　of　a　portion　nowhere　but　in　hell。　　This　will　cause　smiting　on　the　breast；　nor　can　I　imagine　that　the　Publican　was　as　yet　farther　than　thus　far　in　the　Christian's　progress。

6。　　Smiting　upon　the　breast　seems　to　intimate；　that　the　party　so　doing　is　very　apprehensive　of　some　great　loss　that　he　has　sustained；　either　by　negligence；　carelessness；　foolishness；　or　the　like。　　And　this　is　the　way　in　which　men　do　lose　their　souls。　　Now；　to　lose　a　thing；　a　great　thing；　the　only　choice　thing　that　a　man　has；　negligently；　carelessly；　foolishly；　or　the　like；　why；　it　puts　aggravations　into　the　thoughts　of　the　loss　that　the　man　has　sustained；　and　aggravations　into　the　thoughts　of　them　go　out　of　the　soul；　and　come　in　upon　a　sudden；　even　as　the　bailiff　or　the　king's　serjeant…at…arms；　and　at　every　appearance　of　them；　makes　the　soul　start；　and　starting；　it　smites　upon　the　breast。

I　might　multiply　particulars；　but　to　be　brief；　we　have　before　us　a　sensible　soul；　a　sorrowful　soul；　a　penitent　soul；　one　that　prays　indeed；　that　prays　sensibly；　affectionately；　effectually；　one　that　sees　his　loss；　that　fears　and　trembles　before　God　in　consideration　of　it；　and　one　that　knows　no　way　but　the　right　way；　to　secure　himself　from　perishing；　to　wit；　by　having　humble　and　hearty　recourse　to　the　God　of　heaven　for　mercy。

I　should　now　come　to　speak　something　by　way　of　use　and　application：　but　before　I　do　that；　I　will　briefly　draw　up；　and　present　you　with　a　few　conclusions　that　in　my　judgment　do　naturally　flow　from　the　text；　therefore　in　this　place　I　will　read　over　the　text　again。

〃Two　men　went　up　into　the　temple　to　pray；　the　one　a　Pharisee；　the　other　a　Publican。　　The　Pharisee　stood　and　prayed　thus　with　himself；　God；　I　thank　thee；　that　I　am　not　as　other　men　are；　extortioners；　unjust；　adulterers；　or　even　as　this　Publican。　　I　fast　twice　in　the　week；　I　give　tithes　of　all　that　I　possess。　　And　the　Publican　standing　afar　off　would　not　lift　up　so　much　as　his　eyes　unto　heaven；　but　smote　upon　his　breast；　saying；　God　be　merciful　to　me　a　sinner。〃

From　these　words　I　gather　these　several　conclusions；　with　these　inferences。

1。　　It　doth　not　always　follow；　that　they　that　pray　do　know　God；　or　love　him；　or　trust　in　him。　　This　conclusion　is　evident　by　the　Pharisee　in　the　text；　he　prayed；　but　he　knew　not　God；　he　loved　not　God；　he　trusted　not　in　God；　that　is；　he　knew　him　not　in　his　Son；　nor　loved；　nor　trusted　in　him。　　He　was；　though　a　praying　man；　far　off　from　this。

Whence　it　may　be　inferred；　that　those　that　pray　not　at　all　cannot　be　good；　cannot　know；　love；　or　trust　in　God。　　For　if　the　star；　though　it　shine；　is　not　the　sun；　then　surely　a　clod　of　dirt　cannot　be　the　sun。　Why；　a　praying　man　doth　as　far　outstrip　a　non…praying　man　as　a　star　outstrips　a　clod　of　earth。　　A　non…praying　man　lives　like　a　beast。　〃The　ox　knows　his　owner；　and　the　ass　his　master's　crib；　but　this　man　doth　not　know；　but　this　man　doth　not　consider；〃　Isa。　i。　3。　　The　prayerless　man　is　therefore　of　no　religion；　except　he　be　an　Atheist；　or　an　Epicurean。　　Therefore　the　non…praying　man　is　numbered　among　the　heathens；　and　among　those　that　know　not　God；　and　is　appointed　and　designed　by　the　sentence　of　the　word　to　the　fearful　wrath　of　God；　Psal。　lxxix。　6；　Jer。　x。　25。

2。　　A　second　conclusion　is；　That　the　man　that　prays；　if　in　his　prayer　he　pleads　for　acceptance；　either　in　whole　or　in　part；　for　his　own　good　deeds；　is　in　a　miserable　state。　　This　also　is　gathered　from　the　Pharisee　here；　he　prayed；　but　in　this　prayer　he　pleaded　his　own　good　deeds　for　acceptance；　that　is；　of　his　person；　and　therefore　went　down　to　his　house　unjustified。　　And　he　is　in　this　condition　that　doth　thus。　　The　conclusion　is　true；　forasmuch　as　the　Pharisee　mentioned　in　the　parable　is　not　so　spoken　of　for　the　sake　of　that　sect　of　men；　but　to　caution；　forewarn；　and　bid　all　men　take　heed；　that　they　by　doing　as　he；　procure　not　their　rejection　of　God；　and　be　sent　away　from　his　presence　unjustified。　　I　do　therefore　infer　from　hence；　that　if　he　that　pleadeth　his　own　good　doing　for　personal　acceptance　with　God　be　thus　miserable；　then　he　that　teacheth　men　so　to　do　is　much　more　miserable。

We　always　conclude；　that　a　ring…leader　in　an　evil　way　is　more　blame…　worthy　than　those　that　are　led　of　him。　　This　falls　hard　upon　the　leading　Socinians　and　others；　who　teach　that　men's　works　make　their　persons　accepted　of　God。

True；　they　say；　through　Christ；　but　that　is　brought　in　merely　to　delude　the　simple　with；　and　is　an　horrible　lie；　for　we　read　not　in　all　the　word　of　God　as　to　personal　justification　in　the　sight　of　God　from　the　curse　（and　that　is　the　question　under　consideration）；　that　it　must　be　by　man's　righteousness　as　made　prevalent　by　Christ's；　but　contrariwise；　by　his　and　his　only；　without　the　deeds；　works；　or　righteousness　of　the　law；　which　is　our　righteousness。　　Wherefore；　I　say；　the　teachers　and　leaders　of　this　doctrine　have　the　greater　sin。

3。　　A　third　conclusion　is；　They　that　use　high　and　flaunting　language　in　prayer；　their　simplicity　and　godly　sincerity　is　to　be　questioned　as　to　the　doing　of　that　duty　sincerely。　　This　still　flows　from　our　text；　the