Nine Sermons, Sermon 7
SERMON VII.
The Phariſee and Publican.
LUKE xviii. 14.
I tell you this Man went down to his Houſe juſtified rather than the other. For every one that exalteth himſelf ſhall be ab…ſed, and he that humbleth himſelf ſhall be exalted.
THO' there be ſome who dare wholly deny the Lord Jeſus, and diſbelieve the Revelation he has been pleaſed to give us, and thereby bring upon themſelves ſwift Deſtruction, yet I would charitably hope there are but few, if any ſuch among you, to whom I am now to preach the Kingdom of God—Was I do aſk you, How you expect to be juſtified in the Sight … an offended God? I ſuppoſe you would anſwer, only for the Sake of … Lord Jeſus Chriſt—But was I to come more home to your Conſciences, I fear moſt would make the Lord Jeſus but in part their Saviour, and go about, as it were, to eſtabliſh a Righteouſneſs of their own—I believe this is not a thinking … to the Rules of Chriſtian Charity—For we are all ſelf-righteous by Nature—It is as natural for us to turn back to a Covenant of Works, as for the Sparks to fly upwards—We have had ſo many legal, and ſo few Free-grace Preachers for theſe many Years, that moſt Profeſſors now ſeem to be ſettled upon their Lees, … rather deſerve the Title o… Phariſees than Chriſtians.
Thus it was with the Generality of the People during the Time of our Lord's public Miniſtrations. And therefore, in almoſt all his Diſcourſes, he preached the Goſpel to poor Sinners, and denounced terrible Woes againſt proud, S…lf-Juſticia…es—The Parable, to which the Words of the Text belong, looks both theſe Ways—For the Evangeliſt informs us, (Ver. 9.) that our Lord ſpake it unto certain that truſted in themſelves that they were righteous, and diſpiſed others—And a notable Parable it is—A Parable worthy your moſt ſerious Attention—He that hath Ears to hear, let him hear what Jeſus Chriſt ſpeaks to all viſible Profeſſors in it.
Ver. 10. Two Men, ſays our Lord, w…n up to the Temple to pray, (and never two Men of more oppoſite Characters) the one a Phariſee, and the other a Publican —The Phariſees were the ſtricteſt Sect among the Jews—… was of the ſtricteſt Sect of the Phariſees, ſay▪ St. Paul—They prayed often, not only ſo▪ but they made long Prayers, and that they might appear extraordinary devout, they would … the Corners of the Street, where two … that People going or coming, both Way, … ſee them—They made broad, as our Lord … forms us, the Borders of their …, i. e. they had Pieces of Parchment ſown to their … Robes (which we are told they …) on … ſome Parts of the Scripture were written, … People might from thence infer, that they were Lovers of the Law of God. They were very punctual and … in outward Purifications, … that they waſhed at their going out and coming in—They held the Waſhing of Pots, … Veſſels, and Tables, and many other ſuch like Things they did—They were very zealous for the Tradition of the Fathers, and for the Obſervation of the Rites and Ceremonies of the Church, notwithſtanding they frequently made void the Law of God by their Traditions—And they were ſo exceeding exact in the outward Obſervation of the Sabbath, that they condemned our Lord for a little Clay with his Spittle, and called him a Sinner, and ſaid, he was not of God, becauſe he had given Sight to a Man born blind, on the Sabbath Day—For theſe Reaſons they were had in high Veneration among the People, who were ſadly miſled by theſe blind Guides—They had therefore the uppermoſt Places in the Synagogues, and Greetings in the … Places (which they loved dearly) and were called of Men, Rabbi, Rabbi—In ſhort, they had ſuch a Reputaton for Piety, that it became a Proverb … the Jews, that if there were but two Men … the one of them m…ſt be a Phariſee.
… the Publicans, it … not ſo with them—… they were ſometimes Jews, or at leaſt … of the Gate—(For we find one here … up to the Temple)—But for the Gene…ty I am apt to think they were … —… they were Gatherers of the Roman Taxes, and … to amaſs much Wealth (as appears by the Confeſſion of Zaccheus, one of the chief of 'em) … wronging Men by falſe Accuſation. They were ſo univerſally infamous, that our Lord himſelf tells his Diſciples, the excommunicated Man ſhould be to them as a Heathen Man, or a Publican—And the Phariſees thought it a ſufficient impeachment of our Lord's Character, that he was a Friend to Publicans and Sinners, and went to ſit down with them at Meat.
But however they diſagreed in other Things, they agreed in this, viz. that Publick Worſhip is a Duty incumbent upon all. For they both came up to the Temple—The very Heathens were Obſervers of Temple-Worſhip. We have very early Notice of Men's ſacrificing to, and calling upon the Name of the Lord in the Old Teſtament. And I find it no where contradicted in the New—Our Lord and his Apoſtles went up to the Temple, and we are commanded by … Apoſtle, not to forſake the aſſembling our ſelves …, as the Manner of too many is in our …ays; and ſuch too, as would have us think … of them, tho' they ſeldom or never tread …e Courts of the Lord's Houſe—But tho' our Devotions begin in our Cloſets, they muſt not end there—And if People never ſhew their Devotions abroad, I muſt ſuſpect they have little … none at Home—"Two Men went up to the Temple." And what went they thither for … Not (… Multitudes among us do) to make the … God a Houſe … or turn it into a Den of Thieves, much leſs to … the Preacher, or diſturb the Congregation. No, they came to the Temple, ſays our Lord, to pray. For thither ſhould the Tribes of God's ſpiritual Iſrael go up to talk with, and pour out their Hearts before the mighty God of Jacob.
"Two Men went up to the Temple to pray"—I …ear one of them forgot his Errand—I have often been at a Leſs what to call the Phariſee's Addreſs—It certainly does not deſerve the Name of a Prayer—He may rather be ſaid to come to the Temple to boaſt, than to pray—For I do not and one Word of Confeſſion of his original Guilt.—Not one ſingle Petition for Pardon of his paſt actual Sins, or for Grace to help and aſſiſt him for the Time to come—He only brings in God as it were a Reckoning of his Performance and does that, which no Fleſh can juſtly do, I mean glory in his Preſence.
Ver. 11. The Phariſee ſtood, and prayed thus with himſelf—God I thank thee that I am … other Men are, Extortioners, Unjuſt, Adulter… … or even as this Publican.
Our Lord firſt takes Notice of his Poſture The Phariſee ſtood, &c. He is not to be condemned for that—For ſtanding, as well as kneel— …, is a proper Poſture … Prayer. When you … praying, …—Tho' ſometimes our Lord kneeled, … on his Face upon the Ground—His Apoſtles alſo kneeled, as we … in the Acts—Which has made me wonder … ſome, … ſo … to ſtandin… in Family, as well as publick Prayer, that they will not kneel, notwithſtanding … kneel that are around them. I fear there … ſomething of the Phariſee in this Conduct—Kneeling and ſtanding are indifferent, if the Knee of the Soul be bent, and the Heart upright towards God. We ſhould ſtudy not to be particular in indifferent Things, leſt we offend weak Mind▪—What th… Phariſee is remarked for, is his ſtanding by himſelf—For the Words may be render'd, he ſtood by himſelf upon ſome eminent Place, at the upper Part of the Temple, near the Holy of Holies, that the Congregation might ſee what a devout Man he was—Or it may be underſtood as we read it—He prayed by himſelf, or of himſelf, out of his own Heart—He did not pray by Form—It was an Extempore Prayer—For there are many Phariſees that pray and preach too Extempore—I do not ſee why theſe may not be acquired, as well as other Arts and Sciences—A Man, with a good Elocution, ready Turn of Thought▪ and good Memory, may repeat his own or other Mens Sermons, and by the Help of a Wilkins or Hea…, may pray ſeemingly excellently well, and yet not have the leaſt Grain of true Grace in his Heart—And I ſpeak this not to cry down Extempore Prayer, or to diſcourage thoſe dear Souls … pray by the Spirit—I only would … give a Word of Repro…f to th…ſe … Prayer, that … that uſe Forms, … only as others … wrong—Not … one that prays Extempore is a ſpiritual, nor … one that prays with a Form, a formal M…n—Let us not judge one …—Let not him that uſe a Form, judge him that prays Extempore, on that Acc…nt▪ and let not him that prays Extempore, deſpiſe him that uſes a F…rm The Phariſee ſtood and prayed th…s by him … Which may ſignify alſo praying inwardly in … Heart—For there i… a Way (and that an excellent One too) of praying when we cannot ſpeak—Thus H…ah prayed when ſhe ſpoke not out aloud, only her Lips m…ved—Thus God ſays to Moſes, Why cryed then, when it is plain, he did not ſpeak a Word. This is what the Apoſtle means by the Spirit making Inter…ſſion for Believers, with Groani…s which cannot …. For there are Times when the Soul is too big to ſpeak—When God fill it as it were and … ſhadows it with his Preſence, ſo that it can only fall down, worſhip, adore, and lie in the Duſt before the Lord—Again, there is a Time when the Soul is benumbed, barren, and dry, and the Believer has not a Word to ſay to his dear heavenly Father▪ and then the Heart only can ſpeak. And I mention this for the Encouragement of weak Chriſtians, who think they never are accepted, but when they have a Flow of Words, and fancy they do not pleaſe God at the Bottom, for no other Reaſon, but becauſe they do not pleaſe themſelves—Such would do well to conſider, that God knows the Language of the Heart and the Mind of the Spirit, and that we make Uſe of Words, not to inform God, but to affect ourſelves—Whenever therefore any of you find yourſelves in ſuch a Frame, be not diſcouraged—Offer yourſelves up in Silence before God, as Clay in the Hands of the Potter, for him …o write and ſtamp his own divine Image upon your Souls—But I believe the Phariſee knew nothing of this Way of Prayer—He was ſelf-righteous, a Stranger to the divine Life, and therefore eithe… of the forme. Explanations may be beſt put upon theſe Words— He ſtood, and prayed thus with himſelf—God I thank thee that I am not …as other Men are, Ext…rtioner, Unjuſt, Adulterer, or even as this Publican —Here is ſome Appearance of Devotion, but it is only in Appearance—To thank God that we are not Ex…rtieners, Unjuſt, Adulterers, and as wicked in our Practices as other Men are, is certainly me… right, and our bounden Duty. For whatever Degrees of Goodneſs there may be in us, more than in others, it is owing to God's reſtraining, preventing, and aſſiſting Grace—We are all equally conceived and born in Sin—All equally fallen ſhort of the Glory of God, and … to all the Curſes and Maledictions of the Law, … that he that glorieth, muſt glory only in the Lord—For none of us have any thing which we did not receive; and whatever we have received, we did not in the leaſt merit it, or could we lay the leaſt Claim to it on any Account whatever—We are wholly indebted to Free Grace for all—Had the Phariſee thought thus▪ when he ſaid, "God I thank thee that I am not as other Men are," it would have been an excellent Introduction to his Prayer—But he was a Free-willer, as well as ſelf-righteous (for he that is one, muſt be the other) and thought by his own Power and Strength, he had kept himſelf from theſe Vices—And yet I do not … what Reaſon he had to truſt in himſelf that he was righteous, merely becauſe he was not an Extortioner, Unjuſt, Adulterer—For all this while he might be, as he certainly was, (as is alſo every ſelf-righteous Perſon) as proud as the Devil—But he not only boaſts, but lies before God (as all Self-juſticaries will be found Liars here or hereafter.) He thanks God that he was not Unjuſt—But is it not an Act of the higheſt Injuſtice to rob God of his Prerogative? Is it not an Act of Injuſtice to judge our Neighbour? And yet of both theſe Crimes this ſelf-righteous Vaunter is guilty—Even as this Publican—He ſeems to ſpeak with the utmoſt Diſdain—This Publican, perhaps he pointed at the poor Man, that others might treat him with the like Contempt—Thou proud, confident Boaſter▪ What hadſt thou to do with that poor Publican? Suppoſing other Publicans were Unjuſt, and Extortioners, did it therefore follow that he muſt be ſo? Or if he had been ſuch a Sinner, How knoweſt thou but he has repented of thoſe Sins… … coming up to the Temple to pray, … one … Sign of a Reformation at leaſt—Thou art therefore inexcuſable, O Phariſee, who thus judgeſt the Publican—For thou that judgeſt him to be unjuſt▪ art in the very Act of judging, unjuſt thyſelf—Thy Sacrifice … only the Sacrifice of a Fool.
We have ſeen the… what the Phariſee's negative Goodneſs comes to; I think nothing at all—Let us ſee how far his poſitive Goodneſs extends—For if we are truly religious, we ſhall not only eſchew Evil, but alſo do Good— I faſt, ſays he, twice in the Week—I give Tithes of all that I poſſeſs.
The Phariſee is not here condemned for h… Faſting, for Faſting is a Chriſtian Duty—When you faſt, ſays our Lord, thereby taking it for granted that his Diſciples would faſt—And when the bridegroom ſhall be taken away, th…n ſhall they faſt in thoſe Days. In faſting often, ſays the Apoſtle, and all that would not be Caſt…ways, will take Care, as their Privilege, without legal Conſtraint, to keep their Bodies under, and bring them into Subjection: The Phariſee is only condemned for making a Righteouſneſs of his Faſting, and thinking that God would ac…pt him, or that he was any better than his Neighbours merely on Account of his Faſting. This i… what he is blamed for. The Phariſee … not to be commended for faſting twice in … Week—I wiſh Chriſtians would imitate him … in this. But to depend on Faſting in the … Juſtification in the Sight of God, was really abominable. I give Tythes of all that I poſſeſs. He might as well have ſaid, I pay Tythes—But Self-righteous People (whatever they may ſay to the contrary) think they give ſomething to God—I give Tythes of all that I poſſeſs—I make Conſcience of giving Tythes, not only of all that the Law requires, but of my Mint, Annice, and Cummin, of all Things whatſoever that I poſſeſs—This was well. To pay Tythes when required by the Laws of the Land, is certainly our Duty—But to boaſt of ſuch Things, or of Faſting, is Phariſaical & Deviliſh. And now then let us ſum up all the Righteouſneſs of this boaſting Phariſee, and ſee what little Reaſon he had to truſt in himſelf that he was righteou…, or to deſpiſe others. He is not Unjuſt, (but we have only his ba…e Word for that, I think I have proved to the contrary.) He i… no Adulterer, no Extortioner, he faſts twice in the Week, and gives Tythes of all that he poſſeſſes.—And all this he might do, and a great deal more, and yet be a Child of the Devil. For here is no Mention made of his loving the Lord his God with all his Heart, which was the firſt and great Commandment of the Law.—Here's not a ſingle Syllable of inward Religion—And he was not a true Jew, who was only one outwardly. And 'tis only an outſide Piety at the beſt—Inwardly he is full of Pride, Self-Juſtification, Free-will, and great Uncharitableneſs.
Were not the Phariſees, do you think, highly offended at this Character? For they might eaſily know it was ſpoken againſt them▪ And tho' perhaps ſome of you may be offended at me, yet out of Love I muſt tell you, I fear this Parable is ſpoken againſt many of you.—For are there not many of you, who go up to the Temple to pray, with no better Spirit than this Phariſee did? And becauſe you faſt, it may be in the Lent, or every Friday, and becauſe you do No-body any Harm, receive the Sacrament, pay Tythes, give an Alms now and then, think that you are ſafe, and truſt in yourſelves that you are righteous, and inwardly deſpiſe thoſe, who do not come up to you in theſe outward Duties? This I am perſuaded is the Caſe of many of you, tho' alas! it is a deſperate one, as I ſhall endeavour to ſhew at the Cloſe of this Diſcourſe.
Let us now take a View of the Publican. Ver. 13. 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.
The Publican ſtanding afar off—Perhaps in the outward Court of the Temple, conſcious to himſelf that he was not worthy to approach the Holy of Holies—So conſcious, and ſo weighed down with a Senſe of his own Unworthineſs, that he would not ſo much as lift up his Eyes unto Heaven, which he knew was God's Throne—Poor Heart! what did he feel at this Time! None but Returning Publicans, like himſelf, can …—Methinks I ſee him ſtanding afar off, per…ve, oppreſſed, and even overwhelmed with Sorrow—Sometimes he attempts to look up— But then, thinks he, the Heavens are unclean in God's Sight, and the very Angels are charged with Folly, how then ſhall ſuch a Wretch … dare to lift up my guilty Head!—And to ſhew that his Heart was full of holy Self-Reſentment, and that he ſorrowed after a godly Sort, he ſmote upon his Breaſt, the Word in the Original implies, that he ſtruck hard upon his Breaſt: For he will lay the Blame upon none but his own wicked Heart. He will not, like unhumbled Adam, tacitly lay the Fault of his Vileneſs upon God, and ſay, the Paſſions which thou gaveſt me, they deceived me, and I ſinned—He is too penitent thus to reproach his Maker—He ſmites upon his Breaſt, his treacherous, ungreatful, deſperately wicked Breaſt—A Breaſt now ready to burſt, and at length, out of the Abundance of his Heart, I doubt not, with many Tears, he a…laſt crys out, God be merciful to me a Sinner—Not God be merciful to yonder proud Phariſee—He found enough in himſelf to vent his Reſentment againſt, without looking abroad upon others—Not God be merciful to me a Saint—For he knew all his Righteouſneſſes were but filthy Rags—Not God be merciful to ſuch or ſuch a one, but God be merciful to me, even to me a Sinner—A Sinner by Birth—A Sinner in Thought, Word, and Deed—A Sinner as to my Perſon—A Sinner as to all my Performances—A Sinner in whom is no Health, in whom dwelleth no good Thing—A Sinner poor, miſerable, blind and naked, from the Crown of the Head, to the Sole of the Feet, f…ll of Wounds, and Bruiſes, and …trifying Sores—A ſelf-accuſed, ſelf-condemned Sinner—What think you? Would this Publican been offended if any Miniſter had told … that he deſerved to be damned? Would he … been angry, if any one had told him, that … Nature he was half a Devil and half a Beaſt?
He would have confeſſed a thouſand Hells have been his due, and that he was an earthly, …, deviliſh Sinner—He felt now what a …eadful Thing it was to depart from the living …—He felt that he was inexcuſable every Way—that he could in no wiſe, upon Account …any Thing in himſelf, he juſtified in the Sight … God—And therefore lays himſelf at the Feet … ſovereign Mercy, "God be merciful to me a … Sinner"—Here's no Confidence in the Fleſh, … Plea fetch'd from Faſting, paying Tythes, or … Performance of any other Duty—Here's no …aſting, that he was not an Extortioner, Unjuſt, or an Adulterer—Perhaps he had been guilty of all theſe Crimes, at leaſt he knew he ſhould have … guilty of all theſe had he been left to follow the Devices and Deſires of his own Heart; and therefore, with a broken and contrite Spirit, he crys out, "God be merciful to me a Sinner."
This Man came up to the Temple to pray, and he prayed indeed—And a broken and contrite Heart God will not deſpiſe. I tell you, ſays our Lord—I who lay in the Boſom of the Father from all Eternity—I who am God, and therefore know all Things—I who can neither deceive, nor be deceived, whoſe Judgment is according to Right—I tell you, whatever you may think of it, or think of me for telling you ſo, this Man, this Publican, this deſpiſed, ſinful, but broken-hearted Man, went down to his Houſe juſtified (acquitted, and looked upon as Righteous in the Sight of God) rather than the other.
Let Phariſees take Heed that they do not pervert this Text—For when it is ſaid, this Man went down to his Houſe juſtified rather than the other—Our Lord does not mean that both were juſtified, and that the Publican had rather more Juſtification than the Phariſee—But it implies, either that the Publican was actually juſtified, … the Phariſee was not; or, that the Publican … in a better Way for Juſtification, or in a better Frame to receive it, than the Phariſee—According to our Lord's Saying— The Publicans and Harlots enter into the Kingdom of Heaven before you —That the Phariſee was not juſtified is certain—For God reſiſteth the Proud, and that the Publican was at this Time actually juſtified (and perhaps went home with a Senſe of it in his Heart) we have great Reaſon to infer from the latter Part of the Text— For every one that exalteth himſelf ſhall be abaſed, and he that humbleth himſelf ſhall be exalted.
The Parable therefore now ſpeaks to all that hear me this Day—For that our Lord intended it for our Learning is evident, from his making ſuch a general Application—For every one, ſays he, that exalteth himſelf ſhall be abaſed, and he that humbleth himſelf ſhall be exalted.
The Parable of the Publican and Phariſee is but as it were a Glaſs wherein we may ſee the different Diſpoſition of all Mankind. For all Mankind may be divided into two general Claſſes▪—Either they truſt wholly in themſelves, or in Part, that they are righteous, and then they are Phariſees; or they have no Confidence in the Fleſh, are ſelf-condemned Sinners, and then they come under the Character of the Publican juſt now diſcourſed of—And we may add alſo, that the different Reception theſe M…n met with, points out to us in lively Colours, the different Treatment the ſelf-juſticiary and ſelf-condemned Criminal will meet with at the terrible Day of Judgment. Every one that exalts himſelf ſhall be abaſed, but he that humbleth himſelf ſhall be exalted.
Every one, without Exception, Young or Old, High or Low, Rich or Poor (for God is no Reſpecter of Perſons) every one, whoſoever he be, that exalteth himſelf, and not Free Grace, every one that truſteth in himſelf that he is righteous, that reſts in his Duties, or thinks to join them with the Righteouſneſs of Jeſus Chriſt for Juſtification in the Sight of God, tho' he be no Adulterer, no Extortioner, tho' he be not outwardly Unjuſt, nay, tho' he faſt twice in the Week, and gives Tythes of all that he poſſeſſes, yet ſhall he be abaſed in the Sight of all good M…n that know him here, and before Men and Angels, and God himſelf, when Jeſus Chriſt comes to appear in Judgment hereafter? How low? None but the Almighty God can tell—He ſhall be abaſed to live with Devils, and make his Abode in the loweſt Hell for evermore.
Hear this, all ye Self-Juſticiaries, tremble and behold your Doom!—A dreadful Doom, more dreadful than Words can expreſs, or Thought conceive—If you refuſe to humble yourſelves, after hearing this Parable, I call Heaven and Earth to witneſs againſt you this Day, that God ſhall viſit you with all his Storms, and pour all the Vials of his Wrath upon your rebelli…us Heads—You exalted yourſelves here, and God ſhall abaſe you hereafter—You are as proud as the Devil, and with Devils ſhall you dwell to all Eternity—Be not deceived—God is not mocked—He ſees your Hearts—He knows all Things—And, notwithſtanding you may come …p to the Temple to pray, your Prayers are turned into Sin, and you go down to your Houſes unjuſtified, if you are Self-Juſticiaries. And do you know what it is to be unjuſtified? Why, if you are unjuſtified, the Wrath of God abideth upon you. You are in your Blood—All the Curſes of the Law belong to you. Curſed are you when you go out—Curſed are you when you come in—Curſed are your Thoughts, curſed are your Words, curſed are your Deeds … Every thing you do, ſay, or think, from Morning to Night, is only one continued Series of Sin. However highly you may be eſteemed in the Sight of Men—However you may be honoured with the uppermoſt Seats in the Synagogues in the Church militant, you will have no Place in the Church … Humble yourſelves therefore under the mighty Hand of God—Pull down every ſelf-righteous Thought, and every proud Imagination, that now exalteth itſelf againſt the perfect, perſonal, imputed Righteouſneſs of the dear Lord Jeſus—For he, and he alone that humbleth himſelf ſhall be exalted.
He that humbleth himſelf, whatever he be. If inſtead of Faſting twice in the Week, he has got drunk twice in the Week—If inſtead of giving Tythes of all that he poſſeſſes, has cheated the Miniſter of his Tythes, and King of his Taxes; notwithſtanding he be Unjuſt, Extortioner, Adulterer, nay, notwithſtanding the Sins of all Mankind be center'd and united in him▪ yet if through Grace, like the Publican, he i… enabled to humble himſelf, he ſhall be exalted—Not in a temporal Manner—For Chriſtians muſt rather expect to be abaſed, and to have their Names caſt out as Evil, and to lay down their Lives for Chriſt Jeſus in this World. But he ſhall be exalted in a ſpiritual Senſe—He ſhall be freely juſtified from all his Sins by the Blood of Jeſus—He ſhall have Peace with God, a Peace which paſſeth all Underſtanding—Not only Peace, but Joy in Believing—He ſhall be tranſlated from the Kingdom of Satan, to the Kingdom of God's dear Son—He ſhall dwell in Chriſt, and Chriſt in him. He ſhall be one with Chriſt, and Chriſt one with him. He ſhall drink of divine Pleaſures, as out of a River. He ſhall be ſanctified throughout in Spirit, Soul and Body▪ …n one▪ Word, he ſhall be filled with all the Fulneſs of God—Thus ſhall the Man that humbleth himſelf be exalted here—But oh, how high ſhall he be exalted hereafter! As high as the higheſt Heavens, even to the Right-hand of God—There … ſhall ſit happy both in Soul and Body, and judge Angels, high out of the Reach of all Sin and Trouble, eternally ſecure from all Danger of falling O Sinners, did you but know how highly God intends to exalt thoſe who humble themſelves, and believe in Jeſus, ſurely you would humble yourſelves, at leaſt beg of God to humble you—For it is he that muſt ſtrike the Rock of your Hearts, & cauſe Floods of contrite Tears to flow out there from. And Oh, that God would give this Sermon ſuch a Commiſſion, as he once gave the Rod of Moſes! I would ſtrike you through and through with the Rod of his Word, … ▪ each of you was brought to cry out with the poor Publican, God be merciful to me a Sinner—What Pleaſant Language would this be in the …ars of the Lord of Sabbaoth! Are there no poor Sinners among you? What are you all Phariſees? Surely you cannot bear the Thoughts of returning home unjuſtified, can you? What if a … of the Apoplexy ſhould ſeize you, and your Souls be hurried away before the awful Judge of Quick and Dead? What will you do without Chriſt's Righteouſneſs? If you go out of the World unjuſtified, you muſt remain ſo for ever. Oh, that you would humble yourſelves, then would the Lord exalt you—It may be, that whilſt I am ſpeaking, the Lord might juſtify you freely by his Grace—I obſerved, that perhaps the Publican had a Senſe of his Juſtification … he went from the Temple, and know that … was ſealed in Heaven—And who … but you may be thus exalted before you … if you humble yourſelves? Oh, … Peace, …, and Joy, would you th…n feel … your Hearts▪ You would have a Heaven upon E…th—Oh, that I could … any of you … (as I once heard a poor Sinner under my Preaching cry out) He is come, He is come! How would you then, like him, … a precious Chriſt, a free-hearted Chriſt▪ How would you magnify him for being ſuch a Friend to Publicans and Sinners? Greater Love can no Man ſhew, than to lay down his Life for a Friend▪ But Chriſt laid down his Life for his Enemies—Even for you, if you are enabled to humble yourſelves, as the Publican did—Sinners▪ I know not how to leave off talking with you—I would fill my Mouth with Arguments—I would plead with you—Come, let us reaſon together—Tho' your Sins …e as Scarlet, yet, if you humble yourſelves, they ſhall be as white as Snow—One Act of true … in Chriſt juſtifies you for ever and ever▪ He h… not promiſed you what he cannot perform—He … able to exalt you—For God hath exalted, and given him a Name above every Name, that a… the Name of Jeſus every Knee ſhall bow—Nay▪ God … him to be not only a Prince, but a Saviour … May he be a Saviour to you▪ and then I … have Reaſon to rejoice in the Day of …, that … preached in vain … laboured in ….