Fifteen 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 abaſed: and he that humbleth himſelf, ſhall be exalted.
THOUGH there be ſome who dare to 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 to aſk you, how you expect to be juſtified in the ſight of an offended God? I ſuppoſe you would anſwer, only for the ſake of our 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. And this is not thinking contrary 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, and rather deſerve the title of 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 ſelf-juſticiaries. The parable to which the words of the text belong, looks both theſe ways: For the evangeliſt informs as, (ver. 9) that our Lord ſpake it unto certain who truſted in themſelves, than they were righteous, and depiſed 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. 16. "Two men went 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. I was of the ſtricteſt ſect of the Phariſees ſays Paul. They prayed often; not only ſo, but they made long prayers; and, that they might appear extraordinary devout, they would pray at the corners of the ſtreet, where two ways met, that people going or coming, both ways, might ſee them. They made broad (as our Lord informs us) the borders of their philacteries, they had pieces of parchment ſown to their long robes, on which ſome parts of the ſcripture were written, that people might from thence infer, that they were lovers of the law of God. They were ſo very punctual and exact in outward purifications, that they waſhed at their going out and coming in. They held the waſhing of pots, brazen veſſels and tables, and many other ſuch like things they did. They were very zealous for the traditions 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 exceedingly exact in the outward obſervation of the Sabbath, that they condemned our Lord for making 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 the uppermoſt places in the ſynagogues, and greetings in the market places (which they loved dearly) and were called of men, Rabbi; in ſhort, they had ſuch a reputation for piety, that it became a proverb among the Jews, that if there were but two men ſaved, the one of them muſt be a Phariſee.
As for the Publicans it was not ſo with them. It ſeems they were ſometimes Jews, or at leaſt proſelytes of the gate; for we find the one here coming up to the temple; but for the generality, I am apt to think they were Gentiles; for they were gatherers of the Roman taxes, and uſed to amaſs much wealth (as appears by the confeſſion of Zaccheus one of the chief of them) by wronging men by falſe accuſations. 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, that public 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 the apoſtle, not to forſake the aſſembling of ourſelves together, as the manner of too many is in our days; and ſuch too, as would have us think well of them, though they ſeldom or never tread the courts of the Lord's houſe. But, though 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 or none at home. "Two men went up to the temple." And what went they thither for? Not (as multitudes amongſt us do) to make the houſe of God a houſe of merchandiſe, or to turn it into a den of thieves; much leſs to ridicule the preacher, or diſturb the congregation. No, they came to the temple, ſays our Lord, to pray. Thither ſhould the tribes of God's ſpiritual Iſrael go up, to walk with and pour out their hearts before the mighty God of Jacob.
"Two men went up to the temple to pray." I fear one of them forgot his errand. I have often been at a loſs 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 find 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 performances, and does that, which no fleſh can juſtly do, I mean, glory in his preſence.
Verſe 11. 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.
Our Lord firſt takes notice of his poſture; the Phariſee ſtood, he is not to be condemned for that … for ſtanding, as well as kneeling, is a proper … for prayer. When you ſtand praying, ſays our Lord; though ſometimes our Lord kneeled, nay, lay flat on his face upon the ground; his apoſtles alſo kneeled, as we read in the Acts, which has made me wonder at ſome, who are ſo bigotted to ſtanding in family as well as public prayer that they will not kneel, notwithſtanding all kneel that are around them. I fear there is ſomething of the Phariſee is this conduct. Kneeling and ſtanding are indifferent, if the knee of the ſoul be bent, and the hear upright towards God. We ſhould ſtudy not to be particular in indifferent things, leſt we offend weak minds. What the Phariſee is remarked for, is his ſtanding by himſelf: For the words may be rendered, he ſtood by himſelf, upon ſome eminent place, at the upper part of the temple, near the holy of …, 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 ſeen 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 men's ſermons, and by the help of … Wilkins or Henry, 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 duplicate page who really pray by the Spirit: I only would hereby give a word of reproof to thoſe who are to bigotted to extempore prayer, that they condemn, at leaſt judge, all that uſe forms, as though not ſo holy and heavenly, as others who pray without them. Alas! this is wrong. Not every one that prays extempore is a ſpiritual, nor every one that prays with a form, a formal man. Let us not judge one another; let not him that uſes a form, judge him that prays extempore, on that account; and let not him that prays extempore, deſpiſe him who uſes a form. "The Phariſee ſtood, and prayed thus by himſelf." Which may ſignify alſo praying inwardly in his heart; for there is a way (and that an excellent one too) of praying when we cannot ſpeak; thus Anna prayed when ſhe ſpoke not aloud, only her lips moved. Thus God ſays to Moſes, Why crieſt thou? when it is plain, he did not ſpeak a word. This is what the apoſtle means by the Spirit making interceſſion (for believers) with groanings which cannot be uttered. For there are times when the ſoul is too big to ſpeak; when God fills as it were, and overſhadows 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 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. When ever 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, … him to 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, … ſtranger to the divine life and therefore either … the former explanations may be beſt put upon … words. He ſtood, and prayed thus with himſelf God, I thank thee that I am not as other … are, extortioners, unjuſt, adulterers, or even … this Publican. Here is ſome appearance of devotion, but it is only in appearance. To … God, that we are not extortioners, unjuſt, …, and as wicked in our practices, at other men …, is certainly meet, right, and our bounde… duty: for whatever degrees of goodneſs there may be in us, more than in others, it is owing to God… reſtraining, preventing, and aſſiſting grace. We are all equally conceived and born in ſin; all are fallen ſhort of the glory of God, and liable to all the curſes and maledictions of the law; ſo that … that glorieth, muſt glory only in the Lord. For none of us have any thing which he did not receive, and whatever we have received, we did not in the leaſt merit it, nor 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 … are. it would have been an excellent introduct…. … his prayer: but he was a free-willer, as well as ſelf-righteous, (for he that is the 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 ſee 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-juſticiaries 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, the 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? His coming up to the temple to pray, is one good 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 is only the ſacrifice of a fool.
We have ſeen what the Phariſee's negative goodneſs comes to; I think, nothing at all. … us now ſee how far his poſitive goodneſs extends; for, if we are truly religious, we ſhall not eſchew evil, but alſo do good: "I faſt twice in the week, I give tithes of "all that I poſſeſs."
The Phariſee is not here condemned for his 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, then ſhall they faſt in thoſe days. In faſting often, ſays the apoſtle. And all that would not be caſt-aways, 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 righteouſueſs of his faſting, and thinking that God would accept him, or that he was any better then his neighbours, merely on account of his faſting: this is what he was blamed for. The Phariſee was not to be diſcommended for faſting twice in a week; I wiſh ſome Chriſtians would imitate him more in this: but to depend on faſting in the leaſt, for his juſtification in the fight of God was really abominable. "I give tithes of all that I poſſeſs:" He might as well have ſaid, I pay tithes. But ſelf righteous people (whatever they may ſay to the contrary) think they give-ſomething to God. I give tithes, of all that I poſſeſs: I make conſcience of giving tithes, not only of all that the law requires, but of my mint, anniſe, and cummin, of all things whatſoever I poſſeſs; this was well; but to boaſt of ſuch things, or of faſting, is Phariſaical and deviliſh. 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 righteous, or to deſpiſe others. He is not unjuſt (but we have only his word for that, I think I have proved the contrary;) he is no adulterer, no extortioner; he faſts twice in the week, and gives tithes 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 is not a ſingle ſyllable of inward religion; and he was not a true Jew, who was only one outwardly. It is 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 that it was ſpoken againſt them. And though 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 nobody any harm, receive the ſacrament, pay tithes, and give an alms now and then; you 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, though, 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, verſe 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 tell. Methinks I ſee him ſtanding afar off, penſive, oppreſſed, and even overwhelmed with ſorrow; ſometimes he attempts to look up; but then; thinks he, the heavens are unclean … God's ſight, and the very angels are charged with folly; how then ſhall ſuch a wretch as I, 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: he will lay the blame upon none but his own wicked heart. He will not, like unhumbled Adam, tacitly lay the fault of his … upon God, and ſay, the paſſions which thou … me, they deceived me, and I ſinned: he is … penitent thus to reproach his Maker; he ſmites upon his breaſt; his treacherous, ungrateful, deſpera… ly wicked breaſt; a breaſt now ready to burſt; and at length, out of the abundance of his heart, I … not with many tears, he at laſt cries 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 … 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, full of wounds, and bruiſes, and putrifying ſores; a ſelf-accuſed, ſelf-condemned ſinner. What think you? would this Publican have been offended if any miniſter had told him that he deſerved to be damned? would he have been angry, if any one had told him, that by nature he was half a devil and half a beaſt? No: he would have confeſſed a thouſand hells to have been his due, and that he was an earthly, deviliſh ſinner. He felt now what a dreadful thing it was to depart from the living God: he felt that he was inexcuſable every way: that he could in nowiſe, upon account of any thing in himſelf, be juſtified in the ſight of God; and therefore lays himſelf at the feet of ſovereign mercy, "God be merciful to me a ſinner." Here is no confidence in the fleſh, no plea fetched from faſting, paying tithes, or the performance of any other duty; here is no boaſting that he was not an extortioner, unjuſt, or an adulterer. Perhaps he had been guilty of all theſe crimes, at leaſt he knew he would have been 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 cries 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 a 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 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, but the Phariſee was not; or, that the Publican was in a better way to receive juſtification, than the Phariſee; according to our Lord's ſaying, the Publicans and … enter into the kingdom of heaven before you. That the Phariſee was not juſtified is certain, … 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 who 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 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 deſcribed. And we may add alſo, that the different reception theſe men 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, though he be no adulterer, no extortioner, though he be not outwardly unjuſt, nay, though he faſt twice in the week, and gives tithes of all that he poſſeſſes; yet ſhall he be abaſed in the ſight of all good men who 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 rebellious 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 up 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 triumphant. 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 been drunk twice in the week; if, inſtead of giving tithes of all that he poſſeſſes, he has cheated the miniſter of his tithes, and king of his taxes; notwithſtanding he be unjuſt, an extortioner, an adulterer, nay, notwithſtanding the ſins of all mankind center and unite in him; yet, if through grace, like the Publican, he is 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; in one word, he ſhall be filled with all the fulneſs of God. Thus ſhall the man who humbleth himſelf be exalted here; but O how high ſhall he be exalted hereafter! as high as the higheſt heavens, even to the right hand of God: There he 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; and cauſe floods of contrite tears to flow therefrom. O that God would give this ſermon ſuch a commiſſion, as he once gave to the rod of Moſes! I would ſtrike you through and through with the rod of his word, until 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 ears 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 fit 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 righteouſueſs? If you go out of the world unjuſtified, you muſt remain ſo for ever. O 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 before he went from the temple, and knew that his pardon was ſealed in heaven: And who knows but you may be thus exalted before you go home, if you humble yourſelves? O what peace, love, and joy, would you then feel in yo… hearts! You would have a heaven upon earth. O that I could hear any of you ſay (as I once heard a poor ſinner, under my preaching, cry out) He is come, he is come! How would you then, like him, extol a precious, 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, ever 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 could plead with you. Come, let us reaſon together; though your ſins be as ſcarlet, yet if you humble yourſelves, they ſhall be as white as ſnow. One act of true faith in Chriſt juſtifies you for ever and ever; he has not promiſed you what he cannot perform; he is able to exalt you: For God hath exalted, and given him a name above every name, that at the name of Jeſus every knee ſhall bow; nay, God hath exalted him to be not only a Prince, but a Saviour. May he be a Saviour to you! and then I ſhall have reaſon to rejoice in the day of judgment, that I have not preached in vain, nor laboured in vain.