Many serious and deep thoughts of penitence, and of anxiety for deliverance, were doubtless filling the breast of the publican all the while he was thus standing dejected and in silence. Unable, however, to restrain his feelings longer, he uttered the brief but most comprehensive and energetic prayer, "God be merciful to me a sinner." In these words, he made a frank and unrestrained confession of sin, acknowledging himself to be a sinner, in a strong sense of the word -one who was, by nature and practice, a sinner, one who had grievously offended. This, too, was such a confession as betokened deep inward contrition, and melting of soula conviction, not merely of the fact, but also of the evil and baseness, of the exceeding sinfulness of his sin. He felt like Job, when he said, "Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer thee?" "I will lay mine hand upon my mouth;" "I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes;" and like David, when he said, "I acknowledge my transgression, and my sin is ever before me. Against thee, thee only have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight; that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest. Behold, I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me." There was here, too, an earnest supplication for mercy, in the persuasion that nothing but mercy, strictly so called, nothing but free, unmerited, sovereign mercy, would suit his case. And it is very instructive to remark, that the word that the publican uses implies an application for mercy on the ground of an atonement. The original word is not the same with that employed by the blind man in the 38th verse of this chapter, when, applying to Christ for the restoration of his sight, he says, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me;" but it is quite a different word, and is similar to the words rendered" to make satisfaction”—“ a propitiation”—and "the mercy seat,” which was sprinkled

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vizate μul" Smiting on his breast, he chid his heart.”— Odyss. xx. 17.

"Pulsu vasto tundite pectus;

Non sum solito contenta sono:

Hectora flemus.".

"Beat your breast with a great stroke; I am not content with a common sound: we weep for Hector."-Seneca, Troad. Chor.

Tearing her dishevelled hair, and smiting her breast with frequent strokes-she thus speaks in grief."—Lucan, ii. 335.

"Motis ad pectora palmis."-Silius Italicus, lib. xii.

This is a prayer for par

with the blood of the sacrifices.* doning mercy in God's appointed way of atonement. So the royal penitent prayed, Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy loving-kindness: according to the multitude of thy tender mercies, blot out my transgressions;" and then, in allusion to the dipping of the bunch of hyssop in the blood of the sacrifice and the water, for sprinkling, he adds, "Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow." Such was the prayer of the publican-an earnest cry for mercy through the shedding of blood, without which there is no remission. Let us, in the exposition of the parable, consider,

Fifthly, The reception these two worshippers met with from God.

Here we are not left to conjecture or to mere inference, for we have the express authority of the faithful and true witness. "I tell you," says our Lord," this man," the latter man, the publican, "went down to his house justified, rather than the other." The word "justified," is plainly to be here understood as implying that he was pardoned and accepted of God, as to his person generally, and, in connection with this, accepted in this act of worship in particular. When it is said that the publican was justified rather than the Pharisee, the meaning is, not that they were both justified, and that the one had a greater degree of justification than the other; for justification is a complete and perfect act, which does not admit of degrees: "There is no condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus."-"He that believeth" "hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation, but is passed from death unto life." Nor does this at all signify that the Pharisee might have been justified, for it signifies quite the reverse. In various places of Scripture, where one thing is said to be incumbent, or to exist, rather than another, the meaning is, not that the one is incumbent, or exists, to a certain degree, and the other to a greater degree; but absolutely, that the one should not be, or is not at all, and that the other should be, or is. Thus: "Let him that stole steal no more, but rather let him labour:" "Let not fornication be once named among you, but rather giving of

sum.

* Not έλεησον με, but ἱλασθητε μοι. Ἱλαω, Ἱλασκομαι, propitius "Maxime convenit illi placationi et reconciliationi, quæ fit inter Deum et hominem, offerendo sacrificium, seu hostiam ad obtinendam peccati remissionem. Ita sæpius usurpatur a lxx. in Levitico."-Stockius. Rom. iii. 25: "Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation, iλaorngov, through faith in his blood." Heb. ii. 17: "To make reconciliation, eis to iλarneola, for the sins of the people:" and ix. 5: "The mercy-seat, ἱλαστηριον.

thanks:""Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season. The form of expression before us, though not exactly the same as in these passages, is similar. As to the Pharisee, the meaning clearly is, that he was not justified; he was not pardoned, and his prayer was not accepted. How was any thing of the kind possible? How could he expect any blessing, when he would not condescend to ask one? He was foolishly satisfied with what he was already. His false confidence towards God, and his uncharitable and contemptuous spirit towards men, would have utterly spoiled much greater virtues than those to which his vanity laid claim. He was one of those to whom the alarming words of Jehovah, by Isaiah,† apply: "They who say, Stand by thyself, come not near to me; for I am holier than thou. These are a smoke in my nose, a fire that burneth all the day." His self-righteousness, or desire to justify himself, prevented the possibility of his obtaining the true righteousness, or justification by grace. He was exactly in the guilty and unhappy situation of those of whom the apostle thus writes, in the end of the 9th and the beginning of the 10th chapter to the Romans: "Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness. Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law; for they stumbled at that stumbling-stone; as it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumbling-stone, and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed." "I bear them record, that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they, being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God." The Pharisee left the temple, and went down to his house in a state of condemnation, and even under increased guilt.

As to the publican, the meaning of this expression, at the very lowest, must be that he was in a more likely way to obtain justification than the other. But this would not be nearly up to the truth. The way in which this expression is used in other places, and the circumstances of this particular case, fully warrant the conclusion, that the publican was actually justified as to his person, and also accepted in his worship. In him we see the great characteristics of the penitent believer. Here, as already observed, we see unrestrained confession following on deep conviction: but * Eph. iv. 28, v. 4, 11; Heb. xi. 25. Isa. lxv. 5.

we know that if men confess their sins, God is faithful and just to forgive them their sins, and to cleanse them from all unrighteousness. Here, too, we see a most earnest application for mercy through the appointed channel of a propitiatory sacrifice. Many men, it is true, would have despised the lowly demeanour and downcast look of the publican; but, thus saith the Lord, "To this man will I look, even to him that is poor, and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word."" Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." We have, therefore, every reason to believe that his spiritual state was like that of the paralytic,* who, when Jesus said to him, "Man, thy sins are forgiven thee, immediately rose up and took up his couch, and departed to his own house, glorifying God." As the publican left the temple, and returned home, he would feel as if he heard the Lord saying to him, "Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God now accepteth thy works."

The rejection of the one worshipper, and the acceptance of the other, are both declared to have been according to that rule of divine judgment which we met with before,† Every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted."-" God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble."- "He filleth the hungry with good things, and sendeth the rich empty away." As for pride, it "goeth before a fall." Those who attempt to exalt themselves to a high place in spiritual excellence, and in God's favour, on the ground of their own righteousness, shall be cast down to their true place of worthlessness, and be rejected here; and, so continuing, shall be cast down into everlasting ruin hereafter: whereas, those who are humbled under a sense of their unworthiness and guilt, 'shall, through the grace of God, and the merits of the Redeemer, be raised to a state of pardon and spiritual life on earth, and, at last, to eternal glory in heaven.

Lastly. Let me attempt a direct and pointed application of the parable to your consciences, in the way of caution and of exhortation.

First, Let me caution you against resembling the Pharisee. And here, let none of feel as if you you would say, "I thank God that I am not as this Pharisee:" let none of you think or speak thus, in any such sense as would justify yourselves before God; for, if you do, you will thereby resem* Luke v. 20.

Luke xiv. 11.

ble the Pharisee, without being aware of it, and lose the benefit of cautions which you imagine do not apply to you, but which are, notwithstanding, very appropriate to your case.

Be cautioned, then, against resembling the Pharisee in self-righteousness, or trusting in yourselves that you are righteous. That many flatter themselves with an unfounded idea of their own goodness, is quite certain. Though some may be disposed to question it, it is a fact, confirmed by the observation of those who are accustomed to deal with the consciences of others, that this error, in one shape or another, is clung to by many with the utmost pertinacity, and is often the very last thing in which they are undeceived, before they thoroughly surrender themselves to God's pardoning mercy, and sanctifying grace. The spirit of selfrighteousness often continues to lurk in the heart, and sometimes betrays itself in unguarded, yet natural expressions, long after its theory is professedly abandoned, and even protested against. Sometimes, the error shows itself in too gross a form to mislead persons of any penetration. Most frequently, however, it is, in a considerable degree, varnished; the subtile poison, for example, instilling itself under the deceitful form of a high regard to holiness and morality. Allowing, perhaps, the general truth, that salvation is for Christ's sake, and by grace, some, at the same time, hold other sentiments which contradict, or neutralize, that allowance. They do not, for instance, distinguish properly between justification and sanctification: hence, they do not perceive that while the gospel method of salvation includes and secures holiness as consequent on the reception of pardon and of a new heart, it of necessity excludes that holiness from being considered, in whole or in part, as either the meritorious or instrumental cause of acceptance with God, and refers the whole merit to the Redeemer, who is set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood; which faith is not a meritorious principle, originating in man, but the gift of God. You should be fully aware that the reign of a selfrighteous spirit is fatal to the soul. It is, in fact, a rejection of Christ. Those who are under it, will not receive Christ as he is offered freely and fully. They choose to be treated, to a certain extent at least, as they deserve. This is a very delusive state, as they do not suspect they are wrong, or in danger, but flatter themselves that they are very good people, and that all is well with them. Is there any such person here? any whom mistaken views of his own real desert, of