pénitently confessing his sins, and sinking under a sense of his guilt. "I am not like this publican." How did he know that the publican was so bad a man-that he was unjust, oppressive and lewd, as he plainly insinuates? Why, he was a publicanthat was enough to settle his character. He belonged to a fraternity, which the envy of the day had reprobated. And doubtless he was as bad as the rest. What a censorious spirit does this discover? To condemn a man as unrighteous merely because he belongs to a class, some of which are reputed to be such. The business in which the publican was employed does not appear to be unlawful. And he might be honest, though others were oppressors. But, admitting him to be a man of evil manners, what occasion was there for the pharisee to reproach him in his prayers? He does not pray that God would bring the man to repentance and bestow on him pardon; he only accuses him to his Maker, and aggravates his imputed vices, that he may display his own imaginary virtues.

We may observe;

Finally; It is said, He went up to pray. But what did he do when he came there? He only boasted of himself, gave thanks that he was so righteous a man, and reproached others that they were not so good as he. This was all his prayer. Not one petition was made-not one sin confessed-not one want opened— not one favor requested.

Let us now,

II. Consider the prayer of the publican. This exhibits to us a very useful example. "Standing afar off, he would not so much as lift up his eyes to heaven, but smote on his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner."

1. The publican came to God with great reverence and humility—with a sense of the purity and majesty of God, and of his own vileness and unworthiness. He stood afar off, probably in the court of the Gentiles; and would not so much as lift up his eyes to heaven. He was ashamed to lift up his face to God. His iniquities had taken hold of him, so that he could not look up. They had gone over his head as a heavy burden, under which his soul was depressed.

2. He discovered a painful conviction of, and a deep sorrow for his sins. This we may collect from his calling himself a sinner, and from his smiting on his breast, which is an action expressive of inward grief. Repentance includes sorrow and confession. I will declare mine iniquity; I will be sorry for my sin. Godly sorrow worketh repentance unto salvation.

He shewed a sense of his dependence on the grace and mercy of God. He did not recount his good deeds. He did not attempt to excuse or extenuate his crimes. He did not plead any thing which he had done over and above his duty, to compensate for what he had come short of it in other respects. He did not intimate a hope of being able to expiate his guilt by a future reformation. His only hope was in the mercy of God. To this he applied-on this he rested. God be merciful. He does not pray, God be careful to remember, and just to reward my righteousness; but, "God be merciful to me a sinner."

His prayer resembled that of David in the fifty-first Psalm. "Have mercy on me, O Lord, according to thy loving-kindness; in the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out all my sins. I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Thou mayest be justified when thou speakest, and clear when thou judgest. But hide thy face from my sins and blot out all my iniquities, and make me to hear the voice of gladness.'

3. The prayer of the publican was a prayer of faith. He came to God, believing that with him there was forgiveness and plenteous redemption. Though he was convinced that he was a sinner, and felt his ill desert, yet he did not despair of mercy from that God, whose tender mercies are over all his works, and who has no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. On the contrary, he with humble faith, cast himself on that mercy, which is the only foundation of hope to a convinced and awakened sinner.

Every man who believes there is a God, must believe that he requires of his intelligent creatures perfect holiness of heart and life-or, in other words, that he approves and allows no sin. He must believe also that God has a right to punish sinners. Every one therefore who is really convinced that he is a sinner, must

see himself dependent on mercy. He can have no claim on the justice of God to pardon him-for it would not be unjust to punish him. Pardon therefore must come in a way of mercy. -In mercy must be the sinner's hope. This the publican saw. Hence he prayed with earnestness and importunity. It was not a formal, indifferent prayer which he offered, such as may often proceed from the lips of those who still regard iniquity in their hearts. It was a prayer dictated by inward sentiments and feelings. He smote on his breast, when he implored mercy. Such an action accompanying his words, shewed that his prayer proceeded not from feigned lips. We often pray for the forgiveness of our sins, and for grace to lead and preserve us in the way of God's commands. Let us examine, whether we really desire what we ask -whether our hearts go along with our words? If our prayers are sincere, there is in our hearts a hatred of sin, and a resolution against it. Our hearts can echo to such a promise and such a petition as this. We will not offend any more-that which we see not, teach thou us. If we have done iniquity we will do no more. Incline our hearts to thy testimonies, that we may walk therein.

4. This prayer of the publican was short, as one observes, but it was very comprehensive. It contained all the important parts of prayer; as invocation, he called upon God-adoration, he acknowledged God's mercy-confession, he called himself a sinner -and petition, he implored forgiveness. He did not waste his words in comparing himself with others. A sense of guilt pressed too closely to allow his thoughts and words to wander. He was a sinner; such he owned himself to be. He was dependent on mercy; to this he applied. Mercy must come from God-and to God he made his request. Mercy was what he neededthis only he sought. He asked not for worldly accommodations, for health, long life, reputation, or riches. However desirable these may be, he viewed them as nothing in comparison with his salvation from sin and guilt. Though we may with submission ask for worldly good; (our Saviour teaches us to pray for our daily bread ;) yet a petition for worldly good could find no place in a prayer offered to God for his pardoning and saving mercy.

We see two very different prayers addressed to God at the same time and in the same temple. One full of presumption, pride, ignorance, hypocrisy and censoriousness. The other full of reverence, humility, self-abasement, sorrow for sin and faith in God.

This difference accounts for the different success of these prayers. Our Saviour says, This man, the publican, went down to his house justified rather than the other. The comparison implies a negation of the privilege to the pharisee, and the bestowment of it on the publican.

Such forms of speech are not uncommon in scripture. Judah says, in a particular case, Tamar has been more righteous than I —that is, she is blameless, and I am in fault. Saul says to David, Thou art more righteous than I—that is, thou hast done right; I am wholly to blame. So Christ says in the case before us; the publican was justified rather than the pharisee-that is, the former was justified and the latter condemned. For the justness of this declaration, our Lord appeals to a maxim, which he often repeats. "He that humbleth himself shall be exalted; and he that exalteth himself shall be abased." Hence we learn with great certainty, that a prayer made in the manner of the pharisee will be rejected; but one made after the manner of the publican will be accepted.

This is a matter too plain to need discussion.

At another opportunity our attention may be called to some remarks on this subject.

SERMON XXIX.

THE PHARISEE AND THE PUBLICAN.

LUKE XVIII. 9-14.

And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others, &c. &c.

We have, in a preceding discourse, illustrated the difference between the prayer of the pharisee, and that of the publican, and shewn their different success.

What I now propose is to make some remarks upon the par

able.

I. Our Saviour, on a particular occasion, observed, that the publicans went into the kingdom of God before the pharisees. Hence some have inferred that the most vicious and profligate stand fairer for converting grace, than sinners who are more sober and correct in their morals-that the prayers and endeavors of the unrenewed are so far from bringing them nearer to the kingdom of heaven, that they place them at a greater distance from it. But the parable under consideration shews this inference to be unjust, and unfounded. It justifies an inference quite the reverse; for the pharisees were most immoral of the two.

This parable, and other discourses of our Saviour, describe the pharisees, in general, as men abandoned to wickedness. If they