68

The parable of the proud pharisee and humble publican. SECT. merit, trusted in themselves, that they were selves that they were cxxix. righteous, and despised others righteous, and despised as reprobates. others: Luke There were, said he, two men who went up to 10 Two men went XVIII. the temple to pray there, chusing to offer up up into the temple to pray; the one pha10 their particular devotions at that sacred place; risce, and the other a and the one of them was a pharisee, one of that publican. sect so greatly honoured among you, and the other a publican, whom you are used to number

11 The pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am

11 with the most contemptible of mankind. And
the pharisee standing by himself, at as great a
distance as he could from the miserable sinner,
who had entered the temple with him, as if he not as other men are,
extortioners, unjust,
feared being polluted by touching him, or any adulterers, or even as
other person less holy than himself, prayed in this publican.
this manner, O God, I thank thee, that I am
not as the generality of other men are; but have
always had the grace to withstand those vile
temptations, which conquer and inslave them;
so that I am not like the rapacious, unjust, adul-
terous generation among whom I live, or even
like this wretched publican, that stands there
at a distance, who probably is all this, and
12 more: Thou knowest, O Lord, that I am
zealous in all the traditions of the elders; that
in conformity to them I fast twice a week;
and with the greatest strictness I pay tithes of
all that I possess, not excepting even the very
herbs of my garden. (Compare Mat. xxiii. 23.
and Luke xi. 42.) Thus the pharisee offered
his devotions, standing as near as he could to
the court of the priests; confident in his own
distinguished sanctity, and desirous to be ob-

13 served by others. But the poor humble pub-
lican standing afar off, in the court of the gen-
tiles, as unworthy to be numbered among God's
people, and much more unworthy to appear in
the presence of so holy a Deity, would not so
much as lift up his eyes to heaven, the habitation
of the Divine holiness and glory, but smote on his
breast, in token of the bitterest remorse and
deepest humiliation, saying, O God, I intreat
thee, be merciful to me a miserable sinner",

who

12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.

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.

Reflections on the prevalence of prayer and humility.

14 I tell you, this

house justified rather

69

who acknowledge, that I have nothing to hope, SECT. but from the riches of thine unmerited and for- cxxix. feited goodness.

Luke

Now, added our Lord, I say unto you, and xvII.

man went down to his I would have you diligently observe it, that this 14 than the other: for poor, humble, self-abasing man went down to every one that exalteth his house justified rather than the other; and himself shall be abas- would have been far more acceptable in the bleth himself shall be sight of God, than the pharisee, if he had in

ed; and he that hum

exalted.

deed been that moral upright man he pretended:
Even in that case his pride and confidence in
his own righteousness would have blasted all;
for every one that exalteth himself, shall be
abased; but he that humbleth himself, shall be
exalted; as nothing is more hateful to God
than pride, and nothing more amiable than
lowliness of mind.

IMPROVEMENT.

How hateful is the character of this unjust judge, who neither Ver. feared God, nor reverenced man, but centred all his regards in 2 himself! How hateful, and how contemptible, in any circumstance of life; especially in a magistrate, the guardian of the public interest, in comparison of which he ought to forget his own! Yet even he was prevailed upon by importunity, and our 5 Lord mentions it, to encourage the fervour of our addresses to the i throne of grace. What then, is the blessed God, like this unjust 6 Judge, to be wearied out with a peal of words, and thereby weakly induced, to do what would otherwise have been contrary to his designs? Far from us be so absurd, and so impious a thought! Our condescending Lord only intended to intimate, that if the repeated importunate cries of the afflicted may at length prevail, even on an inhumane heart, they will be much more regarded by a righteous and merciful God, who is always ready to bestow his favours, when he sees we are prepared to receive them. We may be sure, that God will vindicate his elect: Let this encourage 7 them, though the rod of the wicked may for a while rest on their back; and let it intimidate the proud oppressors of the earth, who in the midst of all their pomp and power, are so wretched, as to have the prayers of God's people against them.

been, and is the case with the best of men. See Psal. xxvi. 9. Amos ix. 10. Mat. ix. 10, 11. xxvii. 45. Luke vi. 32, 33. vii. 37, 39. xix. 7.. John ix. 24, 31. and 1 Tim. i. 9.

h Every one that exalleth himself, shall be abased, &c.] This appears to have been

12

How

a favourite marim with our Lord, since we
find it repeated almost in these very words,
no less than three different times; not to
mention a multitude of expressions, in
sense nearly equivalent. See Mat. xxiii.
12. and Luke xiv. 11. Compare note k,
sect. clvii.

93

CXXXV.

Mat.

Reflections on the duties of a married and a single lije.

mother's womb and

and there be eunuchs,

ven's sake. He that is

SECT. natural temper and inclination is in this respect some eunuchs, which peculiar; and there are [some] eunuchs who were so born from their were made eunuchs by the wickedness of men, there are some enXIX. 12. who drive on that scandalous traffick which the nuchs, which were luxury and effeminacy of the eastern world has made eunuchs of men: rendered so common; and there are [some] eu- which have made nuchs who have, as it were, made themselves themselves eunuchs eunuchs on account of the kingdom of heaven, that for the kingdom of heais, who, by a resolute guard on their appetites able to receive it, let and passions, have conquered the propensities of him receive it. nature, that being free from the incumbrances of marriage, and devoting themselves to a life of more sublime devotion, they might promote the interest of my gospel. (Compare 1 Cor. vii. 7, 37.) He therefore, on the whole, that finds he is able to receive [this saying], let him receive it; or let him that is in his own conscience persuaded that he can glorify God most by a single life, choose it. Others may, and ought to marry; but let none lightly rush into that state on a supposition that the bond of it may be broken. through at pleasure.

Ver.

IMPROVEMENT.

FROM what we have been reading we may justly take occasion. 4 to adore the wisdom and goodness of Divine Providence in creating the human species male and female, and providing for his new formed creature Adam so suitable and so amiable a companion, to enliven every other object of delight, and to crown the pleasures of paradise itself.

Let us also acknowledge the apparent interposition of a wise and kind providence in maintaining such a proportion between the sexes, even to this day, which so apparently tends to the benefit of both, as well as to the support of the race in future ages; as also in perpetuating in their hearts through succeeding genera5 tions that mutual tenderness for each other which the purest bosoms may feel and avow, and which is the foundation of such an union of souls as no other friendship will admit.

6

Let those who are married, considering the indissoluble bond by which God has joined them together, make it their constant care to promote the comfort and happiness of each other: and let them most cautiously guard against every degree of contention, or even of distaste, which might at length occasion an alienation in their affections, and render so close a bond proportionably grievous. 11, 12 Let none rashly run into these important engagements, nor determine their choice by light considerations, of a low and transitory

his birth.

He answers his disciples as to the cause of his blindness.

2 And his disciples

asked him, saying, this man, or his parents, that he was born

Master, who did sin,

blind?

71

SECT.
CXXX.

John

which was blind from through the streets of that city, he saw a poor man, who had been blind from his birth, that sate, and asked relief from those that went by. And his disciples, taking notice of the poor ix. 2. man's case, applied themselves to Jesus, and asked him concerning it, saying, Rabbi, we desire thou wouldst tell us, who it was that sinned in so extraordinary and aggravated a manner, as to occasion such a judgment? Had this man himself been guilty of some heinous crime, as some of our doctors suppose he might be, in a pre-existent state? or had his parents, before his birth, committed some notorious sin; for we apprehend, that he was born blind, as a punishment to himself, or them, or both.

3 Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents:

manifest in him.

But Jesus, waving the curiosity of the ques-3 tion, answered, It is not, because either this man, but that the works of or his parents, have sinned in such an extraorGod should be made dinary manner as you suppose; nor was the punishment of either the chief design of this dispensation of Providence; but the intent of it was, that the miraculous works of God might be remarkably manifested, in restoring him to For however 4

4 I must work the sight, as you will quickly see. works of him that sent the malice of the Jews may be irritated by it, the night cometh, when I must perform the works of him that sent me,

me while it is day:

no man can work,

while it is day, and the opportunity of dispatch-
ing it continues; for I well know, that the night
is coming, in which no man can work: I see
death approaching, which, as it puts a period
in general to human labours, so will close the
scene of such miracles as these, and remove me

5 As long as I am from the converse and society of men. But so 5

in the world, I am the long as I am in the world, I am the light of the

72

Cxxx.

6

Christ miraculously opens his eyes.

6 When he had thus

SECT. world; and as a proof of the Divine illumination I am capable of giving, I have often reJohn stored sight to the blind; and I will do it in IX. 5. this instance. Now when he had spoken thus, that he might exercise the faith and obedience of the patient, and might shew that he could command efficacy of the spittle, and he on whatever means he should please to use, he anointed the eyes of spat on the ground, and made clay with the spittle, the clays and anointed the eyes of the blind man with the

spoken, he spat on the

ground, and made clay

the blind man with

washed, and came

7 clay: And then, for a farther trial of his 7 And said unto
resignation and submission, he said to him, Go, him, Go wash in the
pool of Siloam, (which
wash at the pool of Siloam; (which word Siloam is by interpretation,
being interpreted from the Hebrew, signifies Sent.) He went his
Sent, and so bore some analogy to the character way therefore, and
of Jesus, as sent of God.) He therefore pre- seeing.
sently complied with the direction, and went
away, and washed as he was ordered, and had
no sooner done it, but he came from the pool
seeing; and not only found his sight given him,
but his eyes were at once so remarkably
strengthened, that he immediately could bear
the lightd.

8

8 The neighbours

therefore, and they him that he was blind,

which before had seen

sat and begged?

The neighbours therefore, and they who had seen him before, and known that he was always blind, said one to another, Is not this he that sat in the street, and asked [charity] of those who said, Is not this he that passed by? Whence is there such an astonishing 9 alteration in him? And some said, It is assur- 9 Some said, This is edly he; and others, It is indeed very much he: athers said, He is like him, yet it cannot be the person himself: I am he. [but] he said, and confidently averred, Truly I

like him but he said,

10 am the very man. They therefore said to him, 10 Therefore said How then were thine eyes opened, which we know they unto him, How