,transcribed from the #ahde ,thomas     
,nelson 8,works of the ,puritan ,divines
  7,bunyan70 edition by ,david ,price1  
email ccx#jgdpglaf4org                  
,,the                                   
,,pharisee ,,and ,,the ,,publican4      
,two men went up into the temple to     
pray2 the one a ,pharisee1 and      the 
other a ,publican4  ,the ,pharisee stood
 and prayed thus with      himself2     
,god1 ,i thank thee1 that ,i am not as  
other men are1      extortioners1       
unjust1 adulterers1 or even as this     
,publican4      ,i fast twice in the    
week1 ,i give tithes of all that ,i     
possess4      ,and the ,publican1       
standing afar off would not lift up so  
much as      his eyes unto heaven1 but  
smote upon his breast1 saying1 ,god be  
merciful to me a sinner4--,luke1 xviii4 
#aj-ac4    ,,in the beginning of this   
chapter you read of the reason of the   
parable of  the unjust judge and the    
poor widow2 namely1 to encourage men to 
pray4  8,he spake a parable to this end1

 that men ought always to pray1 and not 
to faint20 and a most sweet parable for 
that purpose it is3 for if  through     
importunity1 a poor widow woman may     
prevail with an unjust judge1  and so   
consequently with an unmerciful and     
hard-hearted tyrant1 how much  more     
shall the poor1 afflicted1 distressed1  
and tempted people of ,god1  prevail    
with1 and obtain mercy at the hands of1 
a loving1 just1 and  merciful ,god8     
,the unjust judge would not hearken to1 
nor regard the cry  of1 the poor widow1 
for a while3 8,but afterward he said    
within himself1  ,though ,i fear not    
,god1 nor regard man2 yet because this  
widow troubleth  me1 ,i will avenge her1
 lest by her continual coming she weary 
me40  8,hark10 saith ,christ1 8what the 
unjust judge saith40  8,and shall not   
,god  avenge his own elect1 which cry   
day and night unto him8--,i tell you    
that  he will avenge them speedily40    
,this is therefore a very comfortable   
parable to such of the saints as are    

under hard usage by reason of evil men1 
their might and tyranny3 for by  it we  
are taught to believe and expect1 that  
,god1 though for a while he  seemeth not
 to regard1 yet will1 in due time and   
season1 arise and set  such in safety   
from them that puff at them2 ,psalm xii4
 #d4    ,let the good ,christian pray   
always2 let him pray1 and not faint at  
seeming delays2 for if the widow by     
importunity prevailed with the unjust   
judge1 how much more shall he with his  
heavenly ,father4  8,i tell you10  says 
,christ1 8that he will avenge them      
speedily40    ,but now1 forasmuch as    
this parable reacheth not 7so directly7 
the poor  ,publican in the text1        
therefore our ,lord begins again1 and   
adds to that  other parable1 this       
parable which ,i have chosen for my     
text2 by which he  designeth two things3
 ,first1 ,the conviction of the proud   
and  self-conceited ,pharisee3          
,secondly1 ,the raising up and healing  
of the cast  down and dejected          

,publican4  ,and observe it1 as by the  
first parable he  chiefly designeth the 
relief of those that are under the hands
 of cruel  tyrants1 so by this he       
designeth the relief of those that lie  
under the  load and burden of a guilty  
and disquieted conscience4    ,this     
therefore is a parable that is full of  
singular comfort to such of  the sinners
 in the world that are clogged with     
guilt and sense of sin2  and that lie   
under the apprehensions of1 and that are
 driven to ,god by  the sense of the    
judgment that for sin is due unto them4 
,in my handling of this text1 ,i shall  
have respect to these things--    #a4   
,to the persons in the text4    #b4  ,to
 the condition of the persons in the    
text4    #c4  ,to the conclusion that   
,christ makes upon them both4    ,first1
 ,for the persons4  ,they were1 as you  
see1 far one from another in  their own 
apprehension of themselves2 one good1   
the other bad2 but yet in  the judgment 
of the law1 both alike1 both the same1  

both sinners2 for  they both stood in   
need of mercy4  ,true1 the first        
mentioned did not see  it1 as the other 
poor sinner did2 but that altereth not  
the case3 he that  is in the judgment of
 the law a sinner1 is in the judgment of
 the law for  sin condemned1 though in  
his own judgment he be ever so          
righteous4    ,men must not be judged1  
or justified1 according to what         
themselves do  think1 but according to  
the verdict and sentence that cometh out
 of the  mouth of ,god about them4      
,now1 the sentence of ,god is1 8,all    
have sinned30  8,there is none          
righteous1 no1 not one20 ,rom4 iii4  ,it
 is no matter1 then1  what the ,pharisee
 did think of himself2 ,god by his word 
hath proclaimed  him a sinner3 a sinner1
 by reason of original sin2 a sinner1 by
 reason of  actual transgression4       
,personally1 therefore1 with reference  
to the true  nature of their state1 they
 both were sinners1 and both by the law 
under  condemnation4  ,true1 the        

,publican's leprosy was outward2 but the
  ,pharisee's leprosy was inward3 his   
heart1 his soul1 his spirit1 was as     
foul1 and had as much the plague of sin1
 as had the other in his life or        
conversation4    ,secondly1 ,as to their
 conditions 7,i do not mean by          
condition1 so much a  habit of mind1 as 
the state that they had each of them put
 themselves  into by that mind47  8,the 
one10 says the text1 8was a ,pharisee1  
the other  a ,publican40  ,a ,pharisee3 
that is1 one that hath chosen to himself
 such a  course of life4  ,a ,publican3 
that is1 one that hath chosen to himself
  such a course of life4  ,these terms1 
therefore1 shew the divers courses  of  
life that they had put themselves into4 
,the ,pharisee1 as he thought1  had put 
himself into a condition for heaven and 
glory2 but the ,publican  was for this  
world and his lusts4  ,wherefore when   
the ,pharisee stands in  the temple1 he 
boasteth of himself and good condition1 
but condemneth the  ,publican1 and      

bitterly inveigheth against him4  ,but1 
as ,i said1 their  personal state1 by   
the law1 was not at all changed4  ,the  
,pharisee made  himself never the       
better2 the ,publican also abode in his 
place4    ,indeed the ,publican is here 
found to recant1 and repent of his      
condition1  and of the condition that he
 had put himself into2 and the ,pharisee
 to  boast of his4  ,but the ,publican's
 repentance was not of himself1 but of  
,god1 who can also1 yea1 and sometimes  
it is evident 7,acts ix47 he doth1  make
 ,pharisees also repent of that         
condition that they have chosen to be   
in themselves2 ,phil4 iii4 #c-h4  ,the  
,pharisee1 therefore1 in commending of  
himself1 makes himself never the better2
 the ,publican also1 in condemning  of  
himself1 makes himself never the worse4 
,nay1 contrariwise1 the  ,pharisee1 by  
commending of himself1 makes himself    
much the worse1 ver4  #ad2 and the      
,publican1 by condemning of himself1    
makes himself much the  better4  8,i    

tell you 7says ,christ7 this man went   
down to his house  justified rather than
 the other2 for every one that exalteth 
himself  shall be abased3 and he that   
humbleth himself shall be exalted40     
,but1 ,i say1 as to men's commending of 
themselves1 yea1 though others  should  
commend them also1 that availeth1 to    
,god-ward1 nothing at all4  8,for not he
 that commendeth himself is approved1   
but whom the ,lord  commendeth40  ,so   
then1 men in 8measuring themselves by   
themselves1 and  comparing themselves   
among themselves1 are not wise20 #b     
,cor4 x4 #ab4    ,now1 this was the way 
of the ,pharisee2 ,i am not1 saith he1  
as other men3  ,i am no extortioner1 nor
 unjust1 no adulterer1 nor yet as this  
,publican4    8,two men went up into the
 temple to pray20 and they two1 as ,i   
said1 as  opposite one to the other1 as 
any two men that ever went thither to   
pray4  ,one of them was over righteous1 
and the other wicked over much4  ,some  
would have thought1 had they not by the 

word of ,christ been otherwise          
described1 that they had been both of   
the same religion2 for they both  went  
up into the temple to pray2 yea1 both to
 pray1 and that at the same  time1 as if
 they did it by appointment1 by         
agreement2 but there was no  such thing4
  ,the one was a ,pharisee1 the other a 
,publican3 for so saith  the after      
words3 and therefore persons as opposite
 as light and darkness1  as fire and    
water2 ,i mean1 as to their             
apprehensions one of another4  ,the     
,pharisee could not abide the ,publican1
 nor could the ,publican brook the      
,pharisee2 and yet both went up into the
 temple to pray4  ,it is strange to     
see1 and yet it is seen1 that men cross 
in their minds1 cross in their          
principles1 cross in their              
apprehensions2 yea1 and cross in their  
prayers  too1 should yet meet together  
in the temple to pray4    8,two men20   
men not of the middle sort1 and them too
 picked out of the  best and worst that 

was3 two men1 a ,pharisee1 and a        
,publican4    ,to be a ,pharisee was in 
those days counted honourable for       
religion1 and  for holiness of life4  ,a
 ,pharisee was a man of esteem and      
repute among  the ,jews1 though it is a 
term of reproach with us2 else ,paul    
would not at  such a time as he did it1 
have said1 8,men and brethren1 ,i am a  
,pharisee1  the son of a ,pharisee20    
,acts xxiii1 #f2 ,phil4 iii4 #e4  ,for  
now he stood  upon his purgation and    
justification1 especially it appears so 
by the  place first named4  ,and far be 
it from any to think1 that ,paul would  
make  use of a colour of wickedness1 to 
save thereby himself from the fury of   
the people4    ,a ,publican was in those
 days counted one of the vilest of men1 
as is  manifest2 because when they are  
in the word1 by way of discrimination1  
made mention of1 they are ranked with   
the most vile and base2 therefore  they 
are joined with sinners--8,he eateth    
with publicans and sinners10 and  8with 

harlots40  8,publicans and harlots enter
 into the kingdom of  heaven40  ,yea1   
when our ,lord ,christ would have the   
rebellious professor  stigmatized to    
purpose1 he saith1 8,let him be to thee 
as an heathen man  and a publican40     
,we therefore can make no judgment of   
men upon the outward appearance of      
them4  ,who would have thought1 but that
 the ,pharisee had been a good man8  for
 he was righteous2 for he prayed4  ,and 
who could have thought1 that  the other 
had been a good man8 for he was a       
,publican2 a man1 by good men  and bad  
men1 joined with the worst of men1 to   
wit1 with sinners1 harlots1  heathens4  
,the ,pharisee was a sectarian2 the     
,publican was an officer4  ,the         
,pharisee1  even because he was a       
sectarian1 was had the more in esteem2  
and the  ,publican1 because he was an   
officer1 was had the more in reproach4  
,to  speak a little to both these3      
#a4  ,the ,pharisee was a sectarian2 one
 that deviated1 that turned aside in    

his worshipping from the way of ,god1   
both in matter and manner of  worship2  
for such an one ,i count a sectarian4   
,that he turned aside from  the matter1 
which is the rule of worship1 to wit1   
the written word1 it is  evident2 for   
,christ saith1 that they rejected the   
commandments of ,god1  and made them of 
no effect1 that they might keep their   
own traditions4  ,that they turned aside
 also as to their manner of worship1 and
 became  sectarians1 there is with no   
less authority asserted--8,for all their
 works  they do for to be seen of men20 
,acts xxvi4 #e2 ,mark vii4 #i-ac2 ,matt4
  xxiii4 #e4    ,now this being none of 
the order or ordinance of ,christ1 and  
yet being  chosen by1 and stuck to of   
these sort of men1 and also made a      
singular  and necessary part of worship1
 became a sect1 or bottom for those     
hypocritical factious men to adhere     
unto1 and to make of others disciples   
to themselves4  ,and that they might be 
admired1 and rendered venerable by  the 

simple people to their fellows1 they    
loved to go in long robes2 they  loved  
to pray in markets1 and in the corners  
of the streets2 they shewed  great zeal 
for the small things of the law1 but had
 only great words for  things that were 
substantial--8,they made broad their    
phylacteries1 and  enlarged the borders 
of their garments20 ,matt4 xxiii4       
,when ,i say the ,pharisee was a        
sectarian1 ,i do not mean that every    
sectarian is a ,pharisee4  ,there were  
the sects of the ,herodians1 of the     
,alexandrians1 and of the ,sadducees1   
with many others2 but to be a           
,pharisee1 was to be of the straitest   
sect3 8,after the most straitest sect   
of our religion1 ,i lived a ,pharisee40 
,that1 therefore1 of all the sects1  was
 the most strait and strict4            
,therefore1 saith he1 in another place1 
8,i was taught according to the perfect 
manner of the law of the fathers40  ,and
 again1 8,touching the law1 a           
,pharisee20 ,acts xxii4 #c2 xxvi4 #d-f2 

,phil4  iii4 #e4  ,the ,pharisee1       
therefore1 did carry the bell1 and wear 
the  garland for religion2 for he       
outdid1 he went beyond all other        
sectarians  in his day4  ,he was        
strictest1 he was the most zealous2     
therefore ,christ1  in his making of    
this parable1 waived all other sects    
then in being1 and  pitched upon the    
,pharisee as the man most meet1 by whose
 rejection he  might shew forth and     
demonstrate the riches of his mercy in  
its extension  to sinners3 8,two men    
went up into the temple to pray2 the one
 a  ,pharisee30 such a brave man as you 
have heard4    #b4  ,the ,publican also 
went up thither to pray4  ,the          
,publican1 ,i told you  before1 was an  
officer3 an officer that served the     
,romans and himself  too2 for the       
,romans at that time were possessors of 
the land of ,jewry  7the lot of         
,israel's inheritance71 and the emperor 
,tiberius ,csar placed  over that land  
four governors1 to wit1 ,pilate1 ,herod1

 ,philip1 and  ,lysanias2 all these were
 ,gentiles1 heathens1 infidels2 and the 
publicans  were a sort of inferior men1 
to whom was let out to farm1 and so men 
that  were employed by these to gather  
up the taxes and customs that the       
heathens had laid upon the ,jews to be  
paid to the emperor2 ,luke ii4 #a2  iii4
 #a1 #b1 #ab1 #ac4    ,but they were a  
generation of men that were very        
injurious in the  execution of their    
office4  ,they would exact and demand   
more than was due  of the people2 yea1  
and if their demands were denied1 they  
would falsely  accuse those that so     
denied them to the governor1 and by     
false accusation  obtain the money of   
the people1 and so wickedly enrich      
themselves1 ,luke  iii4 #ac1 #ad2 xix4  
#b1 #h4  ,this was therefore grievous to
 the ,jews1 who  always counted         
themselves a free people1 and could     
never abide to be in  bondage to any4   
,and this was something of the reason1  
that they were so  generally by all the 

,jews counted so vile and base1 and     
reckoned among  the worst of men1 even  
as our informers and bum-bailiffs are   
with us at  this day4    ,but that which
 heightened the spirit of the people    
against them1 and that  made them so    
odious and filthy in their eyes1 was for
 that 7at least so ,i  think7 these     
publicans were not1 as the other        
officers1 aliens1 heathens1  and        
,gentiles1 but men of their own nation1 
,jews1 and so the brethren of  those    
that they so abused4  ,had they been    
,gentiles1 it had not been  wondered at4
    ,the ,publican then was a ,jew1 a   
kind of a renegade ,jew1 that through   
the  love that he had to unjust gains1  
fell off in his affections from his     
brethren1 adhered to the ,romans1 and   
became a kind of servant to them        
against their brethren1 farming the     
heathenish taxations at the hand of     
strangers1 and exacting of them upon    
their brethren with much cruelty1       
falsehood1 and extortion4  ,and hence1  

as ,i said1 it was1 that to be a        
publican1 was to be so odious a thing1  
so vile a sinner1 and so grievous  a man
 in the eyes of the ,jews4  ,why1 this  
was the ,publican6 he was a ,jew1  and  
so should have abode with them1 and have
 been content to share with  his        
brethren in their calamities2 but       
contrary to nature1 to law1 to          
religion1 reason1 and honesty1 he fell  
in with the heathen1 and took the       
advantage of their tyranny to poll1 to  
rob1 and impoverish his brethren4       
,but for proof that the ,publican was a 
,jew4    #a4  ,publicans are1 even then1
 when compared with1 yet distinguished  
from1  the heathen2 8,let him be to thee
 as an heathen man and a publican10     
,matt4  xviii42 which two terms1 ,i     
think1 must not here be applied to one  
and the  self-same man1 as if the       
heathen was a publican1 or the publican 
a  heathen2 but to men of two distinct  
nations1 as that publican and harlot  is
 to be understood of sinners of both    

sexes4  ,the ,publican is not an        
harlot1 for he is a man1 c41 and such a 
man as has been described  before4  ,so 
by publicans and sinners1 is meant      
publicans and such sinners  as the      
,gentiles were2 or such as1 by the text1
 the ,publican is  distinguished from3  
where the ,pharisee saith he was not an 
extortioner1  unjust1 adulterer1 or even
 as this ,publican4  ,nor can he by     
8heathen man0  intend the person1 and by
 the term publican1 the office or place1
 of the  heathen man2 but by publican is
 meant the renegade ,jew1 in such a     
place1  c41 as is yet further manifested
 by that which follows4  ,for--    #b4  
,those publicans1 even every one of them
 that by name are made mention  of in   
the ,new ,testament1 have such names put
 upon them2 yea1 and other              
circumstances thereunto annexed1 as doth
 demonstrate them to be ,jews4  ,i      
remember the names of no more but three1
 to wit1 ,matthew1 ,levi1 and           
,zaccheus1 and they were all ,jews4     

7#a47  ,matthew was a ,jew1 and the same
 ,matthew was a publican2 yea1 and  also
 afterwards an apostle4  ,he was a ,jew1
 and wrote his gospel in  ,hebrew3 he   
was an apostle1 and is therefore found  
among the twelve4  ,that  he was a      
publican too1 is as evident by his own  
words2 for though ,mark  and ,luke1 in  
their mentioning of his name and        
apostleship1 do forbear to  call him a  
publican 7,mark iii4 #ah2 ,luke vi4     
l#f72 yet when this ,matthew  comes to  
speak of himself1 he calls himself      
,matthew the publican 7,matth4  x4 #c72 
for ,i count this the self-same ,matthew
 that ,mark and ,luke make  mention of1 
because ,i find no other ,matthew among 
the apostles but he3  ,matthew the      
publican1 ,matthew the man so deep in   
apostacy1 ,matthew the  man of that ill 
fame among his brethren4  ,love1 in     
,mark and ,luke1 when  they counted him 
among the apostles1 did cover with      
silence this his  publican state 7and it
 is meet for ,peter to call ,paul his   

beloved  brother1 when ,paul himself    
shall call himself the chief of         
sinners72 but  faithfulness to the      
world1 and a desire to be abased1 that  
,christ  thereby1 and grace by him1     
might be advanced1 made ,matthew1 in his
  evangelical writings1 call himself by 
the name of ,matthew the publican4  ,nor
 has he lost thereby2 for ,christ again 
to exalt him 7as he hath also  done by  
the apostle ,paul71 hath set1 by his    
special providence1 the  testimony that 
this ,matthew hath given of his birth1  
life1 death1  doctrine1 and miracles1 in
 the front of all the ,new ,testament4  
7#b47  ,the next publican that ,i find  
by the ,testament of ,christ1 made      
mention of by name1 is ,levi1 another of
 the apostles of ,jesus ,christ4  ,this 
,levi also1 by the ,holy ,ghost in holy 
writ1 is called by the name of  ,james3 
not ,james the brother of ,john1 for    
,zebedee was his father2 but  ,james the
 son of ,alpheus4  ,now ,i take this    
,levi also to be another than  ,matthew2

 ,first1 because ,matthew is not called 
the son of ,alpheus2 and  because       
,matthew and ,levi1 or ,james the son of
 ,alpheus1 are distinctly  counted where
 the names of the apostles are mentioned
 7,matt4 x4 #c7 for  two distinct       
persons3 and that this ,levi1 or ,james 
the apostle1 was a  publican1 as was the
 apostle ,matthew1 whom we mentioned    
before1 is  evident2 for both ,mark and 
,luke do count him such4  ,first1 ,mark 
saith1  ,christ found him when he called
 him1 as he also found ,matthew1 sitting
 at  the receipt of custom2 yea1 ,luke  
words it thus3 8,he went forth1 and saw 
a  publican1 named ,levi1 sitting at the
 receipt of custom1 and he said unto    
him1 ,follow me20 ,mark ii4 #ad2 ,luke  
v4 #bg4    ,now1 that this ,levi1 or    
,james the son of ,alpheus1 was a ,jew1 
his name  doth well make manifest4      
,besides1 had there been among the      
apostles any  more ,gentiles save ,simon
 the ,canaanite1 or if this ,levi ,james
 had been  here1 ,i think the ,holy     

,ghost would1 to distinguish him1 have  
included him  in the same discriminating
 character as he did the other1 when he 
called  him 8,simon the ,canaanite20    
,matt4 x4 #d4    ,matthew1 therefore1   
and ,levi or ,james1 were both          
publicans1 and1 as ,i  think1 called    
both at the same time2 were both        
publican ,jews1 and made by  grace the  
apostles of ,jesus ,christ4    7#c47    
,the next publican that ,i find by name 
made mention of in the  ,testament of   
,christ1 is one ,zaccheus4  ,and he was 
a publican2 yea1 for  ought ,i know1 the
 master of them all4  8,there was a     
man10 saith ,luke1  8named ,zaccheus1   
which was the chief among the publicans1
 and he was  rich10 ,luke xix4 #b4      
,this man1 ,christ saith1 was a son of  
,abraham1 that  is1 as other ,jews were2
 for he spake to stop the mouths of     
their  ,pharisaical cavillations4       
,besides1 the ,publican shewed himself  
to be  such an one1 when under a        
supposition of wronging any man1 he had 

respect  to the ,jewish law of restoring
 four-fold2 ,exod4 xxii4 #a2 #b ,sam4   
xii4 #f4    ,it is further manifest that
 he was a ,jew1 because ,christ puts him
 among  the lost2 to wit1 among the lost
 sheep of the house of ,israel1 ver4    
#aj2  and ,matt4 xv4 #bd2 for ,zaccheus 
was one that might properly be said to  
be  lost1 and that in the ,jews'        
account3 lost1 ,i say1 and that not only
 in  the most common sense1 by reason of
 transgression against the law1 but  for
 that he was an apostate ,jew1 not with 
reference to heathenish  religion1 but  
as to heathenish1 cruel1 and barbarous  
actions2 and  therefore he was1 as the  
other1 by his brethren1 counted as bad  
as  heathens1 ,gentiles1 and harlots4   
,but salvation is come to this house1   
saith ,christ1 and that notwithstanding 
his publican practice1 forasmuch  as he 
also is the son of ,abraham4    #c4     
,again1 ,christ1 by the parable of the  
lost sheep1 doth plainly  intimate1 that
 the ,publican was a ,jew4  8,then drew 

near all the publicans  and sinners for 
to hear him1 and the ,pharisees and     
,scribes murmured1  saying1 ,this man   
receiveth sinners1 and eateth with      
them40    ,but by what answer doth      
,christ repel their objections8  ,why1  
he saith1  8,what man of you having an  
hundred sheep1 if he lose one of them1  
doth  not leave the ninety and nine in  
the wilderness1 and go after that which 
is lost until he find it80  ,doth he not
 here1 by the lost sheep1 mean the  poor
 publican8 plenty of whom1 while he     
preached this sermon1 were there1  as   
objects of the ,pharisees' scorn1 but of
 the pity and compassion of  ,jesus     
,christ3 he did without doubt mean them4
  ,for1 pray1 what was the  flock1 and  
who ,christ's sheep under the law1 but  
the house and people of  ,israel8       
,ezek4 xxxiv4 #aa4  ,so then1 who could 
be the lost sheep of the  house of      
,israel1 but such as were ,matthew1     
,james1 ,zaccheus1 and their  companions
 in their and such like transgressions8 

#d4  ,besides1 had not the publicans    
been of the ,jews1 how easy had it been 
for the ,pharisees to have objected1    
that an impertinency was couched in     
that most excellent parable of the lost 
sheep8  ,they might have said1 ,we  are 
offended1 because thou receivest the    
publicans1 and thou for  vindication of 
thy practice propoundest a parable of   
lost sheep2 but they  are the sinners of
 the house of ,israel1 and the publicans
 are aliens and  ,gentiles4  ,i say1 how
 easily might they thus have objected8  
but they knew  full well1 that the      
parable was pertinent1 for that the     
publicans were of  the ,jews1 and not of
 the aliens4  ,yea1 had they not been   
,jews1 it cannot1  it must not be       
thought1 that ,christ 7in sum7 should   
call them so2 and yet  he did do so1    
when he called them 8lost sheep40       
,now1 that these publicans were ,jews1  
what follows but that for this they     
were a great deal the more abominated by
 their brethren2 and 7as ,i have  also  

hinted before7 it is no marvel that they
 were2 for a treacherous  brother is    
worse than an open enemy1 ,psalm lv4    
#ab1 #ac2 for1 if to be  debauched in an
 open and common transgression is       
odious1 how odious is it  for a brother 
to be so2 for a brother in nature and   
religion to be so4  ,i  say again1 all  
this they did1 as both ,john insinuates1
 and ,zaccheus  confesses4    ,the      
,pharisee1 therefore1 was not so good1  
but the ,publican was as bad4  ,indeed  
the ,publican was a notorious wretch1   
one that had a way of  transgressing by 
himself2 one that could not be          
sufficiently condemned by  the ,jews1   
nor coupled with a viler than himself4  
,it is true1 you find  him here in the  
temple at prayer2 not because he        
retained1 in his  apostacy1 conscience  
of the true religion2 but ,god had      
awakened him1  shewed him his sin1 and  
bestowed upon him the grace of          
repentance1 by  which he was not only   
fetched back to the temple and prayer1  

but to his  ,god1 and to the salvation  
of his soul4    ,the ,pharisee1 then1   
was a man of another complexion1 and    
good as to his  own thoughts of himself2
 yea1 and in the thoughts of others     
also1 upon  the highest and better      
ground by far4  ,the ,publican was a    
notorious  sinner3 the ,pharisee was a  
reputed righteous man4  ,the ,publican  
was a  sinner out of the ordinary way of
 sinning2 and the ,pharisee was a man   
for  righteousness in a singular way    
also4  ,the ,publican pursued his       
villanies1 and the ,pharisee pursued his
 righteousness2 and yet they both  met  
in the temple to pray3 yea1 the         
,pharisee stuck to1 and boasted in1  the
 law of ,god3 but the ,publican did     
forsake it1 and hardened his heart      
against his way4    ,thus diverse were  
they in their appearances3 the ,pharisee
 very good1 the  ,publican very bad3 but
 as to the law of ,god1 which looked    
upon them with  reference to the state  
of their spirits1 and the nature of     

their actions1  by that they were both  
found sinners2 the ,publican an open1   
outside one1  and the ,pharisee a       
filthy1 inside one4  ,this is evident1  
because the best  of them was rejected1 
and the worst of them was received to   
mercy4  ,mercy  standeth not at the     
,publican's badness1 nor is it enamoured
 with the  ,pharisee's goodness3 it     
suffereth not the law to take place on  
both1  though it findeth them both in   
sin1 but graciously embraceth the most  
unworthy1 and leaveth the best to shift 
for himself4  ,and good reason  that    
both should be dealt with after this    
manner2 to wit1 that the word  of grace 
should be justified upon the soul of the
 penitent1 and that the  other should   
stand or fall to that which he had      
chosen to be his master4    ,there are  
three things that follow upon this      
discourse4    #a4  ,that the            
righteousness of man is not of any      
esteem with ,god1 as to  justification4 
,it is passed by as a thing of          

naughtiness1 a thing not  worth the     
taking notice of4  ,there was not so    
much as notice taken of the  ,pharisee's
 person or prayer1 because he came into 
the temple mantled up  in his own good  
things4    #b4  ,that the man that has  
nothing to commend him to ,god1 but his 
own good  doings1 shall never be in     
favour with him4  ,this also is evident 
from the  text3 the ,pharisee had his   
own righteousness1 but had nothing else 
to  commend him to ,god2 and therefore  
could not by that obtain favour with    
,god1 but abode still a rejected one1   
and in a state of condemnation4    #c4  
,wherefore1 though we are bound by the  
law of charity to judge of men          
according as in appearance they present 
themselves unto us2 yet withal1  to wit1
 though we do so judge1 we must leave   
room for the judgment of  ,god4  ,mercy 
may receive him that we have doomed to  
hell1 and justice may  take hold on him1
 whom we have judged to be bound up in  
the bundle of  life4  ,and both these   

things are apparent by the persons under
  consideration4    ,we1 like ,joseph1  
are for setting of ,manasseh before     
,ephraim2 but ,god1  like ,jacob1 puts  
his hands across1 and lays his right    
hand upon the worst  man's head1 and his
 left hand upon the best 7,gen4         
xlviii471 to the  amazement and         
wonderment even of the best of men4     
8,two men went up into the temple to    
pray2 the one a ,pharisee1 and the      
other a ,publican4  ,the ,pharisee stood
 and prayed thus with himself2 ,god1  ,i
 thank thee1 that ,i am not as other men
 are1 extortioners1 unjust1  adulterers1
 or even as this ,publican4  ,i fast    
twice in the week ,i give  tithes of all
 that ,i possess40    ,in these words   
many things are worth the noting4  ,as1 
,first1 ,the ,pharisee's definition of  
righteousness2 the which standeth  in   
two things3 #a4  ,in negatives2 #b4  ,in
 positives4    #a4  ,in negatives2 to   
wit1 what a man that is righteous must  
not be3 8,i am  no extortioner1 no      

unjust man1 no adulterer1 nor yet as    
this ,publican40    #b4  ,in positives2 
to wit1 what a man that is righteous    
must be3 8,i fast  twice a-week1 ,i give
 tithes of all that ,i possess10 c4     
,that righteousness standeth in negative
 and positive holiness is true2  but    
that the ,pharisee's definition is1     
notwithstanding1 false1 will be         
manifest by and by4  ,but ,i will first 
treat of righteousness in the  general1 
because the text leadeth me to it4      
,first1 then1 a man that is righteous1  
must have negative holiness2 that  is1  
he must not live in actual              
transgressions2 he must not be an       
extortioner1 unjust1 an adulterer1 or as
 the ,publican was4  ,and this the      
apostle intends1 when he saith1 8,flee  
fornication10 8,flee youthful  lusts10  
8,flee from idolatry20 and1 8,little    
children keep yourselves from  idols20  
#a ,cor4 vi4 #ah2 x4 #ad2 #b ,tim4 ii4  
#bb2 #a ,john v4 #ba4  ,for it is a     
vain thing to talk of righteousness1 and

 that ourselves are righteous1  when    
every observer shall find us in actual  
transgression4  ,yea1 though a  man     
shall mix his want of negative holiness 
with some good actions1 that  will not  
make him a righteous man4  ,as suppose1 
a man that is a swearer1  a drunkard1 an
 adulterer1 or the like1 should1        
notwithstanding this1 be  open-handed to
 the poor1 be a great executor of       
justice in his place1 be  exact in his  
buying1 selling1 keeping his promise    
with his friend1 or the  like2 these    
things1 yea1 many more such1 cannot make
 him a righteous man2  for the beginning
 of righteousness is yet wanting in him1
 which is this  negative holiness3 for  
except a man leave off to do evil1 he   
cannot be a  righteous man4  ,negative  
holiness is therefore of absolute       
necessity to  make one in one's self a  
righteous man4  ,this therefore condemns
 them1  that count it sufficient if a   
man have some actions that in           
themselves1  and by virtue of the       

command1 are good1 to make him a        
righteous man1  though negative holiness
 is wanting4  ,this is as saying to the 
wicked1  ,thou art righteous1 and a     
perverting of the right way of the      
,lord3  negative holiness1 therefore1   
must be in a man before he can be       
accounted  righteous4    #b4  ,as       
negative holiness is required to declare
 one a righteous man2 so  also positive 
holiness must be joined therewith1 or   
the man is  unrighteous still4  ,for it 
is not what a man is not1 but what a man
 does1  that declares him a righteous   
man4  ,suppose a man be no thief1 no    
liar1  no unjust man2 or1 as the        
,pharisee saith1 no extortioner1 nor    
adulterer1  c41 this will not make a    
righteous man2 but there must be joined 
to  these1 holy and good actions1 before
 he can be declared a righteous man4    
,wherefore1 as the apostle1 when he     
pressed the ,christians to              
righteousness1 did put them first upon  
negative holiness1 so he joineth        

thereto an exhortation to positive      
holiness2 knowing1 that where positive  
holiness is wanting1 all the negative   
holiness in the whole world cannot      
declare a man a righteous man4  ,when   
therefore he had said1 8,but thou1 ,o   
man of ,god1 flee these things0 7sin and
 wickedness71 he adds1 8and follow      
after righteousness1 godliness1 faith1  
love1 patience1 meekness10 c42 #a  ,tim4
 vi4 #aa4  ,here ,timothy is exhorted to
 negative holiness1 when he is  bid to  
flee sin4  ,here also he is exhorted to 
positive holiness1 when he  is bid to   
follow after righteousness1 c42 for     
righteousness can neither  stand in     
negative nor positive holiness1 as      
severed one from another4  ,that man    
then1 and that man only1 is1 as to      
actions1 a righteous man1  that hath    
left off to do evil1 and hath learned to
 do well1 ,isa4 i4 #af1  #ag2 that hath 
cast off the works of darkness1 and put 
on the armour of  light4  8,flee        
youthful lusts 7said ,paul71 but follow 

righteousness1  faith1 charity1 peace1  
with them that call on the ,lord out of 
a pure  heart20 #b ,tim4 ii4 #bb4       
,the ,pharisee1 therefore1 as to the    
general description of righteousness1   
made his definition right2 but as to his
 person and personal  righteousness1 he 
made his definition wrong4  ,i do not   
mean he defined  his own righteousness  
wrong2 but ,i mean his definition of    
true  righteousness1 which standeth in  
negative and positive holiness1 he made 
to stoop to justify his own             
righteousness1 and therein he played the
  hypocrite in his prayer3 for although 
it is true righteousness that  standeth 
in negative and positive holiness2 yet  
that this is not true  righteousness    
that standeth1 but in some pieces and   
ragged remnants of  negative and        
positive righteousness4  ,if then the   
,pharisee would1 in his  definition of  
personal righteousness1 have proved his 
own righteousness  to be good1 he must  
have proved1 that both his negative and 

positive  holiness had been universal2  
to wit1 that he had left off to act in  
any  wickedness1 and that he had given  
up himself to the duty enjoined in      
every commandment3 for so the righteous 
man is described2 ,job i4 #h2 ii4  #c4  
,as it is said of ,zacharias and        
,elisabeth his wife1 8,they were both   
righteous before ,god1 walking in all   
the commandments and ordinances of  the 
,lord blameless20 ,luke i4 #e1 #f4      
,here the perfection1 that is1 the      
universality1 of their negative holiness
 is implied1 and the universality  of   
their positive holiness is expressed3   
they walked in all the  commandments of 
the ,lord2 but that they could not do1  
if they had lived  in any unrighteous   
thing or way4  ,they walked in all      
blamelessly1 that  is1 sincerely1 with  
upright hearts4  ,the ,pharisee's       
righteousness1  therefore1 even by his  
own implied definition of righteousness1
 was not  good1 as is manifest these two
 ways--    #a4  ,his negative holiness  

was not universal4    #b4  ,his positive
 holiness was rather ceremonial than    
moral4    #a4  ,his negative holiness   
was not universal4  ,he saith indeed1 he
 was not  an extortioner1 nor unjust1 no
 adulterer1 nor yet as this ,publican3  
but  none of these expressions apart1   
nor all1 if put together1 do prove him  
to be perfect as to negative holiness2  
that is1 they do not prove him1  should 
it be granted1 that he was as holy with 
this kind of holiness1 as  himself of   
himself had testified4  ,for1    7#a47  
,what though he was no extortioner1 he  
might yet be a covetous man2  ,luke xvi4
 #ad4    7#b47  ,what though1 as to     
dealing1 he was not unjust to others1   
yet he  wanted honesty to do justice to 
his own soul2 ,luke xvi4 #ae4    7#c47  
,what though he was free from the act of
 adultery1 he might yet be  made guilty 
by an adulterous eye1 against which the 
,pharisee did not  watch 7,matt4 v4     
#bh71 of which the ,pharisee did not    
take cognizance4    7#d47  ,what though 

he was not like the ,publican1 yet he   
was like1 yea was1  a downright         
hypocrite2 he wanted in those things    
wherein he boasted  himself1 sincerity2 
but without sincerity no action can be  
good1 or  accounted of ,god as          
righteous4  ,the ,pharisee1 therefore1  
notwithstanding  his boast1 was         
deficient in his righteousness1 though  
he would fain have  shrouded it under   
the right definition thereof4    7#e47  
,nor doth his positive holiness help him
 at all1 forasmuch as it is  grounded   
mostly1 if not altogether1 in ceremonial
 holiness3 nay1 ,i will  recollect      
myself1 it was grounded partly in       
ceremonial and partly in  superstitious 
holiness1 if there be such a thing as   
superstitious  holiness in the world2   
this paying of tithes was ceremonial1   
such as came  in and went out with the  
typical priesthood4  ,but what is that  
to  positive holiness1 when it was but a
 small pittance by the by4  ,had the    
,pharisee argued plainly and honestly2  

,i mean1 had he so dealt with that  law1
 by which now he sought to be justified1
 he should have brought forth  positive 
righteousness in morals1 and should have
 said and proved it too1  that as he was
 no wicked man with reference to the act
 of wickedness1 he  was indeed a        
righteous man in acts of moral virtues4 
,he should1 ,i say1  have proved himself
 a true lover of ,god1 no superstitious 
one1 but a  sincere worshipper of him2  
for this is contained in the first table
  7,exod4 xx471 and is so in sum        
expounded by the ,lord ,christ himself  
7,mark  xii4 #cj74  ,he should also1 in 
the next place1 have proved himself     
truly  kind1 compassionate1 liberal1 and
 full of love and charity to his        
neighbour2 for that is the sum of the   
second table1 as our ,lord doth  expound
 it1 saying1 8,thou shalt love thy      
neighbour as thyself20 ,mark xii4  #ca4 
,true1 he says1 he did them no hurt2 but
 did he do them good8  ,to do no  hurt1 
is one thing2 and to do good1 is        

another2 and it is possible for a  man  
to do neither hurt nor good to his      
neighbour4  ,what then1 is he a         
righteous man because he hath done him  
no hurt8  ,no1 verily2 unless1 to  his  
power1 he hath also done him good4      
,it is therefore a very fallacious and  
deceitful arguing of the ,pharisee1     
thus to speak before ,god in his        
prayers3 ,i am righteous1 because ,i    
have  not hurt my neighbour1 and because
 ,i have acted in ceremonial duties4    
,nor will that help him at all to say1  
he gave tithes of all that he           
possessed4  ,it had been more modest to 
say1 that he had paid them2 for  they1  
being commanded1 were a due debt2 nor   
could they go before ,god for  a free   
gift1 because1 by the commandment1 they 
were made a payment2 but  proud men and 
hypocrites love so to word it both with 
,god and man1 as at  least to imply1    
that they are more forward to do1 than  
,god's command is  to require them to   
do4    ,the second part of his positive 

holiness was superstitious2 for ,god had
  appointed no such set fasts1 neither  
more nor less but just twice a-week3    
8,i fast twice a-week40  ,ay1 but who   
did command thee to do so1 other than   
by thy being put upon it by a           
superstitious and erroneous conscience1 
doth not1 nor canst thou make to appear4
  ,this part1 therefore1 of this        
positive righteousness1 was positive    
superstition1 and abuse of ,god's  law1 
and a gratification of thy own erroneous
 conscience4  ,hitherto1  therefore1    
thou art defective in thy so seemingly  
brave and glorious  righteousness4      
,yet this let me say1 in commendation of
 the ,pharisee1 in my conscience he  was
 better than many of our ,english       
,christians2 for many of them are so    
far off from being at all partakers of  
positive righteousness1 that  neither   
all their ministers1 ,bibles1 and good  
books1 good sermons1 nor  yet ,god's    
judgments1 can persuade them to become  
so much as negatively  holy1 that is1 to

 leave off evil4    ,the second thing   
that ,i take notice of in this prayer of
 the ,pharisee1 is  his manner of       
delivery1 as he stood praying in the    
temple3 8,god1 ,i thank  thee10 said he1
 8that ,i am not as other men are40  ,he
 seemed to be at  this time in more than
 an ordinary frame1 while now he stood  
in the  presence of the divine ,majesty3
 for a prayer made up of praise1 is a   
prayer made up of the highest order1 and
 is most like the way of them  that are 
now in a state beyond prayer4  ,praise  
is the work of heaven2 but  we see here1
 that an hypocrite may get into that    
vein1 even while an  hypocrite1 and     
while on earth below4  ,nor do ,i think 
that this prayer of  his was a          
premeditated stinted form1 but a prayer 
extempore1 made on a  sudden according  
to what he felt1 thought1 or understood 
of himself4    ,here therefore we may   
see1 that even prayer1 as well as other 
acts of  religious worship1 may be      
performed in great hypocrisy2 although  

,i think1  that to perform prayer in    
hypocrisy1 is one of the most daring    
sins that  are committed by the sons of 
men4  ,for by prayer1 above all duties1 
is  our most direct and immediate       
personal approach into the presence of  
,god2  as there is an uttering of things
 before him1 especially a giving to him 
of thanks for things received1 or a     
begging that such and such things  might
 be bestowed upon me4  ,but now1 to do  
these things in hypocrisy 7and  it is   
easy to do them so1 when we go up into  
the temple to pray71 must  needs be     
intolerable wickedness1 and it argueth  
infinite patience in ,god1  that he     
should let such as do so arise alive    
from their knees1 or that he  should    
suffer them to go away from the place   
where they stand1 without  some token or
 mark of his wrath upon them4    ,i also
 observe1 that this extempore prayer of 
the ,pharisee was  performed by himself1
 or in the strength of his own natural  
parts2 for so  the text implieth4  8,the

 ,pharisee10 saith the text1 8stood and 
prayed  thus with himself10 or 8by      
himself10 and may signify1 either that  
he  spoke softly1 or that he made this  
prayer by reason of his natural parts4  
8,i will pray with the ,spirit10 said   
,paul2 #a ,cor4 xiv4 #ae4  8,the        
,pharisee  prayed with himself10 said   
,christ4  ,it is at this day wonderfully
 common  for men to pray extempore also2
 to pray by a book1 by a premeditated   
set form1 is now out of fashion4  ,he is
 counted nobody now1 that cannot  at any
 time1 at a minute's warning1 make a    
prayer of half an hour long4  ,i am not 
against extempore prayer1 for ,i believe
 it to be the best kind  of praying2 but
 yet ,i am jealous1 that there are a    
great many such  prayers made1          
especially in pulpits and public        
meetings1 without the  breathing of the 
,holy ,ghost in them2 for if a ,pharisee
 of old could do  so1 why not a         
,pharisee do the same now8  ,wit and    
reason1 and notion1 are  not screwed up 

to a very great height2 nor do men want 
words1 or fancies1  or pride1 to make   
them do this thing4  ,great is the      
formality of religion  this day1 and    
little the power thereof4  ,now1 where  
there is a great  form1 and little power
 7and such there was among the ,jews1 in
 the time of  our ,lord and ,saviour    
,jesus ,christ71 there men are most     
strangely under  the temptation to be   
hypocrites2 for nothing doth so properly
 and  directly oppose hypocrisy1 as the 
power and glory of the things we        
profess4  ,and so1 on the contrary1     
nothing is a greater temptation to      
hypocrisy1 than a form of knowledge of  
things without the savour thereof4  ,nor
 can much of the power and savour of the
 things of the gospel be seen  at this  
day upon professors 7,i speak not now of
 all71 if their notions  and            
conversations be compared together4     
,how proud1 how covetous1 how  like the 
world in garb and guise1 in words and   
actions1 are most of the  great         

professors of this our day6  ,but when  
they come to divine worship1  especially
 to pray1 by their words and carriage   
there1 one would almost  judge them to  
be angels in heaven4  ,but such things  
must be done in  hypocrisy1 as also the 
,pharisee's was4    8,the ,pharisee     
stood and prayed thus with himself40    
,and in that it is said he prayed with  
himself1 it may signify1 that he  went  
in his prayer no further than his sense 
and reason1 feeling and  carnal         
apprehensions went4  ,true ,christian   
prayer ofttimes leaves sense  and       
reason1 feeling and carnal              
apprehensions1 behind it2 and it goeth  
forth with faith1 hope1 and desires to  
know what at present we are  ignorant   
of1 and that unto which our sense1      
feeling1 reason1 c41 are  strangers4    
,the apostle indeed doth say1 8,i will  
pray with the  understanding20 #a ,cor4 
xiv4 #ae2 but then it must be taken for 
an  understanding spiritually           
enlightened4  ,i say1 it must be so     

understood1  because the natural        
understanding1 as such1 receiveth not   
the things of  ,god1 therefore cannot   
pray for them2 for they to such are     
foolish things2  #a ,cor4 ii4 #ad4      
,now1 a spiritually enlightened         
understanding may be officious in prayer
  these ways--    #a4  ,as it has       
received conviction of the truth of the 
being of the ,spirit  of ,god2 for to   
receive conviction of the truth and     
being of such things1  comes from the   
,spirit of ,god1 not from the law1      
sense1 or reason2 #a ,cor4  ii4 #aj-ab4 
,now the understanding having1 by the   
,holy ,ghost1 received  conviction of   
the truth of things1 draweth out the    
heart to cry in prayer  to ,god for     
them4  ,therefore he saith1 he would    
pray with the  understanding4    #b4    
,the spiritually enlightened            
understanding hath also received1 by the
  ,holy ,ghost1 conviction of the       
excellency and glory of the things that 
are  of the ,spirit of ,god1 and so     

inflameth the heart with more fervent   
desires in this duty of prayer2 for     
there is a supernatural excellency in   
the things that are of the ,spirit3     
8,for if the ministration of death 7to  
which the ,pharisee adhered71 written   
and engraven in stones1 was  glorious1  
so that the children of ,israel could   
not steadfastly behold the  face of     
,moses1 for the glory of his            
countenance1 which glory was to be  done
 away2 how shall not the ministration of
 the ,spirit be rather  glorious8  ,for 
if the ministration of condemnation be  
glory1 much more  doth the ministration 
of righteousness exceed in glory3 for   
even that  which was made glorious hath 
no glory in this respect1 by reason of  
the  glory that excelleth20 #b ,cor4    
iii4 #g-aj4  ,and the ,spirit of ,god   
sheweth1  at least1 some things of that 
excellent glory of them to the          
understanding that it enlighteneth2     
,eph4 i4 #ag-ai4    #c4  ,the           
spiritually enlightened understanding   

hath also thereby received  knowledge1  
that these excellent supernatural things
 of the ,spirit are  given by covenant  
in ,christ to those that love ,god1 and 
are beloved of  him4  8,now we have     
received10 says ,paul1 8not the spirit  
of the world  7that the ,pharisee had71 
but the ,spirit which is of ,god1 that  
we make  know the things that are freely
 given to us of ,god20 #a ,cor4 ii4 #ab4
  ,and  this knowledge1 that the things 
of the ,spirit of ,god are freely given 
to  us of ,god1 puts yet a greater edge1
 more vigour1 and yet further           
confidence1 into the heart to ask for   
what is mine by gift1 by a free  gift of
 ,god in his ,son4  ,but all these      
things the poor ,pharisee was an  utter 
stranger to2 he knew not the ,spirit1   
nor the things of the ,spirit1  and     
therefore must neglect faith1 judgment1 
and the love of ,god1 ,matt4  xxiii4    
#bc2 ,luke xi4 #db1 and follow himself  
only1 as to his sense1  feeling1 reason1
 and carnal imagination in prayer4      

,he stood and prayed thus 8with         
himself40  ,he prayed thus1 talking to  
himself2 for so also it may 7,i think7  
be understood4  ,it is said of the      
unjust judge1 8he said within himself1  
,though ,i fear not ,god1 nor regard    
man10 c41 ,luke xviii4 #d2 that is1 he  
said it to himself4  ,so the  ,pharisee 
is said to pray with himself3 ,god and  
the ,pharisee were not  together1 there 
was only the ,pharisee and himself4     
,paul knew not what to  pray for without
 the ,holy ,ghost joined himself with   
him1 and helping him  with groans       
unutterable2 but the ,pharisee had no   
need of that2 it was  enough that he and
 himself were together at this work2 for
 he thought  without doubting that he   
and himself together could do4  ,how    
many times  have ,i heard ancient men1  
and ancient women at it with themselves1
 when  all alone in some private room1  
or in some solitary path2 and in their  
chat they have been sometimes reasoning1
 sometimes chiding1 sometimes  pleading1

 sometimes praying1 and sometimes       
singing2 but yet all has been  done by  
themselves when all alone2 but yet so   
done1 as one that has not  seen them    
must needs have concluded that they were
 talking1 singing1 and  praying with    
company1 when all that they had said1   
they did it with  themselves1 and had   
neither auditor nor regarder4    ,so the
 ,pharisee was at it with himself2 he   
and himself performed1 at this  time1   
the duty of prayer4  ,now ,i observe1   
that usually when men do speak  to or   
with themselves1 they greatly strive to 
please themselves3  therefore it is     
said1 there is a man 8that flattereth   
himself in his own  eyes1 until his     
iniquity be found to be hateful20 ,psalm
 xxxvi4 #b4  ,he  flattereth himself in 
his own way1 according as his sense and 
carnal  reason dictate to him2 and he   
might do it as well in prayer as in any 
other way4  ,some men will so hear      
sermons and apply them that they may    
please themselves2 and some men will    

pray1 but will refuse such words and    
thoughts in prayer as will not please   
themselves4    ,o how many men speak all
 that they speak in prayer1 rather to   
themselves1  or to their auditory1 than 
to ,god that dwelleth in heaven4  ,and  
this ,i  take to be the manner1 ,i mean 
something of the manner1 of the         
,pharisee's  praying4  ,indeed1 he made 
mention of ,god1 as also others do2 but 
he  prayed with himself to himself1 in  
his own spirit1 and to his own          
pleasing1 as the matter of his prayer   
doth manifest4  ,for was it not         
pleasant to this hypocrite1 think you1  
to speak thus well of himself at  this  
time8  ,doubtless it was4  ,also        
children and fools are of the same      
temper with hypocrites1 as to this3 they
 also love1 without ground1 as  the     
,pharisee1 to flatter themselves in     
their own eyes2 8,but not he that       
commendeth himself is approved40        
8,god1 ,i thank thee1 ,i am not as other
 men are1 extortioners1 unjust1         

adulterers1 or even as this ,publican10 
c4    ,thus he begins his prayer2 and it
 is1 as was hinted before1 a prayer of  
the highest strain4  ,for to make a     
prayer all of thanksgiving1 and to  urge
 in that prayer the cause of that       
thanksgiving1 is the highest manner  of 
praying1 and seems to be done in the    
strongest faith1 c41 in the  greatest   
sense of things4  ,and such was the     
,pharisee's prayer1 only he  wanted     
substantial ground for his thanksgiving2
 to wit1 he wanted proof  of that he    
said1 ,he was not as other men were1    
except he had meant1 he  did not1 that  
he was even of the worst sort of men3   
,for even the best of  men by nature1   
and the worst1 are all alike4  8,what1  
then1 are we better  than they8 7saith  
,paul71 ,no1 in nowise20 ,rom4 iii4 #i4 
,so then he failed  in the ground of his
 thankfulness1 and therefore his        
thankfulness was  grounded on untruth1  
and so became feigned and               
self-flattering1 and could  not be      

acceptable with the ,god of heaven4     
,besides1 in this high prayer of the    
,pharisee1 he fathered that upon ,god   
which he could by no means own2 to wit1 
that he being so good as he  thought    
himself to be1 was through              
distinguishing love and favour of       
,god--8,god1 ,i thank thee1 that ,i am  
not as other men are40  ,i thank thee1  
that thou hast made me better than      
others2 ,i thank thee that my condition 
is so good1 and that ,i am so far       
advanced above my neighbour4    ,there  
are several things flow from this prayer
 of the ,pharisee that are  worth our   
observation3 as--    #a4  ,that the     
,pharisees and hypocrites do not love to
 count themselves  sinners1 when they   
stand before ,god4    ,they choose      
rather to commend themselves before him 
for virtuous and holy  persons1         
sometimes saying1 and oftener thinking1 
that they are more  righteous than      
others4  ,yea1 it seems by the word to  
be natural1  hereditary1 and so common  

for hypocrites to trust to themselves   
that they  are righteous1 and then to   
condemn others3 this is the foundation  
upon  which this very parable is built3 
8,he spake this parable 7saith ,luke7   
unto certain which trusted in themselves
 as being righteous10 or 8that  they    
were0 so1 8and despised others10 ver4   
#i4    ,i say1 hypocrites love not to   
think of their sins1 when they stand in 
the  presence of ,god2 but rather to    
muster up1 and to present him with their
  several good deeds1 and to venture a  
standing or falling by them4    #b4     
,this carriage of the ,pharisee before  
,god informs us1 that moral  virtues1   
and the ground of them1 which is the    
law1 if trusted to1 blinds  the mind of 
man that he cannot for them perceive the
 way to happiness4  ,while ,moses is    
read 7and his law and the righteousness 
thereof trusted  to71 the vail is upon  
their heart2 and even unto this day     
7said ,paul7 the  vail remaineth        
8untaken away in the reading of the ,old

 ,testament1 which  vail is done away in
 ,christ4  ,but even unto this day1 when
 ,moses is read1  the vail is upon their
 heart20 #b ,cor4 iii4 #ad1 #ae4  ,and  
this is the  reason so many moral men1  
that are adorned with civil and moral   
righteousness1 are yet so ignorant of   
themselves1 and the way of life by      
,christ4    ,the law of works1 and the  
righteousness of the flesh1 which is the
  righteousness of the law1 blinds their
 minds1 shuts up their eyes1 and        
causeth them to miss of the             
righteousness that they are so hotly in 
the  pursuit of4  ,their minds were     
blinded1 saith the text4  ,whose minds8 
,why  those that adhered to1 that stood 
by1 and that sought righteousness of    
the law4  ,now1    ,the ,pharisee was   
such an one2 he rested in the law1 he   
made his boast of  ,god1 and trusted to 
himself that he was righteous2 all this 
proceeded of  that blindness and        
ignorance that the law had possessed his
 mind withal2  for it is not granted to 

the law to be the ministration of life  
and  light1 but to be the ministration  
of death1 when it speaks2 and of        
darkness1 when trusted unto1 that the   
,son of ,god might have the             
pre-eminence in all things3 therefore it
 is said when the heart 8shall  turn to 
him1 the vail shall be taken away20 #b  
,cor4 iii4 #af4    #c4  ,we may see by  
this prayer1 the strength of vain       
confidence2 it will  embolden a man to  
stand in a lie before ,god2 it will     
embolden a man to  trust to himself1 and
 to what he hath done2 yea1 to plead his
 own  goodness1 instead of ,god's mercy1
 before him4  ,for the ,pharisee was not
  only a man that justified himself     
before men1 but that justified himself  
before ,god2 and what was the cause of  
his so justifying himself before  ,god1 
but that vain confidence that he had in 
himself and his works1 which  were both 
a cheat and a lie to himself8  ,but ,i  
say1 the boldness of the  man was       
wonderful1 for he stood to the lie that 

was in his right hand1  and pleaded the 
goodness of it before him4    ,but      
besides these things1 there are four    
things more that are couched in  this   
prayer of the ,pharisee4    #a4  ,by    
this prayer the ,pharisee doth          
appropriate to himself conversion2  he  
challengeth it to himself and to his    
fellows4  8,i am not10 saith he1  8as   
other men20 that is1 in unconversion1 in
 a state of sin1 wrath1 and  death3 and 
this must be his meaning1 for the       
religion of the ,pharisee was  not      
grounded upon any particular natural    
privilege3 ,i mean not singly1  not only
 upon that1 but upon a falling in with  
those principles1 notions1  opinions1   
decrees1 traditions1 and doctrines that 
they taught distinct  from the true and 
holy doctrines of the prophets4  ,and   
they made to  themselves disciples by   
such doctrine1 men that they could      
captivate by  those principles1 laws1   
doctrines1 and traditions3 and therefore
 such are  said to be of the sect of the

 ,pharisees3 that is1 the scholars and  
disciples of them1 converted to them and
 to their doctrine4  ,o6 it is  easy for
 souls to appropriate conversion to     
themselves1 that know not  what         
conversion is4  ,it is easy1 ,i say1 for
 men to lay conversion to ,god1  on a   
legal1 or ceremonial1 or delusive       
bottom1 on such a bottom that will  sink
 under the burden that is laid upon it2 
on such a bottom that will  not stand   
when it is brought under the touchstone 
of ,god1 nor against the  rain1 wind1   
and floods that are ordained to put it  
to the trial1 whether  it is true or    
false4  ,the ,pharisee here stands upon 
a supposed conversion  to ,god2 8,i am  
not as other men20 but both he and his  
conversion are  rejected by the sequel  
of the parable3 8,that which is highly  
esteemed  among men0 7,luke xvi4 #ae7   
8is abomination in the sight of ,god40  
,that is1  that conversion1 that men1 as
 men1 flatter themselves that they have1
 is  such4  ,but the ,pharisee will be a

 converted man1 he will have more to    
shew for heaven than his neighbour--8,i 
am not as other men are20 to wit1  in a 
state of sin and condemnation1 but in a 
state of conversion and  salvation4     
,but see how grievously this sect1 this 
religion1 beguiled  men4  ,it made them 
twofold worse the children of hell than 
they were  before1 and than their       
teachers were1 ,matth4 xxiii4 #ae2 that 
is1 their  doctrine begat such          
blindness1 such vain confidence1 and    
groundless  boldness in their disciples1
 as to involve them in that conceit of  
conversion that was false1 and so if    
trusted to1 damnable4    #b4  ,by these 
words1 we find the ,pharisee1 not only  
appropriating  conversion to himself1   
but rejoicing in that conversion3 8,god1
 ,i thank  thee10 saith he1 8that ,i am 
not as other men20 which saying of his  
gives  us to see that he gloried in his 
conversion2 he made no doubt at all of  
his state1 but lived in the joy of the  
safety that he supposed his soul1  by   

his conversion1 to be in4  ,oh6 thanks  
to ,god1 says he1 ,i am not in the      
state of sin1 death1 and damnation1 as  
the unjust1 and this ,publican is4      
,what a strange delusion1 to trust to   
the spider's web1 and to think that  a  
few1 or the most fine of the works of   
the flesh1 would be sufficient to  bear 
up the soul in1 at1 and under the       
judgment of ,god6  8,there is a         
generation that are pure in their own   
eyes1 and yet are not washed from  their
 filthiness40  ,this text can be so     
fitly applied to none as the  ,pharisee1
 and to those that tread in the         
,pharisee's steps1 and that are         
swallowed up with his conceits1 and with
 the glory of their own  righteousness4 
,so again1 8,there is a way0 7a way to  
heaven7 8which seemeth right to a  man1 
but the end thereof are the ways of     
death20 ,prov4 xxx4 #ab2 xiv4 #ab4      
,this also is fulfilled in these kind of
 men2 at the end of their way is  death 
and hell1 notwithstanding their         

confidence in the goodness of their     
state4    ,again1 8,there is that maketh
 himself rich1 yet hath nothing20 ,prov4
 xiii4  #g4  ,what can be more plain    
from all these texts1 than that some men
 that  are out of the way think         
themselves in it2 and that some men     
think  themselves clean1 that are yet in
 their filthiness1 and that think       
themselves rich for the next world1 and 
yet are poor1 and miserable1 and        
wretched1 and blind1 and naked4  ,thus  
the poor1 blind1 naked1  hypocritical   
,pharisee thought of himself1 when ,god 
threatened to abase  him3 yea1 he       
thought himself thus1 and joyed therein1
 when indeed he was  going down to the  
chambers of death4    #c4  ,by these    
words1 the ,pharisee seems to put the   
goodness of his  condition upon the     
goodness of ,god4  ,i am not as other   
men are1 and ,i  thank ,god for it4     
8,god 7saith he71 ,i thank thee1 that ,i
 am not as other  men are40  ,he thanked
 ,god1 when ,god had done nothing for   

him4  ,he thanked  ,god1 when the way   
that he was in was not of ,god's        
prescribing1 but of his  own inventing4 
,so the persecutor thanks ,god that he  
was put into that  way of roguery that  
the devil had put him into1 when he fell
 to rending  and tearing of the church  
of ,god2 8,their possessors slay them   
7saith the  prophet71 and hold          
themselves not guilty3 and they that    
sell them say1  ,blessed be the ,lord1  
for ,i am rich20 ,zech4 xi4 #e4  ,i     
remember that ,luther  used to say1 8,in
 the name of ,god begins all mischief40 
,all must be  fathered upon ,god3 the   
,pharisee's conversion must be fathered 
upon ,god2  the right1 or rather the    
villany of the outrageous persecution   
against  ,god's people1 must be fathered
 upon ,god4  8,god1 ,i thank thee10 and1
  8,blessed be ,god10 must be the burden
 of the heretic's song4  ,so again1  the
 free-willer1 he will ascribe all to    
,god2 the ,quaker1 the ,ranter1 the     
,socinian1 c41 will ascribe all to ,god4

  8,god1 ,i thank thee10 is in every    
man's mouth1 and must be entailed to    
every error1 delusion1 and damnable     
doctrine that is in the world3 but the  
name of ,god1 and their doctrine1       
worship1 and way1 hangeth together1 as  
the ,pharisee's doctrine2 that is  to   
say1 by nothing at all3 for ,god hath   
not proposed their principles1  nor doth
 he own them1 nor hath he commanded     
them1 nor doth he convey by  them the   
least grace or mercy to them2 but rather
 rejecteth them1 and  holdeth them for  
his enemies1 and for the destroyers of  
the world4    #d4  ,we come1 in the next
 place1 to the ground of all this1 and  
that is1  to what the ,pharisee had     
attained2 to wit1 that he was no        
extortioner1 no  unjust man1 no         
adulterer1 nor even as this ,publican1  
and for that he  fasted twice a-week1   
and paid tithes of all that he          
possessed4  ,so that  you see he        
pretended to a double foundation for his
 salvation1 a moral  and a ceremonial   

one2 but both very lean1 weak1 and      
feeble3 for the first  of his           
foundation1 what is it more1 if all be  
true that he saith1 but a  being removed
 a few inches from the vilest men in    
their vilest actions8 a  very slender   
matter to build my confidence for heaven
 upon4    ,and for the second part of   
his ground for life1 what is it but a   
couple  of ceremonies1 if so good8 the  
first is questioned as a thing not      
founded  in ,god's law2 and the second  
is such1 as is of the remotest sort of  
ceremonies1 that teach and preach the   
,lord ,jesus4  ,but suppose them to be  
the best1 and his conformity to them the
 thoroughest1 they never were  ordained 
to get to heaven by1 and so are become  
but a sandy foundation4  ,but any thing 
will serve some men for a foundation and
 support for their  souls1 and to build 
their hopes of heaven upon4  ,i am not a
 drunkard1  says one1 nor a liar1 nor a 
swearer1 nor a thief1 and therefore ,i  
thank  ,god1 ,i have hopes of heaven and

 glory4  ,i am not an extortioner1 nor  
an  adulterer2 not unjust1 nor yet as   
this ,publican2 and therefore do hope ,i
  shall go to heaven4  ,alas1 poor men6 
will your being furnished with these    
things save you from the thundering     
claps and vehement batteries that the   
wrath of ,god will make upon sin and    
sinners in the day that shall burn  like
 an oven8  ,no1 no2 nothing at that day 
can shroud a man from the hot  rebukes  
of that vengeance1 but the very         
righteousness of ,god1 which is  not the
 righteousness of the law1 however      
christened1 named1 or garnished  with   
all the righteousness of man4    ,but1  
,o thou blind ,pharisee6 since thou art 
so confident that thy state is  good1   
and thy righteousness is that that will 
stand when it shall be  tried with fire 
7#a ,cor4 iii4 #ac71 let me now reason  
with thee of  righteousness4  ,my terror
 shall not make thee afraid2 ,i am not  
,god1 but a  man as thou art2 we both   
are formed out of the clay4    ,first1  

,prithee1 when didst thou begin to be   
righteous8  ,was it before  or after    
thou hadst been a sinner8  ,not before1 
,i dare say2 but if after1  then the    
sins that thou pollutedst thyself withal
 before1 have made thee  incapable of   
acting legal righteousness3 for sin1    
where it is1 pollutes1  defiles1 and    
makes vile the whole man2 therefore thou
 canst not by after  acts of obedience  
make thyself just in the sight of that  
,god thou  pretendest now to stand      
praying unto4  ,indeed thou mayst cover 
thy dirt1  and paint thy sepulchre2 for 
that acts of after obedience will do1   
though  sin has gone before4  ,but1     
,pharisee1 ,god can see through the     
white of  this wall1 even to the dirt   
that is within3 ,god can also see       
through the  paint and garnish of thy   
beauteous sepulchre1 to the dead men's  
bones  that are within2 nor can any of  
thy most holy duties1 nor all when put  
together1 blind the eye of the          
all-seeing ,majesty from beholding all  

the  uncleanness of thy soul 7,matt4    
xxiii4 #bg47  ,stand not therefore so   
stoutly to it1 now thou art before ,god2
 sin is with thee1 and judgment  and    
justice is before him4  ,it becomes     
thee1 therefore1 rather to despise  and 
abhor this life1 and to count all thy   
doings but dross and dung1 and  to be   
content to be justified with another's  
righteousness instead of thy  own4      
,this is the way to be secured4  ,i say1
 blind ,pharisee1 this is the  way to be
 secured from the wrath which is to     
come4    ,there is nothing more certain 
than this1 that as to justification from
  the curse of the law1 ,god has        
rejected man's righteousness1 for the   
weakness and unprofitableness thereof1  
and hath accepted in the room of  that  
the glorious righteousness of his ,son2 
because indeed that1 and that  only1 is 
universal1 perfect1 and equal with his  
justice and holiness4  ,this is in a    
manner the contents of the whole ,bible1
 and therefore must  needs be more      

certainly true4  ,now then1 ,mr         
,pharisee1 methinks1 what if  thou didst
 this1 and that while thou art at thy   
prayers1 to wit1 cast in  thy mind what 
doth ,god love most8 and the resolve    
will be at hand4  ,the  best            
righteousness1 surely the best          
righteousness2 for that thy reason  will
 tell thee3 ,this done1 even while thou 
art at thy devotion1 ask  thyself again1
 ,but who has the best righteousness8   
and that resolve will  be at hand also2 
to wit1 he that in person is equal with 
,god1 and that is  his in ,jesus        
,christ2 he that is separate from       
sinners1 and made higher  than the      
heavens1 and that is his ,son ,jesus    
,christ2 he that did no sin1  nor had   
any guile found in his mouth2 and there 
never was any such he in  all the world 
but the ,son of ,god1 ,jesus ,christ4   
,now1 ,pharisee1 when thou hast done    
this1 then1 as thou art at thy          
devotion1 ask again1 ,but what is this  
best righteousness1 the  righteousness  

of ,christ1 to do8 and the answer will  
be ready4  ,it is to  be made by an act 
of the sovereign grace of ,god over to  
the sinner that  shall dare to trust    
thereto for justification from the curse
 of the law4  8,he is made unto us of   
,god1 righteousness40  8,he hath made   
him to be sin  for us1 who knew no sin2 
that we might be made the righteousness 
of ,god  in him40  8,for ,christ is the 
end of the law for righteousness to     
every  one that believeth20 #a ,cor4 i4 
#cj2 #b ,cor4 v4 #ba2 ,rom4 x4 #d4      
,this done1 and concluded on1 then turn 
again1 ,pharisee1 and say thus with     
thyself--,is it most safe for me to     
trust in this righteousness of ,god1    
this righteousness of ,god-man1 this    
righteousness of ,christ8  ,certainly   
it is2 since1 by the text1 it is counted
 the best1 and that which is best       
pleaseth ,god2 since it is that which   
,god hath appointed1 that sinners  shall
 be justified withal4  ,for 8in the     
,lord have we righteousness0 if we      

believe3 and1 8in the ,lord we are      
justified1 and do glory20 ,isa4 xlv4    
#bd1  #be4    ,nay1 ,pharisee1 suppose  
thine own righteousness should be as    
long1 as  broad1 as high1 as deep1 as   
perfect1 as good1 even every way as     
good1 as  the righteousness of ,christ2 
yet since ,god has chosen1 by ,christ1  
to  reconcile us to himself1 canst thou 
attempt to seek by thy own              
righteousness to reconcile thyself to   
,god1 and not attempt 7at least7 to     
confront this righteousness of ,christ  
before ,god2 yea1 to challenge it by    
acceptance of thy person contrary to    
,god's design8    ,suppose1 that when   
the king has chosen one to be judge in  
the land1 and  has determined that he   
shall be judge in all cases1 and that by
 his  verdict every man's judgment shall
 stand2 ,i say1 suppose1 after this1    
another should arise1 and of his own    
head resolve to do his own business     
himself4  ,now1 though he should be     
every whit as able1 yea1 and suppose  he

 should do it as justly and righteously 
too1 yet his making of himself  a judge1
 would be an affront to the king1 and an
 act of rebellion1 and so  a            
transgression worthy of punishment4     
,why1 ,pharisee1 ,god hath appointed1   
that by the righteousness of his ,son1  
and by that righteousness only1 men     
shall be justified in his sight from    
the curse of the law4  ,wherefore1 take 
heed1 and at thy peril1 whatever  thy   
righteousness is1 confront not the      
righteousness of ,christ therewith4  ,i 
say1 bring it not in1 let it not plead  
for thee at the bar of ,god1 nor  do    
thou plead for that in his court of     
justice2 for thou canst not do  this and
 be innocent4  ,if he trust to his      
righteousness1 he hath sinned1  says    
,ezekiel4  ,mark the text1 8,when ,i    
shall say to the righteous1 that he     
shall surely live2 if he trust to his   
own righteousness1 and commit  iniquity1
 all his righteousness shall not be     
remembered3 but for his  iniquity that  

he hath committed1 he shall die for it20
 ,ezek4 xxxiii4 #ac4    ,observe a few  
things from this text2 and they are     
these that follow4    #a4  ,here is a   
righteous man2 a man with whom we do not
 hear that the ,god  of heaven finds    
fault4    #b4  ,here is a promise made  
to this man1 that he shall surely live2 
but on  this condition1 that he trust   
not to his own righteousness4  ,whence  
it is  manifest1 that the promise of    
life to this righteous man1 is not for  
the  sake of his righteousness1 but for 
the sake of something else2 to wit1  the
 righteousness of ,christ4    #a4  ,not 
for the sake of his own righteousness4  
,this is evident1 because  we are       
permitted1 yea1 commanded1 to trust in  
the righteousness that  saveth us4  ,the
 righteousness of ,god is unto us all1  
and upon all that  believe2 that is1    
trust in it1 and trust to it for        
justification4  ,now  therefore1 if thy 
righteousness1 when most perfect1 could 
save thee1 thou  mightst1 yea oughtst1  

most boldly to trust therein4  ,but     
since thou art  forbidden to trust to   
it1 it is evident it cannot save2 nor is
 it for the  sake of that1 that the     
righteous man is saved2 ,rom4 iii4 #ba1 
#bb4    #b4  ,but for the sake of       
something else1 to wit1 for the sake of 
the  righteousness of ,christ1 8,whom   
,god hath set forth to be a propitiation
  through faith in his blood1 to declare
 his righteousness for the  remission of
 sins that are past1 through the        
forbearance of ,god2 to  declare1 ,i    
say1 at this time his righteousness1    
that he might be just1  and the         
justifier of him that believeth in      
,jesus20 ,rom4 iii4 #be1 #bf2 see       
,phil4 iii4 #f-h4    8,if he trust to   
his own righteousness1 and commit       
iniquity1 all his  righteousness shall  
not be remembered2 but for his iniquity 
that he hath  committed 7in trusting to 
his own righteousness71 he shall die for
 it40    ,note hence further4    #a4    
,that there is more virtue in one sin to

 destroy1 than in all thy  righteousness
 to save thee alive4  ,if he trust1 if  
he trust ever so  little1 if he do at   
all trust to his own righteousness1 all 
his  righteousness shall be forgotten2  
and by1 and for1 and in1 the sin that   
he hath committed1 in trusting to it1 he
 shall die4    #b4  ,take notice also1  
that there are more damnable sins than  
those that  are against the moral law4  
,by which of the ten commandments is    
trusting  to our own righteousness      
forbidden8  ,yet it is a sin3 it is a   
sin  therefore forbidden by the gospel1 
and is included1 lurketh close in1  yea1
 is the very root of1 unbelief itself2  
8,he that believes not shall be         
damned40  ,but he that trusteth in his  
own righteousness doth not believe1     
neither in the truth1 nor sufficiency of
 the righteousness of ,christ to  save  
him1 therefore he shall be damned4      
,but how is it manifest1 that he that   
trusteth to his own righteousness1  doth
 it through a doubt1 or unbelief of the 

truth or sufficiency of the             
righteousness of ,christ8    ,i answer1 
because he trusteth to his own4  ,a man 
will never willingly  choose to trust to
 the worst of helps1 when he believes   
there is a better  as near1 and to be   
had as soon1 and that too1 upon as easy1
 if not more  easy terms4  ,if he that  
trusteth to his own righteousness for   
life1 did  believe that there is indeed 
such a thing as the righteousness of    
,christ  to justify1 and that this      
righteousness of ,christ has in it      
all-sufficiency to do that blessed work1
 be sure he would choose that1  thereon 
to lay1 lean1 and venture his soul1 that
 he saw was the best1 and  most         
sufficient to save2 especially when he  
saw also 7and see that he  must1 when he
 sees the righteousness of ,christ71 to 
wit1 that that is to  be obtained as    
soon1 because as near1 and to be had on 
as easy terms3  nay1 upon easier than   
man's own righteousness4  ,i say1 he    
would sooner  choose it1 because of the 

weight of salvation1 of the worth of    
salvation1  and of the fearful sorrow   
that to eternity will overtake him that 
in this  thing shall miscarry4  ,it is  
for heaven1 it is to escape hell1 wrath1
 and  damnation1 saith the soul2 and    
therefore ,i will1 ,i must1 ,i dare not 
but  choose that1 and that only1 that ,i
 believe to be the best and most        
sufficient help in so great a concern as
 soul-concern is4  ,so then he  that    
trusteth to his own righteousness1 does 
it of unbelief of the  sufficiency of   
the righteousness of ,christ to save    
him4    ,wherefore this sin of trusting 
to his own righteousness is a most high 
transgression2 because it contemneth the
 righteousness of ,christ1 which  is the
 only righteousness that is sufficient  
to save from the curse of  the law4  ,it
 also disalloweth the design of heaven1 
and the excellency of  the mystery of   
the wisdom of ,god1 in designing this   
way of salvation for  man4  ,what shall 
,i say1 ,it also seeketh to rob ,god of 

the honour of the  salvation of man4    
,it seeketh to take the crown from the  
head of ,christ1  and to set it upon the
 hypocrite's head2 therefore1 no marvel 
that this  one sin be of that weight1   
virtue1 and power1 as to sink that man  
and his  righteousness into hell1 that  
leaneth thereon1 or trusteth unto it4   
,but1 ,pharisee1 ,i need not talk thus  
unto thee2 for thou art not the man     
that hath that righteousness that ,god  
findeth not fault withal2 nor is it  to 
be found1 but with him that is ordained 
to be the ,saviour of mankind2  nor is  
there any such one besides ,jesus1 who  
is called ,christ4  ,what  madness then 
has brought thee into the temple1 there 
in an audacious  manner to stand and    
vaunt before ,god1 saying1 8,god1 ,i    
thank thee1 ,i am  not as other men     
are80    ,dost thou not know1 that he   
that breaks one1 breaks all the         
commandments  of ,god2 and consequently1
 that he that keeps not all1 keeps none 
at all  of the commandments of ,god8    

,saith not the scripture the same8      
8,for  whosoever shall keep the whole   
law1 and yet offend in one point1 he is 
guilty of all20 ,jam4 ii4 #aj4  ,be     
confounded then1 be confounded4    ,dost
 thou know the ,god with whom now thou  
hast to do8  ,he is a ,god that  cannot 
7as he is just7 accept of an half       
righteousness for a whole2 of a  lame   
righteousness for a sound2 of a sick    
righteousness for a well and  healthy   
one2 ,mal4 i4 #g1 #h4  ,and if so1 how  
should he then accept of that  which is 
no righteousness8  ,i say1 how should he
 accept of that which is  none at all1  
for thine is only such8  ,and if ,christ
 said1 8,when you have  done all1 say1  
,we are unprofitable10 how camest thou  
to say1 before thou  hadst done one     
thing well1 ,i am better1 more righteous
 than other men8    ,didst thou believe1
 when thou saidst it1 that ,god knew thy
 heart8  ,hadst  thou said this to the  
,publican1 it had been a high and       
rampant  expression2 but to say this    

before ,god1 to the face of ,god1 when  
he knew  that thou wert vile1 and a     
sinner from the womb1 and from the      
conception1  spoils all4  ,it was spoken
 to put a check to thy arrogancy when   
,christ  said1 8,ye are they that       
justify yourselves before men2 but ,god 
knoweth  your hearts20 ,luke xvi4 #ae4  
,hast thou taken notice of this1 that   
,god judgeth the fruit by the heart     
from whence it comes8  8,a good man1 out
 of the good treasure of his  heart1    
bringeth forth that which is good2 and  
an evil man1 out of the  evil treasure  
of his heart1 bringeth forth that which 
is evil20 ,luke vi4  #de4  ,nor can it  
be otherwise concluded1 but that thou   
art an evil man1  and so that all thy   
supposed good is nought but badness2 for
 that thou  hast made it to stand in the
 room of ,jesus1 and hast dared to      
commend  thyself to the living ,god     
thereby3 for thou hast trusted in thy   
shadow of  righteousness1 and committed 
iniquity4  ,thy sin hath melted away thy

  righteousness1 and turned it to       
nothing but dross2 or1 if you will1 to  
the early dew1 like to which it goeth   
away1 and so can by no means do  thee   
good1 when thou shalt stand in need of  
salvation and eternal life of  ,god4    
,but1 further1 thou sayst thou art      
righteous2 but they are but vain words4 
,knowest thou not that thy zeal1 which  
is the life of thy righteousness1  is   
preposterous in many things8  ,what else
 means thy madness1 and the  rage       
thereof1 against men as good as thyself4
  ,true1 thy being ignorant  that they  
are good1 may save thee from the        
commission of the sin that is           
unpardonable2 but it will never keep    
thee from spot in ,god's sight1 but     
will make both thee and thy             
righteousness culpable4    ,paul1 who   
was once as brave a ,pharisee as thou   
canst be1 calleth much of  that zeal    
which he in that estate was possessed   
with1 and lived in the  exercise of1    
madness2 yea1 exceeding madness 7,acts  

xxvi4 #i-aa2 ,phil1 iii4  #e1 #f72 and  
of the same sort is much of thine1 and  
it must be so2 for a  lawyer1 a man for 
the law1 and that resteth in it1 must be
 a persecutor2  yea1 a persecutor of    
righteous men1 and that of zeal to ,god2
 because by  the law is begotten1       
through the weakness that it meeteth    
with in thee1  sourness1 bitterness of  
spirit1 and anger against him that      
rightfully  condemneth thee of folly1   
for choosing to trust to thy own        
righteousness  when a better is provided
 of ,god to save us2 ,gal4 iv4 #bh-ca4  
,thy  righteousness therefore is        
deficient2 yea1 thy zeal for the law1   
and the  men of the law1 has joined     
madness with thy moral virtues1 and made
 thy  righteousness unrighteousness3 how
 then canst thou be upright before the  
,lord8    ,further1 has not the pride of
 thy spirit in this hotheaded zeal for  
thy  ,pharisaical notions run thee upon 
thinking that thou art able to do more  
than ,god hath enjoined thee1 and so    

able to make thyself more righteous     
than ,god requireth thou shouldst be8   
,what else is the cause of thy  adding  
laws to ,god's laws1 precepts to ,god's 
precepts1 and traditions to  ,god's     
appointment8  ,mark vii4  ,nay1 hast    
thou not1 by thus doing1  condemned the 
law of want of perfection1 and so the   
,god that gave it1 of  want of wisdom   
and faithfulness to himself and thee8   
,nay1 ,i say again1 hath not thy thus   
doing charged ,god with being ignorant  
of knowing what rules there needed to be
 imposed on his creatures to make  their
 obedience complete8  ,and doth not this
 madness of thine intimate1  moreover1  
that if thou hadst not stepped in with  
the bundle of thy  traditions1          
righteousness had been imperfect1 not   
through man's weakness1  but through    
impediment in ,god1 or in his           
ministering rules of  righteousness unto
 us8    ,now1 when thou hast thought on 
these things1 fairly answer thyself     
these  few questions4  ,is not this     

arrogancy8  ,is not this blasphemy8  ,is
 not  this to condemn ,god1 that thou   
mightst be righteous8  ,and dost thou   
think1 this is indeed the way to be     
righteous8    ,but again1 what means thy
 preferring of thine own rules1 laws1   
statutes1  ordinances1 and appointments1
 before the rules1 laws1 statutes1 and  
appointments of ,god8  ,thinkest thou   
this to be right8  ,whither will thy    
zeal1 thy pride1 and thy folly carry    
thee8  ,is there more reason1 more      
equity1 more holiness in thy tradition1 
than in the holy1 and just1 and  good   
commandments of ,god8  ,rom4 vii4 #ab4  
,why then1 ,i say1 dost thou  reject the
 commandment of ,god1 to keep thine own 
tradition8  ,yea1 why  dost thou rage1  
and rail1 and cry out1 when men keep not
 thy law1 or the  rule of thine order1  
and tradition of thine elders1 and yet  
shut thine  eyes1 or wink with them1    
when thou thyself shalt live in the     
breach of  the law of ,god8  ,yea1 why  
wilt thou condemn men1 when they keep   

not thy  law1 but study for an excuse1  
yea1 plead for them that live in the    
breach  of ,god's8  ,mark vii4 #aj-ac4  
,will this go for righteousness in the  
day of  ,god ,almighty8  ,nay1 rather1  
will not this1 like a mill-stone about  
thy  neck1 drown thee in the deeps of   
hell8  ,o the blindness1 the madness1   
the  pride1 that dwells in the hearts of
 these pretended righteous men          
,again1 ,what kind of righteousness of  
thine is this that standeth in a        
mis-esteeming of ,god's commands8  ,some
 thou settest too high1 and some  too   
low2 as in the text1 thou hast set a    
ceremony above faith1 above  love1 and  
above hope in the mercy of ,god2 when as
 it is evident1 the  things last        
mentioned1 are the things of the first  
rate1 the weightier  matters2 ,matt4    
xxiii4 #ag4    ,again1 ,thou hast       
preferred the gold above the temple that
 sanctifieth the  gold2 and the gift    
above the altar that sanctifieth the    
gift2 ,matt4  xxiii4 #ag4    ,i say     

again1 ,what kind of righteousness shall
 this be called8  ,what back  will such 
a suit of apparel fit1 that is set      
together to what it should  be8  ,nor   
can other righteousness proceed1 where a
 wrong judgment  precedeth it4    ,this 
misplacing of ,god's laws cannot1 ,i    
say1 but produce misplaced  obedience4  
,it indeed produceth a monster1 an      
ill-shaped thing1 unclean1  and an      
abomination to the ,lord4  ,for 8see10  
saith he 7if thou wilt be  making71     
8that thou make all things according to 
the pattern shewn thee  in the mount40  
,set faith1 where faith should stand2 a 
moral1 where a  moral should stand2 and 
a ceremony1 where a ceremony should     
stand3 for  this turning of things      
upside down shall be esteemed as the    
potter's  clay4  ,and wilt thou call    
this thy righteousness8 yea1 wilt thou  
stand in  this8 wilt thou plead for     
this8 and venture an eternal concern in 
such a  piece of linsey-woolsey as this8
  ,o fools1 and blind6    ,but1 further1

 let us come a little closer to the     
point4  ,o blind  ,pharisee1 thou       
standest to thy righteousness3 what dost
 thou mean8  ,wouldst thou have mercy   
for thy righteousness1 or justice for   
thy  righteousness4    ,if mercy1 what  
mercy8  ,temporal things ,god giveth to 
the unthankful and  unholy3 nor doth he 
use to sell the world to man for        
righteousness4  ,the  earth hath he     
given to the children of men4  ,but this
 is not the thing3  thou wouldst have   
eternal mercy for thy righteousness2    
thou wouldst have  ,god think upon what 
an holy1 what a good1 what a righteous  
man thou art  and hast been4  ,but      
,christ died not for the good and       
righteous1 nor did  he come to call such
 to the banquet that grace hath prepared
 for the  world4  8,i came not1--,i am  
not come 7saith ,christ7 to call the    
righteous1  but sinners to repentance20 
,mark ii42 ,rom4 v4  ,yet this is thy   
plea2  ,lord1 ,god1 ,i am a righteous   
man2 therefore grant me mercy1 and a    

share in  thy heavenly kingdom4  ,what  
else dost thou mean when thou sayst1    
8,god ,i  thank thee1 that ,i am not as 
other men are80  ,why dost thou rejoice1
 why  art thou glad that thou art more  
righteous 7if indeed thou art7 than thy 
neighbour1 if it is not because thou    
thinkest that thou hast got the  start  
of thy neighbour1 with reference to     
mercy2 and that by thy  righteousness   
thou hast insinuated thyself into ,god's
 affections1 and  procured an interest  
in his eternal favour8  ,but1    ,what1 
what hast thou done by thy              
righteousness8  ,i say1 ,what hast thou 
given to ,god thereby8  ,and what hath  
he received of thy hand8  ,perhaps  thou
 wilt say1 righteousness pleaseth ,god3 
but ,i answer no1 not thine1  with      
respect to justification from the curse 
of the law1 unless it be as  perfect as 
the justice it is yielded to1 and as the
 law that doth command  it4  ,but thine 
is not such a righteousness3 no1 thine  
is speckled1 thine  is spotted1 thine   

makes thee to look like a speckled bird 
in his  eye-sight4    ,thy righteousness
 has added iniquity1 because it has kept
 thee from a  belief of thy need of     
repentance1 and because it has          
emboldened thee to  thrust thyself      
audaciously into the presence of ,god1  
and made thee even  before his holy     
eyes1 which are so pure1 that they      
cannot look on  iniquity 7,hab4 i4 #ac71
 to vaunt1 boast1 and brag of thyself2  
and of thy  tottering1 ragged1 stinking 
uncleanness2 for all our righteousnesses
 are  as menstruous rags1 because they  
flow from a thing1 a heart1 a man1 that 
is unclean4  ,but1    ,again1 ,wouldst  
thou have mercy for thy righteousness8  
,for whom wouldst  thou have it3 for    
another1 or for thyself8  ,if for       
another 7and it is  most proper that a  
righteous man should intercede for      
another by his  righteousness1 rather   
than for himself71 then thou thrustest  
,christ out  of his place and office1   
and makest thyself to be a saviour in   

his stead2  for a mediator there is     
already1 even a mediator between ,god   
and man1 and  he is the man ,christ     
,jesus4    ,but dost thou plead by thy  
righteousness for mercy for thyself8    
,why1 in  doing so1 thou impliest--     
#a4  ,that thy righteousness can prevail
 with ,god more than can thy sins2 ,i   
say1 that thy righteousness can prevail 
with ,god to preserve thee from  death  
more than thy sins can prevail with him 
to condemn thee to it4  ,and  if so1    
what follows1 but that thy righteousness
 is more1 and has been  done in a fuller
 spirit than ever were thy sins8  ,but  
thus to insinuate1  is to insinuate a   
lie2 for there is no man but1 while he  
is a sinner1  sinneth with a more full  
spirit than a good man can act          
righteousness  withal4    ,a sinner1    
when he sinneth1 he doth it with all his
 heart1 and with all  his mind1 and with
 all his soul1 and with all his         
strength2 nor hath he  in his ordinary  
course any thing that bindeth4  ,but    

with a good man it is  not so2 all and  
every whit of himself1 neither is1 nor  
can be1 in every  good duty that he     
doth4  ,for when he would do good1 evil 
is the ,spirit1  and the ,spirit against
 the flesh1 and these are present with  
him4  ,and  again1 8,the flesh lusteth  
against one to the other1 so that ye    
cannot do  the things would20 ,gal4 v4  
#ag4    ,now1 if a good man cannot do   
good things with that oneness and       
universalness of mind1 as a wicked man  
doth sin with1 then is his sin  heavier 
to weigh him down to hell than is his   
righteousness to buoy him  up to the    
heavens4    ,and again1 ,i say1 if the  
righteousness of a good man comes short 
of his  sin1 both in number1 weight1 and
 measure1 as it doth 7for a good man    
shrinks and quakes at the thoughts of   
,god's entering into judgment with  him1
 ,psalm cxliii4 #b72 then is his        
iniquity more than his righteousness4   
,and ,i say again1 if the sin of one    
that is truly gracious1 and so of one   

that hath the best of principles1 is    
heavier and mightier to destroy him     
than is his righteousness to save him1  
how can it be that the ,pharisee1  that 
is not gracious1 but a mere carnal man  
7somewhat reformed and  painted over    
with a few lean and low formalities71   
should with his empty1  partial1        
hypocritical righteousness counterpoise 
his great1 mighty1 and  weighty sins1   
that have cleaved to him in every state 
and condition of  his1 to make him      
odious in the sight of ,god8    #b4     
,dost thou plead by thy righteousness   
for mercy for thyself8  ,why in  so     
doing thou impliest1 that mercy thou    
deservest2 and that is next door  to1 or
 almost as much as to say1 ,god oweth me
 what ,i ask for4  ,the best  that can  
be put upon it is1 thou seekest security
 from the direful curse  of ,god1 as it 
were by the works of the law1 ,rom4 ix4 
#ca-cc2 and to be  sure1 betwixt ,christ
 and the law1 thou wilt drop into hell4 
,for he that  seeks for mercy1 as it    

were1 and but as it were1 by the works  
of the law1  doth not altogether trust  
thereto4  ,nor doth he that seeks for   
that  righteousness that should save him
 as it were by the works of the law1    
seek it only wholly and solely at the   
hands of mercy4    ,so then1 to seek for
 that that should save thee1 neither at 
the hands of  the law1 nor at the hands 
of mercy1 is to be sure to seek it where
 it is  not to be found2 for there is no
 medium betwixt the righteousness of the
  law and the mercy of ,god4  ,thou must
 have it either at the door of the  law1
 or at the door of grace4  ,but sayst   
thou1 ,i am for having of it at  the    
hands of both4  ,i will trust solely to 
neither4  ,i love to have two  strings  
to my bow4  ,if one of them1 as you     
think1 can help me by itself1  my reason
 tells me that both can help me better4 
,therefore will ,i be  righteous and    
good1 and will seek by my goodness to be
 commended to the  mercy of ,god3 for   
surely he that hath something of his own

 to ingratiate  himself into the favour 
of his prince withal1 shall sooner      
obtain his  mercy and favour1 than one  
that comes to him stripped of all good4 
,i answer1 ,but there are not two ways  
to heaven3 there is but one new and     
living way which ,christ hath           
consecrated for us through the vail1    
that is  to say1 his flesh2 and besides 
that one1 there is no more2 ,heb4 x4    
#ai-bd4  ,why then dost thou talk of two
 strings to thy bow8  ,what became of   
him  that had1 and would have two stools
 to sit on8 yea1 the text says  plainly1
 that therefore they obtained not       
righteousness1 because they  sought it  
not by faith1 but as it were by the     
works of the law4  ,see  here1 they are 
disowned by the gospel1 because they    
sought it not by  faith1 that is1 by    
faith only4  ,again1 the law1 and the   
righteousness  thereof1 flies from them 
7nor could they attain it1 though they  
follow  after it71 because they sought  
it not by faith4    ,mercy then is to be

 found alone in ,jesus ,christ4  ,again1
 the  righteousness of the law is to be 
obtained only by faith of ,jesus        
,christ2  that is1 in the ,son of ,god  
is the righteousness of the law to be   
found2  for he1 by his obedience to his 
,father1 is become the end of the law   
for  righteousness4  ,and for the sake  
of his legal righteousness 7which is    
also called the righteousness of ,god1  
because it was ,god in the flesh of  the
 ,lord ,jesus that did accomplish it71  
is mercy1 and grace from ,god  extended 
to whoever dependeth by faith upon ,god 
by this ,jesus his  righteousness for   
it4  ,and hence it is1 that we so often 
read1 that this  ,jesus is the way to   
the ,father2 that ,god1 for ,christ's   
sake1 forgiveth  us2 that by the        
obedience of one many are made          
righteous1 or justified2  and that      
through this man is preached to us the  
forgiveness of sins2 and  that by him   
all that believe are justified from all 
things from which  they could not be    

justified by the law of ,moses4    ,now1
 though ,i here do make mention of      
righteousness and mercy1 yet ,i hold    
there is but one way1 to wit1 to eternal
 life2 which way1 as ,i said1 is  ,jesus
 ,christ2 for he is the new1 the only   
new and living way to the  ,father of   
mercies1 for mercy to make me capable of
 abiding with him in  the heavens for   
ever and ever4    ,but sayst thou1 ,i   
will be righteous in myself that ,i may 
have wherewith  to commend me to ,god1  
when ,i go to him for mercy8    ,i      
answer1 ,but thou blind ,pharisee1 ,i   
tell thee thou hast no understanding  of
 ,god's design by the gospel1 which is1 
not to advance man's  righteousness1 as 
thou dreamest1 but to advance the       
righteousness of his  ,son1 and his     
grace by him4  ,indeed1 if ,god's design
 by the gospel was to  exalt and advance
 man's righteousness1 then that which   
thou hast said  would be to the purpose2
 for what greater dignity can be put    
upon man's  righteousness1 than to admit

 it8    ,i say then1 for ,god to admit  
it1 to be an advocate1 an intercessor1 a
  mediator2 for all these are they which
 prevail with ,god to shew me mercy4    
,but this ,god never thought of1 much   
less could he thus design by the        
gospel2 for the text runs flat against  
it4  ,not of works1 not of works of     
righteousness1 which we have done2 8,not
 of works1 lest any man should  boast10 
saying1 ,well1 ,i may thank my own good 
life for mercy4  ,it was  partly for the
 sake of my own good deeds that ,i      
obtained mercy to be in  heaven and     
glory4  ,shall this be the burden of the
 song of heaven8 or is  this that which 
is composed by that glittering heavenly 
host1 and which  we have read of in the 
holy book of ,god8  ,no1 no2 that song  
runs upon  other feet--standeth in far  
better strains1 being composed of far   
higher  and truly heavenly matter3 for  
,god has 8predestinated us unto the     
adoption of children by ,jesus ,christ  
to himself1 according to the good       

pleasure of his will1 to the praise of  
the glory of his grace1 wherein he  hath
 made us accepted in the ,beloved3 in   
whom we have redemption through  his    
blood1 the forgiveness of sins1         
according to the riches of his  grace20 
,eph4 i4  ,and it is requisite that the 
song be framed accordingly2  wherefore  
he saith1 that the heavenly song runs   
thus--8,thou art worthy to  take the    
book1 and to open the seals thereof2 for
 thou wast slain1 and  hast redeemed us 
to ,god by thy blood1 out of every      
kindred1 and tongue1  and people1 and   
nation2 and hast made us unto our ,god  
kings and priests2  and we shall reign  
on the earth20 ,rev4 v4 #i1 #aj4    ,he 
saith not that they have redeemed1 or   
helped to redeem and deliver            
themselves2 but that the ,lamb1 the     
,lamb that was slain2 the ,lamb only was
  he that redeemed them4  ,nor1 saith   
he1 that they had made themselves  kings
 and priests unto ,god to offer any     
oblation1 sacrifice1 or offering        

whatsoever1 but that the same ,lamb had 
made them such3 for they1 as is         
insinuated by the text1 were in1 among1 
one with1 and no better than the        
kindreds1 tongues1 nations1 and people  
of the earth4  ,better6  8,no1 in no    
wise10 saith ,paul 7,rom4 iii4 #i72     
therefore their separation from them was
  of mere mercy1 free grace1 good will1 
and distinguishing love2 not for1  or   
because of works of righteousness which 
any of them have done2 no1  they were   
all alike4  ,but these1 because beloved 
when in their blood  7according to      
,ezek4 xvi471 were separated by free    
grace2 and as another  scripture hath   
it1 8redeemed from the earth10 and from 
among men by  blood2 ,rev4 xiv4 #c1 #d4 
,wherefore deliverance from the ireful  
wrath of  ,god must not1 neither in     
whole nor in part1 be ascribed to the   
whole law1  or to all the righteousness 
that comes by it1 but to this ,lamb of  
,god1  ,jesus1 the ,saviour of the      
world2 for it is he that delivered us   

from the  wrath to come1 and that       
according to ,god's appointment2 8for   
,god hath not  appointed us to wrath1   
but to obtain salvation by 7or through7 
our ,lord  ,jesus ,christ20 #a ,thess4  
i4 #aj2 v4 #i4  ,let every man1         
therefore1 take heed  what he doth1 and 
whereon he layeth the stress of his     
salvation2 8,for  other foundation can  
no man lay than that is laid1 which is  
,jesus  ,christ20 #a ,cor4 iii4 ii4     
,but dost thou plead still as thou didst
 before1 and wilt thou stand  thereto8  
,why then1 thy design must overcome     
,god1 or ,god's design must  overcome   
thee4  ,thy design is to give thy good  
life1 thy good deeds1 a  part of the    
glory of thy justification from the     
curse4  ,and ,god's design  is to throw 
all thy righteousness out into the      
street1 into the dirt and  dunghill1 as 
to that thou art for glory1 and for     
glorying here before  ,god2 yea1 thou   
art sharing in the glory of             
justification when that alone  belongeth

 to ,god4  ,and he hath said1 8,my glory
 will ,i not give to  another40  ,thou  
wilt not trust wholly to ,god's grace in
 ,christ for  justification2 and ,god   
will not take thy stinking righteousness
 in as a  partner in thy acquitment from
 sin1 death1 wrath1 and hell4  ,now the 
question is1 ,who shall prevail8  ,god1 
or the ,pharisee8 and whose word  shall 
stand8 his1 the ,pharisee's8    ,alas6  
the ,pharisee here must needs come down1
 for ,god is greater than  all4  ,also1 
he hath said1 that no flesh shall glory 
in his presence2 and  that he will have 
mercy1 and not sacrifice4  ,and again1  
that it is not  7or shall be7 in him    
that wills1 nor in him that runs1 but in
 ,god that  sheweth mercy4  ,what hope1 
help1 stay1 or relief1 then is there    
left for  the merit-monger8  ,what twig1
 or straw1 or twined thread1 is left to 
be a  stay for his soul8  ,this besom   
will sweep away his cobweb3 the house   
that  this spider doth so lean upon1    
will now be overturned1 and he in it1 to

  hellfire2 for nothing less than       
everlasting damnation is designed by    
,god1  and that for this fearful and    
unbelieving ,pharisee3 ,god will prevail
  against him for ever4    #c4  ,but    
wilt thou yet plead thy righteousness   
for mercy8  ,why1 in so  doing thou     
takest away from ,god the power of      
giving mercy4  ,for if it be  thine as  
wages1 it is no longer his to dispose of
 at pleasure2 for that  which another   
man oweth me1 is in equity not at his1  
but at my disposal4  ,did ,i say that by
 this thy plea thou takest away from    
,god the power of  giving mercy8  ,i    
will add1 yea1 and also of disposing of 
heaven and life  eternal4  ,and then1 ,i
 pray you1 what is left unto ,god1 and  
what can he  call his own8  ,not mercy1 
for that by thy good deeds thou hast    
purchased3  not heaven1 for that by thy 
good deeds thou hast purchased3 not     
eternal  life1 for that by thy good     
deeds thou hast purchased4  ,thus1      
,pharisee 7,o  thou self-righteous man71

 hast thou set up thyself above grace1  
mercy1  heaven1 glory2 yea1 above even  
,god himself1 for the purchaser should  
in  reason be esteemed above the        
purchase4    ,awake1 man6  ,what hast   
thou done8  ,thou hast blasphemed ,god2 
thou has  undervalued the glory of his  
grace2 thou hast1 what in thee lieth1   
opposed the glorious design of heaven2  
thou hast sought to make thy  filthy    
rags to share in thy justification4     
,now1 all these are mighty sins2 these  
have made thine iniquity infinite4      
,what wilt thou do8  ,thou hast created 
to thyself a world of needless          
miseries4  ,i call them needless1       
because thou hadst more than enough     
before4  ,thou hast set thyself against 
,god in a way of contending1 thou       
standest upon thy points and pantables2 
thou wilt not bate ,god an ace of  what 
thy righteousness is worth1 and wilt    
also make it worth what thyself  shalt  
list3 thou wilt be thine own judge1 as  
to the worth of thy  righteousness2 thou

 wilt neither hear what verdict the word
 has passed  about it1 nor wilt thou    
endure that ,god should throw it out in 
the matter  of thy justification1 but   
quarrelest with the doctrine of free    
grace1 or  else dost wrest it out of its
 place to serve thy ,pharisaical        
designs2  saying1 8,god ,i thank thee1  
,i am not as other men20 fathering upon 
thyself1 yea1 upon ,god and thyself a   
stark lie2 for thou art as other men    
are1 though not in this1 yet in that2   
yea1 in a far worse condition than  the 
most of men are4  ,nor will it help thee
 anything to attribute this  thy        
goodness to the ,god of heaven2 for that
 is but a mere toying2 the  truth is1   
the ,god that thou intendest is nothing 
but thy righteousness2  and the grace   
that thou supposest is nothing but thine
 own good and  honest intentions4  ,so  
that1    #d4  ,in all that thou sayst   
thou dost but play the downright        
hypocrite3  thou pretendest indeed to   
mercy1 but thou intendest nothing but   

merit3  thou seemest to give the glory  
to ,god1 but at the same time takest it 
all  to thyself3 thou despisest others1 
and criest up thyself2 and in           
conclusion1 fatherest all upon ,god by  
word1 and upon thyself in truth4  ,nor  
is there anything more common among this
 sort of men1 than to make  ,god1 his   
grace1 and kindness1 the stalking-horse 
to their own praise1  saying1 8,god1 ,i 
thank thee10 when they trust to         
themselves that they are  righteous1 and
 have not need of any repentance2 when  
the truth is1 they  are the worst sort  
of men in the world1 because they put   
themselves into  such a state as ,god   
hath not put them into1 and then impute 
it to ,god1  saying1 ,god1 ,i thank     
thee1 that thou hast done it2 for what  
greater sin  than to make ,god a liar1  
or than to father that upon ,god which  
he never  meant1 intended1 or did3 and  
all this under colour to glorify ,god1  
when  there is nothing else designed1   
but to take all glory from him1 and to  

wear it on thine own head as a crown1   
and a diadem1 in the face of the  whole 
world4    ,a self-righteous man1        
therefore1 can come to ,god for mercy no
 otherwise  than fawningly3 for what    
need of mercy hath a righteous man8     
,let him  then talk of mercy1 of grace1 
and goodness1 and come in an hundred    
times  with his1 8,god1 ,i thank thee10 
in his mouth1 all is but words2 there is
  no sense1 nor savour1 nor relish1 of  
mercy and favour2 nor doth he in  truth1
 from his very heart1 understand the    
nature of mercy1 nor what is  an object 
thereof2 but when he thanks ,god1 he    
praises himself3 when he  pleads for    
mercy1 he means his own merit2 and all  
this is manifest from  what doth follow2
 for1 saith he1 ,i am not as this       
,publican3 thence  clearly insinuating1 
that not the good1 but the bad1 should  
be rejected  of the ,god of heaven3 that
 not the bad but the good1 not the      
sinner1 but  the self-righteous1 are the
 most proper objects of ,god's favour4  

,the  same thing is done by others in   
this our day3 favour1 mercy1 grace1 and1
  8,god1 ,i thank thee10 is in their    
mouths1 but their own strength1         
sufficiency1 free-will1 and the like1   
they are the things they mean by  all   
such high and glorious expressions4     
,but1 secondly1 ,if thy plea be not for 
mercy1 but for justice1 then to  speak a
 little to that4 #a4  ,justice has      
measures and rules to go by2 unto  which
 measures and rules1 if thou comest not 
up1 justice can do thee no  good4  ,come
 then1 ,o thou blind ,pharisee1 let us  
pass away a few minutes  in some        
discourse about this4  ,thou demandest  
justice1 because ,god hath  said1 that  
the man that doth these things shall    
live in and by them4  ,and  again1 the  
doers of the law shall be justified1 not
 in a way of mercy1  but in a way of    
justice3 8,he shall live by them40  ,but
 what hast thou  done1 ,o blind         
,pharisee8  ,what hast thou done1 that  
thou art emboldened to  venture to stand

 and fall to the most perfect justice of
 ,god8  ,hast thou  fulfilled the whole 
law1 and not offended in one point8     
,hast thou purged  thyself from the     
pollutions and motions of sin that dwell
 in thy flesh1  and work in thy own     
members8  ,is the very being of sin     
rooted out of thy  tabernacle8  ,and art
 thou now as perfectly innocent as ever 
was ,jesus  ,christ8 hast thou1 by      
suffering the uttermost punishment that 
justice  could justly lay upon thee for 
thy sins1 made fair and full            
satisfaction  to ,god1 according to the 
tenor of his law1 for thy               
transgressions8  ,if  thou hast done all
 these things1 then thou mayst plead    
something1 and yet  but something1 for  
thyself1 in a way of justice4  ,nay1 in 
this ,i will  assert nothing1 but will  
rather inquire3 ,what hast thou gained  
by all  this thy righteousness8  7,we   
will now suppose what must not be       
granted37  ,was not this thy state when 
thou wast in thy first parents8  ,wast  

thou  not innocent1 perfectly innocent  
and righteous8  ,and if thou shouldst be
  so now1 what hast thou gained thereby8
  ,suppose that the man that had1  forty
 years ago1 forty pounds of his own1 and
 had spent it all since1  should yet be 
able now to shew his forty pounds again2
 what has he got  thereby1 or how much  
richer is he at last than he was when he
 first set  up for himself8  ,nay1 doth 
not the blot of his ill living betwixt  
his  first and his last1 lie as a       
blemish upon him1 unless he should      
redeem  himself also1 by works of       
supererogation1 from the scandal that   
justice  may lay at his door for that4  
,but1 ,i say1 suppose1 ,o ,pharisee1    
this should be thy case1 yet ,god is not
  bound to give thee in justice that    
eternal which by his grace he  bestoweth
 upon those that have redemption from   
sin1 by the blood of his  ,son4         
,injustice1 therefore1 when all comes to
 all1 thou canst require no  more than  
an endless life in an earthly paradise2 

for there thou wast set  up at first2   
nor doth it appear from what hath been  
said1 touching all  that thou hast done 
or canst do1 that thou deservest a      
better place4    ,did ,i say1 that thou 
mayst require justly an endless life in 
an earthly  paradise8  ,why1 ,i must add
 to that saying this proviso1 ,if thou  
continuest in the law1 and in the       
righteousness thereof2 else not4    ,but
 how dost thou know that thou shalt     
continue therein8  ,thou hast no        
promise from ,god's mouth for that2 nor 
is grace or strength ministered to      
mankind by the covenant that thou art   
under4  ,so that still thou standest    
bound to thy good behaviour2 and in the 
day that thou dost give the  first1     
though ever so little a trip1 or stumble
 in thy obedience1 thou  forfeitest     
thine interest in paradise 7and in      
justice71 as to any benefit  there4     
,but alas6 what need is there that we   
should thus talk things1 when it is     
manifest that thou hast sinned1 not     

before thou wast a ,pharisee1 but when  
after the most strictest sect of thy    
religion thou livest also a  ,pharisee2 
yea1 and now in the temple1 in thy      
prayer there1 thou shewest  thyself to  
be full of ignorance1 pride1            
self-conceit1 and horrible  arrogancy1  
and desire of vain glory1 c41 which are 
none of them the seat  or fruits of     
righteousness1 but the seat of the      
devil1 and the fruit of  his dwelling1  
even at this time in thy heart4         
,could it ever have been imagined1 that 
such audacious impudence could  have put
 itself forth in any mortal man1 in his 
approach unto ,god by  prayer1 as has   
shewed itself in thee8  8,i am not as   
other men10 sayst  thou6  ,but is this  
the way to go to ,god in prayer8  8,the 
prayer of the  upright is ,god's        
delight40  ,but the upright man         
glorifies ,god's justice1  by confessing
 to ,god the vileness and pollution of  
his state and  condition3 he glorifies  
,god's mercy1 by acknowledging1 that    

that1 and  that only1 as communicated of
 ,god by ,christ to sinners1 can save   
and  deliver from the curse of the law4 
,this1 ,i say1 is the sum of the prayer 
of the just and upright man1 ,job4  i4  
#h2 xl4 #d2 ,acts xiii4 #bb2 ,psalm     
xxxviii42 li42 #b ,sam4 vi4 #ba1 #bb2   
and  not as thou most vain-gloriously   
vauntest with thy1 8,god1 ,i thank thee1
 ,i  am not as other men are40    ,true1
 when a man is accused by his           
neighbours1 by a brother1 by an enemy1  
and the like1 if he be clear 7and he may
 be so1 as to what they shall lay  to   
his charge71 then let him vindicate1    
justify1 and acquit himself1 to  the    
utmost that in justice and truth he can2
 for his name1 the  preservation whereof
 is more to be chosen than silver and   
gold2 also his  profession1 yea1 the    
name of ,god too1 and religion may now  
lie at stake1  by reason of such false  
accusations1 and perhaps can by no means
 7as to  this man7 be covered and       
vindicated from reproach and scandal1   

but by his  justifying of himself4      
,wherefore1 in such a work1 a man       
serveth ,god1 and  saves religion from  
hurt2 yea1 as he that is a professor1   
and has his  profession attended with a 
scandalous life1 hurteth religion       
thereby1 so  he that has his profession 
attended with a good life1 and shall    
suffer it  notwithstanding to lie under 
blame by false accusations1 when it is  
in  the power of his hand to justify    
himself1 hurteth religion also4  ,but   
the  case of the ,pharisee is otherwise4
  ,he is not here a-dealing with men1   
but ,god2 not seeking to stand clear in 
the sight of the world1 but in the      
sight of heaven itself2 and that too1   
not with respect to what men or  angels1
 but with respect to what ,god and his  
law could charge him with1  and justly  
lay at his door4    ,this therefore     
mainly altereth the case2 for a man here
 to stand thus  upon his point1 it is   
death2 for he affronteth ,god1 he giveth
 him the  lie1 he reproveth the law2    

and1 in sum1 accuseth it of bearing     
false  witness against him2 he doth     
this1 ,i say1 even by saying1 8,god1 ,i 
thank  thee1 ,i am not as other men     
are20 for ,god hath made none of this   
difference4  ,the law condemneth all man
 as sinners2 testifieth that every      
imagination of the thought of the heart 
of the sons of men is only evil1  and   
that continually2 wherefore they that do
 as the ,pharisee did1 to wit1  seek to 
justify themselves before ,god from the 
curse of the law by their  own good     
doings1 though they also1 as the        
,pharisee did1 seem to give ,god  the   
thanks for all2 yet do most horribly    
sin1 even by their so doing1 and  shall 
receive a ,pharisee's reward at last4   
,wherefore1 ,o thou ,pharisee1  it is a 
vain thing for thee either to think of1 
or to ask for1 at ,god's  hand1 either  
mercy or justice4  ,because mercy thou  
canst not ask for1  from sense of want  
of mercy1 because thy righteousness1    
which is by the  law1 hath utterly      

blinded thine eyes2 and complimenting   
with ,god doth  nothing3 and as for     
justice1 that can do thee no good2 but  
the more just  ,god is1 and the more by 
that he acteth towards thee1 the more   
miserable  and fearful will be thy      
condition1 because of the deficiency of 
thy so  much1 by thee1 esteemed         
righteousness4    ,what a deplorable    
condition then is a poor ,pharisee in6  
,for mercy he  cannot pray2 he cannot   
pray for it with all his heart1 for he  
seeth  indeed no need thereof4  ,true1  
the ,pharisee1 though he was impudent   
enough1 yet would not take all from     
,god2 he would still count1 that there  
was due to him a tribute of thanks3     
8,god1 ,i thank thee10 saith he3 but    
yet not a bit of this for mercy2 but for
 that he had let him live 7for ,i  know 
not for what he did thank himself71 till
 he had made himself better  than other 
men4  ,but that betterment was a        
betterment in none other's  judgment    
than that of his own2 and that was none 

other but such an one as  was false4    
,so then the ,pharisee is by this time  
quite out of doors3 his  righteousness  
is worth nothing1 his prayer is worth   
nothing1 his thanks  to ,god are worth  
nothing2 for that what he had was scanty
 and imperfect1  and it was his pride   
that made him offer it to ,god for      
acceptance2 nor  could his fawning      
thanksgiving better his case1 or make   
his matter at all  good before ,god4    
,but ,i will warrant you1 the ,pharisee 
was so far off from thinking thus of    
himself1 and of his righteousness1 that 
he thought of nothing so much as  of    
this1 that he was a happy man3 yea1     
happier by far than other his  fellow   
rationals3 yea1 he plainly declares it1 
when he saith1 8,god1 ,i  thank thee1 ,i
 am not as other men are40    ,o what a 
fool's paradise was the heart of the    
,pharisee now in1 while he  stood in the
 temple praying to ,god6  ,god1 ,i thank
 thee1 said he2 for ,i am  good and     
holy2 ,i am a righteous man2 ,i have    

been full of good works2 ,i am  no      
extortioner1 unjust1 nor adulterer1 nor 
yet as this wretched ,publican4  ,i have
 kept myself strictly to the rule of    
mine order1 and my order is  the most   
strict of all orders now in being3 ,i   
fast1 ,i pray1 ,i give tithes  of all   
that ,i possess4  ,yea1 so forward am ,i
 to be a religious man1 so  ready have  
,i been to listen after my duty1 that ,i
 have asked both of ,god  and man the   
ordinances of judgment and justice2 ,i  
take delight in  approaching to ,god4   
,what less now can be mine than the     
heavenly kingdom  and glory8    ,now the
 ,pharisee1 like ,haman1 saith in his   
heart1 ,to whom would the king  delight 
to do honour more than to myself8       
,where is the man that so  pleaseth     
,god1 and1 consequently1 that in equity 
and reason should be  beloved of ,god   
like me8  ,thus like the prodigal's     
brother1 he pleadeth1  saying1 8,lo1    
these many years do ,i serve thee2      
neither transgressed ,i at  any time thy

 commandments10 ,luke xv4 #bi4  ,o brave
 ,pharisee6 but go on in  thine         
oration--8,nor yet as this ,publican40  
,poor wretch1 quoth the ,pharisee to the
 ,publican1 ,what comest thou for8      
,dost think that such a sinner as thou  
art shall be heard of ,god8  ,god       
heareth not sinners2 but if any man be a
 worshipper of ,god 7as ,i am1 as ,i    
thank ,god ,i am71 him he heareth4      
,thou1 for thy part1 hast been a rebel  
all thy days3 ,i abhor to come nigh     
thee1 or to touch thy garments4  ,stand 
by thyself1 come not near me1 for ,i am 
more holy than thou2 ,isa4 lxv4 #e4     
,hold1 stop there1 go no further3 fie1  
,pharisee1 fie6 dost thou know  before  
whom thou standest1 to whom thou        
speakest1 and of what the matter  of thy
 silly oration is made8  ,thou art now  
before ,god1 thou speakest now  to ,god1
 and therefore in justice and honesty   
thou shouldst make mention  of his      
righteousness1 not of thine2 of his     
righteousness1 and of his  only4    ,i  

am sure ,abraham1 of whom thou sayst he 
is thy father1 never had the  face to do
 as thou hast done1 though1 it is to be 
presumed1 he had more  cause so to do   
than thou hast1 or canst have4  ,abraham
 had whereof to  glory1 but not before  
,god2 yea1 he was called ,god's friend1 
and yet would  not glory before him2 but
 humbleth himself1 was afraid1 and      
trembled in  himself1 when he stood     
before him acknowledging of himself to  
be but dust  and ashes2 ,gen4 xviii4    
#bg1 #cj1 #bb2 ,rom4 iv4 #a1 #b2 but    
thou1 as thou hadst  quite forgot that  
thou wast framed of that matter1 and    
after the manner  of other men1 standest
 and pleadest thy goodness before him8  
,be ashamed1  ,pharisee6 dost thou think
 that ,god hath eyes of flesh1 or that  
he seeth  as man sees8  ,are not the    
secrets of thy heart open unto him      
,thinkest  thou with thyself that thou1 
with a few of thy defiled ways1 canst   
cover  thy rotten wall1 that thou has   
daubed with untempered mortar1 and so   

hide  the dirt thereof from his eyes2 or
 that these fine1 smooth1 and oily      
words1 that come out of thy mouth1 will 
make him forget that thy throat  is an  
open sepulchre1 and that thou within art
 full of dead men's bones1  and all     
uncleanness8  ,thy thus cleansing of the
 outside of the cup and  platter1 and   
thy garnishing of the sepulchres of the 
righteous1 is  nothing at all in ,god's 
eyes1 but things that manifest that thou
 art an  hypocrite and blind1 because   
thou takest no notice of that which is  
within1 which yet is that which is most 
abominable to ,god4  ,for the  fruit1   
alas6 what is the fruit of the tree1 or 
what are the streams of  the fountain8  
,thy fountain is defiled2 yea1 a        
defiler1 and so that which  maketh the  
whole self1 with thy works1 unclean in  
,god's sight4    ,but1 ,pharisee1 how   
comes it to pass that the poor ,publican
 is now so much  a mote in thine eye1   
that thou canst not forbear1 but must   
accuse him  before the judgment-seat of 

,god--for in that thou sayst1 that thou 
art not  even as this ,publican1 thou   
bringest in an accusation1 a charge1 a  
bill1  against him8  ,what has he done8 
,has he concealed any of thy            
righteousness8 or has he secretly       
informed against thee1 that thou art an 
hypocrite and superstitious8  ,i dare   
say1 the poor wretch has neither        
meddled nor made with thee in these     
matters4    ,but what aileth thee1      
,pharisee8  ,doth the poor ,publican    
stand to vex  thee8  ,doth he touch thee
 with his dirty garments8 or doth he    
annoy thee  with his stinking breath8   
,doth his posture of standing so like a 
man  condemned offend thee8  ,true1 he  
now standeth with his hand held up at   
,god's bar2 he pleads guilty to all that
 is laid to his charge4    ,he cannot   
strut1 vapour1 and swagger as thou dost2
 but why offended at  this8  ,oh1 but he
 has been a naughty man1 and ,i have    
been righteous6  sayst thou4  ,well1    
,pharisee1 well1 his naughtiness shall  

not be laid to  thy charge1 if thou hast
 chosen none of his ways4  ,but since   
thou wilt  yet bear me down that thou   
art righteous1 shew now1 even now1 while
 thou  standest before ,god with the    
,publican1 some1 though they be but     
small1  yea1 though but very small1     
fruits of thy righteousness4  ,let the  
,publican alone1 since he is speaking   
for his life before ,god4  ,or1 if  thou
 canst not let him alone1 yet do not    
speak against him2 for thy so  doing    
will but prove that thou rememberest the
 evil that the man has done  unto thee2 
yea1 and that thou bearest him a grudge 
for it too1 and while  you stand before 
,god4    ,but1 ,pharisee1 the righteous 
man is a merciful man1 and while he     
standeth  praying1 he forgiveth2 yea1   
and also crieth to ,god that he will    
forgive  him too2 ,mark xi4 #be1 #bf2   
,acts vii4 #fj4  ,hitherto then thou    
hast shewed  none of the fruits of thy  
righteousness4  ,pharisee1 righteousness
 would  teach thee to love this         

,publican1 but thou shewest that thou   
hatest him4  ,love covereth the         
multitude of sins2 but hatred and       
unfaithfulness  revealeth secrets4      
,pharisee1 thou shouldst have remembered
 this thy brother in this his day  of   
adversity1 and shouldst have shewed that
 thou hadst compassion on thy  brother  
in this his deplorable condition2 but   
thou1 like the proud1 the  cruel1 and   
the arrogant man1 hast taken thy        
neighbour at the advantage1  and that   
when he is even between the straits1 and
 standing upon the  pinnacle of         
difficulty1 betwixt the heavens and the 
hells1 and hast done  what thou couldst1
 what on thy part lay1 to thrust him    
down to the deep1  saying1 8,i am not   
even as this ,publican40    ,what       
cruelty can be greater1 what rage more  
furious1 and what spite and  hatred more
 damnable and implacable1 than to       
follow1 or take a man while  he is      
asking of mercy at ,god's hands1 and to 
put in a caveat against his  obtaining  

of it1 by exclaiming against him that he
 is a sinner8  ,the  master of          
righteousness doth not so3 8,do not     
think 7saith he7 that ,i will  accuse   
you to the ,father40  ,the scholars of  
righteousness do not do so4  8,but as   
for me 7said ,david71 when they 7mine   
enemies7 were sick 7and the  ,publican  
here was sick of the most malignant     
disease71 my clothing was of  sackcloth1
 ,i humbled my soul with fasting1 and my
 prayer 7to wit1 that ,i  made for them7
 returned into mine own bosom4  ,i      
behaved myself as though  he had been my
 friend or brother3 ,i bowed down       
heavily1 as one that  mourneth for his  
mother20 ,john v4 #de2 ,psalm xxxv4 #ac1
 #ad4    ,pharisee1 dost thou see here  
how contrary thou art to righteous men8 
,now  then1 where shall we find out one 
to parallel thee1 but by finding him    
out that is called 8the dragon20 for he 
it is that accuseth the poor  sinners   
before ,god8  ,zech4 iii42 ,rev4 xii4   
8,i am not as this ,publican40  ,modesty

 should have commanded thee to have  bit
 thy tongue as to this4  ,what could the
 angels think1 but that revenge  was now
 in thine heart1 and but that thou      
comest up into the temple  rather to    
boast of thyself and accuse thy         
neighbour1 than to pray to the  ,god of 
heaven2 for what petition is there in   
all thy prayer1 that gives  the least   
intimation that thou hast the knowledge 
of ,god or thyself8  ,nay1 what petition
 of any kind is there in thy            
vain-glorious oration from  first to    
last8  ,only an accusation drawn up1 and
 that against one  helpless and forlorn2
 against a poor man1 because he is a    
sinner2 drawn  up1 ,i say1 against him  
by thee1 who canst not make proof of    
thyself that  thou art righteous2 but   
come to proofs of righteousness1 and    
thou art  wanting also4  ,what1 though  
thy raiment is better than his1 thy skin
 may  be full as black2 yea1 what if thy
 skin be whiter than his1 thy heart may 
be yet far blacker4  ,yea1 it is so1 for

 the truth hath spoken it2 for  within1 
you are full of excess and all          
uncleanness2 ,matt4 xxiii4    ,pharisee1
 these are transgressions against the   
second table1 and the  ,publican shall  
be guilty of them2 but there are sins   
also against the  first table1 and thou 
thyself art guilty of them4    ,the     
,publican1 in that he was an            
extortioner1 unjust and an adulterer1   
made it thereby manifest that he did not
 love his neighbour2 and thou by  making
 a god1 a saviour1 a deliverer1 of thy  
filthy righteousness1 dost  make it     
appear1 that thou dost not love thy     
,god2 for as he that taketh1  or that   
derogateth from his neighbour in that   
which is his neighbour's  due1 sinneth  
against his neighbour2 so he that taketh
 or derogateth from  ,god1 sinneth      
against ,god4    ,now1 then1 though thou
 hast not1 as thou dost imagine1 played 
at that low  game as to derogate from   
thy neighbour2 yet thou hast played at  
that high  game as to derogate from thy 

,god2 for thou hast robbed ,god of the  
glory  of salvation2 yea1 declared1 that
 as to that there is no trust to be put 
in him4  8,lo1 this is the man that made
 not ,god his strength2 but trusted  in 
the abundance of his riches1 and        
strengthened himself in his             
wickedness20 ,psalm lii4 #g4    ,what   
else means this great bundle of thy own 
righteousness1 which thou  hast brought 
with thee into the temple8 yea1 what    
means else thy  commending of thyself   
because of that1 and so thy implicit    
prayer1 that  thou for that mightst find
 acceptance with ,god8    ,all this1    
what does it argue1 ,i say1 but thy     
diffidence of ,god8 and that  thou      
countest salvation safer in thine own   
righteousness than in the  righteousness
 of ,god8 and that thy own love to1 and 
care of thy own soul1  is far greater1  
and so much better1 than is the care and
 love of ,god8  ,and is this to keep the
 first table2 yea1 the first branch of  
that table1  which saith1 8,thou shalt  

love the ,lord thy ,god80 for thy thus  
doing  cannot stand with love to ,god8  
,how can that man say1 ,i love ,god1 who
 from his very heart shrinketh to  trust
 in him8  ,or1 how can that man say1 ,i 
would glorify ,god1 who in his  very    
heart refuseth to stand and fall by his 
mercy8    ,suppose a great man should   
bid all the poor of the parish to his   
house to  dinner1 and should moreover   
send by the mouth of his servant1       
saying1 ,my  lord hath killed his       
fatlings1 hath furnished his table1 and 
prepared his  wine1 nor is there want of
 anything2 come to the banquet3 ,would  
it not be  counted as an high affront   
to1 great contempt of1 and much distrust
 in1  the goodness of the man of the    
house1 if some of these guests should   
take  with them1 out of their own poor  
store1 some of their mouldy crusts1 and 
carry them with them1 lay them on their 
trenchers upon the table before  the    
lord of the feast and the rest of his   
guests1 out of fear that he yet  would  

not provide sufficiently for those he   
had bidden to the dinner that  he had   
made8    ,why1 ,pharisee1 this is the   
very case2 thou hast been called to a   
banquet1  even to the banquet of ,god's 
grace1 and thou hast been disposed to   
go2  but behold1 thou hast not believed 
that he would of his own cost make  thee
 a feast when thou comest3 wherefore of 
thy own store thou hast  brought with   
thee1 and hast laid upon thy trencher on
 his table thy  mouldy crusts in the    
presence of the angels1 and of this poor
 ,publican2  yea1 and hast vauntingly   
said upon the whole1 8,god1 ,i thank    
thee1 ,i am  not as other men are40  ,i 
am no such needy man2 ,luke xviii4 #aa4 
8,i am no  extortioner1 nor unjust1 nor 
adulterer1 nor even as this ,publican40 
,i am  come indeed to thy feast1 for of 
civility ,i could do no less2 but for   
thy  dainties1 ,i need them not1 ,i have
 of such things enough of mine own2     
,luke  xviii4 #ab4  ,i thank thee       
therefore for thy offer of kindness1 but

 ,i am  not as those that have1 and     
stand in need thereof1 8nor yet as this 
,publican40  ,and thus feeding upon     
thine own fare1 or by making a          
composition of his and thine together1  
thou contemnest ,god1 thou countest  him
 insufficient or unfaithful2 that is1   
either one that has not enough1  or     
having it1 will not bestow it upon the  
poor and needy2 and1 therefore1  of mere
 pretence thou goest to his banquet1 but
 yet trustest to thy own1  and to that  
only4    ,this is to break the first    
table2 and so to make thyself a sinner  
of the  highest form3 for the sins      
against the first table are sins of an  
higher  nature than are the sins against
 the second4  ,true1 the sins of the    
second table are also sins against ,god1
 because they are sins against the      
commandments of ,god3 but the sins that 
are against the first table1 are  sins  
not only against the command1 but       
against the very love1 strength1        
holiness1 and faithfulness of ,god3 and 

herein stands thy condition2 thou  hast 
not1 thou sayst1 thou hast not done     
injury to thy neighbour2 but  what of   
that1 if thou hast reproached thy maker8
    ,pharisee1 ,i will assure thee1 thou
 art beside the saddle2 thy state is    
not good1 thy righteousness is so far   
off from doing any good1 that it  maketh
 thee to be a greater sinner1 because it
 signifieth more  immediately against   
the mercy1 the love1 the grace1 and     
goodness of ,god1  than the sins of     
other sinners1 as to degree1 do4    ,and
 as they are more odious and abominable 
in the sight of ,god 7as they  needs    
must1 if what is said be true1 as it    
is71 so they are more  dangerous to the 
life and soul of man2 for that they     
always appear unto  him in whom they    
dwell1 and to him that trusteth in them1
 not to be sins  and transgressions1 but
 virtues and excellent things2 not      
things that set  a man further off1 but 
the things that bring a man nearer ,god1
 than those  that want them are or can  

be4    ,this therefore is the dangerous 
estate of those that go about to        
establish their own righteousness1 that 
neither have1 nor can1 while they  are  
so doing1 submit themselves to the      
righteousness of ,god2 ,rom4 x4 #c4  ,it
 is far more easy to persuade a poor    
wretch1 whose life is debauched1  and   
sins are written in his forehead1 to    
submit to the righteousness of  ,god    
7that is1 to the righteousness that is  
of ,god's providing and  giving71 than  
it is to persuade a self-righteous man  
to do it2 for the  profane is sooner    
convinced of the necessity of           
righteousness to save  him1 as that he  
has none of his own1 and accepteth of1  
and submitteth  himself to the help and 
salvation that is in the righteousness  
and  obedience of another4    ,and upon 
this account it is that ,christ saith   
the publicans and harlots  enter into   
the kingdom of heaven before the scribes
 and ,pharisees2 ,matt4  xxi4 #ca4      
,poor ,pharisee1 what a loss art thou   

at8 thou art not only a  sinner1 but a  
sinner of the highest form4  ,not a     
sinner by such sins 7by  such sins      
chiefly7 as the second table doth make  
manifest2 but a sinner  chiefly in that 
way as no self-righteous man did ever   
dream of4  ,for when  the righteous man 
or ,pharisee shall hear that he is a    
sinner1 he  replieth1 8,i am not as     
other men are40    ,and because the     
common and more ordinary description of 
sin is the  transgression against the   
second table1 he presently replieth     
again1 8,i  am not as this ,publican    
is20 and so shroudeth himself under his 
own lame  endeavours and ragged partial 
patches of moral or civil righteousness4
  ,wherefore1 when he heareth that his  
righteousness is condemned1 slighted1   
and accounted nothing worth1 then he    
fretteth and fumeth1 and would kill  the
 man that so slighteth and disdaineth   
his goodly righteousness2 but  ,christ1 
and the true gospel-teacher still go on1
 and condemn all his  righteousness as  

menstruous rags1 as an abomination to   
,god1 and nothing  but loss and dung4   
,now menstruous rags1 things that are an
 abomination and dung1 are not fit      
matter to make a garment of to wear when
 ,i come to ,god for life1 much  less to
 be made my friend1 my advocate1 my     
mediator and spokesman1 when ,i  stand  
betwixt heaven and hell2 ,isa4 lxiv4 #f2
 ,luke xvi4 #ae2 ,phil4 iii4  #f-h1 to  
plead for me that ,i might be saved4    
,perhaps some will blame me1 and count  
me also worthy thereof1 because ,i  do  
not distinguish betwixt the matter and  
the manner of the ,pharisee's           
righteousness4  ,and let them condemn me
 still for saving the holy law1  which  
is neither the matter nor manner of the 
,pharisee's righteousness1  but rather  
the rules 7if he will live thereby7 up  
to which he should  completely come in  
every thing that he doth4  ,and ,i say  
again1 that the  whole of the           
,pharisee's righteousness is sinful1    
though not with and to  men1 yet with   

and before the ,god of heaven4  ,sinful1
 ,i say it is1 and  abominable1 both in 
itself1 and also in its effects4    #a4 
,in itself2 for that it is imperfect1   
scanty1 and short of the rule by  which 
righteousness is enjoined1 and even with
 which every act should be2  for        
shortness here1 even every shortness in 
these duties1 is sin and  sinful        
weakness2 wherefore the curse taketh    
hold of the man for coming  short2 but  
that it could not justly do1 if his     
coming short was not his  sin3 ,cursed  
is every one that doth not1 and that    
continueth not to do all  things written
 in the law2 ,deut4 xxvii4 #bf2 ,gal4   
iii4 #aj4    #b4  ,it is sinful2 because
 it is wrought by sinful flesh2 for all 
legal  righteousness is a work of the   
flesh2 ,rom4 iv4 #a1 c42 ,phil4 iii4    
#c-h4    ,a work1 ,i say1 of the flesh2 
even of that flesh1 who1 or which also  
committeth the greatest enormities2 for 
the flesh is but one1 though its        
workings are divers3 sometimes in a way 

most notoriously sensual and  devilish1 
causing the soul to wallow in the mire4 
,but these are not all the works of the 
flesh2 the flesh sometimes will  attempt
 to be righteous1 and set upon doing    
actions that in their  perfection would 
be very glorious and beautiful to       
behold4  ,but because  the law is only  
commanding words1 and yieldeth no help  
to the man that  attempts to perform it2
 and because the flesh is weak1 and     
cannot do of  itself that1 therefore    
this most glorious work of the flesh    
faileth4    ,but1 ,i say1 as it is a    
work of the flesh it cannot be good1    
forasmuch as  the hand that worketh it  
is defiled with sin2 for in a good man1 
one  spiritually good1 that is 8in his  
flesh1 there dwells no good thing10 but 
consequently that which is bad2 how then
 can the flesh of a carnal1  graceless  
man 7and such a one is every ,pharisee  
and self-righteous man in  the world71  
produce1 though it joineth itself to the
 law1 to the  righteous law of ,god1    

that which is good in his sight4    ,if 
any shall think that ,i pinch too hard1 
because ,i call man's  righteousness    
which is of the law1 of the righteous   
law of ,god1 flesh1  let them consider  
that which follows3 to wit1 ,that though
 man by sin is  said 8to be dead in sin 
and trespasses10 yet not so dead but    
that he can  act still in his own       
sphere2 that is1 to do1 and choose to   
do1 either  that which by all men is    
counted base1 or that which by some is  
counted  good1 though he is not1 nor can
 all the world make him1 capable of     
doing  any thing that may please his    
,god4    ,man1 by nature1 as dead as he 
is1 can1 and that with the will of his  
flesh1 will his own salvation4  ,man1 by
 nature1 can1 and that by the  power of 
the flesh1 pursue and follow after his  
own salvation2 but then  he wills it1   
and pursues or follows after it1 not in 
,god's way1 but his  own2 not by faith  
in ,christ1 but by the law of ,moses4   
,see ,rom4 ix4 #af1  #ca2 x4 #c1 #g4    

,wherefore it is no error to say1 that a
 man naturally has will1 and a  power to
 pursue his will1 and that as to his own
 salvation4  ,but it is a  damnable     
error to say1 that he hath will and     
power to pursue it1 and that  in ,god's 
way3 for then we must hold that the     
mysteries of the gospel are  natural2   
for that natural men1 or men by nature1 
may apprehend and know  them1 yea1 and  
know them to be the only means by which 
they must obtain  eternal life2 for the 
understanding must act before the will2 
yea1 a man  must approve of the way to  
life by ,jesus ,christ1 before his mind 
will  budge1 or stir1 or move1 that way3
 8,but the natural man receiveth not the
  things of the ,spirit of ,god 7of the 
gospel72 for they are foolishness to    
him2 neither can he know them1 because  
they are spiritually discerned40    ,he 
receiveth not these things2 that is1 his
 mind and will lie cross unto  them1 for
 he counts them foolishness2 nor can all
 the natural wisdom in  the world cause 

that his will should fall in with them1 
because it cannot  discern them4        
,nature discerneth the law1 and the     
righteousness thereof2 yea1 it          
discerneth it1 and approveth thereof2   
that is1 that the righteousness of  it  
is the best and only way to life1 and   
therefore the natural will and  power of
 the flesh1 as here you see in the      
,pharisee1 do steer their  course by    
that to eternal life2 #a ,cor4 ii4 #ad4 
,the righteousness of the law1          
therefore1 is a work of the flesh1 a    
work  of sinful flesh1 and therefore    
must needs be as filth1 and dung1 and   
abominable as to that for which this man
 hath produced it and presented  it in  
the temple before ,god4    ,nor is the  
,pharisee alone entangled in this       
mischief2 many souls are by  these works
 of the flesh flattered1 as also the    
,pharisee was1 into an  opinion1 that   
their state is good1 when there is      
nothing in it4  ,the most  that their   
conversion amounteth to is1 the         

,publican is become a ,pharisee2  the   
open sinner is become a self-righteous  
man4  ,of the black side of the  flesh  
he hath had enough1 now therefore with  
the white side of the flesh  he will    
recreate himself4  ,and now1 most wicked
 must he needs be that  questioneth the 
goodness of the state of such a man4    
,he1 of a drunkard1  a swearer1 an      
unclean person1 a ,sabbath-breaker1 a   
liar1 and the like1 is  become reformed1
 a lover of righteousness1 a strict     
observer1 doer1 and  trader in the      
formalities of the law1 and a herder    
with men of his  complexion4  ,and now  
he is become a great exclaimer against  
sin and  sinners1 denying to be acquaint
 with those that once were his          
companions1  saying1 8,i am not even as 
this ,publican40    ,to turn therefore  
from sin to man's righteousness1 yea1 to
 rejoice in  confidence1 that thy state 
is better than is that of the ,publican 
7,i  mean1 better in the eyes of divine 
justice1 and in the judgment of the     

law72 and yet to be found by the law1   
not in the spirit1 but in the  flesh2   
not in ,christ1 but under the law2 not  
in a state of salvation1 but  of        
damnation1 is common among men3 for     
they1 and they only1 are the right  men1
 8who worship ,god in the spirit1 and   
rejoice in ,christ ,jesus1 and  have no 
confidence in the flesh40  ,where1 by   
8flesh10 must not be meant  the horrible
 transgressions against the law 7though 
they are also called  8the works of the 
flesh10 ,gal4 iv4 #bi72 for they        
minister no occasion  unto men to have  
confidence in them towards ,god3 but    
that is that which  is insinuated by    
,paul1 where he saith1 he had no        
8confidence in the  flesh10 though he   
might have had it2 as he said1 8though  
,i might also  have confidence in the   
flesh40  8,if any other man10 saith he1 
8thinketh  that he hath whereof he might
 trust in the flesh1 ,i more10 ,phil4   
iii4 #c1  #d2 and then he repeats a     
twofold privilege that he had by the    

flesh4    #a4  ,that he was one of the  
seed of ,abraham1 and of the tribe of   
,benjamin1  an ,hebrew of the ,hebrews1 
c4    #b4  ,that he had fallen in with  
the strictest men of that religion1     
which  was such after the flesh1 to wit1
 to be a ,pharisee1 and was the son of a
  ,pharisee1 had much fleshly zeal for  
,god1 and 8touching the righteousness   
which is of the law1 blameless10 ,phil4 
iii4 #c1 #e1 #f4    ,but ,i say still1  
there is nothing but flesh2 fleshly     
privileges and  fleshly righteousness1  
and so1 consequently1 a fleshly         
confidence1 and  trust for heaven4      
,this is manifest2 when the man had his 
eyes  enlightened1 he counted all loss  
and dung that he might be found in      
,christ1 not having his own             
righteousness1 which is of the law1 but 
that  which is through the faith of     
,christ1 the righteousness which is of  
,god  by faith4    ,and this leads me to
 another thing1 and that is1 to tell    
thee1 ,o thou  blind ,pharisee1 that    

thou canst not be in a safe condition1  
because thou  hast thy confidence in the
 flesh1 that is1 in the righteousness of
 the  flesh4  8,for all flesh is grass1 
and all the glory of it as the flower of
  the field20 and the flesh1 and the    
glory of that being as weak as the      
grass1 which to-day is1 and to-morrow is
 cast into the oven1 is but a  weak     
business for a man to venture his       
eternal salvation upon4  ,wherefore1 as 
,i also hinted before1 the godly-wise   
have been afraid to be  found in their  
righteousness1 ,i mean their own        
personal righteousness1  though that is 
far better than can be the righteousness
 of any carnal  man3 for the godly man's
 righteousness is wrought by the ,spirit
 and faith  of ,christ1 but the ungodly 
man's righteousness is of the flesh1 and
 of  the law4  ,yet ,i say1 this godly  
man is afraid to stand by his           
righteousness before the tribunal of    
,god1 as is manifest in these  following
 particulars4    #a4  ,he sees sin in   

his righteousness2 for so the prophet   
intimates1 when  he saith1 8,all our    
righteousnesses are as filthy rags0     
7,isa4 lxiv472 but  there is nothing can
 make one's righteousness filthy but    
sin4  ,it is not  the poor1 the low1 the
 mean1 the sickly1 the beggarly state of
 man1 nor  yet his being hated of       
devils1 persecuted of men1 broken under 
necessities1 reproaches1 distresses1 or 
any kind of troubles of this  nature    
that can make the godly man's           
righteousness filthy2 nothing but  sin  
can do it1 and that can1 doth1 hath1 and
 will do it4  ,nor can any  man1 be he  
who he will1 and though he watches1     
prays1 strives1 denies  himself1 and    
puts his body under what chastisement or
 hardships he can2  yea1 though he also 
get his spirit and soul hoisted up to   
the highest peg  or pin of sanctity and 
holy contemplation1 and so his lusts to 
the  greatest degree of mortification2  
but sin will be with him in the best of 
his performances3 with him1 ,i say1 to  

pollute and defile his duties1 and  to  
make his righteousness speckled and     
spotted1 filthy and menstruous4    ,i   
will give you two or three instances for
 this4    7#a47  ,nehemiah was a man 7in
 his day71 one that was zealous1 very   
zealous1 for ,god1 for his house1 for   
his people1 and for his ways2 and so    
continued1 and that from first to last1 
as they may see that please to  read the
 relation of his actions2 yet when he   
comes seriously to be  concerned with   
,god about his duties1 he relinquisheth 
a standing by them4  ,true1 he          
mentioneth them to ,god1 but confesseth 
that there are  imperfections in them1  
and prayeth that ,god will not wipe them
 away4  8,wipe not out my good deeds1 ,o
 my ,god1 that ,i have done for the     
house of  my ,god1 and for the offices  
thereof40  ,and again1 8,remember me1 ,o
 my ,god1  concerning this also 7another
 good deed71 and spare me according to  
the  greatness of thy mercy2 and        
remember me1 ,o my ,god1 for good20     

,neh4 xiii4    ,i do not think that by  
these prayers he pleadeth for an        
acceptance of his  person1 as touching  
justification from the curse of the law 
7as the poor  blind ,pharisee doth71 but
 that ,god would accept of his service1 
as he was  a son1 and not deny to give  
him a reward of grace for what he had   
done1  since he was pleased to declare  
in his testament1 that he would reward  
the labour of love of his saints with an
 exceeding weight of glory2 and         
therefore prayeth1 that ,god would not  
wipe away his good deeds1 but  remember 
him for good1 according to the greatness
 of his mercy4    7#b47  ,a second      
instance is that of ,david1 where he    
saith1 8,enter not into  judgment with  
thy servant1 ,o ,lord2 for in thy sight 
shall no man living  be justified20     
,psalm clxiii4 #b4  ,david1 as ,i have  
hinted before1 is said  to be a man     
8after ,god's own heart10 ,acts xiii42  
and as here by the  ,spirit he          
acknowledges him for his servant2 yet   

behold how he shrinketh1  how he draweth
 back1 how he prayeth1 and petitioneth1 
that ,god would  vouchsafe so much as   
not to enter into judgment with him4    
,lord1 saith  he1 if thou enterest into 
judgment with me1 ,i die1 because ,i    
shall be  condemned2 for in thy sight ,i
 cannot be justified2 to wit1 by my own 
good  deeds4  ,lord1 at the beginning of
 thy dealing with me1 by the law and my 
works1 ,i die3 therefore do not so much 
as enter into judgment with me1 ,o      
,lord4  ,nor is this my case only1 but  
it is the condition of all the  world3  
8,for in thy sight shall no man living  
be justified40    7#c47  ,a third       
instance is that general conclusion of  
the apostle1 8,but  that no man is      
justified by the law in the sight of    
,god is evident2 for  the just shall    
live by faith40  ,by this saying of ,st 
,paul1 as he taketh  up the sentence of 
the prophet ,habakkuk1 chap4 ii4 #d1 so 
he taketh up  this sentence1 yea1 and   
the personal justice of ,david also4    

,no man1  saith he1 is justified by the 
law in the sight of ,god3 no1 no just   
man1  no holy man1 not the strictest and
 most righteous man4  ,but why not8     
,why1 because 8the just shall live by   
faith40    ,the just man1 therefore1    
must die1 if he has not faith in another
  righteousness than that which is of   
the law1 called his own3 ,i say1 he     
must die1 if he has none other          
righteousness than that which is his own
  by the law4  ,thus also ,paul         
confesses of himself3 8,i 7saith he7    
know  nothing by myself10 either before 
conversion or after2 that is1 ,i knew   
not that ,i did any thing before        
conversion1 either against the law1 or  
against my conscience2 for ,i was then1 
touching the righteousness which  is of 
the law1 blameless4  ,also1 since my    
conversion1 ,i know nothing by  myself2 
for 8,i have walked in all good         
conscience before ,god unto this  day40 
,a great saying1 ,i promise you4  ,well1
 but yet 8,i am not hereby  justified20 

,phil4 iii4 #g2 ,acts xxiii4 #a2 #a     
,cor4 iv4 #d4  ,nor will ,i dare  to    
venture the eternal salvation of my soul
 upon mine own justice2 8for  he that   
judgeth me is the ,lord20 that is1      
though ,i1 through my  dim-sightedness1 
cannot see the imperfections of my      
righteousness1 yet  the ,lord1 who is my
 judge1 and before whose tribunal ,i    
must shortly  stand1 can and will2 and  
if in his sight there shall be found no 
more but  one spot in my righteousness1 
,i must1 if ,i plead my righteousness1  
fall  for that4    #b4  ,that the best  
of men are afraid to stand before ,god's
 tribunal1 there  to be judged by the   
law as to life and death1 according to  
the  sufficiency or non-sufficiency of  
their righteousness1 is evident2        
because by casting away their own 7in   
this matter71 they make all the  means  
they can for this2 that is1 that his    
mercy1 by an act of grace1 be  made over
 to them1 and that they in it may stand 
before ,god to be judged4    ,hence     

,david cries out so often1 8,lead me in 
thy righteousness40  8,deliver  me in   
thy righteousness40  8,judge me         
according to thy righteousness40        
8,quicken me in thy righteousness40  8,o
 ,lord 7says he71 give ear to my        
supplications3 in thy faithfulness      
answer me1 and in thy righteousness40   
8,and enter not into judgment with thy  
servant1 ,o ,lord3 for in thy sight     
shall no flesh living be justified40    
,and ,david1 what if ,god doth thus8    
,why1 then1 saith he1 8,my tongue shall 
speak of his righteousness40  8,my      
tongue shall sing of thy righteousness40
  8,my mouth shall shew forth thy       
righteousness40  8,yea1 ,i will make    
mention of thy righteousness1 even of   
thine only20 ,psalm lviii42 xxxi4 #a2   
xxxv4 #bd2 cxix4 #dj2 xxxv4 #bh2 li4    
#ad2  lxxi4 #ae1 #af4    ,daniel also1  
when he comes to plead for himself and  
his people1 he first  casts away his and
 their righteousness1 saying1 8,for we  
do not present  our supplications unto  

thee for our righteousness30  ,and he   
pleads ,god's  righteousness1 and that  
he might have a share and interest in   
that  saying1 8,o ,lord1 righteousness  
belongeth to thee20 to wit1 that        
righteousness1 for the sake of which1   
mercy and forgiveness1 and so  heaven   
and happiness1 is extended to us4       
,righteousness belongeth to thee1 and is
 thine1 as nearly as sin1 shame1  and   
confusion1 are ours1 and belongeth to   
us4  ,read the #afth and #agth  verses  
of the #ith of ,daniel4  8,o ,lord      
7saith he71 according to all thy        
righteousness1 ,i beseech thee1 let     
thine anger1 and thy fury1 be turned    
away from thy city ,jerusalem1 thy holy 
mountain2 because for our sins1  and for
 the iniquities of our fathers1         
,jerusalem1 and thy people1 are  become 
a reproach to all that are about us4    
,now1 therefore1 ,o our ,god1  hear the 
prayer of thy servant1 and his          
supplications1 and cause thy face  to   
shine upon thy sanctuary that is        

desolate1 for the ,lord's sake30  ,for  
the sake of the ,lord ,jesus ,christ2   
for on him ,daniel now had his eye1 and 
through him to the ,father he made his  
supplication2 yea1 and the answer  was  
according to his prayer1 to wit1 that   
,god would have mercy on  ,jerusalem2   
and that he would in his time send the  
,lord1 the ,messias1 to  bring them in  
everlasting righteousness for them4     
,paul also1 as ,i have hinted before1   
disclaims his own righteousness1 and    
layeth fast hold on the righteousness of
 ,god2 seeking to be found in  that1 not
 having his own righteousness1 for he   
knew that when the rain  descends1 the  
winds blow1 and the floods come down on 
all men1 they that  have but their own  
righteousness1 must fall2 ,phil4 iii    
,now1 the earnest desire of the         
righteous to be found in ,god's         
righteousness1 ariseth from strong      
conviction of the imperfections of      
their own1 and the knowledge that was   
given them of the terror that will      

attend men at the day of the fiery      
trial2 to wit1 the day of judgement4    
,for although men can now flatter       
themselves into a fool's paradise1 and  
persuade themselves that all shall be   
well with them then1 for the sake  of   
their own silly and vain-glorious       
performances1 yet when the day comes    
that shall burn like an oven1 and when  
all that have done wickedly shall  be as
 stubble 7and so will all appear to be  
that are not found in  ,christ71 then   
will their righteousness vanish like    
smoke1 or be like fuel  for that burning
 flame4  ,and hence the righteousness   
that the godly seek  to be found in1 is 
called1 ,the name of the ,lord1 a strong
 tower1 a rock1  a shield1 a fortress1 a
 buckler1 a rock of defence1 unto which 
they  resort1 and into which they run   
and are safe4    ,the godly therefore do
 not1 as this ,pharisee1 bring their own
  righteousness into the temple1 and    
there buoy up themselves and spirits  by
 that into a conceit1 that for the sake 

of that ,god will be merciful  and good 
unto them2 but throwing away their own1 
they make to ,god for  his1 because they
 certainly know1 even by the word of    
,god1 that in the  judgment none can    
stand the trial but those that are found
 in the  righteousness of ,god4    #c4  
,that the best of men are afraid to     
stand before ,god's tribunal by the     
law1 there to be judged to life and     
death1 according to the sufficiency  or 
non-sufficiency of their righteousness1 
is evident2 for they know1  that it is a
 vain thing to seek1 by acts of         
righteousness1 to make  themselves      
righteous men1 as is the way of all them
 that seek to be  justified by the deeds
 of the law4    ,and herein lieth the   
great difference between the ,pharisee  
and the true  ,christian man4  ,the     
,pharisee thinks1 by acts of            
righteousness1 he shall  make himself a 
righteous man3 therefore he cometh into 
the presence of  ,god well furnished1 as
 he thinks1 with his negative and       

positive  righteousness4    ,grace      
suffereth not a man to boast before     
,god1 whatever he saith before  men4    
,his soul that is lifted up1 is not     
upright in him2 and better is  the poor 
in spirit than the proud in spirit4     
,the ,pharisee was a very  proud man2 a 
proud1 ignorant man2 proud of his own   
righteousness1 and  ignorant of ,god's3 
for had he not1 he could not1 as he did1
 have so  condemned the ,publican1 and  
justified himself4    ,and ,i say again1
 that all this pride and vain-glorious  
show of the  ,pharisee did arise from   
his not being acquainted with this1 that
 a man  must be good before he can do   
good2 he must be righteous1 before he   
can  do righteousness4  ,this is evident
 from ,paul1 who insinuateth this as the
  reason why none do good1 even because 
8,there is none that is righteous1  no1 
not one40  8,there is none righteous10  
saith he1 and then follows1  8,there is 
none that doeth good20 ,rom4 iii4 #aj1  
#aa1 #ab4  ,for it is not  possible for 

a man that is not first made righteous  
by the ,god of heaven1  to do any thing 
that in a gospel-sense may be called    
righteousness4  ,to  make himself a     
righteous man1 by his so meddling with  
them1 he may  design2 but work          
righteousness1 and so by such works of  
righteousness  make himself a righteous 
man1 he cannot4    ,the righteousness of
 a carnal man is indeed by ,god called  
righteousness2  but it must be          
understood as spoken in the dialect of  
the world4  ,the  world indeed calls it 
righteousness1 and it will do no harm1  
if it bear  that term with reference to 
worldly matters4  ,hence worldly        
civilians are  called good and righteous
 men1 and so1 such as ,christ1 under    
that notion1  neither died for1 nor     
giveth his grace unto2 ,rom4 v4 #g1 #h4 
,but we are  not now discoursing about  
any other righteousness1 than that which
 is so  accounted either in a law or in 
a gospel-sense2 and therefore let us a  
little more touch upon that4    ,a man  

then must be righteous in a law-sense1  
before he can do acts of  righteousness1
 ,i mean1 that are such in a            
gospel-sense4  ,hence1 first1  you have 
true gospel-righteousness made the fruit
 of a second birth4  8,if  ye know that 
,christ is righteous1 know ye that every
 one that doeth  righteousness is born  
of him20 #a ,john ii4 #bi4  ,not born of
 him by virtue  of his own righteous    
actions1 but born of him by virtue of   
,christ's  mighty working with his work 
upon the soul1 who afterwards1 from a   
principle of life1 acteth and worketh   
righteousness4    ,and he saith again1  
8,little children1 let no man deceive   
you3 he that  doeth righteousness is    
righteous1 even as he is righteous40    
,upon this  scripture ,i will a little  
comment1 for the proof of what is urged 
before3  namely1 that a man must be     
righteous in a law-sense1 before he can 
do  such things that may be called acts 
of righteousness in a gospel-sense4     
,and for this1 this scripture1 #a ,john 

iii4 #g1 ministereth to us two things   
to be considered by us4    ,the first   
is1 ,that he that doth righteousness is 
righteous4    ,the second is1 ,that he  
that doth righteousness is righteous1 as
 ,christ is  righteous4    ,first1 ,he  
that doth righteousness2 that is1       
righteousness which the  gospel calleth 
so1 is righteous2 that is1 precedent to1
 or before he doth  that righteousness4 
,for he doth not say1 he shall make his 
person  righteous by acts of            
righteousness that he shall do2 for then
 an evil  tree may bear good fruit1 yea1
 and may make itself good by doing so2  
but  he saith1 ,he that doth            
righteousness is righteous2 as he saith1
 ,he that  doth righteousness is born of
 him4    ,so then1 a man must be        
righteous before he can do              
righteousness1 before  he can do        
righteousness in a gospel-sense4    ,our
 second thing then is to inquire1 with  
what righteousness a man must  be       
righteous1 before he can do that which  

in a gospel-sense is called             
righteousness4    ,and1 first1 ,i       
answer1 he must be righteous in a       
law-sense3 that is1 he  must be         
righteous in the judgment of the law4   
,this is evident3 because  he saith1    
8,he that doeth righteousness is        
righteous1 as he is righteous40  ,that  
is1 in a law-sense3 for ,christ in no   
sense is righteous in the  judgment of  
charity only2 but in his meanest acts1  
if it be lawful to  make such           
comparison1 he was righteous in a       
law-sense1 or in the judgment  of the   
law4  ,now the apostle saith1 that 8he  
that doeth righteousness is  righteous1 
as he is righteous40  ,they are the     
words of ,god1 and therefore  ,i cannot 
err in quoting of them1 though ,i may   
not so fully as ,i would  make the glory
 of them shine in speaking to them4     
,but what righteousness is that1 with   
which a man must stand righteous in  the
 judgment of the law1 before he shall or
 can be found to do acts of             

righteousness1 that by the gospel are so
 called8    #a4  ,i answer1 first1 ,it  
is none of his own which is of the law1 
you may  be sure3 for he hath his       
righteousness before he doth any that   
can be  called his own4  8,he that doeth
 righteousness is righteous0 already1   
precedent to1 or before he doth that    
righteousness2 yea1 he 8is  righteous1  
even as he is righteous40    #b4  ,it   
cannot be his own which is of the       
gospel2 that is1 that which  floweth    
from a principle of grace in the soul3  
for he is righteous before  he doth this
 righteousness4  8,he that doeth        
righteousness is righteous40  ,he doth  
not say1 he that hath done it1 but he   
that doth it2 respecting  the act while 
it is in doing1 he is righteous4  ,he is
 righteous even then  when he is a-doing
 of the very first act of righteousness2
 but an act1  while it is doing1 cannot1
 until it is done1 be called an act of  
righteousness2 yet1 saith the text1 8he 
is righteous40    ,but again1 if an act1

 while it is doing1 cannot be called an 
act of  righteousness1 to be sure1 it   
cannot have such influences as to make  
the  actor righteous--to make him       
righteous1 as the ,son of ,god is       
righteous2  and yet the righteousness   
with which this doer is made righteous1 
and  that before he doth righteousness1 
is such2 for so saith the text1 that    
makes him righteous1 as he is righteous4
    ,besides1 it cannot be his own1     
which is gospel-righteousness1 flowing  
from a principle of grace in the soul2  
for that in its greatest  perfection in 
us1 while we live in this world1 is     
accompanied with some  imperfections2 to
 wit1 our faith1 love1 and whole course 
of holiness is  wanting1 or hath        
something lacking in it4  ,they neither 
are apart1 nor  when put all together1  
perfect1 as to the degree1 the uttermost
 degree of  perfection4    ,but the     
righteousness under consideration1 with 
which the man1 in that of  ,john1 is    
made righteous1 is a perfect            

righteousness2 not only with  respect to
 the nature of it1 as a penny is as     
perfect silver as a  shilling2 nor yet  
with respect to a comparative degree1   
for so a shilling  arriveth more toward 
the perfection of the number twenty1    
than doth a  twopenny or a threepenny   
piece2 but it is a righteousness so     
perfect1  that nothing can be added to1 
nor can any thing be taken from it2 for 
so  implieth the words of the text1 he  
is righteous as ,christ is righteous2   
yea1 thus righteous before1 and in order
 to his doing of righteousness4    ,and 
in this he is like unto the ,son of     
,god1 who was also righteous before  he 
did acts of righteousness referring to a
 law of commandment2 wherefore  it is   
said1 that as he is1 so are we in this  
world4  ,as he is or was  righteous1    
before he did acts of righteousness     
among men by a law2 so are  his         
righteous1 before they act righteousness
 among men by a law4  8,he  that doeth  
righteousness is righteous1 as he is    

righteous40    ,christ was righteous    
before he did righteousness1 with a     
twofold  righteousness4  ,he had a      
righteousness as he was ,god2 his       
,godhead was  perfectly righteous3 yea1 
it was righteousness itself4  ,his human
 nature  was perfectly righteous1 it was
 naturally spotless and undefiled4      
,thus  his person was righteous1 and so 
qualified to do that righteousness1 that
  because he was born of woman1 and made
 under the law1 he was bound by the  law
 to perform4    ,now1 as he is1 so are  
we2 not by way of natural righteousness1
 but by way  of resemblance thereunto4  
,had ,christ1 in order to his working of
  righteousness1 a two fold             
righteousness inherent in himself8--the 
,christian1 in order to his working of  
righteousness1 had belonging to him  a  
twofold righteousness4  ,did ,christ's  
twofold righteousness qualify him  for  
that work of righteousness that was of  
,god designed for him to  do8--why1 the 
,christian's twofold righteousness doth 

qualify him for that  work of           
righteousness that ,god hath ordained   
that he should do and walk  in this     
world4    ,but you may ask1 ,what is    
that righteousness with which a         
,christian is  made righteous before he 
doth righteousness8    ,i answer1 ,it is
 a twofold righteousness4    #a4  ,it is
 a righteousness put upon him4    #b4   
,it is a righteousness put into him4    
,for the first1 ,it is a righteousness  
put upon him1 with which also he is     
clothed as with a coat or mantle1 ,rom4 
iii4 #bb1 and this is called 8the  robe 
of righteousness20 and this is called   
8the garment of salvation20  ,isa4 lxi4 
#aj4    ,this righteousness is none     
other but the obedience of ,christ2 the 
which  he performed in the days of his  
flesh1 and can properly be called no    
man's righteousness1 but the            
righteousness of ,christ2 because no man
 had  a hand therein1 but he completed  
it himself4  ,and hence it is said1 that
  8by the obedience of one shall many be

 made righteous20 ,rom4 v4 #ai4  ,by    
the obedience of one1 of one man ,jesus 
,christ 7as you have it in verse  #ae72 
for he came down into the world1 to this
 very end2 that is1 to make  a          
generation righteous1 not by making of  
them laws1 and prescribing unto  them   
rules 7for this was the work of ,moses1 
who said1 8,and it shall be  our        
righteousness1 if we observe to do all  
these commandments before the  ,lord our
 ,god1 as he hath commanded us20 ,deut4 
vi4 #be2 xxiv4 #ac72 nor yet  by taking 
away by his grace the imperfections of  
their righteousness1 and  so making of  
that perfect by additions of his own2   
but he makes them  righteous by his     
obedience1 not in them1 but for them1   
while he  personally subjected himself  
to his ,father's law on our behalf1 that
 he  might have a righteousness to      
bestow upon us4  ,and hence we are said 
to  be made righteous1 while we work    
not1 and to be justified1 while ungodly 
7,rom4 iv4 #e71 which can be done by no 

other righteousness than that which  is 
the righteousness of ,christ by         
performance1 the righteousness of ,god  
by donation1 and our righteousness by   
imputation4  ,for1 ,i say1 the person   
that wrought this righteousness for us1 
is ,jesus ,christ2 the person that      
giveth it to us1 is the ,father2 who    
hath made ,christ to be unto us         
righteousness1 and hath given him to us 
for this very end1 that we might  be    
made the righteousness of ,god in him2  
#a ,cor4 i4 #d2 #b ,cor4 v4 #ba4  ,and  
hence it is often said1 8,one shall say1
 ,surely in the ,lord have ,i           
righteousness and strength40  ,and      
again1 8,in the ,lord shall all the seed
  of ,israel be justified1 and shall    
glory40  8,this is the heritage of the  
servants of the ,lord2 and their        
righteousness is of me1 saith the       
,lord20  ,isa4 xlv4 #bd1 #be2 liv4 #ag4 
,this righteousness is that which       
justifieth1 and which secureth the soul 
from the curse of the law2 by hiding1   

through its perfection1 all the  sins   
and imperfections of the soul4  ,hence  
it follows1 8,even as ,david  also      
describeth the blessedness of the man   
unto whom ,god imputeth  righteousness  
without works1 saying1 ,blessed are they
 whose iniquities  are forgiven1 and    
whose sins are covered4  ,blessed is the
 man to whom the  ,lord will not impute 
sin20 ,rom4 iv4    ,and this it doth1   
even while the person1 that by grace is 
made a  partaker1 is without good works1
 and so ungodly4  ,this is the          
righteousness of ,christ1 ,christ's     
personal performances1 which he did     
when he was in this world2 that is that 
by which the soul1 while naked1  is     
covered1 and so hid as to its nakedness1
 from the divine sentence of  the law3  
8,i spread my skirt over thee1 and      
covered thy nakedness10 ,ezek4  xvi4    
#d-i4    ,now this obediential          
righteousness of ,christ consisteth of  
two parts4 #a4  ,in a doing of that     
which the law commanded us to do4 #b4   

,in a paying that  price for the        
transgression thereof1 which justice    
hath said shall be  required at the hand
 of man2 and that is the cursed death4  
8,in the day  that thou eatest thereof1 
thou shalt surely die the death20 to    
wit1 the  death that comes by the curse 
of the law4  ,so then1 ,christ having   
brought  in that part of obedience for  
us1 which consisteth in a doing of such 
obediential acts of righteousness which 
the law commands1 he adds thereto  the  
spilling of his blood1 to be the price  
of our redemption from that  cursed     
death1 that by sin we had brought upon  
our bodies and souls4  ,and  thus are   
the ,christians perfectly righteous2    
they have the whole  obedience of       
,christ made over to them2 to wit1 that 
obedience that  standeth in doing the   
law1 and that obedience that standeth in
 paying of  a price for our             
transgressions4  ,so1 then1 doth the law
 call for  righteousness8 here it is4   
,doth the law call for satisfaction for 

our  sins8  ,here it is4  ,and what can 
the law say any more to the sinner but  
that which is good1 when he findeth in  
the personal obedience of ,christ  for  
him1 that which answereth to what it can
 command1 that which it can  demand of  
us8    ,herein1 then1 standeth a        
,christian's safety1 not in a bundle of 
actions  of his own1 but in a           
righteousness which cometh to him by    
grace and gift2  for this righteousness 
is such as comes by gift1 by the gift of
 ,god4  ,hence it is called the gift of 
righteousness1 the gift by grace1 the   
gift  of righteousness by grace1 which  
is the righteousness of one1 to wit1 the
  obedience of ,jesus ,christ1 ,rom4 v4 
#ae-ai4    ,and this is the             
righteousness by which he that doth     
righteousness is  righteous as he is    
righteous2 because it is the very       
self-same  righteousness that the ,son  
of ,god hath accomplished by himself4   
,nor has  he any other or more excellent
 righteousness1 of which the law taketh 

notice1 or that it requireth1 than this3
 for as for the righteousness of  his   
,godhead1 the law is not concerned with 
that2 for as he is such1 the  law is his
 creature1 and servant1 and may not     
meddle with him4    ,the righteousness  
also of his human nature1 the law hath  
nothing to do  with that2 for that is   
the workmanship of ,god1 and is as good1
 as pure1  as holy1 and undefiled1 as is
 the law itself4  ,all then that the law
 hath  to do with1 is to exact complete 
obedience of him that is made under it1 
and a due satisfaction for the breach   
thereof2 the which1 if it hath1  then   
,moses is content4    ,now1 this is the 
righteousness with which the ,christian1
 as to  justification1 is made          
righteous2 to wit1 a righteousness that 
is neither  essential to his ,godhead1  
nor to his manhood2 but such as standeth
 in  that glorious person 7who was such7
 his obedience to the law4  ,which      
righteousness himself had1 with         
reference to himself1 no need of at all1

  for his ,godhead1 yea1 his manhood1   
was perfectly righteous without it4     
,this righteousness therefore was there1
 and there only necessary1 where        
,christ was considered as ,god's servant
 7and our surety7 to bring to ,god      
,jacob again1 and to restore the        
preserved of ,israel4  ,for though      
,christ  was a ,son1 yet he became a    
servant to do1 not for himself1 for he  
had no  need1 but for us1 the whole law1
 and so bring in everlasting            
righteousness for us4    ,and hence it  
is said1 that ,christ did what he did   
for us4  ,he became the  end of the law 
for righteousness for us2 he suffered   
for us1 he died for  us1 he laid down   
his life for us1 and he gave himself for
 us4  ,the  righteousness then that     
,christ did fulfil1 when he was in the  
world1 was  not for himself simply      
considered1 nor for himself personally  
considered1  for he had no need thereof2
 but it was for the elect1 the members  
of his  body4    ,christ then did not   

fulfil the law for himself1 for he had  
no need  thereof4  ,christ again did    
fulfil the law for himself1 for he had  
need of  the righteousness thereof2 he  
had need thereof for the covering of his
  body1 and the several members thereof2
 for they1 in a good sense1 are         
himself1 members of his body1 of his    
flesh1 and of his bones2 and he owns    
them as parts of himself in many places 
of the holy scriptures2 ,eph4 v4  #cj2  
,acts ix4 #d1 #e2 ,matt4 xxv4 #de2 x4   
#dj2 ,mark ix4 #cg2 ,luke x4 #af2 #a    
,cor4  xii4 #ab1 #bg4  ,this            
righteousness then1 even the whole of   
what ,christ did  in answer to the law1 
it was for us2 and ,god hath put it upon
 them1 and  they were righteous in it1  
even righteous as he is righteous4  ,and
 this  they have before they do acts of 
righteousness4    ,secondly1 ,there is  
righteousness put into them1 before they
 act  righteous things4  ,a             
righteousness1 ,i say1 put into them2 or
 ,i had rather  that you should call it 

a principle of righteousness2 for it is 
a  principle of life to righteousness4  
,before man's conversion1 there is in   
him a principle of death to sin2 but    
when he is converted to ,christ1  there 
is put in him a principle of            
righteousness1 that he may bring forth  
fruit unto ,god2 ,rom4 vii4 #d-f4       
,hence they are said to be quickened1 to
 be made alive1 to be risen from  death 
to life1 to have the ,spirit of ,god    
dwelling in them2 not only to  make     
their souls alive1 but to quicken their 
mortal bodies to that which  is good2   
,rom4 viii4 #aa4    ,here1 as ,i hinted 
before1 they that do righteousness are  
said to be born  of him1 that is1       
antecedent to their doing of            
righteousness1 #a ,john ii4  #bi2 8born 
of him10 that is1 made alive with new1  
spiritual1 and heavenly  life4          
,wherefore the exhortation to them is1  
8,neither yield ye your  members as     
instruments of unrighteousness unto sin2
 but yield yourselves  unto ,god1 as    

those that are alive from the dead1 and 
your members as  instruments of         
righteousness unto ,god20 ,rom4 vi4 #ac4
    ,now this principle must also be in 
men1 before they can do that which is   
spiritual3 for whatever seeming good    
thing any man doth1 before he has       
bestowed upon him this heavenly         
principle from ,god1 it is accounted    
nothing1 it is accounted sin and        
abomination in the sight of ,god2 for an
  evil tree cannot bring forth good     
fruit3 8,men do not gather grapes of    
thorns2 neither of a bramble gather     
figs40  ,it is not the fruit that  makes
 the tree1 but the tree that makes the  
fruit4  ,a man must be good1  before he 
can do good2 and evil before he can do  
evil4    ,this is that which is asserted
 by the ,son of ,god himself2 and it    
lieth so  level with reason and the     
nature of things1 that it cannot be     
contradicted3 ,matth4 vii4 #af-ah2 ,luke
 vi4 #dc-de4  8,a good man1 out of the  
good treasure of his heart1 bringeth    

forth that which is good3 and an  evil  
man1 out of the evil treasure of his    
heart1 bringeth forth that  which is    
evil40  ,but notwithstanding all that   
can be said1 it seemeth  very strange to
 the carnal world2 for they will not be 
otherwise  persuaded1 but that they be  
good deeds that make good men1 and evil 
ones  that make evil men4  ,and so1 by  
such dotish apprehensions1 do what in   
them lieth to fortify their hearts with 
the mists of darkness against the  clear
 shining of the word1 and conviction of 
the truth4    ,and thus it was from the 
beginning4  ,abel's first services to   
,god were  from this principle of       
righteousness2 but ,cain would have been
 made  righteous by his deeds2 but his  
deeds not flowing from the same root of 
goodness1 as did ,abel's1               
notwithstanding he did it with the very 
best he  had1 is yet called evil3 for he
 wanted1 ,i say1 the principles1 to wit1
 of  grace and faith1 without which no  
action can be counted good in a         

gospel-sense4    ,these two things1     
then1 that man must have that will do   
righteousness4  ,he must have put upon  
him the perfect righteousness of        
,christ3 and he  must have that dwelling
 in him1 as a fruit of the new birth1 a 
principle  of righteousness4  ,then     
indeed he is a tree of righteousness1   
and ,god is  like to be glorified in and
 by him2 but this the ,pharisee was     
utterly  ignorant of1 and at the        
remotest distance from4    ,you may ask 
me next1 ,but which of these are first  
bestowed upon the  ,christian--the      
perfect righteousness of ,christ unto   
justification1 or this  gospel-principle
 of righteousness unto sanctification8  
,answ4  ,the perfect righteousness of   
,christ unto justification must  first  
be made over to him by an act of grace4 
,this is evident1    #a4  ,because he is
 justified as ungodly2 that is1 whilst  
he is ungodly3  but it must not be said 
of them that have this principle of     
grace in  them1 that they are ungodly2  

for they are saints and holy4  ,but this
  righteousness1 by it ,god justifieth  
the ungodly1 by imputing it to them1    
when and while they1 as to a principle  
of grace1 are graceless4    ,this is    
further manifested thus3 ,the person    
must be accepted before his  performance
 can2 8,and the ,lord had respect unto  
,abel1 and to his  offering20 ,gen4 iv4 
,if he had respect to ,abel's person    
first1 yet he  must have respect unto it
 for the sake of some righteousness2 but
 ,abel as  yet had no righteousness2 for
 that he acted1 after ,god had a respect
 unto  his person4  8,and the ,lord had 
respect unto ,abel1 and to his offering3
  but unto ,cain1 and to his offering1  
he had no respect40    ,the prophet     
,ezekiel also shews us this1 where1 by  
the similitude of the  wretched infant1 
and of the manner of ,god's receiving it
 to mercy1 he  shews how he received the
 ,jews to favour4  ,first1 saith he1 8,i
 spread my  skirt over thee1 and covered
 thy nakedness40  ,there is             

justification2 8,i  covered thy         
nakedness40  ,but what manner of        
nakedness was it8  ,yes1 it  was then as
 naked as naked could be1 even as naked 
as in the day that it  was born2 ,ezek4 
xvi4 #d-i4  ,and as thus naked1 it was  
covered1 not with  any thing but with   
the skirt of ,christ2 that is1 with his 
robe of  righteousness1 with his        
obedience1 that he performed of himself 
for that  very purpose2 for by the      
obedience of one1 many are made         
righteous4    #b4  ,righteousness unto  
justification must be first2 because the
 first  duty that a ,christian          
performeth to ,god1 must be accepted1   
not for the  sake of the principle from 
which in the heart it flows1 nor yet for
 the  sake of the person that acts it1  
but for the sake of ,christ1 whose      
righteousness it is by which the sinner 
stands just before ,god4  ,and  hence it
 is said1 8,by faith ,abel offered unto 
,god a more excellent  sacrifice than   
,cain10 ,heb4 xi4  ,by faith he did it2 

but faith in respect  to the            
righteousness that justifies2 for we are
 justified by faith2 not  by faith as it
 is an acting grace1 but the            
righteousness of faith1 that  is1 by    
that righteousness that faith embraceth1
 layeth hold of1 and  helpeth the soul  
to rest and trust to1 for justification 
of life1 which  is the obedience of     
,christ4  ,besides1 it is said1 by faith
 he offered2  faith then in ,christ was 
precedent to his offering4    ,now1     
since faith was in act before his offer1
 and since before his offer  he had no  
personal goodness of his own1 faith must
 look out from home2 ,i  say to another 
for righteousness2 and finding the      
righteousness of ,christ  to be the     
righteousness which by ,god was designed
 to be performed for the  justification 
of a sinner1 it embraces it1 and through
 it offereth to ,god  a more excellent  
sacrifice than ,cain4    ,hence it      
follows1 8,by which he obtained witness 
that he was righteous20  by which1 not  

by his offering1 but by his faith2 for  
his offering1 simply  as an offering1   
could not have made him righteous if he 
had not been  righteous before2 for 8an 
evil tree cannot bring forth good       
fruit40  ,besides1 if this be granted1  
why had not ,god respect to ,cain's     
offering  as well as to ,abel's8  ,for  
did ,abel offer8  ,so did ,cain4  ,did  
,abel offer  his best8  ,so did ,cain   
his4  ,and if with this we shall take   
notice of the  order of their offspring1
 ,cain seemed to offer first1 and so    
with the  frankest will and forwardest  
mind2 but yet1 saith the text1 8,the    
,lord had  respect to ,abel and to his  
offering40  ,but why to ,abel8  ,why1   
because  his1 person was made righteous 
before he offered his gift3 8,by which  
he  obtained witness that he was        
righteous20 ,god testifying of his      
gifts1  that they were good and         
acceptable because they declared ,abel's
  acceptation of the righteousness of   
,christ1 through the riches of the      

grace of ,god4    ,by faith1 then1 ,abel
 offered to ,god a more excellent       
sacrifice than ,cain4  ,he shrouded     
himself under the righteousness of      
,christ1 and so1 of that  righteousness1
 he offered to ,god4  ,god also looking 
and finding him there  7where he could  
not have been1 as to his own            
apprehension1 no otherwise  than by     
faith71 accepted of his gift2 by which  
acceptation 7for so you  may understand 
it also7 ,god testifieth that he was    
righteous1 for ,god  receiveth not the  
gifts and offerings of those that are   
not righteous1  for their sacrifices are
 an abomination unto him1 ,prov4 xxi4   
#bg4    ,abel then was1 ,i say1 made    
righteous1 first1 as he stood ungodly in
  himself2 ,god justifieth the ungodly1 
,rom4 iv4  ,now1 being justified1 he    
was righteous2 and being righteous1 he  
offered his sacrifice of praise to      
,god1 or other offerings which ,god     
accepted1 because he believed in his    
,son4  ,but this our ,pharisee          

understandeth not4    #c4               
,righteousness by imputation must be    
first1 because we are made so1 to  wit1 
by another--8,by the obedience of one   
shall many be made righteous40  ,now to 
be made righteous1 implies a passiveness
 in him that is so made1  and the       
activity of the work to lie in some body
 else2 except he had  said1 they had    
made themselves righteous2 but that it  
doth not1 nor doth  the text leave to   
any the least countenance so to         
insinuate2 nay1 it  plainly affirms the 
contrary1 for it saith1 by the obedience
 of one1 of  one man1 ,jesus ,christ1   
many are made righteous2 by the         
righteousness of  one1 ,rom4 v4  ,so    
then1 if they be made righteous by the  
righteousness of  one2 ,i say if many be
 made righteous by the righteousness of 
one1 then  are they that are so1 as to  
themselves1 passive and not active1 with
  reference to the working out of this  
righteousness4  ,they have no hand in   
that2 for that is the act of one1 the   

righteousness of one1 the obedience  of 
one1 the workmanship of one1 even of    
,christ ,jesus4    ,again1 ,if they are 
made righteous by this righteousness1   
then also they  are passive as to their 
first privilege by it2 for they are made
  righteous by it2 they do not make     
themselves righteous by it4             
,imputation is also the act of ,god4    
8,even as ,david also describeth the    
blessedness of the man1 unto whom ,god  
imputeth righteousness40  ,the          
righteousness then is a work of ,christ1
 his own obedience to his ,father's     
law2 the making of it ours is the act of
 the ,father1 and of his infinite       
grace3 8,for of him are ye in ,christ   
,jesus1 who of ,god is made unto us     
wisdom and righteousness40  8,for ,god  
hath made ,jim to be sin for us1 who    
knew no sin1 that we might be made the  
righteousness of ,god in him40  ,and    
both these things ,god shewed to our    
first parents1 when he acted in grace   
towards them after the fall4    ,there  

it is said1 the ,lord ,god made unto    
,adam1 and unto his wife1 coats  of     
skins1 and clothed them2 ,gen4 iii4 #ba4
    ,whence note1    7#a47  ,that ,adam 
and his wife were naked1 both in ,god's 
eye and in their  own1 verses #aj1 #aa4 
7#b47  ,that the ,lord ,god made coats  
of skins4    7#c47  ,that in his making 
of them1 he had respect to ,adam and to 
his wife1  that is1 he made them4       
7#d47  ,that when he had made them1 he  
also clothed them therewith4    ,they   
made not the coats1 nor did ,god bid    
them make them2 but ,god did make  them 
himself to cover their nakedness with4  
,yea1 when he had made them1  he did not
 bid them put them on1 but he himself   
did clothe them with  them3 for thus    
runs the text2 8,unto ,adam also1 and to
 his wife1 did the  ,lord ,god make     
coats of skins1 and clothed them40  ,o  
it was the ,lord ,god  that made this   
coat with which a poor sinner is made   
righteous6  ,and it  is also the ,lord  
,god that putteth it upon us4  ,but this

 our ,pharisee  understandeth not4      
,but now1 if a man is not righteous     
before he is made so1 before the ,lord  
,god has by the righteousness of another
 made him so2 then whether this         
righteousness comes first or last1 the  
man is not righteous until it  cometh2  
and if he be not righteous until it     
cometh1 then what works  soever are done
 before it comes1 they are not the works
 of a righteous  man1 nor the fruits of 
a good tree1 but of a bad4  ,and so     
again1 this  righteousness must first   
come before a man be righteous1 and     
before a man  does righteousness4  ,make
 the tree good1 and its fruit will be   
good4    ,now1 since a man must be made 
righteous before he can do              
righteousness1  it is manifest his works
 of righteousness do not make him       
righteous1 no  more than the fig makes  
its own tree a fig-tree1 or than the    
grape doth  make its own vine a vine4   
,hence those acts of righteousness that 
,christian men do perform1 are called   

the fruits of righteousness1 which  are 
by ,jesus ,christ to the glory and      
praise of ,god2 ,phil4 i4 #aa4    ,the  
fruits of righteousness they are by     
,jesus ,christ1 as the fruits of  the   
tree are by the tree itself2 for the    
truth is1 that principle of             
righteousness1 of which mention has been
 made before1 and concerning  which ,i  
have said it comes in in the second     
place2 it is also originally  to be     
found for us nowhere but in ,christ4    
,hence it is said to be by ,jesus       
,christ2 and again1 8,of his fulness    
have  we all received1 and grace for    
grace20 ,john i4 #af4  ,a man must then 
be  united to ,christ first1 and so     
being united1 he partaketh of this      
benefit1 to wit1 a principle that is    
supernatural1 spiritual1 and  heavenly4 
,now1 his being united to ,christ1 is   
not of or from himself1  but of and from
 the ,father1 who1 as to this work1 is  
the husbandman2 even  as the twig that  
is grafted into the tree officiateth    

not1 that is1  grafteth not itself      
thereunto1 but is grafted in by some    
other1 itself  being utterly passive as 
to that4  ,now1 being united unto       
,christ1 the  soul is first made        
partaker of justification1 or of        
justifying  righteousness1 and now no   
longer beareth the name of an ungodly   
man2 for  he is made righteous by the   
obedience of ,christ2 he being also     
united to  ,christ1 partaketh of the    
root and fatness of ,christ2 the root1  
that is1  his divine nature2 the        
fatness1 that is1 the fulness of grace  
that is  laid up in him to be           
communicated unto us1 even as the branch
 that is  grafted into the olive-tree   
partaketh of the root and fatness of the
  olive-tree4  ,now partaking thereof1  
it quickeneth1 it groweth1 it  buddeth1 
and yieldeth fruit to the praise and    
glory of ,god2 ,rom4 xi4 #ag4    ,but   
these things1 as ,i have often said1 the
 poor ,pharisee was ignorant  of1 when  
so swaggeringly he1 with his 8,god1 ,i  

thank thee10 came into the  temple to   
pray4  ,and1 indeed1 in that which hath 
been said is something  of the mystery  
of ,god's will in his way with his      
elect2 and such a  mystery it is1 that  
it lieth hid for ever to nature and     
natural men2 for  they think of nothing 
less than of this1 nor of nothing more1 
when they  think of their souls and of  
salvation1 than that something must be  
done  by themselves to reconcile them to
 ,god4  ,yea1 if through some common    
convictions their understandings should 
be swayed to a consenting to  that1 that
 justification is of grace by ,christ1  
and not of works by men2  yet           
conscience1 reason1 and the law of      
nature1 not being as yet subdued  by the
 power and glory of grace unto the      
obedience of ,christ1 will rise  up in  
rebellion against this doctrine1 and    
will over-rule and bow down  the soul   
again to the law and works thereof for  
life4    #d4  ,righteousness by         
imputation must be first1 because1 else 

faith1 which  is a part1 yea1 a greater 
part of that which is called a principle
 of  grace in the soul1 will have       
nothing to fix itself upon1 nor a motive
 to  work by4  ,let this therefore be   
considered by those that are on the     
contrary side4    #a4  ,faith1 so soon  
as it has a being in the soul1 is like  
the child that  has a being in the      
mother's lap2 it must have something to 
feed upon2 not  something at a distance1
 afar off1 to be purchased 7,i speak now
 as to  justification from the curse71  
but something by promise made over of   
grace to the soul2 something to feed    
upon to support from the fears of       
perishing by the curse for sin4  ,nor   
can it rest content with all duties  and
 performances that other graces shall   
put the soul upon2 nor with any  of its 
own works1 until it reaches and takes   
hold of the righteousness of  ,christ4  
,faith is like the dove1 which found no 
rest any where until it  returned to    
,noah into the ark4  ,but this our      

,pharisee understandeth not4    ,perhaps
 some may object1 that from this way of 
reasoning it is apparent1  that         
sanctification is first2 since the soul 
may have faith1 and so a  principle of  
grace in it1 and yet1 as yet it cannot  
find ,christ to feed  and refresh the   
soul withal4    ,answ4  ,from this way  
of reasoning it is not at all apparent  
that  sanctification1 or a principle of 
grace1 is in the soul before            
righteousness is imputed and the soul   
made perfectly righteous thereby4  ,and 
for the clearing up of this1 let me     
propose a few things4    #a4            
,justifying righteousness1 to wit1 the  
obedience of that one man1  ,christ1 is 
imputed to the sinner1 to justify him in
 ,god's sight2 for his  law calls for   
perfect righteousness1 and before that  
be come to1 and put  upon the poor      
sinner1 ,god cannot bestow other        
spiritual blessings upon  him2 because  
by the law he has pronounced him        
accursed2 by the which  curse he is also

 so holden1 until a righteousness shall 
be found upon the  sinner1 that the law 
and divine justice can approve of1 and  
be contented  within4  ,so then1 as to  
the justification of the sinner1 there  
must be a  righteousness for ,god2 ,i   
say1 for the sinner1 and for ,god3 for  
the sinner  to be clothed within1 and   
for ,god to look upon1 that he may1 for 
the sake  thereof in a way of justice1  
bless the sinner with forgiveness of    
sins3  for forgiveness of sins is the   
next thing that followeth upon the      
appearance of the sinner before ,god in 
the righteousness of ,christ2 ,rom4  iv4
 #f1 #g4    ,now1 upon this forgiveness 
follows the second blessing4  ,christ   
hath  redeemed us from the curse of the 
law1 being made a curse for us2 and so1 
consequently1 hath obtained for us the  
forgiveness of sins3 for he that  is    
delivered from the curse hath received  
forgiveness of sins1 or rather  is made 
partaker thereof4  ,now1 being made a   
partaker thereof1 the second  blessing  

immediately follows1 to wit1 the        
blessing of ,abraham1 that is1  the     
promise of the ,spirit through faith2   
,gal4 iii4 #ac4 #ad4  ,but this our     
,pharisee understandeth not4    ,but    
now1 although it be of absolute         
necessity that imputed righteousness  be
 first1 to the soul2 that is1 that      
perfect righteousness be found upon  the
 sinner first by ,god1 that he may      
bestow other blessings in a way of      
justice3    ,let ,god then put the      
righteousness of his ,son upon me2 and  
by virtue of  that1 let the second      
blessing of ,god come into me2 and by   
virtue of that1  let me be made to see  
myself a sinner1 and ,christ's          
righteousness1 and my  need of it1 in   
the doctrine of it1 as it is revealed in
 the scriptures of  truth4  ,let me then
 believe this doctrine to be true1 and  
be brought by  my belief to repentance  
for my sins1 to hungering and thirsting 
vehemently after this righteousness3 for
 this is the kingdom of ,god1 and  his  

righteousness4  ,yea1 let me pray1 and  
cry1 and sigh1 and groan1 day  and      
night1 to the ,god of this              
righteousness1 that he will of grace    
make  me a partaker4  ,and let me thus  
be prostrate before my ,god1 all the    
time  that in wisdom he shall think fit2
 and in his own time he shall shew me   
that ,i am a justified person1 a        
pardoned person1 a person in whom the   
,spirit of ,god hath dwelt for some     
time1 though ,i knew it not4    ,so     
then1 justification before ,god is one  
thing1 and justification in mine  own   
eyes is another2 not that these are two 
justifications1 but the same            
righteousness by which ,i stand         
justified before ,god1 may be seen of   
,god1  when ,i am ignorant of it3 yea1  
for the sake of it ,i may be received1  
pardoned1 and accounted righteous of    
him1 and yet ,i may not understand  it4 
,yea1 further1 he may proceed in the way
 of blessing to bless me with           
additional blessings1 and yet ,i be     

ignorant of it4    ,so that the question
 is not1 ,do ,i find that ,i am         
righteous8 but1 ,am ,i so8  ,doth ,god  
find me so1 when he seeth that the      
righteousness of his ,son is  upon me1  
being made over to me by an act of his  
grace8  ,for ,i am  justified freely by 
his grace1 through the redemption which 
is in ,jesus  ,christ1 whom ,god hath   
set forth to be a propitiation through  
faith in his  blood1 to declare his     
righteousness for the remission of sins 
that are  past1 through the forbearance 
of ,god2 ,rom4 iii4 #bd4  ,but this our 
,pharisee understandeth not4    ,i am   
then made righteous first by the        
righteousness of another2 and  because  
,i am thus righteous1 ,god accepteth of 
my person as such1 and  bestoweth upon  
me his grace2 the which1 at first1 for  
want of skill and  experience in the    
word of righteousness1 ,i make use of   
but poorly1 and  have need to be        
certified that ,i am made righteous1 and
 that ,i have  eternal life2 not by     

faith first and immediately1 but by the 
written word  which is called 8the word 
of faith20 which word declareth unto me 
7to  whom grace1 and so faith in the    
seed of it1 is given71 that ,i have     
eternal life1 and that ,i should with   
boldness1 in peace and joy1 believe  on 
the ,son of ,god2 ,heb4 v4 #ac2 ,rom4   
xv4 #ac2 #a ,john v4 #ac4  ,but1        
,again1 ,i1 in the first acts of my     
faith1 when ,i come at ,christ1 do not  
accept of him1 because ,i know ,i am    
righteous1 either with imputed          
righteousness1 or with that which is    
inherent4  ,both these1 as to my        
present privilege in them1 may be hidden
 from mine eyes1 and ,i only put  upon  
taking of encouragement to close with   
,christ for life and  righteousness1 as 
he is set forth to be a propitiation    
before mine eyes1  in the word of the   
truth of the gospel2 to which word ,i   
adhere as1 or  because ,i find1 ,i want 
peace with ,god in my soul1 and because 
,i am  convinced that the means of peace

 is not to be found any where but in    
,jesus ,christ4  ,now1 by my thus       
adhering to him1 ,i find stay for my    
soul1  and peace to my conscience1      
because the word doth ascertain to me1  
that  he that believeth on him hath     
remission of sins1 hath eternal life1   
and  shall be saved from the wrath to   
come4    ,but1 alas6 who knows 7the many
 straits1 and as ,i may say1 the stress 
of  weather1 ,i mean7 the cold blasts of
 hell1 with which the poor soul is      
assaulted1 betwixt its receiving of     
grace1 and its sensible closing with    
,jesus ,christ8  ,none1 ,i dare say1 but
 it and its fellows4  8,the heart  knows
 its own bitterness2 and a stranger     
intermeddleth not with his joy20  ,prov4
 xiv4 #aj4  ,no sooner doth ,satan      
perceive what ,god is doing with the    
soul1 in a way of grace and mercy1 but  
he endeavoureth what he may to  make the
 renewing thereof bitter and wearisome  
work to the sinner4  ,o  what mists1    
what mountains1 what clouds1 what       

darkness1 what objections1  what false  
apprehensions of ,god1 of ,christ1 of   
grace1 of the word1 and of  the soul's  
condition1 doth he now lay before it1   
and haunt it with2  whereby he          
dejecteth1 casteth down1 daunteth1      
distresseth1 and almost  driveth it     
quite into despair6  ,now1 by the reason
 of these things1 faith  7and all the   
grace that is in the soul7 is hard put  
to it to come at the  promise1 and by   
the promise of ,christ2 as it is said1  
when the tempest  and great danger of   
shipwreck lay upon the vessel in which  
,paul was1 they  had 8much work to come 
by the boat20 ,acts xxvii4 #af4  ,for   
,satan's design  is1 if he cannot keep  
the soul from ,christ1 to make his      
coming to him1  and closing with him1 as
 hard1 as difficult and troublesome1 as 
he by his  devices can4  ,but faith1    
true justifying faith1 is a grace1 is   
not weary  by all that ,satan can do2   
but meditateth upon the word1 and taketh
  stomach1 and courage1 fighteth and    

crieth1 and by crying and fighting1 by  
help from heaven1 its way is made       
through all the oppositions that appear 
so mighty1 and draweth up at last to    
,jesus ,christ1 into whose bosom it     
putteth the soul1 where1 for the time1  
it sweetly resteth1 after its           
marvellous tossings to and fro4    ,and 
besides what hath been said1 let me yet 
illustrate this truth unto  you by this 
familiar similitude4    ,suppose a man1 
a traitor1 that by the law should die   
for his sin1 is yet  such an one that   
the king has exceeding kindness for2 may
 not the king  pardon this man of his   
clemency2 yea1 order that his pardon    
should be  drawn up and sealed1 and so  
in every sense be made sure2 and yet1   
for the  present1 keep all this close   
enough from the ears or the knowledge of
 the  person therein concerned8  ,yea1  
may not the king after all leave this   
person1 with others under the same      
transgression1 to sue for and obtain    
this pardon with great expense and      

difficulty1 with many tears and         
heart-achings1 with many fears and      
dubious cogitations8    ,why1 this is   
the case between ,god and the soul that 
he saveth2 he saveth  him1 pardoneth    
him1 and secureth him from the curse and
 death that is due  unto sin1 but yet   
doth not tell him so2 but he ascends in 
his great suit  unto ,god for it4  ,only
 this difference we must make between   
,god and the  potentates of this world2 
,god cannot pardon before the sinner    
stands  before him righteous by the     
righteousness of ,christ2 because he has
 in  judgment1 and justice1 and         
righteousness1 threatened and concluded1
 that  he that wants righteousness shall
 die4    ,and ,i say again1 because this
 righteousness is ,god's and at ,god's  
disposal only1 it is ,god that must make
 a man righteous before he can  forgive 
him his sins1 or bestow upon him of his 
secondary blessings2 to  wit1 his       
,spirit1 and the graces thereof4  ,and  
,i say again1 it must be  this          

righteousness2 for it can be no other   
that justifies a sinner from  sin in the
 sight of ,god1 and from the sentence of
 the law4    ,secondly1 ,this is1 and   
must be the way of ,god with the sinner1
 that  faith may not only have an object
 to work upon1 but a motive to work by4 
7#a47  ,here1 as ,i said1 faith hath an 
object to work upon1 and that in the    
person of ,christ1 and that personal    
righteousness of his1 which he in the   
days of his flesh did finish to justify 
sinners withal4  ,this is1 ,i say1  the 
object of faith for justification1      
whereunto the soul by it doth           
continually resort4  ,hence ,david saith
 to ,christ1 8,be thou my strong        
habitation 7or as you have it in the    
margin1 ,be thou to me a rock of        
habitation7 whereunto ,i may continually
 resort20 ,psalm lxxi4 #c4  ,and two    
things he infers by so saying4    ,the  
first is1 ,that the ,christian is a man 
under continual exercises1  sometimes   
one way1 and sometimes another2 but all 

his exercises have a  tendency in them  
more or less to spoil him2 therefore he 
is rather for  flying to ,christ than   
for grappling with them in and by his   
own power4    ,the second is1 that      
,christ is of ,god our shelter as to    
this very thing4  ,hence his name is    
said to be 8a strong tower10 and that   
the righteous run  into it1 and are     
safe1 ,prov4 xviii4 #aj4  ,that also of 
,david in the  fifty-sixth ,psalm is    
very pregnant to this purpose2 8,mine   
enemies10 saith  he1 8would daily       
swallow me up2 for they be many that    
fight against me1 ,o  thou ,most ,high40
  ,and what then8  ,why1 saith he1 8,i  
will trust in thee40  ,thus you see1    
faith hath an object to work upon to    
carry the soul unto1  and to secure the 
soul in times of difficulty1 and that   
object is ,jesus  ,christ and his       
righteousness4  ,but1    7#b47  ,again1 
as faith hath an object to work upon1 so
 it hath a motive to  work by2 and that 
is the love of ,god in giving of ,christ

 to the soul for  righteousness4  ,nor  
is there any profession1 religion1 or   
duty and  performance1 that is at all   
regarded1 where this faith1 which by    
such  means can work1 is wanting4  8,for
 in ,jesus ,christ neither circumcision 
availeth any thing1 nor uncircumcision1 
but faith which worketh by love0  7so   
,gal4 v4 #f7 acteth lovely2 or1 by faith
 whose fruit is love 7though  true faith
 hath love for its offspring7 but faith 
which worketh by love1  that is true1   
saving1 justifying faith1 as it         
beholdeth the righteousness  of ,christ 
as made over to the soul for            
justification2 so it beholdeth  love1   
love to be the cause of its so being    
made over4    ,it beholdeth love in the 
,father1 in giving of his ,son1 and love
 in the  ,son1 in giving of himself to  
be made soul-saving righteousness for   
me4  ,and seeing it worketh by it1 that 
is1 it is stirred up to an holy         
boldness of venturing all eternal       
concerns upon ,christ1 and also to an   

holy1 endeared1 affecting love of him1  
for his sweet and blessed  redeeming    
love4  ,hence the apostle saith1 8,the  
love of ,christ  constraineth us2       
because we thus judge1 that if one died 
for all1 then  were all dead3 and that  
he died for all1 that they which live1  
should not  henceforth live unto        
themselves1 but unto him which died for 
them and  rose again10 #b ,cor4 v4 #ad1 
#ae4    ,thus then is the heart united  
in affection and love to the ,father and
 the  ,son1 for the love that they have 
shewed to the poor sinner in their thus 
delivering him from the wrath to come4  
,for by this love faith worketh1  in    
sweet passions and pangs of love1 to all
 that are thus reconciled1 as  this     
sinner seeth he is4  ,the motive then1  
whereby faith worketh1 both as  to      
justification and sanctification1 the   
great motive to them1 ,i say1 is  love1 
the love of ,god1 and the love of       
,christ3 8,we love him1 because he      
first loved us40  ,that is1 when our    

faith hath told us so2 for so are the   
words above1 8,we have known and        
believed the love that ,god hath to us40
  ,and then1 8,we love him1 because he  
first loved us40  ,and then1 8,this     
commandment have we from him1 that he   
that loveth ,god1 loveth his brother    
also10 #a ,john iv4 #af-ba4  ,but this  
our poor ,pharisee understandeth not4   
,but1    #e4  ,righteousness by         
imputation must be first1 to cut off    
boasting from  the heart1 conceit1 and  
lips of men4  ,wherefore he saith1 as   
before1 that  we are justified freely by
 the grace of ,god1 not through1 or for 
the sake  of an holy gospel-principle in
 us2 but 8through the redemption that is
 in  ,jesus ,christ10 c4  8,where is    
boasting then8  ,it is excluded4  ,by   
what  law8  ,of works8  ,nay1 but by the
 law of faith40  ,and this is the law of
  faith1 by which we are justified as   
before2 ,rom4 iii4 #bg1 #bh4    ,nor can
 any man propound such an essential way 
to cut off boasting as  this1 which is  

of ,god's providing3 ,for what is man   
here to boast of8  ,no  righteousness1  
nor yet of the application of it to his 
soul4  ,the  righteousness is ,christ's1
 not the sinner's4  ,the imputation is  
,god's1  not the sinner's4  ,the cause  
of imputation is ,god's grace and love1 
not  the sinner's works of              
righteousness4  ,the time of ,god's     
imputing  righteousness is when the     
sinner was a sinner1 wrapped up in      
ignorance1  and wallowing in his vanity2
 not when he was good1 or when he was   
seeking  of it2 for his inward          
gospel-goodness is a fruit of the       
imputation of  justifying righteousness4
  ,where is boasting then8  ,where is   
our ,pharisee  then1 with his brags of  
not being as other men are8  ,it is     
excluded1 and  he with it1 and the poor 
,publican taken into favour1 that       
boasting might  be cut off4  8,not of   
works1 lest any man should boast40      
,there is no  trust to be put in men2   
those that seem most humble1 and that to

  appearance1 and farthest off from     
pride1 it is natural to them to boast2  
yea1 now they have no cause to boast2   
for by grace are we saved through       
faith1 and that not of ourselves1 it is 
the gift of ,god4  8,not of works1  lest
 any man should boast40    ,but if man  
is so prone to boast1 when yet there is 
no pound of boasting  in him1 nor yet in
 what he doth2 how would he have boasted
 had he been  permitted by the ,god of  
heaven to have done something1 though   
that  something had been but a very     
little something1 towards his           
justification8  ,but ,god has prevented 
boasting by doing as he has done2  ,eph4
 ii4 #h1 #i4  ,nay1 the apostle addeth  
further 7lest any man should  boast71   
that as to good works1 8,we are ,god's  
workmanship1 created in  ,christ ,jesus 
unto good works1 which ,god hath before 
ordained that we  should walk in them20 
ver4 #aj4  ,can the tree boast1 since it
 was ,god that  made it such8  ,where is
 boasting then8  8,but of him are ye in 

,christ  ,jesus1 who of ,god is made    
unto us wisdom1 and righteousness1 and  
sanctification1 and redemption3 that1   
according as it is written1 he that     
glorieth1 let him glory in the ,lord20  
#a ,cor4 i4 #cj1 #ca4  ,where is        
boasting then8  ,where is our ,pharisee 
then1 with all his works of             
righteousness1 and with his boasts of   
being better than his neighbours8    ,it
 may be said1 ,if we should be justified
 for the sake of our inherent           
righteousness1 since that righteousness 
is the gift of ,god1 will it not  follow
 that boasting is1 in the occasion      
thereof1 cut off8    ,answ4  ,no2 for   
although the principle of inherent      
righteousness be the  gift of ,god1 yet 
it bringeth forth fruits by man1 and    
through man2 and so  man having a hand  
therein1 though he should have ever so  
little1 he has  an occasion offered him 
to boast4  ,yea1 if a man should be     
justified  before ,god by the grace1 or 
the working of the grace of faith in    

him1 he  would have ground of occasion  
to boast2 because faith1 though it be   
the  gift of ,god1 yet as it acteth in  
man1 takes man along with it in its so  
acting2 yea1 the acting of faith is as  
often attributed to the man by  whom it 
is acted1 and oftener1 than to the grace
 itself4  ,how then can it  be1 but that
 man must have a hand therein1 and so a 
ground therein1 or  thereof to boast8   
,but now1 since justification from the  
curse of the law before ,god lieth  only
 and wholly in ,god's imputing of       
,christ's righteousness to a man1 and   
that too1 while the man to whom it is   
imputed is in himself wicked and        
ungodly1 there is no room left for      
boasting before ,god1 for that is the   
boasting intended2 but rather an        
occasion given to shame and confusion of
  face1 and to stop the mouth for ever1 
since justification comes in a way  so  
far above him1 so vastly without him1   
his skill1 help1 or what else  soever2  
,ezek4 xvi4 #fa-fc4    #f4              

,righteousness by imputation must be    
first1 that justification may not  be of
 debt1 but of mercy and grace4  ,this is
 evident from reason4  ,it is  meet that
 ,god should therefore justify us by a  
righteousness of his own1  not of his   
own prescribing2 for that he may do1 and
 yet the righteousness  be ours2 but of 
his own providing1 that the             
righteousness may be his4  8,now to him 
that worketh is the reward not reckoned 
of grace1 but of  debt20 ,rom4 iv4 #b-d4
  ,if ,i work for justifying            
righteousness1 and that  way get        
righteousness1 my justification is not  
of grace1 but of debt4  ,god giveth it  
not unto me1 but he oweth it unto me2 so
 then it is no  longer his1 but mine3   
mine1 not of grace1 but of debt4  ,and  
if so1 then ,i  thank him not for his   
remission of sins1 nor for the kingdom  
of heaven1  nor for eternal life2 for if
 justifying righteousness is of debt1   
then  when ,i have it1 and what         
dependeth thereon1 ,i have but mine own2

 that  which ,god oweth to me4    ,nor  
will it help at all to say1 ,but ,i     
obtain it by ,god's grace in me2        
because that doth not cut off my works1 
nor prevent my having of a hand  in my  
justifying righteousness4    ,suppose ,i
 give a man materials1 even all         
materials that are necessary to  the    
completing of such or such a thing2 yet 
if he worketh1 though the  materials be 
mine1 ,i am to him a debtor1 and he     
deserveth a reward4  ,thou  sayst1 ,god 
has given thee his ,spirit1 his grace1  
and all other things  that are necessary
 for the working up of a complete       
righteousness4  ,well1  but is thy work 
required to the finishing of this       
righteousness8  ,if so1  this is not the
 righteousness that justifieth2 because 
it is such as has  thy hand1 thy        
workmanship therein1 and so obtains a   
reward4  ,and observe  it1              
righteousness1 justifying righteousness1
 consisteth not in a  principle of      
righteousness1 but in works of          

righteousness2 that is1 in  good duties1
 in obedience1 in a walking in the law  
to the pleasing of the  law1 and the    
content of the justice of ,god4    ,i   
suppose again1 that thou shalt conclude 
with me1 that justifying  righteousness1
 ,i mean that which justifies from the  
curse of the law1  resideth only in the 
obedience of the ,son of ,god2 and that 
the principle  of grace that is in thee 
is none of that righteousness1 no1 not  
then when  thou hast to the utmost      
walked with ,god according to thy gift  
and grace2  yet if thou concludest that 
this principle must be in thee1 and     
these  works done by thee1 before this  
justifying righteousness is imputed to  
thee for justification1 thou layest in a
 caveat against justification by  grace2
 and also concludest1 that though thou  
art not justified by thy  righteousness1
 but by ,christ1 yet thou art justified 
by ,christ's  righteousness for the sake
 of thine own1 and so makest            
justification to  be still a debt4  ,but

 here the scripture doth also cut thee  
off3 8,not for  thy righteousness1 or   
for the uprightness of thine heart1 dost
 thou go to  possess the land0 7which   
was but a type of heaven72 and if our   
righteousness cannot give us1 by its    
excellency1 a share in the type1 be     
sure that for it we shall never be      
sharers in the anti-type itself4        
8,understand1 therefore1 that the ,lord 
thy ,god giveth thee not this good  land
 to possess it for thy righteousness2   
for thou art a stiff-necked  people20   
,deut4 ix4 #e1 #f4                      
,gospel-performances1 therefore1 are not
 first2 that was first1 for the  sake of
 which ,god did receive these people    
into favour with himself1 and  that was 
a covenant-righteousness2 and where     
could that  covenant-righteousness be   
found1 but in the ,prince1 ,mediator1   
and ,high  ,priest of the covenant8     
,for it was he1 and he only1 that was   
appointed  of ,god1 nor could any but   
himself bring in everlasting            

righteousness2  ,dan4 ix4 #bd1 #be4     
,this is evident from these texts last  
mentioned2 it was  not for their        
righteousness that they possessed the   
land4    ,again1 ,as it was not for     
their righteousness that they were made 
possessors of the land1 so it was not   
for the sake of their righteousness     
that they were made partakers of such a 
righteousness that did make them        
possess the land4  ,this is plain to    
reason2 for personal righteousness1     
when by us performed1 is of no worth to 
obtain of ,god a justifying             
righteousness4  ,but if it be of no     
worth to obtain a justifying            
righteousness1 then1 it seems1 it is    
more commodious to both parties than    
justifying righteousness4  ,first1 it is
 more commodious to him that  worketh   
it2 and1 secondly1 it is more commodious
 unto him that receiveth  it1 else why  
doth he for it give us a due debt1 and  
so put upon us the  everlasting         
justifying righteousness8    ,perhaps it

 will be objected1 ,that ,god doth all  
this of grace2 but ,i  answer1 ,that    
these are but fallacious words1 spoken  
by the tongue of the  crafty4  ,for we  
are not now discoursing of what rewards 
,god can give to  the operations of his 
own grace in us1 but whether he can in a
 way of  justice 7or how he will7 bestow
 any spiritual blessing upon sinful     
creatures1 against whom1 for sin1 he has
 pronounced the curse of the law1       
before he hath found them in a          
righteousness1 that is proved to be as  
good justice and righteousness1 as is   
the justice and righteousness of  the   
law1 with which we have to do4    ,i    
assert he cannot1 because he cannot lie1
 because he cannot deny  himself3 for if
 he should first threaten the           
transgression of the law  with death1   
and yet afterwards receive the          
transgressor to grace1 without  a       
plenary satisfaction1 what is this but  
to lie1 and to diminish his  truth1     
righteousness1 and faithfulness2 yea1   

and also to overthrow the  sanction and 
perfect holiness of his law8  ,his      
mercy1 therefore1 must act  so towards  
the sinner that justice may be          
satisfied1 and that can never  be       
without a justifying righteousness4     
,now what this justifying righteousness 
should be1 and when imputed1 that  is   
the question4  ,i say1 it is the        
righteousness1 or obedience of the ,son 
of ,god in the flesh1 which he assumed1 
and so his own1 and the  righteousness  
of no body else otherwise than by       
imputation4    ,i say again1 that this  
righteousness must be imputed first1    
that the  sinner may stand just in      
,god's sight from the curse1 that ,god  
might deal  with him both in a way of   
justice as well as mercy1 and yet do the
 sinner  no harm4    ,but you may ask1  
how did ,god deal with sinners before   
his righteousness  was actually in      
being8    ,i answer1 ,he did then deal  
with sinners even as he dealeth with    
them now2  he justified them by it1 by  

virtue of the suretyship of him that was
 to  bring it in4  ,christ became surety
 for us1 and by his suretyship laid     
himself under an obligation for those   
for whom he became a surety to  bring in
 this everlasting and justifying        
righteousness1 and by virtue of  this1  
those of his elect that came into and   
went out of the world before  he came to
 perform his work were saved though the 
forbearance of ,god4  ,wherefore1 before
 the ,lord came1 they were saved for the
 ,lord's sake1 and  for the sake of his 
name4  ,and they that were spiritually  
wise understood  it1 and pleaded it as  
their necessities required1 and the     
,lord accepted  them2 ,heb4 vii4 #bb2   
,rom4 iv4 #bd2 ,dan4 ix4 #ag2 ,psalm    
xxv4 #aa4    #g4  ,righteousness by     
imputation must be first1 that          
justification may be  certain2          
8,therefore it is of faith 7of the      
righteousness that faith  layeth hold   
on71 that it might be by grace2 to the  
end the promise might  be sure to all   

the seed20 ,rom4 iv4 #af4  8,that the   
promise10--,what promise8  ,the promise 
of remission of sins1 c41 might be sure4
    ,now a promise of remission of sins 
supposeth a righteousness going  before2
 for there is no forgiveness of sins1   
nor promise of forgiveness1  for the    
sake of righteousness that shall be by  
us1 but that already found  in ,christ  
as head1 and so imputed to the elect for
 their remission4  8,god  for ,christ's 
sake hath forgiven you10 ,eph4 iv4 #cb2 
,for ,christ's sake2  that this1 for the
 sake of the righteousness of ,christ4  
,imputed  righteousness must be first2  
yea1 it must be before forgiveness1 and 
forgiveness is extended by ,god then    
when we lie in our blood1 though to  us 
it is manifested afterwards4  ,therefore
 it is of faith2 he saith not  by it1   
respecting the act of faith1 but of1    
respecting the doctrine or  word which  
presenteth me with this blessed imputed 
righteousness3 they  that are of faith  
are the children of faithful ,abraham4  

,they that are of  the doctrine of      
faith1 for all the elect are the sons of
 that doctrine in  which is this        
righteousness of ,christ contained2 yea1
 they are begotten  by it of ,god to    
this inheritance1 to their comfortable  
enjoyment of the  comfort of it by      
faith4    ,that the promise might be    
sure to all the seed1 to all them       
wrapped up in  the promise1 and so      
begotten and born4  ,that it might be   
sure1 implying  that there is no certain
 way of salvation for the elect but     
this2 because  ,god can never by other  
means reconcile us to himself1 for his  
heavenly  eyes perceive1 yea1 they spy  
faults in the best of our gospel        
performances2 yea1 our faith is faulty1 
and also imperfect3 how then  should    
remission be extended to us for the sake
 of that8  ,but now the  righteousness  
of ,christ is perfect1 perpetual and    
stable as the great  mountains2         
wherefore he is called the rock of our  
salvation1 because a  man may as soon   

tumble the mountains before him1 as sin 
can make invalid  the righteousness of  
,christ1 when1 and unto whom1 ,god shall
 impute it for  justice2 ,psalm xxxvi4  
,in the margin it is said to be like the
 mountain  of ,god2 to wit1 called      
,mount ,zion1 or that ,moriah on which  
the temple was  built1 and upon which it
 stood2 all other bottoms are fickle1   
all other  righteousnesses are so       
feeble1 short1 narrow1 yea1 so full of  
imperfections2 for what the law could   
not do in that it was weak through  the 
flesh1 ,christ did for us in the        
similitude of sinful-flesh4  ,but what  
could not the law do8  ,why1 it could   
not give us righteousness1 nor          
strengthen us to perform it4  ,it could 
not give us any certain1 solid1         
well-grounded hope of remission of sin  
and salvation4    ,wherefore this       
righteousness being imputed1 justice    
findeth no fault  therewith1 but        
consenteth to the extending to the      
sinner those blessings  that tend to    

perfect his happiness in the heavens4   
#h4  ,righteousness by imputation must  
be first1 that in all things ,christ    
may have the pre-eminence4  ,christ is  
head of the church1 and therefore  let  
him have the highest honour in the soul2
 but how can he have that1 if  any      
precede as to justification before his  
perfect righteousness be  imputed8  ,if 
it be said1 grace may be in the soul1   
though the soul doth  not act it until  
the moment that justifying righteousness
 shall be  imputed3    ,i ask1 ,what    
should it do there before1 or to what   
purpose is it there1 if  it be not      
acted8  ,and again1 how came it thither1
 how got the soul  possession of it     
while it was unjustified8 or1 ,how could
 ,god in justice  give it to a person1  
that by the law stood condemned1 before 
they were  acquitted from that          
condemnation8  ,and ,i say1 nothing can 
set the soul  free from that curse but  
the perfect obedience of ,christ2 nor   
that  either1 if it be not imputed for  

that end to the sinner by the grace of  
,god4    ,imputed1 that is1 reckoned or 
accounted to him4  ,and why should it   
not be  accounted to him for            
righteousness8  ,what did ,christ bring 
it into the  world for8 for the         
righteous or for sinners8  ,no doubt for
 sinners4  ,and  how must it be reckoned
 to them8  ,not in circumcision1 but in 
uncircumcision2 not as righteous1 but as
 sinners4  ,and how are they to         
consider of themselves1 even then when  
they first are apprehensive of  their   
need of this righteousness8  ,are they  
to think that they are  righteous1 or   
sinners8    ,and again1 ,how are they to
 believe concerning themselves1 then    
when they  put forth the first act of   
faith towards this righteousness for    
justification8  ,are they to think that 
they are righteous1 or sinners8         
,sinners1 doubtless1 they are to reckon 
themselves1 and as such to reckon       
themselves justified by this            
righteousness4  ,and this is according  

to the  sentence of ,god1 as appeareth  
by such sayings4    8,for when we were  
yet without strength1 in due time       
,christ died for the  ungodly40    8,but
 ,god commendeth his love toward us1 in 
that1 while we were yet  sinners1       
,christ died for us40    8,for if1 while
 we were enemies1 we were reconciled to 
,god by the death of  his ,son10 c41    
,rom4 v4    ,out of these words ,i      
gather these three things4    #a4  ,that
 ,christ by ,god's appointment died for 
us4    #b4  ,that by his death he       
reconciled us to ,god4    #c4  ,that    
even then1 when the very act of         
reconciliation was in  performing1 and  
also when performed1 we were ungodly1   
sinners1 enemies4    ,now1 the act by   
which we are said to be reconciled to   
,god1 while ungodly1  while sinners1 and
 while enemies1 was ,christ's offering  
himself a  sacrifice for us1 which is1  
in the words above mentioned1 called his
  death4  ,christ died for the ungodly2 
,christ died for us while sinners2      

,christ reconciled us to ,god by his    
death4  ,and as ,christ is said to die  
for us1 so the ,father is said to impute
 righteousness to us2 to wit1 as  we are
 without works1 as we are ungodly4      
8,now to him that worketh not1  but     
believeth on him that justifieth the    
ungodly1 his faith is counted  for      
righteousness40  ,he worketh not1 but is
 ungodly1 when this gracious  act of    
,god1 in imputing the righteousness of  
,christ to him1 is extended2  when he   
shall believe1 his faith is counted to  
him for righteousness4  ,and why should 
we not have the benefit of the          
righteousness1 since it was  completed  
for us while we were yet ungodly8  ,yea1
 we have the benefit of  it3 8,for when 
we were enemies1 we were reconciled to  
,god by the death of  his ,son40        
,when ,i say the benefit1 ,i mean that  
benefit that we are capable of1 and     
that is justification before ,god2 for  
that a man may be capable of while  he  
is in himself ungodly1 because this     

comes to him by the righteousness  of   
another4  ,true1 were it to be his own  
righteousness by which he was to  be    
justified1 he could not3 but the        
righteousness is ,christ's1 and that    
imputed by ,god1 not as a reward for    
work1 or of debt1 but freely by his     
grace2 and therefore may be1 and is so1 
while the person concerned is  without  
works1 ungodly1 and a sinner4    ,and he
 that denieth that we are capable of    
this benefit while we are  sinners and  
ungodly1 may with the like reason deny  
that we are created  beings3 for that   
which is done for a man without him1 may
 be done for him  at any time which they
 that do it shall appoint4  ,while a man
 is a  beggar1 may not ,i make him worth
 ten thousand a-year1 if ,i can and     
will3  and yet he may not know thereof  
in that moment that ,i make him so8 yet 
the revenue of that estate shall really 
be his from the moment that ,i  make him
 so1 and he shall know it too at the    
rent-day4    ,this is the case3 we are  

sinners and ungodly2 there is a         
righteousness  wrought out by ,jesus    
,christ which ,god hath designed we     
shall be made  righteous by3 and by it1 
if he will impute it to us1 we shall be 
righteous in his sight2 even then when  
we are yet ungodly in ourselves3  for he
 justifies the ungodly4    ,now1 though 
it is irregular and blameworthy in man  
to justify the wicked1  because he      
cannot provide and clothe him with a    
justifying righteousness1  yet it is    
glorious1 and for ever worthy of praise1
 for ,god to do it3  because it is in   
his power1 not only to forgive1 but to  
make a man  righteous1 even then when he
 is a sinner1 and to justify him while  
he is  ungodly4    ,but it may be yet   
objected1 that though ,god has received 
satisfaction for  sin1 and so sufficient
 terms of reconciliation by the         
obedience and death  of his ,son1 yet he
 imputeth it not unto us1 but upon      
condition of our  becoming good4        
,ans4  ,this must not be admitted3 ,for1

    #a4  ,the scripture saith not so2   
but that we are reconciled to ,god by   
the  death of his ,son1 and justified   
too1 and that while or when we are      
sinners and ungodly4    #b4  ,if this   
objection carrieth truth in it1 then it 
follows that the ,holy  ,ghost1 faith1  
and so all grace1 may be given to us1   
and we may have it  dwelling in us1 yea1
 acting in us1 before we stand righteous
 in the  judgment of the law before ,god
 7for nothing can make us stand just    
before  ,god in the judgment of the law1
 but the obedience of the ,son of ,god  
without us47  ,and if the ,holy ,ghost1 
faith1 and so1 consequently1 the  habit 
of every grace1 may be in us1 acting in 
us1 before ,christ's  righteousness be  
by ,god imputed to us1 then we are not  
justified as  sinners and ungodly1 but  
as persons inherently holy and righteous
 before4    ,but ,i have shewed you that
 this cannot be1 therefore righteousness
 for  justification must be imputed     
first4  ,and here let me present the    

reader  with two or three things4    #a4
  ,that justification before ,god is one
 thing1 and justification to the        
understanding and conscience is another4
  ,now1 ,i am treating of  justification
 before ,god1 not of it as to man's     
understanding and  conscience3 and ,i   
say1 a man may be justified before ,god1
 even then when  himself knoweth nothing
 thereof2 ,isa4 xl4 #b2 ,mark ii4 #e2   
and while he  hath not faith about it1  
but is ungodly4    #b4  ,there is       
justification by faith1 by faith's      
applying of that  righteousness to the  
understanding and conscience1 which ,god
 hath of his  grace imputed for         
righteousness to the soul for           
justification in his  sight4  ,and this 
is that by which we1 as to sense and    
feeling1 have peace  with ,god 8,being  
justified by faith1 we have peace with  
,god1 through our  ,lord ,jesus         
,christ20 ,rom4 v4 #a4  ,and these two  
the apostle keepeth  distinct in the    
#ajth verse3 that 8while we were enemies

 we were  reconciled to ,god by the     
death of his ,son40  ,he addeth1 8,and  
not only so1  but we joy in ,god through
 our ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 by whom we   
have now  received the atonement10 verse
 #aa4  ,here you see1 that to be        
reconciled  to ,god by the death of his 
,son is one thing1 and for us actually  
to  receive by faith this reconciliation
 is another3 and not only so1 but we    
have 8received the atonement40    #c4   
,men do not gather their justification  
from ,god's single act of  imputing of  
righteousness1 that we might stand clear
 in his sight from  the curse and       
judgment of the law2 but from the word  
of ,god1 which they  understand not till
 it is brought to their understanding by
 the light and  glory of the ,holy      
,ghost4    ,we are not1 therefore1 in   
the ministry of the word to pronounce   
any man  justified1 from a supposition  
that ,god has imputed righteousness to  
him  7since that act is not known to    
us71 until the fruits that follow       

thereupon do break out before our eyes2 
to wit1 the signs and effects of  the   
,holy ,ghost indwelling in our souls4   
,and then we may conclude it1  that is1 
that such a one stands justified before 
,god1 yet not for the  sake of his      
inherent righteousness1 nor yet for the 
fruits thereof1 and  so not for the sake
 of the act of faith1 but for the sake  
of ,jesus ,christ  his doing and        
suffering for us4    ,nor will it avail 
to object1 that if at first we stand    
justified before  ,god by his imputing  
of ,christ's righteousness unto us1     
though faith be  not in us to act1 we   
may always stand justified so2 and so   
what need of  faith8 for therefore are  
we justified1 first1 by the imputation  
of ,god1  as we are ungodly1 that       
thereby we may be made capable of       
receiving the  ,holy ,ghost and his     
graces in a way of righteousness and    
justice4  ,besides1 ,god will have those
 that he shall justify by his grace     
through  the redemption that is in      

,jesus ,christ to have the ,holy ,ghost1
 and so  faith1 that they may know and  
believe the things not only that shall  
be1  but that already are freely given  
to us of ,god4  8,now10 says ,paul1 8we 
have received1 not the spirit of the    
world but the ,spirit which is of  ,god1
 that we might know the things that are 
freely given to us of ,god20 #a  ,cor4  
ii4 #ab4  ,to know1 that is1 to believe3
 it is given to you to  believe1 who    
believe according to the working of his 
mighty power2 8,and  we have known and  
believed the love that ,god hath to us10
 preceding to  our believing2 ,john iv4 
#af4  ,he then that is justified by     
,god's  imputation1 shall believe by the
 power of the ,holy ,ghost2 for that    
must  come1 and work faith1 and         
strengthen the soul to act it1 because  
imputed  righteousness has gone before4 
,he then that believeth shall be saved2 
for his believing is a sign1 not a      
cause1 of his being made righteous      
before ,god by imputation2 and he that  

believeth not shall be damned4    ,,and 
,,thus ,,much ,,for ,,the ,,pharisee1   
,,and ,,for ,,his ,,information4  ,,and 
,,now ,i ,,come  ,,to ,,that ,,part ,,of
 ,,the ,,text ,,which ,,remains1 ,,and  
,,which ,,respecteth ,,the  ,,publican4 
8,and the ,publican1 standing afar off1 
would not lift up so much as his  eyes  
unto heaven1 but smote upon his breast1 
saying1 ,god be merciful to  me a       
sinner40    ,what this ,publican was1 ,i
 have shewed you1 both with respect to  
nation1  office1 and disposition4       
,wherefore ,i shall not here trouble the
 reader  as to that4  ,we now1          
therefore1 come to his repentance in the
 whole and  in the parts of it2         
concerning which ,i shall take notice of
 several  things1 some more remote1 and 
some more near to the matter and life of
  it4    ,but1 first1 let us see how    
cross the ,pharisee and the ,publican   
did lie in  the temple one to another1  
while they both were presenting of their
  prayers to ,god4    #a4  ,the         

,pharisee he goes in boldly1 fears      
nothing1 but trusteth in  himself that  
his state is good1 that ,god loves him1 
and that there was no  doubt to be made 
but of his good speed in this his       
religious enterprise4  ,but1 alas6 poor 
,publican1 he sneaks1 crawls into the   
temple1 and when he  comes there1 stands
 behind1 aloof1 off2 as one not worthy  
to approach the  divine presence4    #b4
  ,the ,pharisee at his approach hath   
his mouth full of many fine things1     
whereby he strokes himself over the     
head1 and in effect calls himself one   
of ,god's dear sons1 that always kept   
close to his will1 abode with him1  or1 
as the prodigal's brother said1 8,lo1   
these many years do ,i serve  thee2     
neither transgressed ,i at any time thy 
commandment20 ,luke xv4 #bi4  ,but alas6
 poor ,publican1 thy guilt1 as to these 
pleas1 stops thy mouth2  thou hast not  
one good thing to say of thyself1 not   
one rag of  righteousness2 thy          
conscience tells thee so2 yea1 and if   

thou shouldst  now attempt to set a good
 face on it1 and for thy credit say     
something  after the ,pharisee in way of
 thine own commendations1 yet here is   
,god on  the one side1 the ,pharisee on 
the other1 together with thine own      
heart1  to give thee a check1 to rebuke 
thee1 to condemn thee1 and to lay thee  
even to the ground for thy insolence4   
#c4  ,the ,pharisee in his approach to  
,god1 wipes his fingers of the          
,publican's enormities1 will not come   
nigh him1 lest he should defile  himself
 with his beastly rags3 8,i am not as   
other men are1 nor yet as  this         
,publican40  ,but the poor ,publican1   
alas for him6 his fingers are not       
clean1 nor can he tell how to make them 
so2 besides1 he meekly and  quietly puts
 up with this reflection of the         
,pharisee upon him1 and by  silent      
behaviour justifies the severe sentence 
of that self-righteous  man1 concluding 
with him1 that for his part he is       
wretched1 and  miserable1 and poor1 and 

blind1 and naked1 and not worthy to come
 nigh1  or to stand by1 so good1 so     
virtuous1 so holy1 and so deserving a   
man as  our sparkling ,pharisee is4     
#d4  ,the ,pharisee1 as at feasts and   
synagogues1 chose the chief and first   
place for his person1 and for his       
prayer1 counting that the ,publican was 
not meet1 ought not to presume to let   
his foul breath once come out of  his   
polluted lips in the temple1 till he had
 made his holy prayer4  ,and1 poor      
,publican1 how dost thou hear and put up
 this with all other  affronts1 counting
 even as the ,pharisee counted of thee1 
that thou wast  but a dog in comparison 
of him1 and therefore not fit to go     
before1 but  to come as in chains1      
behind1 and forbear to present thy      
mournful  supplication to the holy ,god1
 till he had presented his1 in his own  
conceit1 brave1 gay1 and fine oration8  
#e4  ,the ,pharisee1 as he is numerous  
in his repeating his good deeds1 so  is 
he stiff in standing to them1 bearing up

 himself1 that he hath now  sufficient  
foundation on which to bear up his soul 
against all the  attempts of the law1   
the devil1 sin1 and hell4  ,but1 alas1  
poor ,publican6  thou standest naked1   
nay1 worse than naked2 for thou art     
clothed with  filthy garments1 thy sins 
cover thy face with shame3 nor hast thou
 in1 or  of thyself1 any defence from1  
or shelter against1 the attempts1       
assaults1  and censures of thy spiritual
 enemies1 but art now in thine own eyes 
7though in the temple7 cast forth into  
thine open field stark-naked1 to  the   
loathing of thy person1 as in the day   
that thou wast born1 and there  ready to
 be devoured and torn in pieces for thy 
transgressions against  thy ,god4       
,what wilt thou do1 ,publican8  ,what   
wilt thou do8  ,come1 let us see2 which 
way wilt thou begin to address thyself  
to ,god8  ,bethink thyself3 hast  thou  
any thing to say8 speak out1 man3 the   
,pharisee by this time has  done1 and   
received his sentence3 make an 8,o yes20

 let all the world be  silent2 yea1 let 
the angels of heaven draw near and      
listen2 for the  ,publican is come to   
have to do with ,god6 yea1 is come from 
the receipt of  custom into the temple  
to pray to him4    8,and the ,publican1 
standing afar off1 would not lift up so 
much as his  eyes unto heaven1 but smote
 upon his breast1 saying1 ,god be       
merciful to  me a sinner40  ,and is this
 thy way1 poor ,publican6  ,o cunning   
sinner6  ,o  crafty ,publican6 thy      
wisdom has outdone the ,pharisee2 for it
 is better to  apply ourselves to ,god's
 mercy than to trust to ourselves that  
we are  righteous4  ,but that the       
,publican did hit the mark1 yea1 get    
nearer unto1  and more in the heart of  
,god and his ,son than the ,pharisee1   
the sequel  will make manifest4    ,take
 notice then of this profound speech of 
the ,publican1 8,god be  merciful to me 
a sinner40  ,yea1 the ,son of ,god was  
so delighted with this  prayer1 that for
 the sake of it1 he even as a limner    

draweth out the  ,publican in his manner
 of standing1 behaviour1 gestures1 c41  
while he  makes this prayer to ,god3    
wherefore we will take notice both of   
the one  and of the other2 for surely   
his gestures put lustre into his prayer 
and  repentance4    #a4  ,his prayer you
 see is this1 8,god be merciful to me a 
sinner40    ,his gestures in his prayer 
were in general three4    #a4  ,he      
8stood afar off40    #b4  ,he 8would not
 lift up so much as his eyes to heaven40
    #c4  ,he 8smote upon his breast10   
with his fist1 saying1 8,god be merciful
  to me a sinner40    ,to begin first   
with his prayer4  ,in this prayer we    
have two things to  consider of4    #a4 
,his confession3 ,i am a sinner4    #b4 
,his imploring of help against this     
malady3 8,god be merciful to me a       
sinner40    ,in his confession divers   
things are to be taken notice of4  ,as--
    #a4  ,the fairness and simplicity of
 his confession2 8,a sinner30 ,i am a   
sinner2 8,god be merciful to me a       

sinner40  ,this indeed he was1 and this 
indeed he confesses2 and this1 ,i say1  
he doth of godly simplicity4  ,for a    
man to confess himself a sinner1 it is  
to speak all against himself that  can  
be spoken4  ,and man1 as degenerate1 is 
too much an hypocrite1 and too  much a  
self-flatterer1 thus to confess against 
himself1 unless made  simple and honest 
through the power of conviction upon his
 heart4  ,and it  is worth your noting1 
that he doth not say he was1 or had     
been1 but that  at that time his state  
was such1 to wit1 a sinner4  8,god be   
merciful to  me a sinner10 or who am1   
and now stand before thee a sinner1 in  
my sins4    ,now1 a little to shew you  
what it is to be a sinner2 for every one
 that  sinneth may not in a proper sense
 be called a sinner4  ,saints1 the      
sanctified in ,christ ,jesus1 do often  
sin1 but it is not proper to call  them 
sinners3 but here the ,publican calls   
himself a sinner2 and therefore  in     
effect calls himself an evil tree1 one  

that beareth no good fruit2 one  whose  
body and soul is polluted1 whose mind   
and conscience is defiled2  one who hath
 walked according to the course of this 
world1 and after the  spirit that now   
worketh in the children of disobedience3
 they having  their minds at enmity     
against ,god1 and are taken captive by  
the devil at  his will2 a sinner1 one   
whose trade hath been in sin1 and the   
works of  ,satan all his days4    ,thus 
he waives all pleas1 and stoops his neck
 immediately to the block4  ,though he  
was a base man1 yet he might have had   
pleas2 pleas1 ,i say1 as  well as the   
,pharisee1 though not so many1 yet as   
good4  ,he was of the  stock of         
,abraham1 a ,jew1 an ,israelite of the  
,israelites1 and so a  privileged man in
 the religion of the ,jews1 else what   
doth he do in the  temple8  ,yea1 why   
did not the ,pharisee1 if he was a      
heathen1 lay that to  his charge while  
he stood before ,god8  ,but the truth   
is1 he could not2  for the ,publican was

 a ,jew as well as the ,pharisee1 and   
consequently  might1 had he been so     
disposed1 have pleaded that before ,god4
  ,but he  would not1 he could not1 for 
his conscience was under convictions1   
the  awakenings of ,god were upon him2  
wherefore his privileges melt away like 
grease1 and fly from him like the chaff 
of the summer threshing-floor1  which   
the wind taketh up and scattereth as the
 dust2 he therefore lets  all privileges
 fall1 and pleads only that he us a     
sinner4    #b4  ,in this confession he  
judges and condemns himself3 ,for a man 
to say1  ,i am a sinner1 is as much as  
to say1 ,i am contrary to the holiness  
of  ,god1 a transgressor of the law1 and
 consequently an object of the curse1   
and an heir of hell4  ,the ,publican1   
therefore1 goeth very far in this his   
confession2 ,for1    #c4  ,in the third 
place1 ,to confess that there is nothing
 in him1 done or  can be done by him1   
that should allure1 or prevail with ,god
 to do any  thing for him3 for a sinner 

cannot do good2 no1 not work up his     
heart  unto one good thought3 no1 though
 he should have heaven itself if he     
could1 or was sure to burn in hell-fire 
for ever and ever if he could  not4     
,for sin1 where it is in possession1 and
 bears rule1 as it doth in  every one   
that we may properly call a sinner1     
there it hath the mastery  of the man1  
hath bound up his senses in cords and   
chains1 and made  nothing so odious to  
the soul as the things that are of the  
,spirit of  ,god4  ,wherefore it is said
 of such1 that they are 8,enemies in    
their  minds20 that 8,the carnal mind is
 enmity against ,god10 and that         
8,wickedness proceedeth of the wicked20 
and that the ,ethiopian may as well     
change his skin1 or the leopard his     
spots1 as they that are accustomed to   
do evil may learn to do well2 ,col4 i42 
,rom4 viii42 #a ,sam4 xxiv4 #ac2 ,jer4  
xiii4 #bc4    #d4  ,in this confession  
he implicitly acknowledgeth that sin is 
the worst  of things1 forasmuch as it   

layeth the soul out of the reach of all 
remedy  that can be found under heaven4 
,nothing below or short of the mercy of 
,god can deliver a poor soul from this  
fearful malady4  ,this the ,pharisee    
did not see4  ,doubtless he did         
conclude1 that at some time or other he 
had sinned2 but he never in all his life
 did arrive to a sight of what  sin was3
 his knowledge of it was but false and  
counterfeit1 as is  manifest by his     
cure2 to wit1 his own righteousness4    
,for take this for a  truth undeniable1 
that he that thinks himself better      
before ,god1 because  of his            
reformations1 never yet had the true    
knowledge of his sin3 ,but the  poor    
,publican he had it1 he had it in truth1
 as is manifest1 because it  drives him 
to the only sovereign remedy4  ,for     
indeed1 the right knowledge  of sin1 in 
the filth1 and guilt1 and damning power 
thereof1 makes a man  to understand1    
that not any thing but grace and mercy  
by ,christ can  secure him from the     

hellish ruins thereof4    ,suppose a man
 sick of an apoplexy unto death1 and    
should for his remedy  make use only of 
those things that are good against the  
second ague1  would not this demonstrate
 that this man was not sensible of the  
nature  and danger of this disease8     
,the same may be said of every sinner   
that  shall make use only of those means
 to justify him before ,god1 that can   
hardly make him go for a good ,christian
 before judicious men4  ,but the  poor  
,publican1 he knew the nature and the   
danger of his disease2 and knew  also1  
that nothing but mercy1 infinite mercy1 
could cure him thereof4    #e4  ,this   
confession of the ,publican declareth1  
that he himself was borne  up now by an 
almighty though invisible hand4  ,for   
sin1 when seen in its  colours1 and when
 appearing in its monstrous shape1      
frighteth all away  from ,god4  ,this is
 manifest by ,cain1 ,judas1 ,saul1 and  
others1 who could  not stand up before  
,god under the sense and appearance of  

their sin1 but  fled before him1 one to 
one fruit of despair1 and one to        
another4  ,but  now this ,publican1     
though he apprehends his sin1 that      
himself was one  that was a sinner1 yet 
he beareth up1 cometh into the temple1  
approaches  the presence of an holy and 
sin-revenging ,god1 stands before him1  
and  confesses that he is that man that 
sin had defiled1 and that had brought   
him into the danger of damnation        
thereby4    ,this therefore was a mighty
 act of the ,publican4  ,he went against
 the  voice of conscience1 against sense
 and feeling1 against the curse and     
condemning verdict of the law3 he went1 
as ,i may say1 upon hot burning  coals  
to one that to sin and sinners is a     
consuming fire4    ,now then1 did the   
,publican this of his own head1 or from 
his own mind8  ,no1 verily2 there was   
some super-natural power within that did
 secretly  prompt him on1 and strengthen
 him to this more noble venture4  ,true1
  there is nothing more common among    

wicked men1 than to trick and toy1 and  
play with this saying of the ,publican1 
8,god be merciful to me a sinner30  not 
at all being sensible either what sin   
is1 or of their need of mercy4  ,and    
such sinners shall find their speed in  
the ,publican's prayer far  otherwise   
than the ,publican sped himself2 it will
 happen unto them much  as it happened  
unto the vagabond ,jews1 exorcists1 who 
took upon them to  call over them that  
had evil spirits1 the name of the ,lord 
,jesus2 that  were beaten by that       
spirit1 and made fly out of that house  
naked and  wounded1 ,acts xix4 #ac4     
,poor sinner1 thou wilt say the         
,publican's prayer1  and make the       
,publican's confession1 and say1 8,god  
be merciful to me a  sinner40  ,but     
hold2 dost thou do it with the          
,publican's heart1 sense1  dread1 and   
simplicity8  ,if not1 thou dost but     
abuse the ,publican and his  prayer1 and
 thyself and his ,god2 and shalt find   
,god rejecting of thee and  thy prayers1

 saying1 ,the ,publican ,i know2 his    
prayers and godly tears ,i  know2 but   
who or what art thou8 and will send thee
 away naked4  ,they are  the hungry that
 he filleth with good things1 but the   
rich 7and the  senseless7 he sendeth    
empty away4    ,for my part1 ,i find it 
one of the hardest things that ,i can   
put my soul  upon1 even to come to ,god1
 when warmly sensible that ,i am a      
sinner1 for a  share in grace and mercy4
  ,oh6 methinks it seems to me as if the
 whole  face of the heavens were set    
against me4  ,yea1 the very thought of  
,god  strikes me through2 ,i cannot bear
 up1 ,i cannot stand before him2 ,i     
cannot  but with a thousand tears say1  
8,god be merciful to me a sinner20 ,ezra
 ix4  #ae4    ,at another time1 when my 
heart is more hard and stupid1 and when 
his  terror doth not make me afraid1    
then ,i can come before him1 and ask    
mercy  at his hand1 and scarce be       
sensible of sin or grace1 or that indeed
 ,i am  before ,god4  ,but above all1   

they are the rare times1 when ,i can go 
to ,god  as the ,publican1 sensible of  
his glorious majesty1 sensible of my    
misery1  and bear up1 and affectionately
 cry1 8,god me merciful to me a sinner40
    ,but again1 the ,publican1 by his   
confession1 sheweth a piece of the      
highest wisdom that a mortal man can    
shew2 because2 by so doing1 he  engageth
 as well as imploreth the grace and     
mercy of ,god to save him4  ,you see by 
the text he imploreth it2 and now ,i    
will shew you that he  engageth it1 and 
makes himself a sharer in it4    8,he   
that covereth his sins shall not        
prosper2 but whoso confesseth and       
forsaketh them shall have mercy40  ,and 
again1 8,if we confess our sins1 he  is 
faithful and just to forgive us our sins
 and to cleanse us from all             
unrighteousness20 ,prov4 xxviii4 #ac2 #a
 ,john4 i4 #i4    ,first1 ,in the       
promise of pardon1 8he shall have       
mercy20 he shall have  his sins         
forgiven4  ,as also ,solomon prays1 that

 ,god will forgive them  that know their
 own sores2 and they are indeed such as 
are sensible of  the plague of their own
 heart1 #b ,chron4 vi4 #bi1 #cj2 #a     
,kings viii4 #cg1 #ch4  ,and the reason 
is1 because the sinner is now driven to 
the farthest  point1 for confession is  
the farthest point1 and the utmost bound
 unto  which ,god has appointed the     
,publican to go1 with reference to his  
work2  as it is said of ,saul to ,david1
 when he was about to give him ,michal  
his  daughter to wife1 8,i desire not   
any dowry1 but an hundred foreskins of  
the ,philistines1 to be avenged of the  
king's enemies40    ,so says ,god in    
this matter1 ,i desire no sacrifices1   
nor legal  righteousness to make thee   
acceptable to me3 8,only acknowledge and
  confess thine iniquity1 that thou hast
 transgressed against me10 #a ,sam4     
xviii4 #be2 ,jer4 iii4 #ab1 #ac4  ,and  
though this by some may be thought to   
be a very easy way to come at1 and      
partake of the mercy of ,god2 yet let   

the sensible sinner try it1 and he shall
 find it one of the hardest  things in  
the world4  ,and there are two things to
 which man is prone1  that makes        
confession hard3    ,first1 ,there is a 
great proneness in us to be partial1 and
 not thorough  and plain in our         
confessions4  ,we are apt to make half  
confessions2 to  confess some1 and hide 
some2 or else to make feigned           
confessions1  flattering both ourselves1
 and also ,god1 while we make confession
 unto  him2 or else to confess sin1 as  
our own fancies apprehend1 and not as   
the  word descries them4  ,these things 
we are very prone to do2 men can        
confess little sins1 while they hide    
great ones4  ,men can feign  themselves 
sorry for sin when they are not1 or else
 in their confessions  forget to judge  
of sin by the word4  ,hence it is said1 
,they turned to  ,god1 8not with their  
whole hearts1 but as it were feignedly40
  8,they  spake not aright1 saying1     
,what have ,i done80  8,they flatter him

 with  their mouth1 and lie unto him    
with their tongues10 and do their       
wickedness in the dark1 and sin against 
him with a high hand1 and then  come to 
him and 8cover the altar with their     
tears40  ,these things  therefore       
demonstrate the difficulty of sincere   
confession of sin2 and  that to do it as
 it should1 is no such easy thing4      
,to right confession of sin1 several    
things must go3 as1    #a4  ,there must 
be sound conviction for sin upon the    
spirit3 for before a  man shall be      
convinced of the nature1 aggravation1   
and evil of sin1 how  shall he make     
godly confession of it8  ,now1 to       
convince the soul of sin1  the law must 
be set home upon the conscience by the  
,spirit of ,god3 8,for  by the law is   
the knowledge of sin40  ,and again1 8,i 
had not known lust1  unless the law had 
said1 ,thou shalt not covet20 ,rom4 vii4
 #g4  ,this law1  now when it           
effectually ministereth conviction--of  
sin to the conscience1  doth it by      

putting of life1 and strength1 and      
terror into sin4  ,by its  working on   
the conscience1 it makes sin revive1    
8and the strength of sin  is the law20  
,rom4 vii42 #a ,cor4 xv4  ,it also      
increaseth and multiplieth  sin1 both by
 the revelation of ,god's anger against 
the soul1 and also by  mustering up and 
calling to view sins committed and      
forgotten time out of  mind4  ,sin seen 
in the glass of the law is a terrible   
thing2 no man can  behold it and live4  
8,when the commandment came1 sin        
revived1 and ,i  died20 when it came    
from ,god to my conscience1 as managed  
by an almighty  arm1 then it slew me4   
,and now is the time to confess sin1    
because now a  soul knows what it is1   
and sees what it is1 both in the nature 
and  consequence of it4    #b4  ,to a   
right confession of sin1 there must be  
sound knowledge of ,god1  especially as 
to his justice1 holiness1 righteousness1
 and purity2  wherefore the ,publican   
here begins his confession by calling   

upon or by  the acknowledgement of his  
,majesty3 8,god be merciful to me a     
sinner30  ,as  if he should say1 ,god1  
,o ,god1 ,o great ,god1 ,o sin-revenging
 ,god1 ,i have  sinned against thee1 ,i 
have broken thy law1 ,i have opposed thy
 holiness1  thy justice1 thy law1 and   
thy righteous will4  ,o consuming fire  
78for our  ,god is a consuming fire071  
,i have justly provoked thee to wrath1  
and to  take vengeance on me for my     
transgressions4  ,but alas6 how few that
 make  confession of sin have right     
apprehension of ,god1 unto whom         
confession of  sin doth belong4  ,alas6 
it is easy for men to entertain such    
apprehensions of ,god as shall please   
their own humours1 to bear up under  the
 sense of sin1 and that shall make their
 confession rather facile and           
fantastical1 than solid and             
heartbreaking4  ,the sight and knowledge
 of  the great ,god is1 to sinful man1  
the most dreadful thing in the world2   
which makes confession of sin so rare4  

,most men confess their sins  behind    
,god's back1 but few to his face2 and   
you know there is ofttimes a  vast      
difference in thus doing among men4     
#c4  ,to the right confession of sin1   
there must be a deep conviction of  the 
terribleness of the day of judgment4    
,this ,john the ,baptist inserts1  where
 he insinuates1 that the ,pharisees'    
want of 7sense of1 and7 the true        
confession of sin2 was because they had 
not been warned 7or had not taken  the  
alarm7 to flee from the wrath to come4  
,what dread1 terror1 or  frightful      
apprehension can there be1 where there  
is no sense of a day of  judgment1 and  
of our giving unto ,god an account for  
it8  ,matth4 iii4 #g2  ,luke iii4 #g4   
,i say1 therefore1 to confession of sin1
 there must be1    7#a47  ,a deep       
conviction of the certainty of the day  
of judgment2 namely1  that such a day is
 coming1 that such a day shall be4      
,this the apostle  insinuates1 where he 
saith1 8,god commandeth all men1 every  

where1 to  repent3 because he hath      
appointed a day in the which he will    
judge the  world in righteousness by    
that man whom he hath ordained1 whereof 
he hath  given assurance unto all men1  
in that he hath raised him from the     
dead20  ,acts xvii4 #cj1 #ca4    ,this  
will give a sense of what the soul must 
expect at that day for sin1  and so will
 drive to an hearty acknowledgement of  
it1 and strong cries  for a deliverance 
from it4  ,for thus will the soul argue 
that expecteth  the judgment-day1 and   
that believes that it must count for    
all4  ,o my  heart6 it is in vain now to
 dissemble1 or to hide1 or to lessen    
transgressions2 for there is a judgment 
to come1 a day in which ,god will  judge
 the secrets of men by his ,son2 and at 
that day he will bring to  light the    
hidden things of darkness1 and will     
manifest the counsels of  the heart4    
,if it must be so then1 to what end will
 it be now to seek to  dissemble8 #a    
,cor4 iv4 #e4  ,this also is in the ,old

 ,testament urged as an  argument to    
cause youth1 and persons of all sizes1  
to recall themselves  to sobriety1 and  
so to confession of their sin to ,god2  
where the ,holy  ,ghost saith           
ironically1 8,rejoice1 ,o young man1 in 
thy youth1 and let thy  heart cheer thee
 in the days of thy youth1 and walk in  
the ways of thine  heart1 and in the    
sight of thine eyes3 but know thou that 
for all these  things ,god will bring   
thee into judgment40  ,so again1 8,god  
shall bring  every work into judgment1  
with every secret thing1 whether it be  
good or  whether it be evil10 ,eccles4  
xi4 #i2 xii4 #ab1 #ad4    ,the certainty
 of this1 ,i say1 must go to the        
producing of sincere  confession of sin2
 and this is intimated by the ,publican1
 who within his  confession1 addeth1    
8,god be merciful to me a sinner40  ,as 
if he should  say1 ,if thou art not     
merciful to me1 thy judgment shall      
swallow me up3  without thy mercy ,i    
shall not stand1 but fall by the        

judgment which thou  hast appointed4    
7#b47  ,as there must be1 for the       
producing of sincere confession of sin1 
a  deep conviction of the certainty1 so 
of the terribleness1 of the day of      
judgment3 wherefore the apostle1 to put 
men on repentance1 which is  sincere    
confession of sin1 saith1 8,for we must 
all appear before the  judgment-seat of 
,christ1 that every one may receive the 
things done in  his body1 according to  
that he hath done1 whether it be good or
 bad4  ,knowing therefore the terror of 
the ,lord1 we persuade men20 #b ,cor4 v4
 #aj1  #aa4  ,the terror of the ,lord1  
as we see here1 he makes use of1 to     
persuade  men to confession of sin1 and 
repentance to ,god for mercy4    ,and ,i
 am persuaded1 that one reason that this
 day doth so swarm with  wanton         
professors1 is1 because they have not   
sound conviction for1 nor go  to ,god   
with sincere confession of1 sin3 and one
 cause of that has been1  that they did 
never seriously fall in with1 nor yet   

sink under either the  certainty or     
terribleness1 of the day of judgment4   
,o the terrors of the ,lord6 the amazing
 face that will be put upon all  things 
before the tribunal of ,god6  ,yea1 the 
terror that will then be  read in the   
face of ,god1 of ,christ1 of saints and 
angels1 against the  ungodly6  ,whoso   
believes and understands it1 cannot live
 without  confession of sin to ,god1 and
 a coming to him for mercy4             
8,mountains1 fall upon us1 and cover us1
 and hide us from the face of him  that 
sits upon the throne1 and from the wrath
 of the ,lamb2 for the great  day of his
 wrath is come1 and who is able to      
stand80  ,this terror is also           
signified1 where it is said1 8,and ,i   
saw a great white throne1 and him  that 
sat on it1 from whose face the 7very7   
earth and the heaven fled  away3 and    
there was found no place for them4  ,and
 ,i saw the dead1 small  and great1     
stand before ,god3 and the books were   
opened2 and another book  was opened1   

which is the book of life3 and the dead 
were judged out of  those things which  
were written in the books1 according to 
their works4  ,and the sea gave up the  
dead which were in it2 and death and    
hell  delivered up the dead which were  
in them3 and they were judged every man 
according to his works4  ,and death and 
hell were cast into the lake of  fire4  
,this is the second death4  ,and        
whosoever was not found written in  the 
book of life1 was cast into the lake of 
fire20 ,rev4 xx4  ,here is  terror2 and 
this is revealed in the word of ,god1   
that sinners might hear  and consider   
it1 and so come and confess1 and implore
 ,god's mercy4    ,the terror of the    
,lord1 how will it appear1 when he      
8shall be revealed  from heaven with his
 mighty angels1 in flaming fire1 taking 
vengeance on  them that know not ,god1  
and that obey not the gospel of our     
,lord ,jesus  ,christ60  #b ,thess4 i4  
#g-i4    ,the terror of the ,lord1 how  
will it appear1 when his wrath shall    

burn and  flame out like an oven or a   
fiery furnace before him1 while the     
wicked  stand in his sight6  ,matt4     
xiii4 #ej4    ,the terror of the ,lord1 
how will it appear1 while the angels at 
his  command shall gather the wicked to 
burn them6  8,as the tares are gathered 
and burned in the fire1 so shall it be  
in the end of this world4  ,the ,son  of
 man shall send forth his angels1 and   
they shall gather together out of  his  
kingdom all things that offend1 and them
 that do iniquity1 and shall  cast them 
into a furnace of fire1 where there     
shall be wailing and  gnashing of       
teeth20 ,matt4 xiii4 #dj-db4  ,who can  
conceive this terror6  much more unable 
are men to express it with tongue or    
pen2 yet the truly  penitent and        
sin-confessing ,publican hath           
apprehension so far thereof1 by  the    
word of the testimony1 that it driveth  
him to ,god with a confession  of sin   
for an interest in ,god's mercy4  ,but1 
#d4  ,to right and sincere confession of

 sin there must be a conviction of  a   
probability of mercy4  ,this also is    
intimated by the ,publican in his       
confession2 8,god 7saith he7 be merciful
 to me a sinner40  ,he had some         
glimmerings of mercy1 some conviction of
 a probability of mercy1 or that  he    
might obtain mercy for his pardon1 if he
 went and with unfeigned lips  did      
confess his sins to ,god4    ,despair of
 mercy shuts up the mouth1 makes the    
heart hard1 and drives a  man away from 
,god2 as is manifest in the case of     
,adam and the fallen  angels4  ,but the 
least intimation of mercy1 if the heart 
can but touch1  feel1 taste1 or have the
 least probability of it1 that will open
 the  mouth1 tend to soften the heart1  
and to make a very publican come up to  
,god into the temple1 and say1 8,god be 
merciful to me a sinner40    ,there must
 then be this holy mixture of things in 
the heart of a truly  confessing        
publican4  ,there must be sound sense of
 sin1 sound knowledge  of ,god1 deep    

conviction of the certainty and         
terribleness of the day of  judgment1 as
 also of the probability of obtaining   
mercy4  ,but to come to  that which     
remains2 ,i told you that there were two
 things that did make  unfeigned        
confession hard4  ,the first ,i have    
touched upon4    ,secondly1 ,and now the
 second follows3 and that is1 some      
private leaning  to some goodness a man 
shall conceit that he hath done before1 
or is  doing now1 or that he purposeth  
to prevail with ,god for the pardon of  
sins4  ,this man1 to be sure1 knows not 
sin in the nature and evil of it1  only 
he has some false apprehensions about   
it4  ,for where the right  knowledge of 
sin is in the heart1 that man sees so   
much evil in the least  transgressions1 
as that it would break the back of all  
the angels of  heaven should the great  
,god impute it to them4  ,and he that   
sees this is  far enough off from       
thinking of doing to mitigate or assuage
 the rigour  of the law1 or to make     

pardonable his own transgressions       
thereby4  ,but he  that sees not this1  
cannot confess his transgressions       
aright2 for true  confession consisteth 
in the general1 in a man's taking to    
himself his  transgressions1 with the   
acknowledgment of them to be his1 and   
that he  cannot stir from under them1   
nor do anything to make amends for them1
 or  to palliate the rigour of justice  
against the soul4  ,and this the        
,publican did when he cried1 8,god be   
merciful to me a sinner40    ,he made   
his sins his own2 he stood before ,god  
in them1 accounting that he  was surely 
undone for ever1 if ,god did not extend 
forgiveness unto him4  ,and this is to  
do as the prophet ,jeremiah bids2 to    
wit1 only to  acknowledge our           
iniquities1 to acknowledge them at the  
terrible bar of  ,god's justice1 until  
mercy takes them out of the way2 not by 
doing1 or  promising to do1 either this 
or that good work4  ,and the reason of  
this  kind of confession is1    7#a47   

,because this carrieth in it the true   
nature of confession2 to  confess1 and  
plead for mercy under the crimes        
confessed1 without shifts  and evasions1
 is the only real simple way of         
confession4  8,i said1 ,i will  confess 
my transgressions to the ,lord20 and    
what then8 8and thou  forgavest the     
iniquity of my sin40  ,mark1 nothing    
comes in betwixt  confession and        
forgiveness of sin1 ,psalm xxxii4 #e2   
nothing of works of  righteousness1     
nothing of legal amendments1 nothing but
 an outcry for  mercy2 and that act is  
so far off from lessening the offence1  
that it  greatly heightens and          
aggravates it4  ,that is the first      
reason4    7#b47  ,a second reason is1  
,because ,god doth expect that the      
penitent  confessors should not only    
confess1 but bear their shame on them3  
yea1  saith ,god1 8,be thou confounded  
also1 and bear thine own shame30 when   
,god  takes away thine iniquity1 thou   
shalt 8be confounded1 and never open thy

  mouth more1 because of thy shame20    
,ezek4 xvi4 #eb1 #ed1 #fb1 #fc4  ,we    
count  it convenient that men1 when     
their crimes and transgressions are to  
be  manifested1 that they be set in some
 open place with a piece paper1  wherein
 their transgressions are inserted1 that
 they may not only  confess1 but bear   
their own shame4  ,at the penitential   
confession of  sinners ,god has         
something to do2 if not before men1 yet 
before angels1  that they may behold1   
and be affected1 and rejoice when they  
shall see1  after the revelation of sin1
 the sinner taken into the favour and   
abundant mercy of ,god2 ,luke xv4       
7#c47  ,a third reason is1 for that ,god
 will1 in the forgiveness of sin1       
magnify the riches of his mercy2 but    
this cannot be1 if ,god shall suffer1   
or accept of such confession of sin1 as 
is yet intermixed with those  things    
that will darken the heinousness of the 
offence4    ,that ,god1 in the          
salvation1 and so in the confession1 of 

the sinner1  designs the magnifying of  
his mercy1 is apparent enough from the  
whole  current of scripture2 and that   
any of the things now mentioned will1 if
  suffered to be done1 darken and       
eclipse this thing1 is evident to reason
  itself4    ,suppose a man stand       
indicted for treason1 yet shall so order
 the matter  that it shall ring in the  
country that his offences are but petty 
crimes2  though the king shall forgive  
the man1 much glory shall not thereby   
redound to the riches and greatness of  
his mercy4  ,but let all things lie     
naked1 let nothing lie hid or covered1  
let sin be seen1 shewn1 and  confessed1 
as it is in the sinner himself1 and then
 there will be in his  forgiveness a    
magnifying of mercy4    7#d47  ,a fourth
 reason is1 for else ,god cannot be     
justified in his  sayings1 nor overcome 
when he is judged2 ,psalm li42 ,rom4    
iii4  ,god's word  hath told us what sin
 is1 both as to its nature and evil     
effects2 ,god's  word hath told us1 that

 the best of our righteousness is no    
better than  filthy rags4  ,god's word  
has also told us1 that sin is forgiven  
us freely  by grace1 and not for the    
sake of our amendments3 and all this    
,god shews1  not only in the acts of his
 mercy toward1 but even in the          
humiliations  and confessions of1 the   
penitent2 for ,god will have his mercy  
to be  displayed even there where the   
sinner hath taken his first step toward 
him3 8,that as sin hath reigned unto    
death1 even so grace might reign        
through righteousness unto eternal life 
by ,jesus ,christ our ,lord20 ,rom4  v4 
#ba4    7#e47  ,a fifth reason is1      
because ,god would have by the          
,publican's  conversion others affected 
with the displays and discoveries of    
wonderful  grace1 but not to cloud and  
cover it with lessening of sin4    ,for 
what will such say when sin begins to   
appear to conscience1 and when  the law 
shall follow it with a voice of words1  
each one like a clap of  thunder8  ,i   

say1 what will such say1 when they shall
 read that the  ,publican did only      
acknowledge his iniquity1 and found     
grace and favour of  ,god8  ,that ,god  
is infinitely merciful to those or to   
such as in truth  stand in need of      
mercy4  ,also1 that he sheweth mercy of 
his own good  pleasure1 nothing moving  
him thereto4    ,i say1 this is the way 
to make others be affected with mercy1  
as he  saith1 by the apostle ,paul1     
8,but ,god1 who is rich in mercy1 for   
his great  love wherewith he loved us1  
even when we were dead in sins1 hath    
quickened us together with ,christ 7by  
grace ye are saved72 and hath  raised us
 up together1 and made us sit together  
in heavenly places in  ,christ ,jesus2  
that in the ages to come he might shew  
the exceeding riches  of his grace in   
his kindness to us-ward 7or toward us7  
through ,christ  ,jesus20 ,eph4 ii4     
#d-g4  ,you may also see that #a ,tim4  
i4 #ae1 #af4    7#f47  ,another reason  
of this is1 because this is the way to  

heighten the  comfort and consolation of
 the soul1 and that both here and       
hereafter4  ,what tendeth more to this1 
than for sinners to see1 and with guilt 
and  amazement to confess1 what sin is1 
and so to have pardon extended from     
,god to the sinner as such8  ,this fills
 the heart2 it ravishes the soul2  puts 
joy into the thoughts of salvation from 
sin1 and deliverance from  wrath to     
come4  ,now they 8return1 and comb to   
,zion with songs1 and  everlasting joy  
upon their heads3 they shall obtain joy 
and gladness1 and  sorrow and sighing   
shall flee away20 ,isa4 xxxv4 #aj4      
,indeed1 the belief  of this makes joy  
and gladness endless4    7#g47          
,besides1 it layeth upon the soul the   
greatest obligations to  holiness4      
,what like the apprehension of free     
forgiveness 7and that  apprehension must
 come in through a sight of the         
greatness of sin1 and of  inability to  
do any thing towards satisfaction71 to  
engage the heart of a  rebel to love his

 prince1 and to submit to his laws8     
,when ,elisha had taken the ,syrian     
captives1 some were for using severities
  towards them2 but he said1 8,set bread
 and water before them1 that they  may  
eat and drink and go to their master20  
and they did so4  ,and what  follows8   
8,so the bands of ,syria came no more   
into the land of  ,israel10--he         
conquered their malice with his         
compassion4  ,and it is the  love of    
,christ that constraineth to live to    
him2 #b ,kings vi4 #ac-bc2 #b  ,cor4 v4 
#ad4    ,many other things might        
possibly be urged1 but at present let   
these be  sufficient4    ,the ,,second  
thing that we made mention of in the    
,publican's prayer1 was an  imploring of
 help against this malady3 8,god be     
merciful to me a sinner40  ,in which    
petition ,i shall take notice of several
 things4    ,first1 ,that a man's help  
against sin doth not so absolutely lie  
in his  personal conquest as in the     
pardon of them4  ,i suppose a conquest1 

though  there can indeed by man be none 
so long as he liveth in this world1 ,i  
mean1 a complete conquest and           
annihilation of sin4    ,the ,publican1 
and so every graciously awakened sinner1
 is doubtless for  the subduing of sin2 
but yet he looketh that the chief help  
against it  doth lie in the pardon of   
it4  ,suppose a man should stab his     
neighbour  with his knife1 and          
afterwards burn his knife to nothing in 
the fire1  would this give him help     
against his murder8  ,no1 verily1       
nothwithstanding this1 his neck is      
obnoxious to the halter1 yea1 and his   
soul to hell-fire4  ,but a pardon gives 
him absolute help3 ,it is ,god that     
justifies2 who shall condemn8  ,rom4    
viii4  ,suppose a man should live many  
days in rebellion against ,god1 and     
after that leave off to live any  longer
 so rebelliously1 would this help him   
against the guilt which he  had         
contracted before8  ,no1 verily2 without
 remission there is no help1  but the   

rebel is undone4  ,wherefore the first  
blessedness1 yea1 and that  without     
which all other things cannot make one  
blessed1 it lies in  pardon4  8,blessed 
is he whose transgression is forgiven1  
whose sin is  covered4  ,blessed is the 
man unto whom the ,lord will not impute 
sin20  ,psalm xxxii42 ,rom4 iv4         
,suppose a man greatly sanctified and   
made holy2 ,i say1 suppose it3 yet if   
the sins before committed by him be not 
pardoned1 he cannot be a blessed  man4  
,yet again1 suppose a man should be     
caught up to heaven1 not having his     
sins pardoned2 heaven itself cannot make
 him a blessed man4  ,i suppose  these  
things--not that they can be--to        
illustrate my matter4  ,there can be  no
 blessedness upon any man who yet       
remaineth unforgiven4  ,you see         
therefore here1 that there was much of  
the wisdom of the ,holy ,ghost in  this 
prayer of the ,publican4  ,he was       
directed the right1 the only1 the  next 
way to shelter1 where blessedness       

begins1 even to mercy for the  pardon of
 his sins4  ,alas6 what would it        
advantage a traitor to be taken  up into
 the king's coach1 to be clothed with   
the king's royal robe1 to  have put upon
 his finger the king's gold ring1 and to
 be made to wear1  for the present1 a   
chain of gold about his neck1 if after  
all this the  king should say unto him1 
,but ,i will not pardon thy rebellion2  
thou shalt  die for thy treason8        
,pardon1 then1 to him that loves life1  
is better1  and more to be preferred and
 sought after1 than all other things2   
yea1 it  is the highest wisdom in any   
sinner to seek after that first4        
,this therefore confuteth the blindness 
of some1 and the hypocrisy of  others4  
,some are so silly and so blind as quite
 to forget and look over  the pardon of 
sin1 and to lay their happiness in some 
external  amendments1 when1 alas6 poor  
wretches as they are1 they abide under  
the  wrath of ,god4  ,or if they be not 
quite so foolish as utterly to forget   

the forgiveness of sin1 yet they think  
of it but in the second place2  they are
 for setting of sanctification before   
justification1 and so seek  to confound 
the order of ,god2 and that which is    
worse unto them1 they by  so doing do   
what they can to keep themselves indeed 
from being sharers in  that great       
blessing of forgiveness of sins by      
grace4    ,but the ,publican here was   
guided by the wisdom of heaven4  ,he    
comes into  the temple1 he confesseth   
himself a sinner1 and forthwith1 without
 any  delay1 before he removeth his foot
 from where he stands1 craves help of   
pardon2 for he knew that all other      
things1 if he remained in guilt1 would  
not help him against that damnation that
 belonged to a vile and  unforgiven     
sinner4    ,this also confuteth the     
hypocrites1 such as is our ,pharisee    
here in the  text1 that glory in nothing
 so much as that they are not as other  
men1  not unjust1 no adulterer1 no      
extortioner1 nor even as this ,publican2

 and  thus miss of the forgiveness of   
sin2 and if they have missed of the     
beginning good1 they shall never1 as so 
standing1 receive the second or  the    
third4  ,justification1 sanctification1 
glorification1 they are the  three      
things1 but the order of ,god must not  
be perverted4  ,justification  must be  
first1 because that comes to man while  
he is ungodly and a  sinner4            
,justification cannot be where ,god has 
not passed a pardon4  ,a pardon1  then1 
is the first thing to be looked after by
 the sinner4  ,this the  ,pharisee did  
not2 therefore he went down to his house
 unjustified2 he set  the               
stumbling-block of his iniquity before  
his face when he went to  inquire of the
 ,lord2 and as he neglected1 slighted1  
scorned1 because he  thought that he had
 no need of pardon1 therefore it was    
given to the  poor1 needy1 and miserable
 ,publican1 and he went away with the   
blessing4    ,publicans1 since this is  
so weighty a point1 let me exhort you   

that you  do not forget this prayer of  
your wise and elder brother1 to wit1 the
  ,publican that went up into the temple
 to pray4  ,i say1 forget it not1       
neither suffer any vain-glorious or     
self-conceited hypocrites with  argument
 to allure you with their silly and     
deceitful tongues from this  wholesome  
doctrine4  ,remember that you are       
sinners as abominable as the  ,publican1
 wherefore do you1 as you have him for  
your pattern1 go to ,god1  confess1 in  
all simple1 honest1 and self-abasing1   
your numerous and  abominable sins2 and 
be sure that in the very next place you 
forget not  to ask for pardon1 saying1  
8,god be merciful to me a sinner40  ,and
  remember that none but ,god can help  
you against1 nor keep you from1 the     
damnation and misery that comes by sin4 
,secondly1 ,as the ,publican imploreth  
help1 so notwithstanding the  sentence  
of the law that is gone out against him1
 he saith to ,god1 ,be  merciful to me3 
and also in that he concludes himself a 

sinner4  ,i say1  he justifieth1 he     
approveth of the sentence of the law1   
that was now gone  out against him1 and 
by which he now stood condemned in his  
own  conscience before the tribunal of  
,god's justice4  ,he saith not as the   
hypocrite1 ,because ,i am innocent1     
surely his anger shall turn from me2    
or1 ,what have we spoken so much against
 thee8  ,no1 he is none of these        
murmurs or complainers1 but fairly falls
 before the law1 witnesses1  judge1 and 
jury1 and consenteth to the verdict1    
sentence1 and testimony  of each of     
them2 ,jer4 ii4 #cf2 ,mal4 ii4 #ac4     
,to illustrate this a little1 suppose a 
malefactor should be arraigned  before a
 judge1 and that after the witnesses1   
jury1 and judge1 have all  condemned him
 to death for his fact1 the judge again 
should ask1 him what  he can say for    
himself why sentence of death should not
 pass upon him8  ,now1 if he saith1     
,nothing1 but good my lord1 mercy2 he   
confesseth the  indictment1 approveth of

 the verdict of the jury1 and consenteth
 to the  judgment of the judge4    ,the 
,publican therefore in crying1 ,mercy1  
justifieth the sentence of the  law that
 was gone out against his sins4  ,he    
wrangleth not with the law1  saying1    
that was too severe2 though many men do 
thus1 saying1 8,god  forbid2 for then   
woe be to us40  ,he wrangleth not with  
the witness1 which  was his own         
conscience2 though some will buffet1    
smite1 and stop its  mouth1 or command  
it to be silent4  ,he wrangleth not with
 the jury1 which  were the prophets and 
apostles2 though some men cannot abide  
to hear all  that they say4  ,he        
wrangleth not with the judge1 nor       
sheweth himself  irreverently before    
him2 but in all humble gestures that    
could bespeak  him acquiescing with the 
sentence1 he flieth to mercy for relief4
    ,nor is this alone the way of the   
,publican2 but of other godly men before
  his time4  ,when ,david was condemned1
 he justified the sentence and the      

judge1 out of whose mouth it proceeded1 
and so fled for succour to the  mercy of
 ,god2 ,psalm li4  ,when ,shemaiah the  
prophet pronounced ,god's  judgments    
against the princes of ,judah for their 
sin1 they said1 8,the  ,lord is         
righteous40  ,when the church in the    
,lamentations had reckoned up  several  
of her grievous afflictions wherewith   
she had been chastised1  she1 instead of
 complaining1 doth justify the ,lord1   
and approve of the  sentence that was   
passed upon her1 saying1 8,the ,lord is 
righteous2 for ,i  have rebelled against
 his commandment40  ,so ,daniel1 after  
he had  enumerated the evils that befel 
the church in his day1 addeth1          
8,therefore  hath the ,lord brought it  
upon us2 for the ,lord our ,god is      
righteous in  all his works which he    
doth3 for we obeyed not his voice20 #b  
,chron4 xii4  #f1 ,lam4 i4 #ah2 ,dan4   
ix4 #ad4    ,and this is the case with  
our ,publican4  ,he has transgressed a  
law that  is holy1 just1 and good3 the  

witness that accuseth him of this is    
,god and  his conscience2 he is also    
cast by the verdict of holy men2 and all
 this  he knows1 and implicitly         
confesses1 even in that he directs his  
prayer  unto his judge for pardon4  ,and
 it is one of the excellentest sights in
  the world1 to see or understand a     
sinner thus honestly receiving the      
sentence of the law that is gone out    
against him2 to see and hear a          
,publican thus to justify ,god4  ,and   
this ,god would have men do for these   
reasons4    #a4  ,that it might be      
conspicuous to all that the ,publican   
has need of  mercy4  ,this is for the   
glory of the justice of ,god1 because it
  vindicates it in its goings out       
against the ,publican4  ,god loveth to  
do  things in justice and righteousness1
 when he goeth out against men1  though 
it be but such a going out against them 
as only tendeth to their  conviction and
 conversion4  ,when he dealt with our   
father ,abraham in this  matter1 he     

called him to his foot1 as here he doth 
the ,publican4  ,and1  sinner1 if ,god  
counts thee worthy to inherit the throne
 of glory1 he will  bring thee hither4  
,but1    #b4  ,the ,publican1 by the    
power of conviction1 stoops to1 and     
falleth  under1 the righteous sentence  
gone forth against him1 that it might be
  also manifest1 that what afterward he 
shall receive is of the mere grace  and 
sovereign goodness of ,god4  ,and indeed
 there is no way that doth more         
naturally tend to make this manifest    
than this4  ,for thus2 there is a man   
proceeded against for life by the law1  
and the sentence of death is1 in        
conclusion1 most justly and righteously 
passed upon him by the judge4  ,suppose 
now1 that after this1 this man lives1   
and is exalted to honour1  enjoys great 
things1 and is put into place of trust  
and power1 and that  by him that he has 
offended1 even by him that did pass the 
sentence upon  him4    ,what will all   
say1 or what will they conclude1 even   

upon the very first  hearing of this    
story8  ,will they not say1--,well1     
whoever he was that  found himself      
wrapped up in this strange providence1  
must thank the mercy  of a gracious     
prince2 for all these things bespeak    
grace and favour4  ,but1    #c4  ,as the
 ,publican falleth willingly under the  
sentence1 and justifieth  the passing of
 it upon him2 so by his flying to mercy 
for help1 he  declareth to all that he  
cannot deliver himself3 he putteth help 
away  from himself1 or saith1 ,it is not
 in me4    ,this1 ,i say1 is another    
thing included in this prayer1 and it is
 a thing  distinct from that4  ,for it  
is possible for a man to justify1 and   
fall  under1 the sentence of the judge1 
and yet retain that with himself that   
will certainly deliver him from that    
sentence when it has done its worst4    
,many have held up their hand1 and cried
 ,guilty1 at the bar1 and yet have      
fetched themselves off for all that2 but
 then they have not pleaded mercy  7for 

he that doth so1 puts his life          
altogether into the hands of  another71 
but privilege or good deeds1 either done
 or to be done by them4  ,but the       
,publican in our text puts all out of   
his own hand2 and in effect  saith to   
that ,god before whom he went up into   
the temple to pray1 ,lord1 ,i  stand    
here condemned at the bar of thy        
justice1 and that worthily1 for  the    
sentence is good1 and hath in           
righteousness gone out against me3 nor  
can ,i deliver myself3 ,i heartily and  
freely confess ,i cannot2 wherefore ,i  
betake myself only to thy mercy1 and do 
pray thee to forgive the  transgressions
 of me a sinner4  ,o how few be there of
 such kind of  publicans1 ,i mean of    
publicans thus made sensible1 that come 
unto ,god for  mercy6    ,mercy1 with   
most1 is rather a compliment1 ,i mean   
while they plead it with  ,god1 than a  
matter of absolute necessity2 they have 
not awfully1 and in  judgment and       
conscience1 fallen under the sentence1  

nor put themselves  out of all plea but 
the plea of mercy2 indeed1 thus to do is
 the effect  of the proof of the vanity 
and emptiness of all experiments made   
use of  before4    ,now1 there is a     
twofold proof of experiments2 the one is
 the result of  practice1 the other is  
the result of faith4    ,the woman with 
her bloody issue made her proof by      
practice1 when she had  spent all that  
she had upon physicians1 and was nothing
 bettered1 but  rather grew worse2 ,mark
 v4  ,but our ,publican here proves the 
emptiness  and vanity of any other      
helps1 by one cast of faith upon the    
contents of  the ,bible1 and by another 
look upon his present state of          
condemnation2  wherefore he presently1  
without any more ado1 condemneth all    
other helps1  ways1 modes1 or means of  
deliverance1 and betakes himself only to
 the  mercy of ,god3 saying1 8,god be   
merciful to me a sinner40    ,and herein
 he sheweth wonderful wisdom4  ,for1    
#a4  ,by this he thrusts himself under  

the shelter and blessing of the         
promise2 and ,i am sure it is better and
 safer to do so1 than to rely upon  the 
best of excellencies that this world can
 afford3 ,hos4 xiv4 #a-c4    #b4  ,he   
takes the ready way to please ,god3 for 
,god takes more delight in  shewing of  
mercy than in any thing that we can do2 
,hos4 vi4 #f2 ,matt4 ix4  #ac2 xii4 #g4 
,yea1 and that also is the man that     
pleaseth him1 even he  that hopes in his
 mercy2 ,psalm cxlvii4 #aa4  ,the       
,publican1 therefore1  whatever the     
,pharisee might think1 stood all this   
while upon sure ground1  and had by far 
the start of him for heaven4  ,alas6 his
 dull head could  look no further than  
to the conceit of the pitiful beauty and
 splendour  of his own filthy           
righteousness4  ,nor durst he leave that
 to trust wholly  to the mercy of ,god2 
but the ,publican comes out1 though in  
his sins1 yet  like an awakened1        
enlightened1 resolved man1 and first    
abases himself1  then gives ,god the    

glory of his justice1 and after that the
 glory of his  mercy1 by saying1 8,god  
be merciful to me a sinner20 and thus in
 the ears  of the angels he did ring the
 changes of heaven4  ,and1    #c4  ,the 
,publican1 in his thus putting himself  
upon mercy1 sheweth1 that  in his       
opinion there is more virtue in mercy to
 save1 than there is in  the law and sin
 to condemn4  ,and although this is not 
counted a great  matter to do1 while men
 are far from the law1 and while their  
conscience  is asleep within them2 yet  
when the law comes near1 and conscience 
is  awake1 who so tries it will find it 
a laborious work4  ,cain could not do   
thus for his heart1 no1 nor ,saul2 nor  
,judas either4  ,this is another kind   
of thing than most men think it to be1  
or shall find it1 whenever they  shall  
behold ,god's angry face1 and when they 
shall hear the words of his  law4       
,however1 our ,publican did it1 and     
ventured his body1 soul1 and future     
condition for ever on this bottom with  

other the saints and servants of  ,god1 
leaving the world to swim over the sea  
of ,god's wrath 7if they will7  in their
 weak and simple vessels of bulrushes1  
or to lean upon their  cobweb-hold1 when
 he shall arise to the judgment that he 
hath appointed4    ,in the mean time1   
pray ,god awaken us as he did the       
,publican2 pray ,god  enlighten us as he
 did the ,publican2 pray ,god grant us  
boldness to come  to him as the         
,publican did2 and also in that         
trembling spirit as he did1  when he    
cried in the temple before him1 8,god be
 merciful to me a sinner40    ,thus     
having passed over his prayer1 we come  
in the next place to his  ,,gestures2   
for in my judgment the right            
understanding of them will give us  yet 
more conviction of the ,publican's sense
 and awakening of spirit under  this    
present action of his4    ,and ,i have  
observed many a poor wretch that hath   
readily had recourse to  the ,publican's
 prayer1 that never knew what the       

,publican's gestures1 in  the presence  
of ,god1 while in prayer before him1 did
 mean4  ,nor must any  man be admitted  
to think1 that those gestures of his    
were a custom1 and a  formality among   
the ,jews in those days2 for it is      
evident enough by the  carriage of the  
,pharisee1 that it was below them and   
their mode1 when  they came into the    
temple1 or when they prayed any where   
else2 and they  in those days were      
counted for the best of men2 and in     
religious matters  men were to imitate  
and take their examples at the hands of 
the best1 not  at the hands of the      
worst4    ,the ,publican's gestures then
 were properly his own2 caused by the   
guilt  of sin1 and by that dread of the 
majesty of ,god that was upon his       
spirit4  ,and a comely posture it was1  
else ,christ ,jesus1 the ,son of ,god1  
would  never have taken that particular 
notice thereof as he did1 nor have      
smiled upon it so much as to take1 and  
distinctly repeat it1 as that  which    

made his prayer the more weighty1 also  
to be taken notice of4  ,yea1  in my    
opinion1 the ,lord ,jesus committed it  
to record1 for that he liked  it1 and   
for that it will pass for some kind of  
touchstone of prayer that  is made in   
good sense of sin and of ,god1 and of   
need of his goodness and  mercy4  ,for  
verily1 all these postures signify      
sense1 sight of a lost  condition1 and a
 heart in good earnest for mercy4    ,i 
know that they may be counterfeited1 and
 ,christ ,jesus knows who doth so  too2 
but that will not hinder1 or make weak  
or invalid what hath already  been      
spoken about it4  ,but to forbear to    
make a further prologue1 and to  come to
 the handling of particulars3    8,and  
the ,publican standing afar off1 would  
not lift up so much as his  eyes to     
heaven1 but smote upon his breast10 c4  
,three things1 as ,i told you already1  
we may perceive in these words1 by      
which his publican posture or gestures  
are set forth4    #a4  ,he stands 8afar 

off40    #b4  ,he 8would not lift up so 
much as his eyes to heaven40    #c4  ,he
 8smote upon his breast10 c4    ,for the
 first of these1 ,he stood afar off4    
8,and the ,publican standing  afar off40
  ,this is1 ,i say1 the first thing1 the
 first posture of his  with which we are
 acquainted1 and it informeth us of     
several things4    ,first1 ,that he came
 not with senselessness of the majesty  
of ,god when  he came to pray1 as the   
,pharisee did1 and as sinners commonly  
do4  ,for  this standing back1 or afar  
off1 declares1 that the majesty of ,god 
had an  awe upon his spirit2 he saw     
whither1 to whom1 and for what1 he was  
now  approaching the temple4  ,it is    
said in the #bjth of ,exodus1 that when 
the  people saw the thunderings and     
lightnings1 and the noise of the        
trumpet1  and the mountain smoking 7and 
all these were signs of ,god's terrible 
presence and dreadful majesty71 they    
removed themselves1 and 8stood afar     
off20 ,exod4 xx4 #ah4  ,this behaviour1 

therefore1 of the ,publican did well    
become his present action1 especially   
since1 in his own eyes1 he was yet  an  
unforgiven sinner4  ,alas6 what is      
,god's majesty to a sinful man but a    
consuming fire8  ,and what is a sinful  
man in himself1 or in his approach  to  
,god1 but as stubble fully dry8    ,how 
then could the ,publican do otherwise   
7than what he did7 than stand  afar off 
if he either thought of ,god or himself8
  ,indeed the people afore  named1      
before they saw ,god in his terrible    
majesty1 could scarcely be  kept off    
from the mount with words and bounds1 as
 it is now the case of  many3 their     
blindness gives them boldness2 their    
rudeness gives them  confidence2 but    
when they shall see what the ,publican  
saw1 and felt1 and  understood1 as he1  
they will pray and stand afar off even  
as these people  did4  ,they removed and
 stood afar off1 and then fell to       
praying of ,moses1  that this dreadful  
sight and sound might be taken from     

them4  ,and what if  ,i should say1 he  
stood afar off for fear of a blow1      
though he came for  mercy1 as it is said
 of them1 8,they stood afar off for fear
 of her  torments20 ,rev4 xviii4 #aj1   
#ah4    ,i know what it is to go to ,god
 for mercy1 and stand all that while    
through fear afar off2 being possessed  
with this1 will not ,god now smite  me  
at once to the ground for my sins8      
,david thought something when he  said  
as he prayed1 8,cast me not away from   
thy presence2 and take not thy  ,holy   
,spirit from me20 ,psalm li4 #aa4       
,there is none knows1 but those that    
have them1 what turns and returns1  what
 coming on and going off1 there is in   
the spirit of a man that indeed  is     
awakened1 and that stands awakened      
before the glorious ,majesty in  prayer4
  ,the prodigal also made his prayer to 
his ,father intentionally1  while he was
 yet a great way off4  ,and so did the  
lepers too3 8,and as he  entered into a 
certain village there met him ten men   

that were lepers1  which stood afar off3
 and they lifted up their voices and    
said1 ,jesus1  ,master1 have mercy on   
us20 ,luke xvii4 #ab1 #ac4    ,see here1
 it has been the custom of praying men  
to keep their distance1  and not to be  
rudely bold in rushing into the presence
 of the holy and  heavenly ,majesty1    
especially if they have been sensible of
 their own  vileness and sins1 as the   
prodigal1 the lepers1 and our poor      
,publican  was4  ,yea1 ,peter himself1  
when upon a time he perceived more than 
commonly he did of the majesty of ,jesus
 his ,lord1 what doth he do8  8,when    
,simon ,peter saw it 7says the text71 he
 fell down at ,jesus' knees1 saying1    
,depart from me1 for ,i am a sinful man1
 ,o ,lord20 ,luke v4 #c-h4  ,oh6 when   
men see ,god and themselves1 it fills   
them with holy fear of the greatness  of
 the majesty of ,god1 as well as with   
love to1 and desire after1 his  mercy4  
,besides1 by his standing afar off1 it  
might be to intimate that he now  had in

 mind1 and with great weight upon his   
conscience1 the infinite  distance that 
was betwixt ,god and him4  ,men should  
know that1 and tremble  in the thoughts 
of it1 when they are about to approach  
the omnipotent  presence4    ,what is   
poor sorry man1 poor dust and ashes1    
that he should crowd it up1  and go     
jostlingly into the presence of the     
great ,god--especially since it  is     
apparent the disproportion that is      
betwixt ,god and him8  ,esther1 when    
she went to supplicate the king her     
husband for her people1 made use        
neither of her beauty nor relation1 nor 
the privileges of which she might  have 
had temptation to make use of1          
especially at such a time1 and in  such 
exigencies1 as then did compass her     
about2 but1 ,i say1 she made not  use of
 them to thrust herself into his        
presence1 but knew1 and kept her        
distance1 standing in the inward court  
of his palace until he held out  the    
golden sceptre to her2 then ,esther drew

 near1 and touched the top  thereof2    
,esth4 v4 #a1 #b4    ,men1 also1 when   
they come into the presence of ,god1    
should know their  distance2 yea1 and   
shew that they know it too1 by such     
gestures1 and  carriages1 and behaviour1
 that are seemly4  ,a remarkable saying 
is that  of ,solomon1 8,keep thy foot10 
saith he1 8when thou goest into the     
house of  ,god1 and be more ready to    
hear than to give the sacrifice of      
fools2 for  they consider not that they 
do evil40  ,and as they should keep     
their  foot1 so also he adds1 8,be not  
rash with thy mouth1 and let not thine  
heart be hasty to utter any thing before
 ,god2 for ,god is in heaven1 and  thou 
upon earth1 therefore let thy words be  
few20 ,eccles4 v4 #a1 #b4    ,three     
things the ,holy ,ghost exhorteth to in 
this text4    ,the one is1 ,that we look
 to our feet1 and not be forward to     
crowd into  ,god's presence4    ,another
 is1 ,that we should also look well to  
our tongues1 that they be  not rash in  

uttering any thing before ,god4    ,and 
the third is1 ,because of the infinite  
distance that is betwixt ,god  and us1  
which is intimated by these words1 8,for
 ,god is in heaven1 and  thou upon      
earth40    ,the ,publican therefore     
shewed great wisdom1 holy shame1 and    
humility1 in  this brave gesture of his1
 namely1 in his standing afar off when  
he went  up into the temple to pray4    
,but this is not all4    ,secondly1 ,the
 ,publican1 in standing afar off1 left  
room for an ,advocate  and high-priest1 
a ,day's-man1 to come betwixt1 to make  
peace between ,god  and his poor        
creature4  ,moses1 the great mediator of
 the ,old ,testament1  was to go nigher 
to ,god than the rest of the elders1 or 
those of the  people2 ,exod4 xx4 #ba4   
,yea1 the rest of the people were       
expressly  commanded to worship1        
8standing afar off40  ,no man of the    
sons of ,aaron  that had a blemish was  
to come nigh4  8,no man that hath a     
blemish of the  seed of ,aaron the      

priest shall come nigh to offer the     
offerings of the  ,lord made by fire4   
,he shall not come nigh to offer the    
bread of his  ,god20 ,lev4 xxi4 #ba4    
,the ,publican durst not be his own     
mediator2 he knew he had a blemish1 and 
was infirm1 and therefore he stands     
back2 for he knew that it was none of   
him that his ,god had chosen to come    
near unto him1 to offer 8the fat and    
the blood20 ,ezek4 xliv4 #ac-ae4  ,the  
,publican1 therefore1 was thus far      
right2 he took not up the room himself1 
neither with his person nor his         
performances1 but stood back1 and gave  
place to the ,high-priest that was  to  
be intercessor4    ,we read1 that when  
,zacharias went into the temple to burn 
incense1 as at  the time his lot was1   
8,the whole multitude of the people were
 praying  without20 ,luke i4 #i1 #aj4   
,they left him where he was1 near to    
,god1  between ,god and them1 mediating 
for them2 for the offering of incense by
  the chief-priest was a figurative     

making of intercession for the people1  
and they maintained their distance4     
,it is a great matter in praying to     
,god1 not to go too far1 nor come too   
short1 in that duty1 ,i mean in the duty
 of prayer2 and a man is very apt  to do
 one or the other4  ,the ,pharisee went 
so far2 he was too bold2 he  came into  
the temple making such a ruffle with his
 own excellencies1 that  there was in   
his thoughts no need of a ,mediator4    
,he also went up so nigh  to ,god1 that 
he took up the room and place of the    
,mediator himself2 but  this poor       
,publican1 he knows his distance1 and   
keeps it1 and leaves room  for the      
,high-priest to come and intercede for  
him with ,god4  ,he stood  afar off3 not
 too far off2 for that is the room and  
place of unbelievers2  and in that sense
 this saying is true1 8,for1 lo1 they   
that are far from  thee shall perish20  
,psalm lxxiii4 #bg2 that is1 they whose 
unbelief hath  set their hearts and     
affections more upon their idols1 and   

that have been  made to cast ,god behind
 their backs1 to follow and go a-whoring
 after  them4    ,hitherto1 therefore1  
it appears1 that though the ,pharisee   
had more  righteousness than the        
,publican1 yet the ,publican had more   
spiritual  righteousness than the       
,pharisee2 and that though the ,publican
 had a baser  and more ugly outside than
 the ,pharisee1 yet the ,publican knew  
how to  prevail with ,god for mercy     
better than he4    ,as for the          
,publican's posture of standing in      
prayer1 it is excusable1 and  that by   
the very ,father of the faithful        
himself3 for ,abraham stood  praying    
when he made intercession for ,sodom2   
,gen4 xviii4 #bb1 #bc4  ,christ  also   
alloweth it1 where he saith1 8,and when 
ye stand praying1 forgive1 if  ye have  
ought against any2 that your ,father    
also which is in heaven may  forgive you
 your trespasses20 ,mark xi4 #be4       
,indeed there is no stinted  order      
prescribed for our thus behaving of     

ourselves in prayer1 whether  kneeling1 
or standing1 or walking1 or lying1 or   
sitting2 for all these  postures have   
been used by the godly4  ,paul 8kneeled 
down and prayed20  ,acts xx4 #cf4       
,abraham and the ,publican stood and    
prayed4  ,david prayed as  he walked2 #b
 ,sam4 xv4 #cj1 #ca4  ,abraham prayed   
lying upon his face2 ,gen4  xvii4       
#ag1ah4  ,moses prayed sitting2 ,exod4  
xvii4 #ab4  ,and indeed prayer1         
effectual fervent prayer1 may be1 and   
often is1 made unto ,god under all      
these circumstances of behaviour3 for   
,god has not tied us up to any of  them2
 and he that shall tie himself1 or his  
people1 to any of these1 doth  more than
 he hath warrant for from ,god3 and let 
such take care of  innovating2 it is the
 next way to make men hypocrites and    
dissemblers in  those duties in which   
they should be sincere4    ,true1 which 
of those soever a man shall choose to   
himself for the  present1 to perform    
this solemn duty in1 it is required of  

him1 and ,god  expects it1 that he      
should pray to him in truth1 and with   
desire1  affection1 and hunger1 after   
those things that with his tongue he    
maketh  mention of before the throne of 
,god4  ,and indeed without this1 all is 
nothing4  ,but alas6 how few be there in
 the world whose heart and mouth  in    
prayer shall go together8  ,dost thou1  
when thou askest for the ,spirit1  or   
faith1 or love to ,god1 to holiness1 to 
saints1 to the word1 and the  like1 ask 
for them with love to them1 desire of   
them1 hungering after  them8  ,oh6 this 
is a mighty thing6 and yet prayer is no 
more before ,god1  than as it is        
seasoned with these blessed             
qualifications4  ,wherefore it  is said1
 that while men are praying1 ,god is    
searching of the heart1 to  see what is 
the meaning of the ,spirit 7or whether  
there be the ,spirit and  his meaning in
 all that the mouth hath uttered1 either
 by words1 sighs1  or groans71 because  
it is by him1 and through his help only1

 that any  make prayers according to the
 will of ,god2 ,rom4 viii4 #bf1 #bg4    
,whatever  thy posture therefore shall  
be1 see that thy prayers be pertinent   
and  fervent1 not mocking of thine own  
soul with words1 while thou wantest1    
and art an utter stranger to1 the very  
vital and living spirit of prayer4      
,now1 our ,publican had and did exercise
 the very spirit of prayer in  prayer4  
,he prayed sensibly1 seriously1         
affectionately1 hungering1  thirsting1  
and with longing after that for which   
with his mouth he  implored the ,god of 
heaven2 his heart and soul was in his   
words1 and it  was that which made his  
prayer ,,prayer2 even because he prayed 
in ,,prayer2  he prayed inwardly as well
 as outwardly4    ,david tells us1 that 
,god heard the voice of his             
supplication1 the voice  of his cry1 the
 voice of his tears1 and the voice of   
his roaring4  ,for  indeed are all these
 acceptable4  ,affection and fervent    
desire make them  sound well in the ears

 of ,god4  ,tears1 supplications1       
prayers1 cries1 may  be all of them done
 in formality1 hypocrisy1 and from other
 causes1 and  to other ends1 than that  
which is honest and right in ,god's     
sight3 for  ,god would search and look  
after the voice of his tears1           
supplications1  roarings1 prayers1 and  
cries4    ,and if men had less care to  
please men1 and more to please ,god1 in 
the  matter and manner of praying1 the  
world would be at a better pass than it 
is4  ,but this is not in man's power to 
help and to amend4  ,when the ,holy     
,ghost comes upon men with great        
conviction of their state and condition1
  and of the use and excellency of the  
grace of sincerity and humility in      
prayer1 then1 and not till then1 will   
the grace of prayer be more prized1  and
 the specious1 flounting1 complimentary 
lips of flatterers1 be more  laid aside4
  ,i have said it already1 and will say 
it again1 that there is  now-a-days a   
great deal of wickedness committed in   

the very duty of  prayer2 by words of   
which men have no sense by reaching     
after such  conclusion and clenshes     
therein1 as make their persons be       
admired2 by  studying for1 and labouring
 after1 such enlargements as the spirit 
accompanieth not the heart in4  ,o ,lord
 ,god1 make our hearts upright in  us1  
as in all points and parts of our       
profession1 so in this solemn           
appointment of ,god6  8,if ,i regard    
iniquity in my heart10 said ,david1 8the
  ,lord will not hear my prayer40  ,but 
if ,i be truly sincere1 he will2 and    
then it is no matter whether ,i kneel1  
or stand1 or sit1 or lie1 or walk2  for 
,i shall do none of these1 nor put up my
 prayers under any of these             
circumstances1 lightly1 foolishly1 and  
idly1 but to beautify this gesture  with
 the inward working of my mind and      
spirit in prayer2 that whether ,i  stand
 or sit1 walk or lie down1 grace and    
gravity1 humility and  sincerity1 shall 
make my prayer profitable1 and my       

outward behaviour  comely in his eyes1  
with whom 7in prayer7 ,i now have to do4
    ,and had not our ,publican been     
inwardly seasoned with these1 ,christ   
would  have taken but little pleasure in
 his modes and outward behaviour3 but   
being so honest inwardly1 and in the    
matter of his prayer1 his gestures  by  
that were made beauteous also2 and      
therefore it is that our ,lord so       
delightfully delateth upon them1 and    
draweth them out at length before  the  
eyes of others4    ,i have often        
observed1 that which is natural and so  
comely in one1 looks  odiously when     
imitated by another4  ,i speak as to    
gestures and actions in  preaching and  
prayer4  ,many1 ,i doubt not1 but will  
imitate the ,publican1  and that both in
 the prayer and gestures of the         
,publican1 whose persons  and actions   
will yet stink in the nostrils of him   
that is holy and just1  and that        
searcheth the heart and the reins4      
,well1 the ,publican stood and prayed2  

he stood afar off1 and prayed1 and  his 
prayers came even to the ears of ,god4  
8,and the ,publican standing afar off   
would not lift up so much as his eyes   
to heaven10 c4    ,we are now come to   
another of his postures4  ,he would not1
 says the text1  so much as lift up his 
eyes to heaven4  ,here1 therefore1 was  
another  gesture added to that which    
went before2 and a gesture that a great 
while  before had been condemned by the 
,holy ,ghost himself4  8,is it such a   
fast  that ,i have chosen1 a day for a  
man to afflict his soul8  ,is it to bow 
down his head as a bulrush80 ,isa4      
lviii4 #e4    ,but why condemned then1  
and smiled upon now8  ,why8  ,because   
done in  hypocrisy then1 and in         
sincerity now4  ,hypocrisy1 and a spirit
 of error1  that he shall take no       
pleasure in them2 but sincerity1 and    
honesty in  duties1 will make even them 
comely in the sight of men--may ,i not  
say  before ,god8  ,the ,rechabites were
 not commanded of ,god1 but of their    

father1 to do as they did2 but1 because 
they were sincere in their  obedience   
thereto1 even ,god himself maketh use of
 what they did1 to  condemn the         
disobedience of the ,jews2 and1         
moreover1 doth tell the  ,rechabites at 
last1 that they should not want a man to
 stand before him  for ever4  8,and     
,jeremiah said unto the house of the    
,rechabites1 ,thus  saith the ,lord of  
,hosts1 the ,god of ,israel1 because ye 
have obeyed the  commandment of ,jonadab
 your father1 and kept all his precepts1
 and done  according unto all that he   
hath commanded you2 therefore1 thus     
saith the  ,lord of ,hosts1 the ,god of 
,israel1 ,jonadab1 the son of ,rechab1  
shall not  want a man to stand before me
 for ever40    ,he would not lift up his
 eyes to heaven4  ,why8  ,surely because
 shame had  covered his face4  ,shame   
will make a man blush and hang his head 
like a  bulrush2 shame for sin is a     
virtue1 a comely thing2 yea1 a          
beauty-spot in  the face of a sinner    

that cometh to ,god for mercy4    ,god  
complains of the house of ,israel1 that 
they could sin1 and that  without shame2
 yea1 and threateneth them too with sore
 repeated  judgments1 because they were 
not ashamed2 it is in ,jer4 viii4       
,their  crimes in general were1 they    
turned every one to his course1 as the  
horse  runneth into the battle4  ,in    
particular1 they were such as rejected  
,god's  word2 they loved this world1 and
 set themselves against the prophets1   
crying1 8,peace1 peace10 when they      
cried1 8,judgment1 judgment60  ,and were
  not ashamed when they had committed   
abomination2 8,nay1 they were not at    
all ashamed1 neither could they blush2  
therefore shall they fall among  them   
that fall3 in the time of their         
visitation they shall be cast down1     
saith the ,lord20 ver4 #ab4  ,oh6 to    
stand1 or sit1 or lie1 or kneel1 or     
walk before ,god in prayer1 with        
blushing cheeks for sin1 is one of the  
most excellent sights that can be seen  

in the world4    ,wherefore the church  
taketh some kind of heart to herself in 
that she  could lie down in her shame2  
yea1 and makes that a kind of an        
argument  with ,god to prove that her   
prayers did come from her heart1 and    
also that  he would hear them2 ,jer4    
iii4 #bb-be4    ,shame for sin argueth  
sense of sin1 yea1 a right sense of sin1
 a godly  sense of sin4  ,ephraim pleads
 this when under the hand of ,god3 ,i   
was  7saith he7 8ashamed1 yea1 even     
confounded1 because ,i did bear the     
reproach of my youth40  ,but what       
follows8  8,is ,ephraim my dear son8 is 
he  a pleasant child8 for since ,i spake
 against him1 ,i do earnestly remember  
him still3 therefore my bowels are      
troubled for him3 ,i will surely have   
mercy upon him1 saith the ,lord20 ,jer4 
xxxi4 #ai1 #bj4    ,i know that there is
 a shame that is not the spirit of an   
honest heart1  but that rather floweth  
from sudden surprisal1 when the sinner  
is  unawares taken in the act--in the   

very manner4  ,and thus sometimes the   
house of ,israel were taken3 and then1  
when they blushed1 their shame is       
compared to the shame of a thief4  8,as 
the thief is ashamed when he is  found1 
so is the house of ,israel ashamed2     
they1 their kings1 their  princes1 and  
their priests1 and their prophets40     
,but where were they taken1 or about    
what were they found8  ,why1 they were  
found 8saying to a stock1 ,thou art my  
father1 and to a stone1 thou hast       
brought me forth40  ,god catched them   
thus doing2 and this made them  ashamed1
 even as the thief is ashamed when the  
owner doth catch him  stealing his      
horse4    ,but this was not the         
,publican's shame4  ,this shame brings  
not a man into  the temple to pray1 to  
stand willingly1 and to take shame      
before ,god in  prayer4  ,this shame    
makes one rather to fly from his face1  
and to count  one's self most at ease   
when farthest off from ,god2 ,jer4 ii4  
#bf1 #bg4    ,the ,publican's shame1    

therefore1 which he demonstrated by     
hanging down  his head1 was godly and   
holy1 and much like that of the         
prodigal1 when he  said1 8,father1 ,i   
have sinned against heaven1 and in thy  
sight1 and am no  more worthy to be     
called thy son20 ,luke xv4 #ba4  ,i     
suppose that his  postures were much the
 same with the ,publican's1 as were his 
prayers1 for  the substance of them4  ,o
 however grace did work in both to the  
same end6  they were both of them1 after
 a godly manner1 ashamed of their sins4 
8,he would not lift up so much as his   
eyes to heaven40    ,he could not1 he   
would not3 which yet more fully makes it
 appear1 that it  was shame1 not guilt  
only1 or chiefly1 though it is manifest 
enough that  he had guilt2 by his       
crying1 8,god be merciful to me a       
sinner40  ,i say1  guilt was not the    
chief cause of hanging down his head1   
because it saith1  he would not2 for    
when guilt is the cause of stooping1 it 
lieth not in  the will1 or in the power 

thereof1 to help one up4    ,david tells
 us1 that when he was under guilt1 his  
iniquities were gone  over his head3 as 
an heavy burden1 they were too heavy for
 him2 and that  with them he was bowed  
down greatly4  ,or1 as he says in       
another place1  8,mine iniquities have  
taken hold upon me1 so that ,i am not   
able to look  up20 ,psalm xxxviii42 xl4 
,i am not able to do it3 guilt disableth
 the  understanding1 and conscience2    
shame makes all willingly fall at the   
feet  of ,christ4    ,he would not4  ,he
 knew what he was1 what he had been1 and
 should be1 if  ,god had not mercy upon 
him2 yea1 he knew also that ,god knew   
what he was1  had been1 and would be1 if
 mercy prevented not2 wherefore1 thought
 he1  ,wherefore should ,i lift up the  
head8  ,i am no righteous man1 no godly 
man1 ,i have not served ,god1 but       
,satan2 this ,i know1 this ,god knows1  
this  angels know1 wherefore ,i will not
 lift up the head4  ,it is as much as to
  say1 ,i will not be an hypocrite1 like

 the ,pharisee3 for lifting up of the   
head signifies innocency and            
harmlessness of life1 or good           
conscience1  and the testimony thereof1 
under and in the midst of all           
accusations4  ,wherefore this was the   
counsel of ,zophar to ,job--8,if10 saith
 he1 8thou  prepare thine heart1 and    
stretch out thine hand towards him2 if  
iniquity  be in thine hand1 put it far  
away1 and let not wickedness dwell in   
thy  tabernacles4  ,for then shalt thou 
lift up thy face without spot2 yea1     
thou shalt be steadfast1 and shalt not  
fear20 ,job xi4 #ac-ae4    ,this was not
 the ,publican's state3 he had lived in 
lewdness and villany  all his days2 nor 
had he prepared his heart to seek the   
,lord ,god of his  fathers2 he had not  
cleansed his heart nor hands from       
violence1 nor done  that which was      
lawful and right4  ,he only had been    
convinced of his evil  ways1 and was    
come into the temple as he was1 all     
foul1 and in his filthy  garments1 and  

amidst his pollutions2 how then could he
 be innocent1 holy1  or without spot8   
and1 consequently1 how could he lift up 
his face to ,god8  ,i remember what     
,abner said to ,asahel1 8,turn thee     
aside 7said he7 from  following me1     
wherefore should ,i smite thee to the   
ground8 how then  should ,i hold up my  
face to ,joab1 thy brother80  #b ,sam4  
ii4 #bb4    ,as if he had said1 ,if ,i  
kill thee1 ,i shall blush1 be ashamed1  
and hang my  head like a bulrush the    
next time ,i come into the company of   
thy brother4    ,this was the           
,publican's case3 he was guilty1 he had 
sinned1 he had  committed a trespass2   
and now being come into the temple1 into
 the  presence of that ,god whose laws  
he had broken1 and against whom he had  
sinned1 how could he lift up his head8  
how could he do it8  ,no1 it better     
became him to take his shame1 and to    
hang his head in token of guilt2 and    
indeed he did1 and did it to purpose    
too1 for he would not lift up1 no  not  

so much as his eyes to heaven4    ,true1
 some would have done it2 the ,pharisee 
did it2 though if he had  considered    
that hypocrisy and the leaning to his   
own righteousness had  been a sin1 he   
would have found as little cause to have
 done it as did  the ,publican himself4 
,but1 ,i say he did it1 and sped        
therein2 he went  down to his house1 as 
he came up into the temple1 a poor      
unjustified  ,pharisee1 whose person and
 prayer were both rejected2 because1    
like the  whore of whom we read in the  
,proverbs1 after he had practised all   
manner  of hypocrisy1 he comes into the 
temple and wipes his mouth1 and saith1  
8,i  have done no wickedness20 ,prov4   
xxx4 #bj4  ,he lifts up his head1 his   
face1  his eyes1 to heaven2 he struts1  
he vaunts himself2 he swaggers1 he      
vapours1 and cries up himself1 saying1  
8,god ,i thank thee that ,i am not as   
other men are40    ,true1 had he come   
and stood before a stock or stone1 he   
might have said  thus1 and not have been

 reprehended2 for such are gods that see
 not1 nor  hear1 neither do they        
understand4  ,but to come before the    
true ,god1 the  living ,god1 the ,god   
that fills heaven and earth by his      
presence1 and that  knows the things    
that come into the mind of man1 even    
every one of them2  ,i say1 to come into
 his house1 to stand before him1 and    
thus to lift up  his head and eyes in   
such hypocrisy before him1 this was     
abominable1 this  was to tempt ,god1 and
 to prove him1 yea1 to challenge him to 
know what  was in man1 if he could1 even
 as those who said1 8,how doth ,god     
7see7  know8 can he judge through the   
dark cloud80  ,job xxii4 #ac2 ,psalm    
lxxiii4  #aa4    ,but the               
,publican--no--he would not do this2 he 
would not lift up so much as  his eyes  
to heaven4  ,as who should say1 ,o      
,lord1 ,i have been against thee  a     
traitor and a rebel1 and like a traitor 
and a rebel before thee will ,i  stand4 
,i will bear my shame before thee in the

 presence of the holy  angels2 yea1 ,i  
will prevent thy judging of me by       
judging myself in thy  sight1 and will  
stand as condemned before thee before   
thou passest  sentence upon me4    ,this
 is now for a sinner to go to the end of
 things4  ,for what is ,god's  design in
 the work of conviction for sin1 and in 
his awakening of the  conscience about  
it8  ,what is his end1 ,i say1 but to   
make the sinner  sensible of what he    
hath done1 and that he might unfeignedly
 judge  himself for the same4  ,now this
 our ,publican doth2 his will therefore 
is  now subjected to the word of ,god1  
and he justifies him in all his ways    
and works towards him4  ,blessed be ,god
 for any experience of these  things4   
8,he would not lift up so much as his   
eyes to heaven40  ,he knew by his  deeds
 and deservings that he had no portion  
there2 nor would he divert  his mind    
from the remembering1 and from being    
affected with the evil of  his ways4    
,some men1 when they are under the guilt

 and conviction of their evil  life1    
will do what they can to look any way1  
and that on purpose to  divert their    
minds1 and to call them off from        
thinking on what they have  done2 and by
 their thus doing1 they bring many evils
 more upon their  souls2 for this is a  
kind of striving with ,god1 and a       
shewing a dislike  to his ways4  ,would 
not you think1 if when you are shewing  
your son or  your servant his faults1 if
 he should do what he could to divert   
and take  off his mind from what you are
 saying1 that he striveth against you1  
and  sheweth dislike of your doings8    
,what else mean the complaints of       
masters  and of fathers in this matter8 
8,i have a servant1 ,i have a son1 that 
doth contrary to my will40  8,o but why 
do you not chide them for it80  ,the    
answer is1 8,so ,i do2 but they do not  
regard my words2 they do what  they can1
 even while ,i am speaking1 to divert   
their minds from my words  and          
counsels40  ,why1 all men will cry out1 

8,this is base2 this is worthy  of great
 rebuke2 such a son1 such a servant1    
deserveth to be shut out of  doors1 and 
so made to learn better breeding by want
 and hardship40    ,but the ,publican   
would not divert his mind from what at  
present ,god was  about to make him     
sensible of1 no1 not by a look on the   
choicest object2  he would not lift up  
so much as his eyes to heaven4  ,they   
are but bad  scholars whose eyes1 when  
their master is teaching of them1 are   
wandering  off their books4    ,god     
saith unto men1 when he is teaching them
 to know the evil of their  ways1 as the
 angel said to the prophet when he came 
to shew him the  pattern of the temple1 
8,son of man10 says he1 8behold with    
thine eyes1  and hear with thine ears1  
and set thine heart upon all that ,i    
shall shew  thee2 for to the intent that
 ,i might shew them unto thee art thou  
brought  hither20 ,ezek4 xl4 #d4  ,so to
 the intent that ,god might shew to the 
,publican the evil of his ways1         

therefore was he brought under the power
  of convictions1 and the terrors of the
 law2 and he also1 like a good  learner1
 gave good heed unto that lesson that   
now he was learning of ,god2  for he    
would not lift up so much as his eyes to
 heaven4    ,looking downwards doth     
ofttimes bespeak men very ponderous and 
deep in  their cogitations2 also that   
the matter about which in their minds   
they  are now concerned hath taken great
 hold of their spirits4  ,the ,publican 
hath now new things1 great things1 and  
long-lived things1 to concern  himself  
about3 his sins1 the curse1 with death1 
and hell1 began now to  stare him in the
 face3 wherefore it was no time now to  
let his heart1 or  his eyes1 or his     
cogitations1 wander1 but to be fixed1   
and to be  vehemently applying of       
himself 7as a sinner7 to the ,god of    
heaven for  mercy4    ,few know the     
weight of sin4  ,when the guilt thereof 
takes hold of the  conscience1 it       
commands homewards all the faculties of 

the soul4  ,no man  can go out or off   
now3 now he is wind-bound1 or1 as ,paul 
says1 8caught30  now he is made to      
possess bitter days1 bitter nights1     
bitter hours1  bitter thoughts2 nor can 
he shift them1 for his sin is ever      
before him4  ,as ,david said1 8,for ,i  
acknowledge my transgressions3 and my   
sin is ever  before me10--in my eye1 and
 sticketh fast in every one of my       
thoughts2  ,psalm li4 #c4    8,he would 
not lift up so much as his eyes to      
heaven1 but smote upon his  breast40    
,this was the third and last of his     
gestures2 he 8,smote upon his  breast10 
to wit1 with his hand1 or with his fist4
  ,i read of several  gestures with the 
hand and foot1 according to the working 
and passions of  the mind4  ,it is said1
 8,balak smote his hands together10     
being angry  because that ,balaam had   
blessed and not cursed for him the      
children of  ,israel4    ,god says also1
 that he had smitten his hands together 
at the sins of the  children of ,israel4

  ,god also bids the prophet stamp with 
his feet1 and  smite with his hand upon 
his thigh 7,num4 xxiv4 #aj2 ,ezek4 xxii4
 #ac2 vi4  #aa2 xxi4 #ab71 upon sundry  
occasions1 and at several enormities2   
but the  ,publican here is said to smite
 upon his breast4  ,and1    #a4         
,smiting upon the breast betokeneth     
sorrow for something done4  ,this  is an
 experiment common among men2 and       
indeed1 therefore 7as ,i take it71  doth
 our ,lord ,jesus put him under this    
gesture in the act and exercise of  his 
repentance1 because it is that which    
doth most lively set it forth4          
,suppose a man comes to great damage for
 some folly that he has wrought1  and he
 be made sorrowful for 7being and7 doing
 such folly1 there is  nothing more     
common than for such a man 7if he may7  
to walk to and fro in  the room where he
 is1 with head hung down1 fetching ever 
and anon a  bitter sigh1 and smiting    
himself upon the breast in his dejected 
condition3 8,but smote upon his breast1 

saying1 ,god be merciful to me a        
sinner40    #b4  ,smiting upon the      
breast is sometimes a token of          
indignation and  abhorrence of something
 thought upon4  ,i read in ,luke1 that  
when ,christ  was crucified1 those      
spectators that stood to behold the     
barbarous usage  that he endured at the 
hands of his enemies1 smote their       
breasts and  returned4  8,and all the   
people 7says ,luke7 that came together  
to that  sight1 beholding the things    
which were done1 smote their breasts and
  returned20 ,luke xxiii4 #dh4  ,smote  
their breasts2 that is1 in token of     
indignation against1 and abhorrence of1 
the cruelty that was used to the  ,son  
of ,god4    ,here also we have our      
,publican smiting upon his breast in    
token of  indignation against1 and      
abhorrence of1 his former life2 and     
indeed1  without indignation against1   
and abhorrence of1 his former life1 his 
repentance had not been good4           
,wherefore the apostle doth make        

indignation against sin1 and against    
ourselves1 one of the signs of true     
repentance2 #b ,cor4 vii4 #aa2 and his  
indignation against sin in general1  and
 against his former life in particular1 
was manifested by his smiting  upon the 
breast1 even as ,ephraim's smiting upon 
the thigh was a sign and  token of his3 
8,surely 7says he71 after that ,i was   
turned1 ,i repented3 and  after that ,i 
was instructed1 ,i smote upon my thigh3 
,i was ashamed1 yea1  even confounded1  
because ,i did bear the reproach of my  
youth20 ,jer4 xxxi4  #ai4  ,man1 when he
 vehemently dislikes a thing1 is very   
apt to shew a  dislike to that thing by 
this or another outward gesture2 as in  
snuffing  or snorting at it1 or in      
deriding2 or1 as some say1 in blowing of
 their  noses at it2 ,ezek4 viii4 #ag2  
,mal4 i4 #ac4  ,but the ,publican here  
chooseth  rather to use this most solemn
 posture2 for smiting upon the breast   
seems  to imply a more serious1 solemn1 
grave way or manner of dislike1 than any

  of those last mentioned do4    #c4    
,smiting upon the breast seems to       
intimate a quarrel with the heart1  for 
beguiling1 deluding1 flattering1        
seducing1 and enticing of him to  sin2  
for as conviction for sin begets in man 
7,i mean if it be thorough7 a  sense of 
the sore and plague of the heart1 so    
repentance 7if it be right7  begets in  
man an outcry against the heart2        
forasmuch as by that light1 by  which   
repentance takes occasion1 the sinner is
 made to see that the heart  is the     
fountain and well-spring of sin4  8,for 
from within1 out of the  heart of men1  
proceed evil thoughts1 adulteries1      
covetousness10 c42 ,mark  vii4 #ba-bc4  
,and hence it is that commonly young    
converts do complain so  of their       
hearts1 calling them wicked1            
treacherous1 deceitful1 desperate  ones4
    ,indeed1 one difference between true
 and false repentance lieth in this4    
,the man that truly repents crieth out  
of his heart2 but the other1 as  ,eve1  

upon the serpent1 or something else4    
,and that the ,publican  perceived his  
heart to be naught1 ,i conclude1 by his 
smiting upon his  breast4    #d4        
,smiting upon the breast seems to       
intimate one apprehensive of some  new1 
sudden1 strange1 and amazing thing2 as  
when a man sees some strange  sight in  
the air1 or heareth some sudden or      
dismal sound in the clouds2  why1 as he 
is struck into a deep damp in his mind1 
so it is a wonder if  he can keep or    
hold back from smiting upon his breast4 
,now1 oftentimes a sight of ,god and    
sense of sin comes to the sinner like  a
 flash of lightning 7not for short      
continuance1 but7 for suddeness1 and  so
 for surprisal2 so that the sinner is   
struck1 taken and captivated to  his own
 amazement1 with what so unexpectedly is
 come upon him4  ,it is  said of ,paul  
at his conversion1 that when conviction 
of his bad life took  fast hold of his  
conscience1 he trembled1 and was        
astonished 7,acts ix4  #f72 and although

 we read not of any particular          
circumstance of his  behaviour under his
 conviction outwardly1 yet it is almost 
impossible but  he must have had some1  
and those of the most solid sort4  ,for 
there is  such a sympathy betwixt the   
soul and the body1 that the one cannot  
be in  distress or comfort1 but the     
other must partake of and also signify  
the  same4  ,if it be comfort1 then it  
is shewn by leaping1 skipping1          
cheerfulness of the countenance1 or some
 other outward gesture4  ,if it be      
sorrow or heaviness of spirit1 then that
 is shewed by the body1 in  weeping1    
sighing1 groaning1 shaking of the head1 
a louring countenance1  stamping1       
smiting upon the thigh or breast1 as    
here the ,publican did4    ,we must not1
 therefore1 look upon these outward     
actions or gestures of  the ,publican to
 be empty1 insignificant things2 but to 
be such1 that in  truth did express and 
shew the temper1 frame1 and complexion  
of his soul4  ,for ,christ1 the wisdom  

of ,god1 hath mentioned them to that    
very end1 that  in and by them might be 
held forth1 and that men might see as in
 a glass1  the very emblem of a         
converted and truly penitent sinner4    
,he 8smote upon  his breast40    #e4    
,smiting upon the breast is sometimes to
 signify a mixture of  distrust1 joined 
with hope4  ,and1 indeed1 in young      
converts1 hope and  distrust1 or a      
degree of despair1 do work and answer   
one another1 as doth  the noise of the  
balance of the watch in the pocket4     
,life and death is  always the motion of
 the mind then1 and this noise continues
 until faith  is stronger grown1 and    
until the soul is better acquainted with
 the  methods and ways of ,god with a   
sinner4  ,yea1 were but a carnal man in 
a  convert's heart1 and could see1 he   
could discern these two1 to wit1 hope   
and fear1 to have continual motion in   
the soul2 wrestling and opposing  one   
another1 as doth light and darkness in  
striving for the victory4    ,and hence 

it is that you find such people so      
fickle and uncertain in  their spirits2 
now on the mount1 then in the valleys2  
now in the  sunshine1 then in the shade3
 now warm1 then frozen2 now bonny and   
blithe1  then in a moment pensive and   
sad1 as thinking of a portion nowhere   
but in  hell4  ,this will cause smiting 
on the breast2 nor can ,i imagine that  
the  ,publican was as yet farther than  
thus far in the ,christian's progress4  
#f4  ,smiting upon the breast seems to  
intimate1 that the party so doing is    
very apprehensive of some great loss    
that he has sustained1 either by        
negligence1 carelessness1 foolishness1  
or the like4  ,and this is the way  in  
which men do lose their souls4  ,now1 to
 lose a thing1 a great thing1  the only 
choice thing that a man has1            
negligently1 carelessly1 foolishly1  or 
the like1 why1 it puts aggravations into
 the thoughts of the loss that  the man 
has sustained1 and aggravations into the
 thoughts of them go out  of the soul1  

and come in upon a sudden1 even as the  
bailiff or the king's  serjeant-at-arms1
 and at every appearance of them1 makes 
the soul start2  and starting1 it smites
 upon the breast4    ,i might multiply  
particulars2 but to be brief1 we have   
before us a  sensible soul1 a sorrowful 
soul1 a penitent soul2 one that prays   
indeed1  that prays sensibly1           
affectionately1 effectually2 one that   
sees his loss1  that fears and trembles 
before ,god in consideration of it1 and 
one that  knows no way but the right    
way1 to secure himself from perishing1  
to wit1  by having humble and hearty    
recourse to the ,god of heaven for      
mercy4    ,i should now come to speak   
something by way of use and application3
 but  before ,i do that1 ,i will briefly
 draw up1 and present you with a few    
conclusions that in my judgment do      
naturally flow from the text2  therefore
 in this place ,i will read over the    
text again4    8,two men went up into   
the temple to pray2 the one a ,pharisee1

 the other a  ,publican4  ,the ,pharisee
 stood and prayed thus with himself1    
,god1 ,i thank  thee1 that ,i am not as 
other men are1 extortioners1 unjust1    
adulterers1  or even as this ,publican4 
,i fast twice in the week1 ,i give      
tithes of all  that ,i possess4  ,and   
the ,publican standing afar off would   
not lift up so  much as his eyes unto   
heaven1 but smote upon his breast1      
saying1 ,god be  merciful to me a       
sinner40    ,from these words ,i gather 
these several conclusions1 with these   
inferences4    #a4  ,it doth not always 
follow1 that they that pray do know     
,god1 or love  him1 or trust in him4    
,this conclusion is evident by the      
,pharisee in the  text2 he prayed1 but  
he knew not ,god1 he loved not ,god1 he 
trusted not in  ,god2 that is1 he knew  
him not in his ,son1 nor loved1 nor     
trusted in him4  ,he was1 though a      
praying man1 far off from this4         
,whence it may be inferred1 that those  
that pray not at all cannot be  good1   

cannot know1 love1 or trust in ,god4    
,for if the star1 though it  shine1 is  
not the sun1 then surely a clod of dirt 
cannot be the sun4  ,why1 a praying man 
doth as far outstrip a non-praying man  
as a star  outstrips a clod of earth4   
,a non-praying man lives like a beast4  
8,the  ox knows his owner1 and the ass  
his master's crib2 but this man doth not
  know1 but this man doth not consider20
 ,isa4 i4 #c4  ,the prayerless man is   
therefore of no religion1 except he be  
an ,atheist1 or an ,epicurean4          
,therefore the non-praying man is       
numbered among the heathens1 and among  
those that know not ,god1 and is        
appointed and designed by the sentence  
of  the word to the fearful wrath of    
,god2 ,psal4 lxxix4 #f2 ,jer4 x4 #be4   
#b4  ,a second conclusion is1 ,that the 
man that prays1 if in his prayer he     
pleads for acceptance1 either in whole  
or in part1 for his own good  deeds1 is 
in a miserable state4  ,this also is    
gathered from the ,pharisee  here2 he   

prayed1 but in this prayer he pleaded   
his own good deeds for  acceptance1 that
 is1 of his person1 and therefore went  
down to his house  unjustified4  ,and he
 is in this condition that doth thus4   
,the conclusion  is true1 forasmuch as  
the ,pharisee mentioned in the parable  
is not so  spoken of for the sake of    
that sect of men1 but to caution1       
forewarn1 and  bid all men take heed1   
that they by doing as he1 procure not   
their  rejection of ,god1 and be sent   
away from his presence unjustified4  ,i 
do  therefore infer from hence1 that if 
he that pleadeth his own good doing  for
 personal acceptance with ,god be thus  
miserable1 then he that teacheth  men so
 to do is much more miserable4    ,we   
always conclude1 that a ring-leader in  
an evil way is more  blame-worthy than  
those that are led of him4  ,this falls 
hard upon the  leading ,socinians and   
others1 who teach that men's works make 
their  persons accepted of ,god4        
,true1 they say1 through ,christ2 but   

that is brought in merely to delude  the
 simple with1 and is an horrible lie2   
for we read not in all the word  of ,god
 as to personal justification in the    
sight of ,god from the curse  7and that 
is the question under consideration71   
that it must be by man's  righteousness 
as made prevalent by ,christ's1 but     
contrariwise1 by his and  his only1     
without the deeds1 works1 or            
righteousness of the law1 which is  our 
righteousness4  ,wherefore1 ,i say1 the 
teachers and leaders of this  doctrine  
have the greater sin4    #c4  ,a third  
conclusion is1 ,they that use high and  
flaunting language in  prayer1 their    
simplicity and godly sincerity is to be 
questioned as to  the doing of that duty
 sincerely4  ,this still flows from our 
text2 the  ,pharisee greatly used this3 
for higher and more flaunting language  
can  hardly be found than in the        
,pharisee's mouth2 nor will ascribing to
 ,god  by the same mouth laud and praise
 help the business at all3 for to be    

sure1 where the effect is base and      
rotten1 the cause cannot be good4       
,the ,pharisee would hold himself that  
he was not as other men1 and then  gives
 thanks to ,god for this3 but the       
conclusion was most vilely false1  and  
therefore the praise for it could not   
but be foolish1 vain1 and  frivolous4   
,whence ,i infer1 that if to use such   
language in prayer is  dangerous1 then  
to affect the use thereof is yet more   
dangerous4  ,prayer  must be made with  
humble hearts and sensible words1 and of
 that we have  treated before2 wherefore
 high1 flaunting1 swelling words of     
vanity1  become not a sinner's mouth2   
no1 not at any time2 much less when he  
comes  to1 and presents himself before  
,god in that solemn duty of prayer4     
,but1  ,i say1 there are some that so   
affect the ,pharisee's mode1 that they  
cannot be well if in some sort or other 
they be not in the practice of  it1 not 
knowing what they say1 nor whereof they 
affirm2 but these are  greatly addicted 

to hypocrisy and desire of vain-glory1  
especially if the  sound of their words 
be within the reach of other men's ears4
    #d4  ,a fourth conclusion is1 ,that 
reformation and amendment1 though good1 
and before men1 are nothing as to       
justification with ,god4  ,this is      
manifest by the condition of our        
,pharisee3 he was a reformed man1 a man 
beyond others for personal              
righteousness1 yet he went out of the   
temple  from ,god unjustified2 his works
 came to nothing with ,god4  ,hence ,i  
infer1  that the man that hath nothing  
to commend him to ,god of his own1 yet  
stands as fair before ,god for          
justification1 and so acceptance1 as any
  other man in the world4    #e4  ,a    
fifth conclusion is1 ,it is the sensible
 sinner1 the self-bemoaning  sinner1 the
 self-judging sinner1 the self-abhorring
 sinner1 and the  self-condemning       
sinner1 whose prayers prevail with ,god 
for mercy4  ,hence  ,i infer1 that one  
reason why men make so many prayers1 and

 prevail no  more with ,god is1 because 
their prayers are rather the floatings  
of  ,pharisaical fancies than the fruits
 of sound sense of sin1 and sincere     
desires of enjoying ,god in mercy1 and  
in the fruits of the ,holy ,ghost4