the pharisee and the publican-第11章

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and　he　is　the　man　Christ　Jesus。

But　dost　thou　plead　by　thy　righteousness　for　mercy　for　thyself？　　Why；　in　doing　so；　thou　impliest　…

1。　　That　thy　righteousness　can　prevail　with　God　more　than　can　thy　sins；　I　say；　that　thy　righteousness　can　prevail　with　God　to　preserve　thee　from　death　more　than　thy　sins　can　prevail　with　him　to　condemn　thee　to　it。　　And　if　so；　what　follows；　but　that　thy　righteousness　is　more；　and　has　been　done　in　a　fuller　spirit　than　ever　were　thy　sins？　But　thus　to　insinuate；　is　to　insinuate　a　lie；　for　there　is　no　man　but；　while　he　is　a　sinner；　sinneth　with　a　more　full　spirit　than　a　good　man　can　act　righteousness　withal。

A　sinner；　when　he　sinneth；　he　doth　it　with　all　his　heart；　and　with　all　his　mind；　and　with　all　his　soul；　and　with　all　his　strength；　nor　hath　he　in　his　ordinary　course　any　thing　that　bindeth。　　But　with　a　good　man　it　is　not　so；　all　and　every　whit　of　himself；　neither　is；　nor　can　be；　in　every　good　duty　that　he　doth。　　For　when　he　would　do　good；　evil　is　the　Spirit；　and　the　Spirit　against　the　flesh；　and　these　are　present　with　him。　　And　again；　〃The　flesh　lusteth　against　one　to　the　other；　so　that　ye　cannot　do　the　things　would；〃　Gal。　v。　17。

Now；　if　a　good　man　cannot　do　good　things　with　that　oneness　and　universalness　of　mind；　as　a　wicked　man　doth　sin　with；　then　is　his　sin　heavier　to　weigh　him　down　to　hell　than　is　his　righteousness　to　buoy　him　up　to　the　heavens。

And　again；　I　say；　if　the　righteousness　of　a　good　man　comes　short　of　his　sin；　both　in　number；　weight；　and　measure；　as　it　doth　（for　a　good　man　shrinks　and　quakes　at　the　thoughts　of　God's　entering　into　judgment　with　him；　Psalm　cxliii。　2）；　then　is　his　iniquity　more　than　his　righteousness。　　And　I　say　again；　if　the　sin　of　one　that　is　truly　gracious；　and　so　of　one　that　hath　the　best　of　principles；　is　heavier　and　mightier　to　destroy　him　than　is　his　righteousness　to　save　him；　how　can　it　be　that　the　Pharisee；　that　is　not　gracious；　but　a　mere　carnal　man　（somewhat　reformed　and　painted　over　with　a　few　lean　and　low　formalities）；　should　with　his　empty；　partial；　hypocritical　righteousness　counterpoise　his　great；　mighty；　and　weighty　sins；　that　have　cleaved　to　him　in　every　state　and　condition　of　his；　to　make　him　odious　in　the　sight　of　God？

2。　　Dost　thou　plead　by　thy　righteousness　for　mercy　for　thyself？　　Why　in　so　doing　thou　impliest；　that　mercy　thou　deservest；　and　that　is　next　door　to；　or　almost　as　much　as　to　say；　God　oweth　me　what　I　ask　for。　　The　best　that　can　be　put　upon　it　is；　thou　seekest　security　from　the　direful　curse　of　God；　as　it　were　by　the　works　of　the　law；　Rom。　ix。　31…33；　and　to　be　sure；　betwixt　Christ　and　the　law；　thou　wilt　drop　into　hell。　　For　he　that　seeks　for　mercy；　as　it　were；　and　but　as　it　were；　by　the　works　of　the　law；　doth　not　altogether　trust　thereto。　Nor　doth　he　that　seeks　for　that　righteousness　that　should　save　him　as　it　were　by　the　works　of　the　law；　seek　it　only　wholly　and　solely　at　the　hands　of　mercy。

So　then；　to　seek　for　that　that　should　save　thee；　neither　at　the　hands　of　the　law；　nor　at　the　hands　of　mercy；　is　to　be　sure　to　seek　it　where　it　is　not　to　be　found；　for　there　is　no　medium　betwixt　the　righteousness　of　the　law　and　the　mercy　of　God。　　Thou　must　have　it　either　at　the　door　of　the　law；　or　at　the　door　of　grace。　　But　sayst　thou；　I　am　for　having　of　it　at　the　hands　of　both。　　I　will　trust　solely　to　neither。　　I　love　to　have　two　strings　to　my　bow。　　If　one　of　them；　as　you　think；　can　help　me　by　itself；　my　reason　tells　me　that　both　can　help　me　better。　　Therefore　will　I　be　righteous　and　good；　and　will　seek　by　my　goodness　to　be　commended　to　the　mercy　of　God：　　for　surely　he　that　hath　something　of　his　own　to　ingratiate　himself　into　the　favour　of　his　prince　withal；　shall　sooner　obtain　his　mercy　and　favour；　than　one　that　comes　to　him　stripped　of　all　good。

I　answer；　But　there　are　not　two　ways　to　heaven：　　there　is　but　one　new　and　living　way　which　Christ　hath　consecrated　for　us　through　the　vail；　that　is　to　say；　his　flesh；　and　besides　that　one；　there　is　no　more；　Heb。　x。　19…24。　　Why　then　dost　thou　talk　of　two　strings　to　thy　bow？　What　became　of　him　that　had；　and　would　have　two　stools　to　sit　on？　yea；　the　text　says　plainly；　that　therefore　they　obtained　not　righteousness；　because　they　sought　it　not　by　faith；　but　as　it　were　by　the　works　of　the　law。　　See　here；　they　are　disowned　by　the　gospel；　because　they　sought　it　not　by　faith；　that　is；　by　faith　only。　　Again；　the　law；　and　the　righteousness　thereof；　flies　from　them　（nor　could　they　attain　it；　though　they　follow　after　it）；　because　they　sought　it　not　by　faith。

Mercy　then　is　to　be　found　alone　in　Jesus　Christ。　　Again；　the　righteousness　of　the　law　is　to　be　obtained　only　by　faith　of　Jesus　Christ；　that　is；　in　the　Son　of　God　is　the　righteousness　of　the　law　to　be　found；　for　he；　by　his　obedience　to　his　Father；　is　become　the　end　of　the　law　for　righteousness。　　And　for　the　sake　of　his　legal　righteousness　（which　is　also　called　the　righteousness　of　God；　because　it　was　God　in　the　flesh　of　the　Lord　Jesus　that　did　accomplish　it）；　is　mercy；　and　grace　from　God　extended　to　whoever　dependeth　by　faith　upon　God　by　this　Jesus　his　righteousness　for　it。　　And　hence　it　is；　that　we　so　often　read；　that　this　Jesus　is　the　way　to　the　Father；　that　God；　for　Christ's　sake；　forgiveth　us；　that　by　the　obedience　of　one　many　are　made　righteous；　or　justified；　and　that　through　this　man　is　preached　to　us　the　forgiveness　of　sins；　and　that　by　him　all　that　believe　are　justified　from　all　things　from　which　they　could　not　be　justified　by　the　law　of　Moses。

Now；　though　I　here　do　make　mention　of　righteousness　and　mercy；　yet　I　hold　there　is　but　one　way；　to　wit；　to　eternal　life；　which　way；　as　I　said；　is　Jesus　Christ；　for　he　is　the　new；　the　only　new　and　living　way　to　the　Father　of　mercies；　for　mercy　to　make　me　capable　of　abiding　with　him　in　the　heavens　for　ever　and　ever。

But　sayst　thou；　I　will　be　righteous　in　myself　that　I　may　have　wherewith　to　commend　me　to　God；　when　I　go　to　him　for　mercy？

I　answer；　But　thou　blind　Pharisee；　I　tell　thee　thou　hast　no　understanding　of　God's　design　by　the　gospel；　which　is；　not　to　advance　man's　righteousness；　as　thou　dreamest；　but　to　advance　the　righteousness　of　his　Son；　and　his　grace　by　him。　　Indeed；　if　God's　design　by　the　gospel　was　to　exalt　and　advance　man's　righteousness；　then　that　which　thou　hast　said　would　be　to　the　purpose；　for　what　greater　dignity　can　be　put　upon　man's　righteousness；　than　to　admit　it？

I　say　then；　for　God　to　admit　it；　to　be　an　advocate；　an　intercessor；　a　mediator；　for　all　these　are　they　which　prevail　with　God　to　shew　me　mercy。　　But　this　God　never　thought　of；　much　less　could　he　thus　design　by　the　gospel；　for　the　text　runs　flat　against　it。　　Not　of　works；　not　of　works　of　righteousness；　which　we　have　done；　〃Not　of　works；　lest　any　man　should　boast；〃　saying；　Well；　I　may　thank　my　own　good　life　for　mercy。　　It　was　partly　for　the　sake　of　my　own　good　deeds　that　I　obtained　mercy　to　be　in　heaven　and　glory。　　Shall　this　be　the　burden　of　the　song　of　heaven？　or　is　this　that　which　is　composed　by　that　glittering　heavenly　host；　and　which　we　have　read　of　in　the　holy　book　of　God？　　No；　no；　that　song　runs　upon　other　feetstandeth　in　far　better　strains；　being　composed　of　far　higher　and　truly　heavenly　matter：　　for　God　has　〃predestinated　us　unto　the　adoption　of　children　by　Jesus　Christ　to　himself；　according　to　the　good　pleasure　of　his　will；　to　the　praise　of　the　glory　of　his　grace；　wherein　he　hath　made　us　accepted　in　the　Beloved：　　in　whom　we　have　redemption　through　his　blood；　the　forgiveness　of　sins；　according　to　the　riches　of　his　grace；〃　Eph。　i。　　And　it　is　requisite　that　the　song　be　framed　accordingly；　wherefore　he　saith；　that　the　heavenly　song　runs　thus　〃Thou　art　worthy　to　take　the　book；　and　to　open　the　seals　thereof；　for　thou　wast　slain；　and　hast　redeemed　us　to　God　by　thy　blood；　out　of　every　kindred；　and　tongue；　and　people；　and　nation；　and　hast　made　us　unto　our　God　kings　and　priests；　and　we　shall　reign　on　the　earth；〃　Rev。　v。　9；　10。

He　saith　not　that　they　have　redeemed；　or　helped　to　redeem　and　deliver　themselves；　but　that　the　Lamb；　the　Lamb　that　was　slain；　the　Lamb　only　was　he　that　redeemed　them。　　Nor；　saith　he；　that　they　had　made　themselves　kings　and　priests　unto　God　to　offer　any　oblation；　sacrifice；　or　offering　wha