the pharisee and the publican-第2章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



When　I　say　the　Pharisee　was　a　sectarian；　I　do　not　mean　that　every　sectarian　is　a　Pharisee。　　There　were　the　sects　of　the　Herodians；　of　the　Alexandrians；　and　of　the　Sadducees；　with　many　others；　but　to　be　a　Pharisee；　was　to　be　of　the　straitest　sect：　　〃After　the　most　straitest　sect　of　our　religion；　I　lived　a　Pharisee。〃　　That；　therefore；　of　all　the　sects；　was　the　most　strait　and　strict。　　Therefore；　saith　he；　in　another　place；　〃I　was　taught　according　to　the　perfect　manner　of　the　law　of　the　fathers。〃　　And　again；　〃Touching　the　law；　a　Pharisee；〃　Acts　xxii。　3；　xxvi。　4…6；　Phil。　iii。　5。　　The　Pharisee；　therefore；　did　carry　the　bell；　and　wear　the　garland　for　religion；　for　he　outdid；　he　went　beyond　all　other　sectarians　in　his　day。　　He　was　strictest；　he　was　the　most　zealous；　therefore　Christ；　in　his　making　of　this　parable；　waived　all　other　sects　then　in　being；　and　pitched　upon　the　Pharisee　as　the　man　most　meet；　by　whose　rejection　he　might　shew　forth　and　demonstrate　the　riches　of　his　mercy　in　its　extension　to　sinners：　　〃Two　men　went　up　into　the　temple　to　pray；　the　one　a　Pharisee：〃　such　a　brave　man　as　you　have　heard。

2。　　The　Publican　also　went　up　thither　to　pray。　　The　Publican；　I　told　you　before；　was　an　officer：　　an　officer　that　served　the　Romans　and　himself　too；　for　the　Romans　at　that　time　were　possessors　of　the　land　of　Jewry　（the　lot　of　Israel's　inheritance）；　and　the　emperor　Tiberius　Caesar　placed　over　that　land　four　governors；　to　wit；　Pilate；　Herod；　Philip；　and　Lysanias；　all　these　were　Gentiles；　heathens；　infidels；　and　the　publicans　were　a　sort　of　inferior　men；　to　whom　was　let　out　to　farm；　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　emperor；　Luke　ii。　1；　iii。　1；　2；　12；　13。

But　they　were　a　generation　of　men　that　were　very　injurious　in　the　execution　of　their　office。　　They　would　exact　and　demand　more　than　was　due　of　the　people；　yea；　and　if　their　demands　were　denied；　they　would　falsely　accuse　those　that　so　denied　them　to　the　governor；　and　by　false　accusation　obtain　the　money　of　the　people；　and　so　wickedly　enrich　themselves；　Luke　iii。　13；　14；　xix。　2；　8。　　This　was　therefore　grievous　to　the　Jews；　who　always　counted　themselves　a　free　people；　and　could　never　abide　to　be　in　bondage　to　any。　　And　this　was　something　of　the　reason；　that　they　were　so　generally　by　all　the　Jews　counted　so　vile　and　base；　and　reckoned　among　the　worst　of　men；　even　as　our　informers　and　bum…bailiffs　are　with　us　at　this　day。

But　that　which　heightened　the　spirit　of　the　people　against　them；　and　that　made　them　so　odious　and　filthy　in　their　eyes；　was　for　that　（at　least　so　I　think）　these　publicans　were　not；　as　the　other　officers；　aliens；　heathens；　and　Gentiles；　but　men　of　their　own　nation；　Jews；　and　so　the　brethren　of　those　that　they　so　abused。　　Had　they　been　Gentiles；　it　had　not　been　wondered　at。

The　Publican　then　was　a　Jew；　a　kind　of　a　renegade　Jew；　that　through　the　love　that　he　had　to　unjust　gains；　fell　off　in　his　affections　from　his　brethren；　adhered　to　the　Romans；　and　became　a　kind　of　servant　to　them　against　their　brethren；　farming　the　heathenish　taxations　at　the　hand　of　strangers；　and　exacting　of　them　upon　their　brethren　with　much　cruelty；　falsehood；　and　extortion。　　And　hence；　as　I　said；　it　was；　that　to　be　a　publican；　was　to　be　so　odious　a　thing；　so　vile　a　sinner；　and　so　grievous　a　man　in　the　eyes　of　the　Jews。　　Why；　this　was　the　Publican！　he　was　a　Jew；　and　so　should　have　abode　with　them；　and　have　been　content　to　share　with　his　brethren　in　their　calamities；　but　contrary　to　nature；　to　law；　to　religion；　reason；　and　honesty；　he　fell　in　with　the　heathen；　and　took　the　advantage　of　their　tyranny　to　poll；　to　rob；　and　impoverish　his　brethren。

But　for　proof　that　the　Publican　was　a　Jew。

1。　　Publicans　are；　even　then；　when　compared　with；　yet　distinguished　from；　the　heathen；　〃Let　him　be　to　thee　as　an　heathen　man　and　a　publican；〃　Matt。　xviii。；　which　two　terms；　I　think；　must　not　here　be　applied　to　one　and　the　self…same　man；　as　if　the　heathen　was　a　publican；　or　the　publican　a　heathen；　but　to　men　of　two　distinct　nations；　as　that　publican　and　harlot　is　to　be　understood　of　sinners　of　both　sexes。　　The　Publican　is　not　an　harlot；　for　he　is　a　man；　&c。；　and　such　a　man　as　has　been　described　before。　　So　by　publicans　and　sinners；　is　meant　publicans　and　such　sinners　as　the　Gentiles　were；　or　such　as；　by　the　text；　the　Publican　is　distinguished　from：　　where　the　Pharisee　saith　he　was　not　an　extortioner；　unjust；　adulterer；　or　even　as　this　Publican。　　Nor　can　he　by　〃heathen　man〃　intend　the　person；　and　by　the　term　publican；　the　office　or　place；　of　the　heathen　man；　but　by　publican　is　meant　the　renegade　Jew；　in　such　a　place；　&c。；　as　is　yet　further　manifested　by　that　which　follows。　　For　…

2。　　Those　publicans；　even　every　one　of　them　that　by　name　are　made　mention　of　in　the　New　Testament；　have　such　names　put　upon　them；　yea；　and　other　circumstances　thereunto　annexed；　as　doth　demonstrate　them　to　be　Jews。　　I　remember　the　names　of　no　more　but　three；　to　wit；　Matthew；　Levi；　and　Zaccheus；　and　they　were　all　Jews。

（1。）　　Matthew　was　a　Jew；　and　the　same　Matthew　was　a　publican；　yea；　and　also　afterwards　an　apostle。　　He　was　a　Jew；　and　wrote　his　gospel　in　Hebrew：　　he　was　an　apostle；　and　is　therefore　found　among　the　twelve。　　That　he　was　a　publican　too；　is　as　evident　by　his　own　words；　for　though　Mark　and　Luke；　in　their　mentioning　of　his　name　and　apostleship；　do　forbear　to　call　him　a　publican　（Mark　iii。　18；　Luke　vi。　l6）；　yet　when　this　Matthew　comes　to　speak　of　himself；　he　calls　himself　Matthew　the　publican　（Matth。　x。　3）；　for　I　count　this　the　self…same　Matthew　that　Mark　and　Luke　make　mention　of；　because　I　find　no　other　Matthew　among　the　apostles　but　he：　　Matthew　the　publican；　Matthew　the　man　so　deep　in　apostacy；　Matthew　the　man　of　that　ill　fame　among　his　brethren。　　Love；　in　Mark　and　Luke；　when　they　counted　him　among　the　apostles；　did　cover　with　silence　this　his　publican　state　（and　it　is　meet　for　Peter　to　call　Paul　his　beloved　brother；　when　Paul　himself　shall　call　himself　the　chief　of　sinners）；　but　faithfulness　to　the　world；　and　a　desire　to　be　abased；　that　Christ　thereby；　and　grace　by　him；　might　be　advanced；　made　Matthew；　in　his　evangelical　writings；　call　himself　by　the　name　of　Matthew　the　publican。　　Nor　has　he　lost　thereby；　for　Christ　again　to　exalt　him　（as　he　hath　also　done　by　the　apostle　Paul）；　hath　set；　by　his　special　providence；　the　testimony　that　this　Matthew　hath　given　of　his　birth；　life；　death；　doctrine；　and　miracles；　in　the　front　of　all　the　New　Testament。

（2。）　　The　next　publican　that　I　find　by　the　Testament　of　Christ；　made　mention　of　by　name；　is　Levi；　another　of　the　apostles　of　Jesus　Christ。　This　Levi　also；　by　the　Holy　Ghost　in　holy　writ；　is　called　by　the　name　of　James：　　not　James　the　brother　of　John；　for　Zebedee　was　his　father；　but　James　the　son　of　Alpheus。　　Now　I　take　this　Levi　also　to　be　another　than　Matthew；　First；　because　Matthew　is　not　called　the　son　of　Alpheus；　and　because　Matthew　and　Levi；　or　James　the　son　of　Alpheus；　are　distinctly　counted　where　the　names　of　the　apostles　are　mentioned　（Matt。　x。　3）　for　two　distinct　persons：　　and　that　this　Levi；　or　James　the　apostle；　was　a　publican；　as　was　the　apostle　Matthew；　whom　we　mentioned　before；　is　evident；　for　both　Mark　and　Luke　do　count　him　such。　　First；　Mark　saith；　Christ　found　him　when　he　called　him；　as　he　also　found　Matthew；　sitting　at　the　receipt　of　custom；　yea；　Luke　words　it　thus：　　〃He　went　forth；　and　saw　a　publican；　named　Levi；　sitting　at　the　receipt　of　custom；　and　he　said　unto　him；　Follow　me；〃　Mark　ii。　14；　Luke　v。　27。

Now；　that　this　Levi；　or　James　the　son　of　Alpheus；　was　a　Jew；　his　name　doth　well　make　manifest。　　Besides；　had　there　been　among　the　apostles　any　more　Gentiles　save　Simon　the　Canaanite；　or　if　this　Levi　James　had　been　here；　I　think　the　Holy　Ghost　would；　to　distinguish　him；　have　included　him　in　the　same　discriminating　character　as　he　did　the　other；　when　he　called　him　〃Simon　the　Canaanite；〃　Matt。　x。　4。

Matthew；　therefore；　and　Levi　or　James；　were　both　publicans；　and；　as　I　think；　called　both　at　the　same　time；　were　both　publican　Jews；　and　made　by　grace　the　apostles　of　Jesus　Christ。

（3。）　　The　next　publican　that　I　find　by　name　made　mention　of　in　the　Testament　of　Christ；　is　one　Zaccheus。　　And　he　was　a　publican；　yea；　for　ought　I　know；　the　master　of　them　all。　　〃There　was　a　man；〃　saith　Luke；　〃named　Zaccheus；　which　was　the　chief　among　the　publicans；　and　he　was　rich；〃　Luke　xix。　2。　　This　man；　Christ　saith；　was　a　son　of　Abraham；　that　is；　as　other　Jews　were；　for　he　spake　to　stop　the　mouths　of　their　Pharisaical　cavillations。　　Besides；　the　Publican　shewed　himself　to　be　such　an　one；　when　under　a　supposition　of　wronging　any　man；　he　had　respect　to　the　Jewish　law　of　restoring　four…fold；　Exod。　xxii。　1；　2　Sam。　xii。　6。

It　is　further　manifest　that　he　was　a　Jew；　because　Christ　puts　him　among　the　lost；　to　wit；　among　the　lost　sheep　of　the　house　of　Israel；　ver。　10；　and　Matt。　xv。　24；　for　Zaccheus　was　one　that　might　properly　be　said　to　be　lost；　and　that　in　the　Jews'　account：　　lost；　I　say；　and　that　not　only　in　the　most　common　sense；　by　reason　of　transgression　against　the　law；　but　for　that　he　was　an　apostate　Jew；　not　with　reference　to　heathenish　religion；　but　as　to　heathenish；　cruel；　and　barbarous　actions；　and　therefore　he　was；　as　the　other；　by　his　brethren；　counted　as　bad　as　heathens；　Gentiles；　and　harlots。　　But　salvation　is　come　to　this　house；　saith　Christ；　and　that　notwithstanding　his　publican　practice；　forasmuch　as　he　also　is　the　son　of　Abraham。

3。　　Again；　Christ；　by　the　parable　of　the　lost　sheep；　doth　plainly　intimate；　that　the　Publican　was　a　Jew。　　〃Then　drew　near　all　the　publicans　and　sinners　for　to　hear　him；　and　the　Pharisees　and　Scribes　murmured；　saying；　This　man　receiveth　sinners；　and　eateth　with　them。〃

But　by　what　answer　doth　Christ　repel　their　objections？　　Why；　he　saith；　〃What　man　of　you　having　an　hundred　sheep；　if　he　lose　one　of　them；　doth　not　leave　the　ninety　and　nine　in　the　wilderness；　and　go　after　that　which　is　lost　until　he　find　it？〃　　Doth　he　not　here；　by　the　lost　sheep；　mean　the　poor　publican？　plenty　of　whom；　while　he　preached　this　sermon；　were　there；　as　objects　of　the　Pharisees'　scorn；　but　of　the　pity　and　compassion　of　Jesus　Christ：　　he　did　without　doubt　mean　them。　　For；　pray；　what　was　the　flock；　and　who　Christ's　sheep　under　the　law；　but　the　house　and　people　of　Israel？　　Ezek。　xxxiv。　11。　　So　then；　who　could　be　the　lost　sheep　of　the　house　of　Israel；　but　such　as　were　Matthew；　James；　Zaccheus；　and　their　companions　in　their　and　such　like　transgressions？

4。　　Besides；　had　not　the　publicans　been　of　the　Jews；　how　easy　had　it　been　for　the　Pharisees　to　have　objected；　that　an　impertinency　was　couched　in　that　most　excellent　parable　of　the　lost　sheep？　　They　might　have　said；　We　are　offended；　because　thou　receivest　the　publicans；　and　thou　for　vindication　of　thy　practice　propoundest　a　parable　of　lost　sheep；　but　they　are　the　sinners　of　the　house　of　Israel；　and　the　publicans　are　aliens　and　Gentiles。　　I　say；　how　easily　might　they　thus　have　objected？　but　they　knew　full　well；　that　the　parable　was　pertinent；　for　that　the　publicans　were　of　the　Jews；　and　not　of　the　aliens。　　Yea；　had　they　not　been　Jews；　it　cannot；　it　must　not　be　thought；　that　Christ　（in　sum）　should　call　them　so；　and　yet　he　di