2. In an ascription of all that he did unto God : " God, I thank thee." Although he did all this, yet he owned the aid and assistance of God by his grace in it all. He esteemed himself much to differ from other men; but ascribed it not unto himself that so he did. All the righteousness and holiness which he laid claim unto, he ascribed unto the benignity and goodness of God. Wherefore, he neither pleaded any merit in his works, nor any works performed in his own strength, without the aid of grace. All that he pretends is, that by the grace of God he had fulfilled the condition of the cove- nant; and thereon expected to be justified. And whatever words men shall be pleased to make use of in their vocal prayers, God in- terprets their minds according to what they trust in, as unto their justification before him. And if some men will be true unto their own principles, this is the prayer which, " mutatis mutandis," they ought to make.
If it be said, that it is charged on this Pharisee that he " trusted in himself," and " despised others," for which he was rejected; I answer, — 1. This charge respects not the mind of the person, but the genius and tendency of the opinion. The persuasion of justification by Avorks includes in it a contempt of other men ; for " if Abraham had
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been justified by works, he should have had whereof to glory." 2. Those whom he despised were such as placed their whole trust in gTace and mercy, — as this publican. It were to be wished that all others of the same mind did not so also.
The issue is, with this person, that he was not justified; neither shall any one ever be so on the account of his own personal righte- ousness. For our Saviour hath told us, that when we have done all (that is, when we have the testimony of our consciences unto the integrity of our obedience), instead of pleading it unto our justifica- tion, we should say (that is, really judge and profess) that we are dovKoi dxpi/bi, — " unprofitable servants," Luke xvii. 10: as the apostle speaks, " I know nothing by myself; yet am I not herel:)y justified," 1 Cor. iv. 4. And he that is dovXog a%f£/bj, and hath nothing to trust unto but his service, will be cast out of the presence of God, Matt. XXV. 80. Wherefore, on the best of our obedience, to confess ourselves BovXoi axpi/o', is to confess that, after all, in ourselves, we deserve to be cast out of the presence of God.
In opposition hereunto, the state and prayer of the publican, under the same design of seeking justification before God, are expressed. And the outward acts of his person are mentioned, as representing and expressive of the inward frame of his mind : " He stood afar oflF," and "did not so much as lift up his eyes;" he "smote upon his breast." All of them represent a person desponding, yea, despairing in him- self This is the nature, this is the effect, of that conviction of sin which we before asserted to be antecedently necessaiy unto justifica- tion. Displicency, sorrow, sense of danger, fear of wrath, — all are present with him. In brief, he declares himself guilty before God, and his mouth stopped as unto any apology or excuse. And his prayer is a sincere application of his soul unto sovereign grace and mercy, for a deliverance out of the condition wherein he was by rea- son of the guilt of sin. And in the use of the word iXdoxo/iai, there is respect had unto a propitiation. In the whole of his address there is contained, — 1. Self-condemnation and abhorrency. 2. DispHcency and sorrow for sin. 3. A universal renunciation of all works of his o\Yn, as any condition of his justification. 4. An acknowledgment of his sin, guilt, and misery. And this is all that, on our part, is requhed unto justification before God, excepting that faith whereby we apply ourselves unto him for deliverance.
Some make a weak attempt from hence to prove that justification consists wholly in the remission of sin, because, on the prayer of the publican for mercy and pardon, he is said to be "justified:" but there is no force in this argument; for, — 1. The tvhole nature of justifi- cation is not here declared, but only what is required on our part thereunto. The respect of it unto the mediation of Christ waa not
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yet expressly to be brought to light; as was showed before. 2. Al- though the publican makes his address unto God under a deep sense of the guilt of sin, yet he prays not for the bare pardon of sin, but for all that sovereign mercy or grace God hath provided for sinners. 3. The term of justification must have the same sense when applied unto the Pharisee as when applied unto the publican; and if the meaning of it with respect unto the publican be, that he was par- doned, then hath it the same sense with respect unto the Pharisee, — he was not pardoned. But he came on no such errand. He came to be justified, not pardoned; nor doth he make the least mention of his sin, or any sense of it. Wherefore, although the pardon of sin be included in justification, yet to justify, in this place, hath respect unto a righteousness whereon a man is declared just and righteous ; wrapped up, on the part of the publican, in the sovereign producing cause, — the mercy of God.