[He did not attempt to extenuate his guilt, or promise amendment as a reparation for his offences. He renounced all self-righteous methods of recommending himself to God, and cast himself entirely upon the Divine mercy.]
Services performed in so different a spirit could not find equal acceptance —
II. The different success with which their prayers were attended —
The Pharisee could not reasonably expect a bless- ing—
[Many humble persons indeed would envy his conscious rectitude, and wish that they could lay claim to such purity as his. But, what could he obtain who did not condescend to ask any thing ? His pride would set God at a greater distance from himf. Had he been able to boast of far greater things than he possessed, his uncharitableness had rendered them all of no value e, and his self-dependence cut him off from all hope in the Divine mercy h. Hence, though full of self-applause, he departed without a blessing from God. Though justified in his own conceit, he was under condemnation for sin. He was odious in God's eyes in proportion as he was amiable in his own. This is asserted, not in the text only, but in other pas- sages of Scripture1- — . Jehovah himself declares this in very significant and awful terms k — .]
The Publican, on the contrary, was blessed beyond his expectation —
[Many would have reprobated his downcast look and solemn attitude, and have judged him to be a melancholy enthusiast or a designing hypocrite. But God regarded him with complacency and delight. Such humility and contrition could not fail of engaging his care1; and such affiance in him obliged him, as it were, to display his mercy m. Hence the Publican went home justified, while the Pharisee returned in a state of condemnation". Thus it is that God will deal with every humble suppliant0. He will assuredly exalt us in pro- portion as we abase ourselves.]
f Ps. cxxxviii. a. g 1 Cor. xiii. 1 — 3.
h Gal. v. 2, 4. i Prov. xvi. 5.
k Isai. lxv. 5. Here the Pharisee's character is described in per- fect correspondence with the text : and God's indignation against him is very strongly painted.
1 Isai. lvii. 15. Ps. li. 17. m Ps. cxxv. 1. Isai. xxvi. 3, 4.
" This is the import of that which the text expresses in a way of comparison.
0 Job xxxiii. 27, 28.