abuse of his neighbour;-if ever the pride of man appeared in a more unseemly dress than usual, or at a more unseasonable time, it was in this instance-in that particular moment, when every idle passion should be lulled to rest, and every worldly affection banished from the heart, then to suffer the most distant thought of resentment or malice to intrude upon his devotion, was a mark of the greatest weakness in himself, and want of respect to his God; but in the very act of praying, to raise his own merit upon another's unworthiness, and instead of a blessing upon himself, almost to demand a curse upon his neighbour, was nothing less than impiety. There seems to have been little reason too for this boasted triumph over the publican, even from his own account of his religion-"I fast twice a week, I "give tythes of all I possess." If this was all he had to offer in his behalf, it was but a weak foundation to support so

much pride and self-conceit-a very small part of his duty to God was comprehended in these outward ceremonies of fasting and giving tythes; while he adhered so strictly to the observance of these trifles, how many nobler virtues were left uncultivated? how many amiable affections that would have been an honour to his profession as well as to humanity, were strangers to his breast; humility and charity in particular, appear to have made no part of his character; for even supposing him as he boasted, to have been free from the common vices of extortion, injustice, and adultery, was it a mark of humility to commend his own good works?-to proclaim his praises even to his Maker? while every act of disobedience, every failing of his nature, which even the best are subject to, was passed over in silence? was it charity, to insult over the miseries of his fellow-creatures, and instead of praying to God to have compassion upon him, for

the unavoidable evils to which his profession exposed him, to boast with an insolent kind of contempt, "that he was not 66 as this publican?" How much he was deceived in the lofty opinion of his own excellence will be more fully seen in the

conclusion of this parable; in the mean

time it may be said in his defence, and common humanity will incline us to suppose, that he really might think himself a religious and upright man; he imagined, without doubt, that the whole of his religion consisted in the two articles-of paying tythes and frequent fasting; his behaviour, therefore, seems to have proceeded more from an error in his judgment, than inclination to offend; otherwise it is not probable, that when he stood by himself apart in the temple, and no witness of what passed between him and his God, he should knowingly and wilfully dare to exhibit such a scene of mockery in the face of Heaven.

I have dwelt the longer upon this character of the Pharisee, as it represents so. true a picture of the generality of mankind, who are too ready to screen their iniquities, under the outward appearance of sanctity and devotion, too inquisitive to discover the failings of another, and to insult when they are found;-in a word, too apt to thank God that they are not as other men; as if the chief boast of man was to be less wicked than his neighbour, and the great object of his pride, to raise himself upon the ruin of his fellowcreature; as this character of the Pharisee shews us but too plainly what we are, so the opposite behaviour of the publican will teach us what we ought to be; the extreme humility of the one, was no less remarkable than the pride of the other;every word and every action expressed nothing but shame and confusion; from a sense of his own unworthiness, he stood afar off, not presuming to approach nearer

to the presence of his God, conscious how grievously he had offended the majesty of Heaven; had broken his laws, and transgressed his precepts; he would not lift up so much as his eyes to Heaven, but in the anguish of his heart, he smote upon his breast, crying, "God be merciful to me, a sinner."

All the studied eloquence of words, and most refined elegance of language, could not express the melancholy state of his mind, more than this short but fervent prayer;he pleads no merit of his own-enters into no comparison with others, but confines his thoughts entirely to his own misery: nor does he even allege any mixture of good to balance the evil of his past life; his only refuge is in the mercy of a forgiving God; and yet he brings no motive to incline that mercy, but a sorrowful sense of his guilt, and an humble trust in God's unbounded goodness; nor