FIRST. HIS MANNER in prayer is deserving of notice. He stood afar off. He felt a reverential awe when about to address the majesty of heaven. He felt so unworthy to have communion with God, that the lowest, meanest place in God's house of prayer was too honourable for him. His position in standing afar off, was a practical comment on the words of the preacher: "Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God, for God is in heaven and thou upon the earth, therefore let thy words be few."

The publican "STOOD afar off." The construction of the parable shows that Christ considered standing a suitable posture for public prayer, though kneeling may be used with propriety in secret and even in family devotions. The Saviour kneeled in prayer in the garden, and St. Paul with the elders of Ephesus. But the temper of the heart is what Jehovah regards in prayer, rather than the posture of the body. The publican's manner in prayer deserves still farther consideration. He not only manifested a solemn awe of the Divine Majesty, but an ingenuous shame for sin. He would not lift so much as his eyes to heaven. In this way he appears to have manifested that temper of heart which indited the introduction of Ezra's prayer: "O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face before thee, my God." The same ingenuous shame accompanied David's prayer when he said, "Mine iniquities have taken hold upon me, so that I am not able to look up; they are more than the hairs of my head, therefore my heart faileth me. Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me." The publican felt ashamed to lift his guilty eyes toward the habitation of infinite purity, to that heavenly Benefactor whose favours had been requited with ingratitude and disobedience. Conscious shame bowed down his head like a bullrush, in view of the contempt he had poured upon the authority of God, his abuse of the Divine goodness, and his unfitness for heaven. Therefore he would not lift up so much as his eyes to heaven, but smote on his breast.

He smote upon his breast in token of deep sorrow for sin-pungent anguish of soul in view of his crimson

guilt. This indicated the genuine spirit of grace and supplication, as may be learned from the prophecy of Zechariah. Saith Jehovah, "I will pour upon the house of David and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem the spirit of grace and of supplication, and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and mourn, as for an only son, and shall be in bitterness-as for a first born." He smote upon his breast as the seat of iniquity. He felt indignant against the sinful propensities which had so long reigned there. He longed to have them eradicated. This is an important temper in prayer to mourn for sin, and hate it with a perfect hatred. "If I regard iniquity in my heart," says David, "the Lord will not hear my prayer.

We shall proceed,

SECONDLY, TO Consider the MATTER of the publican's prayer, "God, be merciful to me, a sinner." From this language it is manifest, the publican felt that he was a sinner. He saw that he commenced his existence with a sinful nature. He saw his heart to be a sink of pollution; a cage of every unclean bird. He clearly saw, that this evil heart of unbelief had caused him in innumerable instances to depart from the living and true God. He felt himself guilty and excuseless for all his sins of deed, word, or thought. He could discern nothing morally good in himself to recommend him to the Divine favour. He felt therefore that he could approach the throne of grace in no better character than that of a vile sinner. He realized that he should never make himself better by restraining prayer, and if he ever came to the throne of grace, he must come pleading

GUILTY.

The publican, by his humble confession that he was a sinner, acknowledged himself deserving of God's wrath. He realized that God might justly render him as miserable as he had made himself sinful. He realized that sin was an evil and a bitter thing-that it is exceedingly malignant in its nature-that it is diametrically opposed and hostile to holiness, and to the very existence of a God of infinite holiness. His confession admitted the righteousness of that law which condemned

him. He had no fault to find with the strictness and spirituality of God's law, no cavils to raise against its penalties as too severe. He felt that such a sinner as himself might be justly doomed to the pit of despair, and that it was Divine forbearance alone which had so long kept him out of it.

God, be merciful to me, a sinner, implied a full conviction that no repentance could expiate his guilt, no amendment could restore him to the Divine favour. Nothing but mercy, mere sovereign mercy, could reach his case. If he were pardoned and saved, it would be directly the reverse of his deserts. It would be an act of sovereign clemency. There lay all his dependance. He had not a particle of righteousness to bring into the account. He did not attempt to reckon with his Maker, as too many do, by bringing in debt and credit. It was all debt on his part. He owed ten thousand talents, and had nothing to pay. He felt therefore that he must have mercy shown him or lie in prison forever. Nor should he have the least cause of complaint against God if no mercy were shown him.

Again, God, be merciful to me, a sinner, implied, that the publican believed none but God could pardon his sins. He did not expect deliverance from any other source. The structure of the sentence in the original is thought by able commentators to imply forgiveness of sins through an atonement. The mediation of him whose blood alone cleanseth from sin, is therefore recognized in this petition for pardon.

Finally, This petition implied a conviction that God could be merciful to sinners consistently with the good of his moral kingdom, and a measure of hope that mercy might be granted even to himself, a vile publican. Dispair shuts up the lips of sinners. Hope of mercy opens them and fills them with the most cogent argu

ments.

We proceed,

THIRDLY, TO Consider the ACCEPTANCE with which the publican's prayer met at the throne of Grace. Christ assures us, that this man went down to his house justified rather than the other. He had evidence of justifi

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cation unknown to the self-righteous pharisee. His prayer was accepted, his petition granted; but the formal devotion of the other was not. A number of arguments may be adduced to prove that the publican's prayer was accepted, and why it was accepted. The publican prayed aright, because the Saviour of sinners would not have constructed his parable in a manner to recommend a prayer which was not acceptable to God. This would be encouraging persons to hope they were pleasing God when they were not. Thus they would deceive themselves, and pray in vain. Christ could not err in his directions.

Again. The publican's prayer was accepted, because God delights in showing mercy to those who penitently seek it. When Moses besought God to show him his glory, Jehovah passed and proclaimed his name, "The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering and abundant in goodness and truth; keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity, and transgression, and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty."-God will never clear the guilty, except by his mercy sought and obtained through the mediation of the Redeemer. the Lord God delights in being merciful and gracious to the humble suppliant. A peculiar glory emanates from Divine mercy displayed in harmony with Divine justice. For this reason mercy could be granted to the publican, and ever has been granted to all who have sought it as he did.

But

Another reason why the publican's prayer was accepted was, because it was conformable to the direction of God's word respecting this duty. "Take with you words and turn unto the Lord, and say unto him, take away all iniquity, receive us graciously;" is a direction for prayer, found in the Old Testament Scriptures. A similar one is given by St. Paul in the New Testament. "Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain MERCY and find grace to help in time of need." The publican prayed that God would take away all his iniquity and grant him mercy. And God will never reject the prayer which is offered in the manner which himself has directed. For by many prom-'

ises in his word he has pledged himself he will not. This is an important reason why we may determine that the publican's prayer was acceptable to God.

We will introduce but two of these promises. "He that covereth his sins shall not prosper, but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them, shall have mercy." " If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." The publican did not attempt to cover his sins. He sincerely and penitently confessed himself a sinner, before God, and therefore the justice and faithfulness of God were pledged that he should find mercy. The last reason we shall assign why we may determine that the publican's prayer was accepted, is, that by Jehovah's answering such prayers, and only such prayers of sinful beings, the redeemed from among men are prepared to sing one song in heaven. There will be no jargon in their notes, as there must be, if men were saved partly by their own merits, and partly by Christ. This will forever be the anthem of the Redeemed: "Blessing, and glory, and honour, and power, be unto him that sitteth on the throne, and to the Lamb forever." "For of his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and the renewing of the Holy Ghost."

From the illustration of our subject, let us draw inferences for a practical improvement of it.

1. From the parable of the pharisee and the publican, we may learn who will not be accepted in prayer; those who do not attempt to pray, and. those who are filled with self-righteousness. That persons who do not attempt to pray, can never be approved of God, we should conclude, would never be controverted, if stubborn facts to the contrary did not stare us in the face. That creatures, circumstanced as we are, should feel sensible of their dependence on God, their relations and obligations to him, that they should realize their own necessities, and seek to have them relieved, where relief alone can be found, is what every considerate mind must approve. But these are the feelings which induce prayer, and without prayer we have no evidence of their existence in the mind. Yet, as unaccountable as