Luke xviii. 14.
I tell you, this man went down to his house justified
rather than the other.
Which of these two men was the more fit to come to
the Communion? Most of you will answer, The publican:
for he was more justified, our Lord himself says,
than the Pharisee. True: but would you
have said so of your own accord, if the Lord had not
said so? Which of the two men do you really
think was the better man, the Pharisee or the publican?
Which of the two do you think had his soul in the
safer state? Which of the two would you rather
be, if you were going to die? Which of the two
would you rather be, if you were going to the Communion?
For mind, one could not have refused the Pharisee,
if he had come to the Communion. He was in no
open sin: I may say, no outward sin at all.
You must not fancy that he was a hypocrite, in the
sense in which we usually employ that word. I
mean, he was not a man who was leading a wicked life
secretly, while he kept up a show of religion.
He was really a religious man in his own way, scrupulous,
and over-scrupulous to perform every duty to the letter.
He went to his church to worship; and he was no lip-worshipper,
repeating a form of words by rote, but prayed there
honestly, concerning the things which were in his
heart. He did not say, either, that he had made
himself good. If he was wrong on some points,
he was not on that. He knew where his goodness,
such as it was, came from. ‘God, I thank
thee,’ he says, ‘that I am what I am.’
What have we in this man? one would ask at first sight.
What reason for him to stay away from the Sacrament?
He would not have thought himself that there was
any reason. He would, probably, have thought--’If
I am not fit, who is? Repent me truly of my former
sins? Certainly. If I have done the least
harm to any one, I shall be happy to restore it fourfold.
If I have neglected one, the least of God’s
services, I shall be only too glad to keep it all the
more strictly for the future.
’Intend to lead a new life? I am leading
one, and trying to lead one more and more every day.
I shall be thankful to any one who will show me any
new service which I can offer to God, any new act of
reverence, any new duty.
’I must go in love and charity with all men?
I do so. I have not a grudge against any human
being. Of course, I know the world too well
to be satisfied with it. I cannot shut my eyes
to the fact that millions are living very sinful,
shocking lives—extortioners, unjust, adulterers;
and that three people out of four are going straight
to hell. I pity them, and forgive them any wrong
which they have done to me. What more can I
do?’
This is what the Pharisee would have said. Is
this man fit to come to the Communion? At least
he himself thinks so.
On the other hand, was the publican fit? That
is a serious question; one which we cannot answer,
without knowing more about him than our Lord has chosen
to tell us. Many a person is ready enough, in
these days, to cry ‘God be merciful to me a
sinner!’ who is fit, I fear, neither to come
to the Communion, nor to stay away either.
