em； desire of them； hungering after them？ Oh！ this is a mighty thing！ and yet prayer is no more before God； than as it is seasoned with these blessed qualifications。 Wherefore it is said； that while men are praying； God is searching of the heart； to see what is the meaning of the Spirit （or whether there be the Spirit and his meaning in all that the mouth hath uttered； either by words； sighs； or groans）； because it is by him； and through his help only； that any make prayers according to the will of God； Rom。 viii。 26； 27。 Whatever thy posture therefore shall be； see that thy prayers be pertinent and fervent； not mocking of thine own soul with words； while thou wantest； and art an utter stranger to； the very vital and living spirit of prayer。
Now； our Publican had and did exercise the very spirit of prayer in prayer。 He prayed sensibly； seriously； affectionately； hungering； thirsting； and with longing after that for which with his mouth he implored the God of heaven； his heart and soul was in his words； and it was that which made his prayer PRAYER； even because he prayed in PRAYER； he prayed inwardly as well as outwardly。
David tells us； that God heard the voice of his supplication； the voice of his cry； the voice of his tears； and the voice of his roaring。 For indeed are all these acceptable。 Affection and fervent desire make them sound well in the ears of God。 Tears； supplications； prayers； cries； may be all of them done in formality； hypocrisy； and from other causes； and to other ends； than that which is honest and right in God's sight： for God would search and look after the voice of his tears； supplications； roarings； prayers； and cries。
And if men had less care to please men； and more to please God； in the matter and manner of praying； the world would be at a better pass than it is。 But this is not in man's power to help and to amend。 When the Holy Ghost comes upon men with great conviction of their state and condition； and of the use and excellency of the grace of sincerity and humility in prayer； then； and not till then； will the grace of prayer be more prized； and the specious； flounting； complimentary lips of flatterers； be more laid aside。 I have said it already； and will say it again； that there is now…a…days a great deal of wickedness committed in the very duty of prayer； by words of which men have no sense by reaching after such conclusion and clenshes therein； as make their persons be admired； by studying for； and labouring after； such enlargements as the spirit accompanieth not the heart in。 O Lord God； make our hearts upright in us； as in all points and parts of our profession； so in this solemn appointment of God！ 〃If I regard iniquity in my heart；〃 said David； 〃the Lord will not hear my prayer。〃 But if I be truly sincere； he will； and then it is no matter whether I kneel； or stand； or sit； or lie； or walk； for I shall do none of these； nor put up my prayers under any of these circumstances； lightly； foolishly； and idly； but to beautify this gesture with the inward working of my mind and spirit in prayer； that whether I stand or sit； walk or lie down； grace and gravity； humility and sincerity； shall make my prayer profitable； and my outward behaviour comely in his eyes； with whom （in prayer） I now have to do。
And had not our Publican been inwardly seasoned with these； Christ would have taken but little pleasure in his modes and outward behaviour： but being so honest inwardly； and in the matter of his prayer； his gestures by that were made beauteous also； and therefore it is that our Lord so delightfully delateth upon them； and draweth them out at length before the eyes of others。
I have often observed； that which is natural and so comely in one； looks odiously when imitated by another。 I speak as to gestures and actions in preaching and prayer。 Many； I doubt not； but will imitate the Publican； and that both in the prayer and gestures of the Publican； whose persons and actions will yet stink in the nostrils of him that is holy and just； and that searcheth the heart and the reins。
Well； the Publican stood and prayed； he stood afar off； and prayed； and his prayers came even to the ears of God。
〃And the Publican standing afar off would not lift up so much as his eyes to heaven；〃 &c。
We are now come to another of his postures。 He would not； says the text； so much as lift up his eyes to heaven。 Here； therefore； was another gesture added to that which went before； and a gesture that a great while before had been condemned by the Holy Ghost himself。 〃Is it such a fast that I have chosen； a day for a man to afflict his soul？ Is it to bow down his head as a bulrush？〃 Isa。 lviii。 5。
But why condemned then； and smiled upon now？ Why？ Because done in hypocrisy then； and in sincerity now。 Hypocrisy； and a spirit of error； that he shall take no pleasure in them； but sincerity； and honesty in duties； will make even them comely in the sight of men may I not say before God？ The Rechabites were not commanded of God； but of their father； to do as they did； but； because they were sincere in their obedience thereto； even God himself maketh use of what they did； to condemn the disobedience of the Jews； and； moreover； doth tell the Rechabites at last； that they should not want a man to stand before him for ever。 〃And Jeremiah said unto the house of the Rechabites； Thus saith the Lord of Hosts； the God of Israel； because ye have obeyed the commandment of Jonadab your father； and kept all his precepts； and done according unto all that he hath commanded you； therefore； thus saith the Lord of Hosts； the God of Israel； Jonadab； the son of Rechab； shall not want a man to stand before me for ever。〃
He would not lift up his eyes to heaven。 Why？ Surely because shame had covered his face。 Shame will make a man blush and hang his head like a bulrush； shame for sin is a virtue； a comely thing； yea； a beauty…spot in the face of a sinner that cometh to God for mercy。
God complains of the house of Israel； that they could sin； and that without shame； yea； and threateneth them too with sore repeated judgments； because they were not ashamed； it is in Jer。 viii。 Their crimes in general were； they turned every one to his course； as the horse runneth into the battle。 In particular； they were such as rejected God's word； they loved this world； and set themselves against the prophets； crying； 〃Peace； peace；〃 when they cried； 〃Judgment； judgment！〃 And were not ashamed when they had committed abomination； 〃Nay； they were not at all ashamed； neither could they blush； therefore shall they fall among them that fall： in the time of their visitation they shall be cast down； saith the Lord；〃 ver。 12。 Oh！ to stand； or sit； or lie； or kneel； or walk before God in prayer； with blushing cheeks for sin； is one of the most excellent sights that can be seen in the world。
Wherefore the church taketh some kind of heart to herself in that she could lie down in her shame； yea； and makes that a kind of an argument with God to prove that her prayers did come from her heart； and also that he would hear them； Jer。 iii。 22…25。
Shame for sin argueth sense of sin； yea； a right sense of sin； a godly sense of sin。 Ephraim pleads this when under the hand of God： I was （saith he） 〃ashamed； yea； even confounded； because I did bear the reproach of my youth。〃 But what follows？ 〃Is Ephraim my dear son？ is he a pleasant child？ for since I spake against him； I do earnestly remember him still： therefore my bowels are troubled for him： I will surely have mercy upon him； saith the Lord；〃 Jer。 xxxi。 19； 20。
I know that there is a shame that is not the spirit of an honest heart； but that rather floweth from sudden surprisal； when the sinner is unawares taken in the actin the very manner。 And thus sometimes the house of Israel were taken： and then； when they blushed； their shame is compared to the shame of a thief。 〃As the thief is ashamed when he is found； so is the house of Israel ashamed； they； their kings； their princes； and their priests； and their prophets。〃
But where were they taken； or about what were they found？ Why； they were found 〃saying to a stock； Thou art my father； and to a stone； thou hast brought me forth。〃 God catched them thus doing； and this made them ashamed； even as the thief is ashamed when the owner doth catch him stealing his horse。
But this was not the Publican's shame。 This shame brings not a man into the temple to pray； to stand willingly； and to take shame before God in prayer。 This shame makes one rather to fly from his face； and to count one's self most at ease when farthest off from God； Jer。 ii。 26； 27。
The Publican's shame； therefore； which he demonstrated by hanging down his head； was godly and holy； and much like that of the prodigal； when he said； 〃Father； I have sinned against heaven； and in thy sight； and am no more worthy to be called thy son；〃 Luke xv。 21。 I suppose that his postures were much the same with the Publican's； as were his prayers； for the substance of them。 O however grace did work in both to the same end！ they were both of them； after a godly manner； ashamed of their sins。
〃He would not lift up so much as his eyes to heaven。〃
He could not； he would not： which yet more fully makes it appear； that it was shame； not guilt only； or chiefly； though it is manifest enough that he had guilt； by his crying； 〃God be merciful to me a sinner。〃 I say； guilt was not the chief cause of hanging down his head； because it saith； he WOULD not； for when guilt is the cause of stooping； it lieth not in the will； or in the power thereof； to help one up。
David tells us； that when he was under guilt； his iniquities were gone over his head： as an heavy burden； they were too heavy for him； and that with them he was bowed down greatly。 Or； as he says in another place； 〃Mine iniquities have taken hold upon me； so that I am not able to look up；〃 Psalm xxxviii。； xl。 I am not able to do it： guilt disableth the understanding； and conscience； shame makes all willingly fall at the feet of Christ。
He would not。 He knew what he was； what he had been； and should be； if God had not mercy upon him； yea； he knew also that God knew what he was； had been； and would be； if mercy prevented