ministry, to militate against this Pharisaical spirit, practice and
1. The whole gospel-dispensation is calculated entirely to overthrow and abolish everything to which this self-distinguishing, self-exalting language of the Jews was owing. It was calculated wholly to exclude such boasting, and to destroy that pride and self-righteousness, that were the causes of it: it was calculated to abolish the enmity, and break down the partition-wall between Jews and Gentiles, and of twain to make one new man, so making peace; to destroy all dispositions in nations and particular persons to despise one another, or to say one to another, "Stand by thyself, come not near to me, for I am holier than thou," and to establish the contrary principles of humility, mutual esteem, honor and love, and universal union, in the most firm and perfect manner.
2. Christ, when on earth, set himself, through the course of his ministry, to militate against this Pharisaical spirit, practice and language of the Jews; appearing in such representations, names and epithets so customary among them; by which they shewed so much contempt of the Gentiles, Publicans and such as were openly lewd and vicious, and so exalted themselves above them; calling them sinners and enemies, and themselves holy and God's children; not allowing the Gentile to be their neighbor, etc. He condemned the Pharisees for not esteeming themselves sinners, as well as the Publicans; trusting in themselves that they were righteous, and despising others. He militated against these things in his own treatment of some Gentiles, Publicans and others, whom they called sinners, and in what he said on those occasions. He opposed these notions and manners of the Jews in his parables;3 and in his instructions to his disciples how to treat the unbelieving Jews; and in what he says to Nicodemus about the necessity of a new birth, even for the Jews, as well as the unclean Gentiles with regard to their proselytism, which some of the Jews looked upon as a new birth; and in opposition to their notions of their being the children of God,