Page:SermonsFromTheLatins.djvu/442

 publican's idea  of  the  Pharisee,  or  to  imagine  the surprise of  each  had  they  been  told  later  on  of Christ's,  of  God's,  judgment  between  them. The parable was  addressed,  you  know,  to  "some  who trusted  in  themselves  as  just,  and  despised  others," and it  is  worthy  of  notice  that  the  only  one  in  Christ's audience  or  Christ's  parable  who  succeeded  in  arriving at  a  just  estimate  of  himself  or  of  others,  was  he who  humbly  said:  "  O  God,  be  merciful  to  me,  a  sinner." The inference  would  seem  to  be  that  at  no time  are  men  more  prone  to  error  than  when  they attempt to  determine  their  own  or  their  neighbor's moral  status,  and  that  in  no  other  matter  are  human opinions more  likely  to  run  counter  to  the.judgments of God. It is  Msop,  I  believe,  who  represents  man  as going  through  life  with  two  pouches  suspended  from his neck,  one  in  front  and  one  behind,  and  in  the former, ever  before  his  eyes,  he  keeps  his  own  virtues and his  neighbor's  vices,  but  in  the  latter,  behind  his back, his  neighbor's  good  traits  and  his  own  faults. Never shall  we  judge  just  judgments  until  we  have reversed the  pouches,  or  in  some  way  acquired  the spirit of  the  publican. Nor is  this  a  matter  of  little moment; it  is  a  question  of  such  human  interest  that it appeals  even  to  the  Pagan,  and  its  claim  on  the attention of  Christians  is  more  especial  still,  since  it deals  with  that  new  commandment  Christ  gave  us, the very  groundwork,  the  heart  of  all  religion,  the law of  charity. " For  charity,"  says  St.  Paul,  "  is  not puffed  up,  nor  envious,  nor  self-seeking,  nor  perverse, but  is  patient,  is  kind,  thinketh  no  evil;  re-