The second thing that I take notice of in this prayer of the
Pharisee, is his manner of delivery, as he stood praying in the
temple: "God, I thank thee," said he, "that I am not as other men
are." He seemed to be at this time in more than an ordinary frame,
while now he stood in the presence of the divine Majesty: for a
prayer made up of praise, is a prayer made up of the highest order,
and is most like the way of them that are now in a state beyond
prayer. Praise is the work of heaven; but we see here, that an
hypocrite may get into that vein, even while an hypocrite, and while
on earth below. Nor do I think that this prayer of his was a
premeditated stinted form, but a prayer extempore, made on a sudden
according to what he felt, thought, or understood of himself.

Here therefore we may see, that even prayer, as well as other acts of
religious worship, may be performed in great hypocrisy; although I
think, that to perform prayer in hypocrisy, is one of the most daring
sins that are committed by the sons of men. For by prayer, above all
duties, is our most direct and immediate personal approach into the
presence of God; as there is an uttering of things before him,
especially a giving to him of thanks for things received, or a
begging that such and such things might be bestowed upon me. But
now, to do these things in hypocrisy (and it is easy to do them so,
when we go up into the temple to pray), must needs be intolerable
wickedness, and it argueth infinite patience in God, that he should
let such as do so arise alive from their knees, or that he should
suffer them to go away from the place where they stand, without some
token or mark of his wrath upon them.

I also observe, that this extempore prayer of the Pharisee was
performed by himself, or in the strength of his own natural parts;