and aim at, and press towards, a perfection in grace and holiness, Phil. 3. 12—14. And therein we must study to conform ourselves to the example of our heavenly Father, 1 Pet. 1. 15, 16. Or, 2. In this particular before mentioned, of doing good to our enemies; see Luke 6. 36. It is God's perfection to forgive injuries and to entertain strangers, and to do good to the evil and unthankful, and it will be ours to be like him. We that owe so much, that owe our all, to the divine bounty, ought to copy it out as well as we can.
CHAP. VI.
Christ having, in the former chapter, armed his disciples against the corrupt doctrines and opinions of the Scribes and Pharisees, especially in their expositions of the law, (that was called their leaven, ch. 16. 12.) comes in this chapter to warn them against their corrupt practices; against the two sins, which, though in their doctrine they did not justify, yet in their conversation they were notoriously guilty of, hypocrisy and worldly-mindedness; sins which, of all others, the professors of religion need most to guard against, as sins that most easily beset those who have escaped the grosser pollutions that are in the world through lust, and which are therefore highly dangerous. We are here cautioned, I. Against hypocrisy; we must not be as the hypocrites are, nor do as the hypocrites do. 1. In giving of alms, v. 1..4. 2. In prayer, v. 5..8. We are here taught what to pray for, and how to pray; (v. 9..13.) and to forgive in prayer, v. 14, 15. 3. In fasting, v. 16..18. II. Against worldly-mindedness. 1. In our choice, which is the destroying sin of hypocrites, v. 19..24. 2. In our cares, which is the disquieting sin of many good christians, v. 25..34.
1.TAKE heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. 2. Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, they have their reward. 3. But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: 4, That thine alms may be in secret: and thy father, which seeth in secret, himself shall reward thee openly.
As we must do better than the Scribes and Pharisees in avoiding heart-sins, heart-adultery and heart-murder, so likewise in maintaining and keeping up heart religion, doing what we do from an inward, vital principle, that we may be approved of God, not that we may be applauded of men; that is, we must watch against hypocrisy, which was the leaven of the Pharisees, as well as against their doctrine, Luke 12. 1. Alms-giving, prayer, and fasting, are three great christian duties—the three foundations of the law, say the Arabians: by them we do homage and service to God with our three principal interests; by prayer with our souls, by fasting with our bodies, by alms-giving with our estates. Thus we must not only depart from evil, but do good, and do it well, and so dwell for evermore.
Now in these verses we are cautioned against hypocrisy in giving alms. Take heed of it. Our being bid to take heed of it, intimates that it is a sin, 1. We are in great danger of; it is a subtle sin; vainglory insinuates itself into what we do ere we are aware. The disciples would be tempted to it by the power they had to do many wondrous works, and their living with some that admired them and others that despised them, both which are temptations to covet to make a fair show in the flesh. 2. It is a sin we are in great danger by. Take heed of hypocrisy, for if it reign in you, it will ruin you. It is the dead fly that spoils the whole box of precious ointment.
Two things are here supposed.
I. The giving of alms is a great duty, and a duty which all the disciples of Christ, according to their ability, must abound in. It is prescribed by the law of nature and of Moses, and great stress is laid upon it by the prophets. Divers ancient copies here for τὴν ἐλεημοσύνην—your alms, read τὴν δικαιοσύνην—your righteousness, for alms are righteousness, Ps. 112. 9. Prov. 10. 2. The Jews called the poor's box, the box of righteousness. That which is given to the poor is said to be their due, Prov. 3. 27. The duty is not the less necessary and excellent for its being abused by hypocrites to serve their pride. If superstitious Papists have placed a merit in works of charity, that will not be an excuse for covetous Protestants that are barren in such good works. It is true, our alms-deeds do not deserve heaven; but it is as true that we cannot go to heaven without them. It is pure religion, (Jam. 1. 27.) and will be the test at the great day; Christ here takes it for granted that his disciples give alms, nor will he own those that do not.
II. That it is such a duty as has a great reward attending it, which is lost if it be done in hypocrisy. It is sometimes rewarded in temporal things with plenty; (Prov. 11. 24, 25.—19. 17.) security from want; (Prov. 28. 27. Ps. 37. 21, 25.) succour in distress; (Ps. 41. 1, 2.) honour and a good name, which follow those most that least covet them, Ps. 112. 9. However, it shall be recompensed in the resurrection of the just, (Luke 14. 14.) in eternal riches.
Quas dederis, solas semper habebis, opes.
The riches you impart form the only wealth you will always retain.—Martial.
This being supposed, observe now,
1. What was the practice of the hypocrites about this duty. They did it indeed, but not from any principle of obedience to God, or love to man, but in pride and vain-glory; not in compassion to the poor, but purely for ostentation, that they might be extolled for good men, and so might gain an interest in the esteem of the people, with which they knew how to serve their own turn, and to get a great deal more than they gave. Pursuant to this intention, they chose to give their alms in the synagogues, and in the streets, where there was the greatest concourse of people to observe them, who applauded their liberality because they shared in it, but were so ignorant as not to discern their abominable pride. Probably they had collections for the poor in the synagogues, and the common beggars haunted the streets and highways, and upon these public occasions they chose to give their alms. Not that it is unlawful to give alms when men see us; We may do it, we must do, it, but not that men may see us; we should rather choose those objects of charity that are less observed. The hypocrites, if they gave alms at their own houses, sounded a trumpet, under pretence of calling the poor together to be served, but really to proclaim their charity, and to have that taken notice of and made the subject of discourse.
Now the doom that Christ passes upon this is very observable; Verily I say unto you, they have their reward. At first view this seems a promise—If they have their reward they have enough, but two words in it make it a threatening.
(1.) It is a reward, but it is their reward; not the reward which God promises to them that do good, but the reward which they promise themselves, and a poor reward it is; they did it to be seen of men, and they are seen of men; they chose their own delusions with which they cheated themselves, and they shall have what they chose. Carnal professors
