Expositions Upon Matthew 1-10, Treatise · Chapter 6
CHAP. VI.
V. 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.
THis Chapter hath ſix parts in it, the firſt is of avoiding hypocriſie and vain-glory, and following after ſecrecy and ſincerity in the giving of Alms.
Whether this Chapter be a continued Sermon with the former is not much material.
Take heed ye do not your Alms before men, to be ſeen of them] Either of the party to whom you give, that they ſhould tell of your liberality, and cry you up, or of others. Moſt men have a greater thirſt of credit than of virtue. Vain-glory and ſpiritual pride is ready to intrude into all our ſervices, unleſs we be watchfull.
Queſt. But is it not lawfull to give Alms publickly?
Anſw. Yes, we may do good every where, but we muſt not do them that we may be beheld of men, but our conſciences muſt witneſs, that if no eye were upon us we would do the ſame in ſecret, that we do publickly. God doth not turn away the eys of men from our Alms, but our heart from their eys. The Lord doth not forbid others from ſeeing our bounty, but forbids us to do it for to ſeem bountifull: for in no duty more than this the heart is apt to be carried out after ſight of men. Vain-glory is like that Worm which eat up Jonah's Gourd.
Object. But do not the Commands of Chriſt, Matt. 5.16. Let your light ſhine forth before men, and this Command contradict?
Anſw. No. Suppoſe two men, one doth Alms in ſecret, ſo that no man knows of it, no not he that receives it, he offends this Command, Let your light ſhine forth: now no man ſees his good deeds, and ſo doth invite to imitation, others ſhall be barren, whiles they think no man doth that which God commands, and a greater mercy is done to him that hath an Example of Imitation, than to him that is relieved. Another gives Alms onelyonly to be praiſed, he doth not offend againſt this Command, Let your works ſhine forth, but againſt this Command, Let thine Alms be in ſecret. Aug. Serm. 31. de quatuor queſtionibus, he there compares theſe to fooliſh Virgins, which did ſhine but had no Oyl, that is, no conſcience of pleaſing God in their good works. He obſerves both theſe Precepts, that doth good before men, not that others may praiſe him, but that others may imitate him.
Otherwiſe you have no reward of your Father which is in Heaven] That is, if you make your own praiſe your end and not God, you cannot look for any Reward, nay, in ſtead of a gracious Reward you may look for Puniſhment for your vain-glory.
No Reward] This word Reward doth not note an equality betwixt the Work and the Reward. Merces the Latine word, as Varro ſaith, is derived of Mereri to obtain, ſo that it ſeems to ſignifie a Gift, ſo that that Reward beſtowed on our obedience is founded on the free Promiſe of God: for elſe all our doings and ſufferings are not to be compared to the future glory.
Uſe. For application, 1 Be attentive over your hearts in giving Alms.
2 Look upon vain-glory as that which doth unhallow your Alms, it's a ſweet Poyſon, it's the Mother of Hell, as Chryſoſtom calls it, the Moth of Liberality. It's equal that every man have his Reward from him he labours for, now when you give to men, it's equal you have mens praiſe, it's not equal that there be a double but a ſingle Reward for one labour.
V. 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.
Sound a Trumpet] It's a Proverb, for the Hebrews were wont to call the people together by a Trumpet, Num. 10.2. Joel 2.15. Pſalm 81.3, 4. Though Lyra and Pareus think they called both the poor and beholders in the Synagogues and Streets where there were any concourſe of men. So that to ſound a Trumpet is a Proverb for to call the people for witneſs; theſe Phariſees pretended they onelyonly called the poor together by ſounding a Trumpet, but the thing they intended was vain-glory, and therefore they ſought the moſt eminent places that they might have many Witneſſes.
As the Hypocrites do in the Synagogues] Chriſt alludes to the calling together on the Stage, for the people is called together with a Trumpet to behold the Play, for in profane Writers Hypocrites are called Stage-players, foreign, à ſimulando, from the counterfeit perſon they bear; ſo theſe Phariſees pretended to be the Servants of God, when indeed they were the Servants of vain-glory.
Verily I ſay to you, they have their Reward] That is, Praiſe with men not with God. Chemnicius thinks it was a cuſtome that the poor in Iſrael did not beg from door to door, but that the poor of every place at ſet times were called together into a certain place by the ſound of a Trumpet, that they might receive Alms, either out of the Tithes of the poor, Deut. 14.28. or other Alms of charitable minded people: this appointment had ſome reaſon in it, 1 That wandring Beggars might not by their importunity get away Alms from others, and the true poor be neglected, and this was done in the Synagogue where the Law and Prophets were read, that both the Givers and Receivers might be warned of their duty. Chriſt doth not blame this cuſtome, but the Phariſees would not give their Alms in common but by themſelves, and when they did it they would have a Trumpet ſounded when they went through the City to the place of Alms, hence they had the praiſe of men for reward.
V. 3. But, when thou doeſt Alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doth.
The words are a Proverb, that is, If thy left hand had eys it might not ſee the Charity which the right hand doth, though the left hand be moſt ſerviceable to the right hand of all the members. Hereby Chriſt would have us content with the teſtimony of Gods eye, we muſt be ſo far from publiſhing our Alms to others that we muſt do what we can to keep it from our ſelves, that we do not applaud it, or wonder at it, or feed our eys or mindes with the meditation of it, neither of the quantity given, nor manner of giving, nor perſons to whom it is given. The righteous ſay, Lord, when ſaw we thee an hungry and fed thee, and thirſty and gave thee drink? Matth. 25.37. He that giveth let him do it with ſimplicity, Rom. 12.8. This will be a means to prevent pride and upbraiding of the poor, and enſlaving the poor to us, whom we are apt to think we have obliged to us by our benefits. Auguſtine interprets the left hand the carnal deſire of the minde, the right hand the ſpiritual love of the minde. If a man out of pure love to God give Alms, here the left knows not what the right hand doth; but if a man in giving Alms ſeek for profit, he mingles the conſcience of his left hand with the works of his right hand. Aug. Serm. 31. de quatuor queſtionibus.
V. 4. That thine Alms may be in ſecret, and thy Father which ſeeth in ſecret himſelf ſhall reward thee openly.
That thine Alms may be in ſecret] i.e. Removed from the eys of men, and done to God. If ſo, Thou ſhalt have praiſe before men, Chriſt and Angels in the day of judgement, Matth. 25.34, 35, 36. 1 Cor. 4.5.
Obj. But if we do alms in ſecret we ſhall loſe them.
A. No, it's enough to have God a witneſs, who will one day recompence it, Luke 12.14. and acknowledge it. Here the hypocrite hath ſome hundreds looking on, in the day of Chriſt thou ſhalt have millions beholding.
Not as if always ſecrecy of place were required, for ſometimes we give in publick, either to ſtir up others by our example, or to relieve a poor perſon we meet in an open place; but here our hearts ought to be removed from the eys of men, and there is more occaſions of vain-glory by giving in publick then in ſecret.
And thy father which ſeeth in ſecret himſelf ſhall reward thee openly] As if he ſhould ſay, Though there be no witneſs nor rewarder among men, yet do not think thou haſt loſt thy labour, though men bury thy alms in forgetfulneſs or unthankfulneſs, yet God beholds thee, Heb. 4.13. he looks on thy heart, 1 Sam. 16.7. Rom. 2.30.
Openly] Not in a corner, or before a few witneſſes, or the inhabitants of one City or Country, but before the whole world, Matth. 25.34. Thou ſhalt be recompenſed at the reſurrection of the juſt, Luk. 14.14.
Obſ. The Lord ſees all our ſecret actions, all our thoughts and imaginations, Jer. 4.14. yea long before thinking, Pſ. 139.4. no thought hid from him, Job 42.6. What Adam did in the garden, what Cain did in the field, what Lot's daughters did in the night is known to him.
Reaſ. 1 Becauſe he judges every ſecret thing, which he could not did he not ſee it, Eccleſ. 12.14. 1 Cor. 4.5. He will reveal the counſels of the heart, Pſal. 90.8.
2 Becauſe he is omniſcient. Darkneſs and light are alike to him, Pſal. 139.12. Job. 11.11. Pſal. 94.7, 8. Hebr. 4.13.
For application, 1 Reprehenſion to thoſe who think God ſees not their ſecret wickedneſs, becauſe in the height of heaven, Pſal. 10, 11. and think that he cannot judge through the dark cloud, Job 2….12, 13. Ezek. 8.12. yes, God ſees thy evils and will ſet them in order before thee, Pſal. 50.…0, 21. I know the things that come into your minde every one of them, Ezek. 11.5.
2 Comfort, when we do holy actions in ſecret, as prayers, alms, faſting, Eſa. 38.3. He ſaw Hezekiahs tears and truth of heart. We have a witneſs in heaven to all our actions, Job 16.19, 20. this comforted Peter; Thou knoweſt all things, thou knowes that I love thee.
3 Admonition not to ſin in ſecret. Carnal men think that bread eaten in ſecret is pleaſant, Prov. 9.17. many venture to do ſhamefull things in ſecret, which are a ſhame to ſpeak of, Eph 5.12. but know God ſees thy ſecret ſins, thy ſecret accepting of perſons, Job 13.10. he will ſurely reprove thee for it; alſo thy ſecret ſmiting thy neighbour, Deut. 27.24. thy ſecret uncleanneſs, 2 Sam. 12.12. thy ſecret malice and murther, Pſal. 10.8. compared with v. 11. thy ſecret hypocriſie, Luke 12.1, 2. thy ſtifling thy conſcience when thou wilt not ſuffer it to ſpeak out, 1 Joh. 4.20. thy tricks to keep off conviction, thy rovings of heart in holy duties, Ezek. 33.31. Prov. 5.14. thy hudling and poſting over prayer for form ſake in thy cloſet, Eſai 43.22.
1 God doth not onelyonly ſee our ſecret actions, but alſo ponders and conſiders them. He ſeeth wickedneſs, will he not then conſider it, Job 11.11. Prov. 5.21.
2 He remembers thy ſecret ſins; Jer. 17.1. The ſin of Judah is written with a pen of Iron, and point of a Diamond; ſo alſo are thy ſecret prayers and alms, Acts 10.4.
3 He will convince thee of thy ſecret actings, Joh. 4.18. how did Chriſt convince the woman of Samaria of her ſecret adultery?
4 He will diſcover thy ſecret actions before men and Angels, 1 Tim. 5.25, 26. 2 Sam. 12.12. ſo that there's nothing ſecret that ſhall not be made manifeſt, nor hid that ſhall not be known, Matth. 10.26. The children of Iſrael did ſecretly thoſe things which were not right before the Lord, 2 Kings 17.9. Contrary, if thou be ſincere in ſecret, the Lord will diſcover thee, Joh. 1.47, 48. he ſaw the widow caſting in two mites and took notice of it, Luke 21.2. he wil diſcover the intention of the man that gave a cup of cold water to Chriſt, and could give no more, Mat. 10.42.
5 He will diſcover thy ſecret intentions as well as thy actions. The Prophet told Gehezi not onelyonly what he had got from Naaman, but to what intention he meant to imploy it, even to buy olive-yards and vine-yards, ſheep and oxen therewith, 2 Kings 5.26. ſo he knowes our intentions for good when they are good, Luke 21.2.
V. 5. And when thou prayeſt, thou ſhalt not be as the hypocrites are, for they love to pray ſtanding in the Synagogues, and in the corners of the ſtreets, that they may be ſeen of men; Verily, I ſay unto you, they have their reward:
Chriſt, next unto a right direction in alms, comes to give a right direction in prayer, in which, 1 He ſets down the ſins to be avoided.
2 The manner of right performance.
The ſins to be avoided are,
1 Hypocriſie, v. 5. 2 Vain glory, v. 5. They love to pray ſtanding that many eys may be on them. 3 Vain repetitions, v. 7.
2 The manner of right performance, which muſt be, 1 With confidence, Pray to thy father. 2 With ſecrecy, Pray to thy father in ſecret, v. 6. 3 Grounds hereof, 1 Your father who ſees in ſecret will reward openly. 2 It's a heatheniſh practiſe to uſe vain repetitions, v. 7. 3 The knowledge God hath of your wants, and his readineſs to ſupply you, v. 8.
And when thou prayeſt thou ſhalt not be as the hypocrites are] That is, as the hypocritical Scribes and Phariſees,
For they love to pray ſtanding in the Synagogues.]
Q. Whether is it not lawfull to pray ſtanding?
A. Yes, Mark 11.25. When ye ſtand praying, forgive. The Phariſee and the Publican ſtood both when they prayed, Luke 18, 11, 13. The Levites ſtood and cried with a loud voice unto the Lord, Neh. 9.4. Abraham ſtood praying, Gen. …8.22. Moſes and Samuel, Jer. 15.1. and Job cap. 30.20. And ſometimes, and more frequently, kneeling was uſed. Solomon, 1 Kings 8.54. aroſe from before the altar of the Lord from kneeling upon his knees. Daniel kneeled upon his knees three times a day, Dan. 6.10. Every knee ſhall bow to me, Eſai 45, 23. I have left unto me 7000 that have not bowed the knee to Baal, 1 Kings 19.18. Wherewith ſhall I bow my knee before the moſt high God? Mic. 6.6. Let us bow down and kneel before the Lord our Maker, Pſ. 95.6. To ſtand in prayer is not unlawfull, but to ſtand that thou mayeſt be ſeen is unlawfull.
In the new Teſtament we read that Chriſt kneeled down and prayed, Luke 22.41. Peter kneeled down when he prayed for Tabitha, Acts 9.40. Paul kneeled down and prayed with them all who had brought him on his way, Acts 20.36. Alſo Paul bowed his knees to the father of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, Eph. 3.14. Stephen kneeled down in his laſt prayer, Acts 7.60. Alſo Paul and his company kneeled down on the ſhore and prayed, Acts 21.5. In prayer that geſture is to be uſed that doth moſt quicken and help to the duty. The ancient Chriſtians were wont to kneel in remembrance of the fall of Adam, and of all his poſterity, and ſometimes to pray ſtanding in remembrance of the grace of Chriſt, whereby we have riſen from our fall.
Kneeling on the ſix days was a badge of our fall by ſin, but that we do not kneel on the Lords day is a ſigne of Reſurrection: From the times of the Apoſtles this cuſtome came in, as Irenaeus mentions, Lib. de Paſch. Queſt. & Reſponſ. ad Orthodox. q. 115. aſcribed to Juſtin. Aug. Epiſt. 119.115.
2 Q. Whether was it not lawfull to pray in the Synagogues?
A. Yes. David ſaith, Bleſs ye God in the Congregations, Pſal. 68.26. For by Synagogues he means publick prayer which was uſed, Matth. 18.20. Acts 1.14. practiſed by the hundred and twenty, alſo Acts 4.24. Acts 12.5. where the Church were praying for Peter. Grounds of publick prayer, 1 There God is wont to communicate his preſence, Pſal. 26.8.65.4.52.8.76.1, 2.132.13, 14.133.3.
2 The concurrent prayers of Gods people is wont to be more ſtrong, as many hands lifting at a burthen lift the burthen though great, many flames of fire united in one are not eaſily quenched, many ſprings of water conjoyned make the ſtream the ſtronger: if the prayers of one Moſes were ſo ſtrong to keep God from deſtroying Iſrael, Exod. 32.10.11. Pſal. 106.23. what will the prayers of many do? Acts 12.5. as we ſee in Peters caſe, who was delivered by the prayers of the Church.
3 In that there are publick Officers choſen of Churches to preſent their requeſts before the Lord, hence as thoſe that are ſollicitours for a Corporation had need to know the wants thereof, ſo ſhould the Officers of Churches in ſpecial be acquainted with the brethrens wants.
4 Becauſe publick occaſions require it, both in Church, as the ſeeking ſome ſpecial mercy from God which concerns the whole Church, as Peters deliverance, Acts 1.5, 12. the whole Church ſometimes wants a mercy, Matth. 18.20. the whole Church ſometimes wants to have a judgement turn'd away, Acts 4.24. alſo in the Commonwealth for to pray for the happineſs of the Magiſtracy, 1 Tim. 2.1. I exhort that ſupplications, prayers, be made for all men, for Kings and all that are in authority. By the bleſſing of whoſe prayers and examples is a City exalted, Prov. 11.11.
5 It's for the honour and glory of God to have ſo many petitioners waiting on him for his royal aſſent, a joynt cry of one and the ſame ſpirit from ſo many breathings of his people. … prayer is as it were a publick hue and cry made our by an embodied Church againſt the common enemies of Je…s Chriſt, of their ſouls. Praiſe waits for him in Sion, Pſal. 68.….
6 In publick prayer there is, as it were, the conjunctions of the ſpirits and graces of a body of Chriſt, as it were, in one. Hence the whole Church, Acts ….42. as they continued in breaking bread together, ſo did they in prayer, and were as it were of one accord. Theſe all continued in one accord with prayer and ſupplication, Acts 1.14. Acts 4.24. the Church lift up their voices with one accord: the breathings of the ſpirit which were ſcattered in many, are as it were united in one, and as the waters of ſeveral channels disburthen themſelves ſometimes in one current: ſo that where his name is thus recorded, he is wont to come and bleſſe his people, Exod. 20.24. In all places where I record my name, I will come unto thee, and I will bleſs thee. Seeing then there are ſuch conjunctions of ſpirits, he that is the mouth ought to be carefull to preſent onelyonly ſuch requeſts wherein all Chriſtians do agree, and the body, that are worſhippers; and all the worſhippers are to come together like ſo many Doves to their windowes, Eſai 60.8. even the Prince himſelf not excepted, Ezek. 46.10. that they may ſerve the Lord with one conſent or ſhoulder, Zeph. 3.9. the uſual careleſs neglect whereof, if it do not ſpeak forth prophaneneſs, yet doth it ſpeak forth a ſpirit of lukewarmneſs.
7 In publick prayer there's a provocation of one another by godly examples.
In the corners of the ſtreets] That is where they might be beheld of the inhabitants of two or three, or four ſtreets at once: whereas there is in ſincere prayer, 1 A propoſing of the eye of God, Eſa. 38.5. A holy heart directs his prayer to God, as an archer doth his arrow to the mark, Pſal. 5.3. In the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee.
2 A Diligent uſe of all means, for prayer is onelyonly one part of the means.
3 It muſt not proceed from feigned lips, Pſal. 17.1. Give ear unto my prayer that goeth not out of feigned lips. Burning lips and a wicked heart, pretending many glorious expreſſions in word, when there's no ſutableneſs of ſpirit thereto, ſuch are like potſheards covered over with ſilver droſs, Prov. 26.23. we muſt not onelyonly draw nigh with our lips but alſo with our hearts, Eſa. 29, 13.
4 Avoiding all affected geſtures and expreſſions, for prayer properly doth not conſiſt of Rhetorical expreſſions, nor of their ſtudied or invented conceptions, but of the powring forth of the ſigh or groan in the heart. God doth not like affected complements, but abhors it; as in all other ordinances, ſo eſpecially in prayer, God ſeeks ſuch worſhippers as worſhip him in ſpirit and truth, Joh. 4.23, 24.
5 A heart bent againſt all ſin, Pſal. 66.18. ſuch perſons are upright, and therefore uſually their prayers upright, and ſuch as God delights in, Prov. 15.8. the prayer of the upright is his delight.
6 When we ſpeak the preſent temper, frame and diſpoſition of our hearts, the confeſſions to be of preſent ſenſible wants, the petitions to be of things that the ſoul, in the frame of it, earneſtly longs after; to be full of expreſſions from brain and memory, prompting the mouth, may gain an opinion among men, but hath little audience in the court of heaven. We had better diſcover to a whole Church that diſtemper that is upon us, by dumbneſs, barrenneſs, ſenceleſneſs, and hartleſneſs, then ſeem ſomething to men and nothing to God by artificial expreſſions in prayer. Hence prayer is never called by the name of expreſſion, but its called by the name of breathing; Hold not thy peace at my breathing, Sam. 3, 56. by the name of ſighs and groans, Rom. 8.26. and by the name of deſire, Pſal. 10.17. God is not a hearer of the voice but of the heart. Cypr. de orat.
7 If thy prayer be ſincere thou wilt find it by thy cloſet prayers. A neglect of ſecret prayer, or a careleſs drowſie performance of it, and that uſually, argues a ſpirit of ſlumber, out of which if the ſoul be not awakened, it may in time be caſt into a deep ſleep. Theſe are like ſome maried perſons who before people have a great deal of love, but in ſecret are full of diſcontents. Let us have the ſame apprehenſion of Gods eye in ſecret that we have before a multitude, and as much bewail thy dead heartedneſs there, as that which thou findes before a multitude.
Ver. 6. But thou, when thou prayeſt, enter into thy cloſet, and when thou haſt ſhut thy door, pray to thy father which is in ſecret, and thy father which ſeeth in ſecret ſhall reward thee openly.
But thou, when thou prayeſt, enter into thy chamber] That is, any ſecret place, both to ſhun vain glory and to gather thy affections to God. Some have gathered a myſtical ſence, by cloſet underſtanding the heart, by ſhutting the door, the ſhutting out of vain thoughts, onelyonly to think of God; but the literal
1 Is here meant; yet when he ſaith enter into thy cloſet he bids us not avoid the ſociety of men when we pray, but Chriſt ſpeaks comparatively, rather to enter into a cloſet to pray, then to deſire multitudes of men to look on us.
2 Chriſt here commends unto us cloſet prayer; hence ſaith, when thou prayes, as ſpeaking of a duty which lies upon every believer, though not preciſely pointing out the number of times, hence the wives are to mourn apart from their husbands, Zach. 12, 13. and the husbands from their wives, 1 Cor. 7.5. Yea ſervants apart, as Eleazar Abrahams ſervant did, Gen. 24.12.