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Exhortations]

CHAP. VI.

CHAP. VI.

TAKE WAKE 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:

[against hypocrisy.

and thy Father which seeth in secret, himself shall reward thee openly.

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.

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,

7 But when ye pray, use not vain

EXPOSITION.

i, 18, 23; Gal. i. 20); and St. John, in the last book of the New Testament, introduces an angel, lifting up his right hand and swearing" by him that liveth for ever and ever." (Rev. x. 5, 6.)

There is another point of view, however, in which this passage has been considered by a late ingenious writer, as referring to the subject of religious vows, which were certainly admitted and encouraged under the Old Testament dispensation. (Deut. xxiii. 21-23.) These, he remarks, are alluded to, ver. 33, "perform unto the Lord thine oath," which can only be applied to promissory oaths, or vows to God, which, under the Gospel, are not only not required, but forbidden. (Pirie's Works, vol. iii. p. 63, &c.)

Our Lord, in this chapter, animadverts on two classes of precepts. What was said "to them of old time," evidently refers to the moral law against murder, adultery, and oaths; but, in ver. 38 and 43, the expression to them of old time" is omitted: "An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth," is no part of the moral, but belonged to the judicial law (Exod. xxi.24), and expresses the legal punishment for private injuries; even life for life," and stripe for stripe." And this is certainly an equitable principle, and one on which

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the criminal law in our own and other nations is, in great measure, founded. But this is not the law of Christ, nor that on which Christians ought individually to act. They should rather render "good for evil," and overcome evil with good."

The next precept, also, "Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy," is in the first part of it from Levit. xix. 18; but the latter part appears to have been an inference drawn from certain circumstances of the Jewish history, and particularly the injunction to their forefathers to extirpate the seven tribes of Canaan, which they unwarrantably applied to all whom they considered as their enemies; though they had repeated admonitions to the contrary. (See Exod. xxiii. 4, 5; Prov. xxiv. 17, 18; xxv. 21, 22.)

The principles which Jesus taught, were those which he exemplified. Did he say, "Resist not evil?" "He gave his back to the smiters, his cheeks to them that plucked off the hair; and he hid not his face from shame and spitting." (Isa. I. 6.) Did he say, "Love your enemies," Pray for them that despitefully use you, and persecute you?" He prayed even for his murderers, whilst hanging on the cross: 66 Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do."

and "

NOTES.

CHAP. VI. Ver. 1. Do not your alms.-Some ancient copies, versions, and Christian Fathers read, "Practice not your righteousness," which Doddr. and Camp. explain as including the three following duties; alms, prayer, and fasting.

Ver. 2. Do not sound, &c.-Marg. "Do not cause a trumpet to be sounded."-Their reward-that is, what they seek after, the applause of men.

Yer. 5. Standing It should appear by this expression, that many of the Jews sat, but the Pharisees stood, as an expression of their zeal.-In the synagogues-though this term is undoubtedly used for any public assembly, as it is rendered, James ii. 2, yet

we think with Doddridge, that it here most probably refers to their places of worship.

Ver. 6. Which is in secret-that is, invisible to mortal eye. See Ps. xviii. II; lxxxi. 7.—Shall reward thee openly.-Chap. xxv. 34, &c.

Ver. 7. Vain repetitions.-The Greek word here used, Battalogie, alludes to a babbler of the name of Battus, who, according to Suidas, made long hymns, consisting of many lines, full of tautologies, and though our Lord, speaking in Hebrew (or rather Syriac), might not use this word, we may believe the Evangelist knew no word in Greek that would better express his meaning.

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repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.

8 Be not ye therefore like unto them for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.

9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread.

12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

CHAP. VI.

[Prayer. I

14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:

15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

16 Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

17 But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face;

18 That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. (K)

19¶ Lay not up for yourselves trea sures upon earth, where moth and

EXPOSITION.

(K) Ver. 1-18. On alms-deeds, prayer, and fasting.-Our Lord here directs the attention of his disciples more immediately to their religious duties, in which he particularly recommends secrecy and simplicity. Comparing the first verses with ch. v. 16, which requires us to "Let our light shine before men," &c. some have conceived an inconsistency; which, however, the late excellent Mr. Fuller removes in a few words: "It is right to do that which men may, and must, see; but not for the sake of being seen by them. The difference lies in the motive." (Harmony of Script. p. 30.)

"Our divine Master (says a learned writer) had such an abhorrence of hypocrisy, that he not only commanded his followers not to be hypocrites, but also not to be like them ;" and that especially in the publicity and parade of their devotions. We have no proof that the Pharisees lite

rally" sounded a trumpet ;" the expression may only mean, as Mr. Harmer says, that they sought publicity, like the stage-players and gladiators of ancient times, who were thus introduced to the spectators. Chardin remarks, however, that the Eastern dervishes were sometimes furnished with rams' horns, which they sounded on receiving alms. So in regard to prayer, they sought the same publicity," to be seen of men." A miserable devotion this, which is practised by Turks and Heathens to the present day at the same time, it may make those blush who are ashamed of religion, and even of being seen in the house of God.

Dr. Gill supposes our Lord to mention giving of alms before prayer, because it was customary for the Jews first to bestow their alms, and then to pray. In both these duties secrecy is enjoined, to avoid the semblance of vanity and ostentation: but there are occasious in which it may be ne

NOTES-Chap. VI. Con.

Ver. 9. After this manner-Doddridge and Camp. "Thus," which includes the ideas both of a pattern and a form, compare Luke xi. 1, &c. See p. 10, Lectures on the Lord's Prayer, by the Rev. L. Booker, LL.D., F.R.S.L., &c. (1824.)

Ver. 11. Our daily bread.-Doddr. (from Mede) "Bread sufficient for our present support.

Ver. 13. From evil-Ham, and Doddr. "From the evil one;" but Camp. prefers our translation, and lays it down as a maxim, that when a word is in all respects equally susceptible of two interpretations, one of which, as a genus, comprehends the other, always to prefer the most extensive, which here is evil.

Ibid. For thine, &c. This doxology, says Dr. Campbell, is wanting in several ancient MSS. and versions, and in the Greek Fathers; and is here, as

he supposes, supplied from the liturgy used in the Greek churches. It is rejected, therefore, by Wetstein and Griesbach; but is defended by Wolfius, Jer. Jones, Doddridge, &c.

Ver. 16. Disfigure their faces-or disguise them; some think by blacking them with dirt, or ashes, in opposition to washing," as in the next verse; and the Rabbins have a saying, "Whoever makes his face black on account of the law in this world, God will make his brightness to shine in the world to come." Orient. Cust. No. 1176.

Ver. 17. Anoint thy head, &c.-This was omitted on occasion of their fasting, to make them appear the more wretched.

Ver. 18. In secret.-See ver. 6.

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Ver. 13. Rust-Hamm. Smut;' Doddr. 'Canker;' it is a very general term, and from the same root as

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cessary to give alms in public, to excite others; and as to social and public prayer, it is no less a duty than private devotion. Those who never give alms or pray but in public, may assure themselves, that neither their prayers nor alms will be accepted. Private prayer, particularly, is the life of personal devotion.

Next to privacy, our Lord urges simplicity, not using vain repetitions like the heathen. Of their practice we have some examples in the worshippers of Baal and of Diana. (1 Kings xviii. 26; Acts xix. 31.) To avoid the evils of repetition, and at the same time to guard them against the omission of petitions necessary and proper, our Lord gives them a prayer which might serve them both as a model and form of their devotion.

In this prayer we are taught to address the Almighty as our Father; and it is true that he is, in one respect, the Father of all his creatures; but we are sinners, and can therefore approach him only through a "It is only through him (says Dr. Booker) that we can presume to address God as our Father; because we can only be heirs of God by being joint heirs with Christ."

Mediator.

The first petition regards the divine glory, which certainly ought to be a primary object with us, and will be when we recollect how intimately the divine glory is connected with our salvation, in which "mercy and truth are met together, righteousness and peace have kissed each other." Intimately connected with God's glory is the advancement of his kingdom, which may be understood to comprehend, 1. The progress of his gospel in the world; the gospel of the kingdom first announced by John, and afterwards proclaimed by Jesus and his Apostles. 2. "The kingdom of God within us," which is righteousness and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost." Rom. xiv. 17. And, 3. The completion of both in "glory everlasting." Rev. Dr. Booker observes, "There is so close a connection between such temporal and eternal blessings, that they cannot well be separated. There is, indeed, a con

tinuity which death cannot break. Faith and holiness, the love of God, and of our fellow-creatures the exercises of divine worship, adoration, and praise, are the great constituents of real happiness in this world; and, in a more sublime and exalted manner, from these principles and from these exercises, we are taught to believe "the heirs of salvation" will derive a chief portion of their felicity in the world to come."

In these first three petitions, the err→ ployments and enjoyments of the present and the future life are intimately connected; but in the three following, they are confined to the present state. In the world to come, we shall want neither daily bread, nor forgiveness of sin, nor deliverance from temptation. Our wants will be all supplied, our sins all forgiven, andi prayer exchanged for everlasting praise. While, however, we continue on earth, our wants are daily recurring, and our prayers require daily to be renewed. It was the wise request of Agur, "Feed me with food convenient for me;" a petition very analogous to that before us, "Give us this day> our daily bread."

In the next petition, we are taught to consider ourselves as debtors to the Almighty. We owe him universal, perfect, and perpetual obedience; and therefore, when we omit to pay this, whether " by doing what we ought not to have done," or leaving "undone what we ought to have done," we become debtors to divine justice; and, as our Lord has taught us in the preceding chapter, are liable to be cast into prison, even the prison of hell, for ever. And if we are delivered from this: by a gratuitous pardon, then we become! equally indebted to the divine mercy.. But we also have our debtors; at least in that light we consider those who have of fended us; and in no case are we encouraged to implore pardon, but when we are prepared to grant the same to others: "Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors."

The last petition seems also to require some explanation; "Lead us not into

NOTES.

the term used in ver. 16 in relation to disfiguring the face by dirt, or smut. Moth corrupts garments; rust, metals; smut, corn; and dirt will disfigure any thing. Ver. 22. The light-Gr. "Lamp," so Doddr. and

Camp.-Single-Doddr. "Clear" Camp. "Sound."> It properly means "simple," unincumbered by film. Ver. 23. Evil-Doddr. and Camp." Distempered;" filmy, or otherwise diseased.

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whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that dark

ness!

24. No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment ?

26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?

27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?

[and anxiety.

28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:

29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to-day is, and to-morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?

31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all

EXPOSITION-Chap. VI. Continued.

temptation, but deliver us from evil." Does not St. James (ch. i. 13.) forbid us to ascribe to God any of our temptations? He does; yet there is a sense in which he may lead us into such trials, and that for wise and holy ends. Abraham was led into temptation when God required him to offer up his son. Job was led into temptation, when God permitted Satan to try him with losses and disease. And Jesus himself was "led into the wilderness, to be tempted of the devil." In all these cases, the Providence of God permitted the evil, and the Spirit of God supported the sufferers under it. But as these were extraordinary cases, and we are of ourselves unable to sustain the trial, we are taught to pray, that God will be pleased to preserve us from such tempta. tions, or in any wise from falling under them. So, feeling the weakness of our constitutions, we may pray to be preserved from a tropical climate, or, if Providence should send us thither, that we may be kept from the dangers of it.

But we must again return to the preceding clause, relative to our forgiving others, and we may judge of the importance which our Lord attaches to this precept, from his again and again adverting to it, and from the strong terms in which he expresses himself. A worthy elergyman, whose Lectures we have repeatedly quoted on this chapter, has placed this precept in a striking point of view. Referring to the clause, If ye forgive not, . . . . neither will your heavenly Father forgive you," Dr. Booker adds, “Not that the forgiveness of injuries will entitle us to the pardon of God:" but "our pardoning others is one of those qualifications which are indispensably requisite to fit us for the gracious gift of eternal life. This alone will not save us, nor will any thing else without it: no, not even the blood of Christ: for he will not apply that blood to the rancorous soul which refuses to forgive a fellow sinner." (p. 105, 106.)

NOTES-Chap. VI. Con.

Ver. 24. Mammon-" A Syriac word for riches. Wealth is here personified, and represented as a master who rivals God in our hearts."-- Two masters-namely, of opposing interests, as God and Mammon.

Ver. 25. Take no thought- Doddr. and Camp. "Be not anxious;" and there is no doubt but this was the meaning of our translators, as the word thought is evidently so used, 1 Sam, ix. 5; also by Bacon, Milton, &c. as quoted in Johnson, and by Fox, the martyrologist, and the Geneva translators, as quoted by Parkhurst, who observes, that the Greek term, in its derivation, means a distracting, or heartdividing carefulness.

Ver. 26. Fowls-Dodd. "Birds;" probably sparrows, as chap. x. 29.--Barns-Hamm. " Řeposi tories;" Doddr. “boards."

Ver. 27. One cubit-this (being at least 18 inches) would be a great addition to the height, which cannot therefore be here intended: most commentators therefore refer this to age. Applying this measure, however, to human life, it must be considered metaphorically as a race, of which a cubit describes a very small portion, analogous to "an inch of time," a common phrase with poets. Campbell translates the phrase," Prolong his life one hour.”

Ver. 30. The grass of the field. The Hebrews divided all their vegetable productions into two

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(L) Ver. 19-34. Against covetousness, duplicity, and over anxiety for temporal things. The first exhortation is, not to lay up treasures upon earth, where they are equally liable to be corrupted, or to be stolen. Disputes have occurred among men of property where they could obtain the best interest for their money, and the best security. Some have preferred trade; but, alas! what trade has not failed? Or, they have trusted it in public banks; but these also have deceived them. Some have placed it in funded, and some in landed property; but

the Earth itself shall be burnt up, And all that it contains." Where then shall we trust our souls, and the momentous concerns of an eternity? It is to a "faithful Creator" only, that we should surrender our souls, and it is in heaven only that our deposits can be out of the range of accidents and of dangers. How happy is it for us to be able to say, especially when we come to die, "I know in whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed to him!"

There is another circumstance which makes the deposit of our treasures to be of yast importance: "Where your treasure is (says our Lord) there will your hearts be also." When our hearts are devoted to the enjoyment of worldly pleasure, the accumulation of wealth, or the acquisition of applause, where then can our treasure be? Not in heaven, assuredly, if our Lord's words may be depended on.

The next topic of this discourse is no less interesting; namely, to guard us against duplicity and hypocrisy: "The light (or lamp), of the body is the eye;" if that "be single" (or clear), then is "the whole body full of light." "The eye is the intention (says Gregory the Great), and the body is the action; if the intention be pure, the action will be uniform and re

gular." If the eye of the mind "be singly fixed on God and heaven (says Mr. Wesley), the whole soul will be filled with holiness and happiness." If the eye be evil-not simple, but aiming to serve both God and Mammon, then will the mind be as surely involved in darkness, as the body would be, by losing the organs of sight.

What is here said of serving God and Mammon or the world, may remind us of the idolatrous Israelites in the time of Ahab, who, though they never openly renounced the worship of JEHOVAH, worshipped Baal also. But the prophet Elijah severely reproved this vacillating conduct, and urged them to decision. "If the LORD be God, follow him ; but if Baal, then follow him." So may we say, "halt not between two opinions;" if Mammon (or the world) be God, the source of true and lasting happiness, let us fall down before him; but if not-and who is there that dare maintain the affirmative?-then why devote the whole of our affections and our toils to a Baal that cannot hear us, and who in our extremity cannot help us? (Comp. Expos. of 2 Kings xviii. ver. 21, &c.

We are now led to a more pleasing contemplation, and to a duty no less necessary. Behold our Saviour seated on a hill, whose shadow protects both himself and audience from the burning heat, while the prospect around is gilded by the declining sun. It was the plan of our Lord to deduce the most important moral and spiritual instruction from natural objects in his view. At this time, therefore, he probably had in view, corn-fields interspersed with lilies, and was surrounded with flitting, and perhaps chirping, birds. This, indeed, may be conjectural; but the instruction derived from these objects is certain and important. Instruction has a double hold upon the mind, when it enters at once both by the eye and the ear.

Jesus had before been pressing on his

NOTES.

classes; trees, and herbs, or grass, Gen. i. 29, 30.~~~ Into the oven. It is certain that fires were kindled and ovens heated with dried vegetables, &c. Compare Ezek. xv. 4.

Ver. 34. The morrow shall take thought for itself -that is, it will be time enough to care for the morrow when the morrow comes. Every day brings its duties and its cares. So Ezra and his companions

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