In the foregoing chapter our Lord particularly described the nature of inward holiness. In this he describes that purity of intention without which none of our outward actions are holy. This chapter contains four parts, The right intention and manner of giving alms, Matthew 6:1. The right intention,... [ Continue Reading ]
As the hypocrites do — Many of the scribes and Pharisees did this, under a pretence of calling the poor together. They have their reward — All they will have; for they shall have none from God.... [ Continue Reading ]
Let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doth — A proverbial expression for doing a thing secretly. Do it as secretly as is consistent, With the doing it at all. With the doing it in the most effectual manner.... [ Continue Reading ]
The synagogues — These were properly the places where the people assembled for public prayer, and hearing the Scriptures read and expounded. They were in every city from the time of the Babylonish captivity, and had service in them thrice a day on three days in the week. In every synagogue was a cou... [ Continue Reading ]
Enter into thy closet — That is, do it with as much secrecy as thou canst.... [ Continue Reading ]
Use not vain repetitions — To repeat any words without meaning them, is certainly a vain repetition. Therefore we should be extremely careful in all our prayers to mean what we say; and to say only what we mean from the bottom of our hearts. The vain and heathenish repetitions which we are here warn... [ Continue Reading ]
Your Father knoweth what things ye have need of — We do not pray to inform God of our wants. Omniscient as he is, he cannot be informed of any thing which he knew not before: and he is always willing to relieve them. The chief thing wanting is, a fit disposition on our part to receive his grace and... [ Continue Reading ]
Thus therefore pray ye — He who best knew what we ought to pray for, and how we ought to pray, what matter of desire, what manner of address would most please himself, would best become us, has here dictated to us a most perfect and universal form of prayer, comprehending all our real wants, express... [ Continue Reading ]
Thy kingdom come — May thy kingdom of grace come quickly, and swallow up all the kingdoms of the earth: may all mankind, receiving thee, O Christ, for their king, truly believing in thy name, be filled with righteousness, and peace, and joy; with holiness and happiness, till they are removed hence i... [ Continue Reading ]
Give us — O Father (for we claim nothing of right, but only of thy free mercy) this day — (for we take no thought for the morrow) our daily bread — All things needful for our souls and bodies: not only the meat that perisheth, but the sacramental bread, and thy grace, the food which endureth to ever... [ Continue Reading ]
And forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors — Give us, O Lord, redemption in thy blood, even the forgiveness of sins: as thou enablest us freely and fully to forgive every man, so do thou forgive all our trespasses.... [ Continue Reading ]
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil — Whenever we are tempted, O thou that helpest our infirmities, suffer us not to enter into temptation; to be overcome or suffer loss thereby; but make a way for us to escape, so that we may be more than conquerors, through thy love, over sin... [ Continue Reading ]
Mark 11:25.... [ Continue Reading ]
When ye fast? — Our Lord does not enjoin either fasting, alms — deeds, or prayer: all these being duties which were before fully established in the Church of God. Disfigure — By the dust and ashes which they put upon their heads, as was usual at the times of solemn humiliation.... [ Continue Reading ]
Anoint thy head — So the Jews frequently did. Dress thyself as usual.... [ Continue Reading ]
Lay not up for yourselves — Our Lord here makes a transition from religious to common actions, and warns us of another snare, the love of money, as inconsistent with purity of intention as the love of praise. Where rust and moth consume — Where all things are perishable and transient. He may likewis... [ Continue Reading ]
Luke 11:34.... [ Continue Reading ]
The eye is the lamp of the body — And what the eye is to the body, the intention is to the soul. We may observe with what exact propriety our Lord places purity of intention between worldly desires and worldly cares, either of which directly tend to destroy. If thine eye be single — Singly fixed on... [ Continue Reading ]
Mammon — Riches, money; any thing loved or sought, without reference to God. Luke 16:13.... [ Continue Reading ]
And if you serve God, you need be careful for nothing. Therefore take not thought — That is, be not anxiously careful. Beware of worldly cares; for these are as inconsistent with the true service of God as worldly desires. Is not the life more than meat? — And if God give the greater gift, will he d... [ Continue Reading ]
And which of you — If you are ever so careful, can even add a moment to your own life thereby? This seems to be far the most easy and natural sense of the words.... [ Continue Reading ]
Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these — Not in garments of so pure a white. The eastern monarchs were often clothed in white robes.... [ Continue Reading ]
The grass of the field — is a general expression, including both herbs and flowers. Into the still — This is the natural sense of the passage. For it can hardly be supposed that grass or flowers should be thrown into the oven the day after they were cut down. Neither is it the custom in the hottest... [ Continue Reading ]
Therefore take not thought — How kind are these precepts! The substance of which is only this, Do thyself no harm! Let us not be so ungrateful to him, nor so injurious to ourselves, as to harass and oppress our minds with that burden of anxiety, which he has so graciously taken off. Every verse spea... [ Continue Reading ]
Seek the kingdom of God and his righteousness — Singly aim at this, that God, reigning in your heart, may fill it with the righteousness above described. And indeed whosoever seeks this first, will soon come to seek this only.... [ Continue Reading ]
The morrow shall take thought for itself — That is, he careful for the morrow when it comes. The evil thereof — Speaking after the manner of men. But all trouble is, upon the whole, a real good. It is good physic which God dispenses daily to his children, according to the need and the strength of ea... [ Continue Reading ]