VI.

1. 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, 1. The right intention and manner of giving alms, ver.# 1-4.

2. The right intention, manner, form, and prerequisites of prayer, ver.# 5-15. 3. The right intention, and manner of fasting, ver.# 16-18. 4. The necessity of a pure intention in all things, unmixed either with the desire of riches, or worldly care, and fear of want, ver.# 19-34. This verse is a general caution against vain glory, in any of our good works: All these are here summed up together, in the comprehensive word righteousness. This general caution our Lord applies in the sequel to the three principal branches of it, relating to our neighbour, ver.# 2-4: to God, ver.# 5, 6: and to ourselves, ver.# 16-18. To be seen-Barely the being seen, while we are doing any of these things, is a circumstance purely indifferent. But the doing them with this view, to be seen and admired, this is what our Lord condemns. 2. 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. 3. 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, 1. With the doing it at all. 2. With the doing it in the most effectual manner.

5. 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 council of grave and wise persons, over whom was a president, called the ruler of the synagogue. But the word here, as well as in many other texts, signifies any place of public concourse.

6. Enter into thy closet-That is, do it with as much secrecy as thou canst.

7. 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 warned against, are most dangerous, and yet very common; which is a principal cause why so many, who still profess religion, are a disgrace to it. Indeed all the words in the world are not equivalent to one holy desire. And the very best prayers are but vain repetitions, if they are not the language of the heart.

Verse 8. 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 blessing. Consequently, one great office of prayer is, to produce such a disposition in us: to exercise our dependence on God; to increase our desire of the things we ask for; to us so sensible of our wants, that we may never cease wrestling till we have prevailed for the blessing.

Verse 9. 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, expressing all our lawful desires; a complete directory and full exercise of all our devotions. Thus-For these things; sometimes in these words, at least in this manner, short, close, full. This prayer consists of three parts, the preface, the petitions, and the conclusion. The preface, Our Father, who art in heaven, lays a general foundation for prayer, comprising what we must first know of God, before we can pray in confidence of being heard. It likewise points out to us our that faith, humility, love, of God and man, with which we are to approach God in prayer. I. Our Father-Who art good and gracious to all, our Creator, our Preserver; the Father of our Lord, and of us in him, thy children by adoption and grace: not my Father only, who now cry unto thee, but the Father of the universe, of angels and men: who art in heaven-Beholding all things, both in heaven and earth; knowing every creature, and all the works of every creature, and every possible event from everlasting to everlasting: the almighty Lord and Ruler of all, superintending and disposing all things; in heaven-Eminently there, but not there alone, seeing thou fillest heaven and earth.

1. Hallowed be thy name-Mayest thou, O Father, he truly known by all intelligent beings, and with affections suitable to that knowledge: mayest thou be duly honoured, loved, feared, by all in heaven and in earth, by all angels and all men. 2. 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 into thy kingdom of glory, to reign with thee for ever and ever. 3. Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven-May all the inhabitants of the earth do thy will as willingly as the holy angels: may these do it continually even as they, without any interruption of their willing service; yea, and perfectly as they: mayest thou, O Spirit of grace, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make them perfect in every good work to do thy will, and work in them all that is well pleasing in thy sight. 4. 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 everlasting life. 5. 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. 6. 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 and all the consequences of it. Now the principal desire of a Christian's heart being the glory of God, (ver. 9, 10,) # Mt 6:9,10 and all he wants for himself or his brethren being the daily bread of soul and body, (or the support of life, animal and spiritual,) pardon of sin, and deliverance from the power of it and of the devil, (ver. 11, 12, 13,) # Mt 6:11,12,13 there is nothing beside that a Christian can wish for; therefore this prayer comprehends all his desires. Eternal life is the certain consequence, or rather completion of holiness. III. For thine is the kingdom-The sovereign right of all things that are or ever were created: The power-the executive power, whereby thou governest all things in thy everlasting kingdom: And the glory-The praise due from every creature, for thy power, and all thy wondrous works, and the mightiness of thy kingdom, which endureth through all ages, even for ever and ever. It is observable, that though the doxology, as well as the petitions of this prayer, is threefold, and is directed to the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost distinctly, yet is the whole fully applicable both to every person, and to the ever-blessed and undivided trinity. # Luke 11:2.

Verse 14. # Mark 11:25.

Verse 16. 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.

Verse 17. Anoint thy head-So the Jews frequently did. Dress thyself as usual.

Verse 19. 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.

WV.

1. And seeing the multitudes-At some distance, as they were coming to him from every quarter. He went up into the mountain -Which was near: where there was room for them all. His disciples-not only his twelve disciples, but all who desired to learn of him.

2. And he opened his mouth-A phrase which always denotes a set and solemn discourse; and taught them-To bless men; to make men happy, was the great business for which our Lord came into the world. And accordingly he here pronounces eight blessings together, annexing them to so many steps in Christianity. Knowing that happiness is our common aim, and that an innate instinct continually urges us to the pursuit of it, he in the kindest manner applies to that instinct, and directs it to its proper object. Though all men desire, yet few attain, happiness, because they seek it where it is not to be found. Our Lord therefore begins his Divine institution, which is the complete art of happiness, by laying down before all that have ears to hear, the true and only true method of acquiring it. Observe the benevolent condescension of our Lord. He seems, as it were, to lay aside his supreme authority as our legislator, that he may the better act the part of: our friend and Saviour. Instead of using the lofty style, in positive commands, he, in a more gentle and engaging way, insinuates his will and our duty, by pronouncing those happy who comply with it.

3. Happy are the poor-In the following discourse there is, 1. A sweet invitation to true holiness and happiness, ver. 3-12. # Matt 5:3-12. 2. A persuasive to impart it to others, ver. 13-16. # Matt 5:13-16. 3. A description of true Christian holiness, ver. 17; chap.vii,12, # Matt 5:17; # Matt 7:12. (in which it is easy to observe, the latter part exactly answers the former.) 4. The conclusion: giving a sure mark of the true way, warning against false prophets, exhorting to follow after holiness. The poor in spirit-They who are unfeignedly penitent, they who are truly convinced of sin; who see and feel the state they are in by nature, being deeply sensible of their sinfulness, guiltiness, helplessness. For theirs is the kingdom of heaven -The present inward kingdom: righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost, as well as the eternal kingdom, if they endure to the end. # Luke 6:20.

4. They that mourn-Either for their own sins, or for other men's, and are steadily and habitually serious. They shall be comforted -More solidly and deeply even in this world, and eternally in heaven.

5. Happy are the meek-They that hold all their passions and affections evenly balanced. They shall inherit the earth-They shall have all things really necessary for life and godliness. They shall enjoy whatever portion God hath given them here, and shall hereafter possess the new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.

6. They that hunger and thirst after righteousness-After the holiness here described. They shall be satisfied with it.

7. The merciful-The tender-hearted: they who love all men as themselves: They shall obtain mercy-Whatever mercy therefore we desire from God, the same let us show to our brethren. He will repay us a thousand fold, the love we bear to any for his sake.

8. The pure in heart-The sanctified: they who love God with all their hearts. They shall see God-In all things here; hereafter in glory.

9. The peace makers-They that out of love to God and man do all possible good to all men. Peace in the Scripture sense implies all blessings temporal and eternal. They shall be called the children of God-Shall be acknowledged such by God and man. One would imagine a person of this amiable temper and behaviour would be the darling of mankind. But our Lord well knew it would not be so, as long as Satan was the prince of this world. He therefore warns them before of the treatment all were to expect, who were determined thus to tread in his steps, by immediately subjoining, Happy are they who are persecuted for righteousness' sake. Through this whole discourse we cannot but observe the most exact method which can possibly be conceived. Every paragraph, every sentence, is closely connected both with that which precedes, and that which follows it. And is not this the pattern for every Christian preacher? If any then are able to follow it without any premeditation, well: if not, let them not dare to preach without it. No rhapsody, no incoherency, whether the things spoken be true or false, comes of the Spirit of Christ.

10. For righteousness' sake-That is, because they have, or follow after, the righteousness here described. He that is truly a righteous man, he that mourns, and he that is pure in heart, yea, all that will live godly in Christ Jesus, shall suffer persecution, # 2Tim 3:12. The world will always say, Away with such fellows from the earth. They are made to reprove our thoughts. They are grievous to us even to behold. Their lives are not like other men's; their ways are of another fashion.

11. Revile-When present: say all evil-When you are absent.

12. Your reward-Even over and above the happiness that naturally and directly results from holiness.

13. Ye-Not the apostles, not ministers only; but all ye who are thus holy, are the salt of the earth-Are to season others. # Mark 9:50; Luke 14:34.

14. Ye are the light of the world-If ye are thus holy, you can no more be hid than the sun in the firmament: no more than a city on a mountain-Probably pointing to that on the brow of the opposite hill.

15. Nay, the very design of God in giving you this light was, that it might shine. # Mark 4:21; Luke 8:16; 11:33.

16. That they may see-and glorify-That is, that seeing your good works, they may be moved to love and serve God likewise.

17. Think not-Do not imagine, fear, hope, that I am come-Like your teachers, to destroy the law or the prophets. I am not come to destroy-The moral law, but to fulfil-To establish, illustrate, and explain its highest meaning, both by my life and doctrine.

18. Till all things shall be effected-Which it either requires or foretells. For the law has its effect, when the rewards are given, and the punishments annexed to it inflicted, as well as when its precepts are obeyed. # Luke 16:17; 21:33.

19. One of the least-So accounted by men; and shall teach-Either by word or example; shall be the least-That is, shall have no part therein.

20. The righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees-Described in the sequel of this discourse.

21. Ye have heard-From the scribes reciting the law; Thou shalt do no murder-And they interpreted this, as all the other commandments, barely of the outward act. The judgement-The Jews had in every city a court of twenty-three men, who could sentence a criminal to be strangled. But the sanhedrim only (the great council which sat at Jerusalem, consisting of seventy-two men,) could sentence to the more terrible death of stoning. That was called the judgment, this the council. # Exod 20:13.

22. But I say unto you-Which of the prophets ever spake thus? Their language is, Thus saith the Lord. Who hath authority to use this language, but the one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy. Whosoever is angry with his brother-Some copies add, without a cause-But this is utterly foreign to the whole scope and tenor of our Lord's discourse. If he had only forbidden the being angry without a cause, there was no manner of need of that solemn declaration, I say unto you; for the scribes and Pharisees themselves said as much as this. Even they taught, men ought not to be angry without a cause. So that this righteousness does not exceed theirs. But Christ teaches, that we ought not, for any cause, to be so angry as to call any man Raca, or fool. We ought not, for any cause, to be angry at the person of the sinner, but at his sins only. Happy world, were this plain and necessary distinction thoroughly understood, remembered, practised! Raca means, a silly man, a trifler. Whosoever shall say, Thou fool -Shall revile, or seriously reproach any man. Our Lord specified three degrees of murder, each liable to a sorer punishment than the other: not indeed from men, but from God. Hell fire-In the valley of Hinnom (whence the word in the original is taken) the children were used to be burnt alive to Moloch. It was afterward made a receptacle for the filth of the city, where continual fires were kept to consume it. And it is probable, if any criminals were burnt alive, it was in this accursed and horrible place. Therefore both as to its former and latter state, it was a fit emblem of hell. It must here signify a degree of future punishment, as much more dreadful than those incurred in the two former cases, as burning alive is more dreadful than either strangling or stoning.

23. Thy brother hath aught against thee-On any of the preceding accounts: for any unkind thought or word: any that did not spring from love.

24. Leaving thy gift, go-For neither thy gift nor thy prayer will atone for thy want of love: but this will make them both an abomination before God.

25. Agree with thine adversary-With any against whom thou hast thus offended: while thou art in the way-Instantly, on the spot; before you part. Lest the adversary deliver thee to the judge -Lest he commit his cause to God. # Luke 12:58.

26. Till thou hast paid the last farthing-That is, for ever, since thou canst never do this. What has been hitherto said refers to meekness: what follows, to purity of heart.

27. Thou shalt not commit adultery-And this, as well as the sixth commandment, the scribes and Pharisees interpreted barely of the outward act. # Exod 20:14.

29, 30. If a person as dear as a right eye, or as useful as a right hand, cause thee thus to offend, though but in heart. Perhaps here may be an instance of a kind of transposition which is frequently found in the sacred writings: so that the 29th verse may refer to 27, 28; and the 30th to ver. 21, 22. # Mt 5:29,27,28,30,21,22 As if he had said, Part with any thing, however dear to you, or otherwise useful, if you cannot avoid sin while you keep it. Even cut off your right hand, if you are of so passionate a temper, that you cannot otherwise be restrained from hurting your brother. Pull out your eyes, if you can no otherwise be restrained from lusting after women. # Matt 18:8; Mark 9:43. 30. See note ... "Mt 5:29". 31. Let him give her a writing of divorce-Which the scribes and Pharisees allowed men to do on any trifling occasion. # Deut 24:1; Matt 19:7; Mark 10:2; Luke 16:18. 32. Causeth her to commit adultery-If she marry again.

33. Our Lord here refers to the promise made to the pure in heart of seeing God in all things, and points out a false doctrine of the scribes, which arose from their not thus seeing God. What he forbids is, the swearing at all, 1, by any creature, 2, in our ordinary conversation: both of which the scribes and Pharisees taught to be perfectly innocent. # Exod 20:7.

36. For thou canst not make one hair white or black-Whereby it appears, that this also is not thine but God's.

37. Let your conversation be yea, yea; nay, nay-That is, in your common discourse, barely affirm or deny.

38. Ye have heard-Our Lord proceeds to enforce such meekness and love on those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake (which he pursues to the end of the chapter) as were utterly unknown to the scribes and Pharisees. It hath been said-In the law, as a direction to judges, in ease of violent and barbarous assaults. An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth-And this has been interpreted, as encouraging bitter and rigorous revenge. # Deut 19:21.

39. But I say unto you, that ye resist not the evil man-Thus; the Greek word translated resist signifies standing in battle array, striving for victory. If a man smite thee on the right cheek -Return not evil for evil: yea, turn to him the other-Rather than revenge thyself.

40, 41. Where the damage is not great, choose rather to suffer it, though possibly it may on that account be repeated, than to demand an eye for an eye, to enter into a rigorous prosecution of the offender. The meaning of the whole passage seems to be, rather than return evil for evil, when the wrong is purely personal, submit to one bodily wrong after another, give up one part of your goods after another, submit to one instance of compulsion after another. That the words are not literally to be understood, appears from the behaviour of our Lord himself, # John 18:22,23.

41. See note ... "Mt 5:40".

42. Thus much for your behaviour toward the violent. As for those who use milder methods, Give to him that asketh thee -Give and lend to any so far, (but no further, for God never contradicts himself) as is consistent with thy engagements to thy creditors, thy family, and the household of faith. # Luke 6:30.

43. Thou shalt love thy neighbour; And hate thy enemy-God spoke the former part; the scribes added the latter. # Lev 19:18.

44. Bless them that curse you-Speak all the good you can to and of them, who speak all evil to and of you. Repay love in thought, word, and deed, to those who hate you, and show it both in word and deed. # Luke 6:27,35.

45. That ye may be the children-That is, that ye may continue and appear such before men and angels. For he maketh his sun to rise-He gives them such blessings as they will receive at his hands. Spiritual blessings they will not receive.

46. The publicans-were officers of the revenue, farmers, or receivers of the public money: men employed by the Romans to gather the taxes and customs, which they exacted of the nations they had conquered. These were generally odious for their extortion and oppression, and were reckoned by the Jews as the very scum of the earth.

47. And if ye salute your friends only-Our Lord probably glances at those prejudices, which different sects had against each other, and intimates, that he would not have his followers imbibe that narrow spirit. Would to God this had been more attended to among the unhappy divisions and subdivisions, into which his Church has been crumbled! And that we might at least advance so far, as cordially to embrace our brethren in Christ, of whatever party or denomination they are!

48. Therefore ye shall be perfect; as your Father who is in heaven is perfect-So the original runs, referring to all that holiness which is described in the foregoing verses, which our Lord in the beginning of the chapter recommends as happiness, and in the close of it as perfection. And how wise and gracious is this, to sum up, and, as it were, seal all his commandments with a promise! Even the proper promise of the Gospel! That he will put those laws in our minds, and write them in our hearts! He well knew how ready our unbelief would be to cry out, this is impossible! And therefore stakes upon it all the power, truth, and faithfulness of him to whom all things are possible. here rust and moth consume-Where all things are perishable and transient. He may likewise have a farther view in these words, even to guard us against making any thing on earth our treasure. For then a thing properly becomes our treasure, when we set our affections upon it. # Luke 12:33. 21. # Luke 11:34.

Verse 22. 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 God and heaven, thy whole soul will be full of holiness and happiness. If thine eye be evil-Not single, aiming at any thing else.

Verse 24. Mammon-Riches, money; any thing loved or sought, without reference to God. # Luke 16:13.

Verse 25. 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 deny the smaller? # Luke 12:22.

Verse 27. 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.

Verse 29. 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.

Verse 30. 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 countries, where they dry fastest, to heat ovens with them. If God so clothe-The word properly implies, the putting on a complete dress, that surrounds the body on all sides; and beautifully expresses that external membrane, which (like the skin in a human body) at once adorns the tender fabric of the vegetable, and guards it from the injuries of the weather. Every microscope in which a flower is viewed gives a lively comment on this text.

Verse 31. 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 speaks at once to the understanding, and to the heart. We will not therefore indulge these unnecessary, these useless, these mischievous cares. We will not borrow the anxieties and distresses of the morrow, to aggravate those of the present day. Rather we will cheerfully repose ourselves on that heavenly Father, who knows we have need of these things; who has given us the life, which is more than meat, and the body, which is more than raiment. And thus instructed in the philosophy of our heavenly Master, we will learn a lesson of faith and cheer. fulness from every bird of the air, and every flower of the field.

Verse 33. 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.

Verse 34. 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 each.

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