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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.

Take heed that ye do not your alms — Your justice, saith the Syriac. For first, we do the poor but right when we relieve them; for they have an interest in our goods, by virtue of the communion of saints, whereupon Solomon, "Withhold not," saith he, "good from the owners thereof," i.e. thy poor brethren. God, the great author and owner of all, hath intrusted the rich (as his stewards, as his almoners) with the wealth of this world. He hath intrusted them, I say, not lent it them (to speak properly, for that which is lent is our own, at least for a time), but put it into their hands only, for this end, that their abundance may be a supply for others’ wants, 2 Corinthians 8:9 , that their full cups may overflow into others’ lesser vessels, …, which if it be not done, they can bring in no good bills of account. Proverbs 3:27 . Adeo si quid agimus, nostrum est: si quid habemus, alienum. Beddingf. It is but justice then that we do the poor, and it is but rapine or robbery (saith St Chrysostom) not to relieve them. Rapina est pauperibus non impertire. Chrysostom. Secondly, alms is called justice, to teach that alms should be given of things well gotten. In the reign of King Henry VIII there was one accused (but very unjustly) of heresy for saying that alms should not be given until it did sweat in a man’s hand. The Jews called their alms box, Kupha shel tsedacha, the chest of justice (Buxtorf, Syn.); and upon it they wrote this abbreviate, îëéà "A gift in secret pacifieth wrath," Proverbs 21:14 . Selymus the Great Turk, as he lay languishing (his incurable disease still increasing), leaning his head in the lap of Pyrrhus the Bassa, whom of all others he most loved, "I see," said he, "O Pyrrhus, I must shortly die without remedy." Whereupon the great Bassa took occasion to discourse with him of many matters; and among others, that it would please him to give order for the well bestowing of the great wealth taken from the Persian merchants in various places of his empire, persuading him to bestow the same upon some notable hospital for relief of the poor. To whom Selymus replied: "Wouldst thou, Pyrrhus, that I should bestow other men’s goods, wrongfully taken from them, upon works of charity and devotion, for mine own vainglory and praise? Assuredly I will never do it. Nay, rather, see they be again restored to the right owners;" which was forthwith done accordingly; to the great shame of many Christians, who minding nothing less than restitution, but making ex rapina holocaustum, do out of a world of evil gotten goods cull out some small fragments, to build some poor hospitals or mend some blind way: a slender testimony of their hot charity.

Before men, to be seen of them — As those are that act their part on a stage, and would please the spectators, that they may be applauded. "He that giveth," saith St Paul, "let him do it with simplicity," with ingenuity, accounting it enough that he hath God the witness of his heart, Romans 12:8 ; not but that men may see our good works, and their praise be sought, modo tibi non quaeras, sed Christo, saith Aretius, so that you seek not yourselves therein, but set up Christ. Let your end be, that the light may be seen, not yourselves seen, Matthew 5:16 . A fool hath no delight in understanding, saith Solomon, but that his heart may discover itself, i.e. that he may have the credit of it: but he takes a wrong course. Tantum ut vanam famam captet. Mercer. Duntaxat ad ostentationem. Bain. For honour (as a shadow) followeth them that seek it not, Caesar scripta sua Commentarios inscripsit, non historias. Et hoc ipso laudem veram meruit, quod falsam contempsit. Lipsius. as the Hittites told Abraham, he was "a prince of God among them;" when himself had said a little before, "I am a stranger and a sojourner with you," … Genesis 23:4-5 .

Otherwise ye have no reward of your Father, … — Ye take up your wages all beforehand. Fruit by the wayside seldom resteth till it be ripe. The cackling hen loseth her eggs, so doth the vainglorious hypocrite his reward. He layeth up his treasure, his wages, in the eyes and ears of men; which is a chest that hath neither lock nor key to keep it.

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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.

Therefore when thou doest thine alms — Unless thou set light by thy reward, as Esau did by his birthright; unless thou holdest heaven hardly worth having, and art of that carnal cardinal’s mind (Card. Bourbon), who preferred his part in Paris before his part in Paradise.

Do not sound a trumpet before thee — As the Pharisees did, under a show of assembling the poor to take dole, but indeed to notify their liberality. If they had been truly liberal, they had made no noise of it. Those vessels yield most sound that have least liquor. Vasa quae magis continent, minus sonant. (Seneca.)

As the hypocrites do — From whom as the saints differ in nature so they should in practice. We should have nothing common with them, no more than a chaste matron desires to have with a base strumpet. Song of Solomon 2:7 , the spouse desireth to know where Christ feedeth, that she may repair to him; for why should I be, saith she, as one that turneth aside (or, that is covered and veiled, which was the habit of harlots, Genesis 38:15-16 ), why should I be reputed a light housewife, while I turn aside by the flocks of thy companions? She would shun and be shy of all appearance of dishonesty; so should we of hypocrisy. Those Christians of Corinth are much condemned by the apostle that carried themselves so carnally that a man could hardly discern them from other men. Richard Redman, Bishop of Ely, 1501, was not much to be commended for looking so like a Pharisee in that practice of his, of causing a bell to be rung wherever he came, to give notice to the poor of the place that they should have six pence a-piece, as many as came to him. And why are alms houses commonly built by the highway sides? …

That they may have glory of men — As Jehu, Come, see what a zeal I have for the Lord of hosts. Is thine heart upright as mine? … A gracious heart is not a blab of his tongue, but rests and rejoiceth silently in the conscience of a secret goodness. Not so the hypocrite, the self-seeker, the stage player, for so the word "hypocrite" properly signifieth, such as though little better than rogues, yet sometimes represent the persons of princes, and carry themselves with other faces than their own, that they may have glory of men, that they may get a plaudit. Hos Plautus vocat Holophantas, qui omnia ostentant et mentiantur. Sic Roscias Ulyssis, aut Aeneae repraesentat personaam, cum Ulysses non sit, nec Aeneas. Aretius. And herewith agree all the former expressions; whatsoever these men do is merely theatrical ( προς το θεαθηναι ), hypocritical, histrionical. Theatrical in character or style, ‘stagey’; also fig. ‘acting a part’, hypocritical, deceitful. ŒD They sound a trumpet, as is usual on stages: they do their devoir in the synagogues, public assemblies, and streets, as stage players act in open places, and by drums and outcries get as much company together as they can. And as they can act to the life those whom they impersonate, yea, outstrip them in outward actions, so do hypocrites the true Christian. Doth the publican fix his eyes on the ground? those hypocrites in Isaiah will hang down their heads like bulrushes. Doth Timothy weaken his constitution with abstinence? the false Pharisee will not only weaken his constitution, but wither his complexion with fasting. Doth Zaecheus give half of what he hath to the poor? the pretender to piety and charity will bestow all his goods to feed the poor, and, besides, give his body to be burned, 1 Corinthians 13:3 , as Servetus did at Geneva, A.D. 1555. And all for a name, for a little glory among men, which is but a breath, and yet not able to blow so much as one cold blast upon hypocrites, when they shall be cast into unquenchable flames, when God shall wash off their varnish with rivers of brimstone. No natural face hath so clear a white and red as the painted. No rush is so green and smooth as the bulrush; he is curious to a miracle that can find a knot in it; yet within is nothing but a useless and spongy pith. Nodum in scirpo quaerit. Isaiah 58:5 . Overly fair shows are a just argument of unsoundness.

Verily I say unto you — q.d. You would little think it, and themselves will hardly believe it: for they are an impudent kind of people, and will not soon be said. But I assever and assure you of it, in the word of Amen, the faithfill and true witness, Revelation 3:14 , all the words of whose mouth are in righteousness, there is nothing froward or perverse in them, Proverbs 8:8 , that this is the very truth, and time will prove it so. Asses that have fed on hemlock, are so stupefied thereby, that they lie for dead, and feel not till half their hides be hilded off: then they rise and run away with a foul noise. Dimidia pellis parte propendente, foedum rudorem edunt. Mathiolus. So these.

They have their reward — Paid them down upon the nail in ready money, and have given their acquittance. They take up all their wages before the year’s end, they receive it now and leave none till hereafter. απεχουσι , They receive it as their full pay, whence αποχη , an acquittance. Luke 6:23 . It is all they are ever likely to have, and let them make them merry with it. Egregiam vero laudem, et spolia ampla refertis. A poor reward, God knows; but it is that which they would have. It is their own reward, not God’s, saith St Jerome. Mercedem suam, non Dei. Jerome. As Judas went to his own place, a place of his own providing, Acts 1:25 , so these have their own reward, much good may it do them. Here they have their consolation with Dives :let them look for no further reward in the day of refreshing, if they do, they are like to be disappointed, saith the Judge. To themselves they bore fruit, Hosea 10:1 , and shall therefore be turned off as empty vines; when the faithful spouse that lays up her fruit for Christ, Song of Solomon 7:13 , shall hear, "Thou art like a green fir tree; from me is thy fruit found," Hosea 14:8 . And albeit in her works of charity in secret, and without hope of reward from men, she may seem to cast her bread upon the waters, down the river (as we say), or on the sea to feed fishes; yet after many days she shall be sure to find it, Ecclesiastes 11:1 . That labour of love cannot be lost that we resolve to cast away (as the world accounts it) upon Christ.

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But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:

But thou when thou doest thine alms — The godly Christian must walk in a diverse way to a world of wicked people, as Noah did, a really reproving their darkness by his light, their pride by his lowliness, their vainglory by his modesty, their ostentation by his secret devotion; not only (planet-like) keeping a constant counter motion to the corrupt manners of the most, but also shining forth fair with a singularity of heavenly light, spiritual goodness, and God’s sincere service, in the darkest midnight of damned impiety.

Let not thy left hand know, … — A proverbial speech, q.d. secrete thyself as much as may be, cast away the vain affectation of human applause. Let not thy left hand (if it had so much skill) understand what thou givest, and to whom, how much, how often, at what time, … God sets down every circumstance in his book of remembrance, Malachi 3:16 , as our Saviour (that true Archdeacon, as well as Archshepherd, 1 Peter 5:4 ) sat and viewed the estate, mind, and gift of every one that cast money into the treasury, Mark 12:41 ; and as he took special observation of those that came to hear him, how far they had come, how long they had been there, how little opportunity they had of providing for themselves, and how soon they might faint if sent away empty, Matthew 15:32 . In pugillaribus suis omnia notat. "I know thy work and thy labour," Revelation 2:2 , saith Christ to that Church: so to us, -I know thine alms, and thy privacy. Many give much, and are little noted or noticed. It matters not, saith our Saviour, though thy left hand should not know what thy right hand doth; there is no loss in that. Some talents are best improved by being laid up. A treasure that is hid is safer from thieves. Steal we therefore benefits upon men, as Joseph did the money into the sacks. And as he made a gain of the famine, and bought Egypt; so may we of the poor we relieve, and buy heaven, Luke 16:9 ; Romans 2:10 . Ex fame quaestum captabat Iosephus, et benignitate sua emit Egyptum, nos coelum.

a Solus ipse diversa ambulavit via. Chrys. de Noa.

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That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.

Thy Father that seeth in secret — And best accepteth of secret service. Song of Solomon 2:14 ; "O thou that art in the clefts of the rocks, let me see thy face, let me hear thy voice," … Deus theatrum suum habet in latebris. Bucer. He is all eye ( πανοφθαλμος ), he searcheth the hearts and trieth the reins, those most abstruse and remotest parts of the body, seats of lust: and as he is himself a Spirit, so he loveth to be served like himself, "in spirit and in truth." He sets his eyes upon such, as the word here signifieth, he looketh wishedly, fixedly, steadily; he seeth through and through our secret services, not to find faults in them (for so he may soon do not a few, but those he winks at, where the heart is upright), but to reward them, as a liberal pay-master, "rich to all that call upon him," or do him any other business. Thales interrogatus, num lateret Deos homo iniuste agens, respondit, Ne cogitans quidem. Βλεπειν παρα το βαλλειν ωπας , ab adieciendo oculos. Beza. "Who is there even among you that shut the door for nought; that kindleth fire upon mine altar for nought?" Malachi 1:10 ; that gives a cup of cold water, and hath not his reward? David would not serve God on free cost, but was he not paid for his pains, and had his cost in again with usury ere the sun went down? Let him but resolve to confess his sins, and God (or ere he can do it) forgiveth him the iniquity of his sin, that in it that did most gall and grieve him, Psalms 32:5 . Let him but purpose to build God a house, God promiseth thereupon (for his good intentions) to build David a house for ever. So little is there lost by anything that is done or suffered for God. He sends away his servants (that do his work many times, and the world never the wiser) as Boaz did Ruth, with their bosom full of blessings; as David did Mephibosheth, with a royal revenue; as Solomon did the Queen of Sheba, with all the desire of her heart; as Caleb did his daughter Achsa, with upper and nether springs; or as once he did Moses from the mount, with his face shining. He shone bright, but knew not of it; yea, he hides his glorified face with a veil, and had more glory by his veil than by his face. How far are those spirits from this, which care only to be seen! and slighting God’s secret approbation, wish only to dazzle others’ eyes with admiration, not caring for unknown riches! Our Saviour (besides the veil of his humanity) says, "See ye tell no man." It is enough for him that he can say to his Father, "I have glorified thee on earth: I have finished the work that thou gavest me to do," John 17:4 . His work he accounts a gift; his wages he looks for in another world, Matthew 6:5 . He was content his "treasures of wisdom should be hidden," Colossians 2:3 . And shall we fret ourselves, when our pittances of piety and charity are not admired? Is it not enough for us that we shall appear with him in glory, and then be rewarded openly? Colossians 3:3 .

Shall reward thee openly — Ay, but when? at the resurrection of the just, Luke 14:14 ; at that great assize and general assembly he will make honourable mention, in the hearing of angels and men, of all the good deeds of his children; how they have fed the hungry, clothed the naked, …, that which they had utterly forgotten; not so much as once mentioning their misdoings, Matt. xxv. Yea, he shall take them to heaven with him, where the poor man’s hands have built him a house beforehand, and they shall receive him into everlasting habitations. But what shall he do in the mean while? "feed on faith" (as some read that text, Psalms 37:3 ), live upon reversions. Non igitur est dispendium eleemosyna sub conscientia Dei data, sed maximum compendium et praeclarissima negotiatio. Musculus. Domum in coelis manus pauperum aedificat. Chrysostom, Pascere fide. Junius. Yea, but while the grass grows the steed starves. But so cannot a merciful man, for he shall have mercy, Matthew 5:7 ; such a mercy as rejoiceth against judgment. Yea, he that can tender mercy to God, may challenge it from God by virtue of his promise; as David doth, "Preserve me, O God, for I am merciful," Psalms 86:2 . Mercy he shall obtain, 1. In his soul, which shall be like a watered garden, fresh and flourishing. For "the liberal soul shall be made fat; and he that watereth shall be watered himself," Proverbs 11:25 . The spirits of wealth distilled in good works comfort the conscience. 2. So they do the body, too, when sick and languishing, Psalms 41:2-3 . Mercy is the best cordial, a pillow of repose, a present remedy, Proverbs 11:17 . For if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, thy health shall spring forth speedily, Isaiah 58:8 ; Isaiah 58:10 . Isaiah 58:3 . For his name: the liberal are renowned in the earth, as Abraham, that free hearted housekeeper, no penny father; and Obadiah, that hid and fed the prophets by fifty in a cave. Zaccheus and Cornelius, Gaius and Onesiphorus, how precious are their names! how sweet their remembrance! Who honours not the memorial of Mary for her spikenard, and of Dorcas for her coats and garments? Acts 9:39 . Whereas "the vile person shall no more be called liberal" (in Christ’s kingdom), nor Nabal, Nadib, "the churl bountiful," Isaiah 32:5 ; Isaiah 4:1-6 . For his estate: the most gainful art is almsgiving, saith Chrysostom. The poor man’s bosom and the orphan’s mouth are the surest chest, saith another. Whatsoever we scatter to the poor, we gather for ourselves, saith a third. Eleemosgna ars omnium quae studiosissima. Chrysostom. Manus pauperum gazophylacium Christi. Quicquid pauperibus spargimus nobis colligimus. What we give to the poor, we lend to the Lord, who accounts himself both gratified and engaged thereby, Proverbs 19:17 . Neither will he fail to bless the liberal man’s stock and store, Deuteronomy 15:10 , so that his righteousness and his riches together shall endure for ever, Psalms 112:3 ; Psalms 5:1-12 . Lastly, his seed shall be mighty upon earth, Psalms 112:2 . The son of such a tenant that paid his rent duly, shall not be put out of his farm, Psalms 37:26 . And that proverb is proven false by common experience, "Happy is that son whose father goeth to the devil;" for ill-gotten goods usually come to nothing; the third heir seldom enjoyeth them, De male quae sitis vix gaudet tertius haeres. Horace. unless it be here and there one, that by repentance breaketh off, and healeth his father’s sin by mercifulness to the poor, that the property may be altered, and so his tranquillity lengthened. Oh, therefore, that rich men would be "rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate" ( ευμεταδοτους ), 1 Timothy 6:18-19 (which was a piece of praise used to be ascribed to the ancient kings of Egypt). This, this were the way to "lay up for themselves a sure foundation;" yea, to "lay fast hold on eternal life;" when those that withhold their very crumbs shall not obtain a drop with Dives , whom to vex and upbraid, Lazarus was laid in the bosom of liberal Abraham. Artaxerxes Longimanus quod manum haberet alteram longiorem, addere, dictitabat, esse magis regium, quam detrahere. (Plutarch.)

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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.

And when thou prayest — A duty of that necessity, that neither the immutability of God’s decree, Daniel 9:2-3 , nor the infallibility of the promises, Ezekiel 36:37 , nor the effectual intercession of our Lord Christ (who taught his disciples to pray), can dispense with us for not doing it. The Jews accounted it an "abomination of desolation" when the dally sacrifice was intermitted and suspended, as under Antiochus. Our Saviour perfumed his whole course, nay, his cross, with this incense, and thereby purchased us this privilege, paved us this "new and living way" to the throne of grace, Hebrews 10:20 ; a sure and safe way to get mercy, Hebrews 10:16 . The ark was never separated from the mercy seat, to show that God’s mercy is near unto such as affect his presence. Some favours he hath reserved to this duty, that will not otherwise be yielded, Psalms 106:23 ; Ezekiel 22:30 . As when he is fully resolved to ruin a people or person, he silenceth his servants, and forbids them to solicit him any further, as he did Samuel interceding for Saul, and Jeremiah for Jerusalem.

Be not as the hypocrites — Who pretend to pray much, but indeed can do nothing at it, because destitute of the "spirit of grace and supplication;" without whose help we know neither what nor how to pray, Zechariah 12:10 ; Romans 8:26: nay, Peter, James, and John will be sleeping when they should be praying in the very hour of temptation, Matthew 26:38 . There may be good words and wishes found in a worldling’s mouth, "Who will show us any good?" but none but a David can with faith, feeling, and fervency say, "Lord, lift up the light of thy countenance upon me," Psalms 4:6 . Balaam may break forth into wishes and woulds, "Oh, let me die the death of the righteous," …; but can he pray, as David in like case, Psalms 26:9 ; "Oh, take not away my soul with sinners, nor my life with bloody men!" A hypocrite may tell a persuasive tale for himself in earthly regards, or howl upon his bed in the want of outward comforts; cry in extremity, as a prisoner at the bar, as a pig under the knife; or importune God for grace, as a bridge to lead him to heaven, not for any beauty he seeth or sweetness he finds in it. But will he pray always, will he delight himself in God? saith Job. Hosea 7:14 . When God is rending away his soul, he roars. Job 27:9 . No, surely, he neither doth nor can do it. When God defers to help at a pinch, as Saul, 1 Samuel 13:8 , when grief and vexations increase, he frets and meddles no more with calling upon God, but grunts against him because he handles him not after his own mind, and betaketh himself to some other course. If God will not come at his call and be at his beck, away to the witch of Endor, with Saul, 1 Samuel 28:7 ; to the god of Ekron, as Ahaziah; to Baalim and Ashteroth, with the revolted Israelites, 2 Kings 1:2 . Flectere si nequeo superos, Acheronta movebo. Ab Ekron ubi colebatur Beelzebub, factus videtur, Acheron. Wherein he is like to those barbarous Chinois, that whip their gods when they answer them not; or that resolute Ruffus, that profanely painted God on the one side of his shield and the devil on the other, with this inscription, Si tu me nolis, iste rogitat: or that desperate king of Israel, "Behold," saith he, "this evil is from the Lord, and what should I wait for the Lord any longer?" 2 Kings 6:33 . Lo, this is the guise of a godless hypocrite. Either "he calleth not upon God" (which is the description David giveth of him, Psalms 14:4 ), but is possessed, as it were, with a dumb devil, both in church and chamber; or if by reading or otherwise he have raked together some good petitions, and strive to set some life upon them in the utterance, that he may seem to be well gifted; yet he doth it not to serve God, but merely to serve himself upon God: "he draweth not nigh with a true heart," Hebrews 10:22 , uprightly propounding God’s service in prayer, and not only his own supply and satisfaction. He is not brought into God’s presence with love and desire, as Psalms 40:8 . He labours not with strife of heart to worship him with his faith, trust, hope, humility, self-denial, being well content that God’s will be done, however, and truly seeking his glory, though himself be not profited, acknowledging the kingdom, power, and glory to be his, Matthew 6:13 . Lastly, working not by a right rule, from a right principle, not for a right end; he cannot undergo the strife of prayer, as Jacob, who wrestled by might and sleight (so much the Hebrew word importeth, åéàá÷ , Genesis 32:24-26 ), much less can he continue long in it, as David, he is soon sated, soon tired, Psalms 27:4 ; Psalms 119:81 ; Psalms 119:123 . If men observe him not, applaud him not, he giveth over that course, as tedious and unsavoury, that wherein he finds no more good relish than in the white of an egg or a dry chip. And in any extraordinary trouble, instead of calling upon God, he runs from him, Isaiah 33:14 , as Saul did, 1 Samuel 28:7 .

For they love to pray standing, … — Stand they might; so did the publican. And when ye stand and pray, saith our Saviour, not disliking the gesture, Luke 18:13 ; Mark 9:25 . It was commonly used among the Jews in the temple, especially at the solemn feasts, what time there was such resort of people from all parts, that they could hardly stand one by another. The primitive Christians also stood praying in their public assemblies, between Easter and Whitsuntide especially, in token of our Saviour’s standing up from the dead. Whence came that proverb among them, "Were it not for standing in prayer, the world would not stand." Absque stationibus non substiteret mundus. Tertul. Other gestures and postures of the body in prayer we read of. David and Elijah sat and prayed, 1 Chronicles 17:16 ; 1 Kings 19:4 . Peter and Paul kneeled and prayed, Acts 9:40 ; Ephesians 4:13 . Moses and Aaron fell on their faces and prayed, Numbers 16:22 . In secret prayer there is more liberty to use that gesture that may most quicken us and help the duty: Elijah put his head between his knees in prayer (as one that would strain every vein in his heart). But in public our behaviour must be such as may witness our communion and desire of mutual edification; there must he uniformity, no rents or divisions, 1 Corinthians 14:40 ; and special care taken that our inward affection answer our external devotion; that we stand not in the synagogues, as these, with desire to be seen of men (as Saul was higher than the rest by head and shoulders), for that is putrid hypocrisy, hateful even among heathens. Cicero taxeth Gracchus for this, that he referred all his actions, not to the rule of virtue, but to the favour of the people, that he might have esteem and applause from them.

That they may be seen of men — This was the wind that set the windmill to work, the poise that made the clock strike. Pliny telleth us that the nightingale singeth far longer and better when men be by than otherwise. If Jehonadab had not seen the zeal that Jehu had for the Lord of hosts, he had been nothing so hot nor (in his own conceit) so happy. But Christian modesty teacheth a wise man not to expose himself to the fairest show, but rather to seek to be good than seem to be so. Sed vox tu es, praeterea nihil. Laco ad Philon. Falleris, esse aliquid si cupis, esque nihil. Not so every loose and ungirt Christian: these, like Jeroboam’s wife, never put on demure apparel but when they are to speak with the prophets; are never so holy as at church, and in the presence of those whose holiness they reverence.

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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 when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, … — The proper place for secret prayer (as the family is for private prayer, Acts 10:3 ; Acts 10:9 , and the church for public, Luke 4:16 ), that being sequestered from company, we may more fully descend into our own hearts, and be the freer from ostentation and hypocrisy, and from discursation and wandering of mind ( Anima dispersa fit minor ): as also for the demonstration of our faith, whereby we believe the omnipresence of God, who seeth in secret and rewardeth openly. Daniel indeed opened his windows, and prayed in an upper room, not to be more secret (as Pintus mistaketh it) but to be more seen; and yet not of vain ostentation, but of zealous and constant profession. The king had forbidden it (so did Henry III, King of France, forbid householders to pray with their famihes), Daniel did it notwithstanding, as beforetime. God must be obeyed rather than men, as not Scripture only, but nature teacheth. Acts 5:29 . Sic Socrates in Apologia, respondens, εγω μιν, ω Αθηναιοι, ασπαζαμαι υμας και φιλω. πεισομαι δε τω Θεψ μαλλον η υμιν . He kneeled upon his knees three times a day and prayed; that had been his custom, and should be. David also at morning, at evening, and at noon, called upon God, and had his set times for such devotions. But the devil, as it is probable, 2 Samuel 12:2 , had caused him to come from his trench, and then did presently wound him. He knows well enough that a Christian’s strength lies in his prayer (as Samson’s did in his hair), that it buckleth all our spiritual armour close to us, and makes it useful, that a Christian can never lack help while he can pray, Ephesians 6:18 ; as they were wont to say, the pope can never lack money so long as he can hold a pen in his hand to command and send for it: that secret prayer is a soul-fattening exercise, as secret meals, we say, feed the body. The old serpent feels himself charmed and disabled to do hurt by these kinds of duties. They have "poured forth a charm ( ìäù ) when thy chastening was upon them," Isaiah 26:16 . Yea, he is deeply wounded and driven out of the field by those arrows of deliverance, as the king of Syria was, 2 Kings 13:17 , which therefore he keeps (what he can) from being multiplied and enlarged. Fervent prayers are the pillars of smoke wherein the Church ascendeth to God out of the wilderness of this world, and by a humble familiarity converseth, yea, parleyeth with him, 1 Timothy 2:1 , εντευξεις , parleyings with God. So 1 Peter 3:21 , επερωτημα , sc. in precibus, quae sunt electorum cum Deo colloquia. Pasor. as Abram and Moses did (especially when Satan, sin, and conscience accuse), and standeth, as it were, upon interrogatories; such as are those, Romans 8:33-35 .

And when thou hast shut thy door — So to shut out distractions, which yet will grow upon us, do what we can. For though the spirit is willing to wait upon God all the while of the duty, yet the flesh is weak. It being but partly mortified, draws away our thoughts many times; and putteth us to St Paul’s complaint, "When I would do good, evil is present with me," Romans 7:21 . Satan also will be jogging and interrupting us; and will needs be talking to us when we are most busily speaking to God, as the Pythoness troubled St Paul as he went to prayer, Acts 16:16 . Worldly things likewise are so natural to us, and so near our senses, heavenly things are so supernal and supernatural, that we cannot without watching our senses, and travail of soul, stay our spirits long upon them. For help herein, St Augustine telleth us that the ancient Christians of Egypt were wont to use only short and pithy prayers and ejaculations, Fratres Aegyptiaci brevissimis et raptim eiaculatis orationibus uti voluissent, ne per moras evanesceret et hebetarelur intentio. such as was that of Elijah when he contended with the priests of Baal, charging God (in two words) with the care of his covenant, of his truth, and of his glory. Many other helps there are for the curing and casting out (in a comfortable measure) these by thoughts, these birds that would rob Abraham of his sacrifice; these swarms of Egypt, that our hearts may be as so many Goshens; these creeping things innumerable, as David hath it. This among the rest, that our Saviour here prescribeth, to retire into a secret place, as Abraham did into his grove at Beersheba, planted for the purpose (though that was afterwards abused by the heathens, and therefore forbidden the Israelites, Deuteronomy 12:3 ). Isaac had his oratory in the fields, where he prayed with deep meditation or soliloquy, as the word there signifieth. Rebekah upon the struggling of the babes, "went to inquire of the Lord," Genesis 25:22 , that is, she went to some secret place to pray, and receive some revelation from God, say Calvin, Musculus, Mercer, others. Jacob had visions of God when he was all alone upon the way; Elijah prayed under the juniper; our Saviour in the garden of Gethsemane, and many times in the mount; Cornelius in some corner of his house; Peter on the leads, Acts 9:4 ; Acts 10:10 . εκστασις , Quasi semoto ad tempus a corpore animo, cum Deo colloquitur. Beza. where also he fell into an ecstacy or trance, and saw heaven open, his soul was separated (after a sort) from his body for the time, while he was talking with God, he was so transported and carried out of himself, ut caro esset paene nescia carnis, as St Jerome testifieth of certain devout women of his time. For the place we pray in, no matter how mean it be, so it be secret. Where there is a Jeremiah, a Daniel, a Jonas, a dungeon, a lions’ den, a whale’s belly, are goodly oratories. If ye will not hear me out, send me to my prison again among my toads and frogs, which will not interrupt me while I talk with my Lord God. Shut the door to thee, remembering the weakness of thy flesh, and the malice of the devil, watching how to distract thee. Covenant with thy senses, and bind them to the good abearance all the while: look God full in the face, as David did, Psalms 57:7 , call in and collect and focus thy thoughts, as men do the sunbeams into a burning glass: serve God with thy spirit, as Paul did, Romans 1:9 , say, "All that is within me, praise his holy name." Have thy heart at thy right hand, with Solomon’s wise man, lay God’s charge upon it to attend upon him; when it roves and wanders, call it in and chide it; judge and shame thyself for thy distractions, and strive to do better, so shall they never be imputed unto thee, Psalms 13:2 . To be wholly freed from them is a privilege proper to the estate of perfection. Some diseases will not be cured near home, but men must repair to the bath or city for help. This infirmity is not to be healed till we come to heaven. No shutting of the door will do it, nor anything else, till the everlasting door be opened unto us, till we enter in by the gates into the city of the living God, Revelation 21:24 .

Pray to thy Father which is in secret — There are no dumb children in God’s house; the least he hath can ask him blessing. All are not alike gifted, but every godly man prayeth unto thee, saith David, Psalms 32:6 ; St Paul was no sooner converted but he was praying presently, Acts 9:11 . The spirit of grace is the spirit of supplication, and teacheth to cry, "Abba, Father," or Father, Father, Galatians 4:5 . And this very naming of the name of God in prayer (though it be no more), so it be done in faith, entitles a man to heaven, 2 Timothy 2:19 , if also he depart from iniquity; when such as have the gift of prophecy and of doing miracles shall miscarry, and be turned off at the last day, because workers of iniquity, Matthew 7:15-20 . And albeit God’s weaker children cannot utter their mind unto him in well couched words and variety of expressions, yet, if their broken language come from a broken heart, it avails more than affectation of rhetoric, without affection of prayer. Men are better pleased with the stammering and lisping of their own little ones than with all the plain speech of all the children in the town besides. Yea, because the soul is sick, the service is twice welcome. As, if a sick child reach us up a thing, we count it more than to send another of a laborious errand. "I will spare them," saith he, "as a man spares his own son that serveth him," Malachi 3:17 . The business of prayer is more despatched by sighs than speeches, by desires and groans of the heart, to our Father which is in secret, whether we can express them in words or no. "The Spirit also helpeth our infirmities" (he lifteth with us and before us, as the word signifies, συναντιλαμβανεται , Romans 8:26 ), and maketh intercession in us and for us with groans unutterable. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the spirit. As he heareth us without ears, so he understaudeth us without our words. If we can but groan out, Ah, Father, it is an effectual prayer. The voice is not simply required, John 4:24 . There is a great dispute (saith one) among the schoolmen about the speech of angels; but this they agree in, that one angel speaketh thus to another, when any one hath a conceit in his mind of anything, with a will that another should understand it, and that God should understand it, that is enough for the expression of it. So is it with the spirit of man in speaking to God: for the spirit agreeth to the angels. Yet we must pray for fit words also, Hosea 14:2 , and strive to be enriched in all utterance, and in all knowledge, 1 Corinthians 1:5 , get a habit of heavenly mindedness, let the heart meditate a good matter, Verbaque provisam rem non invita sequentur. Horat. and then the tongue will be as the pen of a ready writer, Psalms 45:1 ; first prepare the heart, and then stretch out the hands, Job 11:13 . The heart should be praying a good while before the tongue; as before the seven trumpets were sounded at the opening of the seventh seal, there was half an hour’s silence in heaven, Revelation 8:1-2 . And surely if there be an honest heart and a good intention, an ability of prayer usually is in us, though we know it not; as a man may have money about him, and not know so much, till necessity make him willing to search and glad to find it. Remember, however, the promise of the Spirit’s assistance and God’s acceptance, and know, that as in singing, so in praying, the pleasing melody is in the heart, Colossians 3:16 . The voice which is made in the mouth is nothing so sweet as that which comes from the depth of the breast. As the deeper or hollower the belly of the lute or viol is, the pleasanter is the sound; the fleeter, the more grating and harsh in our ears.

And thy Father which seeth in secret — And heareth too: as he did Moses when he cried to God, but said nothing; Exodus 14:15 . Moses egit vocis silentio ut corde clamaret. Aug. and Hannah, when she moved her lips, but uttered not herself in an audible voice, 1 Samuel 1:13 ; and Nehemiah, when he lift up his heart to God, as he spake to the king, Nehemiah 2:4 ; and as he doth still his praying people. His ears are into their prayers, saith St Peter, after David (1 Peter 3:12 , εις δεησιν αυτων . Psalms 34:15 ), that though their prayers are so weak they cannot ascend to him, he will descend to them. He "hearkened and heard" those good souls in Malachi, Malachi 3:16 as loth to lose any part of their precious language. Thus the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous (when they are praying especially), and his ears are open to their prayers. He seeth his Church when she is in the clefts of the rocks, Song of Solomon 2:14 ; when she is gotten into a corner and praying, he looks upon her with singular delight, and with special intimations of his love (as Ahasuerus dealt with Esther), and saith unto her, as he, "What is thy petition, and it shall be given thee," Ezra 5:3 . And oh that every faithful soul, while it is sitting and feasting with God by secret prayer and other holy duties, would bethink itself what special boon it hath to beg, what Haman to hang up, what corruption to be subdued, what grace to be increased, … How should they be gratified, and their request granted, even to the whole of God’s kingdom. The truth is, they might have anything: and that which Zedekiah said to his courtiers flatteringly, God performeth to his people really, "The king is not he that can do anything against you," Jeremiah 38:5 . Luther was wont to say that prayer was after a sort omnipotent: for whatsoever God can do, that prayer can do. Of Luther himself, for his wrestling with God and prevailing (as he was mighty and happy that way), it was said, That man can have anything at God’s hands. Iste vir potuit quod voluit. De Luthero Justus Jonas.

Will reward you openly — Here in part, hereafter in all perfection. He never said to the house of Israel, Seek ye me in vain, Isaiah 45:19 ; "This poor man (for instance) prayed," saith David, pointing to himself, "and the Lord heard him, and delivered him out of all his distresses," Psalms 34:6 . God is known by hearing of prayers; it is one of his titles, Psalms 65:3 , it is his praise above all heathen gods, Isaiah 45:19-20 . By this Manasseh knew him to be God, 2 Chronicles 33:13 , and all Israel, 1 Kings 18:37 ; 1 Kings 18:39 , when it came to a matter of competition. "Verily, verily, I say unto you, whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you," John 16:23 . If we can find a praying heart, he will find a pitying: if we open our mouths, God will fill them: and he is worthily miserable that will not make himself happy by asking. Of some heathen princes it is said that they never sent away their suitors sad or discontented: this is most true of God; let a man bring right petitions, a clear conscience, faith in the promises, and hope to wait the accomplishment, and he shall not fail of the thing he asketh, or a better: when God denied David the life of the child, but assured him of his salvation, "I shall go to him," …, 2 Samuel 12:23 . So he denied his mother her particular request for that time, John 2:4: and when his disciples asked him a curious question, "Wilt thou at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?" …, that is not for you to know, saith he; but a better thing I can tell: you shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you, Acts 1:7-8 . But many times God is graciously pleased not only to grant a man’s prayer, but also to fulfil his counsel, Psalms 20:4 ; that is, in that very way and by that very means that his thoughts pitch on. But say he do neither of these; yet the very ability to pray in the Holy Ghost is a sweet and sure sign of salvation, Romans 10:13 . And a very grave divine writeth thus: I cannot but prefer faithful prayers for some temporal mercy far before that mercy for which I pray. Yea, I had rather God should give me the gift of prayer than (without that gift) the whole world besides. Malo accipere a Deo serias preces quam sine precibus universum hunc mundum. Rolloc. in John 6:23 . As for those that are ita congregabiles (saith another divine of good note), so very good fellows that they cannot spare so much time out of company as to seek God apart and to serve him in secret, they sufficiently show themselves thereby to have little fellowship or friendship with God, whom they so seldom come at.

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But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do : for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.

But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions — Babble not, bubble not, saith the Syriac, as water out of a narrow mouthed vessel. Do not iterate or inculcate the same things odiously et ad nauseam, as Solomon’s fool, who is full af words (saith he); and this custom of his expressed μιμητικως , in his vain tautologies. Μη Βαττολογησατε. ‘ Εν πολυλογια πολυμωρια , In multiloquio stultilofuium. "A man cannot tell what shall be; and what shall be after him, who can tell?" Ecclesiastes 10:14 . Such a one also was that Battus (to whom the Evangelist here hath relation), an egregious babbler. - sub illis In common discourse it is a sign of weakness to lay on more words upon a matter than needs must: how much more in prayer! Take we heed we offer not the sacrifice of fools; God hath no need of such, 1 Samuel 21:15 ; cf. Psalms 5:5 . He "is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few," Ecclesiastes 5:2 . Prayers move God, not as an orator moves his hearers, but as a child his father ("your Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things," Matthew 6:8 ). Now a child is not to chat to his father, but to deliver his mind, humbly, earnestly, in few, direct to the point. St Peter would have men to be sober in prayer, that is, to pray with due respect to God’s dreadful majesty, without trifling or vain babbling, 1 Peter 4:7 . He that is fervent in spirit, prays much, though he speak little, as the publican, Luke 18:13 , and Elijah, 1 Kings 18:36 . But as a body without a soul, much wood without a fire, a bullet in a gun without powder, -so are words in prayer without spirit. Now long prayers can hardly maintain their vigour, as in tall bodies the spirits are diffused. The strongest hand long extended will languish, as Moses’ hand slacked against Amalek. It is a praise proper to God, to have "his hand stretched out still," Isaiah 9:12 . Our infirmity suffers not any long intention of body or mind. Our devotion will soon lag and hang the wing: others also that join with us may be tired out, and made to sin by weariness and wanderings. In secret indeed, and in extraordinary prayer with solemn fasting, or so when the heart is extraordinarily enlarged, our prayers may and must be likewise. Solomon prayed long at the dedication of the Temple, so did those godly Levites. Nehemiah 9:5-38 Our Saviour prayed all night sometimes, "and rising up a great while before day, he went apart and prayed," Mark 1:35 . Of Luther it is reported that he spent constantly three hours a day in prayer, and three of the best hours, and fittest for study. Nullus abit dies quirt ut minimum tres horas, easque studiis aptissimas, in orationem ponat. It was the saying of a grave and godly divine, that he profited in the knowledge of the word more by prayer in a short time than by study in a longer. That which our Saviour condemneth, is needless and heartlessly repetitious, unnecessary digressions, tedious prolixities, proceeding not from heat of affection or strength of desire (for so the repetition of the self-same petition is not only lawful, but useful, Daniel 9:17-18 Mark 14:39 ; Psalms 142:1 ; Psalms 130:6 ), but either out of ostentation of devotion, as Pharisees, or the opinion of being heard sooner, as heathens, when men’s words exceed their matter, or both words and matter exceed their attention and affection. See that these be matches, and then pray and spare not.

For they think they shall be heard for their much speaking — As Orpheus in his hymns, and other pagans; calling, as the mariners in Jonah, "every man upon his God;" and lest they should not hit the right, closing their petitions with that Diique Deaeque omnes, to all gods and goddesses. And since this was the folly and fault of pagans, so is it also still of the Papists, whom the Holy Ghost calleth heathens, with whom they symbolize, as in many things else, so in their battologies or vain repetitions: which are so gross that the devil himself (had he any shame in him) might well be ashamed of them. Gentes sunt Antichristus cum suis asseclis. Pareus. Battologiae Pontificiae vel Satanam ipsum pudeat. Beza. In their Jesus Psalter (as they call it) there are fifteen of these prayers: "Jesu, Jesu, Jesu, have mercy on me. Jesu, Jesu, Jesu, help me. Jesu, Jesu, give me here my purgatory." Every of these petitions are to be ten different times at once said over for a task. So on their church and college doors, the English fugitives have written in great golden letters, Iesu, Iesu, converte Angliam, Fiat, Fiat. Jesus, Jesus convert the English, Do it, do it. These be their weapons, they say, prayers and tears. But the truth is, the Jesuits (the pope’s blood hounds) trust more to the prey than to their prayers; like vultures, whose nests, as Aristotle saith, cannot be found, yet they will leave all games to follow an army, because they delight to feed upon carrion. Their faction is a most agile sharp sword, whose blade is sheathed at their pleasure in the bowels of every commonwealth, but the handle reacheth to Rome and Spain. They strive under pretence of long prayers and dissembled sanctity, which is double iniquity ( simulata sanetitas duplex iniquitas ), to subdue all to the pope, and the pope to themselves. Satan, they say, sent Luther, and God sent them to withstand him. But that which Vegetius (i. 24) said of chariots armed with scythes and hooks, will be every day more and more applied to the Jesuits; "at first they were a terror, afterwards a scorn."

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

Be not ye therefore like unto them — God would not have his Israel conform to the heathens’ customs, nor so much as once name their idols, Exodus 23:13 ; Psalms 16:4 . No more should Christians (as some are of the opinion). Non male dixit Tertullianus, Philosophos esse Haereticorum Patriarchas. That of Cardinal Bembus is somewhat gross concerning their St Francis, quod in numerum Deorum ab Ecclesia Romana sit relatus. But this is like the rest; for if we may believe Baronius, we may see their lustral water and sprinkling of sepulchres in Juvenal’s sixth satire; lights in sepulchres, in Suetonius’ Octavius; lamps lighted on Saturday, in Seneca’s 96th Epistle; distribution of tapers among the people, in Macrob. Saturnals, …

For your heavenly Father knoweth what things ye need, … — And therefore answereth many times before we ask, Isaiah 65:24 ; as he did David, Psalms 32:1-11 . He prevents us with many mercies we never sought him for; that our praises may exceed our prayers. "I am found of them that sought me not," saith God; but yet in the same place it is said, "I am sought of them that asked not for me," Isaiah 65:1 . Importing, that we never seek to him for grace till effectually called by his grace. Howbeit, no sooner is any truly called, but he presently prayeth. Say not then, if God know our needs, what need we open them to him? The truth is, we do it not to inform him of that he knows not, Non sane ut Deus instruatur, sed ut mens nostra construatur. or to stir up mercy in him, who is all hearts, and perfectly pitieth us: but, 1. Hereby we acknowledge him as a child doth his father when he runs to him for food, Luke 11:13 ; Luke 2:1-52 . We run that course of getting good things that he hath prescribed us, Jeremiah 29:11-12 . Which Moses and Elijah knew, and therefore the former turned God’s predictions, the latter his promises, into prayers, Exodus 9:33 ; 1 Kings 18:37 ; 1 Kings 3:1-28 . Hereby we prepare ourselves holily to enjoy the things we crave; for prayer both sanctifieth the creature and increaseth our love and thankfulness, Psalms 116:1 ; Psalms 4:1-8 . Prayer prepareth us, either to go without that we beg, if God see fit, as David when he prayed for the child’s life, and was fitted thereby to bear the loss of it; or else to part with that which we have got by prayer, for the glory of God the giver of it. Those that make their requests known to God with thanksgiving, shall have (at least) the "peace of God that passeth all understanding," to guard their hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. φρουρησει , Philippians 4:6-7 They shall have strength in their souls, the joy of the Lord shall be their strength, the glory of the Lord shall be their rereward, Psalms 138:3 ; Nehemiah 8:10 ; Isaiah 58:8 . In their marching in the wilderness, at the fourth alarm, arose the standard of Dan, Asher, and Naphtali; these were the reguard of the Lord’s host; and to these were committed the care of gathering together the lame, feeble, and sick, and to look that nothing was left behind. Unto this the prophet Isaiah seems (in that text) to allude, and so doth David, Psalms 27:10 ; "When my father and mother forsake me, the Lord will gather me;" and this comfortable assurance was the fruit of his prayer.

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