Matthew 6

Matthew 6:1

BEfore men, to be seen of them] We may and ought to do good before men somtimes, else how shall they glorifie God for our good works? chap. 5. 16. But our end must not be to be praised by them, but to please God, verse 2.

ye have no reward] The word is usually taken in Scripture for a free recompence, Romans 4:4.

of] Or, with.

your Father which is in heaven] See on chap. 5. 45.

Matthew 6:2

when thu doest thine alms] Romans 12:8.

do not sound a trumpet before thee] Or, cause not a trumpet to he sounded before thee. Alluding to the manner of calling people together, Numbers 10:3-4. It may be they did use to blowe trumpets when common alms were to be given, that the people might not go up and down begging. But the Pharisees, out of ambition, gave their private alms so, that they might have witnesses to praise them, as well as receivers to thank them.

as the hypocrites do] The Pharisees, who are counterfeits, as those that act other mens parts in a comedie.

in the synagogues, and in the sheets] They used all means to be known when they gave alms; for they did not blowe trumpets in their own doors, but in synagogues and streets, that all the city might take notice of their charity.

they have their reward] Gr. their own reward. Or, have all out their reward. They may make their acquittance, as the word in Greek thence derived signifies, Philippians 4:18. They have all they desire, and all they deserve; to wit, the praise and applause of men, the onely thing that they aimed at.

Matthew 6:3

let not thy right hand know] A proverbial speech, signifying, that we should be willing to do alms when no man seeth it, not regarding mens taking notice thereof.

Matthew 6:4

thy Father which seeth in secret] Men in good deeds lok for notice to be taken of them, and reward, and that publikely; God will do all these to such as do good in private, chap. 25. 34, 35, 36. Luke 14. 14.

Matthew 6:5

as the hypocrites are] See on v. 2.

they love to pray standing in the synagogues] They affect it, chap. 23. 6, 7. and use it.

and in the corners of the streets] They cared not for private prayer, but affected to pray alone, in open places, at the corners, where divers ways met; and in a diffrent gesture from the rest (standing, when others were walking) that most men might observe them.

they have their reward] See on v. 2.

Matthew 6:6

when thu prayest] Privately: for publike prayers are not condemned.

pray to thy Father which is in secret] Remember thy businesse is with God in private, not with men in publike: and seek to please him alone then, and not men.

and thy father which seeth, &c,] See on v. 4.

Matthew 6:7

use not vain repetitions] Ecclus 7. 14. All long prayers are not here condemned, nor such repetitions as stir up affection; but needlesse and heedlesse ones.

at the heathen do] It was a shame for the Jews to imitate the heathen in prayer, whom they abhorred, chap. 18. 17. verse 8.

Matthew 6:8

your father knoweth] Ye know that God knows your wants before ye ask, and hath a fatherly heart towards you, and therefore need not many repetitions of the same thing, to acquaint him with your words, as one ignorant of them.

Matthew 6:9

after this manner] A true sum and form of all Christian prayers, set down, not in precepts, but in a patern, which also may be used as a prayer. Luke 11. 2.

Our Father] Who art willing to hear us thy children.

which art in heaven] Whence thou seest our wants, Psal. 33. 13, 14. and are able to relieve us, Psalms 115:3.

Hallowed be thy Name] By us, and all other persons. Let all men acknowledge thee to be holy and glorious.

Matthew 6:10

Thy kingdom come] Of grace here, and of glory in heaven.

Thy will be done, &c.] By us here, as by angels there, Psal. 103. 20, 21.

Matthew 6:11

our daily bread] That is meet for, or may suffice to nourish out nature every day, Proverbs 30:8.

Matthew 6:12

our debts] Our sins, which make us liable to thy judgements.

our debtours] Such as do us wrong, and are not able to right us, as we have done to thee.

Matthew 6:13

into temptation, &c.] Let not Satan tempt us, who are so weak; or if he do, let thy power keep us from falling, and being foiled by him, chap. 26. 41. John 17:15.

deliver us from evil] Or, from that evil one: that is, Satan, 2 Corinthians 13:7.

thine is the kingdom, &c.] We are thy subjects, and thou art able to deliver us, and to grant all our requests, and shalt get glory by it for ever: therefore do it.

Amen] We desire it may be so, and believe it shall.

Matthew 6:14

For if ye forgive] Mark 11:25. This, out of all the petitions, is insisted on, because of our unwillingnesse to forgive wrongs. They that forgive, shall be forgiven; and none else, v. 15.

men] We must forgive others, because they are men like us, and we may need forgivenesse of them.

Matthew 6:15

if ye forgive not] See on 14.

Matthew 6:16

as the hypocrites] See on v. 2.

of a sad countenance] Sowre and sorrowfull, Luke 24:17. Isaiah 58:5.

they disfigure their faces] They compose their countenance to such a rufull aspect, as clean alters the native fashion of it.

that they may appear unto men to fast] Not that they might seem to fast when they did not; but that they might be known abroad to fast, when they did it in private.

they have their reward] See on v. 2.

Matthew 6:17

when thou fastest] In private: for in publike fasts they might not use these things.

anoint thine head, &c.] If at the time of thy private fast thou shalt be compelled to go abroad, leave the signes of thy humiliation at home, and use thy daily and ordinary manner, as at other times; for such, in part, was their daily usage, unlesse occasion of mourning hindered; though anointing and washing were most frequent in feasts, Rth 3:3. 2 Samuel 12:20. and 14, 2. Amos 6:6. Ecclesiastes 9:8. Luke 7:46.

Matthew 6:18

to thy father which is in secret, &c.] See on v. 6.

Matthew 6:19

Lay not up for your selves] Let it not be your chief care to be rich: or, labour not so much to gather wealth here (for treasuring here is not simply condemned, 2 Corinthians 12:14.) as to provide for hereafter, as John 6:27. See chap. 9. 13.

treasures upon earth] An unstable place, where ye are not long to abide to enjoy them.

where moth, &c.] James 5:2. Such treasure either silly creatures can corrupt, or matter of corruption arises out of themselves, or they may be taken away.

Matthew 6:20

But lay up] Luke 12. 33. 1 Timothy 6:19.

treasures in heaven] In a sure place, free from the former inconveniences. Get the spirituall riches of grace, which will attend you to heaven: or, do good to the poor with your wealth, that ye may be rewarded in heaven, as Luke 12:33.

Matthew 6:21

your treasure] That which ye make most account of.

there will your heart be also] That is, your minde and affection, Colossians 3:2. It is a shame that an heavenly soul should be fastned to the earth, Philippians 3:19. which cannot be avoided, if the treasure be but earthly.

Matthew 6:22

The light of the body is the eye, &c.] Luke 11. 34. As in the body the eye guides every member, and all actions may be well performed, if the sight be clear; but otherwise will be confusedly done: so in the soul, if reason be rightly illuminated, all the affections will work orderly; but very disorderly otherwise.

Matthew 6:23

But if thine eye be evil, &c.] See on v. 22. An evil eye is put sometime for a covetous affection, Proverbs 23:6. sometime for an envious disposition, chap. 20. 15. here, more generally, for a minde any way misinformed, or ill disposed.

Matthew 6:24

No man] Luke 16. 13. God will be served with the whole man.

can serve two masters] Which jar, or have contrary employments: for one man may serve two loving partners, whose work is the same.

either he will hate the one, &c.] Either his inward affection will cleave more to the one then to the other; or if it be possible to love both alike, yet in outward actions he must sometimes neglect the ones command, while he obeys the others.

mammon] That is, riches.

Matthew 6:25

Therefore I say unto you] That ye may not seek to heap up riches.

Take no thought] Use no distracting, inordinate, nor immoderate care, such as hath neither stint of means nor time; no, not for things necessary, much lesse for superfluous treasure.

is not the life more then meat] More excellent: and God, that hath given you the greater, will not deny you the lesser.

Matthew 6:26

Behold] Look wistly on them: consider how they are fed.

the fowls of the air] Not those about the house, which we feed; but those which flie in the air, whom no man provides for, neither can they provide for themselves.

they sowe not] This is not added to keep us from labour, but from carking care, by shewing us that God can provide for the most helplesse.

your heavenly Father] Not theirs. Their Creatour; but your Father. Much more then will he provide for you children, if he do it for those who are onely his creatures.

Are ye not much better] He that provides for meaner creatures, will provide for you much more.

Matthew 6:27

Which of you, &c.] It is a vain thing for you to take care for a greater thing, that cannot, by all your thought, do the lesser.

to his stature?] Many a man would be tall, yet cannot: neither is it any great matter; for lowe men live, as well as they, Luke 12:26. If ye cannot do this small thing with all your care, when ye have food; much lesse can ye provide food when ye want it. Or, to his age. So the word is used, John 9:21. Hebrews 11:11. For, Luke 11:26. it is said to be one of the least things: but it were a very great addition in a mans stature, not so much in his yeers.

Matthew 6:28

Consider] Gr. Learn. Observe their beauty.

of the field] Not of the garden, which the gardener dresseth.

how they grow] And shoot out beautifull leaves in stead of raiment.

they toil not] As men do; nor spin, as women, to get apparell.

Matthew 6:29

Solomon in all his glory] Sitting in his royall robes, on his stately throne, 2 Chron. 9. 7.

like one of these] God puts more glory upon one flower, then art can put on the greatest monarchs.

Matthew 6:30

if God so clothe] Not onely clothe, but in so glorious a manner, v. 29.

the grasse of the field] Not the flowers of the garden, nor the high trees; but the mean contemned grasse, Genesis 1:11. Revelation 8:7. James 1:10-11. 1 Peter 1:24. See on v. 28.

to day is] Is of short continuance, Psal. 90. 5, 6.

is cast into the oven] Is of so small account, as to serve onely for fuell to heat oven or furnace with.

shall he not much more] He will clothe you much more, who are far better then grasse.

O ye of little faith?] Not so much unbelieving, as distrustfull and diffident, chap. 8. 26.

Matthew 6:31

What shall we eat] He expresseth the care he forbids, in their own words: namely, a distracting and distrustfull care.

Matthew 6:32

do the Gentiles seek] They look after little else. Ye should not be like them. See on v. 7.

your heavenly father knoweth] And therefore, out of his love to you, will relieve you. See on v. 8.

Matthew 6:33

seek ye first] Principally, or before ye look after things needfull for this life. He takes them off from worldly cares, by setting a more excellent object before them.

the kingdom of God] Prayed for, v. 10. See Romans 14:17. Chap. 25. 34.

his righteousnesse] Gods, which he hath prescribed to you, Titus 2:11-12. as the way to his kingdom.

all these things] Not some, but all ye have need of.

shall be added unto you] Not as the main gift, but by the by, as depending on it, 1 Timothy 4:8. Mark 10:30. as riches to Solomon, 1 Kings 3:2.

Matthew 6:34

no thought for to morrow] No distracting care, as before.

the morrow shall take thought] The time to come, as Exodus 13:14. Proverbs 27:1. It will bring care enough with it, ye need not vex you selves for it beforehand. Or, it will bring provision with it.

sufficient unto the day] Ye will finde trouble enough to day, ye need not adde to it.

the evil thereof] The grief or vexation it brings, Amos 3:6.