Chapter VII: Part 7

Thirdly, Fall not short of a Pharisee in doing good. Give alms of all thou dost possess. Is any hungry? Feed him. Is he a-thirst? Give him drink. Naked? Cover him with a garment. If thou hast this world’s goods, do not limit thy beneficence to a scanty proportion. Be merciful to the uttermost of thy power. Why not, even as this Pharisee? Now _make thyself friends_, while the time is, _of the mammon of unrighteousness, that when_ thou _failest_, when this earthly tabernacle is dissolved, they _may receive thee into everlasting habitations_.

13. But rest not here. Let thy _righteousness exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees_. Be not thou content, to _keep the whole law, and offend in one point. Hold thou fast all his commandments, and all false ways_ do thou _utterly abhor_. Do all the things, whatsoever he hath commanded, and that with all thy might. Thou canst do all things through _Christ_ strengthning thee, though without him thou canst do nothing.

*Above all, let thy righteousness exceed theirs in the purity and spirituality of it. What is the exactest form of religion to thee? The most perfect outside righteousness? Go thou higher and deeper than all this. Let thy religion be the religion of the heart. Be thou poor in spirit; little and base and mean and vile in thy own eyes; amazed and humbled to the dust at the love of God which is in _Christ Jesus_ thy Lord. Be serious: let the whole stream of thy thoughts, words and works, be such as flows from the deepest conviction, that thou standest on the edge of the great gulph, thou and all the children of men, just ready to drop in, either into everlasting glory, or everlasting burnings. Be meek: let thy soul be filled with mildness, gentleness, patience, long-suffering toward all men: at the same time that all which is in thee is a-thirst for God, the living God; longing to awake up after his likeness, and to be satisfied with it. Be thou a lover of God and of all mankind. In this spirit, do and suffer all things. Thus _exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees_, and thou shalt be _called great in the kingdom of heaven_.

SERMON XXVI.

UPON OUR LORD’S SERMON ON THE MOUNT.
DISCOURSE VI.
MATT. vi. 1‒15.

_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.

Therefore when thou dost thine alms, do not sound a trumpet
before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the
streets, that they may have praise of men. Verily I say unto
you, they have their reward.

But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy
right hand doth: that thine alms may be in secret, and thy
Father which seeth in secret, himself shall reward thee openly.

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.

But thou when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou
hast shut the door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and
thy Father which seeth in secret, he shall reward thee openly.

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

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

After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in
heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be
done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily
bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that
trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but
deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power
and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.

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

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

1. IN the preceding chapter our Lord has described inward religion, in its various branches. He has laid before us those dispositions of soul, which constitute real Christianity: the inward tempers contained in that holiness, _without_ which _no man shall see the_ Lord; the affections which, when flowing from their proper fountain, from a living faith in God thro’ _Christ Jesus_, are intrinsically and essentially good, and acceptable to God. He proceeds to shew in this chapter, how all our actions likewise, even those that are indifferent in their own nature, may be made holy and good and acceptable to God, by a pure and holy intention. Whatever is done without this, he largely declares, is of no value before God. Whereas, whatever outward works are thus consecrated to God, they are in his sight of great price.

2. The necessity of this purity of intention, he shews first, with regard to those, which are usually accounted religious actions, and indeed are such, when performed with a right intention. Some of these are commonly termed works of piety; the rest, works of charity or mercy. Of the latter sort, he particularly names almsgiving; of the former, prayer and fasting. But the directions given for these are equally to be applied to every work, whether of charity or mercy.

I. 1. And first, with regard to works of mercy. _Take heed_, saith he, _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. That ye do not your alms._ Altho’ this only is named, yet is every work of charity included, every thing which we give, or speak, or do, whereby our neighbour may be profited, whereby another man may receive any advantage, either in his body or soul. The feeding the hungry, the cloathing the naked, and entertaining or assisting the stranger, the visiting those that are sick or in prison, the comforting the afflicted; the instructing the ignorant, the reproving the wicked, the exhorting and encouraging the well-doer; and if there be any other work of mercy, it is equally included in this direction.

2. _Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them._ The thing which is here forbidden, is not, barely the doing good in the sight of men: this circumstance alone, that others see what we do, makes the action neither worse nor better: but the doing it before men, _to be seen of them_; with this view, from this intention only. I say, from _this intention only_; for this may, in some cases, be a part of our intention; we may design that some of our actions should be seen, and yet they may be acceptable to God. We may intend, that our _light should shine before men_, when our conscience bears us witness, in the Holy Ghost, that our ultimate end in designing they should _see our good works_, is, _That they may glorify our Father which is in heaven_. But take heed that ye do not the least thing with a view to your own glory. Take heed that a regard to the praise of men, have no place at all in your works of mercy. If ye seek your own glory, if you have any design to gain the honour that cometh of men, whatever is done with this view is nothing worth: it is not done unto the Lord: he accepteth it not; _ye have no reward_ for this _of your Father which is in heaven_.

3. _Therefore when thou dost thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do, in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have praise of men._ The word _synagogue_ does not here mean, a place of worship, but any place of public resort, such as the market-place or exchange. It was a common thing among the _Jews_, who were men of large fortunes, particularly among the Pharisees, to cause a trumpet to be sounded before them in the most public parts of the city, when they were about to give any considerable alms. The pretended reason for this was, to call the poor together to receive it: but the real design, that they might have praise of men. But be not thou like unto them. Do not thou cause a trumpet to be sounded before thee. Use no ostentation in doing good. Aim at the honour which cometh of God only. _They_ who seek the praise of men, _have their reward_. They shall have no praise of God.

4. _But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doth._ This is a proverbial expression, the meaning of which is, do it in as secret a manner as is possible: as secret as is consistent with the doing it at all; (for it must not be left undone: omit no opportunity of doing good, whether secretly or openly) and with the doing it in the most effectual manner. For here is also an exception to be made. When you are fully persuaded in your own mind, that by your not concealing the good which is done, either you will yourself be enabled, or others excited to do the more good, then you may not conceal it: then let your light appear, and _shine to all that are in the house_. But unless where the glory of God and the good of mankind oblige you to the contrary, act in as private and unobserved a manner, as the nature of the thing will admit: _that thy alms may be in secret, and thy Father which seeth in secret, he shall reward thee openly_. Perhaps in the present world; many instances of this stands recorded in all ages: but infallibly in the world to come, before the general assembly of men and angels.

II. 1. From works of charity or mercy, our Lord proceeds to those which are termed works of piety. _And when thou prayest_, saith he, _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. Thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are._ Hypocrisy then, or insincerity, is the first thing we are to guard against in prayer. Beware not to speak what thou dost not mean. Prayer is, the lifting up of the heart to God: all words of prayer without this are mere hypocrisy. Whenever therefore thou attemptest to pray, see that it be thy one design, to commune with God, to lift up thy heart to him, to pour out thy soul before him. Not _as the hypocrites_, who _love_, or are wont, _to pray standing in the synagogues_, the exchange or market-places, _and in the corners of the streets_, wherever the most people are, _that they may be seen of men_: this was the sole design, the motive and end, of the prayers which they there repeated. _Verily I say unto you, they have their reward._ They are to expect none from your Father which is in heaven.

2. But it is not only, the having an eye to the praise of men, which cuts us off from any reward in heaven; which leaves us no room to expect the blessing of God, upon our works whether of piety or mercy. Purity of intention is equally destroyed by a view to any temporal reward whatever. If we repeat our prayers, if we attend the public worship of God, if we relieve the poor, with a view to gain or interest, it is not a whit more acceptable to God, than if it were done with a view to praise. Any temporal view, any motive whatever on this side eternity, any design but that of promoting the glory of God, and the happiness of men, for God’s sake, makes every action, however fair it may appear to men, an abomination unto the Lord.

3. _But when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut the door, pray to thy Father which is in secret._ There is a time, when thou art openly to glorify God, to pray and praise him in the great congregation. But when thou desirest more largely and more particularly to make thy requests known unto God, whether it be in the evening or in the morning or at noon-day, _enter into thy closet and shut the door_. Use all the privacy thou canst. (Only leave it not undone, whether thou hast any closet, any privacy or no. Pray to God if it be possible, when none seeth but he: but if otherwise, pray to God.) Thus _pray to thy Father which is in secret_; pour out all thy heart before him. _And thy Father which is in secret, he shall reward thee openly._

4. _But when ye pray_, even in secret, _use not vain repetitions, as the Heathen do_. μὴ βαττολογήσητε. Do not use abundance of words without any meaning. Say not the same thing over and over again: think not the fruit of your prayers depends on the length of them: like the Heathens; for _they think they shall be heard for their much speaking_.

The thing here reproved, is not simply the length, any more than the shortness of our prayers: but, first, length without meaning; the speaking much, and meaning little or nothing: the using (not all repetitions; for our Lord himself prayed thrice, repeating the same words; but) vain repetitions, as the Heathens did, reciting the names of their Gods over and over: as they do among Christians, (vulgarly so called) and not among the papists only, who say over and over the same string of prayers, without ever feeling what they speak: secondly, the thinking to be heard for our much speaking, the fancying God measures prayers by their length, and is best pleased with those which contain the most words, which sound the longest in his ears. These are such instances of superstition and folly, as all who are named by the name of _Christ_, should leave to the Heathens, to them on whom the glorious light of the gospel hath never shined.

5. _Be not ye therefore like unto them._ Ye who have tasted of the grace of God in _Christ Jesus_, are throughly convinced, _your Father knoweth what things ye have need of before ye ask him_. So that the end of your praying, is not to inform God, as tho’ he knew not your wants already; but rather to inform yourselves, to fix the sense of those wants more deeply in your hearts, and the sense of your continual ♦dependence on him, who only is able to supply all your wants. It is not so much to move God, who is always more ready to give than you to ask; as to move yourselves, that you may be willing and ready to receive, the good things he has prepared for you.

III. 1. After having taught the true nature and ends of prayer, our Lord subjoins an example of it: even that divine form of prayer, which seems in this place to be proposed by way of pattern chiefly, as the model and standard of all our prayers: _After this manner therefore pray ye_. Whereas elsewhere he enjoins the use of these very words, [97]_He said unto them, when ye pray, say_――

2. *We may observe in general concerning this divine prayer. First, that it contains all we can reasonably or innocently pray for. There is nothing which we have need to ask of God, nothing which we can ask without offending him, which is not included either directly or indirectly in this comprehensive form: secondly, that it contains all we can reasonably or innocently desire; whatever is for the glory of God, whatever is needful or profitable not only for ourselves, but for every creature in heaven and earth. And indeed our prayers are the proper test of our desires; nothing being fit to have a place in our desires, which is not fit to have a place in our prayers: what we may not pray for, neither should we desire: thirdly, that it contains all our duty to God and man: whatsoever things are pure and holy, whatsoever God requires of the children of men, whatsoever is acceptable in his sight, whatsoever it is whereby we may profit our neighbour, being exprest or implied therein.

3. It consists of three parts, the preface, the petitions, and the doxology or conclusion. The preface, _Our Father which art in Heaven_, lays a general foundation for prayer; comprizing what we must first know of God, before we can pray, in confidence of being heard. It likewise points out to us all those tempers, with which we are to approach to God, which are most essentially requisite, if we desire either our prayers or our lives should find acceptance with him.

4. “Our _Father_.” If he is a father, then he is good, then he is loving to his children. And here is the first and great reason for prayer. God is willing to bless, let us ask for a blessing. “Our _Father_,”――Our Creator: the author of our being; he who raised us from the dust of the earth, who breathed into us the breath of life, and we became living souls. But if he made us, let us ask and he will not with-hold, any good thing from the work of his own hands. “Our _Father_”――Our preserver; who day by day sustains the life he has given: of whose continuing love we now and every moment receive life and breath and all things. So much the more boldly let us come to him, and _we_ shall _find mercy and grace to help in time of need_. Above all, the Father of our Lord _Jesus Christ_, and of all that believe in him: who justifies us _freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in_ Jesus: who hath _blotted out all our sins, and healed all our infirmities_; who hath received us for _his own children, by adoption and grace_, and _because we are sons_, hath _sent forth the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, Abba, Father: who hath begotten us again of incorruptible seed_, and _created us a-new in_ Christ Jesus. Therefore we know that he heareth us always: therefore we _pray_ to him _without ceasing_. We pray, because we love. And _we love him, because he first loved us_.

5. “_Our_ Father”――Not _mine_ only who now cry unto him; but _our’s_, in the most extensive sense. The God and _Father of the Spirits of all flesh_; the Father of angels and men: (so the very Heathens acknowledged him to be, Πατήρ ἀνδρῶν τε θεῶν τε·) The Father of the universe, of all the families both in heaven and earth. Therefore with him there is no respect of persons. He loveth all that he hath made. He _is loving unto every man, and his mercy is over all his works_. And _the_ Lord’s _delight is in them that fear him, and put their trust in his mercy_; in them that trust in him thro’ the Son of his love, knowing they are _accepted in the Beloved_. But _if_ God _so loved us, we ought also to love one another_. Yea, all mankind: seeing God _so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son_, even to die the death, that they _might not perish but have everlasting life_.

6. _Which art in heaven_:――high and lifted up; God over all, blessed for ever. Who sitting on the circle of the heavens, beholdeth all things both in heaven and earth. Whose eye pervades the whole sphere of created being; yea and of uncreated night: unto whom _are known all his works_, and all the works of every creature, not only _from the beginning of the world_ (a poor, low, weak translation) but ἀπ᾽ ♦αἰῶνος· from all eternity, from everlasting to everlasting: who constrains the host of heaven, as well as the children of men, to cry out with wonder and amazement, O the depth! _The depth of the riches both of the wisdom and of the knowledge of_ GOD! _Which art in heaven_――the Lord and ruler of all, superintending and disposing all things: who art the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, the blessed and only Potentate: who art strong and girded about with power, doing whatsoever pleaseth thee! The Almighty: for whensoever thou willest, to do is present with thee. _In heaven_,――eminently there. Heaven is thy throne, the place where thine honour particularly dwelleth. But not there alone; for thou fillest heaven and earth, the whole expanse of space. Heaven and earth are full of thy glory. Glory be to thee, O Lord most high!

Therefore should we _serve the_ Lord _with fear, and rejoice unto him with reverence_. Therefore should we think, speak and act, as continually under the eye, in the immediate presence of the Lord, the King.

7. *_Hallowed be thy name._ This is the first of the six petitions, whereof the prayer itself is composed. The name of God is God himself; the nature of God, so far as it can be discovered to man: it means therefore, together with his existence, all his attributes or perfections――his eternity, particularly signified by his great and incommunicable name Jehovah, as the apostle _John_ translates it, τὸ ἀ, καὶ τὸ ω, ἀρχὴ καὶ τέλος. ὁ ὤν καὶ ὁ ἦν καὶ ὁ ἐρχόμενος· _The alpha and omega, the beginning and the end, he which is, and which was, and which is to come_:――His _fulness of being_, denoted by his other great name, _I am that I am_――His omnipresence――His omnipotence; who is indeed the only agent in the material world; all matter being essentially dull and inactive, and moving only as it is moved by the finger of God: and he is the spring of action in every creature, visible and invisible; which could neither act nor exist, without the continued influx and agency of his almighty power――His wisdom, clearly deduced from the things that are seen, from the goodly order of the universe――His trinity in unity and unity in trinity, discovered to us in the very first line of his written word ברא אלהים: literally _the_ Gods _created_, a plural noun joined with a verb of the singular number: as well as in every part of his subsequent revelations, given by the mouth of all his holy prophets and apostles――His essential purity and holiness――and above all, his love, which is the very brightness of his glory.

In praying that God, or his _name_ may _be hallowed_ or glorified, we pray that he may be known, such as he is, by all that are capable thereof, by all intelligent beings, and with affections suitable to that knowledge: that he may be duly honoured and feared and loved by all in heaven above and in the earth beneath; by all angels and men, whom for that end he has made capable of knowing and loving him to eternity.

8. _Thy kingdom come._ This has a close connexion with the preceding petition. In order that the name of God might be hallowed we pray that his kingdom, the kingdom of _Christ_ may come. This kingdom then comes to a particular person, when he _repents and believes the gospel_: when he is taught of God, not only to know himself, but to know _Jesus Christ_ and him crucified. As _this is life eternal, to know the only true_ God, _and_ Jesus Christ _whom he hath sent_, so it is the kingdom of God begun below, set up in the believer’s heart: the Lord God omnipotent then reigneth, when he is known through _Christ Jesus_. He taketh unto himself his mighty power; that he may subdue all things unto himself. He goeth on in the soul conquering and to conquer, ’till he hath put all things under his feet, ’till _every thought_ is _brought into captivity to the obedience of_ Christ.

When therefore God shall _give his Son the Heathen for his inheritance, and the utmost parts of the earth for his possession_; when _all kingdoms shall bow before him, and all nations shall do him service_; when _the mountain of the_ Lord’s _house_, the church of _Christ shall be established in the top of the mountains_; when _the fullness of the Gentiles shall come in, and all Israel shall be saved_: then shall it be seen, that _the_ Lord _is King and hath put on glorious apparel_, appearing to every soul of man, as King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. And it is meet for all those who _love his appearing_, to pray that he would hasten the time: that this his kingdom, the kingdom of grace may come quickly, and swallow up all the kingdoms of the earth; that all mankind receiving him for their king, truly believing in his name, may be filled with righteousness and peace and joy, with holiness and happiness, ’till they are removed hence into his heavenly kingdom, there to reign with him for ever and ever.

For this also we pray in those words, _Thy ♦kingdom come_: we pray for the coming of his everlasting kingdom, the kingdom of glory in heaven, which is the continuation and perfection of the kingdom of grace an earth. Consequently this, as well as the preceding petition, is offered up for the whole intelligent creation, who are all interested in this grand event, the final renovation of all things, by God’s putting an end to misery and sin, to infirmity and death, taking all things into his own hands, and setting up the kingdom which endureth throughout all ages.

Exactly answerable to this, are those awful words, in the prayer, at the burial of the dead; “Beseeching thee, that it may please thee of thy gracious goodness, shortly to accomplish the number of thine elect, and to hasten thy kingdom: that we with all those that are departed, in the true faith of thy holy name, may have our perfect consummation and bliss, both in body and soul, in thy everlasting glory.”

9. _Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven._ This is the necessary and immediate consequence, wherever the kingdom of God is come: wherever God dwells in the soul by faith, and _Christ_ reigns in the heart by love.

It is probable, many, perhaps the generality of men, at the first view of these words, are apt to imagine, they are only an expression of, or petition for resignation; for a readiness to suffer the will of God, whatsoever it be concerning us. And this is unquestionably a divine and excellent temper, a most precious gift of God. But this is not what we pray for in this petition, at least not in the chief and primary sense of it. We pray, not so much for a passive, as for an active conformity to the will of God, in saying, _Thy will be done on earth as it is done in heaven_.

*How is it done by the angels of God in heaven? Those who now circle his throne rejoicing? They do it _willingly_; they love his commandments, and gladly hearken to his words. It is their meat and drink to do his will; it is their highest glory and joy. They do it _continually_; there is no interruption in their willing service. They rest not day nor night, but employ every hour (speaking after the manner of men; otherwise our measures of duration, days and nights and hours, have no place in eternity) in fulfilling his commands, in executing his designs, in performing the council of his will. And they do it _perfectly_. No sin, no defect belongs to angelick minds. It is true, _the stars are not pure in his sight_, even the morning-stars that sing together before him. _In his sight_, that is in comparison of him, the very angels are not pure. But this does not imply, that they are not pure _in themselves_. Doubtless they are; they are without spot and blameless. They are altogether devoted to his will, and perfectly obedient in all things.

*If we view this in another light, we may observe, the angels of God in heaven, do _all_ the will of God. And they do nothing else, nothing but what they are absolutely assured is his will. Again, they do all the will of God, _as_ he willeth, in the manner which pleases him, and no other. Yea, and they do this, only _because_ it is his will; for this end and no other reason.

10. When therefore we pray, that the _will of_ God may _be done on earth as it is in heaven_, the meaning is, that all the inhabitants of the earth, even the whole race of mankind, may do the will of their Father which is in heaven, as _willingly_ as the holy angels: that these may do it _continually_ even as they, without any interruption of their willing service: yea, and that they may do it _perfectly_; that _the_ God _of peace, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, may make them perfect in every good work to do his will, and work in them all which is well-pleasing in his sight_.

In other words, we pray, that we and all mankind, may do the whole will of God in all things: and nothing else, not the least thing but what is the holy and acceptable will of God. We pray that we may do the whole will of God _as_ he willeth, in the manner that pleases him: and lastly, that we may do it, _because_ it is his will: that this may be the sole reason and ground, the whole and only motive of whatsoever we think, or whatsoever we speak or do.

11. _Give us this day our daily bread._ In the three former petitions, we have been praying for all mankind. We come now more particularly to desire a supply for our own wants. Not that we are directed even here, to confine our prayer altogether to ourselves: but this and each of the following petitions may be used for the whole church of _Christ_ upon earth.

By _bread_ we may understand, all things needful whether for our souls or bodies: τὰ πρὸς ζωὴν καὶ εὐσέβειαν· _the things pertaining to life and godliness_. We understand not barely the outward bread, what our Lord terms _the meat which perisheth_; but much more the spiritual bread, the grace of God, the food _which endureth unto everlasting life_. It was the judgment of many of the antient fathers, that we are here to understand, the sacramental bread also: daily received in the beginning by the whole church of _Christ_, and highly esteemed ’till the love of many waxed cold, as the grand channel whereby the grace of his Spirit was conveyed to the souls of all the children of God.

_Our daily bread._ The word we render _daily_ has been differently explained by different commentators. But the most plain and natural sense of it seems to be this, which is retained in almost all translations, as well antient as modern: what is sufficient for this day; and so for each day, as it succeeds.

12. _Give us._ For we claim nothing of right, but only of free mercy. We deserve not the air we breathe, the earth that bears, or the sun that shines upon us. All our desert, we own, is hell. But God loves us freely. Therefore we ask him to _give_, what we can no more _procure_ for ourselves, than we can _merit_ it at his hands.

Not that either the goodness or the power of God is a reason for us to stand idle. It is his will, that we should use all diligence in all things, that we should employ our utmost endeavours, as much as if our success were the natural effect of our own wisdom and strength. And then, as tho’ we had done nothing, we are to depend on him, the giver of every good and perfect gift.

*_This day._ For we are to take no thought for the morrow. For this very end has our wise Creator divided life into these little portions of time, so clearly separated from each other: that we might look on every day, as a fresh gift of God, another life, which we may devote to his glory; and that every evening may be as the close of life, beyond which we are to see nothing but eternity.

13. _And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us._ As nothing but sin can hinder the bounty of God from flowing forth upon every creature, so this petition naturally follows the former; that all hindrances being removed, we may the more clearly trust in the God of love, for every manner of thing which is good.

_Our trespasses._ The word properly signifies _our debts_. Thus our sins are frequently represented in scripture: every sin laying us under a fresh debt to God; to whom we already owe, as it were, ten thousand talents. What then can we answer when he shall say, _Pay me that thou owest_? We are utterly insolvent: we have nothing to pay: We have wasted all our substance. Therefore if he deal with us according to the rigour of his law, if he exact what he justly may, he must command us to be _bound hand and foot, and delivered over to the tormentors_.

Indeed we are already bound hand and foot, by the chains of our own sins. These, considered with regard to ourselves, are chains of iron and fetters of brass. They are wounds wherewith the world, the flesh and the devil, have gashed and mangled us all over. They are diseases that drink up our blood and spirits, that bring us down to the chambers of the grave. But considered, as they are here, with regard to God, they are debts immense and numberless. Well therefore, seeing we have nothing to pay, may we cry unto him, that he would _frankly forgive_ us all.

The word translated _forgive_, implies either to forgive a debt, or to unloose a chain. And if we attain the former, the latter follows of course; if our debts are forgiven, the chains fall off our hands. As soon as ever, through the free grace of God in _Christ_, we _receive forgiveness of sins_, we receive likewise _a lot among those which are sanctified, by faith which is in_ him. Sin has lost its power: it has no dominion over those, who _are under grace_, that is, in favour with God. As _there is now no condemnation for them that are in_ Christ Jesus, so they are freed from sin as well as from guilt. _The righteousness of the law is fulfilled in them_, and they _walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit_.

14. _As we forgive them that trespass against us._ In these words our Lord clearly declares, both on what condition, and in what degree or manner we may look to be forgiven of God. All our trespasses and sins are forgiven us, _if_ we forgive and _as_ we forgive others. This is a point of the utmost importance. And our blessed Lord is so jealous, lest at any time we should let it slip out of our thoughts, that he not only inserts it in the body of his prayer, but presently after repeats it twice over. _If_, saith he, _ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses._ Secondly, God forgives us, _as_ we forgive others. *So that if any malice or bitterness, if any taint of unkindness or anger remains, if we do not clearly, fully, and from the heart, forgive all men their trespasses, we so far cut short the forgiveness of our own. God cannot clearly and fully forgive us. He may shew us some degree of mercy. But we will not suffer him to blot out all our sins, and forgive all our iniquities.

In the mean time, while we do not from our hearts, forgive our neighbour his trespasses, what manner of prayer are we offering to God, whenever we utter these words? We are indeed setting God at open defiance: we are daring him to do his worst. Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us! That is in plain terms, “Do not thou forgive us at all: we desire no favour at thy hands. We pray, that thou wilt keep our sins in remembrance, and that thy wrath may abide upon us.” But can you seriously offer such a prayer to God? And hath he not yet cast you quick into hell? O tempt him no longer! Now, even now, by his grace, forgive as you would be forgiven! Now have compassion on thy fellow-servant, as God hath had and will have pity on thee.

15. _And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Lead us not into temptation._ The word translated _temptation_, means trial of any kind. And so the English word temptation was formerly taken, in an indifferent sense: although now it is usually understood, of solicitation to sin. St. _James_ uses the word in both these senses; first, in its general, then in its restrained acceptation. He takes it in the former sense when he saith, [98]_Blessed is the man that endureth temptation; for when he is tried_, or approved of God, _he shall receive the crown of life_. He immediately adds, taking the word in the latter sense, _Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of_ God: _for_ God _cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man. But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust_, or desire, ἐξελκόμενος, drawn out of God, in whom alone he is safe, _and enticed_, caught as a fish with a bait. Then it is, when he is thus _drawn away and enticed_, that he properly _enters into temptation_. The temptation covers him as a cloud: it overspreads his whole soul. Then how hardly shall he escape out of the snare? Therefore we beseech God, _not to lead us into temptation_, that is (seeing God _tempteth no man_) not to suffer us to be led into it. _But deliver us from evil_: rather, _from the evil one_; ἀπὸ τοῦ πονηροῦ. Ὁ Πονηρός is unquestionably _the wicked one_, emphatically so called, the prince and god of this world, who works with mighty power in the children of disobedience. But all those who are the children of God by faith, are delivered out of his hands. He may fight against them: and so he will. But he cannot conquer, unless they betray their own souls. He may torment for a time; but he cannot destroy; for God is on their side, who will not fail in the end, _to avenge his own elect, that cry unto him, day and night_, “Lord, when we are tempted, suffer us not to enter into temptation. Do thou make a way for us to escape, that the wicked one touch us not.”

16. The conclusion of this divine prayer, commonly called the doxology, is a solemn thanksgiving, a compendious acknowledgement of the attributes and works of God. _For thine is the kingdom_; the sovereign right of all things that are, or ever were created: yea, thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and thy dominion endureth throughout all ages. _The power_: The executive power, whereby thou governest all things in thy everlasting kingdom, whereby thou dost whatsoever pleaseth thee, in all places of thy dominion.――_And the glory_; the praise due from every creature, for thy power and the mightiness of thy kingdom, and for all thy wondrous works, which thou workest from everlasting, and shalt do, world without end, _for ever and ever! Amen._ So be it!

I believe it will not be unacceptable to the serious reader, to subjoin

A Paraphrase on the _Lord’s Prayer_.

FATHER of all, whose powerful voice,
Call’d forth this universal frame,
Whose mercies over all rejoice,
Thro’ endless ages still the same.
Thou by thy word upholdest all;
Thy bounteous Love to all is shew’d,
Thou hearest thy every creature call,
And fillest every mouth with good.

In heaven thou reign’st, enthron’d in light,
Nature’s expanse beneath thee spread;
Earth, air, and sea before thy sight,
And hell’s deep gloom are open laid.
Wisdom, and might, and love are thine;
Prostrate before thy face we fall,
Confess thine attributes divine,
And hail the sovereign Lord of all.

Thee, sovereign Lord, let all confess,
That moves in earth, or air, or sky,
Revere thy power, thy goodness bless,
Tremble before thy piercing eye.
All ye who owe to him your birth,
In praise your every hour employ:
Jehovah reigns! Be glad, O earth,
And shout ye morning-stars, for joy.

Son of thy Sire’s eternal love,
Take to thyself thy mighty power;
Let all earth’s sons thy mercy prove,
Let all thy bleeding grace adore.
The triumphs of thy love display;
In every heart reign thou alone;
’Till all thy foes confess thy sway,
And glory ends what grace begun.

Spirit of grace, and health, and power,
Fountain of light and love below,
Abroad thine healing influence shower,
O’er all the nations let it flow.
Inflame our hearts with perfect love,
In us the work of faith fulfil:
So not heaven’s host shall swifter move
Than we on earth to do thy will.

Father, ’tis thine each day to yield
Thy children’s wants a fresh supply;
Thou cloth’st the lillies of the field,
And hearest the young ravens cry.
On thee we cast our care; we live
Thro’ thee, who know’st our every need;
O feed us with thy grace, and give
Our souls this day the living bread.

Eternal, spotless Lamb of God,
Before the world’s foundation slain,
Sprinkle us ever with thy blood,
O cleanse and keep us ever clean.
To every soul (all praise to thee)
Our bowels of compassion move:
And all mankind by this may see
God is in us; for God is love.

Giver and Lord of life, whose power
And guardian care for all are free;
To Thee in fierce temptation’s hour,
From sin and _Satan_ let us flee.
Thine, Lord, we are, and ours thou art;
In us be all thy goodness shew’d;
Renew, enlarge, and fill our heart
With peace and joy and heaven and God.

Blessing and honour, praise and love,
Co-equal, Co-eternal, Three,
In earth below, in heaven above,
By all thy works be paid to thee.
Thrice holy, thine the kingdom is,
The power omnipotent is thine;
And when created nature dies,
Thy never-ceasing glories shine.

SERMON XXVII.

UPON OUR LORD’S SERMON ON THE MOUNT.
DISCOURSE VII.
MATT. vi. 16, 17, 18.

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

But thou when thou fastest, anoint thy head and wash thy face:

That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which
is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret, shall
reward thee openly._

1. IT has been the endeavour of _Satan_ from the beginning of the world, to put asunder what God had joined together; to separate inward from outward religion, to set one of these at variance with the other. And herein he has met with no small success, among those who were _ignorant of his devices_.

Many in all ages, having a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge, have been strictly attached to the _righteousness of the law_, the performance of outward duties, but in the mean time wholly regardless of inward righteousness, _the righteousness which is of_ God _by faith_. And many have run into the opposite extreme, disregarding all outward duties, perhaps even _speaking evil of the law and judging the law_, so far as it enjoins the performance of them.

2. It is by this very device of _Satan_, that faith and works have been so often set at variance with each other. And many who had a real zeal for God, have for a time fallen into the snare on either hand. Some have magnified faith to the utter exclusion of good works, not only from being the cause of our justification (for we know that a man is _justified freely by the redemption which is in_ Jesus) but from being the necessary fruit of it; yea, from having any place in the religion of _Jesus Christ_. Others, eager to avoid this dangerous mistake, have run as much too far the contrary way; and either maintained, That good works were the cause, at least the previous condition of justification; or spoken of them as if they were all in all, the whole religion of _Jesus Christ_.

3. In the same manner have the end and the means of religion, been set at variance with each other. Some well-meaning men, have seemed to place all religion, in attending the prayers of the church, in receiving the Lord’s Supper, in hearing sermons, and reading books of piety: neglecting mean time the end of all these, The love of God and their neighbour. And this very thing has confirmed others in the neglect, if not contempt of the ordinances of God; so wretchedly abused to undermine and overthrow the very end they were designed to establish.

4. But of all the means of grace there is scarce any, concerning which men have run into greater extremes, than that of which our Lord speaks in the above-mentioned words, I mean religious fasting. How have some exalted this beyond all scripture and reason? And others utterly disregarded it? As it were, revenging themselves, by undervaluing, as much as the former had overvalued it. Those have spoken of it, as if it were all in all; if not the end itself, yet infallibly connected with it: These, as if it were just nothing, as if it were a fruitless labour, which had no relation at all thereto. Whereas it is certain the truth lies between them both. It is not all; nor yet is it nothing. It is not the end, but it is a precious means thereto; a means which God himself has ordained; and in which therefore, when it is duly used, he will surely give us his blessing.

In order to set this in the clearest light, I shall endeavour to shew, first, what is the nature of fasting, and what the several sorts and degrees thereof: secondly, what are the reasons, grounds and ends of it: thirdly, how we may answer the most plausible objections against it: and fourthly, in what manner it should be performed.

I. 1. I shall endeavour to shew, first, what is the nature of fasting, and what the several sorts and degrees thereof. As to the nature of it, all the inspired writers, both in the Old Testament and the New, take the word, to fast, in one single sense, for not to eat, to abstain from food. This is so clear, that it would be labour lost to quote the words of _David_, _Nehemiah_, _Isaiah_, and the prophets which followed, or of our Lord and his apostles; all agreeing in this, that, to fast, is not to eat for a time prescribed.

2. To this, other circumstances were usually joined by them of old, which had no necessary connexion with it. Such were the neglect of their apparel, the laying aside those ornaments which they were accustomed to wear: the putting on mourning, the strewing ashes upon their head, or wearing sackcloth next their skin. But we find little mention made in the New Testament, of any of these indifferent circumstances. Nor does it appear that any stress was laid upon them, by the Christians of the purer ages; however some penitents might voluntarily use them, as outward signs of inward humiliation. Much less did the apostles or the Christians cotemporary with them, beat or tear their own flesh. Such _discipline_ as this was not unbecoming the priests or worshippers of _Baal_. The gods of the Heathens were but devils; and it was doubtless acceptable to their devil-god, when his priests [99]_cried aloud, and cut themselves after this manner, till the blood gushed out upon them_: but it cannot be pleasing to him, nor become his followers, who _came not to destroy mens lives, but to save them_.

3. As to the degrees or measures of fasting, we have instances of some who have fasted several days together. So _Moses_, _Elijah_ and our blessed Lord, being indued with supernatural strength for that purpose, are recorded to have fasted without intermission, _forty days and forty nights_. But the time of fasting more frequently mentioned in scripture, is, one day, from morning till evening. And this was the fast commonly observed among the ancient Christians. But beside these, they had also their half-fasts (_Semi-jejunia_, as _Tertullian_ stiles them) on the fourth and six days of the week (Wednesday and Friday) throughout the year: on which they took no sustenance till three in the afternoon, the time when they returned from the public service.

4. Nearly related to this, is what our church seems peculiarly to mean by the term _abstinence_: which may be used when we cannot fast entirely by reason of sickness or bodily weakness. This is, the eating little; the abstaining in part; the taking a smaller quantity of food than usual. I do not remember any scriptural instance of this. But neither can I condemn it. For the scripture does not: it may have its use, and receive a blessing from God.

5. The lowest kind of fasting, if it can be called by that name, is the abstaining from pleasant food. Of this we have several instances in scripture, besides that of _Daniel_ and his brethren: who from a peculiar consideration, namely, that they might [100]_not defile themselves with the portion of the king’s meat_, nor _with the wine which he drank_, (_a daily provision_ of which _the king had appointed for them_) _requested_ and obtained of _the prince of the Eunuchs, pulse to eat and water to drink_. Perhaps from a mistaken imitation of this, might spring the very ancient custom, of abstaining from flesh and wine during such times as were set a-part for fasting and abstinence. If it did not rather arise from a supposition that these were the most pleasant food, and a belief, that it was proper to use what was least pleasing, at those times of solemn approach to God.

6. In the _Jewish_ church, there were some _stated_ fasts. Such was the fast of the seventh month, appointed by God himself, to be observed by all _Israel_, under the severest penalty. [101]_The_ Lord _spake unto Moses saying, on the tenth day of the seventh month, there shall be a day of atonement; and ye shall afflict your souls――to make an atonement for you before the_ Lord _your_ God. _For whatsoever soul it be that shall not be afflicted in that same day, he shall be cut off from among his people._ In after ages several other _stated_ fasts were added to these. So mention is made by the prophet _Zechariah_, of the fast, not only [102]_of the seventh_, but also of _the fourth, of the fifth, and of the tenth month_.

In the ancient Christian church there were likewise stated fasts, and those both annual and weekly. Of the former sort was that before Easter; observed by some for eight and forty hours: by others, for an entire week; by many for two weeks, taking no sustenance till the evening of each day. Of the latter, those of the fourth and sixth days of the week, observed (as _Epiphanius_ writes, remarking it as an undeniable fact) ἐν ὅλῃ τῇ οἰκουμένῃ· _in the whole habitable earth_, at least, in every place where any Christians made their abode. The annual fasts in our church are, “the forty days of Lent, the ember days at the four seasons, the rogation days, and the vigils or eves of several solemn festivals: The weekly, all fridays in the year, except Christmas-day”.

But beside those which were fixt, in every nation fearing God, there have always been occasional fasts, appointed from time to time, as the particular circumstances and occasions of each required. So [103]when _the children of Moab and the children of Ammon, came against Jehoshaphat to battle; Jehoshaphat, set himself to seek the_ Lord, _and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah_. And so [104]_in the fifth year of Jehoiakim, the son of Josiah, in the ninth month_, when they were afraid of the king of _Babylon_, the princes of Judah _proclaimed a fast before the_ Lord, _to all the people of Jerusalem_.