The Pulpit Commentary — Matthew — Volume 1 — Section 277

of lmpudeuce and folly. (3) H is supreme ingratitude to take all from God ~nd give him no thanks. 2. it is shameful hypocrisy. (1) Fasting is an expression of humilia- tion and mourning (cf. Pa. xxxv. 13; Isa. lviii. 6-7). The disfigured face was produced by ashes and earth, with disordered hair and austere and doleful looks (see 1 Kings xx. 38). Under such disguises the Pharisee concealed prond and contemptuous thoughts and a callous heart. (2) The falsehood is aggravated by its affectation of religion. The Pharisee seeks the praise of men on account of a religion towards God which he does not possess, else he would rather seek the praise of God. The che<'\t is played off upon God. 3. This is fearfully demoralizing. (1) The habit of falsehood becomes the character of falsehood. The devil is the original liar. He is here the model in his most odious character of the angel of light. (2) We seek to resemble those with whom we would ingratiate ourselves. Imitation is the sincerest praise. '.Ve cannot rise higher than our standard. Men are our standard when we seek the praise of men. (3) If our standard be below us, the result is degradation. Instead of growing into the "increase of God," the hypocrite is shrivelling into the degradation of a devil. 4. The piety is doubtful of our ostentatious mourning for the dead. (1) If we belitve the departed to be enjoying the exquisite bliss of Paradise, what reason have we to mourn (cf. John xiv. 28)? Is it not heathenish to mourn for the glorified? (2) If we fear the departed are suffering the torments of perdition we may well mourn. But is it decent to publish this to the world in our clothes? (3) If our mourning be simply that of natural affection, is it necessary to proclaim to the world that we have natural affection? Should we parade our grief? If the grief be not there, why, in deference to fashion, hang out the symbol of a lie? (4) Ostentatious mourning for the dead is often ruinously expensive to the poor. II. TB.AT Goo REWARDS AND PUN18IIES MEN BY GIVING THEM THE DESIRES OF THEIR HEARTS. 1. True men have praise of God. (1) They seek this above all things. (a) By tbe fasting of the mind from the delights of sin. (b) By hungering and thirsting for righteousness. (c) By trusting in the blood of Christ with a heart unto righteousness. (d) By delighting in good works-works of piety, works of benevolence. (2) They have it: (a) In the assurance of his favour. By the Spirit of adoption and regeneration. (b) fn the light and guidance of his grace. (c) In triumph over death. (d) In the "Well done!" of the judgment. (e) In the rewards of immortality. (8) The true man performs the duties of his spiritual fasting with cheerfulness. His face is "washed" in purity-" anointed" with benevolence. Rejoicing in the favour of God, he is dead alike to the praise and censure of men (see Ps. lxix. 10, 13). 2. False men 'l'eceive the praise of their fellows. (1) They seek this in preference to the praise of God, and they get what they seek. But what do they get? Dishonesty. The hypocrite is dishonest in taking praise he has not deserved. (2) From whom- do they get this? From the simplt', who cannot see through their knavery. Or from the sycophant, who does not object to be the accomplice of the knave. (3) True men would reprove their wickedness after the example of Christ with the Pharisees of his time. 3. From God they have no praise. (1) They do not seek his rewarcl. To ensure this they must sacrifice sin and pride, which they are unwilling to do. (2) In greed after the finite they miss the infinite. In greed after the evanescent they miss the enduring. They forfoit heaven. (3) Moreover, they incur the anger of God. The perdition of hell is his retribution upon their insolence and folly.-J. A. M. Vers. 19-21.-HOOJ:ding. The all-absorbing desire of humanity is happiness. A depraved heart naturally seeks this in the world. Money, which "answereth all things," is the exponent of the world's good. Hence the feverish desire to accumulate money. Wealth comes to be loved and laid up because it is loved. This hoarding is sin. I. Mumo PROPER PROVISION FOB THE FUTURE m NOT HEBE CONDEMNED, 1. God commends this prudence in his system of nature. (1) He has so ordered the seasons that one harvest yields enough to ~erve us until the next. The elements that ripen fruits in the soil tend to rot those gathered the preceding year. God cannot be displeased at our foll.iwing his providence. (2) He impresses bis providence upon the instincts of animals. Thus the bee stores in summer the honey that will serve it r,,r the winter. The morals of nature are for our profit. 2. He commend, it in the econom:;  270 THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW. [CH. vi.1-34-.