The Pulpit Commentary — Matthew — Volume 2 — Section 420

they readily take up the idea. that it is permissible in themselves, and 80 Ohrist'a truth is dishonoured and his service misoonceived.-R. T. Ver. 5.-Thefascination of human praue. "All their works they do for to be seen of men." It is right for us to desire acceptance and favour with our fellow-men, The desire for human praise is a. proper incentive and inspiration, which no moralist can afford to undeMstima.te. But in relation to it, we must apply the ever-workina law of Christian moderation. The love of praise very readily becomes an absorbing"' mania, and, like all manias, it implies mental and moral deterioration. A man may come to live for praise, and make a. life-aim of getting his fellows' admiration, If he does, he will drift ever downward, until he even tries to get praise for the cut of his garments, the grace of his bow, and the politeness of his speech, He will even be pleased when ignorant street people gape at his phylacteries and the wide borders of his garments; and everywhere he will be asserting himself, and pushing into the chief places; making himself disagreeable by trying to make himself admirable. L Hmu.N PRAISE AS AN INSPIRATION. It is not the highest and best inspiration. It is only an inspiration. The loyal-hearted and high-toned man seeks Divine accept- ance. " Study t.o show thyself approved unto God." But men can help 6thers by kindly approvals. And the hope of gaining approval does worthily influence grown men as well as young children. Show (1) that the praise of men may translate God's approval to us ; (2) that we need never be puffed up, if we take men's praise to God, and thank him for letting us have the cheer of it; (3) that we need not make the desire for men's praise shape our conduct and relations, We can do right because it is right, and accept men's praise if it comes. It is always well to remember that God approves the qual,ity of a thing, but men are usually caught by the appearance of things. There is never any reason why a good thing should not also be a good- looking thing. IL HUXAN PRAISE AS A SNARE. In the case of these scribes we see that it made them untrue to themselves. They soon found out what men stared at and admired, and then set themselves to provide it, heedless as to whether it expressed their real selves or not. Human praise cultivates vanity, a meaner vice than pride. Vanity differs from pride partly in this-the proud man generally has something to be proud about; the vain man is vain concerning just him.sell, and wants flattery, yearns for it, lives on it, will demean himself if only he can get it, feeds his vanity on praise, and never minds though the praise is worthless in its insincerity.-R. T. "Ver. 8.-The equality of believer& "And all ye a.re brethren." The kindliness and mutual helpfulness of brotherhood a.re not prominent in our Lord's mind at this time. He was rather thinking of the equality of the brothers in one family. All are sons. No one of them is any more than a son. No one of them has any rights over his brother. The variety of gifts, talents, and dispositions in no way affects the equal rights of the br~therhood. Ali wh~ push themselves into chief places, bi~ [or _s~cie.l greetillgs, or claim to be masters-if they presume to call themselves Christ s disciples --filil against the equality of the Christian brotherhood. l. THE EQUALITY OF THE BBOTHEBBOOD IS BASED ON THE COMMON BONSHIP, If our standing ill Christ depended on the Divine recognition of peculiarities in us; or if we gained it upon !!Uperior merit or upon special endeavour, there might be orders end gradations in the Christian discipleship. But brothers a.re just born into families; they are brothers because they a.re sons, and for no other reason; the bond uniting them is the common family life. So we are bom of God; made sons a.pa.rt from all effort of our own; quickened with a Divine life whose operations we cannot control. And we are all quickened and saved and made sons in just the same way. Rich or poor, there is for all the one" la.ver of regeneration." . We are brothers because we are BODB ; and as we a.re nothing but sons, 80 we are nothing but brothers. li. 'l'HE EQUALITY OF THE BBOTH.E.Bll(lOD ADMITS OF VAllJETIE8 Il!I ABILITY, The diversity of character and of gifts in a falllily is the subject of constant remark, It is a commonplace. But noble natures never make such diversity a. reason for claiming superiority. The most talented members are olten the most brotherly. 'l'he family bind ii! not affected by personal peculiarities. There are diversities of gifts in God'1 OB, :um.1-39.] THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW. 425