66 After all, this and every other expedient | unfair representation of the religion they are but helps in a subordinate sense to our profess. Christians are intended to be growth in grace; meat commendeth us epistles of Christ," to be "known and not to God; for neither if we eat are we read of all men ;" and therefore they should the better; neither if we eat not are we the be careful that what is written in their temworse," yet there is great danger of over- pers, conversation, and deportment, should looking this, and putting such helps in the be an accurate transcript of the legitimate place of the Holy Spirit, who alone can influence of Christian principle. A calm order the unruly wills and affections of sin- and subdued cheerfulness, a peaceful and ful men. We should, therefore, carefully tranquil joy, should always characterise watch and pray against that superstition those whose sins are pardoned, and in whom which would lead us to deify the means of Christ dwells as the hope of glory. grace, and to attribute an inherent efficacy to ceremonies which are of no value, unless so far as they are sanctioned and blessed to the soul of the believer by the Holy Ghost. Christians are here cautioned as to their deportment when fasting. They are directed to avoid the conduct of those Pharisees and heathen whom the Saviour calls hypocrites, because they are only acting a part even in their professedly religious observances. They assumed, when fasting, a "sad countenance." The word in the original, oxudgwoi, is very expressive;-it denotes the look of a wild beast, so grim and ghastly that we should be afraid to behold it. They "disfigured their faces" by throwing ashes upon their heads; and all this was done for purposes of ostentation and vainglory, "that they might appear unto men to fast." In opposition to this, the Saviour tells his people, when they fast "to anoint their heads and wash their faces," that is, to make no difference in their appearance and dress, but to let their garb and demeanour be precisely the same as on ordinary days. We should in all our religious services watch and pray against everything approaching to ostentation. Even our moments of humiliation are liable to the intru sion of pride; and this evil spirit never appears in a more revolting and disgusting form than when it decks itself out in the garments, and assumes the features of humility. From the admonition here given we may learn that everything like an assumed melancholy and seriousness of deportment is contrary to the spirit of genuine Christianity. There are some professors whose sombre and gloomy aspect attaches a repulsiveness to the principles of the Gospel, which they do not in themselves present. Such persons should be told that they are so far acting the part of an hypocrite, and giving an It is here added as an encouragement to observe these directions" Thy Father which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly." God is unseen himself—no mortal eye hath ever gazed upon the dazzling splendour of his abstract glory. Yet all things are naked and open to his pervading scrutiny. This great truth is thrice repeated in this chapter, because it is so little recognised or acknowledged amongst men, verses 4, 6, 18. We are so accustomed to admit of nothing but sensible evidence of the personal presence of individuals, that we pay no attention to the more important evidences which encompass us on every side of the ubiquity of the Eternal Creator. So strong is this evidence in itself, that the apostle says-" The invisible things of him, even his eternal power and Godhead, are clearly seen from the things that are made.” It is an evidence which ought to be even more satisfactory than that of sight. If this grand and solemn truth-that "God seeth in secret"-were duly impressed upon the minds of men, with what powerful force would it act as a restraining principle against sin? 19. Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: treasures in heaven, where neither 20. But lay up for yourselves moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: 21. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. There are two leading objects of pursuit, if wealth be the object of pursuit, the heart will be set thereon, and covetousness will be the ruling principle. How important, then, that the treasures on which our hearts are fixed, should be of a solid, satisfying, and enduring kind! 22. The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. 23. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is by either, or by both of which, the natural The Saviour adds a reason to enforce man is continually attracted,—the seeking this advice-" for where your treasure is, of glory from men and the accumulation there will your heart be also." Wherever of worldly wealth. Having spoken against the object of pursuit and desire is, there, as the former in the preceding part of this a matter of course, the affections of the chapter, he now proceeds to speak in refer- man will settle, and all his actions will be ence to the latter. It is here supposed that influenced by them. If power be the object every man is influenced by some object or of pursuit, the heart will be set thereon, other, which exercises an attractive power and ambition will be the ruling principle of upon his affections and pursuits. This is, action-if the applause of man be the indeed, a necessary feature in our constitu- object of pursuit, the heart will be set theretion, that we should be always occupied in on, and vanity will be the ruling principle; seeking after something. This disposition, as well as others, has been injured by the fall, which has given an opposite tendency to all our desires from that which they originally manifested. But it is the purpose of divine grace to restore our desires to their original objects, and to enable us "to set our affections on things above, and not on things on the earth." In urging his people "not to lay up for themselves treasures upon earth," Christ employs an argument which, when duly estimated, must show the absurdity of so doing. "Moth and rust doth corrupt them; thieves break through and steal them;" they are from their very nature frail and perishable; they contain within them the seeds of corruption, and they are exposed to constant depredations, in thee be darkness, how great is to inward decay, and to outward hazard. that darkness! Heavenly treasures, on the other hand, have an innate worth-they are bright, imperishable, and immortal, and are far removed out of the reach of those who would desire to deprive us of them. "Our life is hid with God in Christ," and is therefore safe from the incursions of Satan. Earthly treasures have a reference to the convenience of the body, and yet are not so connected with the body, but that the thief, on the one hand, may break through and steal them, or the assassin, on the other, may kill the body, and thus for ever separate it from its temporal possessions. But the treasures of grace become identified with the soul, and are the necessary elements of our new and spiritual nature, and therefore none but those who can kill the soul, can ever deprive us of these. But this is impossible; for we are "kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation." The treasures, too, which are reserved in heaven for the believer, are "an inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away." In these verses the Saviour advances an illustration of the sentiment which he had just uttered, that where the treasure is, there will the heart be also. The word rendered "light" is literally "lamp;" and as the eye is the lamp of the body, so that all the other members are dependent upon it for that light which they require, so the heart is the magnet of the soul, and gives a tendency to all its affections and desires. If the eye be "single," or sound, then it will answer its proper end; and so, if the heart be set upon heavenly treasure, all the faculties and affections of the soul will be directed to things above. If, on the other hand, the eye be evil, or distempered, it will not act as a lamp, but the whole body will be full of darkness; and so, likewise, if the heart be so distempered as to rest upon earthly and perishable things, these will be made the object of desire and exertion, and every faculty will be put forth for their attainment. Let every Christian pray for that divine grace which shall enable him to see every | favour and smiles of both, by endeavouring object according to its real and true cha- to please both, may hence learn that they racter, and not to hold it in higher estima- | are deceiving themselves. "That which is tion than it deserves. highly esteemed amongst men is abomination in the sight of God,"—" The friendship of this world is enmity against God,” — and the attempt to reconcile these two services is utterly impossible, as long as the command of God stands thus-"Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him." He that is under the influence of grace, can have little difficulty in determining which of these two masters should give place to the other, and The latter part of verse 23 may be thus paraphrased" If then the light of reason which is in thee, be in reality darkness, how great is the darkness that will manifest itself in all your actions and pursuits!" There is no contradiction in saying "if the light that is in thee be darkness," for what is reason if unenlightened by the Spirit of God? Men may speak of the lamp of intellect that is within them, but if this be not lighted up by the Holy Spirit, it will only afford illumination enough to lead men into the outer dark-which has a better right to our services. ness of eternal ruin. 24. No man can serve two masters for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and Mammon. ye 25. Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for put on. your body, what ye shall Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment ? What is here rendered "take no thought," This verse is also intended to illustrate should be rendered "be not anxious about." the same declaration in the 21st That The object of Christ is to prohibit that con"where the treasure is, there will the heart stant solicitude about temporal things which be also." Whatever a man sets his heart must necessarily interfere with the service upon will exercise such a mastery over him, that we owe to God, and which manifests a that he may be said to "serve" it. There distrust of his providential care. No man are two great objects which solicit the ser- should entirely disregard his personal wants, vice and affections of men. We are com- or the wants of his family, but should enmanded to love and serve God supremely deavour by honest industry to supply them, with all our heart and all our soul and all 2 Thess. iii. 10, 11; 1 Tim. 5, 8. The our strength. But there is another master, proper principle by which we should be rewhom the Saviour here represents under the gulated in this matter is one which is equally name of Mammon, who also seeks the ho- founded upon a confident recognition of God's mage of our service and love. The word providential care, and a full persuasion that Mammon is Syriac, and signifies riches, he supplies the wants of his people through which the Saviour here personifies, as a liv-means, which it is their duty to take ading being whom men have deified and worshipped as a god. To obey these two, would involve an attempt to reconcile things that are directly contrary to each other. The interests and commands of these two masters are infinitely opposed, and therefore whatever disposition we manifest towards the one, we must manifest a directly opposite disposition towards the other. We cannot love one, and be indifferent to the other; but if we love one, we must hate the other. Those who endeavour to effect a compromise between the world and God, so as to enjoy the vantage of. The direction of the apostle in Philippians iv. 6, affords an excellent expoposition of this passage. "Be careful for nothing: but in every thing, by prayer and supplication with thanskgiving, let your requests be made known unto God." The Saviour does not rest his commands exclusively upon his own authority as a lawgiver, but condescends, in compliance with our weakness, to annex to those commands satisfactory arguments to enforce them. Here, when dissuading his people against all disquieting and distrustful care, as to their means of temporal subsistence and support, he adds this argument in the form of a question-" Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment ?" as if he had said "Has not God given you life, and is not that life vastly more valuable than the food which sustains it? and is not the gift of the greater blessing a sufficient pledge and security that he will confer those lesser gifts which are necessary to keep it in existence?" The Saviour here applies to temporal things the same principle of reasoning which the apostle employs in reference to spiritual blessings "He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?" The God of grace is also the God of providence; and he acts upon the same general principles in both. As he has displayed such wisdom and power and mercy, in giving us life, and in associating that life with a body wonderfully fitted for all the duties of our existence, let us yield to this convincing proof, that he has power and mercy enough to supply us with every subordinate comfort, which he knows to be necessary or useful for us. these two considerations-1st, That men are much better than the fowls of the air; 2d, That men have means within their reach of supplying their necessities, which the fowls are incapable of having recourse to. The latter part of this verse might be rendered "Have ye not greatly the advantage over them," that is, in having more power and opportunity conferred upon you by God for providing for your own wants. It will also bear the ordinary translation, in which case it implies, that if God takes care of the animal creation, he will much more preserve and provide for those beings whom he has endowed with reason, and to whom he has promised immortality. There may be also another argument implied in the designation which the Saviour here employs in speaking of God—" your heavenly Father." This may refer to that peculiar relationship which God sustains towards those who are his children in Christ. To the birds of the air he sustains the relationship of Creator-to those who are in Christ he sustains the additional and higher relationship of Father. This imposes upon him additional motives and obligations to dren, which he commands them to rest upon 26. Behold the fowls of the air: preserve and provide for his ransomed chilfor they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? The Saviour here adduces an illustration from the objects that were visible to him and to his auditory, as he stood upon the mountain. We may derive instruction from every department of nature, and there is no circumstance or scene in creation which may not supply us with beautiful and striking illustrations of principles by which we should be regulated in the moral government of our affections. The object of this illustration is to show the unreasonableness of anxious thought about our temporal wants. Christ does not refer to the fact of the birds of the air "neither reaping nor gathering into barns" with the view of prohibiting this in the case of man, but for the purpose of giving force to his arguments, as if he had said "If they are supported without those means and resources which God has appointed in your case, how much more will, he support you?" The argument derives force from for comfort, and allows them to plead before his throne of grace. Let us then cast all our care upon him, for he careth for us as our Creator, he careth for us as our pre server, but above all, he careth for us be cause we are his children in Christ. 27. Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? 28. And why take ye thought for raiment? consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: 29. And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to-day is, and to-morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? 66 The Saviour asks this question" Which | "O ye of little faith." This may be underof you by taking thought," or by anxiety stood as a rebuke, or as an encouragement. and care, can add one cubit unto his sta- Solicitude as to temporal matters springs ture?" to illustrate the uselessness and ab- from weakness of faith, therefore we should surdity of solicitude about temporal wants. pray-" Lord, increase our faith." It may A moderate and allowable attention to tem- imply that even those who have little faith poral matters will supply our necessities and shall be objects of God's protecting care. provide for our personal comforts just as The babes in Christ shall be attended to, as effectually. well as those who are old men and fathers. God will never leave the wants of his family unsupplied. The allusion to the birds of the air was in order to show the impropriety of solicitude about the support of our life; he now refers to the lilies of the field, to show the impropriety of the same solicitude in refer ence to raiment. These two. food and raiment stand here as the representatives of all personal wants. By the lilies of the field, we may understand wild flowers of every description, which grow in the fields, without the care or the culture of man. They are commanded to grow by God, to give beauty to the grass, to embellish the green carpet of nature; and when we behold them, we may learn this lesson, that he who has thus employed his power in clothing and ornamenting inanimate nature, will not neglect to supply his rational creatures with useful and necessary raiment. This passage combines piety and taste with exquisite and inimitable simplicity. The comparison of the lilies of the field to the glory of Solomon, is one of the finest allusions in Scripture. What is the boasted glory of art, in comparison with the simple but sublime beauty of nature? The noblest production of human wisdom and contrivance can never bear one moment's comparison with the meanest work of God. On all that he has made, we see the traces of infinite power, and the smallest plant that grows contains enough of evidence to show that he who formed it is divine! The reference made to the use to which grass was applied gives additional force to the Saviour's reasoning. The people of the East were in the habit of using dry straw, withered herbs, and stubble, to heat their ovens. The argument then is this—“ If God clothes with so much beauty that which is applied to such insignificant uses, will he not much more clothe his people, who are so precious in his sight, and who have such important offices to perform in showing forth his glory ?" Christ traces the feeling which he is here condemning to its source in these words 31. Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32. (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek :) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. Our Saviour argues in these verses against all disquieting care about our temporal necessities, on the ground of its being heathenish, "for after all these things do the Gentiles seek," and inconsistent in a Christian, who ought to have a clearer apprehension of the knowledge and providential kindness of his God. The three questions, "What shall we eat? What shall we drink? and Wherewithal shall we be clothed?" constitute the chief subject of anxiety to those who are living without "God, without Christ, and without hope in the world." But those who profess to be the children of God should have higher and nobler pursuits, and not contradict, by their practice, their professed belief in the paternal kindness of their heavenly Father, who knows their necessities before they ask, and their ignorance in asking, and who will withhold no good thing from them that love him. 33. But seck ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. It must be evident from the whole of this portion of our blessed Redeemer's Sermon on the Mount, that nothing is more opposed to the promotion of human happiness than over anxiety, or excessive carefulness about |