head, and wash your face, 18 That you may not appear to men to fast, but only to your Father, who is with you in your retirements; and your Father, who beholds what you do in secret, will reward you openly.

19 Lay not up treasures upon earth, where the moth and the rust do consume, and where thieves break through and steal. 20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where the moth and the rust consume not, and where thieves break not through nor steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. 22 The eye is the light of the body;

ver. 19. Luke xii. 33. 1 Tim. vi. 9. 17. Heb. xiii. 5. Jam. v. 2. v. 20. Matt. xix. 21. Luke xviii. 22. Tobit iv. 9. v. 21. Luke xii. 34. v. 22, 23. Luke xi. 34, 36.

themselves with oil, which was commonly perfumed, especially on festivals. See Ruth iii. 3. Judith x. 3. Luke vii. 73. But they never did it on fast-days. See Dan. x. 3.

v. 18. Who is with you in your retirements.]

verse 6.

Openly] See the same note.

See the note on

V. 19. The moth.) The Gr. word ans, literally signifies a moth. We have rendered it by the general name of vermine; because the word that signifies a species, is often put for the whole kind. For an instance, see Luke xii. 24. comp. with Matt. vi. 26. Here it is to be observed, that the ancients were wont to lay up in their treasures, (See the note on Matt. ii. 11.) not only gold and silver, but also rich clothes, and the like. See Ezra ii. 69. Job xxvii. 16. James v. 2, 3. This is what gave Jesus Christ an occasion of saying that the moth and vermine consume those treasures.

v. 21. For where, &c.] This is a reflection made on the two last verses. The meaning of which is if you consider this world's goods as your true riches, you will be wholly taken up with the care of getting and keeping them, 1 Tim. vi. 9, 10. But if, on the contrary, you look upon the kingdom of God, and its righteousness as your supreme and only happiness, you will make it your whole business to obtain them, and will never renounce or forsake them. Compare Coloss. iii. 2, 3.

v. 22. The light.] Gr. The lamp. Eye be simple. A simple eye is properly a good and sound eye; in opposition to a bad or weak eye. In a figurative sense, which is that of Jesus Christ here, it signifies a mind free and disengaged from the love of this world, for it is manifest from the 19, 20, 21, and 24th verses of this chapter, that Jesus Christ condemns here covetousness. He hath made use of the words single,

if then your eye be simple, your whole body will be enlightened. 23 But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be dark. If therefore what is light in you be but darkness, how great will that darkness be? 24 No man can serve two masters. For either he will hate the one and love the other; or he will be attached to the one and neglect the other. You cannot serve God and mam

mon.

25 For this reason I tell you, be not solicitous with regard to your life, about what you shall eat, or what you shall drink; nor as to your body, about what you shall

ver. 24. Luke xvi. 13. Tim. iv. 8. 1 Pet. v. 7.

v. 25. Luke xii. 22, 23. Phil. iv. 6. 1 Ps. lv. 23.

and evil eye, agreeably to the scripture style, which calls the love of riches, the lust of the eye. [1 John ii. 16. comp. Ecclus. v. 11.] which denotes liberality, by the word singleness or simplicity (áπλóτns) [Rom. xii. 8. 2 Cor. viii. 2.] and which uses the words evil eye, not only to signify envy; but also avarice and hardheartedness to the poor. See Deut. xv. 18. Prov. xxiii. 6, &c. Thus Prov. xxii. 9. A good eye is a kind and merciful disposition.

v. 23. If therefore what is light, &c.] This is to be understood of the heart, which in the Hebrew style is taken for the mind and will. This is what Jesus Christ calls here the light of man. The meaning of

this passage then is; if the heart, which is to regulate and direct you, be erroneous and corrupted, what will your actions, and the general course of your life be?

v. 24. Two masters.]

i. e. Of contrary dispositions.

He will hate.] To hate, here is not to mind, to have a less value; and to love is to have a greater regard for; as appears from the remaining part of the verse, and from Matt. x. 37. compared with Luke xii. 26.

v. 25.

Mammon.] We have retained this word, which is Syriac, and signifies riches or treasures, because the Evangelists have retained it, when writing in Greek, as have also some ancient versions; and that besides Jesus Christ hath represented riches here as a kind of false deity. Be not solicitous.-] Our blessed Saviour condemns here only that immoderate carefulness, which is occasioned by the love of this world, and of its advantages and enjoyments, and proceeds from distrust, and incredulity. See Phil. iv. 6. 1 Pet. v. 7. St. Luke hath made use of the word μerewpiw, which signifies to have a wavering and doubtful mind, disquieted, or tossed about with mistrust and fear, ch. xii. 29.

wear.

Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Consider the birds of the air: They sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns, and your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of much greater value than they? 27 And which of you, by his solicitude, can add one single cubit to his stature?

As for clothing, why should you be solicitous about that? Behold the lilies of the field how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin. 29 And yet I say to you, that Solomon himself, in all his magnificence, was not clothed like one of these. 30 Now if God thus clothes the flowers of the field, which to-day are, and to-morrow are thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O distrustful men ? 31 Be not solicitous therefore, and say not, What shall we eat, or what shall we drink, or with what shall we be clothed ?

ver. 26. Job xxxix. 3, 29.

Ps. civ. 27, 28. cxlv. 15. cxlvii. 9. Luke xii. 24. v. 27. Luke xii. 25, 26. v. 28. Luke xii. 27, 28.

Your life.] Gr. Your soul. This is a Hebrew expression, very frequent in the sacred writings. See Exod. xxi. 23. Deut. xix. 21, &c. Is not life, &c.] i. e. He that gave you life and being, will never fail to bestow upon you such things as are necessary for the support and preservation of it. This is an argument a majori ad minus. v. 26. Of the air.] Gr. Of the heaven. Jesus Christ cannot by any means be supposed to countenance here idleness and negligence: his whole design, in these words, being to recommend trust in God's providence, and calmness of mind, while we are employed in our several callings, and improve all those means which God hath set before us. Compare Prov. vi. 6.

v. 28. The lilies.] We must understand by this word, all sorts of flowers, according to the style of the Seventy. Compare the Hebrews and the LXX. in the following passages, Exod. xxv. 33, 34. Numb. viii. 4. Isa. xxxv. 1. See preface to the introduction, p. 14.

v. 29. Magnificence.] Gr. Glory. See Isa. lii. 1. where what is rendered beautiful garments, is in the Hebrew, garments of glory. It is the same as Esther v. 1. To put on the kingdom, that is, royal apparel. See Isa. iii. 18. Luke vii. 5.

v. 30. O distrustful men.] Gr. O ye of little faith. The word faith here, and in the like places, is to be understood of trust or reliance.

32 For they are the heathens which seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows, that they are necessary for you. 33 But seek in the first place the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all these things shall be over and above supplied to you. 34. Be not therefore solicitous for the morrow, for the morrow shall take care of the things of itself, Sufficient to each day is the trouble thereof.

v. 32. Ps. xxvii. 18, 19, 25. xxxiv. 9, 10. 1 Kings iii. 11, 12, 13. Luke xii. 13. Mark x. 30. v. 34. Matt. vi. 11. Exod. xvi. 15, 20.

v. 32. The heathens.] i. e. the unbelievers in general.

Which seek.] The seeking after earthly advantages condemned here, is that which is accompanied with anxiousness and fear of being in want. (See ver. 25.) That which proceeds from the love of this world, and want of reliance on God, for such can only be applied to persons destitute of faith, ver. 30.

v. 33. The kingdom of God.] i. e. True religion, the advantages of the kingdom of God. Rom. xiv. 17. The treasures mentioned, ver. 20. compare 1 Kings iii. 11, 12.

His righteousness.] See ch. v. 6. That is particularly, the performance of God's commandments, as they have been illustrated and explained by Jesus Christ, and not as they were understood by the Pharisees, Matt. v. 20, 48.

Over and above.] i. e. The goods of this world ought not to be looked upon by Christians as true and essential advantages. They should make a good use of them, if God thinks proper to bless them therewith, 1 Tim. iv. 8. But if not, their duty is to be satisfied with their own portion, whatever it is, being possessed with spiritual goods, and hoping for those that are eternal, Heb. xi. 10, 13, 16, 17.

v. 34. For the morrow.] i. e. For the time to come in general; for the Hebrews use this word to denote any time to come, though at a considerable distance. See Exod. xii. 14. Josh iv. 6. in which places the morrow, though it was not really so. This expression was also in use among the

the word is Kahar, i. e. ver. 11. of this chapter. Greeks.

See

The trouble.] The Gr. word kakia, which properly denotes wickedness, signifies here evil, or punishment, as in Eccles. xii. 1. according to the LXX.

CHAPTER VII.

Not to judge others, 1—5. Not to expose holy things, 6 Efficacy of prayer, 7—11. To treat others as we would be treated, 12. Narrow gate, 13, 14. Characters of true and false prophets, and of true and false Christians, 15—23. To build on α rock, 24-27. Doctrine of Jesus Christ admired, 28, 29.

1 JUDGE not, that you be not judged. 2 For in the same manner as you judge, shall you be judged; and the same measure you use to others, shall be made use of to you. 3 Why do you see a mote in our brother's eye, and perceive not a beam in your own? 4 Or how can you say to your brother: Let me take the mote

ver. 1, 2. Mark iv. 24. Luke iv. 37, 38. xvi. 15. xviii. 9, 11. Rom. ii. 1. xiv. 3, 4, 10, 13. 1 Cor. iv. 3, 4, 5. xiii. 7. Gal. vi. 1. Jam. ii. 13. iii. 1, 2. iv. 11, 12. Prov. x. 12. v. 3. Luke vi.

v. Judge not.] This is to be understood of those rash and censorious judgments, whereby we disapprove and condemn people's actions. See Luke vi. 37. Jesus Christ forbids here not only rashness, 1 Cor. iv. 5. but also severity and rigour in judging of others; for judgment is sometimes opposed to mercy. See Jam. ii. 13. and compare Jam. iv. 11, 12.

v. 2. And the same measure.] Gr. And with what measure you mete, it shall be measured to you again. This is a proverbial expression, much in vogue among the Jews; it occurs in the Chaldee paraphrase on Gen. xxxviii. 25, 26. and Isa. xxvii. 8.

v. 3. Do you see.] To see here, signifies not only to be acquainted with other people's faults but to pry into them, with a design to censure and reprove them.

A mote a beam-] These were also proverbial expressions, formerly in use among the Jews. They are to be found in their ancient writings, where a mote signifies, as it doth here, a small and inconsiderable failing, and a beam, great and enormous crimes.

v. 4. Or how can you say.] Gr. Say you. We have given the sense of this passage, which is, How can you have the confidence to say, &c.