Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
Ver. 2. Therefore when thou doest thine alms] Unless thou set light by thy reward, as Esau did by his birthright; unless thou holdest heaven hardly worth having, and art of that carnal cardinal's mind (Card. Bourbon), who preferred his part in Paris before his part in Paradise.
Do not sound a trumpet before thee] As the Pharisees did, under a show of assembling the poor to take dole, but indeed to notify their liberality. If they had been truly liberal, they had made no noise of it. Those vessels yield most sound that have least liquor. Vasa quae magis continent, minus sonant. (Seneca.)
As the hypocrites do] From whom as the saints differ in nature so they should in practice. We should have nothing common with them, no more than a chaste matron desires to have with a base strumpet. Song of Solomon 2:7, the spouse desireth to know where Christ feedeth, that she may repair to him; for why should I be, saith she, as one that turneth aside (or, that is covered and veiled, which was the habit of harlots, Gen 38:15-16), why should I be reputed a light housewife, while I turn aside by the flocks of thy companions? She would shun and be shy of all appearance of dishonesty; so should we of hypocrisy. Those Christians of Corinth are much condemned by the apostle that carried themselves so carnally that a man could hardly discern them from other men. Richard Redman, Bishop of Ely, 1501, was not much to be commended for looking so like a Pharisee in that practice of his, of causing a bell to be rung wherever he came, to give notice to the poor of the place that they should have six pence a-piece, as many as came to him. And why are alms houses commonly built by the highway sides? &c.
That they may have glory of men] As Jehu, Come, see what a zeal I have for the Lord of hosts. Is thine heart upright as mine? &c. A gracious heart is not a blab of his tongue, but rests and rejoiceth silently in the conscience of a secret goodness. Not so the hypocrite, the self-seeker, the stage player, for so the word "hypocrite" properly signifieth, such as though little better than rogues, yet sometimes represent the persons of princes, and carry themselves with other faces than their own, that they may have glory of men, that they may get a plaudit. a And herewith agree all the former expressions; whatsoever these men do is merely theatrical (προς το θεαθηναι), hypocritical, histrionical. b They sound a trumpet, as is usual on stages: they do their devoir in the synagogues, public assemblies, and streets, as stage players act in open places, and by drums and outcries get as much company together as they can. And as they can act to the life those whom they impersonate, yea, outstrip them in outward actions, so do hypocrites the true Christian. Doth the publican fix his eyes on the ground? those hypocrites in Isaiah will hang down their heads like bulrushes. Doth Timothy weaken his constitution with abstinence? the false Pharisee will not only weaken his constitution, but wither his complexion with fasting. Doth Zaecheus give half of what he hath to the poor? the pretender to piety and charity will bestow all his goods to feed the poor, and, besides, give his body to be burned, 1 Corinthians 13:3, as Servetus did at Geneva, A.D. 1555. And all for a name, for a little glory among men, which is but a breath, and yet not able to blow so much as one cold blast upon hypocrites, when they shall be cast into unquenchable flames, when God shall wash off their varnish with rivers of brimstone. No natural face hath so clear a white and red as the painted. No rush is so green and smooth as the bulrush; he is curious to a miracle that can find a knot in it; yet within is nothing but a useless and spongy pith. c Overly fair shows are a just argument of unsoundness.
Verily I say unto you] q.d. You would little think it, and themselves will hardly believe it: for they are an impudent kind of people, and will not soon be said. But I assever and assure you of it, in the word of Amen, the faithfill and true witness, Revelation 3:14, all the words of whose mouth are in righteousness, there is nothing froward or perverse in them, Proverbs 8:8, that this is the very truth, and time will prove it so. Asses that have fed on hemlock, are so stupefied thereby, that they lie for dead, and feel not till half their hides be hilded off: then they rise and run away with a foul noise. d So these.
They have their reward] Paid them down upon the nail in ready money, and have given their acquittance. They take up all their wages before the year's end, they receive it now and leave none till hereafter. e It is all they are ever likely to have, and let them make them merry with it. Egregiam vero laudem, et spolia ampla refertis. A poor reward, God knows; but it is that which they would have. It is their own reward, not God's, saith St Jerome. f As Judas went to his own place, a place of his own providing, Acts 1:25, so these have their own reward, much good may it do them. Here they have their consolation with Dives :let them look for no further reward in the day of refreshing, if they do, they are like to be disappointed, saith the Judge. To themselves they bore fruit, Hosea 10:1, and shall therefore be turned off as empty vines; when the faithful spouse that lays up her fruit for Christ, Song of Solomon 7:13, shall hear, "Thou art like a green fir tree; from me is thy fruit found," Hosea 14:8. And albeit in her works of charity in secret, and without hope of reward from men, she may seem to cast her bread upon the waters, down the river (as we say), or on the sea to feed fishes; yet after many days she shall be sure to find it, Ecclesiastes 11:1. That labour of love cannot be lost that we resolve to cast away (as the world accounts it) upon Christ.
a Hos Plautus vocat Holophantas, qui omnia ostentant et mentiantur. Sic Roscias Ulyssis, aut Aeneae repraesentat personaam, cum Ulysses non sit, nec Aeneas. Aretius.
b Theatrical in character or style, ‘stagey'; also fig. ‘acting a part', hypocritical, deceitful. ŒD
c Nodum in scirpo quaerit. Isaiah 58:5 .
d Dimidia pellis parte propendente, foedum rudorem edunt. Mathiolus.
e απεχουσι, They receive it as their full pay, whence αποχη, an acquittance. Luke 6:23 .
f Mercedem suam, non Dei. Jerome.