That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.
Ver. 4. Thy Father that seeth in secret] And best accepteth of secret service. Song of Solomon 2:14; "O thou that art in the clefts of the rocks, let me see thy face, let me hear thy voice," &c. a He is all eye (πανοφθαλμος), he searcheth the hearts and trieth the reins, those most abstruse and remotest parts of the body, seats of lust: and as he is himself a Spirit, so he loveth to be served like himself, "in spirit and in truth." He sets his eyes upon such, as the word here signifieth, he looketh wishedly, fixedly, steadily; he seeth through and through our secret services, not to find faults in them (for so he may soon do not a few, but those he winks at, where the heart is upright), but to reward them, as a liberal pay-master, "rich to all that call upon him," or do him any other business. b "Who is there even among you that shut the door for nought; that kindleth fire upon mine altar for nought?" Malachi 1:10; that gives a cup of cold water, and hath not his reward? David would not serve God on free cost, but was he not paid for his pains, and had his cost in again with usury ere the sun went down? Let him but resolve to confess his sins, and God (or ere he can do it) forgiveth him the iniquity of his sin, that in it that did most gall and grieve him, Psalms 32:5. Let him but purpose to build God a house, God promiseth thereupon (for his good intentions) to build David a house for ever. So little is there lost by anything that is done or suffered for God. He sends away his servants (that do his work many times, and the world never the wiser) as Boaz did Ruth, with their bosom full of blessings; as David did Mephibosheth, with a royal revenue; as Solomon did the Queen of Sheba, with all the desire of her heart; as Caleb did his daughter Achsa, with upper and nether springs; or as once he did Moses from the mount, with his face shining. He shone bright, but knew not of it; yea, he hides his glorified face with a veil, and had more glory by his veil than by his face. How far are those spirits from this, which care only to be seen! and slighting God's secret approbation, wish only to dazzle others' eyes with admiration, not caring for unknown riches! Our Saviour (besides the veil of his humanity) says, "See ye tell no man." It is enough for him that he can say to his Father, "I have glorified thee on earth: I have finished the work that thou gavest me to do," John 17:4. His work he accounts a gift; his wages he looks for in another world, Matthew 6:5. He was content his "treasures of wisdom should be hidden," Colossians 2:3. And shall we fret ourselves, when our pittances of piety and charity are not admired? Is it not enough for us that we shall appear with him in glory, and then be rewarded openly? Colossians 3:3 .
Shall reward thee openly] Ay, but when? at the resurrection of the just, Luke 14:14; at that great assize and general assembly he will make honourable mention, in the hearing of angels and men, of all the good deeds of his children; how they have fed the hungry, clothed the naked, &c., that which they had utterly forgotten; not so much as once mentioning their misdoings, Matt. xxv. Yea, he shall take them to heaven with him, where the poor man's hands have built him a house beforehand, and they shall receive him into everlasting habitations. But what shall he do in the mean while? "feed on faith" (as some read that text, Psa 37:3), live upon reversions. c Yea, but while the grass grows the steed starves. But so cannot a merciful man, for he shall have mercy, Matthew 5:7; such a mercy as rejoiceth against judgment. Yea, he that can tender mercy to God, may challenge it from God by virtue of his promise; as David doth, "Preserve me, O God, for I am merciful," Psalms 86:2. Mercy he shall obtain, 1. In his soul, which shall be like a watered garden, fresh and flourishing. For "the liberal soul shall be made fat; and he that watereth shall be watered himself," Proverbs 11:25. The spirits of wealth distilled in good works comfort the conscience. 2. So they do the body, too, when sick and languishing, Psalms 41:2,3. Mercy is the best cordial, a pillow of repose, a present remedy, Proverbs 11:17. For if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, thy health shall spring forth speedily, Isaiah 58:8; Isaiah 58:10. Isaiah 58:3. For his name: the liberal are renowned in the earth, as Abraham, that free hearted housekeeper, no penny father; and Obadiah, that hid and fed the prophets by fifty in a cave. Zaccheus and Cornelius, Gaius and Onesiphorus, how precious are their names! how sweet their remembrance! Who honours not the memorial of Mary for her spikenard, and of Dorcas for her coats and garments? Acts 9:39. Whereas "the vile person shall no more be called liberal" (in Christ's kingdom), nor Nabal, Nadib, "the churl bountiful," Isaiah 32:5; Isaiah 4:1,6. For his estate: the most gainful art is almsgiving, saith Chrysostom. The poor man's bosom and the orphan's mouth are the surest chest, saith another. Whatsoever we scatter to the poor, we gather for ourselves, saith a third. d What we give to the poor, we lend to the Lord, who accounts himself both gratified and engaged thereby, Proverbs 19:17. Neither will he fail to bless the liberal man's stock and store, Deuteronomy 15:10, so that his righteousness and his riches together shall endure for ever, Psalms 112:3; Psalms 5:1,12. Lastly, his seed shall be mighty upon earth, Psalms 112:2. The son of such a tenant that paid his rent duly, shall not be put out of his farm, Psalms 37:26. And that proverb is proven false by common experience, "Happy is that son whose father goeth to the devil;" for ill-gotten goods usually come to nothing; the third heir seldom enjoyeth them, e unless it be here and there one, that by repentance breaketh off, and healeth his father's sin by mercifulness to the poor, that the property may be altered, and so his tranquillity lengthened. Oh, therefore, that rich men would be "rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate" (ευμεταδοτους), 1 Timothy 6:18,19 (which was a piece of praise used to be ascribed to the ancient kings of Egypt). This, this were the way to "lay up for themselves a sure foundation;" yea, to "lay fast hold on eternal life;" when those that withhold their very crumbs shall not obtain a drop with Dives, whom to vex and upbraid, Lazarus was laid in the bosom of liberal Abraham. Artaxerxes Longimanus quod manum haberet alteram longiorem, addere, dictitabat, esse magis regium, quam detrahere. (Plutarch.)
a Deus theatrum suum habet in latebris. Bucer.
b Thales interrogatus, num lateret Deos homo iniuste agens, respondit, Ne cogitans quidem. Βλεπειν παρα το βαλλειν ωπας, ab adieciendo oculos. Beza.
c Non igitur est dispendium eleemosyna sub conscientia Dei data, sed maximum compendium et praeclarissima negotiatio. Musculus. Domum in coelis manus pauperum aedificat. Chrysostom, Pascere fide. Junius.
d Eleemosgna ars omnium quae studiosissima. Chrysostom. Manus pauperum gazophylacium Christi. Quicquid pauperibus spargimus nobis colligimus.
e De male quae sitis vix gaudet tertius haeres. Horace.