And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are : for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
Ver. 5. And when thou prayest] A duty of that necessity, that neither the immutability of God's decree, Daniel 9:2,3, nor the infallibility of the promises, Ezekiel 36:37, nor the effectual intercession of our Lord Christ (who taught his disciples to pray), can dispense with us for not doing it. The Jews accounted it an "abomination of desolation" when the dally sacrifice was intermitted and suspended, as under Antiochus. Our Saviour perfumed his whole course, nay, his cross, with this incense, and thereby purchased us this privilege, paved us this "new and living way" to the throne of grace, Hebrews 10:20; a sure and safe way to get mercy, Hebrews 10:16. The ark was never separated from the mercy seat, to show that God's mercy is near unto such as affect his presence. Some favours he hath reserved to this duty, that will not otherwise be yielded, Psalms 106:23; Ezekiel 22:30. As when he is fully resolved to ruin a people or person, he silenceth his servants, and forbids them to solicit him any further, as he did Samuel interceding for Saul, and Jeremiah for Jerusalem.
Be not as the hypocrites] Who pretend to pray much, but indeed can do nothing at it, because destitute of the "spirit of grace and supplication;" without whose help we know neither what nor how to pray, Zechariah 12:10; Romans 8:26 : nay, Peter, James, and John will be sleeping when they should be praying in the very hour of temptation, Matthew 26:38. There may be good words and wishes found in a worldling's mouth, "Who will show us any good?" but none but a David can with faith, feeling, and fervency say, "Lord, lift up the light of thy countenance upon me," Psalms 4:6. Balaam may break forth into wishes and woulds, "Oh, let me die the death of the righteous," &c.; but can he pray, as David in like case, Psalms 26:9; "Oh, take not away my soul with sinners, nor my life with bloody men!" A hypocrite may tell a persuasive tale for himself in earthly regards, or howl upon his bed in the want of outward comforts; cry in extremity, as a prisoner at the bar, as a pig under the knife; or importune God for grace, as a bridge to lead him to heaven, not for any beauty he seeth or sweetness he finds in it. But will he pray always, will he delight himself in God? saith Job. a No, surely, he neither doth nor can do it. When God defers to help at a pinch, as Saul, 1 Samuel 13:8, when grief and vexations increase, he frets and meddles no more with calling upon God, but grunts against him because he handles him not after his own mind, and betaketh himself to some other course. If God will not come at his call and be at his beck, away to the witch of Endor, with Saul, 1 Samuel 28:7; to the god of Ekron, as Ahaziah; to Baalim and Ashteroth, with the revolted Israelites, 2 Kings 1:2. b Wherein he is like to those barbarous Chinois, that whip their gods when they answer them not; or that resolute Ruffus, that profanely painted God on the one side of his shield and the devil on the other, with this inscription, Si tu me nolis, iste rogitat: or that desperate king of Israel, "Behold," saith he, "this evil is from the Lord, and what should I wait for the Lord any longer?" 2 Kings 6:33. Lo, this is the guise of a godless hypocrite. Either "he calleth not upon God" (which is the description David giveth of him, Psa 14:4), but is possessed, as it were, with a dumb devil, both in church and chamber; or if by reading or otherwise he have raked together some good petitions, and strive to set some life upon them in the utterance, that he may seem to be well gifted; yet he doth it not to serve God, but merely to serve himself upon God: "he draweth not nigh with a true heart," Hebrews 10:22, uprightly propounding God's service in prayer, and not only his own supply and satisfaction. He is not brought into God's presence with love and desire, as Psalms 40:8. He labours not with strife of heart to worship him with his faith, trust, hope, humility, self-denial, being well content that God's will be done, however, and truly seeking his glory, though himself be not profited, acknowledging the kingdom, power, and glory to be his, Matthew 6:13. Lastly, working not by a right rule, from a right principle, not for a right end; he cannot undergo the strife of prayer, as Jacob, who wrestled by might and sleight (so much the Hebrew word importeth, ויאבק, Gen 32:24-26), much less can he continue long in it, as David, he is soon sated, soon tired, Psalms 27:4; Psalms 119:81; Psalms 119:123. If men observe him not, applaud him not, he giveth over that course, as tedious and unsavoury, that wherein he finds no more good relish than in the white of an egg or a dry chip. And in any extraordinary trouble, instead of calling upon God, he runs from him, Isaiah 33:14, as Saul did, 1 Samuel 28:7 .
For they love to pray standing, &c.] Stand they might; so did the publican. And when ye stand and pray, saith our Saviour, not disliking the gesture, Luke 18:13; Mark 9:25. It was commonly used among the Jews in the temple, especially at the solemn feasts, what time there was such resort of people from all parts, that they could hardly stand one by another. The primitive Christians also stood praying in their public assemblies, between Easter and Whitsuntide especially, in token of our Saviour's standing up from the dead. Whence came that proverb among them, "Were it not for standing in prayer, the world would not stand." c Other gestures and postures of the body in prayer we read of. David and Elijah sat and prayed, 1 Chronicles 17:16; 1 Kings 19:4. Peter and Paul kneeled and prayed, Acts 9:40; Ephesians 4:13. Moses and Aaron fell on their faces and prayed, Numbers 16:22. In secret prayer there is more liberty to use that gesture that may most quicken us and help the duty: Elijah put his head between his knees in prayer (as one that would strain every vein in his heart). But in public our behaviour must be such as may witness our communion and desire of mutual edification; there must he uniformity, no rents or divisions, 1 Corinthians 14:40; and special care taken that our inward affection answer our external devotion; that we stand not in the synagogues, as these, with desire to be seen of men (as Saul was higher than the rest by head and shoulders), for that is putrid hypocrisy, hateful even among heathens. Cicero taxeth Gracchus for this, that he referred all his actions, not to the rule of virtue, but to the favour of the people, that he might have esteem and applause from them.
That they may be seen of men] This was the wind that set the windmill to work, the poise that made the clock strike. Pliny telleth us that the nightingale singeth far longer and better when men be by than otherwise. If Jehonadab had not seen the zeal that Jehu had for the Lord of hosts, he had been nothing so hot nor (in his own conceit) so happy. But Christian modesty teacheth a wise man not to expose himself to the fairest show, but rather to seek to be good than seem to be so. d Not so every loose and ungirt Christian: these, like Jeroboam's wife, never put on demure apparel but when they are to speak with the prophets; are never so holy as at church, and in the presence of those whose holiness they reverence.
a Hosea 7:14. When God is rending away his soul, he roars. Job 27:9 .
b Flectere si nequeo superos, Acheronta movebo. Ab Ekron ubi colebatur Beelzebub, factus videtur, Acheron.
c Absque stationibus non substiteret mundus. Tertul.
d Sed vox tu es, praeterea nihil. Laco ad Philon. Falleris, esse aliquid si cupis, esque nihil.