The works of the Rev. John Wesley, Vol. 02 (of 32)

by John Wesley

1.IN the preceding chapter our Lord has described inward religion, in its various branches. He has laid before us those dispositions of soul, which constitute real Christianity: the inward tempers contained in that holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord; the affections which, when flowing from their proper fountain, from a living faith in God thro’Christ Jesus, are intrinsically and essentially good, and acceptable to God. He proceeds to shew in this chapter, how all our actions likewise, even those that are indifferent in their own nature, may be made holy and good and acceptable to God, by a pure and holy intention. Whatever is done without this, he largely declares, is of no value before God. Whereas, whatever outward works are thus consecrated to God, they are in his sight of great price.

2. The necessity of this purity of intention, he shews first, with regard to those, which are usually accounted religious actions, and indeed are such, when performed with a right intention. Some of these are commonly termed works of piety; the rest, works of charity or mercy. Of the latter sort, he particularly names almsgiving; of the former, prayer and fasting. But the directions given for these are equally to be applied to every work, whether of charity or mercy.

I. 1. And first, with regard to works of mercy. Take heed, saith he, that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them. Otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. That ye do not your alms. Altho’ this only is named, yet is every work of charity included, every thing which we give, or speak, or do, whereby our neighbour may be profited,whereby another man may receive any advantage, either in his body or soul. The feeding the hungry, the cloathing the naked, and entertaining or assisting the stranger, the visiting those that are sick or in prison, the comforting the afflicted; the instructing the ignorant, the reproving the wicked, the exhorting and encouraging the well-doer; and if there be any other work of mercy, it is equally included in this direction.

2. Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them. The thing which is here forbidden, is not, barely the doing good in the sight of men: this circumstance alone, that others see what we do, makes the action neither worse nor better: but the doing it before men, to be seen of them; with this view, from this intention only. I say, from this intention only; for this may, in some cases, be a part of our intention; we may design that some of our actions should be seen, and yet they may be acceptable to God. We may intend, that our light should shine before men, when our conscience bears us witness, in the Holy Ghost, that our ultimate end in designing they should see our good works, is, That they may glorify our Father which is in heaven. But take heed that ye do not the least thing with a view to your own glory. Take heed that a regard to the praise of men, have no place at all in your works of mercy. If ye seek your own glory, if you have any design to gain the honour that cometh of men, whatever is donewith this view is nothing worth: it is not done unto the Lord: he accepteth it not; ye have no reward for this of your Father which is in heaven.

3. Therefore when thou dost thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do, in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have praise of men. The word synagogue does not here mean, a place of worship, but any place of public resort, such as the market-place or exchange. It was a common thing among the Jews, who were men of large fortunes, particularly among the Pharisees, to cause a trumpet to be sounded before them in the most public parts of the city, when they were about to give any considerable alms. The pretended reason for this was, to call the poor together to receive it: but the real design, that they might have praise of men. But be not thou like unto them. Do not thou cause a trumpet to be sounded before thee. Use no ostentation in doing good. Aim at the honour which cometh of God only. They who seek the praise of men, have their reward. They shall have no praise of God.

4. But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doth. This is a proverbial expression, the meaning of which is, do it in as secret a manner as is possible: as secret as is consistent with the doing it at all; (for it must not be left undone: omit no opportunity of doing good, whether secretly or openly)and with the doing it in the most effectual manner. For here is also an exception to be made. When you are fully persuaded in your own mind, that by your not concealing the good which is done, either you will yourself be enabled, or others excited to do the more good, then you may not conceal it: then let your light appear, and shine to all that are in the house. But unless where the glory of God and the good of mankind oblige you to the contrary, act in as private and unobserved a manner, as the nature of the thing will admit: that thy alms may be in secret, and thy Father which seeth in secret, he shall reward thee openly. Perhaps in the present world; many instances of this stands recorded in all ages: but infallibly in the world to come, before the general assembly of men and angels.

II. 1. From works of charity or mercy, our Lord proceeds to those which are termed works of piety. And when thou prayest, saith he, 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. Thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are. Hypocrisy then, or insincerity, is the first thing we are to guard against in prayer. Beware not to speak what thou dost not mean. Prayer is, the lifting up of the heart to God: all words of prayer without this are mere hypocrisy. Whenever therefore thou attemptest to pray, see that it be thy onedesign, to commune with God, to lift up thy heart to him, to pour out thy soul before him. Not as the hypocrites, who love, or are wont, to pray standing in the synagogues, the exchange or market-places, and in the corners of the streets, wherever the most people are, that they may be seen of men: this was the sole design, the motive and end, of the prayers which they there repeated. Verily I say unto you, they have their reward. They are to expect none from your Father which is in heaven.

2. But it is not only, the having an eye to the praise of men, which cuts us off from any reward in heaven; which leaves us no room to expect the blessing of God, upon our works whether of piety or mercy. Purity of intention is equally destroyed by a view to any temporal reward whatever. If we repeat our prayers, if we attend the public worship of God, if we relieve the poor, with a view to gain or interest, it is not a whit more acceptable to God, than if it were done with a view to praise. Any temporal view, any motive whatever on this side eternity, any design but that of promoting the glory of God, and the happiness of men, for God’s sake, makes every action, however fair it may appear to men, an abomination unto the Lord.

3. But when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut the door, pray to thy Father which is in secret. There is a time, whenthou art openly to glorify God, to pray and praise him in the great congregation. But when thou desirest more largely and more particularly to make thy requests known unto God, whether it be in the evening or in the morning or at noon-day, enter into thy closet and shut the door. Use all the privacy thou canst. (Only leave it not undone, whether thou hast any closet, any privacy or no. Pray to God if it be possible, when none seeth but he: but if otherwise, pray to God.) Thus pray to thy Father which is in secret; pour out all thy heart before him. And thy Father which is in secret, he shall reward thee openly.

4. But when ye pray, even in secret, use not vain repetitions, as the Heathen do. μὴ βαττολογήσητε. Do not use abundance of words without any meaning. Say not the same thing over and over again: think not the fruit of your prayers depends on the length of them: like the Heathens; for they think they shall be heard for their much speaking.