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PART SECOND.

RIGHTEOUSNESS OF PHARISEES.

PART SECOND.

CHAPTER I.

RELIGIOUS LIFE OF PHARISEES.

MAT. VI. 1.

In commencing the second great division of the Sermon on the Mount, that which refers to the righteousness of the Pharisees, Jesus sets out with the important truth that the life of the Christian is a hidden life wrought in the very depths of the soul by the effectual operation of the Spirit of God. The religious life of an ancient Pharisee, or of a modern formalist, for in reality they are one and the same, consists only of the strict observance of outward forms, and that too, from no higher principle than to be seen of men. What a

contrast then is there between the hypocrite and the Christian! The one is seen and applauded of men, the other is only discerned of God. The life of the believer is a secret, exclusive dealing with his God, and all his actions are done as unto God and not as

unto men. This is the peculiar characteristic of the life of God in the soul, and such is the importance which the Redeemer attaches to it, that He illustrates its operation in the case of three great Christian duties, almsgiving, prayer and fasting.

Accordingly the Redeemer sets out in this part of His discourse with issuing the solemn warning in reference to righteousness in general.

V. 1. "Take heed that ye do not your alms (marginal reading, righteousness,) before men, to be seen of them; otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven."

It may be observed that instead of the word here rendered "alms," many manuscripts read a word which may more properly be rendered "righteousness," and, accordingly, several commentators regard this verse as introductory to our Lord's remarks upon the three great Christian duties. Nor is it at all unlikely that in commencing a new division of the sermon He should have used the same word which He had employed in the passage that formed, in our opinion, the ground-work of the whole. Righteousness, or conformity to the law of God, was the subject of His discourse. He had shewn by various striking instances that its real nature was misrepresented in the teaching of the Scribes, and now that He is about to shew that it has been equally misrepresented in the

actual conduct of the Pharisees, what more natural than that He should commence with the warning, "Take heed that ye do not your righteousness before men, to be seen of them; otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven?" There is no doubt, however, that the term "righteousness" is employed in a few passages in the sense of compassion or benevolence. Thus in 2 Cor. ix. 9, “As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor; his righteousness remaineth for ever." But taking the word in its most extensive signification, as implying holiness or virtue, a signification so completely in harmony with the object of the sermon, this verse may be viewed as laying down an important caution in reference to the prevailing motive by which we ought to be regulated in the performance of even good actions. For while the doctrine has been often inculcated by writers on morals, that the character of an action depends upon the intention of the agent, there is some danger that, by the unlimited adoption of such a principle, we might give countenance to the maxim of the Romish Church, that the end sanctifies the means. It may be well, therefore, to remark, that while the intention may convert a good into a bad action, it cannot possibly convert a bad into a good action. Every act that a man does, must, in order to be a good action, be in accordance with the law of God. It must be a duty commanded by the great

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