the other hand, how he takes heed, that he “do not his righteousness before men to be seen
of them. Let every man,” saith he, “prove his own work, and then shall he have glorying in
himself, and not in another.”1942 And again, “For our glorying is this, the testimony of our
conscience.”1943 And that, than which nothing is plainer, “If,” saith he, “I yet pleased men,
I should not be the servant of Christ.”1944 But lest any of those who are perplexed about the
precepts of our Lord Himself as contradictory, should much more raise a question against
His Apostle and say, How sayest thou, “Please all men in all things, even as I also please all
men in all things:” and yet also sayest, “If I yet pleased men; I should not be the servant of
Christ”? May the Lord Himself be with us, who spake also in His servant and Apostle, and
open to us His will, and give us the means of obeying it.
3. The very words of the Gospel carry with them their own explanation; nor do they
shut the mouths of those who hunger, seeing they feed the hearts of them that knock. The
intention of a man’s heart, its direction and its aim, is what is to be regarded. For if he who
wishes his good works to be seen of men, sets before men his own glory and advantage, and
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seeks for this in the sight of men, he does not fulfil either of those precepts which the Lord
has given as touching this matter; because He has at once looked to “doing his righteousness
before men to be seen of them;” and his light has not so shined before men that they should
see his good works, and glorify His Father which is in heaven. It was himself he wished to
be glorified, not God; he sought his own advantage, and loved not the Lord’s will. Of such
the Apostle says, “For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ’s.”1945 Ac-
cordingly, the sentence was not finished at the words, “Let your light so shine before men,
that they may see your good works;” but there was immediately subjoined why this was to
be done; “that they may glorify your Father which is in heaven;” that when a man who does
good works is seen of men, he may have only the intention of the good work in his own
conscience, but may have no intention of being known, save for the praise of God, for their
advantage-sake to whom he is thus made known; for to them this advantage comes, that
God who has given this power to man begins to be well-pleasing to them; and so they do
not despair, but that the same power might be vouchsafed to themselves also if they would.
And so He did not conclude the other precept, “Take heed that ye do not your righteousness
before men,” otherwise than in the words, “to be seen of them;” nor did He add in this case,
“that they may glorify your Father which is in heaven,” but rather, “otherwise ye have no
reward of your Father which is in heaven.” For by this He shows us, that they who are such,
as He will not have His faithful ones to be, seek a reward in this very thing, that they are
1942 Gal. vi. 4.
1943 2 Cor. i. 12.
1944 Gal. i. 10.
1945 Phil. ii. 21.
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On that which is written in the Gospel, Matt. v. 16, 'Even so let your light…