The Sermon on the Mount (Bossuet)/Day 20
Twentieth Day
Vain-glory in good works. —Matt. vi. 1-4.
AFTER having brought Christian justice to the point we have just seen-even so far as to give us God's own perfection for our model — our Lord remembers that man, always inclined to vanity, would like to draw glory from the external practices of such great holiness; and this thought gives rise to the following precept :- -Take heed that you do not your justice before men to be seen by them.' He does not forbid our practising Christian justice on all occasions that we may edify our neighbour; on the contrary, He has already said, 'So let your light shine before men that . . . they may glorify your Father Who is in Heaven'[1] in your good works:-but, 'take care not to do them in order to be seen of men, or you will lose your reward.' That is, if you act for men, then ask them for the reward; but expect from God only the punishment reserved for hypocrites.
Every time you are praised, dread this saying of our Lord’s: ' Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.’ [2] A saying of such importance that Jesus Christ repeats it with reference to each action that He specially marks out in this chapter.
Remember what He said to the bad rich man — ' Thou didst receive good things in thy lifetime.’ [3] And elsewhere, in the parable of the Feast, ' Lest perhaps... a recompense be made to thee.’
Happy, then, are they whose lives are ' hid with Christ in God,’ [4] as St Paul has it: they whom the world knows not — who live in secret before God — who are content with His sight of them: for can there be greater folly or error than not to be satisfied with such an onlooker? They are ' as unknown’ says the same Apostle: — because their doings are not in the foolish talk of men: — but they are ' yet known.’ [5] God esteems them all the more because nobody thinks of them and they are as nothing on earth. Happy — yes, happy indeed — are such souls! ' If I yet pleased men,’ says St Paul, again, 'I should not be the servant of Christ.' [6]
Nevertheless, we must be on our guard here against a certain kind of indifference, which may make us neglect outward actions that would edify our neighbour. People are apt to say, 'What does it matter to me what they think?'; but this is really like saying, ' What does it matter to me if I give scandal? God forbid! We are bound, in all our external acts, to edify others, and to regulate every jot and tittle of what we do; but this must come about simply and naturally, and the glory of it must be given to God.
Again, we must take care not to be satisfied with merely a well-ordered exterior. We must furnish forth the spectacle that God demands — that is, a heart that is seeking Him in its hidden depths.
‘Let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth.' [7] Hide your alms from even your most intimate friends. ' Shut up alms in the heart of the poor,’ [8] says the wise man. Let even the poor themselves, if possible, not know you. Indeed, if you could, you should hide what good you do even from yourself; at least, conceal its merit from your own sight. Always believe that you are doing little or nothing, and that you are a useless servant. Fear, in all your good works, that your intention is not pure enough, nor sufficiently free from worldly motives. Let God alone see the merit of your actions; do good without reflecting on yourself. Be occupied solely with the work, so as never to think about what you may gain by it, but to leave all to the judgment of God. Thus, He alone will gaze upon you, and you will be hidden from your own sight.
'Sound not a trumpet before thee,’ [9] like those who are incessantly talking of their own sayings and doings. They are their own trumpeters, being so much afraid that they may escape notice.