Matthew Poole and continuators on Matthew 6:18

18 That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret, and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

Our Saviour in these words returns to his former Work, to caution his Disciples against Hypocrisie, Vain Glory, and Ostentation in their Religious Duties, the doing them to be seen of Men, what he before said, as to giving Alms, and Prayer he here again applyeth, as to Private fasting, which is by this Discourse of our Saviour confirmed, tho not as a stated, yet as an occasioned Duty of Christians, in Order to▪ and as an Indication of their humbling of their Souls for their sins, or under the mighty hand of God, but he requireth that it should be in Sincerity, not in Hypocrisie, for the Glory of God, not for Ostentation and appearance unto Men: Our Saviour probably in this Discourse hath a respect to some Hypocritical usages of the Pharisees, using to Dis-figure their Countenances, and look demurely, or sowrly upon their Fasting days, not that he prohibiteth here Habits, or Gestures suted to the Duty, himself sometimes Commanded the Iews to put off their Ornaments, nor was any thing more ordinary for good Men then to cover themselves with Sackcloth, and put Ashes on their Heads. All that our Lord prohibiteth is the Affecting of these things, to cover the Hypocrisie of their Hearts. Nor must we think, that it is the Will of God, that we on such Days, should indeed anoint our Heads, and Wash our Faces: Or (which is the same thing with us) Adorn, Paint, or Perfume our selves, or use any Habits, or Gestures unsutable to Mourning, and not Indicative o[illegible: 1 letter] afflicted Souls, but that we should rather do this, than the other, viz. put on a Mask and Vizard of sorrow for sin, when indeed we had no Sense of it, for still we must appea[illegible: 1 letter] to our Heavenly Father to fast, which we cannot very well do, if our outward Habit and Demeanour, be not something proportioned to the inward Sorrow, and affliction of our Souls, for the putting on of fine Dresses and Ornaments, mu[illegible: 2 letters] be an imperate Act of the Soul; and not like to be Commanded by a Soul in affliction, it being natural to such a Soul to neglect the Culture of the Body, being wholly swallowed up with bitter Thoughts, relating to its own spiritual and eternal State. Our Saviour addeth the same Argument to press sincere Fasting, which he had before used concerning the Duty of giving Alms and secret Prayer, where I have before spoken to those Words.