(20) Treasures in heaven.--These, as in the parallel passage of Luke 12:33, are the good works, or rather the character formed by them, which follow us into the unseen world (Revelation 14:13), and are subject to no process of decay. So men are "rich in good works" (1Timothy 6:18), "rich in faith" (James 2:5), are made partakers of the "unsearchable riches of Christ and His glory" (Ephesians 3:8; Ephesians 3:16).

Verse 20. - But lay up (ver. 19, note).

6:19-24 Worldly-mindedness is a common and fatal symptom of hypocrisy, for by no sin can Satan have a surer and faster hold of the soul, under the cloak of a profession of religion. Something the soul will have, which it looks upon as the best thing; in which it has pleasure and confidence above other things. Christ counsels to make our best things the joys and glories of the other world, those things not seen which are eternal, and to place our happiness in them. There are treasures in heaven. It is our wisdom to give all diligence to make our title to eternal life sure through Jesus Christ, and to look on all things here below, as not worthy to be compared with it, and to be content with nothing short of it. It is happiness above and beyond the changes and chances of time, an inheritance incorruptible. The worldly man is wrong in his first principle; therefore all his reasonings and actions therefrom must be wrong. It is equally to be applied to false religion; that which is deemed light is thick darkness. This is an awful, but a common case; we should therefore carefully examine our leading principles by the word of God, with earnest prayer for the teaching of his Spirit. A man may do some service to two masters, but he can devote himself to the service of no more than one. God requires the whole heart, and will not share it with the world. When two masters oppose each other, no man can serve both. He who holds to the world and loves it, must despise God; he who loves God, must give up the friendship of the world.But lay up for yourselves treasure in heaven,.... That is, either be concerned for, and seek after heavenly treasure, the riches of glory, the joys and glories of another world, which infinitely excel everything that is valuable on earth; and which can never be corrupted, or taken away: or rather, lay up your earthly treasures in heaven; that is, put them into the hands of God in heaven; and this is done, by liberally communicating to the poor; by which means men "provide themselves bags which wax not old, and a treasure in heaven that faileth not", Luke 12:33. They shall never want any good thing here, and they "lay up in store for themselves, a good foundation against the time to come", 1 Timothy 6:18. This is the way to have worldly treasure secured from moth, rust, and thieves; for to lay it up in heaven with God, to give it to him, to his poor, to make use of it for his glory, is to lay it up in a place,

where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal. Treasures are safer here than in our own hands, and will turn to better account, and more to our own advantage, both in this life, and that which is to come: see Matthew 19:21. In this way, though not for it, men come to have treasure in heaven, even the treasure of eternal life, glory, and happiness. Heaven is often represented by the Jewish writers as a treasury; and the treasures which are in it are said (n) to be

"Myyx yzng, "treasures of life", and treasures of peace, and treasures of blessing; and the souls of the righteous, and the spirits and souls that shall be created, and the dew with which God will quicken the dead.''

Those words in Deuteronomy 31:16. "And the Lord said unto Moses, thou shalt sleep with thy fathers", are thus (o) paraphrased.

"And the Lord said unto Moses, lo! thou shalt sleep in the dust with thy fathers, and thy soul shall be treasured up , "in the treasury of eternal life", with thy fathers.''

They tell us (p) of a story of Monbaz the king, who was son to queen Helena; in which are many things agreeable to these words of Christ, and which may serve to illustrate them.

"Monbaz the king stood and gave all his goods to the poor: his relations sent to him, and said, thy fathers added to that which was their's, and to that which was their fathers; but thou hast given away that which was thine, and that which was thy father's: he replied to them all thus: my fathers , "laid up treasure on earth, but I have laid up treasure in heaven", according to Psalm 85:11. My fathers laid up treasures, which do not bring forth fruit; but I have laid up treasures, which bring forth fruit, according to Isaiah 3:10. My fathers gathered in a place, where the hand, i.e. of man rules, (where thieves break through and steal,) but I have gathered in a place where the hand of man does not rule, according to Psalm 97:2. My fathers gathered mammon, money, but I have gathered souls, according to Proverbs 11:30. My fathers gathered for others, but I have gathered for myself, according to Deuteronomy 24:13. My fathers gathered in this world, but I have gathered "for the world to come".''

One of their commentators (q) on the phrase, "my fathers laid up treasures below", as it is in the Babylonish Talmud (r), has this remark:

"for lo! all that they treasured up was for the necessaries of this world; which is , "a place of dust and vermin", which corrupt and destroy everything; "but I have laid up treasures above", a place secure and firm, and which preserves everything that is put into it.''

(n) T. Bab. Chagiga, fol. 12. 2.((o) Targum Jon. ben Uzziel, in Deuteronomy 31.16. (p) T. Hieros. Peah, fol. 15. 2.((q) Caphtor, fol. 97. 1.((r) T. Bab. Bava Bathra, fol. 11. 1.