On Prayer 19.2

In many places, then, our Savior is seen opposing love of glory as a destructive passion; and he has done so here too, turning us away from doing the work of hypocrites at the time of prayer. For it is the work of hypocrites to wish to show off before men their piety or their generosity. We ought rather, remembering the words, “How can you believe, when you receive glory from men and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?”, to despise all glory from men, even if it is thought to come for something good, and to seek the proper and true glory from him who alone glorifies the one worthy of glory in a manner befitting himself, beyond the worth of the one glorified. So even what would have been thought good and praiseworthy is defiled, when we do it “that” we may be glorified “by men” or “that” we may be seen “by men”; and therefore no reward from God follows for us for it. For every word of Jesus is free of falsehood, and, if one must speak forcibly, becomes still freer of falsehood when it is spoken with his customary oath. And he says the same about those who seem to do good to their neighbor for human glory, or who pray “in the synagogues and at the street corners that they may be seen by men”: “Truly I say to you, they have their reward.” For just as the rich man in Luke received “good things” “in his” human “life,” and because he had received them was no longer able to obtain them after the present life; so the one who has received his “reward,” if he gives anything to anyone or in prayers, since he sowed not “to the Spirit” but “to the flesh,” “will reap” “corruption” but will not “reap” “eternal life.” And he sows “to the flesh” who gives “alms” “in the synagogues and in the streets, that” he may be glorified “by men,” with a trumpet “before” him, or who loves to stand and “pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that,” being seen “by men,” he may be thought pious and holy by those who have seen him.