Exposition of the Sermon on the Mount, Chapter 6 · Verse 25
Vers. 25.
Therefore I say vntounto you, be not carefull for your life, what yee shall eate, or what yee shall drinke: nor yet for your bodie, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more worth then meat, and the body then ra…ment?
Our Sauiour Christ hauing forbidden the practises of couetousnes, and preuented such obiectiōs as the corrupt heart of man might frame to excuse it selfe therein, doth here strike at the very root of couetousnes, and seekes to remooue the cause thereof; to wit, distrustfull & inordinate care for the things of this life, though they be things necessarie, as meat, drinke, and cloathing; and in this argument he proceeds to the end of this chapter. Now this verse depends vponupon the former, as a conclusion…oherence. inferred vponupon all that he had said before cōcerning couetousnes from the 19. v. to this effect: Seing they that seek earthly treasures, neglecting the heauenly, doe want the single …i… of spirituall wisdome, to discerne of the true treasure, & also are themselues seruants vntounto Mammon; therefore I say vntounto you my Disciples, be not carefull (no not for▪ thing, needful) immoderately, and in a distrustful manner. And here againe he meets with another pretence of a couetous minde, wherewith it pleads for the seruice of Mammon; to wit, that the things they seeke for, are things necessary, without which they cannot liue. Hereto Christ answers, Yea, but I say, you must not seek▪ no not for things needful to your life, immoderately and distrustfully.
The Exposition▪ I say vntounto you that is, I, that am your master, vponupon whom you depend for all heauenly instruction, & directiō in all things needfull both for your soules & bodies, I say vntounto you: by this he would prepare them to attention & reuerent obseruatiō of his cōmandement following▪ as being a matter of great importance, whereon depends the life of all obedience, in relying on Gods prouidence: in regard whereof, wee also must with all good conscience marke the same. Bee not carefull for your life, &c. Least wee should mistake Christs meaning, wee must knowe that there bee two kindes of care; a godly moderate▪ A twofold care.care; and a distrustfull carking care. The moderate honest care is inioyned vsus by Gods commandement: Prov. 6. 6. Wisdome sends the sluggard 1. Moderate.to learne diligence and prouidence for things needfull, of the litle Ant or pismire: and Paul saith, fathers must lay vp for their children, 2. Cor. 12. 14. And he that prouideth not for his owne, especially for them of his family, is worse then an infidell, 1. Tim. 5. 8. So that there is a lawfull care euen for the things of this▪ life. Now the practise of it stands in two things. First, in the diligent walking in a mans lawfull calling, dealing vprightly & iustly therein with eueryevery one, minding onelyonly to get things honest and necessarie in the sight of all men. Secondly, in leauing the successe and issue of all our labour and endeauour to God, for that belongs to him: we must vse the meanes soberly and honestly, & leaue the blessing to God. This godly care Moses shewed notably in leading the children of Israel out of Egypt: for what God commanded him to doe, that he did; he goes which way God sends him, although he met with many crosses; and vseth the meanes that God calls him vntounto, leauing the issue to God▪ as appeares notably at the red sea, when they were at a wonderful strait, hauing the sea before them, the Egyptians behind thē, and woods and mountaines on each side; yet beeing commanded to strike the waters with the rod of God, he shewes notable trust in Gods prouidence: Feare not (saith gExod 14. 13.he,) stand still, and behold the saluation of our God. And when Abraham at Gods commandement went to sacrifice his sonne, Isaac askes him, my father, where is the sacrifice? hGen 22. 8.Abrahā answers with words of faith, My sonne, God will prouide. And thus i1 Sam. 23. 3, 4.David went to fight against the Philistims to Keilah at Gods commandement, though his owne men discouraged him from it: whereby it is plaine, he relied on God for the issue of the battell. Now this godly moderate care is not here forbidden, which hath respect to obedience in the dutie, and for the successe depends vponupon Gods prouidence.
The distrustfull care is that, whereby men trouble themselues about2. Distrustfull care. the issue of their labours; and when they hauehave done the worke, doe not rest therwith, but vex thēselues about the successe; not relying on GodsThe effects of it. prouidence for the blessing, but onelyonly on the meanes. This distrustfull care (for our better discerning of it) hath these effects. First, it oppresseth1 the heart▪ making it exceeding hea…e and pensiue for feare of want▪ where this feare is, there is this distrustful care, for this argues a mā dares not trust God, but would hauehave the successe of his labour out of Gods hand in his owne. Secondly, it allureth & draweth men to vse vnlawfull2 meanes to got worldly things, as lying, fraud, iniustice in false waights, measures, &c. Thirdly, it makes men wearie of Gods worship, i… distracts3 their minds in praier, and hearing the word; and (as Christ bLuk. …. 14.saith) it ch…akes the word that it brings forth no fruit: for when the minde is wholly set vponupon the world, there is no respect to the matters of God. And this is that care which is here forbidden, euen a distrustful carking care, which as the greeke word signifies, diuides and distracts the mind, by troubling and perplexing it about the issue and successe of our endeauours.
The Use. That which Christ here forbids his Disciples, is the commonDistrustfull care the sin of this age. sin of our age & time, not in a few persons, but in many; for though this distrustfull care be the disease of the heart, yet it shewes it selfe by actions in the life: For first, what is the cause of so little fruite ofProofe. the word preached, as may eueryevery where bee discerned? is not (among1 many other) this worldly care one speciall cause? This wee may see in the parable, Luke 8. 14. for the seed… that light among thornes, which choaked it, is the word preached to a heart possessed with worldly cares: let these men obserue themselues, and they shall finde, that they can neither pray, nor heare the word, nor meditate therein, without manifold distractions from these worldly thoughts. Secondly, there is no2 trade or calling without his conuaiances of craft and deceipt, though it doe not appeare so much in some callings, as in others; and hard it is to finde them that make conscience hereof, when gaine and profit may come thereby; which comes from this distrustfull care in mens hearts, whereby they doubt of Gods blessing answerable to their desire, in the vse of lawfull meanes onelyonly. But sith Christ forewarnes vsus of this sinne, we must beware it take not place in our hearts: and for the auoyding of it, we must follow the counsell of the holy Ghost in Scripture, Psal. 37. 5. Commit thy way vntounto the Lord, and trust in him, and he shall bring it to passe: which is oft commended vntounto vsus, Psal. 55. 22. Cast thy burden vponupon the Lord, & he shall nourish thee: & Pro. 16. 3. Rowle thy worke vponupon the Lord: 1. Pet. 5. 7. Cast all your care on him, for …e careth for you. In all which places we hauehave a most worthy instruction, to this effect; not exempting men from doing the duties of their calling, but teaching thē, that when they hauehave done their endeauour, in the diligent, sober, & vpright vse of meanes, then they must leaue the euent and issue for good successe to the blessing of God. Thus the trades-man, whose liuing stands by buying and selling, must be carefull and diligent about his businesse, without deceit or lying: and in so doing referre the successe of his bargaine to the blessing of God; and so must the husbandman plow and sowe, & leaue earing and haruest to Gods good prouidence. This is the Apostles coū fell, Phil. 4. 6. Be nothing carefull, that is, after a distrustf…ll▪ or distracting sort, (as the word signifies) but in all things let your requests bee made knowne to God, with giuing of thankes: where it is to be marked, that distrustfull care is opposed to praier and thankesgiuing, as an hinderer thereof; and therefore our care must onelyonly be to vse the lawfull meanes moderately for any blessing, and then to pray to God for good successe and blessing, relying wholly thereon, that when it comes wee may giuegive him thankes.
But some will say, it is hard for flesh and blood not to be carefull ofHow to leaue the successe to God. successe, how then should we be able to leaue it wholly to God? Answer. We must lay to our hearts the blessed promises of God, made to them that depend vponupon his mercy and goodnesse, and labour to liue by faith thereon: Psal. 127. 2. It is in vaine for man to rise early, and to lie downe late, and to eate the bread of sorrow, (meaning, while hee trusts to himselfe, or in the meanes) but God will surely giuegive rest to his beloued, which serue him, and trust in him, in the vse of meanes. Psal. 34. 10. The Lyons doe lacke and suffer hunger, though eueryevery poore beast of the field bee a prey to his teeth; but they which seeke the Lord, shall lacke nothing that is good. If wee had no more promises in the Bible, yet these were sufficient to cause vsus to rest vponupon his prouidence in the sober vse of lawfull meanes. Againe, this must bee considered, how wee shall relie vponupon his merciemercy for the sauing of our soules in the time of temptation and howre of death, that dare not trust in his prouidence for the things of this life. Quest. But what if all things goe crosse with men (will some say) may I not then sticke more to the meanes? Ans. Nay rather cleaue the more to God, for if the blessing were in the means, men would not be so often crossed: God knoweth what is good for thee, better then thou thy selfe, and therfore rest contented with his prouidence, though he crosse thine expectation for outward blessings: want is many times better for Gods children, then plentie; and affliction, then peace and prosperity; as Dauid found, Psal. 119. 67, 71. & therfore God laies it vponupon them: Did not good Iosias fall before Pharaoh Necho? which he should not hauehave done, but that God would chasten him; for c2. Chr 35. 22.not regarding the words of Pharaoh Necho, which were of the mouth of God, perswading him not to fight against him: and also d2. Chr. 34. 28.that he might be taken away from seeing the euill to come: and was not Hezekiahs heart puffed vp in time of peace, in so much that wrath e2. Chr. 32. 25.came vponupon him, and vponupon Iudah and Ierusalem. Therefore learne to depend vponupon Gods prouidence in the moderate vse of lawfull meanes, & whether he giuegive thee blessings, or take them away, blesse his name; for it is good for thee it should be so. And thus much for the maine commaundement.
Now further marke in the wordes, how Christ distinguisheth betweene life, and the bodie▪ and applieth meate and drinke to life, and raiment to the bodie: and yet we know, that apparel serues to preserue life also, especially in cold countries. But Christ doth thus distinguish them so: iust cause; for though in cold countries, apparell serues to preserue life, as well as meate and drinke doe; yet the first and most generall vse of apparell, is another matter; to wit, to hide the shame of nakednesse, which the sinne of Adam brought vponupon it: Gen. 3. 7. 21. for before their fall, the man and the woman were both naked, & were not ashamed, Gen. 2. 21.
Here then we are to learne, that the proper and maine end of apparell,The proper end of …pp…rell. is for the bodie, to couer the shame of nakednesse that sinne hath brought vponupon vsus; which is so great, that if necessitie would permit, both hands and face should also be couered. The consideration whereof, as it shews their immodestie and want of shame, that laie open the nakednesse of their breasts, or other parts of their bodie, more then need requires; so it teacheth vsus, neuer to bee proud of our apparell, but rather humbled and abashed when we put it on, or looke vponupon it, for it is the couer of our shame, and so an ensigne of our sinne: & the thiefe hath as good cause to be proud of the bolts on his heeles, or of his brād in the hand, or hole in the care, as wee of our apparell; for as these are badges of misdemeanour, so is apparel a badge of our sinne. And on the other side, that we may hauehave comfort in this ordinance of God for our bodies, wee must labour therein to expresse the graces of God in our hearts; as modestie, sobrietie, temperance, frugalitie, and such like.
Is not the life more worth then meat, and the bodie then raiment? Our1. Reason against immoderate care. Sauiour Christ hauing giuen commandement against the immoderate care for things needfull to naturall life, least the same should passe away without effect, doth here begin to enforce the same with diuers arguments: the first whereof is in these words, taken frō the creation, wherin God giues life and the bodie, which are better then food & raiment; from whence Christ reasons for his prouidence thus: The life is better thē food, & the body then raiment; but God by creation giues life & bodie: & therefore will he much more giuegive food and raiment for their preseruation. Seeing God giues the greater, we need not to doubt but he wil affoard the lesse.
In this reason Christ teacheth vsus, to make right vse of our creation;Our creation must teach vsus trust in gods prouidence. namely, by the consideration of it, to learne confidence in Gods prouidence for all things needfull to our naturall life: Iob. 10. 8. Thine hands hauehave made me and fashioned mee, and wilt thou destroy me? where Iob Perswades himselfe of preseruation, because God created him: & 1. Pet. 4. 19. Let them that suffer according to the will of God, commend their soules vntounto him in wel-doing, as vntounto a faithfull creator: because God is a faithfull creator, therfore in death we must relie vponupon him. Experience teacheth vsus, that eueryevery workeman is carefull to preserue the worke of his owne hands, if it lie in his power; why then should we doubt of this in our creator, who is almightie.