Exposition of the Sermon on the Mount, Chapter 6 · Verse 8
vers. 8.
Be ye not like them therefore: for your father knoweth whereof you hauehave neede before you aske.
In this verse our Sauiour Christ repeateth the former cōmandement touching prayer made after the manner of the heathen: and withall annexeth a second reason to enforce the same. The commandement is repeated from the former reason in these words: Be ye not like them therefore; as if he should say, considering that the heathen in their praiers looke to be heard for the multitude of their words, therefore ye must not pray in that manner which they doe. This repetition of the commandement serues to imprint the same more deepely in the hearts of his hearers, to cause them, and so vsus in them, to be more carefull to auoid needlesse repetitions in praier.
Now hauing handled this commandement in the former verse, IDistinction of people before Christs death. will here onelyonly obserue this point of doctrine touching the distinction of people before the death of Christ: for here Christ saith vntounto the Iewes: Be ye not like them: that is, like the Gentiles: where he putteth a plaine difference betweene the Iewes and all the Nations of the world besides. And therefore when he first sent his Disciples to preach, he forbad them aMath. 10. 5▪ 6.the way of the Gentiles and the cities of Samaria: commanding them to goe to the lost sheepe of the house of Israel. And this distinction was not onelyonly in Christs time, but had beene from the beginning for the space of 4000. yeares. In the first age of the world there were aGen 6. 2.the sonnes of God, and the daughters of men: after the …ood the bGal. 4. …9.children of the flesh, and the children of the promise. And vnderunder the law, a cHos. 1. 10.people of God, and no people. This distinction stood in two things. 1. In regard of the grace of adoption, and of the speciall fauour of God; for in this Text Christ saith, the Iewes had God for their Father, which the Gentiles had not, for they were strangers from the couenants of promise, Ephes. 2. 12. 2. In regard of Gods true worship, for concerning praier, a speciall part thereof, Christ here saith to the Iewes, Ye shall not bee like the Gentiles: If any shall here thinke that this preferment of the Iewes before the Gentiles, in regard of Gods speciall merciemercy, came from this, that God foresaw something in them, which was not in the Gentiles, let them heare what Moses saith to the Iewes; dDeut. 7. 7▪ 8The Lord did not set his louelove vponupon you, nor choose you for your multitude, but because the Lord loued you, & would keepe the oath which he sware to your fathers.
From this ground of doctrine touching the distinction of people,The promise of life not v…sall to all. in regard of Gods speciall merciemercy, follow three waightie points to bee knowne and beleeued. First, that the promise of remission of sinnes, and life euerlasting in the Messias, is not …ll to all▪ but indefinite to many of all sorts, kindes, and estates; for if the promise perta…ed to all, then there could be no distinction of man and man, of people and people, in regard of merciemercy: and therefore the opinion of vniuersall grace, is false and errneous. Secondly, that though Christ died forAgainst vniuersall redemption. all (for so the Scripture saith) yet he …d hot alike effectually for all; for if Redemption by Christ had beene …, then had▪ merciemercy belonged alike to all, which is against the Text: and therefore the opinion of vniuersall redemption is also a forg… of mans braine. Thirdly,Against vniuersall vocation. that God calls not all men effectually to saluation by Christ, for then should eueryevery one hauehave God to bee his Father in Christ▪ and the Iewe had no priuiledge▪ before the Gentile, in regard of merciemercy, and the grace of adoption: but here we see, that God …o… many hundreds of yeares, was the Father of the Iewe, and not of the Gentile, …n regard of grace and adoption. And by this doctrine we may cleare that place of the Apostle Saint Paul, 1▪ Tim. 2. 4. where he saith, God would hauehave all to bee saued: for he meaneth hot a… men in all times, but in this last age of the world, after the ascension of Christ, when as the partition wall was broken downe, and the distinction betweene Iewe and Gentile taken away in regard of merciemercy, and the grace of adoption.
For your Father knoweth whereof yee hauehave neede before yee aske of him.
These words are a second reason against the heathenish manner of praier, to this effect; It is needlesse for you to vse vaine repetitions in your praiers, because God knowes your wants before you pray: and therefore fewe words well ordered are sufficient.
The exposition. Your Father knoweth. This knowledge of God, is not a bare notice taken of our wants, but such a knowledge as doth withall include a speciall care to make supply vntounto them; for this is aA rule in expounding Scripture. rule in the expounding of Scripture, that wordes of knowledge are oftentimes put for words of affection: as Psalm. 1. 6. The Lord knoweth the way of the righteous, but the way of the vngodly shall perish: where the opposition of knowledge to destruction, sheweth plainly, that by knowledge there is meant, the Lords due regard and respect vntounto the waies of the godly; which is a point full of all comfort to the children of God: and for the clearing of it three questions are to bee scanned, which may well be mooued out of this Text.
1. Question. If God know our wants before we pray, why thenWhy wee prai… seeing God know… our wants. should we pray at all▪ Ans▪ Wee pray, not to informe God of the things we want, as though he knew them not; but for other causes: as1 1. To stirre vp our hearts▪ to seeke vntounto Gods presence and fauour. 2. To exercise our faith in the meditation of Gods promises. 3. To2 ease our woeful hearts, by powring them out vntounto the Lord. 4. To testifie3 our obedience vntounto Gods commandements, and our trust in his4 prouidence, for the receiuing of eueryevery good thing we desire.
2. Question. If God know our wants, and hauehave care to make supplyWhy God delaies his graunt to our Praiers. thereof, why then doth God oft-times delay to graunt the prayers of his seruants? Answ. God deferreth to graunt the request of his children for many respects, tending to their great good; as 1. Thereby1 to kindle their faith, and to stirre vp their zeale in praier, that they may more earnestly begge the things they want: for this ende our Sauiour Christ reasoned with the woman of Canaan, before he would cure her daughter. 2. To keepe them in humilitie, and to preuent2 spirituall pride▪ thus hee denied to remooue from the Apostle Paul, the buffeting of Satan, though hee praied for it, least hee should bee puffed vp through multitude of reuelations. 2. Corinth. 12. 7, 8, 9. 3. To3 make them esteeme more highly of the blessings of God, and to stirre them vp to more thankefulnesse for the same; for it is commonly true, that things lightly gotten, are lightly set by.
3. Question. How falleth it out, that God doth neuer graunt someWhy God neuer grants some mens requests. men their requests? Answer. 1. Because they make their praiers, but not according to Gods will, either failing in the time, as did the foolish virgins, who cried, Lord, Lord, open to vsus, when the doores were shut: Matth. 25. 11, 12. or in the things they aske, and so the aMat. 20. 22sonnes of Zebedie had not their request, because they asked they knewe not what. 2. Because they doubt and wauer in praier, for such shall not receiue any thing of the Lord, Iam. 1. 6, 7. 3. Because they pray for wrong ends; Ye aske and receiue not, because ye aske amisse, that you might consume it on your lusts, Iam. 4. 5.
The Use. 1. This prouident eie of God ouer all our wants, teachethChristian behauiour in distresse. vsus what to doe when we are assaulted by any enemie, either of bodie or soule; we must first of all make God our refuge and tower of defence, by getting assurance of our adoption; for if we be Gods children, he is our father, knowing, and weighing our wants, and hee is most carefull to make supply thereto, before we pray. Gen. 25. 22. When the two twinnes stroue together in Rebek…aes wombe, shee sent to aske the Lord thereof, no doubt by Isaac her husband, who before had praied for her, verse 21. So when Iehosaphat was beset with many enemies, he cried vntounto the Lord for helpe, and was deliuered, 2. Chron. 18. 31. and Chap. 20. 12. And it was the Prophet Dauids practise to hauehave recourse to God in all his troubles, for which cause he calles the Lord his rocks, his resting and hiding place.
Secondly, hereby wee are taught to hauehave a moderate care for theA ground of contentatio. things of this life, for wee hauehave a father in heauen, who careth for vsus, knowing all our wants, and readie to make supply thereof, before wee pray. In these daies, most men set their hearts vponupon the world, and trust to outward meanes more then to God himselfe, which comes from this; because they want a true perswasion of their adoption in Christ: for if they knew that God were their father, then surely this perswasion would take place in their hearts; God knowes my wants, and is carefull for the supply thereof, and therefore I will trust in him, and obey him.
Thirdly, this teacheth vsus, in any necessitie or affliction, to subiectChristian behauiour in …ction. our selues to the will of God, labouring to be thankfull for that estate, as well as for prosperitie, and studying to please and honour God therein; for he is a father who seeth all our wants before we complaine, and is carefull for our good, knowing that affliction is better for vsus then prosperitie, or else hee would send vsus deliuerance: for it is all one with him, and he delights not in the affliction of his people.
Fourthly, this serues to arme vsus against all carnall and slauish feare, whereby mens hearts are oppressed, either in regard of death, or of the day of iudgement; for though the deuill rage against vsus, yet when death commeth, God is our father, who knoweth our wants, and the way to comfort vsus, and is both willing and able so to doe. In a word, this meditation serueth to stirre vsus vp to all dutifull obedience in the whole course of our liues; for who can but bee thankfull vntounto such a father, as knowes all his wants, and as he is able, so also he is willing and readie to make supply thereto: this therefore should enlarge our hearts to blesse God that is such a father vntounto vsus in Christ.