Practical Commentary of 1 Peter Volume 2, Commentary · Chapter 3 · Verse 6
Verse 7.
Casting all your care upon him, for he careth for you.
AMongst other spiritual secrets, this is one, and a prime one, the combinement of lowliness and boldness, humble confidence: This the true temper of a Child of God, towards his great and good Father; nor can any other have it, but they that are indeed his Children, and have within them that Spirit of adoption, which he sends into their hearts.
And these two here the Apostle joyns together. Humble under the hand of God, and yet cast your care on him, upon that same hand under which you ought to humble your selves, must you withal cast over your care, all your care, for he careth for you.
Consider, (1.) The nature of this Confidence. (2.) The Ground of it. The Nature, casting all your care on him. The ground or warrant of it; for he careth for you.
Every man hath some desires and purposes that are predominant with him, beside the daily exigences of his life, he is compast with; and in both according to their importance or his esteem, and the difficulties occurring in them, he is naturally carried to be thoughtful and careful in them. Now the excess and distemper of this care is one of the great diseases and miseries of mans life. Moral Men perceiving and resenting it, have been tampering at the cure, and prescribing after their fashion, but with little success, some present abatement and allay of the paroxism or extremity their rules may reach; but they never go near the bottom, the cause of the evil, and therefore cannot work a through sound cure of it.
Something they have spoken, somewhat fitly, of the surpassing nature's rule, and size in the pursuit of superfluous needless things, but for the unavoidable care of things needful, they knew no redress but to their own industry and diligence; they can tell how little will serve him, that seeks no more than what will serve; but how to be provided of the little, or to be assured of it, and freed from troubling care they cannot tell.
Now truly it were a great point to be well schooled in the former, and that which is necessary for the due practice of this rule here given touching necessary cares, first to cut off cares unnecessary, to retrench all extravagant superfluous desires: for certainly a great part of the troubling cares of men are all about things that are such that have no necessity in them, but what our disorder'd desires make, nor truly any real good in them, but what our fancy puts upon them: Some are indeed forc't to hard labour for their daily bread, but out of doubt a great part of the sweat and toyl of the greatest part of men is about unnecessaries.Ad super vacu… sudatur▪ Such an estate so much by the year, such a place, so much honour, and esteem, and rank in the World, these are the things that make some slaves to the humours of others, on whom they place their following and dependances for these ends, and those possibly to whom they are so enthrall'd, are themselves at as little liberty, but captivated to the humours of some others either above them, or that being below them may give accession and furtherance to their ends of enrichment, or advancement, or popularity: Men set on these things forge necessities to themselves, and makes v…in things as necessary as food and rayment, resolving that they will have them, or fall in the chase, willfully and unavoidably bent on them. They that will be rich, says the Apostle, that are resolv'd on't upon any terms, they meet with terms hard enough of it, they fall into … and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition, no recovering, but still emplunged deeper and deeper, and (foolish lusts) reasonless, childish desires after one bargain, such another, and after one sin, another to make even, and somewhat then to keep that whole, and so on, no end; if upon Purchase and Land, still some House or Neighbour-field, some Naboths-vineyard in their eyes, and all the rest is nothing without that, which discovers the madness of this humour, this dropsie thirst.
And this is first indeed to be lookt to, that our desires and cares be brought to a due compass: and what would we have think we, contentment lies in so much, and no less when that is attained, it shall appear as far off as before: when Children are at the foot of a high Hill, they think it reaches the Heavens, and yet if they were there, they find themselves as …ar off, as before, sensibly no nearer. Men think, Oh! had I this, I were well, and when it is reacht, it is but an advanced stance to look higher and spy out for some other thing.
We are indeed Children in this to think the good of our estate is in the greatness, and not in the fitness: he were a fool that would have his cloaths so, and think the bigger and longer they were, they would please him the better. And certainly as in Apparel, so in place and estate, and all outward things; their good lies not in their greatness, but in their fitness for us; our Saviour tells us expresly,Luc. 12. 13. that mans life consisteth not in the abundance of the things he possesseth. Think you great and rich persons live more content, believe it not, if they will deal freely, they can tell you the contrary, that there is nothing but a shew in them; and that the great estates and places have great grief and cares attending them, as shadows are proportioned to their bodies.
And if they want real crosses, luxury frames troubles to it self, variety of dishes corrupting the stomach, and causing variety of diseases: and for need, fantastick vain discontents that will trouble men as much as greater, be it but this Hawk flies not well, or that Dog runs not well, to men whose hearts are in those games.
So then, I say, this first to be regulated, all childish vain needless cares to be discharg'd, and as being unfit to cast on thy God, quite cast out of thy Heart. and entertain no care at all, but such as thou maist put into God's hands, and make his on thy behalf; such as he will take off thy hand, and undertake for thee.
All needful lawful care, and that only will he receive, so then rid thy self quit of all that thou canst not take this course with, and then without scruple take confidently this course with all the rest: seek a well regulated sober Spirit. In the things of this life content with food and rayment,foreign. not delicates, but food; not ornament, but rayment: and resolve that what thy Father carves to thee, is best for thee; the fittest measure, for he knows it, and loves thee wisely. This course our Saviour takes, Matth. 6. first to cut off superfluous care, then to turn over on thy God the care of necessaries, he will look to that, thou hast him engaged, and he can and will give thee beyond that, if he see it fit.
Only this is required of thee to refer the matter to his discretion wholly: now in thy thus well regulated affairs and desires, there is a diligent care and study of thy duty, this he lays on thee; there is a care of support in the work, and the success of it, this thou oughtest to lay on him, and so indeed all the care is turn-off from thee upon him; even that of duty, which from him lies on us: we offer our service, but for skill and strength to discharge it, that care we lay on him, and he allows us; and then for the event and success with that we trust him entirely. And this is the way to walk contentedly and cheerfully homewards, leaning and resting all the way on him who is both our guide and our strength, who hath us and all our good in his gracious hand. Much zeal for him and desire of his glory, minding our duty in relation to that, is the thing he requires, and we bending our whole care to that, he undertakes the care of us and our condition: as that King said to his favourite, as perswading to …idelity and diligence in his state trust, do my affairs …nd I will do yours: such a word directly hath St. Chrysost foreign. If thou have a concern for the things that are God's, he will also be careful of thee and thine.
The care of duty thus carried is sweet and light, doth not cut and divide the mind, 'tis united and gathered in God, and rests there, and walks in his hand all the way; he bears the weight of all our works, and works them in us, and for us, and therein lies our peace that he ordains for us. Is. 26. 12.If thou wouldst shake off the yoak of obedience, thou art likewise to be shaken off thy self, but if in humble diligence in the ways of God, thou walk on in his strength, there is nothing concerns thee and thy work, but he will take the charge and care of it, thy self, and all interest; art thou troubled with fear, enemies, and snares? untrouble thy self of that, for he is with thee, he hath promised to lead thee in a straight and safe path, and to rebuke all thine enemies, to subdue thine iniquities for thee, and to fight against those that fight against thee; no weapon forg'd against thee shall prosper; yea, when thou passest through the water and through the fire, Is. 43. 2.he will be with thee; doth thine own weakness discourage thee? hath not he engag'd for that too? so lay over that care; hath he not spoke of strengthning the weak hands, Is. 35.and feeble knees, and that the lame shall leap as an Hart? and tho there is nothing in thy self, but unrighteousness and weakness, yet there is in him for thee righteousness and strength, Is. 45. 24.righteousnesses: no scarcity: when thou art ready to faint, a look to him will revive,Is. 40. 29. a believing look draws in of his strength to thy Soul and renews it. And know the more tender and weak thou art, the more tender is he over thee, and the more strong will he be in thee, he feeds his flock like a shepheard, and the weakest is he most careful of,Is. 40. 11. they go in his arms and bosome, and 'tis easie for the feeblest to go so.
And for the issue and success of thy way, let not that trouble thee at all, that is the care he would have thee wholly disburden thy self of, and lay it upon him; do not vex thy self with thinking how will this be and that; what if this fall out and the other? this is his part wholly, and if thou meddle with it, thou at once displeasest him, and disquietest thy self, this sin carries the punishment of it close tied to't: If thou wilt be struggling with that which belongs not to thee, and poysing at that burden that is not thine, what wonder, yea, I may say what pity, if thou fall under it, art thou not well serv'd, is it not just, that if thou wilt do for thy self, and bear thy self, what thy Lord calls for to bear for thee, thou feel the weight of it to thy cost.
But what is the way of this devolving of my burden? there is a faculty in it that every one hath not, though they would do thus with it they cannot, it lies on them, and they are not able to cast it on God. The way is doubtless by praying and believing; those are the hands by which the Soul can turn over to God what it self cannot bear, all cares, the whole bundle; most dexterously translated thus, Philip. 4 6. Be careful in nothing, a great word. Oh! but how shall it be? why? thus says he, in all things make your requests known unto God, and in a confident chearful way, supplication mixt with thanksgiving, 'twill be the more lively and active to carry forth, and carry up thy cares and discharge thee of them, and lay them on God; whatsoever it is that presses thee, go tell thy Father, put over the matter into his hand, and so thou shalt be freed from foreign, that dividing perplexing care, that the World is full of.
No more, but when thou art either to do or suffer any thing, when thou art about any purpose or busidess, go tell God of it, acquaint him with it; yea, burden him with it, and thou hast done for matter of caring: no more care but quiet sweet diligence in thy duty and dependance on him for the carriage of thy matters. And in this Prayer, Faith acts, 'tis a believing requesting; ask in faith not doubting, so thou rollest over all on him, that is the very proper working of Faith, the carrying the Soul and all its desires out of it self unto God, so exprest, Psal. 37. 5. roll over on God, make one bundle of all, roll thy cares and thy self with them as one burden, all on thy God.
Now, Faith to do this stays it self on the promise, it cannot move but on firm ground, and the promises are its ground: and for this end is this added, he careth for thee.
This must be establisht in the heart. (1.) The firm belief of the Divine Providence, that all things are manag'd and rul'd by it, and that in highest power and wisdom; no breaking of his purposes, nor refisting of his power, Psal. 33. 7. (2.) The belief of his gracious Providence to his own, that he orders all for their true advantage, and makes all different lines and ways concenter in their highest good, all to meet in that, how opposite soever in appearance.Rom. 8. 28. (3.) A particular confidence of his good-will towards thee, and undertaking for thee: now if this be the question; the promise resolves thee, trust him, and he takes on the trust, and there is no other, cast on him thy care, and he takes it on, he cares for thee, his Royal Word is engaged not to give thee the slip, if thou do really lay it upon him, Psal. 55. 22. hand it over, heave it upon him, and he shall sustain thee, shall bear both, if thou trust him with both, both thee and thy burden.
Inf. 1. The Children of God have the only sweet life: the World thinks not so▪ looks on them as poor discontented lowring Creatures, but they see not what an uncaring truly secure life they are called to, while others are turmoyling and wrestling each with his projects and burdens for himself, and at length crusht and sinking under them, for that is the end of all that do for themselves. The Child of God goes free of the pressure of all that concerns him, laid over on his God, if he use his advantage, he is not rackt with musings, Oh! what will become of this and that; but goes on in the strength of his God as he may, offers up poor, but sincere endeavours to God, and is sure of one thing, all shall be well, lays his affairs and himself on God, and so hath no pressing care, no care, but the care of love, how to please, how to honour his Lord, and in this depends on him too both for skill and strength, and touching the success of things leaves that as none of his, to be burdened with; casts it on God, and he careth for it, they need not both care, his care alone is sufficient, hence peace, unconceivable peace, Phil. 4. 6, 7.
Inf. 2. But truly the godly are much faulty to themselves, by the not improvement of this their priviledge, they too often forget this their sweet way, and fret themselves to no purpose, wrestle with their burdens themselves, and do not entirely and freely roll them over on God, they are surcharg'd with them, and he calls for them, and yet they will not give them him; think to spare him, but indeed in this they disobey him, and dishonour, and so grieve him, and they find the grief return on them, and yet cannot learn to be wise.
Why do we thus with our God, and with our Souls, grieve both at once? let it never be, that for any outward thing thou perplex thy self, and ravel thy thoughts as in thickets with the cares of this life, Oh! how unsuitable to a Child of God provided to a life so far more excellent. Hath he provided thee to a Kingdom, and will he not bestow thy charges in the way to't: think it not; he knows you have need of these things, seek not vain things nor great things in these, for that likely is not for thee, but what is needful and convenient in his Judgment, and refer to that.
Then for thy Spiritual estate lay over the care of that too, be not so much in thorny questionings, doubting and disputing each step. Oh! is this accepted and that, and so much deadness, &c. But apply more simply thy self to thy duty, lamely, as it may be, halt on and believe that he is gracious and pities thee, and lay the care of bringing thee through upon him; lie not complaining and arguing, but up and be doing, and the Lord shall be with thee. I am perswaded many a Soul, that hath some Truth of Grace, falls much behind in the progress by this accustomed way of endless questionings; men can scarce be brought to examine and suspect their own condition being carnally secure, and satisfied that all is well; but then when once awaken and set to this, they are ready to entangle in it, and neglect their way by poring on their condition, and will not set chearfully to any thing, because they want assurances and hight of joy, and this course they take is the way to want it still: walking humbly and sincerely, and offering at thy duty, and waiting on the Lord is certainly the better way, and nearer that very purpose of thine; for he meeteth him that rejoyceth and worketh righteousness, that waits for him in his ways. One thing, the Christian would endeavour, firm belief for the Church, all the care of that on God, that he will beautifie Zion, and perform all his Word to her, then think, do I trust him for the whole Church, and the great Affairs concerning it, and shall I doubt him for my self or anything concerns me? do I conside on him for the steering and guidance of the whole Ship, and shall I be peevishly doubting and distrusting about my pack in it?
Again, when to present and past, thou callest in after evils by advance, the dangers before, and thy weakness; good indeed to entertain by these, holy fear and self distrust, but by that be driven in to trust on thy undertaker, on him in whom thy strength lies, and be as sure and confident in him as thou art, and justly art distrustful of thy self.
Further learn to prescribe nothing, study entire resignment, for that is thy great duty and thy peace, that gives up all into the hand of thy Lord, and can it be in a better hand. First, Refer the carving of outward things to him, heartily and fully; then stay not there but go higher, if we have renounced the comforts of this World for God, let us add this, renounce even Spiritual comforts for him too, put all in his will, if I be in light, blessed be thou, and if in darkness even there, blessed be thou too; as he saith of these, Gold is mine, and Silver is mine, and this may satisfie a Christian in those too; desire no more of them than their Father sees fit to give them, knowing that he having all the mines and treasures of the World at his command, would not pinch and hold short his Children if it were good for them to have more; thus even in the other the true riches. Is not the Spirit mine, and comforts mine, may he say, I have them, and enough of them, and ought not this to allay thy afflicting care and quiet thy repinings, and to establish thy heart in referring it to his dispose, as touching thy comforts and supplies, the whole golden mines of all Spiritual comfort and good are his, the Spirit it self. Then will he not furnish what is fit for thee, if thou humbly attend on him, and lay the care of thy providing upon his wisdom and love? This were the sure way to honour him, with what we have, and to obtain much of what we have not, certainly he deals best with those that do most absolutely refer all to him.