Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?
Ver. 25. Therefore I say unto you, Take no careful thought, &c.] This life is called in Isaiah "the life of our hands" because it is maintained by the labour of our hands, Isaiah 57:10. Nevertheless, let a man labour never so hard, and lay up never so much, his "life consisteth not in the abundance of the things that he possesseth," saith our Saviour, and therefore bids, "take heed and beware of covetousness," Luke 12:15. There is in every mother's child of us a false presumption of self-sufficiency in our own courses, as if we by our own diligence could build the house. The devil's word is proved too true. He said we should be like gods, which as it is false in respect of divine qualities resembling God, so is it true in regard to our sinful usurpation; for we carry the matter, for the most part, as if we were petty gods within ourselves, not needing any higher power. This self-confidence, the daughter of unbelief and mother of carking care and carnal thoughtfulness, our Saviour here by many arguments dissuadeth and decrieth. "Take no thoughtful care for your life, what ye shall eat," &c. The word here used in the original (μεριμνα) signifieth sometimes a commendable and Christian care, as 1 Corinthians 7:33,34 "He that is married careth how to please his wife: likewise she careth how to please her husband." It implieth a dividing of the mind into various thoughts, casting this way and that way and every way bow to give best content. And this should be all the strife that should be between married couples. This is the care of the head, the care of diligence, called by the Greeks σπουδη, μελετη, επιμελεια. But there is another sort of care here spoken against, as unwarrantable and damnable; the care of the heart, the care of diffidence, a doubtful and carking care, joined with a fear of future events, a sinful solicitude, a distracting and distempering care, properly called μεριμνα, because it tortures and tears asunder the mind with anxious in, piety and fretting impatiency. a This maketh a man, when he had done his utmost endeavour, in the use of lawful means, for his own provision or preservation, to sit down, and with a perplexed heart sigh out, -Sure it will never be, sure I shall die a beggar, be utterly destitute, &c. Surely I shall one day perish by the hand of Saul; were it not better for me to shift for myself, and to escape speedily into the land of the Philistines? 1 Samuel 27:1. A sinful consultation, for had not God promised him both life and kingdom after Saul? but he said (very wisely) in his hasty fear, All men are liars, prophets and all, Psalms 116:11. And again, "I said in my sudden haste, I am cut off," Psalms 31:22 .
What ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, &c.] I would have you without carefulness about these things, saith the apostle, that ye may sit close to the Lord without distraction. b And again, "in nothing be careful." How then? Why, make your requests known to God in prayer, as children make their needs known to their parents, whom if they can please, they know they shall be provided for, Philippians 4:6,7. Little thought do they take where to have the next meal or the next new suit, neither need they.
Oh, but we have prayed, and yet are to seek. Add to your prayer, supplication, saith the apostle there, strong cries out of a deep sense of our pressing necessities, and then see what will come of it. Δεησις est petitio opis, qua egemus, nam δειν est egere.
I have done so to my poor power; and yet it sticks. To thy supplication add thanksgiving for mercies already received, saith he; thanksgiving is an artificial begging. See something in thy most careful condition wherefore to be thankful. Praise God for what you have had, have, and hope to have.
What will follow upon this? What? "The peace of God which passeth all understanding shall keep" as with a guard (φρουρησει) or garrison "your hearts" from cares, "and minds" from fears, "in Christ Jesus." This shall be the restful success of your prayers and praises. And is it not good that the heart be ballasted with grace (βεβαιουθαι), Hebrews 13:9, rather than the body stuffed with food? What brave letters and how full of life were written by Luther to Melancthon, afflicting himself with continual cares, what would be the issue of the imperial diet held by Charles V and other states of Germany at Augsburg, about the cause of Christ's gospel? Ego certe ore pro te, saith he, et dolce re, pertinacissimam curarum hirudinem, meas preces sic irritas facere. "I pray for thee, and am troubled at it, that thou, by troubling thyself with unnecessary cares, makest my prayers of none effect for thee." And after many sweet consolations, mixed with reprehensions, he concludes, "But I write these things in vain, because thou thinkest to rule these things by reason, and killest thyself with immoderate cares about them; not considering that the cause is Christ's, who as he needs not thy counsels, so he will bring about his own ends without thy carefulness, thy vexing thoughts, and heart eating fears, whereby thou disquietest thyself above measure." Sed scribo haec frustra: quia tu secundum Philosophiam vestram has res ratione regere, hoc est, cum ratione insanire pergis et occidis teipsum.
Is not life more than meat? &c.] And shall he that hath given us that which is greater and better deny unto us that which is less and worse? Shall we believe God's promises in the main, but not God's providence in the means: as the disciples when they had forgotten to buy bread, and as Abraham in the case of promise of issue of his body? Genesis 16:2. Excellent is that of the apostle, "he that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?" Romans 8:32. Whereupon St Bernard, Qui misit Unigenitum, immisit Spiritum, promisit vultum, quid tandem tibi negaturus est? And to like purpose St Jerome: "Never think," saith he, "that God will deny thee anything, whom he inviteth so freely to feed upon the fatted calf." Nihil unquam et negasse credendum est quem ad vituli hortalur esum.
a μεριμτα παρα του μεριζειν τον νουν .
b ευπαρεδρον απερισπαστος, 1 Corinthians 7:32; 1 Corinthians 7:35 .