Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.
Ver. 8. Be not ye therefore like unto them] God would not have his Israel conform to the heathens' customs, nor so much as once name their idols, Exodus 23:13; Psalms 16:4. No more should Christians (as some are of the opinion). a That of Cardinal Bembus is somewhat gross concerning their St Francis, quod in numerum Deorum ab Ecclesia Romana sit relatus. But this is like the rest; for if we may believe Baronius, we may see their lustral water and sprinkling of sepulchres in Juvenal's sixth satire; lights in sepulchres, in Suetonius' Octavius; lamps lighted on Saturday, in Seneca's 96th Epistle; distribution of tapers among the people, in Macrob. Saturnals, &c.
For your heavenly Father knoweth what things ye need, &c.] And therefore answereth many times before we ask, Isaiah 65:24; as he did David, Psalms 32:1,11. He prevents us with many mercies we never sought him for; that our praises may exceed our prayers. "I am found of them that sought me not," saith God; but yet in the same place it is said, "I am sought of them that asked not for me," Isaiah 65:1. Importing, that we never seek to him for grace till effectually called by his grace. Howbeit, no sooner is any truly called, but he presently prayeth. Say not then, if God know our needs, what need we open them to him? The truth is, we do it not to inform him of that he knows not, b or to stir up mercy in him, who is all hearts, and perfectly pitieth us: but, 1. Hereby we acknowledge him as a child doth his father when he runs to him for food, Luke 11:13; Luke 2:1,52. We run that course of getting good things that he hath prescribed us, Jeremiah 29:11,12. Which Moses and Elijah knew, and therefore the former turned God's predictions, the latter his promises, into prayers, Exodus 9:33; 1Ki 18:37; 1 Kings 3:1,28. Hereby we prepare ourselves holily to enjoy the things we crave; for prayer both sanctifieth the creature and increaseth our love and thankfulness, Psalms 116:1; Psalms 4:1,8. Prayer prepareth us, either to go without that we beg, if God see fit, as David when he prayed for the child's life, and was fitted thereby to bear the loss of it; or else to part with that which we have got by prayer, for the glory of God the giver of it. Those that make their requests known to God with thanksgiving, shall have (at least) the "peace of God that passeth all understanding," to guard their hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. φρουρησει , Php 4:6-7 They shall have strength in their souls, the joy of the Lord shall be their strength, the glory of the Lord shall be their rereward, Psalms 138:3; Nehemiah 8:10; Isaiah 58:8. In their marching in the wilderness, at the fourth alarm, arose the standard of Dan, Asher, and Naphtali; these were the reguard of the Lord's host; and to these were committed the care of gathering together the lame, feeble, and sick, and to look that nothing was left behind. Unto this the prophet Isaiah seems (in that text) to allude, and so doth David, Psalms 27:10; "When my father and mother forsake me, the Lord will gather me;" and this comfortable assurance was the fruit of his prayer.
a Non male dixit Tertullianus, Philosophos esse Haereticorum Patriarchas.
b Non sane ut Deus instruatur, sed ut mens nostra construatur.