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AGAINST CAREFULNESS
IF we affirm that men must serve God only and with their whole hearts, we appear to them to require more than is necessary, and to assign them a task which it is impossible to perform. But, whilst they are so averse to hear of what God requires, they do not consider how closely privilege and duty are united: for, whilst we yield up ourselves wholly unto God, he, on the other hand, permits us to look to him for a supply of all our wants. As an earthly master provides for the necessities of his servants, so much more will God, who therefore commands us to leave all our affairs to his disposal, and requires an affiance in him as a very essential part of our duty. Hence our blessed Lord having taught us how inconsistent are the services of God and Mammon, adds, “Therefore take no thought for your life;” that is, whilst you are serving God with fidelity, commit all your concerns to him with full confidence in his paternal care.
Let us consider,
I. The caution here given—
The evil against which we are cautioned is anxious carefulness—
[St. Paul to the Corinthians, says, I would have you without carefulness [Note: 1Co_7:32.].” The word which he uses, is the same as that used by our Lord throughout this whole passage. A thoughtfulness about the future is by no means improper: there is a care and a foresight which Christian prudence requires [Note: Pro_24:27.]: and they who go forward without due deliberation, invariably involve themselves in difficulties [Note: Pro_22:3.]. The Apostles themselves, who under peculiar circumstances were supported without any care of their own, were afterwards commanded to use such means for their support as prudence dictated [Note: Luk_22:35-36.]; and by this rule St. Paul himself walked [Note: 2Th_3:8.]. The ants are proposed to us as examples; and, in truth, we cannot conceive the instinct of animals to be in any thing more worthy of imitation, than theirs is in the particular to which Solomon alludes. They, in the harvest, lay up what will be necessary for their sustenance in winter: and in like manner should we improve all present opportunities with a view to our future good, both temporal and spiritual [Note: Pro_6:6-8; Pro_30:24-25.]. But they know nothing of anxious care. Thus precisely should it be with us. We cannot be too industrious in our respective callings, if only we leave events to God, and rest satisfied with his dispensations.
There are few perhaps who will not acknowledge, that all anxiety about superfluities, or about very distant events, is wrong: but yet they will vindicate it in reference to things which are near at hand, or are of prime and indispensable necessity. But it is respecting these very things that our Lord speaks: he bids us take no thought about “food or raiment;” no, not even “for the morrow:” and, because we should be ready to pass over such a caution if it were only once or obscurely given, he repeats it no less than four times in the passage before us, sometimes in a way of plain direction, “Take no thought;” at other times in a way of expostulation, “Why take ye thought?” This marks the vast importance of the subject: and it should dispose all our minds to humble submission and cordial acquiescence.]
How much need there is for such a caution, every man’s observation and experience will tell him—
[Even the rich, who on account of their opulence should be thought most out of the reach of this evil, are as much under the power of it as any. No man indeed is exempt from it, unless he have been delivered from it by the grace of God. The worldly man feels it in reference to the things on which his heart is fixed: and even those who are in pursuit of heavenly things, are too often, through the prevalence of unbelief, still subject to its dominion; insomuch that they are harassed continually with disquieting fears, when they ought rather to be “filled with joy and peace in believing.” There is therefore no order of men to whom this caution is not proper to be given; since all, from the highest to the lowest, stand in need of it; and it is no less applicable to the people of God than to the ignorant and ungodly world; to those who have “a little faith,” as well as those who have no faith at all.]
Let us now attend to,
II. The arguments with which it is enforced—
In this beautiful address, (which cannot be too much admired,) our Lord shews in a very convincing manner that anxious carefulness ought on no account to be indulged.
1. It is unnecessary—
[Let us only look around us, and see what God is doing in the animal and vegetable creation; how he feeds the fowls of the air, which make no provision for themselves; and clothes with unrivalled beauty the flowers of the field, which have so short a continuance, and such an ignominious end. Can we conceive that God will take less care of us, who are so much higher in the scale of being, and whom he condescends to call his children?
Let us see also what he is doing in and to ourselves. He has given us a body, exquisitely wrought, and fitted to be a temple of the Holy Ghost. He has endued it not only with animal life, but with a rational and immortal soul. These also he has preserved even to the present hour; and altogether without any aid from us, or any anxiety on our part. If then he has given and upheld these noble faculties and powers, will he not give such provision as shall be necessary for the preservation of them? Can we suppose that He who has bestowed upon us so much, will withhold or grudge the food or raiment that are necessary for us?
Above all, let us see what he has engaged to do for his believing people. They “seek the kingdom of God” to be established in their hearts: they “seek his righteousness” and salvation: they seek “in the first place,” and as their one great object, an interest in the Lord Jesus Christ, and the enjoyment of those blessings he has purchased with his blood: and whilst they do this, God has promised that all earthly comforts, as far as they are necessary, “shall be added unto them.” Thus, in fact, they have a more secure title to earthly things, and a more certain possession of them, than any other people upon earth. What need is there then for such persons to indulge anxious cares about the world? Both around them and within them they have an evidence of what God is doing; and in the Scriptures of truth they have a pledge of what God will do. Surely, then, it becomes them to suppress every anxious thought, and to commit all their concerns to the disposal and government of a faithful God.]
2. It is unprofitable—
[What good can any man obtain by all his anxious cares? Can he add “one cubit to his stature,” or one moment to his age [Note: ἡ ë é ê ß á í .]? Can he make one hair black or white; or “do even the least thing,” which would not as easily be done without any solicitude at all [Note: This is certainly the meaning of ver. 27. Compare Luk_12:25-26.]? On the other hand, does not every man who indulges anxiety greatly injure himself by it? Every day brings evils enough along with it: and every man shall find scope enough for the exercise of all his patience, without multiplying sources of discontent. What should we think of a man, who, being doomed every day to carry a burthen which he was but just able to support, should be constantly augmenting his labours by taking on him to-morrow’s burthen, in addition to that which he was compelled to bear? Yet such is the conduct of those who harbour anxious thoughts about the morrow. And what is a man profited by such folly? What is the effect which he finds invariably produced upon him? Were he to act more wisely, he might pass comfortably through life; but by his own folly he is oppressed and overwhelmed, and his very existence is embittered to him, so that he is almost ready to “choose strangling rather than life.”
The manner in which our Lord argues this point, deserves to be attentively considered. We are ready to think in general that carefulness is a fruit and evidence of our wisdom; but he again and again appeals to our reason, to convince us of the folly of such a disposition; and defies any human being to give him a satisfactory reason for indulging it. If therefore we will persist in indulging it, let us prepare an answer to that question of his in the text, “Why take ye thought for raiment?”]
3. It is atheistical—
[“After all these things,” says our Lord, “do the Gentiles seek.” That the Gentiles should be making anxious inquiries about the things of this life, we do not wonder, because they know of no higher objects to be pursued, nor of any God who is able and willing to undertake for them. But does such conduct become us?—us, who know that there is a God, and have been taught to call him by the endearing name of Father?—us, who profess to regard this world but as a passage to a better, and to have our affections set entirely on things above? To what purpose have we been instructed in the knowledge of God, and in the great mystery of redeeming love? To what purpose have the unsearchable riches of Christ been opened to us, and the ineffable glories of heaven revealed, if, after all, we are to live like Heathens; careful about the body, as if we had no soul; and depending on ourselves, as if there were no God? Venial as anxiety may appear, it proceeds from atheism in the heart; it overlooks God’s providence; it usurps his power; it places self upon his throne. If then we would not perish with the Heathen, or rather under a heavier condemnation than they, in proportion to the superior light we have abused, let us guard against this evil disposition, and look to God to supply all our wants according to his own sovereign will and pleasure. Let us “cast all our care on him,” assured and satisfied that “he careth for us.”]
Advice—
Our Lord traces this evil to a want of faith [Note: ver. 30.]: hence we see what is its proper antidote; and what advice should be given to all who would avoid it. It is that which our Lord himself repeatedly gave to his Disciples, to compose their minds under trials [Note: Joh_14:1.], and to qualify them for every part of their arduous undertaking: “Have faith in God [Note: Mar_11:22.].” Believe in him,
1. As a God of providence—
[Men think they honour God when they limit his operations to what they call great things: but, in fact, they dishonour him exceedingly, for they judge of him by themselves; and, because they would be distracted by a multitude of little concerns, they think that He would be also; or, at least, that they are unworthy of his attention. But there is nothing, however minute, which he does not order and overrule with as much care as he does the rise and fall of empires. “The very hairs of our head are all numbered.” Let this then be a fixed principle in the mind, that “there is neither good nor evil in the city, but the Lord himself is the doer of it.” As for men and devils, they are all, however unconscious of it, mere agents of his, “a sword in his hand,” with which he effects his own gracious purposes. Be it so then, that we are destitute both of food and raiment for the morrow, and that we know not where to obtain a supply of either, we need not be anxious: for “godliness hath the promise of the life that now is, as well as of that which is to come;” and if we call upon him, his word shall be verified, which saith, “They who seek the Lord, shall want no manner of thing that is good:” yea, the very straits and difficulties which we now feel, are “working together for our good,” and shall hereafter form a ground of praise and thanksgiving to our God.]
2. As a God of grace—
[It is this view of God that will in a moment silence every doubt and fear. Who can reflect on what he has done, in giving his only dear Son to die for us, and his Holy Spirit to renew and sanctify us, and doubt whether he will overlook our necessities, either of soul or body? Hear St. Paul’s opinion of that matter: “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?” The Apostle seems surprised that such a doubt should enter into the mind of man. Be ashamed then, ye who are filled with such anxiety about the issue of your warfare, and are saying, like David, “I shall one day perish by the hand of Saul.” Be ashamed, I say, and learn rather, like Paul, to say, “I know in whom I have believed.” You may be reduced to straits in spiritual as well as temporal concerns; but they shall only issue in the fuller manifestation of God’s faithfulness and truth. His promise to you is, that “your place of defence shall be the munitions of rocks; that bread shall be given you, and your water shall be sure [Note: Isa_33:16.]:” and “He is faithful that hath promised.” Trust then in him, and “he will keep you in perfect peace;” trust in him, and he will “give you all things that pertain unto life and godliness;” nor shall you ever be “ashamed or confounded world without end.”]