their grace Answer Faith doth not saue any because it is perfect but because it resteth on Gods mercie and though a mans vnbeliefe be greater then his faith yet it will not condemne him if hee do bewaile it and vse meanes diligently that it may encrease This first point of doctrine is to be remembred because euery childe of God cannot attaine to Abrahams faith and to a full perswasion And therfore all such as haue but the beginning of faith must not be discouraged for thou maist be the childe of God with thy little faith if thou bewaile it and be diligent to attain to strōg faith Endlesse vnspeakable is the mercy of God in this behalfe he pardoneth manifolde doubtings distrust and vnbeleefe to them that bewaile it and desire to increase in faith Secōdly the cause why Christ reproues his own disciples thus sharply is because they did not beleeue in God for raiment As if he had said Because you beleeue not this therefore you are to be blamed as hauing litle faith and therefore he calles them thus because they did not belieue in God for meat drink and cloth Here a second point of doctrine is to be obserued that true sauing faith doth not only apprehend Gods mercy for life eternall but 〈◊〉 for the temporall blessings of this life The very same faith whereby remission of sinnes and life eternal is apprehended layes holde on temporall blessings This must not seeme strange for to make it plaine there be two kinds of blessings promised in the scriptures viz. principall and lesse principall The principall is Christ God and man the redeemer of mankind with righteousnesse and life eternall in him This is the maine principall blessing Now vpon this there followe blessings lesse principall which are also promised as well as the principall and these are meate drinke cloathing health c. and these are promised vs so farre forth as they are for our good In Christ and by Christ all these are promised To this purpose Paul saith All the premises in him are yea and Amen Not onely remission of sinnes is yea and Amen that is a thing graunted and accomplished but all other temporall blessings This being so now marke what followes When true faith layes holde on the maine and principall blessing then withall it apprehends all other temporall blessings necessarie They are all apprehended in and with the principall It is said of Abraham that by his very iustifying faith he did beleeue that God would giue him a sonne when hee was an hundreth yeares olde It was not a diuerse faith Noah by the same faith wherby hee was saued beleeued that he should be preserued and his houshold in the floud In like manner by one and the same faith we beleeue our reconciliation with God in Christ remission of sinnes and that God will giue vs necessaries meate drinke cloth one and the same faith layes holde first on the maine and principall promise and then on the lesse principal This point must bee marked and this point remembred first mercie then prouidence first the principal blessing and then the temporall Euery man saith he lookes to be saued by faith when he dies and it is well But we must adde this we must liue by faith too we must leade our liues by the same faith by which wee looke to be saued after this life and we must depend on Gods prouidēce as certainly for these necessaries as we doo vpon his mercy for our saluation we must not liue by sence or reason but by faith How this is to be done you shal see afterward It is impossible for vs to be saued by faith when we die if we do not liue by faith Hee that cannot cast himself vpon Gods prouidence for the necessaries of this life can much lesse cast himselfe on Gods mercy for the saluation of his soule So much for the second point Thirdly Christ giues vs here a note and marke whereby we may trie our faith whether it bee a sauing faith or no true or faigned great or litle For he giues vs to vnderstand that the more men are distracted with worldly cares the lesse is their faith And the reason is plaine The more mens care is the lesse their trust is in Gods prouidence And the lesse their trust is in Gods prouidence the lesse faith in his mercie for their saluation So that where worldly care beares rule there is no faith in Gods prouidence As long as men bee in prosperitie they thinke they haue great faith but in pouertie and affliction their faith is tried for then commonly the hart is swallowed vp with griefe and feare He that cannot rest on Gods prouidence for the things of this life how shall hee rest on Gods mercie in the paines of death And thus much of the reproofe 31. Therefore take no thought saying What shall we eate or what shal we drinke or wherwith shall wee bee cloathed These words are a repetition of the commandement deliuered in the 25. verse and heere the commaundement is the second time repeated Once before it was repeated The causes of this repetition are diuers One I haue declared before and that was that hee might set an edge vppon the commaundement and make it take place in theyr hearts Secondly that they might learne theyr duties how they ought to confirme their faith for as Christ vrgeth it by a repetition so men must by meditating vpon it the oftner encrease their faith Faith is wrought in the heart as the print of a seale in the waxe or as a vision or reuelation in the night where the man dooth nothing but faith is wrought by these meanes ordinarie viz. the worde read heard preached or meditated Further that these meanes may bee effectuall there must be a motion in vs wherby wee must striue against doubting distrust and vnbeliefe therefore wee are often to vrge the commaundement to our selues and exercise our selues in it and apply it striue struggle wrestle labour for this ende that wee may more constantly and heartily apply the promises of mercie and prouidence to our selues This is the second cause of the repetition that wee may maister our vnbeliefe by striuing and labouring You must do that which you can do by nature and grace that is come to the assemblies and endeuour to put away vnbeliefe and by this meanes you shall encrease in faith So much for the repetition of the commaundement Now to the words Therefore take no thought c. These words tend to this ende not to breed idlenesse or carelesnesse in any but as I declared in the 25. verse Therfore I will shewe you how far forth wee may care for the things of this life and where it must end First it goeth thus farre Euerie man must haue a care to doo the good and profitable duties of his calling with diligence and painfulnesse from that care Christ frees no man therfore euery man must consider what
it After that we haue some testimony in our coÌ„sciences that we haue gotten it wee must labour to assure our selues of it How must we doo this For this purpose read 1. Tim. 6. Charge the rich that they bee not high minded c. Marke there how by liberalitie and bountie we are exhorted to lay a good foundation What must wee bee saued by our almes-deedes No this foundatioÌ„ is not laid in heauen for that is our electioÌ„ which God laieth vp there But our foundation is our conscience that is by good works by which as by fruites meÌ„ may assure themselues that eternall life appertaineth vnto them Workes of mercie done with simplicitie singlenes of heart are markes of the children of God signes of true faith and of the true treasure For this cause Paul would haue rich men to lay vp a foundation in their consciences Lastly wee must vse it as a treasure when wee haue done the foure things before mentioned then come to this To this ende diuers duties are required at our hands to be performed of vs. First we must haue our conuersation in heauen If Christ be our treasure then our affection ioy comfort our heart minde and all the whole man liuing on earth must be in heauen If Christ bee thy treasure and his bloud and passion then all thy hart hope ioy and comfort is there Therfore we must send vp our hearts to heauen otherwise he is not our treasure If wee will vse him as our treasure let all our care and ioy bee in and for heauen Secondly wee must turne earthly goods into heauenly treasure How why hee that giueth to the poore lendeth vnto the Lord The Lord becomes a debter to him and boroweth of him for the poore The poore is but the Lordes bayliffe and messenger whom he sends to the rich and hee returnes a rewarde of heauenly treasure for it Marke there how by giuing almes to the Lordes poore we turn earthly blessings into heauenly Luke 12. 43. expressing these words saith Sell all that you haue and giue to the poore make your selues purses which shall last for euer When men do so theÌ„ they turne their temporall goods into heauenly treasure and so men that haue this worlds goods may by the blessing of God make great encrease of them Thirdly we must part with all for this the best thing in the world must not bee too deare though it bee our owne bloud and our life we must part with them rather then with thâ—â— And when wee are thus minded then wee carrie our selues to Christ esteeming him as our treasure When wee esteeme any thing aboue him or preferre ought before him he is not our treasure Thus you see fiue duties all necessary to be performed that we may keepe this commaundement And when by Gods grace wee are enabled to doo these then we shall obey and practise this commaundement Therefore lette vs remember them and bee carefull to performe them so long as wee liue And marke what will follow If wee can finde it and value it c. we will bee content to endure whatsoeuer Gods hand shall lay vpon vs in body or soule and neuer bee dismayed nor discouraged with any thing that befalles vs. Nothing can daunt or discourage a mans heart that hath this treasure but they shall vanish all in time Further it will make that we shall neuer feare death nor iudgement all paines will bee nothing great comfort ease and contentation shal be to vs so long as wee liue if wee can doo thus Now a word or two of the reason Where neither moath c. The reason is drawne from the certaintie and vnchangeablenesse of the treasure Earthly riches are subiect to wormes and cankers and if no canker can come to corrupt them yet the thiefe will haue them But there is no canker moath nor thiefe that can hurt Christ and his merits Ob. Why the highest heauens the place of happinesse should bee free from that vanitie and corruption which the lower heauens and all other creatures be subiect vnto All that we see ouer our heads is subiect to vanitie euen the starres Answer To man by right of creation belongeth the earth and the heauens and they were all mans by creation euen the highest heauens to the very firmament by creation all were mans They were made for him and he was Lord of all They were his pallace all sauing Gods throne And when he fell he was punished in all these creatures but not in the highest heauen because the right vnto it is not by nature but aboue nature and is ours by right of redemption and not by right of creation Secondly by Christs death and passion they are made ours and not by nature but by grace onely and that after the fall Therefore the heauens and the starres and all creatures visible are subiect to vanitie and corruption And so much of the commaundement and the reason I beseech you remember it and learne it and put it in practise both in life and death 21. verse For where your treasure is there wil your hearts be also In the two verses next before going these words Christ gaue two commaundements First what we should not doo and the reason of it Secondly what we should do a reason therof The first a corruptione mutabilitate The second ab incorruptione immutabilitate Now he renders a common reason pertaining to both and serues to confirme both which is thus framed Where your treasure is there your hearts will bee But your heart must not be on earthly treasure but on heauenly Therefore lay not vp treasure in earth but in heauen Now touching the words and the meaning of them By treasure vnderstaÌ„d things excellent and precious in our estimation laid vp for time to come in which men place and put theyr principall ioy and comfort where your treasure is that is your speciall ioye and felicitie For so much the worde treasure imports By heart vnderstand the principall powers and actions of the soule as the thoughts and affections loue ioy feare c. yea the labour paines studie care and endeuour all these are to bee vnderstood by this word heart As if hee should haue said Thus your treasure and heart are things ioyned together and inseperable therefore where your treasure is there is also your care and studie For that which men iudge to bee their principall good and felicitie in seeking it they spend al their paines and time Now for our further edification let vs see what vses may be made of this reason First wee learne here how to iudge aright of our owne hearts Indeed it is a bottomelesse gulfe as Ieremy saith yet we may in some sort search it and iudge of it by this sentence For an earthly treasure and a carnall heart goe together And on the contrary part a heauenly treasure and a spirituall heart goe together These cannot be seuered Therefore looke vpon what you spend your
men omit heauenly treasure This I take to bee the true and right meaning and thus the dependance is in good order giuing vs the maine cause of couetousnesse which is a blind eye so that they cannot see to put difference betweene heauenly and earthly treasure Here three things are to be considered the single eye the wicked eye and the blinde eye with the fruites and effects of euery one The single eye is the light of the body There is exprest and noted the single eye with the fruites therof viz. to giue light to all the body The wicked eye makes the body darke Of these in order and first we will begin with the single eye And that you may know what is meant hereby I will describe it plainely By single eye vnderstand the minde of a man endued with true and heauenly wisedome for it is the single eye the minde that hath this gift which is enlightned with true wisedome Then if we shall knowe what true wisedome is we shall knowe what this eye is Therefore touching wisedome it is a gift of God in Christ no common gift which euery professor may haue but a speciall gift from God to them that are in Christ. 1. Corinthians 1. 31. Christ is made of GOD to vs wisedome not onely because hee is the maker and author of wisedome but also because hee is the roote from whence all our wisedome springs we must bee set to him and engraffed in him we must be made bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh As his righteousnesse is made ours by imputation and our holinesse is from his holinesse as from the roote so our wisedome is from his wisedome as the braunch from the stocke and the fruite from the tree This wisedome befalles not the diuell and his angels not all men nor all Christians in name but onely those that are in Christ truly for from his wisedome proceedes the true wisedome So then wee must cōceiue of it that this wisdome is a gift of God to them that are in Christ. This spiritual wisedome hath two actions First to discerne things that differ Secondly to discerne one thing from an other spiritually S. Paul prayeth that the Philippians may be enriched with knowledge and sense or iudgement What is this sense that we might be able to discern things differing and be sincere Marke how hee ioyned with knowledge sense that is a gift of discerning good and badde earthly and heauenly what we must do and what we must leaue vndone We ought to haue our senses exercised to discerne good and euill that is wee ought to be endued with the propertie of true wisdome to haue our senses enured to put difference betweene things good and euill And this is the first point of heauenly wisdome to put such a difference As for example Hee that is in Christ and hath this spirit of discerning hee can discerne the voyce of his shepheard and can put a difference betweene it and all the voyces of false shepheards Againe by this men can distinguish betweene the water in Baptisme and other waters betweene the bread and the wine on the Lords table and common bread and wine And the discerning of these is by this gift of wisedome Thirdly by this the Church of God is able to discerne of afflictios betweene crosses and curses chastisements iudgements He can take the hand of God for a fatherly correction and for no curse nor iudgemēt and hee knowes what vse to make of them Fourthly by this gift the childe of God can discerne the things of God namely his own election vocation adoptiō iustificatiō c. He can know thē perceiue thē more or lesse In a word by this mē are able to put a differēce between earthly riches and heauenly treasure He can discerne the excellencie of heauenly things aboue earthly and put a plaine difference betweene them which the carnall man can not doe The spirituall man discernes all things truely Vertue from vice Heauenly things from earthly things and so all other things whatsoeuer Heere then marke what is the first action and property of this wisedome to discerne things that differ I adde further this the Prouidence Wisdome and Iustice of God in all things which the naturall man cannot do Hereby you see how excellent and necessarie a thing this is seruing to many excellent vses The second action is to iudge determine giue sentence of things what we must doe and what we must not doe what is good and what is euill what is heauenly and what is earthly Heere one thing must bee remembred It is a principall point of wisedome to determine what is the chiefe happines of man and the scope vnto which all our life is to bee directed It is the loue and fauour of God in Christ see examples of this iudgement Psalm 4. 6. Many say who will shew vs any good c. Marke there Dauids iudgement of this matter and how he differs from others He determines that it is true happinesse to bee in the fauour of God So Paul cared for nothing but Christ crucified shewing what was his wisedome when he came amongst the wisest of the world viz Christ crucified for the sinnes of the world And indeede if a man had all the wisedome and policie in the earth and faile in this if hee cannot determine where to place his happinesse and what is the scope of his life his wisedome is but folly Therefore remember this is a principall point of true wisedome to bee able to iudge of our true happines what it is and the scope of our life Thus you see the spirituall wisedome hath two actions what they be viz First to discerne things that differ Secondly to discerne onething from another spiritually Heere marke further that a principall part of this wisedome is heauenly prouidence When a man discernes what is the principall good then commeth prouidence and vseth all meanes for the compassing of that principall good She forecasteth all the waies and means to come vnto it without this our wisedome is not perfect And thus you see what is meant by wisdome It is a gift of Gods spirit to thē that be in Christ whereby they are enabled to discerne of things that differ the scope of our life of true happines and withal to forethinke and forecast all the means to come vnto it And the single eye that is the single minde which is able to discerne of this wisedome Now in the next place mark the fruite of it The whole body shall be light That is the whole life shal be full of righteousnes of good successe Prou. 8. 19. 20. My fruite is better then gold and fined siluer I make a man walke in the wayes of righteousnes and the paths of iudgement To make some vse of it considering this is thus heere commended wee are first admonished to labour for this heauenly wisedome single eye The singular commendation of it
by themselues and to themselues For example sake it is the manner of wise men to prescribe how they will bee saued they take it for a small matter to come to saluation if they can but make a prayer at the ende of their life I speake of them which are not guided by the word some by their workes and others by their faith and all is one for they vnderstand nothing by faith but theyr good intent and well meaning Naturally and commonly men prescribe to themselues how they will be saued how they will worship God and in vsing what meanes they will liue and dye But they doo ill Wherefore in a word bee not wise to thy selfe in this for the matter of thy saluation Let God be wise be thou a foole prescribe no religion to thy selfe content thy selfe to bee wise according to the word for by nature thou hast an euill eye and this eye cannot shewe thee the way of life Away therefore with this damnable practise Lastly our dutie is to seeke for a better eye that is the eye of faith that which is wanting in this eye may bee supplyed And this is faith by which wee rest on the mercie goodnesse of God on his prouidence and protection in life and death This eye is able to see a farre off and to discerne things that cannot otherwise be discerned the euidēce of things not seene And the Patriarkes sawe the promises a farre off Let vs all be careful to seeke this eie of faith without the which wee cannot walke the way to euerlasting life So much of the secōd kinde of eye Now of the third eye briefly according to the compasse of the time Wherfore if the light that is in thee c. This is the blinde eye yea starke blinde that hath no power to discerne or iudge that is to see what is meant by light naturall knowledge of God and iustice which is in the minde It is further said that if this light be darkenesse it is onely buried so as there shall be no vse of it but it cannot be quite put out extinguished Some light of nature is remaining in the most wicked men because conscience remaineth Now heere it is said to bee none but darknesse because it may be buried hid couered but not wholy put out The veriest Atheist that liues hath this light in him This must bee remembred for the vnderstanding of these words as it is plaine in them that haue a reprobate minde they are as if they had no light of nature remaining because it is buried What is the cause that the light of nature is turned into darknesse The cause is in the will and affections of men the desires and lusts of the heart it is sinne that puts out the light of nature actuall sinne the will and affections make men to sinne against the light of nature and against conscience and so put out both and burie them This makes a man not to know that which by nature hee might know Now see the fruite of it Rom. 1. in most horrible and brutish sinnes vpon the blinde minde and reprobate sense The consideration of this point that the vnderstanding may be quite buried by actuall sinne teacheth vs to enter into an examination of our selues Wee haue in vs euen the best of vs all wretched diuellish and damnable desires such as would put out the light of nature in the vnderstanding This teacheth vs to bee vile in our owne eyes who haue such vile hearts that they can put out that light which Adams fall did not Secondly in that the will and affection blinde the mind dazell and dimme the light of our vnderstanding we learne to looke to these principally that they bee mortified and brought in subiection to the obedience of Gods commandements for now the case is altered Before the fall the mind ruled the will but now the will ouerrules the minde Therfore a speciall regard must be had of this wee must renounce our owne wils and affections they are those that bring the ruine of the soule and conscience Therefore aboue all things looke to them that they bee tempered ordered and squared It is best with men when God breaketh them of theyr wills for when they haue their wils in all things of this life they carrie the whole man headlong like a wilde and vntamed colte Though thou hadst all the wisedome knowledge and learning in the world if thy will and affection bee naught they will cast a myst a vaile and a couer or scarfe ouer it wherefore bring these into order and subiection then a little vnderstanding out of the word will giue great light Remember this It is not knowledge principally that should bee sought for or the minde to be instructed and no more but the wil and affection must especially be regarded for from the heart comes life and death saluation or damnation There is the beginning of thy comfort or woe for if they be out of order they will maister ouerrule the vnderstanding Further I gather hence that the doctrine of saluation may bee turned to darkenesse If the light of nature which is so deeply imprinted engrauē in the heart then much more this And this is plaine by experience of all them which begin in the spirit and ende in the flesh which are worldly wicked This could not be otherwise See Heb. 3. 12. there is a most excellent place of scripture which dooth shewe how this light by little and little is put out going backe from the last to the first there bee fiue degrees 1 First the deceitfulnesse of sin 2 Secondly the hardnesse of the heart when sinne hath deceiued 3 Thirdly infidelitie or incredulitie whē the heart being hardned is made vnbeleeuing which beginnes to doubt of the word and to call the truth into question 4 Fourthly the euill heart when the Gospell begins to goe to decay 5 Fiftly falling from God Apostasie And so the light of nature and of the Gospell is put out Then furthermore there is declared how wee hauing receiued the light of the Gospell may preserue it namely by obseruing and watching the liues of one an other and by exhorting one an other Quest. Lastly if the light of nature may be turned into darknesse it may be demaunded whether sauing grace and faith may bee lost If the light of nature which is so deeply imprinted in the heart may be extinguished why may not the grace of regeneration be lost Answer There is no grace of God considered in it selfe but it may be lost for it is a creature and therefore changeable because nothing is vnchangeable but God Wherefore if you consider faith and regeneration in their owne nature they are changeable and may be lost it cannot be denied but in regard of the promise of God to continue and preserue it to vs then it is vnchangeable and cannot be lost God gaue Adam grace but it was changeable hee did determine to
carnall men for men might say they seeke not treasure but only things necessarie Thus might the couetous plead and therefore Christ comes home to them and saith Be not carefull with any immoderate or inordinate care for so much as meate drinke and cloathing c. So much shall suffice for the scope and coherence Now let vs consider the words the sense and the vse of them Therefore I say vnto you In that Christ begins his commandement on this maner Therefore I say vnto you I that am your Maister on whom you depend for all heauenly instruction he doth prepare them to attention and to a diligent marking of this commaundement and instruction And he vseth this forme of speech to declare that the commaundement following is a waightie thing and to be regarded and obeyed and which if it be kept couetousnesse cannot seize on vs and this is the substance and pith of all this doctrine And this clause prefixed must be a warning to vs to marke the doctrine Therefore let vs see what it is Be not carefull When hee saith bee not carefull what yee shall eate c. the commandement must be considered least it bee mistaken therefore the true sence is to bee searched out There bee two kindes of care First a godly and honest care Secondly a distrustfull care The first is commended in diuers places Wisedome sends to the Ant to learne diligence prouidence in earthly things And the place of Paul is well knowne He that is not prouident for himselfe and his is worse then an Infidell Where the holy Ghost commends vnto vs a prouident care and circumspection for the things of this life Therefore there is a lawfull care and it is this when men walke in their callings and doo the duties of it diligently with good and vpright dealing to euerie man minding to seeke no more then is necessarie in the iudgement of all men for this life This is one principall point of this godly care The second point after wee haue vsed due diligence is to leaue the successe and issue to GOD wee must leaue the disposing of our labours to the Lorde for it belongs to GOD and is proper to him to dispose of the successe and euent of our labours wee must not frame the successe to our selues how we wil haue it but referre it and our selues to Gods good prouidence Take Moses for an example hee was called to be a deliuerer of the Israelites out of Aegypt Hee obeyes Gods commaundements and comes when he is called and goes when he is sent and doth his endeuour to bring them from Aegypt to Canaan and though he had many crosses yet hee goes forward and leaues the successe to God as wee see Exod. 14. when hee was driuen into such straites that hee had the Sea before him hills on the one side and woods on the other hee saith Feare not but stand still and behold the saluation of the Lord. So Abraham beeing commaunded to sacrifice his sonne Isaac obeyes and goes about it And when Isaack asked him where the sacrifice was hee saith God will prouide Therefore in a word the godly care is when men do the workes of their callings with diligence leauing the successe of their labours to God This care is of the dutie onely and not of the successe and this is not here condemned But the second kinde is a distrustfull care which doubteth of Gods prouidence when men doo the workes of theyr callings diligently but so as they distrust Gods prouidence and dare not commend and commit the fruite and euent thereof to God This is a distrustfull and an vnlawfull care That you may the better conceiue of it it hath these fruites following First it oppresseth the heart with feare and griefe with feare of pouertie and want and so filles the heart with griefe Note secondly when men keepe not themselues to the word of God and lawfull meanes but vse vnlawfull meanes to get theyr liuings with Note thirdly when men are so carefull for the worlde that they neglect prayer and the seruice of God in hearing the word the heart is ouerladen and oppressed and it argues that there is care not onely for the dutie but for the successe which belongs to God and thus you see what a distrustfull care is And this is the care that is heere forbidden when men distrust God and vse vnlawfull meanes to enrich themselues It is a care that is ioyned with neglect of Gods worship and with griefe and feare For the Greeke worde dooth signifie such a care as distracts the minde deuides it and brings it into perplexitie So that it is as much as if hee had said Bee not carefull in such sort that your mindes be troubled and perplexed His meaning is not to forbid labour or lawfull care for then hee should speake against all callings So much of the sense and meaning of this heauenly commandement Now let vs apply it to our selues That which is here forbidden is the common sinne of most men now and it is not in a fewe but it is a common and ordinarie thing It lurkes in the heart and shewes it selfe in the life One kinde of ground receiueth the seede but when it springs vp it is choked with worldly cares and this is common among vs and therefore the world hath so little fruite If wee would examine our selues what profit proceedings we haue made in Christs schoole we should see little fruite for this immoderate care doth deuide the heart and distract the minde worldly cares tosse it and turne it like the waues of the Sea This is one argument of it and an euident proofe that this sinne is common Secondly there is no trade or calling but it hath conueances of craft and deceit though the practises of men bee not commonly knowne yet the thing is certainly true and manifest He that hath but halfe an eye may see into the abuses which are daily practised And it is hard to finde them that seeme religious to make conscience of this in their callings and to auoyde the common crafts What argues this but that our hearts are possest with immoderate care wee depend not on Gods prouidence wee dare not trust him with the successe wee feare he wil not giue so good a blessing as wee looke for Now Christ giues vs warning of this doth command vs to take heede of it that wee haue no distrustfull care so much as for things necessarie Question What must we do then Answer Our dutie is declared elsewhere See a most excellent commandement it is repeated by Dauid Ps. 55. and Ps. 37. 5. And by Salomon Prou. 16. And by Peter I is a most waightie instruction and hath this sense Walke in thy calling doo the duties of it diligently truly and iustly yet remember when thy labour is done to commit the successe vnto God leaue the blessing to his prouidence The meaning is not to forbid vs to walke in our
wayes and to practise the workes of our calling but onely to teach vs to leaue the successe to God To make this more plaine put the case of any trades-man he is to practise the workes of his calling as if it be to buy or sell hee may do it with diligence without wronging any but the successe must be referred to God for that take no care but leaue all to him The like commandement we haue Phil. 4. 6. Be not carefull c What then But in all things let your prayers bee made to God with supplication and thankes giuing Marke there how care is opposed to prayer and thankes giuing All care is not forbidden there but immoderate care onely We must bee carefull of our duties but not of the successe of our labours For the blessing bee not carefull but commend it to God It is an excellent commaundement to bee remembred and practised of all men in all callings It is the double care that is forbidden Thus you see what you are to doo in the compasse of your callings Quest. How can we do this It is too hard a commaundement flesh and bloud cannot keepe it Answer Do but remember what blessed promises God hath made to them that obey him and we cannot but make conscience to obey this Some rise early goe late to bed and yet are neuer the richer But God giues sleepe to his beloued such as obey him shall haue rest and sleepe they shall with quietnesse reape the fruite of their labours The Lyons shall be starued but they that feare God shall lacke nothing Though the Lyons vse rauening and get theyr pray by violence yet they shall want sooner then the children of God If we had no more commandements in all the Bible but this it should be sufficient to worke this effect in vs after due labour and diligence vsed in our callings to referre the successe thereof vnto God We ought to trust God and beleeue his promises and not distrust his prouidence If wee will not trust God in these outward things how shall we trust him in the keeping of our soules in time of temptation and in death Therefore commend all to God and for the successe liue by faith Quest. How if all things goe crosse and we finde no blessing in our labours may we not prouide for our selues Answer Cast thy care on the Lorde and hee knoweth what is good for thee better then thy selfe wherefore if he denie thee that blessing which thou desirest be content and obedient For the seruants of God to bee crost it is better oftentimes then wee are aware of Good Iosias was puft vp with pride and would needes fight with Pharaoh Necho without any warrant and it cost him his life for it And good Ezechias likewise in a pride shewed the straungers his treasure and was punisht for it Therefore if thou want any blessing the best way is to pray for it and to depend vpon God and if God see it to be good for thee thou shalt obtaine thy desire So much of this maine commaundement which is a commaundement alwayes to be remembred and written in our hearts and to bee practised in our liues Now one point further is to be marked viz. how Christ distinguisheth betweene the life and the body hee makes the meat and drinke to appertaine to the life and soule and apparell to the body yet wee know that the apparell is a meanes to preserue the life too as well as meate and drinke and yet Christ cōcludes it and that for iust cause for though in some countries the vse of apparell bee to cherish the bodie and to continue life yet the general and first vse of it is not for the life but it respects a higher matter it serues for the body it selfe I say in respect of a certaine shame that is set vpon it the maiestie of the body is lost and the nakednesse of it is now a thing full of shame and confusion and our apparel serues to couer this shame So the proper and principall ende of apparell is this to couer the bodie in regarde of the shame which befell vs after the fall yea the truth is we should be all couered hands and face and all if it were not for other necessarie vses in regard of which wee keepe them bare and vncouered And if that fall had not bene the naked bodie had bene full of maiestie This point being considered we must learne neuer to be puft vp in regard of our apparell but rather to be abashed and confounded so oft as we put it on or looke vpon it for it is nothing but a badge to couer the shame of our bodies with therefore it is as great a madnesse for any to be puft vp because of their apparel as it were for a prisoner to be proud of the boults on his legges the brand on his hand or the hole in his care Therfore we must learne to thinke of our sinne when we looke on our apparel and to be abashed abased and humbled in remembrance of it We must expresse all the graces and gifts of God that be in vs so much as we can euen in our apparel as sobrietie temperance frugalitie such like they are to be declared in the very garments So much of that point Now it followeth Is not the life more worth c. After he had giuen a most excellent cōmandement to the end it may not goe without his effect hee enforceth it with diuers argumēts of waight First saying Is not the life more worth then meate c. The reason stands thus The life is more excellent thē meate and drinke and the body is better then the apparell Now God giues the life and the body and dooth preserue them therefore he will much more giue foode and apparell The reason is taken from the creation He that is a Creator will preserue his worke In this reason Christ teacheth vs how wee should make vse of our creation by a consideration of it wee must learne to come to a confidence of Gods prouidence and to trust in him for all the things of this life for hee will preserue his workmanship Iob in the beginning of his tenth Chapter perswades himselfe that the Lord will not destroy him because hee is the workemanship of his handes hee makes that an argument Marke what vse hee makes of his very creation Commend your selues to God as to a faithfull Creator saieth S. Peter 1. Pet. 4. Marke that hee calles God a faithfull Creator and for that cause wee must commend our selues vnto him We see also by commō experience that no man is so tender and carefull for any thing as is the workeman therfore in this respect we are to put our trust in God Hath God giuen vs life and a body and wil he not giue vs foode and rayment It cannot be Thus God teacheth vs his prouidence by the creation and confidence in it 26 Behold the fowles of the heauen
bee the duties of his calling and the most necessarie workes and these he must haue a care to performe Secondly a man may haue care to prouide for himself and his such things as be necessarie that is meate drinke cloth For these a man may nay hee must haue a care so much as is necessarie in the iudgement of any this care is not condemned After this he must giue place to Gods prouidence and God must haue his worke The blessing and successe of all his labour must be left to God And then in the necke of these two cares comes faith that God will giue a necessarie blessing Where care endes there faith begins Wee must not care for the blessings and successe of our labours but referre that to the prouidence of God If God giue more then is necessarie wee must bee the more thankefull But if hee withholde his blessings wee must not liue by care but by faith Thus farre wee may care and no further And this hath bene the practise of all Gods seruants The distrustfull care is that which is here forbidden when men take all care vpon themselues and vexe themselues so as they are fit for nothing no not for the seruice of God but onely to care And it is care that teares the heart and distracts it and makes a man vnmeete for any thing else but onely to care This is the thought which Christ condemnes when we vexe grieue and consume our selues day and night with care for the worlde And this is the common sinne of our time This care dooth possesse and poyson the hearts of many and it appeares by experience For what care is that which breakes your sleepe and awakes you at all houres of the night And what care is that which commeth first into your hearts in the morning when you rise And when the whole day is at an ende consider with your selues what is the thing you haue most thought of or altogether whereon hath all your care bene Looke backe and see if it hath not beene for the world al the day long from the morning till the euening The care for the worlde takes the first place and filles vp the whole day Why This can neuer bee but a distrustfull care and yet this is the ordinarie and common care therefore Christ speakes this to vs all you may care for necessaries but liue by faith be content with Gods good will and pleasure Let this commaundement take place in your hearts and let care be ioyned with faith and so lead your liues Saying What shal we eate c. Now Christ dooth describe this care by the fruites and effects for these be the speeches of them that bee possest with worldly care especially of them that haue great charges and meane liuing or which suffer great losses then men make such questions but how shall we maintaine our selues How shall we liue And thus you see how Christ condemnes not all care but that which is ioyned with distrust when men complaine and murmure as if there were no God nor prouidence These speeches are condemned as proceeding from distrust and vnbeliefe And good reason for they are complaints of Gods dealing towords vs we ought to shut our mouthes in this respect and take heede how we murmur against God When Aaron had both his sonnes burnt he comes to Moses and would needes knowe the cause and when he heard it was Gods doing hee held his peace The place is worth the marking Likewise Dauid saith I held my tongue and said nothing for it was thy doing Lord. Our coÌ„fidence is in peace and strength that is a man hath confidence in God when he complaineâ—h not Therefore this is our dutie neuer to complaine of Gods prouidence be the iudgement neuer so grieuous that befalles vs. We must learne of the seruants of God to holde our tongues and with peace and quietnesse to submit our selues to God when we are distressed and afflicted when we loose our liuing or friends for these are sinfull speeches speeches that bewray distrust vnbeliefe discontent and impatiencie 32. For after all these things seeke the Gentiles for your heauenly Father knoweth that yee haue neede of all these things Here is a fift reason For after all these c. Therefore take no thought These words are a new reason to moue vs to flee all such care The practise of the Gentiles must be shunned but this is a practise of the Gentiles Therefore it must be shunned The words haue a further sense theÌ„ the translatioÌ„ importeth for it is thus They seeke with al their might they set themselues or giue themselues to seeke them For the seeking of these necessaries is not a fault but y e giuing of our selues to seeke them with all our power Then wee sinne wheÌ„ we do so for they set their hearts to seeke them all their care is for them So much the words import you are a peculiar people of God and therefore you must not conforme your selues vnto the Gentiles Quest. What is the cause the Gentiles do so Answere All the Nations of the world before Christ besides the Iewes knew not God onely heere and there some one man that was a Prophet excepted All the rest knew not God no prouidence nor any other life but this now if the Gentiles did thus because they knew not God it followeth that vniuersall grace is but a phansie and a meere deuice of mans braine for the Gentiles before Christs incarnation knew not the true God but were without God How then could they haue grace which is a gift to be able to beleeue if they would If they failed in the knowledge of life eternall and Gods prouideÌ„ce how was it possible y t they should haue this gift Indeed in diuers Countries that were neare the Iewes some liued as the Iewes did and got some knowledge of God But the countries that were farre off had no knowledge of God therefore there was no common grace giuen them all Secondly Christ shewes here that they which set themselues to seeke riches and worldly blessings they are as Gentiles and haue not learned the principles of religion though they come to Church heare the Word and receiue the Sacraments yet they are but as Paynims They make themselues their owne God and they see no prouidence They are Christians in shewe but Gentiles in deed euen as the Turkes are for they haue not learned the foundatioÌ„s of religion by faith to rest on Gods prouideÌ„ce This reason alone might moue vs to a moderate care for the temporall things Now marke the ground of this reasoÌ„ The Church of God is a peculiar people therefore they must not be like the Gentiles in euill things and in good things they must be better then they Then marke and consider what a shame it is for the people of our time for the very maine sinnes of the Gentiles are risen amongst vs as drunkennesse oppression vsurie slaundering ingrossing
neuer To this adde the particular beliefe of such promises the want whereof is the cause that we faile in the duties commanded Now there are other instructions to be learned here When Christ saith All these things shall be ministred vnto you to wit all these things meate drinke and cloth and all temporal blessings necessary whatsoeuer he giues vs to vnderstand that all these things all temporall blessings are certaine dependances things that depend vpon the kingdome of God This is the second point to bee remembred that all these are annexed to that This appeares thus When men seeke the kingdome of grace and the kingdome of glory God will giue them these and more too Besides the kingdome which is the onely thing which hee must ayme at hee dooth cast vnto them sufficient blessings for the preseruation of this temporall life So that all temporall blessings appertaine to the kingdome of God they depend vpon it are annexed vnto it And herevpon sundrie other instructions may be gathered If this be so that all temporall blessings depend on Gods kingdome thē we for the most part liue after a most preposterous order and maner for wee care more for the body then we do for the soule for this life more then for the life to come more for meate and drinke then for the kingdome of heauen Generally the care of most men is all for the world and there is little or no care for the life to come Wee may see our folly in the folly of children they are better pleased with a Nutte or an Apple then with a promise of great reuenues or of a great inheritance And wee haue more regard of temporall blessings then wee haue of the kingdome of God and yet these are but dependances to that Secondly wee are taught to seeke for riches and temporall blessings with the same minde with which wee seeke the kingdome of God that is with an honest heart for they depend one vpon an other Wee must seeke this kingdome of God with an vpright heart and so wee must seeke riches with a good heart and honest dealing vsing no vniust meanes And as wee are to seeke them thus so wee must vse them when wee haue them for this ende to further Gods kingdome with the same for riches are things that depend vpon that therefore ought to serue to this ende Thirdly if this bee so that riches are dependances on Gods kingdome then hee that hath no right to the kingdome of God and is not in it hath no right to any temporall blessings for they are annexed one to an other Turkes and Infidels haue temporall blessings from God and enioy them An. They haue them but by permission from God they haue no right nor tytle to them indeed and in conscience I graunt in ciuil courts and in a ciuil respect they haue a right vnto them and a proprietie in them but in conscience before God they haue none at all As many as are out of Gods kingdome whatsoeuer they be they haue no right to any temporal blessings nor to any creature but are very theeues and meere vsurpers before God thogh they haue right to them before mē Let this be remembred that they haue no right to the meate that they eate to the cloathes they put on nor to the ground they goe on This shewes what vile and miserable wretches we are so long as wee are out of Gods kingdome wee haue no right so much as to the very breath which wee drawe in at our nosthrils nor to the bread wee put into our mouthes c. but all the creatures are against vs. And this is without question the state of all and euery man that is out of Gods kingdome By which we see what miserable wretches we are much lesse haue wee any spirituall blessings wherwith to comfort our selues Further if this bee a truth this must bee an inducement to euery one to remember the lesson taught before namely aboue all things to seeke to get the kingdome of God for till then wee are most miserable wee haue no comfort in any creature or blessing of God nay the creatures that bee in our hands we haue no right vnto them wee haue not so much right as the beastes haue If there were no more reasons but this one taken from our miserable state so long as we are out of the kingdome of God this one ought to bee a spur vnto vs to make vs seeke it Nay we ought to be at no rest till wee bee perswaded out of Gods word that wee be in that kingdome we should giue our soules no rest day no◠night til we be resolued of this that wee are within the kingdome of grace now whilest wee are liuing vpon earth And therfore I adde this because we are thus miserable as you see till we be in it Quest. And that you may the better knowe when you bee in it remember but thus much when you be regenerate then you enter But you will say How shall we know when we are regenerate Answere When you beginne to bee touched in cōscience with your sinnes and to be displeased with your selues for the sins of your nature and the sinnes of your liues and withall begin to hunger after Christs righteousnes and to frame your liues according to Gods commandemēts then you are regenerate and then you enter into the kingdome of God you obtaine it and haue right vnto it Therefore if you would haue an entrance into it labour to be touched greeued for your sinnes in heart and conscience labour to feele your neede of Christ and of his blood and haue a care to put your neckes vnder his yoke And whē these things are in you whatsoeuer you haue bene before though the vilest sinners that euer were you enter into the kingdome of God Againe if this be so that temporall thinges are but dependances we are taught that when any calamitie or losse befalls vs whether it be of goods friends or good name we oght then to stay our selues and not to suffer our selues to be ouerwhelmed with immoderate sorow and griefe for when the greatest losses come that can be of worldly things what is it but of thinges that depend on the kingdome of God The kingdome it selfe is not lost what though thou loose the fauour and countenance of men and thy reputation and estimation among them or some part of thy goods this causeth not the losse of the kingdome the right and title of that may stand good notwithstanding al these Therefore wee must moderate our griefe with this consideratiō And thus Christ comforted his disciples in their afflictions Feare not litle flock for it is your Fathers pleasure to giue you a kingdome The third point of doctrine to bee gathered hence is this That God is a bountifull God and his bountifulnesse is heere described for if you seeke the kingdome of God you shall haue it much more See here the exceeding great
bountifulnesse of God that giues men more then they seeke aske or thinke of when men seeke this kingdome they shall haue it much more euen al things necessarie for this life A notable token of Gods great bountie The same goodnesse is excellently set forth else-where Paul praiseth God and attributes this vnto him as the cause of his thankes-giuing because he can do more then we either aske or thinke Ob. He can do what is that to the purpose Ans. Therefore he speakes of such a power as is brought forth into action and hee will doo This is the goodnesse of God Hee giues them that which they seeke and more then they seeke He can do it and hee will doo it It is a point worth the consideration that God giues his seruaunts more then they seeke for or thinke of when they pray See the performance of it to Dauid Thou preuentest him with liberall blessings signifying that God gaue him more then hee prayed for that which he neuer thought of This was also verified in Salomon Hee asked only wisedome and God gaue him that and riches and honor likewise As also in Iacob Ioseph Thus we see the truth of this promise performed both by testimony and examples sutable to it And there is none of vs all but if we looke into our selues we shall finde that God hath giuen vs more then euer we desired or euer thought we shuld haue had This point is not to be let passe without remembrance The vse hereof is manifold for we are taught all maner of good duties by it First to haue a continuall care that we do nothing that may offend God for he is a liberall and a bountifull God when we pray he giues vs more then we aske Secondly this should moue vs to put our trust in God for all necessaries trust him with our liues and soules and with all that we haue If hee be so bountifull as we see he is we ought not to distrust him for any thing belonging either to the soule or to the body Thirdly this should moue vs in all distresse to seek to him for helpe and succour because he is ready to helpe Fourthly it should moue vs to loue this God in consideration of this bountifulnesse Fiftly to be willing to pray to him and to be ready to make our moane to him Sixtly to be thankfull to him cōtinually who is so bountifull to vs daily preuenting vs with bountifull blessings In a word to conclude this ought to be a spurre to pricke vs forward to euery good dutie and to turne our hearts from euery way that is euill and to please God in all things And so much of that pointe of the bountifulnesse of God in that hee giues them the kingdome of heauen which seeke it and withal a great deale more then they desire And so much of the vse 31 Care not for the morrow for the morrow shall care for it selfe the day hath inough with his owne griefe Here Christ doth repeate the Commaundement which hee gaue in the 25. verse it was repeated twise before and now it is heere repeated the third time His often repeating of this Commaundement is to teach vs to be carefull to learne it to remember it and to do it Now for the wordes themselues Care not c. That is take no care for the time to come This may seeme a strange commaundement maintaining idlenesse and licentiousnesse therefore wee must consider what is the true sense and meaning thereof for the words are not so to be conceiued as at the first reading they seeme to be But there are two sorts of care yea of care for time to come First a lawfull and a godly care Secondly a distrustfull care That there is a godly care euen for the time to come it is plaine for Christ himselfe had a bagge and Iudas kept it therfore his meaning is not to forbid all care of time to come And when Agabus foretold the famine the Church prouided against it wherfore there is no question but there is a lawfull care for the time to come whiche is not heere forbidden That you may know what care that is mark this Those things that be necessarie as meate drinke and cloath and cannot be prouided hereafter may be prouided aforehand without sin and without breach of this commandement For example A man of Trade that is decayed in his strength eye-sight may haue some thing prouided to maintaine himselfe when his strength and sight is gone Hee may prouide aforehand things necessarie for himselfe when he is olde and cannot worke to get his liuing It remaines therfore that there is a lawfull care for to morrow and that is when to morrow is not able to helpe it selfe But when to morrow is able to helpe it selfe then it is not lawfull to care for to morrow So thē this point is cleare Quest. What care is it then that Christ condemnes Ans. A distrustfull care for such a care the Greeke word signifieth which doth distract the minde c. as before That you may the better perceiue it see some examples of it When men prouide so much wealth as will keepe and maintaine both them and theirs for many ages if they can heape vp goods not to bee numbred they wil do it and there be many such gather-goods Men forecast to prouide so much as would maintaine them if they should liue as long as Methushelah This is the care forbidden when men prouide so much for themselues as would suffice for many families The king himselfe who hath most neede of aboundance must not multiply too much his horses and money much lesse ought any subiect If any man had neede of superaboundance and superfluitie the King much more yet hee is forbidden it Why then if it bee a thing to bee barred the Prince if hee must bee stinted and limited what man dares bee so bolde as to exceed his bounds breake out beyond his borders This is one example of the distrustfull care An other example is when men prouide against all mischaunces and casualties so that they will auoyd all losses and damages whatsoeuer And howsoeuer the iudgement of God fall on others they will be free from all And though all the world should die before thē for want yet they will liue and haue aboundance of meate drinke and cloth They will so prouide for all euents and daungers whatsoeuer A third example of this is when men doo now prouide things necessarie which may sufficiently bee prouided in time to come And this is the care that is here condemned by name when they care this day for to day and to morrow too when this day may care for it selfe and the morrow for it selfe Thus you see the right meaning of this commaundement how Christ forbids all extraordinary curious and superfluous care And so much for the commandement For the morrow shall care for it selfe Now Christe layeth downe a seuenth