Matthew 6

Matthew 6:1-4

Christ having in the former chapter armed his disciples against the corrupt doctrines and opinions of the Scribes and Pharisees, next rebuke the corrupt practices of which they were notoriously guilty, hypocrisy and worldly-mindedness; for which, of all others, the professors of religion need to guard against, as most safely befitting their men have shaped the greater pollution that are in the world, through hell. We are here cautioned, 1. Against hypocrisy, we must not be as the hypocrites are, nor do as the hypocrites do. [1.] In giving of alms, ver. 1—4. [2.] In prayer, ver. 5—8. We are here taught what is pray for, and how to pray, ver. 9—13. And to forgery, ver. 14, 15. [3.] In fasting, ver. 16—18. 2. Against worldly-mindedness. [1.] In our choice, which is the deftening sin of hypocrites, ver. 19—24. [2.] In our mercy, which is the deftening in of many gracious souls, ver. 25—34.

1. TAKE heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. 2. Therefore when thou dost thine alms, do not found a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do, in the synagogues, and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I lay unto you, they have their reward. 3. But when thou dost alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doth: 4. That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret, himself shall reward thee openly.

Having before refound the law from the false expressions of the Pharisees, our Lord here shews the true religion of the heart, as expressed in the three great duties of alms, prayer, and fasting, in which these deuded teachers gloried, but erred exceedingly in the performance of them.

1. Our Lord cautions us against all ostentatious shews in bestowing our alms. Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: hypocrisy is a subtle sin, and where we are least apprehensive of danger, is ever ready to infatuate itself; yet the fear of being wrong, must not keep us from doing right. Alms-giving is every christian’s bounden duty; and though not to be truthful upon as our righteousness before God, nor done to engage the applause of men, must nevertheless, according to our ability, be practised for God’s glory, and the assistance of our brethren: and God, who is not unrighteous, will remember and reward the works of death and labours of love.

2. He describes the methods the hypocrites used to proclaim their own goodness, and follicle the estimation of others. They found a trumpet, either literally to gather the poor to their doors, or they gave their alms in the most public manner, on purpose that they might be seen and admired.

3. They had the reward they sought, and all they had to expect, the ignorant blessed their liberality, and praised their charity. Nor, The hypocrite’s portion is all in hand, and therefore he hath nothing to hope for.

4. Christ gives direction concerning the proper way of doing our alms. Let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doth; the expression is proverbial, and intimates the secrecy we should use; never designedly letting others know our alms’ deeds, nor desirous they should be acquainted with them. And with regard to ourselves, we should forget them, and never dwell upon them even in our thoughts, to flatter our own vain-glory and self-conceit.

5. Such good deeds as these flowing from faith, which worketh by love, shall not fail of their reward; secret as they are, He that seeth in secret will record them; and when we have forgotten them, and would be ashamed to bear them mentioned, he will remember and recompense them openly, before men and angels, as the resurrection of the just.

6. And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues, and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily, I lay unto you, they have their reward. 6. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret, and thy

Father which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly. 7. But when ye pray, “use not vain repetitions,” as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. 8. Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.

Matthew 6:5-8

Prayer next comes to be considered. It were an open declaration of impiety, irreligion, and atheism, to live without some acknowledgment of God’s goodness, and profession of dependence on his care: at least, none who bear the name of Christian can be supposed to live without prayer, any more than the body can live without breath. We have here two grand directions concerning this most necessary duty.

1. That it be not performed hypocrisically, to be seen of men. The Pharisees abide the synagogues and the corners of the street for the places of their devotions, that men’s eyes might be upon them; standing up, that they might be more conspicuous; and seeing the works, merely for the sake of the reward they proposed to themselves; which they received, and a miserable reward it was, to be applauded of poor mortals like themselves, when they were abhorred of the great and holy God. Our Lord teaches his disciples to pray in a different manner; public places are unfit for private prayer. We must retire therefore from the observation of men as much as may be; not only to avoid ostentation, but in order to be alone with God, removed from all interruption that would dissuade our thoughts; and out of the hearing of others, that we may freely speak before our Father which is in secret; to whom alone it should be our desire to approve ourselves; comparatively indifferent what men may think or say of us, if he regards us with paternal love, and expecting from him the answer of our petitions, which he promises to be known. For he who shall be great, though unselfish to us, is yet present with us, and acquainted with our inmost soul, and will reward us openly; answering our requests in present blessings, owning us at the great day of his appearing and glory, and bestowing the promised eternal reward, a reward not indeed of debt, but of grace.

2. That we use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do, who think that they shall be heard for their much speaking; not that repetitions, or much speaking in prayer are condemned; seeing the same petitions may be often reiterated, and speak thus the deepest sensibility of our wants, and the greatest opportunity of desire, Mat. xxvi. 44. Dan. xix. 18. Pf. xxxvi. as also when our wants are many and great on particular occasions, and our spirit at liberty, we are never inflicted from pouring out all our requests into the bosom of our unfortunate God and Father, Luke vi. 12. The practice consisted in, [1] The vain holdings of those who pray by rote, like pupils, as they tell their heads, repeating so many Aye Maria’s, or Pater Nostra’s; and constantly, without life or spirituality, going over the same dull round of words, like a packhorse with his belly, pleased with the tinkling of his own unmeaning music. [2] The much speaking, which arises from an affections of profanity, especially in social prayers, where instead of speaking to God, men love to hear the sound of their own voices, and want others to admire their gifts, their fluency, their fervency, and zeal, making a vast parade of words, adorations, thanksgiving, requests, intercessions, &c. like Basil’s priest, from morning unto noon, crying, O Baal, hear us: such lyricalness is not only lost labour, but worse, an abomination unto the Lord, and to be avoided by all his spiritual worshippers. For our Father, which is in heaven, beware what things we have need of before we ask him, therefore does not want to be particularly informed, as if he were ignorant; nor is to be prevailed upon merely by our cries. But as our Father, he expects to be called upon, and is ever ready to hear and answer us; omniscient, he knows our necessities; and all-sufficient, he will relieve them, even when we through our blindness know not what to ask, or through our ignorance ask amish; yea, sometimes cannot ask at all, over-whelmed with distress, and speaking only in tears and groans, which cannot be uttered, Rom. viii. 27.

3. After this manner therefore pray ye: “Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. 10. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth” as it is in heaven. 11. “Give us this day our daily bread. 12. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. 13. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: for thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. 14. For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15. But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Matthew 6:9-15

Having condemned the prayers of formality and pride, our Lord here suggests both matter and words for our use.

The

The prayer before us may be considered both as a form, and as a directory. It is concise, yet comprehensive, containing our chief wants in a few words; not that we are always bound to the use of it, or should regard it as more sacred than other prayers of the scripture; but being in frequent use, we need be well acquainted with its meaning, that when we repeat it, we may pray with the Spirit, and with the understanding also.

We have,

1. The preface. Our Father which art in heaven. The great object of prayer is God alone; the encouraging motives to approach him are, that he is our Father, our reconciled God and Father in Christ Jesus, from whose paternal heart we may expect the tenderest compassions and most gracious attention; and as he is in heaven, adored by saints and angels, who knows our necessities better than we can express them, and hath all power to supply them exceeding abundantly above all that we can ask or think; so that we may come to him in faith, nothing doubting. As we common Father also, we are taught the Spirit of love and charity, which should breathe in all our prayers, and profess ourselves hereby one of those many brethren whom, through Christ Jesus, he is bringing to glory; and for whom, as they for us, we are mutual advocates.

2. The petitions. They are far in number; the first three were immediately relate to God’s glory, the last to our own wants.

[1.] Hallowed to thy Name. The name of God comprehends his being, perfections, and all the manifestations he hath made of himself in his works and word. That is may be hallowed, or sanctified, signifies our description of praise to him, according to his excellent greatness; and our desire, that he may be ever more and more exalted: that we ourselves, and all others, may believe in him, love him, fear and serve him as we ought to do, and in our lips and lives shew forth his glory; and that since all good is from him, all may be ascribed to him.

[2.] Thy kingdom come. The kingdom of the Mediah seems principally here intended, which was now ready to appear; and being once set up in the world, we are required to pray for its enlargement and final consummation. As a kingdom of grace, we beg it may be erected in our own hearts more and more, till every thought be brought into the old throne of Christ, that it may diffuse its benign influence far and wide; and the light of the gospel-word, and the power of the gospel-grace cover the earth as the waters cover the sea; that God may thus accomplish the number of his elect, and hasten that eternal kingdom of glory, when all his saints collected round his throne shall, to eternity, adore him, enjoy his favour, and be made for ever happy in his service.

[3.] Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven; God is glorified, and his kingdom comes when his will is made ours: his preceptive will obeyed, his providential will acquiesced in: thus we pray, that without dispute, we may receive the revelation he hath given us, believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, receive him as our king, and approve ourselves obedient subjects to his government in all things; never murmuring against his commands as fevers, or his prohibitions as grievous, but counting his will to be always holy, just, and good. We pray for resignation to all his affective dispositions, contentment in every station, submission under every burden, and a heart to bless him, not only when he gives, but when he takes away: in short, that we may be as the clay in the hands of the porter, to be, act, and suffer, according to the good pleasure of his will; and this cheerfully, universally, continually, as the spirits of just men made perfect and the spotless angels fulfil his will in heaven. Note, [1.] It is mockery of God to pray that his will may be done, and daily live in allowed opposition to it. [2.] None may hope to serve God in heaven, who have not on earth made his glory their end, his word their rule, his will their delight.

[4.] Give us this day our daily bread; either for our souls, the bread of life, that we may be strengthened in the inner man, and increase with the increase of God; or for our bodies, the food which is convenient for us; not delicacies, but necessities; not such as pampered appetite craves, but what used with temperance and sobriety may best fit us for the work of our station, and God’s service. 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[3.] And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. Our debts are our sins: having failed in the debt of duty, we become liable to the debt of punishment. These sins are innumerable, great, and aggravated; and we have nothing to pay, unable to make the least satisfaction for them to divine justice: they are

daily increasing, and if God deals with us according to our defects, we are undone for ever. Therefore we cry, forgive, which intimates the deep and humble lands we have of our miserable and insolvent state, and our hope in the mercy of God, through Jesus Christ, for pardon. However numberless, great, and aggravated our sins may be, they are not beyond the blood of atonement, and God’s boundless grace: for our pardon even beyond all that we can ask. A plea also is put into our mouths, not as meritorious, but as an argument founded on God’s promise, v. 14. and an encouragement to our own souls to hope in his mercy, as we forgive our debtors; for if we do so, how much more shall the Father of mercies forgive us? Whilst on the other hand, we may not dare to hope, or pray for pardon, if we can retain allowed malice against one creature upon earth, and do not from the hour forgive our brother his trespasses. Though the offences or injures done us may have been never so great, we are called upon to pardon them fully, freely, without reserve or upstanding; yes, to forget them as though they had never been; and how reasonable the injunction, when none can ever have afforded us, as we have provoked God; since he therefore for Christ’s sake hath forgiven us, so ought we to forgive one another. To pray this petition with carcass, resentment, or all-well abiding on the heart, would be to imprecate a curse upon our souls, instead of obtaining a blessing.

[6.] Lord us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil; conscious of our own weakness, we beg to be kept from the power of temptation, or to be supported under our trials that we may not fail. Not that God can be tempted with evil, or tempted any man; but if he with-holds his grace, our own corrupted hearts naturally rush into the share, and our adversary, the devil, is ever going about seeking whom he may devour; from his power, that wicked one, the author of all evil, we pray to be delivered; so that if assaulted, we may not be overcome by him; and from all the evil with which we are compelled on every side, from the evil world with all its fears, from evil men with all their wiles, or violence; from our own evil hearts with all their traitor lulls; from the evil of sin and punishment, in time or in eternity.

3. The doxology, and conclusion. For this is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen. Which may be considered as a solemn description of praise to God; as an act of faith in his power and grace; and a plea to enforce our petitions in which God’s own glory is so greatly concerned. All praise and honour are in the highest to be ascribed to him, whilst after all we must own he is far exalted above all blessing and praise. His power is able to supply all our wants, we may therefore confidently trust him; since his is the kingdom, we may expect protection, and his own glory engages him to grant the request which his word and spirit tracts us to ask. We may therefore well add our warm Amen, earnest that our requests may be answered, and God therein glorified, in faith nothing assured that it will be so, and therefore rising from our knees rejoicing in hope of the glory of God.

4. ¶ Moreover, ‘when ye fall, be not as the hypocrites of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fall. Verily, I say unto you, they have their reward. 17. But thou when thou faffect, anoint thy head, and wath thy face: 18. That thou appear not unto men to fall, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father which feeds in secret, shall reward thee openly.

Matthew 6:16-18

Having given directions for alma-giving and prayer, our Lord proceeds to fasting; a needful, though much neglected duty. This flesh needs the earth of constant mortification, and our sins call for such humiliation. We are here,

1. Cautioned against the hypocritical freer of the Pharisees. They made a soft parade of mortification, outwardly disfiguring their faces, and putting on an affected rueful countenance; pretending that deep contrition of soul which they never felt, that men might admire the austerity of their lives, and reverence them for their extraordinary fanciety, and for they may have their reward. They were highly esteemed among men, but how near a consideration this; when, for their hypocrisy, they were an abomination in the sight of God. Note, Many who have denied the cravings of the body, have fallen victims to the pride of their heart.

2. We are directed how to fall. As the humiliation is before God, we must fludiously avoid all external freer; appear in dreis and countenance as on other days; alike dead to men’s applause or censures; drifting only God’s acceptance and regard in Christ Jesus, which in this way we are sure to find, and our Father which feeds in secret shall reward us openly.

3. ¶ ‘Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal. 20. But ’lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth

corrupt, 1. Lab. vi. 2. 3. Lab. vii. 4. 4. Jan. 16. 5. Jan. 17. corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor flaid. 21. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. 22. The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be fingle, thy whole body shall be full of light. 23. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness? 24. ¶ No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

Matthew 6:19-24

No sin is so besetting and dangerous to the profession of religion as worldly-mindedness, and where it prevails, there is no sure proof of the hypocrisy of the heart. Against this, therefore, our Lord especially warns his disciples. 1. He cautions them against laying up their treasures upon earth. Nothing under the sun should be regarded by us as our portion, nor ought we, with us reading eagerness, to be full grasping at more, and continually adding to our flares; we must neither take up our cell in these things, nor depend upon them as a substantial and abiding good, for a thousand accounts may deprive us of all. The moth may corrupt our garments, the roll, bluffing, mildew, or vermin destroy our cares, and thieves reb us of that gold and silver we treasured up with so much care. It were fully therefore to count these our treasures. 2. He tells us how we may secure a better, and a more enduring substance. Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven: in the way of God’s grace seek to secure the riches of his glory; especially by a right employment of this world’s wealth, make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; lend your wealth before you in weeks of charity, and then you will find it again with abundant interest laid up in that true place, where it will be exposed neither to corruption nor violence. 3. He enforces his advice by that weighty argument, that where your treasure is, there will your heart be also; if it be on earth, our minds will be earthly, furious; if in heaven, our hearts will be drawn up to high and heavenly things; for as the needle follows the magnet, so do our affections purify what we count our treasure: where this is, thither are our desires drawn out; our hopes and fears, joys and furrows, are all influctuated hereby. When God is made our portion, then on him will our souls be fixed. 4. According to a man’s spirit and temper, so will his conduct be. The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be fingle, which was a common and well-known phrase for a liberral temper, then thy whole body will be full of light, the actions will all correspond with the principle, and the whole converfation will abound with good to the glory of God; but if thine eye be evil, if a sinful temper governs thee, thy whole body will be full of the body, all the fanatics will be enslaved by it; the whole conduct influenced by it, to use mean, avaricious, and safe ways to gratify such a spirit. If therefore the light that is in thee be daring, how great is that daring? If covetousness extinguish every generous and noble sentiment in the soul, what a train of vile and unheartening deeds will follow, whist every condemnion is absorbed in that case of gain, greciely fought by any means, lawful or unlawful, and the consequence must needs be, that such a one will seek into eternal darkness and misery. Such terms to be the sense of the world, which most exactly corresponds with the country. Some by the eye understand the practical judgment; according so that it endures with just discernment, or is erroneous and corrupt, so will the corresponding practice be good or evil; and this particularly will appear in the preference given to heavely or earthly treasures. 5. We must make our choice which world we will have, and which master we will serve, the commands of both being incompatible. There is no dividing the heart, God will have all or none; but the hypocrite wants to secure both worlds together, and to serve God just so far as consists with his interest and convenience; but no man can serve two masters, whose commands are contradictory, and never were two masters more opposite than God and mammon. God demands the heart, enjoins condemnment, honesty, charity, deadness to this world; and bids his servants forego their case, their gain, their honour, their essence among men, to seek in the first place his kingdom and tighteousness. Mammon commands the glittering flores of this van world; bids his servants eat, drink, and be merry; pursue their worldly interests, honours, and esteem; mons chiefly themselves; love for themselves, spread on themselves; and by every means secure wealth, as the principal thing, and much chief good. Thus opposite are these masters; the service of the one must be attended with abhorrence of the other; we are called upon to make our choice, and let us remember eternity depends upon it. 1. 25. ¶ Therefore I say unto you, ‘Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; not ye for your body, what ye shall put on: Is not Vol. II. the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? 26. Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father recheck them. Are ye not much better than they? 27. Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? 28. And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin. 29. And yet I say unto you, that even Solomon in all his glory, was not arrayed like one of these. 30. Wherefore if God so clothe the grafs of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is call into the oven, shall be not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? 31. Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we do? or what shall we drink? or wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32. (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 33. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you. 34. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself: sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. 1. Job prevail. 2. Pet. 3. 27, 28, 4. 1000 p. 1. Chap. xiv. 2. 1st 1. Pet. x. 2. 2. 1st Kings. 3. 1st. 2nd. 4. 1000 p. 5. 1st. Mark 6. 1st. 7. 1st. 2nd. 8. 1st. 2nd. 9. 1st. 2nd.

Matthew 6:25-34

Many think themselves far removed from coveroutness, whose hearts, notwithstanding, are overcharged with the cares of this life; and though not brutally avaricious, evidently shew their affections more for on things on earth, than the things in heaven. We have therefore, 1. An admonition against all inordinate anxiety about a worldly provision. Take no thought, &c. There is a thoughtfulness and care needful and commendable, Prov. xxvii. 25. Our families cannot be otherwise provided for, nor the duties of our stature discharged; but the caution here given, is levelled against tormenting fallacious, and unbelieving difficult of God’s providence, which is as dishonourable to him, as distressing to ourselves. Our life is in his hands, and whist we are supplying the appointed means in dependance upon his blessing, we must with satisfaction call our care upon him, to give us sickness or health, comforts or crosses, want or abundance, as he pleases; and when we do so, we have his promise to assure us we shall have just that which is good for us. 2. Christ enforces his admonition by several considerations, which, if we seriously thought upon, would ever furnish us with abundant arguments to silence all disquieting carefulness. [1.] If God gives the greater blessings, will he withhold the labs? Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? If God hath freely given us these without our thought or care, and hitherto hath preserved them amidst innumerable dangers, can it be supposed he will suffer us to perish for lack of food or rainment? [2.] Behold the fowls of the air, numerous and voracious as they are; without any care of theirs, by the Divine Providence, a daily provision is made for them, though they lose not, nor reap, nor gather into barns. And if God thus provides for them, are ye not much better than they? more excellent in nature, and therefore much more the objects of his care: can the heirs of heaven be furnished, when the fowls of heaven are fed? [3.] Unprofitable, as well as unnecessary, are all our anxious cares. Which of you, by taking thought, can add one cubit unto his flowers, or age? Will our fallacious aid to our height, or will our thoughtfulness lengthen our lives a year, a month, a day, an hour, beyond the boundary decreed? How vain and foolish then to disquiet ourselves about other things equally out of our power? We are called upon here to make a virtue of necessity, and submit quietly to the determinations of providence. [4.] To silence our carefulness about raiment, Christ points to the flowers which were probably near him, and made the application more beautifully striking. Consider the likes of the field, that grow without care or culture, without toil or labour; yet even Solomon on his throne, adorned with richest robes, in all his glory, was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grafs of the field, which is so worthless, fading, and transitory, which to-day is in such beauty, and to-morrow is only

into the oven to burn, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little

faith? Nee, [1.] All our anxiety about worldly things actries from unbelief. [2.] It is the height of folly and vanity to be proud of fine closets, when every flower of the field must far outline us. [3.] Every object around us, if our minds be rightly disposed, will afford us arguments for faith, and quiet dependence on God’s care. [5.] Such anxiety is heathenish, and merely unbecoming those who have the light of revelation. Denotes indeed, who have not knowledge of a particular providence, may be concerned after these things, and imagine they must get them merely by their own care and labour; but it is a shame for Christians, who are more taught, not to show the excellence of their principles by y E the the nobler practice of deadness to the world and confidence in God.

(b.) Our heavenly Father knoweth us have used of all their things, and therefore we may confidently expect the supply of every want. He hath a father’s bowels to feel for us; we have a sure interest in him; he knows our wants; and, be they never so many or great, he can abundantly relieve them. His care for us makes our carefulness for ourselves needless.

3. Christ directs us to the proper object of our cares: Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness. Religion is our great business: to be a living member of Christ’s church is infinitely more our concern than how our bodies shall be fed; and his righteousness, which is our title to the kingdom, is the role we should be more solicitous to put on than any other ailment: and with this divine righteousness internal purity must be bought with diligence, in the use of every means of grace, and in the first place counting all dung and loss, compared with the great concerns of our souls and the eternal world, which should in a measure swallow up all other considerations. Indeed the trifles of time will fit light upon those who have the glands of eternity in view. Besides, this is the way to secure all the rest of our wants; for he who is able abundantly to supply them is pleased to assure us, that then all they may shall be added unto us; they shall be thrown in as ever and above all the spiritual blessings. Oh that we were but wise to know our true interests! we should find by experience nothing was ever lost by faith unscrupulous, and diligent caring for the soul.

4. As the conclusion of the matter, we are, without solicitude about futurity, to cast our care upon God, who will care for us. Take no thought for the morrow; which does not forbid prudent foresight, or enjoin an absolute disregard about our business or our families, but all perplexing anxiety, all disquieting fears about what may never happen; or, if it does, may give us no such trouble as we apprehend; and all unbelieving distrust of God. Our business is to mind perfect duty, and leave events to God. Tomorrow shall take thought for the things of itself, it is fully to be disquieted about what may never come to pass. Who knows whether to-morrow belongs to time or to eternity? And if it returns, He, who supplied our wants to-day, will supply our wants to-morrow. Sufficient for the day is the evil thereof: we need not anticipate our troubles, or torment ourselves with imaginary life: each day has sufficient, without borrowing to-morrow’s burden to increase the load; and which not all our previous cares and fears will make the lighter. It is God’s circle on the wicked world, that they are self-tormentors; whilst they who live by faith may always rejoice in hope.