DISCOURSE I. THE DUTY OF TAKING NO THOUGHT THECA・BO MATTHEW VI. 34. Take therefore no thought for the morrow; for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itfelf, fufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. W HAT? Take no thought, no DISC. thought at all for the morrow? Attend only to the day that is passing over us, and make no provision for the future? Are we not to look forward; to suppose a continuation of life, and a want of the means which are necessary to support it? Should we fit still, with our arms folded, and expect that Providence will supply us with those means, without using our own endea VOL. III. B I. DISC. endeavours ? Is not the hufbandman, when I. he has reaped one harvest, to sow his feed for another? Most undoubtedly he is. The Scriptures suppose all men to have fome occupation, and to be labouring in it, that the state of the world may be upholden. They tell us, in the Old Testament, that "the hand of the diligent maketh rich;" and in the New, that " if any man will not " work, neither should he eat." In the former, man is sent to learn wisdom of " the "ant, which provideth her meat in the " fummer, and gathereth her food in the " harvest," with a view to the approaching winter; in the latter we read, that "the " parents should lay up for the children." In a word, no one thing is more feverely condemned and exposed, than the folly of the fluggard, who has the presumption to tempt God, by imagining, that all the bleffings of heaven will defcend on the head of idleness, and that meat will drop into his mouth, if he does but condescend to open it.-How are these very different directions to be reconciled ? The 7 I. The truth is, that the Greek word, here DISC. rendered take no thought, fignifies properly, be not anxious, folicitous, miferable, about to morrow; literally and strictly, be not of a doubtful, divided mind. For all care fupposes a person to be wavering, drawn hither and thither by different motives, first one way and then another, not knowing how to fix and determine; fince, when this is once firmly and finally done, the trouble ceases, and the man is at eafe. Before that, the mind is distracted, that is, drawn diverse ways at the fame time, like the body of a criminal, in fome countries, torn in pieces by horfes pulling in oppofition to each other. They who have felt the torment of fuch a state of mind know what I mean, and what is so beautifully expressed by the original word in this place of Scripture, which thus kindly commands us not to make ourselves wretched by anxious carings and apprehenfions about the future; but, in all cafes of difficulty, to perform diligently that part which appears wisest and best for us to perform; then to resign the matter into the hands B2 I. DISC. hands of God; quietly and patiently waiting the event, before it comes, and humbly acquiescing in it, when it does come. In fhort, so to use our endeavours, as if they were to effect every thing; so to trust in God, as if they were to effect nothing. But let us not be too hasty in blaming our worthy tranflators. They could not have been ignorant, any more than we are, that it was impossible for Christ to give such a precept as at first fight this appears now to be. But they wrote above 150 years ago; and there is good reason for supposing, that the expreffion to take thought, did at that time generally denote the very thing, which, as has been shewn you, the Greek word most certainly means, viz. to take anxious thought, or to be anxiously careful, to be uneasy. In this sense, which is the only true sense, " take no thought for the morrow," is excellent advice; and advice which is much needed. All things are full of labour. Walk |