Wherefore if God so clothe the grass of the
field.
&c.] These words are a conclusion from the former, and
contain an argument from the lesser to the greater; that if God,
for this is solely his work, so clothes the lilies, the flowers
of the field, and whatever grows up out of the earth, in such a
beautiful and splendid manner, as even to outdo Solomon, in his
richest apparel; there's no doubt to be made of it, or at least
ought not, but that he will much more provide clothing for men.
The argument is illustrated, by the short continuance of the
grass of the field, which is so clothed; and the use it is put
to, when cut down;
which today is
in being, but abides not long, as it were but for a day: it
flourishes in the morning, continues for the day in its glory and
verdure, is cut down at evening, and withers and dies,
and tomorrow is cast into the oven,
to heat it with, or as the Syriac version reads (arwntb) , "in the furnace". And so
Munster's Hebrew edition of this Gospel. For furnaces used to be
heated with straw and stubble, and such like things, as were
gathered out of the fields; so, we read in the Misna F11, that
pots and furnaces were heated;
``a pot which they heat "with straw and stubble", they put into it that which is to be boiled--a furnace which they heat "with straw and stubble", they put nothing into it, nor upon it (i.e. till they have removed the coals or ashes): a little furnace, which they heat (abbgbw vqb) , "with straw and stubble", is as the pots.''The last word, (abbg) , Bartenora says, signifies wood, or sticks, small as stubble, which they gather out of the field; that is, the stalks of some sort of herbs and plants, that grow in the field: now if God clothes these plants, which are so short lived, and at last used for such mean purposes;
shall he not much more clothe you
men, his people, who are of a much longer life, and designed for
greater ends and purposes; for the worship and service of God,
for his honour and glory here, and for eternal life and happiness
hereafter,
O ye of little faith?
As such persons are, who distrust the providence of God, with
respect to food and raiment, The phrase, (hnma ynjq) , "men of little faith", is often to
be met with in the Rabbinical writings: so Noah is represented by
them, as one of "little faith", who believed, and did not believe
the flood; and therefore did not go into the ark, till the waters
drove him F12: and though he is said to be
perfect, this was not by his works, but by the grace of God
F13. So the Israelites at the Red Sea,
who thought that when they came out on one side, the Egyptians
would come out on the F14 other. So the little children that
mocked Elisha, are said to be so called, because they were men
"of little F15 faith". So everyone that exalts his
voice in prayer, is reckoned such an one {p}. But what comes
nearest to the case before us, is the following
F17 passage;
``Says R. Eliezer the Great, whoever has a morsel in his basket, and says, what shall I eat tomorrow? is no other than (hnma ynmqm) , "one of those of little faith".''
F11 Sabbat, c. 3. sect. 1, 2.
F12 Jarchi in Gen. vii. 7.
F13 Tzeror Hammor, fol. 10. 2.
F14 T. Bab. Pesachim, fol. 118. 2. Erachin, fol. 15. 1.
F15 T. Bab. Sota, fol. 46. 2. Zohar in Exod. fol. 90. 2.
F16 T. Bab. Beracot, fol. 24. 2. Zohar in Num. fol. 93. 2.
F17 T. Bab. Sota, fol. 48. 2.