Exposition of the Sermon on the Mount, Chapter 6 · Verse 11
vers. 11.
GiueGive vsus this day our daily bread.
The coherence. Hitherto we hauehave handled the petitions that concerne Gods golrie; now we come to the petitions that concerne our selues, as the word Us, doth plainly shew, in these three which follow: and they depend vponupon the former, as an explication of the manner of our obedience; for there we asked grace to doe Gods will; and here we pray for those blessings and mercies wherein we may expresse our obedience; for we doe Gods will, when we depend vponupon his prouidence for the blessings of this life; when we relie vponupon his merciemercy, for the pardon of our sinnes, and trust in his power for strength against temptation and deliuerance from euill. Now then to come particularly to this fourth petition; hauing in the former craued grace to doe Gods will in our particular callings, here we pray for such sufficiencie of all temporall blessings, whereby we may glorifie God therein.
In the handling of this petition, sixe points are to be considered: 1. what we aske; Bread: 2. what bread we aske, daily bread: 3. whose bread, ours: 4. for what time, this day: 5. to whome, to vsus: 6. whence we would hauehave it: by gift from God, giuegive vsus.
For the first: The thing we aske is Bread. But what is meant by Bread, is not agreed vponupon: some expound it spiritually of Christs bodie…rasmus. and blood, the foode of the soule in the word and Sacraments. But the vnfitnesse of this exposition we shall see by the weakenesse of their reasons alleadged for it. First, they say, it is not meete that in so heauenly a praier, we should aske so base a thing as materiall bread of our heauenly father. Ans. If God command vsus to aske him bread, and to depende vponupon him for it, wee must not iudge basely of it: nowe in this v. 25. 26. …1.chapter God commands vsus to depend vponupon him for foode to eate: yea, 1. Pet. 5. 7. we must cast all our care on him: and Iacobs practise in praying for bread to eate, Gen. 28. 20. and Agurs praying for a competencie in outward things, Prov. 30. 8. declare plainely the lawfulnesse thereof. Secondly (they say) we must first seeke Gods kingdome and his righteousnesse, and then all these things shall be cast vponupon vsus, v. 33. Ans. Distrustfull and distracting care is there onelyonly forbidden, but a moderate care is there allowed, and therefore praier for them is vndoubtedly lawfull.
The second opinion touching Bread is of the Papists, to wit, that Rhem on this place.here we aske not onelyonly all necessarie sustenance for the bodie, but much more all spirituall foode, namely, the blessed Sacrament, which is Christ the bread of life. But neither is this so fit: for first, we praied for spirituall things directly in the second petition. Secondly, sacramentall bread cannot here be meant, because it was not ordained when Christ taught his Disciples this praier. Thirdly, their exposition is against their owne practise: for if by bread, were meant Christ in the Sacrament, then the people should be fed therewith eueryevery day, which they barre them frō.
The third opinion is, that by bread is meant corporall food and blessings necessarie to temporall life onelyonly: and this I take to be the truth for these reasons, which also make against the former expositions. First,What is meant by Bread. S. Luke, the best interpreter of our Sauiour Christ, expounds the words, of bread that serues for the day: that is, for eueryevery day, Luk. 11. 3. and therefore it must needes be bodily: for spirituall food once truly receiued, serues not for a day, but for euer, Ioh. 4. 14. Secondly, this is a perfect platforme of praier, and therefore must containe petition for temporall blessings, els it were not perfect: now we cannot comprehend our requests for temporall blessings vnderunder any other petition but this onelyonly, and therefore Christ here propoundeth them.
Now properly, bread imports that sustenance made of graine which is fit and conuenient for mans bodily nourishment, such as Melchisedek brought out to Abraham and his companie, with wine for their refreshing, Gen. 14. 18. and such is meant in Scripture where bread is opposed to wine or water. But more generally it is taken for all kinde of foode whatsoeuer, whereby life is preserued: in which sense goates milke is called bread, Prov. 27. 27. and the fruit of trees, Ier. 11. 19. and all things that passe too and fro in trafficke, Prov. 31. 14. Now in this place it must be taken in a generall sense, not onelyonly for bread, but for all other necessarie foode, and for raiment also, with health, peace, libertie; and all other things that are meete and needfull for the good outward estate of man, of family, or common wealth.
The vses. 1. In that Christ bids vsus pray for bread and not for dainties;1 hereby he would teach vsus to beware of couetousnes, the commonBeware of couetousnes sinne of our nature whereby we are discontent with our estate, & murmure with the Israelites, if we hauehave no more but Manna: but we must striue against this corruption, and say with Dauid, Lord, incline my heart vntounto thy testimonies, and not vntounto couetousnes, Psal. 119. 36.
Secondly, we must hereby also learne to practise sobrietie and moderation2 in diet, apparell, and all other things appertaining to this life,Learne sobrietie. vsing them so as we may be the fitter for our callings, and the seruice of God, and so bettered thereby and not made worse.
Thirdly, this must teach vsus contentation with that place and state of3 li…e, and measure of wealth which God giues vsus: for we must aske breadContentation. onelyonly, that is, things necessarie, and therefore if God giuegive vsus things necessarie we must be therewith content: and our corrupt mind must not be iudge herein, but what God bestowes vponupon our sober vse of lawfull means within our calling, that must we iudge to be our portion: 1. Tim. 6. 8. If we hauehave food and raiment, let vsus therewith be content. This was Pauls practise, I can be abased, & I can abound: eueryevery where in all things Phil. 4. 12.I am instructed both to be full and to be hungrie, to abound and to hauehave want. The Numb. 11. 3…. 33.Israelites in the wildernes were not content with Manna, but would needes hauehave flesh to eate, and God gaue them their desire, but while the flesh was in their mouthes, his wrath fell vponupon them: therefore let vsus lust after no more then God giues vponupon our sober vse of lawfull meanes, least in seeking more, we draw Gods curse vponupon vsus. But, alas, few are content with their estate, the yeoman wil be like the gentleman in attire and diet; and the gentleman like the noble man; and hence comes vsurie, oppression, iniustice, and much vngodlines; hence it comes that Gods iudgement in dearth is increased vponupon the poore, because men make no conscience of the meanes, so they may benefite and inrich themselues, and get aloft: but beware of Gods curse with thine aduancement; vnlesse God change thine estate, rest contented with that which is present, and be thankefull for it: for better is a little with the feare of God, then great treasure and trouble therewith, Prov. 15. 16. now what trouble like the wrath of God, and therefore be content with that which God sendeth in the vse of lawfull meanes.
Fourthly, must we aske of God eueryevery bit of bread we eate? then away4 with all chance and fortune, and let vsus learne to acknowledgeChance confuted. Gods prouidence in all things.
Fiftly, must Gods children aske of God their daily foode and receiue5 it as a gift of merciemercy from the hand of their father? then awayMerit consated. with merit by mans works, for if bread be of merciemercy, life euerlasting cannot be of merit on mans part.
Lastly, this petition ministreth vntounto vsus a notable ground of contentation6 against distrustfull care, for that which Christ bids vsus aske, God vndoubtedly will giuegive, because it is according to his will: and therefore the child of God may assure himselfe of things sufficient for this life, in the sober vse of lawfull meanes; and looke if temporall blessings faile, for a good supplie in spirituall graces.
Here a question may be asked, seeing we aske of God but breadeOf vsing Gods creatures to our delight. onelyonly, that is, things necessarie for this life, whether may we vse the creatures of God for our delight? Answ. We may vse the outward blessings of God for our honest delight, Eccles. 5. 17. Behold what I hauehave seene good, that it is comely, to eat and to drinke and to take pleasure in all his labour wherein man trauelleth vnderunder the sunne: yet three caueats must be remembred, lest we abuse our libertie in this delight: I. we must see God to giuegive vsus not onelyonly things necessarie, but for delight: II. in our delight and pleasure we must so moderate our affections, that they be not taken vp with these earthly things, nor hereby withdrawen or hindred from thinges heauenly and spirituall: III. Our principall ioy must be in spirituall foode, euen in Christ crucified, and in our true communion with him in his body and blood: all our delight must stoope to this, and out of Christ we must count nothing ioyous.
II. Point. What bread: daily bread. The word in the orginall signifiethforeign bread put to our substances day by day; that is, such bread as serues to preserue health and life from day to day: this Agur calls bread or foode conuenient for him, Prov. 30. 8.
The vse. In this second point we learne two things. First, that itWe may pray for tē porall blessings. is lawfull to aske temporall blessings at the hands of God, for he is our mercifull father and bids vsus so to doe; which serueth to confirme the former exposition of this article. Secondly, that we ought to hauehave aA moderate care for tē porall things lawfull. moderate care to preserue our bodily life and health, in the diligent vse of all lawfull meanes; for what we pray for we must endeuour to doe. The sixth commandement saith, Thou shalt not kill; wherein the Lord inioyneth vsus by all good meanes to preserue our owne and our neighbours life. And this we must doe for two causes especially: first, that we may doe all the good we can to that Church, Commonwealth, and family whereof we are members: secondly, that we may hauehave a sufficient time to prepare our selues for heauen: for death will come, and the day of iudgement; and after death there is no wisdome, nor counsell, Eccles. 9. 10.worke, nor inuention: therefore now must we prepare our selues for God, that we may be readie to receiue him at his comming; and he that is prepared for the Lord hath liued well and long enough, but without this our life is spent in vaine.
III. Point. Whose bread doe we pray for, our owne, not otherHow temporall blessing▪ becom ours. mens. But how doth bread or any other temporall blessing become ours? Ans. First, when we hauehave true right thereto before God: secondly, when we hauehave lawfull possession thereof before men. Our right before God is needefull, for we lost all in Adam, and hauehave recouerie of our right in the creatures onelyonly in Christ Iesus, when by saith we become his members: 1. Cor. 3. 22. All things are yours, & you are Christs. And yet for all this, the child of God may not vse all things as his owne though he hauehave right thereto in Christ, vnlesse by Gods prouidence he hauehave also lawfull right thereto or possession thereof before men, as by lawfull gift, purchase, labour, or such like. Indeede right in Christ is the chiefe title, but yet right before men is also necessarie: for Christian libertie doth not abolish good orders in ciuill estates, but establish them rather: Christ is no enemie to Cesar; and therefore the Scripture inioynes eueryevery man to eate his owne bread, 2. Thess. 3. 12. that is, such whereto he hath right in Christ by faith, and also inioyeth by Gods prouidence in some honest meanes alowed of men; for by good orders established among men, we are put into possession of those things whereto we hauehave right in Christ.
The vse. I. Here we learne to receiue our bread from God, or any…ov all in Christ. other temporall blessing we enioy as a fruit of Christs passion; and indeede Christ crucified is the foundation of eueryevery good gift and blessing of God. As for infidells and wicked men who possesse and vse many temporall blessings, it must be graunted that they hauehave right thereto before men; but yet hauing no part in Christ crucified, they want the true foundation, and so are no better then vsurpers before God, for which one day they must be called to reckoning. If this point were learned, men would shew more conscience in getting, and more reuerence and thankfulnesse in vsing Gods temporall blessings, then vsually they doe: there would be lesse riot and excesse in diet & attire, and lesse abuse of all Gods creatures: for the meditation of this price of our restitution, would restraine vsus from dishonouring God in any of his blessings.
II. This petition for our owne bread, teacheth vsus that eueryevery oneA lawful calling necessaric. should hauehave a lawfull calling, and therein so imploy himselfe that he may eate his owne bread, 2. Thess. 3. 12. No man ought to liue out of a lawfull calling, nor yet idlely therein; the master must banish idlenesse out of his family; and the magistrate out of the commonwealth: vagrant persons ought not to be tolerated, for such eate not their owne bread.
III. Here is condemned all fraud, iniustice, and crueltie, in the gettingIll getting condemned. of temporall blessings, for we pray for our owne bread; but that which is so gotten, is not our owne, but others: neither will the gamesters gaine, nor that which is got by lotterie, stand with this petition: for this is not to labour the thing that good is, as the Apostle requireth, Eph. 4. 28. neither are they sanctified meanes of getting. Quest. If this bread be our owne, what neede we to aske it? Ans. We aske it for good causes though it be our owne: for in bread there be two things; the substance of bread, and the blessing of God therein, which in Scripture is called aIsa. 3 1.the staffe of bread, which is that vertue and power therein, whereby it nourisheth: for herein it fareth with bread, as it doth with an old man, take away his staffe and he cannot stand but falleth; so take away Gods blessing from bread, and it becomes vnprofitable, and nourisheth not. Now because we may hauehave the substance of bread, and yet want the blessing vponupon it; we may hauehave our garners full, and yet be poore: we bHag. 1. 6.may eate, and not be satisfied; fill our bellies, and yet be hungrie, therefore we pray to God for bread; that so we may hauehave not onelyonly the substance, but the blessing of God therewithall: for which cause Princes must as well make this petition as the poorest beggers.
IV. Point. For what time doe we aske bread: not for a monethmonth or a yeare, but for this day, or as Luke hath it, according to the day, Luk. 11. 3. that is, meete and conuenient for this present day.
The vse. In this circumstance of time, we are taught; first, to bewaile our distrustfulnes in Gods prouidence for temporall blessings, as foode, raiment, &c.
Secondly, to acknowledge Gods particular prouidence vponupon vsus from day to day, whereon we must depend and cast our selues continually for all things needefull, though wee see no reason thereof. Thus did Abraham, when he was about to sacrifice his sonne; for when Isaac asked, where is the sacrifice? Abraham answered; my sonne, God will prouide, Gen. 22. 8. and so hee did, vers. 13. whereupon Abraham in memorie of this singular worke of Gods prouidence, called the name of the place, Iehovah ijreh, God will prouide, v. 14. A most worthie president for eueryevery man in the way of obedience, to depend vponupon Gods prouidence for all things needefull, endeauouring to see his disposing hand in all things that fall out good or bad.
Thirdly, to moderate our care in seeking for the blessings of thisA moderate care for this life. life: we must hauehave care to prouide things honest and necessarie; and for this ende must exercise our selues in the vse of lawfull meanes, otherwise we shall tempt God; but yet our care must be so moderate, that we still depend vponupon our heauenly fathers care and prouidence for vsus, who biddes vsus aske him bread for eueryevery day: and thus we shall hauehave enough, when as distrustfull and immoderate care shall helpe vsus nothing. When the cExod. 16. 18. 19.Israelites liued by Manna, which God gaue them from heauen, they were commaunded to gather but for one day, and to reserue none of it till the morrowe; whereby God would teach them to depende vponupon his daily prouidence: which while they did, they had sufficient, and that which was good; but when through couetousnesse they would needes gather more then for the day, and so reserued of it till the morning, Gods curse light vponupon it; dv. …4.for it was full of wormes and stanke: and afterwarde when they beganne to dislike Manna, and were not content with his prouidence, but eNum. 11. 4.lusted after flesh, he gaue them their desire, but withall his wrath fell vponupon them while the flesh was betweene their teeth before it was chewed, v. 33. and so it will be with vsus if we distrust in God: but if we learne and practise this dependance on Gods particular prouidence, we shall hauehave experience of his goodnesse, though ordinarie meanes faile, either by supplie, as 1. king. 17. 6. or by patience to beare the want.
Fourthly, here we hauehave a good ground of that holy practise of GodsSanctification of our food…. children in sanctifying their meate and drinke by praier and thankesgiuing: for here we are taught to pray for temporall blessings, and therfore when we hauehave them and vse them, we should glorifie God by praier and thanksgiuing for his blessing vponupon them: the reason hereof is great: for first, hereby we are distinguished from bruit beasts, who liue vponupon Gods blessings, but yet cannot praise him as man may doe: secondly, hereby we testifie our right and interest into Gods creatures by Iesus Christ, which we lost in Adam, for true praier is a fruit of faith, and by faith we are made partakers of Christ Iesus: thirdly, such is our corruption by nature, that we are prone to abuse all Gods blessings, and therefore we must pray for grace to vse them moderately and thankefully.
Fiftly, here we may learne how to frame our daily praiers to God, for this circumstance of time must be referred to eueryevery petition; and therefore this must be our practise, eueryevery day to pray for grace to glorifie Gods name, to yeelde obedience to his will, to hauehave our sinnes forgiuen, and so for the rest.
V. Point. For whome doe we aske bread; not for our selues alone but for our brethren; GiueGive vsus: which serues to teach vsus brotherly louelove, which seeketh not her owne things onelyonly, but is bountifull towards others seeking their good also. And indeede here we are but stewards of Gods temporall blessings, and therefore may not imploy them as we will, but for his glorie who is our absolute Lord: now his direction isHow to glorifi… God with ou… tē poral goods. to this effect; that first, we should glorifie God with our temporall goods, imploying them for the maintenance of his worship and of true religion. Secondly, that we should imploy them for the common good, in the releefe of the poore, and other necessarie duties for the commonwealth. Thirdly, that we should prouide for our owne, especially them of our family, that we may liue in peace and quietnes, and so the better prepare our selues for the life to come.
VI. Point. From whom must we looke to receiue our bread; namely from God; for we say vntounto him that is our father in Christ, GiueGive vsus: which teacheth vsus, that though we be his children, and so hauehave right to temporall blessings, yet whatsoeuer wee hauehave, we must know it comes from God, and must receiue and vse it as from his hand. And this we shall doe if we sanctifie the creatures of God vntounto our temporall vse: for eueryevery creature of God is good if it be sanctified in his vse. Now the creature is sanctified not as man is, when the spirit ofHow the creature i. sanctified. God worketh in him, abolishing corruption and renuing grace; nor yet as the elements in the sacraments are sanctified, which are set apart by God to an holy and spirituall vse, to be seales and pledges of grace; but when it is made fit to our temporall ciuill vse, which is done by the word and prayer, 1. Tim. 4. 4. Where, by the word is meant; first, the word of creation, whereby God in the beginning fitted the creature for mans vse, and gaue him power and soueraigntie ouer it:Gen. 1. 29, 3… secondly, the word of restitution, whereby after the fall and after the flood he graunted vntounto man the vse of his creatures, Gen. 9. 3. thirdly, the word of the Gospel concerning our Christian libertie wherein he hath inlarged our vse in the creatures of God, Act. 10. 15. And by prayer, we desire God to giuegive his power vntounto the creatures, and his blessing vponupon them to serue for our good and comfort; as also to giuegive vsus grace to receiue them as from his hand, and to vse them to his glorie. If we could learne and practise this dutie, we should hauehave more comfort in the creatures then yet we hauehave; yea it would restraine vsus from fraud, oppression, crueltie, and from pride and vanitie in getting and vsing all Gods blessings: for if we were perswaded that all temporall blessings came from his hand, how durst we sinne against him either in getting or vsing of them?
Secondly, in that after our labour and diligence in our callings weThe order of causes in tē porall blessings. must still pray to God to giuegive vsus bread, we must learne to obserue that order of causes which God hath set in the producing of all temporall blessings for his life: for not onelyonly foode and rayment, but our labour and diligence thereabout are secondarie causes, depending vponupon the blessing of God, which is the first cause of all, disposing and ordering all things vntounto goodnesse: for it comes from God that meate doth feede vsus, and cloathes doe keepe vsus warme. If he say vntounto stones, become bread, they shall feede vsus, Matth. 4. 4. yea, in the want of bread he can preserue strength for many daies, Exod. 34. 8. and 1. king. 19. 8. yea, if he speake the word, poyson shall become bread and nourish vsus: but without his blessing nothing can doe vsus good: Psal. 127. 1, 2. Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vaine that build it: wee therefore must learne to relie vponupon Gods prouidence for a blessing on all our labour and studie, and waite for his blessing in all the meanes we vse for our good and comfort, for he is our life, our health, and preseruation.