Propositions and Principles of Divinity Disputed, Section 68
PRINCIPLES TOVCHING THE FOVRTH PETITION OF THE LORDS PRAYER. LXVIII.
THE THIRD PETITION OF THE LORDS Prayer hath beene opened in the laſt Principles, concerning the will of God: ſo that the firſt part of the Prayer beeing expounded, we come now to the ſecond.
1 AFter that Chriſt had taught in the three former petitions, ſuch things as do immediatlie reſpect the glorie of God: he now adjoyneth thoſe, which (thogh they are to be referred vntounto Gods glorie) do yet eſpeciallie concerne vsus and our profit.
2 Now, as man conſiſteth of two parts: ſo theſe things are of two ſorts, corporall and ſpirituall.
3 This firſt petition of the ſecond part thē is touching corporall, the other two, are concerning ſpirituall bleſſings.
4 Now, whereas mention is made firſt of corporal benefites, the reaſon thereof may ſeeme to bee, in that corporall things, and the profite that ariſe of them, are better knowne vntounto vsus. And therefore, the Lord (to the end he might relieue the ſlowneſſe & infirmitie of our nature) dooth lift vsus from common thinges, vntounto theſe that are leſſe knowne vntounto vsus, from eaſie vntounto hard, from earthlie vntounto heauenlie matters.
5 The ſumme of this firſt petition is, that the Lord would beſtow vponupon vsus things neceſſarie for this life: to wit food and raiment eſpeciallie: next, thoſe things which are helpes of the outward neceſsities of this life; that is, ſuch things as make for our peaceable being, as far, & as long, as the Lord thinketh expedient for vsus.
6 The neceſsitie, or rather the aequitie of this petition is manifold: Firſt it teacheth vsus, that we ought wholly to depend vponupon Gods Prouidence, by whome we are nouriſhed, maintained and preſerued. Secondlie, that wee acknowledge him the giuer of all good things both ſpirituall and temporall. Thirdlie, that we may with quiet minds expect thoſe things at his handes, which otherwiſe would holde vsus in a miſerable care and perplexity.
7 For our mercifull Father dooth not diſdaine to receaue our bodies into his protection and cuſtodie, that by theſe ſmall thinges, hee may exerciſe our faith, when as wee looke for all thinges at his handes, euen the leaſt crumb of bread, and drop of water, that we put into our mouthes.
I. The Marcionites and Manichaees therefore are out of their wits, who hauehave endeuored to defend that God hath no care of theſe our bodies, as though the ſame were vnbeſeeming his Majeſtie: and that our fleſhe or our bodies, were the worke not of God, but of an euill beginning, that is, of the Diuell, and therefore that it became not the good God to ſuſtaine them, ſeeing they are euill.
II. They are madd alſo who thinke, that all thinges are diſpoſed by the toſsing of Fortune. And the Epicures alſo, togeather with thoſe who houlde that God hath no care or reſpect vntounto the thinges that are done vnderunder the or be of the Moone.
III Witches and Sorcerers in like ſort are heere condemned, and all thoſe, who either openlie, or by anie ſecreat trade, ſeeke their maintenance in this life of the Diuell, and not of God.
8 But now we come to examine the words of the petitions: the word [BREAD] is taken in this place, neither ſimplie, nor Metaphoricallie, for the bread of the Supper or Thankeſ-giuing, of almes, of tribulation, of Doctrine, as ſome of the auncients hauehave expounded it: but it is taken by ſetting downe a part for the whole, for all thoſe thinges which are required for the ſuſtentation of this life.
9 Now, whereas Chriſt hath expreſſed this Petition by the name of BREAD (beeing the moderateſt kinde of ſuſtenance that men vſe,) and not fleſh, or of daintie faire: hee doth thereby commend vntounto vsus, the care of thriftines and ſo brietie; and teach vsus that wee ought to bee content with ſmall and meane things.
10 For although we may vſe meat, not for neceſsities cauſe onelie, ſeeing the Lord doth moſt liberallie grant vsus manie things beſids thoſe that are neceſſarie for the maintenance of this life: yet are wee to take heed, leaſt abuſing the ſweetneſſe of theſe thinges, and forgetting that heauenlie bread, we giuegive our ſelues vntounto pleaſure, according vntounto the ſaying of PAVLE,Rom. 13.14. Take no thought for the fleſhe to fulfill the luſts thereof.
11 Where he adjoyneth [OVR] hee teacheth vsus, that we ought to abſtaine from other mens goods; and that we are, in a ſinceare conſcience, to vſe the things which God of his merciemercy beſtoweth vponupon vsus.
12 Now the bread is made ours, by his free-gift, becauſe neither our endeuours, labour, or hands, as is ſaide LEVIT. 26.20, can profit vsus anie thing, except the bleſsing of God be joyned with them: yea, and the aboundance of bread it ſelf, woulde not bee anie whit auaileable vntounto vsus, except it were from aboue turned vntounto our nouriſhement.
13 The verie rich men themſelues then, with whome God hath dealt ſo bountifullie, are bound heere to craue dailie bread. For, it is God who doth not onelie giuegive and take away good thinges, but alſo bleſſeth that which wee hauehave receaued, and giueth force of nouriſhment, otherwiſe bread hauing loſt the ſtaff thereof, would be but as a ſtone vntounto vsus.
14 Now although that theſe things which we hauehave receaued of God, are ours; and that we may vſe them with a good conſcience: yet it is not meet that they ſhoulde bee ours in ſuch ſort, as they be onelie turned vntounto our owne vſe: but we muſt alwaies remember, that we are but ſtewards of Gods bleſsings, and bound to yeelde an account before his Tribunall ſeat, howe wee hauehave beſtowed them.
15 The word foreign dooth not ſignifie a ſuperſubſtantiall bread, as ſome hauehave thought: but ſuch as is ſufficient for the dailie ſuſtentation of our bodie.
16 For the children of God are ſo caried aboue this life, that they may yet neceſſarilie craue earthlie thinges, for the maintenance of their vocation in this life: eſpeciallie ſeeing the fatherlie kindnes and fauour of God, doth appeare euen in meat and drinke, and that godlines hath the promiſes, not onelie of the life to come, but euen of this.
By this word DAILIE is condemned their follie, who hauehave vſed an immoderat kinde of abſtinence, and hurtfull vntounto the health of their bodies, and became at the length to liue ſo auſterelie, that they dreamed the ſame to be a kinde of Angelicall perfection.
17 The word foreign GIVE, or foreign as LVKE hath it, doth teach vsus that God is the authour, euen of corporall bleſſings, and that food and raiment, and whatſoeuer do make that wee eate our bread in quietneſſe, doe come from his meere liberalitie.
They are to be rejected therefore, who doe attribute anie thing vntounto the merites of men, (which are none at all) in obtaining of corporall things.
18 Now, whereas we deſire theſe thinges to bee giuen vsus of God, which hee hath commanded vsus to get with the labour of our hands, and the ſweat of our browes, this is done for two cauſes eſpeciallie. Firſt, becauſe our induſtrie and diligence, do auaile vsus nothing, for the obtaining of things needfull, except the bleſsing of God bee ioined vntounto them. Next, in that wee are not properlie nouriſhed by the power of meat and drinke, but onelie that the Lord vſeth them as inſtruments.
19 The word [THIS DAY] teacheth, that we ought to bridle our immoderat deſire of tranſitorie things, wherevnto we are carried away beyond meaſure.
20 It teacheth alſo, that we are continuallie to depend vponupon the goodnes of God, and that we are not to pine our ſelues with ouer much caring, how we ſhal hauehave things neceſſary for many yeares.
21 Yet are they not heere condemned, who lay vp for the time to come, that which they hauehave gotten by lawfull meanes; ſo that it be done to a good end, and that they repoſe not their confidence therein.
Defended by IOHN TAFFINVS of Tornay.