Exposition of the Lords Prayer, Treatise · Part 11
VERSE II.
GiueGive us this day our daily Bread.
IN the three Petition. 4 former Petitions are set downe the things that concerne the Glorie of God, and the sanctifying of his Name, which is done, when his kingdome of Grace is advanced, and his kingdome of Glorie doth come, and when his will is done in earth, as the Angels and Saints doe it in heaven, that is chearefully, faithfully, humbly, and without objecting, for so the Angels doe it likewise. This being at length shewed, followeth the three last petitions wherin we beg of God things necessarie for our owne good.
1. For our naturall life, in the fourth petition.
2. For our spirituall life, in the two last petitions.
Not to stand on the curious division and scanningWhat is ment by Bread. of the severall words, because plainenesse and brevitie is intended. In the first place wee must know, that by bread we understand all the commodities and comforts of this life, which are needfull for our health and safetie, and for our comfort and delight. Its a figuratiue speech, the part for the whole. Now in that we are to pray GiueGive us this day our daily bread, that is, food, apparell, &c. In that we must begge these things at Gods hands, the observation is;
That all the commodities of this life are the gifts Observa. 12of God, and if we would hauehave any comfort or profit by them, we must sue unto the Lord.
This, David (though a King, and such a one as came by that hee had as lawfully as any man in the world) confesseth of him and his people when they had beene so liberall, Who am I &c. 1 Chron. 29. 14.It was a great matter that they had abilitie to offer so largely, and to doe it willingly, in that he saith, Who am I? and who is my people, that we should be able to offer willingly? That was a double benefit, yet he saith, All things come of thee, &c. They had given great gifts, yet they had but payd God his owne, nay, but a little part of his owne; and therefore he saith, O Lord all this abundance is from thee, &c. And hee dwells on this, that though God had put them into possession, yet he had not put himselfe out of possession. Yea, might some say, we received it from him at the first indeed, but now hee hath lost his title to them. Nay, (saith he) vers. 19. they are his still, the gold, and silke, & the purple, &c. was Gods, and that they could use them to so good a purpose, was from God: so David presseth this, and yeeldes two reasons of it, to wit, why the earth is his; first, hee made it: and secondly, he preserveth Psal. 24.it. If we hauehave made any thing on the earth, or did preserue any thing, wee might claime some title to it, but God doth both, therfore, The earth is the Lords, and all that therein is.
But, We need not aske divers things which wee Object. hauehave right and interest in, and which we hauehave gotten by our labour and travell.
What is answered, Deut. 8. where is shewed Answ. that the Lord giveth strength to get riches, and besides, hee giues men a heart to use their strength, and good successe in using of these, that we are so much more indebted to God.
But, I hauehave purchased such and such things with Object. my money.
What saith God? The gold is mine, &c. And Answ. the beastes on a thousand hills are mine: and God Hag. 2. 9. Psal. 50.giues them their meate in due season. We cannot provide for them, but it is God that makes the grasse to grow and ripen, and hee giveth it strength to nourish them. So that, turne which way we will, the Lord hath right to all things, he is the owner and possessor of them still.
So that the first reason that they are his, is because of his right.
And secondly, that though we had them already in our hands, yet if God doe not maintaine and continue them unto us, they can doe us no good. As the Prince hearing of the Prophet 2 King. 7.what abundance there should be, said, that if the windowes of heaven should be opened it could not bee: Elisha said unto him, thou shalt see these things, but shalt not tast of them, & he did see them and yet could not eate one morsel, but was trodden under foote. So Baltazer, he had preparedDan. 5. a sumptuous banquet, yet when the hand writing came against him, it did him no good, but his knees smote one against the other. So it is said of the Israelites, When the meate was in Psal. 78.their mouthes the wrath of God fell upon them.
But some may say, When we hauehave it not in our Object. hands onelyonly, but in our mouthes what need we aske it?
Yes, we hauehave need, for if we doe not, the Lord Answ. may destroy us, so that when we hauehave our meat we cannot eate it, unlesse God permit us, or if we could, it could not profit us unlesse God blesse it unto us. As it is said in Haggai, Yee hauehave sowen Haggai 1. 6.much, but bring in little: yee eate, but hauehave not enough: yee drinke, but are not filled with drinke: yee cloath you, but there is no warmth: and hee that earneth wages, earneth wages to put in a bagge with holes. And therefore men had need come unto God be they never so wealthy, because else their wealth will be but poison unto them, rather a meanes to hurt them than to doe them any good,
For Instruction, that therefore before we lay Vse 1 hand of any of the creatures, we pray unto God that he would bestow them on us, and sanctifie them unto us; for every creature is sanctified by1 Tim. 4. the word and prayer. So that we must pray that God that giues us the creatures, would sanctifie them unto us, and us unto them, and then wee must be thankfull, which we shall be if we pray fervently for them, and that not onelyonly in word but in deed, which we shew, when we use them to that end and purpose that God hath appointed. Contrary to this is the practice of those, that if they hauehave apparel and food enough, they pray not for them, or if they doe, it is so coldly, as who should say, this they hauehave alreadie, and therefore doe not with fervencie craue a blessing upon them from the hand of God. But such men mocke God when they say this petition, and thinke whether God giuegive it, or giuegive it not, wee care not, if God will not, our barnes and store-houses will.
Secondly, this serues to reproue those, which Ʋse. 2 abuse their wealth to excesse and riot, and pride &c. Who, howsoever in word they come unto God, yet they doe not in deed: for as far as any one is proud, so farre he trusts not on God, but would thrust him out of possession; and if they thought they were appointed to bee Gods stewards, and that all they hauehave came by his merciemercy, and that to the end they might serue him, in them, and by them, they would be more carefull to use them accordingly, as God hath ordained, but the great abuse of them to surfet and riot, this doth proue, that howsoever they say they hauehave these things of God, yet they come by their owne labour, by their wit and industrie.
For singular comfort to Gods children, If all be Ʋse 3 from the bountie of our heavenly father, and by desert none hath more then others, and there be none of the elect but God doth louelove, therefore they should make reckoning, that they be provided for in their needs, as well as the greatest Prince in the world. But how is he provided for but by prayer, and calling on the name of God? Yea, but he hath wealth and friends which hee leanes upon. Hath he so? yea, cursed is he because he with-draweth his heart from God, and resteth on the arme of flesh, we must first waite on God, and pray unto God, and then assure our hearts he will not faile us: And though others hauehave more, yet let us not envie them: shall our eye be evill, because Gods eye is good? let him doe what he will with his owne, neither let us murmure nor repine, because others hauehave greater plentie then we: for, what is that but to thinke the world beares some sway in the matter, and that God is put out of possession? But we must know, as promotion, so riches come neither from the East nor from the West, but from God alone. And therefore this should pacifie our hearts, if wee pray unto him and depend upon him, according to our faith it shall be unto us.
In that he bids us pray, GiueGive us, not giuegive mee &c. we may obserue:
That wee should bee carefull of our brothers estate Observa. 13as well as of our owne.
So that every faithfull man must pray for all faithfull men, because we are members one of another, and all members of Christ: therefore we must be carefull for them as for our selues. For in the naturall bodie, we will not be content Simile. to hauehave one arme clothed, and the other naked, or to hauehave both clothed, if the legge be naked: nor will not rest satisfied, till all bee provided for: so we being the members of Christ, should pray that others should be provided for as wellPsal. 28. 9. as our selues; that all Gods people who are his inheritance be prayed for. This we see by the practice of Iob, who was carefull of others need as of his owne: insomuch, that he was a Father Iob 29. 16.to the poore and fatherlesse, and as an husband to the widow, &c. and did not spend that which God gaue him in excesse and riot.
To reproue those, who if their bellies bee Ʋse 1 full, and their backes cloathed, they care not whether others sinke or swimme: how can they lift their hands unto God, or take this prayer in their mouth, who though they can helpe others yet goe not about it? they say but in hypocrisie GiueGive us this day our daily bread. For the meaning of Christ in this petition is, to stirre up mens hearts that they may giuegive to those that hauehave need; now when they hauehave abilitie and will not giuegive, what doe they but dissemble? They must doe this with the hand, as well as pray it with the mouth, else they doe but take Gods name in vaine.
Secondly, for singular comfort to all poore people Ʋse 2 that are honest and godly, certainely it shall goe well with them in this regard, that Gods Saints doe not onelyonly craue of God the things of eternall life for them, but also all things convenient for this life: now God will heare their prayers when they pray in faith, and will deny them no good thing. And therefore let them make this account, in their doubts and in their feares, (for then is their tryall how they stand upon Gods promises) when they hauehave no comfort, let them remember that all the Church doth pray for them, and then what if their necessitie increase, and their familie increase, the Lord is able to maintaine a great family, as well as a small family. And if one Eliah could prevaile with God for a whole Countrey, for raine toIames 5. make the Land fruitfull: then may wee doubt,1 King. when all Christians pray for us, we shall be unprovided for: But in truth the Lord doth oftentimes scant us, because we doe not beleeue the Petition shall take effect, and according to our faith it is unto us. Let us labour therefore to beleeue that all worldly things are not the worlds gifts, but Gods gifts, and that he is sollicited day and night, when we are a-sleepe, and our familie is at rest, that then perchance, many thousand Christians are solliciting our case unto God, that he would send us reliefe. If we could beleeue this, it would quiet our hearts, and we should be provided for and our state maintained.
It followeth, GiueGive us this day our daily bread. [This day] That is for the present time to serue our turne, and that, that should content us, as our little children they depend and trust upon us, though indeed, as they grow bigger, they are more full of suspition and of unbeleefe, they doe not desire a dayes provision before hand: but if they hauehave enough for the present, to serue their turne, they referre the rest to us, and liue from hand to mouth. And so God would hauehave us deale, not to aske for many ages, but for the present day. Whence we obserue;
That Christians must be content though they hauehave Observa. 14nothing before hand, so that they hauehave to serue their present need.
Note the state of the Church in the wildernesse fortie yeares, in the mornings they hadExod. provision, but at night all was gone. So that if a man should hauehave asked them where their break-fast was, they must hauehave answered, in the heavens. But is not that farre? No surely, when it is in Gods hand: for a child if his Father carry Simile. his victuals, will thinke it as good as if hee had it himselfe; and its as good to hauehave blessings in the clouds, as here on earth. And that we mightMath, 6. be thus contented Christ presseth this point:That all carking and caring is bootles and needlesse. where he shewes, that all carking and caring is bootlesse, and needlesse.
Its needlesse, because our heavenly Father knowes 1. Needlesse.that we hauehave need of all these things, and therefore will supply us in the best time. If we could set downe these two things firmely and strongly; first, God is our Father: and secondly, our heavenly Father: we need not care.
Oh, But my need is more then any man knowes Object. of.
Yea, but he is an heavenly Father, and hath Answ. power and is able, and mercifull and willing to helpe us, and is full of wisedome, and therefore will not suffer us to bee pinched aboue our strength. Therefore our owne children shall rise up in judgement against us, when they see that we know their wants, and they hauehave tasted of our kindnesse heretofore, we see how chearefull and comfortable they are, yet we are earthly, and God is an heavenly father, that hath dealt mercifully with us many times nay, with dogs and swine, he clotheth the grasse, and feedeth the beastes of the field, the young Ravens, &c. Math.And why then should wee not come unto him, and rest upon him? It were easie for God, to giuegive us enough for twentie yeeres at one time, but then we should be undone: we should bee like the Prodigall Sonne, never come to our Father till all were spent. A father will not giuegive his Simile. sonne all his goods at once, he loues his company better then so, because he would hauehave him come to him often. So God deales with us, he is our Father that hath care for us, & yet would hauehave us come unto him for all things we want.
Secondly, It is bootelesse: and therefore hee2. Bootlesse. saith, Care not for the morrow: wee should not care for to morrow, or for this time tweluemoneth, and he addes the reason: for, who by Math.caring can adde one cubit to his stature, &c. If one that is of a low stature should say, I will never rest till I am as tall as such a man, or one that is tall should say, I will bestow much in apparell, Simile. Ile never rest till I become as little as such a man, neither of them would adde to, or detract from their stature. And as it is for stature, so it is for state also; what condition God hath assigned unto us that we shall hauehave, when wee hauehave done all our working, carking and caring.
This serues againe exceedingly for reproofe Vse 1 of those wretched unbeleevers, that say, giuegive us things for our present necessitie, and yet all their mind is how they may get riches for many yeares. They will trust God no further then they must needs, though God say they shall want nothing; he is their shepheard, yet they will distrust, if the barnes were full, and the purse full, and the debts payd, then they would be out of care: would you indeed? then you are a wretched Idolater, to stay upon the creature, more then upon the Creator: and in truth, that is in every one of us, to say with the rich man in the Gospell, soule take thy rest, thou hast riches laid up for many yeares. But a Christian must thinke thus, that his soule can hauehave no rest, till he depend upon God and be at his finding; For if he hauehave riches for many yeeres, he may not liue one yeere, no, nor an houre, as that rich man did not, but God made his will, and he was executor too, he appointed whether his riches and himselfe should goe.
Therefore if we hauehave nothing before hand, but liue all our life as the Israelites did, that at evening we can make an even reckoning with all the world, and hauehave nothing left but Gods promise: yet we should be thankfull, for hauehave we not cause to be thankefull, when we hauehave as much as we pray for, and that we hauehave: sometimes God doth try his children with want of apparell and of food, not but that he can giuegiveOne cause of sharpe tryalls. it them, but that he may see what use they will make of his promises, what faith they hauehave inExod. their hearts, as he did the Israelites to see how they would remember their late deliverance? They thought they had beene full of faith, but when they wanted water, they shewed that they were full of unbeliefe and of murmuring, and therefore they fell out with Moses: but he that will pray in faith must say, Lord giuegive so much as is needfull for the day, which God will never with-hold: hee that hath given us his sonne, could giuegive us all the wealth under heaven, but we must be content, if we hauehave things needfull for the day, and if he giuegive us any thing before hand, labour to bee more thankefull, and not wholy to rest upon it.
[Our:] Here should seeme to be a contrarietie, that wee should begge it: yet it being our Why we say our daily bread.owne, its Gods gift, and yet Our: but the reason why it is termed Our: is,
Because, Every beleever is in Christ Iesus, and 1. 2 Cor. 6.having interest in him, all is ours, 1 Cor. 3. Though wee hauehave nothing, yet wee possesse all things, because we possesse Christ: and therefore its called Our: for howsoever we lost our right by our fall, yet being converted, and beleeving in Christ all the creatures may be called Ours againe.
Secondly, because wee come by them by such a meanes as God hath ordained, viz. by labour and diligence in our calling, which is Gods decree,Gen. 3. Thou shalt eate thy bread in the sweate of thy face. Though Adam were reconciled unto God, yet he must labour and travell, and if he did so, then he might eate his owne bread comfortably: So he exhorts in another place men to labour and to eate their owne bread. As David saith in this2 Thes. 3. case, Blessed shalt thou bee when thou eatest the labours of thy hands: because then wee walke asPsal. 128. God bids us. And therefore we doe as children: who when their parents bid them doe such and such a thing, to the utmost of their strength, Simile. and then promise them somewhat for their paines: when they hauehave done it, they may comfortably and boldly craue that as their owne.
For the terror of those that are not in Christ, if Ʋse. 1 if they aske their owne, they can looke for nothing but damnation; As Iudas, when he went to hell, its said, Hee went to his owne place, heeAct. was never in his owne place till he came to hell, that was his inheritance: And therefore those that hauehave not remission of sinnes, nor the spirit of God to sanctifie the creatures unto them, they can never pray, GiueGive us our bread, for if Christ be not ours, nothing is ours, but we are intruders and usurpers: we be borne to such a living, or hauehave purchased it; yet wee hauehave no right to it, because we hauehave no right in Christ.
Secondly, it serues for the overthrow of those Vse 2 that liue idly and unprofitably, they can never say in faith, GiueGive us our bread: for it is Gods decree that whosoever would eate his owne bread, should eate it in labour: and therfore they living in no labour, either of mind or bodie, whereby they might be profitable to the Church or Common-wealth, they can never hauehave comfort that they eate their owne bread, but are intruders, shifters, and scandalous persons. And therefore Iob saith of such they shall bee thrust out as the moth; what reason is there for that? because they hauehave no more right in that they possesse, then the moth hath in our coate, which Simile. we brush out, and tread under our feet and bring to nothing: thus is every unregenerate man, be he never so great in the world.
It is for singular comfort, to those that are the Ʋse 3 members of Christ, and liue in a calling, they may boldly say, giuegive me my bread. We would thinke it strange, that he that hath nothing, should say as boldly, as they that hauehave many thousands: but if we consider, what makes it ours, viz. our being in Christ, our living in a calling: why may not we hauehave as good, nay better interest in the things of the world, then those that hauehave most and are not in Christ &c. In truth many times, the poorest servant in the family, may better say, giuegive me my bread &c. then the master of the family, that hath goods and lands and all, if thou be in Christ, and the other not.
[Daily] In the originall it is, bread unto my substance, for my good, and profit: for many times riches are to the hurt of the owners, apparell doth not warme them, nor food strengthen them, nay they abuse these to pride, and surfeiting, and drunknesse: the strength of quarrelling: so that sumptuous houses cannot delight them, because of the gripings of their consciences: and therefore Christ doth teach us toWhat we beg in a king daily bread. pray for that, by which we may be bettered, under which we craue two things.
First, that God that knowes our estate would giuegive us a portion fit for us, this is notably expounded where Agur saith, giuegive me not poverty, nor Proverb.riches, &c. feed me with food convenient, that is, bread fit for us, viz. that God would giuegive us such a portion, & proportion, and such a moderation, as may neither bee to little nor to much: Simile. As a patient having a good carefull physition, will not say let me so much bloud, or giuegive me such a purgation as my flesh would desire: but you know the state of my body, and what is fit for me; giuegive me that purgation which will free me from noysome humors, and prescribe mee that dyet which is most convenient for me. If men should hauehave as much wealth as they would, it would make them proud, and if they should hauehave so little as their enemies would, it would make them fret and murmure: so that we should pray for so much as is fit for our charge, and as that doth increase, that God would enlarge our maintenance.
But here a number faile, who think they would hauehave still more and more, yet nothing can serue their turne. God knowes they are woefull prodigals, or unjustly miserable stewards of that they hauehave already, which appeareth by that they are unwilling to goe out of the world, and more proud and idle, in hope of that which they shall hauehave. What then would they doe if they had more? they pray that God would giuegive them that which is fit, and yet they are never content with that which God giues: he that is poore would be rich, and he that is rich would be as rich as the wealthiest, and their reason is, because they hope they can dispose of it as well as others: but that is not the question, what wee thinke wee could dispose of, but what God sees fit for us: every one would hauehave so much honor as would make him proud, and so much wealth as hee might make a God of it, and so desire one thing and pray for another, but we must craue that which is fit for us.
We pray that God would giuegive us a blessed use of that which we hauehave: for the softest bed cannot giuegive us sleepe, nor the finest food fill our hearts with joy and gladnesse without Gods blessing, but we may eate with much bitternesse and discontentment: a man may labour and heape up riches, and yet leaue them to others. If a man Eccles. 2.hauehave bread, God may breake his staffe of bread, andAmos. then it can bring him no comfort. Therefore we should pray, that God would giuegive us that portion which he knowes to be fit for us, and such use of it, as may bee for our comfort: Thus much of the fourth Petition: The next is.