Gods Holy Mind Touching Matters Moral, Tract 1 · Part 11
Now to the meaning of the words of this Petition.
Quest. What are wee to vnderstand by the word (Bread) in this Petition?
Answ. Both that which wee properly call Bread, which is made of the flower of graine,Gen. 14.18. Gen. 3.19. Gen. 18.5. Exod. 2.20. Exod. 18.12. Pro. 27.27. Pro. 31.14. Leuit 26.26. Deut. 8.3. Mat. 4.4. Isai. 3.1. Hag. 1.6. and is fit for mans bodily nourishment, and also all outward good things and meanes whatsoeuer, that serue for the sustentation, comfort and refreshing of the body, and are meete and needfull for the preseruation of this present life, and outward good estate; and theblessing of God on those things and meanes, that they may effect that good for which we vse them: as meate, drink, apparrell, physicke, sleepe, house, harbour, fruitefull seasons, good Ayre, and the like: and through the blessing of God, nourishment and strength by foode, health by physicke, warmth by apparell, wealth by honest labour, and such like.
Quest. Why doth Christ in this petition name (bread) rather then any other particular outward good thing?
Answ. Because, of those things that pertaine to our being, and continuance of our life, Bread is the chiefe & most needfull thing; and we can better want flesh or fish, or any other thing that pertaine is to the body and this present life, then Bread: it is hence compared to a staffe or stay. Leuit. 26.26. Isa. 3.1.
Quest. What are we to vnderstand by these words (giuegive vsus) in this Petition?
Answ. That God would of his meere free grace vouchsafe to vsus, and to all his children, outward good things meete and needfull for vsus:foreign. &c. the least of which we are vnable by any seruice or labour of ours to attaine, and much lesse to merit & deserue at his hands, we being lesse then the least of his mercies and truth, as Iacob said, Gen. 12.10.
Quest. What is meant by (this day) in this petition?
Answ. By the day, or for the day, as Luke. 11.3. foreign is meant the present day or present time, or present occasion of vsing Bread; That God would giuegive vsus outward good things and meanes, meete and needfull for vsus: not for a Weeke, a Month, a Yeare, or such like; but for the present day or present time, or present occasion of vsing them: Mat. 6.34. No man is sure to liue till to morrow, his soule may bee taken away this night. Luk. 12 20.
Quest. May we not desire that God would giuegive vsus such outward good things and meanes, as may be meete and needfull for vsus for heereafter, and for the time to come?
Answ. Simply & absolutely we may not; but we are to rest on the good prouidence of God, for such things to be giuen vsus, as hee in his wisedome shall see fit and good for vsus; yet may we purpose, God continuing our health and strength, by our diligent labours in our honest callings, and by prayer, and without d…strustfull care, eueryevery day to seeke those things at the hands of God. 1 King. 3.11. God was well pleased with it, that Salomon asked not riches though hee had abundance of riches: so Pro. 30.8. hee asked not riches nor store for the time to come, but food conuenient (that is) daily bread. Philip. 4.6. Be nothing carefull, (that is) with distrustfull and carking care.
Obiection. If wee must aske of God outward good things meete and needfull for vsus onelyonly for the present day or present time, or present occasion of vsing them, then it seemes to bee vnlawfull to lay vp money or money worth against olde age, or the time of sickenesse, or for posteritie.
Quest. How is this to be answered?
Answ. Laying vp of money or money worth against old age, sicknesse, or for posteritie; that money or money worth being gotten by honest labour,Pro. 6.6.7.8. Gen. 41.47.48.49. Ioh. 6.12.13. Act. 11.29.30. or by some good and lawfull meanes; and the duties of equitie, louelove, and merciemercy we owe to the Church, to the Commonwealth, or to the poore not neglected, is lawfull, and a dutie wee are bound to, so as it be with prayer to God for a blessing on the same: and with a resting on Gods prouidence eueryevery particular day, and not on those things so prouided and laid vp.
Obiection. Mat. 6.19. Christ forbids to lay vp Treasure on Earth; therefore it seemes vnlawfull to lay vp Money, or Money worth against old age, the time of sicknesse, or for posteritie.
Quest. How is this to be answered?
Answ. Thus; Christ there speakes not simply, but comparatiuely; as if he had said, lay not vp worldly treasures, chiefely, immoderately, and only so as ye neglect Heauenly Treasure.
Quest. What are we to vnderstand by this word Our, in this Petition?
Pro. 5.15. 2 Thess. 3.12.Answ. Such bread, and such outward good things, whereto wee hauehave true right and title, both before God, and also before men.
Quest. How hauehave we true right and title to outward good things, before God?
Mat. 15.26. 1 Cor. 3.22.23.Answ. Thus; when we hauehave a spirituall title to them, in and through Christ, wee being his members and beleeuing in him; for our right in the creatures was lost by Adams fall, and is now through Christ his redemption, restored againe to all that truly beleeue in him.
Quest. How hauehave we true right and title to outward good things before men?
Answ. Thus: when we hauehave a ciuill title to them, and by Gods prouidence hauehave possession of them by some honest meanes allowed of men,Psal. 128.2. Hab. 2.6. as by our honest labour and industry, or by inheritance, or by the gift of friends, or such like, 2 Thes. 3.12. The Apostle willeth the Thessalonians to eate their owne bread, (foreign) that is, which they hauehave earned with the labours of their hands.
Quest. What is meant by (daily) in this Petition?
Answ. The word (foreign) (foreign Panem nostrum supersubstantialem da nobis hodie) signifies bread put to our substances day by day, and the meaning is,Pro. 30.8. Eccles. 5.11. Luk. 12.5. 1 Tim. 6.8. such outward good things and meanes as serue to preserue our being, life, and health from day to day, and such a measure and proportion of those things and meanes as is meet and conuenient, and may best agree with our nature and charge, and our particular calling and condition of life: this was Iacobs prayer, Gen. 28.20.
Quest. What is then the summe of this Petition, GiueGive vsus this day our daily bread?
Answ. This; that God would of his meere free grace vouchsafe to vsus, and to all his children, both that which is properly called bread, and also all other outward good things and meanes that are meet and needfull for the sustentation, comfort and refreshing of the body, and preseruation of this present life, with his blessing on the same, and that for the present day, the present time, and present occasion of vsing them, and whereto wee hauehave true right and title, both before his holy Maiestie, and also before men; and namely such as serue to preserue our being, life, and health from day to day, and such a measure of them as is mee… and conuenient, and may best agree with our nature and charge, and particular calling and condition of life. This Iob calles appoynted food, Iob 23.12. Prou. 30.8. called Conuenient food. Iames 2.15. Dayly food. Ʋers. 16. Things needfull for the Body.
Quest. What need rich men, persons who hauehave great abundance of outward good things, whose barnes and store-houses be full, vse this petition, and aske of God their daily bread?
Ans. Though men or women hauehave plentie and great abundance of outward good things, yet the vse, and comfort,Numb. 11.33. 2 King. 7.19.20. Iob 20.22.23. Dan. 5.4.5. Hag. 1.6. Luk. 12.15. and safetie of those things commeth from the Lord, which except the Lord giuegive, either they loose their goods by some accident and casualtie; or hauing them, hauehave no power to vse them, or vsing them, they find no good nor comfort in them, and by them; therefore they hauehave need still to vse this Petition, GiueGive vsus this day our daily bread.
Obiection. Some men or women hauehave their wealth and outward good things by inheritance. Prou. 19.14. They were borne to the things they possesse, they were giuen to them, or they bought them, or did obtaine them by hard labour and p…ines taki…g: therefore it seemes they hauehave not those good things giuen them of the meere free grace of God.
Quest. How is this to bee answered?
Answ. Thus; though wealth and outward good things bee receiued from Ancestors,1 Chron. 29.12.14.16. Hoze. 2.8.9. 2 Cor. 9.10. Deut. 8.17.18. as from Fathers, Grandfathe…s, great Grandfathers, or came by the gift of friends, or bee gotten by purchase, or by hard labour, yet God is the first donour, and in all these things his free gift to bee acknowledged: for God giues power to Ancestors, Fathers, Grandfathers, great Grandfathers, to get and keep lands and goods, and a will to leaue them from hand to hand to their posteritie, or hee puts it into the hands and hearts of friends to bestow them, or hee giues money or others things wherewith they are bought, or he giues wit and strength to labour for them.