The Catechizing of Families, Chapter 28
CHAP. XXVIII. Give us this Day, our daily Bread.
Qu. 1. WHY is this the Fourth Petition?
A. I told you that the Lords Prayer hath two parts: The first is for our End according to the Order of Intention, beginning at the top, and descending: The Second part is about the Means, according to the Order of Execution, beginning at the bottom, and ascending to the top. Now this is the first Petition of the Second part, because Our Substance and Being is supposed to all accidents; and if God continue not our humanity, we cannot be capable of his Blessings.aLuke 12. 23.
Q. 2. What is meant by Bread?
A. All things necessary to sustain our Natures in a fitness for our duty and our Comforts.bIer. 45. 5. 1 Tim. 4. 8. 2 Pet. 1. 3.
Q. 3. It seems then that we pray that we may not want, or be sick, or die, when God hath foretold us the contrary Events?
A. We justly shew that our Nature is against Death, and sickness, and wants, as being Natural evils: And God giveth us a discerning Judgment to know natural good from evil, and an Appetite to desire it accordingly: But because Natural Good and Evil, are to be estimated as they tend to Spiritual and everlasting Good or Evil, God giveth us Reason and Faith to Order our desires accordingly: And because our Knowledge of this is imperfect (when and how far Natural Good or Evil, conduceth to Spiritual and Eternal) it is still supposed that we make not our selves but God the Judge; and so desire Life, Health and Food and Natural Supplies, with submission to his Will, for time and measure, they being but means to higher things.
Q. 4. Why ask we for no more than Bread?
A. To shew that Corporal things are not our Treasure, nor to be desired for any thing but their proper use; and to renounce all covetous desires of Superfluity, or provision for our inordinate fleshly Lusts.c2 Cor. 9. 10. 1 Tim. 6. 8.
Q. 5. Some say that by Bread is meant Jesus Christ▪ because there is no Petition that mentioneth him?
A. Every part of the Lord's Prayer includeth Christ: It is by him that God is our Father, by him that the Holy Name of God is hallowed: It is his Kingdom that we pray may come; it is his Law or will which we pray may be done: It is he that purchaseth our right to the Creature and redeemed Nature: It is by him that we must have the forgiveness of Sin, and by his Grace that we are delivered from temptations and all Evil, &c.
Q. 6. Why ask we Bread of God as the Giver?
A. To signifie that we are and have nothing but by his gift, and must live in continual dependance on his Will, and begging, receiving, and thanksgiving are our work.dMat. 6. 25, 26, 27, &c. Psal. 136. 25.
Q. 7. But do we not get it by our Labour, and the gift of Men?
A. Our Labours are vain without God's Blessing, and Men are but God's Messengers to carry us his gifts.ePsal. 127. 1. Mat. 4. 3, 4.
Q. 8. What need we Labour, if God give us all?
A. God giveth his Blessings to meet Receivers, and in the use of his appointed Means: He that will not both beg and labour as God requireth him, is unmeet to receive his gifts.f2 Cor. 9, 10. Prov. 12. 11. & 28. 19. Psal. 8. 13. Prov. 31. 27.
Q. 9. Why do we ask Bread from Day to Day?
A. To shew that we are not the keepers of our selves, or our stock of Provisions, but as Children live upon our Fathers daily allowance, and continually look to him for all, and daily renew our thanks for all, and study the daily improvement of his maintenance in our Duties.gMat. 6. 24, &c. Luke 12. 19, 20, 21.
Q. 10. But when a Man hath Riches for many Years, what need he ask daily for what he hath?
A. He hath no assurance of his Life or Wealth an Hour, nor of the Blessing of it, but by God's gift. (h)
Q. 11. Why say we [Give us] rather than [Give me]?
A. To exercise our common Love to one another, and renounce that narrow selfishness, which consineth Mens regard and desires to themselves: And to shew that we come not to God meerly in a single Capacity, but as Members of the World, as Men, and Members of Christ's Body or Church, as Christians: And that in the Communion Saints as we shew our Charity to one another, so we have a part in the Prayers of all.
Q. 12. May we then pray against Poverty and Sickness, and hurt?
A. Yes, as aforesaid, so far as they are hurtful to our Natures, and thereby to our Souls and the ends of Life.kProv. 30. 8.
Q. 13. Doth not naming Bread before Forgiveness and Grace, shew that we must first and most desire it.
A. We before exprest our highest desire of God's Glory, Kingdom and Will; and as to our own Interest, all the three last Petitions go together, and are inseparable;(i) 1 Cor. 12. but the first is the lowest, though it be first in place. Nature sustained is the first, but it will be but the subject of sin and misery without Pardon and Holiness: I told you that the three last Petitions go according to the Order of Execution, from the lowest to the highest step. God's Kingdom and Righteousness must be first sought in order of Estimation and Intention, by all that will attain them.
Q. 14. But if God give us more than Bread, even Plenty for our delight, as well as necessaries, may we not use it accordingly?
A. Things are necessary to our well▪being, that are not necessary to our Being: We may ask and thankfully use all that by strengthening and comforting Nature, tendeth to fit the Spirit for the joyful Service of God, and to be helpful to others. But we must neither ask nor use any thing for the service of our Lusts, or tempting unprofitable pleasure.
Q. 15. What if God deny us necessaries, and a Christian should be put to beg or be famished, how then doth God make good his Word, that he will give us whatever we ask through Christ, and that other things shall be added if we seek first his Kingdom and Righteousness, and that Godliness hath the promise of this Life and that to come?
A. Remember as aforesaid, 1. That the things of this Life are promised and given, not as our happiness, but as Means to better. 2. And that we are promised no more than we are fit to receive and use. 3. And that God is the highest Judge, both how far outward things would help or hinder us; and how far we are fit to receive them. Therefore if he deny them, he(l) Mat. 6. 33. Ioh. 5. 40. Mat. 6. 19, 20. certainly knoweth that either we are unmeet for them, or they for us.m1 Sam. 2. 29, 30, 31. Iam. 4. 3. Phil. 4. 10, 11. Heb. 13. 5.
Q. 16. When should a Man say, He hath enough?
A. When having God's Grace and favour, he hath so much of Corporal things, as will best further his Holiness and Salvation, and as it pleaseth the Will of God that he should have.
Q. 17. May not a Man desire God to bless his labours, and to be rich?
A. A Man is bound to labour in a lawful Calling that is able, and to desire and beg God's Blessing on it: But he must not desire Riches, or Plenty for it self, or for fleshly Lusts; nor be over importunate with God to make him his Steward for others.nProv. 10. 22. Psal. 129. 8. Deut. 28. 8, 9, &c. & 33. 11.
Q. 18. What if God give us Riches, or more than we need our selves?
A. We must believe that he maketh us his Stewards, to do all the good with it, that we can to all, but specially to the Houshold of Faith: But to spend no more in sinful Lust and Pleasure, than if we were Poor.o1 Pet. 4. 10. Luke 12. 21, 24.
Q. 19. What doth daily Bread oblige us to?
A. Daily Service, and daily Love, and thankfulness to God, and to mind the end for which it's given, to be alwayes ready at the end of a Day, to give up our account and end our journey.
Q. 20. What is the sin and danger of the love of Riches?
A. The Love of Money or Riches, is but the fruit of the Love of the Flesh, whose Lust would never want Provision: But it is the Root of a Thousand farther Evils. As it shews a wretched Soul, that doth not truly believe and trust God for this Life, much less for a better, but is Worldly and Sensual, and Idolatrous; so it leadeth a Man from God, Holiness, Heaven, yea and from common honesty, to all Iniquity: A Worldling, and lover of Riches, is false to his own Soul, to God and Man, and never to be much trusted.pLuk. 18. 23, 24. Mark 10. 24. 1 Tim. 6. 10. 1 Ioh. 2. 15.