Exposition Upon the Church Catechism, Exposition · Lords Day 38 – Lords Day 41
Lord's Day 38.
Q. You have gone through the three Petitions which refer to Gods Glory. Which is the first of the other three, which contain our needs; (the fourth Petition of this Prayer?)
A. Give us this day out daily bread.
Q. What do we here mean by bread?
A. All such things as are necessary, for the daily support of our lives; lPsal. 37. 25.together with the continuation of life it self, by the use of them.mPsal. 119. 17.
Q. Why do we call this bread we pray for, Our bread?
A. To intimate, that we desire not any thing of that nature, but that which we come honestly by; and therefore may warrantably call it our own.n2 Thes. 3. 12.
Q. Being resolv'd to get our own bread by honest industry, why pray we to God to give it us?
A. We herein acknowledg, that it is from him, that we have power to get it our selves, oDeut. 8. 18.and that, when we have done so, it will do us no good without his blessing.pLuk. 12. 15. Pr. 10. 22. Deut. 28. 5. Mat. 4. 4
Q. Why say we our daily bread? what means that expression?
A. We mean thereby, that which is sutable to our occasions, and sufficient for our constant and daily necessities.qProv. 30. 8.
Q. Why say we, Give us, this day, that bread?
A. We herein acknowledg, our daily dependance on Gods Providence, whatever stock we have before-hand of our own: and our contentedness with every days present necessaries, without being too solicitously and distrustfully careful for to morrow.rMat. 6. 34.
Q. What is the summ, then of this Petition?
A. We pray therein for our selves and others, that we and they may want none of the things pertaining to life and godliness, s2 Pet. 1. 3.and that we may have a daily competent supply of them, according to our daily necessities; in what proportion God sees fit; and in an honest way, with Gods blessing thereon; and enjoy what he so allows us, with a thankful and contented mind.tPro. 30. 8, 9. 1 Tim. 6. 8.
Lords Day 39.
Q. Which is the second Petition concerning our wants?
A. And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us. Or (according to St. Matthew, uMat. 6. 12.in our last Translation) our debts, as we forgive our debtors: and (in St. Luke) our sins, for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us?wLuk. 11. 4.
Q. What parts observe you in this Petition?
A. Two 1. The Petition it self: 2. The Motive or Argument. with which it is to be enforced.
Q. What do we beg of God in this Petition?
A. That seeing we daily offend God, forfeiting thereby all his mercies and favours, and incurring his just displeasure: he will graciously for Christs sake, discharge us from that vast debt, which he by his satisfaction hath paid for us, both here and hereafter: and restore us again to his favour.xPs. 130. 3, 4. Eph. 1. 6, 7. 4. 32.
Q. What is the import of the Argument or Motive, which we back this Petition withal?
A. It contains two things.
1. A profession, in the presence of God, of our charitable disposition to others; without which we are told by God himself, that he will not forgive us.yMark 11. 25, 26.
2. An encouragement to our Faith, if we find our selves so disposed toward others; concerning the success of this Petition with God. Seeing if we, who are of hasty and revengeful dispositions naturally, can yet by Gods Grace, remit offences to them who offend us: God who is slow to Anger, and plenteous in Mercy, zPsal. 103. 8.will be much more ready, upon our Repentance, to forgive us ours against him.aLuk. 11. 4.
Q. In what sence are we bound, to forgive every one that is indebted to us, (in St. Lukes Expression of this clause,) so as we may not expect pardon from God, except we do so?
A. No man is hereby obliged not to crave and sue for just debts of those that are his debtors, and able to pay. But where there is a real disability in them to satisfie, Charity obliges us being so desired to forbear them, till they he able; and if they never be, to make reasonable abatements to them, or forgive them altogether, bMat. 18. 33, 35.as their and our circumstances require.
Lord's Day 40.
Q. Which is the last Petition?
A. And lead us not into tentation: but deliver us from Evil.
Q. What desire you of God in this Petition?
A. That seeing, though God often forgive us our Sins, yet we are apt continually, through tentations, to offend anew; God will either keep us from such Tentations, as endanger us to Sin; cMat. 26. 41.or preserve us, that we be not overcome by them.d2 Cor. 12. 8. Joh. 17. 15.
Q. What are those Tentations that thus endanger us, and against which we pray in this Petition?
A. We mean, by this word, Tentation, either such occasions and inducements to sin, as the circumstances whereinto we are cast by Providence, offer to us: eMat. 26. 41.or whatever provocations to Sin we are exposed to, by the suggestions of Satan, f1 Chr. 21. 1.or the corrupt inclinations of our own hearts.gJam. 1. 14.
Q. Why do we pray to God, not to lead us into such Tentations; seeing the Scripture telleth us, that, he tempeth no man?‖James 1. 13.
A. Because, as no such occasional Tentations could occur to us without his permissive Providence; so, when they do so occur, we cannot avoid the being endangered by them, without the special assistance of his Grace. And in both these senses, he is said, to lead into Tentation, when by his Providence he exposeth us to Tentation, h2 Sam. 24. 1.and does not assist us by his Grace to resist it, but leaves us to grapple with it of our selves.i2 Chro. 32. 31. Ps. 81. 12.
Q. What mean you when you pray, deliver us from Evil?
A. That which is directly contrary to leading into Tentation, which in the former clause we pray against; and it imports a powerful assistance of Gods Grace, to rescue us from the dangers we are thereby exposed to.
Q. What is the Evil we here pray to be delivered from?
A. Either the Devil, who is Emphatically the Evil one, who lays Snares for us by Tentation: k2 Tim. 2. 26. Luke 22. 31, 32.or, the evil effects of Tentation it self, that is, Sin, and the punishment that attends upon it, here and hereafter.lPsal. 119. 133. 1 Chro. 4. 10.
Lord's Day 41.
Q. In what words doth the Conclusion to this Prayer consist?
A. In the Doxology, before mentioned, For thine is the Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory, for ever. Amen.
Q. What doth this Conclusion contain in it?
A, 1. A form of Praise, and Thanksgiving (therefore called a Doxology;) which was anciently (for substance) used in the Jewish Church; m1 Chr. 29. 11.and taken thence by our Saviour, as fit to be added, as the conclusion to this his Prayer.nMat. 6. 13.
2. And Secondly, a Reason, with which our Faith supports it self in the expectation of all the good things prayed for; taken from the eminent Perfections of that God that we pray unto.
Q. What mean you by the Kingdom, here attributed to God?
A. I mean, that he is the only absolute and Independent Lord and Soveraign King of all the World; oPs. 22. 28. 2 Kin. 19. 15.and that from him all other Kings hold their Kingdoms.
Q. What is that Power, you attribute to him?
A. An Almighty Power over all things, which no creature can either resist or fly from.p2 Chr. 20. 6. Ps. 139. 7. &c.
Q. And what understand you by the Glory y… ascribe to him?
A. That excellent Honour, arising from his infinite Perfections; and the effects of them… which is due to him from all the subjects of his Kingdom, that is, all Creatures, both in Heaven, and Earth.qPs. 66. 1, 2. 72. 19
Q. What is the intent of your attributing all… to God for ever?
A. To difference God (by way of especial Prerogative and privilege) from all other Kings,… all other glorious and powerful Creatures; who enjoy these eminent qualities but for a time, rPro. 27. 24.whereas God enjoys them as long as he is, that is, eternally.s1 Tim. 1. 17.
Q. What signifies the word Amen, which shuts up this Prayer.
A. It is an Hebrew word; and signifies either, [It is so,] when we affirm a thing; as when we add it to our Creed. Or [be it so,] as when we annex it (as here we do) to a Prayer. And so it imports, 1. The assurance of obtaining the things which we pray for according to Gods will. t1 Joh. 5. 14.And, Secondly the approbation of what we with others, at any time utter before him. u1 Cor. 14. 16. Ps. 106. 48.Thirdly and lastly, our earnest desire of having our Prayers heard, and our Petitions granted. w1 Kin. 1. 36.In all which respects, every person ought to add it audibly to all publick Worship, as the Church hath always done.
Q. Now tell me, in the shutting up of this Prayer summarily, what is the whole substance thereof? Or What desirest thou of God in this Prayer?
A. I desire my Lord God our Heavenly Father, who is the giver of all goodness, to send his grace to me, and to all people; that we may worship him, serve him, and obey him, as we ought to do. And I pray unto God that he well send us all things that be needful both for our souls and bodies; and that he will be merciful unto us, and forgive us our sins, and that it will please him to save and defend us in all dangers Ghostly. (or spiritual) and bodily: and that he will keep us from all sin and wickedness, and from our Ghostly, (or spiritual) Enemy, (the Devil,) and from everlasting death. And this I trust he will do of his Mercy and goodness, through our Lord Jesus Christ. And therefore, I say, Amen, So be it.