A Body of Practical Divinity, Sermon 83 · Part 5
MATTH. vi.11.
Give us this Day our daily Bread.
IN this Petition there are two things observable,
I. The Order.
II. The Matter.
I. The Order. First, we pray, Hallowed be thy Name, before, Give us this day our daily Bread: Hence we learn; Doct. That the Glory of God ought to be preferred before our own personal Concerns.
First. We pray, Hallowed be thy Name, Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done, before we pray, Give us this Day our daily Bread. Gods Glory ought to weigh down all before it; it must be prefer'd before our dearest Concerns: Christ prefer'd his Fathers Glory before his own Glory, as he was Man, Iohn 8.49, 50. I Honour my Father, I seek not my own Glory. Gods glory is that which is most dear to him, it is the Apple of his Eye; all his Riches lye here, as Micah said, Iudg. 18.24. What have I more? So I may say of Gods glory, what hath he more? Gods glory is the most Orient Pearl of his Crown, which he will not part with, Isa. 42.8. My Glory will I not give to another. Gods glory is more worth then Heaven, more worth then the Salvation of all Mens Souls; better Kingdoms be demolished; better Men and Angels be annihilated, then God lose any part of his Glory. First we pray, that Gods Name may be hallowed and glorified, before we pray, Give us our daily Bread. We are to prefer Gods glory before our nearest concerns: Before there can be a preferring Gods glory before private concerns, there must be a New-Birth wrought. The natural Man seeks his own secular Interest before Gods glory, Iohn 3.31. He is of the Earth earthly. Let him have Peace and Trading, let the Rock pour out Rivers of Oyl, Iob 29.6. and let Gods glory go which way it will, he minds it not: A Worm cannot fly and sing as a Lark: A natural Man whose heart creeps upon the Earth, cannot admire God, or advance his glory, as a Man elevated by grace doth.
VSE. Of Trial. Do we prefer Gods glory before our private Concerns? Doth Gods glory take place? Minus te amat qui aliquid tecum amat quod non propter te amat, Aug. 1. Do we prefer Gods glory before our own Credit? Fama pari passu ambulat cum Vita. Credit is a Jewel highly valued, like precious Ointment it casts a fragrant smell; but Gods glory must be dearer then Credit and Applause: We must be willing to have our Credit trampled upon, if Gods glory may be raised higher, Acts 5.41. The Apostles rejoyced that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his Name, foreign, that they were graced so far as to be disgraced for Christ. 2. Do we prefer Gods glory before our Relations? Relations are near, they are of our Flesh and Bone, but Gods glory must be dearer, Luke 14.26. If any Man come after me and hate not Father and Mother, he cannot be my Disciple. Here odium in suos is Pietas in Deum. If my Friends (saith Ierome) should perswade me to deny Christ, if my Wife should hang about my Neck, if my Mother should show me her Breasts that gave me suck, I would trample upon all and fly to Christ. 3. We must prefer Gods glory before estate: gold is but shining dust, Gods glory must weigh heavier: If it comes to this, I cannot keep my place of Profit, but Gods glory will be eclipsed; here I must rather suffer in my Estate, then Gods glory should suffer; Heb. 10 34. 4. We must prefer Gods Glory before our life. Rev. 12.11. They loved not their own lives to the Death. Ignatius called his Fetters, foreign, his Spiritual Jewels, he wore them as a Chain of Pearl. Gordius the Martyr said, it is to my Loss if you bate me any thing of my Sufferings: This Argues grace Crescent, and elevated in an high Degree. Who but a Soul inflamed in love to God can set God highest in the Throne, and prefer him above all private Concerns.
II. The second thing in the Petition is the Matter of it: Panem nostrum quotidianum da nobis hodie, Give us this day our dayly Bread. The sum of this Petition is, that God will give us such a Competency in these outward things, as he sees most expedient for us; it is much like that Prayer of Agur, Prov. 30.8. Feed me with Food convenient for me; give me a Viaticum, a Bait by the way, enough to bear my Charges till I come to Heaven, and it sufficeth. Let me explain the Words; Give us this day our dayly Bread, [Give,] hence note, that the good things of this life are the gifts of God; He is the Donor of all our Blessings: Give us, not only Faith is the gift of God, but Food; not only dayly Grace is from God, but daily Bread; every good thing comes from God; Iam. 1.17. Every good Gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of Lights. Wisdom is the gift of God, Isa. 28.26. His God doth instruct him to Discretion. Riches are the gift of God, 2 Chron. 1.12. I will give thee riches; Peace is the gift of God, Psal. 147.14. He makes peace in thy borders; Health, which is the cream of Life, is the gift of God, Ier. 30.17. I will restore health to thee; Rain is the gift of God, Iob 5.10. Who giveth rain on the earth; all comes from God. He makes the Corn to grow, and the Herbs to flourish.
VSE I. See our own poverty and indigence, we live all upon alms, and upon free gift, Give us this day: All we have is from the hand of Gods Royal Bounty. We have nothing but what God gives us out of his Storehouse; we cannot have one bit of Bread but from God. The Devil perswaded our first Parents that by disobeying God, they should be as Gods, Gen. 3.5. but we may now see what goodly Gods we are, that we have not a bit of bread to put in our mouths, unless God give it us: Here is an humbling Consideration.
Br. 2. Is all a gift? then we are to seek every Mercy from God by Prayer, Give us this day. The Tree of Mercy will not drop its Fruit unless shaken by the hand of Prayer. Whatever we have, if it doth not come in the way of Prayer, it doth not come in the way of Love; 'tis given as Israels Quails in anger. If every thing be a gift we do not deserve it, we are not fit for it, unless we ask for this alms; and must we go to God for every Mercy? How wicked are they who instead of going to God for food when they want, they go to the Devil, they make a compact with him, and if he will help them to a livelyhood they will give him their Souls: Better starve than go to the Devil for provender. I wish there be none in our Age guilty of this, who when they are in want, use indirect means for a livelyhood, they consult with Witches, who are the Devils Oracles; the end of these will be fearful as that of Saul was, whom the Lord is said to have killed, because he asked counsel at a familiar spirit.
3. If all be a Gift, then it is not a Debt; we cannot say to God as that Creditor said, Matth. 18.28. Pay me what thou owest. Who can make God a Debtor, or do any Act that is obliging and meritorious? Whatever we receive from God is a gift. We can give nothing to God but what he hath given us; 1 Chron. 29.14. All things come of thee, and of thine own have we given thee. David and his People offered to the building of Gods House Gold and Silver, but they offered nothing but what God had given them; Of th…ne own have we given thee. If we love God, God it is that hath given us an Heart to love him; if we praise him, he both gives us the Organ of the Tongue, and puts it in Tune; if we give Almes to others God hath given Almes to us first, so that we may say, We offer, O Lord, of thine own to thee. Is all of Gift, how absurd then is the Doctrine of Merit? That was a proud speech of a Fryar that said Redde mihi Vitam Aeternam quam debes; Give me Lord Eternal Life which thou owest me. We cannot deserve a bit of Bread, much less a Crown of Glory. If all be a Gift then Merit is exploded, and shut out of doors.
4. If all be a Gift, Give us this day, then take notice of Gods goodness; there's nothing in us can deserve or requite Gods kindness, yet such is the sweetness of his Nature, he gives us rich Provision, and feeds us with the finest of the Wheat. Pindar saith, it was an opinion of the People of Rhodes, that Iupiter rained down Gold upon the City. God hath rained down golden Mercies upon us; he is upon the giving hand. Observe three things in Gods giving.
(1.) He is not weary of giving; the springs of Mercy are ever running: God did not only dispence Blessings in former Ages, but he still gives gifts to us As the Sun not only inricheth the World with its Morning light, but keeps Light for the Meridian. The Honey-comb of Gods bounty is still dropping.
(2.) God delights in giving; Micah 7.18. He delighteth in mercy. As the Mother delights to give the Child the breast, God loves we should have the breast of Mercy in our mouth.
(3.) God gives to his very Enemies. Who will send in Provisions to his Enemy? Men use to spread Nets for their Enemies, God spreads a Table. The dew drops on the Thistle as well as the Rose; the dew of Gods bounty drops upon the worst. Those who have their mouths opened against God, yet God puts bread in those mouths. O the Royal Bounty of God; Psal. 52.1. The goodness of God endureth continually. Swinish sinners God puts Jewels upon, and feeds them every day.
5. If all be gift, see then the odious ingratitude of Men who sin against their giver. God feeds them, and they fight against him; he gives them their Bread, and they give him affronts. How unworthy is this, would we not cry shame of him who had a Friend alwayes feeding him with Money, and he should betray and injure that Friend. Thus ungratefully do Sinners deal with God, they do not only forget his Mercies but abuse them: Ier. 5.7. When I had fed them to the full, they then committed adultery. O how horrid is this, to sin against a bountiful God, to strike (as it were) those hands that relieve us: This gives a dye and tincture to Mens sins, and makes them crimson. How many make a dart of Gods Mercies and shoot at him; he gives them Wit, and they serve the Devil with it; he gives them Strength, and they waste it among Harlots; he gives them Bread to eat, and they lift up the heel against him; Deut. 32.15. Iesurun waxed fat and kicked: These are like Absalom, who assoon as David his Father kissed him, plotted Treason against him, 2 Sam. 15.10. like the Mule who kicks the Dam after she hath given it Milk. These who sin against their giver, and abuse Gods Royal Favours, the Mercies of God will come in as witnesses against them. What smoother than Oyl, but if it be heated what more scalding? What sweeter than Mercy, but if it be abused, what more dreadful? It turns to fury.
6. If God gives us all, let Gods giving excite us to Thanksgiving; he is the founder and donor of all our Blessings, let him have all our Acknowledgments. All the rivers come from the sea, and thither they return again, Eccl. 1.7. All our gifts come from God, and to him must all our Praises return. We are apt to burn incense to our own drag, Hab. 1.16. to attribute all we have to our own Skill or second Causes.
(1.) Our own Skill and Industry. God is the giver; he gives daily Bread, Psal. 136.35. he gives Riches, Deut. 8.18. He it is that giveth thee power to get wealth.
Or, (2.) We oft ascribe the praise to second Causes, and forget God. If Friends have bestowed an Estate, to look at them and admire them, but not God who is the great giver: As if one should be thankful to the Steward, and never take notice of the Master of the Family that provides all. O if God gives all, our Eye-sight, our Food, our Cloathing, let us sacrifice the chief Praise to him; let not God be a loser by his Mercies. Praise is a more illustrious part of Gods Worship. Our wants may send us to Prayer. Nature may make us beg Daily-bread, but it shows an Heart full of Ingenuity and Grace to be rendring Praises to God. In Petition we act like Men, in Praise we act like Angels. Doth God sow seeds of Mercy, let Thankfulness be the crop we bring forth. We are called the Temples of God, 1 Cor. 3.16. and where should Gods Praises be sounded forth but in his Temples? Psal. 146.2. While I live will I bless the Lord, I will sing praises to my God while I have any being. God gives us daily Bread, let us give him daily Praise. Thankfulness to our Donor is the best policy; there's nothing lost by it: To be thankful for one Mercy is the way to have more. Musicians love to sound their Trumpets where there is the best eccho, and God loves to bestow his Mercies where there is the best eccho of Praise: And it is not only offering the calves of our Lips is enough, but we must show our thankfulness by improving the gifts which God gives us, and as it were putting them out to use. God gives us an Estate, and we honour the Lord with our substance, Prov. 3.9. he gives us the staff of Bread, and we lay out the strength we receive by it in his service: This is to be thankful; and that we may be thankful be humble. Pride stops the current of gratitude: A proud Man will never be thankful; he looks upon all he hath, either to be of his own procuring or deserving. Let us see all we have is Gods gift, and how unworthy we are to receive the least favour, and this will make us much in doxology and gratitude, we will be Silver Trumpets sounding forth Gods Praise.
First, Give.] Hence I note, 1. That the good things of this Life are the gifts of God; he is the founder and donor. 2. From this word give, I note, that it is not unlawful to pray for Temporal things; we may pray for daily Bread, Prov. 30.8. Feed me with food convenient for me; we may pray for Health, Psal. 6.2. O Lord heal me, for my bones are vexed. As these are in themselves good things, so they are useful for us. They are as needful for the preserving the Comfort of Life, as the Oyl is needful for preserving the Lamp from going out. Only let me insert two things.
1. There is a great difference between our praying for Temporal things and Spiritual. In praying for Spiritual things we must be absolute. When we pray for pardon of Sin, and the favour of God, and the sanctifying graces of the Spirit, these are indispensibly necessary to Salvation, and here we must take no denyal: But when we pray for Temporal things, here our Prayers must be limited, we must pray conditionally, so far as God sees them good for us. God sometimes sees cause to with-hold Temporal things from us: They may be snares, and draw our Hearts from God; therefore we must pray for these things with submission to Gods Will. This was Israels sin; they would be peremptory and absolute in their desire of Temporal things: Gods bill of fare did not please them, they must have dainties; Numb. 11.18. Who shall give us flesh to eat? God had given them Manna, he fed them with a Miracle from Heaven, but their wanton Pallats craved more, they must have Quails; God let them have their desire, but they had sower sawce to their Quails; Psal. 78.31. While the meat was yet in their mouths, the wrath of God came upon them and slew them. Rachel was importunate in her desires for a Child, Gen. 30.1. Give me children or I dye: God let her have a Child, but it was a Benoni, a Son of Sorrow, it cost her her Life in bringing forth; Gen. 35.18. We must pray for outward things with submission to Gods Will, else they come in anger.
2. When we pray for things pertaining to this Life, we must desire Temporal things for Spiritual ends; we must desire these things to be as helps in our journey to Heaven. If we pray for Health, it must be that we may improve this talent of Health for Gods Glory, and may be fitter for his Service. If we pray for a competency of Estate, it must be for an holy end, that we may be kept from the temptations which Poverty usually exposeth to, and that we may be in a better capacity to sow the golden seeds of Charity, and relieve such as are in want. Temporal things must be prayed for, for Spiritual ends. Hannah prayed for a Child, but it was for this end, that her Child might be devoted to God; 1 Sam. 1.11. O Lord, if thou wilt remember me, and wilt give unto thine hand-maid a man child, then I will give him unto the Lord all the dayes of his life. Many pray for outward things, only to gratifie their sensual appetite: The ravens cry for food; Psal. 147.9. To pray for outward things only to satisfie Nature, is to cry rather like Ravens than Christians. We must have an higher end in our Prayers, we must aim at Heaven, while we are praying for Earth: And must we pray for Temporal things for Spiritual ends, that we may be fitter to serve God, then how wicked are they, who beg Temporal Mercies that they may be more inabled to sin against God; Iam. 4.3. Ye ask that ye may consume it upon your lusts. One Man is sick and he prays for Health that he may be among his Cups and Harlots; another prays for an Estate, he would not only have his Belly filled but his Barns, and why would he be rich, that he may raise his Name, or that having more power in his hand, he may now take a fuller revenge on his enemies. This is impiety joyned with impudence; to pray to God to give us Temporal things that we may be the better inabled to serve the Devil.
VSE. If we are to pray for Temporal good things, then how much more for Spiritual; if we are to pray for Bread, then how much more for the Bread of Life; if for Oyl, then how much more for the Oyl of gladness; if we pray to have our hunger satisfied, much more should we pray to have our Souls saved. Alas, what if God should hear our Prayers, and grant us these Temporal things, and no more, what were we the better? What is it to have Food and want Grace; what is it to have the back clothed and the Soul naked; to have a South land and want the living springs in Christs Blood, what comfort could that be? O therefore let us be earnest for Spiritual Mercies. Lord, do not only feed me, but sanctifie me, rather an Heart full of Grace than an House full of Gold: If we are to pray for daily Bread, the things of this Life, much more for the things of the Life that is to come.
3. From this word give, I note, That they who God hath given a large measure of outward things to, yet we must pray, Give us daily Bread. And this may answer a Question.
Quest. Some may say, we have an Estate already, and what need we pray, Give us daily Bread?
Answ. Supposing we have a plentiful Estate, yet we need make this Petition, Give us Bread: And that upon a double account.
(1.) That we may have a Blessing upon our Food, and all that we enjoy: Psalm 132.5. I will bless her provision. Man lives not by bread alone, but by every word which proceedeth out of Gods mouth; Matth. 4.4. what is that but a word of Blessing? Though the Bread is in our hand, yet the Blessing is in Gods hand, and it must be fetch'd out of his hand by Prayer: Well therefore may rich Men pray, Give us our Bread, let it be seasoned with a Blessing. If God should with-hold a Blessing, nothing we have would do us good; our Cloths would not warm us, our Food would not nourish us: Psal. 106.15. He gave them their request, but sent leanness into their soul; that is, they pined away, and their Meat did not nourish them. If God should with-hold a Blessing, what we eat would turn to bad humours, and hasten Death. If God doth not bless our Riches they will do us more hurt than good: Eccl. 5.13. Riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt. So that granting we have plentiful Estates, yet we had need pray, Give us our Bread; let us have a Blessing with what we have.
(2.) Though we have Estates, yet we had need pray, give, that we may hereby engage God to continue these Comforts to us. How many Casualties may fall out? How many have had Corn in their Barn, and a fire hath come on a sudden and consumed all! How many have had losses at Sea, and great Estates boyled away to nothing; Ruth 1.21. I went out full, and the Lord hath brought me home again empty. Therefore tho' we have Estates yet we had need pray, Give us, Lord, give a continuance of these Comforts, that they may not before we are aware, take wings and fly from us. So much for this first word in the Petition, Give.
Secondly, VsUs.] Give us.
Quest. Why do we pray here in the plural? Why give us? Why is it not said, Give me?
Answ. To show that we are to have publick Spirits in Prayer; we must not only pray for our selves but others; both the Law of God, and the Law of Love bind us to this. We must love our Neighbours as our selves; therefore we must pray for them as well as for our selves. Every good Christian hath a fellow-feeling of the wants and miseries of others, and he prays that God would extend his bounty to them; especially he prays for the Saints, Eph. 6.18. Praying alwayes for all Saints. These are Children of the Family.
VSE I. Should we have publick Spirits in Prayer, Give us; it reproves such narrow-spirited Men as move only within their own sphere, they look only at themselves but mind not the case of others; they leave others out of their Prayers; if they have daily Bread they care not though others starve; if they are cloathed, they care not though others go naked. Christ hath taught us to pray for others, Give us; but selfish persons are shut up within themselves, as the Snail in the shell, and never speak a word in Prayer for others: These have no commiseration or pity, they are like Iudas whose Bowels fell out.
VSE II. Let us pray for others as well as for our selves, Give us: Vir bonus aliis prodest aeque ac sibi. Spiders work only for themselves, but Bees work for the good of others; the more excellent any thing is, the more it operates for the good of others. The Springs refresh others with their chrystal streams; the Sun inlightens others with its golden beams; the more a Christian is enobled with Grace, the more he besiegeth Heaven with his Prayers for others. If we are Members of the Body Mystical, we cannot but have a sympathy with others in their wants, and this sympathy sets us a praying for them. David had a publick Spirit in Prayer, Psal. 125.4. Do good, O Lord, unto those that be good: Though he begins the Psalm with Prayer for himself, Psal. 51.1. Have Mercy upon me, O God, yet he ends the Psalm with Prayer for others, ver. 18. Do good in thy good pleasure unto Sion.
VSE III. It is matter of Comfort to the Godly, who are but low in the World, yet they have the Prayers of Gods people for them, they pray not only for the increase of their Faith, but their Food, that God will give them Daily Bread. He is like to be rich who hath several stocks going; so are they in a likely way to thrive who have the Prayers of the Saints going for them in several parts of the World. So much for this second word in the Petition, Give us.
Thirdly, The thi… word in the Petition is, foreign, This day.] We pray not give us Bread for a month, or a year, but a day; Give us this day.
Quest. Is it not lawful to lay up for afterwards? Doth not the Apostle say, He who provides not for his Family is worse than an Infidel; 1 Tim. 5.8.
Answ. 'Tis true, it is lawful to lay up for Posterity, but our Saviour hath taught us to pray, Give us this day our bread, for two Reasons: 1. That we should not have carking care for the future. We should not set our Wits upon the tenter, or torment our selves how to lay up great Estates; if we do vivere in diem, if we have but enough to supply for the present it may suffice; Give us this day: Take no thought for to morrow, Matth. 6.34. God fed Israel with Manna in the wilderness, and he fed them from hand to mouth; sometimes all their Manna was spent, and if any one had asked them where they would have their break-fast next morning, they would have said, our care is only for this day, God will rain down what Manna we need: If we have Bread this day, do not distrust Gods Providence for the future. 2. Our Saviour will have us pray, Give us bread this day, to teach us to live every day as if it were our last. We are not to pray give us Bread to morrow, because we do not know whether we shall live while to morrow; but Lord give us this day, it may be our last day we shall live, and then we shall need no more.
VSE. If we pray for Bread only for a day, Give us this day, then you who have great Estates have cause to be thankful, you have more than you pray for; you pray but for Bread for one day, and God hath given you enough to suffice you all your life. What a bountiful God do you serve! Two things may make rich Men thankful, 1. God gives them more than they deserve: 2. God gives them more than they pray for.
Fourthly, The fourth thing in the Petition is, Our bread.]
Quest. Why is it called our Bread, when it is not ours but Gods?
Answ. 1. We must understand it in a qualified sense; it is our Bread being gotten by honest industry. There are two sorts of Bread that cannot properly be called our Bread. (1.) The Bread of Idleness. (2.) The Bread of Violence.
(1.) The Bread of Idleness: Prov. 31.27. She eateth not the bread of idleness. An idle Person doth vivere aliena quadra, he lives at another bodies cost, and is at their finding, Prov. 1.25. His hands refuse to labour. We must not be as the Drones which eat the honey that other Bees have brought into the hive: If we eat the bread of Idleness, this is not our own bread: 2 Thess. 3.11, 12. There are some that walk disorderly, working not at all, such we command that they work, and eat their own bread. The Apostle gives us this hint, that such as live idly do not eat their own Bread.
(2.) The Bread of Violence. We cannot call this our Bread, for it is taken away from others. That which is gotten by stealth or fraud, or any manner of extortion, is not our Bread, it belongs to another. He who is a bird of prey, who takes away the Bread of the Widow and Fatherless, he eats that Bread which is none of his, nor can he pray for a Blessing upon it: Can he pray God to bless that which he hath gotten unjustly?
2. It is called our Bread by vertue of our Title to it. There is a twofold title to Bread. (1.) A Spiritual Title: In and by Christ we have a right to the Creature, and may call it our Bread. As we are Believers we have the best Title to Earthly things, we hold all in capite, 1 Cor. 3.22. All things are yours; by what Title? Ye are Christs. (2.) A Civil Title, which the Law confers on us: To deny Men a Civil Right to their Possessions, and make all common, it opens the door to Anarchy and Confusion.
VSE. See the priviledge of Believers, they have both a Spiritual and a Civil Right to what they possess: They who can say Our Father, can say our Bread. Wicked Men tho' they have a Legal right to what they possess, yet not a Covenant right; they have it by Providence not by Promise; with Gods leave, not with his Love. Wicked Men are in Gods eye no better than usurpers, all they have, their Money and Land, is like Cloth taken up at the Drapers which is not paid for; but this is the sweet priviledge of Believers, they can say, our Bread: Christ being theirs, all is theirs. O how sweet is every bit of Bread dip'd in Christs Blood! How well doth that Meat relish which is a pledge and earnest of more! The Meal in the barrel is an earnest of our Angels food in Paradise. Here is the priviledge of Saints, they have a right to Earth and Heaven.
Fifthly, The fifth and last thing in this Petition is, the thing we pray for, Daily Bread.]
Quest. What is meant by Bread?
Answ. Bread here by a Synechdoche speciei pro genere, is put for all the Temporal Blessings of this Life, Food, Fuel, Clothing; Quicquid nobis conducit ad bene esse, Aust. whatever may serve for Necessity, or sober Delight.
VSE. Learn to be contented with that allowance God gives us. If we have Bread, a competency of these outward things, let us rest satisfied. We pray but for Bread, Give us our daily Bread, we do not pray for superfluities, not for Quails or Venison, but for Bread, that which may support Life. Tho' we have not so much as others, so full a Crop, so rich an Estate, yet if we have the staff of Bread to shore us up from falling, let us be content; most people are herein faulty. Tho' they pray that God would give them Bread (so much as he sees expedient for them) yet they are not content with Gods allowance, but over-greedily covet more, and with the daughters of the Horsleach, cry, Give, give, Prov. 30.15. this is a vice Naturally ingrafted in us. Many pray Agurs first Prayer, Give me not Poverty, but few pray his last Prayer, Give me not Riches, Prov. 30.8. they are not content with daily Bread, but have the dry dropsie of Covetousness, they are still craving for more; Hab. 2.5. Who enlargeth his desire as hell, and is as death, and cannot be satisfied. There are, saith Solomon, four things say, it is not enough, Prov. 30.15. the grave, the barren womb, the earth, the fire; and I may add a fifth thing, the Heart of a covetous Man. Such as are not content with daily Bread, but thirst insatiably after more, will break over the hedge of Gods Command, and to get Riches will stick at no sin; Cui nihil satis est, eidem nihil turpe, Tacitus; therefore Covetousness is called a Radical Vice, 1 Tim. 6.10. The root of all evil. Quid non mortalia pectora cogit, auri sacra fames? The word for Covetousness foreign, signifies an inordinate desire of getting▪ Covetousness is not only in getting Riches unjustly, but in loving them inordinately: This is a key opens the door to all sin. It causeth 1. Theft: Achans covetous humour made him steal that wedge of Gold which cleft asunder his Soul from God; Iosh. 7.21. 2. It causeth Treason: What made Iudas betray Christ? It was the thirty pieces of Silver, Matth. 26.15. 3. It produceth Murder: It was the inordinate love of the Vineyard made Ahab conspire Naboths death, 1 Kings 21.13. 4. It is the root of Perjury: 2 Tim. 3.3. Men shall be foreign, covetous, and it follows foreign, truce-breakers: Love of Silver will make Men take a false-Oath, and break a just Oath. 5. It is the spring of Apostasie: 2 Tim. 4.10. Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world. He did not only forsake Pauls company, but his Doctrine. Demas afterwards became a Priest in an Idol Temple, saith Dorotheus. 6. Covetousness will make Men Idolaters: Col. 3.5. Covetousness which is idolatry. Tho' the covetous Man will not worship graven Images in the Church, yet he will worship the graven Image in his Coyn. 7. Covetousness makes Men give themselves to the Devil. Pope Sylvester the Second did sell his Soul to the Devil for a Popedom. Covetous persons forget this Prayer, Give us daily Bread, that which may satisfie Nature, but they are insatiable in their desire. O let us take heed of this dry Dropsie, Heb. 13.5. Be content with such things as ye have. Natura parvo dimittitur, Sen. That we may be content with daily Bread, that which God in his Providence carves out to us, and not covet or murmur▪ let me propose these things.
1. God can bless a little, Exod. 23.24. He will bless thy Bread and thy Water: A Blessing put sweetness into the least Morsel of Bread, 'tis like Sugar in Wine, Psal. 132.15. I will bless her Provision. Daniel and the three Children eat Pulse (which was a coarse Fare) yet they look'd fairer then those which did eat of the Kings Meat, Dan. 1.15. whence was this? God did infuse a more then ordinary Blessing into the …ulse; Gods Blessing was better then the Kings Venison, a piece of Bread with Gods Love is Angels Food.
2. God who gives us our allowance, knows what quantity of these outward things is fittest for us; a smaller provision may be fitter for some, Bread may be better then Dainties; every one cannot bear an high Condition, no more then a weak Brain can bear heady wine; hath one a larger proportion of worldly things, God sees he can better manage such a Condition; he can order his Affairs with discretion, which pe…haps another cannot; as he hath a large Estate, so he hath a large heart to do good, which perhaps another hath not; this should make us content with a shorter Bill of Fare; Gods Wisdom is that we must acquiesce in, he sees what is best for every one, that which is good for one may be bad for another.
3. In being contented with daily Bread, that which God carves to us, though it be a lesser piece, much grace is seen in this; all the Graces act their part in a contented Soul; as the holy Ointment was made up of several Spices, Myrrhe, Cinamon, Cassia, Exod. 30.23. so contentment hath in it a mixture of several Graces, there is Faith, a Christian believes God doth all for the best; and Love, which thinks no evil, but takes all God doth in good part; and Patience, submitting chearfully to what God orders wisely: God is much pleased to see so many graces at once sweetly exercised, like so many bright Stars shining in a Constellation.
4. To be content with daily Bread: The allowance God gives, though but sparingly, doth keep us from many Temptations, which discontented Persons fall into, when the Devil sees a Person just of Israels humour, not content with Manna, but must have Quails, saith Satan, here is good fishing for me; Satan oft tempts discontented ones to murmuring, and to unlawful means, cozening and defrauding; and he who increaseth an Estate by indirect means, fluffs his Pillow with Thorns, and his head will lye very uneasie when he comes to dye: If you would be freed from the Temptations which discontent exposeth to, be content with such things as ye have, bless God for daily Bread.
5. What a rare and admirable thing it is to be content with daily bread, though it be coarse, and though there be but little of it; a Christian though he hath but a viaticum, a little meal in the barrel, yet he hath that which gives him content; what he hath not in the Cupboard, he hath in the Promise; that bit of bread he hath is with the love of God, and that sawce makes it relish sweet, that little Oyl in the Cruse is a Pledge and Earnest of those Dainties he shall tast of in the Kingdom of God; this makes him content: What a rare and wonderful thing is this, it is no wonder to be content in Heaven, when we are at the Fountain-Head, and have all things we can desire; but to be content when God keeps us to short Commons, and we have scarce dayly bread, this is a wonder: VVhen grace is crowning, it is no wonder to be content, but when grace is conflicting with straits now to be content is a glorious thing indeed, and deserves the Garland of Praise.
6. To make us content with daily Bread: Though God straitens us in our allowance, think seriously of the danger that is in an high prosperous Condition; some are not content with daily bread, but desire to have their Barns filled, and heap up Silver as dust; this proves a snare to them, 1 Tim. 6.10. They that will be rich fall into a snare. foreign, Theophilact. Pride, Idleness, VVantonness, are the three worms that usually breed of Plenty; Prosperity oft deafens the ear against God, Ier. 22.21. I spake to thee in thy Prosperity, but thou saidst, I will not hear. Soft pleasures harden the heart: In the Body the more fat, the less blood in the Veins, and the less Spirits; the more outward plenty often the less Piety. Prosperity hath its Honey, and also its Sting: Prosperity like the full of the Moon makes many Lunatick: The Pastures of Prosperity are rank and surfeiting. Anxious care is the malus Genius, the evil Spirit that haunts the rich Man, and will not let him be quiet; when his Chests are full of Money his heart is full of care, either how to manage, or how to encrease, or how to secure what he hath gotten: Sunshine in pleasant, but sometimes it scorcheth: Should not this make us content with that allowance God gives; if we have daily bread though not dainties; think of the Danger of Prosperity; the spreading of a full Table may be the spreading of a snare: Many have been sunk to Hell with golden Weights: The ferry Man takes in all Passengers, that he may encrease his Fare, and sometimes to the sinking of the boat. 1 Tim. 6.9. They that will be rich fall into many hurtful Lusts, which drown them in Perdition. The Worlds golden Sands are Quicksands; this may make us take our daily bread, though it be but coarse, contentedly; what if we have less food, we have less snare, if less dignity, less danger; as we want the rich Provisions of the World, so we want the Temptations.
7. If God keeps us to a spare diet, if he give us less Temporals, he hath made it up in Spirituals; he hath given us the Pearl of Price, and the holy anointing. 1. The Pearl of Price, the Lord Jesus, he is the quintessence of all good things; to give us Christ is more then if God had given us all the world; God can make more worlds, but he hath no more Christs to bestow; he is such a golden mine that the Angels cannot dig to the bottom; Eph. 3.8. From Christ we have Justification, Adoption, Coronation: The Sea of Gods Mercy in giving us Christ (saith Luther) should swallow up all our wants. 2. The holy Unction, God hath anointed us with the graces of his Spirit: Grace is a seed of God, a blossom of Eternity; the graces are foreign, Damascen, the impressions of the divine Nature, Stars to enlighten us, Spices to perfume us, Diamonds to enrich us; and if God hath adorned the hidden Man of the heart with these sacred Jewels, it may well make us content, tho' we have but short Commons, and that coarse too. God hath given his People better things then Corn and Wine, he hath given them that which he cannot give in anger, and which cannot stand with Reprobation, and they may say as David, Psal. 16.6. The lines are fallen to them in pleasant places, and they have a goodly heritage. I have read of Didimus and Anthony, Didimus was a blind Man, but very holy; Anthony ask'd him if he was not troubled for the want of his eyes, he told him he was; why said Anthony, are you troubled you want that which Flyes and Birds have, when you have that which Angels have: So I say to Christians, if God hath not given you the Purse, he hath given you his Spirit, if you want that which rich Men have, God hath given you that which Angels have, and are you not content?
8. If you have but daily bread enough to suffice nature, be content, consider it is not having abundance makes the life always comfortable; it is not a great Cage will make the Bird sing; a competency may breed contentment, when having more may make one less content: A staff may help the Traveller, but a bundle of staffs will be a burden to him. A great Estate may be like a long trayling garment, more burdensome then useful: Many that have great incomes and revenues have not so much comfort in their Lives, as some that go to their hard labour.
9. If you have less daily bread, you will have less account to give: The Riches and Honours of the World like Alchimy make a great show, and with their glistering dazle Mens eyes; but they do not consider the great account they must give to God, Luke 16.2. Give an account of thy Stewardship. What good hast thou done with thy Estate? hast thou as a good Steward traded thy golden Talents for Gods glory? hast thou honoured the Lord with thy Substance? the greater Revenues the greater Reckonings; this may quiet and content us, if we have but little daily bread, our account will be less.
10. You that have but a small competency in these outward things, your provisions are short, yet you may be content, to consider how much you look for hereafter: God keeps the best Wine till last: What though now you have but a small pittance, and are fed from hand to mouth, you look for an eternal Reward, white Robes, sparkling Crowns, Rivers of Pleasure: A Son is content though his Father gives him but now and then a little Money, as long as he expects his Father should settle all his land upon him at last. If God give you but a little at present, yet you look for that glory which eye hath not seen; may not you be content? The World is but a Diversorium, a great Inn; if God give you but sufficient to pay for your Charges in your Inn, you may be content, you shall have enough when you come to your own Country.
Quest. How may we be content though God cut us short in these Externals; though we have but little daily bread, and coarse?
Resp. 1. Think with our selves some have been much lower then we, who have been better then we: Iacob an holy Patriarch goes over Iordan with his Staff, and lived in a mean condition a long time, he had the Clouds for his Canopy, and Stone for his Pillow: Moses that might have been rich, some Historians say, Pharaoh's Daughter adopted him for her Son, because King Pharaoh had no Heir, and so Moses was like to have come to the Crown, yet leaving the Honours of the Court, in what a low mean condition did he live in when he went to Iethro his Father-in-Law? Musculus famous for Learning and Piety was put to great Straits, he was put to dig in a Town ditch, and had scarce daily bread, yet content. Nay, Christ, who was Heir of all, yet for our sakes became poor, 2 Cor. 8.9. Let all these Examples make us content.
2. Let us labour to have the Interest cleared between God and our Souls; he who can say, My God, hath enough to rock his heart quiet in the lowest condition; what can he want who hath El-Shaddai, the all-sufficient God for his portion; though the nether-Springs fail, yet he hath the upper-Springs; though the bill of fare grow short, yet an Interest in God is a Pillar of Support to us, and we may with David encourage ourselves in the Lord our God.