Meditations Upon the Lords Prayer, Treatise · Petition 4
The fourth Petition.
Give us this day, our daily bread, &c.
1. NOw I come to thoſe Petitions, that immediately concern our ſelves; which we are never ſo ſure to obtain, as when we have firſt ſought the Kingdom of heaven; for, God hath promiſed it upon that condition, and I have had a perſonal experience of his faithful performance, though I have been a very negligent Seeker. Therefore, that, we looſe not our labours, when we come to be Petitioners for what is deficient as to our ſolves; I wiſh we might all turn true Seekers. In the firſt of theſe three following Petitions, we ask that which is neceſſary to preſerve our ſubſiſtence and well-being in Soul and Body: In the ſecond Petition we pray for the pardon of our Debts and Treſpaſſes: In the third and laſt, for deliverance from temptations, and from thoſe Evils which they may elſe bring upon us. In the few words, whereof the firſt of theſe Petitions conſiſts, many things are offered to conſideration. Firſt, that God our heavenly Father is the general Provider and Restorer of all good and neceſſary things; for, we are not taught to pray unto one who hath not wherewith to ſupply our wants, The earth is the Lords, with all the fulneſs thereof: He giveth meat unto all Creatures in due ſeaſon, opening his hand, and filling them with that which is good. None of his Children needs to deſpair, or ſeek unto his Enemies for relief; or, to ſupply their wants, by evil or unlawful means. For, he feedeth Sparrows, which are of little value; and Lyons, and Ravens, when they are hungry; yea, Tyrants and Oppreſſors; how much more then, will he feed his own Children, when they ask for Bread? We are not to pray for it as due by merit, but to obtain it in free Alms: Nor are we to ask it (as the Prodigal Son did his) for a Childe's portion: For, that was intruſted with our Firſt-Parents, who ſpent it, and left us more in debt, then we had ever been able co pay, and liable to have been everlaſting Slaves and Priſoners, if our Eldeſt brother had not ſet us free; which obligeth us to perpetual thankfulneſs, and unfeigned Love; For, the Prodigals Elder brother was not ſo kinde to him. VVe have alſo obtained (beſides our ſhare in a joynt Stock) perſonal individual Portions, from our Heavenly Father by his Mediation, to ſupply that which we loſt in Adam, with an invaluable Overplus. This we have ſo badly husbanded by our own defaults, and live alſo among ſo many Thieves, and Cheaters, that we are every day in danger to be undone, and ſtarved both in Body and Soul, if we had not ſo kinde a Father, and ſo loving a Brother, perpetually making Interceſſion for us. It behoves us therefore to be very heedful that we wilfully diſpleaſe not this gratious Father, and loving Brother, by preferring the meat that periſheth before that ſuper-ſubſtantial Bread of Life which came from Heaven, and was broken for our nouriſhment here upon earth; and may be obtained for asking. We ought to take heed alſo, that we diſhonour him not as our Firſt-Parents did by believing his Enemies, or by ſeeking to them, or to ſuch falſe gods as men often make unto themſelves, or ſeek unto him by Saints or Angels (not by him accepted for Mediators) to obtain our needful Requeſts, to the undervaluing of his Sons Mediatorſhip, leſt when we ſtand in greateſt need, his, and our Father juſtly turn us away in diſpleaſure, as he did the Iſraelites to thoſe Idols: in whom they truſted.
2. Then, whereas it is ſaid, Give us this day our daily bread, I take notice from theſe words this day, that we are every day obliged to make our Addreſſes to God, for ſuch things as are daily needful▪ which the Emphaſis of the ſaid words imply; as alſo, that according to our Saviours counſel, we ſhould not perplex our ſelves with a vexatious caring for the time to come, in regard every day brings care enough to provide for the neceſſities thereof. Ye the intended not thereby, that we ſhould be negligent, in adding our endeavours to Gods providence, he offering opportunities, honeſtly to inlarge his gifts beyond the preſent days want; on in laying up that ſurpluſage to make proviſion for future neceſſities and contingencies, or for thoſe of our Relations, or others who are unable to provide for themſelves, or of getting wherewithall to diſtribute relief to them, for whoſe ſakes he doth make us his Stewards, in that which he giveth over and above our daily bread: For it is the Will of God, that we ſhould make uſe of the preſent day, without vexations care; to husband well our Talents and Callings; to improve Gods daily Bleſſings, not onelyonly to ſupply our perſonal neceſſites; but that we might have ſomewhat alſo of that which God gives us over and above our daily Bread, to be diſpenſed by our hands to thoſe whom he intendeth to relieve by our charity, in imitation of his Univerſal Love, who vouchſafeth Rain both on the juſt and unjuſt, and expects (though we ſhould be merciful in the firſt place to them of his houſhold) that in their extream wants, we ſhould extend our charity even to the worſt of men: And we finde by experience that benefits and kindneſſes to thoſe who knew they had deſerved none from us, but the contrary rather, do work ſometimes more upon them toward the reformation of their manners, then Reproofs or good Counſel: For, though we are not to give holy things, or the Childrens bread to Dogs; yet they who ſeem worthy of no more regard then Dogs, are not utterly to be neglected, (becauſe many of them have a precious Seed in them hidden from others) as appears by the Canaanitiſh woman, who beſought him for her daughter vexed with a Devil, and by his deportment toward her; for, after his Diſciples had affronted her with diſreſpect, and he provoked her by making ſhew of neglect alſo; yet he granted her deſire with a ſingular approbation of her Faith, John 15. 22. We enough likewiſe to be heedful, that not ſo much as the Crums or Fragments of what God giveth us, may be caſt away; or ſpoiled by our negligence or improvidence, when we our ſelves are full; becauſe▪ the leaſt of his Mercies are pretiouſ▪ and that which we deſpiſe may be both comfortable and acceptable to ſome; therefore, our Saviour commanded the broken meat remaining of thoſe few Loaves and two Fiſhes, where with he had fed ſo many thouſands ſhould be gathered up, that nothing might be loſt.
3. I obſerve from this word Give, that we muſt not onelyonly expect what we ask for of free gift as aforeſaid, and not as merited, but crave it in humility alſo, as needy beggers ought to do; for, a proud begger is abominable, and few will given an Almes to him, that asks with inſolence and pride; nor will beggers always ask that with much reſpective meekneſs, which they know is abſolutely due unto them, and unjuſtly detained. This Benediction, Bleſſed are the poor in ſpirit, implies with what ſence of our nakedneſs, and with what ſpiritual poverty of minde, we ought to petition our Father; and theſe words annexed, Theirs is the Kingdom of heaven, Matth. 5. 3. demonſtrate that there is no humane Rhetorick more prevalent with him. They will moſt humbly pray, moſt diligently ſeek, and moſt earneſtly knock (that iſ, do all things juſtly pertinent to an obtaining of what they want) who know the ſupplying of their defects, muſt proceed meerly from the Bounty or Charity of the Giver; and that he who will not endeavour for his daily bread, ſo far forth as he is able, when he wants it, is not priviledged to eat by the Apoſtles Rule and Practice; and what can we do leſs toward it, then humbly to ask it? The ſame Apoſtle, though he did perform the works of his Miniſtry freely (for which things neceſſary were due from them whoſe benefit was thereby intended) wrought with his own hands to ſupply what was wanting, rather then he would be over burthenſome; or take ought from them, who deſpiſing his Miniſtry, made themſelves unworthy to be numbred among his Benefactors. He to whom we are hereby taught to pray, never neglects to give his Children what they have need of, unleſs it be to prevent or cure ſome other Defects, which would have worſe conſequences, then the lack of ſome neceſſaries for a while: And though he then lets us to bite on the Bridle, yet when be findes us to be ſo ſenſible of our defects, that we reſlove to ſeek unto him, he meets us as did the Prodigal Sons Father, and is ready to give before we ask. I was young, and am now older then David was, yet can ſay as truely as he, I never ſaw the Righteous forſaken, or their ſeed begging bread: That is, I never ſaw them ſo forſaken, as to be left ſo comfortleſs in their greateſt wants, to make begging their refuge as common beggers do, reſolving to live Idlely by begging or Healing onelyonly. Such, for the moſt part are extreamly wicked in their lives and conversations; Curſers, Swearers, Malitious, Envious, Rayling and Snarling at each other, where they attend for Alms, like Dogs quarrelling for bones, yea, grumbling and returning curriſh language, even to thoſe who relieve them, if they anſwer not their unreaſonable expectations. Yet, theſe muſt not be ſo neglected as they are, but (as David counſelleth) wiſely to be conſidered, not onelyonly to preſerve them from periſhing, who are unable to provide for themſelves, but to provide means whereby they who are unable to work, may not live in fluttiſh idleneſs and careleſneſs; for, our heavenly Father, denieth nothing to any of his Children, but when he knows they ask it, to be continued in idleneſs, or to ſatisfie their luſts rather then to imploy it to his honour and the comfort of their brethren, according as they shall be able. He feeds the Fowls of the Air, though they neither Plow nor Sow; but, they ſeek their meat according to the means which he hath given them ſo to do; he likewiſe Clothes the Lilies and Flowers of the Fields with glorious colours; but they, without reſiſtance of his Will, are paſſive (though not active) in permitting providence to act upon them what he pleaſeth toward their vegetative being and adorning; in which reſpects, they are inſtanced (as I conceive) for a ſymbolical repreſentation of that abſolute obedience, which is in the Saints, and in thoſe Seeds of Grace, which are in them to fructifie for Gods Glory, and toward their own perfection.
4. Moreover, the Emphaſis which I apprehend to be in theſe words, this day, hints unto us, not onelyonly this Caution, that we take all lawful opportunities to improve Gods daily Bleſſings, and to diſpence our Charity as occaſions are offered; but alſo, not to defer it until another day; becauſe we know not what ſhall be to morrow; or whether we have one other day to live. Many fair advantages are loſt by procraſtination, never to be recovered; and yet through want of conſideration, many often defer the doing of their duties, when they have neither leſs nor more benefit thereby; which demonſtrates their ſottiſhneſs, who are thereto inclinable. By thoſe words in the Original, which are interpreted Daily bread, I underſtand all things whatſoever to be thereby intended, and included, which are pertinent to the preſervation of our Souls and Bodies; for Bread is called the Staff of Life; and if I thought it needful to be evidenced by particular Texts, I could make it appear that not onelyonly all external neceſſaries are by holy Scripture intended by Bread, but that the ſpiritual nouriſhments of our Souls are called the Bread of Life. Yea, Chriſt Jeſus, ſaid of himſelf, I am the Bread of Life, which came down from Heaven; whereof if any man eateth, he shall live for ever; and, the Bread which I will give it my Fleſh, which I will give for the Life of the world, &c. I cannot therefore think, when he preſcribed this From of Prayer, but that he intended we ſhould ask this Bread, rather then the Common-bread, or ſuch outward things as are thereby ſignified; for doubtleſs, he who knew what moſt concerned us, did principally intend this Bread ſhould be prayed for, as that, which will bring with it all other things neceſſary, both for our temporary and everlaſting well-being. But O God! how many of us do minde ſo much eartbly material Bread, and thoſe other things which fleſh and blood are moſt affected withall, (when we offer up this Petition) that we have no thought of that Bread, which muſt preſerve our ſouls and bodies to eternal Life! How few care to know or heed what is contained in this pretious Catholicon! And how is it neglected and underprized, as a Form of Prayer fitting none but Ideots and Children, even by ſome pretending to Piety! I take in, and put forth, that which is offered by Meditation upon this Prayer, as it comes into my heart, and not remembring all that I have written, may perhaps inſiſt other while more then once upon the ſame Notions and Cautions; but, that I hope ſhall not be excepted againſt, for ſuch Iterations are very frequent in the writings of the Prophets, yet not impertinent, in regard as well our heedleſneſs of what is ſpoken, as the various occaſions thereof makes them useful.