A Treatise of Christian Religion, Chapter 47
CHAP. 47.
Of the fourth Petition.
The three Petitions following which concerne our ſelues. Wherein we aske
Either the things of this life, whether of
Neceſſity.
Delight.
Or of the life to come. Ch. 26.
MATTH. 6. 11. GiueGive vsus this day our daily bread.
Q. HItherto of the Petitions which concerne God; thoſe which concerne our ſelues follow: what is generally to be conſidered in them?
A. Firſt, that there is no lawfull vſe of theſe petitions which follow, or hope to get that which wee requeſt in them, vnleſſe wee firſt labour for the graces, which we are to aske in the former petitions, concerning the ſeruice of God; conſidering that godlineſſe 1. Tim. 4. 8. Luk. 17. 8.hath the promiſes of this life, and the life to come.
Secondly, that as in the former, the word (Thy) ſheweth, that they onelyonly reſpect God; ſo in theſe following, Epheſ. 6. 18. Pſal. 25. 22. & 51. 18. Job. 30. 25.theſe words (Our and vsus) teach vsus to hauehave a fellow-feeling of the miſeries and neceſſities of others; and therefore in making them, wee are to remember their neceſſities as well as our owne; which is the triall of the true ſpirit of prayer.
Thirdly, that for all things required therein, we depend on Gods prouidence, mercy, and power.
Q. How are theſe Petitions diuided?
A. Firſt, there is one onelyonly for the things of our bodily life. Secondly, two, that belong to the things of our ſpirituall life.
Q. Why hauehave we but one petition concerning our bodily life, and two for the things concerning our ſpirituall life?
A. To teach vsus, how ſmally earthly things are to be Mat. 6. 32. Phil. 3 19. Luk. 16. 11.accounted in regard of heauenly; and therefore that our prayers for things of this life ſhould bee ſhort, and more large for heauenly things.
Q. Why is the petition for the things concerning our bodily life, put before the petitions for the things concerning our ſpirituall life?
A. Firſt, becauſe as the naturall a1. Cor. 15. 48. Pſal. 78. 34. Hoſ. 5. 15.life is before the ſpirituall; ſo the neceſſities thereof are ſooner felt then the neceſſities of the former. Secondly, bProu. 30. 7. Gen. 32.becauſe men hauing outward things in ſome competent meaſure, are leſſe diſtracted, and more free to call vponupon God for ſpirituall and heauenly graces.
Q. What is that petition which concerneth bodily life?
A. GiueGive vsus this day our daily bread.
A. What is meant by (Bread?
A. Firſt, all outward things, both for our neceſſity and Chriſtian delight, as clothing, food, peace, liberty, &c. Secondly, all the meanes and helpes to attaine them, as good Princes, Magiſtrates, Lawes, ſeaſonable a1. Cor. 15. 46.weather, &c. Wherein alſo wee pray for the remouall bPſal. 78. 34. Hoſ. 5. 15. Mat. 8. 2. 2. Sam. 15. 25. 26.of the contrary; as tyrannie, warre, plague, famine, euill weather. All which muſt be asked with this exception, if it ſeeme good vntounto his Maieſty: which exception is proper to this petition.
Q. What need is there of asking theſe things?
A. Becauſe aMat. 6. 32.the frailty of our nature is ſuch, that we are not able to continue in health ſcarce one day, without theſe helpes and (as it were) props to vphold this decayed and ruinous cottage of our mortall bodies; leſſe able to forbeare them then many beaſts: for bGen. 1. 29.ſeeing there was a neceſſary vſe of our meate in the time of our innocency, the neceſſity by our fall is much greater.
Q. What learne you from the word (GiueGive?)
A. Firſt, that all things in this life come from God, Pſal. 104. 27. 28. 29. 30. Ezec. 16. 17. 19.which we are ready to aſcribe, either to the earth, or to our money wherewith we buy them, or to our friends that giuegive vsus them; as if wee ſhould looke vponupon the Act. 14. 17.Steward onelyonly, and paſſe by the Maſter of the family; or vponupon the breaſt that giueth ſucke, and neglect the nurſe.
Secondly, that although in regard of our labour or purchaſe, it may be called ours; yet we ſay, GiueGive Lord, to ſhew that wee cannot deſerue the leaſt crumme of Pſal. 136. 25.bread, or drop of water, much leſſe the kingdome of heauen.
Thirdly, that ſeeing God giueth to whom he will, and what he wil; we learne to aHeb. 13. 5.be content with whatſoeuer wee hauehave receiued. Moreouer, to bee thankfull for it, ſeeing b1. Tim. 4. 5.all things are ſanctified to vsus by the word and prayer, with thankſ-giuing. And laſt of all, cMat. 20. 15.not to enuie other mens plenty, it being Gods gift.
Q. What reaſon is there that they ſhould pray for theſe things to God, who hauehave them already in their Garners, Cellars, &c.
A. Very great: Firſt, for that wee in Adam hauehave loſt the right of them all; which aHeb. 1. 2. Pſal. 8. 7-9. 1. Cor. 3. 22.in Chriſt the heire of the world we onelyonly recouer: ſo that although wee poſſeſſe them, yet are we not right owners of them but by faith, which alſo we declare by praying for them.
Secondly, for that the things wee doe poſſeſſe, wee b1. Sam. 30. 16. 17. Dan. 5. 5. 2. King. 7. 17. 19.may eaſily a hundred waies be thruſt from the poſſeſſion of them, before we come to vſe them; according to the prouerbe, that many things come betweene the cup and the lippe.
Laſtly, cEſay 3. 1. Hagg. 1. 6. Prou. 10. 22. Dan. 1. 13. 14. 15. Pſal. 78. 30. 31.for that although we hauehave the vſe of them, yet will they not profit vsus, neither in feeding, nor clothing vsus, vnleſſe wee hauehave the bleſſing of God vponupon them; yea, without the which they may bee hurtfull, and poyſonable vntounto vsus. By all which reaſons it may appeare, that the rich are as well to vſe this petition as the pooreſt.
Q. Why is this added (this Day)?
A. That we are to pray for bread for a day, and not Exod. 16. 19. 20. 21. Prou. 30. 8. Heb. 13. 5.for a monethmonth, or yeere, &c. which is to teach vsus to reſtraine our care, that it reach not too farre, but that it reſt in Gods prouidence, and preſent bleſſing; and therefore that we be not couetous.
Q. Is it not lawfull to prouide for children and family?
A. Yes verily, aGen. 41. 34. 35 Act. 11. 28. 29. 2. Cor. 12. 14.not onelyonly lawfull, but alſo needfull: but heere our affections are onelyonly forbidden to paſſe meaſure; as bMat. 6. 34.to hauehave a diſtracted and troubling care, ſeeing the vexation of the day is enough for it ſelfe: but cPſal. 37. 5. Prou. 16. 3.to commit our waies vntounto the Lord, and to roll our matters vponupon him, who will bring them to paſſe.
Q. Why is the bread called ours, ſeeing that God muſt giuegive it?
A. To teach vsus, that we muſt come vntounto it by our Gen. 2. 15. & 3. 19. Pſal. 128. 2. 1. Theſ. 4. 11. 2. Theſ. 3. 8. 9. 10.owne labour; in which reſpect, he that will not labour ſhould not eate.
Q. Why is it called (Daily bread)?
A. This word in the Euangeliſts, and in the originall language of the Scripture, is, aMat. 6. 11. Luk. 11. 3.the bread fit for me, agreeable to my condition; which is an eſpeciall leſſon for all eſtates and callings, to keepe them within the bounds, not onelyonly of neceſſity, but of bPſal. 104. 15. Joh. 12. 3.Chriſtianity cProu. 30. 8. 1. Tim. 6. 8. Rom. 13. 14. Jam. 4. 3.and ſober delight, and not to aske them to the fulfilling of their fleſhly deſires.