only thus kind to us all in general, it would certainly be our Duty to acknowledge his Kindness, and pray for the Continuance of it. But as we learn from Scripture further, that his Providence extends, even in the minuteft Inftances, to each of us in particular; and that not the smallest Thing comes to pafs, but by his Appointment, or wife Permiffion; this furnishes additional Reasons for applying to Him, that his continual Superintendency may be ever exercifed towards us for our Good. We know not indeed with Certainty, in thefe Matters, what will be good for us. But still, fince He hath given us Defires, infeparable from our Frame, of enjoying Life to its ordinary Term; with a competent Share of the feveral Accommodations which contribute to make it agreeable; it must be lawful to exprefs those Defires to Him in a proper Manner. And this our Saviour directs us how to do, when He bids us petition for our daily Bread.. The Word Bread, as it frequently fignifies in Scripture all Sorts of Food, fo it may very naturally fignify, what it doth in this Prayer, all Sorts of Things requifite in human Life. This Agur meant, when he prayed, that God would feed him with Food (in the Original it is Bread) convenient for him. And this we mean in common Discourse, as often as we speak of Perfons getting their Bread. But then it muft by no Means be extended beyond Things requifite; thofe, without which we are unable either to fubfift at all, or however conveniently and comfortably. Not that Defires of further Advantages in the World are univerfally unlawful. But they are fo apt to enlarge, and fwell into extravagant and finful Paffions; into Schemes of Luxury, or Vanity, or Covetoufnefs; that we have usually much more Need to restrain and check, than authorize them, by afking the Accomplishment of them from God; left we be guilty of what St. James condemns, afking amiss, that we may confume it upon our Lufts®. Matth. x. 29, 30. Luke xii. 6, 7. Prov. xxx. 8. Jam. iv. 3. It It is therefore only for fuch a Share of worldly Good, as to a reasonable and moderate Mind will appear sufficient, that our Saviour allows us here to pray; in the Spirit which Agur, in the Prayer juft mentioned, expreffes, Give me neither Poverty nor Riches: feed me with Food convenient for me. Left I be full, and deny Thee, and fay, Who is the Lord? or left I be poor, and steal, and take the Name of my God in vain. For indeed, though the Temptations of extreme Poverty are very great; yet the Tendency of Wealth and Eafe and Power, to Sensuality and Pride and Forgetfulness of God, is fo exceeding ftrong, that a well-inftructed and confiderate Mind would rather submit, than chufe to be placed in a Condition of Abundance and Eminence. For preserving the Order, and conducting the Affairs of the World, fome must be in fuch Stations: but let all who are, look well to their Ways; and let none of their Inferiors envy them. : It ought to be further abferved here, that our blessed Lord hath not only confined us to pray for our Bread, but our daily Bread; to be given us, as we ask for it, Day by Day: intending, doubtlefs, to make us remember and acknowledge,that our Dependance on God is continual, from one Moment to another: that they, who have the moft of this World, have it only during his Pleasure ; and are bound, both to afk, and receive, every Day's Enjoyment of it, as a new Gift from Him: while, at the fame Time, they who have leaft may be affured, that what He hath commanded them to pray for, He will ordinarily not fail to bestow upon them; by bleffing their Endeavours, if they are able to use Endeavours; or by ftirring up the Charity of others towards them, if they are not. For as to those who can labour, Industry is the Method by which God hath thought fit to give them their Bread; and, therefore, by which they ought to feek it. They have no Title to it any other Way; St. Paul having directed, that if any one will not work, neither bould f Prov. xxx. 8, 9. he cat. Nor muft they work only to fupply their prefent Neceffities: but, by Diligence and Frugality, lay up fomething, if poffible, for future Exigencies alfo: learning of the Ant, which provideth her Meat in the Summer, and gathereth her Food in the Harvest ". So that applying for our daily Bread to God, is far from excluding a proper Care to use the appointed Means of procuring it for ourfelves. But if our Care be a prefumptuous one, and void of Regard to the Disposer of all Things; we provoke Him to blast our fairest Hopes. And if it be an anxious and distrustful one, we think ;injuriously of Him to whom we pray; who can as easily give us the Bread of To-morrow, as He gave us that of Yefterday. Nay, if our worldly Cares, though they do not difquiet our Minds, yet engross them; if we carry our Attention to this World fo far as to forget the next; or imagine ourselves to be fecurer in Stores, laid up for many Years', than in God's good Providence; this alio is very unfuitable to the Spirit, both of our Lord's Prayer, and of his whole Religion; which commands us to feek first the Kingdom of God and his Righte aufnefs, and not to trust in uncertain Riches, but in Him, who giveth us richly all Things to enjoy1. I fhall only add two Obfervations more, which have been made very juftly on this Petition": that, fince we afk our Bread from God, we ought not to accept it from the Devil; that is, to gain our Subfiftence by any unlawful Means: and that, fince we do not fay, Give me my daily Bread; but, Give us ours; we entreat God to fupply the Wants of others, as well as our own, Now the Means which He hath provided for supplying the Wants of the helpless Poor, is the Charity of the Rich. And to pray Him, that they may be relieved, and yet withhold from them what He hath defigned for their Relief, is juft that Piece of Inconfiftence or Hypocrify, which St. James fo ftrongly expofes. If a Brother, or Sifter, be naked, and deftitute of daily Food; 8 2 Theff. iii. 10. 1 I h Prov. vi. 8. Tim. vi. 17. 1 Luke xii. 19. By Bp. Blackhall. and and one of you fay unto them, Depart in Peace,be ye warmed, and he ye filled; notwithstanding ye give them not the Things which are needful to the Body; what doth it profit"? From our temporal Wants, we proceed next tɔ a much more important Concern, our fpiritual ones : and here we ask in the first place, what it is very fit we fhould, Pardon and Mercy. Forgive us our Trespasses, as we forgive them that trefpafs against us. The Forgive nefs of Sins having been already explained, under that Article of the Creed, which relates to it; I shall only take notice at prefent of the Argument, which we are directed to use in pleading for it, which is likewife the efpecial Condition of our obtaining it; that we also forgive, as we hope to be forgiven. And concerning this, two Things ought to be understood: what that Forgiveness is, to which we are bound; and how far the Exercife of it will avail us. Now the Obligation to Forgiveness means, not that the Magiftrate is to omit punishing Malefactors; for he is the Minister of God, a Revenger, to execute Wrath upon him, that doth Evil: not that the Rulers of the Church are to forbear fpiritual Cenfures against notorious Offenders; for the Scripture hath appointed them for the Amendment of Sinners, and the Prefervation of the Innocent, when they are likely to have thefe good Effects: not that private Perfons do amifs in bringing Tranfgreffors to Juftice; for neglecting it would be in general only a feeming Kindness to them, and a real Mischief to human Society: not that we are forbid to make reafonable Demands on fuch, as withhold our Dues, or do us any Damage; for recovering a Debt is a very different Thing from revenging an Injury: nor laftly, that we are always bound, when Perfons have behaved ill to us, either to think as well of them as before; which may be impoffible; or to truft and favour them as much; which may be unwife. But our Obligation to forgive doth mean, and abfolutely require, that civil Gover℗ Rom. xiii. 4. James ii. 15, 16. Luke xi. 4. nors nors be moderate and merciful; and ecclefiaftical ones make ufe of Difcipline to Edification, not to Deftruction 9: that, in our private Capacity, we pass by all Offences, which, with Safety to ourfelves, and the Public, we can: that where we must punish, we do it with Reluctance; and as gently, as the Cafe will permit: and where we muft defend or recover our Rights; we do it with the leaft Expence, and the leaft Uneafinefs to the adverse Party, that may be: that we never be guilty of Injustice to others, because they have been guilty of it to us; and never refuse them proper Favours, merely because we have been refufed fuch Favours by them; much less, because we have not obtained from them what it was not fit we fhould: that we look upon little Provocations, as Trifles; and be careful, not to think great ones greater than they are: that we be willing to make those, who have difpleafed us, all fuch Allowance to the full, as our common Frailty and Ignorance demand: that we always with well to them; and be ready, as foon as ever we have real Caufe, to think well of them; to believe their Repentance; and, how great or many foever their Faults may have been, to accept it; and restore them to as large a Share of our Kindness and Friendfhip, as any wife and good Perfon, uninterested in the Question, would think fafe and right: always remembering, in every Cafe of Injury, how very apt we are to err on the fevere Side; and how very much better it is, to err on the merciful one. This is the Temper of Forgiveness to our FellowCreatures and it is plainly a good and fit Temper. Let us therefore now confider further, what Influence it will have towards our Maker's forgiving us. Our Saviour undoubtedly lays a peculiar Strefs on it for this Purpose; both by inferting it, as a Condition, into the Body of his Prayer; and infifting on it, as a neceffary one, in his Words immediately after the Prayer. But ftill, we must obferve, He doth not mention it as the Cause, that procures our Forgiveness: for God faveth us, 92 Cor. x. 8. xiii, 10. not |