VSE V. Comfort to the people of God. (10) to VSE V. Comfort to the people of God. (12)

VSE V. Comfort to the people of God. (10)

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, Vs.] 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[gap] word in the Petition is, [gap], 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 V. Comfort to the people of God. (11)

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 [gap], 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 [gap], covetous, and it follows [gap], 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 [gap]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[gap]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. [gap], 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 [gap], 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.

Mat. 6.12. And forgive us our Debts, as we forgive our Debtors.

BEfore I speak strictly to the Words, I shall take notice, 1. That in this Prayer there is but One Petition for the Body, Give us our daily Bread, but two Petitions for the Soul. Forgive us our Trespasses, lead us not into Temptation, but deliver us from Evil; Hence observe, that we are to be more careful for our Souls, than for our Bodies. More careful for Grace, than daily Bread, more desirous to have our Souls saved, than our Bodies fed: in the Law, the Weight of the Sanctuary was twice as big as the common weight: to typify, that Spiritual Things must be of far greater Weight with us than Earthly. The Excellency of the Soul, may challenge our Chief Care about it.

1. The Soul is an immaterial Substance, it is an heavenly Spark, lighted by the Breath of God. It is the more refined spiritual Part of Man, it is of an Angelical Nature; it hath some faint resemblance of God. The Body is the more dreggish part, it is but the Cabinet which (though curiously wrought) the Soul is the Jewel; the Soul is near a-kin to Angels, it is Capax beatitudinis, capable of Communion with God in Glory.

2. It is immortal; it doth never expire. It can act without the Body, tho' the Body dissolve into Dust, the Soul lives, Luk. 12.4. The Essence of the Soul is Eternal, it hath a beginning, but no end: It is a Blossom of Eternity. Sure then if the Soul be so Ennobled and Dignifi'd, more care should be taken about the Soul than the Body. We make but One Petition for the Body, but Two Petitions for the Soul.

VSE V. Comfort to the people of God. (12)

Vse. 1. It reproves them that take more care for their Bodies, than their Souls. The Body is but the brutish part, yet they take more care, 1. about dressing their Bodies, than their Souls. They put on their best Cloaths, are dressed in the Richest Garb, but care not how naked or undrest their Souls are; they do not get the Jewels of Grace, to adorn their inner Man. 2. About feeding their Bodies, than their Souls, they are Caterers for the Flesh, they do [gap], make Provision for the Flesh, Rom. 13.14. they have the best Diet, but let their Souls starve. As if one should feed his Hawk, but let his Child starve. The Body must sit in the Chair of State, but the Soul, that princely thing, is made a Lacky to run on the Devil's Errand.

Vse 2. Let us be more careful for our Souls. —Omnia si perdas animam servare memento. If it be well with the Soul, it shall be well with the Body. If the Soul be gracious, the Body shall be glorious, for it shall shine like Christ's Body. Therefore 'tis Wisdom to look chiefly to the Soul, because in saving the Soul, we secure the Happiness of the Body. And, we cannot shew our Care for the Soul more, than in taking all Seasons for our Souls, Reading, Praying, Hearing, Meditating. O look to the Main Chance, let the Soul be chiefly tended, the loss of the Soul would be fatal, other Losses may be made up again. If one loseth his Health, he may recover it again, if he lose his Estate, he may get it up again, but if he lose his Soul, this Loss can never be made up again. The Merchant that ventures all he hath in one ship if that ship be lost, he is quite broken.

2. From the Connexion in the Text, assoon as Christ had said, Give us daily Bread, he adds, and forgive us. Christ joyns this Petition of Forgiveness of Sin immediately to the other of Daily Bread, to shew us, that tho' we have daily Bread, yet all is nothing without Forgiveness. If our sins be not pardoned, we can take but little comfort in our Food. As it is with a man that is condemned, tho' you bring him meat in Prison, yet he takes little comfort in it without a pardon. So tho' we have Daily Bread, yet it will do us no good, unless Sin be forgiven. What tho' we should have Manna, which was call'd Angels Food, tho' the Rock should pour out Rivers of Oyl, Iob 29.6. all is nothing unless sin be done away. When Christ had said, give us our Daily Bread, he presently adds, and forgive us our Trespasses. Daily Bread may satisfie the Appetite, but forgiveness of sin▪ satisfies the Conscience.

Vse 1. It condemns the Folly of most People: If they have Daily Bread, the delicious things of this Life, they look no further, they are not sollicitous for the pardon of sin. If they have that which feeds them, they look not after that which should Crown them. Alas, you may have Daily Bread, and yet perish. The Rich man in the Gospel had Daily Bread, nay, he had Dainties, he fared deliciously every day, but in Hell he lift up his Eyes, Luk. 16.19.

Vse 2. Let us pray that God would not give us our Portion in this Life, that he would not put us off with daily Bread, but that he would give us Forgiveness. This is the sawce that would make our Bread Relish the sweeter. A Speech of Luther, Valde protestatus sum me nolle si[gap] satiari ab illo. I did solemnly protest, that God should not put me off with outward things. Be not content with that which is common to the bruit Creatures, the Dog or Elephant to have your Hunger satisfi'd, but besides daily Bread, get pardon of Sin. A drop of Christ's Blood, a dram of forgiving Mercy, is infinitely more valuable, than all the Delights under the Sun. Daily Bread may make us live comfortably, but forgiveness of Sin will make us die comfortably. So I come to the words of the Petition, Forgive us our Debts, &c.

1. Here is a Term given to Sin, it is a Debt. 2. The confessing the Debt, Our Debts. 3. A Prayer, forgive us. 4. A Condition on which we desire Forgiveness, as we forgive our Debtors.

I shall speak of the Term given to Sin, it is [gap], a Debt, that which is here called a Debt, is called Sin▪ Luk. 11.4. forgive us our sins. So then sin is a Debt, and every sinner is a Debtor. Sin is compar'd to a Debt of ten thousand Talents, Mat. 18.24

1. Why is sin call'd a Debt? 2. Wherein sin is worse than other Debts we contract? 3. Wherein sinners have the property of bad Debtors?

Q. 1. Why is Sin call'd a Debt?

Answ. Because it so fitly resembles it.

1. A Debt ariseth upon non-payment of Money, or the not paying that which is ones due. So we owe to God exact Obedience, and not paying what is due, thus we come to be in debt. 2. As in case of non-payment, the Debtor goes to Prison. So by our sin, we become guilty, and stand oblig'd to God's Curse and Damnation. Tho' God doth a while grant a sinner a Reprieve, yet he stands bound to eternal Death, if the Debt be not forgiven.

2. In what sence sin is the worst Debt?

Answ. 1. Because we have nothing to pay; if we could pay the Debt, what need we pray, forgive us? We can't say, as he in the Gospel, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all, we can pay neither Principal nor Interest. Adam made us all Bankrupts; in Innocency Adam had a stock of Original Righteousness to begin the world with, he could give God personal and perfect Obedience; but by his sin, he is quite broke, and hath beggar'd all his Posterity. We have nothing to pay, all our Duties are mixed with sin, and so we cannot pay God in currant Coyn.

2. Sin is the worst Debt, because it is against an Infinite Majesty. An Offence against the Person of a King, is Crimen laesae Mojestatis, it doth inhance and aggravate the Crime. Sin wrongs God, and so it is an Infinite Offence. The schoolmen say, Omne peccatum contra conscientiam est quasi Deicidium. Every known sin strikes at the God-head. The sinner would not only unthrone God, but un-God him, this makes the Debt infinite.

3. Sin is the worst Debt, because it is not a single, but a multiplied Debt. [gap], forgive us our Debts; we have debt upon debt, Ps. 40 12. Innumerable Evils have compassed me about. We may as well reckon all the drops in the Sea, as reckon all our spiritual Debts; we cannot tell you how much we owe. A man may know his other debts, but we cannot number our spiritual Debts. Every vain Thought is a sin, Prov. 24.9. the thought of Foolishness is sin, and what swarms of vain Thoughts have we? The first rising of Corruption, tho' it never blossom into outward Act, is a sin, then who can understand his Errors? we do not know how much we owe to God.

4. Sin is the worst Debt, because it is an inexcusable Debt in two Respects. 1. There is no denying the Debt. 2. There is no shifting it off.

1. There is no denying the Debt, other debts men may deny, if Money be not paid before Witness, or if the Creditor lose the Bond, the Debtor may say he owes him nothing; but there's no denying this debt of Sin. If we say we have no Sin, God can prove the Debt, Psal. 50.21. I will set thy sins in

order before thee. God writes down our Debts in his Book of Remembrance, and God's Book, and the Book of Conscience do exactly agree, so that this Debt cannot be denied.

2. There is no shifting off the Debt: other Debts may be shifted off.

1. We may get Friends to pay them; but neither Man nor Angel can pay this Debt for us. If all the Angels in Heaven should go to make a Purse, they cannot pay one of our Debts.

2. In other Debts, men may get a Protection, so that none can touch their Persons, or sue them for the Debt; but who shall give us a Protection from God's Justice? Iob 10.7. there is none that can deliver out of thine Hand. Indeed the Pope pretends, that his Pardon shall be mens Protection, and now God's Justice shall not sue them, but that is only a Forgery, and cannot be pleaded at God's Tribunal.

3. Other Debts, if the Debtor dies in Prison, cannot be recovered, death frees them from debt. But if we die in debt to God, He knows how to recover it; as long as we have Souls to strain on, God will not lose his Debt. Not the death of the Debtor, but the death of the Surety pays a sinners Debt.

4. In other debts, men may fly from their Creditor, leave their Countrey, and go into forrain Parts, and the Creditor cannot find them: but we cannot fly from God. God knows where to find all his Debtors▪ Ps. 139.7. Whether shall I fly from thy Presence? If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the utmost parts of the Sea, there shall thy right hand hold me.

5. Sin is the worst debt, because it carries men in case of non-payment, to a worse Prison than any upon Earth, to a fiery Prison, and the sinner is laid in worse Chains, Chains of Darkness, where the sinner is bound under Wrath for ever.

Quest. 3. Wherein we have the properties of bad Debtors?

1. A bad debtor doth not love to be called to Account. There's a day comeing, when God will call all his Debtors to Account, Rom. 14.12. so then every man shall give an Account for himself to God, but we play away the time, and do not love to hear of the day of Judgment. We love not that Ministers should put us in mind of our debts, or speak of the day of Reckoning. What a confounding Word will that be to a secure sinner, redde Rationem, Give an Account of your Stewardship.

2. A bad debtor is unwilling to confess his debt, he will put it off, or make less of it. So we are more willing to excuse sin, than confess it. How hardly was Saul brought to Confession, 1 Sam. 15.20. I have obeyed the voice of the Lord, but the People took of the spoil. He rather excuseth his sin, than confesseth it.

3. A bad debtor is apt to hate his Creditor. [gap]. Debtors wish their Creditors dead. So wicked men naturally hate God, because they think he is a just Judge, and will call them to Account, [gap], God-Haters The debtor doth not love to see his Creditor.

Vse 1. It reproves them who are loth to be in debt, but make no reckoning of sin, which is the greatest Debt; they use no means to get out of it, but run still further in debt to God. We would think it strange, if Writs or Warrants were out against a man, or a Iudgment granted to seize his Body and Estate, yet he is secure and regardless, as if he were unconcerned. God hath a Writ out against a sinner, nay many Writs, for Swearing, Drunkenness, Sabbath-breaking, yet the sinner eats and drinks, and is quiet, as if he were not in debt; what Opium hath Satan given men?

Vse 2. Exh. If Sin be a Debt, 1. Let us be humbled. The name of Debt (saith St. Ambrose) is Grave Vocabulum, grievous.

Men in debt are full of Shame, they lie hid, and do not care to be seen. A Debtor is ever in fear of Arrest. Canis latrat, & Cor palpitat. O let us blush and tremble, who are so deeply indebted to God. A Roman dying in debt, Augustus the Emperour sent to buy his Pillow, because (saith he) I hope it hath some Vertue in it, to make me sleep, on which a man so much in debt could take his Ease: we that have so many spiritual Debts lying upon us, how can we be at rest, till we have some hope that they are discharged.

2. Let us Confess our Debt. Let us acknowledge that we are run in Arrears with God, and deserve that he should follow the Law upon us, and throw

us into Hell-Prison. By Confession we give Glory to God, Iosh. 7.19. My Son, give Glory to the God of Israel, and make Confession to him. Say that God were Righteous, if he should strain upon all we have; If we confess the debt, God will forgive it. 1 Ioh. 1.9. If we confess our sins, he is just to forgive; do but confess the Debt, and God will cross the Book, Ps. 32.5. I said I will confess my Transgression to the Lord, and thou forgavest me.

3. Labour to get our spiritual Debts paid, that is, by our Surety Christ. Say, Lord, have patience with me, and Christ shall pay thee all. He hath laid down an infinite Price. The Covenant of Works would not admit of a Surety, it demanded Personal Obedience. But this Priviledge we have by the Gospel, which is a Court of Chancery to relieve us, that if we have nothing to pay, God will accept of a Surety. Believe in Christ's Blood, and the debt is paid.

Luk 11.4. And forgive us our sins, for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us.

IN the Words are two Parts. 1. A Petition, forgive us our Sins. 2. A Condition, for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. Our forgiving others is not a Cause of God's forgiving us, but it is a Condition, without which God will not forgive us.

1. I begin with the first, the Petition, Remitte nobis peccata nostra, Forgive us our Sins. A Blessed Petition! the ignorant world say, who will shew us any good? Ps. 4.6. meaning, a good Lease, a good Purchase; but our Saviour here teacheth us to pray for that which is more noble, and will stand us in more stead, the pardon of sin, Forgive us our Sins. Forgiveness of sin, is a Primary Blessing, it is one of the first Mercies God bestows, Ezek. 36.25. I will sprinkle clean water upon you, that is, Forgiveness. When God pardons there is nothing he will stick at to do for the Soul. He will Adopt, Sanctifie, Crown.

Quest. 1. What Forgiveness of Sin is?

Resp. It is God's passing by Sin, Micah 7.18. his wiping off the score; and giving us a Discharge.

The nature of Forgiveness will more clearly appear, 1. By opening some Scripture-phrases. 2. By laying down some divine Aphorisms and Positions.

1. By opening some Scripture-phrases. 1. To forgive Sin is to take away Iniquity, Iob 7.21. Why dost not thou take away mine Iniquity? The Hebrew Word Vethagnabir, signifies to lift off. 'Tis a Metaphor taken from a man that carries an heavy Burden ready to sink him, and another comes and lifts off this Burden. So when the heavy burden of sin is on us, God in pardoning, lifts off this burden from the Conscience, and lays it upon Christ. Isa. 53.6. He hath laid on him the Iniquity of us all.

2. To forgive sin is to Cover sin. Ps. 85.2. Thou hast covered all their sin. This was typifi'd by the Mercy seat covering the Ark. To shew God's covering of sin through Christ. God doth not cover sin in the Antinomian Sence, so as he sees it not, but he doth so cover it, as he will not impute it.

3. To forgive sin is to blot it out, Isa. 43.25. I am he that blotteth out thy Transgressions. The Hebrew Word Mecha, to blot out, alludes to a Creditor, who when his Debtor hath paid him, blots out the debt, and gives him an Acquittance. So God when he forgives sin, blots out the Debt, he draws the red Lines of Christ's Blood over our sins, and so crosseth the Debt-Book.

4. To forgive sin, is for God to scatter our sins as a Cloud, Isa. 44.22. I have blotted out as a thick Cloud your Transgressions. Sin is the Cloud interposeth, God dispels the Cloud, and breaks forth with the light of his Countenance.

5. To forgive sin, is for God to cast our sins into the depths of the Sea. Micah 7.19. which implies Gods burying, them out of sight, that they shall not rise up in judgment against us. Thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the Sea. God will throw them in not as Cork that riseth again, but as Lead that sinks to the bottom. 2. The nature of Forgiveness will appear by laying down some Divine Aphorisms or Positions.