Use 1st. Should we haA'e public spirits ia prayer, * give us ?' It reproves such nar- row-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, tliey care not though others starve ; if they are clothed, 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 Judas, whose bowels fell out.
Use 2d. Let us pray for others, as well as for ourselves, ' give us :' vir bonus aliis pro- dest (EqiicB 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 chrys- tal streams, — the sun enlightens others with its golden beams, — the more a Christian is ennobled with grace, the more he besiegeth heaven with his prayers for others ; if we are members of tiie body mystical, we can- not but have a sympathy with others in their wants, and tJiis sympathy sets us a praying for them. David had a public spi- rit in prayer, Ps. cxxv. 4., " Do good, O Lord, unto those that be good." Though he begins the psalm with prayer for him- self, Ps. 11. 1., " Have mercy ujxni me, O God ;" yet he ends the ])salm with prayer for others, v. 18., " Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion."
Use Sd. It is matter of comfort to the godly, who are but low in the world, yet they have tlie prayers of God's people for them ; they pray not only for the increase of their faith, but their food, that God will
OF THE FOURTH PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER.
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give tlicm " daily bread." He is like to be \ Fonrtlily. The fourth thing in the petition
rich, who hath several stocks goinc: ; so they are in a likely way to thrive, who have the prayers of the saints going for them in se- voval parts of the world. So much for this second word in the petition, " Give us."
Thirdly. The third word in the petition is, " This day." We pray not, give us bread for a month, or a year, but a day ; ' Give us this day.'
QuEsr. Is it not lawful to lay up for after- wards ? Doth not the apostle say, He who pro- vides not for his family, is worse than infidel, I Tim. V. 8,
Ans. It is true, it is lawful to lay up for posterity, hut our Saviour hath taught us to pray, " Give us this day our bread," for two reasons ;
\st. That we should not have carking care for the future. We should not set our wits upon the tenter, or torment ourselves 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 dav :' " take therefore no thought for to- morrow," Mat. vi. 34., God fed Israel with manna in the wilderness, and he i'cd them from hand to mouth ; sometimes all their manna was spent; and if any one had ask- ed them where they would have tlieir 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 God's pro- vidence for the future.
2d. 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 till to- morrow ; but, Lord, " give us this day ;" it may he our last day we shall live, and then we shall need no more.
Use. If we ju-ay ft)r bread only fo)- a day, " Give us this day," then you who have great estates have cause to be thank- ful ; you have more than you pray for ; you pray but for bread for one day, and God liath given you enough to suffice you all your life. Wliat 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.
is, " Our bread."
Quest. JJ'hy is it called " Our bread," when it is not ours, but God's ?
Ans. 1. We must understand it in a qua- lified sense ; it is our bread, being gotten by honest industry. There are two sorts of bread that cannot properly be called our bi-ead : Isf, The bread of idleness. 2d, The bread of violence.