must live in continual dependence on his will, and begging, receiving, and thanksgiving are our work, 8

Q. 7. But do we not get it by our labour, and the gift of men ?

A. Our labours are vain without God's blessing, and men are but God's messengers to carry us his gifts. h

Q. 8. What need we labour, if God give us all?

i

A. God giveth his blessings to meet receivers, and in the use of his appointed means: he that will not both beg and labour as God requireth him, is unmeet to receive his gifts. Q. 9. Why do we ask bread from day to day? A. To show that we are not the keepers of ourselves, or our stock of provisions, but, as children, live upon our Father's daily allowance, and continually look to him for all, and daily renew our thanks for all, and study the daily improvement of his maintenance in our duties.k

Q. 10. But when a man hath riches for many years, what need he ask daily for what he hath ?

A. He hath no assurance of his life or wealth an hour, nor of the blessing of it, but by God's gift. 1

Q. 11. Why say we "give us " rather than "give me?"

A. To exercise our common love to one another, and renounce that narrow selfishness which confineth men's regard and desires to themselves; and to show that we come not to God merely in a single capacity, but as members of the world, as men, and members of Christ's body or church, as Christians; and that in the communion of saints, as we show our charity to one another, so we have a part in the prayers of all.

Q. 12. May we then pray against poverty, and sickness, and hurt?

A. Yes, as aforesaid, so far as they are hurtful to our natures, and thereby to our souls, and the ends of life.m

Q. 13. Doth not naming bread before forgiveness and grace, show that we must first and most desire it?

A. We before expressed our highest desire of God's glory, kingdom, and will; and as to our own interests, all the three last petitions go together, and are inseparable; but the first is the lowest, though it be first in place. Nature sustained is the

8 Matt. vi. 25-27, &c.; Psalm cxxxvi. 25.

Psalm cxxvii. 1; Matt. iv. 3, 4.

1 2 Cor. ix. 10; Prov. xii. 11, and xxviii. 19; Psalm viii. 13 ; Prov. xxxi. 27. * Matt. vi. 24, &c.; Luke xii. 19-21.

Prov. xxx. 8.

first, but it will be but the subject of sin and misery without pardon and holiness: I told you that the three last petitions go according to the order of execution, from the lowest to the highest step. God's kingdom and righteousness must be first sought in order of estimation and intention, by all that will attain them.

Q. 14. But if God give us more than bread, even plenty for our delight, as well as necessaries, may we not use it accordingly?

A. Things are necessary to our well-being, that are not necessary to our being. We may ask and thankfully use all that, by strengthening and comforting nature, tendeth to fit the spirit for the joyful service of God, and to be helpful to others. But we must neither ask nor use any thing for the service of our lusts, or tempting, unprofitable pleasure.

Q. 15. What if God deny us necessaries, and a Christian should be put to beg, or be famished, how then doth God make good his word, that he will give us whatever we ask through Christ, and that other things shall be added, if we seek first his kingdom and righteousness, and that godliness hath the promise of this life and that to come? "

A. Remember, as aforesaid, 1. That the things of this life are promised and given, not as our happiness, but as means to better. 2. And that we are promised no more than we are fit to receive and use. 3. And that God is the highest Judge, both how far outward things would help or hinder us; and how far we are fit to receive them. Therefore, if he deny them, he certainly knoweth that either we are unmeet for them, or they for us. 0

Q. 16. When should a man say, he hath enough?

A. When having God's grace and favour, he hath so much of corporeal things, as will best further his holiness and salvation, and as it pleaseth the will of God that he should have.

Q. 17. May not a man desire God to bless his labours, and to be rich?

A. A man is bound to labour in a lawful calling that is able, and to desire and beg God's blessing on it: but he must not desire riches, or plenty for itself, or for fleshly lusts; nor be over importunate with God to make him his steward for others. P

" Matt. vi. 19, 20, 33; John v. 40.

1 Sam. ii. 29-31; Jam. iv. 3; Phil. iv. 10, 11; Heb. xiii. 5. P Prov. x. 22; Psalm cxxix. 8; Deut. xxviii. 8, 9, &c., and xxxiii. 11.

Q. 18. What if God give us riches, or more than we need ourselves?

A. We must believe that he maketh us his stewards, to do all the good with it that we can to all, but specially to the household of faith. But to spend no more in sinful lust and pleasure than if we were poor.

Q. 19. What doth daily bread oblige us to?

A. Daily service, and daily love, and thankfulness to God, and to mind the end for which it is given, to be always ready, at the end of a day, to give up our account, and end our journey.

Q. 20. What is the sin and danger of the love of riches? A. The love of money, or riches, is but the fruit of the love of the flesh, whose lust would never want provision, but it is the root of a thousand farther evils. As it shows a wretched soul, that doth not truly believe and trust God for this life, much less for a better, but is worldly, and sensual, and idolatrous, so it leadeth a man from God, holiness, heaven, yea and from common honesty, to all iniquity: a worldling, and lover of riches, is false to his own soul, to God, and never to be much trusted."

CHAP. XXIX.

"And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us." (Or, as we forgive our debtors.)

Q. 1. WHY is this made the fifth petition, or the second of the first part?

A. Because it is for the second thing we personally need. Our lives and natural being supposed, we next need deliverance from the guilt and punishment which we have contracted. Else to be men, will be worse to us than to be toads or serpents. Q. 2. What doth this petition imply?

A. 1. That we are all sinners, and have deserved punishment, and are already fallen under some degree of it.t

2. That God hath given us a Saviour who died for our sins and is our Ransom and Advocate with the Father.

1 Pet. iv. 10; Luke xii. 21, 24.

* Luke xviii. 23, 24; Mark x. 24; 1 Tim. vi. 10; 1 John if. 15. • Psalm xxxii. 1–3.

Rom. iii., throughout.

And, 3. That God is a gracious, pardoning God, and dealeth not with us on the terms of rigorous justice according to the law of innocency, but hath brought us under the Redeemer's covenant of grace, which giveth pardon to all penitent believers so that sin is both pardonable, and conditionally pardoned to us all."

Q. 3. What, then, are the presupposed things which we pray not for?

A. 1. We pray not that God may be good and love itself, or a merciful God, for this is presupposed. 2. We pray not that he would send a Saviour into the world, to fulfil all righteousness, and die for sin, and that his merit and sacrifice may procure a conditional, universal pardon and gift of life, viz., to all that will repent and believe, for all this is done already.*

Q. 4. Is it to the Father only, or also to the Son, that we pray for pardon?

A. To the Father primarily, and to the Son as glorified, for now the Father without him judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment to the Son. (John v. 22.) But when Christ made this prayer, he was not yet glorified, nor in full possession of his power.

Q. 5. What sin is it whose forgiveness we pray for?

A. All sin, upon the conditions of pardon made by Christ; that is, for the pardon of all sin to true penitent believers. Therefore we pray not for any pardon of the final non-performance of the condition, that is, to finally impenitent unbelievers." Q. 6. Sin cannot hurt God; what need, then, is there of forgiveness?

A. It can wrong him by breaking his laws, and rejecting his moral government, though it hurt him not: and he will right himself.

Q. 7. What is forgiving sin?

A. It is by tender mercy, on the account of Christ's merits, satisfaction, and intercession, to forgive the guilt of sin, as it maketh us the due subjects of punishment, and to forgive the punishment of sin, as due by that guilt and the law of God, so as not to inflict it on us."

Q. 8. What punishment doth God forgive?

" 1 John ii. 1; 2 John iii. 16; Psalm cxxx. 4; Acts v. 31; xiii. 38, and xxvi. 18.

* Luke xxiii. 34; Matt. ix. 6, and xii. 31, 32.

y Luke xv. 3,5.

2 Col. ii. 13; Jam. v. 15; Matt. xviii. 27, 32; Luke vii. 42, 43; Rom. i. 21, 23; 1 Cor. xv. 22.

A. Not all for the first sentence of corporeal punishment and death is inflicted. But he forgiveth the everlasting punishment to all true believers, and so much of the temporal, both corporeal and spiritual, as his grace doth fit us to receive the pardon of: and so he turneth temporal, correcting punishments to our good." Q. 9. Doth he not pardon all sin at once, at our conversion? A. Yes, all that is past, for no other is sin. But not by a perfect pardon.

Q. 10. Why must we pray for pardon, then, every day?

A. 1. Because the pardon of old sins is but begun, and not fully perfect till all the punishment be ceased: and that is not till all sin and unholiness, and all the evil effects of sin, be ceased. No, nor till the day of resurrection and judgment have overcome the last enemy, death, and finally justified us."

2. Because we daily renew our sins by omission and commission, and though the foundation of our pardon be laid in our regeneration, that it may be actual and full for following sins, we must have renewed repentance, faith, and prayer.

Q. 11. God is not changeable, to forgive to-day what he forgave not yesterday, what, then, is his forgiving sin?

A. The unchangeable God changeth the case of man. And, 1. By his law of grace, forgiveth penitent believers who were unpardoned in their impenitence and unbelief. And, 2. By his executive providence he taketh off and preventeth punishments both of sense and loss, and so forgiveth.

Q. 12. How can we pray for pardon to others, when we know not whether they be penitent believers, capable of pardon? A. 1. We pray as members of Christ's body for ourselves, and all that are his members, that is, penitent believers.

2. For others, we pray that God would give them faith, repentance, and forgiveness. As Christ prayed, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do;" that is, qualify them for pardon, and then pardon them; or give them repentance and forgiveness.

Q. 13. Why say we, "As we forgive them that trespass against us?"

A. To signify that we have this necessary qualification for forgiveness; God will not forgive us fully till we can forgive others; and to signify our obligation to forgive; and as an ar

a Psalm ciii. 3; 1 John i. 9.

b 1 Cor. xi. 30-32; Matt. xviii. 27; Psalm lxxxv. 2—4, &c.; Luke vi. 37; Jam. v. 15.