A GVIDE TO GOE TO GOD OR AN EXPLANATION of the Perfect Patterne of Prayer The LORDS PRAYER By WILLIAM GOVGE B. in D. and Minister of Gods Word in Black-Friers LONDON ISA. 30. 21. This is the way walke in it AT LONDON Printed by G. M. and R. B. for Edward Brewster and are to be sold at his shop neere the great North dore of S t. Pauls Church at the signe of the Bible 1626. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE RIGHT Worshipfull and other my much respected Parishioners Inhabitants in Blacke-Friers London All needfull Prosperitie in this world and eternall Felicitie in the World to come I DESIRE my much honoured and entirely beloued Parishioners so long as the Lord of life shall preserue mee in the Land of the liuing I desire to goe on in promoting your spiritual edification euery way that I can priuately publikely by prayer by preaching yea and by printing too Behold here an euidence thereof What priuately I first digested in mine owne meditation and then publikely deliuered by word of mouth whereof in the open Church you heard your children and seruants examined Deus est nobis summum bonum Neque infra remanendum nobis est neque vltra quarendum Alterum euim periculesum alterum nullum est Aug. de Mor. Eccl. Cath. l. 1. c. 8 and for a blessing whereupon many prayers by vs all ioyntly and seuerally haue beene poured out before God is now thorow Gods gracious prouidence so published as it may be reuiewed so oft as you please Well accept it for it is A GVIDE TO GOE TO GOD. God is the highest and chiefest Good below which we may not remaine beyond which we cannot attaine To place our rest in any thing before we come to God is dangerous Oratione intramus coelestem illam curiam in qua Rex regum stellato sedet solio c. Bern. Serm. de 4. modis Orand Oratione praesentamus nos quasi saci◠ad faciem cum Deo loquentes Ibid. To attaine to any rest beyond God is impossible This therefore is that proper place whether the soule well enlightened and rectified aspireth as all hot light things aspire to the high hot Region The meanes whereby wee men on earth haue accesse to God in Heauen is Prayer By Prayer we enter into the Court where God sitteth in his Maiestie and wee present out selues before him speaking vnto him as it were face to face That therefore which instructeth vs to pray aright directeth vs to God This doth the Lords Prayer And nothing can doe it better For this end To teach vs how to pray it was first prescribed It is not onely a most absolute prayer in it selfe but also a perfect patterne for other prayers And in this respect the only way wherein we can goe to God Full of matter is this forme of Prayer but few the words thereof Such fulnesse of matter in so few words make it to many as the prophesie of Christ was to Candaces Eunuch whereof he said to him that moued this question Vnderstandest thou what thou readest How can I except I had a guide A guide therefore is needfull for many to direct them in this way to goe to God Loe a Guide at hand This Explanation of the Lords Prayer is offered to you for that purpose But as a Guide that directeth a Traueller in his iourney to the Kings Court maketh not the way better but sheweth him how to order his trauell in that way so this Guide this Explanation addeth nothing to the Perfection of the Prayer but onely helpeth you in the vse thereof The many particulars which minister iust matter of ardent supplication hearty gratulation deepe humiliation and conscionable obseruation of our wayes are in this Explanation distinctly set out Thereby you may see how rich a Cabonet the Lords Prayer is how full of most precious iewels vsefull for the soule of man The Excellencie of this forme of Prayer is set forth in the first Section of this Explanation Whatsoeuer is therein performed is the fruit of my affected Retirednesse and suspected Idlenesse in the countrey So many so continuall are my imployments in the Citie so many interruptions from my studies day after day are there caused as I neuer yet could find any leasure to set down distinctly such points as by Gods assistance were vttered out of the Pulpet Whatsoeuer hath hitherto been published by me hath in my retiring time been prepared for the Presse This benefit of a few weekes absence in the yeare from my charge there being in that time a good supply made by my Reuerend Brethren may gaine a sufficient dispensation with those that are not too supercilious which I hope you my Parishioners will not be For I haue euer found such true loue such good respect such kinde vsage such fauourable acceptance of all my paines in euery kinde as I haue iust cause to blesse the diuine prouidence for bringing me to this place The Lord God so blesse all my labours vnto you all as we may haue al iust cause to blesse him one for another and to continue mutually and heartily to pray one for another Doe ye so So will doe Your carefull Pastor Church-Court in Black-Friers WILLIAM GOVGE London 17. Febr. 1625 OVR Father which art in Heauen Hallowed be thy Name Thy Kingdome come Thy will be done in earth as it is in heauen Giue vs this day our dayly Bread And forgiue vs our trespasses as we forgiue them that trespasse against vs. And leade vs not into temptation But deliuer vs from euill For thine is the Kingdome and the Power and the Glorie for euer Amen A Table of the seuerall and distinct points handled in this Explanation of the perfect Patterne of Prayer as in order they follow one another PREFACE § 1. OF the Excellencie of the Lords Prayer Page 1 2. Of the seuerall branches of the Lords Prayer 5 3. Of the preparation to Prayer 6 4. Of the meanes to prepare vs to prayer 7 5. Of praying to God alone 7 6. Of Gods goodnesse and greatnesse ioyntly considered together 8 7. Of this title Father applyed to God 10 8. Of instructions wich the title Father applyed to God import 11 9. Of the prerogatiue of Gods children to speake to him face to face 13 10. Of their dutie who haue free accesse to God 14 11. Of the parties comprised vnder this particle OVR 15 12. Of applying Gods fatherhood to our selues 16 13. Of Gods impartiall respect to all his children and sufficiencie of blessing for all 18 14. Of their mutuall duties which say Our Father 19 15. Of the Saints participation of one anothers Prayers 21 16. Of Gods being in heauen 22 17. Of the direction which Gods being in heauen giueth vs for manner of praying 24 18. Of the direction which Gods being in heauen giueth for the matter of Prayer 28 1. PETITION § 19. OF the manner of handling euerie Petition 30 20. Of the name of God and
Psal 10. 13. 42. 3. Their insultations and cursed exprobrations and that against God himselfe §. 35. Of Gods kingdome what it is and what be the kinds of it Q. VVHich is the second Petition A. Thy kingdome come Q. What is the kingdome of God A. That estate where as a King he ruleth For that is a kingdome where a King raigneth and ruleth Where God therefore raigneth there is his kingdome Q. How doth God raigne as a King A. 1. By his absolute power he raigneth ouer the whole world 2. By his speciall grace he raigneth ouer his Church According to this different manner of Gods raigning is his kingdome distinguished For 1. He hath an vniuersall kingdome Gods vniuersall kingdome Vbique regnat vbique imperat vbique maiestas eius Bern. de verb. Isay Serm. 5. called his kingdome of power because by his absolute and supreme power he ouer-ruleth all creatures whatsoeuer or wheresoeuer they be In regard of this vniuersall soueraignty of God the Scripture saith His kingdome ruleth ouer all For who hath resisted his will And thereupon he saith vnto God Psal 103 19. How terrible art thou in thy workes Through the greatnesse of thy power shall thine enemies submit themselâ—es to thee Rom. 9. 19. 2. He hath a peculiar kingdome Psal 66. 3. called his kingdome of Grace Gods peculiar kingdome his Church whereby he raigneth ouer a select people culled out of the world which voluntarily yeeld obedience vnto him The companie of this people is in one word the Church and it is a societie chosen of God Sanè secundum praedestinationem nunquam Ecclesia electoric penes deum non suit Bern. super Cant. Serm. 78. redeemed by Christ called and sanctified by the holy Ghost which hath bene in all ages of the world some in heauen others on earth spread ouer the face thereof farre and neare in which respects it is stiled the holy Catholicke Church This is properly the kingdome of Christ in and by whom the Father raigneth For it is said that a kingdome was giuen to the Sonne of man Dan. 7. 14. Of whom saith the Father I haue set my King vpon my holy hill of Sion Psal 2. 6. whose people shall be willing in the day of his power Psal 110. 3. Herein lyeth a maine difference betwixt Gods manner of gouernment in his vniuersall and in his peculiar kingdome that the worlds subiection is forced Psal 66. 3. 110 3. but the Churches subiection is free §. 36. Of Gods raigning ouer rebels TOuching that vniuersall kingdome of God ouer all creatures in all places seeing there are many which rebell against God and say Psal 2. 3. Let vs breake his bonds asinder and cast his cords from vs Luke 19. 14. We will not haue him to reigne ouer vs and therupon walke according to the Prince of the â—re Eph. 2. 〈◊〉 the spirit which worketh in the children of disobedience and seeing the diuell is the god of this world a doubt may be made how God can be said to be their King and Gods kingdome thus vniuersally extended ouer the whole world Answ 1. Rebelion of subiects taketh not away the right of a Soueraigne Psal 2. 1 6. Christ therefore notwithstanding the tumult of people is said to be a King 2. None can do any thing at all without his permission Instance the arch-rebell of all Iob 1. 11. 2. 5. of all Satan in the case of Iob. Instance also the many plots and practises of the wicked which in all ages by an ouer-ruling hand of God haue bene disappointed and made void 3. God can 2. King 19. 28. when and as it pleaseth him restraine them as he restrained Senacherib yea and beate them downe and vtterly destroy them Exod. 14. 28. as he destroyed Pharaoh and his whole hoste 4. Satan to whom the fore-named rebels are subiect is but Gods executioner 1. King 22. 2â— he is one of the number of Gods seruants though of his guiltie and reprobate seruants Satan vnus de numero seruor 〈◊〉 est licet reorum iam atque reproborum Chrys hom 20. in Mat. 6. So as euen in that power which Satan hath ouer them God sheweth himselfe to be their King Q. Is this vniuersall kingdome of God here ment A. No further then that God would order it to the good of his peculiar kingdome which is here principally intended §. 37. Of the kingdome of Grace and Glorie Q. HOw may the peculiar kingdome of God be considered A. 1. In the beginning and progresse of it 2. In the consummation and perfection of it In the former respect it consisteth of a mixture of euill persons with good ones Kingdome of Grace and of euill qualities in those good persons with good ones Math. 13. 24. 47. in regard of which mixtures it is resembled to a field wherein grow tares with wheate and to a draw-net which gathereth of all sorts Mar. 4. 26. and to corne which ariseth with straw and chaffe as well as with sound and solid graine In the latter respect it consisteth onely of such as are euery way perfectly good Kingdome of glorie and therefore said to shine as the Sunne Math. 13. 41 43. which hath no darknesse Reu. 21. 27. nor any speck or spot in it In the former respect especially it is called a kingdome of Grace and that 1. In opposition to those who neuer were Why the kingdome of grace is so called nor euer shall be of it and therefore are obiects of Gods seuere iustice and reuenging power Ier. 10. 25. but in it grace raigneth 2. For distinction from those who are translated out of it into heauen Rom. 5. 21. For by reason of the many temptations and imperfections whereunto the Saints on earth are subiect thy stand in need of much more grace then the Saints in heauen who are iust and perfect Heb. 12. 23. In the latter respect it is called a kingdome of Glory Why the kingdome of glorie is so called and that by reason of the Place where it is and of the Persons which are of it 1. The Place where it is is the most glorious place of all the world euen the highest heauens 2. The Persons both King and Subiects thereof are decked with vnspeakable glorie The King doth there manifest his glorie more then any where else as brightly as can possibly by the creature be discerned The Subiects there partake of as much glorie as they are capable of and that in soule and body so as they are all glorious within and without §. 38. Of the difference betwixt the kingdome of â—â—Grace Glorie THis kingdome of Grace and of Glorie is but one and the same kingdome distinguished into two parts which differ in sixe circumstances 1. In Time The kingdome of Grace is now present while here we liue The kingdome of Glorie is to come 2. In
bee found in heauen not on earth Heb 12 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They that think themselues perfect are for the most part furthest from perfection Let vs for our parts be of the same minde whereof the blessed Apostle was Phil. 3. 12 14. not to thinke our selues already perfect but to follow hard after perfection and to presse toward the marke for the price of the high calling of God in Iesus Christ §. 42. Of mans inabilitie to come vnto God Q. VVHat learne wee from the application of this word COME to the Kingdome of God A. Man of himselfe cannot come to Gods Kingdome It must come to him Isa 65. 1. before he can come to it I was found saith the King of this Kingdome of them that sought me not Ioh 16. 44. For No man can come vnto him except the Father draw him which made the Church thus to pray and promise Cant. 1. 3. Draw me and we will runne after thee Man by nature is dead in sume Ephes 2. 1. Non iam captiuos oculâ—s extolleâ—e in alâ—um Sponte potest c Prosp de Ingra c. 40. Can hee that is dead come till he be come vnto and haue life put into him Hereby both the free preuenting grace of God is commended vnto vs and also all selfe-conceit in man is remoued and much matter of humiliation ministred vnto him § 43. Of the force of this word THY in the second Petition Q. TO whom hath this particle THY relation A. Euen to him to whom the same Particle had relation in the former Potition And it doth here import the same things that it did there 1. A reason 2. A restraint 3. An extent of this Petition A Reason as it is referred both to the Preface and also to the first Petition The kingdome here meant is the kingdome of him who is our Father who is in heauen and whose name is to be hallowed Great reason therefore that we should pray for this Kingdome to come A Restraint as it implyeth that this Kingdome onely should be desired to come So as not any kingdome which is contrarie to this and hindreth the comming of this but euery kingdome which is any helpe to the comming of this in that onely respect as it is such an helpe ought to be desired to come An Extent in that it implyeth a comming fit for such a kingdome as Gods is yea and answerable to the excellencie of him who is the King thereof §. 44. Of Gods power to make his Kingdome come Q. WHat learne wee from directing this Petition vnto God A. It is in the power of God to perfect his Church He can gather all the parts thereof together and bring them all to that measure of perfection which is meetest for them Otherwise it were in vaine to make this Petition to him 1. Cor. 3. 7. It is God that giueth the encrease It is he that is able to make grace to abound 2. Cor. 9. 8. Let vs therefore euer call vpon him to be fauourable vnto Sion and to build vp the walles of Ierusalem Psal 51. 18. and let vs in faith depend on him for the good of his Church and so long as hee remaineth King thereof not feare what any creature can doe against it Psal 118. 6. Thus much of the meaning of the words and instructions arising out of them The order and fit inference of this Petition vpon the former followeth §. 45. Of the best meanes and fittest persons to hallow Gods Name Q. VVHy is this second Petition inferred on the first A. 1. To point out the best meanes of hallowing Gods Name 2. To shew what persons are fittest thereto Q. What is the best meanes A. The Church Psal 65. 1. wherein praise waiteth for God For God is knowne in Iudah Psal 76. 1. his name is great in Israel No where is God so well knowne as in his Church Q. Who are the fittest persons to hallow Gods Name A. Such as are members of the Church Them therfore doth Dauid cal vpon to praise the Lord. Psal 135. 19 20 21. No other persons can hallow Gods Name aright for this is a worke of Gods sanctifying Spirit 1. Cor. 12 3. No man can say that Iesus is the Lord but by the Holy Ghost Vpon the two forenamed grounds we ought the more earnestly to pray for the Church that so the Name of God may be the more hallowed Dan. 9. 19. This moued Daniel to bee exceeding feruent in Prayer to God for his Church §. 46. Of the spirituall blessings to be craued for the whole militant Church Q. VVHat are the particular good things which by vertue of the second Petition we ought to pray for A. All such things as concerne the good of the Church militant or triumphant In our Prayer for the Church militant we ought to haue respect to the things which concerne the whole body or the seuerall parts thereof whether they bee more remote or nearer to vs and so we more especiall members thereof Q. What are wee to pray for in regard of the whole bodie of the Church militant A. 1. That God would blesse it with all needfull blessings both spirituall and temporall 2. That he would protect it from all manner of euill Vnder the blessings craued for the Church the meanes which God hath sanctified for the better effecting of them are comprised Q. What are the spirituall blessings which wee ought to desire for the Church on earth Spirituall blessings for the whole militant Church A. 1. In generall that as God hath chosen it to bee as his Vineyard and Orchard so he would take an especiall care of it hauing his eye continually vpon it to plant it to water it to fence it to doe for it whatsoeuer he himselfe seeth requisite for it Because we know that God better knoweth then we doe what is good for his Chnrch therefore ought our desire of the good thereof to be referred to him extended to that knowledge which he hath of it To which purpose Dauid thus prayeth Doe good in thy good pleasure vnto Sion Psal 51. 18. 2. In particular we ought to desire both the dayly encrease of Gods Church on earth and also the establishment of it For the encrease of it two especiall things are to bee desired and that indefinitely without any limitation to any particular place 1. That where no Church is Pray that Churches may be where none are Psal 67. 2. God would bee pleased to plant one Such ought the extent of our desire to be herein as to pray that Gods sauing health may be knowne among all Nations Especially among such as haue a particular promise made to them Rom. 11. 25 26. as the Iewes Psal 67. 4. On this ground when they were a people and we none they prayed for vs. 2. That where any foundation of a Church is laid Pray that Churches
euill continually And by the weakenesse of this corruptible body wee are held backe from bringing our wils to yeeld vnto and agree with Gods will Is it then possible that of himselfe hee should doe that which is so pure and perfect as the will of God is Ipsa corruptibilis huius infirmitate corporis praepedimur ne voluntas nostra diuinae valeat coberere Bern. in Quadr. Serm. 6. On this ground we see that there is iust cause 1. To deny our selues and e Prou. 3. 5. not to leane vnto our owne wisedome will conceit or any naturall abilitie 2. To call vpon God to f Cant. 1 3. draw vs that so we may runne after him and wholly to depend on him for his preuenting assisting and perfecting Grace 3. To vse such g Col. 3. 16. meanes as God hath sanctified to enable vs to doe his will Vses of the knowledge of mans disability 4. To h Rom. 11. 36. giue the praise of all that abilitie wee haue to doe Gods will vnto God who worketh in vs hoth the will and the deed Vt fiat in nobis voluatas deiopi â— est voluntate Deâ— i-ope cius Cyp ' de â—rat Dom. § 11. 5. To k 1. Cor. 15. 10. vse and imploy the said abilitie to the glory of God §. 61. Of the force of this word THY in the third Petition Q. TO whom hath this Particle THY in the third Petition relation A. To the same person to whom it had relation in the two former Petitions and it importeth the same things in this Petition that it did in the other two namely a Reason Restraint and Emphasis A Reason because it sheweth that the Will here mentioned is the will of Our Father who is in heauen whose name is aboue all to be hallowed and whose kingdome is before all to be preferred A Restraint because it implyeth that his will onely is to be done An Emphasis because it intimateth an aduancing of Gods will aboue all others §. 62. Of preferring Gods will before all others Q. VVHat then doth this Particle THY teach vs A. Gods will is to bee preferred before all others This a Gen. 39. 9. Ioseph b Dan. 6. 10. Daniel and c 3. 18. his three Companions the d Acts 5 29. Apostles and many others well obserued when they refused to yeeld to mans will against Gods and e 2. Sam. 15. 26. Dauid f Act. 21. 13. Paul and g Mat. 26. 39. Christ when they submitted their owne wils Si filius obaudiuit vt faceret patris voluntatem quanto magis servus obaudire debet vt saciat domini voluntatem Cypr. loc citat to Gods in such things as if it had beene the will of God they could haue desired to haue beene otherwise Among others the example of Christ is to be obserued because hee was a Sonne and we are but seruants If the Sonne yeelded to doe the will of his Father how much more ought the seruant to yeeld to doe the will of his Master Both the supreme Soueraignty of God and also the absolute perfection of his will require as much Docemur semper ad Dei non ad nostram respicere voluntatem quia in nostra voluntate aliquotiens contaria suut in domini autem voluntate vita est semper bonitas Aug. de Temp. Serm. 126 As for our owne and other mens wil they are subiect to much errour and oft proue very pernicious This is especially to be noted of such as can bee content to doe Gods will so farre as it is agreeable to their own humour or crosseth not the will of those men whom they are loth to offend But if in these cases they refuse to doe Gods will they haue it not in that high account that here they are taught to haue it and they come very short of the extent of this Petition whereby wee are taught alwayes to haue one eye on Gods will and not on our owne For in our will there are many contrarieties but in the Lords will there is alwaies life and goodnesse §. 63. Of praying onely for men in earth Q. VVHo are comprised vnder this phrase in earth A. Sonnes of men inhabiting in earth Iob 4. 19. In this phrase there is a double trope Metonyâ—ia subiecti Synec doc he generis First the Place is put for them that are therein Secondly a generall is put for a particular For there are sundry sorts of creatures that liue on earth yet onely the chiefe and principall of them are meant euen they who haue the dominion ouer all the rest Now Men are here thus set forth because while they liue on earth they are most backward to do Gods will Q. What instruction may be raised from this phrase in earth A. Men while they liue in this world need our prayers All the directions giuen in Scripture to pray for any all the promises made to prayer all the warrant that is giuen for performing this dutie is restrained to prayer made for them that liue in earth And they are to be prayed for 1. Because they are subiect to manifold infirmities 2. Because they may reape benefit by our prayers which they that are taken from earth can not doe For they that are translated from earth to heauen are made perfect so as they need not our prayers And they that are cast downe from earth to hell are implonged into such irrecouerable miserie as they can reape no benefit by our prayers Let vs not therefore offer vp so pretious incense as prayer is in vaine for such as can reape no benefit thereby But in faith let vs pray for them that are in earth §. 64. Of the meaning of this phrase in heauen The inhabitants of the highest heauens not the hosts of the middle heauen are here meant Q. VVHo are comprised vnder this phrase in heauen A. The glorious Angels and glorified Saints with Christ their head Some thinke the middle heauen to be here meant where the Sunne Moone and other Stars are placed and that partly because the creatures in that heauen do constantly keepe that course wherein by the will of their Creator they were at first placed and partly because they are visible so as that constant course of theirs according to the will of God may be seene by men on earth But howsoeuer that constancie of theirs may be a witnesse against our manifold aberrations and sweruings from that course wherein our Creator hath set vs yet in that they haue no vnderstanding to take notice of the will of God nor do what they do by any free Hoc oramus vt dei voluntâ—s sicut in coelestibus facta est creaturis siat etiam in terrenis vt sicut Angelus sic homo c. Bern. in Quadr. Serm. 6. willing choice but by a naturall motion from which they can not swerue we must ascend higher then that heauen euen
8. 3. 82. temporall blessings b See §. 82. If at any time it bee put for Spirituall food 2. Sam. 3. 29. there is some circumstance or other that necessarily implyeth as much Iob 15. 23. 27. 14. and plainely demonstrateth that there it can not be meant of corporall food Psal 37. 25. But there being no such circumstance in this Petition Pro. 12. 11. 20. 13. 31. 14. it is safest to take it in the literall vsuall and proper sence If it be not here so taken this forme of Prayer is defectiue Ier. 44. 17. and compriseth not in it all things requisite to bee prayed for Ezec. 16 49. For it is most requisite to pray for temporall blessings as shall * §. 83. afterwards be proued §. 82. Of the Arguments alleadged for Spirituall Food to be meant by Bread answered THey certainely mistake the meaning of this Petition who in this place apply this title BREAD to Christ Iesus the Spirituall Manna which is that a Ioh. 6. 33. Bread of God that commeth downe from Heauen and giueth life vnto the world Though in the sixt of Iohn Bread be taken in that mysticall sence yet is it not in that place singly and simply vsed but with such a description as plainely pointeth out the mysticall meaning of it as b Ver. 33. Bread of God c Ver. 50. Bread from heauen d Ver. 35. Bread of life e Ver. 51. Liuing Bread f Ver. 33. Bread that giueth life to the world which Christ expresly applying to himselfe sayth g Ver 48. I am the Bread of life In that place therefore it cannot but be mystically meant But here in this Petition there is no such circumstance to point out any such mysterie Of the attribute 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereby some thinke that more then ordinary earthly bread is meant See §. 86. Where the double article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is pressed to prooue as much It is well knowne that such articles do oft redound or are vsed meerely for grace of speech But it may be granted that here it implieth some emphasis and yet no such mysterie as is pretended to be included therein Of the order in placing it before iustification and sanctification See §. 97. The chiefest arguments alledged for that mysticall interpretation are these 1. Arg. If Bread be not here put for Christ then the chiefest good thing that possibly we can desire is left out of this prayer Answ 1. Christ as the very foundation and roote of euery good thing is included in the first clause of this prayer For in Christ is God our Father Eph. 5. 23. 2. Christ being the Head of the Church he is expresly prayed for in the second Petition 2. Arg. Temporall blessings are promised as additaments to the kingdome of God Math. 6. 33. They need not therefore by name be prayed for Answ That followeth not So they be not preferd before the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse they may expresly by for name be prayed for Beside the warrantable practise of k Gen. 28. 20. Iaakob l Pro. 30. 8. Agur and other Saints the Apostle commandeth to m Iam. 5. 14 15. pray for such as are sicke that they may be healed Others obseruing that temporall blessings may not be excluded apply this title Bread Cypr. de Orat. dom §. 13. both to spirituall and also to corporall foode Greg. Nyss de Orat. But this is to confound things of far different kinds in a forme where Christ doth very accuratly distinguish things that differ one from another As for Papists who apply this to the Sacrament of the body and bloud of Christ Aug. in Enchir. cap. 115. they inferre thereby that the Lord should teach his disciples to pray for that which was not then instituted Rhem. Annot. on Mat. 6. 11. and whereof they were vtterly ignorant §. 83. Of praying for temporall blessings Q. VVHat are wee taught by the mention of BREAD in this Prayer A. Temporall things are to be prayed for Beside the warrant of this Petition and of a Gen. 28. 20. other prayers of Saints guided therein by Gods Spirit Pro. 30. 8. wee haue expresse b Psal 50. 15. precepts Iam. 5. 14. 15. and promises whereupon to ground our faith in this case On these grounds the Saints that haue called vpon God for temporall blessings haue also * §. 101. giuen thankes to God the giuer of them For 1. These are c 1. Tim. 4. 4. good things in themselues 2. They are very needfull and vsefull Needfull as meanes sanctified of God for preseruing our being in the world which like a Lampe would soone be extinguished if continuall supply of new oyle were not added thereto In which respect they who bestow the things of this world on such as want them are said to d Rom. 12. 13. contribute to their necessities Vsefull they are for enabling vs the better to do the worke which God appointeth to vs. 3. The want of them is a great hinderance to the worke of our calling to workes of charitie and piety and e Pro◠30. 9. a temptation to iniustice Herein then the goodnesse of God in affoording to vs euery thing needfull for body as well as for soule and for this present life as well as for the life to come is euidently set forth and hereby we may and ought to take the more notice thereof §. 84. Of mens right to the things of this world Q. HOw is bread said to be OVRS A. In regard of a iust and true right that wee haue thereunto Spirituall right to the things of this world which right is two-fold spirituall and ciuill The spirituall right is proper to the Saints that beleeue in Christ For a Gen. 1. 28 29. that right which God gaue to Adam vnto all things vnder heauen b 3. 17. was forfeited by sinne But Christ the Lord heire of all vniting them that beleeue in him as members of his mysticall body thereby giueth them a * Ius i◠re new right to all that Adam lost On this ground the Apostle saith to the faithfull c 1. Cor. 3. 22 23 The world things prefent and things to come are yours Of which right he giueth this reason Ye are Christs The ciuill right is that which is agreeable to iustice and equitie Ius ad rem and that in the courts of men Thus children haue a right to the inheritance Ciuill right to the things of this world and portion which their Parents leaue them which right Naboth had to the Vineyard which Ahab vniustly coueted 1. King 21. 3. Thus they who bona fide purchase a thing haue right to it Gen. 23. 16 17 c. as Abram to the field of Ephron and the Caue in it Thus haue men a right to that which they by Gods