01.A 06. Give us this Day our daily Bread

Give us this Day our daily Bread. By bread, as the food of the body, all things necessary for this corporeal life are understood, as meat, drink, health, success in our callings, &c. By this word give, we should understand that not only spiritual things, but also corporeal benefits are God’s free gifts, and come not for our worthiness, or travail (labour, editor) taken about the same, although our travails oftentimes are means by which God does give corporeal things. By daily, are understood the contented minds of thy children, O Lord, with that which is sufficient for the present time, as having hope in thee, that they shall not want, but that they shall daily receive at thy hands plenty and enough of all things. By the word our, are public benefits understood, as peace in the common weal, good magistrates, seasonable weather, good laws, &c. as well as particular benefits, such as children, health, name, success in the works of our vocations &c. And besides this, by it we should see the care even in corporeal things, which thy children have for others as well as for themselves. So that here I may learn how far I am from what I should be, and what I see thy children are come unto. I see my ignorance also, that as spiritual things come from thee, so do temporal things; and as they come from thee, so they are conferred and kept of thee. And therefore thy children are thankful and look for them, as thy mere gifts, notwithstanding the means which they use if they have them. Howbeit they use them but as means, for except thou work therewith, all is in vain. Ps. cxxvii.

Again, here I am taught to be content with sufficient for the present time, as thy children are, which have the shortness of this life always before their eyes, and therefore they ask but for daily sustenance, knowing this life to be compared to a day, yea, a watch (a short space of time, Psalms 90:4., editor), a sound, a shadow, &c. Moreover, I may learn to see the compassion and brotherly care thy children have one for another. Last of all, here I may see thy goodness, by which thou wilt give me all things necessary for this life (or else thou would not bid me ask, &c.) and thou commands all men to pray and care for me, and that bodily, much more then, if they are able, they are commanded to help me both in body and soul. By reason whereof I have great cause to lament and rejoice; to lament, because I am not so affected as thy children are, because of my ignorance, my ingratitude, my perversity, and contempt of thy goodness, and of the necessity of thy people, who; alas! are in great misery, some in exile, some in prison, some in poverty, sickness, &c. (This was written during the persecutions of queen Mary, editor.) To rejoice, I have great cause, because of thy goodness, in teaching me these things, in commanding me to ask whatsoever I want, in giving me so many things unasked, in keeping the benefits given me, in commanding men to care for me, to pray for me, to help me, &c. But, alas! how far I am from true lamentation and rejoicing, Lord, thou knows. Oh! be merciful unto me, and help me, forgive me, and grant me thy Holy Spirit, to reveal to me my need, ignorance, great ingratitude and contempt of thy mercies and thy people; and that in such a manner that I may heartily lament and bewail my misery, and through thy goodness be brought with thy people to mourn for the miseries of thy children as for mine own.

Again, reveal to me thy goodness, dear Father, even in corporeal things, that I may see thy mercies, thy presence, power, wisdom, and righteousness, in every creature and in corporeal benefits, and that in such sort, that I may be thoroughly affected, truly to reverence, fear, love, obey thee, to hang upon thee, to be thankful to thee, and in all my need to come unto thee; not only when I have ordinary means by which thou commonly works, but when I have none, yea, when all are entirely against me.

Here remember the state of your children and family; also your parents, neighbours, kinsfolks; also your friends, country, and magistrates, &c. as you shall have time thereto and by God’s good Spirit shall be excited.

Forgive us our Debts, as we Forgive them that are Debtors unto us. By our debts are understood, not only things we have done, but the omission and leaving undone of the good things we ought to do. By our, are not only the particular sins of one understood, but also generally the sins of all and every one of thy church. By forgiveness are free pardon and remission of sins understood, by the merits and deserts of thy dear Son Jesus Christ, who gave himself a ransom for us. By our forgiving other men’s offences towards us is understood thy good will, not only that it pleases thee that we should live in love and amity, but also that thou wouldst have us be certain of thy pardoning us our sins. For as we are certain that we pardon them that offend us, so should we be certain that thou dost pardon us, whereof the forgiving our trespasses is (as it were) a sacrament unto us. So that by this petition I am taught to see that thy children, although by imputation they are pure from sin, yet they acknowledge sin to be and to remain in them, and therefore they pray for remission and forgiveness.

Again, I am taught hereby to see how thy children consider and take to heart, not only the evils they do, but also the good they leave undone. And therefore they pray to thee heartily for pardon.

Moreover, I am here taught to see that thy children are careful for other men, and for their trespasses; and( therefore pray that they may be pardoned, in saying our sins, and not my sins.

Besides this, I am taught here to see, how thy children not only forgive all that offend them, but also pray for the pardoning of the offences of their enemies, and such as offend them; so far are they from malice, pride; revenge, &c. Last of all, I am taught to see how merciful thou art, who wilt have me to ask pardon; whereof thou wouldst that we should in no point doubt, but be most assured, that for Christ’s sake thou hears us, and that not only for ourselves, but also for many others; for thou dost not command us to ask for any thing thou wilt not give us. By reason whereof I have great cause to lament and rejoice. To lament, because of my miserable state, who am so far from the affections that are in thy children,ówho am so ignorant and careless of sin, not only in leaving good undone, but also in doing evil, and that daily in thought, word, and deed. I speak not of my carelessness for other folk’s sins, as those of my parents, children, family, magistrates, &c., neither of the sins of them to whom I have given occasion to sin. To rejoice, I have great cause, because of thy mercy in opening to me these things, in commanding me to pray for pardon, in promising me pardon, and in commanding others to pray for me. I ought surely to be persuaded of thy mercy, though my sins are innumerable. For I see not only in this, but in every petition, that every one of thy church prays for me; yea, even Christ thy Son, who sits on thy right hand, prays for me. Oh! dear Father, be merciful unto me, and forgive me all my sins, and of thy goodness give me thy Holy Spirit, to open mine eyes, that I may see sin, the better to know it the more truly to hate it, and most earnestly to strive against it, and that effectually, both in myself and others.

Again, grant me thy Holy Spirit to reveal unto me the remedy of sin, by Christ alone; and to work in me by faith to embrace thy Christ and thy mercies in him; that I may henceforth be endued with thy Holy Spirit more and more, to begin and obey thy good will continually, and to increase in the same for ever.

Here call to mind the special sins you have committed heretofore. Remember, if you have occasioned any to sin, to pray for them by name; remember that God’s law should be so near unto us, that the breaking thereof in others should be an occasion to make us to lament with tears, &c.