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lest we be guilty of what St. James condemns, "asking amiss, that we may consume it upon our "lusts."25

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It is, therefore, only for such a share of worldly good, as to a reasonable and moderate mind will appear sufficient, that our Saviour allows us here to pray; in the spirit which Agur, in the prayer just mentioned, expresses, "Give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient " for me. Lest I be full and deny thee, and say, "Who is the Lord? or lest I be poor and steal, " and take the name of my God in vain."6 For, indeed, though the temptations of extreme poverty are very great, yet, the tendency of wealth, and ease, and power, to sensuality, and pride, and forgetfulness of God, is so exceeding strong, that a well instructed and considerate mind, would rather submit, than choose to be placed in a condition of abundance and eminence. For preserving the order, and conducting the affairs of the world, some must be in such stations; but let all who are, look well to their ways, and let none of their inferiors envy them.

It ought to be further observed here, that our blessed Lord hath not only confined us to pray for our bread," but "our daily bread;" to be given us as we ask for it, day by day; intending, doubtless, to make us remember and acknowledge that our dépendance on God is continual, from one moment to another; that they who have the most of this world, have it only during his pleasure; and are bound both to ask and receive every day's enjoyment of it, as a new gift from him; while, at the same time, they who have least, may be assured, that what he hath commanded them to pray for, he will ordinarily not fail to bestow upon them; by blessing their endea

(5) Jam. iv. 3.

(6) Prov. xxx. 8, 9.

vours, if they are able to use endeavours; or by stirring up the charity of others towards them, if they are not.

For as to those who can labour, industry is the method by which God hath thought fit to give them their bread; and, therefore, by which they ought to seek it. They have no title to it any other way; St. Paul having directed, "that, if any one "will not work, neither should he eat."7 Nor must they work only to supply their present necessities; but, by diligence and frugality, lay up something, if possible, for future exigencies also: learning of "the ant, which provideth her meat “in the summer, and gathereth her food in the "harvest." 8

So that applying for our daily bread to God, is far from excluding a proper care to use the appointed means of procuring it for ourselves. But if our care be a presumptious one, and void of regard to the Disposer of all things, we provoke him to blast our fairest hopes. And if it be an anxious and distrustful one, we think injuriously of him to whom we pray; who can as easily give us the bread of to-morrow, as he gave us that of yesterday. Nay, if our worldly cares, though they do not disquiet our minds, yet engross them; if we carry our attention to this world so far as to forget the next; or imagine ourselves to be securer in stores "laid up for "9 than in God's many years, good providence; this also is very unsuitable to the spirit, both of our Lord's Prayer, and of his whole religion; which commands us to "seek first "the kingdom of God and his righteousness," 1 and "not to trust in uncertain riches, but in him "who giveth us richly all things to enjoy."2

I shall only add two observations more, which

(7) 2 Thess. iii. 10.

(1) Matt. vi. 33.

(8) Prov. vi. 8. (9) Luke xii. 19. (2) 1 Tim. vi. 17.

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have been made very justly on this petition; that, since we ask our bread from God, we ought not to accept it from the devil; that is, to gain our subsistence by any unlawful means; and that since we do not say, "give me my daily bread," but " give us ours;" we entreat God to supply the wants of others, as well as our own. Now the means, which he hath provided for supplying the wants of the helpless poor, is the charity of the rich. And to pray him, that they may be relieved, and yet withhold from them what he hath designed for their relief, is just that piece of inconsistence or hypocrisy, which St. James so strongly exposes." If a brother, or a sister, be "naked, and destitute of daily food; and one of you say unto them, depart in peace, be ye "warmed, and be ye filled; notwithstanding ye "give them not these things which are needful to "the body, what doth it profit ?” 4

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From our temporal wants, we proceed next to a much more important concern, our spiritual ones: and here we ask in the first place, what it is very fit we should, pardon and mercy. "For

"give us our trespasses, as we forgive them that "trespass against us." The forgiveness of sins having been already explained, under that article of the Creed, which relates to it; I shall only take notice at present of the argument, which we are directed to use, in pleading for it, which is likewise that especial condition of our obtaining it; that "we also forgive," as we hope to be forgiven. And concerning this, two things ought to be understood; what that forgiveness is, to which we are bound; and how far the exercise of it will avail us.

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Now the obligation to forgiveness means, not that the magistrate is to omit punishing malefac

(3) Bishop Blackhall. (4) James iî. 15, 16. (5) Luke xi. 4.

tors; "for he is the minister of God, a revenger,

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to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil;" 6 not that the rulers of the church are to forbear spiritual censures against notorious offenders; for the Scripture hath appointed them, for the amendment of sinners, and the preservation of the innocent, when they are likely to have these good effects; not that private persons do amiss in bringing transgressors to justice; for neglecting it would be in general only a seeming kindness to them, and a real mischief to human society; not that we are forbidden to make reasonable demands on such as withhold our dues, or do us any damage; for recovering a debt is a very different thing from revenging an injury; nor lastly, that we are always bound, when persons have behaved ill to us, either to think as well of them as before; which may be impossible; or to trust and favour them as much; which may be unwise. But our obligation to forgive doth mean, and absolutely require, that civil governors be moderate and merciful; and ecclesiastical ones make use of discipline "to "edification, not to destruction ;"7 that in our private capacity, we pass by all offences which, with safety to ourselves, and the public, we can; that where we must punish, we do it with reluctance; and as gently as the case will permit; and where we must defend or recover our rights, we do it with the least expen or the least uneasiness to the adverse party, that may be; that we never be guilty of injustice to others, because they have been guilty of it to us; and never refuse them proper favours, merely because we have been refused such favours by them; much less because we have not obtained from them what it was not fit we should; that we look upon little provocations as trifles; and be careful not to think great

(6) Rom. xii. 4.

(7) 2 Cor. x. 8. xiii. 10.

ones greater than they are; that we be willing to make those who have displeased us, all such allowances to the full, as our common frailty and ignorance demand; that we always wish well to them; and be ready, as soon as ever we have real cause, to think well of them; to believe their repentance; and, how great or many soever their faults may have been, to accept it; and restore them to as large a share of our kindness and friendship, as any wise and good person, uninterested in the question, would think safe and right; always remembering, in every case of injury, how very apt we are to err on the severer side; and how very much better it is to err on the merciful one.

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This is the temper of forgiveness to our fellowcreatures; and it is plainly a good and fit temper. Let us therefore now consider further, what influence it will have towards our Maker's forgiving Our Saviour undoubtedly lays a peculiar stress on it for this purpose; both by inserting it, as a condition, into the body of his prayer; and insisting on it, as a necessary one, in his words immediately after the prayer. But still, we must observe, he doth not mention it as the cause that procures our forgiveness; for "God saveth us, "not by this, or any other works of righteousness, "which we do, but according to his mercy; "which he hath shed on us abundantly through "Jesus Christ; that, being justified by his grace, "we may be heirs of eternal life." Our pardoning others is no more than a qualification, requisite to our receiving that final pardon from God, which our Saviour, through the divine goodness, hath merited by his death, on that condition. Nor is it the only qualification necessary, though it be a principal one. For the rest of God's laws were given in vain, if the observing this one

(8) Tit. iii. 5, 6, 7.

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