The power of godlines [sic] both doctrinally and practically handled wherein the nature, comprehensiveness, parts and properties of a godly life are discovered by Scripture-evidence, and authority ... : whereunto are annexed distinct treatises 1. of the by that faithful servant of Christ, Mr. John Ball ... ; published by Simeon Ashe ...

CHAP. X. The Reasons why this Petition is to be made. Who must pray, Give us. How earthly Blessings are to be desired, whether absolutly, or with condition. In what sense Bread is said to be Ours. The difference be∣twixt the Wicked and the Godly in possessing outward Blessings. That it is both lawfull and necessary for a Christian to lay up for time to come.

Question: WHy is this P••tition to be made?

A. 1. Such is the frailty of our nature, that we are not able to con∣tinue in health one day without these helpes, and as it were props to uphold this decayed and ruinous cottage of our mortal bodies; less able to forbear them then many Beasts. For seeing there was necessary use of our meat in the time of our innocency, the necessity by our fall is much greater. 2. God would have us to cast all our care upon him, and not only the care of spiritual things: for our heavenly Father knoweth that we stand in need of these temporal things. 3. God will be acknowledged that it is he who giveth us, whatsoever pertains to our daily Bread, and is angry if any think, that he hath received them from any other; and hath commanded us to ask them of him. Nay, it is great impiety to attribute the things which pertain to our corporal sustenance to our industry, or to the creatures, or to ask them of the Saints. 4. It is a great portion of piety to ask the food of the body with solid confidence of our heavenly Father, when the care of earthly things doth hinder many from embracing and following the truth of Religion.

Q. Who must pray, Give us?

A. All, both poor and rich, must pray, Give us: because we have nothing but by Gods free gift, have title to nothing but in Jesus Christ, can keep nothing but

by the Lords licence, neither can any thing prosper with us but by his blessing. The rich have abundance under their hands, not only for the present day, but the time to come; yet they cannot live of what they have, unless God give them their daily Bread. The begger stands before the door of the rich man, and the rich man stands before the door of the great Lord of all things. O∣thers crave of him, and he craveth himself. For why doth he abound in all things, but because God hath given? What shall he have, if God with∣draw his hand? Have not many gone to bed rich, and rose poor? and that he is not in want, it is of Gods mercy, not of his power or ability. Let a man be never so rich in the world, and want nothing that can be desired, yet if he want Gods blessing, in effect he wants all. Gods blessing is riches. Thou maist eat and not have enough, be clothed and not warm, earn wages and put it in a broken bag, if God do not bless thee. The blessing of God is called the staffe of Bread. In Bread there be two things, the substance and the vertues thereof proceeding from Gods blessing: this second, that is, the power of nourishing, is the staffe of Bread. For take away from an aged man his staffe, and he fal∣leth: and so take away Gods blessing from Bread, and it becomes unprofi∣table, and ceaseth to nourish. And the like may be said of all labour and toyl in any Calling, for it nothing availes, unless God still give his blessing. More∣over, We pray that Bread may be given us, not only that we may have what to eat, but that what we eat we may receive it from the hand of God, that the Bread we eat might be sanctified unto us, received without sinne, and made pro∣fitable to our body.

Q. How are earthly Blessings to be desired?

A. Corporall Blessings no less then others promised in the Gospel, are to be craved with confidence in Gods Promises, humility, according to the will of God, with that mind, in that manner, and for that end that God requireth that we might serve God and our neighbour, not for ostentation or that we might spend them upon our lusts.

Q. Are corporall Blessings to be asked absolutely or with condition?

A. We may desire corporall Blessing, because we are allowed of God: but in the success of our Petitions we must submit our selves to the good pleasure of God, who will not give these things if they be not good for us, nor withold them, if it make for his glory and the furtherance of our salvation to have them. As for the words Absolute and Conditional they may be referred, either to the Thing desired, or to the Event of our desire. In the former sense, earthly Blessings may be prayed for absolutely, as God alloweth us to desire them: but in the latter we must ask them conditionally: That is, We may pray for them in holy manner, because the Word of truth doth warrant us, and the desire of them is engraved in the heart of man by nature, that he cannot but desire them so farre as they be necessary: But we cannot be assured to obtain the particular thing we desire, because God seeth it good for us to lack what we lawfully desire, to whose gratious disposition we must freely submit our selves. Now the secret purpose or determination of God to give, or not to give, is not the rule of our desires, but the revealed will of God, to which so long as we keep our selves, we do well, Nor is it for us to dispute, whether such or such blessings be good for us in particular, but whether they be just, lawfull and good in themselves, whether God allow us to crave them, and we be fitted to receive them: for we must

walk by rule, and commit the particular success of our suits unto the Lord, who knoweth better what is good then we our selves, and will keep from us what∣soever might be hurtfull. Moreover, temporall blessings are not evil in them∣selves, but hurtfull to us by reason of our corruption: and so grace it self through our sinne and wickedness is turned to our hurt. Whereas therefore it is usually said, that temporal blessings are to be desired with condition, absolutely spiri∣tual: It seems more plain and consonant to truth, if we say; All blessings are to be desired of God in that manner and order that his Word alloweth, and to be expected from him according as he hath promised: that is, what God hath simply promised to do, that in particular must be looked for, what he hath pro∣mised so farre as shall be for our good, that cannot be hoped for further then will make for our good, whether it be spiritual or temporal blessing: wherein we must referre our selves to the wisdom of God, and not be our own Judges. But in praying for outward blessings it is good to observe two Rules. 1. Pray first for grace, and then for peace and prosperity. 2. Pray not for temporal blessings alone, but for grace with them, and the blessing of God upon them.

Q Why is Bread said to be Ours?

A. Not that it is a thing in our power, gotten by our industry, or due by any right: but that of the bounty and goodness of the Giver, it is made Ours by deed of gift. Ye are Christs (saith the Apostle) and all things are yours. So then by means of Christ, Bread is called ours. For God having given Christ to us, doth in him and by him give all things else to us. It is ours, and yet we pray that it may be given: for it is ours when we receive it, but it is of God who giveth it. Whatsoever God is pleased to bestow upon us out of his Treasures, and is necessary for our life and calling, that by the free gift of God is ours.

Q. What things are required that Bread may be called Ours?

A. 1. We must be engrafted into Jesus Christ, who is the Heire of all things. 2. We must labour in a good and honest Calling, profitable to Church, Com∣mon-wealth or private family. 3. It must be gotten by just and honest means; as that which is lawfully given us by our friends, or raised by painfull labour, and upright dealing in our place and calling. 4. We must be just and faithfull Stewards to dispense what God hath given us according to his appointment. For the poor have right and title in that which God hath given us, when their necessity requireth, and our ability will permit to succour them. Opposite hereunto is the Bread of wickedness or deceit, hid Bread or stolen wa∣ters.

Q. Why are goods lawfully gotten called another mans, and grace our own, by our Saviour Christ?

A. Temporal riches are called another mans because we do not possess them with full right, when in a small moment they may be taken from us, or we from them, and when we die, we must leave them to other••, it being not possible to take them with us: and also because God gives them to men not as their proper goods, but as those which he will have to be dispensed by them. There is a double right, Jus charitatis. that belongs to the poor, and Jus proprietatis, which belongs to the owner. By right of charity, so much as may refresh the poor in his neces∣sity belongs to him, though the propriety be not his. But heavenly and eter∣nal Blessings are called our own, because they cannot be taken from us, and be∣ing obtained make us blessed; they do ever profit us, never forsake us. Earth∣ly blessings are not born with us, nor we born for them; they pertain nothing to piety, nothing to life eternal: but spiritual blessings are called ours, because we are regenerated of the Father, redeemed of Christ, and sanctified of the Spirit unto them, they belong to life eternal, and can never be taken from us.

Q Why are goods lawfully gotten called the mammon of iniquity?

A. The reason is, because they are deceitfull, not able to effect what they seemed to promise; for unrighteousness is put for deceit: or they do us hurt, and become instruments of sinne. Either they abide not with us, or they puffe us up with pride, draw us to security. If they be not gotten by fraud, they beget sinne: if they be not taken from us in this life, they will be sure to leave us when we stand in most need.

Q. If they only that be in Christ are lawfull Heires of outward blessings, how comes it to pass that wicked men abound in wealth?

A. Wicked men possess outward things as the common gifts of Gods favour and bounty, for which they must give account unto his Majesty: but the godly enjoy these blessings as gifts of Gods special love, and part of their Childs Por∣tion; which makes the little that the righteous hath to be farre better then the Treasures of many and mighty rich men; As the mean fare of a poor subject with the Prince his favour, is much better then the large allowance of a Traitour commited to the Tower with his displeasure. Nor yet do we say that ungodly men are unjust usurpers of what they possess, having no title at all unto them: but as God of his bounty in Christ doth suffer them to live, so doth he conferre upon them those things that tend to the maintenance of this life, that he might imploy them in some inferiour service that he hath assigned them unto: whom he will call to a reckoning for the abuse of his mercy, after they have run their course.

Q. When Christ bids us pray, Give us this day, doth he forbid us to provide or lay up any thing for the time to come?

A. It is not only lawfull, but necessary to lay up something for the day or year to come, as God shall give opportunity and means. For Joseph is com∣mended in the Scripture for his wisdom, and godly provident care: Solomon commendeth him for a wise Son, that gathereth in Summer. This was also in the Apostles, who when they heard there was like to be a famine, whereof Ag∣abus did prophesie, betimes gathered money from all places, which the godly laying up untill the time, might then lay out for the use of the poor. Our Saviour gave commandement to his Disciples, to gather up the broken meat that nothing be lost. Paul teacheth it to be the duty of Parents to lay up for their Children. Hitherto belong all the Precepts concerning frugality and parfimony, which stands in the gathering and keeping things gotten for our use and the be∣hoof of our Brethren. But we must ever waite upon Gods providence, both when we have the means, and when we want them, casting off distrust, excessive distracting, unprofitable, and needless cares.

Notes

• 1 Pet. 5.7. Mat. 6.32. Hos. 2.8. Joel 2.22.
• 1 Reg. 8.35.
• Gen. 28.20. 1 Cor. 4.7. 2 Cor. 9.10. 1 Cron. 29.12, 14, 16. Hos. 2.8, 9. Deut. 8.17, 18. Deut. 2.5. Jam. 1.17. Heb. 1.2. Rom. 8.32.
• Job 1.12. P••al. 106.15. & 78, 30, 3••. Eccl. 3.13. Deut. 8.16. Prov. 11.4. Isa. 10.16. Although we possess out∣ward blessings, yet are we not right owners of them, but by faith, which is de∣clared by Prayer for them. 1 Sam 30.16, 17.
• Dan. 5.5. 2 King. 7.17. Quem dies vi∣dit veniens superbum. Hunc dies vidit fugiens jacente. in Sen. Thy. act. 3. Prov. 10.22. Hag. 1.6, 7. Eccl. 5.12. Numb 11.33. 2 Reg. 7.19, 20. Isa. 3.1. Psal. 105.16. Lev. 26.26. Ezek. 4.16. & 5.16. Dan. 1.13, 14, 15. Psal 78.30, 31. Luk. 12.15. Dan. 5.4, 5. Job 20, 22, 23. Psal. 227.1. Hujus necessariae petitionis adfert hanc causam. Chrys. tom. 14. oper. imperf. in Mat. Non solum ut nobis suppetat cibus, sed ut cum suppeditet & nobis Domini manus quae salubrem atque adeo saluta∣rem vim inferens pani quotidiano efficit, ut & cibus corpori profit, & corpus animae serviat.
• Judg. 7.2, 3.
• 1 Cor. 3.22. Lev. 26.5. Eccl. 9.9. 2 Thes. 3.12.
• 1 Cor. 3.21, 22 Heb. 1.2. Mat. 15.26. Eph. 4.28. Gen. 3.19. 2 Thes. 3.12. Psal. 128.2. 1 Thes. 4.11. Hab. 2.6. Prov. 5.15. Prov. 3.27. Prov. 4.17. & 20.17. Prov. 9.17. Luk. 16.12. De sensu verb. vise Lively in Hos. 8.2.
• Deut. 23.24. Mat. 12.1.
• Luk. 16.9. Luk. 16.11. It may be our Saviour cal∣leth them so in reference to the former Parable of the Steward bestowing his Masters goods. Beza in Luk. 16.9. Down. 2. part of special Warfare. lib. 2. cap. 3. sect. 8.
• Eph. 4.28. Gen. 41.27. & 50.20. Prov. 10.4. Psal. 37.5. Act. 11.28.
• 2 Cor. 12.14.
• 1 Pet. 5.7. Psal. 55.22. Prov. 3.5, 6. Isa. 28.16. Psal. 37.5. Mat. 6.25, 26. Prov. 10.16. & 16.3.