1Q profitable Expofition 4.. PETITION. Chriftians are taught, that labour auaileth not to get any bread except God give it, and giue it dailie. It comfortablyatfureth vs againe of God his readines to giue , tor otherwifehee would neuerhaue commanded vs to aske, and fay Gauee' Latl Of all we meitlirig in this Petition not onely that God Mould giue vs barns bread , but the healthfullnourilltment alto of it, and the ftrength of it, and not onely goods and lining according to our places,and needs but the Godly and ho- nett vie an of the fame, wee learne by this word giue, that afwell this alfo cornn - methfrom God, as the other, a thing either not knowne or fowly forgotten of a Mtn-diet. And therefore they robbeGod of his glory, and afcribe to the crea- tures'that ich is the power of the creator,and to the meanes, that which they carinbt haue, excep t the Lord bleife them as meanes, I meane to nourifh vs, and tofutaine vs healthfully and well. For marke you what the Lord faith to his people 'nut : Whenlfbiflbreahtethe fiaffeof yourbread, then ten women "ball bake Le. Z d* z 6. their bread in one oven, and they Jba/I deliver your bread againebywaight, and you !ball sate, but not be fatisfìed. The flaire of bread is the lirength and power to nourifh, which you heate the Lord hirhfelfe fay is giuen and taken away by him. If bee take itaway,thedainties anddelicacieof Princes feed them not , but they pine away inthemida of them all, and if he giue this ftaffeto it, the pulfe and wa- ter that Daniell fed vponmaketh a fairer face, and giueth a better liking than any portion of the Kings meat. Sec this in rich and poore mens children alto plain- ly, the one fully and coltly fed, yet profpereth not, the orherfeldome fully and euer.courfely fed and yet both fat and fayre, and healthy: Such is the gift of God that now we fpeake of, and heerein pray for, yea fo farte may it be from nourifh- ingvs, that itmay choke vs, if the Lord giue not gift vino gift, and mercie to 1.10n*19.8 mercie, for fo did the fiiefldrien the4.-andan haireanother. The Lord was Ex. able to make his Paophet E/iah to wallee fortie dayes and fortie nights in the ltrengthofacourfe cake , baked on the coales, andofapot of water : and the Lord was able to nourilh (Afofes as long in rh-mount without any meat at all, tó thfatb. 4, tellvs that manliueth not by bread one y, but by ewer] word that commeth out ofthe mouth of God. I fayd alto, the vfe of riches came of the Lord., and fee your felues if it be not fo. Doth not the Preacher faythat he had beheld an euill vnder the Sun, * 1. and it was a great one, and much among men, euen a man to whom God loath given riches and treafure, and honour, am/he wanteth nothing for his Soule of all that it defireth, but God gosoeth him not power to eate thereof, but afrange man "ball sateitvp. See you and marke it, how God is not onely the giver ofriches, but euen of the vfe alfo & power to ear of them, which gifthe beltoweth & with holdeth at his plea - Lul¿, 1z. lure. The rich man laid vp for manyyeares, but the Lord would not haue him to hue and enioy then the things he had : the vfe he had not, longer then God gaue it. But euen when he leaft thought, his foule was called for, and then like a Foote he had heaped too much vp for other men. This is that which the wife Chap. t 1. Syrach faith : Someman is rich by his careand nigareliip, and this is the portion of hàs i;. wages (meaning his reward istohauethem, but not to vfe them) for when bee Mould begin to este of them, the time draweth neere that he mull leaue all theft thingsvnto other men, and die himfelfe. Wherefore I fay, praying in this Peti- tion not onely for the things, but euen alto for the vfe and comfort. When wee fay, Giue, we are taught that euen the vfe alfo is ofthe Lord. And thus doe you feewhat great profite this one word hath in this Petition, and what wee may learne by it. Why doe wee fay,giue VS, and not giue mee? Firft, to-teach vs to remember our brethren aswell as our felues, to be carefull t.Cor.1S.3 for them, and to with them all needfull thinges as to our felues : according to the true nature of Chrillian charitie, which feeketh not her one thinges onely, Cöfiderthis but euen other mens allo afwell. Which when it is confidered, what (O Lord) Je mama. maythofe men fay for the quiet of thcitconfciences, that hue neuerenough themfelues
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