Downame - BV209_D69_G6_1640_v1

The expofition of the fourth Petition. which is above all fubftance and better then all wealth and riches ; meaning thereby our Saviour Chrift, which is that bread of God which comedown from heaven,John 6.33. But this expofition feemeth to be farre fetched, agreeing neither with the words of the Petition, nor yet with the whole body of the prayer. For firft the word it felf, if you derive it from ¡oia, fignifieth rather agreeing to our fübftance,or added to our fubfíance, as iTruom'As, ( for that fenfe hath infum, or adfum, not fitperfüm) then exceeding a- bovefubflance, as the Greek authours teach. Neither do I fee how we may aptly defire Chrift to be given unto us, whom the Father hath already given unto us. In the fécond petition we defire that we may be drawn out of the power of darknefï'e, and given unto Chrift, that he may rule in us by his word and Spirit. Neither, as I think, would Chrift have taught us to fay, Give us that bread of ours,but rather, that bread of thine : For we are Chrifis, and Chrift is Gods, i . Cor,3.2 2. and he is that bread of God which came down from heaven. Neither would he teach us to ask this bread for a day, but rather for ever. And as touching the body of the prayer, which is a fumme, not of all Divinity, as they imagine, but onely of thofe things which we are to ask ( as the Decalogue is the fumme agendorum, of things to be done; and the Creed, credendorum, of things to be believed) it may not be thought that in this perfef fumme our Saviour Chrift hath omitted any thing which we are to ask. But if you (hall not expound this petition of temporall bleflings , you cannot comprehend them in any other petition,: for to fay that: 329 s