Downame - BV209_D69_G6_1640_v1

336 What is meant by Gods giving as daily bread. faith Eccles 6. 132. There is an evil which I have f en; &c. And elfewhere he affirmeth, that when men with comfort enjoy their goods, it is the gift of God, Eccles 5.18. Secondly, that God would bleffe the ufe of his gifts unto us, giving them vertue and ftrength to nourifh and cheriíh us. For without the bleffing of God neither will food nourifh , nor apparel che- rifh, nor medicines cure, nor any thing elfe be effe- duall for our good. Hagg. i .6. Ye eat, but ye are not fatis feed; ye drink, but ye are notfilled; ye clothe you, but ye be not warm : and he that earneth wages, putteth it into a broken bag . Mich. 6. 14. The vertue of food in nourifhing, as fome think , is called the flaff ,of bread; which flaff if God fhall break, as he often threatneth in the Scriptures, we (hall eat bread and not be nourifhed therewith, Ezek. 5. 16. Where- fore as thofe which are in want are to ufe this pray- er, that God would grant unto them fuch tempo - rall blefl'ings as are convenient for them,and would bleffe thofe good means which they ufe to that end; fo they that have abundance,be it never fo great,had need to ufe this prayer, that God would grant unto them the ufe of thofe things which they have, and bleffe the ufe thereof unto them: For without his bleffing the greateft provifion of all things will not help us, and with his bleffing the mea eft means are fufficient: for man liveth not by bread alone, but &c. Deut. 8.3. as appeareth by Daniel and his fellows, Dan.' .I2. And experience telleth us that the chil- dren of the poo re, which feldome have a good meals meat, many times are in better plight then the God onely blefeth us in the ufe.