Q1. What does our Catechism mean by bread in this petition?

A. It explains it to be the good things of this life.

Q2. What do you understand by the good things of this life?

A. Not only meat and drink; but clothes to cover us, houses to shelter us, sleep to refresh us, and the like; which are called "things needful to the body," James 2:16.

Q3. May not spiritual mercies, or food to our souls, be intended by the bread here mentioned?

A. No; the petition respects temporal mercies, or the good things of the present life.

Q4. How do you prove, that the good things of this life, and not spiritual mercies, are intended in this petition?

A. From the completeness, and compendiousness of the Lord's prayer; for, it cannot be supposed, that, in a prayer so complete, the good things of this life would be quite omitted; or, that in a prayer so compendious, spiritual mercies would, without necessity, be repeated in this petition, when the other petitions are so full of them.

Q5. Why are these good things called by the general name of BREAD?

A. Because, though bread be the most common, yet it is the most useful and necessary support of natural life; and therefore called the staff, or stay of bread, Isaiah 3:1.

Q6. Why called daily bread?

A. Both because our need of the supports of nature recurs daily; and likewise to teach us contentment with our present allowance in providence, Phil. 4:11.

Q7. For what quantity of daily bread, or of the good things of this life, may we lawfully pray?

A. For a competent portion of them.

Q8. What is meant by a competent portion?

A. Such a measure of temporal comforts, as our necessities may require, or will tend to our good, Proverbs 30:8 - "Give me neither poverty nor riches: feed me with food convenient for me."

Q9. What is imported in our praying, that God would give us this competent portion?

A. It imports our desire to receive it of God's free gift.

Q10. What do we acknowledge, when we pray to receive temporal comforts of God's free gifts?

A. We thereby acknowledge, that in Adam, and by our own sin, we have forfeited our rights to all the outward blessings of this life, and deserve to be wholly deprived of them by God."194

Q11. How does it appear that we have, by sin, forfeited our right to outward blessings?

A. It appears from this, that we have thereby forfeited our life itself, Gen. 2:17; and, therefore, by necessary consequence, all the supports of it, Jer. 5:25.

Q12. Why do we say, Give us this day?

A. Because if God shall be pleased to afford us the necessary supplies of each day, when it comes, we ought not to be anxiously solicitous about tomorrow, Matt. 6:34.

Q13. May we not lawfully pray for what respects the future condition of ourselves, or families, in this world?

A. Yes; if God shall continue us, or them, in life, then, in this case, we may lawfully beg of him, that neither we, nor they, may ever be destitute of what is necessary for our glorifying God, in the respective stations, in which he has, or may place us while in it, Gen. 28:20-22.

Q14. Does God's giving us our daily bread, exclude the use of means for the obtaining of it?

A. No; for, "if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel," 1 Tim. 5:8.

Q15. May we not then ascribe our daily bread to our own diligence and industry?

A. No; because it is God who gives us ability to pursue our respective callings, and it is he who succeeds our lawful endeavours in them, Deut. 8:17, 18 - "Thou shalt remember the Lord thy God; for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth."

Q16. Why do we say, Give us our daily bread? why do we call it OURS?

A. Because whatever measure or proportion of outward blessings, God in his providence, thinks fit we should receive, is properly OURS, whether it be more or less, 1 Tim. 6:8 - "Having food and raiment, let us therewith be content."

Q17. Since both the godly and the wicked have their daily provision from God, what difference is there as to the manner in which the one and the other hold their outward comforts?

A. There is a wide difference as to the manner in which the godly and the wicked hold their outward comforts, whether we consider their respective right and title; their present enjoyment; or their future expectation.

Q18. What is the difference as to their respective right and title?

A. The wicked have only a civil and common right; but the godly have, besides this, a spiritual and covenant right also, 1 Tim. 4:8.

Q19. What is the difference as to their present enjoyment?

A. The godly have God's blessing on what they presently enjoy; but the wicked his curse. In this respect, "a little that a righteous man hath, is better than the riches of many wicked," Psalm 37:16.

Q20. What is the difference as to their future expectation?

A. The godly have the good things of this world, as pledges of the far better things of another; but the wicked have them as their whole pay; for they have their portion in this life, Psalm 17:14.

Q21. For what should we pray in order to have the comfortable use of the good things of this life, which God may confer upon us?

A. That we may enjoy his blessing with them.

Q22. Why is the blessing of God necessary to all our outward comforts?

A. Because without this none of them could reach the end for which they are used: our food could not nourish us, nor our clothes warm us, nor medicines, however skilfully applied, give any relief from our ailments, Job 20:22, 23.

Q23. Will God's blessing make the meanest fare answer the end of comfortable nourishment?

A. Yes; as is evident from the example of Daniel, and the other three children of the captivity, who desired to be proved ten days, with no better cheer than pulse and water: "And at the end of ten days, their countenances appeared fairer and fatter in flesh, than all the children which did eat the portion of the king's meat," Dan. 1:12, 15.

Q24. Why do we pray in the plural number, Give us?

A. To express a concern for the good things of this life to the rest of our fellowcreatures, as well as to ourselves, 1 Kings 8:35-40.

Q1. Why is this petition placed after the three former?

A. Because those concern immediately and generally God's glory, in the advancement of his name, kingdom and will, which ought to be preferred to all our personal concerns; Psalm 69:9. The zeal of your house has eaten me up. Acts 21:13. I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.

Q2. Why is it put before the two following petitions?

A. Not for its worth, but for its order; for we can have no spiritual blessings, unless we have a natural being in this life.

Q3. What kind of bread is here meant?

A. Not spiritual bread, or our Lord Jesus Christ, (as some,) but corporal and temporal.

Q4. What is included in this word bread?

A. Not that only which we call strictly bread, but all the good things of this present life.

Q5. Do we hereby beg pure necessities only?

A. No, we pray for conveniences for our comfort, as well as necessities for our life.

Q6. Do we herein pray only for personal good things for our being?

A. No, we pray for civil good things for our condition, that according to our degree in the world, in which God has placed us, we may have a convenient allowance.

Q7. Do we pray here for ourselves only?

A. No, but also for our charge, children, and family, that under and with us they may have the good things of this life.

Q8. Why do we pray to God for these good things, can we not get them ourselves, or our fellow-creatures give them to us?

A. Not without God: whatever we have of these things, they are from God; whoever be the second cause or instrument: If ourselves, God gives us ability and success to get them; if others, God inclined their hearts, and opened their hands to bestow them; Deuteronomy 8:17, 18. And you say in your heart. My power and the might of my hand has gotten me this wealth. But you shall remember the Lord your God; for it is he who gives you power to get wealth.

Q9. Why do we pray to God to give us bread?

A. Because the least crumb of bread is a free gift, and never can be merited by all we can do or suffer; Luke 17:10. So likewise you, when you shall have done all these things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants.

Q10. Why are all these things couched under the expression of bread?

A. (1.) Because bread is one of the most necessary and useful things to preserve life. (2.) Because we must not ask delicacies and dainties of God.

Q11. What is meant by day in our petition?

A. Either (1.) A natural day of twenty four hours; or, (2.) The day of our whole life.

Q12. Why do we pray for daily bread?

A. Because God must give us the mercies and good things of everyday, or else we cannot have them.

Q13. Why should we not pray for weekly, or monthly, or yearly bread, as well as daily?

A. (1.) Because it is fit we should be still sensible of our dependence upon God. (2.) Because we do frequently pray to God, and so exert our graces, and maintain communion with him, and daily render thanks for daily favors; Psalm 55:17. Evening and morning, and at noon will I pray, and cry aloud, and he shall hear my voice.

Q14. What need we to pray for daily bread, when we may have stores laid up for years?

A. They that have the good things of this life need to pray this petition, as well as they that have them not. Not that they may have bread, but that it may be bread to them: for except God give his blessing upon it, bread would be ashes, and not sustenance to us; neither could all the comforts of this life do us any good; Isaiah 3:1. For behold, the Lord, the Lord of hosts does take away from Jerusalem, and from Judah, the whole stay of bread, and the whole stay of water. Malachi 2:1, 2. And now, O you priests, this commandment is for you: if you will not hear, and if you will not lay it to heart, to give glory unto my name, says the Lord of hosts, I will even send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings; yes, I have cursed them already, because you do not lay it to heart.

Q15. Why do we pray only for daily bread, or a competency, may we not pray for abundance and riches?

A. No, because riches are a great snare and temptation; Matthew 19:23, 24. Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Truly I say unto you, that a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of Heaven. And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. Proverbs 30:8, 9. Remove far from me vanity and lies; give me neither poverty nor riches, feed me with food convenient for me: lest I be full and deny you, and say, Who is the Lord? Or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain.

Q16. What shall we then do with riches, if providence cast them upon us, shall we cast them away?

A. No, for some of the best of men, and greatest of God's favorites, have lived and died rich. But, (1.) We must wean our hearts from them; Psalm 62:10. Trust not in oppression, and become not vain in robbery; if riches increase, set not your heart upon them. (2.) Be thankful for them; and, (3.) Fruitful with them in acts of piety and charity; 1 Timothy 6:17, 19. Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high-minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy: laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.

Q17. Wherefore is the bread called our bread?

A. Not because we are absolute lords and possessors of it, for it is God's only; Psalm 24:1, 2. The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. For he has founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods. Psalm 50:10, 12. For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills. If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for the world is mine, and the fullness thereof. But, (1.) Because we must have a covenant right to it; and, (2.) A civil right; we must come lawfully and honestly by, and so keep the good things of this life; 2 Thessalonians 3:10. For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.

Q18. Having prayed for our daily bread, need we to labor and endeavor to get it?

A. Yes, we must labor in good and honest callings; God's blessing and man's industry must concur towards the present maintenance of life; Psalm 128:1, 2. Blessed is every one that fears the Lord: that walks in his ways. For you shall eat the labor of your hands: happy shall you be, and it shall be well with you. Proverbs 10:4, 22. He becomes poor that deals with a slack hand; but the hand of the diligent makes rich. The blessing of the Lord makes rich, and he adds no sorrow with it.

Q19. What is the first inference from it?

A. That we must not seek great matters for ourselves, neither make them the matter of prayer to God; nor the end and design of our labors and callings among men.

Q20. What is a second inference from hence?

A. That having food and clothing, we must be therewith content, and therefore thankful; 1 Timothy 6:8. And having food and clothing, let us be therewith content. 1 Thessalonians 5:18. In everything give thanks.

Q21. What is the third inference?

A. That we ascribe not our success in the world to our own skill and industry, for the wisest and most industrious do sometimes labor in the fire, and put their gain in a bag with holes; but to God's free donation to us, and to his blessing upon our endeavors; Genesis 33:5, 11. And he lift up his eyes, and saw the women and the children, and said, Who are those with you? And he said, the children which God has graciously given your servant.-Take, I pray you, my blessing that is brought to you, because God has dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough. Deuteronomy 28:3. Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the field. Verse 6. Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out. Concerning Forgiveness of Sins

Q1. Are we to pray for the good things of this life?

A. Yes: For the Lord is for the body, 1 Cor. 6:13.

Q2. Must we go to God for them?

A. Yes: For he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things, Acts 17:25.

Q3. Must we go to him for the comfort of them?

A. Yes: For he gives us richly all things to enjoy, 1 Tim. 6:17.

Q4. Do we deserve the good things of this life?

A. No: We are less than the least of all God's mercies, Gen. 32:10.

Q5. Must we therefore beg them of God as a free gift?

A. Yes: God gives the dew of heaven, Gen. 27:28.

Q6. Are we to pray for riches?

A. No: Lest we be full, and say who is the Lord? Prov. 30:9.

Q7. Are we to pray for dainties?

A. No: Be not desirous of dainties, for they are deceitful meat, Prov. 23:3.

Q8. Are we to be content with such a competent portion of these things as God sees fit for us?

A. Yes: Having food and raiment, let us be therewith content, 1 Tim. 6:8.

Q9. Are we to pray for that?

A. Yes: Feed me with food convenient for me, Prov. 30:8.

Q10. And need we desire any more?

A. No: If God will be with me, and keep me in the way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, so that I come to my heavenly Father's house in peace, then the Lord shall be my God, Gen. 28:20, 21.

Q11. Are we to pray each day for the bread of the day?

A. Yes: For the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself, Matt 6:34.

Q12. And must we pray for our bread honestly gotten?

A. Yes: For with quietness we must work, and eat our own bread, 2 Thess. 3:12.

Q13. And have we encouragement to pray for this?

A. Yes: For godliness hath the promise of the life that now is, 1 Tim. 4:8.

Q14. Do we herein pray for health?

A. Yes: For God is our life, and the length of our days, Deut. 30:20.

Q15. And for success in our callings?

A. Yes: Establish thou the work of our hands upon us, Ps. 90:17.

Q16. And for sleep?

A. Yes: For so he giveth his beloved sleep, Ps. 127:2.

Q17. And for seasonable weather?

A. Yes: Ask ye of the Lord rain, Zech. 10:1.

Q18. Must we pray for God's blessing on what we have?

A. Yes: For man liveth not by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God, Matt. 4:4.

Q19. And is it then comfortable to us?

A. Yes: For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer, 1 Tim. 4:5.

Q20. Must we pray most earnestly for bread for our souls?

A. Yes: Lord, evermore give us that bread, John 6:34.

Q21. Are we to pray for others' prosperity, as well as for our own?

A. Yes: I wish that thou mayest prosper, and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth, 3 John 1:2.

Q22. And for the supply of the poor and needy?

A. Yes: That he will abundantly bless our provision, and satisfy our poor with bread, Ps. 132:15.