A. All manner of temporal blessings.1 For bread in his most usual and proper acceptation signifieth an especial kind of food whereby our bodies are nourished.2 Yet so as by a Synecdoche 1. One kind of food is put for all other kinds: 2. One means of refreshing our bodies for all other means: 3. One temporal blessing for all sorts of temporal blessings. For there are so many temporal blessings whereof in this world we stand in need, as it would have been too tedious to have reckoned up every particular by name. Wherefore Christ contents himself to mention only one kind (Bread) which is of all the most usual. Every one, poor and rich, in all places, use bread: and so have they done in all ages, whether they live on flesh,3 fish, butter, cheese, roots, herbs, or any thing else, they must withal have bread. Nothing can be less spared. For as food, of all other temporal things is the most necessary, so bread, of all other kinds of food. Wherea other things refresh a man, this strengthens him: and hath therefore very fitly the stile ofb staff attributed to it. The want of no temporal thing ⟨p. 99⟩brings a man to such distress as the want of Bread:c which especially causeth famine, whereupon by a kind of property it is calledd a famine of Bread. Under this title, Bread, are comprised meat and drink; yea, food, raiment, sleep, physic, and other things needful for our bodies,8 even for preserving, or recovering the health and strength of them: and such a competent estate also, as is meet for the place wherein God hath set us, for the charge of children and others which he hath committed to us, and for that function and work which he hath appointed for us: together with peace, and all manner of prosperity. In a word, whatsoever▪ is needful and useful for mans temporal estate in this world, is here comprised under this one particle BREAD. And* most usually in Scripture is it put for10 temporal blessings.b If at any time it be put for Spiritual food,12 there is some circumstance or other that necessarily implieth as much,13 and plainly demonstrateth that there it can not be meant of corporal food.14 But there being no such circumstance in this Petition,15 it is safest to take it in the literal, usual, and proper sense. If it be not here so taken, this form of Prayer is defective,16 and compriseth not in it all things requisite to be prayed for.17
A. All manner of temporall blessings.1 For bread in his most vsuall and proper acceptation signifieth an especiall kind of foode whereby our bodies are nourished.2 Yet so as by a Synecdoche 1. One kinde of foode is put for all other kindes: 2. One meanes of refreshing our bodies for all other meanes: 3. One temporall blessing for all sorts of temporall blessings. For there are so many temporall blessings whereof in this world we stand in need, as it would haue bene too tedious to haue reckoned vp euery particular by name. Wherefore Christ contents himselfe to mention onely one kind (Bread) which is of all the most vsuall. Euery one, poore and rich, in all places, vse bread: and so haue they done in all ages, whether they liue on flesh,3 fish, butter, cheese, rootes, herbes, or any thing else, they must withall haue bread. Nothing can be lesse spared. For as foode, of all other temporall things is the most necessarie, so bread, of all other kinds of foode. Wherea other things refresh a man, this strengthens him: and hath therefore very fitly the stile ofb staffe attributed to it. The want of no temporall thing ⟨p. 99⟩brings a man to such distresse as the want of Bread:c which especially causeth famine, wherupon by a kind of property it is calledd a famine of Bread. Vnder this title, Bread, are comprised meate and drinke; yea, food, raiment, sleepe, physicke, and other things needfull for our bodies,8 euen for preseruing, or recouering the health and strength of them: and such a competent estate also, as is meete for the place wherein God hath set vs, for the charge of children and others which hee hath committed to vs, and for that function and worke which hee hath appointed for vs: together with peace, and all manner of prosperitie. In a word, whatsoeue▪ is needfull and vseful for mans temporall estate in this world, is here comprised vnder this one particle BREAD. And
- 1Under bread all temporal blessings.Vnder bread all temporall blessings.
- 2Quandorogamus panem quotidianum, quicquid nobis propter carnem nostram in terris necessarium est postulamus. Aug. H•m. 42 in l. 50. Hom. Why bread is put for all temporal blessings.Quandorogamus panem quotidianum, quicquid nobis propter carnem nostram in terris necessarium est postulamus. Aug. H•m. 42 in l. 50. Hom. Why bread is put for all temporall blessings.
- 3P•ae•ibis omnibus cor homin•• confirmat panis. Bern. Serm. in can. dom.
- aPsal. 104. 15.
- bPsal. 105. 16.
- cGen. 41. 54, 55.
- dAmmo. 8. 11.Amo. 8. 11.
- 8Panem cum dicit omnia quae corpori necessariae sunt comprehendit. Greg. Nys. de Orat.
- *Gen. 3. 19.
- 10Deut. 8. 3. 82.
- bSee §. 82.
- 122. Sam. 3. 29.
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