A practical exposition of the Lord's-Prayer

Those common Mercies which we do enjoy,

1. God gives us the Possession of them; for he is the absolute Lord of all Things, both in Heaven and in Earth; and whatsoever is possessed by any ⟨p. 305⟩Creature, it is by his Indulgence; for the primitive and original Right was in him. Psal. 24. 1. The Earth is the Lord's, and the Fullness thereof; the World, and they that dwell therein. It is all God's, we hold it in Fee from him; for he is the great Landlord, who hath leased out all these Blessings to the Sons of Men. The Earth is first the Lord's, and then by a Grant he hath given it to Men to enjoy. Psal. 115. 16. The Heaven, even the Heavens are the Lord's; but the Earth hath he given to the Children of Men. He hath given it to Men, partly, by a general Grant, and Leave given to enjoy and occupy it, as the Place of our Service: But that is not all; he doth not only give the Earth in general to Men, but he makes a particular Allotment; the particular Designation of every Man's Portion of what he shall enjoy in tho World, it is of God. And so it is said, Act• 17. 26. He hath determined the Bounds of their Habitation. God hath not only appointed in general, the Earth to be the Place of our Service for a while; but he hath determined how much every one shall possess, what shall fall to his Share. These Things come not by Chance, or by the Gift of others, or by our own Industry, but by the peculiar Designation of God's Providence. However they come to us, God must be owned in the Possession; whether they come to us by Donation, Purchase, Labour, or by Inheritance; yet they are originally by God, who (by these means) bestoweth them upon us. If they come by Donation, or the Gift of others; the Hearts of Men are in God's hands, and he it was that disposed them to be bountiful to us, that appoi• ted them to be Instruments of his Providence, to ⟨p. 306⟩