A practical exposition of the Lord's-Prayer

2. As God gives us the Possession, so he gives us a Right and Title to them. There is a two-fold Right to these common Blessings; a Providential, and a Covenant-Right: Dominium Politicum fundatur in Providentia, our Civil Right to things is sounded upon God's Providence: But Dominium Evangelicum fundatur in Gratia; our Gospel-Right to things is founded upon God's Grace. (1.) He gives the Providential Right; and thus all wicked Men possess outward things, and the Plenty they enjoy is as the Fruits and Gifts of God's ⟨p. 307⟩common Bounty, it is their Portion, he hath given it to them; Psal. 17. 14. Which have their Portion in this Life: whatever falleth to their share in a fair way, and in the course of God's Providence; they are not Usurpers merely for possessing, but for abusing what they have. They have not only a Civil Right by the Laws of Men, to prevent the Encroachment of others; but a Providential Right before God; and are not simply responsible for Possession, but for their ill Use and Administration. (2.) There's a Covenant-Right to these Blessings: so only Believers have a Right to Creature-Comforts by God's special Love; and so, (That a little that a righteous Man hath, is better than the Treasures of many wicked: Psal. 37. 16.) as the mean Fare of a poor Subject, is better then the large Allowance of a condemned Traitor. Every wicked Man is a Traitor to God, and hath only an Allowance until he be destroyed. But that little which a Man hath, seasoned with God's Love, is better than all the mighty Increase of wicked Men. Now this Covenant- Right we have by Christ, who is Heir of all things; Heb. 1. 2. Christ hath the Original-Right: to them, and we by him come to have a Covenant-Right: So it is said, 1 Cor. 3. 23. Things present, and things to come, all are yours. As things to come, the Day of Judgment is theirs; so things present is theirs by a new Title from him: So it is said, 1 Tim. 4. 5. Marriage, Meats and Drinks, and all Creatures are made for them that believe. They that believe have only a Gospel-Right to them. To draw it to the present thing; we do not only beg a Possession of these things, but a Right; not only a Providential, but a Covenant-Right, that