daily, which might give the name of daily Bread to the facred Elements; and partly to the pious mistake, that nothing temporal could be ask'd for in this Divine form.

But most certainly this is neither a true nor an useful sense of the words. This mystical explication of Bread is the product of warm imaginations; and is neither agreeable to our Saviour's defign, nor to the notions of his hearers. He cannot be thought to teach them to pray for that heavenly Bread, of which probably they had never yet heard; and which was fo far from being suited to the capacities of the multitude, that his Difciples, who John vi. must be suppos'd to have a more fpiritual taste, when they afterward heard of it, were much offended. The holy Sacrament was not inftituted till the night before our Saviour's Paffion; and therefore could not be referr'd to in the Sermon upon the Mount, which was spoke at the beginning of his Ministry. It could not agree with the Wisdom of the Son of God, to make that the fubject of the multitudes Prayers, which could not poffibly be the object of their defires; and to teach them to ask importunately for fomething, that was above both their taste and conceptions. Besides, in asking for daily Bread in this spiritual sense, they ask'd for

nothing

nothing distinct from the other petitions; the pardon of Sins and the blessing of God's Spirit (which are the effects of this spiritual food) being ask'd for in the rest.

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Some indeed have thought, that the Greek word (ET) which is added to Bread, might justify this mystical way of referring it to our Saviour's Body. But tho' it is to be 'confefs'd, that the word is very improperly render'd daily, yet we may as well,

© The word inicio seems to be improperly translated daily. Those who fo interpret it fuppofe it deriv'd from ixiñoa nμier, which derivation is contrary to the analogy of the Greek; and befides would oblige us to render it instead of daily Bread, to morrow's Bread. The Arabick, I suppose for this reason, tranflates it panem craftinum; and St. Jerom, comm. in locum, affirms that was the reading of the Hebrew copies: but all the Antients, who mention the word, derive it from ria fubftantia. Suidas, ixì Tỹ solą ágμów. Аn negant soiav lectam cum & panem iniciov dominus dixerit. Ambrof. lib. 3. de Fide. St. Jerom renders it fuperfubftantialem for the fame reason; and both he and Origen affirm, that inso is fynonymous with well. This then being the original of the word, it cannot fignify daily. I would therefore observe, that the antient Church read it panem quotidianum; as appears from the citations both of Tertullian and St. Cyprian; which, as it did not exprefs the word imici, is a strong prefumption that it was not then in the text, but added as a marginal note, to express the mystical sense which then prevail'd. The true and antient reading may probably have been that of St. Luke, where from the vulgar Latin the word inici appears to have been wanting.

with the Greek Fathers †, render it substantial or neceffary, as with the vulgar Latin fuperfubftantial or fpiritual. However, notwithstanding the different sense of the Greek word we have this reason still to use the word daily, because it is agreeable to the parallel place in St. Luke, and withal, no other word was us'd by the primitive Church till St. Jerom's

time.

The literal interpretation of the words then is more probable, and daily Bread means no other than the neceffaries of this life. Whatever fome, of a more refin'd thought or warmer imagination, may now think, the hearers of our Saviour would interpret the words according to the custom and practice of that time; and therefore would think that they pray'd only for the fupply of their temporal neceffities. The Jews, with whom our Saviour convers'd, did at that time pray daily for plenty and fruitful feafons; and our Saviour by making daily Bread the fubject of their Prayers, reminded them of their old condition in the wilderness, where they were miraculously fed by Bread from Heaven. Six hundred thousand travell❜d through a fandy barren defert, where they were supported

† Greg. Nyffen. de orat. Theophylact, Chryfoft, in locum. § Τὸ καθ' ἡμέραν.

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by a constant miracle, and were oblig'd every morning to beg of God the fubfiftence of that Day. They being unprovided of all neceffaries, and deftitute of all cares of their own, had no where to look for supply, but immediately from God's hand, and could only expect that supply by daily addresses for it.

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However it is to be observ'd, that this journey of the Jews through an unprovided wilderness, in which they must instantly perish without Bread from Heaven, is but a true picture of human life. Mankind in the general condition of it is not lefs dependent upon Providence than they; the rewards of industry are as much to be esteem'd fo gifts of God, as the miraculous fhowering down of Manna; and we are all fed and supported by the fame fatherly hand, tho' in different methods. We have from his bounty the poffeffion, and from his blessing the use and service of worldly conveniencies; and we could neither obtain nor enjoy to good purpose any thing without his favour. We in this plentiful provifion laid up for the morrow, have as much reason as the Jews in the wilderness to profess our great dependence upon our heavenly Father, and with as much fubmiffion defire him to give us our daily Bread.

Daily Bread then is here literally to be interpreted the temporal neceffaries of life; and our Saviour, by commanding us to pray for them, teacheth us to distinguish between the infenfibility of the Stoick, and the religious faith of a Chriftian. He, by making worldly things the fubject of one petition, fhews that fome concern for this world is not foreign to the profeffion of his Disciples; and yet by afsuring them of fuccefs in that tition, teaches how foon this very concern fhould ceafe. Commit thy way unto the Lord, Pf. xxxvii. faith the Pfalmift, and put thy trust in him, and he shall bring it to pass.

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The second particular is to fhew the feveral limitations of this petition.

First, We here ask only for what is necessary. Bread, by a common and natural figure, fignifies the neceffaries of life. "Our Sa"viour (as * an antient Father obferves) hath not directed us to to pray for fuperfluous "wealth, for luxury, or any gratifications “of that kind, but only for Bread, and in "that for the mere neceffaries of life." We are to make that only the fubject of our Prayers which Religion allows us to defire; the Gospel, not the infatiate appetites of men, is to be the measure of their wants; *Chryfoft. in locum.

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