2. The Meaning

Sins which we are taught in this petition to bewail are two especially. 1. Covetousness, a vice which is naturally engrafted in every man's heart; it is when a man is not content with his present estate. This desire is insatiable, and men that have enough would still have more. Wherefore he which shall use this petition must be grieved for this sin, and pray with David (Psalm 119:36): Incline my heart to your commandments, and not to covetousness. And he must sorrow, not so much for the act of this sin, as for the corruption of nature in this behalf. Covetous people will plead that they are free from this vice, but mark men's lives, and we shall see it is a common disease, as David noted (Psalm 4:6), where he brings in the people, saying: who shall show us any good? This then is a common sin that we are taught to mourn for.

2. The second want is diffidence and distrustfulness in God's providence touching the things of this life. Men also will shift this off and say, they would be sorry to distrust God. But if we do but a little look into the corruption of our nature, we shall see that we are deceived. For being in prosperity, we are not troubled: but if once we be pressed with adversity, then we howl and weep, and as Paul says (1 Timothy 6:10), men pierce themselves through with many sorrows. If a man shall lose a part of his goods, what then does he? Straight he goes out to the wise man: is this to believe in God? No: it is to distrust God and believe the devil.