5. Errors Confuted

This is the fifth petition and the second of those which concern our selves: in the former we craved temporal blessings, in this and the next which follows, we crave spiritual blessings. Where we may note, that seeing there are two petitions which concern spiritual things, and but one for temporal; that the care for our souls must be double, to the care of our bodies. In the world men care for their bodies, their hearts are set for wealth and promotion: they can be content to hear the word on the Sabbath, yet neither then, nor in the week day do they lay it up in their hearts, and practice it, which argues that they have little or no care for their souls.

Question: What is the cause that first we crave things for the body, and in the second place those which concern the soul? Answer: The order of the Holy Spirit in these petitions is wonderful: for the Lord considers the dullness and backwardness of men's natures: and therefore he trains them up, and draws them on by little, even as a schoolmaster does his young scholars: propounding to them some small elements and principles, and so carrying them to higher points. For the former petition is a step or degree to these two following. The ruler by the healing of the body of his child is brought to believe in Christ (John 4:53). He then that will rest on God's mercy for the pardon of his sins, must first of all rest on God's providence for this life: and he that cannot put his trust in God for the provision of meat and drink, how shall he trust God's mercy for the salvation of his soul? Here we may see the faith of worldlings: they say that God is merciful, and that they believe in Christ: which cannot be true: seeing in lesser matters, as meat and drink, they distrust God, as appears by their covetousness. Again, by this order we are taught as earnestly to seek for the pardon of our sins, as we seek for temporal blessings.