generally happens that the injustice is embittered by the acquisition, the enjoyment, or, at least, by the loss of such ill-gotten property; whilst, on the contrary, the fruits of honest industry are enjoyed in peace and happiness; " Thou shall eat the labours of thy hands," says the prophet; " blessed art thou, and it shall be well with thee." [1] To those, then, who strive, by honest industry, to procure the means of subsistence, God promises the fruit of his blessing in these words: " The Lord will send forth a blessing on thy storehouses, and on all the works of thy hands and will bless thee." [2] The object of the petition, however, is not solely to beg of God to grant us to make use of the fruits of our labour and industry, and of his bounty: these we truly call ours; but we also pray that he may grant us enlightened judgment, to use with prudence and propriety what we have acquired by honesty and industry.
"DAILY"] This word also conveys an admonition to frugality, of which we spoke in the preceding paragraph. We do not pray for delicacy, or variety of meats: we pray for that alone which satisfies the necessary demands of nature; and the Christian should blush, who, loathing with fastidious palate ordinary meat and drink, looks for the rarest viands and the richest wines.
The word " daily" conveys a no less severe censure on those, against whom Isaiah holds out this awful menace: " Wo to you that join house to house, and lay field to field, even to the end of the place: shall you alone dwell in the midst of the earth?" [3] The cupidity of such men is insatiable: " A covetous man," says Solomon, " shall not be satisfied with money." [4] " They that will become rich," says St. Paul, "fall into temptation, and the snare of the devil." [5]
We, also, call it " our daily bread," because we use it to regain Note, the waste of vital energy, which suffers a daily diminution from the natural heat of the human system.
Finally the word " daily" implies the necessity of unceasing Note, prayer, in order that we may not swerve from the practice of loving and serving God, and that we may be thoroughly convinced of this truth, that upon him we depend for life and salvation.
"GIVE US"] What ample matter for instruction is afforded by these two words: what motives they supply to worship and reverence the infinite power of God, in whose hands are all things; what reasons to detest the execrable pride of Satan, who said, " To me all things are delivered, and to whom I will, I give them;" [6] are reflections too obvious not to strike even the most superficial; for by the sovereign pleasure of God are all things dispensed, and preserved, and increased.
But it may be asked, what necessity have the rich to pray for their daily bread, possessing, as they do, abundance of every
