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giving for

the Know

ledge of

the Truth.

THE PURIFICATION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN.
II.

Thanks- ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, heavenly Father, I give thee humble Thanks, that thou hast vouchsafed to call me to the Knowledge of thy Grace and Faith in thee. Increase this Knowledge, and confirm this Faith in me evermore. Grant me thy holy Spirit, that I may devote myself entirely to thy Service; that I may be cleansed from all my Sins, and serve thee with a quiet Mind, and in thy due Time may be made Partaker of everlasting Salvation, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, one God, World without End. Amen.

III.

For a right GRANT, O Lord, that I may constantly attend Means of the public Institutions of thy holy Religion, that I

Use of the

Grace.

For Humi

lity.

may never neglect those Means which thou hast established for the purifying my corrupt Nature, and for the reforming whatever is amiss in the Frame and Temper of my Mind: That I may approach thy Presence with Humility and Devotion, hear thy Word with Reverence and Attention, receive thy holy Sacrament with Faith, Thanksgiving, and Charity; that by these Ordinances of thy Appointment, my Soul may be nourished with all Goodness, and in such a Measure prepared for that Salvation, which the blessed Jesus hath purchased, that I may depart in Peace, and in the Faith and Fear of God's Elect; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

IV.

Bp. Taylor. HOLY and Eternal Jesus, who didst by thy Precepts, and by thy own Example, engrave Humility into the Spirits of thy Disciples, and into the Laws of Christianity; make me to imitate thy gracious Condescensions. Take from me all Vanity and fantastic Complacency in my own Person and

Actions; and when there arises a Reputation consequent to the Performance of any Part of my Duty, make me to reflect the Glory upon thee, suffering Nothing to adhere to my own Spirit, but Shame at my own Imperfections, and Thankfulness to thee for all thy Assistances. Let me never seek the Praise of Men, from unhandsome Actions; from Flatteries and unworthy Discourses; nor entertain the Praise with Delight, though it proceed from better Principles; but fear and tremble lest I deserve Punishment, or lose a Reward which thou hast deposited for them that seek thy Glory, and despise their own, that they may imitate the Example of their Lord. Thou, O Lord, didst triumph over Sin and Death; subdue also my proud Understanding, and my prouder Affections; and bring me under thy Yoke, that I may do thy Work, and obey my Superiors, and be a Servant of all my Brethren in their Necessities, and esteem myself inferior to all Men, by a deep Sense of my own Unworthiness, and in all Things may obey thy Laws, and conform to thy Example, and enter into thy Inheritance, O holy and eternal Jesus. Amen.

CHAP. XIII.

SAINT MATTHIAS THE APOSTLE.
FEBRUARY 24.

Q. WHAT Festival doth the Church celebrate this
Day?

A. The Commemoration of the Apostle St. Matthias.

Q. What is meant by an Apostle?

A. In general it signifies no more than a Messenger, a Person sent upon some special Errand, for the Discharge of some peculiar Affair in his Name that sent him: But was fixed by our Saviour to a particular Use, applying it to those select Persons whom he made Choice of, to be sent up and down

Barnab.
Epist.

the World in his Name, to plant the Faith, to govern the Church at that present, and by their wise and prudent Settlement of Affairs, to provide for the future Exigencies of it.

Q. Why did our Saviour pitch upon the Number of Twelve?

A. Various have been the Conjectures of the Ancients upon this Subject. What seems most probable is, that our Saviour might allude herein to the twelve Patriarchs, as the Founders of their several Tribes; or to the twelve Chief Heads and Rulers of those Tribes, of which the Body of the Jewish Nation did consist. To this our Saviour Mat. xix. gives some Countenance himself, in saying, When the Son of Man shall sit in the Throne of his Glory, his Apostles should sit upon twelve Thrones, judging the twelve Tribes of Israel.

28.

Acts i. 22.

13.

Q. What was their Vocation?

A. To be Witnesses of Christ's Miracles, particularly his Resurrection; and to preach that Doctrine to the World which they learnt of their Master; and in this their Testimony was valuable, that they sealed the Truth of it with their Blood.

Q. How were the Apostles enabled to discharge this high Office, being obscure and illiterate Persons, helpless and unarmed, and having the enraged Powers of the World to contend with?

A. They immediately received the Doctrine they taught from the Mouth of Christ himself. They were infallibly secured from Errors in delivering the Principles of Christianity, and to this End had John xvi. the Spirit of Truth promised to them, who should guide them into all Truth. They had been EyeWitnesses of all the material Passages of our Saviour's Life, and reported Nothing but what they had seen with their own Eyes, and of the Truth whereof they were as competent Judges as the acutest Philosopher in the World. Besides, several miraculous Powers and Gifts of the Holy Ghost were conferred upon them, as the readiest Means to T

procure their Religion a firm Belief and Entertainment in the Minds of Men.

Q. Was St. Matthias among the twelve Apostles that were chosen by our Saviour?

A. No: He obtained this great Honour upon the Vacancy made in the College of the Apostles, by the Death of Judas Iscariot; whose covetous Acts i. 25, Temper having prevailed upon him to betray his 26. Master for thirty Pieces of Silver, was so touched with the Horror of that wicked Fact, that, after having cast back the Wages of Iniquity in open Court, he made away with himself, and was remarkably punished in the Manner of his Death; for falling headlong, he burst asunder in the Midst, Acts i. 18. and all his Bowels gushed out.

Q. Had this Judas the Gifts of an Apostle?

A. Though he was a Man of vile and corrupt Designs, yet he was immediately called by Christ, equally empowered and commissioned with the Rest to preach and work Miracles, was numbered with ver. 17. the Apostles, and obtained Part of their Ministry. Q. What may we learn from hence?

A. That the Wickedness of a Minister does not evacuate his Commission, nor render his Office useless or ineffectual: and that the Efficacy of an Ordinance does not depend upon the Quality of the Person, but the divine Institution, and the Blessing God hath entailed upon it.

Q. How was St. Matthias chosen to be an Apostle? A. He was chosen by Lot; a Way frequently ver. 26. used by both Jews and Gentiles for the determining doubtful and difficult Cases; especially in the Election of Judges and Magistrates. St. Peter' having recommended the filling of the Vacancy to the Consideration of the Christians assembled at Jerusalem, they appointed two, Joseph called Bar-subas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias; and when the Lots were given forth, it was determined in Favour of the latter, who was numbered with the eleven Apostles.

Q. What preceded this Manner of Choice?

Acts i. 24.

Acts i. 21.

A. The Congregation of Christians made a solemn Address to God that he would condescend to direct the Choice; and that he, who knew the Hearts of all Men, would be pleased to shew which of these two he saw best qualified for so sacred a Function.

Q. What may be learned from this Manner of proceeding?

A. It may serve as a Direction to all those that are Candidates for Holy Orders, seriously to examine themselves whether they are moved by the Holy Ghost to take upon them that Office and Mi nistration; for though they may impose upon Man, yet God seeth their Hearts, and all those various Motives by which they are influenced in so great a Concern. This Precedent is also serviceable to the Governors of the Church, who, after all their Care to admit Persons duly qualified, must beg God Almighty's Guidance and Direction, that they may wisely make Choice of fit Labourers to work in his Vineyard: and all Christians ought to offer up the same Prayers, since the Welfare of the Church depends so much upon the Piety and Capacity of those that are ordained.

Q. How was St. Matthias qualified for the Apos tleship?

A. He had been a continual Attendant upon our Saviour all the Time of his Ministry, from his being baptized by John till his Assumption into Heaven, which is intimated by St. Peter. He was probably one of the Seventy Disciples; and had been a Witness of our Saviour's Resurrection; and of the most considerable Passages of his Life; so that he was fit to proclaim abroad those Matters of Fact concerning his Master, of which he had an equal↑ Evidence with the Rest of the Apostles.

Q. Where did St. Matthias preach the Gospel? > A. He continued at Jerusalem till the Powers of the Holy Ghost were conferred upon the Apostles, to enable them to discharge their difficult Employ-s ment; and then he is thought to have spent the first

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