A. That neither the Jews nor Gentiles have any Reason to object this Doctrine to us Chriftians, especially fince they have only their own Reason or Tradition to ground it upon; whereas we have exprefs divine Revelation for what we believe in this Matter and do believe it fingly upon that Account.

Q. What may we learn from the Obfervation of this Festival?

A. To fubmit our Reafon to the Obedience of Faith. To believe what we are fufficiently affured God hath revealed, though we cannot comprehend it, because the Incomprehenfibility of a Thing is no concluding Argument against the Truth of it; the Perfections of the Deity being in their own Nature infinite. To contain ourselves within the Bounds of Sobriety, without wading too far into abftrufe, curious, and ufelefs Speculations. To admire and adore the moft glorious Trinity, as being the joint Authors of our Salvation. To acknowledge the tranfendent Love of God towards us, in giving his only begotten Son, by an eternal Generation, to die for us Sinners; and the wonderful Condefcenfion of our dear Redeemer, the Merits of whofe Sufferings were enhanced by the Dignity and Excellence of his Perfon. Never to grieve that eternal Spirit, by whofe gracious Influences we are made Partakers of everlasting Salvation.

Q. If we are bound to believe fuch Doctrines of Christianity, as we cannot comprehend, is there any Ufe of Reafon in Religion?

A. Yes certainly; for nothing can be a greater Reflection upon Religion, than to fay it is unreasonable, that it contradicts that natural

Light which God hath fixed in our Minds, and that it declines a fair and impartial Trial, and will not bear the Teft of a thorough Examination. Therefore the ancient Fathers, the great Pillars of our Faith, in all their Apologies for the Christian Religion against Jews and Gentiles, endeavour to convince the World by all rational Ways both of the Truth and Reasonableness of the Christian Religion; and though the Apostles were divinely inspired, yet the Berrbaans are commended for enquiring into the Rea fons of believing that Doctrine which they taught; and where Infidelity in Scripture is charged as a Crime, it is where fufficient Reafon and Evidence was offered for Conviction.

Q. What then is the Ufe of Reason in Religion?

4. It discovers to us the Principles of Natural Religion, and juftifies the Wisdom and Prudence of acting according to them. It fhews the Conveniency of Things to our Natures, and the Tendency of them to our Happiness and Intereft; that as we are thereby convinced, that Piety towards God, that Justice, Gratitude, and Mercy towards Men, are agreeable to our Natures; fo Reafon difcovers to us that these Duties are good, because they bring Benefit and Advantage to us. And as to Revealed Religion, Reason is the Faculty whereby the Evidence and Proof of it is to be tried; the proper Exercise of it in a Chriftian is to examine and enquire whether what is propofed and required to be believed is revealed by God; whether it comes with the true Credentials of his Authority, and hath him really for its Author. For our Affent to any Thing as revealed by God,

muft

must be grounded upon Evidence that it comes from him. And when by proper Arguments we are convinced of the divine Authority of the Revelation, Reafon affifts us in difcerning the true and genuine Senfe of fuch a Revelation, and helps us to apply general Rules contained in it, to all Manner of special Cafes whatsoever. And when we are fatisfied that a Doctrine is revealed by God, though it is above the Reach of our Comprehenfion, yet we have the strongest and most cogent Reason in the World to believe it: Because God is infinitely Wife and Omniscient, and therefore cannot be deceived; and being infinitely good, we may be sure he will

not deceive us.

The PRAYERS.

I.

Holy, bleffed, and glorious Trinity, three For afted

Perfons and one God, have mercy upon

me a miserable Sinner.

Almighty and everlasting God, who haft given unto thy Servants Grace, by the Confeffion of a true Faith to acknowledge the Glory of the eternal Trinity, and in the Power of the Divine Majefty to worship the Unity: I beseech thee, that thou wouldeft keep me ftedfaft in this Faith, and evermore defend me from all Adverfities, who liveft and reigneft, one God, World without End. Amen.

IT

II.

faft Faith in the HolyTrinity.

Praife and

T is very meet, right, and my bounden Duty, that I fhould at all Times, and in all Places, the Holy giving to give Trinity.

For the
Preferva-

tion of the

give Thanks unto thee, O Lord, Almighty everlafting God, who art one God, one Lord, not the only Perfon, but three Perfons in one Substance; for that which I believe of the Glory of the Father, the fame I believe of the Son, and of the Holy Ghoft, without any Difference or Inequality; therefore with Angels and Archangels, and with all the Company of Heaven, I laud and magnify thy glorious Name, evermore praising thee and faying, Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Hofts, Heaven and Earth are full of thy Glory. Glory be to thee, O Lord most High. Amen.

III.

Lord, I beseech thee to keep thy Church and Houfhold continually in thy true Church. Religion; that they who do lean only upon the Hope of thy heavenly Grace may evermore be defended by thy mighty Power, through Jefus Christ our Lord. Amen.

IV.

Praise and Thankf making Man after thy own Image, capagiving to the Holy ble of loving thee, and enjoying thee eterTrinity. nally; for recovering him from a State of Sin and Mifery, when he had loft and undone himfelf.

Glory be to thee, O God the Father, for

Glory be to thee, O God the Son, for undertaking the wonderful Work of Man's Redemption; for rescuing him from the Slavery of Sin, and Dominion of the Devil; for, in order to accomplish this Miracle of Goodness, thou didst defcend from Heaven, put on the

Form

Form of a Servant, live a miserable Life, and die a painful and accurfed Death.

Glory be to thee, O God the Holy Ghost, for thofe miraculous Gifts and Graces thou didst bestow upon the Apostles; and for those ordinary Gifts, whereby fincere Christians in all Ages are enabled to work out their Salvation; for thy preventing and reftraining Grace; for fubduing our Understandings and Affections to the Obedience of Faith and Godliness; for infpiring us with good Thoughts, and kindling pious Defires in our Souls; for affifting us in all the Method of procuring eternal Happiness.

Bleffing and Honour, Thanksgiving and Praise, more than I can utter, more than I can conceive, be given unto thee, O most adorable Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft, by all Angels, all Men, all Creatures, for ever and Amen.

ever.

CHAP.

XXV.

St. Barnabas the Apofle.

W

June 11.

HAT Festival doth the Church this
Day celebrate?

A. That of the Apostle St. Barnabas.
Q. What Account is there of his Original?
A. That he was born at Cyprus, and defcend-
ed of the Tribe of Levi, whofe Jewish Ance-
ftors probably fled thither in the troublesome
Times in Judea, to fecure themselves from Vio-

lence

Acts 4.36.