Mark 2. 34. Luke 5. 27. Souls do require it. And that in order to reclaim Sinners, we ought to prefer Acts of Mercy and Charity before all ritual Obfervances, and the nice Rules of Perfons converfing with one another. Q. Wherein appeared that Humility for which St. Matthew was remarkable? A. In that when the other Evangelifts defcribing the Apostles by Pairs, conftantly place him before St. Thomas, he modeftly places himself after him. And when the reft of the Evangelifts record the Honour of his Apoftleship under the Name of Matthew, but fpeak of his former fordid Courfe of Life under that of Levi, he himfelf fets it down, with all its Circumstances, under its own proper and ufual Name. Q. Though St. Matthew continued with the reft of the Apostles 'till after our Lord's Afcenfion, what became of him then? A. For the first eight Years he preached up. and down Judæa, endeavouring to convert his Brethren the Jews to the Faith of Chrift. And when he betook himself to the propagating the Gospel among the Gentiles, Æthiopia is generally affigned as the Province of his Apoftolical Miniftry; where by preaching and working Miracles he mightily triumphed over Error and Idolatry In which Country it is moft probable he fuffered Martyrdom, but by what Kind of Death it is altogether uncertain. Q. How was be qualified to write his Gof pcl? A. By being an Eye-witnefs of the Life and Actions of our bleffed Saviour, and by being free from thofe Temptations which prevail upon Men to impofe upon others. Q. When Q. When and upon what Account did St. Matthew write his Gospel? A. While he was in Palestine, about eight Years after the Death of our Saviour, at the Intreaty of the Jewish Converts, and, as Epiphanius tells us, at the Command of the Apoftles. And being defigned for the Ufe of his Country-Iren.lib.3. men, he wrote it in the Hebrew Language, as is cap. 1. generally afferted by all Antiquity. It was very rof.catech. Cyril.Hie. quickly tranflated into Greek; fome attributing 14. § 8. it to St. John, others to St. James the Lefs; the Eufeb. Apoftles approved the Verfion, and the Church lib.3.c.24. hath received it as Authentick. Q. What may we learn from the Obfervation of this Festival? A. That there is Mercy for the worst of Sinners, if they forfake their evil Ways, and become obedient to that Call, which their own Confciences, and the Exhortations of God's Minifters fo frequently found in their Ears. That true Repentance confifts in fuch a Change of the Heart as produces fuch Actions as are agreeable to God, and avoids fuch whereby we have formerly offended him. That Poverty and Want are chearfully to be embraced when they lye in the Way of our Duty. That it may be fometimes adviseable to punish our past Extravagancies by forbearing the ordinary Conveniencies and Accommodations of Life. That if we would enter into the true Spirit of this Festival, we fhould imitate that Humility and Contempt of Riches, which was fo remarkable in this bleffed Apoftle. That we should keep our Minds free from Covetoufnefs, and raise them above the World, the moft dangerous Enemy to our Salvation. Q. Whercias 39. lib. 6. c. 25. 15. Q. Wherein confifts the Nature of Covetouf nefs? A. In an immoderate Craving and Love of Riches, which fhews itself in an eager and infatiable Defire after the Things of this World; though we employ no indirect Means to obtain them; but is then complete, when we use any unlawful and dishonest Ways to grow rich, and are anxious to acquire the good Things of this Life, even though we neglect those which are infinitely more valuable. When we are fordid, and cannot find in our Hearts to enjoy what we poffefs; or if we do, fpend it upon our Lufts, and never fuffer those who are in Want to share with us. When we make Gold our Confidence, and truft in it as our chief Happiness. Q. What are the mischievous Effects of this Vice, which our bleffed Apoftle entirely conquered? A. It alienates the Mind from God, and takes Men off from the Care of their Souls; we canLuke 16. not ferve God and Mammon. It obftructs all thofe Paffages through which the Confideration of Religion should enter into our Thoughts: It is the Parent of most of the Fraud and Injustice, Cruelty and Oppreffion, Falfhood and Perjury, that is committed in the World. It makes Men fail in the Hour of Temptation, fo that, when they should quit all for the fake of Religion, they go away forrowful, because they have great Poffeffions. It is very apt to blow us up with Pride, and make us over-value ourselves; and by the fame Reason inclines us to defpife and contemn those who want the fame Advantages. It does but too frequently adminifter to Intemperance and unlawful Pleafures, and is made inftrumental in in gratifying some irregulur Paffions that govern our Minds. Q. Whence appears the Unreasonableness of this Vice? 4. In that it is an endless and infatiable Appetite, and confequently can never attain that Contentment and Satisfaction it propofes. Befides, it pursues Happiness by falfe Measures, for this doth not confift in Abundance; and though the Luxury of Life is boundless, yet the Neceffaries and Conveniencies of it lie within a fmall Compafs. Great Riches are fo far from prolonging our Lives, that they rather shorten them, either by Labour and Care in getting them, by Anxiety and tormenting Cares in keeping them, or by Trouble and Vexation in lofing them; they neither make us better nor wiser, but are dangerous to our Virtue, and tempt us to play the Fool. They cannot preserve us from Contempt or Miffortunes, from Diseases or Pains; they neither make our Friends more faithful, nor our Children more dutiful, neither can they afford us any Comfort when we ftand most in need of it, at the Hour of Death. But we must give a stric Account at the Day of Judgment, both how we have got them, and how we have used them. Q. What is the best Means to overcome this Vice? A. To employ our chief Care and Solicitude about the Things of the next Life, because great in themselves, and of an eternal Duration. To put our Trust and Confidence in God, who hath promised, if we feek his Kingdom and the Righte- Mat. 6. oufnefs thereof, all thefe Things fhall be added un-33to us. To be content with fuch Things as we have, and to rely upon Providence by the Ufe of just juft and lawful Means to increase them as he fhall think fit. To confider the Uncertainty of Riches, that they make themselves Wings and fly away; and that we can by no human Means fecure the Enjoyment of them. That if we' could fix them, yet that Life is always upon the Wing, and when we have heaped up Riches, Pf. 39.6. we cannot tell who shall gather them. To be charitable in fome Measure to the Proportion of what we have received; to be rich in good Works, and ready to diftribute. Against ncfs. For the Christian Virtue. The PRAYERS. I. Almighty God, who by thy bleffed Son didit call Matthew from the Receipt of Cuftom to be an Apoftle and Evangelift, Grant me Grace to forfake all covetous Defires, and inordinate Love of Riches, and to follow the fame thy Son Jefus Chrift, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, one' God, World without end. Amen. A Lmighty and everlafling God, give unto me the Increase of Faith, Hope, and Charity; and that I may obtain that which thou doft promife, make me to love that which thou doft command, through Jefus Chrift our Lord. Amen. III. Against A Paffage through this World, and my manefs. nifold Concerns in it, fuffer not my Heart to be |