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lan. Tom.

terred by Maximilla, a Lady of great Quality Hieron. and Eftate. Afterwards it was removed to Con- adv. Vigi. fantinople by Conftantine the Great, and buried 2. p. 41. in the great Church, which he had built to the Honour of the Apoftles.

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

A. To labour what we can in our Stations to make all our Relations, Friends, and Dependents, true Followers and Servants of the bleffed Jefus. To fhew our Diflike of any Evil that reigneth among them, and courageously to reprove what we know deferves it. To venture the promoting their eternal Welfare, though at the Danger of their Difpleasure. To lay hold on all favourable Opportunities to infinuate the Neceffity and Happiness of being religious. To prepare our Minds by Mortification and Repentance for the receiving all those heavenly Graces which are enjoined in the Gospel Inftitution. To bear all the Affictions and Calamities of this Life with a patient and courageous Mind, entirely refigned to the Will of God. Chearfully to take up the Crofs, and to rejoice when we are counted worthy to fuffer for the Name of Jefus; that 1 Pet. 4. when his Glory fhall be revealed, we may be glad 13. alfo with exceeding Joy.

Q. When may Men be faid to fuffer really for the Sake of Jefus, or for the Caufe of Religion? A. Not only when they fuffer rather than renounce the Chriftian Religion, or the publick Profeffion of it; but when they fuffer for any neceffary Point of Faith or Practice, wherein the Effence or Purity of the Chriftian Religion is concerned; and when they fuffer rather

than

than difclaim any undoubted Truth of God whatfoever.

Q. How does the Providence of God bear good Men out in fuch Sufferings?

A. Either by fecuring them from those violent Degrees of Temptation, which would be too ftrong for human Strength and Patience; or in Cafe of extraordinary Trials, by giving them the extraordinary Supports and Comforts of his Holy Spirit: Either by not suffering them to be tempted above what they are able, or with the Temptation, by making a Way for their Escape.

Q. When may we in our Sufferings for Reli-· gion, expect with Confidence the particular Support of God's Providence?

A. When we are careful to perform our own Duty, and do what is required on our Part: And when, neither to avoid Sufferings, nor to rescue ourselves out of them, we do any thing contrary to our Chriftian Obligations and a good Confcience. It is an eternal Rule from whence we must in no Cafe depart: That Men must do nothing contrary to the Rules and Precepts of Religion, no not for the Sake of Religion itfelf.

Q. With what Temper of Mind ought good Men to fuffer for the Cause of Religion?

A. With Patience, that they may not grow faint and weary: With Meekness, that they may not grow angry and bitter against their Perfecuters: With Charity, that they may overcome Evil with Good: With Truft in God's Providence, that they may be supported under their Sufferings by his Grace, and delivered in his good Time: With Joy and Thankfulness,

Thankfulness, inafmuch as they are Partakers of Cbriff's Sufferings; and when his Glory shall be revealed, they shall be made glad with exceeding Joy.

The PRAYER S.

I.

A Lmighty God, who didit give fuch Grace For Con

from Sin.

to thy holy Apoftle St. Andrew, that he verfion readily obeyed the Calling of thy Son Jefus Cbrift, and followed him without Delay; grant unto me and all Christians, that we being called by thy holy Word, may forthwith give up ourfelves obediently to fulfil thy holy Commandments, through the fame Tefus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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GOD, merciful Father, that defpifeft not For Affiftthe Sighing of a contrite Heart, nor the ance in Defire of fuch as be forrowful, mercifully af- Adverfifift our Prayers that we make before thee, in all our Troubles and Adverfities whenfoever they opprefs us; and graciously hear us, that thofe Evils, which the Craft and Subtility of the Devil or Man worketh against us, may be brought to nought, and by the Providence of thy Goodness they may be difperfed, that we thy Servants, being hurt by no Perfecutions, may evermore give Thanks unto thee in thy Holy Church, through Jefus Christ our Lord. Amen.

III. O

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For Grace

III.

Bleffed Jefus, who in thy wife Providence thinkeft it fit fometimes to call thy faithto fuffer ful Servants to bear their Crofs, and to fuffer as a good for thy Sake who didft fuffer a moft ignominious Chriftian. Death for them; bring me not to fuffer, till

For the Church

thou haft fitted and prepared me for it; and lay no more upon me than thou wilt enable me willingly and thankfully to endure. Let me not rafhly expose myself to Danger without thy Call, nor fuffer for my own Fancy or Folly, or for any wilful or effected Error. Give me Grace to live according to the Rules of my most holy Faith, that I may have Courage and Comfort in fuffering for it. Preferve me ftedfast in the Belief of thy heavenly Truths, and undaunted in the Profeffion of them. Give me Patience to bear my Crofs; and Meekness to bear with my Perfecutors; Charity to forgive their Wrongs, and to pray to thee for their Forgiveness. Enable me to truft in thy Goodness for Support and Deliverance, and to fix my Faith upon thofe heavenly Joys, with which the Sufferings of this Life are not worthy to be compared; that being made Partaker of thy Sufferings, I may be glad with exceeding Joy when the Glory fhall be reveal'd. To whom with the Father and the Holy Ghoft, be all Honour and Glory, World without End. Amen.

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IV.

Almighty Lord, who haft purchased to thyfelf a Church with thine own Blood, fecution. look in Mercy upon the fame, however diftref

underPer

fed

throughout the World. Pity all its Calamities, and in thy due Time give it a happy Deliverance out of them. Keep it in thy Truth, and preferve it from Herefies and falfe Doctrines, either about Faith or Practice, and from Schifms that tear it in Pieces. And when thou art pleased to try it with Tribulations, let them only purge it, but not lay it wafte. Revive a fuffering Spirit among all the Members of it when it labours under a tuffering State; that they may be ready to quit all worldly Intereft, and be enabled contentedly and joyfully to take up the Cross, and bear it after thee: That carefully avoiding all Ways of Error and Wickedness, for preventing or refcuing themselves from Sufferings, they may either be delivered by thy mighty Arm, or rewarded in thy Heavenly Kingdom, where with the Father and the Holy Ghost, thou liveft and reigneft one God, World without End. Amen.

CHA P. IV.

Saint Thomas, December 21.

Q.

W

HAT Festival doth the Church cele-
brate this Day?

A. That of St. Thomas the Apostle.

Q. What was he called befide Thomas? A. Didymus; which, according to both the Greek and Syriac Senfe of his Name, fignifieth a Twin; as Thomas alfo doth among the He-, brews. It being cuftomary with the Jews, when. travelling

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