thou haft vouchfafed 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 cleanfed from all my Sins, and ferve thee with a quiet Mind, and in thy due Time may be made Partaker of everlasting Salvation, through Jefus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghoft, one God, World without End. Amen.

G

III.

Means of

Rant, O Lord, that I may conftantly at- Fora right tend the publick Inftitutions of thy holy Ufe of the Religion, that I may never neglect thofe Means Grace. which thou haft established for the purifying my corrupt Nature, and for the reforming whatever is amifs in the Frame and Temper of my Mind: That I may approach thy Prefence 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 fuch a measure prepared for that Salvation which the bleffed Jefus hath purchased, that I may depart in Peace, and in the Faith and Fear of God's Elect; through the fame Jefus Chrift our Lord. Amen.

IV.

For Hu

Holy and Eternal Jefus, who didft by thy Bp Taylor. Precepts, and by thy own Example, en- mility. grave Humility into the Spirits of thy Difciples, and into the Laws of Chriftianity; make me to imitate

imitate thy gracious Condefcenfions. Take from me all Vanity and fantaftick Complacency in my own Perfon and Actions; and when there arifes a Reputation confequent to the Performance of any Part of my Duty, make me to reflect the Glory upon thee, fuffering nothing to adhere to my own Spirit, but Shame at my own Imperfections, and Thankfulness to thee for all thy Affiftances. Let me never seek the Praise of Men from unhandfome Actions; from Flatteries and unworthy Difcourfes; nor entertain the Praise with Delight, though it proceed from better Principles; but fear and tremble left I deferve Punishment, or lose a Reward which thou haft depofited for them that feek thy Glory, and defpife their own, that they may imitate the Example of their Lord. Thou, O Lord, didft triumph over Sin and Death; fubdue 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 Neceffities, and efteem 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 Jefus. Amen.

155

CHA P. XIII.

Saint Matthias the Apofile.
February 24.

WH

A. The Commemoration of the Apostle St. Matthias.

Q. What is meant by an Apostle?

A. In general it fignifies no more than a Messenger, a Perfon fent upon fome special Errand, for the Discharge of fome peculiar Affair in his Name that sent him: But was fixed by our Saviour to a particular Ufe, applying it to those select Perfons whom he made Choice of, to be fent up and down the World in his Name, to plant the Faith, to govern the Church at that prefent, and by their wife 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 Antients upon this Subject. What seems most probable, is, that our Saviour might allude here-in to the twelve Patriarchs as the Founders of their feveral Tribes; or to the twelve Chief Barnab. Heads and Rulers of thofe Tribes, of which the Epift. Body of the Jewish Nation did confift. To this our Saviour gives fome Countenance himself, in faying, When the Son of Man fhall fit in the Throne Mat. 19. of bis Glory, his Apoftles fhould fit upon twelve Thrones, judging the twelve Tribes of Ifrael.

Q. What

28.

Q. What was their Vocation?

A&$1.22. A. To be Witneffes of Chrift's Miracles particularly his Refurrection; and to preach that Doctrine to the World which they learnt of their Mafter; and in this their Teftimony was valuable, that they fealed the Truth of it with their Blood.

13.

Q. How were the Apostles enabled to difcharge this high Office, being obfcure and illiterate Perfons, 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 fecured from Errors in delivering the Principles of Christianity, and John 16. to this End had the Spirit of Truth promifed to them, who fhould guide them into all Truth. They had been Eye-Witneffes of all the material Paffages of our Saviour's Life, and reported nothing but what they had feen with their own 1 John 1. Eyes, and of the Truth whereof they were as competent Judges as the acuteft Philofopher in the World. Befides feveral miraculous Powers and Gifts of the Holy Ghoft were conferred upon them, as the readieft Means to procure their Religion a firm Belief and Entertainment in the Minds of Men.

I.

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

A. No: He obtained this great Honour upon the Vacancy made in the College of the AA&$1.25, poftles by the Death of Judas Iscariot; whofe covetous Temper having prevailed upon him to betray his Mafter for thirty Pieces of Silver, was fo touched with the Horror of that

26.

wicked Fact, that, after having caft 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 beadlong, A&ts 1.18. be burft afunder in the midft, and all bis Bowels gufbed out.

Q. Had this Judas the Gifts of an Apoftle?

A. Though he was a Man of vile and corrupt Designs, yet he was immediately called by Chrift, equally impowered and commiffioned with the reft to preach and work Miracles, was numbered with the Apoftles, and obtained Part Ver. 17. of their Ministry.

Q. What may we learn from bence?

A. That the Wickednefs of a Minifter does not evacuate his Commiffion, nor render his Office useless or ineffectual: And that the Efficacy of an Ordinance does not depend upon the Quality of the Perfon, but the Divine Inftitution, and the Bleffing God hath entailed upon it.

Q. How was St. Matthias chofen to be an Apostle?

A. He was chofen by Lot; a way frequently Ver. 25. used both by Jews and Gentiles for the determining doubtful and difficult Cafes, especially in the Election of Judges and Magiftrates. St. Peter having recommended the filling of the Vacancy to the Confideration of the Chriftians affembled at Jerufalem, they appointed two, Jofeph called Barfabas, who was furnamed Juftus, 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?

A. The