upon him, be never began to be a true Difciple of Chrift.

Q. How did the Primitive Chriftians generally embrace Martyrdom ?

A. With great Readiness and Chearfulness of Mind; with Comfort and Satisfaction, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to fuffer for the Name of Christ. And not only the Clergy but the Laity, Women as well as Men, young and old, encounter'd Death with great Fortitude, though it was armed with all the Variety of Torments that the Malice and Cruelty of their Enemies could invent.

Q. To what Caufes may we attribute this great Courage and Refolution of the Primitive Chriftians?

A. Next to the plentiful Effufion of fupernatural Grace upon fuch Occafions; the great Piety and Virtue of their Lives might be a proper Foundation for this Christian Confidence. They were not only innocent, but extremely mortified; they kept their Minds free from Guilt; and inured their Bodies to Hardships and fevere Ufage, and never foftened themselves with the Pleasures and Diverfions of the Age. They had a lively Senfe of the Rewards of the next Life, with which the Sufferings of this are not to be compared. Their Minds were inflamed with great Love to their Lord and Mafter Jefus Christ, whofe Blood was yet warm, and whofe Sufferings for their fakes were fresh in their Memories. Befides, many of the Rich, in Times of Perfecution, reduced themselves to a voluntary Poverty diftributing what they had among the Poor, that they might be in a Readiness for Martyrdom. But the wonderful

manner

manner fometimes of bearing their Torments; as the burning of their Bodies without a Shriek, and their rejoicing in the Midst of Flames, muft be attributed to the wonderful Work of God, either in taking away the great Senfe of Pain from the holy Martyrs in the Time of their Execution; or by giving them fuch a lively Senfe and affured Profpect of their Reward, as made the most exquifite Torments fupportable to them. And we may reafonably fuppofe, when Women and Children defpifed the Cross, the Rack, and wild Beafts; that they were fupported with particular Affiftances from that good 1 Cor. 10. God, who will not suffer us to be tempted above that we are able, or with the Temptation will find a Way for us to escape, that we may be able to

13.

For Rea

dinefs to forfake ali for Chrifi.

For Con

bear it.

The PRAYERS.

I.

Rant, O merciful God, that, as thy holy

Apostle St. James, leaving his Father and all that he had without Delay, was obedient unto the calling of thy Son Jefus Chrift, and followed him, fo I, forfaking all worldly and carnal Affections, may be evermore ready to follow thy holy Commandments, through Jefus Chrift our Lord. Amen.

II.

A wife

tentedness haft conftituted feveral Ranks and Qualiin a mean ties of Men, that they might mutually affift to the Support of each other: Teach me to be con

Condition

tent

tent with the Station wherein thou hast been pleafed to place me; honeftly and diligently to difcharge the Duties of my Calling; without Anxiety to depend upon thy Bleffing for the Succefs of my lawful Endeavours. That, however contemptible my Profeffion may be in the Eyes of Men, my Fidelity and Industry may be acceptable in thy Sight; that they may bring me in the Return of a convenient Subfiftance and Provision for my Family in this Life; and in the next the Reward that thou haft promised to all that truly love and fear thee, through the Merits of Jefus Chrift. Amen.

G

III.

ment of

Racious God, who by the Precepts of the For the Gospel, and by the Example of the bleffed Govern Jefus, haft taught us the Art of governing our Zeal. Paffions; let not the fpecious Pretence of Zeal for thy Service betray me to any unreasonable Heats, but much lefs to fuch Actions as thou haft forbidden; let not any Difference in Religion destroy in me that Charity which is a peculiar Mark of thy Difciples; but teach me to compaffionate thofe that are in Error, and to pity those Prejudices which have fo unhappily misled them: Grant that, with Meeknefs and Moderation, I may endeavour their Recovery, if peradventure God will give them Repentance to the Acknowledgment of the Truth: Make me ready to exercife all Acts of Kindness to their Perfons, and to implore thy Grace in their Behalf, which is able to fubdue the most inveterate Errors; that though they continue Enemies to thy Truth, I may never facrifice my Patience and Meeknefs; but by a Conti

nuance

1

For the

Grace of

dom.

nuance in well-doing, wait for Glory, Honour, and Immortality, through Jefus Christ our Lord. Amen.

IV.

Bleffed Jefus, who for my fake didft endure the most painful and shameful Death Martyr- of the Crofs, let the Senfe of this mighty Love fo conftantly inflame my Soul, that, whenever thy Providence fhall make it my Duty, I may readily and chearfully embrace Death, though armed with the utmuft Terror, rather than forfake thee. Grant that I may rejoice in fuch a happy Occafion of teftifying the Sincerity and Fervour of my Affection towards thee, of fhewing that thou art the Delight of my Soul, that I not only prefer thee before all the Pleasures and Satisfactions of Life, but that the Torments and Pains of a violent Death are not able to feparate me from thee. Infpire me with Courage and Refolution from above, that no Difficulties nor Dangers may affright me from thy Service, and that the Apprehenfion of them may never tranfport me beyond the Bounds of Chriftian Decency and Moderation. Whether shall I thou haft the Words of eternal Life. O! let the firm Belief of the immortal Joys and glorious Rewards thou haft prepared for those that fuffer for thee, fupport me under all the Cruelties of the moft mercilefs Perfecutors. Let the Examples of thy holy Martyrs, who bad the Trial of cruel Mockings and Scourgings, of Bonds and Imprisonment, who were stoned, who were fawn afunder, and flain with the Sword, of whom the World was not worthy, ftir me up to Patience and Fortitude, that I may

go

?

be

be a Follower of them who through Faith and Patience inherit the Promifes. Make me careful to do thy holy Will, that I may have Comfort and Joy in fuffering for it. Grant this, O bleffed Lord, who diedft for me, and rosest again, and now fitteft at the Right-hand of the Father to intercede for me, and all thy faithful Dif ciples. Amen.

CHAP. XXIX.

St. Bartholomew, August 24.

HAT Feftival doth the Church celebrate
this Day?

A. That of St. Bartholomew the Apostle.

Q. Was he one of the twelve Apostles?

A. Yes; the Evangelical Hiftory is moft ex- Mat. 104 prefs and clear as to that Matter. But he being 3. no farther taken notice of, than the bare Mention of his Name, many both antiently and of later Times have fuppofed that he lay concealed under the Name of Nathanael, one of the first Disciples that came to Chrift.

Q. Why are Nathanael and Bartholomew thought to be the fame Perfon under two different Names?

Joh. 1.47

A. Because as St. John never mentions Bartholomew in the Number of the Apostles; fo the other three Evangelifts never took Notice of Nathanael: And as in St. John, Philip and Na-· thanael are joined together in their coming to Chrift, fo is the rest of the Evangelifts Philip

and