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too much fet upon it. Let not my Pursuit of temporal Things rob me of that Time which ought to be employed in the Concerns of my Soul, nor divert me from the ferious Thoughts of the World to come. Let not the Cares of this Life, nor the Importunity of Business make me neglect divine and fpiritual Employments, nor disturb me in the Performance of them. Make me charitable to thofe that are in Want, willing to diftribute, and ready to communicate to the Neceffities of my Brethren. Let me esteem no Lofs comparable to that of Innocence and of a good Confcience, nor harbour any Fear like that of thy Difpleafure, and of the intolerable and eternal Pains of Hell-fire. Let thy Laws, O my God, direct all my Steps in my greatest Dangers; and make me more ftudious in all my Counfels of what is lawful for me, than of what feems ferviceable and advantageous to my worldly Circumstances. Let me never ftoop to any Sin in hopes to advance or preferve those Riches which thy Bounty hath bestowed upon me, that my Mind being purged from all covetous Affections, my great Care may be to provide for Eternity, and to lay up a Treasure in Heaven which faileth not: That when my Body shall tumble into Duft, my Soul may be received into thofe eternal Manfions of Glory, which thou haft prepared for all that love and fear thee, through Jefus Christ our Lord. Amen.

O

IV.

Lord God, who refifteft the Proud, and gi- Bp. Taylor veft Grace to the Humble; endue me with for Humi fuch Humility of Soul, and Modefty of Beha-lity. iour, that my Looks may not be proud, nor my

Thoughts

Dan. 10.

13.

Thoughts arrogant, nor my Designs ambitious; but that, being reftrained from all Vanity and Pride, and my Affections weaned from a great Opinion and Love of myself; I may truft in thee, follow the Example of my bleffed Master, and receive thofe Promises thou haft made in our Lord and Saviour Jefus Chrift. Amen.

CHA P. XXXI.

St. Michael and all Angels,
September 29.

3

Q. WH

HAT Festival doth the Church celebrate this Day?

A. That of St. Michael and all Angels.

Q. What Account have we from Scripture of St. Michael?

A. That he was an Archangel, who prefided over the Jewish Nation (ftyled one of the chief Princes) as other Archangels did over the Gentile World, as is evident of the Kingdom of Perfia, and the Kingdom of Greece, from Daniel; that he had an Army of Angels under his Rev. 12. Command and Conduct, that he fought with the Dragon or Satan and his Angels, and that Jude 9. contending with the Devil, he difputed about the Body of Mofes.

Grat
Ham.

Q. What doth the Fight, mentioned in the Revelation, of St. Michael and his Angels against the Dragon and bis Angels, most probably fignify?

A. Some great Authors refer it to the Contest

that

that happened at Rome between St. Peter and Simon Magus; when that Apostle, by the Efficacy of his Prayers, entirely prevailed against the feducing Arts of that Magician. Others underftand by it thofe violent Perfecutions the Primitive Church laboured under, more or lefs, for Three Hundred Years, and which happily ceafed Mede. when the Powers of the World became Christian. It is generally agreed, that it denotes fome eminent Victory of the Chriftian Church, by the Affiftance of those miniftring Spirits over the Power and Malace of the Devil and his Inftruments, who fet themselves with all their Might to perfecute and destroy it.

Q. To what former Difputes doth this Fight of the good and bad Angels feem to allude?

A. To the Expulfion of Lucifer, and the rebellious Angels, from the Prefence of God; it being very credible, that God fhould make use of fome of his heavenly Hoft to drive thofe from his bleffed Manfions, who had made themfelves the juft Objects of his Wrath. And And upon this account it may be thought, that the Prince of thofe Angels that fought against Satan, obtain'd the Name of Michael, which in the Hebrew fignifies, who is as God; in that he fuppreffed the Arrogancy of Lucifer, who went about to make himself in fome Senfe equal with God.

Q. What is fuppofed to be the Contest about the Body of Mofes.

4. Some think the Controverfy was about reedifying the Temple, and reftoring the Service of God among the Jews at Jerufalem, and that Ham. this in a figurative Senfe may as fitly be styled the Body of Mofes, as the Chriftian Church, or affembling of Chriftians for the Service of Chrift,

9.

Jude, ver. r.is called the Body of Chrift; and for Proof of this is urged, that the Paffage of St. Jude is cited Zach. 3. from the Prophecy of Zachariah, where this Matter is treated of. Others take the Body of Mofes in a literal Senfe, and are of the Opinion that St. Michael, by the Order of God, hid the Body of Mofes after his Death, and that the Devil endeavoured to discover it, as a fit means to entice the People to Idolatry by a fuperftitious Worship of his Relicks.

Q. What is particularly obfervable in the Manner of St. Michael's Conteft with the Devil?

A. That notwithstanding he might have faid a great deal of Evil juftly of him, yet he would not use any reproachful Words, any Bitterness or Execration against him, but faid, The Lord' Jude, ver. rebuke thee.

9.

Q. What fhould this teach us?

A. It fhould make all Men,, but especially those who are as Angels of God in the Church, afhamed and afraid, particularly in Controverfies of Religion, to ufe railing and injurious Reflections; fince fuch opprobious Language neither becomes the Nature of their Offence, nor their Character as Chriftians.

Q. What is meant by the Word Angel?

A. In a general Senfe it fignifies no more than a Meffenger, or Embaffador employed upon another's Errand; but in Scripture, and in common Way of speaking, it is taken for a Celeftial Spirit, a divine Sort of Meffenger made and employed by and under God.

Q. What Proof is there of the Existence of *Angels?

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A. The general Confent and Tradition of Mankind concerning it, and their Ministry about us ;

confirmed

confirmed by the clear and express Testimony of Scripture, which gives an Account of their appearing to the Patriarchs and holy Men of old.

Q. Are Angels pure Spirits?

A. It is the most current Opinion of the Christian Church, and feems most agreeable to Scripture, that Angels are pure Spirits, without any thing that is material and corporeal belonging to them; but yet fo that they have. a Power to affume thin and airy Bodies, and can, when they pleafe, appear in human Shape, as they are frequently in Scripture faid to have done.

Q. Have not fome kind of Bodies been attributed 'to Angels?..

A. Not only the ancient Philofophers, but fome of the Primitive Fathers were of this Opinion, and they made them to confift of the pureft and fineft Matter, which they call Etherial, grounding this Conjecture upon a pious Belief, that it is the peculiar Excellency and Prerogative of the divine Nature, to be a pure and fimple Spirit, wholly feparate from Matter.

17, 20.

Mat. 25.

Q. What are the Properties of good Angels? A. They are faid in Scripture to excel in Strength, to be endowed with great Knowledge Pfal. 103. and Wisdom, to be eminent for Purity and Ho-20. linefs, whence the Title is given them of the 2 Sam. 14. boly Angels. Befides, they are reprefented as full of Wings, to denote the great Allivity and Swiftness of their Motions. And their Office confifts in conftantly attending upon the great and glorious King of Heaven and Earth, expecting his Commands, and ready to execute his Will. Q. Wherein

Cc 2

31.

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