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ways have their due Proportion, which Justice as well as Charity giveth them a Right to.

Q. When may our Prayers be faid to afcend before God as Incenfe?

A. When they are offered with fuch Conftancy and Fervour, as fhew we are earnestly folicitous of those Things we afk. And yet with fuch Modefty and Humility as loudly proclaim our own Unworthinefs, and magnify that wonderful Condefcenfion whereby we are admitted to approach God's Prefence. When our Minds are abftracted from the World, and the Concerns of this Life do, as little as may be, mingle with our Requefts to God. Above all, when our Petitions are offered with Faith, nothing wavering. And then we may be faid to believe we fhall receive the good Things we ask, when we perform those Conditions upon which God hath promised to bestow them.

Q. When is our Mortification an acceptable Sacrifice?

A. When we not only abftain from the out ward Acts of Sin, which feed our Disease and ftrengthen our ill Habits; but when we deny our bad Inclinations the Confent of our Wills; and deprive them of all thofe Occafions and Liberties, which, though lawful in themselves, are yet dangerous to us; because they fet us upon the Brink of a Precipice: And when this contradicting our allowed Pleafure is defigned in order to get the better of all finful Defires, fo that we may not be governed nor led by them.

Q. How ought we to commemorate the Manifeftation of our Saviour to the Gentiles?

A. With great Thankfulness of Mind; because upon this enlarging the Way of Salvation,

We

we came acquainted with the Knowledge of Jefus Chrift: And with a compaffionate Sense of the Miseries of those that still fit in Darkness, and want the Light of the glorious Gospel.

The PRAYERS.'

I.

ment of

God, who by the Leading of a Star didft For the Enjoymanifeft thy only-begotten Son to the Gentiles; mercifully grant that I, who know God. thee now by Faith, may after this Life have the Fruition of thy glorious Godhead, through Jefus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Lord,

II.

all

come, for as much as without thee I am Guidance of God's not able to please thee; mercifully grant that Holy Spithy bleffed Spirit may in all Things rule and rit. direct my Heart; that by his holy Infpiration may think thofe Things that be good, and by his gracious guiding may perform the fame, through our Lord Jefus Chrift. Amen.

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III.

tion of

OST Gracious God, who through thy in- For the finite Goodness haft been pleased to offer PropagaSalvation to all Mankind, and to receive all Chriftian humble Supplicants as Objects of thy Mercy; Knowthou didst communicate the glad Tidings of ledge. our Saviour's appearing in the World, to the People of Ifrael by the Miniftration of Angels; and thou didst vouchsafe, as on this Day, to reveal the joyful News to the Gentiles, by order

For

ing a bright Star to point at the Rifing of the Sun of Righteousness with healing in his Wings. Bleffed be thy Holy Name for that glorious Light, which difperfed itself through the dark Regions of this World, which difpelled the thick Clouds of Ignorance and Idolatry, of Folly and Vanity; which directed Mankind to the true and moft worthy Object of their Worship, and raised their Nature to its utmoft Improvement. Adored be thy infinite Mercy, which brought the joyful Sound to this Land of my Nativity, and haft permitted it to partake of the gracious and benign Influences of thy diftinguishing Providence. O may we always value fuch an inestimable Benefit, by walking as Children of the Light, and by compaffionating the Miseries of those that still fit in Darkness! To this End I humbly befeech the to profper the Undertakings of that Society which is established among us for propagating the Gospel in foreign Parts; make the Members thereof zealous and diligent in that good Work; give them Wifdom to discern the best and most proper Means of promoting it; Courage and Refolution to pursue it; and by Unity and Affection in their Confultations, and by thy Bleffing upon their Endeavours, the Happiness to effect it; through Jefus Christ our Lord and Saviour. Amen.

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IV.

my

Rant, O Lord, that I may fhew Senfe making of the great Mercy we this Day commeaccepta- morate, by imitating the Conduct of the wife ble Offer Men, who were not difcouraged by Difficulties ings to God. from obeying the divine Call. That the rafh

Cenfures

Cenfures of the World may never prevail upon me to comply with its loofe and unchriftian Maxims, nor the Terrors of it ever affright me from my Duty. That thy holy Word may govern all my Paths and direct all my Ways, and that, when I run aftray from thy Commandment, it may recover me to a Senfe of my Obligations. That the good Things of this World, which thy Bounty has bestowed upon me, may be offered for the Relief of those that labour under Want and Poverty, a Sacrifice acceptable and well pleafing to thee. That my Prayers may conftantly and fervently afcend before thee as Incenfe; with that Attention of Mind which thy Greatnefs and my own daily Neceffities require from me. That I may facrifice to thee all thofe lawful Pleafures which too much unbend my Mind, and but too often corrupt my Innocence, and betray my strongest Refolutions; that fo by contradicting fometimes my lawful Inclinations, I may, through the Affiftance of thy Grace, get the Mastery of all finful Defires. Let all these my Chriftian Offerings proceed from a fincere and honeft Mind, for the Heart is the chief Sacrifice thou requireft; and grant, O Lord, that they may be acceptable to thee, through the Merits and Mediation of Jefus Chrift, my only Mediator and AdvoAmen.

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132

Acts9.15.

Acts 13. 7, &c.

СНАР. XI.

The Conversion of Saint Paul,
January 25.

HAT Festival doth the Church this
Day celebrate?

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A. The Converfion of St. Paul, a chofen Veffel to bear God's Name before the Gentiles, and Kings, and the Children of Ifrael. An Apostle in an extraordinary Manner fet apart to be a Preacher of that Gofpel, which he had perfecuted, not only to the Jews, but to the Heathen World.

Q. Why doth the Church chufe to commemorate St. Paul by his Converfion?

A. Because as it was wonderful in itself, and a miraculous Effect of the powerful Grace of God, fo it was highly beneficial to the Church of Chrift; for while other Apostles had their particular Provinces, he had the Care of all the Churches, and by his indefatigable Labours contributed very much to the Propagation of the Gospel throughout the World.

Q. By what Names is this Apoftle deferibed in: Scripture?

A. By two, Saul and Paul. The one Hebrew, relating to his Jewish Original, being of the Tribe of Benjamin, among whom that Name was famous, ever fince the first King of Ifrael, Saul, was chofen out of that Tribe. The other Latin, referring to the Roman Corporation where he was born. Though fome have thought it to have been in Memory of his converting

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