II.

Almighty and everlasting God, heavenly giving

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Father, I give thee humble Thanks, that giving for thou haft vouchfafed to call me to the Know-Chriftian. ledge of thy Grace and Faith in thee; increase this Knowledge, and confirm this Faith in me. evermore. Give me thy holy Spirit, that, being born again and made an Heir of everlasting Salvation through our Lord Jefus Chrift, I may continue thy Servant and attain thy Promises, through the fame our Lord Jefus Chrift thy Son, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the holy Spirit now and for ever. Amen.

art

III.

wards

who doft not only require outward Acts of rity toDuty, but the inward Difpofition of the Mind, God. teach me in all my religious Actions to have an Eye to thy Authority; to obey thy Laws, because thou haft enjoined them; to make the Sense of my Duty the prevailing Motive of my Piety, and not the Praise of Men, nor Regard to temporal Advantages. Let me at all Times, and in all Places, have a Refpect to all thy Commandments, that no Privacy or Retirement may encourage me to offend thee, that no Loffes nor Croffes may hinder me from doing or fuffering thy bleffed Will. Let not my Devotion be made a Pretext to cheat and defraud my Neighbour; neither let the Exercise of Justice and Morality towards Men be a Plea for the Neglect of my Duty towards thee. Let my Charity to the Poor never serve to cover

my Intemperance; nor my Sobriety exempt me from feeding the Hungry, and cloathing the Naked. Make my Life uniform, and of a Piece, that the Duties of both Tables may take place in all my Actions; that my great Design being thy Glory, I may through thy infinite Mercy be accepted by thee, through Jefus Chrift our Lord. Amen.

For Sincerity towards Man,

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IV.

Each me, O Lord, in all my Dealings and Intercourse with others, to exercise true Simplicity and Singleness of Heart; never to compass any Defign by infidious Devices and falfe Appearances; nor to betray my Neighbour by not performing what I have promised. Let me never abuse Men into a falfe Opinion of themselves, by reprefenting them better than they are. Let my Tongue be the true Interpreter of my Mind, and my Expreflions the lively Image of my Thoughts and Affections, and my outward Actions exactly agreeable to my Purposes and Intentions; that fo when the Secrets of all Hearts fhall be difcovered at thy dreadful Tribunal, I may not be confounded, O bleffed Jefus, with the Workers of Iniquity, who will not be able there to hide themselves. Grant this, O Lord, for Jefus Chrift's fake. Amen.

CHAP.

375

Q.

CHA P. XXX.

Saint Matthew, September 21.

HAT Festival doth the Church celebrate
this Day?

WH

A. That of St. Matthew the Apostle and Evangelift, who was alfo called Levi.

Q. What was his Extraction?

A. Though a Roman Officer, yet he was a Hebrew of the Hebrews; both his Names difcover him to be of Jewish Original, and probably a Galilean.

Q. What was his Trade, or Way of Life?

Luke 5.

27.

A. That of a Publican or Toll-gather er to the Mat. 10. Romans, an Office of bad Report among the 3. Jews.

How was the Office of a Publican esteemed amang the Romans?

A. It was once accounted a Place of Power and Credit, and of honourable Reputation, not ordinarily conferred upon any but Roman Knights; who being fent into the Provinces to gather the Taxes, employed under them the Natives of the Country, as Perfons beft fkilled in their own Affairs.

Q. What made this Office fo odious to the Jews?

A. The Covetoufnefs and Exaction of thofe that managed it; for having farmed the Customs of the Romans, they griped the People, that they might be able to pay their Rent, and raise Profit to themselves; befides, this Tribute was not only a Grievance to their Purfes, but an Af front

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front to the Freedom of their Nation, a standing Instance of their Slavery. And their Brother Jews exercising this Office, ftill provoked them more, because it obliged them to converse frequently with the Gentiles, which they held unlawful, and thereby they seemed to conspire with the Romans, to entail perpetual Slavery upon their own Nation.

Q. How did the Jewish Nation express their Abhorrence of the Publicans?

A. By counting it unlawful to do them any Office of common Kindness. Money received of them might not be put to the reft of a Man's Eftate, it being prefumed to be got by Violence. They were not admitted as Perfans fit to give Evidence in any Caufe. They were not only deprived of all Communion in divine Worship, but fhunned in all Affairs of Civil Society, it being esteemed infamous and unlawful to marry into the Family of any fuch.

Q. In what did St. Matthew's Office more particularly confift?

A. In gathering the Cuftoms of all Merchan dize that came by the Sea of Galilee, and the Tribute that Paffengers were to pay that went by Water; for which Purpofe the Office was kept by the Sea-fide. And here it was that Mat. 9. 9. Matthew fat at the Receipt of Cuftom when our Saviour called him to be a Difciple.

Q. Is it probable he had any Knowledge of our Saviour before he was called?

A. Yes; living at Capernaum, the Place of Ckrift's ufual Refidence, where his Miracles and Sermons were frequent, he might, in fome Meafure, be prepared to receive the Impreffions which our Saviour's Call made upon him.

Q. What

Q. What made St. Matthew's Compliance with our Saviour's Call so very valuable?

A. In that he exchanged rich and plentiful Circumftances, and a gainful Trade, for Poverty and Hardship; quitting whatever the World counts dear, and preferring the Attendance upon the Son of Man, who had not where to lay bis Head, before all the Advantages of Interest and Relations.

Q. Wherein appeared his great Contempt of the World?

A. Not only in quitting a plentiful Estate in order to become our Saviour's Disciple, but in the great Amstemiousness he exercised in the remaining Part of his Life; refufing to gratify himself with the ordinary Conveniencies, as well as with the Pleafures of it; his common Diet being nothing but Herbs and Roots, Seeds and Berries.

Q. How did be express bis Satisfaction in becoming our Saviour's Difciple?

A. By entertaining our Saviour and his Difciples at a great Dinner at his own House, whither he invited all his Friends, especially those of his own Profeffion; piously hoping, that they also might be influenced by our Saviour's Converfe and Company.

Q. What may we learn from our Saviour's converfing fo familiarly with the worst of Men, which gave fuch Offence to the Pharifees?

A. That the greatest Sinners are Objects of our Pity rather than Contempt; and that we ought not to grow faint in our Endeavours for their Converfion, fo long as the wonderful Patience of God bears with them. That our Company is moft fuitable where the Neceffities of

Souls