Fruits of his Ministry in Judea, with great Success. He afterwards very probably travelled eastward, his Residence being principally, according to St. Jerome, near the Irruption of the River Apsarus, Hieron. and the Haven Hyssus. He was by these bar-de Scrip. barous People treated with great Rudeness and Inhumanity, and after many Labours and Sufferings, in converting great Numbers to Christianity, he obtained the Crown of Martyrdom. Q. What was the Manner of his Death? A. It is very uncertain: Some report that he was seized by the Jews; and as a Blasphemer, was first stoned and then beheaded. Others that he was crucified, and that as Judas was hanged upon a Tree, so Matthias suffered upon a Cross. Q. What Works have we of this Apostle? Eccl. lib. 3. A. None. The Gospel and Traditions published under his Name are rejected by learned Men as spurious, though Clemens Alexandrinus relates a Saying Clem. of his of great Use in the Life of a Christian: That Strom. we ought to mortify and subdue the Flesh, and maintain a continual Opposition to it, by granting it nothing whereby its irregular and sensual Desires may be gratified: but that we should on the contrary nourish and fortify our Souls with Faith and Divine Knowledge. Q. What may we learn from the Observation of this Festival? A. In all difficult Cases to address ourselves to Heaven for Direction. To use our best Diligence, if we are Patrons of Churches, in providing Persons duly qualified for the great Trust we commit to them; and not to suffer any worldly Consideration to bias us in a Choice, of which we must one Day give a strict Account. To beware of Covetousness, the Root of all Evil, which ruined the Traitor Judas, and will all those that embrace that sacred Function with a Regard more to the Revenues than the Duties of their Profession. To preserve our Minds free from Guilt, because it makes us restless and uneasy, and robs us of all that Repose and Quiet which the K most prosperous Condition can promise us. Constantly to attend God's Ordinances, though he who is called to administer may be a bad Man. To work out our Salvation with Fear and Trembling, and to be watchful and upon our Guard, because, if an Apostle fell, who had all the Advantages of our Saviour's Conversation, what Security can we promise ourselves? Q. What is implied in the Duty of Watchfulness? A. A constant care of our Lives and Actions, that we be always upon our Guard, that we resist the first Beginnings of Evil, and discover the first Approaches of our spiritual Enemy; that we may neither be surprised by his Snares and Allurements, nor unprepared to encounter him whenever he attacks us. In short, it consists in wisely foreseeing the Dangers that threaten our Souls, and then in diligently avoiding them. Q. How does Watchfulness foresee Dangers? A. By discovering the Plots and Coutrivances of our spiritual Adversary, by making us sensible of those Temptations we are exposed to, by reason of our Constitution, or that Profession we are engaged in, or that Company we converse with; that our Guard may be set in the right Place, where we are most alarmed with Danger, and where Surprize would be most fatal. For so great is the Power of Passion and Custom to give fair Colours to very great Disorders, so mischievous is the Complaisance of Friends and Flatterers to fortify these wrong Notions, that except we are very watchful, we shall unavoidably be made a Prey. Q. How does Watchfuluess avoid Dangers? A. By making Use of the fittest and properest Means to defeat those Designs of the Enemy of our Salvation, which we have happily discovered. For Temptations must be resisted differently, according to their different Kinds. To this End God hath provided several Sorts of Grace, the Use whereof is of great Importance to us. When Temptations flat ter our corrupt Nature, our Victory consists in Flight; when they would discourage us with Difficulties and Dangers, we can never be Conquerors without looking them in the Face, and encountering them with Resolution. Without this Caution the best Disposition of Mind will hardly preserve us from falling. Q. How does Watchfulness prepare us to encounter Dangers? 4. By putting on the whole Armour of God, and Eph. vi. 11. fortifying those weak Places in which we are most likely to be attacked. If we would not sacrifice our Conscience to establish our Fortune, we must have impressed upon our Minds a strong Belief of another World, where Virtue will prevail more than Riches and Honour. If we would not be overcome by the Pleasures of Sense, we should live under a lively Hope of enjoying those Pleasures which are at God's right Hand for evermore. We should gird ourselves with Eph. vi. 14. Truth, and then no Profit would prevail upon us to perjure ourselves, and to be insincere in our Words and Promises, but we should be firm and steady in all our Actions. We should guard our Minds with Righteousness, and keep a Conscience void of Offence, if ever we intend to overcome the Persecutions and Sufferings we may be exposed to, upon the Account of our Faith. We should put on the Sword of the Spi-ver. 17. rit, encounter all Temptations with those stronger Motives which the Word of God offers to engage our Obedience, and then they would lose their Force, and appear contemptible. Q. Whence arises the Necessity of this Duty of Watchfulness? A. From the Nature of our Condition in this World, which is surrounded with Variety of Temptations, so that there is no Circumstance in Life which is entirely free from some Sort of Assault or other; all our Ways being strewed with Snares. From the Power and Strength of our Adversary, who is Prince of the Air, and wants neither Skill nor In For the from false dustry to work our Ruin. From our own Frailty and Weakness, whereby we have no Power of ourselves to help ourselves; and from the Danger of our Overthrow, whereby we become liable to the Miseries of a sad Eternity. THE PRAYERS. I. O ALMIGHTY God, who into the Place of the tion of the Traitor Judas didst chuse thy faithful Servant Church Matthias to be of the Number of the twelve Teachers. Apostles; grant that thy Church, being always preserved from false Apostles, may be ordered and guided by faithful and true Pastors, through Jesus Christ our Lord. For against Amen. II. O GOD, who knowest me to be set in the Midst Strength of so many and great Dangers, that by Reason of Dangers. the Frailty of my Nature, I cannot always stand upright; grant to me such Strength and Protection, as may support me in all Dangers, and carry me through all Temptations, through Jesus Christ. Amen. Direction. III. For God's GOD, who seest I have no Power of myself to help myself; that I am not wise enough for my own Direction, nor able enough for my own Defence; let me acknowledge thee in all my Ways, and not lean to my own Understanding. Let thy Light guide me, thy Providence protect me, thy Grace enable me, that I may faithfully discharge all the public and private Duties thou shalt think fit to call me to; that being thus armed with thy Defence, I may be preserved from all Dangers, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. eager IV. ness. O GOD, who art the Author and Giver of all that Against I enjoy, moderate my Affections to the Things of Covetousthis World, that I may not pursue them with an and insatiable Desire. Let no Greediness of Gain tempt me to the least Injustice, either by Fraud or Oppression, but that I may commit myself to thy Providence in the Use of honest and lawful Endeavours, and not torment myself with anxious Care about the Success. Suffer not the Concerns of this Life to make me negligent in the Concernments of much greater Importance; that while I am supporting a dying Body, I may remember I have an immortal Soul, which infinitely deserves my chiefest Care. And as for those good Things thou hast been pleased to bestow upon me, teach me to enjoy them as with Temperance, so with Thankfulness and Charity, and readily to part with them rather than forsake thy Truth, or to make Shipwreck of a good Conscience. That being delivered from the covetous Temper of the Traitor Judas, I may escape those Sins which such vile Affections lead to, and that Punishment which he felt, and those deserve; and this I beg for Christ his Sake. Amen. CHAP. XIV. THE ANNUNCIATION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN Q. WHAT is meant by the Annunciation of the celebrates? A. The Declaration which the Angel Gabriel Luke i. 31. made to the blessed Virgin Mary, that she should be Mother of our Lord Jesus Christ; that this her Son should be great, and called the Son of the Highest; that the Lord God should give unto him the Throne of his Father David; that he should reign over |