Christian People, and the Advancement of thy Service; have Mercy upon thy Ministers the Bishops; give them for ever a great Measure of thy holy Spirit, and at this time particular Assistance, and a Power of discerning and trying the Spirits of them who come to be ordained to the Ministry of thy Word and Sacraments; that they may lay Hands suddenly on no Man, but maturely, prudently, and piously may appoint such to thy Service and the Ministry of thy Kingdom, who by Learning, Discretion, and a holy Life, are apt Instruments for the Conversion of Souls, to be Examples to the People, Guides of their Manners, Comforters of their Sorrows, to sustain their Weaknesses, and able to promote all the Interest of true Religion. Grant this, O great Shepherd and Bishop of our Souls, blessed Jesus, who livest and reignest in the Kingdom of thy eternal Father, one God, World without End. Amen.

CHAP. XI.

ALL FRIDAYS IN THE YEAR, EXCEPT CHRISTMAS-DAY.

Q. WHAT weekly Fast is enjoined in the Church of England?

4. Every Friday throughout the whole Year, except Christmas-Day happen to fall upon it, and then the Fast gives Way to the Festival, and it is celebrated as a Day of rejoicing.

Q. Why was Friday pitched upon for this weekly Fast?

A. In Compliance with the Custom of the Primitive Church, which always observed this Day as a Fast in Commemoration of our Saviour's Sufferings, who was crucified on this Day of the Week; and what Day so proper to humble ourselves, as that on which the Blessed Jesus humbled himself even to the

Tertull.

Death, upon the Cross for us miserable Sinners? It was one of their stationary Days, so called, as Tertullian observes, from an Allusion to the military de Jejun. Stations, and keeping their Guards. They usually forbore eating till three o'Clock in the Afternoon, till which Time their public Assemblies lasted. Q. How ought we to observe this Day?

c. 2.

Can. xv.

A. Not only to abridge ourselves as to the Pleasures of eating and drinking, but to retire, as much as we can conveniently from our worldly Affairs, in order to humble ourselves in the Sight of God, to resort to Church at the accustomed Hours of Prayers; and particularly to employ some Part of the Day in the Examination of ourselves, and in the serious Review of our own Lives. The frequent Performance of which is one of the best Means to improve ourselves in all Manner of Virtue.

Q. What do you mean by the Examination of

ourselves?

A. The calling ourselves to a strict Account for all the Actions of our Lives; comparing them with the Laws of God, the Rule and Measure of our Duty; considering impartially how much Evil we have been guilty of, and how little Good we have done in Comparison of what we might and ought to have done; in short, to search out our Sins of Omission as well as Commission.

Q. What are the Sins of Commission?

A. The doing such Things as the Law of God forbids; which are called negative Precepts, and are of perpetual Obligation, because no Circumstances can make them lawful. These are easily discovered, because they are apt to terrify the Conscience, and to make us apprehensive of the Wrath of God. And the wilful and deliberate Practice of any one of these, makes a Man a Transgressor of the whole Law; because this is not consistent with that Integrity of Mind, and sincere Regard to God and his Laws, which every good Christian ought to have ; and is therefore, consequently, a Forfeiture of God's

Favour, which can no more be expected when we wilfully persist in the Practice of any one known Sin, than if we were guilty of all.

Q. What do you mean by Sins of Omission?

A. The neglecting to do such Things as God commands; which are called Affirmative Precepts ; and do not perpetually oblige, because Circumstances may make them not to be Duties at some certain Times; though, when the Nature of them is such, that no Circumstances can alter the Obligation of them, they bind as much as negative Precepts; as the Commands of Repentance, and loving of God. These Sins are not so apt to startle the Mind, because Men easier find Salvoes to allay the Sense of the Guilt of them, than for their Sins of Commission; though to awaken Men to consideration, our Saviour hath declared, that the Enquiry at the great Day will run chiefly upon the Neglect of our Duty; and therefore we ought to examine ourselves whether we have frequent and serious Thoughts of God; whether we maintain in our Minds firm Purposes and Resolutions of obeying him; whether we constantly perform the Duties of Divine Worship, and whether we serve him with Diligence and Devotion: whether we discharge faithfully the Duties of that Station we are placed in, both in Reference to the Public, and our own private Families; and whether we are active and zealous in doing all the Good we can to the Bodies and Souls of Men; in short, whether we are as ready to serve God as our own Pleasures, and whether we have the same Regard to his Worship, as we have to any other Thing we love and esteem.

Q. When may we be said to transgress by our Thoughts?

4. When they are employed about the contriving and compassing any forbidden Thing; for he that deviseth to do Evil, shall be called a mischievous Prov. Person. When they transgress those particular xxiv. 8. Laws that they are subject to; of which Sort are

dishonourable Opinions and Notions of God, undervaluing Thoughts and groundless Suspicions of our Neighbour, proud and arrogant Conceits of our own Worth; because pious Opinions of God, charitable ones of Men, and humble and lowly Conceits of ourselves, are Duties incumbent upon our very Minds. But as for all other irregular Thoughts which spring up in our Minds, and are but little in our Power, they are neither Sins nor Matter of Punishment, any farther than they are Causes or Principles of a sinful Choice. For according as we assent or dissent to those Motions that are in our Minds, so will our Thoughts have the Notion of virtuous or sinful Thoughts.

Q. What is the End and Design of examining ourselves?

A. That we may understand the true State and Condition of our Souls, and that our Repentance may be full and complete, and extend to all those Particulars wherein we have transgressed the Laws of God; for till we discover all our Follies and Infirmities, we can neither watch against nor amend them. Besides, this is the most effectual Method to keep our Consciences continually waking, and tender, and afraid to offend.

Q. Did any of the Philosophers prescribe this Method to their Followers?

A. Pythagoras, in the Golden Verses which go under his Name, particularly recommends this Practice to his Scholars. Every Night before they slept he enjoins them thrice to recollect every single Action of the Day. Wherein have I transgressed? What have I done? What Duty have I omitted? Run over these Things, saith he, beginning from the first; and then if you have done Evil, be troubled; if Good, rejoice. This Course, if daily followed, as is suggested by Hierocles, his excellent Commentator, Hier. in perfects the divine Image in them that use it, leading them by Additions and Subtractions to the Beauty of Virtue, and all attainable Perfection. Plutarch, Epictetus, Seneca, and particularly the Emperor

Carm.

Pythag.

Marcus Antonius, agree in recommending the same Practice.

Q. Wherein consists the Wisdom of this Practice?

A. In that the Seeds of Vice are hereby hindered from taking any deep Root in our Hearts; and though we may be overcome by Surprize, or the Strength of Temptation, yet if we continue in this Course, evil Habits will never be able to prevail upon us, or to strengthen and fortify themselves. By this Means our Repentance may in some Measure keep pace with our Errors and Failings, and we may prevent the insupportable Weight of Sins of a whole Life falling upon us all at once, when it may be, we shall neither have Understanding nor Leisure to recollect ourselves, much less to exercise any fit and proper Act of Repentance.

Q. How frequently ought we to examine ourselves? A. It is very advisable that we should call ourselves to an Account every Evening; for this Method, frequently repeated, makes the Work both short and easy, and we shall quickly find the great Advantage of it. For having a lively Sense of the Faults we commit, the succeeding Day we may learn to grow wise, and may immediately stand upon our Guard, that the same Faults may not surprize us; and knowing beforehand the Account we must give at Night, it may restrain us from indulging any Thing contrary to our Duty, either in Thought, Word, or Deed. If we defer this Examination longer than once a Week, it may prove injurious to us; for by delay we make the Work more difficult to be performed, and may possibly forget Things of Importance to us.

Q. What ought we chiefly to regard in the Examination of ourselves?

A. We ought chiefly to consider the Sin that doth most easily beset us, the weakest Part of our Minds, by Nature and Custom made least defensible; for the Devil, like a skilful General, will attack us where we lie most exposed, hoping, by gaining that Post, to make the Town quickly surrender.