Pattern of this Virtue, by taking upon him our frail Nature, and by fuffering the greatest Affronts and Indignities, and Pains of this Life, in order to fhew us the Way to Heaven, and thereby open to us the Gates of everlasting Life. It reftrains the immoderate Defire of Honour, by teaching us not to exalt ourselves, nor to do any Thing through Strife or Vain-glory. It makes us rejoice in the Excellencies of our Brethren, and fincerely congratulate thofe Abilities that entitle them to a greater Share of Value and Efteem than we can pretend to. The Difficulty of this Virtue proceeds from that Self-love which is planted in our Natures, and, when indulged, will be too apt to deceive us in the' Judgment we form concerning ourselves.

Q. How is Humility the Foundation of other Chriftian Virtues?

A. It makes us ready to believe what God reveals, and to pay our due Obedience to him from the Sense of our own Meannefs, and his Excellency: And by removing the great Obftacle of our Faith; which is a Vanity to diftinguish ourselves from the unthinking Crowd. How can we believe, Joh. v. 44. when we receive Honour one of another, and feek not the Honour that cometh from God only? It makes us put our Hope and Confidence in God, because, being weak and miferable of ourselves, without him we can do nothing. It increases our Love to God, by making us fenfible how unworthy we are of the leaft of those many Favours we receive from him. It teaches us to rejoice in the Profperity of our Neighbour, by infufing the most favourable Opinion of his Worth. It difpofes us to relieve thofe Wants, and compaffionate thofe Afflictions which we ourfelves have deserved. It makes us patient under all the Troubles and Calamities of Life, because we have provoked God by our Sins. Our Prayers and our Fafts will find no Acceptance, except they

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proceed from an humble Mind, and our best Works will ftand us in little Stead, if they are ftained with Pride and Vain-Glory.

Q. Wherein confifts the Exercife of Humility?

A. In avoiding to publish our own Praises, or to beg the Praifes of others, by giving them a Handle to commend us. In not placing too much Pleasure and Satisfaction in hearing the good Things that are faid of us, because they are often rather the Effect of Civility and Charity than what we deferve. In doing nothing on purpose to draw the Eyes and good Opinion of Men, but purely to please God. In bearing the Reproaches, the Injuries, and Affronts of bad Men with Patience and Meeknefs; the Reproofs of our Friends with Thankfulness. In not contemning others, though inferior to us in fome Advantages of Body or Mind, but being ready to give them that Honour and Praise they juftly deferve. In pitying and compaffionating the Sins and Follies of our FellowChriftians, it being the Effect of God's Grace that we are not overcome by the fame Temptations. In carrying ourselves with great Refpect to our Superiors, with Courtesy and Affability to our Inferiors, and fubmitting to the lowest Offices for the Service of our Neighbour. In receiving from the Hands of God all Afflictions and Trials with entire Refignation and Submiffion, as Offenders under the Hands of justice.

Q. Wherein appears the Folly of Pride?

A. In that we value ourselves very frequently upon Things that add no true Worth to us, that neither make us better nor wifer; that are in their own Nature perifhable, and of which we are not Proprietors, but Stewards. Or if the Things be valuable in themselves, they are God's immediate Work in us; and to be proud of them is the surest Way to lose them. Thus to overlook our Defects

hinders

hinders us from making any farther Improvement, and the being poffeffed of an Opinion we deferve more than we have, eats out all the Pleasure of our prefent Enjoyments. Befides, the proud Man miffes the very End he aimed at, for instead of Honour and Applaufe, he meets with Contempt and Ignominy.

Q. What are the beft Helps to attain Humility? A. To remember that all the Advantages we enjoy, either of Body or Mind, above others, are not the Effect of our Merit, but of God's Bounty. That those whom we are apt to contemn are valuable in the Sight of God, the only Fountain of true Honour. That by having confented to Sin, we have committed the most shameful Action imaginable, the most contrary to Justice and right Reason, and to all Sort of Decency; and that as long as we are clothed with Flesh and Blood, we are still liable to the fame Offences against the Majesty of Heaven and Earth. To fupprefs all proud and vain Thoughts when they first arise in our Minds, not fuffer them to sport in the Scene of our Imagination. To keep a conftant Watch over our Words and Actions, that we may check the first Tendencies to Pride.

The PRAYER S.

I.

ceptance

Almighty and everlasting God, I humbly be- For Acfeech thy Majefty, that, as thy only-begotten with God. Son was this Day prefented in the Temple in Substance of our Flefh, fo I may be prefented unto thee with a pure and clean Heart, by the fame thy Son Jefus Chrift our Lord. Amen.

Thankfgiving for

the Know

II.

Almighty and everlafting God, heavenly Fa

ther, I give thee humble Thanks, that thou ledge of haft vouchfafed to call me to the Knowledge of thy the Truth. Grace and Faith in thee. Increase this Know

For a right
Use of the
Means of

Grace.

Ro. Taylor. For Humi lity.

ledge, and confirm this Faith in me evermore. Grant me thy holy Spirit, that I may devote myfelf entirely to thy Service; that I may be cleanfed from all my Sins, and ferve thee with a quiet Mind, and in thy due Time may be made Partaker of everlasting Salvation,through Jefus Chrift our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, one God World without End. Amen.

III.

GRANT, O Lord, that I may conftantly attend the public Inftitutions of thy holy Religion, that I may never neglect those Means which thou haft established for the purifying my corrupt Nature, and for the reforming whatever is amifs in the Frame and Temper of my Mind: That I may approach thy Prefence with Humility and Devotion, hear thy Word with Reverence and Attention, receive thy holy Sacrament with Faith, Thanksgiving, and Charity; that by thefe Ordinances of thy Appointment, my Soul may be nourifhed with all Goodnefs, and in fuch a Measure prepared for that Salvation which the bleffed Jefus hath purchased, that I may depart in Peace, and in the Faith and Fear of God's Elect; through the fame Jefus Chrift our Lord. Amen.

IV.

HOLY and Eternal Jefus, who didft by thy Precepts, and by thy own Example, engrave Humility into the Spirits of thy Difciples, and into the Laws of Chriftianity; make me to imitate thy

gracious

gracious Condefcenfions. Take from me all Vanity and fantastic Complacency in my own Perfon and Actions; and when there arifes a Reputation confequent to the Performance of any Part of my Duty, make me to reflect the Glory upon thee, fuffering nothing to adhere to my own Spirit, but Shame at my own Imperfections, and Thankfulness to thee for all thy Affiftances. Let me never seek the Praife of Men from unhandsome Actions; from Flatteries and unworthy Difcourfes; nor entertain the Praise with Delight, though it proceed from better Principles; but fear and tremble left I deserve Punishment, or lofe a Reward which thou hast depofited for them that feek thy Glory, and defpife their own, that they may imitate the Example of their Lord. Thou, O Lord, didft triumph over Sin and Death; fubdue also my proud Understanding, and my prouder Affections; and bring me under thy Yoke, that I may do thy Work, and ebey my Superiors, and be a Servant to all my Brethren in their Neceffities, and efteem myself inferior to all Men, by a deep Senfe of my own Unworthiness, and in all Things may obey thy Laws, and conform to thy Example, and enter into thy Inheritance, O holy and eternal Fefus. Amen.

CHA P. XIII.

Saint Matthias the Apoftle.
February 24.

Q. WHAT Festival doth the Church celebrate this Day?

A. The Commemoration of the Apostle St. Matthias.

Q. What is meant by an Apoftle?

A. Ingeneral it fignifies no more thana Messenger, a Perfon fent upon fome fpecial Errand, for the Discharge

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