him for the invisible Aid and Protection we receive from them. To comfort ourselves against the Vigilancy and Power of the Devil, with the affured Affiftance of good Angels, who are as powerful and forward to do us Good, as the others are malicious and busy to do us Mifchief. To behave ourselves with great Gravity and Reverence in the public Worship of God, because thofe excellent Beings attend to obferve our outward Carriage and Deportment. To imitate their Example in ferving God, with the fame Readiness and Diligence, with the fame Chearfulness and Zeal, that they do in Heaven. To condefcend to the meanest Services for the Good of others; especially with all our Might to help forward the Salvation of our Neighbour. Never to defpife any good Man, be his Čircumstances never fo mean, because he is dear to God, and under the peculiar Care of the holy Angels. To fecure their Miniftry to ourselves, by continuing found and holy Members of the Catholic Church, who are the declared Heirs of Salvation.

Q. What may all Chriftians learn from the Behaviour of St. Michael?

A. To avoid the fcandalous and unchriftian Practice of Evil-fpeaking, the Seed of all Evil, and the Peft of Civil Society, which we are fo apt to fall into, and yet find it so hard to repent of, by Reafon of the Difficulty of making fuch Reparations as are neceffary upon fuch Occafions,

Q. Wherein confifts the Nature of Evil-fpeaking? A. In divulging any Ill we hear or know con cerning our Neighbour, whether true or falfe, whereby his good Name is impaired by our Words or Actions. For a Motion of the Head or Hand, a Smile or Caft of the Eyc, is capable of tarnishing the brighteft Reputation; nay, even Silence itfelf, if it appears affected and mysterious, fhall be as effectual to that Purpose as the moft envenomed

Z 3

Mat. xv.

19.

29, 30,

nomed Satire. If the Matters we object against him are falfe, or doubtful and uncertain, it is Calumny or Slander; if the Evidence we proceed upon, be not fufficient, it is rafh Judgment; and a Pronencfs to blame and condemn others is Cenforioufness.

Q. But may we not speak that Evil of our Neighbour which we know certainly to be true?

A. I think, except fome Inftances of Justice or Charity require it, we ought not to expofe our Neighbour's real Faults, because we are not willing that all that is true of ourfelves fhould be expofed to public View; and it is contrary to that Love we owe to our Neighbour, which fhould make us ready to cover and conceal all Things that are defective in him, and which, if known, may tend to leffen that good Name and Reputation he has in the World.

Q. How is this Vice condemned in Scripture?

A. The Scriptures place it in the Company of the worst of wicked Actions: Out of the Heart, fays our Saviour, proceed evil Thoughts, Murders, Rom. i. Adulteries, falfe Witness, evil Speakings. St. Paul ranks Backbiters with the black Crimes of those who are given up to are probate Mind, and which, in the Judgment of God, are worthy of Death; and Cor. vi. the fame Apofile puts Slanderers and Revilers with thofe that thall not inherit the Kingdom of God; and 2 Tim. iii. When he reckons up the Sins of the laft Times,

32.

10.

Evil-fpeakers are in the Lift of that black Catalogue. St. Peter joins Evil-fpeakings with Malice, Hypocrify, and Envy, Offsprings of Hell, which we must lay afide entirely, if we defire the fincere Milk of the Word, that we may grow thereby: And, notwithstanding the highest Pretences to Religion, St. James affures us, that he who bridleth not bis Tongue, that Man's Religion is vain.

Q. Wherein appears the Heinoufnefs of this Vice?

A. In that it robs our Neighbour of one of the moft valuable Things in the World, which is often purchased at the Hazard of his Life, his Reputation and good Name, in the Judgment of Solomon, better than precious Ointment. In that it is contrary Ecclef. to that wife Dictate of Nature, of doing to others as vii, 1. we would they should do to us, and is an open Violation of that Chriftian Doctrine of Charity, fo dear to our Saviour, by which he diftinguished his Disciples, and which was to remain as the true Character of the Children of God. It is the Sign of a weak Mind, that is not able to bear the Luftre of Merit and Virtue; the Mark of a mean and cruel Temper, unworthy of a Man, to delight in wounding our Neighbour, or to widen thofe Wounds others have made.

Q. What are thofe Difguifes in which this Vice too often appears?

A. Sometimes it puts on the Appearance of Friendship, and is ufhered in with great Commendations; that the Wound that is given may be fure and deep. Sometimes it counterfeits the Shape of Zeal for God's Glory: It pretends to be Love of Juftice, and a compaffionate Sense of the Faults of our Neighbour, or a violent and juft Sorrow caused by that Outrage that is done to God. But, whatever falfe Reafons may be given for this Practice, it is always a Breach of the great Duty of Charity, and it is a Mark of falfe Devotion to tear in Pieces the Reputation of those that oppose our Designs, and to think to make an agreeable Offering to God of what we facrifice either to our Revenge or to our Jealousy.

Q. How should we behave ourselves when we hear our Neighbour ill-fpoken of?

A. We fhould endeavour to divert fuch Dif courfe, and difcourage fuch Sort of Converfation by all prudent Methods. We should urge what

we can in our Neighbour's Vindication, and upon this Occafion cite the Examples of fuch innocent Perfons as have been oppreffed with Calumny. We fhould difcover the Contradiction and Impoffibility of what is advanced to defame him, if the Matter will admit of it. We may appeal to his paft Actions; and to the ill Reports concerning him, oppofe all the Good that is otherwife known of him, to weaken the Detraction, and to take off the Credit of it. If the Matter is too evident to be denied, we may endeavour to diminish the Guilt of it by imputing it to Ignorance or Surprize, or to the Strength of Temptation, and by owning that the best People might have found Difficulties in fuch dangerous Circumftances. But by no Means muft we fhew any Pleasure or Satisfaction in what is related to our Neighbour's Prejudice, left we encourage the Detractor, and become Partakers with him in his Guilt.

Q. How may we conquer this epidemical Vice, fo injurious to our Salvation 2

A. By mortifying those irregular Paffions from whence this unchriftian Practice does proceed; as our Pride, which falfely perfuades us that we exalt ourfelves by debafing others; our Envy, which makes us look upon the Happiness of others with an evil Eye, and provokes us to difturb it; our Malice and Revenge, which prompt us to injurious Refentments; our impertinent Curiofity, which is always meddling with what does not belong to us. But nothing is more neceflary in order to mafter this reigning Sin, than a firm Refolution never to speak the leaft Ill of any one; for whoever gives himself the Liberty to publish the Evil he knows of another, though never fo inconfiderable, whoever talks with Pleasure of fuch Faults, though known by every Body, may be likely to fall into real Defamations. For it is difficult to

stop

ftop where the Power and Corruption of Nature is ftrong; befides, by indulging fmall Neglects we fortify our evil Inclinations, and by Degrees contract a Habit of Detraction.

The PRAYER S.

I.

of Angels.

EVERLASTING God, who haft ordain- For the ed and conftituted the Services of Angels Protection and Men in a wonderful Order; mercifully grant that, as thy holy Angels always do thee Service in Heaven, fo by thy Appointment they may fuccour and defend me on Earth, through Jefus Chrift our Lord. Amen.

II.

Protection

Souls and

Bodics.

LMIGHTY God, who feeft that we have For God's no Power of ourselves to help ourselves, of our keep me both outwardly in my Body, and inwardly in my Soul, that I may be defended from all Aďverfities which may happen to the Body, and from all evil Thoughts which may affault and hurt the Soul, through Jefus Chrift our Lord. Amen.

III.

giving for

of the

IT is very meet, right, and my bounden Duty, Thankf that I fhould at all Times, and in all Places, the Dellgive Thanks unto thee, O Lord, Almighty and verances Everlasting God: Because thou haft in all Ages Church. defended thy holy Spouse the Church from the fiery Affaults of all her Enemies: From the Fraud and Malice of Heretics and deceitful Men; from the crafty Infinuations of all them that work Vanity; from the Cruelty and Barbarity of those who have openly fought her Deftruction; and from the Treachery and Perfidioufnefs of thofe who have pretended Kindness in order to ruin her with

greater