For the
Imitation

Baptist.

own Follies, we may with the better Grace rectify those of others. We ought to mix due Praises with our Reproofs, that the Roughness of the one may be abated by the Emulation that is raised by the other. And lastly, we ought to skin over the Wound we have made, by applying the most comfortable Lenitive.

THE PRAYERS.

I.

ALMIGHTY God, by whose Providence thy of St. John Servant John Baptist was wonderfully born, and sent to prepare a Way for thy Son our Saviour, by preaching of Repentance; make me so to follow his Doctrine, and holy Life, that I may truly repent according to his preaching, and after his Example constantly speak the Truth, boldly rebuke Vice, and patiently suffer for the Truth's Sake, through the Merits of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Guidance.

II.

For God's GOD, the Protector of all that trust in thee, without whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy; increase and multiply upon me thy Mercy, that thou being my Ruler and Guide, I may so pass through Things temporal, that I finally lose not the Things eternal: Grant this, O heavenly Father, for Jesus Christ his Sake. Amen.

III.

For Retire- ALMIGHTY God, who has sent me into this Mortifica World, as a State of Probation and Trial, that I

ment and

tion.

might be a Candidate for Eternity; teach me frequently to retire from the Occasions and Temptations to Sin, to mortify my Affections to the Love of this, World, that dangerous Enemy to my Salvation: as I have solemnly renounced it in my Baptism, so let my Practice shew I am true to what I then vowed: Make me carefully to avoid that Con

versation where the Reputation of my Neighbour is sacrificed to the Entertainment of the Company; where Revenge is espoused as a Principle of Honour, and Honesty esteemed Weakness; where Pride and Vanity, and sinful Pleasures chiefly reign; where Piety and Devotion insensibly lose their Strength and Vigour; where Religion is counted a Cheat, and Fools make a mock at Sin: Defend me, O God, from this infectious Air, so apt to poison and corrupt the best Principles; where it is difficult to preserve my Innocence, or to recover thy Favour by Repentance: Grant this, O Lord, for Jesus Christ his Sake. Amen.

IV.

rity in

MOST gracious God, thou great Lover of Souls, For Chriswho hast made them after thine own Image, and in Chapurchased them at the Expense of the Blood of thy reproving. own Son, Jesus Christ our Lord; inspire me with that true Christian Charity which extends itself to the eternal Welfare of my Neighbour, that I may unfeignedly compassionate his Unhappiness whenever he transgresses thy holy Laws, and by all prudent Means, represent to him his Faults, with their several Aggravations, that I may carefully set his Miscarriages before his Face, and in such a true Light, that by a seasonable Warning of his Danger, he may be preserved from that Ruin his Sins deserve, and thy Justice hath threatened. Let no Man's Greatness in this World ever prevail upon me to approve his Vices, or influence me to any the least sinful Compliance: And in order to make the Duty of Reproof effectual to the Salvation of my Neighbour, preserve me from any irregular Passion in the Manner of administering it, and from any By-end in the Prospect of performing it; that so by thy Blessing, upon a seasonable and prudent Admonition, he may be recovered to a true Sense of his Duty, obtain thy gracious Pardon in this World, and in the next, Life everlasting, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

CHAP. XXVII.

SAINT PETER.-JUNE 29.

Q. WHAT Festival doth the Church this Day celebrate?

A. The Martyrdom of St. Peter, the first of the Apostles.

Q. What Account have we of St. Peter's Original? A. That he was born at Bethsaida, a Town situated John i. 44. upon the Banks of the Sea of Galilee; that when he was circumcised, according to the Rites of the Mosaic Law, he was called Simon or Symeon; that our Saviour added to that the Name of Cephas, which in Syriac, the vulgar Language of the Jews at that Time, signifies a Stone or Rock, from thence it was derived into the Greek, Пérpos, and so termed by us, Peter.

Ver. 42.

Mat, xvi.

18.

Mat. iv. 18.

Q. What does our Lord seem to denote by this Name?

A. The Firmness and Constancy of St. Peter's Faith, and his vigorous Activity in building up the Church.

Q. What was his Profession before he was called to be an Apostle?

A. He was a Fisherman, a Trade toilsome and laborious in itself, and bringing but small Advantage to those that were employed in it.

Q. How came the first of the Apostles to be chosen from so mean a Profession?

A. To manifest the great Power of God, in establishing Christianity, when such mean, illiterate Persons, were able to subdue the World to the Obedience of the Gospel. Besides, by the Hardships of such an Education, he was prepared to support those Difficulties which a persecuted State of Life might expose him to.

Q. Was St. Peter elder than his Brother St. Andrew?

A. It is questioned among the Ancients. Epiphanius gives the Seniority to St. Andrew, and herein

is followed by most of the Writers of the Church of Rome. But St. Chrysostome, St. Jerome, with many more, adjudge it to St. Peter, and for that Reason say he was President of the College of the Apostles. Q. Was St. Peter a Disciple of St. John Baptist? A. It is thought probable, because his Brother St. Andrew certainly was; and upon the first News of Christ's appearing, St. Peter was very forward John i. 49. to converse with him, as if he had been awakened to expect the Messias.

Q. Who brought him first to our Saviour?

A. His Brother, St. Andrew; who, upon the Testimony received from St. John the Baptist, and his pointing to our Lord, then passing by, after his Baptism, followed our Saviour, and brought the joyful News to St. Peter.

Q. What was the Occasion of his becoming our Saviour's Disciple?

A. The Miracle of the great Draught of Fishes, Luke v. 9, upon which he acknowledged his own Vileness, and 10, 11. was, by our Saviour, made a Fisher of Men, and commanded to follow him; which he immediately complied with, and from that Time became one of our Saviour's constant and inseparable Disciples. Q. What Preparation did our Saviour make in the Election of his Apostles?

A. He withdrew into a solitary Place to address Luke vi. himself to Heaven for Success in that Affair of 12. great Consequence.

Q. What may we learn from hence?

A. That all Christians should implore God Almighty's Guidance in Matters of great Importance: And that the Governors of the Church, so much inferior to our Saviour, should fast and pray earnestly for God's Direction, when they send forth Labourers into the Vineyard.

Q. Who were the most immediate Companions of our Saviour?

A. St. Peter, and the two Sons of Zebedee, St. Mark v. 37. James and St. John, who were admitted more fami

1, 2.

Mat. xvii. liarly than the Rest of the Apostles unto all the most secret Passages of his Life, as is plain in the Cure of Jairus's Daughter, and at the Transfiguration.

Q. How did St. Peter behave himself, when several of the Disciples forsook our Saviour, upon a more perfect Discovery of his Doctrine?

4. He, with the Rest of the Twelve, adhered to him with great Constancy and Resolution, professing they had no where else to go, because he had the John vi. 68. IVords of eternal Life; and upon this Account be is by the Ancients styled the Mouth of the Apostles, because so forward upon all Occasions, to profess Mat. xvi. his Belief in our Saviour, and for which Reason he is by our Saviour himself, pronounced blessed.

17.

Q. Does it appear that our Saviour gave any personal Prerogative to St. Peter, as Universal Pastor and Head of the Church?

Mat. x. 2. A. Though he is first placed among the Apostles, because, as most think, he was first called; and that his Age and Gravity qualified him for the Primacy of Order, without which no Society can be managed or maintained: yet it doth not appear that he enjoyed any other particular Privilege; because, in confessing Christ, he spoke not only his own, but the Sense of his Fellow Apostles, and which Nathaniel professed as well as he; if he is styled the Rock, all the Apostles are equally styled Foundations, upon which the Wall of the New Jerusalem is erected: and the Power of the Keys is promised to the Rest of the Apostles, as well as to St. Peter.

John i. 49.
Mat. xvi.

18.

Rev. xxi.

14.

John xx.

13.

Q. Why did St. Peter decline the great Honour of having his Feet washed by our Saviour?

A. Out of great Modesty, and a Sense of his Unworthiness; till understanding the Mystery of the Action, and the Advantage of it, he desired to be washed all over, rather than lose the Benefit of it. Q. What may we learn from this Action of our Saviour?

A. Humility and Condescension; not to boggle at the meanest Offices of Kindness and Charity,