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minds free from covetousness, and raise them above the world, the most dangerous enemy to our salvation.

Q. Wherein consists the nature of covetousness? A. In an immoderate craving and love of riches, which shews itself in an eager and insatiable desire after the things of this world; though we employ no indirect means to obtain them; but is then complete, when we use any unlawful and dishonest ways to grow rich, and are anxious to acquire the good things of this life, even though we neglect those which are infinitely more valuable. When we are sordid, and cannot find in our hearts to enjoy what we possess; or if we do, spend it upon our lusts, and never suffer those who are in want to share with us. When we make gold our confidence, and trust in it as our chief happiness.

Q. What are the mischievous effects of this vice, which our blessed Apostle entirely conquered?

A. It alienates the mind from God, and takes men off from the care of their souls; we cannot serve God and mammon. It obstructs all those passages through which the consideration of religion should enter into our thoughts it is the parent of most of the fraud and injustice, cruelty and oppression, falsehood and perjury, that is committed in the world. It makes men fail in the hour of temptation, so that, when they should quit all for the sake of religion they go away sorrowful, because they have great possessions. It is very apt to blow us up with pride, and to make us over-value ourselves; and, by the same reason, inclines us to despise and contemn those who want the same advantages. It does but too frequently administer to intemperance and unlawful pleasures, and is made instrumental in gratifying some irregular passion that governs our minds.

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Q. Whence appears the unreasonableness of this vice?

A. In that it is an endless and insatiable appetite, and consequently can never attain that contentment and satisfaction it proposes. Besides, it pursues happiness by false measures, for this doth not consist in abundance; and though the luxury of life is boundless, yet the necessaries and conveniencies of it lie within a small compass. Great riches are so far from prolonging our lives, that they rather shorten them, either by labour and care in getting them, by anxiety and tormenting cares in keeping them, or by trouble and vexation in losing them; they neither make us better nor wiser, but are dangerous to our virtue, and tempt us to play the fool. They cannot preserve us from contempt or misfortunes, from diseases or pains; they neither make our friends more faithful, nor our children more dutiful, neither can they afford us any comfort when we stand most in need of it, at the hour of death. But we must give a strict account at the day of judgment, both how we have got them, and how we have used them.

Q. What is the best means to overcome this vice? A. To employ our chief care and solicitude about the things of the next life, because great in themselves, and of an eternal duration. To put our trust and confidence in God, who hath promised, if we seek his kingdom and the righteousness thereof, all these things shall be added unto us. To be content with such things as we have, and to rely upon providence by the use of just and lawful means to increase them as he shall think fit. To consider the uncertainty of riches, that they make themselves wings, and fly away; and that we can, by no

Mat. vi. 33.

human means, secure the enjoyment of them. That if we could fix them, yet that life is always upon the wing, and when we have heaped up riches, we cannot tell who shall gather them. To be charitable in some measure to the proportion of what we have received; to be rich in good works, and ready to distribute.

THE PRAYERS.

AGAINST COVETOUSNESS.

O ALMIGHTY God, who by thy blessed Son didst call Matthew from the receipt of custom to be an Apostle and Evangelist; grant me grace to forsake all covetous desires, and inordinate love of riches, and to follow the same thy Son Jesus Christ, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. Amen.

AGAINST COVETOUSNESS.

ALMIGHTY and most gracious God, in all my passage through this world, and my manifold concerns in it, suffer not my heart to be too much set upon it. Let not my pursuit of temporal things rob me of that time which ought to be employed in the concerns of my soul, nor divert me from the serious thoughts of the world to come. Let not the cares of this life nor the importunity of business, make me neglect divine and spiritual employments, nor disturb me in the performance of them. Make me charitable to those that are in want, willing to distribute, and ready to communicate to the necessities of my brethren. Let me esteem no loss comparable to

Psalm xxxix. 6.

that of innocence and of a good conscience, nor harbour any fear like that of thy displeasure, and of the intolerable and eternal pains of hell-fire. Let thy laws, O my God, direct all my steps in my greatest dangers; and make me more studious in all my counsels of what is lawful for me, than of what seems serviceable and advantageous to my worldly circumstances. Let me never stoop to any sin, in hopes to advance or preserve those riches which thy bounty hath bestowed upon me, that my mind, being purged from all covetous affections, my great care may be to provide for eternity, and to lay up a treasure in heaven, which faileth not; that when my body shall tumble into dust, my soul may be received into those eternal mansions of glory, which thou hast prepared for all that love and fear thee through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

FOR HUMILITY.

O LORD God, who resistest the proud, and givest grace to the humble; endue me with such humility of soul, and modesty of behaviour, that my looks may not be proud, nor my thoughts arrogant, nor my designs ambitious; but that being restrained from all vanity and pride, and my affections weaned from a great opinion and love of myself; I may trust in thee, follow the example of my blessed master, and receive those promises thou hast made in our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

CHAP. XXXI.

ST. MICHAEL AND ALL ANGELS. SEPTEMBER 29.
Q. What Festival does the church this day celebrate?
A. That of St. Michael and all Angels.

Q. What account have we from Scripture of St. Michael?

A. That he was an archangel, who presided over the Jewish nation (styled one of the chief princes) as other archangels did over the Gentile world, as is evident of the kingdom of Persia, and the kingdom of Greece, from Daniel; that he had an army of angels under his command and conduct, that he fought with the dragon, or Satan, and his angels, and that contending with the devil, he disputed about the body of Moses."

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Q. What does the fight, mentioned in the revelation of St. Michael and his angels against the dragon and his angels, most probably signify?

A. Some great authors refer it to the contest that happened at Rome between St. Peter and Simon Magus; when that Apostle, by the efficacy of his prayers, entirely prevailed against the seducing arts of that magician. Others understand by it those violent persecutions the primitive church laboured under, more or less, for three hundred years, and which happily ceased when the powers of the world became Christian. It is generally agreed, that it denotes some eminent victory of the Christian church, by the assistance of those ministering spirits over the power and malice of the devil and his instruments, who set themselves with all their might to persecute and destroy it.

Q. To what former dispute does this fight of the good and bad angels seem to allude?

A. To the expulsion of Lucifer, and the rebellious angels, from the presence of God. It being very credible that God should make use of some of his heavenly host to drive those from his blessed mansions, who had

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