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BE fober, be vigilant; because your adversary the Devil, as a roaring Lion, walketh about seeking whom he may devour. 1Pet.v.8.

The Devil watches, in order to our Perdition, as God watches over us, for our Salvation. The Devil corrupts our Senfes by an inordinate Use of the Creatures, and our Minds by caufing it to be entirely poffeffed by them. Let us refift him in the Faith by Vigilance and Prayer.---It is by being vigilant over our felves, and employing our Thoughts concerning God, that we avoid all Surprize from our grand Adversary.

Take this poor, wand'ring, worthless Heart,
Its Wand'rings all to Thee are known,
May no falfe Rival claim a Part,

Nor Sin e'er rob Thee of thine own.

Stir up thy interpofing Power,

Save me from Sin, from Idols fave,
Snatch me from fierce Temptation's Hour,
And hide, O hide me in the Grave.

AN

February 2. ND when the Days of her Purification, according to the Law of Mofes, were accomplished, they brought him to Jerufalem, to prefent him to the Lord. (As it is written in the Law of the Lord, Every Male that openeth the Womb fhall be called Holy to the Lord). Luke ii. 22, 23.

(33) Purification of the B. V.

Jefus fubmits to the Law to redeem those who were opprefs'd with it. --- Would to God that Parents would prefent their Children to the Lord, with a Piety and Faith, pure and difengaged from the Earth, in Imitation of the bleffed Virgin. O Jefus, Redeemer of the World! grant that I may be redeemed by thy Blood from its Slavery, and belong entirely to God; and offer up to thy Service, by thy Grace, my Body, Soul, and Spirit, a living Sacrifice, holy and acceptable in thy Sight. Father, Lord of Earth and Heaven, Spare, or take, what thou haft given: Sole Difpofer of thine own, Let thy fovereign Will be done. When thou didst our Isaac give, Him we trembled to receive,

Him we call'd not ours but thine,
Him we promis'd to refign.
Meekly we our Vow repeat,
Nature fhall to Grace submit,
Let him on the Altar lie,
Let the Victim live, or die.

GREET ye one another with a Kifs of Love, Peace be with you all that are in Chrift Jefus. Amen. I Pct. v. 14.

Union, Peace, and Love, are the Seal of the Apoftolic Epiftles, and the Kifs is the Symbol of thefe Virtues. This Kifs is holy, when the Principle from which it comes is a pure loving Heart devoted to God: It is deteftable when it proceeds from an impure Soul, abandoned to the World and Sin. --- Let this Prayer, O my Saviour of thy Apostle, be always in our Hearts, and let this Defire, and this Amen, draw down upon thy Church the Grace and the Peace, which thou haft purchased for her with thy moft precious and invaluable Blood.

Prince of universal Peace!
Destroy the Enmity,

Bid our Jars and Discords cease,
Write us all in thee:
Cruel as wild Peafts we are,
Till vanquifh'd by thy Mercy's Pow'r,
Men like Wolves each other tear,
And their own Flesh devour.

O that now, with Pardon bleft,
We each might each embrace,
Quietly together reft,

And feed upon thy Grace,
Like our Chriftian Parents live,
Great Shepherd make thy Goodness
All into thy Fold receive, [known,
And keep for ever one.

GRACE and Peace be multiplied unto you, thro' the Knowledge of God, and of Jefus our Lord, 2 Pet. i. 2.

How little Satisfaction does all Manner of Learning give to one who relishes the Knowledge of God and of Fejus Chrift: Other Knowledge often puffs and dries up the Heart, and disturbs it with a thoufand Inquietudes. The Knowledge of God and of Jefus Chrift, is a Source of Humility and Peace.

The Grace, and Peace of God,

The Father, and the Son,
All Bleffings are on us bestow'd
By Two for ever one :

From God, and Christ our Lord,

The Spirit we receive,

And by his perfect Grace reftor'd,
In perfect Peace fhall live.

ACcording as his divine Power hath given unto us all Things that pertain unto Life and Godliness, thro' the Knowledge of Him that hath called us to Glory and Virtue, 2 Pet. i. 3.

Faith is the firft Grace, and the Fountain of all others. All Things that pertain unto Life and Godliness are the Gift of God. The glorious Life of Jefus Chrift is the Origin of our Call to Glory thro' Faith. What is he not able to perform in our Heart, who, in order to draw us to God, employs the fovereign, efficacious Power, which he received from his Father in his Refurrection?

Thou feeft our Weaknefs, Lord,
Our Hearts are known to Thee,
O lift Thou up the finking Hand,
Confirm the feeble Knee.

Let us, in Life and Death,

Thy ftedfaft Truth declare,
And publish, with our latest Breath,
Thy Love and Guardian Care.

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