Class, BX\'={( C. M. 1875- \ \'375a. Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1875, by E. M. HENNESSEY, In the office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington, D. C r oiFT It REGIS NOEt ^^M, 3, 1937 \ EDITOR'S PEEFACE. The Instructions contained in this volume have re- ceived the warm sanction of many Prelates in America and in Europe. In its former shape it better suited the teacher. In its present form it suits not only the teacher, but most especially ^^e learner in an advanced class. The Catechism it develops is the sa,me in suifsfance as the one prepared by order of the First Plenary Council of Bal- timore, generally in use in the United States. The whole original is scrupulously preserved as published by Rev. J. Perry, and questions are appended, which make it a perfect class-book^ It is no translation from any foreign language, but a masterly work written in plain English, which meets the wants of the Catholic youth of America. This Edition treats succinctly of the Immaculate Con- ception and Papal Infallibility, but these additions are carefully separated from the original. E. M. H., C. M. SU Louis i Feast of the Nativity ^ 1875. , INTRODUCTION. I. Man was created for a most important end — ^* to love and serve God in this worlds and to be happy with Him forever in the next^^ — and the main business of our life consists in laboring for the attainment of this end. That we may not wander, or be led astray in this im- portant work, but may arrive securely at the end for which we were created, God has established a Church upon earth, and appointed it to be, in all nations throughout all ages, our Teacher and our Guide. In order to serve God as he wishes to be served by us — that is to say, in order to please God in this life so as to enjoy him in the next, we must believe the teaching and follow the guidance of his Church, because she teaches and guides the Faithful authoritatively, by his express commission and under his promised direction. We must believe whatever Christ teaches, as proposed and expounded to us by the Church; and the chief 6 INTRODUCTION. things which we are thus required to believe we learn from the exposition of the Apostles' Creed. But belief is not sufficient without practice. Faith will not save us without good works. We must keep, there- fore, the laws or Commandments of God; both those which were at first delivered to man by his own mouth, and also those which, by an authority received from him, are delivered to us by the mouth of his Church. But we cannot practice our faith, or keep the Com- mandments, without the help of God's grace ; and hence the Catechism introduces the Commandments by a short exposition oi Prayer, which is a means of grace mdisY^txis- ably necessary for all persons, is the easiest for us to have recourse to, is at all times and in all places com- pletely within our power, and the use of which requires not the outward administration of the Church. II. To prayer must be added the use of the Sacra- ments which Christ has instituted in his Church, which are also efficacious means of grace — the most efficacious means wherewith he has furnished us, and without the use of which prayer will become ineffectual. It is very important, therefore, that every one should be acquainted witlj these jneans of grace, and should know how to INTRODUCTION. 7 make a good and profitable use of them, for z. proper use of the Sacraments may be said to be the practice of Reli- gion, because thereby we shall infallibly obtain such graces as will secure the practice of all the rest. For, by making a proper use of the Sacraments, we shall not merely believe what God has taught and keep his Commandments, but we shall effectually root out our Vices and acquire all necessary Virtues; we shall advance rapidly in the practice of the Three TJieological Virtues — our Faith will become every day more lively, our Hope and confidence in God more firm, and our Charity more pure and ardent; our souls will be adorned with the Gifts and enriched with the Fruits of the Holy Ghost ; we shall be enabled to be constantly laying up abundant stores of merit for the next life by the performance of the Works of Mercy ^ both corporal zxi^ spiritual^ and by the practice of the Three Eminent Good Works; and thus shall we become entitled to the inestimable Blessings promised in the Eight Beatitudes, In a word, the propeir use of the Sacraments will en- able us to reduce to pta^ctice the Christian's Rule of Life ^ ty leading us to a constant and faithful performance of |he Christianas Daily Exercise; or, in ptl^er words, by 8 INTRODUCTION. means of the Sacraments we shall be enabled to acquire the perfection which God expects from us, and to arrive securely at our last end — the possession of our God in a happy eternity. CONTENTS. PAGE. Introduction 7 Preliminary Instruction. — On the obligation and advan- tages of being instructed, and the lamentable conse- quences arising from ignorance 17 Preliminary Instruction, continued. — On the means of acquiring instruction 21 Explanation of the Introductory Chapter of the Catechism. Instruction I. — On the existence of God, the end of our creation, the immortality of the soul, and free will 24 Instruction II. — On the folly of neglecting salvation; on wor- shiping God by faith, hope, and charity ; and on the hap- piness of attending to this worship of God 28 Instruction IIL—The Rule of Faith 32 Instruction IV.— The proofs of Infallibihty 36 Instruction V.— On Tradition 40 Explanation of the Apostles^ Creed, liJSTKiJCTlON Yi.— (First A r/icte.) On the Apostles' Creed, and on the Attributes of God 44 Instruction VII. — {First Ariicle,) The Attributes of God, concluded 48 Instruction VHl.'^{First Article,) On the work of Crea- tion ,,-,,,,^,..,..,,,,,,,-55,3,,,, ,.,.-.,,,, 63 10 CONTENTS. PAGE. Instruction IX. — (^First Article,) On the Providence of God 56 Instruction X. — {First Article^ concluded — Second Article.) On the Trinity, and the Incarnation 60 Instruction XI. — {Second Article.) A short History of Re- ligion, from the first promise of a Redeemer to its fulfil- ment 65 Instruction yA\.^( Third Article.) The Birth of Christ, and his Life to the commencement of his Passion ; the Immaculate Conception 71 Instruction XIII. — {Fourth Article,) Christ's Passion and Death 78 Instruction XIV. — {Fourth Article^ concluded-— Fifth Arti- cle.) On the Sign of the Cross; the Descent of Christ into Limbo, and his Resurrection 84 Instruction XV. — {Sixth Article.) The Ascension of Jesus Christ; Satisfaction, Redemption, and Impetration 89 Instruction ^Yl,— {Seventh Article.) On the Day of Judgment 93 Instruction XVII. — {Eighth Article.) The Descent of the Holy Ghost, and the Establishment of the Church 98 Instruction XVIII. — {Ninth Article.) The Pastor's au- thority to teach and govern, and the People's obligation to hear and obey Id Instruction YSY.. — {Ninth Article.) The Supremacy of St. Peter ; the Church cannot err ; the Pope's Infallibility . .. 105 Instruction XX. — {Ninth Article.) The four marks of the Church Ill Instruction XXL — {Ninth Article.) The Communion of Saints, and Purgatory , ,..,,,,,,, .....,.,...., I15 CONTENTS. 11 PAGE. Instruction XXII.— ( Tenth Article. ) The power of forgiv- ing sins ; original sin ; mortal sin ; venial sin 121 Instruction y^y^Wl, — {Eleventh and Twelfth Articles,) Death; Resurrection; Hell; Heaven 128 Explanation of Grace and Prayer, Instruction XXIV. — The necessity of good works, and of grace, for Salvation 131 Instruction XXV. — Prayer, vocal and mental; the obliga- tion of prayer, and the dispositions with which it should be accompanied 135 Instruction XXVI. — The Lord's Prayer.. 139 Instruction XXVII. — The Invocation of Saints and Angels; they can hear us ; they pray for us ; we may ask them to pray for us 142 Instruction XXVIII. — Our Guardian Angel; the ** Hail Mary" 148 Explanation of the Ten Commandments. Instruction XXIX. — {First Commandment.) The Com- mandments in general; what the First Commandment requires, and what it forbids 151 Instruction XXX. — {First Commandment.) The lawful- ness of making images ; of honoring the Angels and Saints, and of showing respect to relics, crucifixes, and holy pic- tures - - 158 Instruction XXXI. — {Second Commandment.) How we are to speak of God ; vows and oaths ; cursing and blasphem- ing, and profane language 163 12 CONTENTS. PAGE. Instruction XXXII. — {Third Commandment.) Its obliga- tion transferred from Saturday to Sunday; its desigm; its importance ; the duties it requires from us l68 Instruction XXXIII. — {Fourth Commandment.) The obli- gation of children to be dutiful to their parents ; the duties which this obligation requires from them 1 73 Instruction XXXIV. — {Fourth Commandment,) The duties of parents towards their children 177 Instruction XXXV. — {Foutth Commandment.) The duties of servants and masters towards each other; of subjects towards the civil power, and of the people towards their pastors I 181 Instruction XXXVI. — {Fifth Commandment.) Murder; quarrelling; anger, revenge, envy, and hatred; giving scandal and bad example 187 Instruction XXXVII. — {Sixth and Ninth Commandments.) Chastity commanded; impurity forbidden; in what this vice consists ; its remedies I92 Instruction yj^y^Wl.— {Seventh and Tenth Command- ments.) Acts of injustice; restitution to be made; covet- ousness to be avoided 197 Instruction XXXIX. — {Eighth Commandment.) Lies; rash judgment ; calumny, and detraction 201 Instruction XL. — {Ni^ith and Tenth Commandments.) The government of the heart; evil thoughts and desires; temptations arising therefrom ; the means to be employed against them 206 Explcination of the Command?ne:?its of the Church, Instruction XLI. — {First and Second Commandments of the Church.) The obligation of obeying the Church, and of hearing Mass on all Sundays and holydays 210 CONTENTS. 15 PAGE. Instruction LXIV. — {Mahimony.) Matrimony as a con- tract ; it is a true Sacrament ; indissoluble ; conditions re- quired ; consent of parents ; impediments - 348 Instruction LXV. — {Matrimony, concluded,) The disposi- tions for receiving the Sacrament of Matrimony; duties and obligations of married people 351 Explanation of Virtues a?7-d Vices, Instruction LXVI. — {Faith.) The nature, necessity, and exercise of the virtue of Faith; the sins against Faith 356 Instruction LXVII. — {Hope.) The nature, necessity, grounds, advantages, and exercise of the virtue of Hope; the sins against Hope 361 Instruction LXVIII. — {Charity : its first branch.) The Love of God ; its nature ; its necessity ; grounds of its obligation ; its exercise ; its effects ; means of obtaining and increasing it 367 Instruction ISKIX..— {Charity : its seco^td branch.) Why we must love our neighbor ; how we must love him ; we must love even our enemies 3 73 Instruction LXX. — The Four Cardinal Virtues 377 Instruction LXXI. — The Seven Gifts, and Twelve Fruits of the Holy Ghost 380 Instruction LXXIL — The Seven Corporal Works of Mercy 385 Instruction LXXIII. — The Seven Spiritual Works of Mercy 389 Instruction LXXIV. — The Eight Beatitudes 392 Instruction LXXV. — The Seven Deadly Sins, and contrary virtues 396 Instruction LXXVI.— The Six Sins against the Holy Ghost; the Four Sins Crying to Heaven for Vengeance ; the Nine Ways of being accessory to another Person's Sins 402 16 CONTENTS. PAGE. Instruction LXXVIL— The Three Eminent Good Works ; the Evangelical Counsels ; the Four Last Things to be Re- membered 406 Explanatio7t of the Christian'' s Rule of Life, Instruction LXXVIII. — The founding of Christian Reli- gion; the Rule of Life which this Religion teaches, viz., to hate sin, to love God, and to love our neighbor 412 Instruction LXXIX. — The Christian's Rule of Life requires us also to deny ourselves, to take up our cross, and to fol- low Christ 417 Instruction LXXX. — The enemies of our salvation, viz., the devil, the world, and the flesh 420 Explanation of the Christianas Daily Exercise, Instruction LXXXL— What we are to do in the morning, and how we are to go through the day 425 Instruction LXXXH. — Further directions how we should go through the day ; how we should finish the day 431 A FULL COURSE OF INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE USE OF CATECHISTS. PRELIMINARY INSTRUCTION. On the Obligation and Advantages of being Instructed^ and the lamentable consequences arising from Ignorance, Since God has made us " to k?iow him, love him, and serve him in this world, and to be happy with him for- ever in the next," it follows, as a necessary consequence, that we are bound to take the means of accomplishing this end of our creation. But, as we cannot take means of which we are ignorant, it also follows that we are bound to learn what those means are, and how to em- ploy them. Now, we acquire this necessary knowledge by acquiring a knowledge of our Religion, and, therefore, as attending Catechetical Instruction is the chief means by w^hich people generally come to know their Religion, I will show, ist. The Necessity of each one learning his ReHgion, or the Obligation of attending to Religious Instruction; 2d. The great Advantages of being well instructed; and 3d. The; lamentable Evils arising from ignorance. After this, I will point out the Means of becoming instructed. I. The OBLIGATION of learning our Religion arises, in the first place, from the express command of Almighty God. In the Old Law, God commanded his people to be careful to learn his precepts and ordinances, the ceremonies of Religion, and what he had done for them, and to teach these things to their children : " Lay up Why are we bound to take the means of attaining the end of our creation ? How can we learn what these means are ? How do you prove the necessity of ReUgious Instruction from the Old Law ? 2 18 PRELIMINARY INSTRUCTION. these words in your hearts and minds, and hang them for a sign on your hands, and place them between your eyes; teach your children that they may meditate on them." (Deut. xi. i8, 19, 20.) Are Christia?is to be less dihgent, etc. ? In the New Law, Christ requires his Apostles (and their successors) to "teach all nations;" (Matt, xxviii. 19) to "preach the Gospel to every creature." (Mark xvi. 15.) Now, this implies a necessity in the people to learn. And we may judge of the importance of being instructed by the diligence with which the Apostles ful- filled this duty of teaching, and also by the express declaration of Christ: " He that believeth not," i. e., he who receives not what you teach, "shall be condemned." (Mark xvi. 16.) And again, "He that heareth you heareth me ; and he that despiseth you despiseth me ; " (Luke X. 16) i. e., he who refuses or neglects to hear you, is as guilty as if he refused or neglected to hear me; because you teach in my name and by my authority. But if God had given no express command on this subject, still you would be obliged to get instructed, because a knowledge of Religion is necessary for being saved. Now, this knowledge consists in knowing God — his perfections, the wonders of his works, and what he has done for us ; in knowing the end of our creation, the homage we owe to our Creator, and how we are to pay it, the commandments we have to observe, and the rewards we have to gain, and knowing the 7fieans of gaining those rewards. And can you be well acquainted with these important truths, without taking means to learn them ? I. Instruction, then, teaches us to know God — his perfection ; what he has done for us as Creator, what as Redeemer, and the other articles of Christian belief All these we must believe, for " without faith it is impossible to please God;" (Heb. xi. 6) and "he that believeth not shall be condemned." (Mark xvi. 16.) But how How from the New Law ? How from Reason ? In what does Religious Knowledge consist ? PRELIMINARY INSTRUCTION. 19' can we believe without knowing ? and how can we know without getting instructed ? " How shall they believe hiniy of whom they have not heard ? and how shall they hear without a preacher ? Faith then cometh by hear- ing.'* (Rom. X. 14, 17.) (Example of the Eimuch of Queen Candace — " Philip said : Thinkest thou that thou understandest what thou readest ? who said : And how can I, unless some man show me ? ") (Acts viii. 30, 31.) 2. We are placed in this world for a particular end, viz.: to worship God and keep his commandments in this life, and to be rewarded in the next. Now, we wor- ship God and keep his commandments by practicing the Religion of Christ. But how can we practice it, unless we are instructed in what the Christian Religion teaches ? Persons ignorant of their duty are answerable for their ignorance, if, through their own fault, they have neglected Instructions. You hardly can be ignorant, except through your own fault, because public instruc- tions are regularly given, and by attending to them every 07ie may know all that is necessary for salvation, all the necessary means of being saved. 3. Among these means of salvation the most effectual are the Sacraments. By a good use of them we receive grace (without which we can do nothing), for they are the channels of grace. How important then it is to be instructed in the nature and effects of the Sacraments, and in the dispositions necessary for worthily receiving them ! For, without knowing these we cannot make a good use of the Sacraments, and thus, without instruc- tion, the means of salvation become useless. [Apply in a similar ma7i7ier any other important duties ?[ II. There are very great advantages to be derived from attending religious instructions. For Religion is the science of salvation — by learning what it teaches, you learn how to save your soul ; what advantages, then, in attending instructions ? Salvation is a difficult work, * In order to be saved must we be taught to know God ? Why are we placed in this world? For what are ignorant persons responsible ? Why is it important to know the Sacraments ? 20 PRELIMINARY INSTRUCTION. beset with temptations and snares; the enemy is always seeking your ruin; now, instruction enables us to pass uninjured through all these difficulties, etc. We cannot be too well instructed. Good instruction is a seed which, sooner or later, will produce fruit. Well- instructed persons are more firm in their faith, can with- stand greater assaults, etc., because they know how to cast themselves on God and to seek his assistance, there- fore, they are not so liable to fall off. And if they do fall, they more easily rise, because they know the means, and they sooner rise, because their remorse is greater — they cannot still the voice of their conscience. What advantages, then, in being well instructed ? III. But, on the other hand, most lamentable are THE consequences arising from ignorance. It is im- possible to enumerate the evils, etc. Ignorance is the cause of heresies and of persecutions : " For if they had known they would never have crucified the Lord of glory." (i Cor. ii. 8.) Whence proceeds such a general forgetfulness of God ? what is the cause of that indiffer- ence for Religion which is so common in the world ? Ignorance, For no wonder that Religion is so little practiced by those who are ignorant of what it teaches. It will be found, at the last day, that many have been lost through ignorance, who, had they attended to in- structions, would have been saved. For, as St. Augus- tine says, " Ignorance, when avoidable, is a sin." And as it is a sin attended with such la?ne?itable consequences, take care not to become guilty of it; with this view, resolve to be attentive in future to religious instructions. What is the first advantage ? What the second ? What the lamentable consequences of Rehgious Ignorance? PRELIMINARY INSTRUCTION. 21 PRELIMINARY INSTRUCTION— Continued. On the Means of Acquiring Instruction, Having shown the Obligation and Advantages of attending to rehgious instruction, and also the great Evils arising from ignorance^ I will now point out the Means which you should employ of becoming instructed. You have abundant means, if you will but make use of them. I. The first means is by Private Instruction^ i. e., by such as is derived from parents or friends, or from one's own reading. They who can read, ought ^ for the being able to read is a talent to be returned with interest; they who can7iot read may easily get others to read for them, and they would^ if truly zealous and anxious to be instructed. {^Example: When persons are deficient in the knowledge of their trade, do they not take every means and oppor- tunity of gaining more information ? ) They who are able to instruct the ignorant, cannot perform a more meritorious work — it is a great charity ; it is one of the spiritual works of mercy; it is what Christ came from heaven to do, and to set us an ex- ample of. "They who instruct many to justice, shall shine as stars for all eternity." (Dan. xii. 3.) It i§ a work most pleasing to God, highly beneficial to our neighbors and also to ourselves, for it will draw down blessings on both. But fathers, mothers, and all heads of families, are more particularly called upon to perform this office of instruction : " If any man have not care of his own, and especially those of his house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel." (i Tim. v. 8.) Some parents imagine themselves excused from the obligation of instructing, thinking it is their Pastor's duty. It is his What is the first means of Religious Instruction? Is it meri- torious to instruct others ? Explain it ? What are parents' duties in this regard ? 22 PRELIMINARY INSTRUCTION. duty, but they are not excused on that account; they are more strictly bound, with regard to their own children than their Pastor, yet how generally is this duty neg- lected. How many parents will have reason to weep and tremble when they stand before the judgment-seat of God ? for they will have a severe account to give. It follows, therefore, that ill-instructed parents are under a double obligation of attending instructions, in order that, by becoming instructed themselves, they may be able to teach their children. Every parent can and ought to teach his children who God is, to say their prayers, to avoid sin, to fear hell, to desire heaven, etc. 2. The second means is by Public Instruction ; that is, by attending regularly at the instructions which are given publicly by their Pastor. This is a means of divine institution : " The lips of the Priest shall keep knowledge, and they shall seek the law at his mouth." (Mai. ii. 7.) " Go and teach all nations, . . teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you; and behold I am with you all days, even to the end of the world;" (Matt, xxviii. 19, 20) and, therefore, "he that heareth you heareth me." (Luke x. 16.) Thus it is Christ himself who teaches by his ministers : " For Christ therefore we are ambassadors, God as it were exhorting by us." (2 Cor. v. 20.) The opportunity of receiving instruction from those who are duly appointed to teach, is a special grace, ... to be accounted for here- after. How many neglect this grace, and allow those under their charge to neglect it also ? There are some who think it a matter of little conse- quence to neglect the explanation of the Catechism, imagining themselves sufficiently instructed — a sure sign they are ignorant. In the affair of Religion and salvation, even the most learned have always something more to learn. [Paraphrase the parable of the talents, (Matt. XXV. 14-30) l?y showi?ig that the more persons have Is the second means, public instruction, a divine institution? Is it a matter of consequence to neglect the explanation of the Cate- chism ? PRELIMINARY INSTRUCTION. f 23 the more they are expected to gain, a?id that if they do not improve their tale fit it will be taken away.] Those persons who imagine themselves to be suf- ficiently instructed may, perhaps, know their Prayers, the Articles of the Creed, the Commandments, the Sacra- ments. But is nothing more required of them? Do they know how to defend the articles of their belief? Are they " always ready to satisfy every one that asketh them a reason of that hope which is in them?" (i Peter iii. 15.) Do they know what particular actions are for- bidden by each Commandment ? and how to make the best use of the Sacraments ? Do they know how to escape the dangers of the world, the snares, delusions and temptations of the devil, the allurements of self-love, and of their passions ? Do they know the best means of becoming daily more and more perfect ? Until you know all these you are not so sufficiently instructed as to be at liberty to neglect the public instructions of your Pastor, unless distance, or some other great inconve- nience, excuse, you. For these public instructions are not for children only^ but for all. Persons will sometimes excuse themselves from attend- ing by saying they have no time. No time ! Why are they forbidden to work on Sundays and Hohdays? Why are they sent into this world? What is time given them for ? Is it really want of time, or want of zeal and diligence ? Could they not find time by a little forecast and contrivance ? And, after all, what employment is so important as learning how to save one's^soul? "What doth it profit a man if he gain the whole world and lose his own soul ? " (Matt. xvi. 26.) Be diHgent, therefore, and regular in attending, etc. 3. I will now say a few words, in conclusion, on the dispositions necessary for profiting by instructions. You should ask God to enlighten your mind to understand, and to dispose your heart to receive and practice what Are they sufficiently instructed who merely know their Prayers ? Poes the plea of having no time hold good ? 24 END OF MAN, ETC. you are about to hear. (Acts xvi. 4.) " Our words, when "we instruct (says St. Augustine), are Hke the labors of a gardener when he cultivates, they cannot produce any fruit unless God give it." For it is " God that giveth the increase." (i Cor. iii. 7.) To God, then, we must apply; the Pastor before he instructs, the people before they hear; the Pastor, also, after he has instructed, should ask a blessing on what he has said, the people on what they have heard. During the time of instruction you should, of course, be very attentive; when you hear anything which is particularly applicable to yourselves, you should try to remember it, and should resolve there and then to put it in practice. For the chief end of instruction is to know what to practice and how to practice it. In order to be " blessed," you must not only ''hear the word of God," but you must also ''keep it^ (Luke xi. 28.) " My word shall not return to me void'' (Isaiah Iv. 11.) What are the dispositions necessary to profit by Religious In- struction ? EXPLANATION OF THE INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER OF THE CATECHISM. Instruction I. On the Existence of God, the End of our Creation^ the Immortality of the Soul^ a?id Free-will, Who made you ? — God. Why did God make you? — To know him, love him, and serve him in this world, and to be happy with him forever in the next. To zvhose likeness did God make you ? — God made me to his own image and likeness. Is this likeness in your body or in your soul?—\xi my soul. In ivhat is your soul like to God P — In this, that my soul is a spirit, has understanding and free-will, and is immortal. END OF MAN, ETC. 25 What do yoii mean when you say your soul is immortal? — I mean that my soul can never die. In what else is your soul like to God? — In this, that as in one God there are three persons, so in my one soul there are three powers. Which are these three powers? — My will, my memory, and my understanding. I. The Catechism very properly commences by point- ing out the existence of a God as our Creator^ and that we are bound, as his creatures^ to know, love, and serve him. How do you know that there is a God ? 1. The very fact of our own existence proves it; for, if we ask ourselves this question : *^ Who made me ? ^' we can find no reasonable answer except this, "^ self-existent Beingr Again, if we ask the different things around us, their answer must be the same. From this self-existence of God all his other perfections flow. 2. The magnificence and harmony of the creation prove it; all nature proclaims the existence of a God. 3. There is another proof which comes more home : conscience proves there is a God, that there is an all- seeing witness . . . For, whence come that pleasure which we experience after performing good works ? con- solation in patient suftering ? confidence in death ? Whence that remorse after secret crimes ? terrors at death? etc., etc. Hence, there cannot be a real Atheist. II. K?iowing, then, that there is a God (and we are bound to know this, for God made us to know him), we must, as a necessary consequence of this knowledge, love and serve him. For, why did God make you ? St. Paul teaches us that we cannot " come to God," or be eternally happy with him, " without believing that he is, and that he is a re warder of them that seek him." (Heb. xi. 6.) But if we content ourselves with knowing and believing only, we fall short, etc. For God com- mands us to love him also, and to love him above all things, i. e., with a love o{ prefere7ice : "For he that How do you know there is a God from Creation? How from Conscience ? Must we love and serve Ood ? 26 END OF MAN, ETC. loveth father or mother more than me, is not worthy of me." (Matt. x. 37.) [Example of Abrahain in being ready to sacrifice his only son (Gen. xxii.), a7id also of the Apostles^ in being able to say : *^ Who shall separate us from the love of Christ ? shall tribulation ? or perse- cution ? or the sword ? . . . I am sure that neither hfe, nor death, . . nor things present, nor things to come, . . nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Rom. vii. 35, 2)^^ 39.) Every one of us should be able to say the same.) How are you to show that you love God? By faithfully serving him : " If you love me, keep my commandments." (John xiv. 15.) Like the Martyrs, we must be ready to suffer all, to sacrifice all, rather than disobey, etc. This knowing, loving and serving God is the way by which we are to arrive at the great end for which we were created — the enjoyment of God in a happy eter- nity. For, Why did God make you ? — To know him, love him, and serve him in this world, and TO BE happy with him lorever in the next. The happiness provided for us in the next hfe cannot be conceived, much less described; it consists in the beatific vision. [Example: How enraptured with defight the three Apostles were when they beheld our blessed Lord transfigured before them!) (Matt. xvii. 1-9.) The happiness of heaven is to be given to us as a reward; we are placed here a short time in a state of trial to merit it. Therefore, be diligent in loving and serving God, and he will be liberal in rewarding you — he will make you happy with himself in heaven, because that is the end for which he created you. in. To whose likeness did God make you? — God made me to his own image and likeness. Is this likeness in your body or in your soul? — In my soul. After having created heaven and earth, God held a In what does future happiness conyst? END OF MAN, ETC. 27 council within himself, " and he said : Let us make man to our own image and likeness . . and God created man to his own image." (Gen. i. 26, 27.) The whole business of our life consists in laboring to perfect this image of God in our soul. In making man, God formed his body " of the slime of the earth, and breathed into his face the breath of life, and man became a living soul (Gen. ii. 7),i. e., God gave him a soul which is spiritual and immortal^ like himself What do you mean when you say your soul is immortal? — I mean that my soul can never die. When the body dies, the soul does not. How do we know this ? We know it 1. From reason. The soul is a spirit, and reason shows that it is not the nature of a spirit to die, because, being a simple, imm.aterial substance, it contains in itself no principle of dissolution. 2. From the divine justice. For, being infinitely just, God will reward virtue and punish vice. Now, it very often happens that, during life, the wicked prosper, etc., . . while the good are afflicted, oppressed, persecuted unto death, etc. . . But if there were no future life, where would be the justice of God? This consideration made the Psalmist say : " Behold these are sinners, and yet abounding in the world they have obtained riches . . and / have been scourged all the day. ... I studied that I might know this thing; it is labor in my sight until I go into the sanctuary of God, and understand concerning their last ends.'' (Ps. Ixxi. 12-17.) 3. From divine Revelation (3 Kings xvii. 21, 22; Matt. xii. 32; Lk. xvi. 22-31; Lk. xxiii. 42, 43; i Pet. iii. 19, 20). " God created man incorruptible." (Wisd. ii. 23.) " The souls of the just are in the hand of God, and the torment of death shall not touch them. In the sight of the unwise they see7ned to die ; and their going How do we know that the soul is immortal from reason ? How from Divine Justice? How from Revelation ? 28 NECESSITY OF WORSHIPPING GOD. away from us was taken for utter destruction : but they are in peace; . . their hope is full of immortality." (Wisd. iii. 1-4.) IV. What is meant hy fi-ee-will ? It is that power or faculty of the soul by which we are enabled to choose either to do good or to do evil. Free-will is necessary in a state of trial, for without it there would be no merit. " Before man is life and death, good and evil; that which he shall choose shall be given him." (Eccli. xv. 18; Deut. xxx. 15, 19.) "God will render to every man according to his works." (Rom. ii. 6.) Instruction II. On the Folly of Negleciiftg Salvation; on Worshipping God by Faith^ Hope and Charity ; and on the Happi7iess of Attending to this Worship of God, Which must you take most care of^ your body or your soul? — Of my soul. Why so? — Because Christ has said: ** What doth it profit a man if he gain the whole world, and lose his own soul." What mtist you do to save your soul? — I must worship God by faith, hope and charity; that is, I must believe in him, hope in him, and love him with my whole heart. I. These words, " What doth it profit a man if he gain the whole world, and lose his own soul," (Matt, xvi. 26) . . . deserve our most serious attention, yet, alas, how few reflect, etc. . . To judge from the general con- duct of mankind, we might suppose that riches and earthly enjoyments are the sole objects of their pursuit. . . . Yet how litde do these things profit, etc. ? Example of Solomon : " He surpassed in riches all that were before him in Jerusalem; " and he said : " Whatso- ever my eyes desired, I refused them not ; and I with- held not my heart from enjoying every pleasure, and How do you prove the folly of neglecting salvation, from the words of our Lord ? How from the example of Solomon ? ' NECESSITY OF WORSHIPPING GOD. 29 delighting itself in the things which I had prepared. And when I turned myself to the labors wherein I had labored in vain, I saw in all things vanity and vexation of mind." (Eccles. ii. i-ii.) Example of the rich man who was summoned out of life in the very act of exulting in his wealth : Rejoicing in his abundance, he said : '^ Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years ; take thy rest ; eat, drink, and make good cheer. But God said to him: Thou fool! this night thy soul shall be required of thee; and whose shall those things be w^hich thou hast provided. So is he that layeth up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God." (Luke xii. 16-31.) Example of Dives and Lazarus : "There was a certain rich man, who was clothed in purple and fine linen, and feasted sumptuously every day. And there was a certain beggar, named Lazarus, who lay at his gate, full of sores, desinng to be filled with the crumbs that fell from the rich man's table, and no man did give him. And it came to pass that the beggar died, and was carried by angels into Abraham's bosom. And the rich man also died, and he w^as buried in hell. And hfting up his eyes when he was in torments, he saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried^ and said ; Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water to cool my tongue, for I am tormented in this flame. And Abraham said to him: Son, remember that thou didst receive good things in thy lifetime, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented." (Luke xvi. 19-31.) What a folly it is thus to condemn one's self to end- less misery for the sake of a few momentary enjoyments. What doth it profit a man to have gained the whole world, when his soul is lost ? lost irrecoverably ! How from that of the rich man ? How from that of Dives and Lazarus ? so NECESSITY OF WORSHIPPING GOD. II. What f?i7ist you do to save your soul? — I must worship God by faith, hope and charity ; that is, I must beUeve in him, hope in him, and love him with my whole heart. Faith, Hope, and Charity are virtues that relate im- mediately to God. They are not acquired^ but infused; we should pray for them, and make Acts of them, be- cause they are necessary for salvation. It is by these virtues (which include every other) that we must worship God. How do we worship God by Faith ? When we believe all he has revealed, because he is the very truth, and believe it whether we comprehend it or not ; we the7i give him homage of our reason — we pay homage to his eternal truth. How do we worship God by Hope ? When we serve him with full assurance of obtaining, etc., resting that assurance on the reflection that God is infinitely good^ merciful^ powerful and faithful; we then give him tho^ homage of our confidence — we pay homage to his goodness, power and promises. This perfect con- fidence is a. homage very pleasing to him. How do we worship God by Charity ? When we love him above all things, because he is infinitely deserving of our love; i. e., when we love him for his own sake, and, on this account, obey his will ; we then give him the homage of our heart, or affections — we pay homage to all his divine perfections, by which he is infinitely good in himself, and infinitely deserving of our love. This is the most pleasing homage we can pay him. III. To worship God, by exercising these three virtues; or, in other words, to worship him by leading a truly virtuous life, is a sure means of becoming happy, not only in heaven, but even in this life. There can be no true happiness without peace and contentment of mind ; now, earthly enjoyments and sinful gratifications can What is the siire means of being happy? NECESSITY OF WORSHIPPING GOD. 31 never produce this ; but they have a contrary effect : *' For the wicked are like a raging sea, which can never rest. . . . There is no peace for the wicked, saith the Lord God." (Is. Ivii. 20, 21.) It is /// the service of God only, that true peace or con- tentment of heart can be found ; because this is the gift of God — a gift which he promises to his servants : '' Peace I leave you, my peace I give unto you ; not as the world giveth, do I give unto you." (John xiv. 27.) Here is promised a peace far superior to the false peace of the world — even " the peace of God, which surpasseth all understanding" — (Phil. iv. 7) — "a joy which no man shall take from you." (John xvi. 22.) This is that hundredfold which God gives to those who, for his sake, renounce earthly attachments. (Mark x. 29, 30.) What greater happiness can there be than the testi- mony of di good conscience. ** For our glory is this, the tes- timony of our conscience." (2 Cor. i. 12.) This is a source of the greatest comfort, and draws down every grace and blessing: " If our heart reprehend us not, we have confidence toward God; and whatever v/e shall ask, we shall receive of him." (i John iii. 21.) It is this confidence tow^ard God that makes the vir- tuous man happy in life and happy in death : " The fear of the Lord shall delight the heart, and shall give joy and gladness, and length of days. With him that feareth the Lord it shall go well in the latter end ; and in the day of his death he shall be blessed." (Eccli. 1. 12, 13.) Enter, therefore, in good earnest, upon the practice of virtue ; serve God diligently, and with a willing heart, and your reward will be very great, not only in heaven, but even in this hfe. Does the service of God give true peace ? Does a good con- science give happiness ? ^ 82 RULE OF FAITH. Instruction III. The Rule of Faith. What is Faith ? — It is to believe, without doubting, whatever God teaches. Why must you believe whatever God teaches? — Because God is the very truth, and cannot deceive nor be deceived. How are you to htozv what the things are which God teaches? — By the testimony of the Cathohc Church, which God has appointed to teach all nations all those things which he has revealed. Faith, as applied to revealed truths, is a complete certainty — "it is the evidence of things that appearnot." Heb. xi. I.) To have Faith, therefore, is to h^ quite certain of the truths we profess ; for, if there be any doubt or misgiving, it is not Faiih^ but only, at most, a strong opinion. Divine Faith is distinguished from mere human belief by the authority on which it is grounded. That which makes Faith ^//z//;/^ is this — believing revealed truths because God^ who is truth itself, has declared them ; for what he has said must be true, whether we compre- hend it or not. But has God left us any certain means or rule whereby we can know with certainty what he has said or revealed ? He has : the catechism says we are to learn this from the Church — from that very Church which God has established and "appointed to teach all nations all those things which he has revealed." (Matt, xxviii. 19, 20.) As there is but " one Lord,'' so there can be but " one faith'' — (Eph. iv. 5) — but one true Church; for Christ could not teach contradictory doctrines. Now, it is by the belief and practice of what he did teach that we are to be saved : " He that believeth and is baptized, shall be saved ; but he that beheveth not, shall be condemned." (Mark xvi. 16.) Therefore, it is a matter of the greatest consequence to know those very doctrines which we are Does religious faith exclude doubt and opinion ? RULE OF FAITH, 33 thus required to believe; and all can know them, because we have sufficient means of coming to the knowledge of them. Indeed, as Christ requires us all to believe, under pam of eternal deaths it follows that he must have given us the means of coming to a certain knowledge of the truth ; since it would be inconsistent to require beliefs etc., without giving the means of coming to a certain knowledge. . . . Therefore, by following the means which he has given (i. e., by following the appointed Rule of FaitJi)^ we can come to know, with certainty, the true doctrines. The appointed Rule of Faith, to be sufficient to bring mankind to this certain knowledge, and, indeed, to be consistent with the wisdom and goodness of God, must be: I. Plain, or suited to the capacity of mankind generally. 2. Universal, or containing all the truths revealed. 3. Certain, both in itself and in its applica- tion to us. No Rule of Faith can be the true one unless it has these three qualities. What, then, is the Rule appointed by Christ ? Protestants say : *^ // is the Bible only — the v/ritten WORD is the entire rule of all.'" Cathohcs say: " Jt is the whole Word of God, both written and unwrtite7i ; and this as taught and explained by the Church : it is the teachi?igof the Church'^ To know which is the true Rule, we must see which has the necessary qualities : I. The Protestant Rule of taking the Scripture a lone ^ is not plain, nor suited to the capacity of mankind gen- erally. It is most ^;/j2///^^ to those who cannot lead; how many such were there, especially in the earlier ages? for there was no printing till more than 1,400 years after Christ. It is not suited to those who ca7i read, but have not judgment to understand, etc. . . . And how many are there who can not understand the sense of the Is a Rule of Faith, or the means of coming to a certain krowledge of truth, necessary? What must be its quahties? What is the Prot- estant Rule ? What is the C^itholic Rule ? Is the Protestant Rule plain ? 3 S4 - RULE OF FAITH. Scriptures ? That the number of such is vastly great, is evident from plain fact ; for we see that those who have not the Catholic Church to guide them, disagree, etc. The Scripture itself says, it is "hard to be understood," and '' wrested by the unlearned and unstable tg their own destruction." (Pet. iii. 15.) Therefore the Protest- ant Rule is not plain; but it is a most difficult and dan- gerous Rule. On the other hand, nothing could be more plain, more easy and more suited to the capacity of mankind gener- ally than the Catholic Rule. Those who cannot read can listen to instructions ; those who can read, but have not capacity to judge of the sense, can understand what they are to believe, when it is expounded to them. This Rule is in accordance with the words of Christ: "Go and feac/i all nations ; . . . teachiiig them to observe all things, whatsoever I have commanded you." (Matt, xxviii. 19.) 2 . The Protestant Rule of taking the Scripture alo7ie is not a tmiversal Rule— it does not contain all revealed truths. For, first, it com.mands not the first, but the sev- enth day of the week, to be kept holy (Gen. ii. 2, 3; Exod. XX. 8 — 11); secondly, it forbids the eating of blood, etc. (Acts xv. 28, 29); thirdly, the authenticity, integrity, truth, and inspiration of Scripture, are the very foundations of the Protestant Rule — the faith of the Protestants rests entirely upon these facts ; and yet they cannot be learned from Scripture alone. Therefore, Scripture alone is not a universal Rule. The Catholic Rule, on the contrary, teaches the whole word of God. Christ taught his Apostles all the truths of his Religion ; they taught their disciples ; and thus the Religion of Christ has been handed down from gen- eration to generation, according to that commission which he gave to his Apostles, saying: " Go and teach all nations; . . . teaching them to observe all things, Is the Cathoh'c rule plain? Is the Protestant rule universal? Is the Catholic Kule universal ? RULE OF FAITH. 85 whatsoever I have commanded you ; and behold I am with you all days, even to the end of the world." (Matt, xxviii. 19, 20.) It is by this means alone that we can know the lawfulness of keeping the Sunday holy, instead of the Saturday ; and of eating blood ; the in- spiration of Scripture, etc. 3. The Protestant Rule of taking the Scripture a lone ^ is not a certaifi Rule. The true se7ise is, as far as it goes ; but, first, " the unlearned wrest it to their own destruc- tion" (2 Pet. iii. 16); secondly, the most learned disa- gree about the sense of it; thirdly, even the same per- sons alter their opinions ; being '' carried to and fro by every wind of doctrine" (Eph. iv. 14); fourthly, the whole Catholic Church is against their interpretation ! What security, then, can they have in their E.ule ? For, in its application, it is attended with nothing but difficulty, uncertainty and doubt. But, on the other hand, the Rule of the Catholic Church is completely secure — it is perfectly certai7i: and it is in this certainty that the beauty and excellency of the Catholic Rule chiefly consists. That it is certain is clear: First^ from the very nature of the Rule itself; not consisting in the private opinions of a few, etc., but in the authoritative decision of multitudes of every age and of every nation ; differmg, indeed, in all other things, but all agreeing in the Articles of their Faith. What but an overruling Providence, etc. . . . ? Among Protest- ants scarcely can two persons agree in their belief, which shows the uncertainty of their Rule. Secondly^ from the method observed in delivering the truths, etc., for the Pastors of the Catholic Church deliver the truths - which they teach, not as their own private opinions, but as received from their forefathers. Thus, the Apostles taught what they had received from Christ; the second generation what they had received from the Apostles, and so on. Thus was handed down, and is still Is the Protestant Rule certain ? Ts the Catholic Rule certain ? Prove it from the nature of the Rule. Prove it from the method. i^6 PROOFS OF INFALLIBILITY. handed down, ^' the faith once deUvered to the saints." (Jude3.) Thirdly^ and above all, from the sacred character of INFALLIBILITY promised (and therefore given) by Christ to his Church. For, if the Church is secured, by the express promises of Christ, from ever teaching anything but truths then the teaching of the Church is a certain and secure Rule of Faith. And the proofs that it is so secured I will bring forward and explain in the next instruction. Instruction IV. The Proofs of Lifallibility , What is Faith ? — It is to believe, without doubting, whatever God teaches. Why must yo2{r believe whatez'er God teaches F — Because God is the very truth, aiid cannot deceive, nor be deceived. Hcnv are y 071 to know what the things are which God teaches? — By the testimony of the Cathohc Church, which God has apppointed to leach all nations, all those things which he has revealed. In the last instruction I explained how there can be but one true Church — but one Faith ; how Christ has left sure means of coming to the certain knowledge of this one Faith ; how that means is the Rule of Faith which all must follow, and how this Rule must be plain, etc. I showed that these qualities belong, not to the Protestant, but to the Catholic Rule ; and that what especially ren- ders the Catholic Rule certain and secure., is the sacred character of \^y klia'&ylyyx promised (and therefore ^T'd*;/) by Christ to his Church. I will now show' you what those promises are : I. I will first quote a passage of the Old Testament, where God says: ^- There shall come a Redeemer to Sion. . . . This is my covenant with them, saith the Prove it from the character of Infallibility. Is InfalHbility prom- jsed in the Old Testament •* PROOFS OF INFALLIBILITY. 37 Lord: my Spirit that is in thee, and my words that I have put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed's seed, saith the Lord, from henceforth and forever." (Is. lix. 20, 21.) Here are promised two things: first, that the Spirit of God (i. e., the Spirit of Truth) shall never depart from the Church; and, sec- ondly, that the Words of God (i. e., the words of Truth) shall never depart from the mouth (i. e., from the teaching part) of the Church. And the promise of these two things is to continue in force through all future genera- tions, "from henceforth and forever, saith the Lord." 2. When the " Redeemer did come to Sion " to estab- lish the Christian Religion, he confirmed and renewed the promise of these two things : " I will ask the Father and he shall give you another Paraclete, that he may abide with you forever: the Spirit of Truth, whom the world cannot receive .... but he shall ab^ide with you, and shall be in you." (John xiv. 16, 17.) ^" But the Paraclete, the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things, and bring all things to your mind, whatsoever I shall have said to you." (John xiv. 26.) For, ''when he, the Spirit of Truth, is come, he will teach you all truth '^ (John xvi. 13.! Here is promised, in the first place, the perpetual PRESENCE of the Spirit of Truth. And this promise began to be accomplished on the day of Pentecost, when " they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they began to speak with divers tongues, according as the Holy Ghost gave them to speak." (, Acts ii. 4.) And here are promised also, in the second place, the words of truth, or \h^ perpetual teaching of the Spirit of Truth : '' He will teach you all things " — " all truth." And this part of the promise bega7i likewise to have its fulfilment at Pentecost : '' They began to speak . . . according as the Holy Ghost gave them to speak." Besides, Christ says to the Father : " The words which thou gavest to 7?ie, I Is it confirmed in the New Testament what is here promised? What is here promised in the first place? What in the second? 38 PROOFS OF INFALLIBILITY. have give?i to them." (John xvii. 8.) The words of truth here ghen to the Apostles were evidently to remain in them, and in their successors, till the end of time ; for Christ commissions them to teach his truths to all nations, //// the end of the world ; promising, at the same time, that he himself will be perpetually with them in that teaching: "Go and teach all nations; . . . teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you : and behold J a?n with you all days, eve?i to the end of the worlds (Matt, xxviii. 19, 20.) 3. Christ promises infallibility to his Church still more explicitly, in these w^ords : " I say to thee, that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my temple, and the gates of hell shall 710 1 prevail against it." (Matt, xvi. 18.) The meaning of this promise is evident from another passage : " Every one that heareth these my words, and doth them, shall be likened to a wise ma7i that built his house upon a rock ; and the rain fell and the floods came, and the winds blew, and they beat upon that house, and it fell 7iot, for it was founded uj>07i a 7'ock, And every one that heareth these my words, and doth them not, shall be like a foolish man, that built his house upon the sand; and the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and they beat upon that house, and it fell'' (Matt. vii. 24 to 27.) Therefore by building his Church upoTi a rock, Christ evidently meant building it so that it should 7iever fall. And hence St. Paul gives the Church this glorious title: "The Church of the living God, which is the pillar and ground of the truth." (i Tim. iii. 15.) I have now explained the Rule of Faith ; and have proved that the teaching of the Catholic Church has all those qualities which a Rule of Faith must necessarily have. And that it is the true and appointed rule which all must follow, is still further confirmed by Scripture : I. The Apostles were commissioned to preach and teach ; not to write. Were the Apostles commissioned to preach or to write ? Prove the promise from the words addressed to Peter. PROOFS OF INFALLIBILITY. S9 2. The world was converted, not by the distributing or the reading of the Bible ^ but by preachings as i^ related in Scripture, especially in the Acts of the Apostles. So likewise, in aftertinies, the Church has been continued and extended by ieaclwig^ as ecclesiastical history clearly shows. 3. Scripture itself directs us to the teaching of the Pastors of the Church, and not to the learning of our faith from the Bible alone: " No prophecy of Scripture is of private interpretation." (2 Pet. i. 20.) " He that heareth you, heareth me." (Luke x. 16.) "If he will not hear the Church, let him be to thee as the heathen and the publican." (Matt, xviii. 17.) "Remember your prelates, who have spoken the word of God to you; u hose faith follow.'''' (Heb. xiii. 7. 17.) 4. The Pastors of the Church have been appointed and commissioned for the purpose of teaching, directing and guiding the people : " For the lips of the Priest shall keep knowledge, and they shall seek the law at his mouth ; because he is the Angel of the Lord of Hosts." (Mai. ii. 7.) "And he gave some Apostles, and some Pastors, and some Doctors; for the perfecting of the Saints, for the w^ork of the Ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ ; until we all meet into the unity of faith ; . . that henceforth we be no more children tossed to and fro, and carried about wdth every wind of doc- trine." (Eph. iv. 11-14.) From all these clear and positive and repeated decla- rations of God, it is evident that the teaching of the Church is the true, appointed, and secure Rule of Faith, and is the one which Scripture points out to us. How was the world converted ? Does Scripture direct us to the teaching of the Church or the Bible alone ? For what were the Pastors appointed ? What do you conclude from this ? 40 TRADITION. Instruction V. On Tradition, What is Faith? — It is to believe, without doubting, whatever God teaches. Why must you believe whatever God teaches? — Because God is the very truth, and cannot deceive nor be deceived. How are you to know what the things are which God teaches ? — By the testimony of the Cathohc Church, which God has appointed to teach all nations all those things which he has revealed. In tlie last two Instructions I have explained the Rule of Faith^ and shown that the teaching of the Church is the true Rule; i. e., the entire Word of God, as taught and explained by the Church, is the Rule of Faith appointed by Christ. The Word of God consists of all those truths which he has 7'evealed to ?7ian, w^hether written in Scripture or not. What the Apostles taught by wTiting, is Scripture; what they taught without writing, is called Tradition, What, then, is Tradition ? Tradition is the hajiding down of revealed truths not contained, or not clearly contained, in Scripture, Do not the Scriptures, then, contain a// thai Christ taught? No. After his last supper, Christ said : " I have yet many things to say unto you, but you cannot bear them now. But when he the Spirit of Truth is come, he will teach you all truth. For he shall not speak of himself, because he shall receive of mine, and shall show it to you." (John xvi. 12-14.) Here we see that many things were to be taught by the Holy Ghost, after his coming on the day of Pentecost. It is related of Christ, that, after his resurrection, he taught many things concerning the king- dom of God, i. e., the kingdom of his Church t "To whom (i. e., to the Apostles) Christ showed himself alive, after his passion, by many proofs, for forty days appearing to them, and speaking of the kingdom of God." (Acts i. 3.) Now, where is all this written? St. Of what does the Word of God consist ? Prove the existence of Tradition. TRADITION. 41 John concludes his Gospel thus : " But there are also many other things which Jesus did, which, if they were all written, every one, the world itself, I think, would not be able to contain the books that should be written." (John xxi. 25.) Therefore, all is not written in Scrip- ture. Indeed, Protestants themselves believe many tra- ditionary doctrines; as, for example, the lawfulness of keeping holy the Sunday instead of Saturday, of eating blood and things strangled, of infant baptism, the inspi- ration and canon of the Scriptures, etc. What is the principle of Tradition ? It is this: An invariable rule, that every generation adhere firmly to the doctrines received from the preced- ing, and carefully commit the very same doctrines to the succeeding generation. The Apostles established this principle, and also efficacious means to preserve it. Thus they commanded the Fastors whom they ordained, and the faithful at large, to preserve and hand down the doctrines committed to them : " O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding the profane novelties of words." (i Tim. vi. 20.) "Hold the form of sound words which thou hast heard of me in faith. . . Keep the good things committed to thy trust by the Holy Ghost who dwelleth in us." (2 Tim. i. 13, 14.) . . . " Continue thou in those things which thou hast learned, and which have been committed to thee, knowing of whom thou hast learned them." (2 Tim. iii. 14.) What strict commands to preserve^ etc. ! He also commmands that the doctrines be handed down ^ and that means be take?t for their being still further handed down to succeeding generations. "And the things which thou hast heard of me by many witnesses, THE SAME commend to faithful men who shall be fit to teach others also." (2 Tim. ii. 2.) So far the Apostle's instructions lay an obligation upon Pastors of adhering to, and of handing down, the' doc- Did the Apostles impose the duty of Tradition, or handing down of doctrine, to succeeding generations ? 43 TRADITIOxX. trines committed to them; but the same obligation of adhering to the doctrines delivered he also lays upon the faithful at large: '' Therefore, brethren, stand last; and hold the traditions which you have learned, whether by word ox by our Epistle.'^ (2 Thess. ii. 14.) St. Jude tells us, he wrote his Epistle purposely to enforce this duty on the faithful: ^' I was under a necessity to write to you, to beseech you to contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints." (Jude 3.) Not content with these strict and positive commands, the Apostles were very earnest, moreover, in warning the faithful against all neTi^ doctri?ies and the teachers of them : " Be not led away with various and st/a/ige doc- trines." (Heb. xiii. 9. ) " Avoid the profane novelties of words." (i Tim. vi. 20.) "Now, I beseech you, breth- ren, to m.ark them who cause dissensions, . . contrary to the doctrines you have learned; and to avoid them.^^ (Rom. xvi. 17.) ''A man that is a heretic^ after the first and second admonition, avoid ; knowing that he, that is such a one, is subverted, and sinneth, being condemned by his own judgment." (Tit. iii. 10.) And St. Paul goes so far as '-^ to pronounce anathefjia against any one, even an angel from heaven, who should attempt to teach any other Gospel, except that which he had taught." (Gal. i. 8, 9.) 'T'n^ principle of Tradition could not be laid down 7nore clearly^ or ?nore stro^igly, than in the texts which I have quoted. From these texts, then, it is evident that the rule of traditionary teaching was established by the Apostles, as a means of preserving and handing down the deposit of faith. But has the Church always adhered to this rule ? Yes; for, ist. Scripture, in the above texts, proves this fact, for the x\postolic age; 2d. The writings of the Fathers, and the Acts and Professions of Councils, for the succeeding ages {See Wiseman's Lectures on the Doctrines and Practices of the Catholic Church, VoL I, Did they forbid new doctrines and the teachers of them ? TRADITION. 43 Led. 5,/. 1 ^o-i ^"j, Jirsf ediHo7i)] 3d, The Church uni- versally teaches and acts upon it, in the present age. No trace can be found of there ever having been any change on the point ; indeed, it is by this rule, by this Apostolic principle, that the Church has always con- demned new doctrines. But has the Church never altered or corrupted the Apostolic Traditions ? No ; for, first, the writings of the Fathers show that the Church has ahuays been the same as at the present time; secondly, because the very principle of the Church has always been, and is now, never to alter, add to, or take from, the body of doctrines received; but always " to contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the Saints" (Jude3); thirdly, because it is the universal character of the Catholic Church, that she has been always utterly averse to novelties; always solicitous in detecting, and firm in condemning, all new doctrines. Her enemies have even made it a charge against her, that she cannot alter. " There is no hope or possibility of reforming her," they say, '^because she (T^;/;/^/ change;" fourthly, because such vast multitudes and so many na- tions are concerned; fifthly, because she is secured by the promised assistance of Christ: " I am with you all days, even to the end of the world " (Matt, xxviii. 20) ; and- also by the promised assistance of the Holy Spirit: " But the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things, and bring all things to your mind, whatsoever I shall have said to you." (John xiv. 26.) Hence, when difficulties or disputes about doctrine arise, which call for the decision of the Church, she assembles her chief Pastors or Bishops in Council ; has recourse to revelation, both written and unwritten; and, having carefully and diligently examined, she then de- cides by virtue of her divinely-authorized commission : " Go ye and teach all nations," etc. (Matt, xxviii 19, How does the Church act when disputes arise ? 44 FIRST ARTICLE— I. 20.) *' The Holy Ghost hath appointed you Bishops to rule the Church of God." (Acts xx. 28.) Now, in this decision, by virtue of the express promises of Christ, the Church is divinely assisted. Thus, in the first Council held at Jerusalem, the Apostles began their decision in these words : ^' It hath seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us," etc. (Acts xv. 28.) Hence, how perfectly secure are Catholics in relying on the authoritative teach- ing of the Church ! Nothing can be more secure ; for God has pledged his word for it ; and though " heaven and earth may pass away," he declares that " his word shall not pass away." (Mark xiii. 31.) *' God is not as man, that he should lie ; nor as the son of man, that he should be changed. Hath he said, then, and will he not do? hath he spoken, and will he not fulfil?" (Matt, xxiii. 19.) EXPLANATION OF THE APOSTLES^ CREED. Instruction VI. FIRST ARTICLE OF THE CREED. On the Apostles' Creed^ a?id on the Attributes of God, What are the chief things which God teaches ? — They are con- tained in the Apostles' Creed. What is the first article of the Apostles'* Creed? — I believe in God the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth. What is God? — God is a Spirit ; the Creator and Sovereign Lord of all things. Why is he called Ahnighty? — Because he can do all things what- ever he pleases, and nothing is impossible or difficult to him. Why is he called Creator of heaven and earth? — Because he made heaven and earth, and all things out of nothing, by his only word. Had God any beginning? — No; he always was, is, and always will be. Where is God?— God is everywhere. FIRST ARiTCLE— I. 45 Does God know and see all tkijtgs? — Yes; God does know and see all things. Has God any body? — No; God has no body; he is a pure Spirit. I. The Apostles' Creed contains the leading Articles of Faith. It is divided into three principal parts, and is again subdivided into twelve articles. Before* the Apostles separated to " go into the whole world and preach the gospel to every creature" (Mark xvi. 15), they composed this creed, that it might be some means of enabling all the faithful to think and speak the same things. Tertullian, in the second age, calls it: " A rule of faith descending from the tradition of the Apostles." It is short, that every one may be able to learn it; and it is very comprehensive ; therefore we should say it with reflection. II. What is thefii'si article of the Apostles'* Creed? — I believe in God the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth. By these words, ''I believe^' is meant (not ///^/;^/& — > I suppose — lam of opi?iio7i,\yvX) I hold for certain — with full conviction — v>^ithout the least doubt or misgiving. And this certainty rests on a divine authority, viz., on the authority of God's word, as proposed to us by his Church ; it rests, therefore, on an infallible authority. What is God? — God is a spirit ; the Creator and Sovereign Lord of all things. What is a Spirit? It is an active, intellectual, immaterial being. God is an infinitely perfect spirit. What is meant when we say : God is infinitely pet feet ? We mean that God possesses in himself ail perfections without limitation. Can you name some of God's Perfections or Attributes ? Yes; God is omnipresent — infinitely wise, holy, just and powerful; infinitely good, merciful and true; in- How is the Creed divided? When and by whom composed? What is meant by the words " 1 believe? " 46 FIRST ARTICLE— I. finitely amiable, incomprehensible, eternal and unchange- able. We should frequently think on these divine perfections ; for such reflection will lead us to fear God ; and will thus be a check to vice; it will also excite us to love and serv^ God ; and will thus be an inducement to virtue. Indeed, what greater check, etc., than to consider that, 1. God is everyzvkere/ He is always present, wherever we are : " For in him we live and move and be." (Acts xvii. 28.) " Whither shall I go from thy spirit ? or whither shall I flee from thy face ? If I ascend into heaven, thou art there; if I descend into hell, thou art present. If I take my wings early in the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there also shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me." (Ps. cxxxviii. 7-12.) Then does God know and see all things ? — Yes ; God does know and see all things ; because, 2. God is i?ifinitely luise. He knows the past, the present and the future, even our secret thoughts and in- tentions : " For the eyes of the Lord are far brighter than the sun, beholding round about all the ways of men, . . . and looking into the hearts of men, into the most hidden parts. For he beholdeth all things." (Eccli. xxiii. 28, 29.) '^ The works of all flesh are be- fore him, and there is nothing hidden from his eyes ; he seeth from eternity to eternity." (Eccli. xxxix. 24, 25.) And as, 3. God is infinitely holy^ so he loves virtue wherever he sees it, and cannot endure iniquity : "• Thy eyes are too pure to behold evil." (Hab. i. 13 ) "The way of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord." (Prov. xv. 9-26.) With reason, therefore, does the Wise Man say : ''To God the wicked and his v\dckedness are hateful alike." (Wisd xiv. 9.) Shonld we frequently think on the divine perfections ? Is God everywhere? Is God infinite'y wij>t ? Infinitely holy ? FIRST ARTICLE— I. 47 Not only does God see and hate our iniquities, but he will also pipiish them, if we die in the guilt of them ; because, 4. God is vijiiiitely just. He will execute strict and impartial justice upon all mankind without respect of persons. For ^' God will render to every man accord- ing to his w^orks ; to them, indeed, who seek glory, and honor, and incorruption, eternal life ; but to them who are contentious and who obey not the truth, but give credit to iniquity, wrath and indignation ; tribulation and "anguish upon every soul of man that worketh evil, . . . but glory and honor and peace to every one that worketh good, . . . for there is no respect of persons with God." t^Rom. ii. 5-11; I Cor. ii. 9.) God then knows all our w^ays ; his " eyes benold both the good and the evil " ( Prov. xv. 3 ; and he will deal with us according to strict justice. The rewards of vir- tue will be "exceedingly great," (Matt. v. 11, 12.) and the punishments of sin will be most terrible ; because, 5. God is infinitely Powerful: he is able to reward most abundantly, and to execute his vengeance with inconceivable severity : " All things are in his power, and there is none that can resist his will." (Esther xiii. 9. ) " Out of his mouth proceedeth a sharp two-edged sword, that with it he may strike the nations" (Apoc. xix. 15); for "He only is mighty — the King of kings, and Lord of lords." (i Tim. vi. 15.) Were we to consider these divine Attributes, were we to reflect seriously and frequently upon them, how afraid should we be of offending a God who is so terrible in his vengeance ! what a horror should we have of sin, and how careful should we be in avoiding it, if we thus con- sidered what " a fearful thing it is to fall into the hands of the living God ! " (Heb. x, 31.) Were these the only attributes of God we should have reason iiideed to fear But besides these, which are of such a terrifying nature, there are others which are cal- ls God infinitely just ? Is He infinitely powerful? 48 FIRST ARTICLE— II. culated to raise us to the highest degree of hope and confidence, and which we can never reflect upon with- out the greatest consolation. For God is ififinitely good a7id merciful, and true to his promises, etc. These (wherever man is concerned) are the dearest of his attri- butes : For " his tender mercies are above all his works." (Ps. cxliv. 9.) These I will explain in the next Instruc- tion. Instruction VII. FIRST ARTICLE — CONTINUED. The Attributes of God — Concluded. What is God? — God is a Spirit ; the Creator and Sovereign Lord of all things. Why is he called Almighty? — Because he can do all things what- ever he pleases, and nothing is impossible or difficult to him. Why IS he called Creator of heaven and earth ? — Because he made heaven and earth and all things out of nothing, by his only word. Had God any begmtting? — No ; he always was, is, and always will be. Whei'e is God? — God is everywhere. Does God know and see all things? — Yes ; God does know and see all things. Has God any body? — No ; God has no body ; he is a pure Spirit. In the last Instruction I explained some of the Attri- butes or Perfections of God — those which tend chiefly to excite our fears ; I showed that he is everywhere, and sees and knows all things; that he is ififnitely holy, and hates iniquity — infinitely fust — and will punish it ; and that, being infinitely powerful, he can and will punish impenitent sinners with inconceivable severity. "' Were these (I said) the only Attributes of God, we should have reason, indeed, to fear. But, besides these, which are of such a terrifying nature, there are others which are calculated to raise us to the highest degree of hope and confidence, and which we can never reflect upon FIRST ARTICLE— II. 49 without the greatest consolation. For God is ififinitely good, and merciful, and true; iiifiiiitely amiable, vico77ipre' hejisible, eternal, and imchaiigeable, 1. God is infinitely Good: His infinite goodness ap- pears in his great love for us : "I have loved thee with an evelasting love, taking pity on thee." (Jer. xxxi. 3.) " God so loved the world as to give his only begotten Son." (John iii. 16.) Happy in himself, in the posses- sion of his infinite Perfections, his goodness makes him desirous of communicating this happiness, etc. With this view, he created us ; with the same view, he is con- tinually heaping favors, etc. : " Thou openest thy hand, and fillest with blessing every living creature." (Ps. cxliv. 16 ) " What is there (he says) that I ought to do more to my vineyard, that I have not done to it? " (Is. v. 4.J And if we offend him, he is ready to pardon, because 2. God is infinitely Merciful: " His tender mercies are above all his works." (He a.ssures us, saying: "I desire not the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. The wickedness of the wicked shall not hurt him, in what day soever he shall turn from his wickedness." (Zech. xxxiii. 11, 12.) For "the Lord is gracious and merciful, patient and plenteous in mercy." And "his mercy endureth forever." (Ps. cxliv. 8; cv. I.) Even "when thou art angry, thou wilt remember mercy." (Hab. iii. 2.) For, " as a father hath compassion on his children, so hath the Lord compas- sion on them that fear hini." (Ps. cii. 13.) How consoling are these reflections! how cheering! How they serve to inspire confidence, to raise our hopes! And more especially when we go on to consider the immense promises of God in our favor, promises which are sure to be fulfilled on his part, because 3. God is infinitely True: He is truth itself: " God is not as man, that he should lie. . . . Hath he then said, and will he not do ? hath he spoken, and will he not fulfil?" (Numb, xxiii. 19.) Now, he has spoken great Is God infinitely good ? Is He infinitely merciful ? Is He infin- itely true? 4 50 FIRST ARTICLE— II. things in our favor : " He hath given us great and pre- cious promises" (2 Pet. i. 4); for, As to the present life, ist, In all our trials and tempta- tions, he promises us protection and victory: " God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above what you are able," etc. (i Cor. x. 13); 2d, If we un- happily fall, he promises us mejxy a?id pardon: "As I live, saith the Lord, I desire not the death of the wicked, but that the v/icked turn from his way and live." (Ezech. xxxiii. II.) "Take away the evil of your devices from my eyes ; cease to do perversely, learn to do well. . . And then come and accuse me, saith the Lord: If your sins be as scarlet, they shall be made as white as snow " (Is. i. 16-18) ; 3d, In our troubles and afflictions he promises us relief and consolation : " Come to me, all you that labor and are burdened, and I will refresh you." (Matt, xi. 28.) "To him that overcometh, I will give the hidden Manna" (Apoc. ii. 17); 4th, In all our wants, he promises to bestow upon us whatever is necessary, if only we will serve him : " Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his justice, and all these thi?igs shall be added unto you." "Ask, and it shall be given unto you." (Matt. vi. 2^2>y ^ii- 7-) And as to the next life, he promises to reward his faith- ful servants with eternal happiness : " Amen, I say to you, there is no man, who has left house, or lands, or kindred, for my sake, and for the Gospel, who shall not receive a hundred times as much, now in this time ; and in the world to come, life everlasting." (Mark x. 29.) Consider also the great and precious promises contained in the Eight Beatitudes. Now, as the Psalmist says : " God is faithful in all his words" (Ps. cxliv. 13); and he declares that, though " heaven and earth shall pass away, yet his word shall not pass away." (Mark xii. 31.) If, then, we love and serve him (and what powerful Has He spoken great things in our favor for the present hfe ? Has He for the next life ? FIRST ARTICLE— II. 51 motives), our reward is certain; and it is no less a reward than God himself (Gen. xv. i); a God infinitely good, and amiable, incomprehensible, eternal and unchange- able. 4. All that is amiable in creatures is but as a drop to an ocean when compared with the infinite Auiiability of God, He is so lovely and enchanting that all the Blessed, in beholding him, are enraptured with deHght ; to see God is their essential happiness. *' Oh, how great is the multitude of thy sweetness, O Lord, which thou hast hidden for them that fear thee." (Ps. xxx. 20.) " They shall be inebriated with the plenty of thy house ; and thou shalt make them drink of the torrent of thy pleasure; for with thee is the fountain of life." (Ps. xxxv. 9.) The greatness of this happiness cannot be con- ceived, because 5. God is Incomprehefisible : " Behold, God is great, exceeding our knowledge." (Job xxxvi. 26.) "Glorify him as much as ever you can, for he wdll yet far exceed ; . . . exalt him as much as you can, for he is above all praise." (Eccli. xliii. 32, 2,3-) With reason, then, does Christ encourage us in our trials and difficulties, by the prospect of this reward: "Be glad and rejoice, for your reward is very great, in heaven." (Matt. v. 12.) And this reward will last forever, because 6. God is Eier7ial and Unchafigeable: He is the " High and the Eminent, who inhabiteth eternity'^ (Is. Ivii. 15.) " Behold, I live for ever and ever," " and I change not." (Apoc. i. 18; Mai. iii. 6.) Such is the God whom we are commanded to serve. These are some of his Attributes or Perfections. And can we have a more powerful incitement to virtue than to consider them attentively ? I entreat you, therefore, to make them frequently the subject of your serious reflections. For such reflections cannot fail to have a powerful influence, etc. Is God infinitely Amiable? Is God Incomprehensible? Is He Eternal and Unchangeable? 52 FIRST ARTICLE— in. Instruction VIII. FIRST ARTICLE— CONTINUED. Oil the Work of Creation, What is the First Article of the Apostles^ Creed? — I believe in God the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth. What is God? — God is a Soirit; the Creator and Sovereign Lord of all things. Why is he called Almighty I-^^^^kzO^^x^^q he can do all things what- soever he pleases, and nothing is impossible or difficult to him. Why is he called Creator of heaven and earth? — Because he made heaven and earth and all things out of nothing, by his only word. The two last Instructions were on the divine Attri- butes or Perfections. It w^as there shown how an atten- tive consideration of them would influence us to " avoid evil and do good ; " how God's Justice, together with his Wisdom and Power. insDire a salutary fear; and how his Goodness and Mercy excite confidence and love. I have now to explain how he has exercised and iiia7iifested his Attributes in the great Work of Creation. In the next Instruction I shall have to explain how he still contijiues to exercise and manifest them in the watchful Providence^ by which he preserves, governs and directs all things for the good of his creatures, especially man. This will supply additional motives to love and serve him with gratitude and confidence. What means *' Curator /"' It means one who produces things out nothing. It is only God who can create. What is a creature ? It is that which is produced out of nothing. All beings except God are creatures. " In the beginning God created heaven and earth." (Gen. i. i.) 'S\ll things were made by him." (John i. 3.) He spoke^ and they were made; he comnianded^ and they were created." (Ps. cxlviii. 5.) Why did God create ? For his own greater honor and glory, and for the good FIRST ARTICLE— III. 53 of his creatures: "The Lord hath made all things for himself." (Prov. xvi. 4.) Why did he employ six days ? Because such was his will. He could as easily have done it all at once^ if such had been his will. ist day of Creation. — On this day God created heaven and earth, and the light; and divided the light from darkness. 2d day. — He made the firmament, and divided the waters that were under the firmament from those that were above the firmament. 3d day. — He collected the waters that were under the firmament, and caused the dry land to appear; and he made the earth bring forth green herbs and fruit trees. 4th day. — He made lights in the firmament of heaven — a greater light to rule the day, and a less light to rule the night and the stars. And he set them in the firma- ment of heaven, to serve for signs, and for seasons, and for days and years. 5th day. — He made the birds and fishes, and com- manded them to increase and multiply. 6th day. — He made the animals and reptiles, and, lastly, man and woman ; and he commanded these also to increase and multiply. ( Gen. i. 1-3 1.) It was in the course of these six days that God created the Angels. (4th Council of Lateran.) The Scriptures do not say on which day the Angels were created, but they say : " In six days' the Lord made heaven and earth, and all things that are in the7?t.'' (Exod. xx. 11.) 7th day. — God rested on the seventh day, and he blessed it and sanctified it. What are the principal creatures which God made, or those in which he has most displayed his Attributes, and over which he exer- cises a more especial Providence ? Angels and Men. (These are the principal, because endowed with reason, understanding, etc.) What did Almighty God on the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh days ? 54 FIRST ARTICLE— III. What do you mean by Angels? Pure spirits who surround God's throne ; " his minis- ters who do his will." (Ps. cii. 21.) Their number is very great : "Thousands of thousands ministered to him, and ten thousand times a hundred thousand stood before him." (Dan. vii. 10.) They were created in a state oi grace and of happiness^ but yet in a state of trial, Lucifer, the brightest, and many others with him, fell by pride, were cast out of heaven, and changed into devils : " God spared not his angels that sinned." (2 Pet. ii. 4.) Those fallen angels tempt mankind: "Your adversary, the devil, as a roaring lion, goeth about seeking whom he may devour; whom resist ye, strong in faith." (i Pet. v. 8, 9.) The greater part of the Angels persevered in grace ; these wer^ im- mediately admitted to the beatific vision, and they were thereby secured in eternal happiness. They assist us, and pray for us; for " they are all ministering spirits, sent to minister for them who shall receive the inheritance of salvation." (Heb. i. 14.) They are appointed to be our Guardians : " The Angel of the Lord shall encamp round about them that fear him, and shall deliver them." (Ps. xxxiii. 8.) What is man? A being composed of a body and a soul ; endowed with reason, understanding, and free-will ; only " a little less than the Angels" (Ps. viii. 6; Heb. ii. 7); created to fill up the place of the fallen Angels in heaven. In making man, God formed his body of the earth, and created his soul out of nothing : "And the Lord God formed man of the slime of the earth, and he breathed into his face the breath of life, and man became a living soul. . . . Then the Lord God cast a deep sleep upon Adam, and he took one of his ribs arid he built it into a woman, and brought her to Adam." (Gen. ii. 7, 21, 22.) In what state were angels created ? What became of those that fell, and what are their relations to us ? What of those that perse- vered, and what are their relations to us ? Narrate the creation of man and woman. FIRST ARTICLE— III. 55 Our first Parents were created (like the Angels) in a state of innocence, grace, and happiness, and also in a state of trial. " And the Lord God put man into the Paradise of pleasure, to dress it, and to keep it." (Gen. ii. 15.) They were not subject to sickness or pains, and were never to have died, but they were to have remained in the Paradise of pleasure till they were translated to heaven. Did they continue in this happy state ? No ; they soon lost their innocence by transgressing the only precept which God had given them to try their obedience. For God had "commanded them, saying: Of every tree of Paradise thou shalt eat, but of. the tree of knowledge of good and evil thou shalt not eat, for in what day soever thou shalt eat of it, thou shalt die the death." (Gen. ii. 16, 17.) The devil tempted Eve. . . . *' And the serpent said to the woman: Why hath God commanded you that you should not eat of every tree of Paradise ? And the woman answered him, saying : Of the fruit of the trees that are in Paradise we do eat, but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of Para- dise, God hath commanded us that we should not eat, lest perhaps we die. And the serpent said to the woman : No ; you shall not die the death. For God doth know that in what day soever you shall eat thereof, your eyes shall be opened, and you shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. And the woman saw that the tree was good to eat, and fair to the eyes, and delightful to behold, and she took the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave it to her husband, who did eat." (Gen. iii. 1-6.) They then lost their innocence and happiness ; their understanding was darkened ; their reason blinded ; their inclinations became prone to evil ; they were doomed to labor, pains, sickness and death. For God said to the woman : " I will multiply thy sorrows and thy concep- tions; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children, and thou shalt be under thy husband's power." And to Adam he In what state were they created ? Tell how they fell. What was Eve's sentence ? 56 FIRST ARTICLE—IV. said: ^'Cursed is the eardi in thy work. In the sweat of thy brow shalt thou eat thy bread till thou return to the earth, out of which thou wast taken; for dust thou art, and uito dust tliou shalt return." (Gen. iii. 16-19.) In consequence of Adam's fall we are all born in sin. If we had been left to ourselves, we must have been all lost forever, because incapable of making atonement for our guilt. But the infinite goodness and mercy of God promised a Redeemer. Ikstruction IX. FIRST ARTICLE — CONTINUED. On the Providence of God, What is God? — God is a wSpirit ; the Creator and Sovereign Lord of all things. IVky is he called Almighty ? — Because he can do all things what- soever he pleases, and nothing is impossible or difficult to Inm. Why is he called Creator of heaveti and earth? — Because he made heaven and earth, and all things out of nothing, by his only word. I have shown how God has displayed his divine attributes, particularly his wisdom, power and goodness, in the great work of the Creation. I will now explain the Providence of God ; because it is a continued exer- cise of the same attributes for the preservation and good of his creatures, particularly man. For we cannot exist of ourselves, but we need God's continual preservation : " He upholds all things by the word of his power." (Heb.i.3.) What is meant by ''^the Providence of God? His eternal will, by which he preserves, governs and disposes all things. It consists chiefly in the exercise of three of his divine attributes, viz. : I. His wisdom^ by which he knows all his creatures. What was Adam's sentence ? WHiat was the consequence for them and us ? FIRST ARTICLE— IV. 57 their ends (which are always some good), the means of obtaining those ends, and the impediments which would prevent the obtaining of them. 2. His good?iess^ which inclines him to forward those ends by furnishing the proper means for that purpose, and by removing the impediments or obstacles. 3. His power ^ by w^hich he ca7i and does execute these beneficent designs in our favor, unless we prevent him by wickedness. The Scripture declares that " all things are in his power, and there is none that can resist his will" (Esther xiii. 9"); that "in his hands are both we and our works" (Wisd. vii. 16,, and that "his wisdom ordereth all things sweetly" (Wisd. viii. i); "Wherefore give not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin, and say not before the angel there is 710 providence^ lest God be angry at thy w^ords and destroy all the works of thy hands." (Eccles. v. 5.) Can we disappoint God's providence ? No; because we can neither deceive his wisdoin nor resist \i\^ power. "There is no wisdom, there is no pru- dence, there is no counsel against the Lord." (Prov. xxi. 30.) "All things are in his power, and there is none that can resist his wdll." (Esther xiii. 9.) Does any thing happen really by chance ? A thing is said to happen by chance when we see no cause why it should have happened, had no foresight that it would happen, nor any intention to cause it. Now, to us many things happen so; but to (9^^ nothing: for his providence rules and directs all things. Sin he fore- sees, and he suffers it to be committed by us because he has given us free will. If we avoid it, he will reward us; but if we commit it, he will punish us. Does Providence exert itself for cur good ? Yes ; and hence the Scriptures admonish us, saying : " Cast all your care upon him, for he hath care of you." In the exercise of what three divine attributes does Providence consist ? 58 FIRST ARTICLE— IV. (i Peter V. 7; Ps. liv. 23.) He exercises his goodness and providential care in three ways : 1 . J?t providing everything necessary for our good : "The eyes of all hope in thee, O Lord, and thou givest them meat in due season. Thou openest thy hand and fillest with blessing every living creature." (Ps. cxliv. 15, 16.) " Behold the birds of the air; for they neither sow, nor do they reap, nor gather into barns, and your heavenly Father feedeth them ; . . . how much more you, O ye of little faith ? Therefore be not solicitous, saying : What shall we eat, or what shall we drink, or wherewith shall we be clothed ? For your heavenly Father k?Joweth that you have need of all these things. Seek ye there- fore first the kingdom of God and his justice, and all these things shall be added unto you." (Matt. vi. 26-33.) 2. /;/ preserving and delivering us from evils, and in turning to our good such temporal evils as he permits for our trial : " There shall no evil come to thee ; for he hath given his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. In their hands they shall bear thee up, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone." (Ps. xc. 10, 11, 12.) " The Lord is the protector of my life, of whom shall I be afraid?" (Ps. xxvi. i.) Therefore, in all difficulties and temptations have recourse to him with confidence of deliverance or of support, 3. In ruling a?id ordering all things for the good of his servants : " In all thy ways think on God, and he will direct thy steps." (Prov. iii. 6.)' For "his wisdom ordereth all things sweetly." Hence, "to them that love God all things work together unto good." (Rom. viii. 28.) How is it, then, that there is so much sin and misery in the world ? As to sin^ God forbids it, gives us abundant help to avoid it, deters us from it by threats, and then leaves us to follow our free will ; he merely permits^ etc But as to human miseries — misfortunes, afflictions, persections — these God absolutely ordains for our good : " Good Which is the first way that God exercises his providential law? Which the second ? Which the third ? FIRST ARTICLE— IV. 59 things and evil, life and death, poverty and riches, are from God'^ (Eccl. xi. 14.) Even when the affliction comes to us immediately from the wickedness of men, it is equally the will of God as far as regards our suffer- ing and our good. Example of Joseph.- — Joseph said to his brethren: "Not by your counsel was I sent hither; but by the will of God; " "you thought evil against me, but God turned it into good." (Gen. xlv. 8 ; 1. 20.) Example of Christ: — He was crucified by the wicked- ness of the Jews; yet he suffered it as being ordained by his heavenly Father : " Father, if it be possible, let this chalice pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt." (Matt. xxvi. 39.) " Put »up thy sword into its scabbard; the cup ^^Ach my Father hath given me to drink, shall I not drink it ? " (John xvii. 11.) Therefore, consider men as merely executing, in your regard, what the providence of God ordains for your good; and receive it with patience, resignation, and even thanksgiving. " When men shall revile you and perse- cute you," etc., do not fret and show impatience, but "be glad and rejoice; because your reward is very great in heaven." (Matt. v. 12.) For it is God himself who sends the afflictions and persecutions y^^rj^'^/^r^^^^. For, He sends them in order to bring you to a sense of your duty — to teach you penance, patience and resigna- tion ; to purify your affections and wean them from the world ; to increase your merits, etc. It is for this reason that St. Paul says : " Whom the Lord loveth he chas- tiseth, and he scourgeth every son whom he receiveth." (Heb. xii. 6.) " For that which is at present momentary and light of our tribulation, worketh for us above measure, exceedingly, an eternal weight of glory." (2 Cor. iv, 17.) Receive your crosses, therefore, not only with patience and resignation, but also with thanksgiving, like holy Job, Give the example of Joseph, Give the example of Christ. How should we consider men and their acts in our regard ? What is the object of God in sending or permitting afflictions and persecutions ? 60 FIRST ARTICLE— V. when he said: **The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; as it hath pleased the Lord, so it is done; blessed be the name of the Lord." (Job i. 21.) • Think frequently on the providence of God — on the tender care and solicitude with which he provides for your welfare. Thank him for the blessings received, and pray for a continuance of them ; thank him even for his very chastisements as being the effects of his love ; throw yourselves on his providence, etc. f What conclusion should we draw from this instruction ? Instruction X. FIRST ARTICLE CONCLUDED — SECOND ARTICLE. On the trinity, and the Incarnation, How many Gods are the^'e ? — There is but one God. Are there not more Persons than one in God? — Yes ; in God there are three Persons. Which are they? — God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost. Are not these three Gods? — No; the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, are all but one and the same God. What is the Second Article of the Creed? — And in Jesus Christ his only Son, our Lord. Who is Jesus Christ? — He is God the Son, made man for us. Is Jesus Ch7'ist truly God? — Yes ; Jesus Christ is truly God. Why is Jesus Christ t7'uly God?- IJecause he has the self-same divine nature with God the Father, being equal to him in all per- fections. Was Jesus Christ always God? — Yes, Jesus Christ was always God: born of the Father from all eternity. Which Person of the Blessed Trinity is Jesus Christ? — He is the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity. Is Jesus Christ truly 7?ia/i ?—Ye9, ; Jesus Christ is truly man. Why is Jesus Christ truly man ? — Because he has the nature of man, having a body and a soul like ours. Was Jesus Christ always 7nan? — No; he has been man only from the time of his Incarnation. FIRST ARTICLE— V. 61 What do you mean by his Incarnation ? — I mean his assuming human nature, when he was conceived and made man in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary. How many natures, then, are there in Jesus Christ? — There are two natures in Jesus Christ — the nature of God and the nature of man. How many Persons are there in Jesus Chris tf — In Jesus Christ there is only one Person, which is the Person of God the Son. Why was God the Son ?7iade man f — To save us from sin and hell. The power, wisdom and goodness of God, as displayed in his works, give an exalted idea of his infinite great- ness : For " the heavens show forth the glory of God " (Ps. xviii. 2), and ''his work is praise and magnificence." (Ps. ex. 8 .) But his infinite perfections, considered in themselves, give a more exalted and more sublime idea of the great- ness of his infinite Majesty! It is in the Ytry possession of these attributes that his greatness essentially consists : " For the Almighty himself is above all his works." (Eccli. xliii. 30.) In each attribute he is infinite and in- comprehensible; but in none more so than in his mys- terious and incomprehensible ??iode of existence, which I will now explain : God exists one in essence, three in PERSONS : this is a mystery, expressed by the " Dnity and Trinity of God." And God the Son exists in o?ie divine PERSON with two NATURES, the same person (viz., the Person of God the Son) being both God and man. This mystery was accomplished by what is called the "Incar- nation of the Son of God," and is the greatest display of his love for man. These are the two greatest and most important truths in religion. I. What is meant by the Unity of God? That the divine nature or substance, or the Divinity, is but 07te, Reason teaches that there cannot be more than one divine nature; Revelation also teaches it: " Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord." (Deut. v. 4.) Do the Infinite perfections of God, considered in themselves, give an exalted idea of Him? Tell something of the mysterious mode of liis existence. 62 FIRST ARTICLE— V. What is meant by the Trinity of God ? That in the one divine nature there are three Persons. This truth may be shown from the Old Testament : ^''God said: Let us make man to our own image." *'Godsaid: Lo Adam is become as 7>^/ forever " ( Heb. V. 6); 2d, because St. Paul says, "Jesus Christ yester- day and to-day, he is the same forever '' (Heb. xiii. 8.; Why ivas God the Son made man ? — To save us from sin and hell. In order to save us, it v/as necessary he should be able to suffer; as God, he could not, hence he became man, and as such he was subject to human sufferings- hunger, fatigue, grief, temptations, pain, death — to all our infirmities except our sins, and these he undertook to cancel. What an excess of love ! How we should thank him for it ! how it should encourage us to have recourse to him, under all difficulties and temptations, with an entire confidence ! " For we have not a High Priest who cannot have compassion on our infirmities, but one tempted in all things like as we are, without sin. Let us go, therefore, with confidence to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace in sea- sonable aid." (Heb. iv. 15, 16.) To what did God the Son subject himself in becoming man? Should we, therefore, have recourse to him with confidence ? SECOND ARTICLE— II. 65 Instruction XI. SECOND ARTICLE— CONCLUDED. A short history of Religion^ from the first Promise of a Redeemer to its jFulfilment, Who is Jesus Christ ? — He is God the Son, made man for us. Why was God the Son made man ? — To save us from sin and hell. Man was created in innocence^ and for heaven. He fell by sin, and so lost both. Being unable of himself to make atonement, he had nothing before but the sad prospect of misery, both here and hereafter. Upon his repentance, God took compassion on him and promised him a Redeemer, but this promise was not fulfilled till after 4000 years, yet, in the meantime, it was frequently renewed. This promise raised, and its renewal, kept up in the ancient people a most longing desire for the com- ing of their Redeemer, and formed a great part of their religion. " Amen, I say to you, that many prophets and just men have desired to see the things that you see, and have not seen them." (Matt. xiii. 17.) "Abraham, your Father, rejoiced that he might see my day; he saw it and was glad." (John viii. 56.) I will now run through a short History of Religion, from the first promise of a Redeemer to its fulfilment. This promise was first made when God said: ''I will put enmities between thee and the wojnan, and thy seed afid HER seed; she shall crush thy head, and thou shall lie in wait for her heel'' (Gen. iii. 15.) Thus, the Redeemer was to be born of her posterity. Adam and Eve transgressed the diyine command, and were driven out of Paradise. Their first children were Cain and Abel ; Cain killed his brother Abel through envy ; Seth was born in the place of Abel ; Seth and his race were good; Cain and his race were bad; hence we see the consequences of the good or bad example of What did man lose by sin ? Did God have compassion on man ? Recite the first promise. Give a history of Religion from Adam to Noe and tiie Deluge. 5 66 SECOND ARTICLE— II. parents. The descendants of Seth intermarried with those of Cain, and thereby became corrupted. And ^' God seeing that the wickedness of men was great upon the earth, said, I will destroy man, whom I have created, from the face of the earth, ... for it repenteth me that I have made them. But Noe found grace before the Lord." (Gen. vi. 5, 7, 8.) This threat of the Almighty w^as executed by a universal deluge, but Noe and his family w^ere saved in the Ark, which God had com- manded him to make. \An710 Mimdi, 1656.] After the Deluge, ^' God blessed Noe and his sons," viz. : Shem, Cham, and Japhet; " and he said to them : Increase and multiply, and fill the earth." (Gen. ix. i.) Cham brought a curse upon himself by an act of dis- respect toward his father, and this curse descended to his posterity. The descendants of Noe, having multiphed after the flood, began to build the tower of Babel, etc. ; but God confounded their language. Men soon became wicked as before, and the knowledge of the true God was almost lost. To preserve at least so77ie knowledge of himself, God called Abraham^ of the race of Shem. i^Aimo Muudi, 2008.) And the promise of a Redeemer w^as renewed to him : •*/;/ thy seed all the 7iations of the earth shall be blessed^ (Gen. xxii. 18.) God conducted him into the land of Canaan, w^hich was the7i inhabited by the wicked race of Cham, but w^hich was now promised to Abra- ham, for it was to be taken from them in consequence of their crimes, but this promise was not fulfilled till after 400 years. God made a covenant with Abraham, and ordained circumcision to be a sign to that covenant. When Abraham and Sarah were almost a hundred years old, Isaac was promised them ; and when Isaac was grown up, God commanded Abraham to sacrifice him. (Gen. xxii. I, etc.) From the Deluge to the building of the tower of Babel ? Why did God call Abraham, and what promise did he make him ? What was the sign of the covenant with Abraham ? SECOND ARTICLE— II. 67 The promise of a Redeemer was renewed to Isaac : ^ "/ will be with thee, and I will bless thee; . . . and in thy seed shall all the fiations of the earth be blessed'' (Gen. xxvi. 3, 4.) Isaac had two sons, Jacob and Esau. Esau, the first-born, sold his birthright, and so lost his Father's blessing, which was conferred upon Jacob. Jacob had twelve sons — the twelve Patriarchs. Before the birth of Benjamin, Joseph, who was the eleventh, received marks of his Father's particular affection. For this his brothers envied him; sold him to the Ishmaelites; they to Potiphar, in Egypt, an officer of Pharaoh; Joseph was favored by his master; tempted by his mistress; cast unjustly into prison, etc.; made ruler of Egypt, in consequence of having foretold the seven years' famine. The brethren of Joseph go from* the land of Canaan to buy corn in Egypt; Joseph makes himself known to them, and sends for his father, Jacob, who, with his whole family, goes to dwell in Egypt. The Hebrews (i. e., the family of Jacob) multiply exceedingly and pros- per, but are oppressed after Joseph's death. Moses, of the tribe of Levi, was born in the year of the World 2433, and before Christ, 1571. At "the Mountain of God, Horeb," in the land of Madian, " God appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush, and he saw that the bus?, was on fire and was not burnt." (Exod. iii. 2.) God sent him to Pharaoh, to deliver the Hebrews from slavery. Pharaoh w^ould not release the people, for which God afflicted Egypt with ten plagues, viz.: i, he turned the waters into blood; 2, sent frogs; 3, gnats; 4, flies ; 5, death of cattle ; 6, ulcers in men and beasts ; 7, hail and fire; 8, locusts; 9, darkness; 10, death of the first born. (Exod. from chap, vii to xii.) By these plagues, Pharaoh was compelled to let the people go, and they departed out of Egypt with 600,000 fighting men. What was the promise made to Isaac? Whose son was Jacob? Whose birthright did he purchase ? Give the history of his family. When was Moses born ? Narrate his history. 68 SECOND ARTICLE— II. The Red Sea dividing, they passed through on dry land. They sojourned forty years in the Desert, during which period they received the Ten Commandments, adored the golden calf, were fed with manna from heaven, fre- quently rebelled against God, and were punished for their rebellion. By divine appointment, Aaron was made high priest, and the priesthood was to descend in his family. Contrary to this appointment. Core, Dathan, and Abiron assumed the office of the priesthood; for this crime both they and all those that attended their schismatical worship were swallowed down alive into hell by the "earth opening beneath their feet. All the Jewish sacrifices, ceremonies, festivals, etc., were figura- tive, having a reference to the promised Redeemer : " For there is no other name under heaven given to men whereby we must be saved." (Acts iv. 12.) Moses and Aaron both died without entering the promised land. Of all that left Egypt, only two (Josua and Caleb) en- tered it. Josua succeeded Moses as the leader of Israel. Under him the Israelites settled in the Land of Promise, after having conquered their way. After Josua, the people were governed by Judges, of whom there were fourteen during about 300 years. During this period they were frequently taken captive, in punishment of their sins, and, on their repentance, were delivered. Rejecting the government of Judges, the people 2£////have a king, and God, condescending to their wish, directs Samuel, the last of the Judges, to give them a king. Their first king was Saul, chosen for them by God himself, but he was afterwards rejected for his conduct, and God directed Samuel to anoint David in his place. David, being anointed king, slew Goliath, the cham- pion of the Philistines, in single combat ; having fallen into the two grievous crimes of adultery and murder, he was brought to sincere repentance by the admonition of Who was made High Priest ? Who usurped the priesthood, and what happened to them ? Who succeeded Moses? After Josua, by whom were the people governed ? Who was the first king of Israel ? SECOND ARTICLE— II. 69 the Prophet Nathan (2 Kings xii. 1-15); when David had sinned again, by numbering the people, through vanity, God punished him severely, but offered him his choice of three chastisements, viz. : either three years' famine, or to be vanquished in war during three months, or to have the sword of the Lord and pestilence in the land during three days. " And David said : It is better for me to fall into the hands of the Lord (for his mercies are many), than into the hands of men. So the Lord sent a pestilence* upon Israel, and there fell of Israel 70,000 men." (i Paral. xxi. 11-17.) David composed a number of Psalms, which breathe a spirit of devotion and penance, and in which he foretells Christ and his Passion. The promise of the Redeemer was renewed to him : ^''God hath sworn to him with an oath that of the fruit of his loins one should sit upoji his throned (Acts ii. 30; Ps. cxxxi. II.) Solomon, his son, who succeeded him, was the wisest of men, and his reign was happy and prosperous. He built the temple of Jerusalem, 1004 years before Christ. Toward the end of his life, Solomon fell from God by an inordinate love of women, and even became an idol- ater. In punishment of these crimes, God divided the kingdom after Solomon's death. For Roboam, his son, retained only the tribes of Juda and Benjamin, with that of Levi, and Jeroboam, his servant, was made king of the other ten tribes. Elias began to prophesy in the reign of the wicked king ' Achab, and was taken up into the heavens alive, about 89 s years before Christ. After this, there were more than 400 years of Prophets, during which Salma- nasar, king of Assyria, took the ten tribes (which formed the kingdom of Israel) captive to Nineve. [a. c. 721.] More than 100 years after this event, Nabuchodonozor, king of Babylon, took the Jews also (i. e., those who Give the history of David. What did he compose ? Give the history of Solomon. Why vv^as Israel divided ? When did Ehas begin to prophesy? W^hat became of him? How long did the prophetic period last ? When did the Assyrian captivity take place ? 70 SECOND ARTICLE— n. formed the kingdom of Juda) captive to Babylon, and destroyed the city and temple of Jerusalem. The Jews remained in the Babylonish captivity seventy years, during which period Daniel foretold the time of Christ's coming, saying: *' That from the going forth of the word to build tip J^erusaleni again^ unto Christ the Prince^ there shall be seven weeks ^ a?id sixty-two weeks; and after sixty- two weeks ^ Christ shall i?e slain.''^ (Dan. ix. 25, 26.) By each week in this prophecy is meant seven years. Cyrus, king of Persia (who had been foretold by Isaias 200 years before his birth), delivered the Jews from their captivity, 536 years before Christ. Soon after this (in the time of Malachi, the last of the Prophets) the temple of Jerusalem was rebuilt, and also the walls and the city, and the Jews lived in peace 300 years, at the end of which period a terrible persecution was raised against them. For Antiochus Epiphanus, king of Syria, ^' went up against Israel, and he went up to Jerusalem with a great multitude, and he proudly entered into the Sanctuary and he took away the golden altar; . . . and he took the silver and gold, and the precious vessels, and the hidden treasures which he found; . . . and \\t made a great slaughter of men, and spoke very proudly. And there was great mourning in Israel." (i Mac. i. 21, etc.) For Antiochus took Jerusalem, plundered and profaned the temple, forbade the exercise of the Jewish Religion, introduced idolatry in its place, and persecuted the peo- ple most furiously, putting all recusants to death. Dur- ing these persecutions of Antiochus, the Jews gave glorious examples of fidelity to the law of God. Eleazar, at the age of ninety, suffered death rather than eat swine's flesh, and seven brothers (called the seven Mach- ^ abees), with their mother, endured the most excruciating deaths for the same cause. (2 Mac. vi and vii.) The How long did the Babylonian captivity last ? Recite the prophecy of Daniel in regard to the coming of Christ. Who was the last prophet? By whom was Jerusalem sacked and the temple pro% faned ? Who were the Martvrs at this time ? THIRD ARTICLE. 71 Jews at length recovered Jerusalem and restored the exercise of their Rehgion, and they enjoyed peace till Jerusalem was again taken by the Romans under Pom- pey, A. c. 69; and 32 years afterward, Herod was de- clared by them king of Judea. The world now enjoyed universal peace ^\>>vX was buried in idolatry, crimes, and the grossest ignorance of Rehg- ion, and it was in this state of things that Christ was BORN. He came both to Redeem and to Teach : for he came ''to save his people from their sins" (Matt. i. 21), and also '' to enlighten them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death; to direct our feet in the way of peace." (Luke i. 79.) Instruction XIL THIRD ARTICLE. The Birth of Christy and his Life, to the Commencement of his Passio7t, What is the Third Article of the Creed? — Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary. How was Christ made man'? — He was conceived and made man by the power of the Holy Ghost in the womb of the Virgin Mary, without having any man for bis father. Where was otcr Savior born ? — In a stable at Bethlehem. Upon what day was he bo7n'? — Upon Christmas day. The First Article of the Creed has been explained by Instructions on what has been revealed concerning the nature of Almighty God; on the greatness of his divine Attributes, which constitute his infinite Perfection, and render him infinitely amiable and deserving of our love and service; on the manifestation of these attributes in the great work of the creation, particularly in the creation In what year did the Romans take Jerusalem ? In what state was the world when Christ was born ? 72 THIRD ARTICLE. of man; and on the infinite love by which God promised a Redeemer to man after his fall. The Second Article also has been explained by In- structions, showing who this promised Redeemer is; that is to say, on God the Son, who assumed the nature of man to save us from sin and hell. AVe come now to the Third Article ^ which contains the Fulfibne7it ot that promise in the birth of Christ. What is the lliird Article of the Creeds — Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary. Hoiv was Christ made man ? — He was conceived and made man by the power of the Holy Ghost in the womb of the Virgin Mary, without having any man for his father. Is, then, the Blessed Virgin the Mother of God') Yes ; for it cannot be denied that she who brings forth a perso7i is truly his mother, although she does not pro- duce his soul; and, therefore, in bringing forth Jesus Christ, w^ho is the Person of God the Son, the Blessed Virgin is truly his mother, although she did not produce his divinity; i. e., she is truly the Mother of Him who is the Person of God the Son : -^ The Holy One, who shall be borfi of thcc^ shall be called the So?t of God. . . . Whence is this to me, that the Mother of my Lord should come to me? " (Luke i. 35, 43.) I will now give a short account of the Birth of Christ ; and also of his Lifi up to the commencement of his Passion, as contained in the Gospel. I. The Prophet Isaias had long foretold that Christ should be born of a Virgin; " Behold a Virgin shall con- ceive and bear a Son, and his name shall be called Emmanuel " (Is. vii. 14), " which, being interpreted, is God with us." (Matt. i. 28.) St. Luke describes the manner in which this prophecy was accomplished : " The Angel Gabriel was sent from God into a city of Galilee called Nazareth to a Virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David, and the Virgin's name was Mary. And the Recite the prophecy of Isaias about the birth of Christ. How does St. Luke describe its accomphshment ? THIRD ARTICLE. 73 Angel being come in, said unto her : Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee : blessed art thou among women. Who, having heard, was troubled at his saying, and thought with herself what manner of salutation this should be. And the Angel said to her : Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found grace with God ; behold thou shalt conceive in thy womb and shalt bring forth a Son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus; he shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of David his father, and he shall reign in the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there shall be no end. And Mary said to the Angel: How shall this be done, because I know not man? And the Angel, answering, said to her: The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee and the power of the Most High shall overshadow thee; and therefore also the Holy One which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. . . . And Mary said : Behold the handmaid of the Lord ; be it done to me according to thy word. And the Angel departed from her." (Lukei. 26-38.) So far the Evangelist relates how the mystery of the Incarnation was accomplished. [immaculate conception. Was Mary the Mother of Jesus conceived without sin ? Yes; it is a revealed and defined truth that the soul of the Mother of Jesus was, by special privilege of Almighty God, on account of the merits of Christ her Son, preserved from the stai7i of original sin in the first instant of her existence. Was there ever another human soul free from sin in the first mo- ment of its existence ? Yes ; the human soul assumed by the Son of God was necessarily free from sin. A divine person is essentially immaculate. The soul of Adam and the soul of Eve were also im- maculate in the first period of their existence. They 74 THIRD ARTICLE. were endowed by God widi natural and supernatural gifts. They possessed in the beginning beauty, knowl- edge, virtue and godliness not due to human nature, but gratuitously and supernaturally given by God. Had we been born before their fall, they would have transmitted their happy state to us. As, however, we were born after their fall, they could only transmit to us what re- mained — a sin-stained nature. Mention some of the evidences in favor of this privilege of the Mother of Jesus Christ. 1. The inspired and written word : " I will put enmities between thee (the demon author of original sin) and the woman, between thy seed and her seed. She shall crush thy head." (Gen. iii. 15.) "Thou art all fair, O my love, and there is no spot in thee." (Cant, iv. 7.) " Hail full of grace ! Blessed art thou among women. Thou hast found grace with God." (Lukei. 28.) Mary is here declared to have found favor with God; to be blessed above all women ; full of grace ; without stam; to be the divinely appointed enemy and crusher of the demon of original sin. She must, therefore, be immaculate and not subjected to the stain of sin. 2. The burden of ecclesiastical tradition flows in the same direction. Its voice is happily formulated by St. Augustine : " When sin is i7i question Mary is out of question." 3. The whole life and action of the Church, whenever it had to deal with the question, is conclusive evidence of this doctrine. I will only cite its last utterance on this subject. In 1849 Pop^ Y\w^ IX. consulted all the Catholic bishops of the whole world to know the faith of their respective Churches, and in 1854, on receipt of their harmonious response, he formulated the Catholic doctrine of all ages in the words : "By the authority of Jesus Christ, . . . we declare and define to be revealed truth, the doctrine which holds that the Blessed Virgin Mary, by special privilege of Almighty God, granted her in view of the merits of Jesus Christ our Savior, \\c,% preserved from every stain THIRD ARTICLE. 75 of original sin in the first instant in which she was conceived."] The Evangelist relates how the other part of the prophecy of Isaias was fulfilled, viz. : The Birth of Christ : " And it came to pass that, in those days, there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that the whole world should be enrolled. . . . And all went to be enrolled, every one into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem (because he was of the house and family of David), to be enrolled with Mary, his espoused wife, who was with child. And it came to pass, that when they were there, her days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her first-born Son, and wrapped him up in swaddling-clothes, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. And there were in the same coun- try, shepherds watching and keeping the night-watches over their flock. And behold, an Angel of the Lord stood by them . . . and said to them: Fear not; for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, that shall be to all people; for this day is born to you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord, in the city of David. And this shall be a sign unto you : You shall ^nd the Infant wrapped in swaddling-clothes, and laid in a manger. . . And after the Angels departed from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another: Let us go over to Bethlehem and let us see this word that is come to pass, which the Lord hath showed us. And they came with haste, and they found Mary and Joseph, and the In- fant lying in a manger. And seeing, they understood of the word that had been spoken to them concerning this Child. . . . And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them." (Luke ii. 1-20.) In this account of our Redeemer's birth, two things How does St. Luke relate the fulfillment of the other part of Isaias' prophecy ? What are the two things to be observed in this account ? 76 THIRD ARTICLE. are to be observed by us : ist, An overruling Providence, by which Christ's birth and all the circumstances of it were brought about, in accordance with the ancient prophecies ; and, 2d, Christ's infinite love, in beginning so soon to suffer for us, and to give us examples of pov- erty, humility, mortification, etc., thus destroying the three great hindrances to salvation, etc. II. The birth of Christ was made known first to the Jews, in the persons of the poor shepherds, and after- ward to the Gentiles, in the persons of the three Wise Men, who came from the East to adore him. He was circumcised on the eighth day after his birth ; was perse- cuted by Herod; fled into Egypt, and, after Herod's death, returned to Nazareth ; at the age of twelve years, he went up to the Temple of Jerusalem with his Blessed Mother and St. Joseph. And J' when they returned, the Child Jesus remained in the Temple, and his parents knew it not. And, thinking that he was in the com- pany, they came a day's journey and sought him among their kinsfolks and acquaintances, and not finding him, they returned into Jerusalem, seeking him. And it came to pass, that, after three days, they found him in the Temple, sitting in the midst of the Doctors, hearing them and asking them questions. And all that heard him were astonished at his wisdom and his answers. And his Mother said to him : Son, why hast thou done so to us ? behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing. And he said to them : How is it that you sought me ? did you not know that I must be about my Father's business ? . . . And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject to them. . . And Jesus advanced in wisdom and age, and grace with God and men." (Luke ii. 41-52.) No more is related of him till the age of thirty. Who was John the Baptist? He was the Son of Zachary and Elizabeth — ** the voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare ye the way of Give the events of the life of our Lord up to his twelfth year. Tell us about his being found in the temple. THIRD ARTICLE. ti the Lord; make straight his paths." (Luke iii. 4.) At the age of thirty, Christ, having been baptized by him in the Jordan, began his pubUc ministry by preaching, doing good to all, curing all kinds of diseases among the people, casting out devils, and working the most aston- ishing miracles to prove that he was the Messias. Thus, when John the Baptist sent to ask him, saying: "Art thou he that art to come, or look we for another ? Jesus said to them: Go and relate to John what you have heard and seen: the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead rise again, and the poor have the Gospel preached to them." (Matt. xi. 3-5.) "And Jesus went about all Galilee, preaching the Gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness, and every infirmity among the people." (Matt. iv. 23.) Soon after he had begun his public mission he chose his twelve Apostles, who were to teach all nations all things what- soever he commanded them." (Luke vi. 13-16; Matt, xxviii. 19, 20.) Besides the miracles already mentioned, he changed water into wine (John ii. i-io); raised the dead to life: "And he said. Young man, I say to thee, arise ; and he that was dead, rose up." (Luke vii. 14, 15.) "He cried out with a loud voice : Lazarus, come forth ; and pres- ently he that had been dead, came forth (John xi. 43, 44) ; He fed five thousand men with five loaves and two fishes, and they took up twelve baskets full of what re- mained of the fragments (John vi. 5-14) ; He also fed four thousand with seven loaves and a few fishes, and there remained seven baskets full of fragments (Matt. XV. 32-38) ; When the storm arose at sea, which put the Apostles in fear of perishing, " he commanded the winds and the sea, and there came a great calm." (Matt. viii. 23-27-) He appealed to his miracles as proofs, etc. " If you will not believe me, believe my works . . . (for) the works Who baptized Christ ? Mention some of the miracles of Jesus Christ. Did he appeal to his miracles as proofs of his doctrines ? 78 FOURTH ARTICLE— I. that I do in the name of my Father, they give testimony of me." (John x. ;^S, 25.) *^ Beheve for the very works* sake." (John xiv. 12.) " If I had not done among them the works that no other man hath done, they would not have sin." (John xv. 24.) Yet, notwithstanding his great miracles and his unwearied charity in doing good to all, the 1 ews were continually seeking opportunities to kill him, but no "man laid hands on him, because his hour had not yet come." (John vii. 30; viiii 20.) After having spent three years in his public ministry — in preaching and teaching, and doing good to all — he at length gave us the greatest testimony of his love, in the institution of the Blessed Eucharist. After this he permitted himself to be betrayed by his own disciple ; to be apprehended by his own chosen people; to be cruelly treated by them, and put to death. But of his sufferings and death I will give a more particular account in the next Instruction. The Life of Christ should be the frequent subject of your meditation. Reflect, therefore, occasionally on the chief events of his Life; on his examples of fraternal charity (for his miracles were to do good) ; on his ex- amples of patience under contradiction, of poverty of spirit, of humility, of zeal, etc. What was his last testimony of love ? Should we meditate on his Hfe? Instruction XIIL FOURTH- ARTICLE. Christ ''s Passion and Death, What is the Fourth Article of the Creed? — Suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead and buried. What did Christ suffer? — A bloody sweat, scourging at the pillar, crowning with thorns, and the carriage of his Cross. What else? — He was nailed to a Cross, and died upon it between two thieves. Why did he suffer? — For our sins. Upon -what day did he sicffer?—On Good Friday. Where did he suffer ? — On Mount Calvary. FOURTH ARTICLE— I. 79 In the last Instruction I explained the Third Article of the Creed, by giving the Scriptural account of the vicarnatio7i and birth of Christ, and I gave also a short history of his Life. We come now to the Fourth Article, which makes mention of his Fassio?i and Death. And as the sufferings which he endured for our sake are a striking proof of his great love for us, it is very import- ant that you should know well the history of his Passion and Death, that the consideration of what he has suffered for your sake may inflame your hearts, etc. " Jesus knowing that his hour was come, that he should pass out of this world to the Father; having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them unto the end." (John xiii. i.) And it was then (at the end of his life) that he gave us the greatest and tenderest proofs of his love. Going up to Jerusalem, he entered the city in triumph, amidst the acclamations of the people. For " they took branches of palm-trees and went forth to meet him, and cried : Hosanna, blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord, the King of Israel." (John xii. 12, 13.) [These same people^ a few days after ^ cried out : *^ Crucify him I Crucify him I " which shows what little account is to be made of the esteem or discs teem of men.) " Now the feast of unleavened bread, which is called the Pasch, was at hand. And the chief-priests and the scribes sought how they might put Jesus to death." (Luke xxii. i, 2.) "Then went out one of the twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, to the chief-priests, and he said to them : What will you give me and I will deliver him unto you ? But they appointed him thirty pieces of silver. And from thenceforth he sought op- portunity to betray him." (Matt. xxvi. 14-16.) And Jesus " sent Peter and John, saying : Go and prepare for us the Pasch, that we may eat. . . . And when the Why should we know well the history of his Passion and Death ? When was it he gave us the p^reatest and tenderest proofs of his. love ? How was he received in Jerusalem ? What did Judas do ? 80 FOURTH ARTICLE— I. hour was come, he sat down, and the twelve Apostles with him." (Luke xxii. 8, 14.) " And while they were at supper, Jesus took bread, and blessed and broke, and gave to his Apostles, and said : Take ye and eat, this is my body. And taking the Chalice, he gave thanks; and gave to them, saying: Drink ye all of this. For this is my blood of the New Testament, which shall be shed for many unto remission of sins." (Matt. xxvi. 26-28.) Having thus instituted the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar, Jesus went into the Garden of Gethsemane with Peter, James and John. ^'Then he saith to them : " My soul is sorrowful even unto death. And going a little further, he fell upon his face and prayed, saying : Father, it thou wilt, remove this chalice from me ; but yet not my w^ill, but thine be done. And being in an agony, he prayed the longer. And his sweat became as drops of blood trickling down upon the ground." (Matt. xxvi. 3^j 39-) [Example of having recourse to God in our trouble^ and of playing with great reverence^ with perse- verance and with complete submissioii to the diviiie will.^ " Then he cometh to his disciples and saith to them : Rise, let us go ; behold he is at hand that will betray me." Scarcely had he said this when Judas, at the head of a great multitude, came and betrayed him with a kiss. (Matt. xxvi. 45-50.) "And they took Jesus and bound him, and they led him away to Annas first." And here they examined Jesus concerning his disciples and his doctrine. Answering, he said : " I have spoken openly to the world, . . and in secret I have said nothing . . . Ask them who have heard me." Then " one of the servants standing by gave Jesus a blow, saying : Answerest thou the high-priest so ? And Jesus answered him : If I have spoken evil, give testi- mony of the evil ; but if well, why strikest thou me ? " (John xviii. 12-23.) [Example of mildness and forbear- ance under injuries^ provocations and insults^ Describe the Lord's Supper. Describe the Agony. Tell how he was taken. FOURTH ARTICLE— I. 81 " And Annas sent him bound to Caiaphas the high- priest." (John xviii. 24.) And here they " sought false witness against Jesus that they might put him to death . . And the high-priest rising up, said to him : Answerest thou nothing to the things which these witness against thee ? But Jesus held his peace. And the high-priest said to him : I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us if. thou be the Christ, the Son of God? Jesus saith to him : Thou hast said it. Then the high-priest rent his garments, saying : He hath blasphemed ; what further need have we of witnesses ? Behold, now, you have heard the blasphemy, what think you ? but they answered and said : He is guilty of death. Then did they spit in his face, and buffeted him, and struck his face w^ith the palms of their hands," and bid him prophesy who it was that struck him. (Matt. xxvi. 57-68.) Notwithstanding the admonition of his divine Master and his own protestations, Peter denied his Lord three times, and even confirmed his denial with an oath. (Matt. xxvi. 69-75.) \Exa7nple of the fatal consequences of presumption or self confidence^ which leads to grievous falls; and of iininediate cor7'esponde7ice with the grace of repentance which leads to pardon, yudas also repented of his treasofi^ but without hope of pardon ; he joined despair with his repentance ^ and therefore he died in his siji.] " And when morning was come (i. e., on the morning of Good-Friday), they took counsel against Jesus, that they might put him to death And they brought him bound to Pontius Filate the Governor." (Matt.xxviL i, 2.) And here " they began to accuse him " of being seditious, of " stirring up the people " to rebellion, of perverting the nation," etc. But Pilate said to them : " I find no cause in him." And he sent him to Herod Anti-pcis, son of that Herod who killed the Innocents. " And Herod, Where was Jesus taken first? What happened there? To whom was Christ next taken? What occurred there? Which of the Apostles denied his Master ? 6 82 FOURTH ARTICLE— I. with his army, set him at naught and mocked him, putting on him a white garment and sent him back to Pilate." (Luke xxiii. i— 12.) Pilate, wishing to deliver Jesus out of the hands of the Jews (for '^ of necessity he was to release unto them one upon the feast day"), proposed to them two, viz., Barabbas, a murderer, and Jesus. " But the whole multi- tude together cried out, saying : Away with this man, and release unto us Barabbas. And Pilate again spoke to them, desiring to release Jesus. But they cried again, saying : Crucify him ! crucify him ! And he said to them the third time: Why, what evil hath this man done ? I find no cause of death in him ; I will chastise him, there- fore, and let him go. But they were instant with loud voices, requiring that he might be crucified, and their voices prevailed." And he released unto them Barabbas. (Luke xxiii. 13-25.) "Then Pilate took Jesus and scourged him. And the soldiers, platting a crown of thorns, put it upon his head ; and they put on him a purple garment, and they came to him and said : Hail, King of the Jews ! and they gave him blows. Pilate, therefore, went forth again and saith to them : Behold I bring him forth unto you, that you may know that I find no cause in him. (Jesus therefore came forth, bearing the crown of thorns and the purple garment.) And he saith to them : Behold the Man T' But " they cried out, saying : Crucify him ! crucify him ! . . If thou release this man, thou art not Caesar's friend . . . Then therefore he delivered him to them to be crucified." (John xix. 1-16.) [Example of the fatal consequences of loving the friendship of the world.^ " And they took Jesus and led him forth. And bear- ing his own cross he went forth to that place which is called Calvary." (John xix. 16, 17.) Having arrived at Calvary, he was stripped of his clothes, nailed to the What difference is there between the repentance of Peter and that of Judas ? Who were the accusers and what the accusation before Pilate? Describe Pilate's action until he released Barabbas. Nar- rate Pilate's action after this. FOURTH ARTICLE— I. 83 Cross, and crucified upon it between two thieves; and while he was hanging on the Cross he was reproached, reviled and blasphemed by the surrounding multitude. He lived three hours on the Cross, enduring the most excruciating tortures, during which time the sun was darkened. (Matt, xxvii. 39-45 ; Luke xxiii. 3S-4S-) The last Seven Words on the Cross : 1. "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do." (Luke xxiii. 34.) 2. " Amen I say to thee, this day thou shalt be with me in Paradise." (Luke xxiii. 43.) 3. *^ Woman, behold thy son; behold thy mother." (John xix. 26, 27.) 4. " My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me ? " (Matt. xxvi. 46.) 5. " I thirst." (John xix. 28.) 6. " It is consummated." (John xix. 30.) 7. " Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit. And saying this, he gave up the ghost." (Luke xxiii. 46.) When he " yielded up the ghost," all nature proclaimed his divinity : " The veil of the Temple was rent in two, from the top even to the bottom, and the earth quaked, and the rocks were rent, and the graves were opened, and many bodies of the saints that had slept arose, and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection, came into the holy city, and appeared to many." And some of them that witnessed his crucifixion, "having seen the earthquake, and the things that were done, said : Indeed this was the Son of God." (Matt, xxvii. 50-54. ^ " And all the multitude of them that were come together to that sight and saw the things that were done, returned strik- ing their breasts." (Luke xxiii. 48.) And when it was evening Joseph of Arimathea " went to Pilate and asked the body of Jesus, and Pilate com- manded that it should be delivered to him. And Joseph Tell us about the Crucifixion. Which are the last seven words on the Cross ? What happened at the death of Jesus ? Tell how he was buried. 84 FOURTH ARTICLE— II. taking the body . . . laid it in his own new monument, which was hewed out of a rock, and he rolled a great stone to the door of the monument and went his way . . . And the chief-priests and Pharisees made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone and setting guards." (Matt, xxvii. 57-66.) ^ The death of Christ w^as not forced, but voluntary : '' I lay dow^n my life that I might take it again No man taketh it away from me ; but I lay it down of myself" (John x. 17, 18.) Fruits of his death: i. He ha^g delivered us by it from sin and from the slavery of the devil : He hath washed us from our sins in his own blood." (Apoc. i. 5.) 2. He has reconciled us to God : " For God indeed was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself." (2 Cor. v. 19.) 3. He has reopened to us the gates of heaven, which ha.d been so long shut against all mankind; for, being consummated, he became the cause of eternal salvation to all who obey him." (Heb. v. 9.) Exhortation : Frequently reflect on the sufferings of Jesus Christ : consider w^ho it is that suffers ; for whom does he suffer; from whom; how much; in what man- ner. He suffers with patience, with perfect resignation, with charity, praying for his very persecutors, etc. Was the death of Christ forced ? What are its fruits ? Instruction XIV. FOURTH ARTICLE — CONCLUDED; FIFTH ARTICLE. On the Sign of the Cross; the Descent of Christ into Limbo; and his Resurrectio7i, Why do we make the sipt of the Cross 9 — For two reasons : First, to put us in mind of the Blessed Trinity; and, secondly, to put us in mind that God the Son became man, and died upon a Ctoss for us. What puts us in mind 0/ the Blessed Trinity when we make the sign of the Crosse — These words: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. FOURTH ARTICLE— II. 85 What puis us in mind that Christ became man and suffered on a Cross "^ — The very making or signing ourselves with the sign of the Cross. What is the Fifth Article of the Creed 'i — He descended into hell; the third day he rose again from the dead. "»- Whither did the soul of our Savior go after death ? — His soul went down into that part of hell called Limbo. What do you mean by Limbo? — I mean a place of rest, where the souls of the saints who died before Christ were detained. Who were these saints ? — Those who had faithfully observed the laws of God. Did none go up to heaven before our Savior? — No ; they expected him to carry them up thither. What means the third day he rose again from the dead? — It means, that after Christ had been dead and buried part of three days, he raised his blessed body to life again on the third day. On what day did Christ rise again from the dead?— On Easter- day. I. As the sufferings and death of Christ are a most striking proof of his great love for us, we cannot think of them too often. The frequent reflection . . inflames, etc. ; and is very pleasing to Christ. For this reason it is that we make 'such frequent use of the sign of the Cross in all our prayers and ceremonies, etc. For, 1. As the Catechism teaches, the sign of the Cross serves to remind us of the two most important truths of Religion — of those two truths which contain the stmt of all Christian knowledge, for it reminds us of our last end, viz. : the Blessed Trinity, and also of the means of attaining that end, viz. : Jesus Christ, who is " the way, the truth, and the life." (John xiv. 6.) [Explain what is mea7it by redemption, and apply it to this subject.^ 2. When we begin and end our prayers with the sign of the Cross it is as much as to say: We pray through the merits of Christ. 3. It is a powerful defence in temptation. As the blood of the Paschal Lamb, sprinkled on the door-posts, was a preservative against the destroying angel, so the sign of the Cross, or of Christ's blood being shed for us, preserves us from falhng into the destructive hands of Of what does the sign of the Cross remind us ? What does it mean in the beginning of our prayers ? Of what use is it in temptation ? 86 FIFTH ARTICLE. the angels of darkness. The Fathers of the Church speak of it as such. 4. The use of it is most ancient in the Church. Ter- tulUan says : "At every step, at our coming in and going out, when we sit down to table, when we go to bed, we imprint on our foreheads the sign of the Cross." When we make the sign of the Cross we should ac- company the act with proper dispositions. " As circum- cision profiteth indeed, if thou keep the law; but if thou be a transgressor of the law, thy circumcision is made un circumcision " (Rom. ii. 25); so likewise the sign of the Cross profiteth indeed, if, etc. . . In order to derive advantage from it, it should be made correctly^ delibe- rately^ etc. II. What is the Fifth Article of the Creed "^ — He descended into hell ; the third day he rose again from the dead. Whither did the soul of the Savior go after death ? — His soul went down into that part of hell called Limbo. When Christ died upon the Cross his soul separated from his body, but did the Divinity also separate from it ? No ; the Divinity remained united with the body and also with the soul. Christ being dead, Joseph of Arimathea took down the body of Jesus, and laid it in his own new monu- ment, to the door of which he rolled a large stone ; and the Jews, having sealed the stone, set guards round the sepulchre. But whither did the soul of Jesus go ? His soul went into Limbo. The Apostles' Creed says : " He descended into hell," by which is meant, not into hell where the wicked are punished, but into " the heart of the earth." (Matt. xii. 40.) "He descended into the lower parts of the earth " (Eph. iv. 9) ; into that place where Lazarus was seen " in Abraham's bosom " (Luke xvi. 23) ; which place Catholics call ''Limbor Is its use ancient ? Should we accompany the making of this with proper dispositions ? What became of the body of Christ after his death ? FIFTH ARTICLE. 87 Why did he go thither ? I. To communicate the happy tidings of Redemp- tion, etc. " He went and preached to those spirits that were in prison" (i Pet. iii. 19); 2d, To dehver the saints who were there detained, and to take them to heaven at his ascension : " Ascending on high, he led captivity captive." (Eph. iv. 8.) Had none gone to heaven before our Savior? No; for he says: ^* No man hath ascended into heaven, but the Son of Man, who is in heaven." (John iii. 13.) Enoch and Ehas were taken up, but only to the lower heavens; they do not enjoy the beatific visioft. Adam's sin had shut the gates of heaven against all mankind. Did Christ's presence occasion great joy to the souls in Limbo? Yes ; it was the great object of their desires, and, as " hope that is deferred afflicteth the soul " (Prov. xiii. 12), so the presence of Christ, by removing that afflicting delay, changed Limbo into a Paradise of deHght ; and hence he said to the penitent thief: ^^This day thou shalt be with me in Paradise.'^ (Luke xxxiii. 43.) How long did the soul of Christ remain there ? From three o'clock on Friday afternoon, till early on Sunday morning. IH. What means the third day he rose again from the dead? — It •means that after Christ had been dead and buried part of three days, he raised his blessed body to life again on the third day. On what day did Christ rise again frotU the dead?— On Easter- day. How did he raise himself to life again ? By his own divine power, his soul returned to the body, etc. : " I lay down my hfe that I might take it again. . . And I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it up again." (John x. 17, 18.) '' Destroy this temple, and in three days I w^ill raise it up ; . . . but he spoke of the temple of his body." (John ii. 19, 21.) "x\nd when it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalen and the other Mary to 88 FIFTH ARTICLE. see the sepulchre, and behold, there was a great earth- quake. For an Angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and coming, rolled back the stone and sat upon it. . . . And the guards were struck with terror, and be- came as dead men." (Matt, xxviii. 1-4.) For a guard of soldiers had been set around the sepulchre to prevent the body from being taken away till after the third day, and they did this w^ith the view of proving Christ to be a deceiver : " And the chief-priests and Pharisees came together to Pilate, saying: Sir, we have remembered that that seducer said while he was yet alive : After three days I will rise again. Command, therefore, the sepul- chre to be guarded until the third day, lest perhaps his - disciples come and steal him away and say to the peo- ple: He is risen from the dead; and the last error shall be worse than the first." (Matt, xxvii. 62-66.) When the guards who had been stationed around the sepulchre had seen the angel roll away the stone, etc., " some of them came into the city and told the chief- priests all things that had been done." But they " gave a great sum of money to the soldiers, saying : Say you His disciples came by night and stole him away when we were asleep?" (Matt, xxviii. 11-15.) "They give us sleeping witnesses," says St. Augustine. The Apostles would not dare to attempt to steal him away — they were too timid. Christ gave demonstrative proofs that he had risen again; for he frequently appeared to many during forty days ; he showed them his hands and feet, and he even commanded Thomas to touch the wounds which had been made in his hands and side. (Luke xxiv. 39, 40; John XX. 20-27.) The Resurrection of Christ is a most important Article of Christian Faith — it is a fundamental Article. For this fact being proved, proves the truth of Christianity : I. Because it was foretold : "And Jesus said to them : The Son of Man shall be betrayed into the hands of Who went at dawn to the sepulchre ? What did they find? WHiy Was there a guard around it ? What did the guards do ? What did the chief-priests do? Is the fact of Christ's Resurrection important? Give the first reason ? SIXTH ARTICLE. 89 men; and they shall kill him; and the third day he shall rise again.'' (Matt. xvii. 21, 22.) Hence, the Jews guarded the sepulchre to prove him a deceiver. 2. Because, when the Jews asked a sign of his being the Messias, he gave them this very sign: "As Jonas was in the whale's belly three days and three nights, so shall the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights." (Matt. xii. 40.) 3. Because the Apostles made this fact the ground- work of their preaching. Thus St. Paul says : "If Christ be not risen again, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. . . . But now Christ is risen from the dead, the first fruits of them that sleep." (i Cor. xv.^ 14-20.) Give the second reason. Give the third. Instruction XV. SIXTH ARTICLE. The Ascension of y^esus Christ; Satisfaction , Redemption a?id Lnpetration, What is the Sixth Article of the Creed? — He ascended into heaven, sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. When did our Savior go up to heaven ? — Forty days after he rose again. Why is he said to sit at the right hand of God the Father? has God the Father hands ? — No ; God the Father has no hands, be- cause he is a pure spirit ; but the meaning of these words is, that Christ, as man, occupies the Tiext place to God in heaven, being, as God, equal to his Father in all things. On what day did our Savior go up to heaven 7 — On Ascension- day. I. The Ascension ; After his Resurrection from the dead, >out Blessed Lord frequently appeared to his Apostles : " To whom he showed himself alive after his Passion, by many proofs, for forty days appearing to During how many days did Jesus appear to his Apostles after His Resurrection ? 90 SIXTH ARTICLE. them and speaking of the kingdom of God." (Acts i. 3.) After having instructed his Apostles in all the mysteries of his kingdom, and '' opened their understanding that they might understand the Scriptures " (I.uke xxiv. 45), he gave them commission to go and teach all nations, and promised to be with them in their teaching till the end of the world ; and he empowered them to confirm their preaching with miracles : " Go ye into the whole world and preach the Gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be condemned. And these signs shall follow them that believe. In my name they shall •cast out devils ; they shall speak with new tongues ; they shall take up serpents, and if they shall drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them ; they shall lay their hands upon the sick and they shall recover." (Matt, xxviii. 19, 20; Mark xvi. 15-19.) On the fortieth day " he led them out as far as Be- thania (to Mount Olivet^ and lifting up his hands he blessed them ; and it came to pass, while he blessed them, he departed from them and was carried up to heaven." (Luke xxiv. 50, 51.) *' And w^hile they were beholding him going up to heaven, behold two men stood by them in white garments, who also said to them : Ye men of Galilee, why stand you looking up to heaven ? This Jesus who is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come as you have seen him going up into heaven." (Acts i. 9-1 2.J Where is Jesus Christ now? He " sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty." (Apostles' Creed; Mark xvi. 19.) He ascended — i. To take possession of that seat of glory for himself, as man : *• Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and so to enter into his glory?" (Luke xxiv. 26.) And, 2. To prepare a place for us, to draw our hearts after him and to be our Mediator with the In what did He instruct them ? What commission did He give ? W^hat power? Tell the day and describe the manner of His Ascension. SIXTH ARTICLE. 91 Father : " Let not your hearts be troubled ; ... in my Father's house there are many mansions, and if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you also may be." (John xiv. 1-3.) Christ " is at the right hand of God," says St. Paul, " always living to make intercession for us." (Rom. viii. 34: Heb. vii. 25.) " If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ, the just." (i John ii. I.) II. Satisfaction — Redemption — Impetration. Having been taught in the preceding articles wAo Christ is — his Incarnation, his Birth, his Life, his Passion and Death, his Resurrection, and, lastly, his Ascension into heaven, we should now pause to consider the great blessings we' receive through what he did and suffered for us while on earth. These blessings are: i. The Satisfaction which he has made for us to the Divine Justice. 2. The 'Redemption which he has purchased for us ; and, 3. His Impetratioii^ or the continual appli- cation of his merits for obtaining special Wessings for us. I. What is Satisfaction? It is offering the offended or injured party a compensa- tion equal to the offense, so as to appease him and ren- der him propitious and merciful. Now, this is what Christ has done for us by offering the infinite merits of his Passion and Death in satisfaction for our sins. Our sins had offended the infinite Majesty of God; Christ offered an i?ifinite atonement. Are the merits of Christ, then, of infinite value? Yes: I. Because the dignity of his Person, being in- finite, gave an infinite value to whatever He offered* for us; his actions were the actions of God^ and therefore of infinite value — of infinite merit. 2. Because the per- fection of charity, also, with which he suffered for us, gave infinite value to his sufferings. For this charity For what twofold purpose did He ascend to heaven? Which are the two blessings we receive through what He did and suffered for us? 92 SIXTH ARTICLE. was no less than the infinite love of the Son of God for his' eternal Father : ^' My //lea^ is to do the will of him that sent me, that I may perfect his work." " For I do always the things that please him." (John iv. 34; viii. 29.) 2. What is Redemption? It is buying from slaver)^ one who had once been free. Man was free at first, then he became enslaved to sin and Satan ; and now he is redeemed from both, and from eternal death : '' In Jesus Christ we have redemption through his blood, the remission of sins." (Colos. i. 14.) " For he hath washed us from our sins in his own blood." (Apoc. i. 5.) By sin we had brought upon ourselves not only temporal, but eternal death : " Thou shalt die the death." (Gen. ii. 17.) Jesus Christ, having taken upon himself our sins, suffered death in atonement for them ; and he offered his death to redeem us from that eternal death to which we had been doomed, and thus he purchased our freedom. 3. What is the Benefit of Christ's Impetratiox ? By his merifs, which are infinite^ Christ has purchased for us all graces^ etc. He* has not only cancelled the decree of our eternal condemnation and restored our title to the kingdom of heaven, J3ut he has purchased for us all the means which will enable us to arrive at that kingdom. Now, it is throtigjt Christ's hnpetration that we obtain these graces, and all the spiritual blessings which we receive ; we obtain them by his presenting his merits to the Father in our behalf. Thus it is that '• sit- ting at the right hand of God, he maketh intercession for us" (Rom. viii. 34); thus it is that, when we have sinned, he is our "Advocate with the Father" (i John ii. i); that he is our only Mediktor, who can offer his own independent merits in our favor. Since Christ has redeemed all men fully, will all therefore be saved ? No ; certain conditions are required on our part for applying the merits of his Redemption to our souls, for SEVENTH ARTICLE. i^3 we must believe and practice what he teaches, i. e., we must have ^^ faith working by charity'^ (Gal. v. 6.) There are but few, comparatively, who comply with both these conditions, and hence, though all are redeemed, yet but few are saved. The far greater part imitate the slothful servant who, having a talent in his possession, buried it instead of making a profitable use of it. (Matt. xxv. 14- 30.) Do not imitate them, but employ the means of salvation which Christ has purchased for you. Take every opportunity which Religion and your circum- stances afford of applying his merits to your souls. For this purpose frequent the Sacraments, which are the appointed means of applying, etc. ; hear Mass, which is another appointed and powerful means ; be diligent and fervent in your prayers, offering them up through ChrisVs merits : "Amen, I say to you, if you ask the Father any- thing i7i my 7iame, he will give it you." (John xvi. 23.) By thus making use of the means appointed for applying the merits of Christ to your soul, you will obtain such graces as will enable you to join good works to your faith, and so to secure your salvation. What means should we employ in order to apply his merits to our souls ? Instruction XVI. SEVENTH ARTICLE. On the Day of judgment. What is the Seventh Article of the Creed ^— From thence he shall come to judge the living and the dead. IVilt Christ ever come again ? — Yes ; he will come down from heaven at the last day to judge all men. What are the things he will judge '^ — All our thoughts, words, and works. What will he say to the wicked?— ^Goy ye cursed, into everlast- ing fire. What will he say to the just? — Come, ye blessed of my Father, receive ye the kingdom which is prepared for you. . • Shall not every man be judged at his death as well as at the last day?— Yts', he shall. 94 SEVENTH ARTICLE. In the preceding Articles of the Creed, we have con- sidered Jesus Christ in the quahty of our Redeerner^ but, in this Seventh Article, we have to consider him as our Judge, When will he judge us ? He will judge us, first, at our death ; and, secondly, at the last day. I. At our death. — For " it is appointed unto men once* to die; and after this the judgment." (Heb. ix. 27.) {Examples of Dives and Lazams.) (Luke xvi. 19-31.) What need then is there of the General Judgment ? 1. To vindicate the ways of God's Providence and to justify the conduct of the saints. Providence so ordains that the virtuous often live in adversity, affliction, and oppression ; that, during life, they are publicly treated with contempt and scorn; that their piety is looked upon as folly, and their virtues as hypocrisy ; whereas, the wicked are frequently allowed to prosper in this world ; to live- at their ease in the enjoyments of wealth and earthly comforts. The Psalmist, considering the earthly prosperity of the wicked, says : '' Doth God know ? Behold, these are sinners, and yet abounding in the world, they have obtained riches ! And I said : then have I in vain justified my heart, and washed my hands among the innocent; and / have been scourged all the day. . . I studied that I might know this thing; it is labor in my sight, until I go into the sanctuary of God, and understand concerning their last ends." (Ps. Ixxii. 12-17.) For the7i the scale will be turned. When the wicked shall behold the Fleet raised to honor, then repenting and groaning for anguish of spirit, they will say : " These are they whom we had heretofore in deri- sion, and for a parable of reproach. W^e fools esteemed their Hfe madness and their end without honor; behold, how they are now numbered among the children of God, and their lot is among the saints." (Wisd. v. 1-5.) 2. To do justice to Jesus Christ as man. On eai»th he was publicly dishonored by the world : " He became SEVENTH ARTICLE. 95 a worm and no man, the reproach of men and the out- cast of the people, and all they that saw him laughed hhn to scorn." (Ps. xxi. 7, 8.) He was falsely accused and unjustly condemned, and was executed in ignominy, as if he had been a malefactor. But at the last day he will be glorified before all, he will sit to judge all the nations of the earth. 3. To judge the whole man, body as well as soul. II. At the last day. — For " when the Son of Man shall come in his majesty, all nations shall be gathered together before him, and he shall separate them one from another, as the shepherd separateth the sheep from the goats, and he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on his left. Then shall the King say to them that shall be on his right hand : Come, ye blessed of my Father, possess ye the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. . . Then shall he say to them also that shall be on his left hand: Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, which was prepared for the devil and his angels. . . And these shall go into everlasting punishment, but the just into life everlasting." (Matt. XXV. 31-46.) 1. Signs that will precede the General J^udgment : There will be " wars and rumors of wars ; nation shall rise up against nation ; and there shall be pestilences, and famines, and earthquakes in places. Now all these are the beginnings of sorrows." (Matt. xxiv. 6-^.) After these things "there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations by reason of the roaring of the sea and of the waves ; men withering away for fear and expectation of what shall come upon the whole world ; for the powers of heaven shall be moved." (Luke xxi. 25, 26.) 2. Universal Destruction : After these signs will come tlie General Destruction, Torrents of devouring fire will Besides the vindication of the ways of Providence, what other reason is there for the General Judgment ? Describe the Last Day. "What signs will precede? Shall there be an universal destruction? 96 SEVENTH ARTICLE. pour down and consume all earthly things, cottages and palaces alike ; thefi there will be an end of all worldly greatness. Our good works and evil deeds will alone remain of all that we possessed on earth ; these will accompany us to the judgment seat of God. 3. Descriptio7i of the Gejieral y^udgmeiit : After the Universal Destruction an Archangel will summon all mankind, saying : " Arise, ye dead, and come to judg- ment." Then, m a moment, the whole human race will be assembled into the Valley of Josaphat, which is in sight of Mount Calvary: "I will gather together all nations, and will bring them down to the Valley of Josa- phat; ... for there will I sit to judge all nations round about." (Joel iii. 2,3.) " And then shall appear the Sigfi of the Son of Ma?t in heaven ; and then shall all tribes of the earth mourn ] and they shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven with much power and majesty." (Matt. xxiv. 30.) How different is this from his first coining / Not now to seek and to save ; not to console, etc. ; but to Judge! What a terror to the wicked! what a consola- tion to the good ! The Judge bei?ig come " and all the angels w^ith him, then shall he sit upon the seat of his Majesty, and all nations shall be gathered before him, and he shall sepa- rate them one from another, as the shepherd separateth the sheep from the goats, and he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on his left." (Matt. xxv. 31-33.) In this separation there will be no distinction, except of virtue and vice — the chaff will then be sepa- rated from the wheat. All mankind standing, in awful silence, before the judgment seat of God, the conscience of every one will be laid open to public view — secret sins will be made known : " For the JLord will both bring to light the hid- den things of darkness, and will make manifest the What shall be the Archangel's summons ? Where shall the human race assemble ? When and how shall the second coming of ^he Sqi^ of Man be } Tell us about the separation 1 " . SEVENTH ARTICLE. 97 counsels of hearts." (i Cor. iv. 5.) What a terror and confusion this will be to sinners ! and especially to Chris- tian sinners! But the jusf shall then "lift up their heads and rejoice" (Luke xxi. 28); their private virtues and all their good works will be made known, and will con- tribute to their honor and happiness ; they will not then repent of having served God. T/ie Sentence which will close the General J^udgment : All mankind seeing now the true state of their con- sciences, the Judge will turn to the just . . . and will pro- nounce their consoling sentence : " Come, ye blessed of my Father, possess ye the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world." There will then be an end of all their crosses, afflictions, trials, mortifica- tions ! But turning to the wicked, he will doom them to endless misery : " Depart from me, ye cursed^ into everlasting fire, which was prepared for the devil and his angels." (Matt. xxv. 34, 41.) This, then, is the end of the criminal pleasures and sinful vanities of this world — eternal misery in the flames of hell ! For the wicked will then be swallowed down into the bottomless abyss, to remain there forever. But the just will ascend with Christ and his angels into everlasting happiness. How this last Judgment shows the importance of serving God and of saving our souls ! You may have which sentence you please. You only have to make good use of the talents, etc., and then, like the good and faithful servants, you will receive that consoling sentence which will put you in possession of eternal happiness. Explain the exposure of consciences. In pronouncing sentence, what shall Christ say to the just ? What to the wicked ? What will be the end of the wicked and their criminal pleasures ? Of what does this article show the importance ? 98 EIGHTH ARTICLE. Instruction XVII. EIGHTH ARTICLE. The Descent of the Holy Ghost ^ and the Establishment of the Church, What is the Eighth Ayiicle of the Creed? — I believe in the Holy Ghost. Who is the Holy Ghost? — He is the Third Person of the Blessed Trinity. Froj?t luhoin doth he proceed? — From the Father and the Son. Is he equal to theiii ? — Yes; he is the same Lord and God as they are. When did the Holy Ghost come down on the Apostles in fiery tongues? — On Whit- Sunday. Why did he co7ne down icpon them ? — To enable them to preach the Gospel, and to plant the Church. As in the first Article of the Creed we profess our belief in God the Father, and in the six following Ar- ticles in God the Son, and the mysteries of Redemption, so in the Eighth Article we profess our belief in God the Holy Ghost. I. The Athanasian Creed shows the necessity and importance of knowing what w^e are to believe concern- ing the three Divine Persons, and, consequently, con- cerning the Holy Ghost. It teaches us that he is the same Nature, and same God, as the Father and the Son, and equal to them in all perfections. He PROCEEDS from the Father and the Son, and is one God with them: "There are three who give testi- mony in heaven; the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost; and these three are one." (i John v. 7.) The manner of his procession is a mystery, and therefore we cannot comprehend it. (i John xv. 26; xvi. 14, 15.) When did the Holy Ghost come down on the Apostles in fiery tongues ? — On Whit-Sunday. How long was this after the A'scension? Ten days. After Christ had ascended into heaven, What does the Athanasian Creed teach in regard to the three divine persons in general, and about the Holy Ghost? From whom does he proceed? What did the Apostles do after the Ascension ? EIGHTH ARTICLE. 99 the Apostles retired into Jerusalem, and spent the ten days in silence and prayer. This shows how we are to prepare for receiving the Holy Ghost, or for receiving his grace in any of the Sacraments ; it shows that we should spend some time in retire7nent and prayer. On the day of Pentecost the Holy Ghost descended upon the Apostles : " And when the days of Pentecost were accomplished, they were all together in one place; and suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a mighty wind coming, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting; and there appeared to them parted tongues, as if it were of fire, and it sat upon every one of them, and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost; and they began to speak with divers tongues, according as the Holy Ghost gave them to speak." (Acts ii. 1-4.) At the baptism of our Savior, the Holy Ghost appeared '^ as a dove, ^' to denote in7ioce?ice ; but at Pentecost he appeared as ''parted to?igues^'' to denote universal preach- ing ; and the tongues seemed to be "of fire ^^ to signify the charity, zeal, and success of that preaching. . Effects of the Descent of the Holy Ghost: The Apostles were changed into quite other men. Before they re- ceived the Holy Ghost they were wxak, timid, hid them- selves for fear of the Jew^s ; but now they are inflamed with divine love, zeal, and courage ; they boldly preach in public. Before, they were dull, could hardly compre- hend, etc.; now, they are enlightened, the Holy Ghost " teaching them all things, and bringing all things to their mind, whatsoever Christ had said to them " (John xiv. 26); and giving them the gift of tongues and power to confirm their preaching by miracles. (Mark vi. 17, 18, 20.) These miraculous manifestations of the divine power were necessary in the first establishment of the Church; the first missionaries to any infidel nation have, in like manner, worked miracles. II. The preaching of the Apostles, and the success of Describe the descent of the Holy Ghost. What were the effects of the descent of the Holy Ghost? To whom did the Aposdes preach first, and why ? 100 EIGHTH ARTICLE. their preaching : The Apostles preached the Gospel first to the Jews, then to the Samaritans, and after that to the Gentiles. 1. To the yews first ^ because they were the chosen people, the children of Abraham, to w^hom the promises were more immediately made. Their preaching to the Jews was attended with great success: ''The Lord working withal, and confirming the word w^ith signs that followed." (Mark xvi. 20.) At St. Peter's first sermon, 3000 were converted; and at the second, 5000. The other Apostles preached with the like success : " The Lord increased daily together such as should be saved." (Acts ii. 47.) Exemplary life of the First Christians: The first Chris- tians were all of one heart ; they were detached from earthly things; they sold their possessions, to be distrib- uted as each one had need: they lived in common, and assembled daily to prayer; and they esteemed themselves happy in suffering for Christ, like the Apostles, who "went from the presence of the Council, rejoicing that they were accounted w^orthy to suffer reproach for the name of Jesus." (Acts v. 41.) For the Christians were persecuted by the unconverted Jews; for, though many of the Jews were converted, yet the great body of the Jewish nation remained hardened in their unbelief. The judgments of God at length fell upon that un- happy people for their crimes and abuse of grace; for they were given up to a reprobate sense ; their city was besieged and destroyed under the Emperor Vespasian ; and more than a million of the inhabitants perished by famine or the sword. 2. The Jewish 7iatio7i not receiving the faith, the 'Apostles turned next to the Samaritans, Philip, the Deacon, converted great numbers of them, and Peter and John were sent to confirm them: "And there was Was their preaching attended with suc(fess ? What was the hfe of the first Christians? Was the Jewish nation converted? What was their punishment ? To w]\om did the Apoesiles turn next ? NINTH ARTICLE— I. 101 great joy in the city ; " for the Samaritans received the faith with gladness. (Acts viii. 9.) After this, God made known to Peter that it was now time to preach to the Geiitiles. Cornehus was the first of them who received the faith. (Acts x, i, etc.) In order to "teach all nations," the Apostles dispersed; and they converted great multitudes in the different countries to which they went. St. Paul was called to the Apostle- ship when on his way to Damascus, and none preached more successfully. Thus, the Apostles estabHshed the Christian Religion with great rapidity and success in a. world buried in idolatry and every kind of crime, in spite of persecutions raised by the devil, God rendering their preaching efficacious by his grace and by his. miracles. The Apostles sealed with their blood the Faith which they had taught, leaving other appointed ministers to con- tinue the same work. Thousands also of the Christians suffered death for the faith, in the violent persecutions which were raised against them. The constancy and example of the Martyrs served very much to extend the faith for which they thus suffered and died. Instruction XVIII. NINTH ARTICLE. The Pastors' Authority to teach and govern y and the People's Obligatio7i to hear and obey. What is the Ninth Article of the Creed F— The Holy Catholic Church ; the Communion of Saints. JVhat is the Catholic Church ? — All the faithful under one head. The Catholic Church consists of all those throughout the whole world who, being baptized, believe (at least implicitly) and profess the true doctrines of Christ, and are in communion with his Vicegerent on earth, the Pope. To whom did God make known that it was time to preach to the Gentiles? What did the Apostles then do ? How did the apostles seal their faith ? Of what is the Catholic Church composed ? 102 NINTH ARTICLE— I. These are composed of pastors and people ; the pastors are the teachmg part of the Church, commissioned to this office by Christ. I. The Pastors' authority as teachers //'<^^'^as to be still fur- ther handed down : " For this cause I left thee in Crete, that thou shouidst ordain Priests in every city, as I also appointed thee." (Tit. i. 5.) 3. This authority is still further confirmed by the light in which pastors are represented in Scripture ; for, first, they are spoken of as Ambassadors of Christ: " For Christ, therefore, we are Ambassadors, God, as it were, exhort- ing by us " (2 Cor. v. 20) ; second, as acting in the person of Christ : '^ He that heareth you heareth me," etc. (Luke X. 16), as messefigers sejit from God: "The lips of the Priest shall keep knowledge, and they shall seek the law at his mouth : because he is the angel of the Lord of Hosts." (Mai. ii. 7.) Thus nothing can be more clear than this Authority of the Pastors to teach. And the obli!^atio?i of the people to receive their faith from them can be shown to be equally clear Prove the Pastors' Authority as teachers. Was this commission to continue? Does the hght in which Pastors are represented in Scripture confirm it ? NINTH ARTICLE—I. 108 II. The People's Obligation to hear and receive the Teaching of the Church: 1. The Pastors are comanded to /^preach the Gospel to every creature" iMarkxvi. 15, 16), and this command is accompanied with the declaration of Christ, that " they who will not beheve shall be condemned." (Mark xvi. 15, 16.) Therefore the people are obhged to believe and follow their teaching, and to do so under pain of eternal condemnation. * 2. The Pastors v/ere instituted to keep the people "in unity of faith" (Eph. iv. 11-13), therefore the people must receive their faith from them, otherwise that object could not be obtained. 3. Christ says of himself: "All power is given to me in heaven and on earth." Matt, xxviii. 18, 19.) Now, this power he communicated to his Apostles, for he adds: "Going, therefore, teach all nations." (Matt, xxviii. 18, 19), for "as the Father hath sent ;;/2im^ faith, in the same co?n7nunio?i and under the same Head. Though they are spread over all nations and differ in every thing else — in language, laws, customs, etc., yet they are all united in religion ; so that, as to religion, a Catholic may be said to be at home anywhere. We are As Christ has established a Church whose pastors are authorized to preach, what, then, are the four great questions ? Must the true Church be One ? Is the Catholic Church One ? NINTH ARTICLE— III. 113 thus united, and always shall be, because we have the principle of unity. We have one fixed infallible rule to go by — the unerring decisions of the Church — unerring because secured from error by the promises of Christ ; and hence we are united in faith and communion ; we always have been so united, and we always shall be. But no sooner do persons leave our communion and form themselves into new Sects ^ than they are torn asunder by divisions. Thus the followers of the Reformation are divided and subdivided without end. They are spotted like a leopard. (Apoc. xiii. i. 2.) And how could it be otherwise, since they have within them the very principle of division, viz.. Private Judgment ? They have no common centre ; they differ, therefore, and they differ in essentials ; and they have frequently excommunicated each other. II. The true Church must be Holy. — It must neces- sarily be so, because it cometh directly from God. St. Paul tells us that " Christ loved the Church, and deliv- ered himself up for it, that he might sanctify it, . . . that it should be holy and without blemish." (Eph. v. 25-27.) The true Church can teach none but true and holy doc- trines; it must supply its members with motives and efficacious means to become holy; and it must lead many to holiness. All this is essential to the true Church. Now, the Catholic Church alone is Holy. There is perfect agreement in all her doctrines, and this is an evidence of their truth ; every article of her faith tends to holiness ; she affords motives and efficacious means for becoming holy; and thousands of her children have arrived at holiness ; all the Saints were Cathohcs v/hose holiness has been attested by undeniable miracles. And this is the grand proof of the holiness of the CathoHc Church. But Sects^ instead of having perfect agreement in all their doctrines, fall into inconsistencies, and, therefore. Are the Sects one? Must the true Church be holy? Is the CathoHc Church holy ? Are the Sects ? 8 114 NINTH ARTICLE— III. into evident falsehood. They even teach immoral doc- trines, and they have had no sanctity attested by mir- acles. III. The true Church must be Catholic; i. e., not confined to one nation nor to one century, but spread over all nations and existing in all ages. i. It was instituted to be diffused over the whole world : " Going therefore, teach all nations / . . . and behold, I am with you all days, even to the end of the world." (Matt, xxviii. 19, 20.) "Go ye into the whole world, and preach the Gospel .to every creature^ (Mark xvi. 15, 16.) 2. The success of its preachmg was foretold: "Their sound hath gone forth into all the earth." (Ps. xxviii. 5.) "All the ends of the earth shall be converted to the Lord (Christ), and he shall have dominion over the nations." (Ps. xxi. 28, 29.) 3. All this has been verified: "The truth of the Gospel is come unto you, as also it is in the whole world." (Col. i. 5, 6.) "Your faith is spoken of in the whole world." (Rom. i. 8.) Now, the Catholic Church is alone Catholic; she alone has fulfilled Christ's commission, for she alone has converted infidel nations to the Christian Religion; she has been always extending ; w^hen one nation has fallen off, others have been converted ; in many nations there is no other Religion known, and she is found in all nations. But Sects seldom extend over one nation ; they bear the name of the place to which they are confined, or of their founder, who, long after the Apostles, gave them birth. Their missionary accounts of success are com- pletely false. (^See Wiseman's Lectures on the Principal Doctrines and Practices of the Catholic Church, Vol, I, Led, vi.) IV. The true Church must be Apostolical. Evi- dently no Religion can be the true one except tha^ which was founded by the Apostles, and which has re- Must the True Church be Catholic? Is the Church called Cath- olic, catholic ? Are the Sects. NINTH ARTICLE— III. 115 ceived \ier faith, her orders, and her mission from them, by an uninterrupted succession : " For this cause I left thee in Crete, that thou shouldst ordain priests in every city, as I also appointed thee." (Tit. i. 5.) Mission, as well as Order, is essential to the true Church: "As the Father hath sent me, I will also send you." (John xx. 21.) "Going therefore, teach all nations; baptizirig them," etc. (Matt, xxviii. 19, 20.) "How can they preach unless they be sent?'^ (Rom. x. 15.) Now, the Catholic Church alone is Apostolical. Each generation, from the Apostles, has received and handed down in the Catholic Church "all truth" taught by God. We have an unbroken succession of Pastors, whose orders and mission have come down, without in- terruption, from the Apostles : we can name every Pope, from the present one up to St. Peter. But Sects are far from being Apostolical. Protestants acknowledge they have no orders or mission except what they have received from the Catholic Church ; but they have received none from us — and no other religions pretend to have any. All, except Catholics, came 1500 years too late to be Apostolical. They cannot show any time, since the Apostles, when we began ; but we can show when, where, and by whom they began. Conclusion : — It is evident, from what has been said, that the Catholic Church alone has these four Marks. Therefore, she alone is the true Church of Christ, from which we are to receive our faith. And being infallible, she cannot lead us into error ; we have Christ's word for it that she shall not; but that he will always be with her in her teaching, and that the Holy Ghost will also be with her forever, guiding her into all truth. Must the true Church be Apostolic ? Is the Catholic Church Apostolic ? Are the Sects ? What is the conclusion ? 116 NINTH ARTICLE— IV. Instruction XXI. NINTH ARTICLE — CONCLUDED. The Communion of Saints ; a?id Purgatory, What is meant by the Commiotion of Saints? — That in the Church of God there is a Communion of all holy persons in all holy things. And have we any Co77winnion with the Saints in heaven? — Yes; we communicate with them as our fellow-members, under the same head, Jesus Christ, and are helped by their prayers. Afid are the souls in Purgatory helped also by our prayers? — Yes, they are. What do you mean by Purgatory ? — A middle state of souls suf- fering for a time on account of their sins. What souls go to Purgatory ? — Such souls as depart this life in lesser sins, which we call venial. Do any other soitls go to Purgatory ? — Yes ; such souls as leave this world before they have fully discharged the debt of te?nporal punishment due for their mortal sins, the guilt and eternal punish- ment of which have been remitted. How do you prove there is a Purgatory? — Because the Scripture often teaches that God v/ill render to every man according to his works, and that nothing defiled can enter heaven ; and that some Christians shall be saved, yet so as by fire. 1. The Christian Church is but '' one body. '^ (Rom. xii. 5.) All its true members are styled " Saifits,'' be- cause they either are so in reality, or, having been sanc- tified by Baptism, are called to be Saints. All these members, throughout the whole Church, are united to- gether by a mutual intercha,nge of good offices, which is called " The Communion af Saints.''' The Church of Christ consists of three parts; viz., the Church Triumphant in heaven, Milita?it on earth, and Suffering in Purgatory. All these participate in the " Communion of Saints," and are united : -I. By being all under the same head, Jesus Christ, as his members. 2. By the promise of the same good; which some already possess, some are secure of possessing, and the rest, in a state of uncertainty, are laboring to possess. Why are all true members of the Church called Saints ? What are the three parts of the Church ? In what are they united? NINTH ARTICLE— IV. 117 3. By partaking in the prayers and good works of each other. For prayers, good works, sacraments, and sacrifice are common goods of the Church, in which all on earth, in heaven, and in Purgatory participate, as far as they are capable. Do persons who are in mortal sin participate in the ** Communion of Saints ?" Such continue to be members of the Church ; but they are dead members^ united externally — i, e., by faith, hope, and a right to the sacraments as means of pardon. Do excommunicated persons participate ? No, but they are still subjects of the 'Church : the same is to be said of heretics and schismatics. Unbap- tized persons (as Quakers, Jews, Pagans) have no com- munion with the -Church in any way — they are not even subjects of the Church. How do we communicate with the Saints in heaven ? We honor their memory, join with them in blessing and praising God, ask them to obtain blessings for us by interceding in our favor, etc. They do intercede for us, and procure us many assistances — many favors, both spiritual and temporal. How do we communicate with the souls in Purgatory ? By praying, offering the Holy Sacrifice and perform- ing good works in their behalf, and so obtaining a re- mission of their punishment; when they in their turn will pray for us. II. What do yoti mean by Purgatory? — A middle state of souls, suffering for a time on account of their sins. Purgatory is a place of suffering in the next world, prepared by Almighty God for the expiation of venial sins — of the punishment due to them — and of the tem- poral punishment due to mortal sin, the guilt and eternal punishment of which have been remitted in this hfe. What souls go to Pu7'gatory ? They who leave this world in the state oi perfect inno- What is expiated in Purgatory ? 118 NINTH ARTICLE~IV. cence^ which they had either always preserved or else re- covered after having lost it, go straight to heaven ; they who die in the guilt of mortal sin go straight to hell and are lost eternally. But they who being free from the gi/iU of mortal sin de- part this life : i, In the guilt of venial sin; or 2, Before they have fully satisfied divine Justice for the punishment due to them ; or 3, Before they have discharged the whole debt of temporal punishment due to their remitted mortal sins, go to Purgatory. Whoever, therefore, at the time of his departure hence is in all or any of these three last-mentioned states, will be condemned to a place of punishment for a time, and when he shall have fully satisfied God's justice by his sufferings, he will be trans- lated to heaven, to be there happy with God forever. How do yoii prore there is a Purgatory? — Because the Scripture often teaches that God will render to every man according to his works — that nothing defiled can enter heaven, and that some Christians shall be saved, yet so as by fire. Proofs thai there is a Purgatory, I. Divine Justice demands satisfaction for sin by tem- poral punishments after the guilt and eternal punish- ment have been forgiven. [Example of Add?n whose sin, though pardoned, brought severe temporal punish- ments both upon himself and all his posterity (Gen. iii. 17-24; Rom. V. 12); Example of Moses ^ who, for his sin in striking the rock twice was not permitted, even after forgiveness, to enter the promised land (Num. xx. 7-12 ; Deut. xxxii. 48-52); Example of David ^ whose sin in numbering the people, caused, even after his repentance, 70,000 persons to die by pestilence (i Par. xxi. 9-14 , and whose sins of adultery and murder were severely punished after the Prophet Nathan had declared them forgiven. (2 Kings xii. 14.)] Now, this debt of temporal punishment tnust be dis- Does God demand temporal punishment for sin after the guilt is forgiven? Give examples. NINTH ARTICLE— IV. 119 charged somewhere. But suppose the sinner die before he has discharged it, the debt must still be paid ; but where ? in what place ? Certainly not in heaven, because there are no punishments there ; nor in hell, because the guilt of sin is forgiven, and because " out of hell there is no redemption." Where then ? In that prison of which Christ speaks when he says : " Be at agreement with thy adversary betimes, while thou art in the v/ay with him, lest the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison. Amen, I say to thee, thou shalt not go out from thence till thou repay the last farthing." {Matt. V. 25, 26.) 2. Venial sin does not destroy the state of grace; for " a Just man shall fall seven times and shall rise again " (Prov. xxiv. 16); and "in many things we all offend" (James iii. 2), and " if we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us." (John i. 8.) Yet these venial sins defile the soul and increase- our debt of punishment. Therefore if we die in the guilt of venial sin only, what must become of us ? We cannot go im- mediately to heaven, because " there shall not enter into it (the heavenly Jerusalem) any thing defiled." (Apoc. xxi. 27.) We must be first purified by punishment. But where ? Not in hell, because, not being in mortal sin, we are not to go thither: for " God will render to every man according to his works." (Rom. ii. 6.) Divine Justice will not punish us beyond what we shall deserve. Now, we cannot suppose that God would condemn any one to eternal flames for a mere " idle word," and yet Christ assures us that at his tribunal " men shall render an account for every idle word that they shall speak." (Matt. xii. 2)^.^ Where, then, is this purgation to be made except a middle place, where souls suffer for a time on -account of their sins. 3. " He that shall speak against the Holy Ghost, it Where is that punishment undergone? Prove Purgatory from venial sin. 120 NINTH ARTICLE— IV. shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world nor in the world to come." (Matt. xii. 31, 32.) 4^ " Other foundation no man can lay but that which is laid, which is Christ Jesus. Now, if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble: every man's work shall be manifest; for the day of the Lord shall declare it, because it shall be revealed in fire ^ and the fire shall try every man's work, of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work buni^ he shall suffer loss ; but he himself ^\\d^ be saved, yet so as by fire." (i Cor. iii. 11-15.) Here we see that those souls whose works are perfectly good, without any admixture of evil, will, when judged after death, receive an immediate reward. But those whose good works are found to be mixed with imper- fections or venial faults (with wood, hay and stubble), will be condemned to " suffer loss " — to have those venial faults punished by fire, but not eternally; because they " shall be saved " after they shall have suffered the loss. Now. where is this loss to be suffered ? etc. 5, This belief and the practice of praying for the dead are older than Christianity. Judas Maccabaeus " sent 12,000 drams of silver to Jerusalem for sacrifice to be ofiered for the si?is of the dead. ... It is therefore a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead, that they may be loosed from sins." (2 Mac. xii. 43-46.) Hence before Christ the people of God believed it to be a holy practice to pray for the dead^ and believed that such prayer loosed from sin. Severity of the Sufferi?igs of Purgatory, The poor souls that are condemned to " suffer loss " in that place of punishment shall indeed be saved ; but they shall be saved ""^ by fire '^ They learn, by painful experience, " that it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God." (Heb. x. 31.) Prove it from St. Paul. Prove it from the practice of praying for the dead. Describe the condition of the soul in Purgatory, TENTH ARTICLE. 121 They can do nothing for themselves, for *^the night" has come upon them, ^^ wherein no man can work." (John ix. 4.) Yet God is pleased to accept our prayers, etc., in their behalf. It is a very great act of charity to pray for them ; it is pleasing to God, and advantageous both to them and to us; hence the Scripture calls it " a holy and a wholesome thought to pray for the dead." As an inducement to jDray for them, consider who they are, what they suffer^ and how easily you can relieve them. Those whom we pray for will pray for us when they get to heaven. Conclusion. — The existence of Purgatory and the severity of its sufferings show how great is the evil of venial sin, and how advantageous are present sufferings (whether voluntary or sent by divine providence), if they be embraced and endured in a spirit of penance. Prove it from Scripture. Is it a charity to pray for them ? "What is the conclusion ? Instruction XXII, TENTH ARTICLE. The Power of Forgiving Sins: Original Sin — Mortal Sin — Ve7iial Sin, What is the Tenth Article of the Creed? — The forgiveness of sins. What is meant by^ this Article? — That there is in the Church of God forgiveness of sins, for such as properly apply for it. To whom has Christ given power to forgive sitis ? — To the Apos- tles, and their successors — the Bishops and Priests of his Church. By what sacraments are sins forgiven ? — By baptism and penance. What is sin ? — An offence of God, or any thought, word or deed against the law of God. What is original sin ?— It is the sin in which we were all born. How came we to be born in sin ? — By Adam's sin, when he ate the forbidden fruit. What is actual sin ? — Every sin which we ourselves commit. How is^ actual sin divided ? — Into mortal and venial sin. What is mortal sin ? — It is a grievous offence against God. 122 TENTH ARTICLE. Why is it called mortal sin ? — Because it kills the soul and de- serves hell. How does mortal sin kill the soul? — By destroying the grace of God, which is the supernatural life of the soul. What is venial sin ? — That sin which does not kill the soul, yet displeases God. Why is it called venial sin ? — Because it is more easily pardoned than mortal sin. I. The Catechism teaches, in accordance with the doctrine of the Church, " that there is in the Church of God forgiveness of sins, for such as properly apply for it," and that the power of communicating this forgive- ness to those who do properly apply for it has been given by Christ " to the Apostles and their successors — the Bishops and Priests of his Church." Nothing can be more clearly proved from Scripture than this doctrine. I will say only a few words on the subject, in this place, because the proofs of it will be more fully given in the Explanation of the Sacrament of Penance. Christ worked a miracle to prove that, as man. He had the power of forgiving sins on earth. " Jesus said to the man sick of the palsy : Be of good heart, son, thy sins are forgiven thee. And behold some of the scribes said within themselves : He blasphemeth. And Jesus, seeing their thoughts, said: Why do you think evil in your hearts ? whether is it easier to say. Thy sins are forgiven thee, or to say, Arise and walk ? But that you may know that the Son of Man hath power on earth to forgive sins, then he said to the man sick of the palsy : Arise, take up thy bed, and go into thy house. And he arose, and went into his house. And the multi- tudes seeing it, feared and glorified God that gave such power to meitP (Matt. ix. 2-8.) Now, this same power Christ gave to his Apostles, after his Resurrection, when, appearing to them, he said : " Peace be to you. As the Father hath sent me^ I also What is the doctrine of the Church in regard to the forgiveness of sin ? Recite the miracle which Christ wrought to prove that AS MAN he had power to forgive sin. TENTH ARTICLE. 123 send you. When he had said this, he breathed on them ; and he said to them : Receive ye the Holy Ghost, whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them; and whose sins you shall retain, they are retained." (John xx. 21, 22, 23.) These words, of course, have a meaning; but what can they mean, except that Christ gave to his Apostles the power of forgiving and retaining sins ? God alone can forgive sins in his own name, and by his own power; but he can commission others to do it as his ministers, in his name, and by his power, as, in fact, he has commissioned the Apostles and their succes- sors. The means by which this power is exercised, and forgiveness applied to our souls, are the Sacraments of Baptism and Penance : by Baptism is remitted original sin, and also actual skis, if any have been committed before the reception of this Sacrament ; but by Penance are remitted all sins, however grievous, committed after baptism : the Sacrament of Penance is of no avail what- ever, in blotting out the sins of a person who is not baptized. Christ, then, has left in his Church the power of for- giving sins. But, What is sin '^ — Sin is an offence of God; or any thought, word or deed against the law of God. II. What is ORIGINAL sin ? — It is the sin in which we were all born. Hoav came we to be born in sin ? — By Adam's sin, when he ate the forbidden fruit. When Adam sinned, he and his posterity thereby lost original justice — became children of wrath — subject to concupiscence, to labor, sickness and death, and were under the threat of eternal death : " In what day soever thou shall eat of it thou shalt die the death." (Gen, ii. 17.) In consequence of Adam's fall, we are all bom in sin : " As by one man sin entered into this world, and by sin \yhen and in what words did He give this power to the Apostles ? Is it by their own power or by Divine commission they forgive ? Through what means is this power exercised ? 124 TENTH ARTICLE. death ; so death passed unto all men, in whom all have smned,^^ (Rom. v. 12.) fhe sin of Adam, which thus ^'passed unto all men^^ would have excluded both him and us eternally from heaven, had not the Son of God purchased our Redemp- tion. The merits of this Redemption are applied to us for the pardon of original sin by Baptism : " Unless a man be born again of water and the Holy Ghost, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." (John iii. 5.) III. What is MORTAL sin ? — It is a grievous offence against God. Mortal sin is a most dreadful evil ! It destroys the state of grace ; renders the soul hideous and hateful to God ; closes heaven against us; and condemns us to hell: hence it is the greatest of all evils ! The greatness of this evil proved, 1. Mortal sin is a grievous injury, an outrageous insult offered to the infinite Majesty of God. By how much greater is the dignity of the person offended, above that of the oftender, by so much greater is the insult. Now, by mortal sin, the creature rises up against the Creator — a mere worm against infinite Majesty. 2. God's hatred to sin is infinite and eternal. Being infinitely holy^ he cannot but hate and abhor sin: "To God the wicked and his wickedness are hateful alike." (Wisd. xiv. 9.) 3. Hence, he has punished mortal sin most severely, even in this life. Of this the Sacred Scriptures furnish many examples. Being Just^ God has not punished sin more than it deserves; but, being merciful, much less. Now, one sin stripped Adam of original justice — cor- rupted all human nature — doomed the whole of man- kind to suffer death, and closed the gates of heaven against us. Mortal sin brought down upon the whole earth the water of the deluge; (Gen. vi. 5, 6, 7; vii. 11, What was the result of original sin ? How are the merits of Redemption applied for the pardon of original sin? Is mortal sin a great evil? How do you prove it from the injury done to God? How from God's hatred? TENTH ARTICLE. 125 12, 21-24) called down fire and brimstone upon Sodom and Gomorrah, and the neighboring cities; (Gen. xviii. 20; xix. 13, 15, 24, 25) armed the destroying Angel against the first-born in Egypt; (Exod. xii. 29, 30) caused the earth to open beneath the feet of Core, Nathan and Abiron, and to swallow them down alive into hell, to- gether with those who joined in their sin; (Num. xvi. 28-35) delivered to destruction 23,000 of the children of Israel on one occasion, (Exod. xxxii. 7, 27, 28) and 24,000 on anotlier (Num. xxv. 1,2, 9) to be slain by the command of their offended God, etc. 4. Mortal sin contains the blackest ingratitude to Jesus Christ. Our obligations to him are beyond con- ception; without him we must have been forever miser- able, etc. 5. The effects of mortal sin on the soul are most lamentable! It destroys the spiritual life of the soul; and for this reason it is that it is called mortal or deadly : " All iniquity is like a two-edged sword, the teeth thereof are the teeth of a lion, killing the souls of men." (Eccli. xxi. 3, 4.) A soul i7i grace is beautiful, like an Angel, and is pleasing in the sight of God; but by sin she be- comes ugly, abominable, hateful : " He that doth these things is abominable before God," (Deut. xxii. 5.) He who is the child of God, and the temple of the Holy Ghost, becomes a slave of the devil, and the habitation of unclean spirits. Sanctifying grace being lost, the merit of all past and present good w^orks is consequently lost: "All his justices, which he hath done, shall not be remembered." (Ezech. xviii. 24.) 6. Mortal sin deprives us of the sovereign good, of infinite happiness, and condemns us to an inconceivable and endless misery ! Such is the enormity, such the malice of this greatest of all evils, and such are the direful consequences w^hich How from its punishment ? How from its ingratitude ? Explain the effects of mortal sin: 1st. The destruction of the spiritual life of the soul; 2d. The privation it causes; 3d. What it condemns to. 126 TENTH ARTICLE. it brings upon them that commit it! How is it that Christians, who know all this, should dare to sin ? The reason is, because they do not think : amused by pleas- ures, by the world, they spend their time in dissipation, and give none to reflection : '^ With desolation is all the land made desolate, because there is none that consider- eth in the heart." (Jer. xii. ii.) ^^ They take the tim- brel and the harp, and rejoice at the sound of the organ; they spend their days in wealth, and in a moment they go down to hell." (Job. xxi. 12, 13.) IV. tVAaf is VENIAL sin ? — That sin which does not kill the soul, yet displeases God. Venial sin, although immensely less grievous than mortal sin, is nevertheless a very great evil, because it offends God, weakens grace, cools the fervor of charity, renders the soul less holy, less pleasing to God, and de- serving of severe chastisements. What can show more clearly the greatness of the evil of venial sin than the alarming denunciation directed against the Bishop of Laodicea: ^'I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot : I would thou wert either cold or hot; but because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, / will begin to vomit thee out of my mouth." (Apoc. iii. 16.) Proofs that all sins are not mortal. — " Kjust man shall fall seven times and shall rise again," (Prov. xxiv. 16) yet all the time he is called a ^ftist man^ "' In many things we all offend," (James iii. 2) and "if we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." (i John i. 8.) Yet who will say that these Apostles were in 77iortal sin, or that they charge all others with being in mortal sin ? " Every idle word that men shall speak, they shall render an account for it at the day of judgment."(Matt. xii. 36.) Yet, who will say that a mere " idle word " would condemn a soul to the eternal torments of hell ? How IS it that Christians sin? Explain venial sin— its grievous- ness and effect. Are all sins mortal ? TENTH ARTICLE. 127 If sometimes we fall into venial sins through frailty or inadvertence (as '^ idle words," distractions in prayer, etc.) we should lament them and humble ourselves, but not be surprised or uneasy, because we are not angels, but men, and must expect to experience human frailty. But if we fall into them deliberately^ or through habit^ we should look upon them as very great evils : 1. Because they are deliberate offences against an in- finite Majesty. 2. Because they lessen our love of God, and increase our love of creatures. 3. Because they render us disagreeable to God, and provoke him to withdraw his graces : " Because thou art lukewarm, I will begin to vomit thee out of my mouth." (Apoc. iii. 15-17.) ^ 4. Because a habit of venial sins disposes and leads to such as are mortal : *' He that contemneth small things, shall fall by little and little." (Eccl. xix. i.) " Behold how small a fire what a great wood it kindleth." (James iii. 5.) It is evident, from all this, with what care we should avoid venial sins, especially such as are deliberate or habitual, seeing the great evil which they contain, and the fearful consequences which they produce. Bear in mind, that by contemning these smaller sins, you will fall by Httle and little into greater, till you provoke God to " vomit you out of his mouth." Never, then, commit any sin deliberately^ however small, and employ the proper means for this purpose — viz., prayer, meditation, frequent and fervent reception of the Sacraments, morti- fication, constant watchfulness over your senses, etc. If we fall into sins of frailty, what should we do ? How should we regard deliberate faults or bad habits ? Why ? What is evident from this ? What means ought to be employed ? ^ 128 ELEVENTH ARTICLE. Instruction XXIII. ELEVENTH AND TWELFTH ARTICLES. Death^ Resurrection^ Hell^ Heaven, What is the Eleventh Article of the Creed 7 — The Resurrection of the body. . What fneans the Resurrection of the Body 7 — That we shall rise again with the same body at the day of judgment. What is the Twelfth Article of the Creed 7 — Life everlasting. What means life everlasting? — That the good shall live forever happy in heaven. What is the happiness of heaven 7 — To see, love, and enjoy God forever more. And shall not the wicked also live forever '7 — They shall live and be punished forever in the flames of hell ? I. What is V>y.^.i:yl1 It is the separation of the soul from the body. Before the general resurrection all mankind must die; even Enoch and Elias will return to the earth and die. Death is the punishment of siu decreed against the whole human race without exception : " By one mans sin entered into this world, and by sin death; and so death passed unto all men. ^^ (Rom. v. 12.) That you 7nust die is certai7i^ therefore p>re^are. That you may die any moment is also certaiii., therefore prepare immediately^ and keep yourselves always prepared. That you can die but once is likewise certain^ therefore to pre- pare for death is the most importa?it business of your life. II. V/ill the body ever RISE AGAIN, and when? Yes ; at the last day. After the whole world has been de- stroyed by fire from heaven, and when there will not be a single person living on the face of the earth, the Gen- eral Resurrection will take place. God will send his angel to call the dead to life : " For the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall rise again incorruptible." (i Cor. XV. 52.) Each soul will be reunited to its own body— the same body which it had in this life : " I know that my Redeemer liveth, and in the last day I shall rise again ; and in my flesh I shall see my God : whom I TWELFTH ARTICLE. 129 myself shall see, and my eyes shall behold." (Job xix. 25, 26.) We shall rise in the perfect state of man; but there will be a great difference between the good and the bad : the just shall rise in bodies glorious, brilliant, impassible; the wicked in bodies deformed, hideous, loathsome, and fitted for sufferings. The dead being risen again, we shall all be summoned before the tribunal of Jesus Christ, to be judged — to be sentenced by him according to our works. The explana- tion of this last judgment was given in the Instruction on tne Seventh Article of the Creed, and need not be repeated here. I will proceed, therefore, to explain the state of mankind after the general judgment, and this is what we are taught in the Twelfth Article : III. What is the Twelfth Article of the CreedF-—LlFE ever- lasting. What means life everlasting 7 — That the GOOD shall live forever HAPPY IN HEAVEN. We are all created for the enjoyment of eternal happi- ness, and we are placed in this world in order that, by loving and serving God, we may arrive at that end of our creation. In what does the happiness of heaven consist? It consists in the Beatific Vision — in seeing, loving, and enjoying God forever. The unceasing raptures of de- light which the Saints derive from this are inconceivable: For " eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man, what things God hath prepared for them that love him." (i Cor. ii. 9.) Per- petually beholding and contemplating God's infinite per- fections, the blessed in heaven are incessantly adoring, praising, and loving him with all the ardor of their souls, and from this they derive continual and unspeakable happiness. Their society is that of all the best and noblest of God's creatures; all exulting in ecstacies of In what state shall we rise ? What shall be the difference be- tween the bodies of the good and those of the wicked? 9 130 TWELFTH ARTICLE. delight, and rejoicing in each other's happiness as if it were their own. The time of trials and of labors will then be at an end : For " God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and death shall be no more, nor mourn- ing, nor crying, nor sorrow shall be any more; for the former things have passed away." (Apoc. xxi. 4.) But they will possess and enjoy all that can be desired, and they will possess and enjoy it forever; they will live for- ever in order to be happy forever. IV. A7td shall not the wicked also LIVE FOREVER? — They shall live and be punished forever in the flames of hell. The wicked Avill live forever, but only to be eternally miserable : " They shall have their portion in the pool burning with fire and brimstone, which is the second death." (Apoc. xxi. 8.) " And the smoke of their tor- ments shall ascend up forever and ever, neither have they rest day nor night." (Apoc. xiv. 11.) They are doomed to hell, to suffer there all kinds of torments — perpetual remorse, bitter and fruitless repentance, always dying yet never to die, agonizing in flames, tortured by merciless devils, etc. They are separated from God and from all that is good, which will afflict them with incon- ceivable grief Their misery is unceasing and eternal, and the thought of this eternity is a severe pang to every torment which they have to endure. Their doom is fixed forever : "- Depart from me, ye cursed, into ever- lasting fire." (Matt. xxv. 41.) Conclusion. — Often think of the torments of hell, with the view of escaping them; nothing but sin can condemn you to hell ; be careful, therefore, to avoid it. Considering, on the 'other hand, the greatness of the happiness which is promised to the Saints, be diligent in serving God. Strive to " enter in at the narrow gate, for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and many there are who go in thereat. But how narrow is the gate and strait is the way that leadeth to life, and few there are that find it." (Matt. vii. 13, 14.) In what state shall the wicked be forever ? GOOD WORKS AND GRACE. 131 Again, our Blessed Lord says : " Strive to enter by the narrow gate ; for many, I say to you, shall seek to enter and shall not be able." (Luke xiii. 24.) It is, then, not by merely seeking^ but by striving that you are to enter into heaven ; strive, therefore, earnestly : " The kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent bear it away." (Matt. xi. 12.) It is only the diligent servant that enters into the joys of his Lord, while the slothful servant is "cast out into the exterior darkness, where there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." (Matt. XXV. 12, 23, 30.) Watch and pray, frequent the Sacraments, resist temp- tations, carry your cross with patience, etc., and encour- age yourself in all this with the prospect of future glory. Think on what so many martyrs have suffered for the gaining of eternal happiness; for it is V through many tribulations we must enter into the kingdom of heaven." (Acts xiv. 21.) Look up to that kingdom and see that " the sufferings of this present time are not w^orthy to be compared with the glory to come, that shall be revealed in us." (Rom. viii. 18.) " For that which is at present momentary and light, of our tribulation, worketh for us above measure exceedingly an eternal weight of glory." (2 Cor. iv. 17.) What should be our conclusion ? What means should we employ? EXPLANATION OF GRACE AND PRAYER. Instruction XXIV. The Necessity of Good Works and of Grace for Salvation. Will faith alone save tis?—No; it will not without good works. Can we do any good work towards our salvation of ourselves ? — No ; we cannot without the help of God's grace. How may we obtain God's grace .?— By Prayer and the Holy Sacraments, 132 GOOD WORKS AND GRACE. I. In the Creed we are instructed in what relates to FAITH. We come now to the explanation of what relates to HOPE. Faith is necessary in order to be saved, for ** without faith it is impossible to please God " (Heb. xi. 6) ; yet it is not alone siifficie7it^ for good works are also necessary. That a man is justified by faith alone is a doctrine started by Martin Luther. *^ Faith alone (he says) is necessary for our justification ; all other things are com- pletely optional, being no longer either commanded or forbidden.'^ ("Sola fides necessaria'est ut justisimus; cceiera omnia liberrima neque praecepta amplius, neque prohibita." In Cap, 2, ad GaL) The same doctrine is taught by the Protestant Church, for the nth of the Thirty-nine Articles says: "Where- fore, that a ma,n 'vs^ justified by faith only is a most whole- some doctrine, and very full of comfort." One might think that they who drew up this Article could not have read the Epistle to St. James : " What shall it profit, my brethren, if a man say he hath faith but hath not works? Shall faith be able to save him ? Do you see that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only ? For even as the body without the 'spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead." (James ii. 14, 24, 26.) We must leave Protestants to reconcile their doctrine with that of St. James, if they can. Luther rejected St. James' Epistle as being unworthy of an apostle, calling it " an epistle of straw." This Re- former has even gone so far as to say : " A person who is baptized cannot (though he would) lose his salvation by any sins, however grievous, unless he refuse to beheve, for no sins ca7i damn him but unbelief alone T (" Nulla peccata damnare possunt, nisi sola incredulitas." — De Capt, Babyl.^tojn^ 2^fol. 74. Edit, IVittemb.) How horrible is the tendency of this doctrine ! How it opens the door to every kind of wickedness ! At the judgment-seat of Christ our sentence will be attributed Is faith necessary ? What is Luther's doctrine ? GOOD WORKS AND GRACE. 133 to our having done, or neglected to do, good works; therefore we must not only have faith, but we must/r^^- tice if by doing good works. II. But ca7i we do good works of ourselves ? Of ourselves we can do nothing meritorious of eternal life — we cannot "avoid evil and do good" without grace. And there are two kinds grace, actual and sanctifying, I. What is ACTUAL GRACE? It is a supernatural help to " avoid evil and do good ; " and it operates in the soul by enlightening us to see what is good and what is evil — by inclining us to choose the good and reject the evil — and by enabling us to act ac- cordingly : " It is God who worketh in you, both to will and to accomplish, according to his good will." (Phil. ii. 13) We cannot, by our own natural strength, unassisted by grace, do anything towards our salvation. This is a most important truth — it is the foundation of Christian humility: "Without me (says our Lord) you can do nothing." (Johnxv. 5.) Yet grace will not work alone; but God requires us to co-operate with his grace : For "he who made us without our concurrence (says St. Augustine) will not save us without our concurrence." \Vorks performed without grace may be good natural actions, but not meritorious. For our works can only become meritorious through the merits of Christ, and his merits cannot be applied to us without grace. Does God give to all men sufficient grace? Yes ; and by corresponding with it, it is rendered effica- cious. St. Paul says : " To every man is given grace." (Eph.iv. 7.) And this is true even 01 blinded 2ii\A hardened sinners; yet from such God withdraws his special and more abundant graces ; then they are in danger of every kind of crime — they are in a most alarming state ; but God never takes from them the grace oi prayer ; by a good use of which they may obtain such further graces as will enable them to save their souls. If they are lost, it is through their own fault. 134 GOOD WORKS AND GRACE. When Providence provides for us admonitions, in- structions, opportunities of spiritual reading, etc., these are what are called external graces, and they are the ordinary occasions on which God gives his internal gxdiCQ^. Therefore attend to them and profit by them, bearing always in mind that you must account for them hereafter. 2. What is SANCTIFYING GRACE? It is a supernatural gift, which cleanses the soul, and makes it pleasing in the sight of God — it is " the charity of God poured forth in our hearts by the Holy Ghost." (Rom. V. 5.) St. Peter calls it that which makes us ^'partakers of the divine nature." (2 Pet. i. 4.) For as iron when heated partakes of the nature of fire, so the soul when raised to the state of sanctifying grace receives some participation of the divine nature. When first w*e receive this precious gift, we pass from the state of sin to the state of grace; hence it is called sanctifying grace. Its Effects : — I. It destroys all the guilt of mortal sin. 2. It renders the soul beautiful and pleasing in the eyes God. 3. It makes us become temples of the Holy Ghost and heirs of heaven. 4. It gives value and merit to our good works. 5. It gives us a title to eternal hap- piness. From all this it is evident that we ought to esteem the gift of grace above every thing in this world : " I pre- ferred her before kingdoms and thrones; and esteemed riches as nothing in comparison to her." (Wisd. vii. 8.) Can sanctifying grace be increased, diminished or lost ? Yes. When we have lost it by sin, what dispositions are necessary for recovering it ? Faith, Fear, Hope and sincere Repentance, joined with Prayer and the Holy Sacraments. In the next Instruction I will explain the duty of Prayer, which is the first means of grace. What are external and what internal graces ? What are the effects of sanctifying grace ? Ought we esteem it? PRAYER. 135 Instruction XXV. Prayer, Vocal afid Mental; the Obligation of Prayer, and the Dispositions with which it should be accompanied, I/ozu may we obiam God^s graced — By Prayer and the Holy Sacraments. What is Prayer'^ — It is the raising up of our minds and hearts to God. How do we raise up our minds and hearts to God? — By thinking of God, who is above all, and by offering our affections and desires to him. Do those pray well who at their prayers do net think of God, or of luhat they say 9 — If their distractions are wilful they do not pray well, for such prayers, instead of pleasing God, offend him. I. Prayer is " the raising up of our minds and hearts to God," to beg his grace and other blessings, to avert the evils, etc. ; it is a conversation v/ith God, and it may- be either vocal or mental. What is Vocal Prayer? It is that in which we use a set form of words ; as, for example, when we say the Lord's Prayer or recite any of the public Prayers of the Church. What is Mental Prayer? It is that in which we exercise, ist, our Memory in calling to mind some Truth of Religion; 2dly, our £/";/- der standing, in reflecting upon it for the purpose of draw- ing therefrom practical conclusions and of exciting corre- sponding affections; 3dly, our Will, in adoping those practical conclusions by passing from mere affections to the forming of resolutions, and in pouring forth our soul in fervent supplications for grace, that we may be enabled to accomplish our resolutions. II. Prayer is a most necessary Christian duty, required of us by the institution and command of God. We can do nothing meritorious without grace. Now, Prayer is divinely appointed as the means of obtaining grace : "Ask and you shall receive." (John xvi. 24.) "You have not because you ask not." (James iv. 2.) Is prayer a Christian duty ? 136 PRAYER. How great is the divine goodness in having appointed so easy a means of grace as that of Prayer ! — a means which leaves us without a possibility of excuse for neg- lecting it. Yet how many vai?i excuses are made to justify this neglect! 1. Some say they have no time to pray. But what is time given us lor ? Is it not to save our souls ? and is not salvation our most important business ? and besides, cannot you pray at all times, even during your work? 2. Others imagine they have no convenient ox proper place. But is not God present everywhere ? Is there any place where you cannot address him ? {Example : The Martyrs prayed amidst their torments; the penitent thief prayed on the cross, etc.) 3. Some pretend they know not how to pray. Know not how! But if you were in corporal distress and had a promise of relief on condition of asking for it, would you excuse yourself by saying : "I know not how to ask ? " Cannot you say the " Our Father," and " God be mer- ciful to me, a smner ? " etc. 4. Others excuse themselves on the ground of being such great sin?ters. But this, instead of being an excuse for neglecting Prayer, shows that it is the more neces- sary for them. It is a means by which they are to ob- tain the grace of repentance and of perseverance. There can be no excuse sufficient to justify the neglect of Prayer. Daniel chose to be cast into the hon's den rather than neglect this important duy. (Dan. vi.) III. Prayer is a certain means of grace if accompanied with proper dispositio?is. What are the proper disposi- tions ? This is a very important point, because it is the want of these dispositions that renders our prayers inef- fectual. I. We must pray with the disposition or desire of re- nou7icing all sinful habits, because these are obstacles to grace. What excuses are made to justify its neglect? Are there disposi- tions that should accompany prayer ? What should we renounce ? PRAYER. 137 2. We must pray in the name of Jesus Christ : " If you ask the Father any thing i7i my 7iame^ he will give it you." (John xyi. 23.) To pray in his name, we must ask for such things as are worthy of Christ ; and we must ground all the hope of our prayer being heard on his infinite merits. Hence, most of the prayers of the Church terminate in these or similar words : " Through our Lord Jesus Christ T 3. We must pray with attention ; for, otherwise, our prayers could not be said to be " a raising up ot our minds and hearts to God," nor " a conversation with him j " for if the inattention or distractions be wilful, then the prayer offends God instead of pleasing him. Are all distractions, then, sinful? No ; for we cannot help having distractions sometimes. They are not sins when they are not wilful, and in this case they do not hinder the effect of our prayer ; but when they are wilful they will certainly be laid to our charge : *' Ye hypocrites, well hath Isaias prophesied of you, saying : This people honoreth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me." (Matt. xv. 7, 8.) To avoid distractions (such at least as are wilful^ we should practice w^hat the Scripture directs : " Before prayer prepare thy soul, and be not as a man that tempt- eth God" (Eccl. xviii. 23); i. e., cast away all over- solicitude about earthly things, place yourselves in the presence of God, resolve to pray attentively and reject distractions as soon as you perceive them. 4. We must pray with confidence in the goodness and promises of God : " Let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. . . . Let not that man (who wavereth) think he shall receive anything of the Lord." (James i. 6, 7.) To animate your confidence, think on the infinite good- ness of God, and on his unlimited promises : "All things whatsoever you shall ask in prayer, believing (i. e., having confidence), you shall receive." (Matt. xxi. 22.) " Be it In whose name should we pray ? Is attention required ? Are distractions sinful ? Is confidence required ? 138 PRAYER. done unto you accordmg to your faith " (Matt. ix. 29), i. Q,,^your cojifidencey 5. To our confidence in God we must join an humble diffidence in ourselves — we must pray with hwniiity of heart ; i. e. we must cast ourselves entirely on the divine mercy, acknowledging sincerely that, on account of our sins and un worthiness, we deserve not the blessings we ask, but severe chastisements. This humble disposition is most powerful in inclining God to mercy : *' To whom shall I have respect but to him that is poor and little, and of a contrite heart and that trembleth at my words ? " (Is. Ixvi. 2.) "The prayer of him that humbleth him- self shall pierce the clouds, and it will not depart till the Most High behold." (Ecch. xxxv. 21.) 6. We must pray with perseverance. We must perse- vere in our prayer when God seems not to hear us. Christ teaches that " we ought always to pray and not to faint." (Luke xviii. i.) Sometimes God grants our petition insensibly by little and little ; sometimes he de- fers that he may grant it afterwards more to our advant- age and as a reward of our perseverance : " Know ye that the Lord will hear your prayers if you continue with perseverance." (Judith iv. 11.) Conclusion. — As your wants and miseries cease not but with your life, so let your supplications also cease not. Endeavor to become truly men of prayer, and then, like David, you will soon become also men according to God's own heart. (Acts xiii. 22.) You will be enabled to pass through all the trials and temptations of this life without sin, because the grace of God will be with you and his protecting hand will preserve you. Though a thousand should fall by your side and ten thousand by your right hand, the evil will not be allowed to come near you, because you will " dwell in the aid of the Most High" — you will abide securely "under the protection of the God of heaven." (Ps. xc.) Is humility required? Is perseverance? What conclusion do you draw ? THE LORD'S PRAYER. 139 Instruction XXVI. The Lord's Prayer, What is the best of all Prayers 7 — The Lord's Prayer. Who made the Lord^s Prayer F- —Christ our Lord. Say the Lord's Prayer, — Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name ; thy kingdom come ; thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us, Jg;id lead us not mto temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen. Who is it that is here called Our Father? — God, who made us all, and who, by his grace, is the father of all good Christians. Why do you say Our Father and not My Father ? — Because we are not to pray for ourselves only, but for all others. What do we pray for when we say^ Hallowed be thy name? — We pray that God may be honored aijd served by all his creatures. What do zve pray for zvhen we say, Thy kingdom come ? — We pray that God may come and be king in all our hearts by his grace, and may bring us all hereafter to his heavenly kingdom. What do we pray for when we say. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven ? — We pray that God would enable us by his grace to do his will in all things as the blessed do in heaven. V/hat do we pray for when we say. Give us this day our daily breads — We pray that God will continually give us all that is neces- sary for soul and body. What do we pray for when we say. Forgive us our trespasses as we fo7'give them that t^^espass agaifzst zcs? — We pray that God would forgive us our sins as we forgive others the injuries they do to us. What do IV s pray for whe7t we say, Lead us not into temptation ? — We pray that God would give us grace not to yield to temptation. What do we pray for when we say. Deliver us frojn evil 7 — We pray tliat God would free us from all evil of soul and body in time and eternity. This prayer, which our Lord has made, is shorty that all may learn it ; but, though short, it contains all we can want or need ask for. It contains acts of the most sub- Hme virtues, and expresses sentiments of the highest perfection. When Christ had explained the manner and dispositions in which we should pray, his disciples said to him : " Lord, teach us to pray." In compUance with their request, he said : " Thus, therefore, shall you pray: Our Father who art in heaven, etc. (Matt. vi. 5-13; Luke xi. 1-4.) This prayer contains seven petitions^ intro- duced by the words, ''Our Father who art in heaven,'' 140 THE LORD'S PRAYER. God is our Father, both by creation and by adoption^ and we are hereby admonished that we should go to him with confidence as children to a good and kind father; that we are all brethren, and that we should pray for one another as members of the same family : " Pray for one another that you may be saved." (James V. i6.) First Petition. — What do we pray for when we say : ^^ Hal- lowed be thy narne 9 " We pray for the greater honor and glory of God, or that we may all praise, love and serve God on account of his divine perfections. And in order that we may be enabled to do so, we beg in the next petition that he would come and establish his kingdom in our hearts. Second Petition. — What do we pray for when we say : ^^Thy kingdom co7ne ? '* We pray that God would come into our hearts and reign there by his grace; that he would rule all our actions and conduct us in the path of virtue, and would thus make us true members of his spiritual kingdom here on earth as a sure means of bringing us to his eternal kingdom in heaven. And in order that we may be worthy of that heavenly kingdom, we next pray that we may in all things accomplish his holy will. Third Petition. — What do we pray for when we say: *' Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven ? " Considering that in the kingdom of heaven, for which we have prayed, its blessed inhabitants always do God's will, we pray that we may do the same. The divine will should be the rule of our actions : " My meat is to do the will of him that sent me." (John iv. 34.) When we repeat this petition we should at the same time resolve to do what we pray for^ and as a means of being enabled to do God's holy will, we next pray for a continual sup- ply of his graces — for the daily spiritual food of our souls. In what sense is God our Father ? THE LORD'S PRAYER. 141 ^ Fourth Petitiqn. — What do we pray for when we say : ^^Give ~us this day our daily bread ? *' We pray for the daily supply of all our wants, both cor- poral and spiritual, and thereby we acknowledge our total dependence on God. As to corporal wants, we are admon- ished to be content with necessaries, and for these to rely entirely on Providence : " Be not solicitous for to-morrow." (Matt. vi. 34.) " But having food and wherewith to be covered, w^ith these we are content." (i Tim. vi. 8.) As to spiritual wants, we pray for divine grace as being our daily spiritual food, without which the soul languishes and dies in sin; we pray for the Blessed Eucharist, that "bread of life" (John vi. 48, 52) in w^hich we receive Christ himself, who is able to strengthen our souls to every good work. But, then, conscience tells us we are sinners, and, as such, unworthy of this great blessing ; therefore in the next petition we implore for- giveness. Fifth Petition. — What do we pray for when we say: ^^And forgive us our tresspasses, as we f 07 give them that trespass against us?'' Knowing ourselves to be sinners, subject to daily weak- nesses and transgressions — for "in many things we all offend" (James iii. 2) — w^e pray daily for pardon. The petition shows the necessity of our forgiving others, Christ having made this' forgiveness a condition of our obtaining pa^rdon from God : " If you will not forgive men, neither will your Father forgive you your offences." (Matt, vi, 15.) Having asked the pardon of past sins, we pray that we may not fall again. Sixth Petition. — What do we pray for when we say: *^And lead us not into tefnptation? " We beg of God either to preserve us from temptation or to support us in time of temptation ; or, in the words of St. Paul, we pray that " God would not suffer us to be tempted above that which we are able, but would make with temptation issue that we may be able to bear it." (i Cor. X. 13.) God does not himself Z^^/^/Z tis to 142 INVOCATION OF SAINTS. si7i^ but he permits us to be tempted for our trial. So long as we are living in this world we can never be se- cure from temptations, for '' the life of man upon earth is a v/arfare." (Job vii. i.) But in this warfare '^ the grace of God is sufficient for us." (2 Cor. xii, 9 ) SevExNTH Petition. — What do we pray for when we say : ''But deliver us frovi ezil ? " # Having prayed for the pardon of past sins, and that we may not fall into them again, we then beg to be de- livered from the consequences of sin, viz., from all evils of soul and body. But as regards temporal evils, such as sickness, losses, famine, distress, etc., we should pray in the spirit of resignation : " Not my will, but thine be done." (Luke xxii. 42.) Resignation, patient suffering and a penitential spirit can convert these evils into real good. But the evils from which we principally pray to be delivered are the punishments of sin in the next life. ^'xAmen." — Having thus prayed for all we can need, we confirm our prayer by saying, "J??ie7i, This word is called by St. Jerome "the seal of the Lord's Prayer." It means, so be it ; i e.., may God grant these our peti- tions. Conclusion.- — Never let a day pass without saying this prayer. The words " this day " and " daily " show that it is intended to be said at least every day. Say it, then, often; but always attentively, devoutly and slowly, so as to enter into the spirit and meaning of it. For if you do so, it will be to you a source of many graces and blessings. r^ Instruction XXVII. The i?ivocation of Saints aiid A?tgels — They can hear us — They pray for us — We 7nay ask them to p?'ay for us. May we desire the Saints and Angels to p7'ay for us? — Yes, we may. How do you prove that the Saints and Angels can hear us 7 — ** There shall be joy before the Angels of God over one sinner doing penance." (Luke xv. 10.) INVOCATION OF SAINTS. 143 Having addressed ourselves to God in the " Our Father^' we are taught next to engage the Saints in our favor, that through their intercession we may he heard. We beg of the blessed in heaven to join their prayers with ours and to present both to God, because we feel conscious that God will hear them sooner than us sinners, I. But ** how do you prove that the Saints and Angels CAN HEAR us ?" 1. Christ assures us that as the shepherd calls upon his friends and neighbors to rejoice with him when he has found his lost sheep, " even so there shall be joy in heaven upon one sinner that doth penance more than upon ninety-nine just who need not penance. . . . There shall be joy before the Angels of God upon one sinner doing penance." (Luke xv. 7, 10.) These words evi- dently show that the Angels in heaven know what goes on here upon earth ; that they know when a sinner re- pents, when he repents i-Z/^^ffr^?/};, and, consequently, that they know what takes place i7t a sinfter's heart, and there- fore they must knov/ when he prays. The same words still further show that the Angels not only know when we pray, but that they take an interest in our welfare. What is here said of the A?igels is equally applicable to the Saints in heaven, because " the Saints are as the Angels of God in heaven " (Matt. xxii. 30) : " For they are equal to the Angels." (Luke xx. 36.) 2. Our Lord cautions us against despising or scandal- izing those who believe in him on account of their Guardian Angels : " See that you despise not one of these little ones, for I say to you that their Angels in heaven always see the face of my Father who is in heaven." (Matt, xviii. 10.) Now, how can we offend the Angels by despising or scandalizing the little ones whom they have to guard unless the Ar^gels know it ? If they did not know it, these words would be without meaning. vJ^3. In the Revelations made to St. John our Blessed Whose intercession may we seek? Give the second and third proofs. What Angels can hear us ? 144 INVOCATION OF SAINTS. Lord says : " He that shall overcome and keep my works unto the end, I will give him power over the nations, and he shall rule them with a rod of iron." (Apoc. ii. 26, 27.) Evidendy this is spoken of the Saints — of those who have kept Christ's works '^ unto the end^^ — and there- fore it it is spoken of the Saints after they havejinished their mortal life. Now, these must kjiow what passes among the nations^ for otherwise how could they be said to exercise "power over the nations" and to "rule them ? " All these Texts clearly prove that the Angels and Saints in heaven both know and take an interest in what goes on upon earth. II. But DO THEY PRAY FOR US? Yes; for, 1. The Archangel Raphael said to Tobias: "When thou didst pray with tears, and didst leave thy dinner, and didst bury the dead, I offered thy prayer to the Lord, , , For I am the Angel Raphael, one of the seven who stand before the Lord." (Tobias xii. 12, 15.) 2. When the Prophet Jeremias, long after his death, appeared to Judas Maccabaeus , the Second Book of Maccabees says of him ; " This is a lover of his brethren and of the people of Israel : this is he \!iidX prayeth 7nuch for the people and for all the holy city, Jeremias the prophet of God." (2 Mac. xv. 14.) The various sects of Protestants do not receive these two books (Tobias and Maccabees) as inspired Scripture; but they do and 7nust regard them as undeniable evidence of what was the beHef of the Jews (i. e., of the people of God) before Christ. But without these Texts we have, in what Protestants do receive as the inspired Word of God, all the evidence we can need to prove that the Angels and Saints do pray in our behalf^ and that God receives their prayers, Thfis, 3. The Prophet Zacharias relates the prayer of an Angel in heaven for* God's people on earth : " And How do you prove that the Saints hear us from Jeremias ? INVOCATION OF SAINTS. 145 the Angel of the Lord answered and said: O Lord of Hosts, how long wilt thou not have mercy on Jerusa- lem and on the cities of Juda, with which thou hast been angry ? — this is now the seventieth year. And the Lord answered the angel that spoke in me good words, com- fortable words. . . . Therefore thus saith the Lord : I will return to Jerusalem in mercies." (Zach.i. 12, 13,16.) Here, then, an angel implored mercy for .the people of God and obtained it. 4. The New Testament, also, contains evidence equally strong. For in the Book* of the Apocalypse it is said: " And I saw seven Angels standing in the presence of God. . . . And another Angel came and stood before the Altar, having a golden censer, and there was given to him much incense that he should offer of the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which is before the throne of God. And the smoke of the incense of the prayers of the saints ascended up before God from the hand of the Angel." (Apoc. viii. 2, 3, 4.) How evident, then, that Angels present our petitions to God and join with them the incense of their own ! How perfectly does this ac- cord with what was revealed to Tobias : " When thou didst pray with tears, ... I offered thy prayer to the Lord. . . . For I am the Angel Raphael, one of the seven who stand before the Lord." (Tobias xii. 12, 15.) 5. And of the saints in heaven the same Book says : "The four and twenty ancients fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps and golden vials full of odors, which are the prayers of Saints." (Apoc. V. 8, 9.) These four and twenty ancients are Saints in heaven, for they say to Christ in the next verse : " Thou hast redeemed us to God, in thy blood, out of every tribe, and tongue, and people, and nation." Now, in the above passage, these Saints in heaven are spoken of as falling down before Christ in our favor, and also as •offering our prayers to Him. Thus, then, we are taught, both in the Old and New How from Zacharias ? How from the New Testament? 10 146 INVOCATION OF SAINTS. Testaments, that the Saints and Angels in heaven pray for us who are on earth. III. But MAY WE ASK THEM to pray for us ? Yes, we may. Do we not thereby injure the Mediatorship of Christ ? No, not in the least degree. But does not the Scripture say that there is only one Mediator between God and us ? The Scripture says : " There is one Mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus, who gave /mnsel/a ransom for alV^ (i Tim. ii. 5"); that is to say, there is only 07ie who ransomed us — only one who can interpose his own merits in our favor ; but this is no reason why others may not intercede for us (not indeed by their own merits, but) through the infinite merits of Him who ran- somed us. St. Paul teaches us that there may be such intercessors : " I desire that prayers and intercessions be made for all men." (i Tim. ii. i.) It is just the same as regards any injury done to the Mediatorship of Christ, whether these intercessors be in heaven or on earth at the time of their interceding. We expect nothing from them except through Christ. ^ That we may pray to the Blessed in heaven the Scrip- ture plainly shows : 1. ]di,coh prayed to an A7tge I, saying: "I will not let thee go except thou bless me : . . . . and he blessed him in the same place." (Gen. xxxii. 26, 29.) The prophet Osee, relating this event, says : " Jacob prevailed over the Angel, and was strengthened; he wept and made supplication to himP (Osee xii. 4. ) Here is supplica- tion made to an Angel, and a blessing obtained. 2. Abraham prayed to the Angel who was going to destroy Sodom, begging that he would not " slay the just with the wicked" (Gen. xviii. 23, 25), and Lot was accordingly spared. 3. Lot also prayed to the A7igel who conducted him out of Sodom, beseeching him to spare the small city of Did Jacob pray to an Angel ? Did Abraham ? Did Lot? INVOCATION OF SAINTS. 147 Segor : " And he (the Angel) said to him : Behold also in this, I have heard thy prayers not to destroy the city for which thou hast spoken." (Gen. xix. 18-22.) In both these instances prayers were made to Angels, and the petitioners obtained their requests, for Lot was not slain with the wicked, and the small city of Segor was spared. 4. Again, when Jacob was on his death-bed, he blessed his two grandsons ; and, in order to obtain a blessing from heaven upon them, he invoked^ not only God, \)vXhis Guardian Angel also in their behalf: " God that feedeth me from my youth until this day; the Angel that delivereth me from all evils, bless these boys, and let my name be called upon them." (Gen. xlviii. 15, 16.) Here Jacob not only prayed to God, but, in the very same sentence, he implored a blessing from the Angel who had been his constant protector. That holy Patri- arch would not have done so unless it were lawful ; and from the manner in which the Scripture relates it, it is plain that he did nothing then but what was good and lawful. But, if it was good and lawful y^/- him^ is it not so/^r us? — -for us, who (according to St. Paul>, in the New Law, " are come," not only " to the city of the liv- ing God" (the Church), "and to Jesus Christ, the Medi- ator of the New Testament," but also " to the company of many thousands of Angels, and to the Church of the first-born, who are written in the heavens, and to the spirits of the Just made perfect'' (Heb. xii. 22-24), i, e., to the Saints. After all these proofs from Scripture, that the Angels and Saints in hediwo^n pray for us, and that we 7nay ask them to do so, one must feel surprised that this doctrine has ever been doubted. For is it not most strange that Protestants should deny a doctrine for which there is such Scriptural evidence ? How their rejection of this doctrine shows the force of prejudice ! Whom did Jacob invoke on his death-bed? 148 GUARDIAN ANGEL. Instruction XXVIII. Our Guardian Angel; The ^^ Hail Mary. ^^ May we desire the Saints and Angels to pray for us? — Yes, we may. How do yoM prove that the Saints and Angels can hear us? — ** There shall be joy before the Angels of God over one sinner doing penance." What is the prayer to our Blessed Lady which the Church teaches 7 —The Hail Mary. Say the Hail Mary. — Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee ; blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother ot God, pray for us sinners, now, and at the hour of our death. Amen. How many parts are there in the hail Mary? — Three parts. Who made the first two parts? — The Angel Gabriel and St. Eliza- beth, inspired by the Holy Ghost ? Who 7?iade the third part? — The Church of God, against those who denied the Virgin Mary to be the Mother of God. Why do you say the Hail Mary so often ? — To put us in mind of the Son of God being made man for us. For what other reaso7i ? — To honor the Blessed Virgin Mother of God, and to beg her prayers for us. It has been proved from Scripture that the Angels and Saints in htdiv^n pray for us, and that we may ask the?n to do so. But, I. Is there any one of the Angels whom we should invoke more particularly? Yes, OUR Guardian Angel. God has given an angel to each of us to be our special Guardian : " He hath given his Angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. In their hands they shall bear thee up, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone." (Ps. xc. IO-I2.) Christ teaches this same truth when he says : " See that you despise not one of these Httle ones ; for I say to you that their Angels in heaven al- ways see the face of my Father who is in heaven." (Matt, xviii. lo.) As the wicked Spirits tempt us to evil by their sugges- tions, and endeavor to deprive us of happiness, so our Guardian Angel directs us to good by inward inspira- poes the Scripture teach that we have Guardian Angels ? THE HAIL MARY. 149 tions, preserving us from dangers and from many evils : " The angel of the Lord shall encamp round about them that fear him, and shall deliver them." (Ps. xxxiii. 8.) Thus, he delivered Judith from being injured by Holo- fernes : " As the Lord liveth, his Angel hath been my keeper, both going hence and abiding there, and return- ing from thence hither." (Judith xiii. 20.) Thus, also, he preserved and delivered Daniel in the lion's den (Dan. vi. 21, 22); he delivered Peter and other apostles out of prison (Acts v. 19; xii. 7-1 1), etc. Our Guardian Angel prays particularly for us, and presents our petitions to God. We should frequently invoke him, we should pay great respect and attention to his presence, and we should take care not to do in his presence what we would be ashamed to do before men : " Behold I will send my Angel, who shall go be- fore thee and keep thee in thy journey. . . . Take notice of him and hear his voice, and do not think him one to be contemned : for he will not forgive when thou hast sinned; and my name is in him." (Exod. xxxiii. 20, 21.) How very little is this admonition of the Almighty at- tended to ! II. Is there any one among the Saints whom, we should ask more particularly to intercede for us ? Yes, THE Blessed Virgin Mary. The Blessed Virgin, being the Mother of God, is above all the Angels and Saints ; she is pronounced " blessed among wome?i^' (Luke i. 28), and is to be called " blessed^^ (Luke 1. 48) by the faithful throughout all generations. Christ appointed her as our mother, and us as her children, in the person of St. John : " Behold thy son. . . . Behold thy Mother." (John xix. 26, 27.) We should frequently implore her intercession. Such has been the practice of the Saints — they were remark- able for their tender devotion to her ; witness, for ex- ample, St. Bernard, St. Bonaventure, St. Ignatius, St. Against whom and how are we protected by them ? Should we respect and invoke them ? 150 THE HAIL MARY. Alphonsus Liguori, etc. The Saints have received many and great blessings through her intercession, and so may we^ if, hke them, we will be fervent and devout in im- ploring her assistance. Have recourse to her, then, fre-> quently and fervently, and on all occasions, especially in your temptations and spiritual necessities. Ask her to obtain your requests, placing the greatest confidence in her intercession ; for, if she prays for you, you may rest assured that God will grant what she asks. Hence, St. Bernard says, that " never hath any one been known to have recourse to her protection, implore her aid, or ask her intercession, without obtaining reUef !" The manner in which our Lord granted her request, at the m^arriage feast in Cana of Galilee, shows the power of her intercession: "The wine failing, the Mother of Jesus (requesting him to supply some by his divine power) saith to him. They have no wine. And Jesus saith to her. Woman, what is it to me and to thee? my hour is not yet come (for working miracles. But, perse- vering in her request), his mother saith to the waiters, Whatsoever he shall say to you, do ye. Jesus (yielding) saith to them. Fill the water-pots with water. And they filled them up to the brim. And Jesus saith to them, Draw out now, and carry to the chief steward of the feast. And they carried it." And it was found to be wine, as the Blessed Virgin had requested. (John ii. i-io.) With reason, then, may we say, that, if she intercedes in our favor, God will grant her request. What is the Prayer to her which the Church teaches ? The " Hail Mary," otherwise called " The Angelic Salutation y "The Angel being come in, said unto her: Hail! fiil) of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women." (Luke i. 28) She is thus " blessed," because she is gifted with the highest graces and virtues ; and Why should we be particularly devout to the Blessed Virgin Mary? Were the Saints devout to her ? Does the manner in which our Lord granted her request at Cana prove this ? • COMMANDMENTS IN GENERAL. 151 because she is chosen for the special privilege of being the Mother of God. St. Elizabeth, being visited by the Blessed Virgin, said to her : " Blessed art thou among women ; and blessed is the fruit of thy womb." (Luke i. 42) That is to say, of all women thou art the most blessed, because thou art to bring forth the world's Redeemer. On account of the Son, we honor the Mother: it is on His account that " all generations" are to call her blessed. (Luke i. 48.) In the third part of the Hail Mary, which has been added by the Church, we declare the Blessed Virgin Mary to be the " Mother of God,'' against the Nesto- rians, who asserted that the Son of God and the Son of Mary were two distinct persons. This heresy was con- demned in the Third General Council at Ephesus, in 431. The Blessed Virgin is the Mother of Him who, besides being man, is also God; in Christ there is but one person, and she is his Mother: ^-Whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me ?" (Luke i. 43.) In this third part, we also declare ourselves to be ''^sinners;'' and, as such, we beg her intercession — ^' 710ZU /' i. e., always at the present time, because we always need God's mercy — ''and at the hour of our death " more especially, because then we stand in more need of help, and because all depends on dying well. How was each part of the Hail Mary formed? EXPLANATION OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. Instruction XXIX. FIRST COMMANDMENT. The Commandments in General; What the First Com-' mandment requires, and what it forbids. How many Commandments are there ? — Ten. Who gave the Ten Commandments'^ — God himself in the Old Law, and Christ confirmed them in the New. 152 COMMANDMENTS IN GENERAL.' What is the First Co??imandment ? — **I am the Lord thy God, who brought thee out of the Land of Egypt, and out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt not have strange gods before me. Thou shalt not make to thyself any graven thing, nor the hkeness of any thing that is in heaven above, nor in the earth beneath, nor in the waters under the earth ; thou shalt not adore them nor serve them." What are lue cofn??ia7tded to do by the First CommajidmentP — By the First Commandment we are commanded to believe in one only true and living God, and no more ; to hope in him, to love him, and to serve him all our days. What is forbidden by the First Commandment 9 — The First Com- mandment forbids us to worship false gods or idols, or to give to any creature whatsoever the honor which is due to God. What else is forbidden by this Commandments — All false reli- gions, and dealing with the devil; and then inquiring after things to come by fortune-tellers, or superstitious practices. What else ? — All charms, spells and heathenish observations of omens, dreams and such like fooleries. L The Commandments contain God's law, directing what is to be done by us, and what is to be avoided ; they are an epitome of our duties toward God, toward our neighbor and toward ourselves. In the beginning, God impressed upon the heart of man a sense of right and wrong, called /Ae light of 7iaiure — he gave man a cojiscience. By disregarding the hght of nature and the voice of conscience, men soon become wicked — so wicked as to induce Ahnighty God to say : " I will destroy man whom I have created .... for it repenteth me that I have made them .... The earth is filled with iniquity through them, and I will destroy them with the earth." (Gen. vi. 7, 13) After the Deluge, men soon became wicked as before ; so that the earth was again '' filled with iniquity " — habits of crime silenced, in a great measure, the voice of conscience; and, by darkening the light of nature, almost deadened man's sense of right and wrong. As a means of preserving it amid the general corruption, God wrote his Law or Commandments on two tables of stone. He wrote them in the midst of thunder and lightning, to signify what What are the Commandments ? What did men disregard when they .became wicked ? How were they punished ? Why did God write the Law on tables of stone ? FIRST COMMANDMENT— I. 153 they might expect who should dare to transgress them. (Exod. xix. and xx.) In the Gospel these Com- mandments are confirmed by Christ. For, when " one came and said to him : Good Master, what good shall I do that I may have life everlasting?'* Jesus said to him : " If thou wilt enter into life, keep the Commandments." (Matt. xix. 1 6, 17 ) Men, enslaved to vice, have said it is impossible to keep the Commandments. It is impossible, without the help of God's grace; but perfectly possible when we have his grace to assist us. Now, his grace will never be wanting to those who will take the proper means of having it. The words addressed to St. Paul, apply to each of us: " My grace is sufficient for thee." (2 Cor. xii. 9.) And every one of us may say with that Apostle: " I can do all things in him that strengtheneth me." (Philip iv. 13.) " God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that which you are able ; but will make also with temptation issue, that you may be able to bear it." (i Cor. x. 13.) God requires us to keep his Commandments, under pain of eternal condemnation; therefore, they are possible^ and also obligatory^ for it would be against the attributes of God to command im- possibilities and then punish us for not doing the things commanded. These words, " I am the Lord thy God who brought thee out of the land of Egypt and out of the house of bondage " (Exod. xx. 2), are an introduction to the Com- mandments. They show that God has a right to com- mand us as being " the Lord our GodJ^ and that we ought to obey his commands out of gratitude, also for what he has done for us as having delivered Msfrom the bondage of sin and Satan, II. The first commandment requires us to worship God by Faith, Hope, Charity and Religion. I. By Faith, in paying homage to his truth; and this Who confirmed them in the Gospel ? Are the Commandments possible? Are they obligatory? These few words, **I am the Lord," etc., what do they show? How do we serve God by Faith? 154 FIRST COMMANDMENT— I. we do when we believe all that he has revealed, and be- Heve it upon the authority of his word ; i. e., because he has revealed it. 2. By Hope, in paying homage to his power, goodness and fidehty ; and this we do when, acknowledging our own insufficiency, we confidently expect all good from God alone through the infinite merits of Christ. 3. By Charity in paying homage to his infinite per- fections, which render him infinitely deserving our love ; and this we do when we love God for his own sake above all things; when for his own sake we would rather be de- prived of all things — of our pleasure, possessions, health, and even life itself — than act against his will. This is the most acceptable homage we can give to God, and we have examples of it in all the Martyrs. We show that we worship God by Charity when we keep his command- ments : '' If you love me, keep my commandments." (John xiv. 15.) " He that keepeth his word (his law) in . him in very deed the charity of God is perfected, and by this we know that we are in him." (i John ii. 5.) 4. We are required to worship God by the virtue of Religion in paying homage to his infinite Majesty and supreme dominion over us; and this we do when we adore him as our first beginning and our last end, acknowl- edging our entire dependence on him; when we offer him the tribute of our praise and thanksgiving or address our supplications to him; when we give him public and external worship (which is of obligation), and especially when we celebrate or hear Mass, wherein we offer him a complete acknowledgment of his dominion over us and of our dependence on him. III. I have now explained what the First Q^Qxuvadcudi- mtnt requires us to do ; but What is forbidden by the First Commandment? I. Idolatry, which is giving to a creature the adoration or supreme honor which is due to God alone. This is a How by Hope ? How by Charity? How by Religion ? What is idolatry ? FIRST COMMANDMENT— I. 155 grievous crime, directly opposed to the First Command- ment. We need only use our common sense to see the extreme folly of it. 2. False Religions^ i. e., such as are different from that one which the Apostles established, and which has come down from them by a regular succession. May we go and join with false religions in their worship? No. But suppose the members of those religions oblige their servants to go with them to their places of worship, May a Catholic servant go and join with them? No, certainly not. When servants engage themselves to Protestants of any denomination, they should not neglect to provide against this evil, and parents should be careful to make this provision for their children. A Catholic must give up his situation rather than be com- pelled to join in a false worship. We cannot join at all in religion with the members of an heretical church. 3. Superstition^ which consists in turning away from God to seek help from the devil, in withdrawing from God's providence and from the means of help which he has ordained, to follow the delusions of the devil by using means appointed by him for obtaining something which we wish to have; such means, for example, as consulting fortune-tellers for the purpose of learning what is to happen, beginning harvest, or any other im- portant affair, on a particular day of the week for the purpose of securing good luck, etc. These and such like means are c^Med superstitious practices^ because they have no natural connection with the ends to be obtained, and have not been instituted by any proper authority to be supernatural means of obtaining those ends. To put any confidence in omens, charms, dreams, etc., is super- stitious and sinful. Omens are what superstitious people take to be signs of what is to happen^ as certain days being considered lii idolatry sinfhl ? What are false religions? What is supersti- tion ? Why so called ? What are omens ? 156 FIRST COMMANDMENT—I. lucky or unlucky — spilling the salt on the table being looked upon as foretelling some misfortune to the person towards whom it falls, etc. What folly it is, as well as sin, to place the least confidence in these things ! Cha7^ms and Spells are certain words, sentences or things which are kept by superstitious persons diS pre- sen) atives from some particular evils ^ as charms to prevent or cure the toothache, a horse-shoe placed over a door to prevent any one from going through that door to do any mischief, etc. What gross ignorance ! what weak- ness of mind and want of common sense ! These follies, and also witchcrafts of every kind, are displeasing to Almighty God, and strictly forbidden : " Let there not be found among you any one that consulteth soothsayers or observeth dreams and omens ; neither let there be any wizard, nor charmer, nor any one that con- sulteth pythonic spirits or fortune-tellers. . . . For the Lord abhorreth all these things." (Deut. xviii. 10-12.) "Wiz- ards thou shalt not suffer to live." (Exod. xxii. 18.) The observance of dreams^ or taking them to be signs of what is to happen, is foohsh, superstitious and sinful. We do indeed read in Scripture of God having some- times made known future events in dreams or visions. Thus, he showed Joseph his future superiority over his brethren in Egypt (Gen. xxxvii. 5-10); he made known to Pharaoh the seven years of plenty and the seven of famine (Gen. xli. 1-7); he showed Nabuchodonosor a statue which represented four kingdoms, to be succeeded and broken to pieces by the kingdom of Christ, which should stand forever (Dan ii), and " by a vision in the night" the king's dream with its interpretation was re- vealed to Daniel. (Dan. ii. 19.) These, and suchlike dreams, or rather visions, which were either to great saints or prophets, or to great public characters and for the public good, cannot by any means authorize us to observe dreams, since God gives us a general prohibition : "Neither Are omens sinful ? What are charms and spells ? Are all these displeasing to God ? Has God at times sent good dreams to holy men ? Is the observance of dreams sinful ? FIRST COxMMANDMENT— I. 157 let there be found among you any one that . . . observeth dreams. . . . For the Lord abhorreth all these things." (Deut. xviii. lo.) How can mere fancies of the brain, arising from constitution, from habit of body or from previous ideas, be signs of what is to happen ? " Dreams have deceived many." (Eccli. xxxiv. 7.) 4. Sacrilege is also forbidden by the First Command- ment. Sacrilege is the abuse or profanation of holy persons, holy places, or holy things. First, by holy perso7is are to be understood perso?is con- secrated to God, as Priests and the members of Religious orders. It is a sacrilegious crime to strike them ma- liciously, to violate them, or to treat them with any other great irreverence : " Touch not my anointed, and do no evil to my prophets." (Ps. civ. 15.) " With all thy soul fear the Lord and reverence his Priests." (Eccli. vi. 31.) Secondly, by holy places are meant places consecrated to God, as consecrated churches, burial grounds, etc. When these places are pillaged, profaned by heretical worship, etc., it is the crime of sacrilege. Thirdly, holy things are such as either are consecrated to God's service or relate to him in a special manner, as a consecrated chalice, the relics of a canonized saint, etc. It is a sacrilegious crime to steal these things or to employ them in sinful or profane uses, or to receive Sacraments unworthily : '^ They (the laity ) shall not touch the vessels of the sanctuary lest they die." (Num. iv. 15.) Baltassar, king of Babylon, serves as a striking example of the great evil of sacrilege. In a feast which he made for his nobles he used as drinking cups the sacred vessels which his father, Nabuchodonosor, had taken from the temple of Jerusalem. This crime cost him his life, for scarcely had he committed the sacrilege when he saw a hand writing his sentence on the wall. (Dan. v.) We should cherish in our hearts a great respect for Rehgion, and for whatever is consecrated to God's ser- vice or relates more particularly to him. What is sacrilege ? Explain the three kinds. 158 FIRST COMMANDMENT— IL Instruction XXX. FIRST COMMANDMENT— CONCLUDED. The Lawfulness of Making Images, of Ho7ioring the An- gels and Saints, and of Showing Respect to Relics^ Crucifixes^ aiid Holy Pictures, Does the First Com7nandment forbid the making of Images ? — The First Commandment does not forbid the making of Images, but the making of idols ; that is, it forbids making Images to be adored or honored as God. Does the First Commandment forbid us to give any kind of honor to the Saints and Angels? — No; it only forbids us to give them that supreme or divine honor which belongs to God alone, but it does not forbid us to give them that inferior honor which is due to them as the faithful servants and special friends of God. And is it allowable to honor Relics^ Crucifixes^ and Holy Pic- tures? — Yes, with an inferior and relative honor, as they relate to Christ and his Saints and are memorials of them. May we pray to Relics o? Images? — No, by no means, for they have no life nor sense to help us. I. When the First Commandment says : " Thou shalt not make to thyself any graven thing, nor the hkeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or in the earth beneath, or in the waters under the earth ; " these words, were we to reason upon them as Protestants do, would render it equally unlawful to make any image or picture at all, sacred or profane. But that their mode of reason- ing is false, is evident from the fact that, after giving this Commandment, God said to Moses : " Thou shalt make two Cherubim of beaten gold on the two sides of the oracle." (Exod. xxv. i8.) And the Lord said to Moses : " Make a brazen serpent and set it up for a sign." (Numb. xxi. 8.) According to God's direction, Solomon ornamented the Temple with religious images or pictures : " He graved Cherubim on the walls He made also in the house of the holy of holies two Cherubim of image-work, and he overlaid them with gold." (2 Par. iii. 7-10.) How do Protestants reason on the words of this Command ? Is that reasoning correct ? Do the texts of Scripture teach that it is lawful to make images and pictures ? FIRST COMMANDMENT— II. 159 These texts evidently show that it is lawful to make images or pictures, and to fix them in places of worship. The First Commandment, then, does not forbid us to make them as pictures and images^ it only forbids us to make them as idols, God himself explains the Com- mandment in this sense, by saying : " Thou shalt not adore them nor serve them." (Exod. xx. 5.) And again: " You shall not miake gods of silver, nor shall you make to yourselves gods of gold." (Exod. xx. 23.) Now, when we make images and place them in our churches, it is not to make gods of them, but it is for the same pur- pose as Moses made the Cherubim and placed them on each side of the oracle and as Solomon put Cherubim of image-work in the Temple. Protestants will not dare to charge them with the crime of breaking the First Commandment by so doing; then why do they charge lis with it ? II. But do we not break the First Commandment when we honor the Saints and Angels ? for does not this Commandment forbid us to give any kind of honor to the Saints and Angels ? No, for it is lawful and proper to give them that in- ferior and relative honor which is due to them as the faithful servants and special friends of God, and which we would show towards a good and virtuous person on earth — we would honor such a person ^r God's sake. The words " ho?ior^^ and "worship^'^ on account of the strong prejudices of Protestants, require some explana- tion. If we use these words with reference to the Saints, we are charged with giving th^m. supre^ne homage ; but the words have only this meaning when they are referred to God. For, when referred to creatures, they merely mean respect, veneration, great reverence. This used to be the common meaning of the word "worship,'" How strange, then, and how unjust it is in Protestants to charge us with giving divine honor to the Saints, merely because this word has been retained to express our veneration; especially as they have retained the What the Church does, was it done in the old law ? Explain th^ use of •'honor" and "worship,'^ 160 FIRST COMMANDMENT— II. same word in the sa77ie sense / For, in their Marriage Service, they direct the husband to say to his wife: " With my body I thee worships This only means that he will show her great respect. Again, they say to the Magistrates : " Your worship,'^ and they call them " Wor- shipful.'' Now, we do not charge them w^th making gods of wives and magistrates, on account of using to- ward them the word ''worship ;'' then why do they charge us with making gods of the Saints, because we use towards them the same word ? In order, then, to know w^hat kind of honor is ex- pressed by any word, we must consider the i?itention of him who uses it ; this rnay and does give quite a different character to the same outward expression. For exam- ple, bowing the head, or bending the knee, may be used in adoratio7i of God, or as respect to an earthly superior. A child, for instance, may kneel and bow to ask pardon of God, or of his offended parent : in the first case, it is an act of supreme adoration^ and in the second an act of filial submissio7i. The same external actions or words, then, may ex- press (according to the intention) different kinds of honor — either that i7iferior ho7ior due to creatures, or that supreme honor due to God alone. That this inferior and relative honor may be lawfully given to creatures is clear from many passages of Scrip- ture, several of which I will quote : '' And David commanded all the assembly : Bless ye the Lord our God. And all the assembly blessed the Lord, the God of their fathers ; and they bowed them- selves and WORSHIPPED God, and then the ki7igy (i Chron. xxix. 20.) \lhe Frotesta7it version says: They '' bowed down their heads ^ and worshipped the Lord a7id the kingy\ Here, civil (relative) honor, and also divine honor, are expressed by the very same word " worship^' and by the self-same act of bowing. When three angels Does the intention give a character to the outward expression ? What proof from Scripture have you that inferior and relative honor may be given to creatures ? FIRST COMMANDMENT— 11. 161 appeared to Abraham, " as soon as he saw them, he ran to meet them from the door of his tent, and adored down to the ground." (Gen. xviii. 2.) \The Protestant versio?i says : ''He ran to meet them . . . and bowed him- self towards the ground^] Lot gave this same mark of honor to two angels (Gen. xix. i), and so did Josue to another." (Josue v. 13-15.) In objection to all this, it is said that when St. John fell at an Angel's feet to worship him, the Angel said : " See thou do it not : I am thy fellow-servant, and of thy brethren who have the testimony of Jesus. Adore God." (Apoc. xix. 10.) [According to the Protestant version it is, " Worship Godr\ But this text, instead of opposing, confirms our doctrine, for \k\.^ proft^red worship was either divine or 7iot: ii divine, then the Apostle must have taken the Angel to be Christ, for surely we must not charge him with offering divine worship k?towingIy to a mere AngeL In this case the passage is not against our doC:trine, which condemns as idolatry the offering of divine worship to angels. But if not divine worship, then it could not have been refused as being unlawful. For, that honor and worship which it was lawful for Abra- ham, Lot, and Josue to give to Angels, and for those Angels to receive, could not be unlawful for St. John to give, nor for this Angel to receive from him. Why, then, did the Angel refuse it ? It was out of humility, and of respect for St. John, which he shows by styling himself as being merely his " fellow-servant T And be- sides, we find St. John offering it a second time, after having been thus admonished — which we cannot sup- pose he would have done, unless he knew it was right. (Apoc. xvii. 8, 9.) And, indeed, let each one (whatever be his reHgion) only appeal to his own heart on this subject. Suppose, for example, that this Angel who appeared to St. John, or St. John himself, or St. Peter, or St. Paul, were to appear to you, ought you not, and would you not, show ^hat objection is raised ? How do you answer the difficulty? 162 FIRST COMMANDMENT-— II. to him, for God's sake, all the honor and respect you could (except divine) ? Now, this is all that the Cath- olic Church teaches on this subject. We may, then, honor the Angels and Saints ; but, III. Is it allowable to honor Relics^ Crucifixes, and Holy Pic- tures ? — Yes, with an inferior and relative honor, as they relate to Christ and his Saints, and are memorials of them. With regard to Relics^ the Council of Trent teaches, " That the sacred bodies of the Martyrs and of the other Saints . . . are to be held in veneration by the faithful." And, with regard to Crucifixes, etc., the Council also teaches, " That the Images of Christ, of the Virgin Mother of God, and of the other Saints, are to be had, and retained, especially in churches, and that due honor and veneration are to be given to them, but that this honor is referred to the prototypes whom they repre- sent." (Cone. Trid., Sess. 25, De Invocatione.) Now, if we may and do respect the Teinple^ because it is dedicated to God's worship ; if we may and do respect the Bible^ because it represents to our minds, w^hen we read it, the very words spoken by God, why may we not respect the Crucifix for the very same reason — ^because it represents also to our minds, when we look upon it, the very sufferings endured by Christ for our salvation ? In all these and such like cases, it is not the mere materials that we respect or venerate, but the Temple; the Sacred Volume, the Crucifix, etc., are merely the vehicles through which our respect is con- veyed to God. Do not Protestants do the very same things toward the pictures and keepsakes of their deceased parents and friends ? and is not this the natural feeling of the heart? Why, then, do they condemn us for what they themselves do ? For let Protestants, in this also, only appeal to their What appeal can you make to the heart of any one in this regard? What does the Council of Trent teach about relics? What does the Council say in regavd to imAges ? Prove this respect from comiT^on SECOND COMMANDMENT. 163 own heart. Suppose any of them possessed the body of St. Peter, or Paul, or the mantle of Elias, etc., would they not preserve it with very great respect, and con- sider it as a most precious relic ? If so, then, why con- demn us for what they themselves would do ? and for what they actually do do toward the keepsakes of their departed friends ? It has been now shown that our doctrines, on this subject, are both reasonable and Scriptural. Protestants, then, should take care how they charge us with breaking the First Commandment, by honoring the Saints, or what relates to them; lest, instead of proving the charge against us they bring upon themselves the heavy guilt of transgressing that other Commandment which saith : *' Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor." (Exod. XX. 1 6.) Instruction XXXI. SECOND COMMANDMENT. How are we to speak of God — Vows and Oaths : Cursings Blaspheming and Frojane Words. What is the Second Commandment? — '*Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain." What are we commanded by the Second Commandment 9 — By the Second Commandment we are commanded to speak with reverence of God and all holy things, and to keep our lawful oaths and vows. What is forbidden by the Second Comfnandment ? — The Second Commandment forbids all false, rash, unjust and unnecessary oaths ; as also cursing, blaspheming and profane words. The Second Commandment is : " Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that shall take the name of the Lord his God in vain." (Exod. xx. 7.) By this Commandment we are commanded to speak with nverence of God^ and to avoid speaking of him with Provs ?.t from coririmon coudiact 164 SECOND COMMANDMENT. irreverence. Its object, therefore, is to direct us how we are to worship God i7i our words ^ and it is a natural con- sequence of the First Commandment; for if we love God, and adore and serve him, as that Commandment requires, then we shall speak of him with love and respect. This Second Commandment enjoins the ^//^K^/^^^^^'^^^ God; i. e., of extolling his Greatness, his Goodness, his Bounty toward us, and his other divine Perfections. This is man's noblest employment; it is that which is to be continued eternally in heaven. II. This Commandment still further requires us to respect God's name, by keepifig our lawful Oaths and Vows, J^I. What is a Vow ? It is 2^ free and deliberate pro7nise made to God, of doing Something good, with the i7itention of binding one's self to do it. A Vow, in the making of it, is a free act; but, when made it is binding under the strictest obligation : " When thou hast made a vow to the Lord thy God, thou shalt not delay to pay it, because the Lord thy God v/ill require it ; and if thou delay it shall be reputed to thee for a sin." (Deut. xxiii. 21.) "It is much better not to vow, than, after a vow, not to perform the things promised." (Eccles. v. 4.) It is more meritorious to per- form good works by vow, than without a vow, because by a vow we sacrifice our liberty to God — we give him, not only the fruit, but the tree itself Never make vows of such things as are trivial, much less of such as are sinful. A vow to do any thing sinful is itself a sin, and such a vow must not be kept. But all other vows must be fulfilled, unless, for some reason- able cause, a dispensation or commutation be obtained from a proper authority. 2. What is an Oath ? It is callifig on God to witness the truth of what we say ; and to punish us if what we say is false. What is the object of the Second Commandment? What duty (iocs it enjoin? Should we make vows of things that are trivial ? SECOND COMMANDMENT. 165 Is it lawful to swear or take an oath ? Yes, when God's honor, or when our own or neigh- bor's just defence requires it: "Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God, and thou shalt swear by his name.'' (Deut. vi. 13.) An oath is the greatest pledge we can give of the truth of our words. \Explain the words^ " So help me God; " i. e., may God send me blessings or punishments ^ according as my words are true or false.^ Three Conditioiis are neccessary for taking an Oath; and they are expressed in the words of Jeremias : " Thou shalt swear as the Lord Hveth, in truths and in judgment, and in Justice^' (Jer. iv. 2.) That is to say, the oath must be true — it must be taken with mature deliberation, and for a good and reasonable cause. We sin against the first of these conditions by perjury or false swearing; against the second, by rash swearing ; and against the third, by unjust or unnecessary swearing. " Swear not at all " (Matt. V. 34.); i. e., do not swear at all in your com- mon conversation. It is a sin to take an oath of doing any thing unlawful; it is a sin also to observe such an oath. \Exa7nple : Herod sinned by the oath which he took to the daughter of Herodias, that he would give whatsoever she should ask ; this oath was both rash and unjust, because he knew not what unreasonable or unjust thing she might ask. He sinned again, and more griev- ously, by keeping the oath — by commanding the head of St. John the Baptist to be given to her.] (Mark vi. 21-28.) Perjury, or false swearing, is a transgression against the most essential condition of an oath — viz., against its truth. We become guilty of this: First, if we know the oath to be false when we take it ; Secondly, if we think it to be false, although it should happen to be true; Ihirdly, if we are uncertain whether it be true or false; Fourthly, if, without a just cause, we refuse to fulfil what we have promised upon oath. What are the conditions of an oath ? How are they sinned against ? Is it sin tp take or to keep an unjust oath? Explain the example of Herod. What are the four ways of becoming guilty of perjury ? 166 SECOND COMMANDMENT. Perjury is a very grievous crime — it is a contempt of God, and an injury to society ; and yet, how common is it in this country ! But, as to rash^ unjust and unnecessary oaths, how still more common are they ! How many people have a habit of uttering oaths, without any just reason, on every occasion ! These oaths are, for the most part, rash^ and therefore sinful; many of them are U7ijust^ which is worse; and all of them are unnecessary. This habit of swearing on every occasion is an unedifying, detestable and irreligious practice. III. But the habit of cursing and blaspheming is even more common still. 1. What is Cursing? It is calling down judgment or some evil upon one's self^ one's 7ieighbor, or some other creature of God, It is a horrible, impious and diabolical practice, for it is imita- ting the devil, who is always wishing and seeking to bring evils upon us. Persons who are addicted to curs- ing, should reflect that their curses fall, not upon those against whom they are directed, but upon themselves only, and that most heavily. [^Example : The Jews pro- nounced a curse upon themselves when they said, " His blood be upon us and upon our children." (Matt, xxvii. 25.) And how literally has their curse been executed ! for his blood has been upon them !] 2. What is Blasphe77iing? It is speaking evil of God or of his Saints^ or speaking of thefn with conte?npt, orspeakifig conte77iptuously of the truths revealed by God, or of the sacra77ie7its, or of the Sacrifice of the Mass, etc. The mere description of blasphemy can not but raise in our minds very serious reflections. For what is more common in this country than to hear those of other rehgions railing against the Saints, casting slights upon the Blessed Virgin Mary, speaking against and turning into ridicule those truths which have been taught What about rash and unnecessary oaths ? SECOND COMMANDMENT. 167 by the Son of God himself, and those sacred means of grace which he has instituted in his Church ! For, what horrid blasphemies are uttered against the holy Sacrifice of the Mass and the Sacrament of the Blessed Eucharist! Christ, the Eternal Truth, declares: " The bread that I will give is my flesh'' (John vi. 52.) " Take ye and eat ; this is my body. . . . Drink ye all of this, for this is my blood'' (Matt. xxvi. 26-28.) But in- stead of beheving, they deny his word, for while He de- clares it is his body and blood, they, setting their own private judgment above every other rule, declare it is not But not content with merely denying this truth, they make it the subject of ridicule, sarcasm and abuse. Other truths are blasphemed in a similar manner. Indeed, there is scarcely one doctrine of the true Church of Christ which is not misrepresented, abused, reviled and scoffed at ! How literally do they fulfil the prophecy of St. Peter : " There shall be among you lying teachers, who shall bring in sects of perdition. . . . And many shall follow their riotousness through who?n the way of truth shall be evil spoken of, . , , They fear not to bring in sects, blaspheming. . . . But these men, . . . blaspheming those thi?igs which they know ?wt^ shall perish (he says) in their corruption." (2 Pet. ii. i, 2, 10, 12.) 3. What are profane words ? They are such words as " the devil J^ " devilish,'^ hell^^ ^^ hellish," etc., introduced into common conversation. This is an irreligious way of speaking — it is unbecoming a Christian, and gives disedification to others : " Let no evil speech proceed from your mouth, but that which is good to the edification of faith, that it may administer grace to the hearers." (Eph. iv. 29.) What blasphemy is common? How is the Blessed Eucharist blasphemed ? What are the words of St. Peter ? 168 THIRD COMMANDMENT. Instruction XXXII. THIRD COMMANDMENT. Its Obligation transferred from Saturday to Simday — its design^ its importance^ the duties it requires from us. What is the Third Commandment? — ** Remember that thou keep holy the Sabbath day.'* What are we com??ianded by the Third Commandment? — By the Third Commandment we are commanded to spend the Sunday in prayer and other reHgious duties. What do you mean by religious duties ? — Hearing Mass, going to the Sacraments and reading good books. What is forbidden by this Commandment ? — The Third Command- ment forbids all unnecessary servile work and sinful profanation of the Lord's day. The Third Commandment is : " Remember that thou keep holy the Sabbath day. Six days shalt thou labor and do all thy works, but on the seventh day is the Sab- bath of the Lord thy God; thou shalt do no work on it; thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy man-servant, nor thy maid-servant, nor thy beast, nor the stranger that is within thy gates. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and the sea, and all things that are in them, and rested on the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the seventh day and sanctified it.'* (Exod. xx. 8-II.) I. What day of the week is the Seventh or Sabbath day ? It is Saturday, Then why do we not keep Saturday holy ? Because the Church in the Apostles' time transferred the obligation from the seventh to ih^ first day of the week. Why was this done ? In honor of Jesus Christ, and therefore the first day of the week is called " The Lord's day'^ (Apoc. i. lo.) It was on the first day of the week (or Sunday) that Christ rose from the dead; that he commissioned his Recite the full text of the Third Commandment. THIRD COMMANDMENT. 169 Apostles to teach all nations ; that he empowered them to forgive sins; that he sent down upon them the Holy Ghost ; it was on this day that the Apostles began to preach the doctrines of Christ and to establish the Christian Religion. Protestants profess to learn the whole of their religion from the Bible ; but where does the Bible tell them that the obligatio7i of the Sabbath is transferred from the seventh to the first day of the week ? II. What is the object or design of the Third Commandment? It is this: To determine, by a- positive precept, what particular portion of our time shall be dedicated specially and immediately to God, instead of leaving it to the mere natural law which, without such precept, requires that we should set apart some portion of our time for his im- mediate service. To understand this more clearly, it should be observed that man's actions are of two kinds: i. Those which immediately and specially regard the service of God and the care of our soul. 2. Those which regard worldly affairs and the care of the body. Now, as the soul and eternity are of far more importance than the body and mere temporal pursuits, so is the service of God of much greater consequence than the seeking of earthly possess- ions. All our time belongs to God; yet he is satisfied if a portion of it only be devoted immediately and in a special manner to his service. But if it were left to our- selves to choose this particular portion of time, we should be too apt to neglect it by giving to earthly cares that time which ought to be given specially to God. There- fore, in order to prevent such neglect, God has specified and fixed, by a positive command, the time which he requires to be thus given to him. Such is the object and design of the Third Commandment. III. The importance of this precept and the strictness of its obligation are indicated by the word " Remember^^ Who transferred the obhgation from Saturday to Sunday, and why? Develop the object of this command from the two kinds of actions of men. 170 THIRD COMMANDMENT. by the great blessings promised to those that keep the Sabbath, and by the severe ptmishments denounced against them that shall dare to transgress it : "• Thus saith the Lord : Blessed is the man that respectelh the Sabbath from profaning it They that keep my Sabbaths I will give them an everlasting name that shall never perish I will make them joyful in my house of prayer, . . . and their victims shall please me upon my altars." (Is. Ivi. 1-7.) "Keep my Sabbath. . . . He that shall profane it shall be put to death." (Exod. xxxi. 14.) IV. The observance of this Commandment requires of us two things: i. That w^e should rest from un- necessary servile work. 2. That we should spend the time in such exercises as may be said to sanctify the day. 1. As to restifig: All such works are forbidden as are servile; i. e., such kinds of bodily works as are commonly done by servants, mechanics, tradesmen, etc., for gaining a livelihood. Is it never lawful to do such works as these if Yes, when they are really necessary, as to provide food for the day : '' Doth not every one of you, on the Sab- bath day, loose his ox or his ass from the manger and lead them to water ? " (Luke xiii. 15.) 7o attend the sick : "Love is the fulfilment of the law." (Rom. xiii. 10.) But nothing should be done on the Sunday which can be done beforehand or deferred till another day. 2. But, when we are commanded -to rest from servile works on the Sunday we are not to imagine that we may spend the day in idleness^ tior should we consider it suffi- cient merely to hear Mass. We are commanded to keep holy the day : " Remember that thou keep holy the Sab- bath day." To hear Mass is what the Church, by a positive pre- cept, obliges us all to do. If we absent ourselves from Mass on. Sundays, without any necessity, we become guilty of mortal sin; and if we are wilfodly absent, or Prove the strictness and importance of this precept. What is meant by the first thing required : resting from unnecessary servile works ? What by exercises that sanctify the Lord's Day ? THIRD COMMANDMENT. 171 wilfully distracted during any part of it we render our- selves guilty of sin more or less. If any person be hin- dered by necessity, or some sufficient cause, from attend- ing, he does not sin by not hearing Mass ; but he should not neglect to pray at home. It is with good reason that the Church obliges all her children to be present at this holy Sacrifice, because hearing Mass is the best means we have of sanctifying the Sunday. The Vespers or Afternoon Service should also be at- tended, unless persons be excused by great distance or by some other great inconvenience ; and, in these cases, they should say prayers at home. But such persons as live near, and yet are in the habit of neglecting on the Sunday afternoons, what can be thought of them, except that they are slothful or indifferent ? Are they not of the number of those of whom God says: " I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot; I would that thou wert either cold or hot ; but, because thou art luke- warm, and neither cold nor hot, I will begin to vomit thee out of my mouth." (Apoc. iii. 15, 16.) It is by serving God diHgently and devoutly on Sundays that you draw down a store of graces for the rest of the week. Salvation is your most important affair — the only affair of ress and loss of time to devote so many days to religious duties 1 In answer to this, it may be asked : 1. Is it not a much greater loss to lose Okie's soul by neglecting to serve God ? " What doth it profit a man if he gain the whole world and suffer the loss of his own soul ? " (Matt. xvi. 26.) " Thou fool ! this night do they require thy soul of thee, and whose shall those things be which thou hast provided?" (Luke xii. 20.) 2. How many days are given to idleness, dissipation or sin without complaint or regret ? Is it not a pity and a shame, too, to grudge every moment dedicated to God's service, while whole days can be given to vanity and sin without murmur ? When persons are thus so afraid of giving a little time to God's service, and to look upon such time as lost, does it not show a greater con- cern for this world than for the next, and lamentable in- difference for salvation ? and does it not prove that they have not a sufficient confidence in divine Providence ? For, 3. Has not God a thousand ways of recompensing you for the time you give to him by giving a blessmg to the time which he allows you to employ for yourselves ? and has he not promised to do so ? " Behold the birds of the air : for they neither sow, nor do they reap, nor gather into barns, and your heavenly Father feedeth them. . . . How much vciox^you, O ye of little faith ? Be not so- licitous, therefore, saying: What shall we eat, or what shall we drink, or wherewith shall we be clothed? . . For your Father knoweth that you have need of all these How do you answer the difficulty made about the disadvantage to business from days of obligation ? 214 SECOND PRECEPT OF THE CHURCH. things. Seek ye, therefore, first the kmgdoin of God and his justice, a?id all these things shall be added UNTO YOU." (Matt. vi. 26-33.) Depend upon it, you will not be losers by giving these days to God. But, 4. What blessing can you expect if you love and pre- fer your temporal interests before God ? If you o^end him by refusing him the service which he requires from you, and by rebelling against the Church which he com- mands you to obey, you then take the means of drawing down upon yourselves judgments instead of blessings. III. What is the Second Cont7nandment of the Church? — To hear Mass on all Sundays and holydays of obligation. This Commandment directs us to the 7na?iner of em- ploying the days set apart for God's service — it obliges us to hear Mass on all all such days. Why are we commanded in particular to hear Mass? Because the Sacrifice of the Mass is the most solemn and essential act of religious worship and the most per- fect homage which man can pay to God. It is an act of homage the most pleasing to him, and the most effectual in drawing down his blessings. And, therefore, to hear (or celebrate) Mass attentively and devoutly, is the best means we have of keeping the day holy. Hence, what a pity it is that so many persons either neglect this holy Sacrifice when the Church requires them to assist at it, or are present at it without attention or devotion, and thereby not only run their souls into sin by violating this Second Commandment of the Church, but lose, moreover, the many and great spiritual blessings which a devout assistance at Mass would draw down upon them! To fulfillthi^ Commandment of hearing Mass on all Sundays and days of obligation, you must be present during the whole Mass, from beginning to end. To be absent wilfully without a necessary or sufficient cause, during all or a7iy part of it, is a sin, and the longer the absence the greater the sin ; if it be during two or three What must you do to fulfill the command of hearing Mass? THIRD PRECEPT OF THE CHURCH. 215 minutes only, the sin is venial ; but if during a consider- able or an essential part, then it is mortal. The same is to be said of wilful distractions during Mass. What is meant by Days of Devotion ? They are festival days, on which it is proper and ad- visable that you should hear Mass and perform more ex- ercises of piety than on common days, although there is no comma?id or strict obligatio7i to do so. They were formerly days of obhgation, but on account of the tepidity and neghgence of Christians the obligation has been removed. Instruction XLII. THIRD COMMANDMENT OF THE CHURCH. Absiinejice and Fasting shown to be Scriptural — the Times and Marnier of Fasting — its Advantages — Objections answered. What is the Third Co7?t7nandment of the Church 9 — To keep the days of fasting and abstinence appointed by the Church. What is 7neant by fasting days? — Days on which we are allowed to take but one meal, and are forbidden to eat flesh meat. Which are the fasting days ? — The forty days of Lent, certain Vigils, the Ember days, and, in the Eastern States, the Fridays in Advent. Why does the Church command us to fast? — That by fasting we may satisfy God for our sins. What is 7neant by days of abstinence'? — Days on which we are for- bidden to eat flesh meat, but are allowed the usual number of meals. Which are the days of abstinence ?— AX\ Fridays except the Friday on which Christmas-day may fall. This Third Commandment of the Church directs us as to the times and via?iner of complying with the duty of Fasting, which duty God himself requires of us. It obhges us to refrain, on certain appointed days, from taking our usual food; either as to quality only, and then we call it Abstinence ; or as to both quality and qua?itity, and then we call it Fasting. What does this Third Commandment direct ? 216 THIRD PRECEPT OF THE CHURCH. I. Are Abstinence and Fasting in accordance with Scripture 7 Yes, nothing can be more so. I. As toAbstinefice, the Scriptures contain many passages which strictly enjoined it. Thus, for instance, the very Jirst and only command given to Adam and Eve in Paradise was one of Absti?ience : '' Of the tree of knowl- edge, of good and evil, thou shalt not eat. For, in what day soever thou shalt eat of it, thou shalt die the death." (Gen. ii. 17.) Noe, likewise, received a precept of Absti- nence: " Flesh with blood you shall not eat." (Gen. ix. 4.) The Israelites, also, were commanded to abstain from several kinds of flesh : " The flesh of these iviz.^ the hare, the swine, etc.) you shall not eat, and their carcasses you shall avoid. . . . Do not defile your souls nor touch aught thereof" (Levit. xi. 8, 11, 43.) [Examples of the strict observance of this precept among the Jews : Eleazer pre- ferred death, and suffered death, rather than transgress this law of God by eating forbidden meats. So, likewise, did the Seven Maccabees, with tbeir mother." {2 Mac. vi. and vii.) Daniel also, in the Babylonish captivity, " proposed in his heart that he would not be defiled with the king's (Nabuchodonosor's) table," and to the oflicer appointed over him he said: •• Try, I beseech thee, thy servants for ten days, and let pulse be given us to eat." (Dan. i. 8, 12.) The Apostles commanded the converts to abstain from blood and things strangled, and they gave this command in the name and by the authority of the Holy Ghost : " It hath seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us to lay no further burden upon you than these necessary things : that you abstain from things sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled." (Acts xv. 28, 29.) What practice, then, can be more scriptural than that of Abstinence ! How strange, therefore, it is, and how inconsistent, that they who pretend to take the Bible as their sole rule of faith should not only reject but even Prove that abstinence is in accordance with Scripture. THIRD PRECEPT OF THE CHURCH. 217 ridicule a practice which is taught in ahnost every page of Scripture ! 2. As to Fasting, the evidences for it in Scripture are numerous and decisive. Thus, in the Old Testament, God commanded, saying : " Blow the trumpet in Sion ; sanctify a fast ; call a solemn assembly Be con- verted to me with all your heart, in fasting, and weeping, and mourning; and rend your hearts, not your gar- ments." (Joelii. 15,12,13.) In the New Testament Christ also commands Fasting: "Then came to him the disci- ples of John, saying : Why do we fast often, but thy dis- ciples do not fast ? And Jesus said to them : Can the children of the Brixlegroom mourn as long as the Bride- groom is with them ? But the days shall come when the Bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then THEY SHALL FAST." (Matt. ix. 14-16.) And, ac- cordingly, he gave rules for fasting to be then observed: "When you fast, be not as the hypocrites — sad. For they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thy head and wash thy face, that thou appear not to men to fast, but to thy Father who is in secret : and thy Father, who seeth in secret, will repay thee." (Matt, vi. 16-18.) Both the Old and New Testaments testify that Fasting has, at all times, been practised by the greatest servants of God: Moses fasted forty days, without eating anything (Exod. xxxiv. 28.); Elias also fasted forty days, in the same manner (3 Kings xix. 8); David likewise fasted much : " My knees (he said) are weakened through fasting" (Ps. cviii. 24); the Apostles fasted; "When they had ordained to them priests in every Church, and had prayed with fasti?ig, they com- mended them to the Lord" (Acts xiv. 22); Christ him- self fasted : " And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterwards hungry." (Matt. iv. 2.) Notwithstanding all these Scriptural evidences for fast- What Scripture have you for fasting ? 218 THIRD PRECEPT OF THE CHURCH. ing, how frequently do we hear the doctrine of it re- jected, and its practice called superstitious ? II. Almighty God, then, requires us to fast; the Church (as I have already said) determines the times and manrier of fulfilling what God thus requires. With regard to the times of Fasting^ the Church obhges us to keep as fast days; ist, The forty days of Lent, for from Ash Wednesday to Easter every day, except the Sundays, are fasting days; 2dly, Certain Vigils, viz. : the Vigils of Christmas Day, of Whit-Sun- day, of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and of All Saints; 3dly, The Ember days, i. e., the Wednes- days, Fridays and Saturdays in the first week of Lent, in Whitsun-week, in the third week of September, and in the third week of Advent; 4thly, in the United States the Fridays of Adve?it in many dioceses. With regard to the manner of Fastiftg, the Church restricts all her subjects, who have not a lawful cause of exemption, to only one full ine aim the day, with a colla- tion at night; but, in this country, custom has author- ized us to take also something in the morning. What is thus taken in the morning must be but a little (one ounce, or, at most, two ounces), and the evening colla- tion, according to the common teaching of divines, must not exceed eight ounces of food. As to the quality of what may be taken morning and evening, according to the present discipline in the United States, it must not be flesh meat. Every fasting day is also a day of abstinence ; but it has been long customary to be allowed to eat flesh-meat at the full-meal on the Tuesdays and Thursdays in Lent, except the Thursday after Ash-Wednesday and the Tues- day and Thursday in Holy-Week. \But this dispensa- tion is liable to be altered by the Bishop \ In the earlier ages of the Church, fasting was much more rigorous than it is at the present time. What are the times of fasting the Church has determined ? What manner of fasting has the Church determined ? What is customary on some days in Lent ? THIRD PRECEPT OF THE CHURCH. 219 Does the Church oblige all her members to fast ? No; none are commanded to fas^ until they have com- pleted their twenty-first year of age. And even then many are exempted — some by the weakness of their constitution, or by sickness; some by their laborious employments; some on account of their being in the family-way, or their having a child at the breast; some by a dispensation lawfully obtained from their pastors. But all are obliged to abstai7i from flesh meat on days of fasting and abstinence after they have completed their seventh year of age, unless, for some just cause, they are dispensed with. Would it be a mortal sin to transgress the laws of fasting and abstinence ? Yes, unless it be done from some necessity, or by a lawful dispensation. In order to obtain a lawful dis- pensation, dijust cause is necessary. in. Why does the Church co??zmand us to fast? — That by fast- ing we may satisfy God for our sins. It is with good reason that we are commanded to fast, because fasting is attended with many and vety great ADVANTAGES. For, 1. It is very powerful in appeasing the anger of God and in averting his judgments. [Example of the Nine- vites.] (Jonas iii. 8-10.) 2. It satisfies the divine Justice, by discharging, or considerably lessening, the debt of temporal punishment due to our past sins. 3. It acts as a preservative against future transgres- sions, because it tames the violence of our passions and weakens temptations. 4. It renders the soul more spiritual — more fit for prayer, meditation, and other religious exercises. IV. The advantages of fasting being so great, and the Scriptures so clear, so explicit, and so strong in its favor, why do other religions object so much agaiftst the practice of it? They do not like fasting, and therefore they are glad to catch at every trifling objection against it. What are the advantages with which fasting is attended ? 220 THIRD PRECEPT OF THE CHURCH. 1. They say: ^^ It is not that which goeth i?ito the month that defileth a ynan''' (Matt. xv. ii), and they ap- ply this as an objection against fasting and abstinence; but it is evident that they misapply the text. For, what what was it that defiled Adam and Eve ? Was it not the apple going into their mouths contrary to God's command ? Would not the eating of Nebuchodonosor's meats have defiled Daniel? and swine's flesh the Jews? and was it not to avoid this defilement that Eleazer and the seven Maccabees, with their mother, suftered death ? 2. They say: '''Flesh is as good o?i Friday as o?i other days'' Certainly, // is as good, but the act of eati?ig it is not so good because forbidden by the lawful authority. The forbidden apple was as good as the others, but, etc. Leaven bread was forbidden to the Jews during the week of the Passover, so that they would have sinned by eating it (Exod. xiii. 3-7; Deut. xvi. 3, 4), yet it was as good during that week as at other times when allowed. 3. They object against us these words of St. Paul : " Whatsoever is sold in the shaynhles eat, asking 710 ques- tion for €07iscience sake.'' (i Cor. X. 25.) But this text, instead of opposing, rather confirms our doctrine. The first Christians were forbidden to eat things which had been offered to idols; and, in the very chapter from which the above passage is taken, St. Paul confirms that prohibition, and then teaches that the Christians w^ere not to be scrupulous in its observance : for that so long as they did not know that the meat had been offered to idols, they might eat it, without first asking the ques- tion whether it had been offered to idols. " But [he adds] if any man say : This has been sacrificed to idols, do not eat of it, for his sake that told it and for con- SCIENXE SAKE." (l Cor. X. 28.) But how can Protestants object to the doctrine and practice of either fasting or abstinence, since their *' Book of Common Prayer" enjoins both? and since, by Pro- What is the first Scriptural objection against fasting? How an- swered ? The second ? How answered ? The third ? How an- swered ? FOURTH PRECEPT OF THE CHURCH. 221 testant laws, it is the duty of churchwardens to see that the parishioners have no flesh on their table on fish-days, i.e., on days of fasting and abstinence? Existing laws require them to levy penalties for eating flesh on those days (5 Eliz., cap. 5. — See Burn's Justice, Art. Church- wardens, Sect, vi.. Duties of Churchwardens in General), and also to present the transgressors to the Protestant Bishop at the Visitation. The Protestant Clergy are required by the Canons, under pain of censure, to de- clare to the people every Sunday, at the time appointed in the Communion-book, whether there be any Fasting- days the week following. (Canon 64.) Instruction XLIII. FOURTH, FIFTH AND SIXTH COMMANDMENTS OF THE CHURCH. Annual Confessio7i : Easter- Communion y Prohibitions regarding Marriage. What is the Fourth Commandment of the Church ? — **To confess our sins to our Pastor at least once a year." At what time should children go to Confession ? — When they come to the use of reason, so as to be capable of mortal sin, which is gen- erally supposed to be about the age of seven years. What is the Fifth Commandfnent of the (."hurch ? — To receive the Blessed Sacrament once a year, and that at Easter or thereabouts. At 10 hat age are Christians bound to receive the Blessed Sacra- ment? — VVhen they are sufficiently capable of being instructed in that sacred mystery. What is the Sixth Commandment of the Church ? — Not to sol- emnize marriage at certain times, nor within certain degrees of kind- dred, nor privately without witnesses. I. The Fourth Commandment of the Church requires us to go to Confession, in obedience to the general com- mand of God ; it fixes a period beyond which we are not allowed to defer the confession of our sins to our Pastor. What is the duty of ministers laid down by the Book of Common Prayer ? What does the Fourth Commandment require ? What determine ? 222 FOURTH PRECEPT OF THE CHURCH. The general co7nmand of God is implied in the very instiiutioft of Confession, for, as this institution renders Confession a necessary condition of reconciUation, it fol- lows that God requires it of every sinner. When Christ gave to his Apostles and their successors the power of forgiving and retaining sins, he thereby constituted his ministers the judges of consciences. Now, they cannot exercise this office without confession being made to them. The Church comma7ids us to comply v/ith this general precept of God at the very least once a ysar. When does this obligation begin to bind us ? When we come to the use of reason, so as to be capable of mortal sin — when we are able to di stinguish good from evil, so far as to be accountable to God for the morality of our actions. They who have not made their confession are obhged (if ignorant) to get instructed, in order to learn how to make it, and they are obliged to prepare them- selves for it, and they must never afterward neglect be- yond a year. But is once a year often enough to go to Confession ? It is all that the Church expressly comma?ids^ but not all that she wishes. After we have fallen into mortal sin God requires us to return to him, without delay, by sin- cere repentance : " Delay not to be converted to the Lord, and defer it not from to day, for his wrath shall come on a sudden and in the time of vengeance he will destroy thee." (Eccli. v. 8, 9.) When a person who has committed a mortal sin neglects for a long time to have recourse to the appointed means of reconciliation, can we suppose that God is not offended by such neglect ? Can we suppose that such a person is not violating the precept of loving the Lord his God with his whole heart, and soul, and mind, and strength ? Whenever w^e have been so unhappy as to become guilty of mortal sin, we should repent immediately^ and prepare ourselves for ap- is the command implied in th- institution of confession ? How often at the very least is confession required ? FIFTH PRECEPT OF THE CHURCH. 223 preaching soon to the Sacrament of reconciliation. If this were done, how many sins would be thereby pre- vented ? For, Confession is not only a remedy for sins already committed, but it is also a preservative against commit- ting them in future. When a person is enslaved to any vice, when his heart is corrupted and the powers of his soul are weakened by a habit of falling, when he desires and endeavors to reform his conduct, but has not the strefigth to do so, frequent Confession is to such a sinner a most powerful help — it is sometimes the only means that will be effectual of overcoming temptations. They whose repeated falls give them occasion to lament their weaknesses, but who cannot be induced to go to Con- fession oftener than once a year, must have great reason to apprehend that they are far from being really in earn- est about their salvation — that they are very indifferent — that they are worse than merely lukewarm. How sel- dom it is that this neglect of Confession is effectually corrected when once the habit of it has been contracted ? This is a negligence which generally grows upon those who are guilty of it, and too often accompanies them to their death-bed. With expressions of bitter regret ^they then resolve and promise to do better in future, if God will only spare them. But no sooner do they find that they have been spared, than, forgetting their resolutions, they become as negligent as before. II. What is the Fifth Commandment of the Church? To receive the Blessed. Sacrament once a year, and that at Easter or thereabouts. The Fifth Commandment of the Church requires us to receive the Holy Communion, in obedience to the general command of God ; and it specifies a time, be- yond which we are not allowed to defer the reception of this Sacrament. That general command of God is evident from these In what cases is Confession a preservative ? How should they feel who confess only once a year ? What does the Church require and specify in regard to Holy Communion ? 224 FIFTH PRECEPT OF THE CHURCH. words of Christ : " Amen, amen, I say unto you, except you eat the flesh of the Son of Man, and drink his blood, you shall not have life in you." (John vi. 54.) At what age are Christians bound to receive the Blessed Sacra- ment ? When they are sufficiently capable of being instructed in that sacred mystery. Observe, the Catechism does not say, " When they are sufficiefitly instructed^' but " When they are sjtfficieiiily CAPABLE of being instructed.'" For they are then bound to get instructed, and to make all necessary preparations for receiving the Holy Communion. Parents will have much to answer for if they suffer their children to neg- lect — and how many parents do ? The negligence of children is almost always traceable to neglect in parents. What a terrible account must await those parents who are guilty of such neglect ? Would it be a grievous sin to omit one's Easter-Commiinion^ without necessity or some just cause ? Yes ; and the longer people neglect the more guilty they become. St. Alphonsus^ Liguori says, that " if any one has been prevented from communicating at Easter he is bound to communicate as soon afterward as he can — or at the earliest opportunity^ because both the divine and the ecclesiastical precept require him to do so." But if persons communicate at Easter, is that stcfficient? It is as often as the Church positively comma?ids, but not as often as she desires and advises, nor as often as our necessities require. The Holy Eucharist is called : *^Our daily bread'" (Luke xi. 3); it is "the bread of life," given for the food and nourishment of our souls : '' The bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world. . . . For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed." (John vi. 48, 52, 56.) Now, as the body Is there a general command to go to Communion? Why does the Catechism say, ''capable ot being instructed?" Is it the desire of the Church that we communicate often ? Why ? SIXTH PRECEPT OF THE CHURCH. 225 languishes and dies unless frequently nourished with corporeal food, so does the soul languish and lose its spiritual life if deprived of this bread of life. For so Christ declares: *' Amen, amen, I say unto you, except you eat the flesh of the Son of Man, and drink his blood, you shall not have life in you.'' (John vi. 54.) How many are there among the faithful who seem to make it a point to approach the Holy Communion once a year only ? But what can be thought of them, except that they are in a deplorable state of soul ? for, to whom are these terrifying words of the Apocalypse most strictly applicable: "I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot. I would that thou wert cold or hot, but because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will begin to vomit thee out of my mouth.'' (Apoc.iii. IS. 16.) If such persons will only look well into their own hearts, and observe w^hat passes there, it is to be feared that they will find this threat already executed upon them; that they will find themselves deprived of the protecting and supporting graces of God — left a prey to frequent and violent temptations, and repeatedly falling, so as to be continual slaves to their passions, etc. HI. What is the Sixth Commandment of the Church? — Not to solemnize marriage at certain times, nor within certain degrees of kindred, nor privately without witnesses. 1. Those forbidden times are, from the first Sunday in Advent to Epiphany, and from Ash- Wednesday to Low- Sunday, inclusive. These are times set apart for public penance, or for particular devotion. Marriages solemnized at these forbidden times are unlawful, but not invalid. It is not right to take any part in the solemnization of a marriage to which this prohibition of the Church applies. 2. The Sixth Commandment of the Church forbids marriage between relations to the fourth degree of kin- dred. Brothers and sisters are the first degree from the What is the consequence of neglecting frequent communion? During what time is it forbidden to solemnize marriage? In whal degree of relationship is marriage forbidden ? 226 SIXTH PRECEPT OF THE CHURCH. common stock; their children, or first cousins, are the second degree ; and so on to third cousins, who are the fourth degree and included in the prohibition. When the parties are not equally distant from the common stock from which both of them proceed, they are related to each other in the degree of the one who is farthest removed. It also forbids marriages between those who are within the fourth degree of affinity, arising from lawful marriage. Speaking of man and wife, our Blessed Lord says : " They are not two, but one flesh" (Matt. xix. 6); so that the relations of one of the parties by consanguinity are re- lated to the other party by affi?iity. An unlawful cohabita- tion creates the same kind of affinity, which prevents marriage wdth the relatives of each other to the second degree. Godfathers and godmothers contract a spiritual relationship or affinity with the person for whom they are sponsors, and also with the pare7its of that person, which prevents them from .marrying any one of the three ; and this applies also to those who are sponsors in confirma- tion. In all these cases the marriage would be null and void if celebrated without a dispensation. 3. In places where the decree of the Council of Trent concerning clandestine marriages is in force, any mar- riage which is not contracted before the proper pastor of one of the parties and in the presence of at least two witness, is null and void. How are these degrees counted? What is affinity? When does it prevent matrimony? What effect has the publication of the Council of Trent ? SACRAMENTS IN GENERAL. 227 EXPLANATION OF THE SACRAMENTS. Instruction XLIV. On the Sacraments in General. What is a Sacrament? — A Sacrament Is an outward sign of in- ward grace, or a sacred and mysterious sign and ceremony ordained by Christ, by which grace is conveyed to our souls. Do alt the Sacraments give grace ? — Yes, to those who receive them with due dispositions. Whence have the Sacraments the power of giving grace ? — From Christ's precious blood. Is it a great happiness to receive the Sacraments worthily ? — Yes, it is the greatest happiness in the world. How many Sacraments are there ? — These seven : Baptism, Con- firmation, Holy Eucharist, Penance, Extreme Unction, Holy Orders, and Matrimony. Our eternal salvation depends very much on the use we make of the Sacraments, because they are the ?neans of grace instituted by Christ our Lord for the sanctifica- tion of mankind. It is very important, therefore, that the Sacraments should be well u7iderstood by all Christians in order that they may be able to receive them with greater advantage to their souls. I. The Essentials of a Sacrament. — What is a Sacrament? — A Sacrament is an outward sign of inward grace, or a sacred and mysterious sign and ceremony ordained by Christ, by which grace is conveyed to our souls. Three things are necessary to constitute a Sacrament : I. Some external sensible thing which is to be applied by the minister of the Sacrament while he pronounces a set form of words. All this is the sign or the outward part of the Sacrament. 2. This external thing, with the appHcation of it to the receiver (that is to say, the entire sign or outward part of the Sacrament), must both signify inward grace and have the power oi producing it in the Is it necessary that the Sacraments be well understood? Which are the three things that constitute a Sacrament ? 228 SACRAMENTS IN GENERAL. soul. 3. This sign or outward part of the Sacrament must have been permanently instituted by Christ in his Church to be a means of producing grace. 1. The Outward Sign. — An external sensible sign is something which we can see or hear, etc. — it is some- thing which can be perceived by our senses., pointing out something else which w^e do not see or hear or perceive with any of our senses : for example, when we see smoke rising out of the top of a chimney w^e know by that out- ward sign that there is fire inside the house, although the fire itself is not perceived by any of our senses. The external sensible^ thing., with the application of it, is called the matter of the Sacrament ; the words which are pro- nounced at the same time by the minister applying the matter are called the form of the Sacrament. Thus, the matter of the Sacrament of Baptism is the water, with the application of it to the person who is being baptized [the water itself is the remote matter, and its application (or the ablution) is the J^roxi mate msittQr] and the form of this Sacrament is the sentence, " I baptize thee," etc., pronounced while the water is being poured. Withhold the word (says St. Augustine) and what is the vrater but mere water ? The word is joined to the ele- ment and it becomes a Sacrament." The union between the application of the matter and the pronouncing of the form ought to be such that, ac- cording to the moral estimation of men, the words may be considered as aftecting the matter and as consti- tuting with it one whole sign. Every Sacrament has a ??iatter dsi^forin, which are its outward part applied by the person who administers the Sacrament. 2. The Inward Grace. — There is, also, in every Sacra- ment an inward part or grace, given by Almighty God to the soul at the very same instant in which the out- ward part is performed. This inward grace is certain — > What is an Outward sign? What is the iHAttey of a Sa^fftment ? What is the form? Is inward griace certainly ptoduc« to ; but they are certainly excluded from heaven — from the beatific vision. Hence, how careful parents should be to have their children baptized ! V. Preparation for Baptism. — Children, of course, can make no preparation, nor is any required of them ; but they who have come to the use of reason before they are baptized, must get instructed in the doctrines of the Church, and must believe them. " He that believeth and is baptized, shall be saved ; but he that believeth not, shall be condemned." (Mark xvi. i6.) " Going, there- fore, teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." (Matt, xxviii. 19.) They must also have true repentance, and resolve to lead a Christian life: ''' Do peiiance, and be baptized every one of you, for the remission of your sins." (Acts ii. 2>^,) VI. Sponsors. — A Godfather and Godmother are provided for those who are baptized. Why so ? To answer and promise in the child's name ; to be sureties for the fulfilment of the baptismal promises ; to be the instructors of their godchild, in case the parents should neglect their duty in this respect, or be prevented by death, or otherwise, from performing it. Hence, Sponsors must be themselves sufficiently instructed; they must lead a Christian Hfe ; and must be, at least, Easter-Communicants: otherwise they cannot be ad- mitted as sponsors. They contract a spiritual relation- ship with their godchild, and also with its parents, Who can make no preparation for Baptism ? Who should prepare ? 240 BAPTISM. which prevents them from marrying either one or the other. VII. Ceremonies. — Hmv is Baptism givefi ? — By pouring water on the child, while we pronounce the words ordained by Christ. Having explained the Sacra77ie7it of Baptism, it re- mains now to say a few words on the Ceremonies used in its administration. All the Sacraments are accompanied with Ceremonies, instituted by Christ or his Church for good reasons. For what reasons ? To give greater solemnity to their administration ; to serve as outward expressions of those inward disposi- tions which are required; to present the mysteries of Rehgion in a sensible manner to the eyes of the people. All the Ceremonies of the Church are full of useful meaning. The Ceremonies used i?i Baptism are all taken, either from the Scriptures, or from some important truth of Religion. Some of them serve to represent the disposi- //^//^ for receiving Baptism; some its beneficial effects; and some its obligations. Therefore all Christians should know them. Of these Ceremonies, some /r6^ 44); i. e., unless he be quickened by the Spirit of God to believe. *' After this many of his disciples " (seeing that he really 7?teant to give them his very flesh and blood) " went Did our Lord tell those leaving, on account of the ha^d sayings that they mistook his meaning ? What reason did he give why his docaine was not-believed ? What rep7'oach did he make? 254 HOLY EUCHARIST— I. back and walked no more with him." (John vi. 67.) He then let them go, without intimating to them that such was not his meaning. " Then Jesus said to the twelve : Will you also go away ? And Simon Peter (in the name of himself and of the other Apostles) answered him : Lord, to whom shall we go ? thou hast the words of eternal life." (John vi. 68, 69.) How man^/ are there in these days who follow the unbelieving Jews, by going away from the Church of Christ, saying like them, in the spirit of unbehef : '- How can it be the real flesh of Christ that is given to us in the Eucharist : this saying is hart/, and who can hear it ? " Catholics alone imitate the faith of the Apostles. 2. T/ie JVords of Institution. — Although the Apostles believed the words of Christ, wherein he promised to give them his flesh to eat and his blood to drink ; yet they could not understand how those words were to be accomplished, until they saw our Lord actually fulfill them, hy giving ViYiSit he had thxis promised. *^\nxi when the hour was come (the night before his death), Jesus sat down and the twelve Apostles with him. And he said to them: With desire I have desired to eat this pasch with you before I suffer." (Luke xxii. 14, 15.) '-And while they were at supper, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and broke, and gave to his disciples, and said : Take ye, and eat ; this is my body. And taking the chalice he gave thanks, and gave to them, saying : Drink ye all of this, for this is my blood of the New Testament, which shall be shed for many unto remis- sion of sins." (Matt. xvi. 26, 27, 28.) Here we see the covsi^lttQ fulfillment oi what had been long before promised. Christ declared what he gave to his Apostles to be his body and his blood — the very body which should be delivered for them — (i Cor. xi. 24)— the very blood which should be shed for many unto AVho follow the example of the iinbelie\ang Jews? What was it the Apostles could not understand ? Can you say the words of the Institution ? What was it the fulfillment of ? HOLY EUCHARIST— I. 255 remission of sins. (Matt. xxvi. 28.) Now, when he says, " This is my body. . . . This is my blood," are we to contradict him, and say, " It is ;/^/ the Jewish Sacrifices) says: "From the rising of the sun, even to the going down, my name is great among the Gentiles, Is the Mass a mere representation of the Sacrifice of tlie Cross? THE MASS— I. 271 and in every place there is Sacrifice^ and there is offered to my name a clean oblation.'' (Mai. i. ii.) 2. It is that Sacrifice which Christ offered at the last supper: *' This is my body which is given for you" (Luke xxii. 19, 20); "This is my blood of the New Testament which shall be shed for many unto remission of sins." (Matt. xxvi. 28.) 3. It is that Sacrifice which he commanded and em- powered his Apostles and their successors to offer till the end of the world, when he said : "Do this for a com- memoration of me. . . . For as often as you shall eat this bread and drink the chalice you shall show the death of the Lord U7itil he corned (i Cor. xi. 24, 25, 26.) 4. It is that great Sacrifice for the perpetual offering of which Christ is called *^ a priest /7r perfect contritio?i, while that which arises from imperfect motives (if they be good and supernatural) is i??iperfect co?itrition. You will un- derstand this more clearly by an example. We will suppose, then, that there are three brothers who, by an act of wilful disobedience, have offended a good father, which is the case with every sinner when- ever he transgresses the laws of God. All three know they have provoked their father's anger and they expect punishment; they all repent and crave pardon^ but from different motives. The first son really loves his father; the thought of having displeased him fills^his heart with sorrow; he thinks more of this than of the punishment ; he would willingly suffer the punishment to obtain pardon, and would gladly repair the evil he has done. [This is an example of perfect contrition.] The second son, so far as regards the love of his father, cannot (strictly speaking) be said to have any more than " a beginning of love," for his love is not strong enough of itself to induce him to be sorry for the ofifense; but it requires the assistance of some other When is sorrow perfect ? When imperfect ? Give an example to illustrate it 298 ^ PENANXE— IV. motive, such as the baseness- of his conduct, the fear of punishment, etc. He has only (as I said) some beginning of love ; but he sincerely desires, and firmly resolves, to love his father in future and to perfect his love. [This is an example of imperfect contrition.] The third son is influenced by 7?iere fear. Love has no part in his sorrow. He cares not for the displeasure of his father, but only for his chastisements or vengeance. He resolves, indeed, to obey in future, but solely from this motive of fear. Evidently this son would not deserve to receive pardon nor to escape punishment. [This is an example of such repentance as falls short of attrition.] Application. — Peifect coniritio7i is a sorrow for sin arising from the pure love of God ; from the pure mo- tive of charity ; from the consideration of the infinite perf;:ctions of Him whom we have offended, or from the thought of that infinite goodness, both in himself and to us, which renders him infinitely deserving of our love. It is a sorrow, therefore, which proceeds not from the fear of chastisements, but from the thought of having offended a God so good. \Such was the sorrow of the fij'st son. I As soon as any penitent has this kind of sorrow, he receives immediate pardon; yet not without an efficacious desire of receiving the Sacrament of recon- ciliation and of doing penance, which are two disposi- tions necessarily included in perfect contrition. Of this kind of contrition Almighty God says : ** Charity cover- eth sins." (Prov. x. 12.) "I love them that love me." (Prov. viii. 17.) ^' He that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him." f John xiv. 21.) " He that abideth in charity abideth in God and God in him." (i John iv. 16, vide S. Thomae, 3 part. Sum. suppl. q. 5, a. 3.) This contrition, perfected by charity, is exempli- fied in Magdalen : When she came into the presence of her Redemer, " she began to wash his feet with tears;" but they were tears flowing from a sorrow which love Make the application of this example to contrition, and particu- larly the example of the first son. What effect has it? PENANCE— IV. 299 had excited, and hence our blessed Lord said : " Many sins are forgiven her, because she hath loved much." (Luke vii. 37-50.) Although we should always strive to have perfect Contrition, yet it is not necessary for absolution. Imperfect Coiiirition^ or Aitriiioii^ is a sorrow for having offeyided God arising commonly from the consideration of the baseness of sin, or from the fear of hell and of punishments. \This sorrow was represented by that of the second so?!.] A sinner who has this kind of Contri- tion repents partly because, in sinning, he has done something which faith teaches him to be unjust, base, and unworthy of man ; or because he dreads hell ; and partly because sin displeases God. This last motive shows that he has some beginning of love ; but his love is weak ; it requires aid from other motives to give his sorrow and resolution the necessary qualities. Hence, he considers the evils o'f sin, in its own 7iature^ and in its present and future consequences, ( Vide S. Thomae Sum. 2-2, q. 19, a 2 ; ^/ 3 part. Sum. suppl. 9, i, a 3. ) This imperfect Contrition is not sufficient to obtain pardon for us without the Sacrament of Penance ; in • deed, to be sufficient with the Sacrament, it must, accord- ing to the Council of Trent, have these three qualities or conditions, which I will now mention : 1. It must contain a sincere, firm and efficacious reso lution of Amendment (such as I have explained it). The sorrow must be sufficiently strong to produce a firm determination of the will to avoid sin in future : " I have sworn and am determined to keep the judgments of thy justice." (Ps. cxviii. 106.) 2. It must contain a Hope of pardon ; i. e., a confidence that God in his goodness will forgive us. This hope rests on, and springs from, the consideration of God's infinite goodness and mercy, of the merits of Christ, and of the divine promises ; and it naturally excites some begin7iing of love. Make the application of the second part. Will this Contrition suf- fice without the Sacrament ? What quahties should it have ? 300 PENANCE— IV. X 3. It mustconta.in this beginning o///ie/c?v^o/Gc^d — 7v^ trrnst begin to love him as the foufitain of all justice ; i. »Vii perhaps not true ; especially as it is opposed to the common teaching of divines. But, as Liebermann says, *'This is certain, ^hdX both the pious use of Indulgences, and also continual labor in doing works of penance and satisfaction, cannot be sufficiently recommended to the Faithful. The busi- ness of salvation which we have to accomplish is a most arduous and important work. He who is wise will choose the safer way. Now, undoubtedly, the safer way is this : to be so intent upon doing works of pen- ance as if no remedy were to be obtained from Indul- gences ; and to be so earnest in gaining Indulgences as if nothing were to be expected from our own works. This is the surest way to salvation." 3. It is necessary to perform all the conditions pre- scribed, faithfully and devoutly, and with an intention of gaining the Indulgence : for some good works are always required as conditions — as some compensation or satisfaction to the divine justice for the remission granted. (Such as prayers for some public and import- ant purpose ; alms-deeds ; visiting the sick, or other works of mercy ; receiving the Sacraments of Penance and Communion, etc.) No Indulgence can be gained State the opinion controverted among divines. Is it necessary to perform all the conditions ? Is it necessary to have an intention of gaining the Indulgence? PENANCE—X. 333 unless its conditions be duly fulfilled^ with an iiitention of gaining it. But it is not necessary that this intention be actual; for a virlual intention is sufficient, i. e., one which has been actual, and which still continues virtu- ally to exist. Hence, it would be a salutary, as well as pious practice, to form an actual intention every morn- ing of gaining all the Indulgences which are attached to whatever devotions and good works we shall perform during the day: this intention (which may be made by way of oblation in our morning prayers) will continue virtually and validly to exist during the day, unless re- tracted by some contrary act or intention. V. Wheiice do Indulgences derive their efficacy in remitting the temporal punishment due to sin ? From the superabundant merits of Christ and his saints. The merits of Christ, being infinite, are more than were necessary to purchase the Redemption of all mankind. Now his superabundant merits, together with those of the Saints (the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Baptist, etc.), form a precious treasure, which Christ has left to his Church, with power to dispense it to the Faithful. Conclusion. — How this concession commends the great goodness and bounty of God ! — how it should in- flame our hearts with gratitude and love ! — and should stimulate us to fervor in doing penance ! For by living in the disposition and practice of penance, we shall be able to supply our weakness and insufficiency, because such dispositions and practice will enable us to gain the Indulgences offered us by the Church ; and thus, out of the treasure of the Church applied by Indulgences, we may discharge the whole of our debt of temporal punish- ment, and so be prepared for entering into heaven imme- diately after death. What conclusion do you draw ? 334 EXTREME UNCTION. Instruction LXII. EXTREME UNCTION. Extreme Unction is a true Sacrament — its Effects — its Necessity — when^ and by whom^ it should be received — its Ceremofiies — the Dispositio7is required. What is Extreme Unction ? — Extreme Unction is the anointing of the sick with holy oil, accompanied with prayer for the forgive- ness of their sins. When is this Sacra7?ient givett? — When we are in danger of death by sickness. What authority is there in Scripture for the Sacramettt of Extreme Unction? — In the fith chapter of St. James it is said: ** Is any man sick among you, let him bring in the Priests of the Church ; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil, in the name of the Lord ; and the prayer of Faith shall save the sick man ; and the Lord shall raise him up ; and if he be in sins, they shall be forgiven him." — St. ya7nes\. 14, 15. Concerning the Sacrament of Extreme Unction, the Comicil of Trent declares it to have been ^'regarded by the Fathers as being the completion, not only of penance, but also of the whole Christian life, which ought to be a perpetual penance." The Council, moreover, show- ing the goodness of our most gracious Redeemer towards his servants, declares and teaches that ^' as, in the other Sacraments, He prepared the greatest aids, whereby, during life, Christians may preserve themselves whole from every more grievous spiritual evil, so did He guard the close of life, by the Sacrament of Extreme Unction, as with a most firm defence. For though t)ur adversary seeks and seizes opportunities, all our life long, to be able in any way to devour our souls, yet is there no time wherein he strains more vehemently all the powers of his craft to ruin us utterly, and to make us fall, if he possibly can, even from trust in the mercy of God, than when he perceives the end of our life to be at hand'' (Cone. Trid., Sess 14, Doctr. de Extr. Unc.) All this How does the Council of Trent view the advantages of Extreme Unction, and the importance of being well instructed concern- ing it ? EXTREiME UNCTION. 335 shows the great advantages of receiving Extreme Unction; and also the importance of being well in- structed concerning this Sacrament, that you may know how to receive it with greater benefit to your soul. What, then is Extreme Unction ? — Extreme Unction is the anointing of the sick with holy oil, accompanied with prayer for the forgiveness of their sins. 1. Extreme Unction is a true Sacrament. — It has all that is necessary to constitute a Sacrament. For, . I. There is the '^outward Sign^^ (or outward part performed by the Priest), namely, the anointing with holy oil, which is the matter of this Sacrament; and the accompanying prayers, which are its, form, 2. There is the '' inward Grace ^^ (or inward part per- formed by God), namely, strength against temptations, remission of sins, purifying the soul from the remains of sin, etc. The inward grace of Extreme Unction is signijied or represented by its outward part, which is therefore called a sig?t. For as oil is often used to soothe and cure wounds^ and resto7^e bodily strefigth to parts that have been weak- ened, it is ^therefore very appropriately used to signify similar spiritual effects produced in the soul by this last anointing, and the words or prayers which accompany the anointing, determine it to such a signification, by expressing the nature of the grace received. 3. There is the " Institution of Christ^^ which we find intimated by St. Mark (Mark vi. 13), and described and promulgated by St. James, when he says : " Is any man sick among you, let him bring in the Priests of the Church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil, in the name of the Lord; and the prayer of faith shall save the sick man, and the Lord shall raise him up ; and if he be in sins, they shall be forgiven him." (James v. 14, 15.) These words clearly show — How do you prove Extreme Unction to have all that is necessary to constitute a Sacrament. 836 EXTREME UNCTION. First, The Divine Lisiitiition of the Sacrament of Ex- treme Unction : for it is evident that St. James only de- scribes and promulgates what Christ had instituted ; because the Apostles could not give to outward acts and ceremonies the power of producing grace, pardon, or any other spiritual effect : only God can do this — He alone can give grace, Therefore, when the Apostle de- clares and promises these eftects, it is and must be in consequence and in virtue of the institution of Christ, That it is a divi?ie institution has been the constant doc- trine of the Church ; and has been defined, moreover, by the Council of Trent. (Sess. 14, de Sacr. Extn Unc, can. I.) Secondly, The words of St. James show what Extreme Unction is : that it is '^ the anointing of the sick w^th oil, accompanied with prayer for the forgiveness of their sins." Thirdly, They show who its ministers are : " Let him bring in the Friests of the Church.'' Foicrthly, They point out w^ho its subjects are : " Is any man sick among you ? " Fifthly, They specify its effects and advantages : " The prayer of faith shall save the sick man, and the Lord shall raise him up ; and if he be in sins they shall be forgiven him." IL Effects of Extrme Unction. — Most precious are the effects which this Sacrament produces in the soul of the w^orthy receiver, especially if we consider the criti- cal time when those effects are conferred, and how much they are then needed. I. It strengthens the soul against the temptations of the enemy, which are more violent then than at other times. C)ur adversary, the devil, is always going about, like a roaring lion, seeking to devour us; but when he sees that our death is drawing near, he redoubles his What do the words of St. James show — firstly, secondly, thirdly, fourthly, fifthly? Why are the effects of Extreme Unction espe- cially precious ? What is the first effect of Extreme Unclion, and why precious ? EXTREME UNCTION. 337 efforts then to ruin us eternally, unless he be restrained by God, because he knows that then he either gains or loses us forever. " Woe to the earth, because the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, knowing that he hath but a short time." (Apoc. xii. 12.) '^ There are spirits that are created for vengeance, and in the time of destruction they shall pour out their force." (EccH. xxxix. 2iZ, 34.) Now, under these more violent attacks, how could the poor soul stand her ground ? weakened, exhausted, and distracted by the pains and languor of expiring nature, and dismayed by the violence and continuance of tempta- tions, she would fall an easy prey to the enemy, unless strengthened and supported by more powerful graces. Now, Extreme Unction was instituted to give these more powerful graces, and thus the malicious efforts of the tempter are counteracted. 2. It cleanses the soul from the remains of sin, and thus is *Hhe completion of penance, and of the whole Christian Hfe." After sin, even when remitted by pen- ance, there remain in the soul spiritual weaknesses — stronger inclinations to evil, or an increased concupi- scence — a sluggishness to good — pusillanimous fears, etc. Now, so far as these are the effects or remains of our sins, they are remedied by Extreme Unction, either wholly or in part, according to our disposition. But, 3. As the remains of sin cannot be destroyed, so long as their guilt continues, it follows, as a consequence, that this Sacrament removes that guilt, whenever it finds no obstacle in the way. As to venial si?ts : it blots them out provided they be repented of with attritiofi ; and it does this as its own proper effect. As to mortal sins : it also purifies the soul from them^ when we cannot receive the Sacrament of Penance, if we remove the obstacle to grace by due repentance ; as, What violent effects does this Sacrament give grace to counteract ? What is the second effect? In what cases will it produce the third effect, i. e., will it remove^/////.? 22 338 EXTREME UNCTION. for example, when the sick person, after absolution, falls into mortcil sin, and then repents of it with real attrition, and has the disposition or intention of confessing it, but before he can confess it he quite forgets it, or becomes insensible; and the Priest, not knowing that there is any need of repeating the absolution, proceeds to administer Extreme Unction. In this, and in all similar or equal cases. Extreme Unction will restore the person to a state of grace, and will produce the other effects for which it was instituted, as if it had been received in the state of grace. But when the sick person is conscious^ at the time of receiving this Sacrament, of being in mortal sin, he can- not, under such circumstances, lawfully receive it with- out either obtaining absolution ( if he can) with aUritioHy or else making such an act of sorrow for his sins as he may prudently judge to be contrition, 4. Extreme Unction gives calmness of mind, resigna- tion to God's will, patience in bearing the last sickness, confidence in the divine mercy. 5. It sometimes restores bodily health; i.e., it has this effect, if God foresees that it is expedient for our salvation. III. Its Necessity. Is it absolutely necessary to receive Extreme Unction in our last sickness ? No ; but it cannot be wilfully neglected without some sin. Some divines say that the sin would be mortal; and St Alphonsus Liguori calls \\\v^ d. probable opi7iion. (Theol. Mor., lib. 6, tract 5, n. 733.) To deprive one's self, through wilful neglect, of such powerful helps, when so much needed, would be exposing one's self to the danger of yielding to temptations, and of perishing eter- nally ; and how can we wilfnlly expose ourselves to that danger without sin ? Can a sick person, cojiscious of being in mortal sin, receive Extreme Unction lawfully ? What are the fourth and fifth effects? EXTREME UNCTION. 339 IV. When, and by whom, is Extreme Unction to be received? This Sacrament is to be received *^ when we are in danger of death by sickness ; " and we should not put off the reception of it till the last extremity, because we are not then able to receive it with so much spiritual profit, and also because we run great risk of putting it off till it be too late, and so being deprived of it altogether. Persons who have lost the use of their senses are capa- ble of receiving this Sacrament; and they obtain its beneficial effects, if, at the time of being deprived of their senses, they were in requisite dispositions, i. e., if they had at least attrition. Soldiers engaging in battle, sailors in a storm, culprits about to" be executed, etc., cannot receive Extreme Unction because, although they are in danger of death, yet their danger is not by sickness. Children, also, be- fore they have come to the use of reason^ idiots and insane persons who 7iever had the use of reason, cannot receive this Sacrament, because, not having any sin^. nor any remains of sin. and not being liable to any iempiations to sin, they are incapable of experiencing its. effects. Can we receive Extreme Unction more than once ? Yes, as often as a sick person recovers from the danger of death and then falls into it again, so often he can re- ceive this sacrament. But he cannot receive it a second time while he continues in that same danger wherein he was when this sacrament was administered to him. V. Its Ceremonies. How is Extreme Unction administered ? Confession having been made and the Holy Viaticum- received, the dying Christian is fortified in his last struggle with the enemy, and enabled to perfect and complete his preparation for death by this last holy anointing. The- priest sprinkles the bed and the attendants with holy water, and then implores the blessings of heaven upon. Can persons who have lost their senses receive Extreme Unction? Who cannot ? 340 EXTREME UNCTION. that house and upon all who dwell therein. After this the sick person (or some one in his name) repeats the " Confiteor," and the priest then prays for him, begging in the name of the three divine persons that by the ad- ministration of the sacrament the whole power of the devil may be extinguished in him. Then follows the essential part of the sacrament, namely, the priest anoints, in the form of a cross, the different senses of the body, i. e., the eyes, ears, nostrils, mouth, hands and feet, say- ing at the same time : " By this holy anointing, and of his own most tender mercy, may the Lord forgive thee whatever thou hast committed by thy sight'' (". . . by thy hearing^'' etc., according to the particular sense which he is anointing). While the priest is thus anointing the va- rious senses, the sick person should unite with him in spirit by craving that same pardon for himself. The priest concludes by imploring the divine blessings for the sick person — the remission of his sins, the assist- ance of grace, spiritual consolation, corporal relief, etc. VI. The Dispositions required. What are tlie proper dispositions for receiving Extreme Unction ? 1. We should be in a state of grace ^ because this is a sacrament of the living. Yet there are circumstances wherein it can be received lawfully and with fruit, even by a person who is not in the state of grace; for, what was said just now with reference to the effects of Ex- treme Unction must be said also with reference to the dispositions of the receiver ; namely, that if he is in mor- tal sin of wliich he is imcojiscious, then attrition is a neces- sary and sufficient disposition ; but if he is conscious of being in mortal sin, then such a repentance as he may prudently judge to be contrition (supposing no absolution), is a disposition of soul required under such circumstances for receiving this sacrament worthily. 2. We should have sincere repentance for ^// our sins, great or small, known or unknowm ; because even venial sins cannot be remitted without sincere repentance. Can Extreme Unction ever be lawfully received by a person not on the state of grace ? Which are the second and third dispositions ? HOLY ORDER. 341 3. We should excite ourselves to great confidence In the divine mercy and in the merits of Christ, and en- deavor to be completely resigned to God's will. After receiving Extreme Unction we should return thanks to God for so great a blessing, cast ourselves on his mercy and think only on Him and eternity, bearing in mind that when we have but a short time to live that time is very precious. Conclusion. — I have now explained all that is neces- sary concerning this sacrament. And how clearly do its institution and advantages show, ist. The immense good- ness and tender mercy of God toward us, and his sincere desire of our salvation; 2dly, The great happiness of being members of that Church in which alone this sacra- ment can be recewed ; 3dly, How careful w^e should be to receive it in due time, while we are able to attend to its administration ; and 4thly, How cautious we should be during life not to abuse God's graces by delaying re- pentance, lest by a just judgment w^e should be deprived of the graces of this sacrament at the time when they are so much needed, as there have been many striking examples. Instruction LXIII. HOLY ORDER. Priesthood necessary to Religion — Order and Mission neces- sary to the Priesthood — Holy Order a true Sacrament — The Different Orders — Dispositions for receiving Holy Orders — Celibacy . What is Holy Order'? — Holy Order is a sacrament by which Bishops, Priests and other Ministers of the Church are ordained and receive power and grace to perform their sacred duties. Priesthood necessary to Religion. — Although the Sacra- What should we do after receiving Extreme Unction ? What four things do its institution and advantages show ? 342 HOLY ORDER. nient of Holy Order is received comparatively "by /^^ only of the faithful, yet it concerns^//, since it is neces- sary for the existence of the Church, for the administra- tion of other sacraments, for the celebration of the Holy Sacrifice, etc. Were the faithful to be left without pas- tors they might, perhaps, persevere for a time; but how extremely rare would be the cases of any of them per- severing long. What w^ould become of children without a parent or guardian ? of the sick without a physician ? of a vessel without some one to steer it ? Therefore, what a terrible privation it is for any congregation to be left without a pastor ! How, then, we should lament the scarcity of priests in this country, and implore our Lord to "send laborers into his harvest!" (Luke x. 2) and how important and meritorious a dut]^ it must be in the faithful to contribute to the support and extension of the priesthood ! For the Church, by the help of which they are to be saved, cannot subsist without ministers. The priesthood, then, is nfxessary to the Church — to the faithful at large. Hence Christ, in founding his Church, established in it an order of ministers, whom he empowered and commissioned to offer sacrifice, to ad- minister the sacraments, to instruct and guide the faith- ful, and to govern the Church. The Apostles wxre 'he first to whom he gave order^ and mission^ and grace, for the performance of these important functions. And, as his Church was to continue to the end of the world, he gave them, moreover, the power of communicating the same to their successors : ''As the Father hath sent me, I also send you" (John xx. 21); i.e., as the Father hath sent me, his first priest, with power to ordain and commission others, so I send you also as priests with power to do the same ; and your successors, having the same power as I have given you, can, in like manner, send others ; and so on to the end of the world. Ac- cordingly, the Apostles did ordain successors, and they Can you explain how necessary the priesthood is to the Church and the faithful at large? What did Christ empower and commis- sion the order of ministers established by him to do ? HOLY ORDER. 343 instructed them to otdain others after them ; for the Apos- tles ordamed Matthias in place of Judas (Acts i. 24-26; xiv. 22); St. Paul ordained Timothy and Titus, and instructed them to appoint others : ^- Stir up the grace of God which is in thee by the imposition of my hands. ^^ (2 Tim. i. 6 ) ^^ And the -things which thou hast heard of me by many witnesses, the same commend to faithful men, who shall be fit to teach others also." (2 Tim. ii. 2.) " For this cause I left thee in Crete, . . . that thou shouldst ordain priests in every city, as I also appointed thee.'* (Tit. 1.5.) This succession of the priesthood has continued ever since to be regularly handed down in the Church, and will so continue to the end of time. II. Order and Mission necessary to the Priesthood. — No one could ever lawfully exercise the functions of this min- istry unless duly ordained and commissioned by the Apostles or their lawful successors, and whoever (know- ing that he is not thus duly ordained and commissioned) presumes to exercise them, commits a grievous sin and incurs the malediction of God : *^ Neither doth any man take this honor to himself but he that is called by God, as Aaron was." (Heb. v. 4.) " How shall they preach unless they be sent?" (Rom. x. 15.) Such as are not ordaified SinA. sent are not true pastors but hirelings;" they are " thieves and robbers, that enter not by the door into the sheepfold, but climb up another way " (John X. I, 12, 13); they are those false prophets against whom our Lord cautions us, saying : " Beware of false prophets, who come to you in the clothing of sheep, but inwardly they are ravening wolves " (Matt, vii. 15) ; " they are blind, and leaders of the blind; and if the blind lead the blind, they both fall into the pit." (Matt. XV. 14.) St. Peter foretold that there would be such : ^' There shall be among you lying teachers, who shall bring in sects of perdition ; . . . bringing upon them- selves swift destruction." (2 Pet. ii. i.) Did the Apostles ordain and instruct successors ? Are Order and Mission necessary? 344 HOLY ORDER. God has shown the grievousness of this sacrilegious crime by most terrible and visible judgments. Exafn- pks : Ozias, king of Juda, presumed to exercise the functions of the priesthood — to offer incense ; and the High Priest, Azarias, " withstood the king, and said : It doth not belong to thee^ Ozias, to burn incense to the Lord, but to the priests ; that is, the sons of Aaron, who are consecrated for this ministry." The king persisted, but God instantly struck him with leprosy, *'and Ozias was a leper unto the day of his death." (2 Par. xxvi. 16-21.) But a still more striking and terrible example has been given us in the persons of Core, Dathan, and Abiron, who, with 250 leading men of the synagogue, assumed also the priestly office of offering incense to the Lord. For the earth broke asunder beneath the feet of Core, Dathan, and Abiron, and, opening her mouth, swal- lowed them down alive into hell ; and a fire coming out from the Lord, destroyed the 250 men that offered the incense : and when, on account of their death, the peo- ple murmured against Moses and Aaron, the Lord de- stroyed 14,700 niore. (Num. xvi.) Surely all this is sufficient to prove that no one has a right to " take this honor to himself but he that is called by God, as Aaron was." (Heb. v. 4.) Therefore, in what a lamentable state, since the Reformation, is Eng- land, where each successive earthly Soi^ereign^ with the Government, assumes the functions of Peter, appointing bishops and parsons, who, for want of a divine commis- sion, are as so many Cores, leading the people in the way of perdition ! Or rather, the temporal powxr has assumed the very office of Christ, having established a religion and a priesthood of its own, in opposition to His ! and it then proceeds to such a degree of religious folly, or rather impiety, as to give to any man who ap plies for it a written lice?ise to be a preacher of any reli- gion, thus giving an authorization to any one to commit Has God punished the usurpation of priestly duties ? In what state is England since the Reformation ? HOLY ORDER. 345 the grievous crime of Core, Dathan, and Abiron,"and to expose his hearers as well as himself to the like spiritual ruin ! Of all such it may be literally said : " ' I did not send them, yet they ran j I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied ' (Jer. xxiii. 21); ' They have not entered by the door into the sheepfold, but have climbed up an- other way.' " (John x. i.) They only are " sen/,'' they only " en/er by the door^' who have received Order and Mission from the Apostles or their lawful successors. For the powers of the ministry, with grace for the due exercise of its functions, are conferred by the Sacrament of Holy Order, which our blessed Lord has instituted for that purpose. in. Is Holy 07'der a true Sacramento Yes; it lias all that is necessary to constitute a Sacra- ment. For, 1. There is the '^ outward SigJt'' (or outward part per- formed by the Bishop), viz., the imposiiioji of hands and prayer^ with the delivery of the instruments of that power which is communicated. 2. There is the ^''inward Grace'' (or inward part per- formed by God), viz., \}ciQ power oi the Order received, with an indelible character imprinted on the soul ; and also actual grace for the due exercise of that Order, to- gether with an increase of sanctifying grace." But this Sacrament does not confer mission, because Ordination does not give jurisdiction. 3. There- is the '^ Insiitution of Christ," St. Paul de- clares that this Sacrament confers grace by prayer, with the imposition of hands: "' Neglect not the grace that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with imposi- tion of the hands of the priesthood." (i Tim. iv. 14.) " I admonish thee that thou stir up the grace of God which is in thee by the imposition of my hands." (2 Tim. i. 6.) Now, it is evident from these declarations of St. Paul, that Holy Order is a divine institution, be- cause only God can give to outward acts the power of What may be said of Protestant ministers ? 346 HOLY ORDER. producing grace in the soul. When outward things, therefore, are made a certain efficacious means of grace, it must be in virtue of a divine institution. IV. The different Orders of Ministers. — No one can lawfully receive any Order until he has first received the To7isiire^ which is not an Order, but a preparation or disposition for Orders. The first four Orders that are received are called J//;/^r 6^r^^r^, which are these: i, The Order of Porter or Door-keeper; 2, Lector; 3, Exorcist ; 4, Acolyte. The others are called the Greater or Holy Orders^ namely: 5, Sub-deacon; 6, Deacon; 7, Priest; 8, Bishop. Bishops are the highest Order; they are properly //^^ Pastors of the Church: "Take heed to yourselves, and to the whole flock, wherein the Holy Ghost hath placed you Bishops, to rule the Church of God." (Acts XX. 2%.) It belongs, of right, to them only to meet in Council and define what is of Faith. Or- dination is the actual conferring of these Orders. V. Dispositions for receiving Holy Orders, What are the dispositions necessary for receiving Holy Orders ? 1. To be "called by God, as Aaron was." (Heb. v. 4.) 2. To be in the state 01 grace. 3. To have no canonical impediment. 4. To lead a good life. 5. To be single and chaste, with a fixed determination to continue so for life. VI. Celibacy, — The practice of the Church with re- gard to the Celibacy of the Clergy rests on very strong grounds. I. The Scripture teaches that Celibacy is a more per- fect state, and more acceptable before God than that of Marriage : " I would that all men were as myself .... I say to the unmarried, and to the widows : It is good for them Must Tonsure be received before Orders ? Mention the minor orders? Name the greater orders? What di; positions are nec- essary ? On what grounds does celibacy rest ? HOLY ORDER. 347 if they so continue, even as I ... . Art thou loosed from •a wife ? seek not a wife .... I would have you to be without soUcitude; he that is without a wife is sohcitous for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please God ; but he that is with a w^ife is solicitous for the things of the w^orld, how he may please his wife, and -he is divided. And the unmarried woman and the vir- :gin thinketh on the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit .... And this I speak for your profit^ not to cast a snare upon you, but for that which is decent, and which Ymrf give you power to at/end upon the Lord 7vithout vnpediment .... Therefore both he that giveth his virgin in marriage doth well, and he that giveth her not doth better^ (i Cor. vii. 7, 8, 27, 32, 33. 34, 35. 3^-) 2, In accordance with this plain testimony of St. Paul in favor of a life of Celibacy or Virginity, the Celi- bacy of the Clergy has been the practice of the Church fj'oju the earliest ages, (See Challoner's Catholic Chris- tian Instructed, chap. 17.) CONCLUSION. — Thank the mercy and bounty of God for this sacred institution, by means of which you re- ceive so many and so great spiritual blessings — even all the blessings of Rehgion. For, by means of this divine institution, you receive the benefit of the Sacraments and Sacrifice, whereby the merits of Redemption are efficaciously applied to your souls; you receive, more- over, authoritative instruction in faith and morality, counsel in your doubts, consolation in your heaviest troubles (those of conscience), support in your greatest trials, secure ^ guidance in the way of salvation, and (where most felt) comfort, consolation and spiritual as- sistances at that fearful time when you are about to stand before the Judgment-seat of your God! What should you conclude ? 348 MATRIMONY— I. Instruction LXIV. MATRIMONY. Matrimony as a ConU'act — // is a true Sacrament — Indis- soluble — Conditio Jis required — CoJisent of Parents — Impedimefits, What is Matri7iiony7 — Matrimony is a Sacrament which gives grace to those who contract marriage with due dispositions, to enable them to bear the difficulties of their state, to love and be faithful to one another, and to bring up their children in the fear of God. Only one sacrament remains now to be explained, viz., Matrimony, In the Instructions on the preceding sacra- ments you cannot but have frequently admired the great mercy, goodness and bounty of God in having provided suitable and efficacious helps for every age and state of life and for every condition in his Church. (See In- struction XLIV.) Married persons stand in need of special graces adapted to their state, and our bountiful Redeemer has provided them in the Sacrament of Matrimony ; and what those graces are I will proceed now to explain, after saying a few words on the nature and obligations of marriage. I. Marriage as a Contract. — Marriage may be considered either as a mere natuial contract or as a sacrame/ital contract. 1. As a natural co7itract it is the union of a man and woman till the death of one of them, with the view to be a mutual help to each other and to have children who may love and serve God. This was instituted by God in the beginning : " And the Lord God said : It is not good for man to be alone; let us make him a help hke unto himself Then the Lord cast a deep sleep upon Adam : and when he was fast asleep he took one of his ribs and filled up flesh for it. And the Lord God built the rib which he took from Adam into a woman and What do married persons need? How may marriage be con- sidered? Considered as a wa/z^ra/ contract, what is marriage? By whom instituted? MATRIMONY— I. 349 brought her to Adam. And Adam said : This is now bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh. Wherefore a man shall leave father and mother and shall cleave to his wife, and they shall be two in one flesh.'' (Gen. ii. i8, 21,2 2, 23, 24.) Eve was made of a rib of Adam to show: 1. The close union that exists between man and wife. 2. The subjection of the wife to her husband. 3. That the husband should love his wife as part of himself. 2. At the establishment of Christianity this natural contract was raised to the dignity of being sacra7neiitaly and as such we are now to consider it. II. Matrimony is a true Sacrament. — " If any one saith (says the Council of Trent) that matrimony is not truly and properly one of the seven Sacraments of the Evangelical Law instituted by Christ our Lord, and that it does not confer grace, let him be anathema." (Sess. 24, de Matrim., can. i.) I.' There is the ''outward sign ^^ (or outward part of this sacrament), viz., the mutual consent of the parties expressed, and the actual giving and taking of each other (under such conditions as God and his Church require). 2. .There is the ''inward grace''^ (or inward part per- formed by God), viz., an increase of sanctifying grace, but principally sacramental grace ^ to enable the married couple to discharge the duties and obligations of their state in a proper manner. 3. There is the " I?istitutio?t of Christ.''^ For our Blessed Lord says in the Gospel : '- He who made man from the beginning, made them male and female, and they two shall be in one flesh ; therefore now they are not two, but one flesh. What, therefore, God hath joined together, let not man put asunder." (i Matt. xix. 4, 5, 6.) The Council of Trent, quoting these words, says : " But the grace which might perfect that natural love and con- firm that indissoluble union and sanctify the married, Christ himself, the Instituter and Perfecter of the ven- Why was Eve formed of a rib of Adam ? Can you show that matrimony is a true sacrament ? 350 MATRIMONY— I. erable Sacraments, merited for us by his passion, as the Apostle Paul intimates, saying: ''Husbands, love your wives as Christ also loved the Church ajid delivered him- self up for it,' adding shortly after : ' This is a great sacra- vie7it, but I speak in Christ and in the Church' " (Sess. 24, Doctrina de Sacr. Matrim; Eph. v. 25, 32.) III. Indissoluble. — Matrimony was instituted to be a perpetual bond — a union not to be dissolved while both the parties live. They may, indeed, iox just 7'easons live separate; but they are still married persons : "Who- soever shall put away his wife and marry another com- mitteth adultery against her, and if the wife shall put away her husband and be married to another, she com- mitteth adultery. . . . What, therefore, God hath joined together, let no man put asunder.'^ (Mark x. 11, 12, 9.) IV. What CONDITIONS are required to render the celebration of a marriage lawful ? 1. Proclamation oi banns, where the decree for this is in force. 2. To be celebrated before witnesses and by their own proper pastor, where the decree for this is received. 3. To have no canonical impediment. 4. To be in a state ,of grace. V. Consent of Parents. — The two parties should have the consent of their parents. Parents may refuse their consent, if they have just reasons, viz. : 1. If the marriage would be a disgrace to, or disturb the peace of the family. 2. If it would prove highly detrimental to the child.. 3. If it would endanger the loss of religion. But if the refusal hQu/ireasonable, the parent sins; and if it be quite evidently so, then the child may marry, notwithstanding the parents' refusal of consent. VI. What are IMPEDIMENTS? They are cases which are a hindrance to marriage^ rendering it either 7iull and void, or else unlawfuL Is it indissoluble ? Ought the parties have their parents' consent? When would a parent's refusal be just ? When sinful ? MATRIMONY— II. 351 Firsts Those impediments which render it null (i. e., no marriage at all,) are these: 1. A solemn vow of chastity. 2. Consanguinity to the fourth degree, inclusively. 3. Affinity, by lawful marriage, to the fourth degree; by unlawful cohabitation, to the second degree ; and also ike affinity which arises from persons being sponsors in baptism or confirmation. 4. Either party being already married to another. 5. Either one, but only one, being unbaptized. 6. Previous adultery, with a promise of marriage in case the innocent party should die. 7. If the consent be not free or be extorted by great fear. Secondly, Those impediments which render marriage criminal, though valid, are these : 1. K promise of marriage to another person (that prom- ise still existing). 2. A SIMPLE vow of chastity. 3. Sole?nnizing the marriage in Advent or Lent. I have yet to explain the dispositions and preparation necessary for receiving Matrimony worthily, and also the duties and obligations of married people which the graces of this sacrament enable them to fulfil. And the explana- tion of these shall be the subject of the next Instruction. Which are the impediments that render marriage ;//^//.^ What im- pediments make marriage criminal, though valid ? Instruction LXV. MATRIMONY — CONCLUDED. The Dispositions for receiving the Sacrament of Matrimo7iy — Duties and Obligatio7is of Married People, What is Matrimony ? — Matrimony is a Sacrament which gives grace to those who contract marriage with due dispositions, to enable them to bear the diffiulties of their state, to love and be faithful to one another, and to bring up their children in the fear of God. 352 MATRIMONY— II. Having explained the institictio7i and nature of the Sacrament of Matrimony, and the co7iditions necessary for rendering it vaHd and lawful, I have now to explain the dispositions and preparatio7i necessary for receiving it worthily, and also the duties a?id obligations of married people. I. What, then, are the dispositions and preparation necessary for receiving this sacrament worthily ? 1. You should endeavor, in the first place, to procure the favor a7id direction of Heaven, by fervent prayer, by being attentive to all the duties of a good Christian, and by avoiding dafigerous interviews, etc. "A good wife is a good portion ; she shall be given in the portion of them that fear God — to a man for his good deeds." (Eccli. xxvi. 8.) Nothing is of greater importance in entering into the married state than to obtain the divine blessing, and yet nothing is less attended to ! 2. They who are about to get married should coiistdt their Parents and Director, instead of allowing them- selves to be hurried away by passion. " My son, do nothing without counsel, and thou shalt not repent when thou hast done." (Eccli. xxxii. 24.) " Children, hear the judgment of your father" (Ecch. iii. 2) ; and '^ seek counsel always of a wise man." (Tobias iv. 19.) 3. They should have a right intention — such as God had in the institution of marriage ; viz., to be a mutual help to each other; to have children who may serve God; and to prevent incontinence. Their intention, then, should not be to gratify ambition, or avarice, or carnal desires. *' The Angel Raphael said to Tobias : Hear me, and I W\\\ show thee who they are over whom the devil can prevail. For they w^ho in such manner receive Matrimony as to shut out God from themselves, and from their mind, and to give themselves to their lust, as the horse and the mule, . . . over them the devil hath power." (Tobias vi. 16, 17.) 4. They should be careful to choose a proper person. This is of very great importance ! yet to be of a high MATRIMONY-II. Sbd family^ rich, beautiful, etc., seem to be made the c/iief considerations, by a great proportion of those who marry. These are very well as secondary, but should not be the chief determifiing iiiioiwts. The choice, should fall on one of \kv^ true Religion, and a good Christian : your own peace and happiness — your own salvation and that of your children depend gready upon it. Family, riches and beauty are but poor helps to happiness, if the temper be bad, the humor ex- travagant, or the passions violent. " It is better to dwell in a wilderness than with a quarrelsome and passionate woman." (Prov. xxi. 19.) " Happy is the husband of a good wife, for the number of his years is doubled." (^Eccli. XX vi. I.) What is the more immediate preparation 9 1. To get instructed in the nature of this Sacrament, and in the conditions and dispositions necessary for receiving it; and also in the duties and obligations of the married state ; and also to comply with them. 2. To be sufficiently instructed in Christian doctrine, on account of being able to teach the children. 3. To be in a state of grace; otherwise the marriage would be sacrilegious, and would tend to draw the curse of God, instead of his blessing. 4. To receive the Sacrament of Penance (if in a state of sin), and to spend some time in preparation and prayer. II. I will now explain the Duties and Obligations of the ftiarried state. The duties of married people are most serious and important, because their owfi and their children's happiness, both here and hereafter, depend very much upon them. For the fulfilling of these duties particular graces are necessary, and Faith teaches that this Sacrament gives them. You will understand what these graces are, and the value of them, by learning those duties which they will enable you to fulfill. What, then, are the Duties and Obligations oj the mar^ tied state ? 23 354 MATRIMONY- II. 1. The husband and wife must have a mutual love for each other. The precept of Charity obliges married persons most strictly, '^ Husbands, love your wives as Christ also loved the Church Men ought to love their wives as their own bodies : he that loveth his wife loveth himself^ (Eph. v. 25, 28.) Without this there will be no peace or happiness. 2. They must keep their love within proper bounds. For they must love God more than they love each other; and not act like Adam, who offended God by eating the forbidden fruit, rather than displease Eve. 3. They must give each other good example, and pray for their mutual happiness and salvation. " So let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven." (Matt. V. 16.) How much more ought married persons to give edification to each other? St. Paul says: **I desire that my prayers and supplications be made for all men'' (i Tim. ii. i.) How much more, then, ought husband and wife to pray for one another. 4. They must preserve inviolably the sanctity of the marriage-bed: *' (Let) marriage (be) honorable in all, and the bed undefiled. For fornicators and adulterers God will judge." (Heb. xiii. 4.) Adultery is a most grievous cri7ne,htmg^ 1st, The violation of a Sacramental contract; 2dly, the breach of a vow made before God and the Church; ;^dly, a great injustice to the innocent party. If it should be discovered (or suspected, which is frequently the case), it then sows the seed of perpetual discord. 5. The husband should exercise his authority in a proper ??ianner (with prudence, mildness, charity, etc.), as God's law requires. " The husband is head of the wife, as Christ is head of the Church." (Eph. v. 23.) Therefore, as Christ is solicitous for the good of his Church, so the husband, etc. 6. The wife should behave towards her husband with due respect, obedience and submission. " Let women be subject to their husbands, as to the Lord As the MATRIMONY~II. 355 Church is subject to Christy so let wives be to their hus- bands in all things." (Eph. v. 22, 24.) If both parties would observe these duties, how hap- pily they would hve together ! But if one of them should act contrary to them, what is the other to do? In such cases they seldom act as they should. When, for instance, the wife offends, how frequently does the husband treat her with harshness; -cursing, threatening, or striking her ; and then pleading necessity in excuse for his conduct. " She has such a temper (he says) ; she is always out of humor, and forever scolding and torment- ing, so that I must be harsh," etc. When the husband offends; the wife uses reproaches, and will continue for hours together uttering all kinds of spiteful expressions. All this is the effect of impatience, and makes the matter much worse. When they disagree there are generally faults on both sides, at least before they have done. And when wives complain of harsh and violent treat- ment, although the husband may be faulty, yet they may generally thank themselves for the ill usage they receive. As St Monica used to say to those who went to her with their complaints : '* Lay the blame (she said) rather on yourselves and your tongues." (Butler's " Lives of the Saints," vol. v., May 4.) 7. There is another very important duty of married people, viz., to bring up their children religiously. They must instruct their children ; instill into them religious feelings ; see to their prayers, confessions and commu- nions ; watch over them ; keep them from bad com- panions, and from occasions of sin ; set them good ex- ample ; pray for them, etc. These duties towards chil- dren lay parents under a heavy responsibility; yet how generally are they neglected! These are the Duties and Obligations of the married state. They are important and difficult, and cannot be fulfilled religiously without particular graces. These graces the Sacrament of Matrimony gives to such as Is it the duty of parents to bring up their children religiously ? 356 VIRTUE OF FAITH. receive it with proper dispositions. You see, then, how important it is to make a good preparation for it ! — you see the great advantages of receiving it with proper dis- positions ! — and how careful you should be afterwards not to lose by sin those special graces which it gives to those who receive it worthily. \ EXPLANATION OF VIRTUES AND VICES. Instruction LXVI. THEOLOGICAL VIRTUE OF FAITH. TAe Nature^ Necessity, and Exercise of the Virtue of Faith — the Sins against Faith, What is meant by the Theological Virtues 7 — Virtues that relate immediately to God. how vta7iy, and ivhat are the Theological Virtues 7 — Three: Faith, Hope and Charity. What does Faith help us to do 9 — It helps us to believe, without doubting, all that God has taught and the Church proposes. I. Nature of Faith. — Faith is a supernatural and Theological Virtue, by which we firmly believe all the Truths which God has revealed to his Church, and be- lieve them because He who has revealed them is Truth itself. It is called a Theological Virtue because it has God himself for its immediate object, being a direct homage to his eternal Truth — to his divine Veracity, which is one of his essential Attributes ; but, moreover, because it is not acquired by us, but infused into our souls by God : " Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jona, be- cause flesh and blood hath not revealed it to thee, but my Father who is in heaven." (Matt. xvi. 17.) Explain the nature of Faith. Why is it called a theological virtue ? VIRTUE OF FAITH. 357 What we believe from the evidence of our senses is not Faith, but experience ; what we believe from argu- ments drawn from self-evident propositions is reason and demonstration ; what we believe from testimony is Faith, and it may be either human or divine. It is human faith when we believe anything on the authority of the word of man only : it is divine Faith when, on the authority of the word of God, we believe the truths which he has revealed, and which he proposes to us as revealed, by the teaching of his Church, " which (as St. Paul says) is the pillar and ground of the truth.'* (i Tim. iii. 15.) But the decisions of the Church, although infallible, are not the motive of our Faith, they are only the sure means of knowing the truths of Faith. The proper mo- tive of Faith is the word of God — the divine Veracity ; we beheve the truths of revelation precisely 'because God, who is truth itself, has declared them, and we know with certainty that he has declared them by the infallible teaching of his Church. And the chief merit of Faith consists in believing, on tjie same authority, on the divine Veracity, what we do not see, or should not otherwise know. For, " Faith is the substance of things to be hoped for — the evidence of things that appear not." (Heb. xi. i.) This divine Faith is the pure gift of God: "For by grace you are saved through Faith, and that not of yourselves, for it is the gift of God." (Eph. ii. 8.) II. Necessity of Faith. — The Virtue of Faith is of strict obligation, and is included in that homage of ador- ation which is enjoined in the First Commandment. It is a most grievous insult to God, and mortally sinful, to refuse to beheve his word, and hence Christ says : " He that believeth not shall be condemned" (Markxvi. 16); and St. Paul likewise assures us, that " without Faith it is impossible to please God." (Heb. xi. 6.) To satisfy this obligation our Faith must have these Is experience faith? Of how many kinds is faith? Are the decisions of the Church the motive of faith ? What is the chief merit of faith? 358 VIRTUE OF FAITH. two qualities; namely, it must htjin?i^ without the least doubt or misgiving; and it must be entire, comprehend- ing all revealed truths, either explicitly or implicitly. Our Faith is explicit when, knowing that such or such a truth is revealed by God, we believe it distinctly or in particular: but it is implicit when we believe all revealed truths in general, whether we know them or not, as, for instance, when we believe all that the Church believes and teaches. There are some leading Truths which we must knaiv and believe with an explicit Faith, because an explicit belief of them is absolutely necessary as a means of salva- tion [necessaria necessitate niedii). Thus, we must know, and explicitly believe, that there is a God, the Sovereign Lord of all things, and that he rewards those who love and serve him; "Without faith it is impossible to please God, for he that cometh to God nmst believe that he is, and is a rewarder of them that seek him." (Heb. xi. 6.) Therefore, when persons have come to the use of reason, there is no salvation for them unless they believe ex- plicitly in a God whose Providence looks to our conduct, and in the existence of a future life, where each one will receive rewards or punishments according to his works. Explicit Faith in the mysteries of the Adorable Trinity and of the Incarnation and Passion of Jesus Christ is also imperatively necessary for salvation, either because such explicit belief is an essential means of being saved, or, at least, because it is a divine precept. By divine precept {necessitate prcscepti) we must also know and explicitly believe, at least in substance, the Apostles' Creed, the Lord's Prayer, the Commandments of God and of the Church, the Sacraments which are more especially necessary, as Baptism, Penance, and the Holy Eucharist, and the others when we may have oc- casion to receive them. Is faith necessary? What conditions must it have? What is meant by explicit and what by implicit faith? Which are the leading truths in which explicit faith is necessary as a means of salvation ? What must we believe explicitly by divine precept ? VIRTUE OF FAITH. 359 By Ecclesiastical precept, we are still further obliged to know by heart the Apostles' Creed, the Lord's Prayer, the Hail Mary, and how to make the Sign of the Cross. Those persons, therefore, are guilty of sin, \st^ who are ignorant of any of these through their own wilful neglect; 2dly, who wilfully and without necessity de- prive themselves of the means or opportunity of know- ing them ; 3^/)', who neither instruct their children them- selves nor send them to be instructed on these points ; and, 4////V, who, in this respect, hinder or neglect the servants or domestics who are under their charge. III. Exercise OF Faith. — We worship and honor God by the virtue of Faith when we make Acts of this virtue ; i. e., when we make protestations to God that we do actually believe all the truths which he has re- vealed, and proposes to us as revealed, by his Church, and that we believe them precisely because He, who is Truth itself, has revealed them. This is paying direct homage to God, it is an act of homage to his eternal Truth, it is the submission of our fallible judgment to his infallible word. These Acts serve to enlighten and strengthen our Faith, to increase our attachment to Re- ligion, and to confirm our resolution of practising what it teaches, and they should form a part of our daily prayer. There are some circumstances in which it is necessary that we should exercise our Faith by making an outward and open profession of it, as when God's honor, the cause of Religion, or our neighbor's salvation requires it. (^Example of the Martyrs^ who courageously made open profession of their Faith before persecuting tyrants, even when they knew it would cost them their life.) It is never lawful to deny our Religion, or to be ashamed of it before men : *' He that shall deny me before men, I What, by ecclesiastical precept, must we know by heart? Men- tion the four classes of persons guilty of sin in this matter. Ex- plain the exercise of faith? To what does the acts of faith serve? When must we make an open profes^^ion of faith ? 360 VIRTUE OF FAITH. will also deny him before my Father who is in heaven." (Matt. X. ss.) IV. Sins against the virtue of Faith. — The sins which are directly against the theological Virtue of Faith are ; infidelity, apostasy, heresy, and doubts. 1. Infidelity comprehends Paganism, Judaism, and Mohammedanism. When infidelity is the effect of in- voluntary and invincible ignorance, as in those who have never heard of the Christian Religion nor had the means of knowing it, it will not be imputed to them as a sin (Gousset, TheoL Mor., tom. i, n. 339): "If I had not come (says our Blessed Lord) and spoken to them, ihey would not have sm^ but now they have no excuse for their sin." (John xv. 22.) ** For whosoever have sinned (says St. Paul) without the law, shall perish without the law; and whosoever have sinned in the law, shall be judged by the law." (Rom. ii. 12.) But when the infi- delity is voluntary, either directly or indirectly; i. e., either in itself or in its cause, it is grievously sinful ; *^ But now {after having heard the doctrines of Christy they are without excuse for their sin." (John xv. 22.) " He that believeth not shall be condemned." (Mark xvi. 16.) 2. Apostasy is the renouncing of Christianity, it is the entire abandonment of the Christian Faith, and it is a very grievous sin. 3. Heresy is a pertinacious adherence to such error as is directly opposed to some Article of Faith, to some truth which the Church proposes to us as having been revealed by God; it is refusing to believe what one knows to be declared by the Church of Christ as a re- vealed truth ; it is i^referring one's own opinion to the infallible decisions of the Church. By apostasy the whole of Christianity is renounced, but by heresy only sonie of its truths are rejected. Heresy is a grievous mortal sin. 4. Doubts concerning any Article of Faith, when they Explain the four sins directly against faith. VIRTUE OF HOPE. 361 are voluntary or wilfully consented to, are also grievously sinful. Whenever they arise in the mind they should be rejected immediately as suggestions of the devil, without our stopping to reason them away; they should be op- posed by Acts of Faith and by Prayer. If they proceed from ignorance, it is necessary to get instructed ; if from the enemies of our Religion, by giving ear to their irre- ligious conversation, or by reading their heretical books, then these must be avoided, for thus to expose one's Faith knowingly and unnecessarily is a sin. True Faith is a most precious gift of God, for which we should daily thank him, and we should show our esteem for it by using every means to preserve and practice it. Instruction LXVII. THEOLOGICAL VIRTUE OF HOPE. The Nature^ Necessity, G?^ounds^ Adva7itages, and Exer- cise of the Virtue of Hope ; the Sins against Hope, What is meant by the Theological Virtues? — Virtues that relate immediately fo God. Hoiu mafiy and what are the Theological Virtues F— Three : Faith, Hope, and Charity. PVhat does Hope help us to do? — It helps us to expect, with confi- dence, that God will give us all things necessary for our salvation if we do what he requires of us. I. Nature of Hope. — Hope is a supernatural and Theological Virtue, by w^hich w^e confidently expect eter- nal life and the means of arriving at it, resting our con- fidence on the goodness, power, and promises of God, and on the infinite merits of Jesus Christ; it is a desire and expectation of salvation, with a firm confidence of obtaining it through God's infinite goodness and his promised mercy and assistance. It is called a Theologi- cal Virtue because, like Faith, it has God himself for its immediate object, being a direct homage to his infinite Explain what is meant by hope ? Why is it called a theological virtue ? 362 VIRTUE OF HOPE. Goodness, Power, and Fidelity to his promises, and be- cause it is a virtue not acquired by us, but vifused by God into our souls. II. Necessity of Hope. — We may say of the virtue of hope what St. Paul says of faith, that without it it is impossible to please God, for it is absolutely necessary as a means of salvation [iiecessitaie inedii)^ and is included in that duty of adoration which is required by the first commandment. St. Paul says : " We are saved by hope." (Rom. viii. 24.) " Do not therefore lose your confidence, which hath a great reward ^ (Heb. x. 35.) If we do not put our trust in God, but in ourselves, it is a sin ; and, moreover, it is great folly ; because of ourselves we could not take the least step towards heaven, but should fall into the very depth of vice : " We are not sufiicient to think anything of ourselves, as of ourselves^ but our suffi- ciency v^frcm God.'' (2 Cor. iii. 5.) " Without me you can do nothing,'' (John xv. 5,) What folly, therefore, it is, and what presumption to trust in ourselves ! III. Grounds of Hope. — Hope is grounded on God's infinite goodness, power and promises, through the in- finite merits of Christ. Notwithstanding our own weak- ness and inability to do good, notwithstanding even the number, and grievousness of our sins, we have reason to place an entire confidence in God, and to trust that we shall receive from him all that is necessary both for this life and the next; not because we deserve any of his favors, but because He is good. Hope has these two parts, viz., a complete distrust in ourselves and an entire confidence in God. With these dispositions there is no blessing which we may not obtain: '^ Because he hath hoped m me I will deliver him; I will protect him be- cause he hath known my name : he shall cry to me and I will hear him ; I will deliver him and I will glorify him." (Ps. xc. 14, 15.) IV. Advantages of Hope. — Hope brings to the soul that possesses it many and very great advantages : Prove the necessity of hope? What are the grounds of hope? Which are its two parts ? VIRTUE OF HOPE. 363 1. It gives us great courage and resolution in the service of God : '' If God be for us, who is against us ? . . . Who then shall separate us from the love of Christ ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or famine, or danger, or persecution, or the sword ? . . . I am sure that neither death nor life, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Rom. viii. 31, 35, 38, 39.) "For though I should walk in the midst of the shadow of death, I will fear no evils, for thon [O God] art with me." (Ps. xxii. 4.) 2. It enables us to triumph with ease and certainty over temptations. " He that dwelleth in the aid of the Most High shall a.bide tinder the protection of the God of Jacob. . . . Because he hath hoped in me I will deliver him ; I v;ill protect him, because he hath known my name." (Ps. xc. 1,14.) " If armies in camp should stand together against me, my heart shall not fear; if a battle should rise up against me, in this will I be confident. The Lord is the protector of my life; of whom shall I be afraid ? " (Ps. xxvi. 3, i.) 3. It renders the greatest difficulties in God's service easy and even agreeable to us. The practice of virtue is frequently represented as being difficult; it /> so to those who are without hope ; but when we possess this virtue the difficulty vanishes, and hence our Blessed Redeemer says : " Take up my yoke upon you, . . . and you shall find rest to your souls ; for my yoke is sweet and my burden light." (Matt. xi. 29, 30.) 4. It sweetens all the pains and troubles of this life by the certain prospect of future rewards : " The sufferings of this present time, which are momentary and light, work for us above measure exceedingly an eternal weight of glory." (2 Cor. iv. 17.) " Blessed are ye when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and speak ah tliat is evil against you, untruly for my sake; be glad and re- joice, for your reward is very great in heaven." (^Matt. v. II, 12.) What are advantages of hope ? 364 VIRTUE OF HOrE. V. Exercises of Hope. — We worship and honor God by the practice of hope when we make acts of this virtue ; i. e., when from our heart we make protestations to God that we place an entire and perfect confidence in him — that, relying on his goodness, power and promises, we confidently hope for mercy, grace and salvation from him through the merits of Christ, accompanying these protestations with the determination or disposition of doing, on our part, what God requires from us. This is paying direct homage to his infinite goodness and mercy, to his divine power, and to his fidehty to his promises, especially when we make these ads under difiicult and trying circumstances; like Abraham, ^^ who (as St. Paul says), against hope, believed in hope ; that he might be made the father of many nations, according to that which was said to him : ^' As the 7iiunber of stars, so shall thy seed be'' ( Rom. iv. i8 ; Gen. xv. 5.) "Although he should kill me, I will trust in him." (Job xiii. 15. ) These ^^/^ of hope, when they come from the heart, are very pleas- ing to God, and should form a part of our daily prayer ; but they should be made with a real disposition to do, on our part, what God requires of us — to do what we can ourselves, confidently trusting that God will supply our insufficiency. Without this our hope would be vain and presumptuous. Exercise of Hope in temporal things, INTay we exercise liope in temporal things by prnying for them with the hope of obtaining them ? We not only may, but ought ; because God directs us do so, and promises that he will grant these things as far as Yfill be conducive to our real good : " When you pray say: . . . Give us this day our daily bread." (Luke xi. 3.) " Ije not solicitous, saying: What shall we eat, or what shall we drink, or wherewitJi shall we be clothed? For your Father knoweth that you have need of all these things. Seek ye, therefore, first the kingdom of God and Explain the exercise of hope. To what divine perfections does the exercise of hope pay direct homage ? VIRTUE OF HOPE. 365 his justice, and all these things shall be added unto you." (Matt. vi. 31, 32, 12)') As to the necessaries of life and the assistances we need for obtaining them, it is our duty to trust in God, with an entire resignation to his will, persuaded that he will bless our lawful endeavors by sending us what he knows to be the best for us. We should be thoroughly con- vinced of these two truths, viz. : 1. Nothing that we undertake can succeed without God's blessing or against his will : For " unless the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it ; unless the Lord keep the city, he watcheth in vain that keepeth it." (Ps, cxxvi. I.) In all things, therefore, we should have recourse to God, and should employ, on our part, such means only as are lawful ; but we should never use sinful means ; for if we do we cannot expect a blessing from God, but the contrary. 2. No malice of men nor of devils can hurt those who serve God unless he permit it, and then only so far as he shall permit. Therefore, when we meet with difficulties or unjust opposition, we should never lose courage nor our confidence in God: *'In God I have put my trust, I will not fear what flesh can do against me In God have I hoped; I will not fear what man can do to me." (Ps, Iv. 5, II.) *' If armies in camp should stand together against me, my heart shall not fear." (Ps. xxvi. 3.) For "• if God be for us, who is against us ? " (Rom. viii. 31.) Do nothing sinful to escape difficulties or dangers, but trust in God; look upon all trials as coming from his hand, and be resigned to his will in all things, *' casting all your care upon him," and then you need not fear what all the world can do against you. VL Sins against Hope. — The sins which are directly opposed to the virtue of hope are despair and presump- tion. I. Despair is a distrust of arriving at eternal happiness, or of obtaining the helps which are necessary for that pur- Of what two truths should we be thoroughly convinced? Which are the two sins against hope ? What is despair? 366 VIRTUE OF HOPE. pose. It is a most pernicious and fatal crime, because it puts a stop to our endeavors and opens the door to every kind of vice. Those persons are guilty of it who give up all hopes — I, Of salvation, on account of its difficulties; 2, Of par- don, on account of the number or grievousness of their sins; 3, Of amendment, on account of the violence of their evil inclinations, the force of their bad habits or the experience which they have had of their weakness; 4, Of obtaining what they ask for in prayer, because it is deferred; 5, Of receiving relief or support in distress or sickness, and so wish for death. Remedies, — Prayer; Acts of Hope; reflecting on the power, goodness, mercy and promises of God, and on the merits of Christ. 2. Presumption is a vain expectation of salvation, and of the necessary helps, without performing the condi- tions required. It is in its own nature a grievous crime, because it makes the divine goodness an encouragement to sin ! Those persons are guilty of Presumption, i, who con- tinue in sin with the intention of repenting before death; deferring their repentance because God is merciful ; 2, who trust their salvation, their repentance or amend- ment to their oimi strength and endeavors ; 3, who ex- pose themselves, without necessity, to the immediate occasions of sin, depending on their own resolutions ; 4, who, in temporal affairs, trust to their own power, pru- dence or endeavors, independently of God. Remedies. — Prayer ; Acts of Humility ; reflecting on the danger of living in sin. God is infinitely merciful ; therefore, do not despair: but he is also infinitely yW/y therefore, do not presume. Who are guilty of despair ? What are the remedies against it ? What is presumption ? Who are guilty of it ? W^hat are the reme- dies ? CHARITY: ITS FIRST BRANCH. 367 Instruction LXVIII. THEOLOGICAL VIRTUE OF CHARITY : ITS FIRST BRANCH. The Love of God— its Nature — its Necessity — Grounds of its Obligation — its Exercise — its Effects — Means of ob- taini^ig and increasing it, Flotu many and ivhat are the Theological Virtues ? — Three : Faith, Hope and Charity. What does Charity Help tcs to do ? — It helps us to love God above all things, and our neighbor as ourselves. What are the two precepts of Charity? — I. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart, with thy whole soul, with all thy strength, and with all thy mind ; 2. And thy neighbor as thy- self. I. Nature of the Love of God. — Charity is a supernatural and Theological N \x\,\xQ,^hy v^Mxoki we love God above all things, for his own sake ; and our neigh- bor as ourselves, for God's sake. *' By one and the same Charity (says St. Augustine) we love God and our neighbor: God, indeed, for his own sake: but ourselves and our neigbor for God's sake.'' This Charity is the love of benevolence and of friendship, whereby we wish all good to God, on account of the infinite perfection of his Divine Nature, It is called a Theological N\x\m^, because, like Faith and Hope, it has God himself for its immediate object, being a direct homage to all his divine perfections, by which he is infinitely good in him- self, and infinitely deservmg of our love; and also be- cause it is a Virtue, not acquired, but infused by God into our souls : " For Charity is of God." (i John iv. 7.) " The Charity of God is poured forth in our hearts by the Holy Ghost, who is given to us.'* (Rom. v. 5.) All love of God is not the love of Charity ; for the love of God may be either of that kind which is called perfect^ or of that which is called imperfect ; and the es- sential difference consists in the motive from w^hich our love proceeds. Perfect love is the love of Charity^ by Explain the nature of Charity. Why is it called a Theological Virtue ? Is all love of God Charity ? 368 CHARITY: ITS FIRST BRANCH. which we love Qo^for his own sake ; imperfect love is the love of Hope^ or of Gratitude, by which we do in- deed love God, but on account of our own advantage, rather than purely for his sake. Our love of God is of that kind which is perfect, that is to say, it has the nature of perfect Charity : 1. When, in loving God, we habitually fix our whole heart in him, in such a manner that, for his sake, we will not allow ourselves any thought or wish which is con- trary to his divine love. This perfection (says St. Thomas) is common to all who possess the Virtue of Charity. (S. Thorn., Sum. p. 2, 2; q. 24, a. 8.) 2. When we desire to possess God, if we tend towards that possession rather for his glory, than for our own advantage. Thus, St. .Paul made an act of perfect Charity, when he expressed his " desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ." (Phil. i. 23.^ "Chanty (says St. Alphonsus Liguori), tends to God as our last end; and therefore the desire of possessing God, \vho is our last end, is a proper act of Charity, and indeed more perfect than others, for the possession of God is the con- summation of Charity." 3. When we love God on account of his divine good- ness (which is one of his principal perfections), even inasmuch as it is advantageous to us, by assisting us to accomplish his will and to obtain our last end; for this is to love God for his own sake. But if we love God merely as the means of arriving at eternal life, or of avoiding eternal misery, our love is not that of Charity, but oi Hope ; neither is it the love of Charity, if we love God on account of the benefits which he confers upon us, for this is the love of Grati- tude, But, if we regard the favors and gifts of God as the effects of his Goodness, and love theni for the sake of God — for the sake of his Goodness, rather than for our own sake — then our love is an act of Charity ; for, in this case, it is not so much the favors or gifts them- When has our love of God the nature of perfect Charity? CHARITY : ITS FIRST BRANCH. S69 selves that we love as the divine Goodness, the source of all good and of every gift. 4. When we are in such disposition of soul that we can truly say from our heart: " O my God I I love ihee above all things^ because thou art infinite Goodness ^^ or " because thou art infinitely Good.^^ Charity is the most excellent of the Theological Vir- tues : "And now there remain Faith, Hope and Charity, these three ; but the greater of these is Charity. . . . • Charity never faljeth-away." (i Cor. xiii. 13, 8.) II. Necessity of the Love of God. — The virtue of Charity is absolutely necessary as an essential means of salvation [necessitate fnedii)\ it is included in that homage which is enjoined in the First Commandment; and it is declared by our Blessed Redeemer to be *'' the greatest and the first Commandment," on which " de- pendeth the whole law and the prophets." (Matt. xxii. 38, 40.) It is that "wedding garment," without which it will be said to us, when we appear before God to be judged : " Bind his hands and his feet, and cast him into the exterior darkness ; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." (Matt. xxii. 12, 13.) The Virtue of Charity is so necessary, that St. Paul says of it : " If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not Charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal . . . And if I should have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not Charity, I am nothing. And if I should distribute all my goods to feed the poor, and if I should deliver my body to be burned, and have not Charity, it profiteth me nothing." (i Cor. xiii. 1-3.) III. Grounds of the Obligation of Loving God. — Our obhgation to love God is grounded on many and strong reasons, drawn from the excellency of his divine nature. We are bound to love God: I. Because he is infinitely good /;/ /^m^^'^— infinite in Is Charity an excellent virtue? Is it necessary for salvation? Tell us the grounds of this obligation of loving CocU 24 370 CHARITY; ITS FIRST BRANCH. all perfections. Other virtues have some particular attri- bute for their object, but this has all. 2. Because he is infinitely good also to us^ both as to this world and the next. 3. Because he is our last end — to love him is the very- end of our being: our happiness or misery depends upon it. 4. Because he (the Lord our God) commands us to love him : " Hear, O Israel ! Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart, and wirii thy whole soul, and with thy whole mind, and with thy whole strength." (Mark xii. 29, 30 ; Deut. vi. 4, 5.) Thus it is commanded in the strongest terms : for all our powers, and the whole of each must be employed in loving God. IV. Exercise of the Love of God. — The precept of Charity requires us to *^ love God with our whole heart, and soul, and mind, and strength." 1. To love God with our whole heart, we must actu- ally give Him the preference in our affections — they must all centre in Him : we must be really and truly disposed to part with all things rather than lose Him by sin : *' Every one of you that doth not renounce all that he possesseth (i. e., when the love of God requires him to make such a sacrifice), he cannot be my disciple." (Luke xiv. -T^^i^?) " He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me." (Matt. X. 37.) "Son, give me thy heart." (Prov. xxiii. 26.) This preference which we give to God, is loving him with our whole heart. 2. To love God with our whole soul, we must refer all that we do to God's honor and glory, performing every- thing with a view to please him : this should be our constant aim and intention. *' Whether you eat or drink, or whatsoever else you do, do all to the glory of God." (i Cor. X. 31.) Our will must be so fixed in God as to make us habitually determined to suffer, endure or sacri- What is meant by loving Qio^ \v\\h c>mx whole heart ? What is meant by loving God with, our whole soul? CHARITY: ITS FIRST BRAiNTCH, 371 fice anything rather than offend God by sin. [Example of the Martyrs,) Like the Apostle, we should be able to say : " Who shall separate us from the love of Christ ? Shall tribulation ? or distress ? or famine ? or danger ? or persecution ? or the sword ? .... I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, .... nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Rom. vii. 35, 38, 39.) This devotedness and determination of our will is loving God with our whole soul. 3. To love God with our whole 7nind, we must give him our thoughts ; we must frequently thi?ik of xAlmighty God ; meditate on his divine Attributes or Perfections ; on his infinite Goodness; on his Mercy, Bounty and Love towards us; on the necessity of loving and serving him, and on the means of doing so. This is loving him with our whole mind. 4. To love God with.our whole strength we must strive, on all occasions, to act in accordance with his law, and to do his will; we must labor for God; we must ^(^ what we can to promote his greater honor and glory. This is a natural consequence of the three former duties ; for a sincere afitection of the heart, an entire devotedness of the will and the mind, iTaturally excite efficacious en- deavors to please God in all our actions : *' If you love me, keep my commandments.." (John xiv. 15. Vide S. Thomae Sum., 2, 2, q. 24, a. 9.) This is loving God with all our strength. We worship and honor God by the exercise of this greatest of Virtues when we make Acts of Charity, i. e., when we declare to God siiuerely a7id truly that we do actually love him with our whole heart, above all things, on account of his infinite Goodness or Perfections ; and if these declarations are joined with actual repentance of sin, they become also xActs of Contrition. When What is meant by loving God with our ivhol^ niind^ What is meant by loving God with our whole strength ? When do we exer- cise this virtue of Chaiity ? 372 CHARITY; ITS FIRST BRANCH. these Acts of Charity and Contrition ar-e made from the heart they are most pleasing to God, and should form part of our daily prayer. V. Effects of the Love of God. — This divine Vir- tue produces the most happy effects in the souls of those who possess it. 1. An ardent j^. L The Seven Gifts and Twelve Fruits of the Holy GhosU How ma7iy are the Gifts of tJu Holy Ghost ? — Seven : I . Wisdom. 2. Understanding. 3. Counsel. 4. Fortitude. 5. Knowledge. 6. Godliness. 7. The Fear of the Lord. How many are the Fruits of the Holy Ghost? — Twelve : I . Charity. 2* Joy- 3- Peace. 4. Patience. 5. Benignity. 6. Goodness. 7. i.ongannnit^. 8. Mildness. 9. Faii^i. 10. Modesty. 1 1. Con- tinence, 12. Chastity, GIFTS OF THE HOLY GHOST. 3^1 I. The Seven Gifts of the Holy Ghost. — Every soul, when in the state of sanctifying grace, is enriched more or less with these seven gifts of the Holy Ghost; but it is in the sacrament of confirmation more particu- larly that we receive the pleiiiinde or fulness of them. These gifts are certain supernatural dispositions or habits of soul conferred upon us by the Holy Spirit, leading us to act (whenever occasions require or opportunities offer) according to the inspirations and motions of grace, and enabling us to fulfil the divine law wdth readiness and ease, especially in difficult circumstances. They are called "'' gifts ^^ because we receive them from the pure bounty of God, without any merit or claim on our part. They are all mentioned by the Prophet Isaias, who speaks of the Holy Ghost as "the Spirit of Wisdom and of Understanding; the Spirit of Counsel and of Fortitude; the Spirit of Knowledge and of Godliness; and the Spirit of the Fear of the Lord." (Is. xi. 2, 3.) 1. " 2 he Spirit of Wisdom " is a gift which teaches us to set a right value on salvation and on the means of obtaining it, and to undervalue all that is earthly and perishable. It leads us to despise the honors, riches and pleasures of this short life, to seek what is heavenly and eternal, and to employ our w^hole life in promoting God's honor, and in securing the possession of our last End. 2. " The Spirit of Understajtding''^ is a gift which enables us to conceive the truths of Religion, and to penetrate the mysteries of Faith, as far as (according to God's particular designs in our regard) is necessary for us, or conducive to our good. It fits us for meditating on the great truths of eternity, and for contemplating those mysteries of love, mercy, humiliation, etc., which are manifested to us in the Incarnation, Life, Passion and Death of our Blessed Redeemer. What souls have the gifts of the Holy Ghost ? What do you mean by these gifts ? Repeat the words of Isaias. What is the Spirit of Wisdom? What does it lead to ? What is the Spirit of Understanding? What does it fit us for? 382 GIFTS OF THE HOLY GHOST. 3. " The Spirit of CounseV^ is a gift which shows us the deceits of our spiritual enemies, directing us how to detect and escape their snares. It discovers to us the true means of advancing in virtue; and in doubts, it leads us to take the right side of the question. Thus it helps very much to secure us in the path of salvation. 4. " The Spirit of Fortitude'' is a Gift which supports us in the trials of the Christian w^arfare, and makes us stand firm in the cause of truth and virtue, whatever difficulties, dangers or persecutions we may have to en- counter. 5. " The Spirit of K?towledge'' is a gift which helps us to learn the duties of Religion, and leads us to prefer this learning before any human science. It enables us to distinguish good from evil, and to avoid a false or blinded conscience, which is a source of so many sins and miseries. 6. " llie Spirit of Godliness'^ is a gift which helps us to put the duties of Religion in practice. It leads us to keep the Commandments, to be regular and diligent in serving God, in prayer, meditation, public worship, con- fession, communion, acts of the theological virtues and in general piety. 7. " The Spirit of the Fear of the Lord'' is a gift which (being a filial fear) makes us dread incurring the anger- of God, and so prevents us from offending him by sin. It sets before us the terrors of his judgments against sin- ners, and so makes us labor to avert them by leading a virtuous and penitential life : *' The fear of the Lord hateth evil ; " *' it is a fountain of life to decline from death." (Prov. viii. 18; xiv. 27.) "The fear of the Lord driveth out sin ; " it is " the beginning of wisdom ; " it is even " fullness of wisdom." " The fear of God is the beginning of his love," therefore, " blessed is the man to whom it is given to have the fear of God." (Eccli. i. 27, 16, 20: XXV. 10, 15.) What is the Spirit of Counsel ? What is the Spirit of Fortitude ? What i* the spirit of Knowledge ? What is the Spirit of Godliness? What is the Spirit of the Fear of the Lord ? FRUITS OF THE HOLY GHOST. 383 From this explanation of the Seven Gifts of the Holy Ghost you see how truly rich are they upon whom they are bestowed I Were we possessed of these precious treasures, what advances should we daily make in virtue, and what a high degree of glory should we obtain here- after ! especially as our souls would be adorned, more- over, and enriched, with the Twelve Fruits of the Holy Ghost. II. The Twelve Fruits of the Holy Ghost. — Oh, how happ)\ how supremely happy, must their lives be, who, being possessed of the Gifts of the Holy Ghost, enjoy also the precious Fruits which those Gifts never fail to produce in the soul! These Twelve Fruits are all enumerated by St. Paul in his Epistle to the Galatians, where he says : " The Fruit of the Spirit is Charity, Joy, Peace, Patience, Benignity, Goodness, Longanimity, Mildness, Faith, Modesty, Continence, Chastity. Against such there is no law." (Gal. v. 22, 23.) 1. Charity^ by which we keep our eyes fixed on God — on his divine Attributes or Perfections — and tend to- wards him incessantly as the dearest object of our affec- tions : " The charity of God is poured forth in our hearts by the Holy Ghost who was given to us." (Rom. v. 5.) 2. yoy^ by which we serve God with cheerfulness, obey his will with alacrity, and taste those sweet consolations which are found only in the practice of virtue. 3. Peace, by which, amidst the storms of hfe, amidst sufferings and misfortunes, we preserve tranquillity of soul, and enjoy a perpetual calmness of conscience — that " peace of God which surpasseth all understanding." (Phil. iv. 7.) 4. Patience^ by which we endure the labors and troubles of life willingly and with resignation to the divine will; and even rejoice in sufferings, afflictions and privations as real goods. 5. Benignity, by which we conduct ourselves towards Which are the Twelve Fruits of the^Holy Ghost ? Explain the function of each. 884 FRUITS OF THE HOLY GHOST. others with condescension and kindness, bearing with, and compassionating their weaknesses. 6. Goodness, by w4iich we avoid doing any injury to others, and are always ready to render them whatever services we can, taking a pleasure in promoting their welfare. 7. Longanbnity , by which we persevere steadfastly in our duty, and never desist or grow weary whatever trials or difficulties may continue. 8. Mildjiess, by which w^e restrain the motions of anger, and preserve a perpetual gentleness of temper, which renders a person truly amiable and beloved by all who know him, and also by God. 9. Faith, by which we keep to our engagements, and fulfill our promises. 10. Modesty, by which we are reserved in our com- portment, and avoid self-commendation. 11. Cojiti?ie7ice, by which w^e restrain, and effectually resist, our carnal inclinations, and so force them into subjection to the divine law. 1 2. Chastity, by which we have such a love and esteem for angelic purity as preserves us effectually from every defilement of both body and mind, and entitles us to the fulfillment of the promise contained in this Beatitude : " Blessed are the clean in heart, for they shall see God." (Matt. V. 8.) Between Continence and Chastity, St. Anselm makes this distinction : *' Continence (he says) is in struggles — in combat ; Chastity is /// peaceT Therefore, according to him. Continence is Chastity militant and exercised by temptatio?i. Conclusion. — These are the precious Fruits which . arise from the Holy Ghost's abiding in the soul. If you possess them, happy are you ! but if you have lost them by sin — by banishiug the Holy Ghost from your soul — endeavor to recover them immediately by sincere repent- ance. Whenever your conscience tells you that you are in mortal sin, hasten to the Sacrament of reconciliation ; What is the conclusion ? CORPORAL WORKS OF MERCY. 385 put yourselves in a state of grace; and employ the means which are necessary for enabling you to per- severe in this state, and then you will enjoy these happy Fruits of the Holy Ghost, together with his sevenfold Gifts, Pray fervently for these heavenly treasures — ^^for the renewal of the graces of your Confirmation : recite, for this purpose, the ''Hymns of the Holy Ghost;' earn- estly inviting him to come and impart to you his heaven- ly Gifts, and to produce his Fruits in your soul. Instruction LXXM. The Seven Corporal Works of Mercy. Say the Seven Corporal Works' of Mercy, 1. To feed the hungry. 2. To give drink to the thirsty. 3. To clothe the naked. 4. To visit and ransom captives. 5. To harbor the harborless. 6. To visit the sick, 7. To bury the dead. In the Second of the two great Commandments of the Law we are required to love our neighbor as ourselves. But as our love is not to be confined to mere words only, but must show itself in our works, the Catechism teaches us how we are to exercise charity towards our neighbor ift all his wants, both corporal and spiritual. As to Corporal works of Mei^cy , we are stricdy obliged to exercise them. The law of Nature requires that we sliould help the distressed. God has provided for the wants of the poor and destitute, by obliging those who are not poor to relieve them by giving their superflui- ties. This he positively commands, saying : "- There shall not be wanting poor in the land of thy habitation, Can you prove that we are strictly obhged to perforin Corporal Works of Mercy ? 25 386 CORPORAL WORKS OF MERCY. therefore I command thee to open thy hand to thy poor and needy brother." (Deut. xv. iij ''-Help the poor, because of the Commandment, and send him not away empty-handed, because of his poverty." (Ecch. xxix. 12.) ^^ Give alms out of thy substance, and turn not away thy face from any poor person ; for so it shall come to pass, that the face of the Lord shall not be turned away from thee." (Tobias iv. 7.) " Give and it shall be given to you, good measure, and pressed down, and shaken together, and running over." (Luke vi. 38.) God rewards those who comply with this command, for his divine word assures us, that while " he that despiseth the entreaty of the poor shall suffer indigence." (Prov. xxviii. 27.) " He that hath'mercy on the poor lendeth to the Lord, and he will repay him." (Prov. xix. 17.) "For the Lord maketh recompense, and will give thee seven times as much." (Eccli. xxxv. 13.) And to excite our confidence in these promises, the Almighty even says : " Try me in this ; if I open not to you the flood-gates of heaven, and pour you out a blessing even to abundance." (Mai. iii. 10.) As there are seven kinds of corporal miseries, so there are seven corresponding Corporal Works of Mercy : I a?id 2. To Feed the Hungry, and to give Drink TO THE Thirsty; i. e., to supply them with necessary food, or corporal nourishment. How pitiable is the state of persons reduced to absolute want of food — perishing from hunger or thirst 1 How hard-hearted must he be who can see them in this extremity and refuse relief! and how guilty must such a one be in the sight of God! With wiiat hope can he beg the blessings of God when he himself rejects the entreaties of his distressed neigh- bor ? •' Eat thy bread with the hungry and the needy." (Tobias iv. 17.) *' Whosoever shall give to drink a cup of cold water only, in the name of a disciple, amen, I say to you, he shall not lose his reward." (Matt. x. 41.) 3. To Clothe the Naked. — When the poor are not Why are there Seven Corporal Works of Mercy ? Explain the first and second. CORPORAL WORKS OF MERCY. 387 only i\\-/ei/, but '^-clothed also — covered only with a few- tattered rags — their state becomes still more pitiable. The charitable Christian cannot see them in this desti- tute state without melting into compassion; but what would be his feelings if he could see the wretched con- dition of many poor during the nights ? if he were to behold both parents and children shivering with cold, under most scanty covering— exposed to the wind whicli enters through broken panes or through gaping cracks in the walls — perhaps also exposed to the rain dropping upon them through the roof! What a charity it is to relieve these miseries, and how meritorious ! If, instead of decorating themselves and their children with useless ornaments, people would save these expenses in order to procure necessary comforts for the poor, how many human miseries would be thereby relieved! "When thou shalt see one naked cover him." (Is. Iviii. 7.) 4. To Visit and Ransom Captives. — ^y captives 2xq meant those who have been taken and confined unjustly, or through misfortune. To visit such, with a view to comfort them, and to endeavor to obtain their deliver- ance, are acts of great charity, and are highly meritori- ous. To afford poor persons the means of keeping out of the workhouse is a similar charity. 5. To Harbor the Harborless. — To lodge strangers in one's house, in the present state of society, is neither safe nor prudent, so that this work of mercy would be better exercised by affording the mearis^ to those who stand in need, of procuring a sufficient lodging. In many cases this is a great and necessary charity. 6. To Visit the Sick. — To attend the sick, or to visit them, in order to afford consolation, is always con- sidered a great work of mercy. It relieves their afflic- tion, cheers their drooping spirits, and gives them com- fort, and it is doing as we would be done by. 7. To Bury the Dead. — To afford decent burial to the dead is the last act of charity we can perform for Explain the third. Explain the fourth. Explain the fifth. Ex- plain the sixth. Explain the seventh. o88 CORPORAL WORKS OF MERCY. our neighbor with regard to the body. It should be done from motives of charity. For this work of mercy Tobias is highly commended in Scripture, and held out to others as an example. (Tobias xii. ii, 12.) Conclusion. — These Works of Mercy are of such obligation and if?iportance, that to the neglect or perform- ance of them our sentence at the last day will be *attributed : " Then shall the King say to them that shall be on his right hand : Come, ye blessed of my Father, possess you the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. J^or I w^as hungry, and you gave me to eat ; I was thirsty, and you gave me to drink ; I was a stranger, and you took me in j naked, and you covered me; sick, and you visited me ; I was in prison, and you came to me. Then shall the just answer him, saying : Lord, w^hen did we see thee hungry, and fed thee ? thirsty, and gave thee drink ? and when did we see thee a stranger and took thee in ? or naked, and covered thee ? or when did w^e see thee sick or in prison, and came to thee ? And the King answering, shall say to them : Amen I say to you, as long as you did it to one of these my least brethren you did it to me. Then shall he say to them also that shall be on his left hand : Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, which w^as prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry, and you gave me not to eat ; I was thirsty, and you gave me ?iot to drink ; I was a stranger, and you took me not in ; naked, and you covered me not ; sick and in prison, and you did not visit me Amen I say to you, as long as you did it not to one of these least you did it not to me. And these shall go into ever- lasting punishments, but the just into life everlasting. (Matt. XXV. 34-46.) What a powerful motive to induce us to practice these Corporal Works of Mercy ! The performance or neglect of them is to decide our lot forever! Take care, there- fore, not to neglect them. To what does Christ say our sentence at the last day shall be at- tributed ? SPIRITUx\L WORKS OF MERCY. 389 Instruction LXXIII. The Seven Spiritual Works of Mercy. Say the Seven Spiritual Works of Mercy, I To convert the sinner. 2. To instruct the ignorant. 3. To counsel the doubtful, 4. To comfort the sorrowful. 5. To bear wrongs patiently. 6. To forgive injuries. 7. To pray for the living and the dead. The exercise of fraternal Charity extends to the per- formance not only of the Corporal but also the Spiritual Wo7 ks of Mercy ; and, indeed, these are of greater im- portance, because the welfare of the soul is of far more consequence than that of the body. If, therefore, so great a reward is given to those who reheve the corporal wants of their neighbor (Matt. xxv. 34-40), what must be the reward given to those who relieve his spiritual wants ? Certainly they will be entitled to God's tender- est mercies and most special graces in this life, and to a higher degree of glory in the next : " For they that instruct many to justice shall shine as stars for all eter- nity." (Dan. xii. 3.) " He that causeth a sinner to be converted from the error of his way, shall save his soul from death, and shall cover a multitude of sins." (James V. 20.) I. To Convert the Sinner. — The most necessary good that we can procure for any one who is living in habits of sin, is to convert him from his evil ways. This is the greatest act of Charity we can exercise towards him. To admonish sinners, with a view to their amend- ment, though a delicate point, is often a strict duty, but it is a duty in the performance of which great prudence is required. Neglect not to give charitable admonitions when there is a prospect of doing good : ** If a man be Which are more important, the Spiritual or the Corporal Works of Mercy ? Explain the first. 390 SPIRITUAL WORKS OF MERCY. overtaken in any fault, you, who are spiritual, instruct such a one in the spirit of meekness." (Gal. vi. i.) 2. To Instruct the Ignorant. — How many oppor- tunities are there of performing this work of mercy ! By embracing these opportunities, you both contribute to your neighbor's salvation, and also add very consider- ably to your future glory : " They that instruct many to justice shall shine as stars for all eternity." (Dan. xii. 3.) 3. To Counsel the Doubtful. — When doubts are floating in a person's mind with regard to Religion and duty, and when, with regard to these, he is in difficult circumstances, it is a great charity to give him suitable advice — to relieve his anxious waverings, by clearing up his doubts, thereby putting him in the way of salvation. St. James says: "That he who causeth a sinner to be converted from the error of his way, shall save his soul from death, and shall cover a multitude of sins." (James v. 20.) 4. To Comfort the Sorrowful. — When we soothe the afflicted heart with words of consolation, suggesting motives of patience, resignation and penance ; and when we show towards the distressed a compassionate and kind treatment, we then comply with these words of St. Paul; *^ Weep with them that weep." (Rom. xii. 15.) And when this is done from pure motives — from the motives of Christian Charity — it is very meritorious in the sight of God. 5. To Bear Wrongs Patiently. — People^s humors, ill-tempers and other failings, and also their ingratitude for kindnesses received, are sometimes so tiresome and provoking that it requires no little patience to bear with them. Yet we ought not to lose our patience, but to bear with these failings of our neighbor, considering our own, and encouraging ourselves by these words of St. Paul : '- Bear ye one another's burdens, and so you shall Explain the second Spiritual Work of Mercy ? the third ? also the fourth and fifth ? SPIRITUAL WORKS OF MERCY. 391 fulfill the law of Christ." " We that are stronger ought to bear the infirmities of the weak." (Gal. vi. 2 ; Rom. XV. I.) 6. To Forgive Injuries. — If our enemy repent and ask pardon, Charity obliges us to forgive him, for if we were in his place we should wish to be forgiven : " If thy brother sin against thee, reprove him ; and if he do penance, forgive him. And if he sins against thee seven times a day, and seven times a day be converted unto tiiee, saying, I repent; forgive him." (Luke xvii. 3, 4.) But even if he do not ask pardon, still Charity requires us to forgive him, as Christ on the Cross forgave his executioners (Luke xxiii. 34'"; and as St. Stephen for- gave those who were stoning him to death. (Acts vii. 59.) 7. To Pray for the Living and the Dead. — We should pray for all mankind — for both friends and enemies. The latter, indeed, have more need of pray- ers, and our praying for them shows a more disinterested charity : " Pray one for another, that you ma,y be saved." (James v. 16.) " Pray for them that persecute and calumniate you." (Matt. v. 44.) We should pray also for the dead — for our deceased relatives, friends ?vnd benefactors, and for a// the Faithful departed. This is the last act of charity that we can do for them : ^^ It is a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead, that ttfey may be loosed from their sins." (2 Mac. xii. 46.) Conclusion. — Be diligent in exercising these Works of Mercy, both Corporal and Spiritual. For thereby you will be " laying up to yourselves treasures in hea- ven, where neither the rust nor the moth consume, and where thieves do not break through nor steal." (Matt, vi. 20.) You will, by these good works, " make sure your calhng and your election (2 Pet. i. 10) ; and there will be " laid up for you a crown of justice, which (at your departure out of this world) the just Judge will render unto you." (2 Tim. iv. 8.) Because then, in- Explain the sixth Spiritual Work of Mercy ? Explain the seventh ? What should we conclude ? 392 THE EIGHT BEATITUDES. Stead of that ^'judgment without mercy," which will be dealt out *^ to him that hath not done mercy " (James ii. 13 \ in j^^;^ will be fulfilled this Beatitude promised by your Redeemer : " Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy/' (Matt. v. 7.) Instruction LXXIV. The Eight Beatitudes, Say the Eight Beatitudes: 1. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 2. Blessed are the meek, for they shall possess the land. 3. Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted. 4. Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after justice, for they shall be filled. 5. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall find mercy. 6. Blessed are the clean of heart, for they shall see God. 7. Blessed are the peace-makers, for they shall be called the chil- dren of God. 8. Blessed are they that suffer persecution for justice sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. In the Eight Beatitudes with which Christ commences his Sermon on the Mount (Matt. v. 3-10), he shows us wherein true happiness really consists, and by what means v/e are to arrive at it. Man naturally and neces- sarily seeks happiness, but, blinded and deluded by his passions, by his love of the honors, riches, and pleasures of this life, he seeks his happiness where it is not to be found. Our blessed Lord directs our pursuit to proper objects: he lays down Eight Maxims, as the founda- tions of that sublime morality which he came to teach, and which are the sure way to a happy life here and also to eternal happiness hereafter. I. "Blessed are the poor in spijit^for theirs is the king- dom of heave?iy—-¥Lo\Y consoling are these words to the poor and destitute ! Their kingdom, their elevation, is V/hat does Christ show us in the Eight Beatitudes? In regard to what IS man blinded and deluded ? Of what are the Beatitudes the foundation ? What is the first ? THE EIGHT BEATITUDES. 31 3 not of this world ; but they are directed to look forward to that happy kingdom which is to be their everlasting inheritance. If on earth they have to endure labors, hardships, humiliations, contempt, privations and desti- tution, after their short pilgrimage here they will be ex- alted, enriched, and united with their God in the pos- session of eternal glory : " For theirs is the kingdom of, heaven.'* Yet this Beatitude regards such of the poor only as SLveso'^m spirit ^^— such, as bear their privations in a spirit of patience, resignation, and humility, and are con- tent with their condition. It applies also to those among the rich who are ^'poor i?z spirit'' — who " are detached in heart and affections from their possessions, and w^ho employ their riches in doing good, by assisting the poor, and contributing to the support of Rehgion : '\ Blessed are the poor in spirit^ for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." 2. ''Blessed are the meek ^ for they shall possess the landr — Meekness, mildness, and gentleness of temper are amiable dispositions, and when manifested under in- sults, violence, oppression, injuries, or any other ill-treat- ment, they show the true Christian ; they make a per- son pleasing to God and beloved by men, and promote his happiness both here and hereafter : ^' Do thy works in meekness, and thou shalt be beloved above the glory of men." (Eccl. iii. 19.) *' Blessed are the meek, for they shall possess the land," " the land of the living." (Ps. xxvi. 13.) 3, *' Blessed are they that mourn ^ for they shall be com- forted^-^To mourn, to lament and weep, seem to earth- ly-minded persons to indicate anything but happiness and comfort ; they seek their comfort in earthly pleas- ures and festive enjoyments. But Christ tells us that they only have true happiness or comfort who mourn — who, renouncing, earthly and carnal pleasures, bewail their own and others' sins, who sigh over the dangers What consolation does it give ? To whom does jt apply? Can you €xplain the second Beatitude ? also the third? £91: THE EIGHT BEATITUDES. to which salvation is continually exposed, and who look upon this life as a time of banishment : " They who sow in tears shall reap in joy'' (Ps. cxxv. 5), and therefore, " Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be com- forted." 4. " Blessed are they that hunger aiid thirst after jus- tice^ for they shall be filled!" — By hungering and thirsting after justice is meant desiring ardently and seeking ea^m- estly to become just; i. e., to become every day more and more virtuous. This disposition of soul is a very great grace, enabling us to advance rapidly, and with much facihty, in the practice of virtue, and to arrive in a short time at a very high state of perfection : it is a constant source of abundant merit, and an effectual means of acquiring a greater degree of glory in heaven; therefore, " Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after justice, for they shall be filled." 5. " Blessed are the merciful ^ for they shall find mercy ^ — To show mercy to our brethren is one condition for our obtaining mercy from God. What an encourage- ment is this Beatitude to assist the poor and distressed ! If their wants are regarding the body^ we have to exer- cise the corporal works of mercy : ** Do good [even] to them that hate you; bless them that curse you; pray for them that persecute and cpJumniate you." (Matt. v. 44; Luke vi. 27, 28.) By thus showing mercy to others we disarm the anger of God, and entitle our- selves to his mercy : " Blessed are the merciful, for they shall find mercy." 6. '^ Blessed are the clean of hearty for they shall see Godr- — " The clean of heart " are they who are free from earthly, carnal, and impure affections, which defile the heart in the sight of God. Our outward actions correspond with and proceed from our inward disposi- tions; our Blessed Lord assures us that out of the heart come forth evil actions, as well as evil thoughts and de- sires. (Matt. XV. 19.) Now, God sees the heart, he What does the fourth mean ? Explain the fifth ? also the sixth ? THE EIGHT BEATITUDES. S93 sees its affections and intentions, and unless these be right, whatever our outward conduct may be, we cannot see God — it is only the upright of heart that can enjoy this blessing : ^' Blessed are the clean of heart, for they shall see God." 7 . ^ ^ Blessed are the peace-makers^ for they shall be called the children of God,'' — Peace-makers are, in a special manner, the followers of Christ, whose title is " The Prince of Peace" (Is, ix. 6), and who bequeathed his peace as a legacy to his followers. We must first ??iake peace in our own souls, by subduing our passions, etc., then we must endeavor to make and maintain peace with our neighbor : '' If it be possible, as much as is in you, have peace with all men." (Rom. xii. i8.) ''' Jf it be possible^'' i. e., if we can have peace with them, without purchasing it at the expense of truth or virtue. We should endeavor to reconcile persons who are at variance, by making peace beween them : " Blessed are the peace-makers, for they shall be called the children of God." 8. ''^ Blessed are they that suffer persecution for justice sake, for theirs is the kingdom of God.'' — To suffer perse- cution in the cause of truth and virtue is the last and highest degree of Beatitude : it is the most perfect sacri- fice of ourselves which we can make to our Creator, and consequently it " works for us above measure, ex- ceedingly, an eternal weight of glory." (2 Cor. iv. 17.) Convinced of this truth, the Apostles esteemed it as a great favor when God permitted them to be persecuted : " They went from the presence of the Council, rejoicing that they were accounted worthy to suffer reproach for the name of Jesus." (Acts v. 41.) " My brethren (says St. James), count it all joy when you shall fall into divers temptations " (i. e., trials and persecutions), " knowing that the trying of your faith w^orketh patience, and pa- tience hath a perfect work.* (James i. 2-4.) "All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." Explain the seventh Beatitude. Exjdain the eight3i. 39G THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS, ETC. (2 Tim. iii. 12.) These considerations should console and encourage us wl^en we have anything to endure for the cause of truth, or for our duty to God : " Blessed are they that suffer persecution for justice sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.'* ^Conclusion. — Endeavor to become truly ''poor in spirit^' by disengaging your affections from all attachments to earthly possessions; to be ''meek^^ mild, and patient under contradictions; to ''mourfi'^ over your own sins, and those of others, by making atonement for them; to be always longing and striving '' after justice'' or greater perfection; and to fulfill what is pointed out in the other Beatitudes : then will you be truly " blessed^' for you will then be happy here in the peace of a good conscience, and happy hereafter in the eternal enjoyment of all that is promised in these Eight Beatitudes. Instruction LXXV. The Seven Deadly Si7is^ and the Contrary Virtues, Say the Seven Deadly Sins: Contra7y Virtues: Pride, Humility, Covetousness, Liberality, Lust, Chastity, Anger, Meekness, Gluttony, Temperance, Envy, Brotherly Love, Sloth. Diligence. These seven Vices are called deadly because they bring death to the soul that yields to them. They are also called the seven capital sins, because they are the heads from which all other sins proceed. On these Vices there are, in the " Garden of the Soul^' some very excellent instructions, entitled ""Remedies against Vices,'' which it would be well to read occasionally with attten- tion. What is the conclusion? Why are some vices called deadly and capital } THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS, ETC. L97 In each person there is, generally speaking, some one passion or vicious inclination which is stronger than the rest, and which is called his Predomina7it Passion, This is the ruling passion of his heart, and the chief source of all the vices to which he may be enslaved. You should pay very special attention to your Predominant Passion, and also to its Contrary Virtue, that you may root out the one and plant the other in its place ; this is the warfare wherein you will have to be engaged as long as you live, and to succeed in it should be your constant aim and endeavor : " To him that overcometh I will give the hidden manna. ... To him that shall overcome, I will give to sit with me in my throne." (Apoc. ii. 17; iii. 21.) I. Pride is an inordinate love of one's own excel- lence — an inordinate self-esteem. It is a most danger- ous passion, because it is so natural and subtle, and also because it branches out into so many other vices ; for the proud become vain-glorious, or fond of the applause of men; ambitious, or in love with worldly honors; hypocritical, conceited, disdainful, obstinate, conten- tious, etc. Pride is essentially a lie^ because it is founded on a. falsehood; it is essentially a robbery^ because it is the taking to one's self what belongs to God ; and it is the very root of all evil : " From pride all perdition took its beginning." (Tobias iv. 14.) Humility, on the contrary, is the foundation of every virtue. It teaches us to look upon all good as coming to us from God, without any merit on our part : " What hast thou which thou hast not received ? and if thou hast received why dost thou glory as if thou hadst not re- ceived it?" (i Cor. iv. 7.) It leads us to believe not only that we have no 77ierit^ but that w^e have much de- merit ; that if we were to have our due we should receive from God nothing but chastisements on account of our sins. Hence, the humble man debases himself below all What should each person attend to especially ? What is pride ? Is it dangerous ? What is it essentially ? What is humility ? What does it teach, and to what does it lead ? 398 THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS, ETC. others. Happy disposition ! because it is most pleasing to God, and draws down his favors and protection : " To the humble God giveth grace." (i Pet. v. 5.) 2. CovETOUSNESS is an inordinate love of riches or earthly possessions. The more this love is gratified the stronger and more insatiable it becomes. As the pos- sessions of a covetous man increase, his want of still greater possessions also increases, and, consequently, covetousness makes a man wretchedly poor ^v^Yi in the midst oi plenty ; it renders him deaf to the cries of the destitute, unmercifully sparing to the wants of his poor relations, and even to his own individual necessities, and it leads to many other sins — to extortion, cheating, stealing, lying, etc. What with the desire of gaining, and they^ar of losing, the covetous man is always rest- less and unhappy : " They that will become rich fall into temptation, and into the snare of the devil, and into many unprofitable and hurtful desires which drown men into destruction and perdition. For the desire of money is the root of all evils." (i Tim. vi. 9, 10.) Liberality, which is opposed to covetousness, with- draws the affections from earthly possessions, and leads us to exercise w^orks of mercy. It makes us look upon it as being '^ a more blessed thing to give\}^dcs\ to receive" (Acts XX. 35), and it inclines us, therefore, to " bow down our QdiV cheerfully to the poor," and open oar hand readily for the relief of him that is in distress. (Eccli. iv. 8, 9.) , 3. Lust is an inordinate love or desire of carnal pleasures, and it comprises every kind of uncleanness in thought, word and deed. This vice is so displeasing to God, and the crimes to which it leads are so hateful in his sight, that he speaks of them as being " detestable things'' — as '^ abofninations'^ w^hich draw down his re- venge ; '' Every soul that shall commit any of these What is covetousness ? What are its consequences ? What is liberality ? What does it do? What is lust? Can you show that it is displeasing to God? — first, from the way he speaks of it; second, from its chastisement. THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS, ETC. 399 abominations shall perish from the midst of his people." (Levit. xviii. 29, 27.) It enkindles his wrath to such a degree that his severest and most extensive chastise- ments, executed upon mankind in this life have been pro- voked by sins of the flesh, as the universal deluge (Gen. vi. 1-13), the destruction of Sodom and of the neighbor- ing cities (Gen. xviii. 20; xix. 24, 25); the fourand- twenty thousand Israelites whom God ordered at once to be slain in the desert (Num. xxv. i^ 3, 4, 9."), etc. This vice, by blinding the understanding and hardening the heart, leads to almost every kind of sin, and is most ruinous in its consequences both to body and soul, as the last day will demonstrate by showing us the vast multitude of impenitent sinners who will owe their ruin to this fatal vice. Chastity is the contrary Virtue, which is so pleasing to God that it draws down upon us his choicest graces and blessings. It renders our souls the spouses of Jesus Christ, and makes us like angels on earth; it is therefore called the Angelic Virtue, In order to obtain and pre- serve it be humble, because Humility is the Mother and Guardian of Chastity. It is only to the humble that God gives the special grace of this virtue. Never expose your Chastity to danger, but preserve it with the greatest care, praying for it frequently and earnestly, and always cherishing a great love and esteem for it in your heart : " Blessed are the clean of hearty for they shall see God." (Matt. v. 3.) 4. Anger is an inordinate desire of revenge. This vice is directly contrary to the Spirit of the Gospel, which breathes nothing more than meekness and patience. Anger hurries a person into many other sins, as contentions, enmities, hatred, revenge, fighting, etc., and how many oaths, curses and blasphemies proceed from it ? Therefore, " let all bitterness and anger . . . be put away from you." (Eph. iv. 31.) Meekness is contrary to anger, and it shows itself in Is Chastity pleasing to God ? What should be done in order to obtain and preserve it ? What is Anger? What does it lead to ? 400 THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS, ETC. mildness of conduct, gentleness of temper and patient forbearance. It is a most amiable virtue, which not only corrects our own anger, but also disarms that of others, and it makes persons beloved both by God and man : '^ Learn of me, because I am meek and humble of heart, and you shall find rest to your souls." (Matt. xi. 29.) 5. Gluttony is an excess in the use of food, or an inordinate desire of eating or drinking. Food is given to us to be used for oar support, and not to be abused by intemperance. They are guilty of this vice who take too much to the prejudice of their health, who are over- nice in what they take, or who are always hankering after eating and drinking. Such persons should reflect that we do not live in order to eat and drink, but we eat and drink in order to live ; and that by perverting this order they rank themselves with those of whom St. Paul says : " They are enemies of the Cross of Christ, whose God is their belly, and whose end is destruction." (Phil, iii. 18, 19.) Temperance and sobriety are contrary to gluttony ; and they are virtues necessary for us, not only as pre- servatives from that vice, and from many other sins, but also as a means of practicing that penance, mortification and self-denial so much insisted upon and enforced by Christ and his Apostles. 6. Envy is a sadness or repining at another's good, because it seems to lessen one's own ; and it is directly opposed to Christian Charity, which, as St. Paul says, " envieth not, but rejoiceth in good." (i Cor. xiii. 4, 6.) Envy destroys a person's peace of mind, and is the source of so many other sins that St. James says: " Where envying and contention is there is inconstancy and every evil work'^ (James iii. 16.) What is Meekness ? Is it an amiable virtue ? What is Glut- tony ? Who are guilty of it ? What should they reflect on ? Are temperance and sobriety necessary ? What is Envy ? What effect has it ? THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS, ETC. -^01 Brotherly Love, on the contrary, " rejoices with them that rejoice, and weeps with them that weep." (Rom. xii. 15.) It is the very spirit and practice of Christianity : " The love of our neighbor worketh no evil ; love therefore is the fulfilling of the law." (Rom. xiii. 8-10.) It is also the characteristic mark of the true followers of Christ : " By this shall all men know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." (John xiii. 35.) 7. Sloth is a laziness of soul by which persons neglect to begin or to perform such things as are necessary for salvation, for, as one of the deadly sins, it means spiritual sloth. The more this sloth is indulged the more burden- some it becomes. The slothful Christian has indeed faith, but it is a dead faith, because he neglects to keep it alive by good works. We are sent into this world, not to live at our ease, but to work out our salvation ; and to succeed in this work we must not only be reso- lute in " declining from evil," but diligent also in " doing good." (Ps. xxxvi. 27.) [Example of the five foolish virgins, and of the slothful servant.] (Matt. xxv. 1-30.) Diligence, or spiritual fervor, is a virtue by which we are zealous in laboring for the service of God and the salvation of our soul: it makes the duties of Reli- gion appear, not burdensome or tedious, but easy and agreeable; it keeps the lamp of our faith burning with the oil of good works ; and so causes us to be always ready, like the five wise Virgins ; and, having made us rich in good works, it will entitle us, at our entrance into eternity, to hear from our Lord these consoling words : *^ Well done, good and faithful servant; because thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will place thee over many things : enter thou into the joy of thy Lord." What is brotherly love ? What is it a mark of ? What is sloth ? What can you say against it ? What is diUgence ? What happy effect does it produce ? 26 402 SINS AGAINST THE HOLY GHOST. Instruction LXXVI. The Six Sins against the Holy Ghost — The Four Sins crying to Heaven for Ve?igeance — The Nine Ways of bei7ig Accessory to Another Person's Sins, Say the Six Sins against the Holy Ghost, — I. Presumption of God's Mercy; 2. Despair; 3. Resisting the known truth; 4. Envy at another's spiritual good; 5. Obstinacy in sin; 6. Final impeni- tence. Say the Four Sins C7ying to Heaven for Vengeance, — I. Willful murder ; 2. Sodomy ; 3. Oppression of the Poor ; 4. Defrauding laborers of their wages. Say the Nine Ways of Being Accessory to Another Person'* s Sins. — I. By counsel; 2. By command ; 3. By consent ; 4. By provoca- tion ; 5. By praise or flattery ; 6. By concealment ; 7. By partak- ing; 8. By silence; 9. By defense of the ill done. I. The Six Sins Against the Holy Ghost. — These are not sins of mere frailty or ignorance ; but of real malice or wickedness of heart. They are directly con- trary to God's love and mercy — to the divine charity ; and are, therefore, called " Sins against the Holy Ghost." 1. Fresiimptiofi of God's Mercy, — This Presumption is a rash confidence of obtaining mercy and eternal salva- tion, without taking the means that are necessary ; and it is founded on the idea, which some persons get, that God is too merciful to condemn them to everlasting misery. We should bear in mind that, though God is infinitely merciful, he is also infinitely just, 2. Despair. — This sin against the Holy Ghost is com- mitted by giving up all hope of salvation, or of the amendment of our life ; as if we were already numbered among the reprobate. 3. Resislifig the Known Truth. — This sin Consists in speaking or writing against the true Religion, at the same time knowing better; or in wilfully misrepresent- ing its doctrines and practices ; or in refusing to embrace it, when convinced of its truth. How common in these days! Why are some sins called sins against the Holy Ghost ? What is presumption ? How is despair committed ? In what does resisting the known truth consist ? SINS AGAINST THE HOLY GHOST. 403 4. Envy at Another^ s Spiritual Good. — How common, also, is this ! for how many are there, at the present day, who scoff at ReUgious Orders, ceHbacy, fasting, festival days, confession, and other practices of the Catholic Church, because they aim not at such devotion them- selves ? Our practices of Religion are a reproach to them, and are, therefore, the objects of their misrepre- sentation, and of their invectives, sarcasm and abuse, of which they are not at all sparing. 5. Obstinacy in Sin. — This crime is committed by those who go on in sin, positively resisting graces, ad- monitions, remorses, etc. This is a most dreadful state of soul! for it draws down the execution of that terrible judgment which ;was pronounced against the Jews : " Blind the heart of this people, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes, lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and be converted and I heal them." (Is. 4, 10.) 6. Final Impenitence. — This consists in putting off one's repentance till death, and then dying without repentance. " Therefore, I say to you : Every sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven men ; but the blasphemy of the Spirit shall not be forgiven. And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of Man* it shall be forgiven him ; but he that shall speak against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, nor in the world to come" (Matt. xii. 31, 32); i. e., it will be very diffi- cult for such a sinner to obtain the grace of true repent- ance. Final impenitence, of course, cannot possibly be forgiven; because, after death, repentance comes too late. To avoid this dreadful evil, begin your repentance now — put yourself now in the state of grace : " Let your loins be girt, and lamps burning in your hands, and you yourselves like to men who wait for their Lord, .... that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open to Who are guilty of envy ? Why ? How is obstinacy in sin com- mitted ? Is it a dreadful state ? What is final impenitence ? Say the Word of Christ. What should we do to avoid this evil ? 404 SINS CRYING FOR VENGEANCE. him immediately. Blessed are those servants whom the Lord, when he cometh, shall find watching. . . . And if he shall come in the second watch, or if he shall come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are these servants Be yoii^ then, also ready ; for at what hour you think not, the Son of Man will come." (Luke xii. 35 to 40.) Comply with this advice of your Re- deemer; and then, whatever your sins may have been, instead of dymg impenitent, you will die the death of the just, and obtam the eternal happiness for which you were created. , IL The Four Sins Crying to Heaven for Ven- geance — These are four very dreadful crimes, against w^hich Almighty God expresses his anger in the strong- est terms. The explanation of them belongs properly to the explanation of the Commandments : for. Wilful Murder is forbidden by the Fifth Commandment ; Sodomy (which is an unnatural sin of impurity), by^the Sixth; Oppression of the poor ^ and defrauding laborers of their wages ^ by the Seventh. These four sins are said to ^' cry to heaven for ve?i- geance^^ because we find them so represented in the Sacred Scriptures. 1. Wilful Murder, — "The Lord said to Cain: Whai hast thou done ? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth to me from the earth." (Gen. iv. 10.) 2. Sodo?7iy — "And the Lord said: The cry of Sodom and Gomorrha is multiplied, and their sin is become exceedingly grievous. I will go down and see whether they have done according to the cry that is come to me'' (Gen. xviii. 20, 21.) And the angels said to Lot: "We will destroy this place, because their cry is grown loud before the Lord, who hath sent us to destroy them." (Gen. xix. 13.) 3. Oppression of the Poor. — "You shall not hurt a widow or an orphan. If you hurt them, they will cry Can you prove that wilful murder cries to heaven for vengeance ? Prove the same in regard to Sodomy. Also, in regard to oppres- sion of the poor. THE NINE WAYS, ETC. 405 out to me^ and I will hear their cry,^^ (Exod. xxii. 22 to 24.) " The Lord will not accept any person against a poor man, and he will hear the prayer of him thai is wronged. He will not despise the prayers of the father- less; nor the widow, when she poureth out her com- plaint. Do not the widow's tears run down the cheek, and her cry against him that causeth them to fall ? For from the cheek they go up even to heaven^ and the Lord that heareth will not be dehghted with them." (Eccli. XXXV. 16 to 19.) 4. Defraudi7ig Laborers of their Wages. — " Behold the hire of the laborers, who have reaped down your fields, which by fraud hath been kept back by you, crieth; and the cry of them hath entered into the ears of the Lord of.Sabaoth." (James v. 4.) in. The Nine Ways of being Accessory to An- other Person's Sins. — There are some persons who concern themselves but very little about the sins v/hich they cause their neighbor to commit ; although they are as guilty before God as if they committed the sinful acts themselves, and even more so. We may cause others to sin (and so be guilty ourselves), in these nine ways, viz. : 1. By coufisel: i, e., by advising or directing the com- mission of an evil. 2. By command: by forcing or obliging any one to it. 3. By conse7it : by permitting any of those who are under our control to commit it. 4. By provocation : by exciting any one to passion, to cursing, to lewdness, etc. 5. By praise or flattery : by praising or flattering any person for the evil which he has done, and thereby causing him to do it again. 6. By conceahnetit : by hiding the crime, or the crimi- nal, or things that have been stolen, and thereby en- couraging the evil to go on ; or by harboring thieves, or lewd persons, etc., thereby favoring their criminal practices. Prove that defrauding laborers of their wages cries to heaven. Are those who cause others to sin guilty ? Say the nine ways. 4C6 THREE EMINENT GO; D WORKS. 7. By partaking: by sharing in ill-gotten goods, or in any other fruits of wickedness, whereby we engourage the transgressions. 8. By silence .• by not speaking to prevent an evil when we should and could have prevented it. 9. By defence of the ill done : by justifying the evil- doers, or their evil actions, and also by defending false religions. When an injury has been done to our neighbor by any of these sins, he who has caused the injury to be done is bound to repair it just as much as if he had do7ie it himself. Besides the sin of causing injury to be do7ie to others, and the obligation of rod in thyself and infinitely good to me, I desire to praise thee, bless thee and glorify thee forever. Oh, take posses- sion of my whole soul, and make me forever a servant of thy love. How do you viake an Act of the Love of your iVeighbor ? — O my God, thou hast commanded me to love every neighbor as myseif for thy sake: oh, give me grace to fulfill this commandmeni ! I desire to love every neighbor, whether friend or enemy, in thee and for thee. I renounce every thought, word and deed that is contrary to this love. I forgive all that have in any way offended me, and I beg thy mercy, grace and salvation for all the world. How do you make an Act of Contrition for your Sins 'i — O my God, w^ho art infinitely good, and always hatest sin, I beg pardon from the bottom of my heart for all my offenses against thee ; I detest them all, and am heartily sorry for them, bev^ause they offend thy infinite goodness, and I beg I may rather die than be guilty of them any more. The last Instruction shows how you should begin the day, by offering your whole heart and soul to God, and by the due performance of your Moniing Exercise — how you should go through the day, by doing all your actions for God, with the view to please him — how you should act when you receive any blessing from God, and also when he sends you crosses, afflictions, etc. ; how you should have immediate recourse to him for assistance and protection when you are tempted to sin; and for mercy and pardon whenever you have been so unhappv as to offend him. I. But besides these there are many other occasions which w^ill naturally direct your thoughts to God, as, for example, when you hear the clock strike it should re- mind you how quickly time passes away. Reflect tlu^t you are then an hour nearer death, judgment eternity ! How can you make use of the various occasions of the day to raise your thoughts to God ? DAILY EXERCISE— II. 433 Resolve to spend the time that remains in loving and serving God, and beg that he would enable you to do so: '^ O my God, teach me to love thee in time and eternity." When you see a large fire think on the fire of hell, ex- claiming with the Prophet Isaias : " Who can dwell with devouring fire? who shall dwell with everlasting burnings ? " (Is. xxxiii. 14.) When you see a person dying, or dead, or hear the funeral bell from a neighbor- ing church, or hear of a sudden death, or pass through a churchyard, say to yourself: " My turn may be next : " resolve to prepare immediately for your last hour, and to keep yourself always ready, praying in the words of the Church : " From sudden and unprovided death deliver me, O Lord." (Lit. of the Saints.) When you wash yourself think of the state of your soul — how fre- quently it has been defiled with sin — and make fervent Ac/s of Contrition^ saying with the penitent David: *' Wash me yet more from iniquity, and cleanse me from m.y sin." (Ps. 1. 4.) Thunder and lightning will remind you of the awful Majesty of God, and also of the day of judgment, and will suggest to you a variety of useful reflections, and among the rest this question : "Am I prepared to stand before the Divine Tribunal ? " When you behold the beauties of nature, direct your thoughts to heaven, saying with St. Augustine : " If thy magnifi- cence, O Lord, be so illustriously displayed in this our dungeon-, how resplendently shall it blaze forth in the palace of thy glory ! ... If this prison afibrd so many comforts, O, what enjoyments are prepared for thy ser- vants in their true and everlasting country ! " (Solil., cap. 21.) Sincere, genuine piety will suggest to you good thoughts on many other occasions during the day. II. Having described how you should begin and go through the day, I have now to explain how you should end it. When you have finished your worldly employ- ments, you are not to consider that all the duties of the day are completed, for you have yet to perform your Eveni?ig Exercise, Should the Evening Exercise be performed ? 28 434 DAILY EXERCISE—II. Never neglect your evening devotions, as too many- do, who lie down to rest at night, Hke the beast of the field, without thinking of their Creator. Do not imitate them, but before you retire to rest say your Night Pray- ers^ and endeavor to say them well. [Heads of families should assemble their domestics for the purpose of say- ing these prayers in common.] Night prayers should consist of the Our Father^ Hail Mary, Apostles^ Creed, Confiteor, and the Acts, with some other prayers, accord- ing to your devotion, or according to the forms which you find in your Prayer Books. Your Daily Examination of Conscience should never be omitted, but should form a part of your Evening Ex- ercise, and it may be made in this manner : First call to mind the benefits which you have received from God, and thank him for them, imploring a continuance of them ; and then examine what sins you have committed during the day; make fervent Acts of Contrition for them, resolving to avoid them in future, and also the occasions of them, and begging God's grace for this purpose. Endeavor every night to put yourself into such dispositions as you would wish to be in at the moment of your death. Never conclude your Evening Exercise without recom- mending yourself to the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and all the Saints and Angels, and begging your good Angel to guard and preserve you during the night. When undressing yourself remember that God and his holy Angels see you. And when you get into bed say: "In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ I lie down to rest. Lord, I ofier my sleep to thee ; preserve me this night from all evils of soul and body." Thus even your sleep will be sanctified. Begin and spend the next day according to the same plan, and so on as long as you live, and then your life will be a life of virtue, and will entitle you hereafter to the possession of your God in a happy eternity. Of what prayers should it at least consist ? How do you make the daily examen of conscience ? What should be done before con- cluding your Evening Exercise ? DAILY EXERCISE— II. 435 Besides the daily Examination of your Conscience every night on your conduct during the day, you would do well to examine yourself every Sunday on your con- duct during the week; and to compare one week with another, humbling yourself at the sight of your sins, and resolving to spend the next week better. You must, of course, examine yourself again when you prepare for Confession or Communion on your conduct since your last Confession. Make it a point to approach frequently to the holy Communion, or at least as often as your spiritual director shall advise. At those times renew your fervor in God's service, and form plans for the amendment of your life. By means of these self-exam- inations, and the graces of the Holy Communion, you will be enabled to keep yourself always ready for appear- ing before your God whenever he shall be pleased to call you out of this life into eternity. Conclusion. — Be always striving to practice this *^ Christian's Daily Exercise," which the Catechism re- commends ; persevere in this method which is pointed out to you. Then you will " be perfect, as also your heavenly Father is perfect." (Matt. v. 48.) You will be "laying up to yourself treasures in heaven/^ which no one can take from you. (Matt. vi. 19, 20.) You will be " like the wise man, who built his house upon a rock " (Matt. vii. 24, 25); for you will be firmly established on the rock of solid virtue, which no temptation will be able to shake. You will enjoy true contentment of heart and peace of conscience here during life, and the sight and possession of God for all eternity in the kingdom of heaven. " Meditate iipofi these things ; be wholly in these things ; that thy profiting may be manifest to all. Take heed to thyselj and to doctrine ; be earliest i?i them ; for i?i doing this thou shall both save thyself a7id them that hear thee'' (i. Tim. iv. 15, 16.) Besides the daily examen what else should you do ? What should we conclude to do ? FINISc^u' & ^ ^ ^- ^, ^^ '^ a> ^y^l/^iy^