^ Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2007 with funding from IVIicrosoft Corporation Kttp://www.archive.org/details/churchteachersmaOOsadlrich THE CHUECH TEACHEE'S MANUAL OF CHEISTIAN INSTETJCTION. THE CHUUCH TEACHER'S MANUAL OF CHRISTIAN INSTRUCTION. BEING THE CHURCH CATECHISM EXPANDED AND EXPLAINED IN QUESTION AND ANSWER. FOR THE USE OF CLERGYMEN, PARENTS, AND TEACHERS. THE REV. M. F. SADLER, FREBEKDARy OF -WEl.LS, AND RECTOR'oF HONITON. THIRD EDITION. LONDON: BELL «& DALDY, YORK STREET, COVENT GARDEN. 1872. 33 y 1/ o C / U)NU0N: PKINTKI) by WILLIAM CLOWKS and sons, STAMFOllD HTKKET ANJ> CHAKING CKOSS. PREFACE. The twofold series of questions and answers on the Church Catechism, contained in the following pages, is the substance of many years' catechizing and teaching in Church, Con- firmation Classes, and Schools. It is designed as a help to the Clergy in catechizing in Church, and in the instruction of candidates for Confirma- tion, as well as a manual for teachers in Church Schools of all grades. It is published in the catechetical form, because the author believes that the majority of teachers require assistance in putting questions, just as much as the pupils require instruction in answering them. The two sets of questions are intended to be used simul- taneously as well as separately ; the first set, containing the longer and more difficult questions, is intended for the more advanced scholars ; and the second, or shorter, is not only a subordinate exercise on the higher questions for the same class of pupils, but also a distinct and independent form of instruction for the less advanced. The longer Catechism, the author believes, will be found to 'go as deeply into the Theology of the Catechism as is needful for those who require to be instructed in such a for- mulary ; whilst the second is, he trusts, as simple as possible without being childish. The author would earnestly recommend those who use this book to read carefully both Catechisms before giving PREFACE. instruction, as the second is not, in all cases, a reproduction of the first in shorter and simpler questions. The longer contains many arguments which it would not be well to split up into short questions and answers for smaller children ; and, on the other hand, the shorter Catechism contains many questions which have nothing strictly corresponding to them in the first or higher series of questions : in particular, the shorter Catechism contains more questions of a Liturgical character ; that is, questions, the answers to which are taken from the words of the Prayer Book. The author has endeavoured to make the answers, even of the longer Catechism, as short as possible. In most cases, in which this rule does not seem to be adhered to, it will be found, on examination, that the answers embody passages from Scripture, or from the Liturgy, which it would be im- possible to shorten or break up. This, however, does not apply to Section XXXII., " On the Scripture Proof of the Doctrine of the Trinity." The due examination of the proofs of this Great Mystery re- quires more the form of a treatise than of a Catechism, and the answers in that Section frequently embody a train of thought which cannot be expressed clearly in one or two short sentences. The same remark applies to the Sections on the Sacraments. In preparing this work, the author has consulted at least fifty Catechisms, besides separate treatises on the Creed, the Lord's Prayer, the Ten Commandments, and the Sacra- ments. The Sacrament of Baptism is twice dwelt upon : first, in Sections II., III., IV., where it is treated more simply, and with almost exclusive reference to the notice of it in the beginning of the Catechism; secondly, in Sections LI 1 1., LIV., LV., where it is treated more deeply in connection with the general theory of Sacramental grace. PREFACE. In treating of the Holy Communion, the order of the Cate- chism has been strictly adhered to, and, consequently, the first place given to the Commemoration, or Sacrificial aspect of the Eucharist, though in most Catechisms the Eucharist is considered primarily as a means of Communion, and only a very subordinate place given to the Sacrificial side of the Holy Rite. A Catechism on Confirmation has been added, which is sold separately. May He Who charged His Apostle first of all to feed the lambs of His Flock vouchsafe His blessing on this endeavour Jo carry out His Blessed Wil). Note. — The numerals in brackets at the end of many questions in the longer Catechism refer to the corresponding questions in the shorter. THE CHURCH CATECHISM. SECTION I.— THE CHRISTIAN NAME. 1. What is your name ? N. or M. 2. IV/ty is this the first question in the Catechism ? Because, at my Baptism, God's minister called me by this name when he said to me, " I baptize thee in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." (1-8) 3. Is there any other reason why you should first of all be asked your name ? Yes ; because certain promises and vows were then made in my name. (4) 4. Is it well that you should be thus asked your name? Yes ; because it reminds me of my responsibility. 5. How does it do this ? Because it reminds me that I, who am called by this name, must for myself renounce all the works of the devil : that I, who am called by this name, must for my- self believe in God : that I, who am called by this name, must for myself do God's will. (11) 6. Can?iot any ff these thi^igs be done for you ? No. I myself have been bought with the Blood of Christ to serve God, and I shall myself have to be judged at last for the deeds done in this my body. (8-12) 7. Why do we hold the giving of a name to be so very soleinn a matter that we make it a part of the Baptismal rite f Because we find in the Scriptures that on particular occasions God Himself gave names to men, as when He sent His angel to call His Son by the name of Jesus. (Matt. i. 21.) [Also Abram, Abraham (Gen. xvii. 3-7) ; Jacob, Israel (Gen. xxxii. 28) ; Simon, Cephas (John i» 42) ; John the Baptist (Luke i. 13, 63).] B THE CHRISTIAN- NAME. 8. Does Christ know you now by this name f If I am one of His true sheep He does. 9. Where do you learn this ? I read that " He calleth His own sheep by name ;" and I read that He said, " I know my sheep, and am known of mine." (John x. 3, 14.) 10. Who gave you this name ? My Godfathers and Godmothers in my Baptism, wherein i was made a member of christ, the child of god, and an inheritor of the kingdom of heaven. 11. How came it that your God-parents gave you this name ? Because before the minister of Christ baptized me, he took me into his hands and said to my God-parents, " Name this child." (14) (15) 12. Who presejtted you then to be baptized? My Godfathers and Godmothers. (16-21) 13. Did your parents present you f They were not supposed to do so. 14. Was this right ? Yes ; because my God-parents represented the Church, in whose faith I was baptized. 15. Were you not baptized in your paretits'' faith ? Not necessarily ; for if my parents had not been be- lievers in Christ, I could still have been baptized, if others undertook that I should be brought up in the faith. 16. In what right then were you baptized? In right of my redemption by the Blood of Christ. 17. Are all redeemed by His Blood? Yes ; all the children of the first Adam are redeemed ; that is, bought again, by the Blood of Christ, the Second Adam. 1 8. Can you give ajiy other reason why we should have God- parents ? Yes, by this Holy Custom five persons, rather than two only (the parents), are pledged to pray for, and instruct each child. 19. Can you give another reason? Yes. It is a custom which can be traced back almost to the times of the Apostles. [Tertullian, who flourished in the year 200, mentions it as if it were universally prevalent in his day.] THE CHRISTIAN NAME. 20. But may not an old custom be a wrone^ one f Yes ; but it is more probable that it is a right one. A custom which can be traced to so early a date is far more likely to be right than wrong. SHORTER CATECHISM. 1. Hmu many natnes has each child 1 Two : a Christian name and a surname. 2. Which name was given to you when you were baptized 1 My Christian name. 3. Can a child have more than one Christian nanie f No : all his Christian names are reckoned as one. 4. IVhy should you be asked your Christian name 1 To remind me that I am a Christian child. [To remind me of my Christian privileges — of my Christian profession — of my responsibility.] 5. What name do yoic receive from your parents f My surname, i.e., the name of my family. [Note. Surname. The name which one has over and above his Christian name. To explain it as sire-name, i.e., the name of the sire, seems a mistake.] 6. What name did you receive from the Church 1 My Christian name. 7. Why do you say that you received it from the Church ? Because the minister of the Church first named me by it. 8. When did you receive your Christian namel When I was christened, or made a Christian. 9. Who are Christians ? The disciples, or scholars of Christ (Acts xi. 26). 10. When then you are ashed your Christian name, of whom should it remind you I It should remind me of my Master. 11. Of what else should it remind you ? Of my calling. 12. Why should it do this f Because as surely as I am called by a Christian name, so surely am I called to serve Christ. 13. Why is your Christian name asked you in your Catechism ? Because the Catechism is for baptized persons only, and my Christian name is the name I received at my Baptism. 14. By %vhom was your Christian name given to you 1 By my godfathers and godmothers. 15. Wheji ? At my Baptism, or when I was christened. 16. Why was it given to you then ? Because I was then brought into covenant with God THk Ciri^lSTiA^ NAME. 1 7. What is a covenant ? An agreement between two or more persons. 18. What zaas then agreed upon between you and God? God agreed to give me certain benefits, and I agreed to do certain duties. 19. By whom did God make the agreement ? By the minister who baptized me. 20. Through whom did you make the agreement ? Through my god-parents. 21. J47iy are they called godfathers and godmothers ? Because they present us to be made children of God ; and so, as our natural parents have brought us into our earthly family, so our god-parents have brought us into a heavenly family. 22. What family is that 1 The family of God. 23. What are they called besides ? Sponsors and sureties. 24. What is a sponsor 1 One who answers in behalf of another. 25. What is a surety ? One who undertakes that another shall do a thing. 26. What is the duty of a god-pare?it or sponsor ? To see that the infant be taught, so soon as he shall be able to learn, what a solemn vow and promise has been made in his name. 27. Is it right that a Christian name should be given at Baptism ? Yes ; if we then enter into covenant with God. 28. Can you give any reason from Scripture for this ? Yes, the Jews, the ancient people of God, received their names at their circumcision. 29. What was circumcision ? The rite or ceremony by which they entered into covenant with God. {See Gen. xvii. 5, 6, 7,) 30. Give two remarkable instances of persons receiving their names at their circumcisio7i. John the Baptist and our blessed Lord (Luke i. 59-63 ; ii. 21). 31. What a?nongst tis answers to circumcision ? Holy Baptism. 32. When then should we receive our name ? At our Baptism. 33. Can an tmbaptized person have a Christian name ? Not one given to him in a Christian way, [In fact, such an one is named with no more religious dedi- cation than a dumb animal.] 34. 71? what church does St. Paul say that Christians have come ? To the church of the first-born, whose names are written in Heaven (Heb. xii. 23). •^5. What, then, should be our anxiety about 02ir Christian name ? We should be, above all things, anxious that Christ should never blot it out of the book of life. MEMBERS OF CHRIST, SECTION II.-.MEMBERS OF CHRIST. 1. What were you made in Holy Baptism ? In my Baptism I was made a member of Christ, the child of God, and an inheritor of the Kingdom of heaven. (I) (2) 2. Are these three separate blessings ? No ; the two latter are included under the first. I was made a child of God, and an inheritor of the Kingdom of heaven, because I was made a member of Christ. 3. What do you meafi by a member of Christ f I mean a member of His Body, the Church. (2-6) 4. hi what sense is the Church the Body of Christ ? It is His mystical body. (7) 5. Why do you call the Church His mystical body ? To distinguish it from His natural body. 6. Why is it called a mystical body ? Because all the members of it are joined to Him as their head in some mysterious or supernatural way, which we cannot comprehend. (13-19) 7. Do you believe that they are really joined to Him^ though you do not understand how ? Yes ; the Church is called in Scripture the body of Christ, and it is the nature of a body to be made up of a number of members, all joined to their head, and all re- ceiving life from the head, and governed by it. (13) 8. But is not all this what is called a figure^ or a figurative way of speaking ? It may be a figure, but it is a figure used by God's Holy Spirit, and so must teach us something very real. (13-24) 9. What must be iiiiphed by the use of such a figure ? That we are in some mysterious way as closely joined to Christ as the members or limbs of a body are joined to its head. (13-24) 10. Where are you taught in Scripture that Christia7is are members of Christ f In very many places, especially in the Epistles of St. MEMBERS OF CHRIST. 11. Mention one of these places. "As the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body : so also is Christ. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body. . . . Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular." — i Cor. xii. 12, 27. 12. Mention another. Ephes. i. 22. God hath given Christ to be " Head over all things to the Church, which is His body." Also, Col. i. 18 : " He is the head of the body, the Church." 13. Is it of iniportance that we should believe and 7'emeinber that we have been made members of Christ ? Yes : it is of the greatest importance. 14. Why? Because they who really believe such a thing must be kept from sin by the remembrance of it. 15. How do you show this ? First because the Apostle, speaking by the Holy Ghost, writes to the Corinthian Churches that they are to put away from them everything unholy and impure, because unholy actions would defile the members of Christ. "Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? . . . Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you ; and ye are not your own ? For ye are bought with a price ; therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's." — i Cor. vi. 15,19,20.(32) 16. What other Christian grace would the thought that you are a member of Christ work within you ? The grace of Christian charity and sympathy. [St. Paul, in i Cor. xii., draws attention to the need which the various members of the human frame have for one another's help, and applies all this to the mystical body of Christ in the words (v. 11-13), "God hath tem- pered the body together . . . that the members should have the same care one for another ; and whether one mem- ber suffer, all the members suffer with it ; and one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it."] (35) 17. Is there any other way in which we should be better Christians if we were ever to remember that we have bee7i baptized into Chrisfs body f Yes ; St. Paul reminds the Roman Christians of it, in order that they might not think of themselves more highly than they ought to think, but think soberly. (Rom. xii. 3, 4, 5-) (34) 18. Would the constant ronembrance of this first Baptismal privilege have any other good effect ? Yes ; it would make us truthful ; for St. Paul writes : MEMBERS OF CHRIST. " Putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour, for we are members one of another," i. e. in the body of Christ. (Ephes. iv. 25.) (33) 19. What proof did our Saviour gi^e from heaven that He held Himself and the members of His Church to be one [body ] ? When He appeared to Saul He said to him, " Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me ?" " I am Jesus, whom thou persecutest." (Acts ix. 4, 5.) 20. What does this mean ? That Saul, in persecuting the members of Cltfist's Church, had persecuted Christ Himself. [This answer was given unprompted by a little child under ten in a National School. He seems to have grasped the truth as firmly as the great Saint (Augustine) who writes : " If thou lovest the Head, thou lovest also the members ; but if thou lovest not the members, neither lovest thou the Head. Dost thou not quake at the voice uttered by the Head from heaven on behalf of His members, ' Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Me ?' The persecutor of His members He calls His persecutor ; His lover, the lover of His members. Now what are His members, ye know, brethren } none other than the Church of Christ."] (39-44) 21. I7i realising theft this truth that we are members of Christy what do we realise ? The love of Christ to His people. (39-44) 22. How does St. Paul set forth this ? In the words, " Christ also loved the Church, and gave Himself for her {avrr\s) ; that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word . . . so ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. No man ever yet hated his own flesh, but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the Church. For we are members of His body, of His flesh, and of His bones." (Ephes. v. 25-30.) 23. Is not all this a strong reason why we should often call to mind our Baptism and its benefits ? Yes. To forget it is to forget a great part of the love of Christ to His people. 24. Is there any dafigcr lest we should presume that we are members of Christ, and so safe if we contifiue in sin ? No : men cannot presume upon any such a thing. Men 8 MEMBERS OF CHRIST, always fall into sin by forgetting their union with Christ ; never by presuming upon it. 25. Under what figure does our Lord set forth that wc are members of His Body f Under the figure of a vine and its branches. [John XV. 1-8. " I am the true vine. . . Abide in me. . . I am the vine ; ye are the branches."] (44-53) 26. What do you gather fr 0771 these words of our Saviour? I first of all gather, that we can be " in " Him, in some mysterious way, just as the branches of a vine are in the vine. (44-53) 27. What 7iext do you gather from these words ? I gather that all our power to do good works, pleasing to God, comes from Christ, just as the power of a vine- branch to bear fruit comes from its being a real part of the vine. (47-51) 28. What lastly do you gather f I gather that those who are grafted into Christ are not sure of continuing in Him to the end, but must strive and pray with all diligence that they may so continue. (51-53) SHORTER CATECHISM. 1. When you were baptized of Whom were you made a member ? I was made a member of Christ. 2. Were you born a viember of Christ"} No. 3. What is a member ? A limb : a part of the body. 4. Mentioji some members of your body ? The hands, the feet, the tongue. 5. Were you made the hands or t/iefict of Christ in Baptism ? No. 6. What then do you mean by saying that you were made a member of Christ 1 I was made a member of His Church. 7. What is His Church ? A company of people who believe in Him as the Son of God, and are baptized, 8. Wheti were you made one of these people 1 At my Baptism. 9. What is this company of people called ? The body of Christ. [Q. Who calls this company of people the body of Christ i The Holy Spirit. MEMBERS OF CHRIST. 9 1 1. Where does He so call them f When He says, "Ye are the body of Christ" (i Cor. xii. 27). 12. IVhereelse? When He says that Christ is head over all things to the Church, which is His body (Ephes. i. 22, 23). 13. 7/" the Holy Spirit calls this company of people the body of Christy zi'hat pmst it be? It must really be in some wonderful way joined to Christ, as a human body is to its head. 14. Of "what is this company or Church of Christ made up 1 ' Of persons, i.e., of men, women, and children. 15. But are the limbs of our bodies persons ? '^o. 16. Horo) then can a number of persons be called a body J Because they are all under one head. 1 7. What do you mean by that ? That they are all directed or governed by one head. 18. What part of your body directs or cotitrols all the other members ? My head — the soul or spirit which is in my head. 19. For your head to control or govern all the members of your body, what must there be ? There must be some connection between my head and the members of my body. 20. What makes the connection betiueen your head and the members of your body ? The nerves. 21. If these nerves were cut or destroyed, what would take place ? My hands could not feel or work, and my feet could not walk. 22. What would becotfie ofthe?n ? They would wither, or be palsied, or paralysed. 23. How then cati our hands and feet do their work 1 Because they are joined to the head. 24. Is there anything like all this with respect to tis and Christ 1 Yes; or the Holy Spirit would not call us members of Christ. 25. If the menibers of Chris fs body, the Church, are joined to Him, what will they have 1 They will have spiritual life. 26. Give some mark of spiritual life. Trying to serve and please God. 27. Give another. Loving one another. 28. Give a third. Praying to God. 29. If a baptized person does not do any of these things, zuhat have we reason to fear ? We have to fear that he is falling away from Christ (or ceas- ing to be a member of Christ). 30. What ought baptized persojts ever to remember ? That they have been made members of Christ. lo MEMBERS OF CHRIST, ^i.Ifwe always remembered that we were members of Christy what wcntld it make us ? Holy and pure. 32. What would it make us shun ? Every filthy defiling action (i Cor. vi. 15, 1 8, 19). 33. What besides would it make us ? Truthful (Ephes. iv. 25). 34. What besides ? Sober-minded (Rom. xii. 3, 4, 5). 35. What besides would it make us have ? A fellow-feeling for all Christians (i Cor. xii.). ^ 36. After whose example ? After the example of Christ our Head. 37. Does the head feel when the members are hurtl Yes. 38. Docs Christ, our Head, feel, wlun we, His members, are hurt 1 Yes. 39. What words of His show this ? His words to Saul of Tarsus ; Why persecutest thou me ? 40. Had Saul ever persecuted Christ Himself? No. 41. Whom had he persecuted 1 The members of His Church. 42. How did the Saviour regard this ? As if Saul had persecuted Him. 43. To what does our Lord compare Himself and His Church ? To a vine and its branches (John xv. i-io). 44. Why do the branches of a vine bear fruit 1 Because they are grafted into, or joined to, the vine itself. 45. How co?nes this about ? Because, when they are rightly joined, the sap or goodness flows from the vine into them. 46. Are all Christians then in Christ ? No : only those who bear fruit. 47. What is the fruit that Christians bear ? The same fruit as Christ bore. .48. Why? Because He gives them of His nature (just as the vine gives of its nature to the branches). 49. Mention some of these fruits. Prayer, thankfulness, love or charity, patience. 50. Why do some bapti::ed Christians bear no fruit i Because they do not keep united to Christ. 51. What will become of thejn 1 They will be cut off. 52. What will be their doom at last 1 They will be cast away and burned (John xv. 6). MEMBERS OF CHRIST B V BAPTISM. 1 1 SECTION III.— MEMBERS OF CHRIST BY BAPTISM. 1. IV/ien were you thus made a meinber of Christ ? In my Baptism. (1-5) 2. What took place when you zuere baptized? The minister dipped me in water, or poured water upon me, " in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." 3. But how could this make you a member of Christ ? Because it was ordained by Christ Himself for that purpose. (1-5) 4. When did He ordaiti it ? When He said, " Go ye and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." (Matt, xxviii. 19.) And when He said, "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved." (Mark xvi. 16.) 5. On what occasion besides this did He set forth the neces- sity of Baptism ? When he said, " Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. (John iii. 5.) (12-15) 6. What does the Kingdom of God mean here ? The Church of Christ. 7. Why? Because our Lord founded only one Society, which is sometimes called His Kingdom, and sometimes His Church. 8. How do you know that our Lord alludes here to our admission into His Church ? Because when His Church was actually set up on the day of Pentecost men were admitted into it by Baptism. " What shall we do ? Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins." (Acts ii. 37, 38.) 9. But though these places tell us that Baptism is needful to salvation, they do ?iot tell tis that we are 7nade 7}te7n- bers of Christ in it ? Salvation consists in union with Christ. If then Bap- T3 MEMBERS OF CHRIST BY BAPTISM. tism contributes to our salvation, it can only do so be- cause in it we are united to Christ. (lo, ii) 10. But is it ever expressly said that we are made members of Christ i7i this rite ? Yes. In Galatians iii. 26. " As many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek . . . for ye are all one " — \i. e., one body] in Christ Jesus. [See also Rom. xii. 4, 5; i Corinth, xii. 12, 13 ; Ephes. iv. 4, 5, 25.] 11. Is it anywhere else expressly declared ? Yes. When St. Paul says, " By one Spirit are we all baptized into one body.'' (i Corinth, xii. 13.) 1 2. What does he mean by this ? He means that though the ministers of the Church are many, the Spirit of Whom they are the instruments is One, and the Body into which they engraft men is one also. 13. But can men be thus the instruments of the Spirit f They must be, if we are to receive any benefit in Baptism, for we do not baptize in our own power or name. 14. But is it not hard to believe that men iji flesh a?id blood can be the instruments of uniting us in the body of One at the right hand of God ? Not if we remember that the Son of God came amongst us in flesh and blood, and ordained men in flesh and blood to act for Him as His ambassadors (John iv. i, 2 ; XX. 21 J Acts iii. 12 ; V. 4 ; ix. 34 ; 2 Corinth, ii. 10 ; iv. 7 ; v. 20) ; and ordained an outward organization of men in flesh and blood, and sanctified our very bodies, and will raise up our bodies at the last day. SHORTER CATECHISM. 1. When were you made a metuber of Christ ? In my Baptism. 2. Who baptized you ? The Holy Spirit. 3. By whose hands. By the hands of the minister 4. In %uhose name did the miiiister baptize you ? In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. MEMBERS OF CURIST BY BAPTISM. 13 5. By whose command ? By the command of Christ (Matt, xxviii. 19, 20 16 ; John iii. 5). 6. For what purpose ? That I might be made a member of Christ. 7. For what further pmrpose 'i That I might be taught as a member of Christ. 8. For what further purpose 'i That I might live as a member of Christ. 9. Why were you baptized so early ? Because I cannot be too soon made a member of Christ, and be taught to Hve as a member of Christ ought to Uve.* 10. Is Baptism needful to salvation ? Yes. 11. Whyl Because we are saved by being brought into the mystical body or Chuixh of Christ. 12. What is the Chiirch of Christ called by our Lord 1 The Kingdom of God. 13. How must zue enter into the Kingdom of Godi By being bom of water and of the Spirit (John iii. 5). 14. Does the minister bring us into the Kifigdom of God ? No : God does this by the hands of the minister. 15. Will all those brought into the Kingdom of God here be in the Kingdom of God at last 1 No : our Lord says that some of the childien of the kingdom shall be cast into outer darkness (Matt. viii. 1 2). * This answer was also given unprompted by a child of about ten years of age. 14 INFANT BAPTISM. SECTION IV.— INFANT BAPTISM. 1. You were baptized when an infatit^ before you could understand what blessing you received : was this right ? Yes : assuredly it was right that I should be then baptized. (1-12) 2. Why? Because Christ is the second Adam. 3. What has this to do with your Baptism as an infant? I was baptized into Christ, the second Adam, in order that I might receive grace from Him to undo the evil I had received from the first Adam. (3-8) 4. Was this reasonable ? Yes, it was reasonable ; for if I received evil from the first Adam when I knew not what I received, why should I not receive good from the Second Adam, when I equally knew not what I received ? (6-1 1) 5. But is 7iot faith required in each 07ie of us before we can receive a blessing from Christ ? No : faith is only required in those who are old enough to believe for themselves. 6. Show this from Scripture. Our Lord laid His hands, to bless them, upon infants, who could not have then known Him, or expected to receive any blessing from Him. (13-18) 7. But was this " Laying ott of hands " by our Lord the same thing as Baptism ? It was the same thing as Baptism in this respect, that it was the outward visible sign of an inward grace or blessing. From such an one as our Lord, it must have conveyed some blessing. (18-22) 8. Have you any other proof that Christ is willing to bless those who cannot exercise faith ? Yes. It is recorded that on several occasions Christ healed deaf and dumb persons and lunatics, and even those who, being possessed with evil spirits, opposed and rejected Him. (Matt. viii. 29, ix. 2 ; Mark vii.32, ix. 17.) INFANT BAPTISM. 9. Does our Lord say anything respecting infants which would lead us to believe that He would make them members of His Body in Holy Baptism f Yes : He says of infants, " Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not ;" and He also says of them, " Of such is the Kingdom of God." (Mark x. 1 3.) (13) 10. Bui when He says^ " Suffer little children to come unto me^'' 7nay He 7iot have meant, " Suffer them to come to me for i^istruction f He cannot then have meant any such thing, because the persons who were bringing the children were bringing them that He should lay His hands upon them, not that He should instruct them. 11. What then do you learn fro7n this? That children may be brought to Him, and be blessed by Him in a rite of which they do not, at the time, under- stand the meaning. (14-22) 12. What does He mean by saying, " Of such is the Kingdotn of God r' He probably means, " Of such is the Church of God." 13. What, then, do yoti infer from these words of Christ ? That if the Church is composed of such as are like children, children themselves may of course belong to it, and so must be brought into it by Baptism. 14. Have you any other reason for the Baptism of i?tfants ? Yes : St. Peter says, " Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost ; for the promise is to you, and to your children." (Acts ii. 38, 39-) 15. How does this bear upon Infant Baptism ? We are baptized because of a promise, but this promise equally belongs to children, and so children, who have a right to the promise, have a right to the Baptism which seals the promise. (23-27) 16. What promise, among others, must St. Peter have meant ? The promise in Isaiah : " I will pour my Spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring ; and they shall spring up as among the grass, as willows by the water-courses." (Isaiah xliv. 3, 4.) 17. Have we afiy other reason for infattt Baptism ? Yes, we read of whole households being baptized* (Actsxvii. 15,33 ; i Corinth, i. 16.) .--', . ( TJNI^ l5 WFANT BAPTISM. is. But we have no ;proof that these households contained children. It is probable that they were mostly made up of children. 19. Why do you suppose this f Because it is very unlikely that, if they had been made up of persons of full age, all these would at once have consented to be baptized into a despised religion. 20. Can you give any other reason for hifant Baptism ? The Jews were required to bring their children into covenant with God when they were infants [on the eighth day after their birth]. (26-29) i\. Is this any law or rule for us ? No ; it is not a rule, but it is an assurance. (30-34) 22. In what way f If God so cared for the children of Jews that he made them so early partakers of His covenant, and of its out- ward sign, much more will He provide for the children of Christians — that they should have a Sacrament to assure them of His good-will. (30-34) 23. But hozu is it that we have no rule in the New Testa- ment to baptize children on a particular day ? Because the New Testament is not a book of laws or rules, but an account of the life of our Lord, and of the love it shows to all men. 24. For what is it especially given to us ? To excite our faith in the Only Begotten Son of God. 25. What, then, does the Church show when she baptizes infa7its ? She shows her faith in Jesus, as the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever. 26. Repeat the words in which she would stir up this faith in us. " Doubt ye not, therefore, but earnestly believe, that He will likewise favourably receive this present infant : that He will embrace him with the arms of His mercy ; that He will give him the kingdom of heaven and ever- lasting; hfe" INFANT BAPTISM. SHORTER CATECHISM. 1. WJten wereyoic baptized 1 When I was an infant. 2. Why ivere you baptized ivhen yo7c were an infant .? Because I was born in sin as an infant. 3. What lucre you born itnderl I was bom under a curse (Ephes. ii. 3). 4. What were y oil baptized for ? That I might come under a blessing. 5. Under what curse were you born ? I was bom in sin (under the curse of sin). 6. From whom did you receive this sin 1 From my parents. 7. From tuhom did they receive sin ? From their parents. 8. From whom then have all received sin ? From Adam. 9. What blessing did yoic receive- at Baptism ? The blessing of being made a member of Christ. 10. Why did you receive this blessing from Christ f Because He is the second Adam. 1 1. For what purpose did you receive it 1 To undo the sin and curse I received from the first Adam. 12. When you received this blessing from Christ ift Baptisn, did you know what you received? No, I did not ; just as I did not know that I received evil from the first Adam when I was born in sin. 13. Do you think that Christ is willing that you should be brought to Him for a blessing 1 Yes ; He expressly said that He is when He said, *' Suffer the liitle children to come unto Me, and forbid them not, for of such is the Kingdom of God " (Mark x. 14). 14. Ho^v did these children come to Christ / They were brought by others (by their parents). 1 5. For what were they brought ? That Christ might bless them by laying Plis hands upon them, 16. Did they understand the meaning ofzuhat Christ did to them .? No. 17. Was it right for thevi to be brought to Christ 1 Yes : because Christ can bless us before we understand the nature of the blessing we receive from Him. 18. Did the disciples thijik this 1 No : they thought that these children were too young to re- ceive the laying on of Christ's hands. 19. Did Christ praise or blame them for this 1 He was much displeased. 20. What did He do 1 He took the children up in His arms, put His hands upon them, and blessed them. C l8 INFANT BAPTISM. 2 1 . What does this outward gesture and deed shoiu f Christ's good will towards infants. 22. What infants "i Any infants that can be brought to Him in Baptism. 23. What blessing do -we hope to receive in Baptism 1 The Holy Spirit. 24. Are infants capable of receiving this ? Yes. 25. /j there any promise in the Old Testament that they should receive it ? ■ Yes ; Isaiah xliv. 3. 26. With what does St. Peter connect this promise ? With Baptism (Acts ii. 38, 39). 27. Btto what family do we enter at Baptism 1 Into the family of God. 28. What is this entry into God's family called 1 Adoption. 29. When did the Israelites enter into the family of God? At their circumcision. 30. When a Jewish child was circuincised on his eighth day, did he tmderstand into whose family he tuas brought ? No. 31. Was his circumcision any advantage to him 1 Yes. 32. What was the advajitage ? He was entitled to all the promises and blessings of the Jewish Covenant. 33. Hozv tuas he to be brought up / As one who had been already brought into the family of God. 34. What is all this to us who are Christians atid not feios ? It assures us that if God cared for the children of Jews, much more will He care for the children of Christians. 35. What besides this does it teach us ? That children can receive the blessings of God's covenant before they understand its nature. 36. Does this seem reasonable ? Yes : they receive a curse from the first Adam before they can understand the evil they receive ; why should they not receive a blessing from Christ, the Second Adam, before they can understand the benefit thev receive ? CHILDREN OF GOD. 19 SECTION v.— CHILDREN OF GOD. 1. What is the seco7id blessing which yon received in Holy Baptism ? I was made " the child of God." (i) 2. Can you separate this benefit from the first; that you were made a mejnber of Christ f No : because I am made a member of Christ, I am the child of God. (1-9) 3. How can this be f Because, being a member of Christ, God looks upon me as in His Son, and so His child, because in the body of His Holy Child Jesus. (1-9) 4. In what sense are you Gods child? By adoption. " God sent forth His Son, made of a woman .... that we might receive the adoption of sons." (Gal. iv. 4, 5.) $. Are the children of God by adoption necessarily obedient children ? No ; some of them, like the Prodigal in the Parable, leave the house of their Father. (9-14) 6. In how jnany senses are the children of men called children of God? In four senses : (i) By creation. " Have we not all one Father? hath not one God created us 2" (Mai. ii. lo.) " We are also his offspring." {Acts xvii. 28.) (2) By adoption. {a) Jews, in circumcision. " Who are Israelites, to whom pertaineth the adoption." (Rom. ix. 4.) " I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me." (Isaiah i. 2.) {b) Christians, in Baptism. ** Ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. God sent forth His Son into the world, made of a woman, made under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons : and because ye are sons, S:c." (Gal. iii. 26 ; iv. 5, 6.) (3) By following the example of Christ. " Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God. Love your enemies. Bless them that curse you ; do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that despitefully use you, and persecute you, that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven." (Matt. v. 9, 44, 45-) (14-19) CHILDREN OF GOD. (4) By the Resurrection. " They which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage. Neither can they die any more ; for they are equal unto the angels, and are the cliildren of God, being the children of the Resurrection." (Luke xx. 35, 36.) Also : " He that overcometh shall inherit all things (/. e., at the last day) ; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son." (Rev. xxi. 7.) 7. What is the reason why so many are adopted into God's fajnily in Baptism, and so few, apparently, are childrett of God in the way of following the example of Christ ? Because that which they received at their Baptism does not abide or remain in them. (14) 8. What ground have you for saying this f Our Lord's words, where he says, "Abide in me, and I in you. . . . He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit." (John xv. 4, 5.) Also St. John's words : "Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin, for his seed remaineth in him." (i John iii. 9.) 9. Does St. John when he says, " Whosoever is born cf God doth not co?nmit sin,''^ mean all the baptized ? No : only those who retain that connection with the second Adam, which was once begun in Baptism. 10. Is there any conjiection between these several senses of the term " child,'' or " son " ^/ God ? Yes. We are born into this world in order that we may be brought into the family of God by adoption in Baptism. We are brought into the family of God in Baptism, in order that we may walk in newness of life, and so be children of God by following the example of Christ. And we follow Kis example, and live here as the faithful and loving children of God, in order that hereafter we may be raised up in the likeness of His own Son, and be the " children of God, being the children of the Resur- rection." SHORTER CATECHISM. I. What besides a Member of Christ were you made in Baptism} The child of God. 7„ How were you made a child of God. By being made a member of Christ. CHlLDREN^ OF GOD. 2! 3. Were you borti a child of God! No. 4. But did not God create you ? Yes. 5. Why then didyoti require to be made God's, child 1 Because all mankind fell from God and became chikUeu ol wrath. 6. In whom did all men fall f In Adam. (In the first Adam.) 7. In whovi are piey restored to the favour of God? In Christ. (In Christ, the second Adam.) 8. Ifihe?i we are in the favour of Gody in whoin must we be ? In Christ. 9. Ifyoti are in Christ, how does God regard you 1 As His child or son. 10. Are all the children of God obedient children ? No. 11. Give an example of one xaho was not obedient. The Prodigal Son (Luke xv. 12). 12. Caji the children of God be rebellious ? (Isaiah i. 2.) 13. Can the children of God provoke Him 1 (Deut. xxxii, 19.) 14. Do all baptized children cotttinue true children of God i No: only those who live as if they were baptized. 15. If we continue the children of God, by whom must zee be led ? By the Spirit of God. 16. Into what will He lead us ? Into all goodness, righteousness, and truth (Ephes. v. 9). 1 7. What imist the children or sons of God be ? Without murmurings and disputings: blameless and harmless (Phil. ii. 14, 15). 1 8. Whom does our lord call the children of God ? The peace-makers (Matt. v. 9). 19. Upon whom does a child depend? Upon his father. 20. Upon whom do the children of God depend ? Upon their Father in Heaven. 21. How do 2ue show our depeitdatce upon Him ? By praying to Him. 22. If you are God's child, what will He do for you 1 He will love me and take care of me in body and soul. 23. Ajid "cvhat must you be towards God ? I must be religious, loving, and obedient. 24. If you have disobeyed God, what niicst yoic do ? I must be sorry, and confess my sins and forsake them, 25. Will God receive you if you return ? Yes. " Like as a father pitieth his own children, even so is the Lord merciful unto them that fear Him." (Psalm cili. 13.) 26. Because God has brought you into His family, what are you entitled to call Him ? Father. 22 CHILDREN OF GOD. 27. By whose power alone can you in heart call Ilhn Father? By the power of His Holy Spirit' (Gal. iv. 6). 28. When particularly do you call Him Father 1 When I say the Lord's prayer. 29. If you are God's true child ^ what else will He do for you ? He will correct or chastise me if I do wrong, 30. Would you be His real child if He did 7iot do this ? No : (Hebrews xii. 8). 31. What will He do to correct you ? He will send grief, losses, misfortunes, sickness, and such things. 32. Must y 071 he cast down by these things ? No : we must look upon them as coming from a Father. 33. Ifzce are the children of God, who is our brother 1 Jesus Christ (Rom. viii. 29). 34. Are we worthy of such a brother ? No ; and yet He is not ashamed to call us brethi"en (Heb. ii. II). 35. If we are members of Christ and children^ of God, who are our brethren ? All the members of the Church. 36. What does St. Peter say respecting our duty in this respect ? We are to love one another with a pure heart fervently (i Peter i. 22). 37. What besides ? We are to love as brethren (i Peter iii. 8). INHERITORS OF THE KINGDOM OF HE A VEN 23 SECTION VI.— INHERITORS OF THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN. 1. What is the third blessiiig of which you were made a partaker at your Baptisifi f I "vvas made an inheritor of the Kingdom of heaven. (1-5) 2. What IS an inheritor ? One who will in due time come into possession of a kingdom or an estate. (1-5) 3. Is there any place in Scripture from which we gather that i?i Baptism we were made heirs or inheritors .^ Yes : St. Paul writes, "As many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. . . Ve are all one in Christ Jesus ; and if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise." (Gal. iii. 27, 29.) 4. Give another place. " According to His mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration (bath of new birth, or font of new birth), and renewing of the Holy Ghost. . . That being justified by His grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life." (Tit. iii. 5, 7.) 5. Of what are Christians made heirs ? Of a " Kingdom prepared for them from the foundation of the world." (Matt. xxv. 34.) 6. What other account have we of it which shows its ex- ceeding blessedness ? It is a place prepared for us by no other than the eternal Son of God. " I go to prepare a place for you. . . . that where I am there ye may be also." (John xiv. 2, 3.) Also : "An inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away, re- served in heaven." (1 Peter i. 4.) 7. Will all who are 07ice made heirs enjoy this inheritance f No. According to our Saviour's own account of the judgment, those only will receive the Kingdom who have fed, or clothed, or otherwise succoured Christ in His poorer brethren. (Matt. xxv. 31-46.) According to St. Paul, it will be finally enjoyed by those who " By patient continuance in well-doing seek for glory, and honour, and immortahty." (Rom. ii. 7.) [Esau, Heb. xii. i6, 17.] (6-13) 24 INHERITORS OF THE KINGDOM OF HE A VEN. SHORTER CATECHISM. 1. What is an inheritor ? An heir, 2. Can children be heirs ? Yes; nothing is more common. 3. Of what are Christians heirs 1 (i Peter i. 4.) 4. If Christians are childrefi of God, ivhat must they he ? If children, then heirs (Rom. viii. 17). 5. Why are Christians inheritors of the Kingdom of Heaven ? Because they are members of Christ and children of God. 6. At what time are we made heirs ? At Baptism. 7. Can you show this from Scripture ? Yes (Gal. iii. 27, 29 ; Titus iii. 5, 6, 7). 8. Can an heir lose his inheritance 1 Yes. 9. Have we any instance of one losing it 1 Yes: Esau (Heb. xii. 16, 17). 10. But was not the blessing which Esau lost only a temporal one ? Perhaps so ; but he is brought forward as a warning to us lest we lose an eternal blessing. 1 1, What will exclude 21s from the everlasting inheritance 1 Unbelief (John iii. 18) and unrighteousness (i Cor. vi, 9) 12. What else ^ Selfishness (Matt, xxv, 41, 42,43). 13, What jjiust we do in prospect of such an inheritance 1 We must give all diligence to make it sure (2 Pet. i. 10). RENOUNCING THE DEVIL. 2$ SECTION VII.-RENOUNCING THE DEVIL. 1. What did your Godfathers and Godmothers then for you ? They did promise and voiv three things in my name : First, that I should renoiince the devil and all his works, the pomps and vanity of this luicked world, and all the sinful lusts of the flesh; secondly, that I should believe all the articles of the Christian faith j and, thirdly, that I should keep God''s holy will and commandjne7its , and ra'jalk in the same all the days of my life. 2. What was the first thing renouficed in your name ? The devil and all his works. (i-8) 3. Who is the devil ? He is the chief of the evil angels : of the angels which kept not their first estate. (Jude 6) (8-13) 4. WJiat do you mean by this ? I mean that God tried the angels as He tried man, by allowing some temptation to be presented to them. The evil angels yielded in the time of temptation, and became the irreconcilable enemies of God and jfll good. 5. Is it reasonable to believe that there are angels ? Yes ; it seems reasonable to believe that there arc many orders of beings between ourselves and the Infinite and Eternal God. 6. Is it reasonable to believe that there are evil angels ? Yes. It is reasonable to believe that these beings had their time of probation and trial, as mankind had ; and if so, there is nothing unreasonable in supposing that some fell away under temptation as man did. 7. Why in Baptism have you to renounce the devil and all his works ? Because in Baptism I was made a member of Him Who came amongst us that He might destroy the works of the devil, (i John iii. 8) (13-15) 8. What is the first work of Satan which you renounce f Unbelief. 9. Why do you call tinbelief the first work of Satan f 26 RENOUNCING THE DEVIL. Because it was the evil work by which he got the better of our first parents. K). How was this ? He tempted our first parents to disbelieve in God's goodness when he asked, " Yea, hath God said, ye shall not eat of all the trees of the garden ?" (Insinuating that God was not so good as they thought.) 1 1, /hid 171 any other words ? Yes. He tempted them to disbelieve in God's severity and truth when he said to them, " Ye shall not surely die." 12. Does he continue to use this temptation ? Yes. It is, and always will be, his great weapon. He would keep us separate from God by making us disbelieve in His goodness ; and he would make us think that God will not punish sin. 73. What words does St. Paul use respectiiig this work oj Sataii f " The god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them." (2 Corinth, iv. 4.) 14. With what must we oppose this great work of Satan f With the work of God. 15. What is that? Our Saviour says, " This is the work of God, that ye believe on Him whom He hath sent.' (John vi. 29.) 16. Does St. Paul teach us the same thing f Yes ; where he says, "Above all take the shield of faith, wherewith yc shall be able to (luciich all the fiery darts of the wicked [oncj." (Kphcs. vi. 16.) 17. How should you do this ? When I am tempted to commit sin, I must distinctly call to mind that God's own Son took our flesh, and died, and rose again, and is now at the right hand of God, to deliver me from sin, and in the strength of this I must pray to God for help. 18. Whatwo7'ks of darkness are often called the works of Satan ? Lying and murder. " He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, be- cause there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own : for he is a liar, and the father of it." (John viii. 44.) Pride. " Lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil. • (i Tim. iii. 6.) RENOUNCING THE DEVIL. 27 19. Has God given to us any other weapon wherewith to resist Satafi ? Yes : the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. (Ephes. vi. 17.) (24-27) 20. Give an example of one who resisted Satan with this sword. Our blessed Saviour, when He was tempted, repelled each temptation by a word from Scripture. (Matt. iv. 4, 7, 10,) 21. Give me an ijtstance of the way in which you would tise this sword. If when I am tempted to tell a lie, I remember that our Lord says that lying is the work of His enemy and mine, then I thrust at Satan or his angel with the sword of the Spirit. 22. What promise is there for those who persevertngly resist tetnptation ? " The God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly." CRoni* .\vi. 20.) SHORTER CATECHISM. 1. What was proviised in your name ? Three things ; first, that I should, &c. 2. Why in your name ? Because I was unable to promise them myself. 3 . Who pro7nised these things in your navie f 4. What did they first promise / 5. What did the 7?iinister demand of the god-parents ? *' I demand therefore, dost thou, in the name of this child, renounce, &c." 6. And what ans7uer did they give ? I renounce them all. 7. What do you mean by renouncing! Determining to have nothing more to do with a thing. 8. Why do you first renotmce the devil "i Because he is the author of all evil. [Because he is the chief enemy of God and Christ.] 9. Who is the devil 1 The chief or prince of the evil spirits. 10. IIo'..v is he represented in Scripture ? As the God of this world (2 Cor. iv. 4) ; as the prince of this world (John xiv. 30). 2S REMOUNCING THE DEVIL. 1 1. iTow besides ? As the ruler of the darkness of this world (Ephes. vi. 12). 12. JVAo are his children ? All who wilfully continue in sin (John viii. 44 ; i John iii. 8.) 13. /j- ii right that you should renounce Satan in Baptism ^ Yes; if in Baptism I am made the child of God. 14. Why^i Because I cannot be at once the child of God and of II is enemy. 15. What is the meaning of the word ** Satan ?" An enemy. He is the enemy or adversary (Matt. xiii. 25, 28, 39). 16. How does He show his enmity ? By tempting men to displease God— their best friend. He is the tempter. 1 7. Whom did he tempt ? Eve (Gen. iii. 1-6) ; Cain (i John iii. 12) ; David (i Chron. xxi. l) ; Job (by affliction, Job i. 12) ; Judas (John xiii. 2) ; Ananias (Acts v. 3). 18. Whom did he assail by temptations ? Jesus Christ, 19. What consolation have we from the thought that Jesus Christ was tempted by Satan 1 This ; that it is no sin to be tempted if we do not yield. 20. What else! That Christ having been tempted can feel for us when we are tempted (Heb. ii. 18). 21. How besides does Satan show his enmity ? By accusing us after we have fallen. 22. What name has he from this ? The very name of devil or accuser (Rev. xii, 10). 23. To what does St. Peter compare hijn ? To a roaring lion walking about seeking whom he may devour (i Peter v. 8). 24. Is he irresistible 1 No : we must resist him, and he will flee from us (James iv. 7). 25. What does that mean ? He will cease to tempt us. 26. With what sword must we resist hijn ? The sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God (Eph. vi. 1 7). 27. Give an example of One who so resisted him. Our blessed Lord (Matt. iv. 4, 7). 28. With what shield must we resist him 1 The shield of faith (Eph. vi. 16). 29. How micst we do this 1 We must call to mind that we are redeemed by Jesus Christ from the power of Satan. RENOUNCING THE DEVIL. 29 30. For what purpose was our Lord made known ? That He might destroy the works of the devil (i John iii. 8), 31. Agaijist ivhat snare of Satan does our Lord -warn careless heaven of the loordl Against his snatching it out of their hearts (Matt. xiii. 19). 32. What was Satan at the first ? An angel of light. 'T^Tf. II07.U did he falll By disobedience. 34. IVhat is his doom ? (Rev. xx. 10.) 35. IFho will share his doom i (Matt. xkv. 41.) 36. Is this ever brought forward as a wartiiiw to Christian: 1 Gude 5, 6). JO THE WORLD. SECTION VIII.— THE WORLD. 1. What jiext do you renounce f I renounce the pomps and vanity of this wicked world. 2. What is the world ? Human society. The men and women Hving in the world, especially those amongst whom I live. (2, 3, 4) 3. Why is it here called " wicked f " Because the greater part of those who live in it are not true Christians [not led by the Spirit of God]. (4) 4. But is 7iot the Christiati religion the religion of the country iji which we live ? It may be so ; but still the greater part of people in it do not live as if they had been baptized into Christ, for they do not walk in newness of life. (4) (5) 5. What is the effect of this ? The effect of this is that the spirit of the world, its principles, maxims, and opinions, are contrary to the Spirit of God. 6. Do you renounce the world itself? No : I renounce the pomps and vanity of this wicked world. (3) 7. Why do you 7iot rettounce the world itself f Because God has cast in my lot in the world, and I am not to leave it. (John xvii. 15 ; i Cor. v. 10 ; vii. 20.) 8. Could you so leave the world as to avoid its tempta- tio7is ? No ; for w^herever I was I should have temptations to pride and selfishness, and these are *' of the world." 9. What do you mean by the pomps of the world? I mean worldly display, parade, and ostentation. (6) 10. But may you not sometimes be obliged to take part in these ? Yes : it may sometimes be a duty ; as, for instance, to bear a part in a military parade if I am a soldier ; but I THE WORLD. 31 must not seek for such things as means of personal dis • play. 11. How does the Holy Spirit teach us that we are to regard the world ? "Love not the world," he says, "neither the things which are in the world : if any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him ; for all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of theeyesjand the pride of life, is not of the Father, but of the world." (i John ii. 15.) 12. What besides the world are we not to love ? The things in the world : the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. 13. What does the Holy Spirit meaft by these things ? "He means all things around us, so far as they draw off our hearts from heaven, and make us to be in love with this present world." [Keble.] 14. Mention some. " Money, things that are money's worth, beauty, dress, and fine clothes ; skill and strength in bodily labour ; the praise and honour and good opinion of men ; satisfaction in being admired, and in feeling that we ought to be." [Keble.] 15. Why are these things so hurtful? Because they make us love this present state of things in which such things are, and so prevent us from hoping for another state of things in which they will have passed away. 16. How does the Holy Spirit by St. Paul teach us that we are to regard the world? He says that, "They that rejoice [are to be] as though they rejoiced not ; they that buy, as though they possessed not ; and they that use this world, as not abusing it ; for the fashion of this world passeth away." (x Cor. vii. 30.) 17. What injutiction does St. Patil give respecting the world? " Be not conformed to this world." (Rom. xii. 2.) 1 8. What does he mean by this ? That we are not to be led by the opinions, or to follow the example of those around us, when they are contrary to the revealed will of God t 1 9. Is the world the same to each one of us ? No, we have each a different world ; for the society which we live in and mix with is the world to us. 20. Are we always then in danger from the evil influence oj the world? Yes. The great mass of mankind, whether in high 32 THE WORLD. or in low conditions, do not fear God ; and so their lives and opinions and conversation have a continual tendency to lower the tone of rehgion, rather than to raise it. 21. How do you commonly yield to the temptations of the world ? By slavishly deferring to the opinions, or copying the fashions and frivolities of those in high places. 22. How besides f By courting popularity. 23. How besides ? By laying myself out, or making it my business, to please men. " If I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ." (Gal. i. lo.) 24. How besides ? By making those who live contrary to. their Christian profession my companions or familiar friends. " Now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or an extortioner ; with such an one no not to eat." (i Cor. v. 11.) 25. Are persons who have begun to be religious i?t danger front the world ? Yes. Our Lord speaks of those who hear the word and receive it with joy, yet are offended by tribulation or persecution, z. ^., by the opposition of the world. (Matt. xiii. 20, 21.) 26. Is there any other warning in the same parable against the deceits of the world ? Yes. Our Blessed Lord speaks of him that receivctli seed among thorns as being one who heareth the word, and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, [and the lust of other things] choke the word, and he bc- cometh unfruitful. (Matt. xiii. 22.) 27. Is there any rcaso7i why you should renounce the pomps and vanity of this wicked world at your Baptism ? Yes. I was then baptized into a Saviour Whom the world hated ; Who refused all its pomps and vanities ; Who overcame it by His Sufferings and Death, and Who will hereafter judge it. 28. What does our Lord lead His true followers to expect? The opposition of the world. " If ye -were of the world, the world would love his own." (John xv. 19.) "In tho world ye shall have tribulation." (John xvi. 33.) 29. Huw are we to overcome the world? THE WORLD. By faith in the Son, of God. " Who is he that over- cometh the world, but he that behevcth that Jesus is the Son of God?" (i John V. 5.) 30. Hoiv will this deliver lis from the fear and love of the world ? They cannot fear and love the world who believe that the world crucified its Maker ; that He (Jesus, its Maker) overcame the world, not by its own weapons, but by Suffering and Death, and that He will hereafter judge it. SHORTER CATECHISM. 1. What do you next renounce 1 The pomps and vanity of this wicked world. 2. What is the world to you ? My companions. The people among whom I hvc. 3. Are you to give up their acquaintance or society 1 No : but I am not to be led by their opinions, or fall into their ways when they are wrong. 4. WJiy is the world tuic/ced 1 Because the greater part of mankind do not fear or love God. 5. Is this true of a Christian country ] As far as we can see it is. 6. What is the meaning oj pomp ? Outward show : grandeur : worldly distinctions. 7. What is vanity ? It literally means emptiness. 8. What is meant by the vanity of the world 1 The things of the world which worldly men eagerly pursue. 9. Why are these called vanity ? Because they give no real satisfaction to an immortal spirit, and so are like empty vessels. 10. What place of God^s word shows us the vanity of all earthly things t The things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal (2 Cor. iv. iS). 11. What other place 1 The fashion of this world passeth away (i Cor. vii. 31). 1 2. When are we overcome by the world 1 When we follow the leading of our friends and neighbours rather than the will of God. 13. When besides .? When we love dress and finery and display. 14. Hoiv besides ? By covetous desires, i.e., by continually thinking about hou we are to become richer or more honourable. D THE WORLD. 15. Give an example of one who perished because of his love of these things. Balaam (2 Peter ii. 15). 16. Are riches and honours dangerous to the soul ? Yes. 1 7. Why ? Because they tend to make us satisfied with this world. 1 8. Is there any other reason ? Yes. Because rich men are followed and flattered by the world. 19. How is this dangerous ? Because its tendency is to make them think of themselves ? 20. Must a rich and honourable man be always a worldly man ? No : God's pjrace can save him from the love of the world. 21. Give an example of one so saved. Daniel (Daniel xii. 13) ; the three Holy Children (Daniel iii. 27, 30). 22. Give other examples. Abraham (Heb. xi. 8, lo); Joseph (Heb. xi. 22.) ; Joseph of Arimathgea(Luke xxiii. 50). 23. Can a poor man be overcome by the world 1 Yes : if he allows his companions, or neighbours, or employ- ment, to make him forget God. 24. What does St. Paul say respecting the world ? "Be not conformed to this world" (Rom, xii. 2). 25. What does he mean by this ? Do not imitate the conduct of worldly people. Be not led astray by the opinions of godless people. 26. What does St. James say respecting one who is the friend of the world 1 That he is the enemy of God (James iv. 4). 27. What does St. John say about one who loves the world ? That the love of the Father is not in him (i John ii. 15). 28. What does St. James say respecting true religion ? That one great part of it is ** to keep ourselves unspotted from the world " (James i. 27). 29. How are we to overcome the world ? By beheving in Jesus Christ with all our hearts (i John v. 5). THE FLESH. 35 SECTION IX.— THE FLESH. 1. What is the next thing which you renounced in your Baptism ? The sinful lusts of the flesh. 2. What are sinful lusts ? Sinful or immoderate desires 3. Are all the desires of the flesh sinful? No. 4. Wheti do they become sinfil? When they exceed the purpose for which God planted them in us. 5. Give an example. Hunger, for instance, and thirst, are implanted in us by God to compel us to support nature by eating and drinking ; but when we eat and drink immoderately, then these natural desires become gluttony and drunkenness. (4-8) 6. How is it that our desires have become liable to be te??ipta- tions to sin'? Through the fall. (3) 7. What do we receive from the fall ? An evil nature. 8. What is this nature called in Scripttire ? The flesh : the natural man. (Gal. v. 17 ; i Cor. ii. 14.) 9. What does our Lord say of this evil nature? He says, " Out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, &:c." (Matt. xv. 19.) 10. What does St. Paul say respecting it ? He says, " I know that in me, that is, in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing;." (Rom. vii. 18.) [He speaks also of the flesh lusting against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh (Gal. v. 17) ; that he that soweth to the flesh, shall of the flesh reap corruption (Gal. vi. 7, 8) ; and says, that " we all had our conversa- tion in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfiUing the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature the children of wrath even as others." (Eph. ii. 3.)] 1 1 . What are the fruits or works of this flesh or evil natter e ? " The works of the flesh are manifest, which are these : adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, sedi- 36 THE FLESH. tions, heresies, * envyings, murders, drunkenness, revel- lings, and such like." (Gd. v. 19.) (8-14) 12. Have we any sitnilar list of these evil things ? Yes ; in Coloss. iii. 5, 6, 7, 8. 13. What very remarkably stro7ig expressions are used with reference to our renouncing these evil hists ? 1 . We are to mortify them. " Mortify therefore your members which are uoon the Garth, fornications, uncleanness," &c. (Col. iii. 5.) 2. We are to crucify them. " They that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its affections and lusts." (Gal. V. 24.) 14. Hoiv are we to mortify these evil inclinations ? Through the Spirit. " If ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body ye shall live." (Rom. viii.) (14, 15) 15. How through the Spirit are you to mortify them ? By praying for the assistance of the Spirit, and by relying on the help of the Spirit ; and to this end using those means by Avhich He strengthens and refreshes us, as Confirmation, the Eucharist, united prayer, &c. 16. How besiiUs ? By bringing our bodies into subjection by self-denial and fasting, (i Cor. ix. 27.) 17. Why at our Baptism should we renounce the sinful lusts of the flesh ? Because we are then baptized into Christ, and put on Christ, Who Himself suffered in the flesh for the sins which we have committed. 18. For what further reason ? Because we are then made members of Him Who died unto sin, and liveth unto God. SHORTER CATFXHISM. 1. What besides the pomps and vanities of the world do you renounce ? All the sinful lusts of the flesh. 2. What are lusts 1 Desires. 3. How is it that our desires are so often sinful? Because we are born in sin. 4. When are lusts or desires sinful ? When we break God's law by indulging them. 5. For instance^ hunger is a natural or innocent desire — when does it become sinful ? THE FLESH., %*i , . ^V,^ / . ' '-— , ,; ^. When we eat not to sustain nature but for eating's sake, it becomes the sin of ghittony. 6. Mention another case. Drinking is natural and necessary, but excess in it leads to the sin of drunkenness. 7. Mention a third. Sleep is needful for the refreshment of our bodies, but excess in it becomes sloth. 8. What other carnal lusts do you renomtce ? All filthy and unclean thoughts, words, and deeds. 9. Are these very wicked ? Yes ; they are deadly sins. 10. When filthy, or unclean, or sinful thoughts rise in your piind, what must yoit do 1 I must put them out with all my might and pray to God against them, and think of some good thing. 1 1. Respecting filthy words, what are you bound to do ? I am bound not only not to speak them, but not to listen to them. 12. Does this part of your vow bijtdyou to renounce any other sorts oj sins ? Yes : it binds me to renounce sins of temper. 13. Show this. St. Paul speaks of hatred, variance, wrath, strife, envyings, as works of the flesh (along with adultery and fornication) in Gal. V. 19, 20, 21. 14. If we do not fulfil this part of our baptismal voiv, what will be the end 1 If ye live after the flesh ye shall die (Rom. viii. 13). 15. Mention another similar declaration. He that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption (Gal. vi. 8). 16. What do you mean by ^^ sowing to the flesh ?" Giving way to the sinful desires of the flesh. [ 7. Hoiu shall they die who do so 1 They shall die eternally. 18. Mention some persons who lived after the flesh [sowed to the flesh) and perished. The Israelites in the wilderness (i Cor. x. i-ii). 19. Are these any wartmig to Christiajis ? Yes : St. Paul regards them as being so (i Cor. x. 12). 10. Mention one xvho fell under these temptations and afterwards repented. David. 21. Mention one xvho successfully resisted the lusts of the flesh, Joseph (Gen. xxxix. 9). 22. Mention one tvho lived after the flesh and was lost. The rich man in the Parable (Luke xvi. 19). 38 BELIEF. SECTION X.— BELIEF. 1. What is the secotid thing that your Godfathers and God- mo titers promised in yoicr name ? That I should beUeve all the articles of the Christian faith. 2. Why at your Baptism was this pro77iised on your be- half? Because I was then baptized into the name of the Ever Blessed Trinity, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. 3. Does this oblige you to believe in the Trinity ? Yes. It would have been folly and blasphemy for me to have been baptized into a name which I did not believe represented the truth of God's nature. 4. But is the belief i7i the Trinity the sa?ne as belief in all the Articles of the ChristiaTi faith f Yes. Belief in the Trinity is the foundation of belief in all the Articles of the Creed. I could not truly beheve in the Creed unless I beheved in the Trinity. 5. But as an infant could you believe in the Ever Blessea lyinity ? No ; but I could be reckoned as a behever if, when I was brought to Baptism, others, such as sponsors, engaged that I should be brought up in the belief of the Trinity. 6. Have you any ScT^ipture ivarrant for supposing that our Lord recko?is such childre?i amongst believers ? Yes. He expressly says, " Whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea." (Matt. xviii. 6.) [The further exposition of the answer to this question comes under the Articles of the Christian faith, as set forth in the Apostles' Creed.] OBEDIENCE. 39 SECTION XI.— OBEDIENCE. 1. What is the third thi^ig promised in your 7iame ? That. I should keep God's holy will and commandments, and walk in the same all the days of my life. 2. Why was this promised in your name zvhen you were baptised? Because in Baptism I was made a member of Him Who did in all things the will of God. 3. For what other reason f Because I was then made a partaker of the Holy Spirit, and so had strength vouchsafed to me to do God's holy will. 4. Where is the will of God to be found ? In the word of God. 5. Who is commissioned by God to interpret this will to 71s, and apply it to our hearts and lives ? The Church, through her ministers. 6. What short summary have we of the will and command- ments of God ? The Ten Commandments. [The further exposition of the answer to this question comes under the exposition of the Ten Commandments.] 40 THE CHRISTIAN RESOLVE. SECTION XII.— THE CHRISTIAN RESOLVE. 1. Dost thou not think that thou art bound to BELIEVE, AND TO DO AS THEY HAVE PROMISED FOR THEE ? Yes, verily, and by God's help so I will ; and I HEARTILY THANK OUR HEAVENLY FATHER THAT HE hath CALLED ME TO THIS STATE OF SALVATION, THROUGH jESUS CHRIST OUR SAVIOUR; AND I PRAY UNTO God to give me His grace that I may con- tinue IN THE SAME UNTO MY LIFE'S END. 2. Why are you bound to believe and to do what your spo7tsors promised for you ? Because I am God's creature, and so bound to believe what He has revealed, and to do what He has com- manded. 3. Independe7itly then of your having sponsors, you are bound to believe the word, and to do the will, of God ? Yes. My Baptism, quite independently of the vows then made on my behalf, laid me under the greatest obligations to believe and live as a Christian. 4. How did it do this ? Because in it I mystically and sacramentally died, was buried, and rose again with Christ, that I might walk in newness of life. 5. Ca7t you express this in other words ? Yes. I had then some portion of the virtue and power of Christ's Death and Resurrection Life made over to me, that I might live a Christian life. 6. Where do you learn this f I learn it from three statements of Holy Writ : Rom. vi. 1-6; Coloss. ii. 12 ; i Pet. iii. 21. [The teaching of these places will be fully drawn out in the latter part of this work on the Sacraments.] 7. But you said that, as God's creature, you were bound to believe God's word ajtd obey His willj does your Bap- tism add to this obligation ? Yes ; because I was there and then transferred, from the state of being a mere creature of God, into the state of adoption into God's family; and I had then grace THE CHRISTIAN RESOLVE. 4I vouchsafed to me to live as one should live who is brought into such a family. 8. You say that by God's help so you will. Why do you say ''by God's help'' ? Because it is only by God's special grace or help that I can believe in Him aright, or sincerely obey Him. (5-8) 9, Is the knowledge of all this a thing that should make you thankful? Yes. " I heartily thank our heavenly Father that He hath called me to this state of salvation." 10. What is this state of salvation f It is being a member of Christ. (9-12) 1 1. How has God called you to this state of salvation ? By His Providence, which caused me to be born of Christian parents, who brought me in infancy to Holy Baptism. (12, 13) 12. Is it right to call this baftisnial state a state of sal- vation f Yes. St. Peter expressly says that, " Baptism doth now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience towards God) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ." (i Peter iii. 21.) St. Paul also says: " By His mercy He saved us, by the font of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost." (Titur iii. 5.) (16, 17) 13. Does this state of salvatioti by union with Owist imply fi7ial salvation ? Not necessarily, for, " I pray unto God to give me His grace, that I may continue in the same unto my Hfe s end." (19-24) 14. Have y oil any need to put up this prayer? Yes ; the greatest need. 15. But is it not often taught that, if once we are in the grace of God, we inust continue in it? Not by those who know the Scriptures ? 16. But is it possible for those once really grafted into Christ to fall away ? Our Lord treats it as possible when He says, " If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch and is withered, and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned." (John XV. 6.) (21-26) 1 7. Does St. Paul treat it as possible f Yes : when he says, " Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God : on them which fell, severity \ 42 THE CHRISTIAN RESOLVE, but toward thcc goodness, if thou continue in His good- ness : otherwise thou also shalt be cut off." (Rom. xi. 22.) 18. What example does St. Paul bring of those who were once brought into a state of salvation^ and yet 7iot finally saved f The Israehtes in the wilderness, (i Corinth, x. i-io.) 19. What does St. Jude say of these f That God saved the people of Israel, and yet destroyed them that believed not. (Jude 5.) 20. What fearful example does St. Jude also mention ? The angels who kept not their first estate. (Jude 6.) SHORTER CATECHISM. 1. When you answer this qtiestion in these words, what do you do ? I ratify and confirm with my own lips the promises made in my name. 2. IVho alone heartily answer this question ? Those who earnestly desire to live as true Christians. 3. Why are yoit bound to believe and do as your sponsors have pro- mised ? Because I am bound to glorify God and save my soul. 4. Is there any time appointed by the Church in which you can pub- licly confirm these vo7vs in your ozon person t Yes : in Confirmation. 5. Why do you say '* By Gods help'' J Because without His help I can do nothing. 6. Where do you learn this J From John xv. 5 : Without me ye can do nothing. 7. From any other place ? Yes ; from many. Rom. vii. 18 ; 2 Cor. iii. 5 ; Phil. ii. 13. 8. Can you by His help believe and live as a Christian ? Yes : St. Paul says ' ' I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me " (Phil. iv. 13 ; also Luke i. 6). 9. Into what state have you been called^ A state of salvation. 10. Why"^ Because I have been made a member of Christ tlie Saviour. 11. Who has called you ? Our Heavenly Father. 12. How do you know that He has called you ? Because I have been baptized, and because I am now being instructed in the Christian faith. 13. Through whom zvereyou called? Through Jesus Christ our Saviour. THE CHRISTIAN RESOLVE. 43 \\. Is God dcsirotis thai you should be saved ? Yes: He is not willing that any should perish (2 Pet. iii. 9). 15. Bui is He desirous thai children should be saved 1 Yes : His Son says, *' It is not the will of your Father which is in Heaven that one of these little ones should perish " (Malt, xviii. 14). 16. In ivhai does ihis salvaiion consist t In the forgiveness of my sins. 1 7. In ivhai else 1 In the help of God's Spirit to make me holy. iS. What return do you now make to God f I heartily thank our Heavenly Father that, &c. 19. Because you are noza in a state 0/ salvation, are you quite sure thai y oil zuill be saved at last ? No : "I pray unto God to give me His grace that I may continue in the same unto my life's end." 20. What does our Lord say respecting this ^''continuing" ? He that endureth to the end shall be saved (Matt. x. 22). 21. Do the Apostles speak as if they thought that men would always continue as they have begiai ? No (Rom. xi. 22 ; Heb. iii. 6-14). 22. Against what do they perpetually warn Christians .? Against falling away (i Cor. x. 12 ; Heb. vi. 6). 23. WJiat are they afraid that their converts may resist ? The grace of God (2 Cor. vi. i ; Heb. xii. 15). 24. Do the Apostles regard those who have once believed as sure oj salvaiion ? No (i Tim. V. 12). 25. Does our Lord speak of those once forgiven as sure of salvation t No (Matt, xviii. 32, 34, 35). 26. What then should be ot(r caret (2 Pet. i. 5-II.) THE PAITH. SECTION XIIL— THE FAITH. 1. What was the second thing which was promised in your name at your Baptism ? That I should believe all the articles of the Christian faith, (i) (2) 2. What is faith? Beheving anything to be true. 3. Has this word more than one vieaning in Holy ScriP' tiire? Yes. It has two meanings. (3-6) 4. What are they ? It first means that power, or faculty, or virtue in the soul or spirit, which believes a thing to be true on God's word. It means, secondly, that body of truth which God gives to us to be beheved by us. (In which latter case it is usually designated " the faith.") 5. Give an instajice of the first of these meanings. It means the first in the words, "Without faith it is impossible to please God ; for he that comcth to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him." (Heb. xi. 6.) [Also, " Now abideth faith, hope, and charity, these three, but the greatest of these is charity." (i Cor. xiii. 13.) Also Luke xvii. 5 ; Acts vi. 5, &c.] 6. Give an instance of the second. , One Lord, one Faith, one Baptism. (Ephes. iv. 5.) ^ [Also, " Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience." (i Timi iii. 9.) "Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering.' (Heb. X. 23.) ".Ye should earnestly contend for the faith." (Jude 3.) "Thou boldest fast My name, and hast not denied My faith." (Rev. ii. 1^.) " In latter times some shall depart from the faith — they have erred from the faith." (i Tim. iv. i ; vi. 10.) (6-9) 7. Do we find this latter sense in the Catechism ? Yes. In the words, " Secondly, that I should believe all the articles of the Christian faith " THE FAITH. 4^ 8. What do yoit gather from these places ? I gather that God not only demands faith from us, but that that faith should accept and embrace a certain defi- nite body of truth called " The faith once delivered to the Saints." (Jude 3.) 9. Is it reasonable that we should believe in this faith ? Yes. If God reveals any truth to us, it is most reason- able that we should believe and accept it as an act of submission to Him Who created us, and Who redeemed us at such a cost. 10. Biit do we not all believe in the Bible : and is not this sufft.cie7it ? No, it is not ; because many profess to believe in the Bible, and reject or explain away the principal truths con- tained in it. 1 1. /«$• there any other reason ? Yes ; because the Bible contains an immense number of facts, some of which are immeasurably more impor- tant than others. 12. Give an instance. We j-ead in one part of the New Testament of the Sufferings and Death of our Saviour Christ ; and in another a very full account of the voyage and shipwreck of St. Paul : both these are parts of the same Bible, and yet no one in his senses would hold the latter to be of anything like the importance of the former. 13. Hoiv is it that we hold one fact of the Bible to be infi- 7iitely more important than another ? Because we hold " the faith once for all delivered to the saints." 14. Bnt do not some true Christians among us think lightly of the Creeds of the Church ? Yes ; but these men owe all their right views of God and Christ to the influence which in past ages men who held the Creeds have exercised upon the Church. 15. Do the Scripticre writers themselves witness to the ex- istence of a definite body of truth, in all respects answer- ing to our Apostles\ or Nicene Creed ? Yes ; in very many places. (10-17) 16. Metition some. St. Paul, in Romans vi. 17, speaks of a form of doctrine delivered to the Roman Christians ; and in 2 Tim. i. 13, he speaks of this being embodied in some " form of sound 46 THE FAITH. words " which he bids St. Timothy " hold fast ;" and this was also called a profession of faith : for he writes to the Hebrews to "hold fast the profession of their faith." (Heb. X. 23.) (10-17) 17. What is this called? It is called The Faith : " Contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints." It is declared to be " one," /. e., one and the same everywhere, just as Baptism is one : " One Lord, one faith, one Baptism." (Ephcs. iv.) [We are all to come in the unity of the faith to a per- fect man. (Ephes. iv. 13.) St. Paul preached this faith (Gal. i. 23) ; he exhorted men to continue in it. (Acts xiv. 22.) Ministers are expected to hold the mystery of this faith, (i Tim. iii. 9.) Others denied this faith, and in later times men will depart from it. (i Tim. v. 8 ; iv. i.)] l?^. But does this faith ^ or body of truths in all respects answer to the Apostles'^ Creed ? We have several distinct proofs that it does. (18-27) 19. Give 07ie. We find that St. Paul, in four places at least, mentions particularly the Gospel which he preached, and in each case we find that his Gospel was expressed in the form of an article of the Creed. 20. Mention these places. In I Cor. XV. 1-8, St. Paul declares that the Gospel which he preached, and by which his converts were saved, was, first of all, that " Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day :" that is, three articles of the Apostles' Creed. 21. Mention a second. In 2 Tim. ii. 8, we read, " Remember that Jesus Christ, of the seed of David, was raised from the dead according to my Gospel." 22. Mention a third. In Rom. ii. 16, St. Paul declares that the coming of Christ to judge men (which is an article of the Creed) is according to his Gospel. 23. Mention a fourth. St. Paul, in the opening verses of his Epistle to the Romans, speaks of the Gospel as being " Concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh, nnd declared to be the THE FAITH. 47 Son of God with power ... by the resurrection from the dead." In other words, the Incarnation and the Resur- rection of Jesus. 24. What do you gather from these places ? That the Apostohc Christians possessed a short sum- mary of the great truths of our redemption virtually the same as our Apostles' Creed. (18-27) 25. What must have been the for ?n of this ? It must have been in an historical form, setting forth facts rather than doctrines or internal feelings. 26. Are there any other reasons for believing that the primi- tive Gospel was in this historical form ? Yes. The four narratives of the Life, Death, and Resur- rection of Christ have been from the first called The Four Gospels. The author of the second Gospel (St. Mark) gives this very name to his account, where he calls it " The Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God." (Mark i. i.) 27. Have we any other reason for be lieviftg that the original teachitig was i7t the historical form ? Yes ; St. Luke, in the Preface to his Gospel, tells us that he wrote it to confirm one Theophilus in the certainty of the things in which he had been instructed (or cate- chized). 28. What does this prove ? That Theophilus must have been instructed or cate- chized in the facts of the Incarnation, Birth, Life, Death, Burial, Resurrection, and Ascension of Jesus Christ, be- . cause St. Luke's Gospel is occupied with nothing but these things. 29. Is the form of the Gospel which we have in the four Gospels^ and in the Creeds of the Church, most calculated to draw out our faith and love ? Yes ; we may be sure that it is ; or it would not have been chosen by God. 30. Do we use the Creed in the public worship of God? Yes. 31. How can we do this ? Is it a prayer, or a thanksgiving ? No ; we use it as an act of faith. (30-32) 32. Is it needful that we should use acts of faith ? Yes. St. Paul tells us so when he says, "With the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." (Rom. x. 10.) 48 THE FAITH. 33. What had St. Paul just said that we must confess with the mouthy a?id believe in the heart ? He had said, " If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt behove in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." (Rom. x. 9.) 34. How must we confess with our mouth the Lord Jesits ? If we are to confess Him according to the Scriptures, we must confess him as the Only-begotten Son of God ; as Incarnate, as Crucified, Dead, Buried, Risen again, Ascended, and now sitting at the Right Hand of God. 35. But may not all this be said lifelessly and formally ? Yes, it may ; but this does not undo the fact that if we are to be guided by Scripture we must confess Christ after this form, rather than after any other. 36. What then must be our care in this matter ? We must take care that we do not say such a confession lifelessly and formally. 37. How are we, usi7ig the words of the Creeds, to make confession tmto salvation ? We are first of all to say it remembering that we say it in the presence of God, Who searcheth the hearts, and requires both the belief of our hearts and the acknowledg- ments of our lips. 38. How besides ? We are to say over each article, remembering that each one is the statement of the love of God to a lost world, and to ourselves as living in the world. 39. How besides ? We are to say it remembering that in bygone days our fathers in the faith held to the truths it sets forth, through tortures and death. (32-37) 40. What then is our duty with respect to the Creed ? We must pray for faith that we may realize each state- ment which it contains, and we must take pains to under- stand of how much grace and love each article is the assurance. (42-46) 41. But would it not be better to substitute for the Creed some more particular declaration that Christ died for us [for me], or a declaration in which we profess to appro- priate to ourselves the merits of His Death ? No ; assuredly it would not be better for each soul to separate itself from its fellow-souls in any such a way. The rHE FAITH. 45 Apostles almost invariably speak of Christ dying for us : for all men, for sinners, for man, for the world. 4.2. But would it not be well to have some more distinct declaration that we have no merits of our owfi, or that we are justified by faith ^ or that we are saved when we believe ? No ; it would not be well ; for all such statements more or less imply that we are saved by believing in an idea, rather than in a person. We are saved not by believing that we have no merits, or that we are justified by faith ; but, according to St. Paul (i Cor. xv. 1-4), by believing that Christ died for our sins ; that He was buried, and that He rose again, and all this by the will and appointment of God the Father, Who raised Him from the dead. 1.3. But would it not be better to say that we are saved by " comitig to Christ f No : coming to Christ is the direct consequence of our truly believing in Him. Just as it is said, " He that Cometh to God must beheve that He is," — so with respect to " coming to Christ :" when we believe that He is what He is set forth to be in the Scriptures, then we come to Him, or rather to the Father through Him. (John xiv. 6 ; Ephes. ii. 18 ; Heb. vii. 25.) J4. How can we cojne to Christ ? In prayer, and in the Sacraments. J.5. You said that the faith was one: what is this one faith sometimes called? The Catholic faith. ^6. Why? Because it is, and has been from the beginning, the belief of the Cathohc Church. SHORTER CATECHISM. 1. When y oil. ^ucre baptized what, in the second place, did the minister demand of your god-parents in your name ? Dost thou believe in God, the Father Almighty, &c. 2. W/iat did your sponsors ajtswer to this deinandl All this I steadfastly believe. 3. What is this belief of yonrs called ? Faith. 4. PFhere must it be if you arc -fo be saved 1 In my heart. 50 THE FAITH. 5. What proof from Scripture have you of this 1 "With the heart man believeth unto righteousness" (Rom, X. 10). 6. What have you to believe with the heart .? The Faith once dehvered to the Saints. 7. Does the Scripture make any difference between faith and the faith 1 Yes. Faith is that in us which makes us beheve. The faith is the truth which we believe. 8. What do the Scriptures call this truth ? The faith of the Gospel (Phil. i. 27). 9. What besides ? The common faith (Titus i. 4). 10. Why do they call it the cot)imon faith ? Because it is the truth held in common by all. 11. It must then be one throughout the Church. Yes: it is expressly said that there is " one faith " (Ephes. iv. 5)- 12. What is our dtcty respecting it ? We are to hold fast the profession of it (Heb. x. 23). 13. What besides? We are to continue in, and to be established in, the faith (Acts xiv. 22 ; xvi. 5). 14. What besides ? We are to contend earnestly for it (Jude 3). 15. What should we fear respecting the faith ? We are to fear lest we deny it (i Tim, v. 8) ; lest we err from it (l Tim. vi. 10, 21) ; lest we depart from it (i Tim. iv. l). 16. How are %ve to hold it ? We are to hold the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience (i Tim. iii. 9). 17. Where does the Church direct us to look for this faith ? In the articles of our Belief. 18. What is this form of sound words called 1 The Apostles' Creed. 19. Whyl Because it is the simplest form of the Faith which the Apostles believed and preached. 20. Can you prove thisjrom the writings of the Apostles ? Yes : St. Paul expressly declares that the Gospel which he preached consisted of three things, all which we find in the Creed. 21. What are these three things ? That Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day, accord- ing to the Scriptures (i Cor. xv. 1-4). 22. Have you any other proof that the Creed embodied the Gospel 1 Yes : St. Paul declared expressly that the judgment by Christ at the last day, which is an article of the Creed, is "accord- ing to his Gospel" (Rom. ii. 16). THE FAITH. 51 3. Have you any other proof t Yes : St. Paul bids Timothy remember that the Resurrection of Jesus {i.e. an article o£ the Creed) was "according to his Gospel " (2 Tim. ii. 8). 4. Have you any other proof t Yes : in the very beginning of the Epistle to the Romans, St. Paul writes as if the Gospel consisted in the three facts that Christ was the Son of God, that He became incarnate, and that He rose from the dead (Rom. i. 1-4). 5. Have we any proof that this faith or Gospel was in a, form of words ? Yes : St. Paul bids Timothy hold fast the *' form of sounv words " which he had heard of him (2 Tim. i. 13). 6. Have we any other proof ? Yes: he speaks of a "foiTn of doctrine" delivered to the Roman Christians (Rom. vi. 17). 7. What is the simplest form conceivable of this faith ? The Apostles' Creed. S. Shall we be saved by the mere saying of it / No : we must believe with all our hearts. 9. But do not almost all professing Christians believe the facts men- tioned in it t They believe them, but not as things in which they have at present any real concern. 3. How must you the?i believe them ? I must believe them as things especially revealed by the great and Eternal God. I. How besides ? I must believe them as all of them showing the love of God to us sinful creatures. 2., How besides? I must believe tliem as things which God requires me both to -believe and to acknowledge if I am to be saved. 3. Where in Scripture do you find that God requires you to acknoxv- ledge the faith I Rom. X. 9. "If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." 4. Where besides ? Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering (Heb. X. 23). 5. Was it always so easy to confess the faith of Christ as it is now ? No, by no means. 6. What, for many hundred years^ were those in danger of who con- fessed the faith of Christ t Tortures and death. 7. What were those who suffered! for the faith called^ Confessors, 52 THE FAim. 38. WJiat were those called who chose to die rather than to deny the faith ? Martyrs. 39. Are these Martyrs ever mentioned in Scripture ? ' Yes : Acts xxii. 20 ; Rev. vi. 9. '■' 40. For what did they stiffer death ? Because they would not deny the faith. 41. Biit did they die for the Creed "i They died for the faith of which the articles in the Creed are the oldest and simplest statements. 42. Should we be able to die for the faith if God were to call iipon us to do so ? If He gives us His Almighty grace we should. 43. But since God has not as yet called us to this, what is our duty now ? To live to the faith. 44. JIow do 7ve do this ? By living as if we believed our Creed to be true, [By living as if we believed that God our Father always sees us, that Jesus Christ has died to deliver us from sin, and that we must live for ever after death.] 45. Can 7ve believe that the things m the Creed are true, and yet not be saved ? Yes: we read, "The devils believe and tremble" (James ii. 19). 46. Can we believe to the saving of our souls without the grace or help of God i No : faith is the gift of God (Eph, ii. 8 ; Phil. L 29). 47. What then should we do ? We should pray to God for faith. 48. Mejition the prayer of one who asked for faith. Lord, I believe, help thou mine unbelief (Matk ix. 24), 49. What was the prayer of the Apostles 1 " Increase our faith " (I,uke xvii. 5); QOD THE FATHEH ALMIGHTY. 53 :CTION XIV.— GOD THE FATHER ALMIGHTY. Rehearse the Articles of thy belief. I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, &c. 2. What is the first Article of the Christian faith ? "I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth." (3-5) 3. Why do we call God, the Father ? Because He is the Father of One only begotten Son. (6-8) 4. Is this the first reason why we should acknowledge Hun to be the Father ? Yes, unquestionably. By His very nature He is, and always has been the Father, because He is, by His very nature, the Father of One only Son. (9-13) [" God, then, though He is in an improper sense the Father of many things, yet, by nature, and in truth, is Father of One only, the Only begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ : not becoming so in course of time, but being from everlasting the Father of the Only Begotten ; not first without Son, and then becoming a Father, by a change of purpose ; but before all substance and all intel- ligence, before times, and all ageSj hath God the pre- rogative of Father, and more honoured in this than in all the rest." (St. Cyril, of Jerusalem, page 80, Oxford Translation.)] 5. Was there ever a time when God the Father was not a Father f No. He begat One only Son, " before all worlds," i. e.-, from all eternity. 6. Is not this a very mysterious truth ? Yes, it is ; but it is not more mysterious than any other truth which God reveals to us respecting Himself. It is not more mysterious than His eternal existence, or His perfect knowledge of all things, past, present, and to come. 7. Was God always thus knozvn and revealed as tht Father f »'4 GOD THE FATHER ALMIGHTY, No ; He was not clearly revealed as the Father till His only begotten Son came amongst us and " de- clared" His name. (14-18) I). How know yotc this ? Because it is written, " The only-begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He hath declared Him " (John i. 18) : and our Lord says to His Father, " I have manifested Thy name unto the men which thou gavcst me out of the world :" and again, " I have declared imto them Thy name." (John xvii. 6, 26.) 9. But was He not known as the Father in the times of the Old Testametit f He was known as the Father of all men by creation, and as the Father of the Jews by His having adopted them into His family ; but it was naturally reserved to His only begotten Son to make Him fully known as by His very nature the Father. (17-20) 10. Why do you say that it was naturally reserved to His only begotten, to make Him known as the Father ? Because one is not a father unless he has begotten a son : so, till His Son was revealed, God Himself could not be realized as a true Father, 1 1 . By what name did God reveal Himself to the Jeius ? By His name Jehovah. 1 2. Does this mean the same as the Father ? No ; it simply means one who is, z. Peten WAS CRUCIFIED. 79 (Matt. xxvi. 69, ^5.) The insults He suffered at the hands of Herod. (Luke xxiii. 8-12.) His mock trial before Pilate. His being scourged (John xix. i) ; crowned with thorns (Matt, xxvii. 29) ; spitted on and mocked (Matt. xxvii. 30, 31). (14-37) 7. But what was the last stiff er big which we expressly vientioii in this confession of our faith f His Crucifixion. (38) 8. Describe this horrible form of death. It has been thus described by Bishop Beveridge — " A straight piece of timber being set fast in the ground, with a cross-beam towards the upper part of it, His hands were fastened with nails, the one to the one side and the other to the otjier side of the [said] cross-beam, and His feet to the straight timber that stood in the ground, His body being partially sustained or held up by a little piece of wood that jutted out for that purpose about the middle of the upright timber. In this most painful and igno- minious posture He hung for several hours together." 9. Was it written in prophecy that the Messiah was to suffer such a death as this ? Yes ; in the Twenty-second Psalm. (39-47) 10. What sufferings that our Lord endured when He was crucified are there set forth ? Nearly all. 1. The wounds in His hands and feet. " They pierced my hands and my feet." (Psalm xxii. 17.) 2. The parting of His garments. (Verse 18.) 3. Agony as if He were on the rack. " All my bones are out of joint." (Verse 14.) 4. Total loss of strength. (Verses 14,15.) 5. Burning thirst. " My tongue cleaveth to my gums." (Verse 15.) 6. The taunts and revilings of a mob of His enemies. (Verses 6, 7, 12, 13, 17.) (39-47) 11. What types of this death were there in the Old Testa- ment ? Isaac carrying the wood on which he was to be sacri- ficed. (Gen. xxii. 6, 7, 9.) The brazen serpent lifted on a pole. (Num, xxi. 8.) Compare John iii. 14. (48-50) 12. Had our Lord Hifns elf said that He must be crucified? Yes ; He said, " They shall condemn Him to death, 8o SUFFERED UNDER PONTIUS PILATE, and shall deliver Him to the Gentiles, to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify." (Matt. xx. i8, 19.) And He said, " I, if 1 be lifted up, will draw all men unto Me." (John xii. 32 : also viii. 28.) 13. How came it to pass that He suffered a Gentile form of death ? Because the sceptre had departed from Judah, and a Roman governor had the sole power of life and death. [" It is not lawful for us [the Jews] to put any man to death." (John xviii. 31.)] (51-57) 14. Is there any reason why the name of Pontius Pilate should be 7nentioned in the Creed ? Yes : it assures us of the particular time in which Christ redeemed us, for Pilate is a name mentioned in profane history as a Procurator in the reign of Tiberius Csesar. [" As the Son of God, by His determinate counsel, was sent into the world to die in the fulness of time, so it con- cerns the Church to be assured of the time in which He died." — Bp. Pearso7i. '' Christ, the founder of that name [of Christians] was put to death as a criminal by Pontius Pilate, Procurator of Judaea, in the reign of Tiberius." — Tacitus'' Annals^ XV. 44.] (58) 15. What was the termination of our Lord's sufferings on the cross f He died. " Was crucified, dead." 16. Was our blessed Lord's life taken from Him ? No; it is expressly said, both by Himself and His Evangelists, that He surrendered it Himself. His dying was an act of His own. " I lay down my life." (John X. 15-18.) " Into Thy hands I commend my Spirit." (Luke xxiii. 46.) 17I For what purpose did Christ die ? That we might have forgiveness of sin, and be restored to the favour of God. (59-62) 18. Show this from the Scriptures. He is the propitiation for our sins ; and not for ours only, but for the sins of the whole world, (i John ii. 2.) He Himself bare our sins in His own body on the tree, (i Peter ii. 24.) " The Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all." (Isaiah liii. 6.) PP-AS CRUCIFIED. 81 " When thou shalt make His soul an offering for sin." (Isaiah Hii. 10.) " Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood," (Rom. iii. 25.) " Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many." (Heb. ix. 28.) " We are sanctified through the offering of the body of Christ once for all." (Heb. x. 10.) (59-62) 1 9. What are all these ways of speaking ? They arc all sacrificial terms or ways of speaking ; i. e., they describe the efficacy of the death of Christ in the same terms in which God described the efftcacy of the Jewish sacrifices. (63-74) 20. But could the blood of bulls and of goats take away sin f Not of itself. The Jewish sacrifices could only atone because they set forth before God our Lord's sacrifice. 21. What then do we learn front these Jewish sacrifices settittg forth Christ's death f We learn that as the Jewish sacrifices cleansed and restored the worshippers in an imperfect manner (Levit. xvi. 33), much more must the sacrifice of the Eternal Son cleanse our consciences from dead works to serve the living God. (65-74) 22. Does our Lord claim for His Blood this sacrificial power f Yes ; where He says, when He instituted the Eucharist, " This is my blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins." (Matt. xxvi. 28.) 23. For ivhoin did our Lord die ? For all men. For the whole world, (i Tim. ii. 6 ; i Tim. iv. 10 ; I John ii. 2.) (73-79) 24. What book of God's word seems especially to have beett written to set forth the sacrificial nature and efficacy of the death of Christ ? The Epistle to the Hebrews. 25. How must we glorify Christ for having offered up Him- self upon the cross for us f By relying with all our hearts on the efficacy of His death. 26. How besides f By ever remembering that He has bought us with His Blood, so that we are not our own. (i Cor. vi. 19, 20.) (80-83) G 82 SUFFERED UNDER PONTIUS 11 LATE, 27. How besides ? By constantly receiving the Holy Eucharist as His own solemn commemoration of His death. [Do this in remembrance of me. As often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till He come, (i Cor. xi. 20, 26.)] (83-85) 28. What other lessons do the Sc7'ipture writers teach frojn the Crucijixion of Christ ? 1. That as He was crucified for us, so must we crucify our carnal lusts (Gal. v. 24), by denying our wills, and bringing our bodies into subjection. 2. That we should have the same mind which was in Him Who, being in the form of God, yet became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. (Phil. ii. 8.) 3. That we should pass our lives in godly fear, (i Peter i. 17, 18.) 4. That we should be patient under injuries, (i Peter ii. 21.) 5. That we should love one another, (i John iv. 16.) 29. Whose love is sh-oivn in the sufferings and deatJi 0/ Christ f The love of the Father, as well as of the Son. (John iii. 16 ; Rom. v. 8 ; viii. 32.) 30. Can we divide between the love of the Father and that of the Son in this matter of our Redemption ? No ; not for a moment. Christ says, " I and my Father are one." (Johnx. 30.) Also, " He that hath seen me hath seen the Father." (xiv. 9.) 31. What sign do we receive in token that we are to believe 171 and to follow a crucified Saviour ? We are signed in Baptism with the sign of the Cross, in token that, " Hereafter we shall not be ashamed to confess the faith of Christ Crucified," &:c. SHORTER CATECHISM. 1. Who suffered under Pontius Pilate ? God's only Son, our Lord. 2. Pt(t did you not say that He was God— how then could He suffer t Because He had taken a nature which could suffer ? 3. Put was He not smless, and is not stcffering the penalty of sin f Yes : but He suffered for our sins, not for His own. WAS CRUCIFIED. 83 4. Were His sufferings tender Pontius Pilate the first thing which He suffered 1 No : His whole life was a suffering life. 5. What, on account of His suffering life, was He called in pro- phecy ? A man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief. 6. What did He suffer throughout His ivhole Life 1 Poverty. 7. Had Christ any place which He could call His home ? No : *' Foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of man hath not where to lay His head " (Matt. viii. 20). 8. Did Christ ever weep ? Yes : He wept over Jerusalem. 9. Why did He thus weep ? Because He sorrowed for the unbelief of His countrj-men. 10. Why did this give Him sorrozu ? Because He knew that if they would not believe in Him they would die in their sins. 11. Did He weep on any other occasion ? Yes, at the grave of Lazarus. He wept through compassion when He saw others weep. 12. Did He suffer anything from Satan ? Yes : He " suffered being tempted" (Heb. ii. 18). 13. Did He suffer anything from His disciples ? Yes : from their unbelief. 14. If'hat sufferings are particularly mentioned lit the Creed t Those He suffered under Pontius Pilate. 15. Is our faith particularly directed to these sufferings ? Yes. 16. Py whom ? By Himself (Matt. xvi. 21 ; xx. 18, 19). 17. Py whom in prophecy ? By David, in Psalm xxii. ; by Isaiah, in ch. liii. ; by Daniel ix. 26. 18. Py whom xoas our Lord betrayed .? By Judas. 19. Was this foretold in prophecy f Yes : in Zachariah xi. 12. 20. In what did our Lord^s betrayal consist 1 In Judas telling the chief priest where He could be found, that they might seize Him when alone in the absence of the mul- titude. 21. Did the thought of this oppress Him ? Yes (John xiii. 21). 22. How did the near prospect of His sufferings affect Him ? It wrung from Him His agony and bloody sweat. 23. What was the first indignity He endured 1 He was apprehended as if He had been a malefactor, with swords and staves (Matt. xxvi. 55). 24. Pef ore whom was our Lord first taken? Before Annas (John xviii. 13). 25. To whom did Annas send Him ? To Caiaphas (John xviii. 24), §4 SUFFERED VNDER PONTIUS PILATE, 26. What indignities and insults did He suffer in the hall of Caiaphas ? He was smitten and buffeted (John xviii. 22 ; Matthew xxvi. 67, 68. 27. jDid His friends and disciples stand by Him under all this ? No: they forsook Him (Matt. xxvi. 56). 28. How did the forefnost among them treat Him 1 He denied Him (Matt. xxvi. 70). 29. Before whom was He now taken 1 Before Pilate. 30. Why did not the chief priests punish Him 1 Because He must be delivered to the Gentiles. It was not lawful for the Jews to put any man to death (John xviii. 31). 31. 7o whom did Pilate sejid Him ? To Herod (Luke xxiii. 7). 32. What did He suffer before Herod ? Luke xxiii. 1 1. 33. To whom was He at last sent ? To Pilate. 34. What did He suffer before Pilate ! Scourging. 35. Was this expressly mentioned in prophecy .? Yes (Isaiah 1. 6). 36. What else did He suffer 1 He was crowned with thorns (John xix. 2). 37. What other indignity ? He was spit upon (Isaiah 1. 6). 38. And what was the end ? He was crucified. 39. Was this particular punishment foretold 1 Yes : the sufferings foretold in Psalm xxii. can be all endured together under no other form of death. 40. What are the sufferings described in this Psalm 1 They are the sufferings of one "lifted up " to die. 41. How is this 1 They are the sufferings of one who dies in public with his enemies raging around him (ver. 6, 7, 12, 13, 17). .42. What other sufferings are there depicted ? The sufferings of one who has his hands and feet pierced (ver. 17). 43. What other sufferings ? Of one whose bones are racked and stand out (ver. 14). 44. What suffering beside 1 Exhaustion and burning thirst (ver. 14, 15). 45. Would one dying of stoning complain thus ? No. 46. Would one dying in battle complain thus 1 No. 47. Or in prison 1 No. 48. Did our Lord bear His cross on the 7uay to His crucifixion ? At first He did (John xix. 17). 49. Was any type fulfilled by this J Yes : Isaac bearing the wood (Gen. xxii. 6). 50. Was any other type fulfilled in the death of our Lordl Yes : as the serpent was lifted up, so was He (John iii. 14)- 51. Under whom did He suffer crucifixion ? Under Pontius Pilate. TVAS CRUCIFIED. 8§ 52. Who was this Pontius Pilate f The Roman governor. 53. How came it that a foreign governor had power to order the crucifixion 1 Because the sceptre, i.e., the supreme power, had departed from Judah (Gen. xlix. 10). 54. Did he desire to crucify our Lord 1 No : he declared Him to be innocent (John xix. 6, 12). 55. Who then urged him to crucify Jesus ? The chief priests. 56. With what threat ? John xix. 12. 57. What then was Pilate's sin 1 Selfish cowardice and godless fear of men, 58. Why is Pilate'' s naf?ie mentioned in the Creed 1 To mark the time when our Lord suffered. 59. Afention in the ivords of the prophet Isaiah the purpose for which Christ died 1 To make His soul an offering for sin, and to bear the sin of many (Isaiah liii. lO, 12). 60. For what pirpose did He Himself say that His blood was to be shed ? For the remission of sins (Matt. xxvi. 28). 61. What other word is used respecting His death 1 That it is a propitiation (Rom. iii. 25 ; i John ii. 2). 62. What in the Epistle to the Hebrews is said of Christ'' s death ? That He was offered to bear the sins of many (ix. 28). 63. What are all these ways of speaking called ? They are called sacrificial. 64. Why^ Because they are the ways of speaking used throughout the Old Testament, to describe the benefits derived from the Jewish sacrifices. 65. What did the Je^vish sacrifices make ? Atonement. 66. What is atonement ? It is the act of making people at one. 67. What other name is cojisequently given to it 1 Reconciliation. 68. Show that the Jewish sacrifices made atonement. Exod. xxix. 36 ; Levit. i. 4 ; iv. 20. 69. Was there a real atonement through such sacrifices ? It is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins (Heb. x. 4). 70. Ho7a is their efficacy described 1 They only sanctified to the purifying of the flesh (Heb, ix. 13). 7 1 . What good did they do then 1 They restored the sinner to the congregation of Israel. 72. How is the effect of the blood of Christ described t It purges or purifies the conscience (Heb. ix, i^). 86 SUFFERED UNDER PONTIUS PILATE. 73. What is the blood of Christ said to do for us ? It is said to cleanse us (i John i. 7), to wash us from sin (Rev. i. 5). 74. What ts the meaning of all these ways of speaking ? They all mean that through the death of Christ, /. It is recorded that the Holy Ghost said, " Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them." (Acts xiii. 2.) (54-62) 29. Show that all absolvitig power comes f rain the Spirit. Our Saviour Himself, when He gave to the Apostles power to remit sins, gave it in connection with the Holy Ghost : " He breathed on them, and said unto them, ' Receive ye the Holy Ghost : whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them.' " (John xx. 22, 23.) 30. Show that all teaching power is the gift of the Spirit. Pastors and teachers are the gifts of Christ at His ascen- sion ; that is, when He sent down the Holy Ghost. (Eph. iv. 8-12.) Again, the spirit of wisdom and the spirit of knowledge are mentioned as the first of the gifts of the Spirit, (i Cor. xii. 8.) (54-62) 31. What are the gifts or works of the Holy Spirit on the individual soul ? It is through Him that we are regenerated in Holy Baptism, according to our Lord's words : " Except a man be born again (of water and of the Spirit) he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." (John iii. 3, 5.) Again, " By one Spirit are we all baptized into one body." (i Cor. xii. 1 3-) (63-70) 32. What IS thh Regeneratioti ? It is the gift of a principle of good from the Second Adam, to undo the principle of evil we have received from the first Adam. 33. But is this the first gift of the Holy Spirit ? It is the first, if, in our infancy, we were brought to Christian Baptism. If we have been brought up as heathen, we must first be converted to the Christian faith, which we cannot be without the Holy Spirit woik- in^ in us. \See particularly, for the action of the Holy Spirit before Baptism, Acts x. 47.] (63-70) 34. What is the next work of the Holy Spirit upon the Bap- tized? He is given to them to make them profit by Christian teaching and instruction. For instance. He shows us of the things of Christ, and brings to our remembrance Christ's words. (John xiv. 26 : i John ii. 20.) He sheds abroad the love of God in our hearts. (Rom. v. 5.) He helps our weakness in prayer. (Rom. viii. 26 ; Eph. vi. 18 j Ii8 THE HOLY GHOST. Jiide 20.) In a word, all that tends to the internal illumination and sanctification of the soul is His work. (71-78) 35. yaf^ what tune ought young Christians especially to look for and pray for the Spirit ? At Confirmation. (Acts viii. 17 ; Acts xix. 6.) (79, 80) 36. What other most important work of the Holy Spij^it must follow up His gift in Confrmation ? He must feed us in Holy Communion with the body and blood of Christ, for it is through Him that the elements are consecrated ; and through Him we"so eat the flesh and drink the blood of the Son of Man, that our sinful bodies are made clean by His Body, and our souls washed through His most precious Blood." (81-87) 37. But have you not omitted one work which is often con- sidered His one work, i. e., His work in conversion ? Yes ; I purposely omitted it, because they who have received grace in Baptism, and have been brought up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, ought not to need conversion. 38. What is conversion f Conversion is turning from sin, and turning to God ; and men are not to fall into sin and forsake God, in order that they may be afterwards turned or converted. (88, 89) 39. But if they do thus turn froj?i God, is not conversio?i a needful work of the Spirit f Unquestionably ; conversion, or rather, the repentance unto life which includes it, and of which it is but a part, is, of course, a work of the Spirit. (88-90) 40. What are the fruits of the Spirit f " The fruits of the Spirit are love, joy, peace, long-sufTcring, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance." (Gal. v. 22.) And again — " The fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, and righteousness, and truth." (Eph. V. 9.) (93-95) 41. What will be the last and crowning work of the Holy Ghost ? He will raise up our bodies at the last day. (Rom. viii. II.) 42. What does our Saviour call the Holy Spirit ? The promise of the Father. (St. Luke xxiv. 49.) (96-100) 43. Where was He promised ? All through the Old Testament (Pro v. i. 23 ; Isa. xliv. THE HOLY GHOST. 119 3 ; Ezek. xxxvi. 27 ; Joel ii. 28) ; and especially by our Lord : " He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you for ever." (John xiv. 16.) 44. But was 7tpt He given all through the Dispensation oj the Old Testament f Not for the same wonderful purposes of grace for which He has been given under the New. 45. Whe7i was the Holy Spirit given i7i fulfilment of these promises f On the day of Pentecost. (105-109) 46. Is the Holy Ghost still given f Yes : He is given when He comes with His illuminating and sanctifying grace into each particular soul. (95-100) 47. Does the Holy Spirit always continue in those to whom He has been once given ? We dare not say so, with all the solemn warnings in Scripture respecting grieving (Eph. iv. 30), resisting (Acts vii. 51), quenching (i Thess. v. 19), doing despite to (Heb. X. 29) the Spirit ; and especially since God has taught us to pray, " Take not Thy Holy Spirit from us " (Psalm h. 11). (101-104) 48. Is this grievifig the Holy Spirit the same as the un- pardonable sin ? No. The sin against the Holy Ghost seems to be the ascribing the works of Christ to the power of the devil. (Mark iii. 29, 30.) (110-114) 49. In what measure is the Ho.ly Spirit given to the Church ? In most abundant measure. (Tit. iii. 6.) All the bap- tized are throughout the New Testament addressed as, in some sort, partakers of the Spirit, and so responsible for God's grace. 50. Do the Apostles seem to regard such an idea as dangerous ? No ; on the contrary, they always assume that there is danger lest men forget that God has given to them some gift of His Spirit : in fact, lest they forget their dedication to God by His Spirit in Holy Baptism. [See especially i Cor. vi. 19 : " Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you ?" Also, Eph. iv. 30 ; i Thess. iv. 7, 8 ; 2 Peter i. 9,] (1 1 5-1 18) I2C. THE HOLY GHOST. SHORTER CATECHISM. 1. In Whom do you next profess your belief 1 I believe in the Holy Ghost, 2. What does the word " Ghost'''' mean 1 Spirit. 3. Who is the Holy Ghost ? The Third Person in the Trinity. 4. What do you believe respecting Him ? I believe that He is the Lord. 5. Where do you cofifess this / In the Nicene Creed, when I say, *'I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord [and giver of Life"], 6. What else do you confess thai you believe respecting Hi??t 7 That He is " the Giver of Life." 7. But is not God both ^^ the Lord " and *^ the Giver of Life ?" The Holy Ghost is God. 8. How do yoti prove this from Scripture! Because He is called God in the place where Ananias, who lied to the Holy Ghost, is said to have lied to God (Acts v. 3, 4). 9. What further proof 1 He is called the Lord {2 Cor, iii. 17). 10. How besides can you show that He is God ? We are dedicated to Him in Holy Baptism. 11. How is this? Because we are then baptized into His Name. 12. What are we then made t His temples. 13. And because of this what are we ? The temples of God (i Cor. iii, 16). 14. Of what life is He especially the giver 1 Of Spiritual life. 15. Of w fiat life does He make us to partake 1 Of the Life of God and of Christ. 16. Is the Holy Spirit a Son of God? No : God has one only begotten Son. 17. How then does He exist ? He proceeds from the Father and from the Son. 18. Do you knozv what this procession is ? No: it is one of the deepest things of God, 19. Why then do you use a word which you do not understand t Because it is the word used in Scripture. 20. From Whom does the Spirit proceed ? From the Father and the Son. 21. Did Christ ever do a thing which seems to show that the Holy Spirit proceeds frotfi Him 1 Yes : when He breathed on the disciples and said, *' Receive ye the Holy Ghost " (John xx. 22). THE HOLY GHOST. 22. Of Whom is the Holy Ghost called the. Spirit ? He is called the Spirit of Christ as well as of God. 23. Where J Particulariy in Gal. iv. 6, and i Pet. i. 11. 24. Did the Holy Spirit ever become incarnate ? No. 25. Was He ever seen ? Yes : He was seen in a bodily shape like a dove when our Lord was baptized (Luke iii. 22). 26. Why did He assume a bodily shape ? To show that He was given to our Lord in all His fulness. 27. Why did He assume this particular form of a dovel Because He is the Spirit of love, and of meekness and gentle- ness (Gal. V. 22, 23}. 28. Is He a separate person in the Godhead "i Yes. 29. What proof is there of this ? Our Lord calls Him "another Comforter" (John xiv. 16). 30. Can you give any other proof 1 Yes : we are baptized into His Name, and so dedicated to Him. 31. Hoav does this show that He is a person ? We cannot be baptized into the name of a lifeless thing 01 dedicated to an unthinking thing. 32. If the Holy Ghost be the *' Giver of LifCy^ what do we receive from Him ? Life. 33. What life ? The life of the soul, or spiritual life. 34. In what does this life consist ? In holiness and righteousness. 35. From what death then does He deliver us ? From the death of sin. 36. What is to be made holy called ? To be sanctified. 37. What does the Holy Spirit give us to make us holy ? Life from Christ (Colos. iii. 4). 38. Where is mention first made of the Holy Spirit J In the very beginning of the Bible we read, *' The Spirit ol God moved upon the face of the waters." 39. Of what has this been always considered a type ? Of His work in Holy Baptism. 40. Was this work in creatioti His greatest work ? No. 41. What was the greatest work of the Spirit. The Incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ. 42. Did He bring this about ? Yes : so we read in the first page of the New Testament (Matt. i. 20). 43. Do we confess that we believe this f Yes : when we say that we believe that our Lord was "con- ceived by the Holy Ghost." 44. Was then the work of the Holy Spirit necessary to our Redemption f Yes : to every part of it. 122 THE HOLY GHOST. 45. Did then the Holy Ghost redeem us ? No : but He enabled our Saviour to redeem us. 46. Hoza did He do this ? It was by Him that our Saviour was anointed to be our Pro- phet, Priest, and King. 47. Why did our Saviour leave this world ? He tells us that it was that the Comforter, i.e., the Holy Ghost, might come (John xvi. 7), 48. What do we gather froin this f The exceeding value of the gift of the Holy Ghost. 49. What great gift do we owe to the Holy Spirit J The Holy Scriptures. 50. Do we ever con/ess this in our Creed ? Yes : whenwe say that the HolyGhost "spakeby the Prophets." 51. What is the gift by which men were enabled to write the Scriptures called i It is called Inspiration. **A11 Scripture," the Apostle says, "is given by Inspiration of God" (2 Tim. iii. 16). 52. Hoiu is this Inspiration described by one who felt it 1 Holy men spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost (2 Peter i. 21). 53. For what purpose were the inspired writers moved by the Holy Ghost i To make men wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus (2 Tim. iii. 15). 54. What other gift do we o^tue to the Holy Spirit ? The ministry of the Church. 55. ShocU this from Scripture .? St, Paul tells us that Apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers, are His gifts (Eph. iv. 11). 56. Does he anyivhere else teach ns the same ? Yes : when he speaks to the Ephesian elders as having been made overseers over the flock of Christ by the Holy Ghost (Acts XX. 28), $7. By whom taas St. Fatil called to the ministry ? By the Holy Ghost (Acts xiii. 2). 58. By what was he set apart to the ministry ? By the laying on of hands — in ordination (Acts xiii. 3). 59. What is given by the laying on of hands in ordination ? Gifts of the Spirit, to enable ministers to work the work of Christ. 60. What is the duty of ministers in respect of these gifts ? To stir up by prayer the gift of God given tliem in ordination (2 Tim i. 6). 61. How must ministers keep this gift .? By the same Holy Spirit (2 Tim. i. 14). THE HOLY GHOST. 123 62. IVhat then is our especial duty as regards the ministers of Chrisfs Church i To pray for them. 63. When were you baptized 1 When I was an infant. 64. What were you then made ? A member of Christ. 65. Who made you a member of Christ 1 The Holy Spirit. 66. How do you knozv this 1 Because I read, " By one Spirit are we all baptized into one body" (l Cor. xii. 13). 67. Did you then receive the Holy Spirit in Baptism ? Yes. 68. How do yo7i know this? From Acts ii. 38, 39. 69. How besides ? All baptized Christians are throughout the Scriptures assumed to have had the Spirit given to them. 70. But if they do not live as Christians^ is it not a sign that i/iey have never had the Spirit ? No : it is rather a sign that they are grieving and quenching Him. 71. /r the Holy Spirit only given you in Baptism ? No : I am taught by the Church to pray that I may"daily be renewed by God's Holy Spirit"(Collect for Christmas Day). 72. Ho7u does He renew us 1 By striving with us (Gen. vi. 3). 73. How besides ? By convincing or convicting us of sin (John xvi. 9). 74. Hozv besides ? By showing to us the things of Christ, such as His Incarna- tion and Sacrifice for sin (John xvi. 14). 75. Ho7a besides ? By shedding abi'oad the love of God in our hearts (Rom. v. 5). 76. When do we especially pray for this ? In the Collect for purity (Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the Inspiration of thy Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love Thee). 77. What other blessings do we receive from Him ? Comfort. He is often called the Comforter. 78. What other blessing 'i Help in prayer (Eph. vi, 18). 79. What par tiadar rite was ordained that in it we might receive the Holy Spirit 1 Confirmation, or the laying on of hands. 80. What then should we do when we are prepari7tg to be co?tfrmed? We should pray very earnestly that we may receive God's Holy Spirit when we are confirmed. 81. Can we receive the Holy Communion to our salvation without the Holy Spirit 1 No. 82. What does He do for us in the Holy Communion ? He prepares us to receive it aright, i.e., in faith and prayer. 124 THE HOLY GHOST. 83. What besides 1 He feeds us with the body and blood of Christ in it. 84. What besides 1 He consecrates the elements so that through them we partake of the Body and Blood of Christ, 85. Does the Church teach this 1 Yes : when she says that we "spiritually eat the flesh of Christ." 86. What does ^^spiritually " mean ? By the power and grace of God's Holy Spirit. 87. Give then, in one tvord, lohat the Spirit enables us to do ? He enables us to "discern the Lord's body " i Cor. xi. 29). 88. I/zve fall into sin or forgetfulness of God, is there any work of the Spirit of God yet granted to us ? Yes : He sometimes renews us by repentance. 89. Is repetitance His gift ? Yes : our Saviour says that He convinces or convicts men of sin. 90. Can wilful sinners coicnt upon His renewing them to repentance f No. 91. By Whom do zue come to God? By the Spirit, through the Son (Eph. ii. 18). 92. What wonderful knowledge do we receive through the Spirit ? We know ' ' the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him. The things which are freely given to us of God " (I Cor, ii. 9, 12). 93. What are the gifts of the Spirit ? I Cor, xii. 8, 9, 10. 94. What are the fruits of the Spirit ? Gal. v. 22. 95. What promise does Christ give respecting the Holy Spirit ? That God will give Him to them that ask for Him (Luke xi. 13). 96. Do we in Church claim from Christ the fulfilment of this pro- mise ? Yes ; very often. 97. Mention one place. When we say Amen to the prayer at the end of the Absolution : "Wherefore let us beseech Him to grant us true repentance and His Holy Spirit." 98. Mention a7iother. When we pray God in the Litany to "endue us with the grace of His Holy Spirit to amend our lives according to His Holy Word," 99. Mention another. In the Prayer for the clergy and people. ICX). Mention another. The Collect for purity at the beginning of the Communion Service THE HOLY GHOST. loi. What prayer respecting the abiding of God's Spirit in us are wt taught to use 1 Take not thy Holy Spirit from us. 1 02. Where is this prayer to be found 1 In the 51st Psalm. 103. Are we taught in Scripture that we can resist Gods Spirit 1 Yes ; very often (Acts vii. 51 ; Eph. iv. 30), 104. What does God say respecting this 1 My Spirit shall not always strive (Gen. vi. 3). 105. When was the Holy Spirit sent down ? On the day of Pentecost. 106. What was the sign of His presence ? Cloven tongues as of fire sat upon the Apostles (Acts ii. 3, 4). 107. What wondrous gi/t did He besto7V tcpon them .^ The gift of tongues. 108. What prophecies were fdfilled on that day ? Psalm Ixviii. 18 ; Joel ii. 28. 109. What fruits of His immediately appeared in men^s lives ? Acts ii. 44-47. 1 10. Is there any sin which cannot be forgive7i ? Yes : the sin against the Holy Ghost, or the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost. 111. What is this sin ? It is ascribing the works of the Spirit of God to the spirit of evil. 112. Who committed it, or were in danger of doing so 1 Mark iii. 29, 30. 113. Does not Satan tempt religious persons to fear that tJiey have committed this sin ? Yes : very often. 1 14. What is a sign that they have not 1 Their desire for foi-giveness, or their deep concern for having sinned at all. 115. Is the Holy Spirit given to only afe^u in the Church, or to all? The Scripture says, The manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal (i Cor. xii. 7). 116. Is IMS' stated but once 1 No : it is repeatedly stated. *'\Ve have been all made to drink into one Spirit" (i Cor. xii. 13 ; Tit. iii. 6). 117. What then should we all consider ourselves? We should consider ourselves as each one of us answerable for some degree of grace (Matt. xxv. 15). 1 18. And 7^'hat should wc do in the pace of this 1 We should " Work out our salvation with fear and tremblings for it is God that worketh in us " (Phil. ii. 13). m6 the holy catholic church SECTION XXVII.--THE HOLY CATHOLIC CHURCH. 1. In what do you next profess yow belief? In the Holy Catholic Church. 2. Why does this profession co?ne next to that of your faith in the Holy Ghost ? Because the formation of the Holy Catholic Church was the first work of the Holy Spirit when He was sent down from heaven. 3. What is the word used in the New Testament for this word Church, and what does it mean ? It is " Ecclesia," and simply means any assembly called out for some particular purpose. 4. Is this an appropriate natne for the Christian body of believers ? Yes ; because the Church was originally called out of the world, and its members have always, at their entrance into the Church, renounced all that is evil in the world. 5. What is the Holy Catholic Church ? A body or society of persons united under Christ as their head. [" Head over all things to the Church, which is His body." (Eph. i. 22.) " We, being many, are one body in Christ." (Rom. xii. 5.) " Ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular." (i Cor. xii. 27.)] (1-5) 6. What is this body sometimes called ? It is called Christ's mystical body, to show that all the members are united to the Head, and to one another, not by a natural, but by a supernatural or mysterious union. (Eph. V. 30-33.) (6-10) 7. What other name is given by our Lord to the Church ? He calls it the kingdom of God when He says, " Ex- cept a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God ;" and when \\\ various parables He likens it to a field in which the Son of Man sowed good seed, to a grain of mustard-seed, and to a net cast into the sea, and gathering of every kind. (Matt. xiii. 24, 3 1; 47.) (10, II, 14, 15) THE HOLY CATHOLIC CHURCH. 127 8. Is any other figure used to describe the Church ? Yes : it is called the house of God, having as its stones men and women who believe in Christ, (i Tim. iii. 15 ; I Peter ii. 5.) 9. Does our Lord ever use this figure ? Yes ; when He says, " Upon this rock {i. e., the belief that He is the Christ, the Son of the living God) I will build my ChMxch.:' (Matt. xvi. 18.) 10. What similitude does our Lord use to teach us the nature of His Church ? He describes it as a vine, of which He is the trunk or stem, and His people the branches. (John xv. i.) (12, 13) 11. You say that you believe in the Holy Catholic Church : what do you mean by Catholic ? I mean universal, for it is designed by God to gather into itself all nations (Matt, xxviii. 19), as distinguished from the Jewish Church, which was intended for but one nation. 1 2. Do not some say that there are two Catholic Churches^ a visible atid an invisible ? If they so speak, they go contrary to every accoufit of the Church which we have in Scripture. 13. Show that the descriptions of the Church which we have in Scripture teach us that it must be, by its very nature, a visible body. When the Holy Spirit by St. Paul describes it as a body, He implies that it is, by its very nature, a visible organization ; for it is the nature of a body to be visible, as it is the nature of a spirit to be invisible. [The figure of the kingdom teaches the same ; for it is the nature of a kingdom to be visible in the king, and the officers under him, and the people. A " house " also is built of visible stones, and so the " house of God," the Church, is composed of visible men.] 14. What has led men to say that there are two Churches, the visible and the invisible ? The fact that the Church contains both godly and un- godly members. Men cannot understand that the Church of Christ should be thus a mixed body, and so they imagine an invisible Church containing only the good. (14-21) 15. /$• this Scriptural? No : our Lord speaks of HLs Church, or Kingdom, as a 128 THE HOLY CATHOLIC CHURCH. net cast into the sea, and gathering of every kind, good and bad, and not to be separated till tlie end ; and He also compares it to a vine on some branches of which there is no fruit, which God will in time cast away. (20-27) 16. Mention another proof . The Apostles write their Epistles to members of the One Church. They remind all to whom they write that they have all been grafted into this one body ; and yet they warn some as being in danger of falhng from Christ. (Rom. xi. 17-22 ; i Cor. vi. 19, 20 ; x. i-io.) 1 7. What then would you say of Christians who fall into sin ? That they are unhealthy members of the one Body ; unfruitful branches of the one Vine ; self-willed subjects of the one kingdom ; and so are in danger of being cut off. (John XV. 2, 6 ; Rom. xi. 22.) (26-28) 18. Would you deny theni, then, to be inembers of the true Church ? No ; I should rather deny that they are true members of the Church. 19. But is it not dangerous to teach that the Church is a mixed body ? No ; it cannot be dangerous, because it is the teaching invariably adopted by Christ and His apostles. 20. But will not careless persons deem themselves secure if they are taught that Jiey are, or have bee?i, in the Holy Catholic Church ? Not if they are taught what Christ teaches when He says, " Every branch in me that beareth not fruit, God taketh away.'' (John xv. 2.) 21. Had the Apostles any fear of teaching all professing Christians that they were in the Church ? No ; so far frcm this, they seemed afraid lest professing Christians should forget it, and so forget the obligations to be holy under which they were by being members of the Church. 22. Why is the Church called Holy ? The Church is called Holy because she is sanctified by the merits of Christ, applied to her through the sacra- ments, and because of the perpetual presence of the Holy Spirit within her. " Christ loved the Church, and gave Himself for her'; that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the vi^ashing of water by the word." (Eph. v. 26. Also I Cor. X. 16. 17 ; xii. 12, 13.) (28-34) 23. Give an accoimt of the founding of the Church, THE rrOLY CATHOLIC CHURCH. 129 " Then (/, ^., on the Day of Pentecost), they that gladly received his (St. Peter's) word were baptized, and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls ; and they continued steadfastly in the Apostles' doctrine, and in (their) fellowship, and in (the) breaking of bread, and in (the) prayers." (Acts ii. 41.) (35-42) 24. What are the marks of the Church here inentio7ied ? Four — 1. Receiving, and continuing in, the Apostles' doctrine. 2. Abiding in the Apostles' fellowship. 3. Receiving the two Sacraments of Baptism and Holy Communion. 4. Continuing steadfastly in (the) prayers. 25. What is the doctrine of the Apostles ? The doctrine or teachihg of the Incarnation, and Birth, Life, Death, Burial, Resurrection, and Ascension of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, together with the sending of the Holy Ghost, the setting up of the Church, and the institu- tion of the Sacraments, and other means of grace. (43-54) 26. What form did this doctrine of the Apostles take f Invariably the historical form, as it is embodied in the Creeds. (50-53) 27. How do we know that the doctrine of the Apostles took thisfor7n ? Because it appears in this form in the sermons of St. Peter and St. Paul (Acts ii. and xiii.) ; and because when St. Paul mentions in any place of his Epistles the " Gospel " which he preached, we find that it is always expressed in almost the very words of some article of the Creed. 28. Have we any other proof ? Yes ; we gather from Luke i. 3, 4, that the earliest Christians were instructed in such records as those ot St. Luke's Gospel, i. e., in historical accounts of the Birth, Life, Miracles, Sufferings, Crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus. [It seems to be a particular mark of the Church, as distinguished from non-Cathohc bodies, to set forth this form of doctrine. The most corrupt branches (or those which we account the most corrupt) adhere to it ; whilst even established non-Catholic bodies, such as the Kirk of Scotland, have thrust it aside for some, in their eyes, more evangelical form. The doctrine of the Apostles, in its historical form, is the basis of the Church year, which K 130 THE HOLY CATHOLIC CHURCH. all Catholic bodies instinctively adhere to, and which the sects as instinctively repudiate.] 29. But was not Justification by faith the leading truth which constituted the apostolic Gospel or teaching ? No ; it was impossible that it should have been so. Faith, by its very nature, must have some object, that is, some person, or fact or truth on which to rest ; and that object was always the person of Christ, as set forth in the Evangelical narrative. 30. But did not the Apostles, before all things, call on men to rest on the finished work of Christ? No ; we have no instance of their preaching taking any such form ; whereas we have multitudes of instances of their preaching taking the form in which it is now en- shrined in the Creed. 31. What is the Apostles'' fellowship f It is the union of Christians in one body or organiza- tion, under the direction and government of the Apostles. (54-58) 32. But were not the Apostles removed by death ? Yes ; but the Saviour had promised that He would be with them " alway, even unto the end of the world ;" that is, He would be with those who would take their place in the superintendence of the Church. (Matt, xxviii. 20.) 33. What form did the fellowship of the Apostles assume? That of an organized body, in which the Apostles and ministers appomted by them were the means by which the whole body was joined to the Head. 34. Where do we read this ? In the words of St. Paul. " The Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment minis- tered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God." (Col. ii. 19.) {See also "the Vine and the branches " in John xv. 1-6.) 35. What were these joints and bands ? Evidently the Apostles and other ministers of the Church. (Eph. iv. 11-17.) (60-62) 36. What kind of goveriimejit was the Apostolic ? It was episcopal ; for the various Christian congrega- tions were not independent of one another, and did not govern one another ; but were governed by the Apostles, being, to the very end of the New Testament times, under their oversight. (62-67) THE HOLY CATHOLIC CHURCH. 131 37. Have we atiy proof that this was to coiitiiiuc ? Yes : the Apostles, when they died, committed the over- sight of the Church, not to synods or committees, but to individuals, who succeeded them in all their powers of teaching, superintending, and ordaining. (62-67) 38. Was there any other siiperintejidence of the Church ? No : there was no other for above fifteen hundred years. (68-71) 39. What other mark of the Church have we ? The reception of Sacraments. Baptism : " They that gladly received His word were baptized " ; and the Lord's Supper : " They continued steadfastly in. . .the breaking of bread." (Acts ii. 41, 42.) 40. Whe7i does our Lord ordam Baptis??i as the entrajtce ijito His Church ? When He says, " Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." (John iii. 5.) (43-45) 41. Why must He here allude to Baptism f Because when by His authority His Church or kingdom was actually set up on the day of Pentecost, men were introduced into it by Baptism. [Again (i Cor. xii. 13), " By one Spirit we are all bap- tized into one body ;" (Eph. v. 26), " Christ sanctifies and cleanses His Church with the washing of water by the word"] 42. What Sacramejit besides Baptism did the Pentecostal Christians receive ? The Holy Communion, or, as it is there called, " The Breaking of Bread." (72-74) 43. Had Christ ever promised that this should be a means of union with Himself? Yes ; where He said, " He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him." (John vi. 56.) (75-79) 44. Whe7i did He address the disciples as thus in Him ? Not till He had given to them His Body and Blood in Holy Communion ; then He addressed them as in Plim- self the true vine. (John xv. 4, 5, 7.) 45. Have we any further proof that Holy Communio7i is the fneans of our conti^iuing in the body of Christ ? Yes : " We being many are one bread, and one body (the body of Christ) : for we are all partakers of that one bread." (i Cor. x. 17.) (75-79) J32 THE BOLV CATHOLIC CHUkCH. 46. What is the fourth mark of the Church ? They continued steadfastly in " the prayers," i. e., the pubhc prayers of the Church. (80-83) 47. Has the Church always ordained public prayers ? Yes ; she has always had (at least) the weekly celebra- tion of the Eucharist, and she has always enjoined daily prayers. 48. Has the Church always used the same prayers f The Catholic Church has always used certain prayers (with others, of course), such as the Lord's Prayer, cer tain hymns found in Scripture, and the entire Psalter, anf above all, certain acts of devotion common to all her Com- munion offices, such as the Sursum Corda, the angelic Hymn (Holy, Holy, Holy), and the repetition of our Lord's words in the prayer of Consecration in the Eucha- rist. (82-85) 49. Has the Church Catholic any one visible head on earth ? No : her Head is in Heaven. " God hath given Him (Christ) to be Head over all things to the Church which is His body." (Ephes. i. 22, 23.) (88) 50. But must not a visible body have a visible Head? No : the Head may be concealed for a while, just as the Head of a kingdom may be hidden from the gaze of men, and yet order all in the kingdom. (88-92) 51. You said that the Church must be, by its very nature^ a visible body ; are then all its members visible? No : by far the greater part are invisible to us, because they are in the unseen state. 52. But are these to be reckoned as part of the Church ? Yes. The Apostle writes to Christians, members of the visible Church : " Ye are come to Mount Zion, the city of the living God . . . and to the spirits of just men made perfect." (Heb. xii. 22.) 53. What do you gather front this? I gather that, if the Church have the greater part of her members now in the unseen state, she may also have a Head Who, as yet, withdraws Himself from our sight, though He is present in spirit and in power. 54. Do the Apostles ever recognise one of their number as the visible head of the Church, so that all Christians must have fellowship with him, if they are to have fellowship with the Head? No j there is not the smallest trace of such an opinion THE HOLY CATHOLIC CHURCH. 133 in their writings, or in the writings of any of the early fathers of the Church. (94-97) 55. Do the Scripture writers ever recognise any local Church — as^ for instance, the Church of Rome — as having a right tv impose its name or decrees on the whole Church ? No ; they recognise no such authority in any Church. If any Church could have had such authority, it would have been the Church of Jerusalem, for this Church was first founded by the Apostles, 56. C««, then, the Church of Rome be called the mother and mistress of all Churches ? No ; in no sense consistent with the teaching of Scrip- ture or history can she be so called. (97, 98) 57. What branch of the Catholic Church furnishes to us English Christians the 7neans of unioft with the Holy Catholic Church ? The Church of England. (100) 58. Has she the same outward marks of the Church as the Church of the Apostolic times f Yes ; all of them. (loi) 59. Show that she continues steadfastly in the Apostles^ doctrine. She continues steadfastly in the Apostles' doctrine or teaching, for she sets forth with the utmost prominence the objective facts of the Incarnation, Life, Death, Resur- rection, and Ascension of the Eternal Son. (102-106) 60. How does she continue in the Apostolic fellowship ? She is governed by a ministry derived by succession from the Apostolic, as writers of the Roman obedience even have allowed. (107, 108) 61. Does she co7itinue in " the breaking of Bread,'''' and in the Prayers ? Yes ; she ordains an Eucharistic service for each Sunday and holiday, and she imposes the offering of daily prayers on all her ministers, and in her Communion and other offices she has retained all the leading features of the most ancient services. (109-1 15) 62. hi all this account of the Church and her privileges^ do you not put the Church into the place of Christ ? No, not for a moment ; for if the promise of Christ yet holds good. He is with His Church in all which she ministers in His name. 134 THE HOLY CATHOLIC CHURCH [" Lo I am with you alway." (Mat. xxviii. 20.) Also Mat. xviii. 20 ; 2 Cor. ii. 10 ; Heb. xii. 22, 24 ; Rev. i. 13.] 63. Show this more fully. It is He Who baptizes by the hands of His ministers when they baptize. (John iv. i, 2.) It is He Who ratifies their absolutions. (2 Cor. ii. 10.) It is He Who feeds us through their hands with His Body and Blood. (Matt. xiv. 19, comp. with I Cor. x. 16.) 64. VVhat, the?i, will keep us from putting the Church and her sacraments into the place of Christ? Striving with all faith and prayer to realize that the promises of Christ still hold good, that He is ever with, and in, His Church by His Spirit. 65. But do we not put the ministers of the Church in some sense between ourselves and Christ ? We have not put them, but Christ has when He said, " As my Father sent me, so send I you ; whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them " (John xx. 21) ; and when His Spirit inspires St. Paul to say, "We are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us." (2 Cor. v. 20.) 66. In what sense the7t are ministers between us and Christ f In the sense in which a nerve is between the head and any limb of our bodies, according to the Holy Spirit's own illustration : " The Head, from which the whole body by joints and bands [i. e., by its nerves and arteries] having nourishment ministered, and knit together, in- creaseth with the increase of God." (Col. ii. 19.) SHORTER CATECHISM. 1. What is the next article of your Christian faith ? I believe in ... . the Holy Catholic Church. 2. What have you to do with the Holy Catholic Church ? I was grafted into it when I was baptized. [Seeing now, dearly beloved, that this child is ... . grafted into the body of Christ's Church.] 3. But were you not f?iade in baptism a member of Christ? Yes : because Christ is the Head of the Church, and we are members of His body. THE HOLY CATHOLIC CHURCH. 135 4. Because then you were made a vieinber of the Churchy you were made a member of Christ 1 Rather, by being made a member of Christ I was made a member of the Church. 5. Of what is the Church composed "i Of men, women, and children, who are baptized into Christ and continue to believe in Him. 6. The Churchy then, is not Chrisfs nattcral body ? No : His natural body is at the right hand of God. 7. Why then is it called His body at all ? Because as each of our bodies is joined to its head, and directed and guided by its head, so is the Church in and under Christ. 8. Can we understand the way in which the members of the Church arc all joined in one body to Christ ? No : they are joined in some mysterious way far above our comprehension. 9. What is the Church called because of this, its mysterious nature^ Christ's mystical body. 10. What does our Lord call His Church ? The kingdom of Heaven. The kingdom of God. * 11. Why] Because it is under Him as its King. 12. To what does our Lord compare Llimself and His Church t To a vine and its branches (John xv. i-io). 13. Why does He use this figure] To show us that as the branches are joined to the vine, so is His Church joined to Him. 14. Wheji our Lord likens His Church to a kingdom, does He mean that all the people in it will be His faithftl subjects ] No: He particularly warns us to the contrary. 15. Where does He so warn us ? When He compares His Church to a net cast into the sea, and gathering good and bad fish (Matt. xiii. 47). 16. Where besides does He warn tis of this ? When He compares His Church or Kingdom to a field sown with wheat and tares (Matt. xiii. 24). 17. When our Lord likens His Church to a vine and its branches , does He mean that all the branches arefruitficl ? No: He says "every branch in me that beareth not fruit, God taketh away" (John xv. 2). 18. Has Christ then two kingdo?ns, one of good only, the other of good and bad ? No : He Himself tells us that His kingdom is mixed, con- taining good and bad. 19. Can there be two vines — one of fruitful branches, the other ofun- fruitful ] 136 THE HOLY CATHOLIC CHURCH. No : He tells us that there are both sorts of branches in the one Vine. 20. Are there two bodies ? No : The Spirit says, "There is one body" (Eph. iv. 4). 21. Are there two or viore Catholic Churches 1 No : Christ speaks of but one Church, one Vine, one Kingdom. 22. What then mtist the Church be ? It must be visible. 23. IVhy? Because it ir. of the very nature of an organized body to be visible. 24. Is it right to call the good members {true believers) the invisible Church 1 No. 25. Whyl Because by so doing we deny what Christ Himself says about His Church (that it is a mixed body). 26. Will all that are iti the Church be saved at last ? No. 27. Who will be saved 1 Only those who make their calling and election sure (2 Peter i. 10). 28. Are all the viembers of the Church called^ Yes ;' throughout the New Testament all the members of the Church are addressed as called. 29. What are they called to be ? Holy (i Peter i. 15). 30. Are all the members of the Church truly holy 1 No. 31. Why not? Because they do not walk worthy of the calling wherewith they are called (Eph. iv. 1-4). 32. In what sense then is the Catholic Church holy ? Because Christ, her Head, is holy, and because all her members are dedicated to God. 33. In what other sense ? Because she possesses all the means of making men truly holy. 34. What are these means 1 The Word of God and the Sacraments. 35. When was the Church foimded or set up 1 On the day of Pentecost. 36. What day do we commonly call that ? "Whitsunday. 37. Why is it called Pentecost ? Because it is the fiftieth day after Easter. Pentecost meaning fifty. 38. By whom was the Church founded? By Christ, through the Holy Spirit. 39. Were any men employed as instruments ? Yes : the Apostles. 40. By what were men called into the Church t By the preaching of the Apostles. THE HOLY CATHOLIC CHURCH. 137 4 1 . What was the especial subject of their preaching ? Salvation by Christ the Son of God. 42. Had Christ ever promised that His Chirch should be built on this ? Yes : when He says, " on this rock {i.e., the confession that I am the Christ, the Son of the living God) I will build my Church" (Matt. xvi. 18). 43. By what were those who obeyed this calling admitted into the Church ? By Baptism. 44. Whyl Because Christ had said, "Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God " (John iii. 5). 45. Had Christ said anything else about the necessity of Baptism ? Yes: His last words were, "Go ye and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Qhost " (Matt, xxviii. 19). 46. Did those who were baptized receive further instruction ? Yes. 47. How do you know this ? They continued steadfastly in the Apostles' doctrine. 48. JVhat was the Apostles^ doctrine about 1 About Jesus Christ. 49. What respecting Him 1 His Godhead, Incarnation, Life, Death, Resurrection, Ascen- sion, and His sending the Holy Ghost. 50. What then would this teaching most resemble ? The articles of the Creed. 51. But were they only taught the bare facts "i No : they were taught, of course, how all these facts had to do with our salvation. 52. But was not the Apostles' doctrine the Gospel ? Yes : and so it mainly consisted of such teaching respecting Christ as we find in the four Gospels (see also i Cor. xv. 1-6). 53. But was not the Apostles^ teaching principally about faith 1 No, certainly not ; it was all about the Person Jesus Christ, in Whom we are to have faith. 54. Were those persons who thus continued in the Apostles'' doctrine under any ride or guidance ? Yes : they continued steadfastly in the Apostles' fellowship. 55. What does this mean ? It means that they did not split up into many independent bodies, but all continued in the same society. 56. Who were at the head of this society? The Apostles. 57. Were some under one Apostle and some under another? No : the Apostles all acted together as one man. 58. Did the Apostles always continue in Jerusalem ? No. 138 THE HOL V CA THOLIC CHURCH. 59. Under whotn did the first Christians in Jertisaletn contt?me after their departure ifi their fellowship ? They continued under the presidency of St. James, the first Bishop of Jerusalem. 60. But were there not Christians soon in all parts of the world? Yes. 61. IVere these all in one fellowship ? Yes : they all continued under the control and oversight of the Apostle who converted them. 62. Give instances. The Galatian, Ephesian, Philippian, and Thessalonian Chris- tians continued in the fellowship and under the oversight of St. Paul as long as he lived. 63. When he died did this fellozuship continue ? Yes : after his death the Christians converted by him con- tinued under the control of the men whom he appointed. 64. Did the other Apostles take the same means to continne this fellow- ship as St. Paul did? Yes : history tells us that they did. 65. Why should the Apostles take steps to continue this oversight even after thetr deaths, and not leave the Churches to goverji themselves as they pleased ? Because they believed that God intended the Church to be one body or society, and not many different bodies or sects. 66. But would it not have beeri sufjiciejit if they had all believed the same things ? No : the Holy Spirit tells us that there is one body as well as one spirit and one faith (Eph. iv. 4). 67. What does that mean ? That there is one outward society or organization as well as one inward belief. 68. Has this oversight and fellowship continued to our times ? Yes. 69. Have we reason from our Lord's words to believe that it tuill con- tinue to the end ? Yes : He said to the Apostles when He gave them their com- mission to baptize and to teach, " Lo I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world" (Matt, xxviii. 20). 70. But did He not foresee when He said this that the Apostles zvould be removed by death long before His second coming 1 Yes : and so His words mean that He will be with those who take their places till He returns. 71. What order of ministers has the Church always considered to be in the place of the Apostles ? The Bishops of the Catholic Church. 72. What Sacrament besides Baptism did the members of the earliest Church receive ? The Lord's Supper, or Holy Communion. THE HOLY CATHOLIC CHURCH. 73. What is it here called ? The breaking of bread. 74. Why has it this name ? Because our blessed Lord solemnly brake the bread in token that His body would be broken on the cross. 75. Eor what purpose did the early Church receive continually this Sacramenfi That they might receive the Body and Blood of Christ. 76. For what particular etid 1 That they might be united to Christ. 77. Hotu does our Lord express this ? He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in INIe and I in him (John vi. 56). 78. If they were thus united to Christ, to whom also were they united ? To one another. " We being many are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another " (Rom. xii. 5). 79. Does the Holy Spirit ever connect this with the Eucharist ? Yes : when He says by St. Paul, *' We being many are one bread and one body, for we are all partakers of that one bread " (i Cor. X. 17). 80. In what besides the Holy Conwnmion did the early Church continue ? In the prayers. 81. Does this mean that they luere constant i)i private prayer only 1 No. 82. What does it mean then ? That they continued steadfastly in the daily prayers of the Church. 83. How do we know this ? Because the word is not "prayer" but "the prayers," i.e., the stated prayers of the Church. 84. What has always formed a large part of the daily worship of the Church ? The Psalter or Psalms of David. 85. What besides ? The Lord's Prayer, the Hymns, such as the Magnificat, found in the New Testament, and parts of the Communion Service. 86. Is the Church of Chf-ist only in this world ? No : by far the greater part of it is in the unseen world. 87. What do we sometimes call the members of the Church in the unseen world "^ The Invisible Church. 88. Where is the Head of the Church 1 In Heaven, at the right hand of God. 89. Btit should not the visible Church on earth have a visible head f No : just as the greater part of her members are out of our sight, so is the Head. 140 THE HOLY CATHOLIC CHURCH 90. Is this any disadvantage to tJu: Church ? No : because the Head is everywhere and always present. 91. Hozo do you know this ? Because of His promise: ** Lo T arn with you alway, even unto the end of the world" (Matt, xxviii. 20). 92. Any other promise 1 *' Where two or three are gathered together in My Name, there am I in the midst of them " (Matt, xviii. 20). 93. Wotdd it be well that one man j kould be considered the Head oj the Church ? No : it would hinder our rea'izing that there is one supreme ever-present Head, 94. Is there any Head of the Church :xci'J>t Jesus Christ recognized in Scripture ? None whatsoever. 95. Is any one of the Apostles recognized as the Infallible Head of his brethren ? No. 96. Is it ever hinted that to abide in th-: Apostolic fellowship Chris- tians are to have conimunion %vith o.ic Apostle — say St. Peter 1 No. 97. Did the Primitive Church ever recognize one bishop as the head and sovereign of all bishops ? No : it never for a moment allowed any such pretensions. 98. Which Church was first founded and organized i The Church of Jerusalem. 99. Has the Catholic Church any branches ? Yes. 100. IVith what branch of the Catholic Church have we to do ? With the Church of England. 101. Ho7u do we know that the Church of England is a branch of the Catholic Church 1 Because she has all the marks of it. 102. What is the first mark ? She abides "in the Apostles' doctrine." 103. How does she do this ? She teaches first, and more than all else, the truths resj'-ecting Jesus Christ, as they are set forth in the Creeds. 104. What are these truths l The Godhead, Incarnation, Life, Death, Resurrection, Ascen- sion, Intercession, and second coming of Christ. 105. How does she set forth these prominently ? By the use of the Creeds in her daily and other services. 106. How besides? By keeping the great festivals and observing the Christian year as the Catholic Church has ever done. 107. What other mark of the Church has she ? She continues in the Apostolic "fellowship," THE HOLY CATHOLIC CHURCH, I41 108. How does she do this ? She hands down the succession of bishops, and continues under their rule and oversight. 109. JVhat other mark has she ? She continues steadfastly in " the breaking of bread." 1 10. What does this mean ? She ordains the constant and frequent celebration of the Lord's Supper. 111. How often ? Once a week at the least, i.e.y on eveiy Sunday and on all Saints' days. 112. In what besides this does our branch of the Church continue 1 In "the Prayers." 113. How does she do this t She ordains a daily offering of prayer, praise, and thanks- giving. 114. Did the early Christians attend public prayers daily f Yes : Acts ii. 46 ; iii. i. 115. But do not many, both ministers and people, neglect this ? Yes : but this does not undo the fact that the Church has ordained it. 1 16. What is our duty to the Church of Christ 1 We should pray earnestly for it. 117. What especially should we ask God for on its behalf? That God would cleanse and defend it (Collect for i6th Sunday after Trinity). 118. What besides should we ask God for on its behalf ? For its peace, and the healing of its divisions. 119. In what words do we cofitinually ask God for this 1 In the words that " all who profess and call themselves Chris- tians may be led into the way of truth, and hold the faith in Unity of Spirit, in the bond of peace, and in righteousness of life." 1 20. In what words in the Communion Office 1 "Grant that all who profess Thy Holy Name may agree in the ti-uth of Thy Holy Word, and live in unity and godly love." 142 THE COMMUNION OF SAINTS. SECTION XXVIII.— THE COMMUNION OF SAINTS. 1. What is the next article of the Creed? The Communion of Saints. (1,2) 2. What do yoii mean by Sai?its ? Holy or dedicated persons — persons set apart for the service of God. (3-4) 3. Are, then, all who have been dedicated to God in Baptism Saints f Throughout the Old Testament the word " Saint," or " Holy," is appHed to all the Israelites, as dedicated to God in circumcision ; and throughout the New the title is given to all who are baptized into the body of Christ. (Deut. vii. 6 ; xiv. 2, 21 ; Acts ix. 13, 32, 41.) (5) 4. Has this word any further meaning? Yes ; it is often used to denote those persons who abide in the grace of their first dedication, or are restored to it and become truly holy in heart. (6) 5. What must it mean in this article of the Creed? The latter ; because none can have true communion in the things of God except those who know and serve God. (7-10) 6. What does this " Co?nmunio?i " tnean ? It means — 1. Intercourse. 2. Sharing with one another in certain blessings. 7. With whom have the true Saints intercourse ? With each person in the Ever Blessed Trinity. Truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ, (i John i. 3.) " The fellowship of the Holy Ghost" is "with them." (2 Cor. xiii. 14; Phil. ii. i.) (11-13) 8. How do they exercise this intercourse ? By prayer, praise, and thanksgiving at all times, but especially in the Eucharist, and in the prayers of the Church. 9. With whom, besides, have true Saints communion ? With one another. "If we walk in the light, as He is THE COMMUNION OF SAINTS. 143 in the light, we have fellowship one with another." (i John i. 7.) (14-16) 10. But can truly holy persons only have this fellowship f Only the holy can have intercourse with one another in the things of God. 11. How do the true Saints have this intercourse or com- munion with one another? By Christian converse. By praying together and for one another. By taking the Holy Communion together. By assisting one another in spiritual and temporal matters. (18-29) 12. Show that Christian conversation is the duty of the Saints. " Teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs." (Col. iii. 16.) Again : " Warn them that are unruly, comfort the feeble-minded, sup- port the weak, be patient towards all men." (i Thess. V. 14. Also Rom. xiv. 19 ; xv. 1,2; 2 Cor. i. 4.) 1 3. But are not these thitigs the especial duty of the clergy f They may be ; but if a layman realizes the Communion of Saints, he will endeavour by his godly conversation to edify those around him. (17) 14. Show that prayers for one another are a part of this Conwiufiion. " Pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified." (2 Thess. iii. i.) " Pray one for another." (James v. 16.) (18-20) 15. Show that Holy Co?n7nunion is apart of the Communion of Saiiits. " We being many are one bread, and one body ; for we are all partakers of that one bread." (i Cor, x. 17.) (21-23) 16. Show that the Conwiunion of Saiiits implies mutual help in teinporal matters ? " They sold their possessions and goods, and parted them unto all men as every man had need." (Acts ii. 45 ; 2 Cor. viii., ix., passim. Also, Rom. xii. 13 ; Gal. ii. 10 ; vi. 2, 6 ; Eph. iv. 28.) (24-29) 17. But you said that Cominutiion also meant sharing in cer- tain blessings : in what blessiiigs have all Saints a share? In all the blessings of the Christian Covenant. " All things," St. Paul tells Christians, " are yours ; whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas (/. e.^ all the gifts and labours of ministers), or hfe, or death, or things present, or 144 ^-^-^ COMMUNION- OF SAINTS. things to come ; all are yours ; and ye are Christ's, and Christ is God's." (i Cor. iii. 21-23. Also, Eph. iv. 4-6.) 18. Does the Comniuttion of Saints embrace only those now livmg in this world ? By no means. We have fellowship with the holy angels, and with the spirits of those who have departed hence in the Lord. (30-40) 19. How can you show this f 1 find that St. Paul writes to Christians living in this world, and yet liable to fall away, that they have " Come to the Mount Zion, the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels . . and to the spirits of just men made perfect." (Heb. xii. 22-26.) (33) 20. Have we any assurance front an angel that he holds himself to belong to the sa7ne conifmuiion f Yes ; on two separate occasions an angel said to St. John, " I am thy fellow-servant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus." (Rev. xix. 10; xxii. 9,) (31) 21. Does St. Paul seem to recog7iise this communion with the angels f Yes ; he says to St. Timothy, " I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels." (i Tim. v. 21.) He could scarcely do this unless he believed that angels were present, though invisible, and so could witness as to whether St. Timothy kept the charge. {See also Phil. iii. 20.) 22. What else is there in the way of co^mmmion between us and the angels ? ^ In some mysterious way they are brought nearer to God through the mediation of Christ, according to the words of the Apostle : " In the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, of things in heaven." (Phil. ii. 10.) And his other words : " By Him (Jesus Christ) to reconcile all things unto Himself: by Him, I say, whether they be things on earth, or things in heaven." (Col. i. 20.) (36-37) 23. hi what consists our communion or fellowship with the angels f They assist us by their ministrations. We join with them in worship and praise. (34-40) 24. Where do we read that they assist us ? They are " all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation." (Heb. i. 14. THE COMMUNION OI'^ SAINTS. 145 See also Gen. xix. 16 ; xxxii. i, 2, 24 ; Psalm xxxiv. 7 ; xci. II ; ciii. 20, 21 ; Dan. iii. 28 ; vi. 22 ; Matt, xviii, 10 ; Luke i. 19 ; Acts xii. 7 ; xxvii. 23.) (38-40) 25. When do we join with them ift praise and worship ? More particularly in the Holy Eucharist, where we say, " Therefore with angels and archangels, and with all the company of heaven . . . Holy, Holy, Holy." 26. Is it lawful to worship them ? No ; they expressly repudiate it : " See thou do it not; I am thy fellow-servant . . . worship God." CRev. xix. ID.) (35) 27. Have we fellowship with the departed Saitits ? Yes : " we are come ... to the general assembly and church of the first-born . . . and to the spirits of just men made perfect." (Heb. xii. 23.) (41) 28. What fellowship have we with thefn ? We have fellowship in hope and in prayer. 29. What common hope have we with the7n f The hope of the second coming and the consummation. St. Paul himself spea'ks of receiving his crown " at that day," i. e., the day of the second advent of Christ. (2 Tim. iv. 8.) 30. What fellowship in prayer have we f They pray for us. We pray for their rest, and the perfecting of their bliss. 31. How do we know that they pray for us ? We read of the souls of the martyrs under the altar crying to God for vengeance on their persecutors. Now, if they so prayed for vengeance upon the wicked, we may be sure that they would pray for grace upon the righteous. (Rev. vi. 10.) 32. When do we pray for the perfectittg of their bliss ? When we pray " that we, with all those that are de- parted in the true faith of Thy holy Name, may have ouf perfect consummation and bliss, both in body and sou], in Thine eternal and everlasting glory." (Burial Service.) 33. Are such prayers scriptural ? Yes : St. Paul prays for Onesiphorus, " The Lord grant unto him that he may find mercy of the Lord in that day." (2 Tim. i. 18. By comparing this place with 2 Tim. iv. 19, it is evident that Onesiphorus was not ahve. The prayer is, in substance, exactly what all the prayers in the early Liturgies for the faithful departed are.) L 146 THE COMMUNION OF SAINTS. 34. Does this imply that the state of those after death can be altered? No : life is the time of probation. We shall receive at the judgment for the deeds done in the body ; and between the souls of the saved and the lost there is an impassable gulf. 35. How besides do we recogmse the comiminion of Saints? By keeping the days of certain great Saints, such as the Apostles, and St. John the Baptist, and the Blessed Virgin. 36. Is it lawful to invoke the aid of the Saints ?■ There is no instance of such invocation in Scripture ; and the records of the early Church are altogether silent upon such a practice. SHORTER CATECHISM. 1. What great privilege belongs to the Catholic Church ? The communion of Saints. 2. What do you meaji by comrnunion ? '* Sharing in," or "having part in," something. 3. What is the meaning of tJie word Saint ? Holy person. 4. Ho^u are Christians made holy ? By being dedicated to God. By keeping themselves from eveiy evil thing. 5. Is a baptized child holy ? Yes : because it has been dedicated to God. 6. Bnt as it groivs up will it continue holy I Only if it remembers its first dedication, and puts away from it all sin and evil. 7. What persons can have communion, or a share in, the tilings oj Christ ? Only the truly good and holy. 8. Ought all in tlie Chtcrch to be thus holy and faithfid 1 Yes : because the promises of grace are given to all in the Church. 9. What place of Scripture shows this ? Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit (2 Cor. vii. i). ro. Can we realize the blessings in which the Saints partake unless we are doing this ? No, THE COMMUNION OF SAINTS. 147 11. What is the first blessing in which the Saifits partake ? They have converse with God in prayer. 12. In what besides do they have part 1 They have part in the Intercession of Christ (John xv. 7, 10). 13. In what besides ? They have the fellowship or communion of the Spirit (2 Cor. xiii. 14). 14. In what besides 1 They have fellowship with one another (i John i. 7). 15. How do they show this J They speak to one another about the things of God. 1 6. How must they %valk who can hope tridy to have this fellowship ? If we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellow- ship one with another (i John i. 7). 17. Is speaking aboict holy things the duty of the clergy only ? No : Malachi speaks of those who fear the Lord speaking often one to another (Mai. iii. 16 ; Col. iii. 16). 18. In what do the Saints have communion 1 In mutual prayer. In prayer one for another (James v, 16). 19. Are the prayers of the Saints needful for the well-being of the Church ? Yes : even a man like St. Paul felt that he could not do with- out them (2 Thess. iii. i). 20. For whom will those who believe in the comiminion of Saints especially pray 1 For the bishops and other ministers of the Church. 21. By what ordinance more especially are the Saints assured that they have part in the communioji of Saints ? By the Holy Communion. 22. Show this fro fn Scripture. *'We being many are one bread and one body, for we are all partakers of that one bread"(l Cor. x. 17). 23. How do 7C'e recognise this in our Communion Office ? In the second post-Communion Prayer: " We most heartily thank Thee that Thou . . . dost assure us thereby . . . that w<; are very members incorporate in the mystical body of Thy Son." 24. In what outruard way do Christians show that they realize this communion of Saints ? By contributing to the relief of one another's necessities. 25. Give instances of this from Scripture. Acts ii. 44, 45 ; iv. 34, 35 26. Give another instance. Rom. xv. 25, 29. 27. Give some precepts for this. Rom. xii. 13 ; Gal. vi. 10 ; Heb. vi. lO. 28. Did St. Paul himself ever partake of this fruit of the comiuunioh of Saints ? Yes : Phil. iv. 15. 148 THE COMMUNION OF SAINTS. 29. What promise did he give them in return for this ? My God shall supply all your need, &c. (Phil. iv. 19). 30. With whom besides the good and holy in this world have true Saints fellowship ? With the holy angels. 31. What do the holy angels profess themselves to bel Our fellow-servants (Rev. xxii. 9). 32. Have we any proof that the angels^ though invisible, are present with us 7 Yes : Elijah and his servant (2 Kings vi. 15-17). 33. Have we atiy communio7i or fellowship with them ? Yes : we have " come to an innumerable company of angels " (Heb. xii. 22). 34. What do the angels do for tis ? They guard and assist us secretly in numberless ways. *' He shall give his angels charge over thee to keep thee in ALL thy ways" (Psalm xci. 11). 35. May we offer them worship ? No : they expressly refuse it, and bid us worship God (Rev. xxii. 10). 36. In tuhat have we communion with them ? In worship. All things in heaven and earth, and under the earth, worship in the same Name — the Name of Jesus (Phil. ii. 10). 37. In what else ? In the merits and mediation of Christ, for we read that all things in Heaven as well as on earth are reconciled unto God by Jesus Christ (Col. i. 20), 38. What are the angels called with respect to what they do for us ? Ministering spirits sent forth to minister unto them that shall be heirs of salvation (Heb. i. 14). 39. To whom especially were they sent to minister 1 To our Lord (Matt. iv. 11 ; Luke xxii. 43). 40. To which of His servants were they sent to minister ? To St. Peter (Acts xii. 7); to St. Paul (Acts xxvii. 23); to St. John (Rev. xxi. 9). 41. With whom in the unseen world, besides the angels, have tee felloivship ? With the departed Saints. 42. How do you prove this from Scripttcre ? From Heb. xii. 23, where it is said that we have " come to the spirits of just men made perfect." 43. In what especially have 7ae fellowship with the departed 1 In hope. 44. In hope of what 1 In hope of the second coming, and the consummation of their bliss. 45. But have not the saints already received their crown ? No : the crown will be given even to a Saint like St. Paul in that day, i. e , the day of Christ's appearing (2 Tim. iv. 8). ■THE COMMUNION OF SAINTS. 149 46. But are they not now in glory f The Apostle says, *' When Christ, who is our Life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory " (Col. iii. 4). 47. I)o the Saints and our departed friends pray for us ? We humbly hope and trust that they do. 48. Do we pray for tliem ? The Church, in her earliest Liturgies, has always prayed for their rest and the consummation of their bliss. 49. But will not God in His own time perfect their bliss ? Yes : but what He wills to do, He wills also that we should pray Him to do. 50. Do ive pray that God would change the state of the departed ? No. 51. Do we pray for souls departed as being in purgatory 1 No. 52. Do we ask the Saints to pray for us 1 No. 53. In what prayer especially do we ask for the consummatiojt of their bliss ? In the words, "that we, with all those that are departed in the true faith," &c. (Burial Service.) 54. /;/ ivhat prayer do we pray that we may follow their example! In the Collect for All Saints' Day. I50 THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS. SECTION XXIX.—THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS. 1. What is the next article of the Christia7t faith ? I believe in . . . the forgiveness of sins, (i) 2. What is S171 f The transgression of the law of God. (2-8) 3. Is this law the ten commandments^ or the moral precepts of the Bible only ? No. The law of God is, above all, the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus. (Rom. viii. 2.) (2-8) 4. What law is this ? It is faith in Christ Jesus, and includes everything which a true faith in Christ would lead us to observe and do ; such, as to receive the Sacraments, and to abide in the unity of the Church. 5. To what body of men is promised the forgiveness of sins f To the members of the Holy Catholic Church. (1) 6. Whyf Because its Baptism is for the remission of sins, its ministers are the ministers of reconciliation, and in its Eucharist we partake of the Blood shed for the remission of sins. (Acts ii. 38 ; 2 Cor. ii. 10 ; v. 18 ; Matt. xxvi. 28.) 7. yire all sins the same ? No ; some sins are of a far more deadly and defiling character than others. (Eph. v. 5 ; Col. iii. 5, 6.) (8-12) 8. Give an illtistratio7t of what yojt mean. Allowing one's thoughts to wander in prayer, or neglect- ing prayer at stated times, are both very wrong, but they are not in the sight of God like adultery, or fornication, or blasphemy, or covetousness. 9. What sins are forgiven ? All sins. It is written that "the blood of Christ cleanseth from all sin " (i John i. 7) ; and our Lord says that all sin shall be forgiven except the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost. (Matt. xii. 31, 32.) 10. Why cannot this be forgiven ? Because it is the worst form of the denial of the Divine THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS. 15 1 Person and Mission of Jesus, and shuts out the persons who thus sin from ever asking for forgiveness. 11. If men go on in iinpe?iitence, can they count u^on re- ceivi?ig forgivetiess f No. God may either cut them off in their sins, or so withhold His grace that they cannot repent. 12. How can a?i infinitely holy God forgive sitis so nnre- servedly ? Because He gave His only Son to be on the Cross, " a full, perfect, and sufficient sacrifice, oblation, and satisfac- tion for the sins of the whole world." (23-28) 13. How is the virtue of this sacrifice for sin made over to each one ? First, in Holy Baptism : " Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the re- mission of sins." (Acts ii. 38.) " Arise and be baptized, and wash away thy sins." (Acts xxii. 16 ; also Mark xvi. 15, 16.) (28) 14. Is then a man forgive?t who corttes to Baptism in im penitency ? No : the Apostle says. Repent, and be baptized. 15. When after Baptism is our sin remitted? On our repentance and confession to God. " I said, I will confess my sins unto the Lord, and so Thou forgavest the wickedness of my sin." (Psalm xxxii. 6.) " If we confess our sins. He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins.' (i Johni. 9.) (29, 30) 16. What besides repentance must we have ? We must have an unfeigned faith in God's Holy Gospel ; that is, we must believe with all our hearts that God sent His Son into the world to suffer for our sins, and raised Him from the dead in token that our sins were fully atoned for by His sufferings. (31) 17. /$• there any difft-ctilty in believing this? Not if we realise the doctrine of the Incarnation ; for if the Eternal Son Himself assumed our nature, and died to atone for sin, sin must be indeed fully atoned for. (32-35) 18. But is it not said that the pride of our natural hearts prevents all of us at first from accepting a free salvation through Jesus Christ ? Such pride can only exist in those who very inadequately, if at all, realize the Eternal Godhead and Incarnation of Jesus. (34-38) I5i THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS. 19. How is this ? To those who reahze that the Eternal Word took our nature to bestow salvation upon us, that salvation can only appear as a free gift, for no merits of ours could pos- sibly draw down from heaven such a Person, or make us entitled, by way of right, to any part in Him. (34-40) 20. What, then, is the great antidote to self -righteousness in all its forms ? A right apprehension of the Catholic faith ? 21. But is there any coiifession to man needful f Yes ; when our sins have been public, or known to others, we must take to ourselves the shame of acknow- ledging them to others. 22. Is any other confession to man imperative f Yes : when by our sin we have injured another, we must confess to him that we have wronged him, and ask his forgiveness, and be willing to make all the reparation in our power. 23. Is it well that we should ever confess to a minister of the Church? At times it is. 24. Is this recognised in the Prayer Book ? Yes ; in the words : " Let him come to me, or to some other discreet and learned minister of God's word, and open his grief, that by the ministry of God's holy word, he may receive the benefit of absolution," &c. And in the " Visitation of the Sick" we have this rubric : " Here shall the sick person be moved to make apspecial confession of his sins, if he feel his. conscience troubled with any weighty matter." 25. Should you gather from this that our branch of the Church considers that confession to the priest ought to be' syste7natic—as, for instance, at seasofis such as Easter; or so often in the year or month — or only occasional f Only occasional. 26. Are there any directions respecting confession to a minister iti Scripture? Yes ; we have the people coming to John the Baptist " confessing their sins." We read also that at Ephesus, under the preaching of Paul, " many came and confessed and shewed their deeds." (Acts xix. 18.) 27. Does this seem part of a systematic practice of confession at stated intervals? THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS. 153 No ; there was no such system in the Church till many centuries after the times of the Apostles. 28. But the Apostle St. James says, " Confess your faults one to another f^ why should ive confess particularly to a minister ? On principles of common sense : for, first of all, a minister of Christ being one whose business is the saving and oversight of souls, is most likely to guide us aright ; and, secondly, the ministers of Christ are the commis- sioned ministers of reconciliation, who have the power of absolution committed to them. On both these grounds they are the natural recipients of such confessions as the Church encourages. [Let those who object to all confession to a priest, as Romish, consider the words of Bishop Latimer, who, of all men, cannot be taxed with leanings Romeward. Speaking of confession, he says, " But to speak of right and true confession, I would to God it were kept in England ; for it is a good thing. And those which find themselves grieved in conscience might go to a learned man, and there fetch of him comfort of the word of God, and so to come to a quiet conscience : which is better and more to be regarded than all the riches of. the world ; and surely it grieveth me much that such confessions are not kept in England." (Sermon xl. p. 180. 'Remains:' Parker Society.) Again, Bishop Ridley writes : " Confession unto the minister, which is able to instruct, correct and inform the .veak, wounded, and ignorant conscience, indeed I ever thought might do much good in Christ's congregation, and so I assure you I think even at this day." (From a letter to one West. 'Works :' Parker Society, p. 338.) Again, Arbp. Usher : " Be it therefore known unto him, that no kind of confession, either public or private, is dis- allowed by us that is in any way requisite for the due execution of that ancient power of the keys which Christ bestowed on the Church." (From * Answer to a Jesuit.' Cambridge reprint, p. 75.)] 29. Are there afty outward ineans for making over to the peni- tent sinner, after Baptism, the merits of ChrisVs death ? There are two : Absolution and Holy Communion. 30. WheJi does our Lord give authority to absolve ? In the words, " Whose soever sins ve remit, they are remitted unto them ; and whose soever sins } e retain, 154 THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS. they are retained." (John xx. 23.) And again : " What- soever ye shall bind on earth, shall be bound in heaven ; and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth, shall be loosed in heaven." (Matt, xviii. 18. Also xvi. 19.) (45-49) 31. Do ivejind a7iy mifiister exercising this power ? Yes ; St. Paul exercises both binding and loosing in the case of a great sinner in the Corinthian Church. He binds, i. e., excommunicates him ; or, what is more, lays it on the Corinthian Church to do so, in 1 Cor. v. 4, 5 ; and he speaks of having loosed, or absolved him, in 2 Cor. ii. 10. 32. Can a?iy one forgive sins but God only ? No : God only can forgive sins ; but as He is a Sovereign, He can make over His remission to the sinner in any way He chooses. (50) 33. Ca7i any minister remit the sins of an iinpe7iitent mati ? No : God the Father Himself, consistently with His own declaration, will not do so. (50-52) 34. When our Lord absolved the maji sick of the palsy from his sijis, did He do it as God or as man f As man ; for He says expressly that He did it as the Son of Man upon earth ; i. e., with power which He had received from God. (Mark ii. 5-10.) (55-62) 35. Did any persons cavil at the exercise of this power on the part of our Lord ? Yes ; the Pharisees did : they assumed to have more re- gard for the honour of God than Christ Himself had. They asked, "Who can forgive sins, but God only.^" (55-66) 36. What does this teach us f That it is no sign of a spiritual mind to object to the powers which Christ has lodged in His Church for the consolation of sinners. (55-69) 37. How is the exercise of this power, which Christ has lodged in His Church, claimed in the Prayer Book f In three forms of absolution : — 1. In the daily Service. 2. In the Communion Service. 3. In the Service for the Visitation of the Sick. (68, 69) 38. Repeat this latter form. " Our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath left power to His Church to absolve all sinners who truly repent and believe in Him, of His great mercy forgive thee thine offences: and by His authority committed to me I absolve thee THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS. 155 from all thy sins, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." 39. What is recognized in this form ? 1. That our Lord Jesus Christ hath left a power of absolution in His Church. 2. That this power is for the benefit of those who truly repent. 3. That the ratification of any exercise of this power is reserved to Himself. 4. That it is exercised by His authority, and in the Name of the Holy Trinity. 40. What do Tue by the use of such a formula ? We honour the word and promises of Christ Himself, and confess our belief in their ever-abiding application. 41. In what other Sacrafnent is forgiveness assured to the baptized if they truly repent and believe ? In the Holy Eucharist ; for the partaking of the bread and cup is, in a heavenly and spiritual way, the partaking of the Body broken and Blood shed for the remission of sins. (70, 71) This function of the Eucharist is very distinctly recog- nized in the earliest Liturgies. In the Clementine : " That all who partake of it may be confirmed in godliness, may receive remission of their sins, may be delivered," &c. In St. James' : " That they may be, to those who partake of them, for remission of sins, and for eternal hfe." In St. Mark's : " That they may be to all of us who participate in them, for faith, for sobriety ... for the remission of sins." In St. Chrysostom's : "So that they may be to them who participate, for purification of soul, forgiveness of sins," &c. 42. But could not God exteiid forgiveness to us without the ifitervention of ajiy outward means ? Certainly He could ; but though He can dispense with them Himself, He has bound the use of them upon us. 43. But does God ?iever extend forgiveness except through Church ordinances or sacraments ? God forbid that we should say so : but if we are to speak of forgiveness, we must speak of it as it is set forth in Scripture ; and in some places of Scripture it is ex- pressly connected with Baptism (Acts ii. 38 ; xxii. 16 ; Eph. V. 26), and also with the exercise of Absolution by the ministers of the Church. (Matt. xvi. 19; xviii. 18; 156 THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS. John XX, 23 ; i Cor. v. 3-5 ; 2 Cor. ii. 10 ; James v. 14, 1 5-) 44. What IS the forgiveness of sins as to its extent? It is the fullest possible, for it comprehends the remis- sion of guilt, and the complete restoration of the soul to the favour of God. (Parable of Prodigal Son, Luke xv. 1 1-32 ; especially verses 22, 23.) (72-75) 45. Is the exercise of forgiveness on God's part uncotiditional ? It is perfectly unconditional, so far as merit is con- cerned. We neither have done nor can do anything to deserve it. 46. But has Christ laid down any cotiditions, in addition to repentance and faith, which we must fulfil before we can receive forgiveness ? Yes ; we must forgive those who have offended or injured us. Christ says, " If ye forgive men their tres- passes, your heavenly Father will also forgive you ; but if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your heavenly Father forgive your trespasses." (Matt. vi. 14.) (78-81) 47. Does our Lord ever tell us that the sejitence of forgiveness may be reversed f Yes ; in the Parable of " The Unmerciful Servant." " Shouldest thou not have had compassion on thy fellow-servant, even as I had pity on thee? And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due to him. So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brethren their trespasses." (Matt, xviii. 33-35.) 48. But do not you think that to mejttion these conditions, or needful states of tnind, is to fetter the free7iess of the offer of forgiveness f No matter whether it seems to do so or not, we must obey God rather than men, and say on this matter what Christ our Redeemer and Judge has said. (78-81) SHORTER CATECHISM. What great privilege belongs to the Catholic Church 1 The forgiveness of sins. What is sin .? Disobedience to God. What does St. John call it? The transgression of the law (I John iii. 4). THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS. 157 4. What lata is this ? Any command or precept which God has given to us lo observe and do. 5. IVhat does St. John include under sin ? All unrighteousness (i John v. 17). 6. Mention by name some sins. Idolatry, blasphemy, disobedience to parents, lying, murder, theft. 7. But these are outward acts ; mention any sin co?nmitted in the heart. Malice, envy, evil thoughts, covetousness, or evil desires, and, above all, unbelief. 8. Is all sin displeasing to God ? Yes : St. Paul says, ** The wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness" (Rom. i. 18). 9. Are some sins more displeasing to God than others ? Yes : some sins are called in the Bible deadly sins, or sins unto death. 10. Where in Scripture are some of these mentioned 1 In Coles, iii. 5, 6. 11. Does St. John make this distinction ? Yes : He speaks of a sin unto death, and of men who sin not unto death (i John v. 16, 17). 12. Can we sin in any way and not displease God ? No : he that offends against God's law in one point is guilty of all (James ii. 10), 13. What is the vety first declaration of forgiveness tender the Gospel ? ' * Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins" (Acts ii. 38). 14. What docs this show ? That in order to have forgiveness we must be brought into the body of Christ. 15. What is the body of Christ ? The Church of Christ. 16. When were you brought into the Church or body of Christ ? In Baptism, when I was an infant. 1 7. But had you any sift in you .? Yes : I had a sinful nature ; I was born in sin. 18. What is this sin called ? Original sin. 19. What was the effect of your Baptism "i The guilt of my birth sin was cleansed, and I was made a child of grace. 20. Have you committed sin since your Baptism ? Yes : in many things we offend all (James iii. 2). 21. What should you do when you have in any way offended Goal I should seek forgiveness from Him. 158 THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS. 22. Is He ready to forgive ? Yes : David says, Thou, Lord, art good and ready to forgive (Ps. Ixxxvi. 5). 23. For whose sake will God forgive y^t.^ ? For the sake of Jesus Christ. 24. Hoiu can God forgive sins for His sake ? Because Jesus Christ made upon the cross an atonement for all our sins. 25. Mention this in the words of Scripture. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but for the sins of the whole world (i John ii. 2). 26. Mention it in other words. Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many (Heb. ix. 28). 27. Mention it in other words. In whom we have redemption through His Blood, the forgive- ness of sins (Eph. i. 7). 28. How then was it that St. Peter said, Repent and he baptized in the name of fesjis Christ for the remission of sins ? It could only be because God has ordained certain outward means in the use of which He makes over to us the forgiveness or reconciliation which Chiist has obtained for us, 29. M^hat must we do before we can expect forgiveness f re m God 1 We must repent. 30. Hoiv must we sho^v our repentance f By confessing our sins to God. 31. What else must we do ? We must believe that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, bore all our sins in His own body on the tree. 32. Is there any difficulty in believing this ? Not if we believe in the Scriptures at all. 33. Why ? Because it is so often asserted in the Scriptures. 34. Rut is it not often said that men have a great difficulty in submit- ting to receive forgiveness and salvation through Cfirist ? There is no difficulty about it if we believe in the Incarnation. 35. Explain this. If God's only begotten Son shed His Blood for us, that Blood cannot but save us from sin. 36. Rttt will not tJie natural pridi qf our hearts prevent ics from accept' ing forgiveness through the Rlood of Christ 1 Not if we believe that He is both God and man, 37. Wfiat have we tfien first to believe in respecting Jesus J That He is God manifest in the flesh. 38. If we believe this^ can we have the least difficulty about receiving forgiveness as a gift ? Of course not, if, that is, we really desire deliverance from sin. THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS. 159 39. Does God forgive us freely ? Yes ; most freely. I forgave thee all that debt because thou desiredst me {Matt, xviii. 32). 40. Have we then to do any good work m order to pir chase forgiveness ? No : by grace we are saved through faith, and that not of ourselves, it is the gift of God (Eph. ii. 8), 41. Does God then forgive our sins without looking into the state of our heart ? IS o : we must earnestly desire to be free from the guilt and power of sin (Ps. Ixvi. 18). 42. fVhat besides this must we have ? We must receive in submissive faith all that God reveals to us respecting His Son. 43. Is there any merit in this ? No : but unless we have this state of heart, we are not in a condition to be forgiven. 44. Has God left us in His Church any assurances of His forgiveness 1 Yes : Absolution and the Sacraments. 45. Did Christ ever give His ministers power to absolve ? Yes : on three occasions. 46. Where are these recorded 1 In Matt. xvi. 19 ; in Matt, xviii. 18 ; and in John xx. 23. 47. Repeat the last. '' Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them ; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained." 48. To whofn were these wonderftl words spoken 1 To the Apostles. 49. To the Apostles ahme "i No : to the Apostles as the representatives of all future ministers or priests of the Church. 50. Can these ministers or priests absolve by their own power 1 No : no one has ever imagined that they could. 51. Can they absolve impenitent or unbelieving persons / No : God Himself has engaged not to do so. 52. Why do they absolve or remit sins ? Because God has commissioned them so to do. 53. If they put from them all power to absolve in any circumstatice^ what would they do 1 They would set aside a part of their Master's commission. 54. Hoiv do we honour Christ's words .? By believing that they will continue in force till He comes again (Matt, xxviii. 20). 55. Did Christ ever claim to absolve 1 Yes. 56. Did He claim this power as God or as man ? As man. 57. On whose authority then did He act l On that of His Father. 58. Did any persons object to this absolving power which He claimed) Yes ; the Pharisees. i6o THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS. 59. On what grounds ? On the ground that God only can forgive sin. 60. But was not this a right pi'inciple ? Yes : but they used it wrongly. 61. Hffiv'i They would take away all power on God's part to act through others. 62. Does God act through our fellow-men 1 Yes : in everything in religion. 63. Can you give an instance 1 Yes : He converts us through the preaching of our fellow-men. 64. Can you give another ? Yes : He baptizes us by the hands of our fellow-men. 65. Can you give another ? Yes: He feeds usun the Holy Communion with the True Bread by the hands of our fellow-men. 56. How can men presume to do such things as these ? Because God has commissioned them so to do, 67. Is absolution a thing resembling the administration of Baptism or the Holy Comniunion ? Yes : in this, that in all three God acts through His ministers. 68. £>o the ministers of the Church claim these pozvers 1- Yes : they would not be ministers of the Church if they willingly set aside any ordinance which God has appointed for the salvation or consolation of sinners. 69. Which is the greater presumption, to claitn to absolve siiincrs in God's name, or to refuse to do so 1 To refuse ; because in such a case we should presume to pro- nounce some of the most remarkable words of Christ unmeaning and unnecessary. 70. Have we any ass^irance of forgiveness in the Lord's Supper 1 Yes. 71. How is this? Because in it we receive in a heavenly and spiritual way the "blood of the New Covenant shed for many for the remission of sins " (Matt. xxvi. 28). 72. Are all sins forgiven ? Yes : all sins that can be repented of. 73. Is it safe then to go on offending God? No. 74. Why? Because sin persisted in hardens the heart, so as to make repentance, humanly speaking, impossible. 75. Why do you say humanly speaking? Because nothing is out of the power of Almighty grace. 76. What will those do whose sins are forgiven ? They will love God much (Luke vii. 47). 77. Ho^v will they show their love ? By keeping Christ's commandments (John xiv. 15, 23, 24). THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS. i6t 78. Through whose merits do we receive forgiveness ? Through the sole merits of Christ. 79. IIc7s our Lord limited forgiveness to any persons ? Yes : in very express terms. 80. To whom has He liinited the receiving of forgiveness ? To those who forgive others. 81. Where has He expressed this limitation ? In four places, at least: Matt. vi. 14, 15; xviii. 35; xi, 2O ; Luke vi. 37. Mark ^ or THK ^^ UNIVERSITY ^ i62 THE RESURRECTION OF THE BODY. SECTION XXX.— THE RESURRECTION OF THE BODY. 1. What is the next article of your Creed f The Resurrection of the Body. (1-3) 2. What do you mean by the Resurrection of the Body? I mean the reunion of the spirit with the same body from which it was separated in death. (4, 5) 3. Is it 7ieedful to believe that we shall be raised up in the same body ? Yes ; if our Resurrection is to be in accordance with the type and pattern of our blessed Lord's Resurrection, Who was raised in the same Body in which He had been crucified. (6-7) 4. Is there any other reason why the same body should be raised f Yes ; in order that we may receive in the body hereafter, according to the deeds which we have done in the body here. 5. Is it not a hard thing to believe that we shall rise again in these same bodies ? Not if we beheve in the Omniscience and Almighty Power of God, who has His eye upon every particle of the sub- stance of our bodies, and can bring all together again at any moment. (8) 6. Has God given to ns a?iythiftg in nature which may help us to believe in the Resurrection of the Body ? Yes ; there is a sort of Resurrection every year, from the death or torpor of winter to the life and beauty of spring and summer ; and the seed sown in the ground, whose body decays whilst its germ shoots forth into life, is a type of our Resurrection. 7. Can these or any other illustrations explain the way in which God will bring about the Resurrection of the body? No ', it will take place by an act of the same miraculous power by which our Lord raised Himself from the dead. (Rom. viii. 11.) 8. What will our bodies be at the Resurrectio7i ? THE RESURRECTION OF THE BODY. 163 Spiritual bodies, raised up after the likeness of Christ's risen Body, which though as a Body it could be seen and handled, yet could assume at will the properties of a spirit. (26-31) 9. Mention some of these properties. It passed through the closed doors. It vanished and reappeared as we might suppose a spirit would do. It was only recognised when its Owner willed. It ascended up through the air into heaven. (Luke xxiv. 31, 39, 51 ; John XX. 20.) (30, 31) 10. How does St. Paul speak of the contrast between the body which now is, and that which shall be ? " It is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption ; it is sown in dishonour, it is raised in glory ; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power ; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body." (i Cor. xv. 42, 43.) (27-35) 11. What does our Lord say respecting the Resurrection state ? " They which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage ; neither can they die any more ; for they are equal unto the angels " (or as the angels, Matt. xxii. 30). (Luke xx. 35, 36.) 1 2. Is the Resurrection of the Body an essential pa7't of the Gospel ? Yes ; it is intimately connected with the belief in Christ Himself. In one place (Acts iv. 2) we read, The Apostles " preached through Jesus the Resurrection from the dead." In another (Acts xvii. 18), St. Paul preached unto the Athenians, " Jesus and the Resurrection." Again, St. Paul says, " If there be no Resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen ; and if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain." (i Cor. xv. 13.) (9-21) 13. But does it 7iot seem sufficient to believe in the Resurrec- tion of the soul to spiritual life f No ; St. Paul said of two men who said that the Resur- rection was past already — that is, who believed only in the resurrection of the soul — that they overthrew the faith. (2 Tim. ii. 18.) Id. Did the heathen believe in the Resurrectioji ? No ; some of them believed in the immortality of the soul ; but none, that we are aware of, in the Resurrection of the body. i64 THE RESURRECTION OF THE BODY. 15. Did the Jews believe in the Resurrection of the Body? Yes ; in Christ's time all except the Sadducees believed in it. Martha, we read, said to our Lord, " I know that he (Lazarus) shall rise again in the Resurrection at the Last Day." (John xi. 24.) (16-20) 16. Was the Resurrection revealed in the Old Testament? Yes ; Daniel writes, " Many of them that sleep in the dust shall awake." (xii. 2.) Again, Job says, " I know that my Redeemer liveth . . though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God." (Job xix. 26.) Also in the vision of dry bones in Ezekiel, the bones are clothed again with flesh, (xxxvii. 8.) (16-20) 17. How many Resurrections seem to be revealed in Scrip- ture ? Two. The first, a Resurrection of the true saints : the second, of all men. (36-38) 1 8. What is said of those who will attain to the first ? " Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection." (Rev. xx. 6.) 19. Are there any other allusiofis to this ? Yes ; St. Paul speaks of the dead in Christ rising first (i Thess. iv. 16) ; and he also uses the words, " If by any means I might attain to the Resurrection from the dead " {i^avacTTacnv t(ov veKpcov). (Phil. iii. II.) 20. He seems then to consider the attaining to this Resurrec- tion a matter of difft,culty ? Yes ; undoubtedly ; and so also does our Lord when He uses such words as, " They that shall be accounted worthy to obtain . . . the resurrection from the dead." (Luke XX. 35.) (35-38) 21. What Sacrainent is a pledge to us of our Resurrection ? Baptism : for it is written, " If we have been planted together (or with Him ; evidently referring, as the context shows, to Holy Baptism), in the likeness of His death, we shall be also in the likeness of His Resurrection." (Rom. vi. 4, 5, 6.) (39-42) 22. Upoft what does our Blessed Lord make our Resurrection through Him to depend? Upon our eating His Flesh, and drinking His Blood ; for He says, " Whoso eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day." (John vi. 54.) (43, 44) THE RESURRECTION OF THE BODY. I65 23. But will not all men, whether they have been united to Christ or not, be raised again ? Yes ; but those in Christ will be raised through grace, because they have Him in them Who is Himself the Resur- rection. " I am the Resurrection." (John xi. 25.) Also, " Every man (will be raised) in his own order ; Christ the firstfruits ; afterwards they that are Christ's at His coming." (i Cor. xv. 23.) Also Rom. viii. 11 : "He that raised Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by His Spirit that dwelleth in you." 24. How then will the wicked be raised? By the power of God only, in order that they may receive the just recompence of their deeds. 25. If the bodies of Christia^is will thus be raised, how should we regard them f As holy ; and so keep them from all defilement of sin, and bury them after death with all honour and solemnity in ground set apart for such a purpose. (45) 26. What is our duty in the prospect of such a Resurrection ? To mortify our evil lusts. " When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear ■with Him in glory. Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth ; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry." (Col. iii. 4, 5.) 27. What is our prayer in prospect of such a Resurrectiofi ? " We meekly beseech Thee, O Father, to raise us from the death of sin unto the life of righteousness, that when we shall depart this life we may rest in Him,[as our hope is this our brother doth],and that at the general Resurrec- tion in the last day we may be found acceptable in Thy sight." (Burial Service.) SHORTER CATECHISM. 1. What, after the forgiveness of sins, do we profess to believe in ? The Resurrection of the Body. 2. What do you mean by Resurrection ? Rising again. 3. How is the word mostly used ? As meaning a rising again from the dead. 4. PV/iat rises again ? The body. 5. What body ? The same body which died 6. Must it be the same body 1 Yes. 7. Why^ i66 THE RESURRECTION OF THE BODY. Because Christ's Resurrection is the pattern of ours, and He rose again in the same body. 8. How can the same body be raised again 1 By the Almighty power of God. 9. Has God given to tis any assurance that He will exert this power ? Yes : He tells us by the word of His own Son that all that are in the graves shall hear His voice, and shall come forth (John v. 28, 29). 10. Where besides this have we any assurance in our LofuPs own words ? When He was about to raise Lazai-us, He said, "I am the Resurrection, and the Life " (John xi. 25). 1 1. What other assurances have we ? The preaching of all the Apostles, for they preached through Jesus the Resurrection from the dead (Acts iv. 2). 12. Mention another instance. St. Paul at Athens preached Jesus and the Resurrection (Acts xvii. 18). 13. Is the Resurrection a part of the Gospel 1 Yes : so necessaiy a part of it that St. Paul says, ** If the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised" (i Cor, xv. 16). 14. In what remarkable passage of Scripture is the Resurrection from the dead most fully explained ? I Cor. xv. 15. Where is the greater part of this chapter read ? In the Burial Service of the Church. 16. What Old Testament saint believed in the Resurrection ? Abraham (Heb. xi. 19). 17. What other saint of old expressed His belief in it ? Job (xix. 25, 26, 27). 18. Can you mention another instance of an Old Testament sainl believing in it ? Yes ; David. "Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt Thou suffer Thine Holy One to see corruption " (Ps. xvi. 10 ; also xlix. 15). 19. What remarkable vision of the Resurrection have we in aji Old Testament Prophet .? The vision of dry bones clothed with flesh (Ezekiel xxxvii.). 20. Does Isaiah see7n to confess it 1 Yes : ' ' Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead bod} shall they arise" (Isaiah xxvi. 19). 21. What does St. Paul say respecting the importance of this doctrine ? That it is one of the first principles of the doctrine of Christ (Heb. vi. 2). 22. BtU must ttot oitr sotils be raised to life ? Yes : if they are dead or asleep in sin (Eph. v. 14). 23. Where do we pray for this ] THE RESURRECTION OF THE BODY. 167 When we pray in the Burial Service, **We meekly beseech Thee, O Father, to raise us from the death of sin unto the life of righteousness," 24. Is it sufficient to believe in this ? No : if we are true believers we must believe in the Resur- rection of the Body. 25. JV/iy ? Because God and Christ so very expressly assert it. 26. JVitt ottr risen bodies be the same as our present bodies 1 They will be the same, because each man's particular body will be raised. 27. Will they be raised up in the sa?7ie condition ? No : they will be raised up spiritual bodies. 28. IVhat does this mean ? Bodies that are endowed with the powers of spirits. 29. Do we understand how a body can be at once bodily and spiritual No : but we take God at His word when He says by St. Paul, "There is a natural body and there is a spiritual body " (i Cor. XV. 44). 30. What do we suppose one of the properties of a spirit to be ? That it can move through all obstacles. 31. But can the Resurrection body do this ? Our Lord's body could, and we know that " He shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto His glorious body" (Phil. iii. 21). 32. What other properties ivill otir future bodies have ? They will be incorruptible and immortal (i Cor. xv. 53). 33. What other property will they have 1 They will be glorious (i Cor. xv. 43 ; Phil. iii. 21). 34. What other property 1 Power. They will be raised in power. 35. To what does our Lord liken those who will attain to a blessed Resurrection ? They will be like unto the angels (Matt. xxii. 30 ; Luke XX. 35, 36). 36. Will all men rise at the same time 1 Scripture tells us that the dead in Christ shall rise first. 37. What is this called 1 The Fii-st Resurrection (Rev. xx. 6). 38. Will a part in this be the privilege of all, or only of some ? Apparently only of some — of those who know Christ, and the power of His Resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings (Phil. iii. io)J. 39. Is there any connection between Baptism and our Resurrection ? Yes : St. Paul twice asserts that we are buried and raised agam with Christ in Holy Baptism (Rom. vi. 1-4 ; Col. ii. 12). 40. But is this a pledge of our Resurrection ? Yes : St. Paul seems to assert it when He says, "If we have i68 THE RESURRECTION OF THE BODY. been planted together in the likeness of His death, we shall be also in the likeness of His Resurrection " (Rom. vi. 5). 41. To whom is Baptism a pledge of this? To those only in whom Baptism has its proper permanent effect. 42. What is that ? Walking in newness of life. 43. Is there any connection between the faithful receiving of the Lord's Supper and our Resurrection 1 Yes : our Lord says, " He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood, hath everlasting life, and I will raise him up at the last day " (John vi. 54). 44. Is there any recognition of this in our Communion Office "i Yes: when the minister says to each communicant, "Tlie body of our Lord Jesus Christ, which was given for thee, pre- serve thy body .... unto everlasting life." 45. If our bodies are thus to rise again, how should we regard them 1 As holy, and so we should keep them from all sinful defile- ment. 46. How should we regard the departure of trtie Christians ? As only a brief separation ; for we read, "if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with Him " (i Thess. iv. 13, 14). 47. How should we regard death ? As the gate of our joyful resurrection (Collect for Easter Eve) THE LIFE EVERLASTING. 169 SECTION XXXI.— THE LIFE EVERLASTING. 1. What is the last article in the Creed? I believe in . . . the Life Everlasting. (1-5) 2. How does our Saviour describe Life Eternal ? "This is life eternal, that they may know Thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent.'" Qohnxvii. 3.) (21-23) 3. Is this the Life Eter7ial, or everlasting, in which we profess our belief? It is the beginning or foundation of it : it is its first stage. (21-23) 4. In what stage of it do we particularly profess our belief? In that on which we shall enter after the Resurrection and the Judgment. (5-8) 5. How is the happiness of this state described? As being inconceivably great ; for it will be sharing in the joy of Christ Himself : " Enter thou into the joy ol thy Lord." (Matt. xxv. 21.) Also, " Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard," &c. (i Cor. ii. 9.) Also Rev. vii. 16, 17 ! " They shall hunger no more," &c. (10, 1 1) 6. What will be the crowning blessedness of the Saints ? That they shall see God. "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." (Matt. v. 8.) "When He shall appear we shall be like Him, for wc shall see Him as He is." (i John iii. 2.) It is also said — " They shall see His face." (Rev. xxii. 4.) 7. What is this blessedness called by Divines ? The Beatific Vision. 8. What is Eternal Life called? The gift of God (Rom. vi. 23), because none deserve it ; but all who receive it, receive it by an act of grace in and through Jesus Christ, and by His Spirit. (6-9) 9. But is this gift given irrespectively of our dispositions and conduct ? No : our Blessed Lord says, " My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me : and I give unto 170 THE LIFE EVERLASTING. them eternal life." (John x. 27.) He gives eternal life to those who hear, and follow Him. 10. What will be the doom of the wicked? Our most merciful Lord speaks of it as everlasting punishment (Matt. xxv. 46) ; and as the gnawings of 3 never-dying worm. (Mark ix. 44.) (12, 13) 1 1. Who will experience this dreadful doo7n ? The finally impenitent. They who have wilfully, know- ingly, and deliberately rejected the calls of God. (14, 15) 12. VVill there be degrees in the blessedness of the righteous? Yes ; our Lord says that in His Father's house there are many mansions (John xiv. 2) ; and St. Paul compares future glory to " one star differing from another star in glory." (i Cor. xv. 41.) Also Luke xix. 17, 19 : Ten cities ; five cities. (16, 17) 13. Will there be degrees in future punishment ? Yes ; some will be beaten with many, some with few stripes. (Luke xii. 47, 48.) 14. If we really believe in the Life Everlasting, what shall we do ? We shall lay hold upon the hope set before us in Jesus Christ. (Heb. vi. 18.) We shall abide in Him. (i John ii. 28.) We shall eat His Flesh and drink His Blood, knowing that he who doeth this hath eternal life. (John vi. 54.) We shall give all diligence to make our calling and election sure ... for so an entrance shall be ministered unto us abundantly into the Everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. (2 Peter i. 10, 11.) SHORTER CATECHISM. I, What is the last great truth in which we profess to believe 1 The Life Everlasting. a, Hmu is this expressed in the Creed in the Baptismal Service Everlasting life after death. 3. Hozu in the Nicene Creed 1 I believe in ... . the Life of the world to come. 4. Hmv in the Creed of St. Athanasius 1 They that have done good shall go into life everlasting, a they that have done evil into everlasting fire. 5. Is this life everlasting the same as the itninortality of the souU THE LIFE E VERLASTING. 1 7 1 No : it is the joint life of soul and body after the day of the Resurrectioa 6. Whose gift is this everlasting life ? It is the gift of God and of Christ. 7. Where is God mid to give it 1 The gift of God is eternal Life through Jesus Christ our Lord (Rom. vi. 23). 8. To whom does Christ give it ? To His sheep who hear His voice, and whom He knows, and who follow Him (John x. 27). 9. To whom does St. Paul say that God will grant eternal life ? To them who by patient continuance in well doing, seek for glory honour, and immortality (Rom. ii. 7). 10. Where is the happiness of this life described .? (Rev. xxi., xxii.). 1 1. Can it be understood by us ? St. Paul says, "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him " (i Cor. ii. 9). 12. Will all at last enjoy this life 1 No : our Lord speaks of those who " shall go away into ever- lasting punishment" (Matt. xxv. 46). 13. Where else is this terrible doom declared! "The fearful, and the unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone : which is the second death " (Rev. xxi. 8). 14. But are not all sins now forgiven ? Yes, to those who repent and believe the Gospel. 1 5. Who then are these who will be thus destroyed ? Those who have deliberately continued in sin and refused the remedy set forth in the Gospel. 16. Will all the righteous have the same reward 1 No : it is expressly said that eveiy man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour (i Cor. iii. 8). 1 7. What does St. fohn exhort with respect to this ? "Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things whicli we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward " (2 John 8). 18. What does our Lord say respectiiig those that inherit life 1 " He that heareth My word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life " (John v. 24). 19. What does our Lord mean by this hearing of His wordi He means, of course, humbly believing, and abiding in, His word. 20. How do you know this 1 Because He says afterwards, " If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death " (John viii. 51). ^ 172 THE LIFE EVERLASTING. 21. What is eternal life ? * ' This is life eternal, that they may know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent" (John xvii. 3). 22. Where is eternal life ? " Your life is hid with Christ in God " (Col. iii. 3). 23. Who is eternal Life ? "I am the Resurrection and the Life " (John xi. 25). "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life" (John xiv. 6). "Christ, who is our Life " (Coi. iii. 4). SCRIPTURE PROOF OF THE TRINITY. 173 SECTION XXXII.— SCRIPTURE PROOF OF THE DOCTRINE OF THE TRINITY. 1. What dost thou chiefly learn in these articles OF THY belief ? First, I learn to believe in God the Father, WHO hath made me, and all the world. Secondly, in God the Son, who hath redeemed ME and all mankind. Thirdly, in God the Holy Ghost, who sanc- TIFIETH me and ALL THE ELECT PEOPLE OF GOD. 2. Do you believe in three Gods ? No ; I believe that " there is but One living and true God ;" but I beheve also that, " in unity of this God- head, there be Three Persons, of one substance, power and eternity : the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost." 3. How is it that you believe that there are three Persons in the one Godhead ? Because in the same Scriptures which reveal to us that there is but One God, all that can be said of the one true God is said of Three Persons, and not of One only. 4. How^ in the Scriptures^ does God distinguish HimselJ from all His creatures ? In four ways : (i) He calls Himself by certain names. (2) He claims certain attributes as belonging to Him- self alone. (3) He declares that He alone can do certain works. (4) And he demands from His creatures certain worship to be given to Him alone. 5. By wJiat names does God call himself? By the names of Lord and God especially, and also by such names as Lord of Hosts, Most High, Holy One of Israel, King of Israel. " I am the Lord thy God, who brought thee out of the land of Egypt." (Exod. XX. 2.) '* The Most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands." (Acts vH. 48.) " The Lord of Hosts is with us." (Ps. xlvi. ii.) " I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel." (Isaiah xliii. 3.) " Thus saith the Lord, the King of Israel." (Isaiah xliv. 6.) 174 SCRIPTURE PROOF OF THE 6. Are these names given to only One Divine Person f No ; they are all given to Him Who is called the Only Begotten Son, or Word of God. "" In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." (John i. i.) " Thomas answered and said unto Him (Jesus), my Lord and my God." (John XX. 28.) " Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever." (Rom. ix. 5.) " Our great God and Saviour (or the great God and Saviour of us) Jesus Christ." (Titus ii. 13.) " Many of the children of Israel shall He turn to the Lord their God, and He shall go before Him (the Lord God) in the spirit and power ol Elias." (Luke i. 17.) [This is said of Christ's forerunner, who went before Christ, not before the Father] (5-13) 7. Are such terms as Lord of Hosts, the Highest, the King of Israel, ascribed to our Lord Jesus Christ f If we compare the Old Testament with the New, we find that they are. Isaiah vi. 5 : " Mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of Hosts," compared with John xii. 40, 41, shows that the prophet saw the glory of the eternal Son. In Isaiah xliv. 6, God is called the King of Israel ; and in John i. 49, we find that Christ permits this title of God to be given to Himself. John the Baptist is called the Prophet of the Highest, because he goes " before the face of the Lord to prepare His way ;" but he prepared the way of the Lord Jesus. (Luke i. 76, compared with John iii. 28.) 8. Do the Jewish Prophets ascribe these Divine 7ta?nes to the Messiah ? Yes : David speaks of God saying to the Messiah, " Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever." (Ps. xlv. 6.) Isaiah prophesies of the birth of a Child Who should be called " The mighty God." (Isa. ix. 6.) Jeremiah, of a King reigning upon the earth Who should be called " The Lord our Righteousness." (Jer. xxiii. 6.) 9. Can you show that the incommunicable attributes of thi One True God are ascribed to the Son ? Yes ; the attribute of Eternity is ascribed to the Son where it is said that, " He was in the beginning with God" (John i. 2) ; and where it is said of Him that His " goings forth have been from old, of everlasting " (Mic. v. 2). He claims it for himself when He says, " Before Abraham was, I am" (John viii. 58) ; and when He says, DOCTRINE OF THE TRINITY. 175 " I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last" (Rev. xxii. 13). (14-18) 10. Does this latter expression imply eternal existence ? Yes ; God claims it for Himself when He says, " Thus saith the Lord the King of Israel, and His Redeemer the Lord of Hosts ; I am the first, and I am the last." (Is. xliv. 6.) 1 1. What other attribute of Godhead does Christ claim ? Omniscience ; for He claims to know the Father, as the Father knows Him. (Matt. xi. 27; also John x. 15.) He claims to do what only the omniscient God can do, to search the hearts (Rev. ii. 23, compared with Jer. xi. 20 ; xvii. 10) ; and He suffers His serva^nt to address Him as knowing all things. (John xxi. 17 ; also Matt. ix. 4; xii. 25, compared with Acts xv. 8). (28) 1 2. What further attribute of Godhead does Christ claim f Omnipresence. " Where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them." (Matt, xviii. 20.) He engages to be always with His Apostles and their suc- cessors, wheresoever they should plant His Church (Matt, xxviii. 20) ; and Christians in all parts of the world are addressed as "in" Christ, just as they are "in" God. (i Thess. i. I ; 2 Thess. i. i.) (19-23) 13. What further attribute of Deity does Christ claim ? Omnipotence, or Almighty power. He Himself claims to do all that God does when He says, "Whatsoever things He (the Father) doeth, these also doeth the Son like- wise. (John V. 19.) Again, " The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into His hand." (John iii. 35.) Again, He engages to do all that is asked in His name. (John xiv. 13.) Again, it is said that by Him all things subsist (Col. i. 17) ; and that He (Christ) upholds all things by the word of His power (Heb. i. 3). (27) 14. Is Christ ever said to perform certain works which God claims to Himself as His special works ? Yes : God claims to Himself the sole power of creating, redeeming, sanctifying, saving the soul, raising the dead, and judging all men ; and all these things are said to be the especial works of Christ also. Thus Creation : " All things were made by Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made." (John i. 2.) 176 SCRIPTURE PROOF OF THE Redemption is throughout the Old Testament ascribed to God ; and in the New Testament the whole is ascribed to our Lord Jesus Christ. (Rev. v. 9 ; Gal. iii. 13.) Salvation is throughout the New Testament ascribed to Christ and to God, as it were, indiscriminately. The very name of Jesus is given to Him because He saves His people from their sins. (Matt. i. 21.) (In the short Epistle to Titus, the term Saviour is applied to God three times, and to Christ three times.) Again, God is said to raise the dead (2 Cor. i. 9) ; and Christ is the Resurrection. (John vi. 54. xi. 25.) God is the Judge of all (Heb. xii. 23), and yet Christ will come to judge the quick and the dead. (29-35) 15. /$■ the worship afid Divine honour due to the One True God given also to Christ? Yes : He himself says that " all men are to honour the Son even as they honour the Father." (John v. 23.) He prays, " Now, O Father, glorify Thou me with Thine own self with the glory which I had with Thee before the world was." (John xvii. 5.) And so we find that " at " or " in " the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things on earth, and things under the earth ; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. (Phil. ii. 10, 11.) (36-43) 1 6. What Divijte worship was actually accorded to Him ? ' When God brought in the First-Begotten into the world, He said, " Let all the angels of God worship Him." (Heb. i. 6.) When He was an infant just born, the Magi offered to Him frankincense as God. (Matt. ii. 11.) Thechildrenin the temple shouted Hosanna to His praise, and when asked to rebuke them, He significantly replied that if they held their peace the very stones would cry out. (Matt. xxi. 9 ; Luke xix. 40.) And in a vision of the Book of Revelation, Blessing and glory, and honour and power, are ascribed to Him along with the Father, and this by the whole creation. (Rev. v. 13.) (36-43) 17. What other remarkable acts of worship are accorded to Him ? We are baptized into His name, as well as into the name of the Father and the Holy Ghost, and so are solemnly dedicated to Him as well as to the Father ; and continually throughout the Epistles grace is invoked con- jointlv from Him and from His Father. (40, 41) JbOCTRiNh OJ^ THE TRINITY. \*i) 1 8. But have not some said that these places are few, in com . parisoji with those in which worship is directed to the Father ? Of course they are comparatively few ; and for this reason that in Scripture the Son is chiefly set forth as the Mediatoi between us and God ; and so, as a rule, we come to God through Him, and beseech the Father in His name ; but at times we must accord to Him (as we do in the Litany) direct worship, or we should not honour Him as we honour the Father. 19. What further proof can you give of the Godhead of Christ .^ " All things that the Father hath are His." Qohn xvi. 15.) And so we find that — The people of God are His people. (Compare i Pet. ii. 10, with Matt. i. 21.) The Church of God is His Church. (Acts xx. 28 ; I Tim. iii. 15.) The servants of God are His servants, (i Pet. ii. 16, compared with 2 Pet. i. i.) The ambassadors of God are His ambassadors. (Gal. i. 15, compared with 2 Cor. v. 18, 20.) The angels of God are His angels. (Matt. xiii. 41.) 20. Do not all these things imply that He is equal in nature to His Father ? Yes ; and that is what is expressly asserted in the Scrip- tures, where it is said that " being in the form of God, He thought it not robbery (rather, a thing to be tena- ciously held to) to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation." (Phil. ii. 6.) (43-45) 21. But is not a son necessarily iiiferior to his father ? Never in nature. It is the glory of a father to beget a son with the same nature and perfections as those which he possesses. 22. Is this natural equality of a son to his father ever alluded to in Scripture with especial referotce to our Lord? Yes : when Christ said that God was His own Father (iSioj/), the Jews took up stones to stone Him, because (as the Evangelist implies) by the very fact of His saying that God was His own Father, He made Himself equal with God. (John v. 1 8.) 23. But is 7iota son inso7ne sense subordinate to his father f N 178 SCRIPTCTRE PROOF OF THE In the family he is ; and there is a certain priority in the Father as the Father recognised in Scripture, so that the Father is said to send the Son, and to give the Son, and to glorify the Son with the glory which He had with the Father ; but this implies equality of nature. 24. So far for the Godhead of the Son; but are the same Divine names ^ attributes ^ and actions ascribed in Scrip- ture to the Holy Ghost ? Yes : He is called the Lord in one place of Scripture (2 Cor. iii. 17), and God in many other passages ; as where Ananias, in lying to Him, is said not to have lied unto men, but unto God (Acts v. 3, 4) ; and Christians, because He is dwelling in them, are the temples of God. (i Cor. iii. 16.) (46, 47) [See, under Article of the Creed, " I believe in the Holy Ghost," p. 113.] 25. What attributes of God are ascribed to Him ? Eternity: He is called the Eternal Spirit. (Heb. ix. 14.) Omniscience : for He is said to know the things of God, as the human spirit knows the things of a man. (i Cor. ii. 11.) Omnipresence : for the Psalmist asks, " Whither shall I go from Thy Spirit ?" (Ps. cxxxix. 7.) Omnipotence : for all the works of Christ are ascribed to His power. (Matt. xii. 28 ; John xiv. 12,) [The " greater " works mentioned in the latter passage are those which the Apostles would do because of the coming of the Holy Ghost.] (47-50) i(^. Do we rely upon these as the principal proofs of His Godhead ? By no means : His essential Godhead, and equality in nature with the Father and the Son, is shown by His place in the economy of Redemption. (51-56) V}. Explain what you mean by this. It was He Who, speaking by the Prophets, prepared the way for the reception of the Redemption of Christ. It was He Who brought about the Incarnation Itself, for He created in the womb of the Virgin, of her sub- stance, an undefiled human nature, which the Eternal Son assumed, and the Holy Ghost brought about this union. (51-53) 18. How is this expressed in the Scriptures ? " The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee : therefore also that DOCTRINE OF THE TRINITY. 179 Holy Thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God." (Luke i. 35.) [So that our Lord, as re- gards His human nature, was the Son of God through His Conception by the Holy Ghost.] 29. In what flirt he?' way did the Holy Ghost co-operate m the work of Rcdei7iptio7i ? At His Baptism our Lord was anointed by the Spirit to be the Messiah or Christ, as He Himself witnesses by quoting as applying to Himself the words of Isaiah, " The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He hath anointed me," &c. (Luke iv. 18.) (54) 30. But could not our Blessed Lord have do7ie all His work by His own unaided power and wisdom ? Humanly speaking He could ; but He emptied Himself of His glory, and did His mighty works, and even taught His disciples (Acts i. 2), through the power of that Spirit by Whom we also are enabled to work the works of God. 2,1. Did the Holy Spirit co-operate in the f?ial act of Re- demption ? Yes : " Through the Eternal Spirit (Christ) offered Himself without spot to God " (Heb. ix. 14) ; and by the same Spirit He was raised from the dead. (Rom. i. 4 ; viii. II.) (55) 32. How does the Holy Spirit now work ? He guides into all truth. He takes of the things of Christ and shows them to the soul (John xvi. 13, 14) ; through Him Christians are born of God (John iii. 5) ; grafted into the body of Christ (i Cor. xii. 13) ; washed, sanctified, and justified (i Cor. vi. 11) ; and by His power their bodies will be raised again at the last day. (Rom. viii. II.) Everything in the Church — its powers, offices, graces — are all ascribed to Him. (Eph. iv. 1-12.) He gives to one the word of wisdom ; to another the Avord of knowledge, &c. ; and as the conclusion of all it is said, " All these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as He will." (i Cor. xii. 11.) 33. What, then, is the great proof of the Godhead of the Spirit of God? The Godhead of Christ ; for it is impossible for us to believe that He by Whose operation the Eternal Son became Incarnate, and so became as to His human nature the Son of God, that He through Whom the human nature /So SCRIPTURE PROOP OP TffE of the Eternal Son was sanctified to work the work oi Redemption, that He Who mysteriously co-operated in every stage of that work, and by Whose power it is now applied to those who are saved, is less than God. 34. What, then, will most help us to realize the Godhead oj the Blessed Spirit ? We shall most fully realize the Godhead of the Holy Spirit when we realize the greatness of each part of the work of Christ. 35. Show this more particularly. The more we realize the stupendous mystery of the In- carnation, the more we shall give glory to the Spirit Who brought it about. The more we realize the Divine character of the teach- ing of Christ, the more we shall give glory to that Spirit, without Whom Christ taught nothing. The more we realize the Divine nature of the work which Christ did, and yet does for us, as Prophet, Priest, and King, the more we shall give glory to that Spirit by Whom He was anointed to bear these offices of love to- wards us. The more we realize the power of Christ's Death and Resurrection, the more we shall realize the Godhead ol Him by Whom He offered Himself, and by Whom He was raised again. The more we realize the perpetual presence of Christ in the Church, the more we shall honour that Spirit by Whom He is now present. 36. There can be nothing, then, more certain than the truth of the Godhead of the Spirit ? Nothing can be more certain to the man who truly believes in the Divine nature of the Eternal Son, and the Divine character of the work which He came^ to do. 37. Does the history of the Church confirm this view ? Yes : the Godhead of the Holy Ghost has been ever held and confessed by those who held and confessed the Godhead of the Son ; and by consequence, rejected by those who rejected the Godhead of the Son. In fact, it seems impossible for those who hold the truth of the Scriptures, and believe that the Holy Spirit is a person, to * doubt His Godhead. 38. Yoit before showed me your grounds for believing the DOCTRINE OF THE TRINITY. i8i Personality of the Blessed Spirit; can you recapitulate the proof as it appears in Scripture f Every mark of distinct personal existence is ascribed to Him. We are baptized into His name as ^ell as into that of the Father and the Son. (Matt, xxviii. 19.) Grace is invoked from Him as well as from the Father and the Son. (2 Cor. xiii. 14.) He is promised as another Comforter. (John xiv. 16.) As One Who shall guide, and teach, and receive of the things of Christ, and show them. (John xvi. 13, 14.) He will not come unless Christ departs. If Christ de- part He will send Him. (John xvi. 7.) He convinces or reproves. (John xvi, 8.) He commands. (Acts xiii. 2.) He forbids. (Acts xvi. 6.) He works as He will, (i Cor. xii. 11.) He is grieved. (Eph. iv. 30.) He makes intercession. (Rom. viii. 27.) 39. Seeing^ then, that the three Divine Persons are thus set forth separately, as Each doing the work of God, are they ever joined together as performing Divine acts, or re- ceiving Divine honour ? Yes : we are baptized into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. The grace of the Lord Jesus, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost are invoked upon Christians. (2 Cor. xiii. 14.) The voice of the Father is heard, and the Holy Ghost descends like a dove upon the head of Christ at His Baptism. (Matt. iii. 16.) Christ associates the three Persons together when He says : " The Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, He shall teach you all things." (John xiv. 26.) Through Christ we have access by one Spirit unto the Father. (Eph. ii. 18.) Christians are " elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the Blood of Jesus Christ." (i Peter i. 2.) And according to St. Jude, Chris- tians are to " pray in the Holy Ghost," to " keep them- selves in the love of God," and to " look for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life." (Jude 20, 21.) ^o. But have you not omitted the striking passage about the three Heaveitly Witnesses ? (i John v. 7.) i82 SCRIPTURE PROOF OF THE I have omitted it, because it is not to be found in the oldest and best manuscripts and versions ; but it contains what is absolutely true, for there are Three who bear record (and do much more than bear record) in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost ; and we believe that^'these Three are One." 41. But has it not been said that the Persons in the Trinity are three manifestations or characters of but One Person ? If this be so, then the last and most perfect Revelation of God's will gratuitously misleads us in the matter of the very nature of the Supreme God. 42. How does this appeal' f The Holy Scriptures, in ascribing Divine attributes and actions to a Father and a Son, have gone as far as possible in the way of marking the personal distinction between the Two. 43. Can you show this more fully f Yes ; in this way : If the Scriptures had ascribed Divine attributes to a Creator and a Redeemer, without making any further distinction, then it might have been said that they meant but one person bearing two offices ; but such terms as Father and Son are not names of offices, but names implying the relationship of different persons to one another ; the mere mention of a Father implying a Son distinct from Himself ; and the mention of a Son implying the (in some sense) separate existence of a Father. 44. Is this personal distinction between His Father and Himself^ as Father and Son, ever insisted upon by our Saviour ? Yes ; very distinctly indeed, where He says : " It is also written in your law that the testimony of two men is tnie. I am one that bear witness of myself, and the Father that sent me beareth witness of me." And He had just before this said : " I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent me." (John viii. 16, 17, 18.) 45. Do you remember any other words of our Lord in which He sets forth the petsonal distinction between the Persons in the Godhead? Yes : " I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you for ever." (John xiv. 16.) DOCTRINE OF THE TRINITY. 183 46. Is not the doctrine of the Trinity in Unity an incom- prehensible mystery ? Yes ; it is an unsearchable mystery ; bat so is every other thing which can be said of an infinite and eternal Being, as God is. 47. Show this with respect to other attributes of God which are acknowledged by all. His Omnipresence and Eternity. We can form no conception of the mode in which a Being exists Who is Himself wholly present in every part of the vast universe which He has created, just as we cannot comprehend an Existence which has no beginning. 48. The mysterious natttre, tlien^ cf the Doctrine of the Trinity is no argument against its truth f No : the mysterious nature of this doctrine, though it is no positive proof of its truth, is an argument in its favour so far as this, that it accords with the incompre- hensible character of every other attribute which belongs to the Godhead. 49. Why is it necessary that Christians should hold the truth of the Ever-Blessed Trinity ? Because we are baptized into the Name of the Trinity, and it is above all things necessary that we should know and confess the meaning and significance of the Name of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, in Which we are baptized. 50. Is there any other reason ? Yes. Unless we apprehend the doctrine of the Trinity, we cannot apprehend the truth of God ; for God is set forth in Scripture as One, and yet all that can be said of God is in Scripture said of Three, and not of One only. 51. But is there not, in this mysterious 7natter, a danger of speculating beyond what is revealed ? Not in this our day : the danger now is of coming far short of what is revealed. In speaking, for instance, of the glory of the Eternal Son, it is impossible to go beyond such statements as, " The Word was God." " All things were made by Him." " He said that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God." " I and the Father are one." " Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God." The doctrine of the Trinity, as contained in the Creeds of the Church, teaches us how we are to give to these statements their full meaning, and yet hold that God is One. l84 SCRIPTURE PROOF OF THE 52. Is there any other reason why we should hold the doctrine of the Trinity f Yes. Unless we believe in the Ever-Blessed Trinity, we cannot realize that " God is love." 53. Why so? Because, if God had no Son Who was in His bosom from all eternity, and no Spirit proceeding from Him, then He only began to love when He created angels and men ; but if He be a Trinity in Unity, then He has loved from all eternity : for from everlasting the Father has loved the Son ; and the Father and the Son have from everlasting loved the Holy Ghost ; and the Holy Ghost has loved the Father and the Son. SHORTER CATECHISM. 1. What dost thou chiefly learn by these articles of thy Belief 1 First, I learn to believe in God the Father, &c. 2. What name is given by t/ie Ciiurch to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost ? The name of the Trinity. The Ever-Blessed Trinity. 3. What is each Persoji ifi Uie Ever-Blessed Trinity 1 God and Lord. 4. Are there then three Gods or three Lords ? No: "we are forbidden by the Catholic religion to say, There be three Gods or three Lords." 5. Who is the Second Person in the Trinity ? God the Son — the Eternal Son of God — Jesus Christ. 6. PFhat is the name given to Him in the first verses of St. Jolui's Gospel ? The Word. 7. What does St. John say of the Word? In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God (John i. i). 8. Did the Word, or Son of God, akvays remain in glory in Heaven ? No: ''For us men, and for our salvation. He came down from Heaven.*' 9. How does St. John express this 1 The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us (John i. 14). 10. Does this mean that oitr Lord is not now God 1 No : He was called by St. Thomas, one of his Apostles, Lord and God (John xx. 28). DOCTRINE OF THE TRINITY. 185 1 1. Did He reprove St. Thomas for so addressing Him ? On the contrary; He said to Him, "Thou hast believed." [Because thou hast seen Me thou hast believed.] 12. Does St. Paul ever call our Lord *' God ?" Yes : in Rom. ix. 5. 13. Does St. John ever call our Lord God? Yes : (i John v, 20). 14. What other proof have we that our Lord is God] He says things which only God can say. 15. Mentioji one of these things. He says, ' ' I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last " (Rev. xxii. 13). 16. What does He mean by saying this ? He means that He is from everlasting to everlasting. 17. Who alone can befrorn everlasting to everlasting? The one true God. 18. Why then can Jestis say this ? Because He is one God with the Father and the Spirit. 19. Mejition another thing which fesus said. " Where two or three are gathered together in My Name, there am I in the midst of them ' (Matt, xviii, 20). 20. What does He mean by this 1 That He is in every place at once. 21. What najfie do ive give to this power of being in every place at once ? Omnipresence. 22. To whom does this power of being in every place belong "i To the one true God. 23. How theit can Jesus be in every place ? Because He is with the Father, and the Spirit, the one God. 24. What do 7ve call such a thing as omnipresence ? We call it an attribute of God. 25. What do you fuean by an attribute ? Something which we say of God. Something which we say that God is. 26. What do we say of God ? We say that He is eternal, that He is present everywhere or omnipresent, that He is all-wise or omniscient, and all-mighty or omnipotent. 27. Does Jesus Christ ever claim to be omnipotent ? Yes: when He says, "What things soever He (the Father) doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise " (John v. 19). 28. Does Christ ever claim to be omniscient or all-knowing ? Yes : when He allows St. Peter to say to Him, Lord, Thou knowest all things (John xxi. 17). 29. Mention three great xuorks zvhick God alone^ because He is Almighty {or omnipotent), caft do. IS6 SCRIPTURE PROOF OF THE He alone creates. He sustains or upholds all things. He raises the dead. 30. Is it ever said that the So?t of God has the power to create ? Yes : He created all things (John i. 3 ; Heb. i. 2). 31. Is it ever said that the Son of God has the po7ver to uphold all things ? Yes : by Him all things consist (Col. i. 17), He upholds all things by the word of His power (Heb. i. 3). 32. Is it ever said that the Son of God has pozver to raise the dead ? Yes : He Himself claims to do so (John vi. 54). T,T,. What two other works are ascribed to God alone ? To judge all men (God is the Judge), and to save sinners. Besides me there is no Saviour (Isaiah xliii. Ii). 34. Does it belong to Christ to judge ? Yes : "The Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son " (John v. 22). 35. Does it belong to Christ to save ? Yes : His name was given to Him because He saves His people from their sins (Matt, i. 21). 36. If Christ then is called '* Lord'''' and " God,'''' and does all these things which God only caji do, ought He to be honoured as God 1 Yes : ** All men should honour the Son even as they honour the Father " (John v. 23). 37. Are we then ever to worship Him ? Yes, or we should not honour Him as we honour the Father. 38. Give instances of angels worshipping Christ. Heb. i. 6 ; Rev. v, 13. 39. Give instances of men worshipping Him. The Magi (Matt. ii. Ii). The holy women on the day of the Resurrection (Matt, xxviii. 9). The Apostles (Luke xxiv. 52). St. Stephen (Acts vii. 59). 40. How in additioft to this is He honoured as God ? We are baptized into His Name. 41. What does this imply 1 That we are dedicated to Him as God. 42. Where does the Church xuorship Him as God ? In the Gloria Patri ; in the Te Deum ; in the Litany ; in the Prayer of St, Chrysostom ; and in several Collects. 43. If then He is called Lord and God, and does all that God does, and receives the worship due to God, is He inferior to God ? No : '* He thought it not robbery to be equal with God " (Phil. ii. 6). 44. Put is He not the true and only Son of God ? Yes : and so He must be equal in nature to His Father (John v. 18). DOCTRINE OF TITE TRINITY, 187 ^^^. Do we dishonour the Father by giving Divine honour to His Son f No : unless we did so we should not honour God the Father (John V. 23). 4.6. Is the Holy Ghost called God in Scripture t Yes : in Acts v. 3, 4. 47. Is He ever called Lord ? Yes : {2 Cor. iii, 17). 4S. Is He ez'er said to be eternal 1 Yes': (lieb. ix. 14). 49. Is He ever said to be omniscicnty or to know all things ? Yes : (I Cor. ii. 10). 50. Is He ever said to be omnipresent ? Yes : " Whither shall I go from Thy Spirit ?" (Ps. cxxxix. 6). 5 1 . PFhat work of God did He bring about / The greatest work of God that has been revealed to us. 52. What is that ? The Incarnation of the Son of God. 53. Was this the work of the Holy Ghost ? Yes : (Matt. i. 20 ; Luke i. 35). 54. By Whom did our Lord becofue the Christ ? By the Holy Ghost, by whom He was anointed. 55. By Who7n- did He offer Himself a sacrifice for sins 1 Through the Eternal Spirit. 56. Whom must the Holy Ghost be if He does these things 1 He must be God, one with the Father and the Son. 57. Why, particularly, are we to honour Hint as God 1 Because we are baptized in His Name, and so dedicated to Him. 58. What work of the Holy Spirit is especially mentioned in the Nicetie Creed ? He spake by the Prophets. 59. When the Prophets spake in God's Name, hoiv did they begin "i With the words, ' ' Thus saith the Lord." 60. If then they spoke by the Holy Ghost, what must He be ? The Lord God. 61. If then all these things can be said of the Son and of the Holy Ghost as well as of the Father, what is our duty ? We must worship One God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity. 62. Can we do this without the help of God's grace ? No : God has given to us grace by the confession of a true faith to acknowledge the glory of the Eternal Trinity (Collect for Trinity Sunday). 63. How must we come to God f Through Christ, by the Spirit. We must come to God, the First Person, through the Second, by the Third. 64. How do we worship and glorify the Trinity in Unity in the services of the Church 1 In the Gloria Patri ; in the Gloria in Excelsis (" Gloiy be to God on high ") ; in the Litany ; in the confession of the Creeds, especially the Creed of St. Athanasius. 1 88 THE PREFACE TO THE COMMANDMENTS. SECTION XXXIII.— THE PREFACE TO THE COMMANDMENTS. 1. You SAID THAT YOUR GODTATHERS AND GODMOTHERS DID PROMISE FOR YOU, THAT YOU SHOULD KEEP GOD'S Commandments. Tell me how many there be ? Ten. 2. Which be they ? The same which God spake in the twentieth chapter of exodus, saying, i am the lord thy God, Who brought thee out of the Land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. 3. When did yoicr Godparents promise for you that you should keep God's commandments ? When, at my Baptism, I was brought under the New Covenant. (7-13) 4. What is one part of that covena?ii? " I will put my laws into their minds, and write them in their hearts, and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people." (Heb. viii. 10,) (13-17) 5. If, then, at your Baptism you entered into the New Cove- nant, what did you receive ? Grace from God to do His Holy will ; for I Avas then buried and raised again with Christ, that I might walk in newness of hfe. (Rom. vi. 1-4.) (14-18) 6. How must you stir up this grace within you ? By calling upon God in prayer ; by ever remembering my dedication to God, and by using all means of grace which He has given to me. (19-21) 7. How does our Lord sum up the commandments f In two, viz., " Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind ;" and "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." (Matt, xxii. 37.) 8. If, then, we break any one commandment, what do we show f Our want of love to God. (22, 23) 9. If, then, Christ has summed tip all the commandments in these two, why do we say that there are teji f THE PREFACE TO THE COMMANDMENT'S. 189 Because, though our duty can be all summed up in one word, yet the ways of performing it are manifold. 10. Are these cojnmandme7its binding upon Christiaftsf Yes. I. Because they have been confirmed by Christ and His Apostles. 2. And also because they express that natural law which God has written in the hearts of even the heathen, (Rom. ii. 15.) (23-27) 1 1. When did our Lord confirm their authority ? When He said : " If thou wilt enter into hfe, keep the commandments." (Matt. xix. 17, 18, 19.) [Also throughout the Sermon on the Mount, particu- larly when He says, "Whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven " (Matt. v. 19) ; and when He denounces the guilt of the Scribes and Pharisees in making void God's law by their tradition (Matt. xv. 6).] (25-27) 1 2. But was not St. Paul inspired to say that we are not under the law, but tender grace f Yes : we are not under the law as the means of our justification in God's sight ; but the very grace which we receive is given to us to enable us to fulfil the law. According to St. Paul's own words, " God sent His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh . . . that the righteous- ness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." (Rom. viii. 3.) (29-36) 13. But is this righteousness the keeping of the ten com- mandments ? It must be. The ten commandments, as spiritually ex- pounded by our Saviour, are the moral law, and God has given us no other. 14. On what ground did God bid the children of Israel keep the ten comma?id7nents ? On the ground that He was the Lord their God, Who had brought them out of the land of Egypt ; out of the house of bondage. 15. Does this apply to us? Yes ; with tenfold force ; for God redeemed the Israelites from temporal subjection, whereas He has redeemed us from sin by the humiliation and death of His Only Be- gotten Son. (30-37) 16. Are the ten cotnmandmeftts ever classified or divided? Yes ; into two tables. The first containing the 190 THE PREFACE TO THE COMMANDMENTS. first four commandments, on the love of God ; and the second the last six, on the love of our neighbour. 17. Where has the Church given to us the spiritual uzeanitig of these tzuo tables ? She has given to us the spiritual meaning of the com- mandments of the first table in the " Duty towards God ;" and the spiritual meaning of the commandments of the second table in the " Duty towards my Neigh- bour." (44-47.) 18. What is your diht towards God ? My duty towards God is to believe in Him, to FEAR Him, and to love Him with all my heart, WITH ALL MY MIND, WITH ALL MY SOUL, AND WITH ALL MY STRENGTH ; TO WORSHIP HiM, TO GIVE HiM THANKS, TO PUT MY WHOLE TRUST IN HiM, TO CALL UPON Him, to honour His Holy N.^me, and His word, and to serve him truly all the days of my life. SHORTER CATECHISM. 1. What was the third thing which your Godparents promised in your name ? That I should keep God's holy will and commandments. 2. How many commandments are there ? Ten. 3. Where in Scripture are they to be found ? Exod. xx. 4. Is there any otJier place where they are to be found ? Yes (Deut. v. 6-21). 5. Who gave the ten co7nmandments at the first ? God Himself (Deut. v. 4). 6. To whom did He give them l To His people Israel. 7. Did He give them to those who heard His voice or to all 1 To all His people in every age (Deut. v. 3). 8. When did each Israelite become one of the people of God ? At his circumcision, when he was eight days old. 9. What is now the Israel of God ? The Church of God. 10. When didyott become a member of the Church ? At my Baptism. 1 1. Into what didyott enter then ? Into covenant with God. ■•• 12. What covenant ? The new covenant. 13. What is the difference between the two covenants ? The old covenant had no grace annexed to it ; but under the new we have grace given to us. [We are hereby made the children of grace.] 14. What does God give us grace to do ? To do His will. THE PREFACE TO THE COMMANDMENTS. 191 15. Where do v:e read thisl Where St. Paul (quoting Jeremiah) writes : "I will put my laws into their minds, and write them in their hearts" (Fleb. viii. 10). 16. Is this grace given to us in Baptism ! Yes : in some degree it is given, or St. Paul would not write that we are baptized in order that we might walk in newness of life (Rom. vi. 4). 17. But how is it that so many Christians do not keep Gods law ? Because they fall from grace. 1 8. Is this certain I We find that the Apostles, when they hear of baptized Christians sinning, always assume that they sin against grace. 19. What mnst we do then ? We must always remember that we have been made members of Christ. 20. What besides mnst we do ? We must pray to God through Christ that we may have more grace, • 21. What besides ? We must use the means of grace. 22. Can you give the meaning of the comina7idnients in one ruord ? Yes : in the one word " love." 23. Does oicr Lord ever sum up the meaning of the commandments so ? Yes : when lie says that the first and great commandment is, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart ; and the second. Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. (Matt. xxii. 37.) 24. Must we, who are Christians, keep the Commandments ? Yes. 25. Wh}' ? Because our Lord Jesus Christ requires us so to do. 26. Where does He so require us ? When He says : "If thou wilt enter into life, keep the com- mandments" (Matt. xix. 17). 27. Shall we enter Heaven because we keep God's law ? No. 28. Why ? Because we are saved by Jesus Christ. 29. Why then must we keep Gods law ? Because Jesus Christ saved us from sin, which is the transgres- sion of God's law. 30. What is salvation ? Deliverance from sin, and doing the will of God. 31. But is not salvation being taken to Heaven 1 No : unless we had God's law in our hearts we could not be happy in Heaven. 32. Where is this meaning of Salvation expressed in Scripture ? In the well-known words : " That we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies, might serve Him without fear, in holi- ness and righteousness before Him " (Luke i. 74, 75). 33. But has not Christ fulfilled the law for us ? Not in the sense of excusing us from fulfilling it ourselves. 102 THE PRE Pace to titi: COMMAisrbMEl^T^. 34. But is He not our Righteousness ? Yes ; and so because He is in us as our Righteousness, we must be righteous. 35. How can this be / By the power of His Spirit within us. 36. For what purpose does St. Paul say that God sent His Son ? " That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us** (Rom. viii. 4). 37. Before God gave the Israelites His law, what did He tell theju ? What He had done for them. 38. In what words ? " I am the Lord thy God, Who brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage." 39. Has God done anything like this for us 1 Yes : He has done a far greater thing. 40. What is that ? He has redeemed us from the bondage of sin. 41. Hotu ? By the Death of His Son. 42. Hozo do we know that we have part in this Redemption ? Because we have been baptized into His Church. 43. Because of this, how are we to walk 1 In newness of life. 44. What is the rule of this nezv life f The commandments. 45. How interpreted "i Interpreted in their full spiritual meaning. 46. Where in the Scriptures do we find their spiritual meaning set forth ? In the Sermon on the Mount. 47. Is it draivn out in the Catechism f Yes : in the " duty towards God " and the ' ' duty towards our neighbour." THE FIRST COMMANDMENT. 19: SECTION XXXIV.— THE FIRST COMMANDMENT. 1. What is the first commandment? Thou shalt have none OTHfeR Gods but me. 2. Who is this God Who claims our sole worship ? The God into Whose Name we have been baptized. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. (9, 10) 3. Is this com7na7tdmeiit kept by us if we merely hold that there is biCt one God ? No ; we must take the One true God to be our God, and think of Him, and hve to Him as the Maker of all things and the Redeemer and Judge of all men. 4. What part of our " duty towards God'''' teaches what God requires of us in this first commandment ? " My duty towards God is to beheve in Him, to fear Him, and to love Him with all my heart, with all my mind, with all my soul, and with all my strength." 5. What state of mind^ theiiy is enforced by this first com- mandment f Godliness. (7, 8) 6. What must we have within us if wc would have this state of mind ? Faith. We must believe in God ; Who He is, and what He has done for us. (9-14) 7. Why are we called upon first of all to believe i7t God f Because unless we believe in Him, we cannot fear or love Him, or come to Him in prayer [as the Apostle says, " He that cometh to God must beheve that He is." (Heb. xi. 6.)] 8. In what consists the open violation of this first com- mandment ? In worshipping other Gods, as the heathen do. (3-6) 9. Btit cannot the heathen worship the same Supreme Bein^^ as we worship^ utider a different name ? No : the God Whom we worship has revealed Himself as the Father of Jesus Christ. (11-14) 10. Can a Deist who professes to believe in ofie Supreme Being, but rejects the record which God has given of His Son, keep this commandment ? o if4 Tffs finkvr eoMMAimiutMr. \iM the UahometAn . is th«t GM f^imn ru^ say that s. unw )vw, ftJ4r Hiii ^Mt« 0«t all or» aa th«? H it, a!! fear i. -at U JvOm ^ ' th« mHImi OuMmi, that « waftteg TU£ nMS% Ci. Are Christians in danger from temptation to sins for - bidde?i by this coininandment ? St. Paul treats his converts as in need of constant watchfulness against the entrance of temptation to these sins, (i Cor. vi. 15-20; x. 8; Gal. v. 19; Eph. v. 3-6; Col. iii. 5, 6 ; I Thess. iv. 3 ; Heb. xii. 16.) 14. How must we exercise this watchfulness ? We must watch the thoughts of our hearts, and the moment an improper thought arises we must put it away from us, and offer up a silent prayer to God, and repeat to ourselves some verse of Scripture, such as, "Thou, God, seest me," or, " Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." (5-8) 15. What, above all, should we do in order to ward off temptation ? We should make an act of faith in our Baptism, by saying to ourselves, I am baptized into the death of Christ that I should walk in newness of life. (Rom. vi. 4.) I am a member of Christ, and must not defile His body, (i Cor. iii. 16, 17.) I am dedicated to God ; and, as a temple dedicated to Him, I must cleanse myself from all 234 THE SEVENTH COMMANDMENT. filthiness of flesh and spirit i^ Cor. vi. i6, 17, 18 ; vii. i.) (25, 26) 16. What else should we remember f The judgments of God against impurity recorded in the Scriptures. (Sins of impurity lead to other sins ; as in David, they led to murder, and in Solomon, to idolatry.) 17. What crime with awful freqiiency follows on the co7n- mittal of this sin ? The crime of child-murder. 1 8. What is commanded itt the seventh commandment f That husbands should love their wives, and wives their husbands ; and that heads of families should take every pains to preserve the purity of their households. (Tit. ii. 2, 3, 4.) 19. How zs this commandment explained in the duty towards your neighbour ? That it is my duty to " keep my body in temperance^ soberness, and chastity." 20. Why? Because gluttony and intemperance lead directly to sins against this commandment. (Ezek. xvi. 49.) 21. What Christian exercises must be brought to bear against temptations to break the seventh command?nent ? Abstinence and fasting, (i Cor. ix. 27.) (27-30) 22. Mention four evil things which lead to the breach of the seventh commandmefit. Love of dress. Immodest apparel. Loose and vicious company. (Dinah : Gen. xxxiv. i.) Idleness. (Ezek. xvi. 49.) (14, 15, 19, 31-33). Note. — The Catechist should remember that the expo- sition of this particular commandment has been kept in the Catechetical form simply for the sake of uniformity. The Catechist must, of course, give the substance of the instruction upon this commandment more in the form of direct address. He should advert with all possible seri- ousness to much which has been left unsaid, or dismissed with a single word. Hard as it is to treat this matter so as to be understood, and yet not to raise the very ideas we wish to suppress, the difficulty must be faced if we are to be free from the blood of souls in the sight of God. The Scripture writers do not avoid this awful subject, and we must not. The sin is too rife amongst us to be glossed THE SEVENTH COMMANDMENT. 235 over. It will be, in two or three years — perhaps at the very time we are catechising it is beginning to be— in some of its forms, the temptation of half the young people who hear us. If we are to take the Scripture writers as our guides, then no inculcation of other truths, however precious, such as free forgiveness through Christ, or what is commonly called " the Gospel," will be sufficient. The part of the Gospel which St. Paul opposes to this sin is Baptismal truth, that our very bodies are made members of Christ, and dedicated to God ; and the sins of commis- sion must be stated so that the brand of hell may be marked upon them. SHORTER CATECHISM. 1. What is the seventh commandment ? Thou shalt not commit adultery. 2. I/ow are you to obey this cofnmandment ? By keeping my body in temperance, soberness, and chastity. 3. Hbrv are children to try to keep this commandment ? By watching their hearts, lest they think of any evil fdthy things. 4. PVhat does our Lord say to encourage tis to do this ? "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God" (Matt. V. 8). 5. Do we ever pray in Church for pire and clean hearts ? Yes : when we pray, " O God, make clean our hearts within us." 6. Does the Church put any other prayer like this into our lips ? Yes. " Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of Thy Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love Thee." 7. What thojights should we particularly keep out of our hearts ? Eveiy thought that we should be ashamed to tell our clergy- man, or our teacher, or any other person whom we honour and respect. 8. If any evil, wicked, or filthy thoughts come into our minds, xvhat should we do ? We should turn our thoughts to something else, or we should repeat to ourselves a verse of Scripture, or a verse of a hymn, or a short prayer. 9. JIo7(j besides should we try to keep this commandment ? By being watchful over our tongues, lest we say any filthy bad words, or even any coarse words. 236 THE SEVENTH COMMANDMENT. 10. What words should we avoid 1 All such words or speeches as we should be ashamed to repeat to one whom we love and respect. 1 1 . Should we listen to such words ? No : to listen to them with pleasure (or without reproof) is as bad as to repeat them. 12. What does St. Paul say respecting the use of such language ? Fornication, and all uncleanness. . . .let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints ; neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting (Eph. v, 3, 4). 13. What rtile besides this does he give ? Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth (Eph. iv. «9). 14. In what other way must ive strive to keep this command?nent ? By avoiding all loose and godless company, 15. Who fell id our Lord desire that He might not suffer ? Yes : He prayed, "If it be possible, let this cup pass from Me " CMatt, xxvi, 39), 266 THY WILL BE DONE. 13. Did He submit to God ? Yes ; i] xxii. 42). 14. What then are these words ? They are an act of submission as well as a prayer. 15. Js it not sometimes very hard to say these words, as zvhen God takes away fram 11s our dear relations and frieftds ? Yes : but God in all things knows and does what is best, 16. Gan toe always feel this ? No : sometimes we do not feel it now, but we shall kno\v it hereafter. GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD. 267 SECTION XLIX.— GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD. 1. What is the fourth petition ? Give us this day (or day by day) our daily bread. 2. What is the explanation of this petition in the " Desire /" " I pray unto God that He will send us all things that be needful, both for our souls and bodies." 3. What then do we mea?t by " bread " here ? All things needful for the sustenance and preservation of our earthly as well as our spiritual life. (3-8) 4. Is it not our duty to labour for our daily bread ? Yes ; but it is God who gives seed to the sower, and bread to the eater (Isa. Iv. 10) ; for it is He who gives rain and sunshine, and protects what is sown from blight. (3-8) 5. Must those who have no fieed to labour for daily sus- tenance say this prayer f Yes ; for God can at any time deprive them of all benefit from their stores, so that their bread will cease to nourish and support them. (13, 14) 6. Why do we ask for " daily " bread? To remind us of our daily need of the provident care ot God. (9, 10) 7. What then can these words be considered? An act of dependence upon God ; a daily committing of ourselves to His Fatherly care. (12-15) 8. What are we taught by being bid to pray for daily ''bread''? That we are 'not to desire luxuries and superfluities, remembering that such things are always spoken of in Scripture as dangerous to the soul. [So that this prayer is like in meaning to that of the wise man : " Give me neither poverty nor riches ; feed me with food convenient for me." (Prov. xxx. 8.)] (11) 9. If God has given to us more than He has given to others, what should we reme7nber ? That it is a mockery to put up this petition, unless we do what we can to reheve the wants of others. 268 GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD. 10. What is the bread of the soul f The Bread of Life : Jesus Christ. (17-20) 1 1. How do we receive Him as the Bread of Life ? In two ways : We receive Him in the hearing of His word ; and we receive Him Sacramentally in the devout reception of His Body and Blood in Holy Communion. (20-24) 1 2. Can we receive Him as the Bread of Life in one of these ways alone, by itself f Not ordinarily. They must both go together, for God has ordained both. 1 3. Why do yon say ordinarily ? Because there may be cases in which we are not able to receive the Holy Eucharist ; in which cases we hope and trust that, if we feed on the truths of God's Holy word respecting Jesus Christ with our souls, God will make up what we lose by our constrained absence from His Sacrament. 14. For what then do we ask God, in the matter of our spiritual food, when we say this petition ? We ask Him, that by His grace we may labour for (John vi. 27), and obtain, Christ as the true Bread of Life ; and also that we may have opportunity and grace to receive Him in every way in which God sets Him forth to us. (20-24) SHORTER CATECHISM. 1. What is the fourth petition ? Give us this day our daily bread. 2. Is there any variation of this petition 1 Yes : in St. Luke's account we have, "Give us day by day." 3. What is meant by " bread " here 1 All things needful to support our lives. 4. What things are to be 7'eckoned amongst these 1 Clothing, shelter, health, strength to labour, means of liveli- hood. 5. Mention another needful thing. Medicine and attendance when we are sick. 6. What is there remarkable about this petition ? That it is the only one in which we mention the needs of tlie body. CIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD. ^69 7. What bread do we ask for ? Our daily bread. 8. IV/ial has the word daily been taken to mean ? Needful. Our needful necessary sustenance. 9. What supply do we ask for ? Only our daily portion. Give us this day. Day by day. 10. By teaching- ns to say give us '■^ this''^ day^ what does our Lord efijoin ? That we say this prayer daily, and early each day. 11. What has been said about our Lord teaching us to pray for '' bread r That He teaches us to look only for the necessaries of life, not for the luxuries. 12. If we say this prayer from our hearts what do we shoxv ? Our feeling of dependence upon God. 1 3. Do the rich depend upon God 1 Yes : God can, at any time, take away all their goods, 14. If He does not do that, cajt He yet show them that they depend upon Him ? Yes : He can at any moment deprive them of their health, or of all worldly enjoyment. 15. How is this prayer explained in the ^^ Desire f I pray unto God that He will send us all things that be need- ful both for our souls and bodies. 16. What needs are r?ientioncd here ? Those of the soul as well as of the body. 1 7. What does the soul reqtiire f The Bread of Life. 18. What is the Bread of Life ? Jesus Christ (John vi. 48). 19. Who gives us this bread 1 God the Son (John vi. 27). 20. Hoiv does He give us Himself as the Bread of Life ? Through His Word. 21. Is there any ordinafice of His Church in which He especially offers to us Himself as the Bread of Life ? Yes : the Holy Communion. 22. What does He say to tis there ? " Take, eat, this is My body which is given for you." 23. What then do we ask for in this petition ? That God would make us partakers of His Son Jesus Christ. 2^. In what way ? In every way in which He is pleased to do so, especially in 111-' Holy Communion. 270 AND FORGIVE US OUR TRESPASSES. SECTION L.— AND FORGIVE US OUR TRESPASSES. 1. What is the next petition ? And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us. 2. What does the word " trespasses " meaji in the original? Debts. We owe perfect obedience to God ; and ever)- thing short of that obedience, /. ^., all sin, is a debt which is set down against us. (2-7) 3. Ill what sense, then, do we ask for forgiveness ? As the free remission of a debt. 4. On what account are we forgiven ? On account of the full, perfect, and sufficient Sacrifice, Oblation, and Satisfaction made by our Lord upon the cross. (8, 9) 5. Who receive this fojgiveness ? Those who repent and believe the Gospel. (10) d. Is there any limitation to the grant of this forgiveness laid down by Christ Himself in this prayer? 'Yes. Christ teaches us to ask for forgiveness for our- selves only as we forgive others. (10-16) 7. Are we sure that He meafis to 77iake this limitation f Yes ; because He particularly singles out the words of this condition, or limitation, and repeats their sense in other words immediately after He has taught the prayer. [" For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you ; but if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." (Matt. vi. 14, 15.) So also in Mark xi. 26 -- •" If ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses." And He also gives us the Parable of the Unmerciful Servant (Matt, xviii. 23- 35), vv^ho was cast out of his state of forgiveness, and had all his sins imputed afresh to him, because he did not for- give his fellow-servant.] (10-16) 8. If he whom we have offended, or who has offended us, will not be reconciled, what must we do ? We must determine in our hearts to bear no malice AND FORGIVE VS OUR TRESPASSES. 271 against him, and we must pray to God for him that God may give him a better mind. [Pray for them which despite- fully use you, and persecute you. (Matt. v. 44).] What must be the limit of 02ir fors^iveness of others ? " Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him .'* till seven times t Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times : but, until seventy tmies seven." (Matt, xviii. 21, 22.) SHORTER CATECHISM. 1. What is the fifth petition 1 And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us. 2. Hoiv is this expressed in the sermojt on the Mount ? And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. 3. And how in the Gospel of St. Luke ? And forgive us our sins, for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. 4. jDoes our Lord teach us what these debts are ? Yes : He teaches us that they are sins or trespasses ; for He says, If ye forgive men their trespasses, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you (Matt. vi. 14). 5. Bow is it that si7ts can be called debts ? Because we owe obedience to God in all things, and if we do not obey we do not pay what is due from us, and so are in debt. 6. Can we pay in the future what we owe from the past ? No : future obedience cannot make up for past transgressions. 7. Why 1 Becausa we owe all possible obedience for the future. 8. ILow then can %ue be forgiven 1 Through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ. 9. Ho%o is this expressed in the Scriptures ? In such words as — In whom (Jesus Christ) we have redemp- tion through His blood, the forgiveness of sins (Col. :. 14). 10. Will all be forgiven ? No : only those who repent and believe the Gospel. 11. To whom is this forgiveness limited? To those who forgive their brethren. 12. Who has set this limit ? Jesus Christ our Saviour. 13. Ifow often 1 Many times. Five times at least. 14. What is the first of these ? When He teaches U3 to pray in this very prayer: "And 272 AND FORGIVE US OUR TRESPASSES. forgive us our trespasses, as we foi'give them that trespas against us." 15. /;/ ivhai further zvords docs lie limit forgiveness to those who for- give I If ye forgive men, &c. (Matt. vi. 14 : also Mark xi. 26 ; Luke xi. 4). 16. By what parable does our Lord enforce the same truth ? By that of the Unmerciful Servant (Matt, xviii. 23-35). 17. What will make us ready tofoj-give 1 Striving by God's help to follow the example of Christ. 18. What besides 1 The remembrance of how much we ourselves need forgivciie - (Matt, xviii. 32, 33). AND LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION. 373 SECTION LI.— AND LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION. I. What is the last petition of the Lord's Prayer ? And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. 1. Have we here two petitions, or one only ? It is explained by some of the best expositors, ancient and modern, as if it were one. "We pray not to be ex- empted from temptation ; for, as long as we are in a state of probation or trial, we must be proved or tried by temptation ; but we pray to be delivered from falling into sin under temptation : that is, from evil. (1-6) 3. How then would y on express the meaning of this petition in other words ? Suffer us not to be led into any temptation unless Thou be with us to save us from falling into sin. 4. Does God lead men into temptation ? He may be said to do so when by His providence men are exposed to temptation. (Matt. iv. i.) 5. Does God tempt meti to sin ? No : St. James tells us that God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth He any man. (James i. 13.) (15-17.) 6. Are we all exposed to temptation from within ? Yes ; our original sin issues in some propensity to evil ; some are tempted by anger or passion, some by lust, some by covetousness, some by sloth, some by pride or vainglory. (5-12) 7. Are we exposed to temptations fro7n without? Yes : the word of God teaches us that we are sur- rounded by wicked spirits, who have the power to suggest to our hearts things which lead us to fall from God. (Eph. vi. 12.) (11-14) 8. Are we ever safe from the suggestions of these evil spirits ? No : we read that Adam and Eve were tempted when in a state of innocence ; and Satan entered into Judas when he was in the immediate presence of Christ Him- self. (John xiii. 27.) T 274 -^ND LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION. 9. Are the ^^ people of God^'' and " believers^^ in danger from temptations ? Yes. St. Paul cites the example of the Israelites re- peatedly falling from God as a warning to baptized be- lievers (i Cor. X. i-io) ; and our Lord speaks of those who " for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away." (Luke viii. 13.) 10. Can you show in the words of the Catechism that we do not pray to be exempted from trials but that we 7nay be upheld under the trial f Yes. We pray God to ^save and defend us not from all danger, but, in all dangers, ghostly and bodily. (2-8'; (15-18) 1 1. Give an example of God saving a mati not from, but m, a ghostly danger. Joseph : by the providence of God he was exposed to temptation, but by the grace of God he was preserved from sin. (Gen. xxxix.) 12. Give an example of one saved, not from, but in bodily danger. St. Paul ; who was shipwrecked, beaten with rods, stoned, persecuted, and yet upheld to persevere undejr all. (2 Cor. xi. 23-27.) 13. Would it have beeii well if the providence of God had kept these me Ji from trial or danger ? No : in the one case the Church would have lost a bright example of faith realizing the presence of God ; in the other, of love " enduring all things." 14. Is it enough for us to pray that we may not be Udinto temptation ? No ; we must " watch and pray," and we must keep out of the way of temptation. 15. What besides these things must we do f We must remember that God's eye is upon us, and make an act of faith in His presence ; as, for instance, " Thou God seest me." 16. What besides this must we do ? We must remember that our Saviour said respecting certain evil spirits, " This kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting" (Matt. xvii. 21) ; and that St. Paul said, " I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection." (i Cor. ix. 27.) 17. What, above all, must we remeinber ? AND LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION 275 That we are redeemed with the Blood of Christ. " They overcame him (Satan) by the Blood of the Lamb." (Rev. xii. II.) 1 8. What is the latter part of this petition f But deliver us from evil. 19. How is this explai7ied in the " desire f " And that he will keep us from all sin and wickedness, and from our ghostly enemy, and from everlasting death." (26-30) 20. In saying this petition, do we pray to be delivered front such evils as sick?iess, or poverty, or distress ? Not absolutely ; because any of these things may be the means, by God's blessing, of leading us to seek God. 21. What, thefi, are the only real evils ? Sin and its consequences. (28-32) 22. But do we not pray to be delivered from ^^ our ghostly enemy ^^ that is, from Satan ? Satan himself has no power to hurt us except through our yielding to sin. 23. What is the last and irremediable evil ? Everlasting death. (Mark ix. 43-48.) (31, 32) 24. Does the Lord's Prayer end here ? In all the oldest copies of the word of God it ends with the words " But deliver us from evil." 25. Is it right, then, to append to it the doxology : ^^ For thine is the kingdo?n, the power, and the glory, for ever and ever f At times it is ; for whatsoever good thing we receive from God, we receive it by His appointment as the King (Thine is the Kingdom) ; by His power as the Almighty (and the Power) ; and to His glory as the Maker and Upholder of all things (and the Glory). (33-38) 26. What does " Amen " mean? So be it. May it be so. May God, our Father, grant us all these things. SHORTER CATECHISM. I. What is the sixth petition ? And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. 2/6 AND LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION. 2. Do we pray here that we may never be tempted or tried i No : as long as we are in this world we are on our trial. 3. But do we not express a desire not to be tempted or tried ?■ Yes : knowing our own weakness, we must desire not to be tempted or tried. 4. What then do we mean by praying not to be tried when life is full of trials or temptations .? Because we earnestly desire and pray to be sustained under any trial or temptation. 5. What is temptatioji ? Being drawn away by our own lusts and enticed. 6. Ifozv is it that 7ue are liable to be enticed by our ozun lusts f Because we are born in sm. 7. Are all men subject to temptations ? Yes : all. 8. Have all men the same temptations 1 No : almost all have different temptations. 9. Mention so?ne comjnon temptations. Temptations to strong drink, to dishonesty, to greediness, Ic lying, to swearing. 10. What leads us to do these evil things ? The evil desires of our hearts. 11. Is there anything else which tempts us to sin 1 Yes : evil spirits (Eph. vi. 12). 12. Mention one who was tempted throiigh an evil spirit. Eve. 13. Mention another. Judas Iscariot (John xiii. 2). 14. Mention one whom Satan was suffered to tempt by pain and distress. Job (Job i. 12 ; ii. 7). 15. Why does God allow us to be tempted ? In order to see whether we will serve Him or not. 16. What is our present state here on earth called? A state of probation. 17. What is probation 1 It is our being tried or proved. 18. Can we of ourselves resist temptation "i No. 19. Is it then our own fault if we fall into sin 1 Yes : because God has promised to uphold us if we call upon Him. 20. Where has He promised this ? In many places ; especially Psalm 1. 15. 21. Are any tetnptations so strong that we must yield to them whether we call upon God or notf No : St. Paul says, " God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able " (i Cor. x. 13). 22. Must we do something in addition to praying if we would con(/ueT temptation ? Yes : we must "watch " as well as pray. 23. What mtist zve watch against ? The very first betjinnings of any evil wish or desire. AND LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION 277 24. What must we remember ? That God's eye is always upon us. 25. What, above all things, must we remember ? That we belong to Christ, and are bought with His blood. 26. What is the last thing which xve ask for in this prayer / That our Father would ''deliver us from evil." 27. How is this explaijied in the desire ? That He will keep us ... . from everlasting death. 28. What is the one evil ? Sin. 29. Why do you call this the one roil ? Because if it were not for sin the devil could not hurt us nor everlasting death overtake us. 30. When you pray to be kept from all sin and wickedness, mention some things that you pray to be kept from. From profaning God's Holy Name, from lying, stealing, dis- obedience to parents, dishonesty, impurity, malice, pride, con- tention, quarrelling, selfishness. 31. What will be the end of tfuse and such-like things if unrepented of and unforsaken ? Everlasting death. 32. In what words does our most merciful Saviour bid us avoid ez'er- lasting death ? Mark ix. 43-48. 33. What words are often added to the Lord's Prayer ? The Doxology. 34. What is a Doxology ? A form of giving glory to God. 35. What are the words of the Doxology ? For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. 36. Why do vje say, * ' For Thine is the kingdom ?" Because all the blessings we pray for are given by God's ap- pointment as our King. 37. Why do we say {For Thine is) the po^ver ? Because all we receive and hope for is given through His power as the Almighty. 38. Why do we say {For 7'hine) is the glory ? Because all we receive is given us to use for His glory. 278 THE NATURE OF THE SACRAMENTS. SECTION LII.— THE NATURE OF THE SACRAMENTS. 1. How MANY Sacraments hath Christ ordained in His Church? Two only, AS GENERALLY NECESSARY TO SALVATION, that is to say, baptism, and the supper of the Lord. 2. What meanest thou by this word Sacrament ? I mean an outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual GRACE GIVEN UNTO US, OR- DAINED BY Christ Himself, as a means whereby we receive the same, and a pledge to assure us thereof. 3. Why are we first asked the tiumber of the Sacraments ? To distinguish the two Sacraments ordained by Christ Himself from all other rites, such as Confirmation, or Ordination, which have the nature of Sacraments. (2-5) 4. How are they distiiigjushed f As being generally (z. ^., universally) necessary to salva- tion ; because in the one our union with the Church or Body of Christ is begun, and in the other it is continued. (5-8) 5. Is there a7iy other reasoji why the attention of the Cate- chimien should be fixed on these two Sacraments ? Yes : the Catechism is designed to prepare those who have received the Sacrament of Baptism for Confirmation, as a preliminary to their receiving the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper. 6. What is the original fneaning of the word Sacrament ? It originally meant anything (as an oath) by which a person solemnly bound himself. 7. Does it appear in the New Testament ? Yes. In the earliest Latin translations, the Greek word mystery (jj.vcrTr]pLov) was sometimes translated by the word sacramentum. [Thus i Tim. iii. 16 : " Great is the mystery of godliness," is rendered, " Magnum est pietatis sacramentum."] 8. How is the word used in early ChristiaJt writers ? As some sacred thing which lies concealed under an outward form, either of words or of material things. THE NATURE OF THE SACRAMENTS. 279 [Thus Tertullian speaks of our Lord being anointed with the Holy Ghost as " Sacramentum unctionis ;" and St. Cyprian speaks of the many Sacraments, meaning sacred truths, which He hid in the Lord's Prayer. (Bp. Browne on Articles, p. I77-)] g. How is the word used in later writers ? To denote certain visible rites in which God conveys to us certain invisible graces or blessings. 10. Has our Church given any other dejinition of a Sacra- ment sijnilar to that in the Catechism ? Yes. " Sacraments ordained of Christ be . . . certain sure witnesses, and effectual signs of grace and God's good will towards us, by the which He doth work invisibly in us." (Article xxv.) (12-22) 11. But if the Christian be a spiritual religion, how is it that Christ ordained in it certai^t outward signs as channels of His grace f Because we are not mere spirits, but have an outward frame or body, as well as an inward spiritual essence. [" If thou hadst been incorporeal. He would have de- livered thee the incorporeal gifts bare ; but because the soul hath been locked up in a body, He delivers thee the things that the mind perceives, in things sensible." (Chry- sostom on Matthew xxvi. ; Hom. Ixxxii.)] 12. But are not outward rites out of place in so spiritual a dispensation f All merely outward rites would be ; but the Sacraments are not merely outward rites, but outward visible means whereby we receive spiritual grace. 13. But is not the Christian system a systefu of purely spi- ritual truth ? No ; by no means. The very first thing in the Christian revelation is that the Eternal Word was made flesh ; and then this Word "dwells amongst us " in a body o{ flesh; which flesh He gives for the life of the world, and in the body of His flesh He ascends into heaven, and will at last raise up to eternal life not our souls only, but our bodies. 14. What state of things did Christ ordain f He ordained a state of things which corresponded to His own compound nature, and the compound nature of those whom He came to save. (33-38) 15. Show this more fully. 28o THE NATURE OF THE SACRAMENTS. Christ ordained an outward organization or body oi men, to be under an outward government exercised by their fellow-men, and distinguished from all other bodies or societies by certain outward ordinances, so that, though not of this world, this organization, or body, should take its place amongst the things of time and sense. [6. But the Christian state is not outward only ? No : it is an outward and visible kingdom, inhabited by an invisible Spirit, which Spirit pervades all its parts, and works in, and by, all its ordinances : by which Spirit, too, it is united to Christ as its Head. (33-38) 17. Under what circumstances did Christ ordain Baptisjn and the Lord's Supper f Under the most solemn possible. He ordained Bap- tism just as He was leaving the world to go to the Father ; and He ordained the Holy Eucharist on the night before He offered Himself for sin. (28-32) 18. What do we gather fro7n tJie fact that the Eternal Son of God ordained these Sacraments at such times as these ? We cannot but gather that they must be necessary to salvation in all cases where they may be had ; for it is impossible to imagine that our Lord would have ordained, on such occasions, anything which might safely be dispensed with. (28-32) 19. How MANY PARTS ARE THERE IN A SACRAMENT 1 Two : THE OUTWARD VISIBLE SIGN, AND THE INWARD SPIRITUAL GRACE. 20. Of what is the inward and spiritual grace apart ? It is a part of the whole Sacrament, for Christ ordained the use of the outward sign as the means of conveying it to us. 21. How are the two parts of the Sacrament connected ? That is a very deep mystery, only known to Almighty God. (38-48) SHORTER CATECHISM. 1. iro7U many SacranwHis hath Christ ordaijicd in His Church ? Two only, as generally necessary to salvation, (.Vc. 2. What Sacraments hath Christ Himself ordained ? Baptism and the Lord's Supper. THE NATURE OF THE SACRAMENTS, 2S1 3. To lohat end did He ordain these two Sacraments ? That they should be *' generally necessary to salvation." 4. IVAat do you mean by ^^ generally ?" In all cases where they may be had (or obtained). 5. /;/ xvhat body of nieti hath Christ ordained these two Sacraments ? In His Church. 6. What does that mean ? That they are to be given in His Church, by its ministers, for its benefit. 7. How especially does Baptism benefit the Church ? Because by it the Church is continued in existence, by having fresh members engralted into it (bom again into the body of Christ). 8. Ho7v docs the Lord's Supper benefit the Church 1 Because in it the members of the Church are fed by the Living Bread, and so abide in Christ, and continue members of His body. 9. Explain to me zohat a Sacrament is. It is " an outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace given unto us, ordained by Christ Himself, as a means whereby we receive the same, and a pledge to assure us thereof." 10. Because, then. Baptism is a Sacrament, %uhat is it ? It is " an outward visible sign of an inward spiritual grace given to us, ordained by Christ Himself, as a means," &c. 1 1. Because the Lord's Supper is a Sacrametit, what is it 1 It is * * an outward visible sign of an inward spiritual grace given unto us, ordained by Christ Himself, as a means," &c. 12. What do you mean by a?i *' outward'^ sign ? A sign that I can feel, or touch, or taste. 1 3. What by a visible sign ? One that I can see. 14. What is a sign ? A thing intended to remind us of some other thing. 15. Mention so?ne ^^ signs ^^ mentioned in Scripture. Our Lord's miracies, and especially His Resurrection. 16. What were these signs to teach or refnitid men of? To remind men that He came from God, or was the Son of God. 1 7. Mention another sign. The rainbow. 18. Of what did it remifid men 1 Of the covenant that God made with them that He would never again drown the world (Gen. ix. 13). 19. What imist the sign in a Sacrament be ? It must be outward and visible. 20. Who ordained the outward and visible sign in each Sacrament ? Christ Himself (John ill. 5 [water] ; i Cor. xi. 24, 25 [bread and wine] ), 21. Of what did Christ ordain the outward thing to be the sign ? Of an inward and spiritual grace given unto us. 2S2 THE NATURE OF THE SACRAMENTS. 22. Why do you say '■^ given unto us ?" Because this inward and spiritual grace is given to us when we duly receive the outward sign. 23. Is the outivard mid visible sign the sign of an inward and spiritual grace which we have received before ? No : it is the sign of a grace which God intends us to receive when we receive the Sacrament. 24. How do you kjtoxu that this is the meaning of the Catechism ? Because we are told in the Catechism that the outward and visible sign is ordained by Christ "as a means whereby we receive the same." 25. Receive the same what ? The same inward and spiritual grace. 26. And does anything make us still ?fiore sure that this is the mean- ing of the Catechism 1 Yes: we are told that it was ordained by Christ Himself "as a pledge to assure us thereof." 27. What do you. mean by ^^ a pledge to assure us thereof V^ A pledge to assure us that we do receive that of which Christ has ordained the outward sign to be a sign. 28. Who ordained the Sacraments ? Jesus Christ Himself. 29. Who is He ? He is both God and Man. 30. Ifo7iewho is at once God ajid Man 07'dained them, 7vhat must they be ? They must be very necessary for us to receive. 31. But might not our Lord at times ordain things of small moment ? No : we cannot imagine that at such times as those in which He ordained the Sacraments He would ordain things of little importance. 32. When did He ordain the Sacraments ? He ordained Baptism just as He was leaving this world, and He ordained the Lord's Supper at His last meal with His Apostles, before He gave Himself for our sins. 33. Why may we suppose that He ordained outward signs for con- veyi7ig inward grace 1 Because both He Himself and we ourselves have an outward part or body as well as an inward part or soul. 34. What theji are the two Sacraments of Baptism and the Lord^s Supper ? They are means of supernatural connection between Christ and us. 35. Why do we need to be supernatur ally joined to Christ 1 Because we are naturally connected with the first Adam, and receive evil from him. 36. From tvhat part of Adam do ive receive evil — from his soul only ? No : from his whole person. 37. Frofn what in Christ, then, must ive receive grace ? From His whole Person. THE NATURE OF THE SACRAMENTS. 283 38. But is not this very juysteriotis ? Not more mysterious than that our Lord is both God and man, and that we receive sin and death from our first parent Adam. 39. Ifcnu many parts are there in a Sacrament ? Two : the outward visible sign, and the inward spiritual grace. 40. f^Fhat do these tiuo parts together make ? They make one Sacrament. 4 1 . fVho has joined together these two parts f Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. 42. Do 7ve know how they are joined? No. 43. Iftioo things of the most opposite natures are joined together^ and we canot tell how, what do we call such a co7tnection t A mysterious one. 44. IVhat were the Sacraments usually called in very aiicient times 1 Mysteries. 45. Why are we sure that the Sacramejtts are very mysterious in their nature ? Because our Lord, when ordaining them or speaking of them, used the most mysterious words to be found in the whole Bible. 46. In what mysterious terms does He speak of Baptism ? John iii. 5. 47. In what viysteriotis words does He speak of the Lord's Supper ? John vi. 47-71. 48. Are there any luords like these in the Bible f No : there are no words like tliese in connecting what is inward and spiritual with what is outward and visible. iS4 BAPTISM. THE OUTWARD StGI^. SECTION LIII.— BAPTISM. THE OUTWARD SIGN. I What is the outward visible sign or form in Baptism ? Water ; wherein the person is baptized in the NAME of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. 2. Are there any things in the Old Testament which would prepare men to expect grace in Christian Baptism ? Yes : the salvation of Noah in the ark, and the passage of the Red Sea, are both types of Christian Baptism, (i Peter iii. 21 ; i Cor. x. i-io.) There was also a laver or font in the temple itself, in which the priests who sacrified were to wash, lest they should die (Exod. xxx. 21) ; and God healed Naaman when he submitted to wash seven times in Jordan. (2 Kings v. 14.) (2-12) 3. How did God prepare the Jews in our Lord''s time to receive the Baptism of Christ ? He sent John the Baptist to prepare the way of Christ, by baptizing in Avater as v/ell as by preaching of repentance ; and to this Baptism even Christ Himself submitted. (13-18) 4. Why is water the outward visible sign in Baptis7n ? Because Christ so ordained when He said, " Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." (John iii. 5.) (19-30) 5. How do you /mow that by " water " here our Lord means the water of Baptism f Because when the kingdom of God was actually set up, on the day of Pentecost, men were admitted into it by a Baptism in water. (Acts ii. 38-41.) (23) 6. Is there any other reason for believing that oicr Lord here alluded to Baptism ? Yes ; in many other places of Scripture salvation is more or less connected with the right reception of Baptism in water (Mark xvi. 16 ; Acts xxii. 16 ; Rom. vi. 1-4 ; Gal. iii. 27 ; Eph. v. 26 ; i Pet. iii. 21) ; so that if in this passage (John iii. 5) there be no reference to thf Sacra- ment of Baptism, our Lord's words seem gratuitously cal- culated to mislead. (27-30) BAPTISM. THE OUTWARD SIGN. 2S5 7. Why do you say " g?'atuitously " caladaied to mislead? Because if our Lord had desired to express to Nico- demus the need of some spiritual change unconnected with Baptism, He only obscured His meaning by bringing in the word " water," seeing that by His own appointment water has a religious use, with which is connected the reception of grace from God. [This reference to water has, from the first age of the Church, led her to connect Regeneration with Baptism. Writers as old as Hernias, Justin Martyr, and Tertullian all see an allusion to Baptism in these words of Christ.] 8. Why is it said water " wherein " the pe7'S07i is baptized? Because in Baptism the person baptized is, or is assumed to be, in, or under, the water. [The rubric for the Baptism of persons of riper years is : " Then shall the priest . . . dip him in the water, or pour water upon him ;" that for the Baptism of infants runs : "He shall dip it in the water discreetly and warily." " But if they certify that the child is weak, it shall suffice to pour water upon it," &c.] (31-33) 9. Oil what warrant theji do we substitute '''■pouring oji water''^ for dippifig in water ? In such a climate as this, on the warrant of the words, "I will have mercy, and not sacrifice." (Matt.xii.7.) (31-33) 10. Is it probable that all the persojis whose baptisms are mentioned in the New Testament were immersed? No : such a thing is very improbable. The Baptism of three thousand in one day, and the Baptism of the Philip- pian jailor at night, seem to imply rather a pouring on of water than a total immersion in the water. [In all probability, the most common form of the ad- ministration of this Sacrament would be that represented in many old pictures — the person baptized standing in the water, and the baptizer on the bank pouring water on him.] 1 1. What error do they hold who teach that total immersion is necessary ? The error of supposing that the quantity of water, and not its application in the name of the Trinity, is of the essence of the Sacrament. 1 2. Is there a?ty place in the New Testament where the word Baptism is used in the sense of " washing^'' and cannot imply " immersion .?" 286 BAPTISM. THE OUTWARD SIGN. Yes ; when it is said of the Pharisees and all the Jews, that " When they come from the market, they eat not ex- cept they wash " {lav /lu) ^a7rTL(X(ovTai, unless they be bap- tized). Also, in the same verse, the washing of tables (or couches) (kKcvcou) is in the original the " baptism " of tables, not meaning, of course, the total immersion of tables or couches. (Mark vii. 4). 13. Is the mere application of water without the use of any words sufficient ? No : according to Christ's commandment we baptize in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. (34, 35) 14. What does the use of such words imply f They imply a real appropriation of the person baptized to the Holy Trinity ; a transfer of him from the kingdom of Satan into the family of the God Whose name of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost is then named upon him. 15. Does such an invocation imply that God makes us par- takers of grace i7i Baptism ? Nothing less than this can be believed by any one who believes in the greatness of the Name of the Ever-blessed Trinity, and in the Divine power of Him Who ordained the use of such words. (36) SHORTER CATECHISM. 1. What is the ouhvard visible sign or form in Baptism ? Water ; wherein the person is baptized in the Name, &c, 2. Are there any types in the Old Testament of a Baptism in water zs a means of grace ? Yes : the writers of the New Testament mention two. 3. What is the first op these ? The salvation of Noah in the ark. 4. By whotn is this quoted as a type of Holy Baptism ? ' By St. Peter, where he says : " Few, that is, eight souls were saved by water : the like figure whereunto (or antitype of it) even Baptism doth also now save us, not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience to- wards God" (i Pet. iii. 21). 5. Put in other words what St. Peter means by this. He means that as the waters of the flood saved Noah by bearing up the ark, so Baptism now saves those who sincerely and faithfully receive it. BAPTISM. THE OUTWARD SIGN. 287 6. WJuU does the use of such language show ? The exceeding importance of Christian Baptism. 7. JVhat other event in the Old Testament is referred to in the New as a type of Baptisjn ? The deliverance of the children of Israel in the waters of the Red Sea, 8. By whom is this quoted as a type of Baptism ? By St. Paul, in i Cor x, i-ioi 9. For what purpose does he quote it ? To show that as all the Israelites passed through the Red Sea and yet came not into the promised land, so all Christians baptized into Christ must see to it that they perish not as the Israelites did. 10. What does this place also show ? The great importance of Baptism. 11. How? Because the deliverance of Christians by Baptism is shadowed out by no less a thing than the deliverance of God's people from Egypt by their passage through the Red Sea. 12. £>id God confer any blessing o?i one %uho submitted to zuash in zvater in obedience to the command of a prophet ? Yes : on Naaman (2 Kings v. 14). 13. Who prepared the way of our Lord? John the Baptist. 14. How 1 By baptizing as well as by preaching. 15. Who submitted to receive the Baptism of John I Our blessed Lord Himself. 16. Did He need to receive it ? No : for He was without stain of sin. 1 7. Why did He then receive it 1 In order that He might " fulfil all righteousness " (Matt. iii. 15) iS. What does His submissioti to sztch a thing teach tis 1 That if He thought so highly of the Baptism of His servant, much more ought we to regard the Baptism ordained by our Lord and Master, the Eternal Son of God. 19. Who ordained water as t^e outward sign of Baptism ? Christ Himself. 20. In what words ? In the words, *' Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit" (John iii. 5). 21. In what other words ? Matt, xxviii. 19, and Mark xvi. 16. 22. Hoiu do you- know that our Lord alludes to Baptism in John iii. 5 ? Because at no other time than at that of our Baptism can we be born of water as well as of the Spirit. 23. Is there any other reason ? Yes : from the day of Pentecost men were added to the Church by Baptism. 288 BAPTISM. THE OUTWARD SIGN. 24. Does our branch of the Church lay down that this place refers ia Baptism 1 Yes : in the office of " Baptism of such as are of riper years." 25. In what words ? "Beloved, ye hear in this Gospel the express words of our Saviour Christ, that except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." 26. And 7vhat does she gather from this J *' The great necessity of this Sacrament, where it may be had." 27. Do the declarations of the rest of Scripture cotfirm this interpre- tation of the Church ? Yes : in almost every place where Baptism is mentioned, it is connected with grace from God. 28. Mention one or two of these places. Eph. V. 26 ; Col. ii. 12 ; Titus iii. 5 ; Heb. x. 22 ; I Peter iii. 20, 21, 29. Has the Chtirch always inteipretcd this place of Baptism 1 Yes : from the very first. 30. Must our Lord have foreseen this ? Yes : being God, and knowing all things, lie must have fore- seen it. 31. How are we baptized? Either by being dipped in the water, or by having water poured upon us. 32. Does our Church recognise both these modes ? Yes, 2)^. Why do we almost tcniversally baptize children by pouring water ttpon them ? Because, owing to the coldness of our climate, immersion would in many cases endanger life. 34. Is there anything else besides water required for Baptism ? Yes : the water must be applied * ' in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." 35. By whose command do we use these words 1 By the command of Christ, 36. What does the use of such words lead us to expect ? That what is done by Christ's command, and in the name of the Trinity, is accompanied by the grace of the Trinity. BAPTISM. 289 SECTION LIV.— BAPTISM : ITS INWARD AND SPIRITUAL GRACE. 1. What \the}i\ is the inward and Spiritual grace ? A DEATH UNTO SIN, AND A NEW BIRTH UNTO RIGHTE- OUSNESS ; FOR BEING BY NATURE BORN IN SIN, AND THE CHILDREN OF WRATH, WE ARE HEREBY MADE THE CHILDREN OF GRACE. 2. What is the latter part of this aftsiver ? An explanation of the first part. The death uijto sin, and the new birth unto righteousness consists in this : that we, who are " by nature born in sin, and the children of wrath, are hereby made the children of grace." 3. What name is given by the Catholic Church to this " death unto sin^' and " new birth unto righteo7isness .^" Regeneration : in accordance with the words of St. Paul, " By His mercy He saved us, by the washing (or bath, or font, or laver, Xovrpov) of regeneration." (Titus iii. 5.) 4. Why do we need a 7iew birth, or Regeneration ? Because we are " born in sin," partakers of the sinful nature of the first Adam. (3-9) 5. What then is the grace of Regeneratioti ? It must be the grace opposite to, and the remedy for, original sin : as original sin is the reception of evil from Adam, so Regeneration must be the reception of some counteracting benefit from Christ. (11-19) 6. From what in Adam do we receive an evil nature ? From his whole nature of flesh and spirit, which we partake of through our conception and birth of human parents. (14-18) 7. From what, then, in- Christ must we receive a better nature [and counteracting benefit'\ ? From His whole human nature, (14-18) 8. Is it through our own personal act that we receive an evil nature ? No ; we inherit it from our parents, as they do from theirs. "^ u 290 BAPTISM: 9. Is there anything correspotiding to this iti the way in which we receive Rege7teration ? Yes : we receive it of free grace, through no personal merits of our own, or of our parents. 10. In what state do we always receive original sin [or the evil nature of the first Adani] ? In a state in which we are passive and unconscious of the evil which we receive ; for we receive original sin in a state of infancy. \\. Is there anything corresponding to this in the reception cf Regeneration f Yes ; there is, if we are baptized in a state of infancy, for we then receive the inward and spiritual grace from Christ in the same state of unconsciousness in which we haAje received the infection of nature from Adam. I'2. What authority in Scripture have we for coniiecting a death to sin with Holy Baptism ? The express authority of St. Paul, where he asks (Rom. vi. 2), " How shall we, who have died to sin, live any longer therein ?" and then he proceeds to say, " We Avere buried with Christ by Baptism into death [or rather it should be rendered, " we were buried with Him through our Baptism into His death "] : that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so wc also should walk in newness of life." (22-28) 13. Can this be true of all the baptized? St. Paul expressly asserts that it is, when he says, ".Know ye not that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into His death ?" (37) 14. For what purpose does the Apostle write such remarkable and tmusual words ? To convince baptized Christians that they are not to continue in sin, but to " walk in newness of life." (Rom. vi. 2, 4.) (24-38) , ^y . . 15. By what power alone can the Christian walk m newness of life? By the power of Christ's new,- or risen Life. 16. When does the Apostle i7nply that some of this power is made over to us ? When we were " buried with Christ in Baptism :" that " like as He was raised from the dead," so we also should " walk in newness of Hfe." (34-38) 17. How are we sure that such is his meaning? ITS INWARD AND SPIRITUAL GRACE. 291 Because a little further on he assumes that all the bap- tized have a portion in this risen Life of Christ when he says, " In that Christ died, He died unto sin once ; but in that He liveth. He liveth unto God. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord." (30-40) 18. Can you put into other words what the Apostle means ? Yes : he means that when baptized Christians arc tempted to commit sin, they must call to mind their Baptism into the body of that Saviour Who died to sin in order that He might free us from its guilt and power ; they must plead with God that He may continue and increase His grace in them, so that they may mortify sin by resisting and denying it. (30-40) 19. In writing this remarkable passage respecting Baptism as a means of union with a Crucified and Risen Saviour, what must the Apostle have had in his mind? He must have had in his mind the parallel between the two Adams ; the one bringing in evil, the other bringing in good to counteract that evil. 20. Are we sure that the Apostle had this in his mind? Yes ; because he had just been drawing out this comparison between Adam as the source of death to all in him, and Christ as the source of life to all in Him. (Rom. v. 12-21) 2 1 . When the Apostle speaks of Christians having died to sin in Baptis7n, does he mean that they cannot sin any more, fust as a dead mafi cannot sin ? No ; on the contrary, he assumes that those once dead to sin may again fall into it, and writes to warn them against such a fall. (35-39) 22. What, then, is this death to sin ? It is a sacramental or mystical death, and it consists in our being accounted by God as dead, buried, and risen with His Son in Baptism, after such a sort that the virtue of Christ's Death and Resurrection are made over to us. 23. But is not all this too great a thing to depend on our receiving so simple a rite as Baptism ? We shall not consider it so if we remember W^ho in- stituted Holy Baptism, and in Whose Name He com- mands ns to be baptized. 24. What, then, will keep us from low thoughts of such a Sacrament f 292 BAPTISM: The thought that He Who ordained it was the Eternal Word made flesh, and dwelhng amongst us. 25. Hitherto you have spoken rather of the death to sin^ than of the new birth to righteousness : is this latter cojmected with Baptism f Yes : by our Blessed Saviour Himself, when He says, " Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." (John iii. 5.) (40-42) 26. But was Christiatt Baptism then instituted ? No ; but almost all that our Lord said and did had reference to the kingdom which He would set up after His Ascension rather than to the state of things which existed during His sojourn upon earth. 27. Mention an iiistance. In this very discourse our Lord speaks of a future ''lookmg to Him " after He was crucified, when He says, " As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up ; that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish." (John iii. 14.) 28. Can you give another ? Yes : Christ said, " If any man thirst, let him come to Me and drink." And yet the Evangehst tells us, " This spake He of the Spirit, which they that believe on Him should receive [not then, but afterwards ; for the Evan- gelist proceeds to say], for the Spirit was not yet given, because that Jesus was not yet glorified." (Johnvii. 37,39.) 29. What is this New Birth ? It is an engrafting into Christ the Second Adam, and through this the reception of a principle of good from Him, in order to counteract and destroy the evil we have received by our first or natural birth in the first Adam. 30. What is the idea always suggested by a birth ? Entrance into a state or family : we, being born of the family of Adam, must be new born into the family of God. 31. Our Lord says, ^^ Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit ,•" does the " water " contribute anything to our new birth ? Not, of course, of itself. The application of water, in the Name of the Ever Blessed Trinity, is the time at which the Holy Spirit (and He alone) transfers a human being out of Adam into Christ. 32. Is this ever asserted elsewhere in Scripture f ITS imVARD AMD SPIRITUAL GRACE. 293 Yes. By St. Paul, in the words, " By one Spirit are we all baptized into one body." (i Cor. xii. 13.) 33. But does not St. Paul speak here of spiritual Christians ? No : on the contrary, he is speaking to a Church the members of which He calls " carnal," and some among them He rebukes as being gross sinners. 34. But can such a term as " new birth " be applied to desig- nate the e?itrance into such a society as the Church ? Yes, if the Church is the mystical body of One now at the Right Hand of God, and if each member of it has an invisible relationship to Him as its Head. 35. May not our Lord, by the term " born of water and of the Spirit^'' allude to a conscious spiritual change in the soul {as a change from sin to holiness)^ seldom, if ever, joined with Baptisjit f No : if our Lord alluded to any such change as con- version or repentance He would certainly have expressed it in far more simple and direct terms than as " a birth of water and of the Spirit." 36. But may not our Lord here allude to a birth of water in Baptis7n, and a birth of the Spirit at some future time of co7iversion f No. A birth is one thing, occurring at one time. If our Lord (which He does) explains the ^«(? thing being "born again," by the being " born of water and of the Spirit," this latter must also be 07ie thin^, occurring at one time, as the former is. 37. What makes it impossible for a Churchman, well in- structed ill his Bible, to explain this place without refer- ence to Baptism f The fact that in many other places of Scripture the reception of Baptism is connected with the reception of spiritual blessings or benefits. (43-51) 38. Mention some of these places. In three places Baptism is directly connected with the reception of Salvation : 1. Mark xvi. 16; where our Lord says, "He that be- lieveth and is baptized shall be saved." 2. Acts ii. 37,^ 38 ; where St. Peter, in answer to the question of those who asked what they were to do to be saved, said, " Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." ^94 BAPTISM: 3. Titus iii. 5; where St. Paul says, "By His mercy He saved us by the washing (or rather bath, or font) of Regeneration." 4. I Pet. iii. 21 ; where St. Peter, having said that eight souls were at the time of the flood saved by water, pro- ceeds to say, " The hke figure whereunto even Baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience towards God), by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ." (43-51) 39. How can such a simple rite convey salvation to those who repent and believe f Because it is the ordained means whereby we are en- grafted into Him in Whom is salvation, or rather. Who is Himself our Salvation. 40. Are there any other places in which spiritual benefits are said to be made over to us in Baptism ? Yes. In two places it is said to be the means whereby we receive the remissioxi of sins, and in two others we are said to be " buried " and " raised again " with Christ in it. Acts xxii. 16. " Arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins." Eph. V. 26. "That He might sanctify and cleanse His church with the' washing of water by the word." Also Rom. vi. i — 4; Col. ii. 12. 41. How do these places bear tip on the true i7iterpr elation of our Lord's words respecting the New Birth ? They compel the well-instructed Christian to attach such a meaning to the term " New Birth " as will enable him to regard it as a work of the Spirit, connected with the apphcation of water in the name of the Ever-Blessed Trinity. SHORTER CATECHISM. 1. Ifcnu many pa7'ts are there in a Sacrament 1 Two : the outward, &c. 2. Yo7i have said that a dipping in, or pourifig on, of water in the N'g.me of the Trinity, is the ontzvard visible sign in Baptism : what is the inward and spiritual grace 1 " A death unto sin, and a new birth unto righteousness, for being by nature bora in sin, and the children of wrath, we are hereby made the children of grace." 3. Why do all men require to receive a death icnto sin and a neid birth tmto righteousness ? Because all men are by nature born in sin. ITS INWARD AND SPIRITUAL GRACE. 295 4. If men are born in sin, what are they 1 The children of wrath. 5. What does that mean ? They belong to a family or race which is at enmity with God. 6. How caine they to be in this state 1 They came into it by nature, i.e., by their natural birth. 7. How tnust the evil of their natural birth be remedied? They must be brought into a new family. 8. What is this family ? The Church of God. 9. Who is the Head of this new family 1 Jesus Christ. 10. If He be the Head of the new family, what can we say of all the members of the family ? That they are all reckoned under Him as the Head of the family of God. 1 1. Anything more ? They all receive life from Him, just as the members of the human body have life by being joined to its head. 1 2. When are we brought into this new family ? At the time of our receiving Holy Baptism. 13. Docs the Catechism teach this t Yes : for we say, ** Being by nature born in sin, and the children of wrath, we are hereby made \i.e., by Baptism] the children of grace." 14. Can Baptism of itself make us the childreit of grace ? No : but it is the time at which, and the means by which, God brings us into His family. 15. In whom are all men born naturally ? In Adam. 16. What do they j^eceive at their birth ? They receive an evil nature (sin and death). 1 7. Is there any means of counteracting or remedying this ? Yes ; God has provided a Second Adam — Jesus Christ. iS. If Jesus Christ be the Second Adam, what must we receive from Him 1 We must receive gi-ace and life to remedy the sin and death we received at our birth from the first Adam. 19. What is the most fitting word to exprtss this better thing we receive from Christ 1 A new birth. 20. Of what does our Saviour say we must be born 1 Of water and of the Spirit (John iii. 5). 21. What does He mean by this ? He means that by Holy Baptism we must be engrafted into Him. 22. And what do we receive froj?i Him ? Something to remedy the evils we have received from the first Adam. 59G BAPTISM: 23. But does not the Catechism say that we receive " « death iintosin " in Baptism 1 Yes : for St. Paul teaches us that we do. 24. What are his words 1 " How shall we, who are dead to sin, live any longer therein ? Know ye not that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into His death?" (Rom, vi. 2, 3), 25. What does St. Paul mean by such refuarkable zuords 1 He means that we have a part in Christ's Death and Resurrec- tion made over to us in Baptism. 26. J/we have a part in Chris fs Death made over to us, what imist we receive ? We must receive a share in the benefit of His Atonement, 27. Why ? Because He died for our sins, i.e., to atone for them. 28. //'7ve have a share in Chrisfs Resurrection ?nade over to us^ what must we receive ? We must receive some life from Him. 29. Do we know from Scripture that this is so ? Yes : St. Paul says that we who are baptized must reckon ourselves dead indeed unto sin but alive unto God through Jesus Christ (Rom. vi. 11). 30. How jnust we do such a thing as reckon ourselves dead unto sin ? When we are tempted to do wrong we must believe that we have grace from God through Christ to resist the temptation. 31. What7uas Chris fs intejition in ordaining Holy Baptism 1 That they who have received it should walk in newness ot life, i.e., in righteousness and holiness. 32. Can they who have received Baptism do this of themselves ? No. v 33. Hozu then can they do it ? By falling back upon and stirring up the grace they have received. 34. What chapter of the Bible teaches us all this 1 Rom. vi. 35. What is this chapter about ? A death to sin in Holy Baptism. 36. Can those who have died to sin in Baptism sin agaiti 1 Yes : if they forgbt Whose members they are made in Bap- tism. 37. Do we actually die with Christ in Baptism {by a natural death) ? No : we die sacramentally or mystically. 58. Do all thus die to sin in Baptis77i ? St. Paul says that all who have been baptized into Christ have been baptized into His death (Rom. vi. 3). 39, And for tvhat purpose "i That all those so baptized might walk in newness of life (Rom. vi. 4). ITS INWARD AND SPIRITUAL GRACE. 207 40. If Christ ordained Holy Baptism in order that all the baptized might walk in newness of life, ivhat does He give us in Baptism 1 Grace to walk in newness of life. 41. Repeat, then, what the inward and spiritual grace of Baptism is. A death to sin and a new birth unto righteousness. 42. What Scripture ground have we for connecting a '■'■ new birth unto righteousness " with Baptism J Our Lord's words : ' ' Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, He cannot enter into the kingdom of God." 43. Why must our Lord here refer to a chaiige wrought by the Spirit in Baptism 1 Because He speaks of being born of "water" as well as of the Spirit. 44. Bjit must our Lord mean here the ^^ water " used in Baptism ? Yes : because unless He alludes, to the water of Baptism, His words must mislead us. 45. HoT.v is this ? Because in so many other places of God's Holy Word our salvation is connected with Baptism in water. 46. Mention one. Our Lord says, in His last commission to His Apostles, " Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature, He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved" (Mark xvi. 15, 16), 47. Docs He mention Baptism on another equally important occasion ? Yes : when He says : " Go ye and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son," &c. (Matt, xxviii. 19). 48. Mention a third place. Remission of sins is connected with Baptism by St. Peter, when he says, " Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins '.' (Acts ii. 38). 49. Mention two other places in which retnission of sifi is co7inrctcd zaith Baptism. Acts xxii. 16, where it is said to St. Paul, "Arise, and be baptized, a:nd wash away thy sins :" and Eph. v. 26, where St. Paul says that Christ cleanses His Church "with the washing of water by the word." 50. Alention two other places. St. Peter speaks of Baptism, when received in sincerity, as saving us, and St. Paul says that. By His mercy He saved U5, by the washing, or bath, of regeneration (i Pet. iii. 21 ; Tit. iii. 5). 51. Are any other remarkable words used to describe the grace of Baptism ? Yes : in two places it is called a Burial and a Resurrection with Christ (Rom. vi. 1-4 ; Col. li. 12). 298 BAPTISM. 52. By whose inspiration are all these things said of Holy Baptism ? By the inspiration of God's Holy Spirit. 53. Can Baptism save of itself "i No one ever supposed that it could. 54. Why, then, are such wonderfnl things said of its grace ? Because it is the will of God that men should humble them- selves to receive an inward grace through an outward sign. 55. What docs the belief that we miist receive grace through outward signs do for 11s ? It humbles the pride of our natural heart. 56. Is there any natural connection between the outward sign and the imuard grace ? No : the connection is above nature, and brought about by the will of God. 57. What is that which leads so many men to reject the plain teaching oj the Bible respecting Baptism ? The natural pride of our hearts, which leads us to reject all that is not according to the usual course of things {i.e., accord- ing to the course of what men call nature). REQUIREMENTS OF THE BAPTIZED, 299 SECTION LV.— REQUIREMENTS OF THE BAPTIZED. 1. Would an impenitetit and unbelieving person receive any benefit i7iBaptisin f No : in the case of such an one, the benefit would be suspended till he was in a fitting state of heart to receive it. 2. What is required of persons to be baptized ? Repentance, whereby they forsake sin ; and FAITH, whereby THEY STEADFASTLY BELIEVE THE PROMISES OF God made to them in that Sacra- ment. (2-5) 3. You say that faith is reqicired of persons to be baptized: is this faith a general faith in the person and work of Christ? No : it must be not only this, but also a particular faith in the promises of God made to us in that Sacrament, i. e., in Holy Baptism. 4. But if persons repent and believe^ are they not already regenerate ? Not in the view of the Scripture writers. They are in a condition to receive regeneration, or an engrafting into Christ, but they do not receive it till they receive Baptism into the mystical Body of Christ. (7-10) 5. Can Regeneration then be properly described as a change of heart, or a change of views respecting the work or righteousness of Jesus Christ? No : a change of heart of the deepest character is im- plied in the possession of repentance and faith, both which a person must have before he comes to Baptism. (7-13) 6. But does not St. John say, " Whosoever is borti of God does fiot commit sin,'''' and " whatsoever is born of God over Cometh the world?''"' Yes ; for Regeneration is an engrafting into the Body of Christ, /. e., into the Body of One Who knew no sin and overcame the world ; and if we abide in Him, we deny sin and overcome the world. 7. How conies it then to pass that such vast numbers of the baptized live in sin, and are overcome by the world? 300 REQUIREMENTS OF THE BAPTIZED. Because they do not abide in Him into Whom they were once engrafted. (18-23) 8. But may it not be because God withheld His grace from them f No : the Scripture writers invariably teach that if a baptized man commits sin, it is because he resists grace, not because God has withheld grace. (20-23) 9. But does not this tnake the state of the Church very awful because all its members are so near to Christ ? Yes, it does : and God intended it to be so, in order that we should live in the constant sense of the greatness of the state into which His mercy has brought us, and in constant watchfulness lest we should fall from it. SHORTER CATECHISM. 1. How many things are 7'equired of the person who comes to be bap- tized? Two. 2. What is the first ? Repentance. 3. iVhat is the sign that repcnta^ice is sincere ? When it leads us to forsake sin. 4. IVhy^ at our Baptistn, must %ve forsake sin ? Because we are baptized into the death of a Saviour Who came to deliver us from sin, 5. What is the second thing required ^ P'aith. 6. What is the sign that t /lis faith is genuine ? When by it we steadfastly believe the promises of God made to us in that Sacrament, 7. Why is it needful to have faith in the promises made to us in Baptism ? Because it is insulting to God to come to an ordinance which He has ordained as a means of grace, and not to believe that He will give us grace in it. 8. What are we taught by repentance and faith being required of those to be baptized ? That regeneration is something besides repentance and faith. 9. What is repentance ? A change of heart. 10. What, then, must regeneration be ? Something besides a change of heart 11. What is faith? Christian faith is a true belief in all which God reveals. REQUIREMENTS OF THE BAPTIZED. 301 12. What then must regeneration^ or the new birth to righteotimea in Baptism, be ? vSomething more than believing in God and Christ. 13. What is that ^^ something'''' tnoref It is being grafted into the Body of Christ, or being made a member of Christ. I4« Were holy men xvho lived before Christ came, regenerate i No. 15. But did they not repent of sin and believe in God? Yes : but there was then no Body of Christ of which they might be made members. 16. Is regeneration ever mentioned in the Old Testament 1 No : not once. 17. Why is it fiot metitioned in the Old Testament ? Because, in the times of the Old Testament, Christ had not become Incarnate, so that men could not partake of Him as the Second Adam. 18. What should the baptized ever remember ? The words of St. John, that if the holy seed remain in them, they do not commit sin (l John iii, 9). 19. If they are siftfid or worldly, what is it owing to 1 To their forgetting or sinning against the grace they have received. 20. Do baptized persons sin because God has withheld grace from them ? No. 21. Eor what does God hold all the baptized to be answerable ? For grace received in Holy Baptism. 22. Can there be any danger in our believing that we received grace in Baptism 1 No : the danger lies in our not believing it. 23. Why so? Because, unless we believe it, we are in danger of forgetting that we belong to God, and are bound to love and serve Him. 302 INFANT BAPTISM, SECTION LVL— INFANT BAPTISM. 1. You said that repentance and faith are required oj persons to be baptized. Why then are infants bap- tized, WHEN BY REASON OF THEIR TENDER AGE THEY cannot perform them ? Because they promise them both by their SURETIES, which PROMISE, WHEN THEY COME TO AGE, THEMSELVES ARE BOUND TO PERFORM. 2. Is this answer intended to give a full and sufficient reason for the Baptism of infants ? No : it is only given to explain how it is that in their case the profession of repentance and faith can be dis- pensed with. (1-5) 3. How is the prof ession of repentance and faith dispe?tsed with ? By the employment of sponsors, who answer in the child's name, and also undertake to see that " the infant be taught so soon as he shall be able to learn what a solemn vow, promise, and profession he hath made by them." (6-9) 4. Does it seem reasonable that infants should receive such a grace as that promised in Baptism in a state in which they are not able to repent and believe ? Yes ; it is most reasonable ; for in a similar state (z. e., in a state in which they could not repent and believe) they received that infection of nature which Regeneration is designed to remedy. (4) 5. But are not repentance and faith necessary to make us worthy recipients of Baptism ? No : none of us are, or possibly can be, worthy reci- pients ■ of such a grace as that of union with the Second Adam. 6. Why^ then, are repentance and faith required in persons of riper years who come to Baptism ? Because repentance and faith show the willingness of him who is baptized to receive grace from God ; and because God does not thrust His grace on those who are unwilling to receive it. INFANT BAPTISM. 303 7. On what ground do all, whether infants or adults, receive the grace of Baptism ? On the ground that God desires all men to be saved, and that Christ has by His Death made an Atonement for the sin of all men. (10-12) '8. To what, then, is the regeneration of infants in Holy Baptism a witness ? It is a witness to the perfect freedom of God's grace, inasmuch as He imparts grace to the infant before that infant can possibly have done anything to merit grace. (12-13) 9. Btit is not one who repents atid believes in a fitter state than an infant to receive grace ? No ; on the contrary, our Lord assures us that the man who would receive the kingdom of God must receive it as a little child. (Luke xviii. 17.) 10. What does He mean by this ? He means that, in the matter of receiving the grace of His kingdom, the man of full age must be conformed to the likeness of the infant, rather than the infant to the likeness of the man of full age. 11. To what, then, does the Church testify by her require- ment of sureties or sponsors to promise repentance and faith in the name of the child? She testifies to the exceeding need of repentance and faith in all who are capable of exercising them, seeing that she will not ordinarily allow even an infant to be baptized unless she receives from him as personal a pledge as she can possibly exact that he will, when he comes of age, repent and believe. [For the Scripture reasons for Infant Baptism, see Sec- tion IV., page 14.] SHORTER CATECHISM. 1. What did you say was required of persons -who come to receive Holy Baptism ? Repentance and faith. 2. Do all 7vho are baptized exercise repentance and faith ? No : in Christian countries persons are mostly baptiz.ed in a state of infancy. 304 INFANT BAPTISM. 3. Bid can infants he brought into the Church or kingdom of God ? Our Saviour, Christ, says, " Of such is the kingdom of God," 4. IVhy should they who^ at such a tender age^ cannot repent and believe^ be baptized ? Because at such a tender age they have already received an evil nature of which the grace of Baptism is intended to be the remedy. 5. Will they ever have to repent and believe 1 Yes : when they come of age they must repent of sin, and believe the Gospel. 6. Is there atty security reqtdrcd by the Chirch that they should knoiu this 1 Yes : the greatest possible. 7. What is this ? The Church requires that at their Baptism their godparents should promise repentance and faith in their name. 8. Docs the duty of the godparents end here ? No : it is their "duty to see that the infant be taught so soon as he shall be able to learn what a solemn vow, promise, and profession, he hath made by them." 9. What does all this show ? The great anxiety of the Church that when the child comes of age he himself should repent and believe. 10. Is a child baptized because his sureties pro?nise anything in his name ? No : he is baptized because he is redeemed by the Blood of Christ. 11. Is there any other reasoji ? Yes : because being born in sin of the first Adam, he needs a new birth unto righteousness in the Second Adam. 12. But because he needs it, are zue sure that he is permitted to receive it ? Yes : St. Paul expressly says, ** If through the offence of one many be dead, ?)mch more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many" (Rom. v. 15). 13. Can an infant deserve to be grafted into the Second Adam ? No : no one, infant or person of full age, can possibly deserve such grace. Note. — With much that is written on Baptism in the foregoing pages many good men who use the Catechism as a manual of Christian instruction will probably disagree. They may differ from me respecting the nature and extent of the grace which God confers therein. Now I would earnestly ask both those who INFANT BAPTISM. 305 a^rec with what I have written here and elsewhere on this sub- ject, and those who differ from it, to consider two short state- ments respecting the nature and extent of the benefit which a child receives, written by two men of very different schools in the Church, and I would ask them whether the benefits set forth in these two statements are not absolutely the same. Dr, J. H. Newman describes the benefits of the Second Birth in Baptism in these words: ** Original sin is washed away, and such influences of grace given and promised as make it a child's own fault if he, in the event, fails of receiving an eternal inhe- ritance of blessedness in God's presence." — NewmaiCs Paroch. Sermons, vol. iii. Sermon xx. The late Rev. H. V. Elliott, of Brighton, certainly one of the foremost, if not the foremost, in point of ability and thoughtful- ness, among the Evangelical party, describes the benefits of the same Sacrament thus : " Christian Baptism confers on the infant baptized, for Christ's sake (Who is the only satisfaction for sin), and by His appointment, a change of spiritual state or condition towards God, containing these things : i. The remission of the guilt, though not the extinction of the infection of original sin : that remaineth * even in the regenerate.' 2. The transfer of the infant bom in sin, and a child of wrath, from that fearful state of nature into the family of God ; so that it may, as soon as it is able to pray to God as a Father, cry "Abba Father," and use the Lord's Prayer : while nevertheless it remains to be seen whether it will grow up as an obedient and dutiful child, or a rebellious child. 3. I conceive that with the remission of the guilt of ori- ginal sin, and adoption into the family or Church of God, thei-e will be vouchsafed to the child spiritual influences, disposing it to listen to the word of God, and to obey the rules of the Father's house into which it has been received ; that is, with the adoption there will be bestowed a measure of the Spirit of Adoption." — BateniaiCs " Life of H. V. Elliottr If High Churchmen, in dealing with mixed congregations (some of whom are miserably prejudiced against the truth), would express their meaning in the guarded terms of such a man as Dr. Newman ; and if Evangelicals would express themselves in the equally well-chosen terms of this great ornament of their school, they would much sooner bring their respective hearers to a prac- tical understanding respecting a Sacrament which Christ has ordained to enable Christians to walk in newness of life ; and surely this should be no secondary matter with those who have at heart the honour of Christ. 3o6 THE LORD'S SUPPER. THE MEMORIAL. SECTION LVII.-THE LORD'S SUPPER. THE MEMORIAL. 1. Why was the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper ordained ? For the continual remembrance of the Sacri- fice OF THE DEATH OF CHRIST, AND OF THE BENEFITS WHICH WE RECEIVE THEREBY. 2. By Whom was the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper ordained ? By the Eternal Son of God, the Word made flesh. 3. When was the Sacrament of the fiords Snpper or- dained ? It was ordained by the Son of God on the night on which He was betrayed ; i. e., on the night before the day on which His Body was broken and His Blood shed for the remission of sins. (3-5) 4. In what words did the Son of God ordain this Sacra- 7?ient ? In the words, " Take, eat : this is My Body, which is broken for you : this do in remembrance of Me.'^ " This cup is the New Testament in My Blood [or this is My Blood of the New Testament]. This do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of Me." (i Cor. xi. 24-26.) (6-10) 5. What do you mean by the " coiitimial rejneinbrance of the Sac?'ifice of the death of Chrisf''? I mean a memorial or commemoration of the Death of Christ, to be perpetually celebrated by His Church till He come (8-13, 16, 17) 6. Before whom^ more especially^ does the Church make the memorial ? Before God the Father. (13-15) 7. But is not Holy Com7mmion intended to enable ns to profess our individiial faith in the Death of Christ ? No : it was ordained to be a memorial or showing forth of the Sacrifice of the Death of Christ ; not of^our belief in it. 8. Why are we sure that our Lord ordained this . Sacra- ment^ not to enable us to exercise an act of the memory^ r//£ LORD'S SUPPER. THE MEMORIAL. 307 but to enable the Church to make before God a public commemoration of His Death ? Because our Lord, in speaking of " remembrance," em- ploys the word anamnesis {ava[ivr\(Ti^ , which is elsewhere only used as betokening such a public memorial as the Church has ever held the Eucharist to be. 9. In what other place does this word occur in the Nezu Testai7icnt f Only in Hebrews x. 3 : " In these sacrifices there is a remembrance {ava\i.vr](ni) made of sins every year ;" where the remembrance was evidently the solemn sacrificial recognition before God, on the great day of atonement, of the sins of the people. 10. Is this word ever used in the Old Testament ? Yes, in two places ; in each one of which it signifies a memorial before God. 11. Meiition these places. (i.) The shew-bread, with the frankincense upon it, is said to be a memorial [or anamnesis] before God. (Levit. xxiv. 7.) (21-26) (2.) The burnt offerings and peace offerings are said to be an " anamnesis," or memorial, before God. (Num. X. 10.) (18-21) 12. IVhat, then, is the remembrance which Christ ordained ? It is the most solemn possible mode of pleading before God, and showing forth before the Church, the meritorious Death of the Eternal Son of God. (27) 1 3. To what, then, does the Eticharist correspond ? To the sacrifices which were offered under the law : as these sacrifices prefigured the Death which was to atone, so the Eucharist shows forth the Death which has atoned, and applies its virtue. (27-32) 14. Why must the Holy Communio7t be a cojnmemoraiion before God, rather than a means whereby we remind our- selves that Christ died for us ? Because it is an infinitely higher thing to show forth the Death of Christ before God and the Church than merely to remind one another of its benefits. (31-34) 15. Why must you, of necessity, assign the highest mea7iing? I cannot help doing so, when I consider the exceeding greatness of the Person Who ordained this Sacrament, and the exceeding solemnity of the occasion on which He ordained it. (31-34) 3oS THE LORJD'S StjPP^R. TIfE MEMORIAL. 1 6. If, then, the Holy Eucharist be a commemoration of the Lord's Death, as the Jewish sacrifices were prefigure- ments of the same Death, is it a sacrifice ? The Church of Christ has always held it to be a sacri- fice. (35, 36) 17. What reasons from Scripture has she for so doing ? First of all, the Jewish prophets, in foretelling the pure worship of the times of Christ, always apply to it language of a sacrificial nature. (37-42) 18. Give an instance. We read in Malachi the words, " From the rising of the sun to the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles ; and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering" [or a pure mincha, i. e., an offering of fine flour or cakes of bread]. (Mali. 11.) (37-40) Also, He [z. e., Christ] shall purify the sons of Levi . . . that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righte- ousness. (Mai. iii. 3.) 19. Show how this applies to Christian worship. Christ never purified the literal sons of Levi to offer legal sacrifices ; but when He came He ordained a ministry which, from the first, has celebrated a service which the Church has always held to be sacrificial. 20. Are there any other similar prophecies ? Yes. Isaiah [Ivi. 6, 7], prophesying of the times of the Messiah, says, " Also the sons of the stranger, that join themselves to the Lord, to serve Him, and to love the name of the Lord . . , even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer : their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar ; for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people." [Jeremiah also (xxxiii. 15-22) speaks of the pure worship of the times of the Messiah in the strongest sacrificial language.] (41-43) 2\. Is this sacrificial language adopted by our Lord and His Apostles ? Yes ; our blessed Saviour supposes that His followers will bring their gifts to the altar (Matt. v. 23) ; and St. Paul (Heb. xiii. 10) says that "we have an altar whereof they have no right to eat who serve the tabernacle." (44-50) THE LORD'S SUPPER. THE MEMORIAL. 309 22. But were not our Lord's words spoken to Jews rather thaii to Christians ? No : they are a part of that discourse from which the Church of Christ learns the best of all prayers, and the most precious precepts of holiness. [Our Lord, too, being God, and so foreseeing the sacri- ficial terms which His Church would always apply to her most solemn act of worship, would not have used language calculated to uphold erroneous views of such a matter.] 23. How do you know that St. Paul alludes to the Lords table, when he says, " IFe have an altar .?" Because he speaks of an altar whereof men eatj and it * is through eating of the Lord's table that we partake of the One Sacrifice. (47-50) 24. What do these places, taken together, show f They show that we are bound to understand the words, " Do this in remembrance of Me," as teaching that in them our Lord ordained a public sacrificial memorial, or re-presentation, of His Death before God. 25. Have you another Scripture reasonfor applyi7tg sacrificial te7'ms to the Eucharist ? Yes. The book of Psalms has, on the authority of Apostles (i Cor. xiv. 26 ; Eph. v. 19 ; James v. 13), always formed a leading part in the service of God amongst Chris- tians ; and this book is full of sacrificial allusions which have now their counterpart only in Eucharistic worship. 26. Give a few instances. " I will wash mine hands in innocency, O Lord : and so will I go to thine altar." (Psalm xxvi. 6.) " That I may go unto the altar of God, even unto the God of my joy and gladness." (xliii. 4.) (Also XX. 3 ; xxvii. 7 ; Ixvi. 13 ; cxvi. 13, 14, 17.) 27. But may not all these expressiofis be tmder stood of acts of praise and prayer ? If in a lower and more indirect sense they may be under- stood of simple prayer and praise, much more must they be applied to that service in which we set forth before God Christ's Body sacrificially broken, and His Blood sacrificially shed. 28. Do the ancient Liturgies uphold this view of the Eucharist as a sacrifice f Yes ; all, without exception, are founded upon it. 29. In saying that the Eucharist is a sacrifice, do you mean 3IO THE LORD'S SUPPER. THE MEMORIAL. that Christ in any way suffers again when the bread is broken ? No ; Christ hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, (i Peter iii. i8.) 30. In saying that the Eucharist is a sacrifice, do you mean that the Sacrifice on the Cross is not all-siifficient ? No : the Sacrifice on the Cross was a complete and finished sacrifice, containing in itself all-atoning virtue. (51-54) 31. Why theft do you call the Eucharist a Sacrifice ? Because as, by God's appointment, the One all-sufficient • Sacrifice was set forth before God in the typical repre- sentations of the old Law,«io, equally by God's appoint- ment, the same all-atoning Sacrifice requires to be com- memorated in the memorialre-presentation of the New Law. 32. Is it needful that we should look tipon the Eiicharist as thus a Sacrifice ? Yes ; for, unless we do so, we shall not regard it as the most solemn " bounden duty and service " of religious worship ; but merely as one means, amongst many, of enabling us to exercise an act of memory. 33. Did the Priesthood of Christ cease wlien He offered 7ip Himself up07i the cross ? No : He is " a Priest for ever after the order of Mel- chizedec." (Psalm ex. 4.) (68-74) 34. If He is a Priest, must He not have somewhat to offer ? Yes ; and so He offers Himself in that Body which is yet marked with the wounds He received (The Lamb as it had been slain, Rev. v. 6) ; and in offering Himself, He offers His Church, of which He is the Head. (72-82) 35. Caji the sacrificial mei7torial in the Eucharist be disjoined from this presentation of Himself by our Lord? No ; on the contrary, it is inseparably joined with it. 36. Can you show thisfrotn Scripture ? Yes : in the words of St. Paul : " The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the Communion of the Blood of Christ ? The Bread which we break, is it not the Com- munion of the Body of Christ ? For we being many are one bread, and one body ; for we are all partakers of that one Bread." (i Cor. x. 16, 17.) (69-72) 37. How does this passage bear tipon the point ? In this way : Christ, in presenting Himself to God, presents us in Himself, for, by partaking of that one THE LORD'S SUPPER. THE MEMORIAL. 311 bread, we are made one body in Him, and so are included in this presentation of Himself. (See Note B, page 318.) (73-82) 38. I7i what part of the Eucharistic service does the Sacrifice consist ? It consists in observing the whole of what Christ has instituted : for our Lord took bread, gave thanks, brake it, and gave it to His disciples, saying, " Take, eat ; this is my body;" and then said, "Do this in remem- brance of me." And St. Paul adds, " As oft as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord's death till He come." 39. In ivhat words is the Eucharistic Sacrifice recognised in our service ? In the words, " Did institute, and in His Holy Gospel command us to continue a perpetual memory of that His precious death, until His coming again." Also, " We, Thy humble servants, entirely desire Thy fatherly goodness mercifully to accept this our sacrifice of praise and thanks- giving." And also, " Although we be unworthy to offer unto Thee any sacrifice, yet we beseech Thee to accept this our bounden duty and service." 40. Does the Sacrifice of praise a)id thanksgiving co?isist in the Hymns and words of praise and thanksgiving which are in the office ? No. It consists in the exhibition before God of the Sufferings and Death of His dear Son (together with the acknowledgment of the benefits which we receive thereby), which is inherent in the whole sacramental act. (53-63) 41. But does God need to be reminded of the Sacrifice of the DeathofHisSon? He needs not to be reminded, but He has willed that we should so remind Him ; just as He needs not to be reminded of the Name of His Son in our daily prayers, and yet He has bidden us to ask for all things in the Name of His Son. • 4.2. Does the Sacrifice consist in the offer itig up of ourselves ? No : the offering up of ourselves is in connection with the sacrificial memorial of Christ ; so that we offer up ourselves not alone, as it were, but in Christ, because in communion with that Body of which He is the Head. (65-68) 312 THE LORD'S SUPPER. THE MEMORIAL. SHORTER CATECHISM. 1. Why 7uas the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper ordained ? For the continual remembrance of the sacrifice of the Death, Sec. 2. If the Lord's Supper be a '■'■ Sacrament of the Gospel^''' by Whom must it have been ordained ? By Christ Himself. 3. When did our Lord ordain this Sacrament ? On the night on which He last ate the Passover. 4. What took place on that night 1 He was betrayed to be crucified. 5. If the Son of God ordained it on the night when He was betrayed^ how should we regard it 1 We should regard it as most solemn, and most necessary for us to receive. 6. What did our Lord do -vheti He ordained the Sacrament 1 " He took bread, and when He had given thanks, He brake it, and said, Take, eat ; this is My body which is broken for you " (I Cor. xi. 23, 24). 7. Did He tell His disciples why they were to ^^ do this '7 Yes : He said, " Do this in remembrance of Me." 8. What besides this did He do ? After the same manner, also, He took the cup when He had supped, saying, "This cup is the New Testament in My blood. This do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of Me " (i Cor. xi. 25). 9. In doing this, then, what did He ordain ? A continual remembrance of the Sacrifice of His Death. 10. Why do you say of the '■'■Sacrifice'''' of His Death ? Because His Death was a sacrifice or offering for sin, and we have to make a remembrance of this above all. 11. What does the word " remembrance " mean 1 It means a commemoration or solemn public memorial. 12. Cati it mean that the Holy Communion is intended merely to remind us of Christ's Death / No : it must mean much more. 13. What more does it mean 1 It means that we are to make a celebration or re-presentation before God of the Death of Christ. 14. How is the Holy Communion this 7 Because the bread broken and wine poured forth represent the broken Body and shed Blood of Christ. )5. Before Whom do 7ve re-present thetn ? Before God and before the Church, THE LORD'S SUPPER. THE MEMORIAL. 313 16. Is this to be a frequent act ? • Yes : it is for the * ' continual " remembrance or memorial. 17, IV/mt words of the Holy Spirit teach us this ? "As oft as ye eat this bread and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till He come " (i Cor. xi. 26). \%. Is there anything in Scripture which explains to us the %uay in which we make a memorial before God "i Yes : the Jewish sacrifices, especially those offered by the high priest on the great day of atonement. 19. How do these explain the way in which we fnake the mefnoriall Because as in these sacrifices there was a showing forth of a future Death, so in Holy Communion there is a showing forth of a past Death. 20. Before whom did the Jcivish sacrifices shoju forth the future death ? Of course, before God. 21. Before Whom, then, must our Holy Communion set forth the atith of Christ ? Before God and before the Church ; but more especially before God. 22. Had the yews any bregd set before God in solemn worship 1 Yes : they had the shew bread. 23. What was the shew bread "i Twelve loaves, with frankincense upon them, set before God as a memorial (Lev. xxiv. 7). 24. A memorial of what 'i Of the twelve tribes of the people of God. 25. Is our memorial like this ? No : it is part of one loaf, to signify that the people of God now are "one bread and one body" (i Cor. x. 17). 26. What else of a typical nature has it which the shew bread had not ? It is broken before God to signify the breaking of the Body of Christ as our Sacrifice. 27. Why must we sho^M forth this Death before God J In order to plead the merits of it. 28. How zvere the Jews ordered to plead the Sacrifice of Christ before He came ? By the sacrifices which they offered up upon their altar. 2g. Had these sacrifices any virtue or grace in themselves 1 No : they only pointed to the Sacrifice of Christ. 30. Have our Eucharists any virtue of themselves ? Not apart from that One Sacrifice which they set forth and apply. ;}i. Which sets forth most fully the sacrifice of Christy the Jewish sacrifices, or the Eucharist .? The Eucharist. 314 THE LORD'S SUPPER. THE MEMORIAL. 32. Whvl Because our Lord says, respecting the bread, *' This is IMy body ;" and respecting the wine, "This is My blood." 33. Was anything like this said by God respecting any Jewish sacrifice ? No : such words would have been unmeaning before the Incar- nation and Birth of the Son of God. 34. JVhat then must that viemorial be which is made with things 2ohich Christ called by such names 1 It must be beyond everything great and efficacious, 35. On account of all this, what has the Church always called it ? A Sacrifice. 36. Is it a Sacrifice apart J'ro7n the Sacrifice of Christ ? No : it is only a Sacrifice because it sets forth, and pleads and applies, the One Sacrifice of Christ. 37. Are there any prophecies of the Eucharist as a Sacrificed Yes : one particularly in Malachi i. ii. 38. What are the words of the prophet ? "In every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering." 39. What is the word used for offering in this place ? The same word (niincha) which is used for the offering of bread or flour in Leviticus ii. 40. Has this ahvays been understood of the Eucharist 1 Yes : the earliest writers in the purest ages of the Church always understand it of the Eucharist. 41. Are there any other prophecies which teach us that Christians wo7iM have a sacrificial worship J Yes : Jeremiah xxxiii. 15-22. 42. Any other t Yes : Isaiah Ivi. 6, 7. 43. Btit these places speak of " burnt ojerings,'" a7id Christians have no such rites or ordinances. No : but they have an ordinance which is far more significant of Christ and of His Death than all these Jewish rites put together. 44. Does our Lord ever use words which teach that His followers will, in some sense, offer a sacrifice 1 Yes: He speaks of our bringing our gift to the altar (Matt. v. 23). 45. Did out Lord, wheii He said such words, foresee that His Church would always call the Holy Table an altar 1 Yes : being God Himself, and being full of the Spirit of God, He must have foreseen it. 46. What, then, do we learn from this ? That it is right for us to call the Lord's table an altar, and that of which we there partake a heavenly and spiritual Sacrifice. 47. Does any servant of Christ use similar words ? Yes : St. Paul says, "We have an altar whereof they have no right to eat who serve the tabernacle " (Heb. xiii. loj. THE LORD'S SUPPER. THE MEMORIAL. 315 /[%. By Whose Inspiration did St, Paul speak 1 By the Spirit of God. 49. Why must St. Paul here mean the Lord's table / Because he speaks of an altar of which men are to eat. 50. But may not the Apostle allude to the offering tip of prayers ana hymns only ? No : he speaks of an altar of which men eat, not of prayers and hymns, which have no special connection with an altar. 51. How many atojiing sacrifices have there been ? There has been but One. 52. What is that? The Sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross. 53. But has not that one Sacrifice uiade all other sacrifices unhnvfnl .? No : on the contrary, itr. has made other sacrifices necessary. 54. What other sacrifices has it made necessary ? The sacrifice of praise and tlianksgivinfj. 55. Any others ? Yes ; the sacrifice of ourselves. 56. Can 7ue offer up our praises and thanksgivings apart from the Sacrifice of Christ ? No: **By Him let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to His Name" (Heb. xiii. 15). 57. What, thetif is the Christian's great offej'ing of praise and thanks- giving i The Holy Communion. 58. Why? Because in it we exhibit before God by His Son's appointment the tokens of His Son's Passion. 59. Do any acts of praise and thanksgiving accoinpany this ? Yes : the deepest and greatest we offer to God. 60. A/en Hon one of these? The Hymn of the Seraphim, **Holy, Holy, Holy." 61. Mention another. The Gloria in Excelsis (Glory be to God on high, and on earth peace, &c.). 62. Are these the things which make the Holy Commtcnion to be a sacrifice ? No. 63. Why, then, do lue offer them up at the time of Holy Co7nmunion ? In order to connect them as closely as we can with the Sacri- fice of our Blessed Lord. 64. What name is given to Holy Communion because it is a sacrifice of pi-aise and thanksgiving? The Eucharist (which word means thanksgiving). 65. Do we offer up any other sacrifice in the service 1 Yes : the sacrifice of ourselves. 56. /// what particular words ? "Here we offer and present unto Thee, O Lord, ourselves, 3i6 THE LORD'S SUPPER. THE MEMORIAL. our souls, and bodies, to be a reasonable, holy, and lively sacri- fice unto Thee." 67. Do we offer up this alone ^ as it were, separate from the Sacrifice of Christ f No : we here offer it in connection with the setting forth of the Sacrifice of Christ. 68. When we celebrate and partake of Holy Coimmmion in earthy with 7vhat do we join ourselves 1 With the offering of Christ in Heaven. 69. How can we do this ? Because by Holy Communion we are one with Christ as the Head of His Church. 70. What passage of Scripture teaches us this ? ' ' We being many are one bread, and one body : for we are all partakers of that one bread" (i Cor, x. 17), 71. Does Christ offer anything in Heaven ? Yes : if He be a priest, He must have somewhat to offer (Heb. viii. 3). 72. What does He offer ? He presents Himself before God as the Lamb once slain. 73. How besides ? As the Head of His Church, or mystical Body. 74. What is the name given to all this 1 The Intercession of Christ. 75. Do we understand how Christ intercedes for us ? No : it is one of the deepest things of God. 76. Do we believe it ? Yes : most firmly. 77. On what Scripture gro7tnds ? On the ground that our Lord is "a priest for ever, after the order of Melchizedec " (Heb. vii. 21). 78. What is His work as a Priest 1 The work of Intercession. 79. Does He offer Himself often ? Not as a sufferer. 80. What, then, is the ground of His Intercession ? His past sufferings, 81. /j" there any memorial of these past stcfferings in Heaven. St, John saw in Heaven a Lamb, as it had been slain (Rev, v,6). 82. Is there any memorial on earth ? Yes : our Lord says, This is My body which is given : Tiiis is My blood which is shed : Do this in remembrance of Me. S^. What then, does the Holy Co77imunion enable us to do ? To join with our Lord in His Heavenly act of Intercession. Note A. — As much difference of opinion exists as to whether, and as to how far, the Holy Eucharist is a sacrifice, it might bring some of us, at least, to a better understanding among ourselves if those who deny it to be a sacrifice would consider what is contained in tlie TItE LOkD'S SlJPPEk. THE MEMO^UL. 317 following short extracts from men of undoubted Protestantism ; and also, if those who assert it to be a sacrifice would use no stronger language than that which "is contained in the succeeding extracts from the writings of men of equally undoubted Catholicity, **That in the sacred supper there is a Sacrifice (in that sense wherein the Fathers spoke) none of us ever doubted. ... As Augus- tine interprets it, a memorial of Christ's passion celebrated in the Church, and from this sweet commemoration of our redemption THERE ARISES ANOTHER SACRIFICE, the Sacrifice of praise ; and from thence a true peace offering of the Christian soul." — Bishop Hall: " No Peace ivith Rome,''^ xix. " By this sacred rite of bread and wine we present and inculcate His Blessed Passion to His Father. We put Him in mind thereof by setting the monuments thereof before Him." — Mede: *' The Christian Sacrificed ' ' The mystery of wliich rite they (the Fathers) took to be this, that as Christ, by presenting His death and satisfaction to His Father, continually intercedes for us in Heaven, so the Church on earth semblably approaches the throne of grace by representing Christ to His Father in these Holy Mysteries of His Death and Passion." — Mede: " The Christian Sacrificed *' With solemn faith we offer up. And spread before Thy glorious eyes, That only ground of all our hope. That precious bleeding Sacrifice, Which brings Thy grace on sinners down, And perfects all our souls in one." Wesley : frovi ^^ Hymns on the Lord^s Supper^" by y. and C. Wesley, Hymn cxxv. I "As the bread is justly called Christ's Body, as signifying it, so the action was of old called a sacrifice, as representing and com- memorating it. And it is no more improper than calling our bodies, and our alms, and our prayers, sacrifices. And the naming of the table an altar, as related to the representative sacrifice, is no more improper than the other. ' We have an altar whereof they have no right to eat' (Heb. xiii. 10), seems plainly to mean the Sacramental Communion." — Baxter's *' Christian Institutes'^ i. p. 304. *• What are the principal differences between the sacrifice of the Holy Eucharist now and that of our Lord upon the cross ? •'The one real, and the other only commemorative. The one meritorious in itself, the other derivipg its merit from the first. **The one of our Lord's mortal and passible body, the other of His immortal body." — Dr. Neale : '* Catechetical Notes y'' p. 131. 3i8 THE LORD'S SUPPER. THE MEMORIAL. "Thus the sacrificial rite of the earthly church represents and typifies that act of love of which it is the appointed memorial." — Dollinger : ^'' First Age of the Churchy ' The memorial of His accomplished atonement, celebrated by those who need constantly fresh forgiveness, is necessarily a constant renewal of the Reconciliation." — Dollinger: ^^ First Age of the Church:' " A memorial of His own broken Body and His shed Blood, once sacrificed, now perpetually pleaded, and by such continual comme- moration effectually applying the propitiation which He made for the sins of the world upon the cross." — Carter's '•'•Doctrine of Holy Eucharist,''' p. 13. " A sacrifice, not by way of a new death, but by way of a stand- ing memorial of His death ; a daily celebration and representation of His death to God, and an application to our souls of the fruits of it."—" Garden of the Soul." Note B.— St. Augustine, in his " City of God," Book x. Ch. vi., defines a true sacrifice to be " every act which is performed with the purpose of joining us to God in a holy bond of union." He then proceeds to show that nothing which we can do, not even the pity or charity by which we assist others, can be called a sacrifice unless it be done with reference to God (si propter Deum non fit). And then, at the conclusion of this chapter, in commenting on Romans xii. 5, he says, " This is the sacrifice of Christians: 'zve, being many, are one body in Christ;' %vhich thing also the Chtirch contimiaUy celebrates in that Sacrament of the altar which the faithful well knoxv, wherein it is shown that, included in the thing lahich she offers, she offers herself" In a subsequent chapter of the same book (x, 20), St. Augustine says that our Blessed Lord is both the priest, inasmuch as He Him- self makes the offering, and is also Himself the oblation. " Of which thing He has willed the sacrifice of the Church to be the daily sacramental sign, which {Church^, since she is the body of zuhich He Himself is the Head, learns to offer herself throjigh Him" THE SACRAMENTAL MYSTERY. 319 SECTION LVIIl.— THE SACRAMENTAL MYSTERY. 1. Is the Holy ComniMiiion anything besides a commemora- tion or 7nemorial of the death of Christ f Yes : it is a Sacrament ; and so it is the outward visible sign of an inward spiritual grace given unto us. (1-7) 2. If then, the Holy Co7nmu?iio7t be thus a Sacrament, how many parts must there be in it? Two ; the outward visible sign, and the Inward Spiritual Grace. (8-9) 3. What is the outward part or sign of the Lord's Supper? Bread and wine, which the Lord hath com- manded to be received. 4. Show from the words of Scripture that the Lord com- 77tanded bread and wi7ie to be received. As they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, " Take, eat ; this is My Body. And He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying. Drink ye all of it. For this is My Blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many for the reiaission of sins." (Matt, xxvi. 26-28.) (11-19) 5. If our Lord C07n77tands b oth bread and witie to be received, is it cojfipetent to any Chtcrch to give the Holy Co77i77iunio7i only i7i the bread? No : under such a way of communicating, the laity cannot be assured that they receive that which Christ promises when He says, " He that eateth my flesh, a7id drinketh i7iy blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him." (John vi. 56). 6. Are there a7ty reasons for deprivi7ig the laity of the cup ? There are no reasons which had the smallest weight with the Church for the first twelve hundred years of her existence. [A pope of the fifth century (Gelasius) says with re^ ference to this very point, " The division of one and the same mystery cannot take place without great sacrilege."] ^26 THE SACRAMENTAL MYSTEkV. 7. What, then, in the words of the Catechism, are this bread and luine f They are the outward part or sign. (11-19) 8. If this Co7ninunion be a Sacra?nent, what must there be besides this " outward part or sign " of bread afid wine f There must be an Inward Part which corresponds to the outward part, a Thing Signified which corresponds to the sign. 9. When you say that bread and wine is the outward part or sign, of what is the outward part the sign ? The outward part is the sign which evidences the pre- sence of the Thing Signified. (20-22) ID. Why do you say, the ^'-presence " of the Thi7ig Signi- fied f Because there are two parts in a sacrament. We see the outward part, which is a visible sign ; but the Inward Part is not discernible by the senses, and requires the outward sign to assure us that we receive it. (24-31) 11. What is the Inward Part or Thing signified ? The Body and Blood of Christ, which are verily and indeed taken, and received by the FAITHFUL IN THE LORD's SUPPER. 12. Why do you say that the outward part or sign of bread and wine is the sign of the presence of the hiward Part or Thing Signified ? Because our Blessed Lord, God and Man, called the outward part by the name of the Inward Part when He said, " Take, eat ; this is My Body." " Drink ye all of it, for this is My Blood." (20, 21, 29-37) 13. /f there any other Scripture reason ? Yes. The Holy Ghost says by the mouth of St. Paul, " The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the com- munion [or participation] of the Blood of Christ .? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the Body of Christ?" (I Cor. X. 16.) (31) 14. Have we any other Scripture reason ? Yes. St. Paul says that " He who eats and drinks un- worthily," is " guilty of the Body and Blood of the Lord," and " eateth and drinketh condemnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's Body." (i Cor. xi. 27-29.) 15. If our Blessed Lord, Who is the Truth, and Whose words are spirit a?id life, gave men the outward part as THE SACRAMENTAL MYSTERY. 321 His Body and Blood, can there be a doubt about our re- ceiving Them ? No. The Body and Blood of Christ must be " verily and indeed taken and received by the faithful in the Lord's Supper." (32-37) 16. Do these words '■'verily and indeed''^ explain the mode in •which the Body and Blood are presott f No : they only assert that, no matter what the secret and mysterious nature of the Presence, it is a real Presence. 17. After what manner is the Body and Blood of Christ so present as to be ''give?t, taken, and eaten " in the Lord's Supper f After a heavenly and spiritual manner : /. e., they are present by the power and working of God's Holy Spirit, and for the highest spiritual ends. 18. Can we explain the way in which the Body and Blood of Christ become the Inward Part of the Lords Supper ? No : it is a mystery known only to Almighty God, and is pronounced to be a mystery by the Church. [" He hath instituted and ordained Holy Mysteries :" "we who have duly received these Holy Mysteries."] (32-37) l^. Are the bread ajtd wine so changed into the Body and Blood of Christ that the truth and reality of the outward parts no longer exist f No. The Church of England denies such a gross, local, and physical mode of presence, and asserts that the outward part or sign never loses its truth and reality. 20. What does the Church of England say of this opinion ? That it overthrows the nature of a Sacrament, because they who hold it deny that there is really and truly any outward part. 2\. Is the outward part merely a sign of the Body and Blood of Christ really abseiit ? j No : if such were the case, the nature of a Sacrament I would be equally overthrown, for it would really have no Inward Part. Is the Presence a Presence only in the heart of the receiver? No. The Body and Blood of Christ are ^'- given,''' as well as " taken and eaten " (as our Article says), all which things are done that the Presence of Christ may ultimately be in the faithful receiver. Can the words of Christ respecting eating His Flesh {or Y 322 THE SACRAMENTAL MYSTERY. the words of Institution) be interpreted as 7iieaning that we must love Him, or believe in His Atonement ? No : we cannot suppose that our Lord would have used such mysterious terms to express such simple truths as that we must love Him and believe in His Atonement. 24. But is it not said that His Presence is through faith, or that He is present to our faith ? Faith is " the evidence of things not seen " (Heb. xi. i) ; not the cause of their existence. Our Lord ordained this Sacrament as the Communion of His Body and Blood ; and faith enables us to believe His word, and to discern the Inward Part. 25. What then must be our faith ? It must be a faith by which we " steadfastly believe the promises of God made to us in this Sacrament." (38, 39) 26. What are these promises ? They are that, if we eat and drink in penitence and faith, we shall " spiritually eat the Flesh of Christ and drink His Blood ; we shall dwell in Christ, and Christ in us ; we shall be one with Christ, and Christ with us." 27. Where, in the Scriptures, are we encouraged to look for such wonderful befiefits ? In the words of our Blessed Lord Himself : " Verily, verily, I say unto you, except ye eat the Flesh of the Son of Man, and drink His Blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth My Flesh, and drinketh My Blood, hath eternal life ; and I will raise him up at the last day. For My Flesh is meat indeed, and My Blood is drink indeed. He that eateth My Flesh, and drinketh My Blood, dwelleth in Me, and I in him." (John vi. 53-56.) (39-44) 28. But do not sojne say that these words do not refer to the Blessed Sacrament ? If the Holy Communion be only the outward part or sign, and have no Inward Part, of course our Lord does not refer to it ; but if the Holy Communion have an Inward Part, which is His own blessed Body and Blood, then He must refer to it. (44-47) 29. How are we sure of this? Because our Lord promises certain extraordinary bene- fits to those who eat His Flesh and drink His Blood ; and in the Holy Eucharist alone does He offer to us His Body and His Blood. (46-49) THE SACRAMENTAL MYSTERY. 323 [0. Are then such terms as eating the Body of Christ, and drinking the Blood of Christ, never used except in co?i- nectiofi with the Eucharist ? They are never used by our Lord, or by His Apostles, except when they are speaking of the Holy Eucharist. (49-52) ii. But is tt not often scud that in this discourse there can be no reference to the Eucharist, because when it was spoken the Eucharist was not yet instituted ? On the contrary, we cannot suppose that our Lord would have ordained the Eucharist in words so unique and remarkable, unless He had previously given some teaching or promises by which the Apostles might see what love and grace He was then offering to them ; and the only teaching recorded is that which is contained in the discourse in John vi. 2. What, then {in the words of the Catechism), ARE THE BENEFITS WHEREOF WE ARE PARTAKERS THEREBY? The STRENGTHENING AND REFRESHING OF OUR SOULS BY THE BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST, AS OUR BODIES ARE BY THE BREAD AND WINE. 3. Why is this the peculiar benefit of the Lord'^s Supper ? Because of the Body and Blood of Christ, which are in it verily and indeed taken and received by the faithful in the Lord's Supper. (65-68) i4. IVhy do we need the strengthening and refreshing of our souls ? Because of the weakness of our mortal nature, which we have inherited through the flesh and blood of the first Adam. (69-73) If then we are to be strengthened and refreshed, what must we have f We must have within us the presence of Christ, the Second Adam ; and so our Lord says, " He that eateth My Flesh, and drinketh My Blood, dwelleth in Me, and I in Him." (John vi. 56.) (69-73) )6. What then do these wonderful words of our Lord imply f They must imply some mysterious communication to us of His Human Nature as the Second Adam, in order to undo the evil which we have received from the flesh and blood (z. e that they are come to years of discretion ? That those confirmed can say the Creed, the Lord's Prayer, and the Ten Commandments, and be further instructed in the Catechism. 7. Does this imply anythirtg else ? Yes ; that they should understand the meaning of the answers which they give. 8. Is there any other qualification necessary ? Yes : sincerity of heart. 9. Why are these qualifications necessary ? Because each child will at his Confirmation renew before God the solemn promise and vow made in his name. 10. Is any other qualificatio7i needful in those who wish to be confirmed? Yes : a sincere desire and hope to receive God's Holy Spirit, 11. Why ? Because God ordained Confirmation, that in it ChristiaiiS should receive the Holy Spirit. 12. But will they receive God's Spirit if they do not pray for and desire His help ? They have no right to expect Him unless they pray for Him. 13. How do you prove that God ordained Confirmation for the bestowing upojt tcs of His Holy Spirit ? I prove it from the Scriptures. Especially from Acts viii. 14-20. 14. What do yoti read there ? That SS. Peter and John laid their hands on certain baptized persons. 15. And what did those persons receive ? The Holy Ghost. 16. Did the Apostles the?nselves give thcjn the Holy Ghost ? No : God gave it to them when the Apostles laid their hands on them. 17. Had these persons been baptized? Yes : by Philip, one of the seven deacons. 18. Why then did not Philip lay his hands upon them ? Because this power appears to have been exercised only by the Apostles. CONFIRM A TION. 345 19. Did the Apostles deem this Laying on of hands ofimpoficince? Yes : they sent two of their number some distance in a time of persecution, that they might administer it. 20. Can you prove the '■'■Laying on of hands ''^ from any other example ? Yes : from the practice of St. Paul. 21. Do we read of St. Paul laying his hands on baptized Christians ? Yes : he laid his hands on twelve disciples at Ephesus. 22. For liihai purpose? That they might receive the Holy Ghost. 23. Did St. Paul himself baptize these persons ? No, probably not (Actsxix. 5 compared with i Cor. i. 14, 15), 24. Did he himself lay his hands on them ? It is expressly said that he did. 25. What do you gather from this 1 I gather from this place also that it was reserved to the chief ministers to lay on hands. 26. Was there atiy outiuard sign that these persons had received the Spirit 1 They spake with tongues. 27. Is this sign given in Confirmation now ? No. 28. If, then, these signs have ceased, ought men to be confirmed ? Yes : in Confirmation we hope and pray to receive the Spirit Himself. 29. Are His gifts always the same ? No : they are very different in different persons (i Cor. xii. 8). 30. What are such gifts as prophecy, miracles, and speaking with tongues called ? The extraordinary gifts of the Spirit. 31. What are such gifts as faith, love, peace, knozuledge, called i The ordinary gifts of the Spirit. 32. Which are the most important 1 The ordinary gifts, by far. 33. ^hyl Because we may be saved without miracles and the gift of tongues ; but we cannot be saved without faith and love. 34. What does St. Paul coftsider the best gift of the Spirit "i Undoubtedly love or charity (i Cor. xii. 31 ; xiii. I, 13). 35. What gifts does the Bishop pray thai we may received The gifts needful for all. 36. What are they ? Wisdom, understanding, counsel, ghostly strength, knowledge, godliness, holy fear. yj. Is there any other place which teaches the necessity of Confirmation t Yes : Heb. vi. i, 2. 38. What is Confirmation there called ? The Laying on of hands. 39. Amongst what does St. Paul reckon it ? LHe reckons it amongst the principles or foundations of the Gospel. 346 CONFIRMATION. 40. How many principles does he '^numerate ] Six. 41. What are they ^ I. Repentance. 2. Faith. 3. The doctrine of Baptism. 4. That of Laying on of hands. 5. The Resurrection. 6. The Judgment. 42. What 7nust this " Laying on of ha?tds " mean ? It must mean that which the Apostles gave. 43. To ivhom did they give it ? Apparently to all baptized Christians, 44. Is there any other ^^ Laying on of hands'^'' conferred on all the baptized? No. 45. What other laying on of hands is there in the Christian religioit ? " Laying on of hands" in Ordination. 46. Is this given to all 1 No : only to the few Christians who become ordained ministers. 47. Are any of the other five principles [repentance, faith, &^c.) only to be realized by a few ? No : all must repent, all believe, and all be baptized ; all must look for the resurrection, and all prepare for judgment. 48. What do zve learn from this ? That the Laying on of hands is necessary for all, just as the other five principles are. 49. Bnt is not this too much to say of Confirmation 1 We do not say it. It is not we who have inserted it into this list of principles, but the Holy Spirit. 50. Is there any other reason for believing that this Laying on of hands is Confirmation 1 Yes : it follows on the *' doctrine of Baptisms," as a thing would naturally do which, like Confirmation, succeeds Baptism. 51. What minister of the Church now lays his hands on the baptized 1 The Bishop. 52. Why't Because Bishops succeed the Apostles. 53. On what ground do we reserve this power to the Bishops of the Church 1 Because we find that the Apostles ministered Confirmation to those who had received Baptism^ from other ministers (Acts viii. 17 ; xix. 6). 54. If God has ordained this Laying on of hands, that we may receive His Holy Spirit, what should we do ? We should pray earnestly, that we may receive His blessing in it. 55. Can we hope to receive any benefit in it without prayer 1 No. 56. If we are to pray earnestly, what must we have ? We must have faith. 57. In what will this faith consist^ CONFIRM A TION. 347 In a strong belief that God will be present to give us His blessing. 58. //: order that we may have this belief, what must we remember f I'he promises of God to give us of His Spirit. 59. Mention one of these promises. " I will pour my Spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring " (Isaiah xliv. 3). 60. Mention a second. " Your Heavenly Father will give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him " (Luke xi, 13). 61. But will God give the Holy Spirit only ijt Confirmation ? No ; but He has led us to expect that He will give His Spirit in Confirmation. 62. //ave we, then, any right to expect grace from Him if we refuse Confirmation ? No : for in such a case we should not submit to God's dis- pensations. 63. Is there anything in our Order of Confirmation besides the Laying on of hajtds and the Bishop'' s prayers 1 Yes : the renewing of our baptismal promises and vows. 64. Before whom do we renew those promises and vozvsi Before God and the congregation. 65. Who ought to be amongst the congregation ? Every one shall have a godfather or a godmother as a witness of their Confirmation (Rubric at the end of the Catechism). 66. IVho will solemnly ask you to retiew your promise and vo%v f The Bishop. 67. In what words ? Do ye here, in the presence of God and of this congrega- tion, &c. 68. Have you learned what your godfathers and godmothers promised for you in Baptism / Yes : I learned all this when I learned the Catechism. 69. What, then, is now yotir duty 1 " I must myself, with my own mouth and consent, openly before the Church, ratify and confirm the same." 70. And what besides f " I must also promise that, by the grace of God, I will ever- more endeavour myself faithfully to observe them." 71. Who confirms yote ? The Bishop. 72. How ? By laying his hands on me. 73. In whose name and power does he do this ? In God's name, and relying only on His power. 74. Do you confirm anything? Yes : I ratify and confirm in my own person what was pro- mised in my name. 945J PRAYERS FOR CANDIDATES. 75. Is there any differ e^tce bet^veen the Bishofs confirming and your confirming 1 Yes : the greatest possible difference. 76. What is the Bishofs coftfirming f It is strengthening — God giving me strength by the Laying on of hands. 77. What is your confirming? It is renewing in my own person my baptismal vows. 78. What must you have if you are to benefit by the Bishop's confirming you? 1 must have a sincere desire to receive the grace of God. 79. Houi will this desire show itself? In earnest prayer. So. What must you have to make you confirm aright your baptismal vows ? I must have a sincere resolution to serve and please God. PRAYERS FOR CANDIDATES. (^One of the following, or some other suitable pi ayer, should be reprinted or ^^•ritten out, and a copy given to each candidate, to be used night and morning during the time of. preparation, and the whole class, or each member privately, should be frequently urged to use it.] OMOST merciful God, I thank Thee that Thou hast called me to the knowledge of Thy grace and faith in Thee. Increase this knowledge, and confirm this faith in me ever- more. Give me Thy help now that I am preparing to draw near to Thee in Confirmation, cleanse me from all the sins of my past life, and give me a true sorrow for them. Help me to know how sinful and weak I am, that I may learn to trust only in Jesus Christ for pardon and strength. Grant that when the hand of Thy servant the Bishop is laid upon me I may receive such an increase of the gift of Thy Holy Spirit that I may conquer all the temptations of the world, the flesh, and the devil (especially ....), and continue in Thy faith and love unto my life's end. Prepare me to receive with a true penitent heart and lively faith the Holy Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ, and grant that I may never fall from Thee, but be at last received into Thine heavenly KingQom, for Jesus Christ's sake. Amen. {Altered ana adapted from a prayer in " The Narrow Wav,'^) P'RA VERS FOR CANDIDA TES. 349 OGOD, by whose merciful Providence the Holy Church continueth to observe the laying on of hands, we be- seech Thee to be with Thy servant, our Bishop, when, after the example of Thy Holy Apostles, he shall administer in this place the Holy Rite of Confirmation. Grant me, I beseech Thee, Thy heavenly grace, that I may partake of it with an undefiled body, a watchful mind, and a pure heart; that being strengthened with might by Thy Spirit in the inner man, I may never be ashamed to confess the faith ot Christ crucified, but manfully fight under His banner against sin, the world, and the devil, and continue His faithful soldier unto my life's end : through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. {Altered and adapted fro7ti a Prayer by Bishop Doane.) OLORD God, who hast sent Thy Holy Spirit into the world to comfort us and to lead us into all truth, I pray Thee that I, believing in Thy promises and trusting in Thy love, may be so prepared by Thee to receive the grace of Confirmation, that I may come with faith and a penitent heart unto that Holy Mystery, and may obtain the fulness of those gifts which Thou dost promise, so that I may have strength to resist all sin and grace to persevere unto the end : through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. {Altered and adapted from a Prayer in a Catec hism on Con^ ^rmation by a Committee of Clergy) THE END. LONDON; PRINTED BY W. CLOWES AND SONS, STAMFORD STRRK7 AND CHARING CROSS. WORKS BY THE REV. M. F. SADLER. PARISH SERMONS. Vol. I. Advent to Trinity". Second Edition. Qs. Vol. II. Trinity to Advent. Second Edition. 6s. Vol. III. Plain Speaking ON Deep Truths. Second Edition. 6s. Vol. IV. Abundant Life. 6s. CHURCH DOCTRINE— BIBLE TRUTH. Fourth Edition. Tenth Thousand. Fcap. 8vo. 5s. This Work contains a full discussion of the so-called Damnatory Clauses of the Athanasian Creed. The New Edition has additional Notes on Tran- substantiation and Apostolical Succession. "Some writers have the gift of speaking the right word at the right time, and the Rev. M. F. Sadler is pre-eminently one of ihem. 'Church Doctrine— Bible Truth ' is full of wholesome truths fit for these times. ... He has the power of putting his meaning in a forcible and intelligible way. which will, we trust, enable his valuable work to effect that which it is well calculated to effect, viz., to meet with an appropriate and crushing reply one of the most dangerous misbeliefs of the time." — Guardian. THE SECOND ADAM AND THE NEW BIRTH; or, the Doctrine of Baptism as contained in Holy Scripture. Fourth Edition^ greatly enlarged. Fcap. 8vo. 4s. 6d. ** The most striking peculiarity of this useful little work is that its author argues almost exclusively from the Bible. We commend it most earnestly to clergv and laity, as containing m a small compass, and at a trifling cost, a body of sound and Scriptural docti ine, respecting the New Birth, which cannot be too widely circu- lated.' ' — G uardian. THE SACRAIMENT OF RESPONSIBILITY; or, Testi- mony of the Sciipture to the teaching of the Church on Holy Baptism, with especial reference to the Cases of Infants; and Answers to Objections. Sixth Edition. 6d. With the addition of an Introduction, in which the religious speculations of the last twenty years are consideied in their bearings on the Church doctrine of Holy Baptism, and an Appendix giving the testimony of writers of all ages and schools of thought in the Church. On fine paper, and neatly bound in cloth. 2s. bd. London : BELL AND DALDY, York Street, Covent Garden. THIS BOOK IS DUE ON THE LAST DATE STAMPED BELOW AN INITIAL FINE OP 25 CENTS WILL BE ASSESSED FOR FAILURE TO RETURN THIS BOOK ON THE DATE DUE. THE PENALTY WILL INCREASE TO SO CENTS ON THE FOURTH DAY AND TO $1.00 ON THE SEVENTH DAY -"" lu ^yji, Jl'N 23 IS4b 5War'49t5G 00^*^1 jtt| .viiC P LD DEC y m i f YA 04063 /i^y> -^ UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY