faith; a faith without good works, is a dead faith, and will turn to your confusion at the last day. God will then examine not only how you believed, but how you lived. As the body is but a dead carcase without the soul, so faith is dead without charity and good works. Though your faith be strong enough to move mountains, without charity it availeth nothing. 1 Cor. xiii. 2.

EXHOR.-Examine your past life, and see how far you have co-operated in the gift of faith. Have you submitted entirely to all, and every article thereof? Have you stood firm to your faith under all trials? Has human respect stood in your way, or been any ways prejudicial to the profession of it? Have you been true to it in practice? This latter is what too many fail in; many are but christians in name. If you are of the number, repent, and reform your life: let not the light of faith be spent in vain upon you; let it excite you to every good work, and then virtue will crown you: Receive not the grace of God in vain ; that great grace and gift of divine faith, which is the only light to conduct you safe through the darkness of this world, to the clear sight and possession of God.

Of Tradition.

'S it sufficient to believe the scripture only ?

A. No: we must also believe the traditions of the church. Q. What are those traditions; A. Many things belonging to faith, as likewise to discipline, which the apostles did not write, but only preached and taught by word of mouth; which the holy church has carefully delivered from father to son, in all ages, down to us.

INSTRUC.-It is not sufficient that we believe the scripture only, but we must also submit to the universal traditions of the church; and, truly, how do we know the scripture to be scripture, or the word of God, but by tradition? Tradition then is a most necessary support of our faith, and of scripture too. How do we know that the creed was delivered by the apostles ? Scripture does not mention this fact, but we have it so

by tradition. How do we know that the Sabbath was changed by the apostles, and translated from Saturday to Sunday, but by tradition? How do we know that infants are to be baptized, but by tradition?

Before Moses there was no scripture at all; from the beginning of the world till his time, religion was delivered down by the patriarchs to their families, by tradition and after Christ, the church subsisted some time before any part of the New Testament was written; her doctrine was then supported by tradition only. Neither did Christ say to his apostles, Going into the universal world (write,) but going (teach) all nations, which they did by word of mouth; and so the world received the faith of Christ by tradition: how could they receive it otherwise, before the the scriptures were written, and printing was invented, when so few could write or read? And where do you find in scripture now, that all is therein written that is to be believed?

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EXHOR. Bear then, O christian, a due regard and veneration to the traditions of the apostles and ancients of the church; the word of God is equally the word of God, and truth is the same, whether it be delivered to us by word of mouth or writing. Follow the exhortation of the apostle: Stand fast, and hold the traditions which you have been taught, whether by word, or by our epistle, 2 Thess. ii. 15. No doubt but those very traditions, he here speaks of, have been by the church faithfully transmitted down to us. Submit your judgment then to all and each of them, and practise as the church directs: St. Augustine pronounces it madness to leave the tradition of the church, to follow our own heads: be not of the number of such. Reject not that which has been universally received, and cannot be disapproved. They are recommended to you, and confirmed by the authority of the same church that taught you the scriptures, and your christianity.

Of Heresy.

A. It is an obstinate

Q. WHAT vice is opposite to faith? A. Heresy. Q. What is heresy. error in matters of faith.

INSTRUC. He is a heretic, who obstinately maintains any thing contrary to the known faith and doctrine of the holy Catholic Church. Such was Arius, and others, who denied the divinity of Christ; Luther and Calvin, who opposed the authority of the church, the supremacy of St. Peter, &c. Heresy is a most grievous sin, because it destroys faith; which is the first virtue in the order of grace; it draws men by_degrees into Atheism, and extinguishes all religion. This curse may be applied to them: Woe unto them who have gone into the way of Cain; they shall perish in the contradiction of Core, St. Jude xi. Such, saith St. Paul, ought to be shunned, Tit. iii. 10. Heresy takes its birth from pride, from lust, concupiscence, and the love of independency. Behold the miserable effect of it: man may fall into all kind of vice and immorality; but if his faith remain, there may be ground for his conversion and repentance: but if through heresy he destroys his faith, he destroys all sense of a spiritual life; he extinguishes the light of his soul; he walks in the dark, and knows not where he goes; he wanders from darkness into darkness, from error into error, until he falls into the abyss of eternal darkness and despair: Without faith it is impossible to please God; to know him, or to come to the possession of him. Heb. xi. 6.

EXHOR. Stand firm then, O christian, to the faith of the holy Catholic Church: let this be your guide, your strength, your support, against the infidelity of the whole world: Christ always remains with this church. Beware of pride and self-conceit, which has brought so many heresies and schisms into the world: beware of lust, which blinds the understanding, and subverts the judgment: beware of self-love, which destroys your essential good, the love of God. Rather practise humility and self-denial, and you will never fall into heresy. Humility supports the sense, the reason; the under

standing, in the ways of God, and the truth of his holy religion; and self-denial renders them practicable. Better it is to walk in simplicity of heart and obedience, than in the spirit of pride, which has led many out of the way, to their eternal perdition.

Of the Apostles Creed.

Q. WHAT is the Creed? A. It is the sum of our belief. Q. Who made it? A. The twelve apostles. Q. What does the creed contain? A. The chief things we are bound to believe of God and his church.

INSTRUC.-The Creed was composed by the twelve apostles, before they separated to preach the gospel to all nations and to this end, that all the faithful might concur in one and the same belief. We were taught it from our infancy; and should often repeat it, the more to confirm us in our faith of the blessed trinity, incarnation, death and mysteries of our Saviour. Every christian must learn to understand it, as far as his capacity will allow; and the pastor ought to be very diligent in explaining and instilling its doctrine into the people.

The twelve apostles were the founders of our faith; they received it from Christ, and founded it in all nations, and confirmed it with the price of their blood. The conversion of the world, thus begun by them, was carried on by other apostolical men, who succeeded them.

In the apostles, founders of our faith, God shewed his infinite power, in calling and appointing a few fishermen, by education illiterate, and by birth inglorious, to confound the pride and wisdom of the world, and bring great part thereof to the faith of Christ; and this, in a short space of time, not by power, by arms, nor by eloquence, but by plain preaching and miracles; to persuade a wicked world to believe things which seemed so strange and incomprehensible to sense and reason, as the death, passion, and resurrection of Jesus things so contrary to nature, as to deny ourselves, to mortify, and to do penance. Such an event

was the effect of an infinite, wisdom, not to be fathomed. The governments of kings have their limits, and the great conquerors of the earth their bounds; but the faith of Christ has been extended to all parts of the known world: this was a superior work, the work of God only. Great was the wisdom of the ancient philosophers, but greater was the wisdom of the apostles; the one extended to human learning, the nature of things, the preservation of long life; but the wisdom of the apostles extended to divine learning, supernatural knowledge, and taught us how to preserve our souls unto life everlasting. There is no one article of the apostles creed, but what has been opposed by some or other enemies of our faith; and yet nothing has been able, no power of man, or devil, to shake, much less extinguish it: This again has shewn the divine providence of God over his church, and the saying of eternal truth is herein verified, That the gates of hell should not prevail against it. St. Matt. xvi.

EXHOR Learn, O christian, to venerate the memory of the twelve apostles, and all other apostolical men, who were your apostles, to whom you owe your faith under God. Give thanks to God, without ceasing, that he has called you to the holy Catholic Church which the apostles founded. Often repeat your creed, for this is the shield of faith, your armour and defence, against Satan and his works: repeat it with a firm faith and a lively hope, such as may bring you to a greater knowledge, and even enjoyment of God; for it behoveth him, who will approach to God, to believe that he is our Creator, Redeemer, Sanctifier, and last End, as the creed teaches.-As you believe, so practise: For what will it avail you, to believe well, and live ill? What will it avail you, to believe in God, unless you love, fear, and serve him? What, to believe in Jesus Christ, unless you follow his doctrine, and live as he taught? What, to believe in the holy Ghost, unless you harbour his inspiring grace, and keep your heart pure from sin? What, to believe in the holy Catholic Church, unless you conform to her doctrine, precepts, and commands? What, to believe in the communion of saints,