soul. Nor are we so superstitious, as, with the Pharisees, to think that the flesh meat, that goes into the mouth on a fasting day, is the thing that defiles the soul: but as disobedience in eating the forbidden fruit defiled Adam, and all his posterity, and turned both out of Paradise; so your disobedience in regaling your appetite with dainty dishes of flesh meat in Lent and other fasts, when it is forbid by God and his church, is a sin that proceeds from the heart, and will turn you out of the kingdom of heaven. In vain do some reply, that to fast from sin is the only fast commanded in scripture; for although this is an essential and principal fast, without which no other fast can avail; yet it is certain we shall not long fast from sin, unless we fast from meat and drink too at certain times, in order to subdue our corrupt nature, that we may more easily abstain from sin; and therefore the scripture teaches us to join both these fasts together, and this is what all the scripture-penitents and saints did; as Moses, Elias, Daniel, Josaphat, David, the Rechabites, and the Ninevites in the old law; and in the new, Anne the Prophetess, St. John Baptist, St. Paul: they fasted from meat and drink, that they might more easily overcome sin. Did not our Saviour infinitely abhor sin all his life? Yet he fasted literally, so as to bring extreme hunger upon himself: and what did he fast for, but for our sins, and for our example.

Great has been the virtue and power of fasting, so as to save the wicked often from destruction, as in the Ninevites and others; and so as even to cast out devils, as our Saviour teaches. Fasting therefore being an eminent good work; so meritorious and even essential in a spiritual life; hence the Church, who is more careful of us than we are of ourselves, hath judged well to compel all the faithful, by precept, to fast and do penance, from time to time throughout the whole year; lest if we were left to our own discretion, we should be apt to forget what we owe both to God and to our own souls.

Yet no one is bound to fast by the precept, till the age of twenty-one complete; because they are yet in

their tender years, and require nourishment for growth: and they again who are much advanced in years, have commonly the weakness of old age, as being in the decline of life; sick persons also, who are brought low by their infirmities, are dispensed with: also women with child; and nurses, who have need to support or repair their strength, weakened by nourishing children: also labourers, husbandmen, and mechanics, who are forced to gain a livelihood for themselves and their families by the sweat of their brow, by any hard labour, either of body or mind, which very much weakens the strength: in a word, all those in general who cannot fast without ruining their health; and those whose poverty cannot afford a full meal, are excused from strict fasting: yėt even these must submit so far as to have the dispensation of the Church: let every one beware of vain and invalid excuses: remember there is no one but what has need of penance.

EXHOR. Observe, O christian, all days and times appointed for fasts, as from God. Hear what he says to you on these days: Be converted to me with your whole heart, in fasting and weeping, and mourning: let sorrow and tears for sin accompany your fast. On all these days enlarge your prayer, following the advice of Tobias to his son: A good thing is prayer with fasting, Tob. xii. 8. Give charity to the poor, as your circumstances will permit: Redeem your sins with alms-deeds, and your iniquities by mercies to the poor. If you are not able to give, at least, it is in every one's power to forgive injuries, to bear with the troublesome, to pray for the living and the dead. Preserve a right and pure intention in your fast; fast not to be seen by men as the Pharisees, but God only; take the precept of fasting as a command from him, and perform it in strict obedience to the Church, so that you may obey God in it; as a child obeys God in obeying a good mother, whom God has commanded him to obey: does he not say, He that will not hear the Church, let him be unto thee as a heathen man and a publican? Take great care to reform your lives, to rule your passions, and govern your unruly appetites on these days: Beware

above all things, that you fall not into sin, which does not only annul the merit of the fast, but brings down greater judgments upon you. As you fast in body from' meat, your soul must fast from sin; this is the perfect fast which God has chosen, without which the other will do you no good. O what more absurd, than while I fast to appease the wrath of God, to provoke him by new offences! while I mortify the body, to permit the soul to fall a prey to the Devil by sin! while I abstain from meat, to get drunk with wine!-Observe on these days the saying of a holy Father and Doctor of the Church, and a most eloquent preacher: "Fast, because you "have sinned: fast, that you may not sin: fast, that you may bring all blessings on yourself: fast, that you may preserve God's grace."

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The third precept of the Church expounded.

Q. WHAT

THAT is the third precept of the church? A. To confess our sins to our pastor at least once a year. Q. Why was this commanded? A. Because libertines would not otherwise have done it once in many years.

of

INSTRUC.-This precept is contained in a canon of the fourth council of Lateran, under Innocent the Third, held in the year of our Lord 1215, which was confirmed by the council of Trent, Sess. xiv. c. v. and can. 8. whereby all the faithful of both sexes are strictly enjoined to confess their sins to their proper pastor once in a year at least: and to receive the sacrament of the holy Eucharist at Easter, as soon as they come to years discretion sufficient for each sacrament. This precept then begins to bind us as soon as we begin to have the full use of reason, so as to commit mortal sin, and to be capable of the sacrament, which in some is sooner, in some later. The Church does not particularly prescribe the time of the year when we ought to confess: yet as we are obliged to communicate at Easter, which cannot be rightly done in a state of sin, it is evident that all those who at that time are in mortal sin, are obliged then to confess.

Though the precept of the Church obliges us to confess but once a year, to restrain libertines; yet many circumstances may occur, in which, by the divine precept, we are obliged to confess oftener. 1. In all dangers of life, as when dangerously sick, or condemned to die, or when soldiers are to go to battle, or merchants to go a hazardous voyage, and are conscious of any mortal sin to themselves; in such dangers, (life so uncertain,) they are, bound to confession; because in all perils of life we are bound to prepare ourselves for death. Ought any one that knows himself to be in a bad state, considering the uncertainty of life, run the risk of a delay? 2. Before we receive the other sacraments, if guilty of mortal sin, we are bound first to confess; because such sin is opposite to divine grace, and must of necessity hinder the blessed effect of the sacraments we receive, baptism excepted; for baptism being the first sacrament, by it we must be made christians before we can receive any of the christian sacraments; therefore sacramental confession is not required before baptism, but only contrition in adult persons.Neither does every sort of confession, satisfy our obligation, but we are to make a true and entire confession, which cannot be done without a previous and careful examin of our life and conscience.

EXHOR.-There is nothing, O christian, for which you owe your gratitude to God, more than for the holy sacrament of penance; the only means by which you, as a sinner, can ever be reconciled with God. O, were you but sensible of the eternal damages you risk by sin, you would need no command of confessing once a year. Think only what you lose by sin, and what you gain by penance: hy sin, you forfeit the enjoyment of God, heaven, and the blessed company of the elect: by penance, you gain the forgiveness of sin, regain the grace and favour of God, and are re-instated into the company of the saints. Think again of God's great mercy to you; while thousands are now bewailing their sins ín eternal torments, less sins perhaps than those you are guilty of. O divine mercy of God over you! The devils for one sin of pride were cast into hell

without redemption; Adam for one sin of disobedience was expelled paradise; yet God bears with you, and, for a temporal humiliation, and sincere confession, forgives your numberless sins, if you are but penitent, and leave off your vices. And do you think much to do this? Well may you say, His mercy is above all his works: it is through his mercy you have not been destroyed. Under these considerations, how will you dare to provoke his clemency by new offences? or tire out his patience by ungrateful delays? O how many are now tormented in hell for these neglects and omissions of confessing their sins in time! To-day then if you shall hear his voice, inviting you to repentance, harden not your hearts against it: but rather, with the Prodigal Son, arise and return, and throw yourself, with sorrow, tears, contrition of heart, at the feet of Christ your Lord, in the sacrament of penance: and when you have gained his favour, and regained your happiness, take those words as from himself: Thy sins are forgiven thee, go in peace:-depart and sin no more, lest something worse befal thee: lest angry justice succeed to injured mercy ; lest, by your wilful relapses, God may leave you to perish in your sins, and give you over, like many, to a reprobate sense; think well of this, and do worthy fruits of penance while it is now in your power.

The fourth precept of the Church expounded.

Q. WHAT is the fourth precept of the Church?

A. To receive the blessed Eucharist at least once a year, and that at Easter or thereabouts; that is, between Palm Sunday and Low Sunday. Q. Why are we commanded to communicate at this time? A. Because his sacrament was instituted about that time, viz. on Maundy Thursday; and because it is to be received in remembrance of the passion and death of our Saviour, which happened at this time.

INSTRUC. The Church in former ages obliged the faithful to communicate oftener: but now, through hardness of heart, and want of primitive zeal, the obli