CHAPTER VIII.

THE

HE Catechism we are examining begins, as we have shown, with a short chapter on elementary subjects. The second chapter is headed Faith, and includes all we have thus far noticed; the third is headed Hope, and the fourth Charity. We now come to Hope, which is also entitled The Lord's Prayer, and may be divided under the four following heads,

I. FAITH AND WORKS.

II. PRAYER.

III. THE LORD'S PRAYER.

IV. PRAYER TO THE VIRGIN AND SAINTS.

I.-ON FAITH AND WORKS.

CATECHISM.

Q. Will faith alone save us?

A. No; it will not without good works.

Q. Can we of ourselves do any good work towards our salvation?

A. No; we cannot without the help of God's grace.

useless without repentance, the eyes of multitudes of deluded creatures, of the lower orders especially, would be open to a truth of which they have been kept in fatal ignorance. If this be the real view of the Church of Rome, the principle of reform, on this point, is within herself. Let it also be explained, that indulgences mean no more than the remission of some temporal punishment, and much will be done to raise the tone of morality; but can we believe, after the facts recorded in history, that the Church of Rome has never, by indulgences, meant more than this very simple and innocent exercise of power?

In Luther's time the virtue of Indulgences was most extravagantly enlarged; and who can say, as long as a Pope may be allowed to frame a creed, that he may not again assume the power of those days? It is true that in the primitive ages the Church remitted, in whole or in part, the penance imposed for sins by the congregation or the priests; and Gother's ideas seem to accord with this usage: but we must remember, he was himself originally a Protestant; and a Protestant, though he may be allured by the false light of Rome, can never be exactly in the state of mind of one who never has had the true light, and his explanations may be influenced by it, unknown to himself.

To presume to release from Purgatory, after the eternal penalty has been done away by Christ, is assuming to interfere with the Divine dispensations; for no penalty whatever in the next world is due to sin,

when put away by the blood of Christ, though in this world a temporal external humiliation may be salutary; and as for Purgatory, it is "a fond thing vainly invented, and grounded upon no warranty of Scripture, but rather repugnant to the Word of God." (Article XXII.)

The shades of opinion with regard to Baptism are so curiously graduated throughout the Christian world, that we will not enter upon any definition in this place, further than to observe, that the error of Roman Catholics seems to be (and it is no small one) that they attribute to baptism itself that which ought to be attributed to the grace of God in or out of baptism. Hooker distinctly says, the sacraments contain in themselves no vital force or efficacy: that unless we perform as the Author of grace requireth, they are unprofitable; "for all receive not the grace of God, which receive the sacraments of His grace."

With regard to remission of sins by Penance, we decidedly protest against it as unscriptural; but we think it very useful that those who are guilty of gross offences against society should suffer the penalty they deserve. Many vices might be checked, if they were more publicly disgraced; and a very salutary effect might be produced upon many minds by such outward humiliation. The XXXIIIrd Article of the Church of England considers Penance as merely necessary to reconciliation with the visible Church. This temporal punishment must not be confounded with what the Church of Rome calls the Sacrament of Penance.

CATECHISM.

Q. What is actual sin?

A. Every sin which we ourselves commit.

Q. How is actual sin divided?

A. Into mortal and venial sin.

Q. What is mortal sin?

A. It is a grievous offence against God.
Q. Why is it called mortal?

A. Because it kills the soul, and deserves hell.

Q. How does mortal sin kill the soul?

A. By depriving the soul of its supernatural life, which is the grace of God.

Q. What is venial sin?

A. That sin which does not kill the soul, yet displeases God.

Q. Why is it called venial sin?

A. Because it is

mortal sin.

more easily pardoned than

OBSERVATIONS.

God, in the majesty of His offended holiness, has declared, "The soul that sinneth it shall die." It is not for finite beings to measure the degrees to which this sentence applies.

It is true that the XVIth Article of the Church of England, and the Litany, retain the expression "deadly sin," from which we might infer that she admits the doctrine of venial sin; but we believe it to be only used in the sense of gross sin. None can doubt, that a vast

difference exists between wilful premeditated sin, and unintentional sins of infirmity, into which the faithful are sometimes betrayed, to their great sorrow, under any sudden provocation or temptation; but it is very dangerous to inculcate the idea, that indulgence in any sin, be it ever so small in appearance to human eyes, may not eventually kill the soul and deserve hell. God, who is infinitely holy, must abominate iniquity; and when we reflect upon the meaning of this word 'iniquity,' and see that it is a turning aside from His law, and when we remember how the law of God reaches to the thoughts and intents of the heart, we dare not admit. the doctrine of venial sin, or suppose we can in any measure displease God, and not run the dreadful risk of losing our souls. David makes a distinction between presumptuous sin and secret faults; but when he prays "Cleanse thou me from secret faults," he means sins unknown to himself, but which may be perceptible to the all-seeing eye of God. True believers, as they draw nearer and nearer to the light of the Sun of Righteousness, see in themselves sins which they never perceived by ordinary light; and they are aware, as David was, that God, who is the Light itself, may see in them still more.

Let nothing short of the favour of God satisfy us. "In His favour is life:" and to this end let us deeply humble ourselves for every sinful movement within our hearts, of which we may be conscious; and let us pray that our conscience may be more and more enlightened by the Holy Spirit to discern the first risings of sin; never