Instructions ON THE DOCTRINES AND WORSHIP OF THE Catholic Church. THIS IS ETERNAL LIFE, THAT THEY KNOW THEE, THE ONLY TRUE GOD, AND JESUS CHRIST WHOM THOU HAST SENT.-JOHN XVII. 3. BY JOHN LINGARD, D.D. Third Edition. LONDON: CHARLES DOLMAN, 61, NEW BOND STREET 1841. ADVERTISEMENT. THE following pages contain a short exposition of Catholic doctrine, and Catholic practice, with the chief authorities and principles on which that doctrine and practice are founded. To the well-informed it can offer nothing with which they are not already acquainted: but it is hoped that it may prove useful to two classes of persons; to the young who are preparing themselves for their first communion, and to the more aged, who have been suffered to grow up to manhood without a competent knowledge of their religion. The writer has made use of the catechetical method of question and answer, not with any intention of composing a regular form of catechism, but for the sake of the running commentary with which such questions and answers may be accompanied,-the best and readiest way of comprising within a small compass a great variety of subjects. The reader, therefore, will look on many of those questions merely as pegs to hang the notes upon without further preparation or introduction. CATECHETICAL INSTRUCTIONS. ETC. PART I. OF CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. CHAP. I. OF THE TRINITY. 1. Of what religion are you? By the grace of God I am a Christian. 2. Whom mean you by a Christian? One, who having been baptized, believes and professes the faith and law of Christ. 1. By the grace of God.-That we are Christians, is a blessing for which we are plainly indebted to the grace or bounty of God. Of ourselves, we had no more right to it than any other descendants of Adam: yet to us it has been given, though withheld from thousands of our fellow-men. Each of us, then, may say with St. Paul: By the grace of God I am what I am; and happy will it be for each, if he can add with equal truth: And his grace in me hath not been void.-1 Cor. xv. 10. 2. Been baptized. The converts made by the apostles, assumed or received the name of Christians, because they had embraced the religion of Christ. The same name has of late years been given by some to all persons, who admit that Christ was a teacher commissioned by God. This, however, is a new and unauthorized acceptation of the word. According to Scripture and tradition, no man is entitled to the appellation of a Christian, until he has been admitted B |