liness of life. Our Lord instructs us that we should judge of believers by their fruits. "Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit, but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Wherefore, by their fruits you shall know them." Mat. vii. 16, 17, 18, 20.

Q. You say that obedience to the commands of God, is the surest evidence of a true faith ; but is there any such merit in our good works, that we are justly entitled to demand any reward, on their account, from the justice or the mercy of God?

A. Certainly not: our obedience at best can be but imperfect, and can afford no ground for expecting a reward. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 1 John, i. 8. We are to rely for justification only on the atonement and merits of the Redeemer. "When we shall have done all those things which are commanded us, we are to say we are unprofitable servants, we have done that which it was our duty to do." Luke xvii. 10.

SECT. 1.-Offaith in God.

Q. What is the most essential article of belief in religion?

A. It is the belief in the existence of God, the rewarder of the good, and the punisher of the evil." He that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is the rewarder of them that diligently seek him." Heb. xi. 6.

Q. Should faith in the existence and perfections of God, and good works, ever be separated?

A. No, those who do not obey God, cannot truly believe in him. "They profess to know God, but in works they deny him." Tit. i. 16. and in the same epistle, St. Paul says, ch. ii. 8. "They which have believed in God, ought to be careful to maintain good works."

Q.

To what does faith in God lead us?

A. To piety; for since there is a God, we should acknowledge our dependence on him, and worship him; since he is our father, we should reverence, love, and obey him; and since he is almighty, we should derive all our hopes of happiness from conforming to his will, and fear his anger if we offend him.

SECT. 2.-Of faith in the Trinity.

Q. Is there a plurality of Gods?

A. Reason teaches us that there can be but one only almighty and perfect being, self-existent, the creator and governor of all things, and scripture every where confirms this doctrine. "Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one God." Deut. vi. 4.

Q. How is the existence of God proved from

reason?

A. It is proved by the existence of the material universe; by the order and harmony which here prevails, by the evidence of design and contrivance in all the productions of nature; by the nature, the faculties and progressive improvement of the human mind, and the absurdity of

G

supposing the universe to be the offspring of accident, or to have existed from eternity.

Q. What are the principal perfections of God?

A. He is eternal, independent, spiritual, infinite; every where present, knows all things, is almighty, perfect in justice, truth, holiness, goodness, wisdom, and happiness.

Q. Is it necessary to believe in these perfections of God?

A. Certainly, as they are the foundation of all the service and the obedience we owe him. Q. Since then you believe in one God only, why do you believe in the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost?

A. Because the holy Scriptures teach us to believe that in the divine essence there are three persons, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, who constitute but one God.

Q. Where is mention made of these three ? A. In St. Matthew, ch. xxviii. 19. where Jesus Christ commands to baptize in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. In the 13th chapter of the 2d epistle to the Corinthians, 14th verse, "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost be with you all," and in the 1st Epistle of St. John, ch. v. 7.

For there are three that bear record in Heaven, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, and these three are one."

Q. In what way is this doctrine taught in the holy Scriptures ?

A. The Scriptures draw a distinction be

tween the Son and Spirit, and the Father, and attribute divinity to each; from whence it follows, that since there are not three Gods, the Father, Son, and Spirit, are one and the same God.

Q. How should we receive this doctrine of the Trinity?

A. We should believe it precisely as taught in Scripture, and confine ourselves to what God has revealed on this subject in his word, without vainly endeavouring to comprehend this mysterious doctrine.

Q. Why do we give Gon the title of FA

THER?

A. Because he is the Creator and Lord of all things, as St. Paul teaches in 1 Cor. viii. 6. "But to us, there is but one GOD, the Father; of whom are all things." In particular we call him FATHER, because he is the Father of the Lord Jesus Christ.*

SECT. 3.-Of faith in Jesus Christ.

Q. Is it necessary to believe in Jesus Christ? A. Assuredly. It is faith in Jesus Christ

He is also "the father of our spirits." Heb. xii. 9. As a father, in the order of his providence he provides for our daily wants, he is the father of the intellectual world, "of the whole family in heaven and on earth," Eph. iii. 15. and more especially the disciples of Jesus Christ-who are expressly directed in their daily devotions to pray to him in these words, "OUR FATHER who art in heaven." So our Lord directs us to call no man in a spiritual sense, "Father;" 66 for, says he, one is your father in heaven," Matth. xxiii. 9. And after his resurrection, but before he ascended to heaven, he sent this message to his disciples, "I ascend to my Father and your Father-to my God and your God." John xx. 17.

which distinguishes Christians from Jews and Pagans.

Q. But is it not sufficient to believe in God, the Father?

A. It is necessary also to believe in Christ, because he is God equal with the Father, because it is he only who has instructed us in the right knowledge of God, but especially because it is Jesus Christ who has reconciled us to God, and because we can be saved only through him. John xiv. 6. "I am the way, the truth and the life-no one cometh to the Father but by me." Q. What is it rightly to believe in Jesus Christ?

A. It is in the first place, to believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God-the promised Messiah, and Saviour of the world-and to rest all our hope of salvation on him. In the second place, it is to make an open profession of our belief in him and to obey him.

Q. What is the meaning of the word JESUS? A. It signifies SAVIOUR; and our Lord was thus named by command of God, because he was to save his people from the guilt and punishment of their sins-it was thus the angel announced him to Joseph. "Mary shall_bring forth a son and thou shalt call his name JESUS for he shall save his people from their sins.” Matth. i. 21.

Q. How is it that Jesus Christ saves us from our sins ?

A. "By his holy life; by his atoning sufferings and death; and by the agency of the holy spirit in regenerating and sanctifying our nature."

Q. What does the name CHRIST signify?