to think any thing of ourselves, as of ourselves but our sufficiency is from God," 2 Cor. iii. 5. "And no man can say, the Lord Jesus, but by the Holy Ghost," 1 Cor. xii. 3; that is, no man can say it, so as to be conducive to his salvation. And our Saviour himself, to shew our total inability of doing any good of ourselves, and without his divine assistance, says, "Without me you can do nothing," John xv. 5.; and he confirms the same truth by the similitude of a vine, and its branches, saying, "As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abide in the vine, so neither can you, unless you abide in me," verse 4.

Q. 7. Are we able to keep the commands by the help of God's grace?

A. Yes, we are; and God, who requires us to keep his commands, is never wanting on his part to give us sufficient grace for that purpose. The truth of this is shewn from several reasons (1.) The Scriptures are full of the warmest exhortations to all to keep the commandments, which certainly would be unbecoming the divine wisdom, if it was impossible to keep them with the help of God's grace, or if that grace was ever refused us. (2.) God every where obliges man to keep his commandments, under pain of eternal punishment. Now, it is totally inconsistent with his justice, and makes God a cruel tyrant, to say he would punish us for breaking his commands, if it was impossible for us to keep them. (3.) We read of several in the Scripture who actually did keep them perfectly, and are highly praised on that account, such as Abraham and Job, and particularly the parents of St. John Baptist, of whom the Scripture says, that they were both just before God, walking in ALL THE COMMANDMENTS and justifications of the Lord without blame," Luke i. 6. (4.) God himself declares, in the very first command, that he

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shews mercy to thousands of those that love him and keep his commandments," Exodus xx. 6. (3) And St. Paul assures us, that God is never wanting on his part to give us all necessary assistance to keep them, saying, "God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above what you are able to bear, but will make also, with the temptation, issue," (that is, a way to escape,) "that you may be able to bear it," 1 Cor. x. 13.

Q. 8. How are the ten commandments divided? A. Into two tables; of which the first consists of three commands, and contains all the duties we owe to God; and the second contains the other seven, in which are laid down all the duties we owe to our neighbours and to ourselves.

Q. 9. Why do you say the first table contains only three commands?

A. Because, though some people divide the first command into two, and by this means make four in the first table; yet, in reality, it is only one and the same; for when God says "Thou shalt have no other gods but me," he plainly forbids to worship any other being whatsoever as God, but himself alone; and when afterwards he says, "Thou shalt not make to thyself any graven thing, &c. Thou shalt not adore them, nor serve them: for I am the Lord thy God," he only explains in particular what he had before declared in general terms, and forbids the worship of idols as God."

Q. 10. But what need was there for this particular explication ?

A. Because, as the worship of idols was then raging in the world, and the people of Israel were exceeding prone to this vice, as appears from their whole history, Almighty God thought it proper, by the above explication adjoining to their law, to caution them in particular against this so detestable breach of it.

Q. 11. How then do you make out all the ten commands, if all this be joined in one?

A. Those who divide this first command into two, are obliged to join the two last into one; for, "Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife," and "Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's goods," which they join in one, are manifestly two distinct commands.

Q. 12. How can this be shewn ?

A. Because they forbid the internal acts of two different and distinct sins; the one a sin of lust, the other a sin of injustice; and, as the external acts of these sins are forbidden by two distinct commands, "Thou shalt not commit adultery," and "Thou shalt not steal," because they are two distinct sins; so the inward acts, or desires of these vices, being equally two distinct sins, equally require to be forbidden by two distinct commands.

CHAPTER XV.

OF THE COMMANDS OF THE CHURCH.

Q. 1. WHAT do you mean by the commands of the Church?

A. The commands of the Church, in general, signify all those laws, rules, and regulations, which the pastors of the Church have made for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, and for the edification of the body of Christ; but what is meant in particular by the commands or precepts of the Church, are six general laws, which are of more eminent note in the Church, both on account of their antiquity, having been observed, as to their substance, from the very first ages, and on account also of their universality, as obliging every member

of the Church, without exception, whom they

concern.

Q. 2. Are the people obliged in conscience to obey the laws of the Church?

A. We have seen this obligation proved at large in the chapter on the Church, (which see,) and hence it is the constant doctrine of the Church, › that all her children are obliged in conscience to obey her commands; that it is always a sin wilfully to transgress them, and a mortal sin if it be done in a matter of moment, or out of contempt. And the Council of Trent, one of the greatest and most respectable general councils that have been in the Church, condemns, and pronounces anathema upon all those who shall teach the contrary. This obligation will appear still more fully if we consider the light in which the sacred Scripture considers these commands.

Q. S. In what light does the Scripture consider the commands of the pastors of the Church?

A. It considers them as the commands of God himself, more than as the commands of men. For, (1.) Christ declares to the pastors of the Church, "He that hears you hears me," consequently they are the ministers of Christ, by whom he discovers his will to his people.. (2.). When the apostles and other pastors, in the Council of Jerusalem, gave orders to abstain from "blood, and things strangled," they began their decree in this manner: “It has seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, lay no further burden upon you than these necessary things," Acts xv. 28.; where they plainly affirm that this command of abstinence was a com mand of the Holy Ghost, though published by this decree of the pastors of the Church. (3.) St. Paul also, writing to the Thessalonians concerning the commands he had laid upon them, says, "You know what precepts I have given you by the Lord

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Jesus;" and a little after he adds, "Therefore, he that despises these things, despiseth not man, but God, who also hath given his holy spirit in us," 1 Thess. iv. 2, 8.; alluding to what our Saviour said, "He that despises you despises me.' (4.) Our Saviour also declares to the pastors of the Church, in the persons of his apostles, "whatsoever you shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven," Matth. xviii. 28.; consequently, when the pastors of the Church make laws to the Christian people, and bind them, by their commands, to do what they judge necessary for "the edification of the body of Christ," the people are bound in heaven to obey these commands, as being ratified and confirmed by God himself. (5.) When we consider the six principal commands of the Church in particular, we shall see that the duties prescribed by them, are duties which God himself expressly demands from us, and that all the part the Church has in them, is only to determine the particular time, place, or manner, in which we ought to practise them, lest, if left to ourselves, we should neglect them entirely.

SECTION I.

OF THE FIRST COMMAND OF THE CHURCH.

Q. 4. WHAT is the first command of the Church? A. To hear Mass on Sundays and holidays, and to rest from servile work.

Q. 5. What is the end and design of this command?

A. To direct us in the manner in which we ought to employ the time set apart for the service of God.