Q. 6. Does God himself require that we should set apart some of our time to be wholly dedicated to his service?

A. He does; and has expressly commanded one day in seven to be allotted for that purpose. Besides which, under the old law, he also ordained six great solemnities to be kept holy throughout the year, in memory of the great temporal favours he had bestowed upon his people, as is related at large in the twenty-third chapter of Leviticus, and in the twenty-eighth and twenty-ninth chapters of the Book of Numbers; all which he commanded to be kept with the same strictness as the Sabbath itself, and two of them lasted for eight days together.

Q. 7. Are these holidays of God's appointment under the old law binding upon Christians under the gospel?

A. By no means; they were instituted in memory of the particular temporal benefits bestowed on the people of Israel, and were binding on them alone; and, like the rest of the exterior of their religion, which was all a figure of the good things to come under the gospel, they were figures of the Christian holidays, which were to be ordained by the Church of Christ, in memory of the spiritual benefits bestowed by him on Christians, and therefore were fulfilled and done away when the Christian religion was established.

Q. 8. By whom are the Christian holidays appointed?

A. By the Church of Christ; which also, by the authority and power given her by her Divine Spouse, ordained the Sunday, or first day of the week, to be kept holy, instead of Saturday, or the seventh day, which was ordered to be kept holy among the Jews by God himself.

Q. 9. For what end does the Church appoint holidays?

A. For the same ends for which the seventh day, and the holidays of the old law, were instituted by God himself, whose example in this she follows. These ends are, (1.) To dedicate a portion of our time to the service of God alone, to whom the whole belongs. (2.) To have leisure from our worldly affairs to apply ourselves more earnestly to the concerns of our souls. God takes to himself the glory of having these days dedicated to his service, as is most due; but he gives all the profit to us. (3.) To keep up the continual remembrance of the great spiritual benefits we have received from God in the different mysteries of our redemption, and to adore and thank God for them; as we would be very apt to forget them entirely, were it not for the return of these holy solemnities. (4.) To honour God in his holy saints, and to be encouraged by their example, and helped by their prayers, to live a life of virtue and piety. (5.) That those who have little or no leisure on other days, on account of the duties of their state of life, to be instructed in their religion, may have time on these holidays for so necessary an employment.

Q. 10. In what manner does the Church command these holidays to be kept.

A. In the same manner as the Sundays; by abstaining from all unnecessary servile works and employing such a portion of the day in the exercises of piety and devotion, that we may be truly said to keep the day holy and particularly to assist at the holy sacrifice of the Mass.

Q. 11. Why are the holidays commanded to be kept the same way as Sundays?

A. Because (1.) the intention of instituting both Sundays and holidays is the same. (2.) God com

manded the holidays of the old law to be kept in the same way as the Sabbath; and, as these were only figures of the Sundays and holidays of the new law, if this was done in the figure, where only temporal benefits were commemorated, much more ought it to be done in the substance, which regards the great spiritual benefits of our redemption.

Q. 12. Why is hearing Mass only, and no other particular exercise of piety, commanded on Sundays and holidays?

A. We are commanded, both by the law of God and the law of his Church, to keep these days holy; but, as all the various exercises of piety are not always fit for every one, therefore it is left to each one's own devotion, to spend these days in such exercises as may be properest for himself. Yet, as the assisting at the holy sacrifice of Mass is the duty of all, especially upon these days, therefore the Church obliges all her children, by an express command, to do so. Not as if this

alone were enough to keep the day holy, but that this must be done by all as an essential duty of the day; other pious exercises being left to each one's devotion.

Q. 13. Would it be a mortal sin to work upon holidays?

A. It would, except necessity, or the small quantity of the work done, excused from the guilt of a grievous sin; because it would be a transgression of the laws of the Church of Christ, whom he commands us to obey, under pain of being condemned as heathens and publicans. It would also be a profanation of those sacred days, set apart for the service of the Almighty, by doing what is expressly forbid to be done upon them.

Q. 14. Would it be a mortal sin to omit hearing Mass on a Sunday or a holiday?

A. Most certainly, unless we were hindered by a just necessity; for it would be a transgression of the law, a disobedience to the hishest spiritual authority upon earth, and a depriving God of that homage which we are commanded to give him on these sacred days.

Q. 15. What is the proper idea of this first precept of the Church?

A. It is this, that Almighty God absolutely requires in general some certain portions of our time to be set apart for his service, and the concerns of our souls that he has himself appointed one day in seven to be allotted for that purpose, and has left power to his Church to determine others as circumstances may require; and that the Church, in virtue of this power, having appointed several holidays, we ought to consider them as determinations of the general law of God himself, of giving a portion of our time to him.

Q. 16. But is it not a great loss to the people to want their work on these days?

A. In answer to this, let us consider, (1.) Is it not an infinitely greater loss for their souls, to lose the grace and favour of God, by robbing him of that portion of their time which he demands from them, and by bringing upon themselves the guilt of mortal sin? (2.) How many days and hours do they throw away in idleness and sinful occupations without any regret? Is it not a shame for Christians to throw away their time with pleasure, when serving the devil and ruining their souls; and only then to regret it when spent in the service of God and the concerns of salvation? (3.) Has not God a thousand ways to make up that loss, by giving a blessing to their affairs, and making things proceed prosperously with them? And is it not a criminal distrust in his Providence, to imagine he would let us be hurt in our affairs, by our atten

tion to his service; especially when he has often promised in his holy Scriptures, to bless our temporal affairs, if we be careful to sanctify the days set apart for his service; and has expressly said, "Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his justice, and all these things shall be added to you," Matth. vi. (4.) Has he not often threatened, in his holy Scriptures, to punish us in our temporal affairs, if we profane his holy days? Has he not numberless ways to put these threats in execution, unknown to us? And will not this be an infinitely greater loss than that of a day's work? Where then is our faith, if we be deterred from our duty by such unchristian fears?

SECTION II.

OF THE SECOND COMMAND OF THE CHURCH.

Q. 17. What is the second command of the Church?

A. To fast during the time of Lent, on Ember days and Vigils, and to abstain from flesh on Fridays and Saturdays.

Q. 18. What is the end and design of this command?

A. It is to direct us in the times and manner in which we are to perform the duty of fasting, which God, by a general command, lays upon all.

Q. 19. What is meant by fasting?

A. The not taking our usual food, either as to the quality or quantity of it. The not taking our usual food as to the quality, or the abstaining from certain kinds of food, is properly called abstinence; the diminishing the usual quantity of our food, is properly called fasting; though fasting, in general, always includes both.