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A. Out of Ephes. v. 31, 32. They shall be two in one flesh; this is a great sacrament. But I speak in Christ, and in the church.

Q. What is the matter of this sacrament?

A. The mutual consent of the parties, and giving themselves to one another.

Q. What are the effects of matrimony?

A. It gives special grace to the married couple, to love and bear one with another, as also to bring up their children in the fear and love of God.

Q. What is the principal end of marriage?

A. To beget children, and bring them up in the service of God; and the next to this is, that man may have a remedy against concupiscence, and a helper in the way of salvation, Q. How great is the tie of marriage?

A. So great that it can never be dissolved but by death, as you have heard out of St. Matt. xix.

Q. What are the obligations of man and wife?

A. To love, honour, and comfort one another.
Q. What besides?

A. Husbands are obliged to cherish and comfort their wives; wives to be subject, obey, and love their husbands. Q. How prove you that?

A. Out of Col. iii. 18, 19. Women, be subject to your own husbands, as behoveth in our Lord. Men, love your wives, and be not bitter towards them. And out of Ephes. iv. 22, 23. Let women be subject to their husbands, as to the Lord, because the man is head of the woman as Christ is head of the church, v. 24. But as the church is subject to Christ, so also women to their husbands in all things. And again, v. 33. Let each man love his wife as himself, and let the wife reverence her husband.

Q. What else?

A. To render mutually the marriage debt according to that, "Let the husband render his debt unto his wife, and the wife in like manner to her husband. The woman now hath no power of her own body, but the husband, and in like manner the man hath no power of his own body, but the woman." 1 Cor. vii. 3, 4.

Q. Is it lawful for children to marry without the consent of their parents?

A. It is not; neither is it lawful for parents to force them to marry against their will.

Q. Why are so many unhappy in their marriages?

A. Because they never consulted with God about them, nor sought to have his blessing in them.

Q. For what other reason?

A. Because they were in the state of sin at their marriage, or married for inordinate love or wealth, and not for the right end of marriage.

Q. What meaneth the blessing of the priest given in marriage?

A. It is to beg all blessings of God for the new married couple.

Q. What signifies the ring used at marriages?

A. It is a symbol of perfection and eternity, being equal in all parts, and round in figure, without beginning or end, to intimate the perfect and perpetual love of man and wife.

Q. What are the spiritual means to obtain the blessing of good children?

A. Fasting, prayer, and alms-deeds, for so St. Joachim and St. Anne obtained the B. Virgin Mary and so the B. Virgin became the mother of God.

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Q. What obligations have parents to their children?"

A. To instruct them in the faith of Christ, to bring them up in the fear of God, to give them good example, to keep them out of ill company and other occasions of sin, to feed and nourish them, to provide for them in marriage, and to correct their faults.

Q. What are the chief and most common impediments of marriage?

A. Consanguinity and affinity, to the fourth degree inclusively; and in the right line all degrees are prohibited by the law of nature.

Q. Can the church dispense in the collateral degrees?

A. She can, excepting only the first collateral degrees of consanguinity, but always sufficient motives must be given. Q. How prove you that?

A. The church having made these laws, for just reasons may dispense in them; but when such dispensations are given, those who seek them ought to consider, that they may deprive themselves of the blessings attending the mariage state, if the motives alleged be not well founded.

CHAP. XII.

The Cardinal Virtues Expounded.

Q. HOW many cardinal virtues are there

A. There are four, prudence, justice, fortitude, and temperance.

Q. Why are they called Cardinal Virtues?

A. Because they are the fountains, and as it were the hinges of all good works, from the word CARDO, which signifies a hinge.

Q. What is prudence?

A. It is virtue, which makes us wary in all our actions, that we may neither deceive others, nor be deceived ourselves; or which (according to the rule of honesty) prescribes us what to be desired, and what to be avoided.

Q. How prove you that?

A. Out of Eccles. iii. 32. A wise heart that hath understanding, will keep itself from all sin, and in the works of justice shall have success.

Q. What is justice?

A. It is a virtue which gives every man his own according to that, "Render to all men their due, to whom tribute, tribute; to whom custom, custom; to whom fear, fear; to whom honour, honour." Rom. xiii, 7.

Q. What is temperance?

A. It is a virtue which moderates our appetites and desires, that they be according to reason, and not inordinate: He that is abstinent (saith the wise man) shall increase in life. Eccl. xxxvii.

Q. What is fortitude?

A. It is a virtue, by which the labours and dangers even of death itself, that are opposite unto virtue, are courageously undertaken and patiently sustained, The wicked fleeth (saith Solomon) when no man pursueth; but the just man, as a confident lion, shall be without fear. Prov. xxviii. 1. And in 1 Pet. iii. 14, we read, The fear of them fear ye not, and be not troubled, but sanctify our Lord Christ in your hearts.

Q. Is it necessary for a christian to be exercised in these virtues ?

A. It is; for we must not only decline from evil, but do good. Psal. xxxvi. 27.

CHAP. XIII.

The Gifts of the Holy Ghost Expounded.

Q. HOW many are the Gifts of the Holy Ghost? A. Seven: wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and the fear of the Lord. Isa. xi. 2.

Q. What is wisdom?

A. It is a gift of God, which teacheth us to direct our whole lives and actions to his honour, and the salvation of our souls.

Q. What is understanding?

A. It is a gift of God, by which we are enabled to comprehend the high mysteries of our faith.

Q. What is counsel ?

A. It is a gift of God, by which we discover the frauds and deceits of the Devil, and are not deceived by him.

Q. What is fortitude?

A. It is a gift of God, whereby we are enabled to undergo and despise all dangers for his sake.

Q. What is knowledge?

A. It is a gift of God, by which we know and understand the will of God.

Q. What is piety?

A. It is a gift of God, which makes us devout and zealous in his service.

Q. What is the fear of the Lord?

A. It is the gift of God, which curbs our rashness, withholds us from sin, and makes us obedient to God's law.

CHAP. XIV.

The twelve fruits of the Holy Ghost Expounded.

Q. HOW many are the fruits of the Holy Ghost?

A. There are twelve, as you may see, Gal. v. 22, 23.
Q. What is the first?

A. Charity, whose nature and effects you know already.
Q. What is the second?

A. Joy, by which we are enabled to serve God with cheerful hearts.

Q. What is the third?

A. Peace, which keeps us unmoved in our minds amid t the storms and tempests of the world.

Q. What is the fourth?

A. Patience, which enables us to suffer all alversities fr the love of God.*

Q. What is the fifth ?

A Longerinity, which is an unwearied confidence of mind, in expecting the good things of the life to come. Q. What is the six h?

A. Goodness, which makes us hurt no man, and do good to all.

Q. What is the seventh?

A. Benignity, which causeth an affable sweetness in our manners and conversation.

Q. What is the eighth ?

A. Mildness, which allays in us all the motions of passion and anger.

Q. What is the ninth?

A. Fidelity, which makes us punctual observers of our covenants and promises.

Q. What is the tenth?

A. Modesty, which observes a becoming deportment in all our outward actions.

Q. What is the eleventh?

A. Continency, which makes us not only abstemious in meat and drink, but in all other sensible delights.

Q. What is the twelfth ?

A. Chastity, which keeps a pure soul in a pure body.
Q. Who are they that have these fruits?

A. The children of God only; for whosoever are led by the spirit of God, they are the sons of God. Rom. viii. 14.

CHAP. XV.

The Works of Mercy (Corporal and Spiritual) Expounded.

Q. HOW many are the corporal works of mercy?

A. Seven. 1. To feed the hungry. 2. To give drink to the thirsty. 3. To clothe the naked. 4. To harbour the harbourless. 5. To visit the sick. 6. To visit the imprisoned. 7. To bury the dead,

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