Q. Are we never overcome but by our own default?

A. Never; according to that answer which was given to St. Paul, desiring to be freed from a temptation, "My grace is sufficient for thee."

Q. What other proof have you?

A. Out of St. Paul, I Cor. x. 13. Who says, "And God is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted above that which you are able, but will make also with temptation issue (that is a way to escape) that you may be able to bear it." Also St. James iv. 7, "Resist the Devil and he will flee from you."

Q. Who are they that say this petition ill?

A. Such as seek after occasion of sin, and wilfully expose themselves unto temptations.

Q. What are the best remedies against temptations?

A. To have recourse by humble prayer to God and to his saints, and to such especially as have undergone temptations of the same kind; to resist them valiantly at the first entrance, and to remember often the four last things, death, judgment, hell, and heaven.

The Seventh Petition.

Q. WHAT is the seventh petition?
A. But deliver us from evil.

Q. What do we beg by this petition?

A. That God would deliver us from all evils, both spiritual and temporal, especially from the evils of sin past, present, and to come.

Q. Who is the author of the evil of sin?

A. The devil; for in God there is none.

Q. What other proof have you?

A. Out of Wisdom xiv. 3. "Hateful to God is the impious man and his impiety."

Q. Who say this petition ill?

A. They who commit their evils before God, and multiply their sins without remorse.

CHAP. VI.

The Hail Mary, or Angelical Salutation expounded.

Q. WHAT is the Hail Mary?

A. It is a most honourable salutation to the blessed Virgin Mary, and prayer to her.

Q. How do you prove it lawful to honour her?

A. Out of St. Luke i. 48. Where (by inspiration from God) she prophesied, saying, "All generations shall call me blessed."

Q. How many parts hath the Hail Mary?

A. It hath three parts.

Q. What is the first part?

A. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee.
Q. Who made this part?

A. The Holy Ghost, though it was delivered by the angel Gabriel. St. Luke i. 28.

Q. What signifies the word Hail?

A. It signifies rejoice or be glad.

Q. Why do we invite her by this prayer to rejoice?

A. Because it renews the memory of her conception of her blessed Son, which is an infinite cause of joy to her and to the whole court of Heaven.

Q. What signifies the word Mary?

A. It signifies star of the sea; as also lady.

Q. Why is she properly called the star of the sea?

A. Because she shines on us by her exemplary virtue in this sea of miseries, like a most glorious star.

Q. What mean you by the words, full of grace?

A. I mean that the Blessed Virgin hath a special fullness and privilege of grace for the conception of her Son.

Q. What means, The Lord is with thee?

A. It means that the whole Trinity was with her at the time in a particular manner.

Q. Are they also now with her?

A. They are in glory, and will be so for all eternity.

The second part of the Hail Mary.

Q. WHAT is the second part of it?

A. Blessed art thou among women, blessed is the fruit of thy womb, JESUS.

Q. Who made this part?

A. These words, Blessed art thou among women, were first delivered by the angel; and after, with the rest, uttered by St. Elizabeth, being inspired by the Holy Ghost. St. Luke i. 28, 42.

Q. What understand you by Blessed art thou among wo

men?

A. I understand, she alone was chosen out amongst all

women to be the Mother of God,' and therefore ought to be blessed and praised above and by all women.

Q. Why by married women?

A. Because their children are made the Sons of God by the nativity and merits of her Son, of whom she daily also begs blessings for them.

Q. Why by virgins?

A. Because she is their queen and chiefest patroness, and obtains for them of her Son Jesus, the gift of chastity. Q. Why by widows?

A. Because she is their best example, and advocate to their Spouse. her Son.

Q. What means Blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus? A. It means, that Jesus is her true and natural Son, and to be blessed both by men and angels.

Q. Why are Catholics such great honourers of the name of Jesus?

A. Because it is a name above all names, as you have heard in the creed; and as St. Paul exhorts, saying, all whatsoever you do in word or work, do all in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, giving thanks to God the Father by him. Colos. iii. 17.

The third part of the Hail Mary.

Q. WHAT is the third part of the Hail Mary?

A. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now, and in the hour of our death. Amen.

Q. Who made this part?

A. The holy Catholic Church in the Council of Ephesus, in the year of our Lord 431, (Pope Celestine presiding.) against Nestorius, an heretic who denied our blessed Lady to be the Mother of God, and would only have her called the Mother of Christ. See Baronius, tom. 5. An. 4. 31.

Q. What means, Pray for us sinners now?

A. It means, that we need divine assistance every moment. Q. What means, And at the hour of our death?

A. It meaneth that we then especially shall need the aid of blessed Mary, and her Son Jesus, and therefore do daily beg it. The word Amen signifies, let it be done, or be it so.

CHAP. VII.

Charity Expounded.

Q. WIIAT is charity?

A. It is the gift of God, or a supernatural quality infused by God into the soul of man, by which we love God above all things, and our neighbour as ourselves, for God's sake. Q. Why is it called supernatural?

A. Because it is not in the power of nature to obtain it; but is a special grace and gift of God, given to us by him for the sake of Christ.

Q. Is charity imputed as Protestants would have it, or is it a quality truly inherent in the soul?

A. It is truly inherent in the soul, as wisdom is inherent in a soul that is wise, and love in a soul that loveth..

Q. How prove you that?

A. First out of Rom. v. 5. The charity of God is poured forth in our hearts, by the Holy Ghost, who is given to us. Secondly, out of Dan. vi. 22. Before him (i. é. God) jus

tice hath been found in me.

Thirdly, out of Ephes. iii. 17, 18, where St. Paul prays for his brethren, that Christ may dwell in their hearts by faith, that being rooted and founded in charity, &c.

Q. What is it to love God above all things?

A. To be willing to lose all things, rather than the grace or love of God by mortal sin.

Q. Who has this love?

A. They who keep the commandments of God, according to that, "This is the charity of God, that we keep his commandments, and his commandments are not heavy." 1 St. John v. 3.

Q. Hath not he charity then, that breaks any of the commandments?

A. He hath not; for, He that saith he knoweth God, and doth not keep his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 1 John ii. 4.

Q. What is it to love our neighbours as ourselves?

A. To wish him as much good as we wish ourselves, and to do him no wrong.

Q. Who is our neighbour?

A. All men, women, and children, even those who injure us or differ from us in religion, but especially Catholics.

Q. Why so?

A. Because they are the images of God, and redeemed with the blood of Christ.

Q. Why especially Catholics?

A. Because they are all members of the mystical body o Christ, which is the church.

Q. Whence ariseth the obligations of loving our neigh bour?

A. Because God hath commanded it and if one shall say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar. 1 St. John iv. 20.

Q. Are we not also bound to love our enemies?

A. We are, according to that, It was said of old, thou shalt not kill but I say unto you, love your enemies. St. Mult. v. 43, 44.

Q. What kind of love are we bound to show to our enemies?

A. We are bound to use a civil behaviour towards them, to pray for them in general, and to be disposed to do any charitable office for them when their necessity require it.

Q. What is the highest act of charity?

A. To give our life for God's honour, and the salvation of our neighbour.

Q. Why is charity the greatest and most excellent of virtues?

A. Because it is the life of all the rest, even Faith, unless it worketh through Charity, will not save a man.

Q. What state of life do we conceive to be of greatest perfection?

A. That which of its own nature and proper institution obligeth to the highest and greatest charity, for charity is perfection, and such is the state not only of bishops, but also (as many probably think) of pastors who have charge of souls.

Q. How prove you that?

A. Out of St. John v. 13. "Greater charity than this no man hath, that a man lay down his life for his friends," which is the proper obligation of every pastor, according to that, "The good pastor giveth his life for his sheep." St. John x.

11.

Q. How prove you the necessity of charity?

A. Out of St. John iv. 16. He that remains in charity, remains in God, and God in him. And chap. i. 14. Ile that loves not, remains in death.