nishments of the wicked. Second part.The doctrine of the seven Sacraments comprehends the signs, and, as it were, the instruments of grace. Third part.The Decalogue, whatever has reference to the law, " the end whereof is charity." [1] Fourth part.Finally, the Lord's Prayer contains whatever can be the object of the Christian's desires, or hopes, or prayers. The exposition, therefore, of these, as it were, common-places of sacred Scripture, includes almost every thing to be known by a Christian.
Application of the Catechism to the Gospel of the Sunday.We, therefore, deem it proper to acquaint pastors that, whenever they have occasion, in the ordinary discharge of their duty, to expound any passage of the Gospel, or any other part of Scripture, they will find its substance under some one of the four heads already enumerated, to which they will recur, as the source from which their exposition is to be drawn. Thus, if the Gospel of the first Sunday of Advent is to be explained, " There shall be signs in the sun and in the moon, &c. [2] what ever regards its explanation is contained under the article of the creed, " He shall come to judge the living and the dead," and by imbodying the substance of that article in his exposition, the pastor will at once instruct his people in the creed and in the Gospel. Whenever, therefore, he has to communicate instruction and expound the Scriptures, he will observe the same rule of referring all to these four principal heads, which, as we have already observed, comprise the whole force and doctrine of Holy Scripture.
Why it begins with the explanation of the Creed.He will, however, observe that order which he deems best suited to persons, times and circumstances. Walking in the footsteps of the Fathers, who to initiate men in Christ the Lord and instruct them in his discipline begin with the doctrine of faith, we have deemed it useful to explain first in order what appertains to faith.
Faith, how understood here.As the word faith has a variety of meanings in the Sacred Scriptures, it may not be unnecessary to observe that here we speak of that faith by which we yield our entire assent to whatever has been revealed by Almighty God. That faith thus understood is necessary to salvation no man can reasonably doubt ; particularly as the Sacred Scriptures declare that " Without faith it is impossible to please God." [3] For as the end proposed to man as his ultimate happiness is far above the reach of the human understanding, it was, therefore, necessary that it should be made known to him by Almighty God. This know-
