atonement made for sin by our blessed Saviour. But this salvation is not absolute, but conditional. Remission of sin, through the merits of Christ, is granted only to the penitent; for our Saviour hath joined these together, in his commission to the apostles: "Repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name throughout all nations." Until that change in our evil tempers and dispositions, which true repentance is designed to produce, takes place, we are not fit for enjoying the fruition of God's holy presence. Without holiness no man shall see the Lord."

Q. What do you mean by the forgiveness of sins?

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A. By the forgiveness of sins, is meant a discharge and release from the punishment due to sin. By transgressing God's laws, we contract guilt, we become obnoxious to divine justice; but, by the forgiveness of our sins, we are freed and delivered from that punishment which we have deserved. Our Saviour Christ having rendered a perfect obedience to the divine law, and sustained in our stead the awful penalty annexed to transgressing it, God can now be just, and yet justify the sinner who repents and believes.

Q. Wherein consists the guilt of delaying repentance? A. To delay our repentance, by which alone we can be restored to the favour of God, to some future period, which is always uncertain, is not only the greatest folly, but it is a criminal abuse of his long-suffering patience, an impious preference of the slavery of sin to the joys of his service, a presumptuous contempt of his laws, and of the denunciations of his justice. Offended at our impiety and presumption, he may swear in his wrath, that we shall not enter into his rest. Q. Is not a death-bed repentance very uncertain?

A. Though a death-bed repentance is not absolutely impossible, since it may please God, who sees the heart, to accept the sincerity of our sorrow and the ardour of our desires; yet a sincere repentance, amidst the distresses, the agitations, and pangs of a sick-bed, appears very improbable. At such a period, repentance will most probably be founded more on an apprehension of divine wrath, than on a just sense of the evil of sin, and of its ingratitude and baseness; and will not be, therefore, that sincere, sober, and genuine repentance which God will vouchsafe to accept, or which would produce sincere and thorough reformation of heart and life.

CHAPTER XVIII.

ST. MATTHIAS THE APOSTLE,

FEBRUARY 24.

A FESTIVAL.

Q. WHAT is meant by an apostle ?

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A. An apostle singnifies in general a messenger. name was applied by our Saviour to those select persons whom he chose to be the witnesses of his life, his miracles, his sufferings, and resurrection; and, under the direction of the Holy Ghost, to proclaim the Gospel to the world, and to found the Church, and provide for its government.

Q. Why did Christ choose the precise number of twelve apostles?

A. Our Saviour chose twelve apostles, probably in allu sion to the twelve patriarchs, as the founders of their several tribes, or to the twelve chief heads or rulers of the tribes of Israel."

Q. How were the apostles, who were obscure and illiterate persons, enabled to proclaim and to establish the Gospel throughout the world?

A. The apostles were competent judges of the facts they attested, having been eye-witnesses of them; and in regard to doctrine, it was impossible they could err, being immediately directed by the divine and unerring Spirit of truth. By the miraculous powers with which they were invested, they were enabled to establish the Gospel, in opposition to the prejudices, passions, and power that assailed it.

Q. Was St. Matthias one of the twelve apostles originally chosen by our Saviour?

A. St. Matthias was not among the twelve apostles first chosen ; but when Judas, one of the twelve, penetrated with remorse for having basely betrayed his Master, killed him self, Matthias was chosen in his room.

Q. What is the design of the epistle and gospel?

A. The epistle records the fall of Judas, and the election of Matthias; and the gospel, by representing the blessings of salvation as hid from the great men of the world, and revealed to the humble and contemned apostles, excites us to

p Matt xix. 28.

come unto Christ with those meek and lowly dispositions which are always a sure passport to his favour.

Q. Had Judas the authority and gifts of an apostle ?

A. Though Judas was a person of base and corrupt designs, yet having been numbered by Christ among the apostles, he obtained part of their ministry, and was equally empowered with the rest to preach and work miracles.

Q. What may we learn from this fact?

A. Hence we may learn, that the wickedness of a minister does not invalidate his commission, or render useless or ineffectual his office; and that the efficacy of a sacred ordinance does not depend upon the personal virtues of him who administers it, but upon the divine institution and blessing.

Q. How was St. Matthias chosen to be an apostle ?

A. St. Peter having recommended the filling up of the vacancy occasioned by the apostacy of Judas, the Christians assembled at Jeruaslem, and appointed two, Joseph, called Barnabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias; and having solemnly prayed to God, who knew the hearts of all men, that he would be pleased to show which of these two he would choose, they gave forth lots, and the lot fell upon Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles." This mode of determining doubtful and difficult cases, and of electing judges and magistrates by lot, was in use both among Jews and Gentiles.

Q. How was St. Matthias qualified for the apostleship?

A. Having been a constant attendant upon our Saviour all the time of his ministry, probably as one of the seventy disciples; having been a witness of our Saviour's resurrection, and of the principal events of his life, he was fully qualified to proclaim abroad those facts concerning the Saviour, of which he had equal knowledge with the rest of the apostles.

Q. Where did St. Matthias preach the Gospel ?

A. After the Holy Ghost was conferred upon him with the rest of the apostles, he devoted his ministerial labours, in the first instance, to Judea; and afterwards, according to St. Jerome, travelled to the countries eastward, where, after many labours and sufferings, he obtained the crown of martyrdom.

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Q. What instruction does this festival convey:
A. The solemn manner in which St. Matthias was chosen

Acts i 24 &c.

to the apostleship, should lead all who are concerned in selecting persons for the ministry, to use the greatest caution, and solemnly to invoke the divine guidance and blessing; and should teach all who are candidates for the ministry, seriously to examine their own hearts, whether they possess that sincere zeal for the glory of God, and the good of souls, which only will authorize them in trusting that they are called by the Holy Ghost to the office of the ministry. Since the wickedness of Judas did not invalidate his commission, we may learn that we shall not be justified in withdrawing from the ordinances of God, because he who administers them is a bad man. The lamentable fall of Judas, and the remorse which he discovered, should teach us carefully to avoid the sin of covetousness, which was the cause of his fall; to preserve our consciences free from guilt, which will rob us of our repose and peace; and diligently to watch over our hearts and ways, lest we be betrayed into sin, and ultimately be led into apostacy from God.

Q. Explain the duty of watchfulness.

A. The duty of watchfulness consists in wisely foreseeing the dangers which threaten our souls, and then in diligently endeavouring to escape or overcome them.

Q. How may we foresee the dangers that threaten us?

A. We should diligently endeavour to find out what are the temptations to which, from natural constitution, from professional pursuits, or from the company with which we associate, we are most exposed; that thus we may discover the first beginnings of evil, and be on our guard against the first approaches of our spiritual enemy.

Q. How may we preserve our piety against the assaults of temptation?

A. Our safety will generally consist in avoiding temptation whenever it is in our power: but when called to encounter it, we should "put on the whole armour of God." In order to overcome the temptation to increase our property by unlawful means, we should impress ourselves with a lively belief of the constant presence of God with us, and of the solemn account we must render at his tribunal. In order to overcome the seducing temptations of pleasure, we should live under the lively hope of enjoying those pleasures which are at God's right hand for evermore: we should gird our selves with truth, that no profit may prevail upon us to be insincere or faithless in our words and promises: we should

guard ourselves with righteousness, and keep our consciences void of offence: and then we may resolutely sustain the trials and persecutions to which we may be called. By the sword of the spirit, by lively confidence in the animating promises of the word of God, and by earnest prayer to him for the succours of his grace, we shall be enabled to overcome the assaults of temptation, and to put to flight all the enemies of our salvation.

Q. Is not watchfulness an important and necessary duty? A. Possessing a frail and depraved nature, surrounded by innumerable temptations, and exposed to the secret, but artful and powerful assaults of the great adversary, by diligent watchfulness alone shall we be able to perservere in the service of God, and to avoid that remorse and misery which will for ever overwhelm us, should we finally become the victims of temptation.

CHAPTER XIX.

The ANNUNCIATION of the blessed VIRGIN MARY, March 25.

A FESTIVAL.

Q. WHAT is meant by the annunciation of the blessed Virgin, which the Church this day celebrates?

A. By the annunciation of the blessed Virgin is meant, the declaration which the angel Gabriel made to the blessed Mary, that she should be the mother of our Lord Jesus Christ; that this her Son should be great, and called the Son of the Highest; that the Lord God should give unto him the throne of his father David; that he should reign over the house of Jacob for ever, and that of his kingdom there shall be no end. On him should be settled a spiritual kingdom, of which the temporal one of David was a type; he should be vested with the absolute government of the Church, the spiritual house of Jacob. The kingdom of David was to come to an end, but the spiritual kingdom of the MesIsiah was to last for ever.

Q. What have you to observe in regard to the epistle and gospel for the day?