The Poor Man's Catechism

Let us consider this on the obligations of a Christian. Q. WHAT is a Christian obliged to by his profession? A. He is obliged inwardly to believe, and outwardly to confess the faith and law of Christ: With the heart we believe unto justification, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. Rom. x. 10. A Christian' must believe in his heart all that Christ has taught, and his church professes, with a sincere and unfeigned faith: God must be served with sincerity and truth no deceit, dissimulation, or hypocrisy, must harbour therein; since all things, even our most secret thoughts, are open to him, and nothing is hidden but shall be revealed at the last day. A Christian must also profess the faith and law of Christ outwardly and openly, for God's honour: thus, if called before kings and princes, enemies of your faith, and if demanded by them what religion you profess, yon must boldly confess yourself a Christi n, a Catholic, and if by your confession of it you are to suffer, you must rather undergo death, as the apostles and holy martyrs did, than deny your faith: God must ever be obeyed before men, (Acts v. 29;) and the reward of this obedience will be, He who confesses me before men, him. will I confess before my Father who is in heaven, (St.: Matt. x. 32.;) whereas the reverse will follow disobedience; He who denieth me before men, him will I deny before my Father who is in heaven.- A Christian must profess his faith outwardly, for his own good, by often repeating his belief.-He must again profess it outwardly, for his neighbour's good, thereby to bring him from his error to the true faith and church of Christ. EXHOR.-Give thanks to God for your vocation to the true faith, for haring made you a Christian, a Catholic. See how far you have concurred with your faith, Of deviated from it; whether you have made open profession of it when required, and whether you have joined good works to your faith, and by them made t1le light of it shine before men. Never be ashamed of professing the Gospel, or of practising what will conduce to your future happiness: rather be ashamed and blush, that. you have so little conformed to its maxims, and that you have so often left the ways of God, and followed those of the world, which will, in the end, leave you in despair and confusion.